#ulfar post

[primarchslut]

i’ve talked about the rt hugging companions, haven’t i? well i’m doing it again.

abelard gives the best, warmest, most comforting hugs. just enough pressure, he smells good, and he thumps the rts back once or twice before he lets go. it’s the classic “i feel protected and loved.” kind of hug that certain older men give. it’s good, and he’ll do when the rt needs it, in private. they do need to uphold the dynasty image!

argenta also, great hugs, but sometimes she can be a bit too intense. while displays of affection aren’t inherent to sisters, the sense of camaraderie she shows to rts that align with her views is common with them, so i think she would be open to a hug, even in public. she does that little thing people do where they sway you back and forth while hugging.

cassia is shy, so shy, about pda. only on her failed romance path does she get better with it, but… it is a failed path. so i think, while she gives gentle and sweet hugs, it always has to be in private. and even then, the rt runs the risk of her accidentally slicing their back open with her claws, and feeling a bit guilty.

but she does love hugging, loves how warm it makes her feel, loves being tenderly held, loves hugging (perhaps it’s more cuddling) the rt and talking to them at the end of the day, loves when they rub her arms or back during the hug. she’s a very happy fish.

heinrix is horrendous at hugging. inexperienced, awkward, fumbling. he stiffens up, hands twitching at his sides, because he’s… not quite sure what to do? it’s been so long, should he hug them back? is that too forward? why exactly are they hugging him, even in private? is he not masking his emotions properly?

but then the romanced rt rubs his back, burrows their face into his chest/the top of his head, and he just melts into their arms, with a mixture of happiness and guilt. buries his face in their hair or neck, beginning to tremble. it has been so long since anyone was so gentle.

idira hugs the rt in public, on the bridge, at the end of the game if they choose so. she’s much more casual with hugs, but won’t ask for one or anything. but she is… well, a normal person, lol? she’s hugged, been hugged, experienced normal human connection. her hugs are good, even if the weakened veil around her gives the rt tingles on their arms.

jae is so forward, and gives good hugs. the shock of her augmented arm is still there everytime, but then the smell of her perfume, the brush of her silky hair, the giggle she lets out all overwhelms the rt, and they quickly forget her arm, just enjoying a well-practiced and warm hug.

plus… on her romance route, jae isn’t above using every part of her to her advantage. so she does lean forward a bit while hugging, pressing her and the rts chests together as a little reminder. or guiding their hands further down than is totally proper. heydari, please…

kibellah sucks at hugging. similar to heinrix, absolutely inexperienced. awkward, gangly limbs all stiffen up when the rt holds her close, even platonically. she just snaps her eyes over to look at them with a confused, mildly shocked expression.

she does get into it during a romance, though, once she grasps the purpose and meaning. but then her hugs get too intense, almost strangling, and she has to re-evaluate how weak her domin is. perhaps they should undergo some muscle conditioning.

marazhai feels a wave of disgust if the rt steps near him with their arms open. his pupils shrink, his mouth curls into a grimace, and he almost wants to drive a boot into their ribs. how revolting, to think something like you could casually touch something like me? without me initiating? eugh!

but romanced… he gets those scheming, half lidded eyes, and casually opens his arms. once the rt steps close enough, he uncoils like a snake, and grabs them in a crushing, brutal grip. enough that they bones grind against each other, and their ribs creak under the pressure. painful, awful, overwhelming. he hisses in their ear that they can’t complain, they wanted this.

pasqal gives… awkward, and overwhelming hugs. but they are warm. all of his both of his arms, and even the mechadendrites curl around the rt, and his warming systems kick on with a pleasant vibration. but when the rt pulls away, pasqal just goes back to whatever he was doing. seems he’s not very into hugs… but he’ll tolerate them.

but romanced, i think pas gets a bit clingy. he doesn’t want to let them go, and now he has a reason for that feeling: to further their relationship through physical touching, which is observed in several different animal species, so, really, his justification is quite sound-

sol gives great hugs, when he gives them, which is rare. he’s warm, his muscles make the rt feel so protected, and he absolutely does that little thing where he lifts the person slightly off the ground during the hug. he can’t help it, even if the rt is taller, it’s just a habit at this point. but, he doesn’t give hugs often. he respects the chain of command too much. maybe more in private.

when romanced, awh, sol is even sweeter. he uses the hug to physically pick the rt up and carry them to bed, whether because they’re tired or for another reason. he rubs their back, lets them burrow in close, and talks about something so they can listen to his chest rumble while he speaks. what a sweet, devoted man.

ulfar has to watch his strength, lest he crush his aett-vater. but he must give good hugs, surely. he’s so big, so warm, so full of life. his hugs have him laughing at the size difference between the two of them, but he does like hugging. physical touch is big for space wolves, be it friendly nipping or real roughhousing, or just nuzzling and playing like this.

a romanced ulfar probably loves those hugs even more. he is so protective, and having his body literally shielding them while they hold him fills his chest with a happy rumble. a pleased fulfillment of purpose and nature, to hold his mate so close and to be able to watch over them like this.

[primarchslut]

5.9k word analysis of the bottomless pit dialogue below the cut. obviously not claiming any of this is how you MUST view these options, but just my personal opinions + analysis i did for fun.

abelard is the "the decrepit old man in the tattered remains of a military uniform." in terms of the tattered military uniform, abelard, even in his current duty as serving the dynasty, references being part of the navy several times and still wears his navy service medals in his portrait.

while abelard only ever refers to his rank as "officer" his clothing (and actually his whole design in general) in his portrait is eerily similar to what lord high admirals were depicted wearing in inquis exterminatus, a warhammer artbook published in 2000. of course, he isn't that high of a rank, but it can be presumed abelard climbed as high as he could. his outfit is also very similar to a lower rank, a commodore (specifically commodore teodor naremmus in the rogue trader: hostile acquisition book, published 2011)

however, the uniform is noticeably tattered to the point of just being remains. abelard, in his questline, is torn between his duty, and his calling as a voidsman on your ship (and officer of the imperium)

[...] Abelard replies proudly. "No, 'used to be' is not quite right. It was not simply a job — it was my calling, the essence of my life. I was proud to serve Lord Captain Theodora, but in my heart and mind, I am still an officer of the Imperium." [...] "But such is my duty to the Rogue Trader — to keep tireless watch at the Lord Captain's side, to serve as a support in the darkest of times — for you and for me." Abelard straightens and looks you in the eye with grim conviction. "I will not step down from my role, no matter what happens. Do not doubt me. The Werserian family will learn from what has happened and, if our blood is worth anything, will be ready to face new trials without my guiding hand."

and his duty as the patriarch of his own dynasty/family.

"As patriarch of the Werserian family, I have a responsibility to my bloodline. Yes, it is my duty to serve as Seneschal to the Rogue Trader, and I have no intention of relinquishing that role if you find my service as satisfactory as did Lady Theodora." [...] "If it would be possible… after the immediate need for my presence is over… I would like to return to that position. To oversee the trade protectorate on the capital world, while at the same time presiding over the Werserian family — and using my authority to help elevate it."

for the decrepit old man part, well. abelard is old. he acts like an old man, calls himself old, is called old by multiple people, and is the most visually aged character. he also gets his implants fixed by pasqal in a specific banter, and is called "outdated" and "suboptimal" by pasqal.

it ties into him being a patriarch too, but being aged and full of experience is one of abelards simpler character traits.

idira is "the strange animal-like creature with barely noticeable shadows swirling around it." strange, animal appearance reflecting how she is from a completely different doctrine than the imperium standard (described as "daughter of a distant world" + being unsanctioned) many, many, many companions also treat idira as if she is a wild animal, and argenta even attempts to "put her down" in idiras first personal quest. alongside the above, idira is very isolated and distrusted by many (except for jae, my sweetheart) which is similiar to the other "beast" (ulfar) in the above descriptions but, while ulfar is left alone out of respect and a bit of fear, idira is left alone solely out of fear.

as for her whispers being described as "shadows..." she described her psykerism as:

"[...] As for me, I've got a door in my head, one that's open just a crack. There's no way to close it, no matter how hard I try — I've just had to get used to the whispers from the other side. When I need to use it for work, I listen in more closely, but I usually just try not to notice it."

and refers to the voices in her head as "little whispers." her powers aren't as bombastic as someone who can make heads explode, light themselves on fire with a thought, or boil someones blood, but the power of foresight can be extremely powerful... when it is predictable, which idiras is unfortunately not. she is not limited by sanctioning, but she is also not as controlled as a sanctioned psyker is. so they are barely noticeable as they aren't as overt as heinrix, or a pyromancy rt, but they are still there, worming their way into her brain.

argenta is described as "the brawny woman with bloodied hands." the brawny woman (notably not YOUNG woman since despite physical age, argenta is a woman out of time and feels uneasy over this) with the bloodied hands describing her guilt over not specifically killing theodora, but hiding it. alongside, of course, her guilt/shame over being directionless on footfall despite being a blessed sister, a calling she cherishes.

blood on her hands is a direct reference to macbeth, which is a play with the major theme of guilt (among other things)

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?

interestingly, relating to the theme of neptune and the sea, cassia, someone who can guide a ship through the sea of souls, notices argentas guilt (described as a "greenish-grey") and calls her out on it

heinrix is "the sinewy young man wearing a blindfold." sinewy young man (despite heinrix also being a man out of time + slowing down his physical aging with biomancy) reflects his lack of experience in actually living life, since he has devoted so much of himself towards repaying the inquisiton, to repenting for his psykerism, for serving something "greater" than him.

