Guide

Map

Southern Grimvault

1.

Action War Nurse #377

Lore

“Nurse!” the war medic shouted over the smoldering, noise-wracked, muddy, and noisy battlefield on the planet where the battle was taking place. “I need a war nurse! We have injuries not quite severe enough for a war doctor. So I’m looking, as I said, for a war nurse! Please, can someone find me a – “

“A war nurse?” interrupted Royal Imperial Nurse Thylia Caduceus, RIN, as she punched an Exile mercenary in the face with a rubber-gloved hand to prevent accidental infection. “Why didn’t you ask?” With that, she grabbed hold of a conveniently placed cable hanging from an even more conveniently placed rocky outcrop and swung into action by swinging over to land next to the war medic, who saluted. Nurse Caduceus saluted back.
The war medic, confused, saluted again. This went on for a few moments until the war nurse lashed out with a rubber-encased backhand.

“SNAP OUT OF IT, man!” she declared lustily. “This is war! And you’re a war medic. And I’m a war nurse. We belong here, saving lives!”

“And you belong with me, Action War Nurse!” called a sneering voice from through the roiling smoke on the battlefield.
Without warning, a bolt of fiery orange plasma lanced from within the black cloud and caught the war medic full in the face, melted it, then went on to cook his brains into a sort of gray-blue soup before causing the war medic’s skull to explode in a shower of gore and blood and gore.

“War medic!” Nurse Caduceus called, “Blast it, I didn’t even know your name!”

“His name?
You should be more worried about my name, Action War Nurse,” came the sneering voice again, and this time it was attached to a leering face. The leering face was attached to the vile Exile mercenary who strode forward from the smoke. The Action War Nurse recognized him immediately.

“I recognize you immediately,” she snarled defiantly. “Commander Heratix the Heretical, the most wanted Exile war criminal in the galaxy.
Well I’m an action war nurse, Commander Heratix, and I’m here to administer your shots!”

With that, Nurse Caduceus drew her twin resonators and set them to full charge, aiming them directly at the ugly Granok’s stony face.

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Guide

Map

Southern Grimvault

1.

Dominion Medical Chief’s Log

Lore

STATUS LOG – Grimvault Expedition Operation Genesis Day 01
Chief Medic Darnassian recording

What started as a bad supply situation is only getting worse. Anesthetic stores are at less than 20%, with the parts we need to keep the med stations functioning are at less than 10%. Command is not going to like this, but they must provide more medical supplies if the Radiant Legion is to take this Phagelab about which I’ve been hearing.
Why, I’d say we’re going to need more supplies if we’re to last the week, assault or no assault.

I have complete faith in Commander Antevian’s courage, but even he can’t win a war if he and all of his troops are bleeding out on the battlefield.

Something must be done!

Guide

Map

Southern Grimvault

1.

Dominion Investigator’s Notes

Lore

Grimvault Investigation Day 031

Can it truly be a month since we launched this ill-fated enterprise?

There is nothing living here in the Grimvault, at least not as we know life. There is movement here, murder and gore being spread by the tentacles and tendrils of something raw and evil. Beasts of corrupt origin spit forth from foul spawning grounds and the eyes….

The eyes. Watching. Always and forever, watching. They are everywhere.
Watching from the stalks, watching from the grasping fingers of the great one who watches over all. The Entity which no living thing can know, not if that living thing wants to survive.

I have no way of knowing this. Yet I do. The Medics on our expedition believe I am showing signs of stress. They say I may break. Someone else should take over.

I fear our Medics may be lost to the Entity. Perhaps they will have to die.

Grimvault Investigation Day 032

The Medics attempted to ply their foul potions on my form today. This will not be allowed, must not be allowed to happen. I cannot allow it. If I do, he will be… displeased.

When the Entity is displeased, he eats. Eats lives. Eats souls. Swallows them whole.

We have lost six since yesterday. No one who will be missed. Guard. Porters. An apprentice. I should miss the apprentice, but I will not.
I should honor the guards, but I cannot.

What is happening to me?

Grimvault Investigation Day 037

Yes. I can…speak into. This. Thing. I can…speak. I will…speak. The song of the Strain is mine to hear, now. It calls. I speak in reply. I speak.

Speak to me, lord of the Skurge, defiler of worlds. Speak to me with blood and disease. Death and corruption. The Strain.

It is all one. And we, we foolish small mortals with our foolish, small wars. We. Are going to. Die.

