Morvius gives the man a breezy nod. "Pleased to meet you, Sank. I'm here to speak with master Guljian about his debts. At the moment I'm not sure he can afford to keep this house, much less any servants. The sooner I can speak to him the better"
Morvius is normally good at putting people at their ease, but occasionally he strikes the wrong tone and just puts people on edge. This might be one of those times.
Morvius doesn't seem particularly charming, but luckily for you Sank seems to somewhat believe the circumstances of your visit.
"That's all fine and well. I'm oathbound to Master Lans, so I'll be here as long as he is. Don't you worry, as long as you aren't a threat to him, I won't have any need to use this." he says, his hand resting on his handgun.
The servant returns suddenly, his face attempting to hide that he has been shaken by something. He nods to Sank, before returning his attention to the acolytes.
"I...am truly sorry, but my master is unwell and not in any condition to receive visitors. Perhaps you coul-"
His words are cut off by a blood-curdling scream coming from the floor above them, and the two servants immediately stop talking and turn to sprint up the stairs towards where the servant went the first time.
The servant's reactions is less interesting to Havelock than Sank's is. As such, Havelock does his best to see what it is.
He did claim he was oathbound after all.
"Well, that doesn't sound good.
Should we follow? They might not take kindly to it, but if we don't, we may miss something important."
Blades do not make decisions, they merely go where they are directed.
Calidus nods in agreement at Havelock's words;
"We should. There may be evidence of heresy that requires our... attention..."
The zealot makes for the stairs...
"Probability of a beneficial event occurring upstairs is statistically low. Investigation necessary."
Ptah follows along, muttering Binaric canticles.
Morvius is not a man who is short of a word or two, when the situation warrants. Some situations however do not require conversation, and a blood-curdling scream is just such a situation. Without hesitating, he draws his laspistol from the holster underneath his coat and races up the stairs, just behind the servants. If he knew the way, he would overtake them.
Havelock follows, he is meant to play the role of bodyguard after all.
He doesn't immediately draw his chainsword though, just in case the situation can be de escalated.
A chainsword all reeved up is hard to explain away after all.
The servants don't seem to be interested in stopping you from following them or meeting their master, it appears.
When you reach the source of the screaming, a study on the third floor of the manse, you witness a scene of absolute chaos. Embossed books and fine quills are strewn about haphazardly, while parchment, ink, and a lamp have been knocked from the desk, leaving only a small black orb sitting atop it. Kneeling on the floor, a man in ripped and shredded finery screams and babbles incoherently as he claws at his own face—his lips are ripped to tatters, and blood streams from numerous cuts and tears across his face. Lying near him is a bloody letter opener and two pulped white globs—his eyes.
The servants that opened the door and the ones that have gathered behind you (aside from Sank) flee the room in abject terror, their screams echoing down the hallway long after they've left sight.
"This is...unnatural."
"Unusual, certainly. However, it has an explanation. All things do. Lectures of the Iron Path 99.18.4, 'The irrational does not exist. All that is either does not exist or can be explained." We will find the reason behind this."
The scene of carnage gives Calidus pause, and he grits his teeth in an attempt to keep his composure;
"By the Golden Throne! What ails him?"
Morvius does his best to look insouciant as he surveys the scene - "Goodness me." - but the realisation that the man tore out his own eyes (and the sight of the pulped globules on the carpet) leaves him green-faced and trying not to puke. He is no stranger to some unusual sights, but this is beyond - far beyond - anything he has ever seen.
Havelock, mindful of his role still, steps up next to Morvius and places a steadying hand on his shoulder.
"Keep it together, do not let them see you in your moment of weakness."
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Remaining the implacable tech-priest, he simply shoots a rather askance look at Calidus. If his mouth still existed in a meaningful way beneath his cybernetic rebreather, he would be giving a slim, vindicated smile.
his neural cogitators allow some slim fraction of emotion as he thinks, "Imperial zealot = frightened. Satisfaction subroutines allowed function. Iron will of Machine God > blind conviction of the Imperial Cult."
As he surveys the scene, the orb catches his attention immediately. He turns to Morvius, doing his best to play his role, "Sir, will you allow me to survey the scene?"
Morvius nods, trying his best not to look at the scene himself. "By all means, please do."
"Without immediate care, I doubt anyone with those wounds will survive long.
And even if he survives, those wounds look self inflicted to me.
Anyone willing to do that to themselves...their minds must be ruined, no?"
Any attempt to survey the scene or get any useful information out of master Lans, for that is who this is, requires restraining the gone-astray noble and preventing his further self-mutilation.
Indeed, even as you enter the room and begin talking, you don't even see him turn his face toward you. It seems as if he can't perceive anything that is happening in the room, and even the screams from the servants and the chanting of your techpriest does not disturb him. More intervention appears to be neccessary.
Morvius does his best to keep his gaze averted from the sight, but he fumbles within his gear pack and pulls out a medikit (it was 'surplus to requirements' and he 'repurposed' it for his own use; mastering the paperwork of the Administratum has its benefits). "I don't know how to use this, but if one of you does then it might be possible to stabilise this man and get some answers out of him."
Ptah's first priority is the orb.
It seemed to be an item of interest, and the rumors of xeno or archeotech were too promising to ignore.
Havelock remains on alert, he wasn't adept in curing wounds, only at inflicting them.
There were always the possibility of combat coming.
Calidus shakes his head solemnly at Morvious' question.