Heinrix pulls away from you. "Why… why wouldn't I be? The Imperium deemed me stable enough to keep me as a sanctioned psyker. The Inquisition gave me a new, higher role, a more honourable role. How could I not repay those debts?"

the blindfold is an obvious callback to the saying "justice is blind" and how many depictions of lady justice herself are blindfolded. while this now means/is interpreted as "impartiality" (so justice should not be based on appearance/wealth/etc) originally the blindfold was added around the 16th century as a satirical jab at how justice herself is blind to the injustices around her. heinrix is a character caught between doing whats "right (to the imperium)" [harsh]

"You needn't have used the word 'sometimes.' The good of the Imperium always prevails over the lives of its individual servants. I may sometimes falter, but that speaks of my weakness, not the generosity of my soul. Much hinges on the decisions made by the Inquisition, sometimes far more than an ordinary servant of the Throne can see."

versus what's "right (to him)" [mercy]. because, tying in with him still being young, heinrix is still very much a little boy that wants to help.

The Interrogator's eyes narrow. "I haven't said I would not like to be able to afford such luxury. In fact, deep down I understand why you acted that way… I have yet to eliminate the understanding and acceptance within myself, but I will."

he repeats mantras about the throne, the inquisition, the imperium, but he can realize that the "justice" he serves is brutalizing both himself and others. so, the idea of heinrix being "blind" or, more accurately, blinded by another to the injustices around him is fitting.

it also ties into his eye injury, which he had to regrow and resulted in his differently coloured eyes and is only revealed if you grow close to him through his romance. it also partially blinded him, and was something he had to repair himself. this eye injury was NOT self inflicted, or even something he could have avoided, and was instead inflicted on him by loyal subjects of the ""just"" imperium.

"When the Lord Inquisitor took me out of the Guard, he had me remove the augments installed in psykers when they become sanctioned. So I lost an eye and gained some nerve damage." [...] "Repairing my eyeball took the longest. Even the nerve connections took less effort. Years went by before I managed to eliminate all the visual aberrations and I could see as well as I had when I was a child."

yrliet is described as "an ancient woman who only recently joined your caravan." while the "ancient woman" part draws reference towards her vast experiences of walking numerous different paths, correction: yrliet has only walked two paths, thank you to redstairs for the correction! it also reflects how she is deeply connected to the aeldari, who trace their ancestry far beyond human history. while she struggles with her inner guilt about her craftworld, she is still deeply devoted to the aeldari and wants to save and protect them no matter what. "recently joined your caravan" is a specific word choice, as historically the word caravan can mean:

"a company of travelers on a journey through desert or hostile regions." (source)

BUT ALSO

"also: a train of pack animals." (source)

while yrliet can, at the start, think of the rogue trader as an insect

"You see Yrliet among the beings clustered around the strange, tall structure. She watches you with complete indifference, the way one watches an insect crawling up a wall."

again, through her romance, she grows to realize that the rogue trader is capable of connecting with her in the way that she desires/craves (non-sexually, and a more metaphysical connection) and she even grows to express remorse for those around her. she even apologizes to several crew members, especially if she is brought back from commorragh. while her path only ever crosses with the rogue trader for a mere sigh of her long life, she realizes that she can walk parallel with a caravan of fellow travelers, instead of walking parallel to a pack of [train] animals.

jae is described as "feeble-minded one who is gnawing at anothers bones." it, at first glance, reflects how jae does not have a proper education + had to become literate through her own means due to her upbringing of being on mining world. this is even hinted at before you find out about her "dark secret"/past if you force her to fill out forms in the adminstratum.

Jae holds out the scroll, now covered in writing, for you to reinforce the words with the von Valancius coat of arms seal. Only now do you notice that the plebian expression 'chicken scratch writing' describes her gnarled penmanship absurdly accurately.

she expresses contempt for the penal worlds/mining worlds/etc, notably in her dialogue about Porta Septentum:

"A mining world? It looks to me like a filthy, inhospitable hole where loyal subjects 'freely' toil in fathomless mine shafts century after century. Usually until death."

And Mortis Acies

"The Imperium is laughably unoriginal in its educational methods. Corrective labour in the mines? Places like this show mercy to no one, adult or child."

while the first immediate definition for feeble-minded, personally, makes me think of lack of intelligence, feeble minded was also used to refer to someone who is "vacillating" or "irresolute"

VACILLATING - "to waver in mind, will, or feeling : hesitate in choice of opinions or courses." (source)

which, jae is in spades.

she does have self respect/consistent core traits (hatred of slavery, hatred of child abuse, death cults, etc) in some areas (as evidenced by her "Jae Heydari does not serve in bed." line, among others) jae is also willing to, due to having to scrap, suffer, and drag herself out of the shithole situation she was born into, be quite sycophantic towards anyone who has iron clad power over her, or even those she wishes to gain the favor of.

jae knows that in the pond she exists in, she is a little fake fish surrounded by big fishes, so she plays to her strengths and sticks by those that mutually benefit her.

"gnawing on anothers bones" references how jae is, in fact, not a princess from efreet, and is not "sweet-spoken lady from a hot planet." she uses those bones of another person to live and survive in the imperium, but she will never be able to fully erase the "filthy underhive scum" origins she has. cassia describes her soul as:

"Jae is like a gem — the brighter people shine around her, the clearer her faces reflect a myriad of colourful gleams. They are all parts of Jae, but no single one of them is her. I cannot discern her true colours through the veil of her motley shawls. I peel off hue after hue, only to find a different colour underneath every time."

jae buries all the real "hers", the tiny girl who scraped and suffered until her lungs gave out, the scared 16 year old who's whole regiment was wiped out on its first sortie, the young woman who is just trying to get by, to instead personify an almost cartoonishly exaggerated "Cold Trader." she is greedy, silver-tongued, intentionally sexy, and has a solution for everything, because she knows that the tiny girl and the 16 year old will get eaten alive in the cruelty of the imperium. jae is, for better or for worse, all of these traits, as evidenced above.

pasqal is "the ugly mutant with multiple heads" which references his primary storyline of being part of a collective, one seventh of a whole. pasqal, alongside his brothers and sisters were created because of "deviation from dogma." or, a mutation. alongside, this, pasqal is physically "marred" (to outsiders) through his True Flesh and received a cleft jaw due to his involvement with Eschatos (and this is reflected in his portrait!)

"Here in this hall, we released Eschatos and allowed an unconscionable heresy to happen! Do you remember? Do you remember how you got your cleft jaw?" Pasqal looks thoughtful as he touches the crack running across his armoured respirator. A green spark runs through the deep gash left by an enemy's weapon in the metal.

see his cleft jaw scar above. i'm sure you could draw out more conclusions, but pasqal and his description is quite straightforward, at least to me.

kibellah is the "young girl in heavy chains." young girl is obvious, kibellah is incredibly young and is even called "scarcely more than a girl." by abelard, and abelard even jokingly threatens to adopt her.

alongside this, kibellah is very similar to the other "girl"/"infant" in the above descriptions, cassia. which is noted on by a dialogue between argenta, cassia, and kibellah.

both socially awkward young woman who have been abused by the people around them, and (non-sexually) groomed into becoming a specific Person for a specific purpose, and not being allowed to grow into who they actually are (although parts leak out) and indeed, an ending slide states that kibellah and cassia grew close (for a brief time...) due to their similarities.

"Novator Cassia and Vizsier Kibellah were brought closer by their common burden of assuming a high position of power at a young age. Though their friendship was short-lived, as it could not overcome the gravity of their duties and the differences between the worlds to which they belonged, they exchanged gifts out of respect for each other and to honour the memories of the journeys they had shared. Cassia used Kibellah's blood to paint an incredible piece which became a relic of the Bloodspun Web. Kibellah, in turn, assigned one of her best spinners to act as Cassia's bodyguard. Many years later, this spinner was rumoured to have ended Cassia's life on the Novator's own orders when her body could no longer resist the strain of mutation."

tying into the above, kibellah (and cassia) are both chained down by their destinies, but kibellah is not even given the chance for freedom in any of her endings. while she can grow to love, and can even dramtically change the cult, as soon as kibellah begins to feel things not endorsed by the cult/doubt the cult, she becomes so severely mentally distressed, she basically shuts down.

