AN : Hello, everyone !

Remember when I wrote "The City of Aftermath" and said that, having been inspired by Fallen London, I wanted to write a CYOA story in the same style ? Well, here we are. I finished Fallen London's monthly Exceptional Story this morning, and was thus inspired to finish this story, which has been an ongoing work of mine for several weeks now.

I recommend you read the chapters "The Battle of the Forge" and "The City of Aftermath" before reading/playing this, to re-familiarize yourself with the context.

The rules to play this are quite simple. You start at the beginning and choose which option you select at the end, which send you to the next part. I have removed the stats requirements and randomness present in Fallen London to focus on the narrative choices. Along the way, you will gain Qualities, which are both the caracteristics of your character and the choices you make during the story. Since I am hoping to write several such stories with narrative continuity, I recommend keeping notes of which Qualities you gain on a text file or a piece of paper.

Formatting this was a real chore, so I hope it works out. If you have a better idea for the presentation of future CYOA stories, please tell me.

I hope you enjoy this introduction to the mechanics of what will hopefully be a series of such CYOA stories set in the city of Aftermath in the Prince of the Eye timeline. I also recommend once again that you try the browser game Fallen London for yourself - it's free, has plenty of content available to non-subscribers, and is very, very well written.

Still hoping to finish the next chapter of A Blade Recast before the end of the week-end, but we will see.

Zahariel out.

Aftermath Choose-Your-Own-Adventure 1
The Way of Things

You dream of a city. You recognize it : it was your home, before it fell.

For thousands of years, it stood as a beacon of Imperial civilization. Vast Manufactoriums produced goods that were shipped across the Sub-Sector, while crops were grown under vast domes of plexiglass and nobles in their spires plotted and schemed for their bloodlines' advancement. Every few decades, the best and brightest were sent off to the stars, to join the Imperial Guard and help defend the worlds of the wider Imperium from the countless threats to Humanity's dominion.

But you were not content with things as they were. You did not accept your place in the order of things. And you were not alone.

Rebellion came, driven by whispered promises of what freedom from the crushing edicts and tithes of distant Terra would bring. Before your eyes, the city was torn by civil war, quick and bloody. The icons of the Imperium were cast down, the symbols of the old order abandoned. You watched as the city rebuilt itself while revolution spread across the world, a banner flying in the face of tyranny. It was a time of celebration and limitless potential.

Then came the wrath of the Imperium, slow and unrelenting. You dream of burning skies, of the earth trembling at the impact of a thousand cannons. You dream of desperate fighting, of an infinite army entirely without mercy. You dream of the bargain, made with beings the nature of which none of you really understood.

Who were you, in those final days before the city was stolen ? (Choose only one option).

R1 – Orator of the Rebellion
R2 – Soldier of the Uprising
R3 – Magus of the Society
R4 – Assassin of the Creed

R1 – Orator of the Rebellion
You spoke zealously in favor of the rebellion, making inflammatory speeches about the cruelty and wastefulness of the Imperium, and the hypocrisy and arrogance of the Ecclesiarchy. With firebrand rhetoric and plenty of examples of Imperial injustice to call upon, you fired up crowds that gathered far from the eye of Imperial law, and drove them to join the cause with the promise of a better future for them and their descendants.
Gain the Qualities "Mastery of Rhetoric" and "Network of the Rebellion".
Go to 00.

R2 – Soldier of the Uprising
Perhaps you were in the Planetary Defense Forces that were more loyal to their homeworld than to the Imperium. Perhaps you were part of the private guard of one of the rebellion's leaders. Perhaps you were just one of the countless thousands of oppressed workers who rose up in defiance of their cruel overseers and their heavy-handed enforcers. Regardless, you fought, bled and killed for your and your world's freedom, side by side with your comrades.
Gain the Qualities "Military Training" and "Brotherhood of Rebels".
Go to 00.