Guide

Strain Tunnels entrance.

Map

Southern Grimvault

1.

A Carnivore’s Dilemma

Lore

Chef Kozorok’s Cook Log – Grimvault Day 003

Supplies are already a concern, and food supplies most of all. I must investigate the Strain life forms in the area as a source of food. To this end, I have procured a few small portions from corpses left on the field of battle.

Feasting on the battlefield was once an powerful tradition among my people, but since the Draken swore to follow the emperor, some of these old ways have fallen by the wayside.
Yet are we not hunters? Even I, the humble cook, even I most of all. And this Strainflesh, it is simply another ingredient to cook. And while I, like all Draken, prefer my meat to be on the raw side, I shall cook this Strainflesh as thoroughly as possible. I am taking no chances. I shall report on its culinary properties as soon as I am finished with this repast.

Chef Kozorok’s Cook Log – Grimvault Day 004

So far, so good. The Strainflesh has a peculiar tang.
It tastes of…darkness. Suffering. Rage. Longing. Terror. Death. But I shall be its master. The Strainflesh will not master me.

Chef Kozorok’s Cook Log – Grimvault Day 005

Kozorok eat. Kozorok kill. Kozorok hunt. Fear Kozorok. Kozorok serves the Entity now. But small. Part. Of Kozorok…survives. Will not spread this to others. The Entity commands. But Kozorok fights. Kozorok will die. Die a Draken!

[This datalog is covered in traces of Draken blood tainted by Strain particles. There is no corpse nearby, however. It appears that Chef Kozorok’s attempt to defeat his enemy – and himself – failed in bloody fashion. But perhaps his last words can convince other chefs to avoid cooking with Strainflesh in the future.]

Lore

Entry #971MD-033
Auto-Record Mode Activated

What were we thinking? Like I don’t know. I know exactly what – who – I was thinking about. “Let’s take a joyride,” she said. “What could happen?” Oh, I don’t know, friends, how about getting lost in a labyrinth of Strain-infested tunnels with no hope of rescue or even any hope of being found if you actually stave off infection and disease.
I don’t even know where my sister ended up, and we’ve always had sort of a link. Like, I know how she’s feeling, she knows how I’m feeling…but it’s like she’s not even there. What’s happening in this place, anyway?

And why in hell did I ride a cryo pod all the way down here like some kind of Draken shock trooper? Stupid, Trilius. So. Stupid.

Entry #971MD-035
Last recording didn’t work. This equipment – something’s gotten into it.
Can machines get sick? I think my datachron is broken. It can’t tell me where I am, and I’m definitely lost. I can’t find the others, either. “Oh, just scan for our transponders, Trilius,” they said. Well what happens when your datachron breaks, geniuses?

Entry #971MD-038
Shouldn’t have tried to crack the da – ron open, I think s – ata may – been lost. Not feeling so good myself. Only been half-hour since la – since la – since landing. Itching. Skin hurts.
W – cryo pod sealed cor – ec – ly? Can’t say. Need help. I wa – go home.

Lore

Grimvault Expedition of Discovery
Day 21

Although it seems clear to even a casual observer, I cannot stress this enough – the current Grimvault, the disease-infested universe of corruption and Strain, was not designed with anything like this in mind. The Eldan did not leave this place like this. They wanted the Strain confined, and Grimvault itself was more of buffer zone. Now the buffer zone is filled with Strain, and it’s only getting worse.
All technology in this area, while Eldan and therefore mysterious and strange, nevertheless served a purpose, one the Eldan took with them when they disappeared. Now that technology has been compromised by the Techno-Phage.

Grimvault Expedition of Discovery
Day 22
Although this Ethereal Cavity resembles a natural formation, I’m beginning to think nothing in this Grimvault is natural.
It is completely saturated with corruption, and this underground network is no exception. What purpose did this corrupted complex serve? Was it, as some have hypothesized, the site of the Eldan’s downfall? I must dig deeper.

Grimvault Expedition of Discovery
Day 23
Dead. Most of them in the latest attack. The corruption all around us – it is coming to life. The Strain… it thinks. Walks, talks, and fights. It is intelligent. And it hates us.

It walked, it roared, it snarled, it killed. It wants me…us. It is not just a substance. It is thinking. It wants. It needs.

It kills. It wants me to kill. It wants me to join it. They want me to join them. I… we… will join them.

We will kill.