"I remember… stumbling. I remember my doubt in the truth of the Tenets throwing me off my feet. I remember deciding to kill… and not because I had heard His whisper, but because I deemed it to be right. Death whispered my name. For a spinner without a thread is like a sky without stars. They would drown in their own soul's darkness." + "The Second Spinner is in the throes of a spiritual ailment that we call doubt. This most terrible ailment, though harmless to layfolk, is deadly to us. For a doubtful spinner will stray from their destined thread and into bloodthirsty madness. Doubt brings them to the Undying One before their time."

you can also torture kibellah with chains explicitly

The black chains dangle from Kibellah's body. They look more like a macabre form of adornment than an implement of torture. Kibellah gathers up the chains and pulls them until her skin goes taut. "The flesh remains untorn. Good."

alongside this, kibellah is heavily associated with the metaphysical/philosophy, and there is classical metaphysical/philosophical concept called "The Great Chain of Being" which can be summarized as:

[...] According to the principle of linear gradation, this series ranges in hierarchical order from the barest type of existence to the ens perfectissimum, or God. (source)

+ she has chains featured in her design, specifically around her chest and neck. galen, a greek philosopher and surgeon (among other things) theorized, after being directly inspired by plato and aristotle, the soul could be found in various locations of the body and specifically called one section "the spirited (θυμοειδές) in the heart." so, personally, i viewed this as kibellahs soul itself being chained.

kibellah is forever chained to the bloodspun web, and has been from her birth. while in game many companions and people around her realize and are disgusted by the severity of the abuse and grooming she was put through, kibellah herself is so deeply imprisoned in the cult she can't imagine her life without them. thus, she wears the heavy chains of the cult, even in the warp.

(you can skip these next two paragraphs)

for solomornes description of "bloodied guard with two animal heads" i originally focused on the two animal heads part of it before anything else. i thought it was a clever reference to orthus, the (often) two headed guard dog and sibling of cerberus, the famous (often) three headed guard dog of the underworld, since solomorne is extremely associated with dogs and their traits (loyalty and obedience). orthus is involved in the twelve labours of hercules, as is cerberus, having been tasked with guarding cattle for the giant geryon before he is killed by hercules.

this was, originally in my mind, an interesting way of portraying solomorne as someone who is represented by a classical guard dog, abit not an extremely noble one. while myths around the giants vary (as do all mythology tbh) many times the giants were known for hubris, excess, violence, and insolence. while not a directly 1:1 comparison to the lex imperialis, the idea of a guard dog (solomorne) being employed by a monstrous being of violence (lex imperialis) made sense, in my mind.

however, the game shows that one of the heads actually represents glaito.

You swing to strike, but one of the heads lunges out at an impossible angle and bites you… You regain consciousness at the edge of the precipice, surrounded by your concerned companions, your hand clamped in Glaito's jaws. Solomorne quickly commands the cyber-mastiff to loosen his grip, keeping his anxious eyes on you.

glaito bites the rogue trader out of a protective instinct (protocol 3 - protect the pilot!) interestingly, neither of the heads are explicitly described as a dog or a canine. just an "animal." perhaps this is a reference to how, despite starting out as one, glaito is... not exactly a dog anymore. he might look like one, and move like one, but the rogue trader can explicitly point out that glaito is not much better than a servitor.

"You do realise that we are talking about a half-servitor, a tool?"

however, glaito being one half of solomorne is screamingly obvious in game. solomorne, several times!, states that he cannot live without glaito and turns into a wreck without glaito around, despite how hard he (solomorne) tries to view, and convince you, that he views glaito as a tool.

"Great. An error. Our synchronisation is broken, and now he…" His voice rises to a roar: "Will this damned day ever end? My dog, the only one I would trust with my life — he…" Solomorne shakes his head furiously. + "No. He's not guilty. He never was and never will be. It's just… You can see I have a problem, can't you? What kind of Arbitrator turns into a quivering mess over a cyber-mastiff? It's a dependency, a weakness… I'm no longer fit for purpose." + "There is no meanness in him, no fickleness. Tell me I'm mad, but he's my dog and without him I lose all reason." + "But, above all else, I cannot bear to look at myself — an Arbitrator who is coming apart at the seams. Who turns into a wreck without his dog. Who…" Solomorne releases a ragged sigh. "Who no longer believes that the Lex Imperialis prevails anywhere at all."

and solomorne views glaito as his partner, or at least more diligent than most

"In general…" Solomorne pauses, looking pensively at the cyber-mastiff sitting at attention. "He is more resourceful and diligent than most people I've met."

it could also be a horrible (emotionally) reference to one of solomornes endings, when he is abandoned in commorragh. in the ending, both he and glaito get their heads ripped off and glaitos head is sewn onto solomornes body.

For a time, Commorragh's streets were abuzz with tales of a mon-keigh accompanied by a leashed beast who exacted his perverse justice, but these rumours soon died down. However, around that time, a new gladiator entered the arena — a muscular Wrack with a dog's head sewn onto its body. It died while trying to climb the Archon's stand during a show.

the bloodied guard part represents his position as a sentinel, the ever watching eyes and arm of the lex imperialis. he guards the imperium against lawlessness, and follows it (the lex) rigidly (unless he is swayed away from it due to the rts influence). bloodied could be a reference similar to argenta, of guilt, which is reflected when he stumbles and falls apart in commorragh/after act 3, and even declares himself guilty, but he also states he is untroubled by doubt in a conversation with argenta so...

described as "the infant who is crying piteously, calling for its mother" cassia is, especially compared to every other character in game except for kibellah, extremely young. her education as a navigator wasn't even completed before she was unfortunately thrust into the real world. thus, the infant. abelard even refers to her as the "navis nobiliate child"

"crying piteously" cassia is extremely emotional, and specifically intense with her negative emotions. her powers force her emotions onto others, and she struggles to control them unless a specific, limiting amulet is put on her. said amulet is also given to you by someone who wants to kill her, so...

"calling for its mother" is interesting, because we never actually meet cassias parents or even learn much about them, and even in game her birth planet has been censored.

but, specifically, the mother only being mentioned definitely refers to tisiphone (even though she's not cassias mother.) tisiphones name is a direct reference to tisiphone of greek myths, one of the three eryinyes, or three furies. known as being goddesses of vengeance, tisiphone is also described in virgils aeneid as the guardian of the gates of tartarus, the prison of the titans, which feels like it might be a direct reference to navigators being the only ones to perceive the light of the emperor (a "titan.")

cassias name origin, cassiopeia, also is associated with motherhood, as cassiopeia was the arrogant and vain mother of andromeda, who eventually attempted to sacrifice their daughter after angering poseidon after boasting that her (or her daughter) was more beautiful than the sea nymphs nereids. even cassias full name has a shortened version of tisiphones name, her full name being "Cassia Tisiphia Evriaella."

this ties into how cassia was selected to bear tisiphones atlas without any input for her, and was suddenly thrust into being a sacrificial lamb for inner house conflicts. alongside this, having her atlas put into her means she would be a vessel for tisiphone to be reborn into, which ties into how andromeda was a pawn for her mother tisiphone. also, the obvious sea metaphor relating to how she perceives the sea of souls.

marazhai is "the broken youth with empty eyes and a madman's laugh." abelard directly calls him young (another proof that abelard is an old man and being old is one of his key character traits)

and indeed, marazhai does give off the energy of being young (for a drukhari...) and he is explicitly a younger brother.

Marazhai's lips stretch into a saccharine smile. "My poor older sister, you still cannot stand the fact that I was born… but how can I be surprised? It is hard to think of more glaring proof that our mother considered her first attempt to continue the line a failure."

in regards to being broken, it could refer to how marazhai is kicked out from his specific purpose, and even has an intense breakdown over being exposed to the warp on the first warp jump, and how that unsettles him. marazhai has, from his birth, been convinced of his purpose as a trueborn drukhari to dominate, to lead, to control things around him. alongside this, all drukhari are batshit bucknuts crazy just from their culture, and of course having to engage in more and more depraved things to even survive. (this sounds negative: it is not, i have 4k+ points of drukhari lmao)

empty eyes is related to the soul, specifically how marazhais soul is constantly dangling over the edge of being devoured. "empty" or "soulless" eyes is a common trope in every piece of media, and usually refers to when a character has been pushed to the brink or fully snaps.

and, i also think it is a reference to how marazhai is pushed to the brink by the rogue trader, even unromanced. you can disrupt his trial and throw all of his plans into disarray, but even successfully using you gets him punished regardless. the rogue trader was originally meant to be used as a tool by him

"A good question, Rogue Trader. You are my tool, you see. A sharp and narrow scalpel that I will use to cut away the festering boil on the body of my Kabal. I spared no effort to set up this performance: the witnesses, the spies, the agents… and a small bargain to guarantee the result."

which doesn't work out for him until the very end of the game.

in regards to this with the romance angle... while marazhai consistently plays off that he is confident, assured, and knows what he is doing, he stumbles and does have weaknesses in certain areas, specifically with his obsession and, dare i say, love for a true romance ending rogue trader.

marazhai, due to the culture of drukhari where weakness is easily exploited and the weak are killed almost instantly, hates showing weakness. but he does! to the rogue trader!