R3 – Magus of the Society
In deep underhive catacombs or the hidden chambers of opulent palaces, you learned the forbidden rituals and opened your mind to the greater truths that the Imperium desperately tries to suppress. When the rebellion came, you and your kind emerged from the shadows and shared some of the truths you had gleaned with the ignorant masses. You helped them see beyond the lies of the Ecclesiarchy, and assisted in the rituals that led to the bargain.
Gain the Qualities "Forbidden Lore" and "Cabalist Contacts".
Go to 00.

R4 – Assassin of the Creed
From childhood, you were raised by the Temple to serve as a living weapon. What you knew of the outside world was filtered through the lens of the function for which you were shaped. Perhaps you broke free during your first mission, or perhaps you remained loyal to the cause of the sect that made you, whatever it was. When the rebellion came, you slew several Imperial officers, and helped secure the city for the revolutionaries, before it was stolen.
Gain the Qualities "Unwavering Will" and "Stealth Lore".
Go to 00.

00 – A beginning
You wake up. It takes several moments from the dream of the city's fall to fade, for you to remember where you are. When the fog of troubled sleep fades and realization hits, you sigh.
Saying that Aftermath has a criminal element would be like saying that water is wet, or that the Eye of Terror is dangerous. There is hardly a soul in the entire agglomerate city that does not regularly commit acts that would see them imprisoned (or burned at the stake) on any Imperial world. The Masters may impose their authority upon all, but Aftermath remains largely lawless, with the strong doing as they please – until they cross someone stronger.
For even in a place such as this, the truly powerful need somewhere to put those who break the status quo; those who make themselves a disturbance to the way of things. There are no laws in Aftermath, but there is a prison, where those who cross the Masters' enforcers are tossed until they face judgement. It stands on the edge of the city of cities, on the opposite side from the Embassy, connected to the main body of Aftermath only by a thin, heavily defended bridge. Once, you heard, it was an Arbites tower. Now it is a series of identical cells, laid on a hundred levels surrounding a hollow shaft, with the prisoners being taken to the top once their number comes up so that they can be processed.
It is called the Tower of Tears. There are stories of attempted escapes and break-outs, and they never end well for the prisoners. It is all very-well maintained, and clearly sees a lot of use. Amidst the chaos and near-complete anarchy of Aftermath, it is an island of precise order and procedures. A shame you have to see it from a captive's perspective.
You have waited in your cell for several days now, and at last your turn has come. A pair of enforcers carry you to the chamber of judgment, your limbs bound by chains even an Astartes could not break. You are sit down in a chair that still has stains from the last person killed on it, and someone who seems like a man but isn't looks down upon you from an elevated desk, reading your file before beginning the interrogation.
What are you in for ?
01 – An unauthorized daemon summoning
02 – A brawl which degenerated into a riot
03 – A theft which went wrong
04 – An evening of playing the wrong cards with the wrong people
05 – Nothing ! I am innocent !

01 – An unauthorized daemon summoning
Whatever your purpose in calling forth that Neverborn from the depths of the Warp, you thought you could control it. You thought that your circle would hold, that the words of power you held in your mind would compel it to obey.
As it turned out, you were wrong. Your interrogator lists the damage the creature caused before being put down in a slow, dispassionate voice. Three whole buildings left in ruin. Ninety-nine people killed, though thankfully for you no one of any importance. An entire squad of enforcers dispatched from their assigned patrols to contain and banish the entity.
"If anything," he remarks at the end, "I am surprised you survived at all, being at the center of this disaster. One might say that such luck implies the favor of the Gods … and my employers are always on the look-out for such individuals."
Gain the Qualities "A troublesome reputation" and "Daemonist".
Go to 06.

02 – A brawl which degenerated into a riot
"Quite." You would not have thought it possible to convey so much contempt in one word, but here it is. "A certain level of … excitement … is expected in these parts, of course. But this went beyond that by far, did it not ? And you were at the center of it all."
There is no denying it. You were drunk, either on alcohol or on the violent energies coursing through the crowd. You don't remember much, but what you do remember paints a damning picture. Still, your interrogator refreshes your memory, listing the businesses whose windows the mob smashed, the handful of lynchings, and the battle against the enforcers sent to disperse the crowd, during which you rallied your fellow rioters like a warrior-king of old before being brought down by half a dozen bulky mutants in uniform.
Gain the Qualities "A troublesome reputation" and "Bloodied hands".
Go to 06.