As Ptah seemed to focus on the ink black orb, the brother sees his chance and, steeling himself, approaches the mutilated nobleman;
"I cannot heal your wounds, but I can provide medicate for your soul... Is there anything you wish to confess? Any sins you would have me absolve you of..."
Coming from the mouth of the zealot, the words seem less an appeal and more a demandment...
Unfortunately, without first aid he does not seem responsive. The medi-kit will help with that, though.
Maxim, the wonderful group medicae, takes a look at the man before opening the medi-kit and kneeling next to him.
Maxim is easily able to geet his wounds to stop bleeding for the moment, although it is quite obvious that he will need more serious medical help soon. The knowledge he has about wounds also does confirm that they are self-inflicted.
Finally, Lans talks.
"I have seen such wondrous things. You wouldn't believe what I have seen!" he laughs madly and loudly. "Forgotten kingdoms, cyclopean cities, the orb is just the beginning! Just the latest addition to my collection. The pale child at the wheel that wails gave it to me. You wouldn't understand...."
He repeats these phrases, most notably "pale child" and "wheel that wails" over and over again, until finally his words seem to merge together into one calm and monotone speech. An unrecognizable language, almost...alien?
As soon as Ptah gets within a short distance of the orb on the table, however, Havelock's head begins to hurt as he feels the stink of the warp on the artefact.
Morvius raises a sardonic eyebrow at the man's ravings. He has heard similar things from people on illegal substances that he can neither confirm nor deny having supplied to them, such things being strictly illegal. He still keeps his gaze firmly averted from the sight of what the nobleman has done to himself.
Instead, he approaches the bodyguard, Sank. "Nobody can possibly blame you for this - you cannot protect someone from themselves. But I do think it would be good if word of this did not spread too much further. Can you help me gather all the servants together so we can ensure they understand the virtues of silence? It can be deeply profitable, especially if it looks as though you may all be in need of new employment quite soon."
He gives the man a smile, hoping to make up for his earlier lack of charm.
"Wait! hold, do NOT touch that orb!
It carries the stink of the warp, and I believe it's active!"
Havelock moves forward to cut Ptah off, just in case words are not enough.
Morvius' words seem to snap Sank out of whatever trance he had been in, staring at his master as if he didn't truly believe what he was seeing, and returning him to the real world.
"I understand. You aren't who you said you were, are you? Once things are settled here, we need to have a talk about all this." he says, waiting for a short reply before nodding and then leaving the room to do what needs to be done.
Even as Havelock calls out a warning to Ptah, he feels a strange connection to it for just a brief moment, as if it was reaching out to him.
The land of the planet itself is an eerie light blue, with not a single other living being in sight. In front of you, however, is a massive collection of alien buildings, a twist of an unfamiliar purple metal wrapping around itself many many times before disappearing in a convoluted pattern beyond your comprehension.
Suddenly, your flight increases exponentially until you are speeding directly at the cluster of buildings. The second before you are sure you will impact with the side of the alien metal, the vision snaps away and you are back in the hive, with your fellows. While it felt like you spent hours flying across the alien planet, you see it has only been a few seconds at most.
"Ugh..."
Havelock stumbles for a moment, before forcing his mind to accept being back in charge.
"Visions...of an alien city, on a abandoned planet..."
Calidus processes the situation, plasteel teeth gritted as his eyes narrow;
"A citadel of Xenos? Clear heresy!
The brother's hand grips his hand-flamer...
"That...THING needs to be safely contained!
Do NOT go near it, do NOT touch it!
In fact, don't do ANYTHING to it!"
Ptah stretches out a hand to Calidus, "Refrain from excessive hastiness, companion. Cleansing and purification will come, but first we must figure out why the orb functions as it does. Mind you, that is the function we have been intended to fulfill."
Havelock begins to slowly rub his temples and breathe slowly, in through the nose, out through the mouth.
"If this orb is the reason for his state of mind, I can only thank my training for allowing me to cut the vision short.
...
I wonder at it's function, is it a pictogram...or perhaps a treasure map?
Clearly it is dangerous in the extreme to those who have unguarded minds."
Calidus looks first to Ptah, then Havelock;
"Agreed, we shall become its custodians... but those tainted by its presence must burn."
"So, what about him?"
Havelock thrusts a thumb over his shoulder towards the rambling man.
"Also, I do not know how we would transport the orb safely..."
Calidus draws his flamer;
"He burns. The servants too. We can wrap the orb in one of those fancy carpets he covets."
"That may not be enough. I was affected by simply being close to the orb, merely not touching it might not work.
Artefacts like that are often transported in shielded boxes."
Wondering if that might be true here as well, Havelock begins to look around the room for anything like that.
Calidus nods;
"You have my agreement. We should requisition a suitable vessel."
He levels his flamer at the maimed nobleman;
"Heratic. Do you have any words of confession before the flames of redemption are gifted upon you?
Even as the two are discussing what to do about the heretic and his artefact, the man on the floor begins to convulse violently. Blood begins to pour more freely from all of his orifices, and way too much for any human to survive begins to puddle under him.
Finally, after several agonizing moments, Lans finally collapses and his body falls limp to the floor in a pool of his own blood.
Calidus engulfs the corpse in flame;
"So, I take it that we've reached something of a dead end now?
Where do we go from here on?"
”Artifact is in need of investigation. Xenos origin likely, as well as presence of psychic power. My skill does not lie with the immaterial. That which is tangible is all I am concerned with.”