Dismay flickers on Marazhai's face, as if he realises he has just revealed a weakness to his opponent. The next second, he snorts contemptuously. "Do not try to get under my skin, [NAME]. And do not mistake candour for weakness." + Marazhai's eyes go wide in disbelief. "What?" He freezes, clearly confused. "No. No, you cannot… you cannot… abandon me! We are bound by the ties of possession, [NAME]! It may have once been a game, but after all you have been through in my charge… after the branding…" Marazhai's voice is shaking with anger — and unconcealed fear.

the rogue trader is a knife, a tool, but one that is turned against marazhai and forces him to reconsider so, so, so many parts of himself.

marazhai is, alongside solomorne and ulfar, one of the three characters that will not be thrown into the pit, and instead attacks the rogue trader (although for solomorne, technically glaito attacks you but ehhh)

You raise the knife up high… when the youth suddenly bares his teeth and strikes you first, too quickly for you to react in time. The pain causes your consciousness to come rushing back. You find yourself standing at the edge of the bottomless pit, with a bleeding stab wound on your body, surrounded by your worried companions, one of whom, Marazhai, is staring at you ferociously, clutching a bloodied Drukhari dagger.

that drukhari pride, as well as the drukhari reflexes, will not allow him to be taken out by some mon-keigh. the contrast of this is, again, his romance branding scene, where you can specifically kill him with a narrow drukhari blade.

[Grab the blade and stab Marazhai]

"shouldn't yrliet also have those reflexes?" yes, she should! but, there is something to be said about trust as well. yrliet, after being convinced (of certain things) does trust you... whereas marazhai is FORCED to rely on you for protection, lest he be torn apart by the crew or heinrix/argenta/ulfar.

He brandishes his blades with a guttural snarl… raising his arm to strike… and then, as if realising that to remain on the mon-keigh ship without his patron would be tantamount to death, relents. Clenching his jaw, the xenos casts one last glance at you, and then turns and rushes away, never looking back. + People say the hideous xenos faced a reckoning for his savagery at the hands of the crew, who allegedly tore the enemy of Humanity apart at the cost of dozens of lives of those brave enough to attack the wretched creature.

the specific use of dagger also ties back to macbeth, but even i will admit this next line of thinking is a bit of a stretch, but it just wouldn't leave my brain. the specific quote from macbeth:

Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

and the use of a dagger towards the rogue trader harkens back to how marazhai uses the rogue trader as a tool although the rogue trader is referred to as a scalpel so y'know. bit of a stretch.

ulfar is "the huge shaggy beast radiating coldness." ulfar is a space wolf, a chapter of space marines that are known for their wild nature, and even wilder appearances. space wolves are known for their tattoos, piercings, and ulfar has tribal tattoos on his huge form.

Tribal scar-like tattoos cover his chest, arms, and back, and you glimpse intricate braids in his mass of unwashed hair. [...] and muscles bulge beneath his skin like boulders. He looks like a statue carved from stone

ulfar is also the tallest companion, both in lore and in game. in lore, ulfar would stand at about 8 ft tall (compared to marazhais 7 ft) so yes, he is huge in all regards. shaggy, well, he's unwashed and hasn't had a haircut in a long time. he is, unfortunately like so many other marines, hairless body wise though

beast refers to the canis helix, which is also known as spirit of the wolf. while ulfar specifically mention the curse of the wulfen, which the canis helix is related to, the curse is what happens when the canis helix is left unchecked and a space wolf succumbs to base, beastial desires. ulfar even has an ending increment called wulfen, where he succumbs to the curse and goes feral. ulfar has struggled with this for his whole service, as all members of the space wolves do, but he admits it and the rogue trader themself can pick up on the obvious scenes.

You are staring into the eyes of an animal that enjoys killing. No, it does not enjoy it. It just kills, finding no joy or delight in doing so. It kills because that is its nature. + "Mortal, if you were to know of the bitter taste of Wulfen's malice, you would learn that grief takes no prisoners. Grief claims lives." + "It was not devotion to the Allfather that guided my hand. Only the black malice of Wulfen." + "The hour will come, and the Curse of the Wulfen will have me. And that hour approaches. I can hear the crunch of snow beneath claws. But it has not arrived yet."

ulfar even admits the wulfen has existed in him since his ascension to astartes, with the line:

"Everyone who appears before the Gate is granted a vision, and mine was… a dark omen. I saw myself, in two guises — one as white as the moon, the other as black as the lowering sky. And the two were locked in combat." + "The black wolf's gaze was fearsome, full of more pain than he could ever inflict himself. It drove him mad, turning him into a monster. And, as dark as he appears, I… recognise myself in him. After all, I was made for destruction, torment, annihilation. I am the more agile monster."

radiating coldness is a clear reference to fenris, but also space wolves in general. the description of fenris in game is a clear indicator, alongside ulfars description, of where that coldness comes from.

The giant's gaze thaws. "Fenris is home. A harsh land of harsh winters and harsh people. When comes the Helwinter, a fearsome season of frosts, the merciless Worldsea freezes and great white bears, snow wyrms, and ice trolls go on the hunt. Then the murderous frost retreats, and boats of harpooners sail out to ply their craft, capturing sea snakes and krakens."

ulfar is, alongside solomorne and marazhai, one of the three characters that will not be thrown into the pit, and instead waits out the rogue traders assault except for a shove.

You try to cut the beast's flesh again and again, but the blade cannot pierce its thick fur. You raise your knife for a desperate strike… but then a powerful shove brings you back to your senses. You find yourself standing at the edge of the bottomless pit, surrounded by your worried companions, one of whom, Ulfar, is shaking his head sombrely.

tying into the noble nature of astartes (or, well, the fact that they should be noble) ulfar doesn't hurt you, he simply lets you flail against him until he gives you a harsh shove. it's thick fur is his power armour, and your puny human blade will not pierce it.

while i previously mentioned that marazhai won't get thrown in because he doesn't trust you, and how glaito is just performing his guard function, ulfar does trust you. but, he's also huge. simply put, i don't think the rogue trader could throw him in even if they did succeed in stabbing him.

[primarchslut]

If the RT turned into their childhood self through some warp shenanigans for a while, how do you think each companion would react to having to take care of them? Who would volunteer to do it?

d'aww, this is cute, lol. i actually thought about it way back when the game first came out.

obviously, abelard is volunteering to take care of them. he already does that, really, and he has experience with kids. so, yes, he's ready and willing to pick up the lord captain when they raise their arms up to him in a clear pick me up motion.

i also think argenta is really enamored with them, especially if the rogue trader is a bit shy. argenta is really kind to children in game, right? if the rt asks for a bedtime story, argenta is more than happy to dump dozens of stories of saints into their eager mind. she volunteers.

cassia is… struggling. children are so delicate, and often say rude things, though, that’s dependent on the rogue trader. and what it they stare at her like she’s some freak? or scream and run away? oh, but, cassia sitting and painting while the child rt (depending on their age) fingerpaints/uses crayons or markers at her feet, both of them quiet and serene? so cute! not volunteering, but, she’ll suffer through it.

heinrix is awkward. not bad! but he doesn’t really grasp the idea of playing anymore, and probably just sits the rt under his watchful eye with an age appropriate novel or object to occupy their attention. definitely cringes from giving them a hug if they start crying, because, well, i only think he becomes a good, if overprotective, parent when he has kids with the rt. doesn’t volunteer, and really doesn’t want to do it.

idira is fun, but a little risky. not intentionally! she doesn’t want anything bad to happen to the little rt at all, and would be beside herself with guilt if something happened, but she is cheeky. she might tell them they can order all the sweets they want, and the adults have to listen. or maybe she answers “adult” questions with a bit too much honesty (not, like, a gross way) and teasing. doesn’t volunteer, but rises to the challenge.

jae is pleased as punch. such a cutiepie, and she can charm children like it’s nothing. why yes, she is a princess! and she has so many fun stories to tell them about beautiful princesses, daring rogues, and the treasures they both claim. it probably ends with the rt asleep in their bed, jae utterly assured that she has just scored major bonus points. boo-yeah! volunteers eagerly.

kibellah is bad. not hurtful, or mean, but she’s scary as hell, man. she keeps the domin very close, and refuses to let them play anywhere dangerous. total helicopter guardian, way worse than abelard and his grumbling and strictness. they probably go to pick up a stuffed animal and she sticks a needle through it to be sure it isn’t trapped with something. also, doesn’t know how to soothe them if they cry, because nobody did that for her. she doesn’t need to volunteer, she will bully and threaten her way into being their guardian.

marazhai- no.

pasqal is okay! he probably hands them a puzzle box, and sits them in his workshop with explicit orders not to touch anything. he’s probably one of the only members of the crew who can deal with the annoying way kids constantly go “why?” and how they ask questions about literally everything, and he answers while adjusting something incredibly dangerous, and that he should be focusing his full attention on-! might volunteer if he has no experience with the rts age group, for the quest of knowledge after all.

solomorne is great with kids. he canonly adopts three, so he clearly wants to be a dad (at least, when he’s romanced, but, let’s assume those parental instincts activate now) so he lets them hold his hand while he guides them very carefully through the ship. it’s pretty scary, and loud, huh? don’t worry, nothing bad will ever happen with him and his trusty companion by your side, don’t worry one bit. the rt gets a very important lesson about doing what’s right, too, even if they are a little angel. gotta start them young. he might not volunteer, because he would defer guardianship to abelard, but will perform is requested.

ulfar is dumb fun. he gets to scare them with spooky tales of ghosts on fenris, of monsters that snatch little girls with hoods off beaten trails before they’re rescued by wolves, of giant krakens sinking ships, and the icy wonders of his homeworld. he probably enjoys getting to tell so many sagas, and watching them try and draw some of the monsters he’s describing. he volunteers, chuffed at the chance.

yrliet doesn’t volunteer? human children are so… sticky, and bad with boundaries. no.