03 – A theft which went wrong
Weeks of observation and planning, all wasted in a single moment. The rush of the heist came crashing down when you heard that infernal screeching and knew you had been made. In truth, you were lucky to get out alive, even if you stumbled directly into the arms of the enforcers.
"Indeed. It was quite foolish of you to try your luck on that particular building, was it not ? Those who deal in Eldar soul-stones know full well the value of their merchandise, and take the necessary precautions to protect their property. Then again, I suppose you had no way of knowing about their new daemonic guard dog : it was summoned that very day, and in total secrecy. The fact that you made it all the way to the treasury's gate speaks highly of your skill, at least … or perhaps it was just the Changer's luck."
Gain the Qualities "A troublesome reputation" and "An interest in soul-stones".
Go to 06.

04 – An evening of playing the wrong cards with the wrong people
It turns out that outsmarting someone in a game of cards is all well and good, until that person catches you cheating and reveals themselves as an agent of the Masters. All of your bluffing and blustering skills could not save you when he confronted you with half a dozen enforcers and a vengeful smirk.
"I have to admit," says your interrogator, "that was a bit shameful on my colleague's part. Not sending you here, of course, but falling for your tricks in the first place. Rest assured that he has been reprimanded. However, I am afraid we cannot be seen as being taken advantage of, even in something as petty as a card game."
Gain the Qualities "A troublesome reputation" and "An enemy among the agents of the Masters".
Go to 06.

05 – Nothing ! I am innocent !
You were caught in the middle of the street and hauled into this cell, with no explanation nor chance of escape. Were you wrongly accused of something, framed, or is this a ploy by your captors ? Does your interrogator know this ? Does he even care ?! You could swear you see him smirk, but it might be nothing more than a trick of the light.
Gain the Qualities "Wrongly incarcerated" and "Noticed by the Masters".
Go to 06.

06 – Yes, well …
"As you might have already guessed," he says, "I am about to make you an offer. One that, at the risk of sounding condescending, it would be in your best interests to accept. Your crimes, while not insignificant, are not so great that you cannot earn the Masters' forgiveness in exchange for your service. I trust I don't need to tell you what the alternative is ?"
He doesn't. You know what happens to the prisoners who don't leave this "court" free : you saw dozens of them fall during your captivity.
"Good. Here is the situation : last week, something was stolen from a warehouse belonging to the Masters. It had just been delivered by ship, and we believe that the theft was one of opportunity rather than an intended one."
"The thief has already been found and punished, but he had already sold the object to someone else. While the object isn't that important to us, we cannot let anyone believe they can get away with stealing from the Masters, nor buying from those who do."
"You will go to this fence, and deal with him in a manner that makes our displeasure clear. As for the object, we will pay you an additional fee for its return, but should it be destroyed or lost, you will be forgiven. All that matters is that an example be made."
07 – Accept the offer
08 – Refuse the offer (this is a poor idea)

07 – Accept the offer
You don't have a choice, and he knows it.
"Wonderful ! The fence in question is named the Apostate. The object is a box of dark metal decorated with green wood and marked with this symbol-" he produces a piece of parchment upon which is marked a rune whose sight makes your eyes hurt.
"Before I send you on your way, do you have questions ? Best to ask them now, rather than come back in failure and waste all of our time."
09 – Who is the Apostate ?
10 – Why ask you to do this ?
11 – What's to keep you from just running once you are out of the Tower of Tears ?
12 – You have no more questions.

08 – Refuse the offer
Well, if anything, you did surprise the bastard at least. You don't think anyone has ever refused such a proposal before. Of course, that is cold comfort to you as you fall, passing by row after row of cells on your way down. You even catch a glimpse of your old cell, before splattering onto the gore-strewn stone waiting at the bottom of the Tower of Tears.
This is where your story ends. It didn't have to, but you made your choice, and no one can take that from you.