[primarchslut]

do you have height and age hcs for the companions? I personally think that obviously ulfar is the tallest followed by marazhai and maybe jae and idira are the shortest (as in less than average height). As for ages I can't settle on a guesstimate because aging is so weird in this universe but I doubt anyone is younger than like 30-40

it's always nice whenever one of you guys asks me smth i had a draft for, i get to delete one of my 60+ drafts~

aging is weird in 40k, you are so right anon. for reference, this is how everyones heights (not exact heights) line up in game

all of them were lined up alongside a line in the bloodspun web temple and i got as close as i could. just based off this, it shakes out:

ulfar is the tallest, which tracks with greater 40k lore.

marazhai is the 2nd tallest, followed by yrliet, and then cassia.

kibellah is taller than heinrix/sol/abelard (who appear similar in height) but shorter than cassia.

argenta is ever so slightly shorter than abelard.

pasqal is canonly hunched/has terrible posture, but is around the height of argenta. unhunched, i would put him closer to kibellah height.

idira and jae seem to be similar in height.

however, as i kind of delve into below, some of these in-game model heights contrast in-game physical descriptors/greater lore implications, so i don't really base most of my headcanons/thoughts on the in-game models. if you want to, though, i totally get it!

games are often pretty shit with having accurate heights (bg3s astarion is an example off the top of my head, where the writers say he's 5'9 but the game also has/had a dialogue referring to him as aprox. 5'11 so ehhhh)

i also base their heights off them in armour/regular gear.

and this is probably my weakest ask in terms of analysis/accurate information, as i'm really bad at playing attention to ages/heights/etc. i scrubbed through the script, but things always slip through the cracks, i'm definitely not perfect. i recommend looking at the comments of this/any other discussion about it, as i'm sure others will have more info than i will LMAOOO

for ages in this ask i refer to bodily and chronological/chronologically ages.

bodily means what their organs/body age would be, ie if you looked at argentas organs, they would be the average organs of a 34 year old woman.

chronologically refers to what their age is actually recorded as based off when they were born. ie, argenta, due to warp fluctuations, might bodily only be 34, but she was "chronologically" born around 60-70 years ago.

and as another preface, many of these characters, due to the way the warp works, might be FAR older chronologically than the ages i give. i honestly don't really try to place a lot of stock into accurate ages, they all just hover in categories of young / middle-aged / old, y'know?

astartes

following warhammer canon, (although the heights are ALL over the place) all astartes are 7ft - 8ft on average. primaris marines, which ulfar is not, are about a head (ish) taller than an average marine.

Whilst wearing their power armour, an unarmed Space Marine typically stands slightly over 2.1 metres tall [6.8 ft roughly] and weighs between 500–1,000 kg [1102-2204 lbs]. When you visualise your Space Marine character, you should decide if he is taller or shorter, lighter or heavier. Generally speaking, Space Marines rarely vary to a large degree in height or weight—your character, however, may have been one of those unusual few who is the exception to the rule! - Deathwatch RPG Core Rulebook, published 2010. + [...] were created as the Emperor’s ultimate fighting force. Implanted with the gene-seed of the Primarchs, the Space Marines stand seven feet tall, with thickened bones, two hearts, hyper-dense muscles and all manner of special organs that allow them to survive and fight in the most hostile conditions. They feel little pain and heal wounds at a remarkable rate. Their will is hardened by constant training and fighting, and they battle with dedication and zeal, brooking no hesitation, mercy or cowardice. All of these things combine with the best weaponry and armour in the galaxy to make the Space Marines the most fearsome warriors of the Imperium. - Chaos Space Marine Codex, published 2017.

legions tend to follow their dads height and build, ie ferrus was the tallest primarch (standing a head taller than his brothers) so iron hands tend to be very tall, versus vulkan who was very bulky, and so salamanders tend to bulk out more.

so let's place ulfar and uralon the cruel at roughly 7'5ft - 8ft tall. the heights in rt are pretty off, but they're taller than marazhai for sure.

age range is all over the place lmfao. i think i placed ulfar in my head at around 150-200 years old due to only having been on the warpath many decades ago:

Ulfar set foot on the warpath many decades ago, and a trail of blood has stretched out behind him ever since.

he also doesn't bear any service studs in his portrait which are usually (although it's falling out of favor with many legions) implanted into a forehead when a marine hits a certain amount of service years

basing off the dark angels legion, they use silver studs in the forehead to show 50 years of service, and gold studs to denote a full century of service.

this does vary from legion to legion, (ie, the soul drinkers chapter use silver studs for 10 years) and space wolves are decidedly loose with their codex astartes adherence. we primarily see studs in legions with higher compliance, like ultramarines.

in game, it looks like he has two silver ones:

so minimum 100? maybe???

eldar

drukhari/aeldari, in general, hover around 6'5ft - 7ft tall. i personally tend to place aeldari on the shorter scale, so they're closer to 6.5ft vs drukhari whom i place on the taller end of the scale, so 7ft+.

the eternal crusade online game published in 2016, which was known for being fucking militant with its heights/adherence to canon for some god forsaken reason, put eldar as a whole at eye level with marines, so 7ft~

vistenza describes yrliet as:

"You must be referring to Yrliet, our chief ally in the struggle against the rebels. [...] Although I admit that at times I am tempted to send her away from the estate — her unnaturalness means that speaking with her always leaves me feeling uneasy. Such a gaunt, unfeminine figure, and so tall..."

personally, i place yrliet at around 6'7-6'8, and marazhai at 7'3-7'4 and his height is definitely not because i have a height difference fetish and one of my canon rt is 5'4.

marazhai isn't outrageously tall for a drukhari, but hes a trueborn so he has "good genes" and was fed well, presumably, growing up. although all drukhari are pretty terrible parents, with some exceptions.

for ages, we know marazhai is minimum 500 years old as he knows about what quetza temer was like 500 years ago, based off this dialogue:

They burned down the cities and shackled our people faster than our ships could help. In the end, the local governor ran away, leaving the remaining people at the beasts' mercy. And the people, in turn, fled the big cities that attracted the xenos. And that is how the forests that the rabble feared became their salvation. The planet fell into decay — there was no one to populate the cities, and there was no one to extract resources. Quetza Temer expected three new arks filled with settlers to arrive from the Imperium. But in five hundred years, not one of them has reached the Expanse. + Marazhai gives Calligos a lazy look. "I remember the times when this planet was nothing more than a source of amusement for the Kabals. When its supply of squealing meat ran dry, so did our interest."

he specifically states he "remembers" and uses "our interest" so it's not implied to have been a story told to him or whatever. although if you want to view it as that, feel free.

yrliet, no clue + no guesstimate. she's only walked two paths, path of awakening and path of the outcast. and aeldari simply take their time on their paths, since they have all the time in the world.

an average eldar lifespan hovers at around 2,000 years (sourced from ghost warrior: rise of the ynnari, published 2017), so marazhai would minimum be, ROUGHLY, lets say 26-30 in human ages, since he's a quarter of the way through an average eldar life. i would skew him closer to 26 since he acts like such a brat (affectionate) (carnal) (lustful)

now onto the humies. please note that i'm basing human tallness off modern earth tallness, primarily north american (i do mention the united kingdom height with jae though) as i am one + being 5'10 myself, so tall to me is unfortunately skewing a bit high...

abelard

abelard seems to hover around heinrix and sols height, so let's say 6'1-6'4.

OLD MAN!! abelard is OLDDDD, everything about him is old, from his bottomless pit description

[The decrepit old man in the tattered remains of a military uniform.]

to the fact that dementia has begun to set in on him when you find him in commorragh after his time has been stolen by tervantias, and that usually begins at around 65.

rejuvenating procedures can push human beings to 400 years old, (sourced from playing patience short story, first published in 2006) but i don't think abelard is 400... maybe closer to 60-70? 90 at the farthest? he has to use knee implants even, lol

argenta

argenta hovers around abelard/sol/heins height + she is in power armour but still seems slightly shorter, so let's put her at around 5'10-6'2 in the armour which would probably not be that accurate considering the size of some power armour but ehhh...

chronologically, argenta much older than she looks due to a warp anomaly.

"I wasn't born in the Expanse. I was sent here to be a guardian of a reliquary on Footfall. But my ship became caught in a warp anomaly, and although it lasted only days for those on board, decades had flown by in realspace."

the schola progenium doesn't explicitly have an age range of when it recruits (presumably before 18) and when they actually let their students out its abusive clutches, but i'm going to hesitantly say most people get out at 18-20ish.

the sororitas often select young novices for their intense training, and that training takes a long time due to intensity, and the pure amount of work that goes into being a sororitas. i would say early to mid 30s for argenta is probably pretty accurate for her bodily age, and 60-70 for her chronological age.

cassia

we find a picture of, what i assume is cassia and a warp manifestation of tisiphone in eurav v (i think?) which has the description of:

A crumpled sheet of paper with a drawing of a tall woman and a dark-eyed monster… Painted with fresh blood.

based off my assumptions, the tall woman is cassia, and the dark-eyed monster is tisiphone. cassia is also tall in game, she's the tallest "human" companion in comparison to everyone else.

height wise, navigators tend to skew tall (sourced from the rogue trader rulebook published in 2009)

so i place cassia around 6'6-6'7 in my head, or even taller. 'but she's similar to yrliet in-game' shhhhh.

it also helps (not that i want to) isolate and contribute to her issues with her physical appearance. cassia reads a lot of romance novels, and classical literature, so it would probably be pretty disheartening for her to realize she'll probably never get physically swept off her feet + she is not following stereotypical/average womens heights.

i personally placed cassia at around 23-25, or younger. originally i thought of her as just 20/21, but i've slowly aged her in my mind. she's described similarly as kibellah, who is described as young as well. cassia is constantly called a child, and while much of that is dehumanization/idolization from her house, i have to assume there's some merit to that. she is also very "40k disney princess" coded, and their ages skew from 14 (snow white) to 21 (elsa) so, yes, personally, she's young to me.

she also is described as only living a short life, but due to the fucking age range in 40k being stupid, eh...

Cassia Orsellio renounced her destiny of becoming the Novator and chose to spend her days with her beloved. She lived a short life, trying to fill every moment spent together with colour and passion.

heinrix

heinrix is described as tall:

The tall, dark-haired man sizes you up with a quick glance; a supernatural chill is making the air around him crackle softly.

it's, ah, definitely not because i have a height difference fetish and one of my rt is 5'4 but i place heinrix at around 6'3/6'4 in my mind. tall, for me, personally, starts at around 6'+ so he's minimum that to me.

heinrix cheats his age via slowing down his bodily aging, based off this dialogue.

"The first step for biomancers such as myself is to take control of the processes of their own body — including ageing." Heinrix smiles crookedly. "I have endured innumerable hazards in my work — if I allowed every trace of them to remain, I would look completely different today."

his actual BODY age i place at around 30-32, but we know he has been serving in the inquisition for decades, plus had a stint where he served in the imperial guard for several years, at this point based off this dialogue:

"Since the day of my initiation as an acolyte — so, decades." Heinrix shrugs. "How many real years it's been, it's hard to say. When I return from a journey through the warp, I often discover that much more or much less time has passed in." + "No. First, I was accorded the status of a psyker fit for service in the Imperial Guard, where I then spent several years. It was only afterward that I became an agent of the Golden Throne" Heinrix stops there, clearly not intending to elaborate further.

so in actuality, his chronological age might be closer to 40? 50? 60??? but like in the dialogue above, heinrix points out the warp tends to skew time passing.

the complexity of it is that we know heinrix was taken on the black ship as an adolescent which the age range is hotly debated, it seems it ranges from 13-19.

i personally view him as being taken roughly at 16/17 (although im sure now that i say this its going to get disproven by some fact i've forgotten), going through sanctioning, which, also in a super great way that doesn't make me grind my teeth in annoyance, does not have a specific timeline for how long it takes.

let's say it would take him four years to get sanctioned so he would be 20/21 when he "graduates." one of the first things he was taught was to slow his aging, so he could've started around 18? 19? but of course, he cannot STOP his aging, nobody can outrun time, and he definitely doesn't look 19/20. so he just ages slower than normal.

he then enlisted in the guard, where he spent "several years" which has such a fucking wide range of what it means before then being yoinked like a puppy by xavier, which then produced the heinrix we know today.

he's younger than abelard, or at least lying to save abelards pride?, and respects both abelards age and position in this banter:

idira

idira is described as tall in game, and middle-aged.

The tall, middle-aged woman stares straight ahead, her eyes vacant, as she rubs the implant at her temple.

based off the merriam-webster dictionary definition of middle age:

1 : the period of life from about 45 to about 64 (source)

i would place idira in her later 30s, early 40s. maybe 44? height, ehhh... 5'8? 5'9? in-game, she's really short though??? there's not a ton of analysis to do for idira, we get her age range and height range pretty quick lol.

jae

i agree jae should be short/shorter. i tend to place her around 5'4-5'6 in my head, but in the united kingdom the average woman is around 5'3/5'4 in north america, so maybe jae is closer to 5'2 lol?outrageously short, too short, i'll put her in my pocket.

we actually do a get specific age from jaes background, she had her first sortie in the imperial guard at 16, which she then served in the guard for years:

"[...] She did this every day until she turned sixteen. And then…" + "[...] Years serving in the Astra Militarum, just a shitload of hard labour. And fighting. And deals… And shady connections and new opportunities."

and she describes herself as "the youngest daughter" when she's lying about her past, so maybe early 30s/mid 30s? i have to assume that building up her reputation as a cold trader does take a long time, and her relationship with mercy was apparently a long time ago.

"Not even Mercy… I shouldn't have reached out to him. He helped me move to the Expanse and set up business here a long time ago, but I liked it better when he was safely in my past."

kibellah

kibellah is described as tall, and young.

They fall silent as a tall young woman steps forward. She moves toward you soundlessly, the dim light casting shadows across the mask which conceals her face.

i place kibs at 23-25, same age range as cassia.

in game, her height is actually closest to cassia,

although she is a bit shorter. jae also talks about how voidborn can be tall (although, due to the effects of low gravity, humans tend to become taller - an astronaut named kate rubins grew from 171cm to 174cm in space. imagine how someone born and raised in a low gravity would develop) as well:

"Gauntness of frame and tall stature are features common even among voidborn, my dear governor. That does not make them mutants. Then, pray, whatever do you find so disagreeable about this… Yrliet's appearance?"

so maybe 6'-6'2? for kibs? 5'10+? definitely above 5'8 in my mind. i put cassia at an unnaturally tall height, but y'know. i don't think kibs is that tall, but she is tall and closer to cassias height.

pasqal

pasqal is canonly hunched in game. so maybe 5'9/5'10 due to the hunch? unhunched, he looks like he would be taller than argenta, even in her armour, so he looks pretty tall, like 6'2+ but nobody really expects it until he stands up and cracks his back one day (cue sol and hein going !! when that happens)

we know pasqal has been around for decades:

"The seven constituent servants of the Omnissiah hid their own memories from themselves behind false personas and were sent off to various parts of the Koronus Expanse. They went into hiding. Each had to live in solitude for many decades, accumulating observations and eventually bringing that experience to a reunited Amarnat who would tackle the dilemma once more. That would be the Restoration."

but then he drops THIS:

Sorrow echoes in Pasqal's inhuman voice: "Two hundred and eleven Terran years. It was such a long time ago." Your companion looks overwhelmed and pensive.

so. uh. he's old.

this has been retconned as of 1.5.

solomorne

solomorne becomes "even taller" in a dialogue, which to me suggests he's already at an imposing height, and he is already broad across the shoulders.

"But of course. I have always wanted to try my hand at casual small talk." Solomorne folds his arms imperiously over his chest, somehow becoming even taller in stature and broader in the shoulders. "Tell me about the laceraxes, Governor. Such fascinating creatures — where did you get them from?

height wise, i think sol beats heinrix by exactly 1 inch or so, 6'4-6'5 but i don't think we honestly get more than that for sol, especially since his model is very, very similar to abelard/hein.

i put sol at very late 30s, early 40s. (38-43?) simply due to the fact he gets along with that old man abelard in one of his endings, alongside how i talked about how i have NO clue how many years the progenium takes for teaching.

he had an assignment that lasted two years:

"I was put under investigation, but was cleared of the charges and assigned to Piety, without Glaito. The most corrupt hive world in the Drusus Marches. Two years among the vilest dregs of Humanity… It was a test, and I passed — I got my promotion, got Glaito back. But after Emmerson's betrayal, I was never the same."

[primarchslut]

Jealous event aside, what is your ranking of most to least jealous companions?

most?

marazhai, by a long shot. ↓

i was actually just writing about this when i got your ask (funny how that works, hm?) but specifically in a parallel to hannibal lecter/marazhai.

both of them are monsters, yes, indescribably monsters, but they are monsters that covet. they pick their favorite toys, preen them, delicately dress (literally, in the case of hannibal) and coo over them, and have a deranged reaction if said toy is taken from them, or attempted to be taken.

this is not to say the rt is only a toy, they can absolutely bite back, but drukhari pride is going to have marazhai often, until perhaps he begins to view you as an equal on the sub route, viewing the rt as something he can covetously play with.