THE END

09 – Who is the Apostate ?
"I am not surprised you haven't heard of him. He is one of Aftermath's many, many would-be lords. A minor if relatively successful gang leader and fence of stolen goods. We aren't sure where the name comes from." You get the feeling, from his tone, that the man doesn't care on whit.
Go back to 07.

10 – Why ask you to do this ?
"It is hardly unprecedented for us to offer forgiveness in exchange for service, and your crimes are minor enough that this is acceptable in your case. We could track the Apostate down ourselves, but it hardly seems worth the effort when we can send you to do it instead."
Go back to 07.

11 – What's to keep you from just running once you are out of the Tower of Tears ?
He smiles again, perhaps amused at your candor.
"You could certainly try," he says in a tone that's half-condescending, half-threatening. "I would not recommend it, unless you have friends aboard a ship about to depart and never return. Which we know you do not. Otherwise, you could hide from us … until we offer another prisoner his chance at freedom in exchange for bringing you back to us. Sooner or later, the Masters will have their due." That last sentence is spoken differently from the rest of his sermon – like it has been spoken before, many, many times.
Go back to 07.

12 – You have no more questions.
"Good ! These men will take you outside and give you back your confiscated possessions." He waves for you to depart, his gaze already falling onto the next dossier. You don't say anything as the guards who brought you in the chamber take you back out.
Gain the Quality "An unwitting agent of the Masters". Go to 13.

13 – A slightly less dangerous part of town
After being handed back your clothes, weapons and possessions, you are brought to the gates of the Tower of Tears. You weren't given a deadline, but you have a feeling it would be best to deal with this as soon as possible, if only to avoid the trail going cold. Unfolding the map handed to you by the agent of the Masters, you make your way to the lair of the Apostate. The map is quite comprehensive, and probably worth something once this is done.
Even with it, it takes you a few hours to reach the area. The Apostate has installed his business in what used to be an artisanal district, where nobles grown wealthy on the toil of Imperial workers came to spend their coins on frivolities. You navigate through the streets and arrive to the address you were given.
There are men guarding the building, tall and armed with knives and pistols, walking in pairs as they patrol the perimeter looking for trouble. They are, as best as you can judge, merely humans – not a beastman or hulking mutant among them. What few stigmas of the Eye you can glimpse are minor – an additional eye, scaled skin, a twisted leg, and so forth. Still, there are several of them, and you are alone.
How will you get inside ?
14 – [Quality "Mastery of Rhetoric" required] Lie your way in.
15 – [Quality "Stealth Lore" required] Sneak your way in.
16 – Force your way in.

14 – [Quality "Mastery of Rhetoric" required] Lie your way in.
You walk straight in, confidence in your every step. When the guards accost you, you sneer at them with the appropriate disdain, before declaring that you have something you want to show their employer, and if they know what's good for them they won't interrupt you. The sheer arrogance of your words convince them that you are actually here to do business, and they usher you in through the front door. A bell rings it opens and closes, leaving you alone in the front room of the Apostate's fencing operation.
Go to 17.

15 – [Quality "Stealth Lore" required] Sneak your way in.
You make yourself one with the shadows, sneaking from hiding spot to hiding spot while remaining out of the guards' sight. It is, to be perfectly honest, a waste of your talents, but after so long in the Tower of Tears it does your pride good to see that your skills haven't rusted too much.
When you push open the door leading to the front room of the Apostate's fencing operation, you nearly chuckle when you notice the bell above the door. You deftly catch it between your fingers, stopping it from ringing before silently closing the door behind you.
Go to 17.

16 – Force your way in.
The guards, for all their intimidating looks, are still only thugs in the end. They have experience in intimidating other people, but precious actual fighting prowess. You, on the other hand, were here when your city rebelled against Imperial tyranny. Whatever part you played in the city's liberation, your hands did not go unbloodied. You strike at the first patrol from behind, smashing one thug's skull with a piece of rock before slashing at the throat of his partner. Others try to stand in your path, but you kill them, one by one, until the rest think better of it and run.
The door slams open at your touch, a bell jingling sharply at the impact. Blood still dripping from your knuckles, you stride into the front room of the Apostate's fencing operation.
Go to 17.