Marazhai's eyes go wide in disbelief. "What?" He freezes, clearly confused. "No. No, you cannot… you cannot… abandon me! We are bound by the ties of possession, [NAME]! It may have once been a game, but after all you have been through in my charge… after the branding…" Marazhai's voice is shaking with anger — and unconcealed fear.

he even gets pissed at Kharael for even fucking looking at the rt, lol

Kharael's gaze lingers on you, or more specifically, on the brand on your neck. Suddenly he snorts. "Did you get bored away from home, Marazhai? You found yourself a toy?" + Marazhai regards you with a look of smouldering hunger and replies to Kharael with contempt. "The mon-keigh is my property, Kharael. Be careful when you are looking at them, I may misinterpret your intentions."

kibellah is also a good contender, for she also covets the rt and had this brainwashed into her. even her jealousy banter is pretty brutal:

but, i place her a bit below marazhai because kibellah has also been raised to respect your decisions, meanwhile marazhai freaks the fuck out (seen above) if you try and break up with him.

medium jealousy

i think heinrix, internally, can get a bit jealous but he comes at it with ice cold facts/a factual assessment of the situation (except for, hilariously, when it comes to a mar/rt/hein jealousy situation)

where marazhai and kibellah would be snapping at/threatening someone verbally if they flirted with the rt, i can only see heinrix looming behind them and staring at the offender with his cold, dead fish eyes. and the temperature seems to be dropping a few degrees around him, or the wine/drink he's holding is boiling over/freezing over.

his warmth for you even plummets if you cheat on him + he takes a lot of the breakups really hard:

"It has come to my attention, Lord Captain, that you have formed a particularly close relationship with another member of the retinue." Heinrix's voice is devoid of even a hint of its former warmth. "I wish you well in this new association. Now let us discuss other matters.

Heinrix stiffens, his face strained to the point that his cheekbones threaten to slice through his skin. "Understood, Lord Captain. Your will is absolute. Good night, [NAME]." The Interrogator brusquely bows and makes his way to the door without looking back.

sol, hm, hm... i haven't analyzed sol a lot but he's quite... professional, with his relationships.

"Rogue Trader. I will be straight with you: I know your personal affections have changed." His expression is as impervious as a wall of ceramite. "Seeing as everything is already decided, let us return to a strictly professional relationship, as it should have been from the start."

i think he does truly care for the rt, deeply!, but he struggles to be jealous because, technically, he's with the rt for a mission. does he even have permission to be jealous over a fake relationship? decidedly not, i would surmise.

least?

yrliet, hilariously. i'm mostly taking this from her mini-break up dialogue (which is separate from the jealous event)

"Elantach." Yrliet leans over you slightly and takes a long — an unusually long — look into your eyes. She nods slowly. And draws back. "I see you have decided to bind your fate to another soul. I… understand your choice. It is natural. And I accept it." Folding her arms, she straightens. "Did you wish to discuss something else?

but also in that, well, yrliet is pretty mature about the whole romance. far more than heinrixs i'm going to kill myself before admitting my feelings, cassias nervous and unsure of awkward doe prance through the romance, kibellahs strange and off-putting obsession, and solomornes conflicted, but earnest feelings.

jae can also be pretty lax, but not if she's been true/fully romanced. before the true ending, she's a very easy come, easy go. sort of character. she's very casual and fun about relationships + sex as a whole, her whole romance has a comedic undertone.

but eventually, she does come to care deeply and prize the rt, and i think she would get quite jealous after she's fully romanced.

i think cassia can get jealous, but she's mostly just dismayed. it's her first love, and she truly believed that the rt would be her one and only and she would be theirs, based off this banter:

i think she would just get upset (in a sad way) instead of jealous. or even have her lack of self-esteem kick in, for of course someone is flirting with the rt. they're amazing, and she is... a mutant. an undesirable.

non companions?

out of the non-companions, i think ulfar and pasqal are extremely jealous if they're in a relationship. pasqal is going to be whipping out swearing and cursing in binharic if someone flirts with the rt, especially in front of him + warning this "feeble-minded and unblessed layperson to remove their unwanted attention from the unit coveted by Magos Pasqal Haneumann."

ulfar is going to be growling, and later starts rubbing and trying to scent-mark the rt even more. offers to inscribe his runic name into their armor, or through sacrification (as ulfar has tattoos in a similar manner) or just begins drenching them in amulets and talismans.

[primarchslut]

Most of the dialogue options for the RT in game are so confident, so self-assured. It comes with the role, I suppose. But what about an RT who internally struggles with self-worth/self-esteem? How would the companions react if they found out?

it comes with the role, and it’s a bit tough to write protagonists now who aren’t reassured and confident and witty, especially for 40k. many 40k games/novels, and certain game genres in general, are power fantasies that are meant to inflict a feeling of fuck yeah, i’m great.

you can definitely make some cowardly decisions, like abandoning cassia in her painting, or running for your own safety during one of the bridge events, but that's not explicitly tied to self-worth or self-esteem, is it?

honestly, i think a lot of the iconoclast choices are closer, but not quite, to some potentially low self-worth options, as i've briefly discussed how i view the iconoclast as a sort of intentional martyr route here.

but, anyways, hmmm... !

abelard

not surprisingly, i think abelard handles it the best. even if you view him in a romantic light, abelards primary purpose both in game as a unit and from a writing perspective is to be supportive and defend the rogue trader.

if he finds out that the lord captain is struggling with self-worth, perhaps believing that they don't deserve the position they have, or that they will continually make wrong decisions, i think abelard sort of huffs, and slyly mentions how he won't let them.

they will make decisions, and some of these decisions might hurt people, or will go against what he [abelard] wants, but abelard is so stalwart and stands behind the rogue trader no matter what, and he supports their decisions. abelard lets you fucking execute his whole family, you know?

he encourages them to try and behave more like a rogue trader, and i do think he's a bit... harsher on non-female rts + older rts, based off how he is very defensive, protective, and excusing of the younger women in game, but he does genuinely want the best for them, regardless.

your seneschal is always by your side.

abelard will push and encourage them if they falter or stumble when speaking, or if they don't know what to do, or if they look like they might faint from the situation, he swoops in to save the day. that is his whole purpose, to help the rogue trader literally be the best rogue trader they can be.

argenta

flat out, i think argenta sort of sucks at this sort of stuff. she can be caring, and maternal, but i think she actually struggles with the concept of one of the emperor's chosen feeling like they are inadequate or lacking in self-worth. in her eyes, the rogue trader is chosen, divinely blessed by the word of the emperor to lead, doesn't that mean that they should be confident in everything?

her god, the driving force behind her life, the most important thing in her life chose the rogue trader (well, the warrant and blood ties did but shhh), that should fill them with the confidence to conquer, to destroy heresy, to purge those who dare to smother his light.

some of this also could come from how argenta is also a character that is stumbling, but not from a lack of self worth. one of argentas flaws is actually her hubris, and her belief that she must be special, and has a special purpose given from the emperor. she moreso stumbles in regards to how she should view her actions, if they were worthy of a sororitas, and if they were righteous, or simply born out of hatred.

they both struggle, but in very different ways that might make communication awkward.

cassia

cassia is the type of character that might get locked into a feedback loop of how they are both types that struggle with self-esteem. for cassia, it is more physical, as she places a lot of pride on being a navigator, but obviously is tormented by her mutations and how they make her "ugly" (still a conventionally attractive woman, she's just pale, but in the universe of 40k, she would be considered ugly and a freak)

Cassia cringes ever so slightly, adjusts the adornment on her forehead, then awkwardly hides her clawed fingers in the folds of her clothes. The unnatural appearance of Navigators often becomes the topic of gossip among lowly servants and officers alike. It is clear that she does not feel comfortable aboard a ship teeming with new people.

there is, however, a moment with her when the rt can express a bit of connection to someone who is a little out of their depth, via going:

I understand what you are going through. My own life was turned upside down not too long ago.

is it still pretty confident? yeah, but, well, we take what we can get. anyway, i'm pretty sure cassia responds:

"Indeed? I… I did not know. That is to say, I could not have known, as it is the first time we are speaking in a circumstance so…" She glances around the room, growing somewhat sheepish. "…private. My word, when I found this place, it was so full of officers. Why did they all leave?"

but i think cassia does understand, somewhat. she has assurance in her purpose, to be a navigator, and carries a lot of pride about it, but still, it is... hard to look in the mirror and see your body mutating into a monster, coupled with how cassia very clearly consumes a lot of classic romantic literature, and rarely are women "ugly" (again, i do not think she is considered ugly in any universe but 40k) in those novels. always witty, charming, effortlessly pretty, and cassia is... not.

i think cassia could bond very deeply with a rogue trader that struggles with their self-worth, if they can get over her lack of practiced social skills.

romanced or not, this could create a deep moment of bonding with her. cassia and a romanced rogue trader discovering and becoming more confident via supporting each other? d'awww.

heinrix

so many asks on this blog go into heinrix and his low self-worth, so i won't discuss it too heavily. but overall, i think heinrix is similar to argenta in that he struggles to see the rogue trader and any part of them being worthless, especially if romanced.

if not romanced, i think he sort of side eyes them, and doesn't comment. he also doesn't grasp it in this scenario, as they are worthy, via right of blood. that is, literally, the rules of the warrant of trade. but it is not his job to babysit rogue traders, abelard has that oh so enviable position.

but if he is romanced, it's just. impossible really. he places them so heavily on a pedestal, they are his superior, someone he would willingly die for to ensure they live, the one who holds his leash, i think he cannot grasp them feeling worthless or lacking in self-worth.

even if they communicate it, and clearly ask for comfort, he struggles. i think he repeats what he feels, and is honest about how he views them, but if that truly comforts or helps the rogue trader is entirely up to each individual rogue traders. for some, it might make it worse.

he sucks at comforting, truly. look at commorragh when he listens, and then immediately blames himself for the situation. it's rough.