17 – The Apostate's Lair
The agent of the Masters wasn't lying when he described the Apostate as a minor player in Aftermath. The room is full of junk, spread out on prefab furniture scavenged from a hundred different cities and held together with duct-tape and spit. There is dried blood on the rockrete floor, and a door leading deeper into the building. Of the Apostate himself, or anyone else for that matter, there is no trace.
18 – Examine the goods on display.
19 – Proceed deeper into the building.

18 – The Apostate's merchandise
You look through a few crates. Most of it is junk : weapons of various quality (without the corresponding ammunition), the torn-off gildings of priceless artworks sponsored by the nobility of some Imperial world, the bones of mutated creatures (including a collection of teeth ranging form as small as your fingernail to as big as your torso) … None of it is of immediate interest to you, and it would be risky to try to pawn it off at any of the Apostate's competitors – they do tend to look poorly on people who steal from their own, even if they wouldn't hesitate to kill and plunder a rival's stock themselves.
Go back to 17.

19 – Confronting the Apostate
You walk through a long corridor and up a couple of flights of stairs. All the doors you pass on your way are barred, either by planks of metal hammered into their side or by debris blocking them. This building is in much worse shape than it looked like from the outside.
The Apostate was waiting for you. As you enter his office, he stands behind a desk on which lies the object that earned him the Masters' displeasure. He is a man, tall and thin, with a pair of goat horns emerging from his chin.
"Who are you ?" he asks, pointing a plasma pistol in your direction. "What do you want ?"
20 – Explain why you are here.
21 – [Quality "Military Training" required] Point out that the weapon he is aiming at you isn't charged.
22 – [Quality "Bloodied Hands" required] Threaten the Apostate with physical harm.
23 – [Quality "Daemonist" required] Threaten the Apostate with spiritual harm.
24 – Fight the Apostate

20 – Explain why you are here.
There is no reason to hide the truth. You tell the man about the Tower of Tears, about the offer you were made, and about the fate of the thief who sold the box to him.
He scoffs. "Is that what they told you ? Heh, maybe it's even true. It's not like the Masters care about keeping track of us 'lowly mortals', the frakking abominations. I was there, you know, when the Ambassador came and revealed to everyone where they came from. Before that, no one in Aftermath knew that the only reason our oh-so-mighty lords and masters had come to Aftermath was that they had gotten kicked out of their home by Horus. Oh, no doubt some people knew – we did have visitors from the rest of the Eye. But before that, the tale of what really happened when Horus conquered the Forge wasn't exactly widespread. They pretend they don't care that everyone knows they are exiles now, but I know better. It enrages them, and there is nothing they can do about it … except take out their anger on those like us."
During his tirade, his aim hasn't wavered.
21 – [Quality "Military Training" required] Point out that the weapon he is aiming at you isn't charged.
22 – [Quality "Bloodied Hands" required] Threaten the Apostate with physical harm.
23 – [Quality "Daemonist" required] Threaten the Apostate with spiritual harm.
24 – Fight the Apostate

21 – [Quality "Military Training" required] Point out that the weapon he is aiming at you isn't charged.
He sneers, not believing you, and pulls the trigger. Nothing happens, and you take advantage of his surprise, with a prepared move that takes him down to the ground, his horns grating against the floor. You hold him there, his arms tied behind his back and your foot on his neck.
He is at your mercy, and he knows it – in fact, he is blabbering, promising you that he will never buy anything stolen from the Masters again, that he will do whatever you want so long as you don't kill him. You get the impression that the Apostate earned that name, and that he is terrified of what waits for him on the other side – not without reason, for this is the Eye of Terror.
What to do ?
If you choose to kill the Apostate, gain the Quality "Killed the Apostate" and go to 25.
If you choose to let him live and leave, gain the Quality "Spared the Apostate" and go to 25.

22 – [Quality "Bloodied Hands" required] Threaten the Apostate with physical harm.
You crack your knuckles, and begin to tell the Apostate, in a calm and even tone of voice, what will happen to him if he doesn't give you what you came for. You describe the pain of broken bones, of torn fingers, cut skin and pierced eyeballs. You passionlessly describe to him the ways in which someone can be beaten for hours without dying or being allowed to fall unconscious.
All the while, you never raise your voice. You do not need to. By the time you are half-way through, the hand holding his pistol is shaking and sweat is running down his face. When you are done, he begs for mercy. With trembling hands, he pushes the box in your direction, before running toward the exit. You let him go – his nightmares will be punishment enough.
Gain the Quality "Spared the Apostate". Go to 25.

23 – [Quality "Daemonist" required] Threaten the Apostate with spiritual harm.
You tell the man of all the terrible things you may unleash upon him. You speak of the Chambers of Burning Torments, where the handmaidens of the Youngest God use daggers forged from the bitterness of scorned lovers and heated with the cries of betrayed heroes to flay the souls of the dead, over and over again, until nothing is left of them but an endless scream of agony. You describe to him the many ways in which a Hound of Khorne may feast upon a prey's heart before bringing its skull to the lowest reaches of its master's Throne.
This continues for several minutes, the Apostate growing paler and paler as you go on. Past the first minute, his gun has slipped from his grasp.
By the time you are done, he begs for mercy. With trembling hands, he pushes the box in your direction, before running toward the exit. You let him go – his nightmares will be punishment enough.
Gain the Quality "Spared the Apostate". Go to 25.

24 – Fight the Apostate
You plunge to the side as the Apostate presses the trigger – only for nothing to happen, his plasma pistol somehow malfunctioning. Before he can recover from the shock, you are on him, bashing his head against his desk until he falls to the ground. You felt his skull break in your grip – if he isn't already dead, he will be soon.
Did he deserve this fate, for crossing the Masters without perhaps even intending to ? That is a matter for the Gods to decide. For now, you have an assignment to complete.
Gain the Quality "Killed the Apostate". Go to 25.

25 – The Prize
The box lies before you, every lock opened by the Apostate. Looking at it more closely, you realize just how secured the damn thing was.
You only need to remove the lid to see what's inside. Or you could do the sensible thing and chain it up again, before taking it back to your employers. There are secrets best left unknown, temptations that are best resisted by never facing them in the first place. You feel, without knowing how, that this is one of them.
And yet … the Apostate was willing to risk the wrath of the Masters to get whatever is in this box. He must have known the moment it was brought to him that only they would deal in such goods, or others almost as dangerous.
No. No ! This is foolish.
You must make your choice.
26 –[Quality "Forbidden Lore" required] Examine the box more closely.
27 – Open the box and look inside.
28 – Seal the box again and bring it to the Masters.

26 – [Quality "Forbidden Lore" required] Examine the box more closely
You recognize some of the symbols on the box. You last saw them on the door of another occultist, who was hoping they would keep him safe as he pursued the Consequence – that they would hide him from the grisly fate that befalls all who learn it. They failed, and he died – horribly so – but you still recognize their intended purpose : these are meant to contain, to hide,not to protect.
Did the Apostate know what's inside the box ? Judging by these symbols, breaking the seals as he did could very well have doomed him, along with the entire neighbourhood. The fact that it hasn't seems to indicate that the wards were more intended to keep the contents hidden rather than safe.
27 – Open the box and look inside.
28 – Seal the box again and bring it to the Masters.

27 – Open the box and look inside
You remove the box's cover slowly, carefully, and reveal a cushion of black velvet on which lies a small crystal flask filled with a glowing red liquid and topped with a diamond-encrusted cork.
Without the box's protection, you can feel the power radiating from the liquid. It … calls to you. You feel the impulse to pick up the flask and drink its contents, despite every instinct screaming at you that doing so would be foolish in the extreme. You catch your own hand stretching toward the flask without having consciously chosen to do so, and you pull it back.
Alone in the Apostate's office, faced with the object whose theft drew the ire of the Masters, you feel temptation weighing heavily upon your soul.
28 – Seal the box again and bring it to the Masters.
29 – Drink the contents of the flask

28 – Seal the box again and bring it to the Masters
It is the smart thing to do. Nevermind the perils of exposing yourself to Gods-know-what the box's contents actually are – risking to draw the wrath of the Masters of Aftermath upon yourself would be foolish in the extreme.
You tighten the ropes and chains to make sure the lid won't slip off, but can do nothing for the more arcane seals : they have been broken beyond your ability to repair them. No matter. You will bring it back to the Tower of Tears and be done with it. It's not as if the trip will be long enough for whatever's inside to affect you, is it ?
Go to 32.

29 – Drink the contents of the flask
You cannot hold yourself back. You remove the diamond-encrusted cork and drink the flask's contents in one gulp. It tastes like stolen dreams and the dust of dead suns.
At first, nothing happens. Then -
Go to 30.

30 – ?
There is fire. There is iron. There is the distant sound of hammers and screams.
There is an offer, and a refusal. There is laughter, cold and cruel.
There is pain. There is shock. There is denial. There is defeat.
There is shame, and then, in the last moment before the end, there is -
There is the sight of crimson droplets falling from armor blacker than the heart of the Gods.
Gain the Quality "A Glimpse of Something of Consequence". Go to 31.

31 – Awake, again
When your consciousness returns, you find yourself back in the Apostate's office, laying on the floor. The box is still there on the desk – but there is no sign of the flask, except for a small pile of dust on the floor.
Go to 33.

32 – Returning the box and its contents
You leave the Apostate's headquarters, taking the sealed box with you, and go back to the Tower of Tears. If the guards are surprised to see you, they show no sign of it. You are taken inside – much more politely than during your previous visit – and ushered into a small office on the first floor. Another agent of the Masters takes the box from you, and, seeing its seals are broken, takes a cautious peek inside. After confirming that its contents are still there, he remarks that Master Lore will be pleased with the object's return.
Gain the Quality "Returned the Box with its contents intact". Lose the Quality "An unwitting agent of the Masters".
Go to 34.

33 – Bringing the empty box to the Masters
You leave the Apostate's headquarters, taking the now-empty box with you, and go back to the Tower of Tears. If the guards are surprised to see you, they show no sign of it. You are taken inside – much more politely than during your previous visit – and ushered into a small office on the first floor. Another agent of the Masters takes the box from you, and, seeing its seals are broken, takes a cautious peek inside. He frowns with all five eyes as he notices it is empty. When he asks you about it, you tell him that you found it like that in the Apostate's own office. It's not clear if he believes you or not, but after a few seconds, he shrugs.
"This was never really about what was stolen," he explains. "This was about making an example."
They let you leave, but you feel the eyes of the guards as you walk away from the Tower of Tears.
Gain the Quality "Returned the Box empty". Lose the Quality "An unwitting agent of the Masters".
Go to 34.

34 – It is done.
You return to your lodgings, which, as you were promised, have been kept safe in your absence. The people you meet on your way there regard you with a new respect. Not many emerge from the Tower of Tears with the Masters' blessing, and even less survive whatever task they are asked to accomplish in return. Tomorrow there will be rumors about you all across Aftermath's countless bars, brothels and other, less savoury establishments. It won't last, of course – fame never does for those who do not possess true power, here in Aftermath, and dealing with the Apostate is not nearly enough to put you in that hallowed category. But by the end of it you will have gained some small reputation as someone who can get things done.
As you lie down to rest, you feel that this is only the beginning of a new chapter in your life. One chapter ended when your city was taken to Aftermath, and you had to adapt to your new reality. Now, you think, a new one starts.
Gain the Quality "A Name in the making".
You have finished your first storyline in Aftermath. Take note of the Qualities you have earned while playing : they are the consequences of your actions following you. The choices you make in one story may influence which options are available in the next.