Your recounting takes a long time. When you finish, Heinrix is silent for several seconds. "So, the Drukhari thought that you were working with one of their accursed kind… and it was all because of Achilleas? It seems that I, among others, are responsible for us ending up here…"

idira

idira just makes a face. if the rogue trader feels like this, where does that place her on the worthiness ranking? hm...

i think she does try to comfort them, but it's difficult due to the large gulf of station that separates someone like idira and someone like the rogue trader.

jae

jae gasses the rogue trader the fuck up, absolutely. she's good at social communication, and i think she can at least earn a smile and a few giggles by the end of their talk. part of this is because jae is, genuinely and in a lot of ways, kind and helpful, but also some of this is because jae wants the rogue trader to be successful and confident because they are her patron.

and having an extremely powerful and confident patron means she will have more opportunities, and also offer her a sense of protection and security that is inherent to the strength that confidence brings, you know? it's definitely a mix of both things.

i think as well as, with the way mercy treated her, i think if jae and the rogue trader are involved in a romantic way, she's much more fierce and devoted to the whole gassing them up and making sure that they realize they are loved, and wanted, and worthy of both of those things, you know?

Jae takes a deep breath as though preparing to jump. "Because I was with him, before. He helped me relocate to the Expanse from the Calixis. And he helped me make a name for myself in the Mission, to become a Cold Trader, to take Cristo's place when he died… But it was more than that. He was my teacher. And my lover. He knew everything about my past… like you do now. I was with him for a long time, I belonged to him heart and soul, but later I wanted a different life, so I left. I can't say for certain that I didn't break his heart as I went." + Jae speaks her next, carefully chosen, words with heavy solemnity: "I can't rule out the possibility that at the end of this meeting I will be… burdened with certain ties to Mercy. It will not be of my choosing. I doubt he'll force me to leave your retinue, but he will expect my loyalty. He will want to control me… in every sense. And he won't like the thought of sharing me with you. You and I, our relationship, I don't know if it matters to you, but it would be craven of me not to warn you."

the line of "He will want to control me... in every sense." is fucking insane to me, and jae is a character so associated with freedom, i imagine this control absolutely wrecked her owns self-esteem for a little, and is partly why she is so flighty with the rogue trader at the start of their relationship: she doesn't want a repeat of that abusive relationship.

so i do think she gets it, yeah?

kibellah

similar to argenta and heinrix, kibellah cannot grasp her domin feeling unworthy or shitty. they are the sun to her universe, her reason for existing, the one she is sworn to protect. the lord/lady/liege of the ark, like-

she will never view them in such a way, romanced or not, and already has such poor social skills i'm not sure if she truly helps with it, but she will always view them as worth, at least...?

marazhai

marazhai exploits this if he's dominating, or he's frustrated/disgusted by it if he's "submitting." or unromanced.

for dominating, oh, wouldn't that just be wonderful? yes, you are worthless without me. yes, you cannot do anything on your own. be dependent on me, be obsessed with me, i control you, i will make sure you make good choices (choices that all seem to benefit him the most)

marazhai grasps them by the chin, looks at their tormented and agonized face after hearing all of this, and waits for them to obediently nod.

good mon-keigh.

he's shitty, but at least he's honest about it, i suppose. he adores rogue traders with easily exploited flaws, something he can dig his clawed nails into and peel the rogue trade apart via using and abusing this flaw in their armour. it fills him with a sexual thrill, absolutely, when the rogue trader breaks down in front of him.

for when he's submitting, bah, i think he's so bored! come on, you need to be confident! take control! do everything right and dominate him. ugh, this is so dull...

and if he's not romanced, i don't think he even listens to them recounting their problems unless it's to mock them further. little bastard.

pasqal

pasqals vox squeals out:

"This statement is false. Unit designated as Von Valancius is a high-value, high-priority unit."

and then he turns away to whatever he was doing before. thanks...?

even romanced, i think his reaction is the same.

solomorne

i don't think sol quite gets this until later on, in the sense that sol is a confident person, or at least self assured. he knows the path he wants to walk, for a little, and knows his purpose is assured. i think it's only when he realizes an organization that he placed so much of himself in, and connected to so deeply (both due to his indoctrination during schooling, but also influence from his father, who walked the same path) is actively harming his chances at happiness, and fulfillment, and indeed, even the concept of justice itself, something he prizes, does he shatter a little and connect and understand deeply with what the rogue trader might be feeling.

before that, he can empathize, and he does understand. sometimes people need a bit of a push, or support from others to know what to do and where to step. solomorne operates in squads, he knows that some people need support in various areas. granted, some of this is moreso for combat, but he gets it.

i think sol is comforting, and kind, and gentle. he is so deeply in love with the rogue trader, but also doesn't idolize them to insane amounts like heinrix does.

he acknowledges they are a person, and a person with flaws and weaknesses (just like how he learns he also has weaknesses himself) and he can help, and communicate that he deeply wants to help, they just need to tell him what they need, and he will do it perfectly. he states he loves doing things perfectly, afterall:

"Everything I do, I aim to do well." Solomorne's eyes crease as he draws out an intricate passage from the instrument with one hand while tucking the other behind his back. "Perfectly, even."

solomorne is so inherently romantic, and so caring, so he adjusts and does what he can for them. they supported him for so long while he stumbled around, especially after commorragh, surely he can do this for them.

ulfar

ulfar snorts, and barks out that his aett-vater was chosen for a reason! you are worthy, he would not pick some worthless commander, some snot-nosed brat that hasn't seen combat, and yet acts like they are a jarl.

i think he's much softer to a romanced rogue trader, but operates on much the same wavelength. they are worthy, he would not pick an unworthy mate. he rubs their back, and presses them tight against him. he will make them realize, yes, with every fiber of his being he will.

yrliet

yrliet is also a character that stumbles, but is also deeply introspective. i think she could offer a lot in regards to this sort of discussion, but i simply don't have enough thoughts about her to offer anything meaningful.

[primarchslut]

Assuming the RT does act like a little weirdo and licks something/sticks their hand in something, what do you think the retinue does? Does Abelard or Heinrix take precedence in telling them spit it out/cut that out? Is it a turn on for Mar or just more mon-keigh nonsense?

i think... pfft!

abelard immediately thumps them on the back, like one does to an infant after they eat, or gives them some water to swish around their mouth and spit out, or makes a move to grab their hand to wrench it off, angry and exasperated that they're behaving like a child. his whole job is making sure they are safe, and healthy, and they go around and do this???

when you touch the necron pillar in game, abelard goes:

"Lord Captain! Are you uninjured? Sound of mind? Why am I even asking… the answer has been obvious for a while now." The Seneschal mutters the last sentence under his breath.

he's so sick of this!

argenta does the same, i feel, especially if it is xenos heresy. i also think she flips the fuck out if the rt tries to eat or lick something considered holy. no, get that aquila out of your mouth! touching is a bit better, but not by much.

cassia just makes a disgusted and disturbed face. that's... not how you should interact with things, is it? that seems... quite crass. and disgusting. and wet. if the rt touches something without checking to see if its dangerous (or to check if it is dangerous, i suppose) she's just going ???

heinrix is similar to abelard, but i think he would physically try and open their mouth, especially if he knows its xenosheresy. lord captain, please, spit that out. maybe he slaps a hand onto their back, and uses his biomancy to make them feel like spitting it out/spitting so the influence leaves their mouth. he yanks their hand away from the offending object, stating his decades of experience in knowing what xenosheresy is okay to touch, or not. he even steals the halo device from you in game:

"A Halo device." Heinrix reaches out sharply and pries the mysterious object from your hand. "A cursed xenos creation that twists the mind, and soon the body, of its master. An item subject to the Inquisition's general decree of total annihilation. In this matter, my authority exceeds your privilege, Lord Captain."

both idira and jae laugh, it is funny, but idira manages to get out that they should be a bit more careful. although, jae suggests, a tongue piercing or a replaced tongue would be extremely striking for her shereen, and idira just dissolves into further giggles.

kibellahs blade strikes out and slices off whatever the domin was going to touch, or she holds it out for them between her sharp clawed fingers, and lets them examine it. at a distance. normally she is willing to let them do as they please, but not in this case. her whole job is to protect them.

when you touch the necron pillar in game, marazhai goes:

"Aah. Do it again, [NAME]."

so i think he's just so pleased if they lick or touch something and it hurts them. maybe he even holds it out between two clawed fingers in front of them and goes lick it. when they injure their hand touching something they weren't supposed to, he has to (unsuccessfully) suppress a giggle, and hold himself back from pressing their hand back against the object again, lest he get his head bashed in by another party member.

but marazhai wants them to do it again, and again, and again-

unless it's really dangerous. marazhai smacks the halo device out of the rts hands, after all~

The Drukhari's movement is almost too swift to be registered by the eye. Marazhai slaps the device out of your hand with a perfunctory swing. The mysterious artefact flies off into the darkness and, judging by the clatter, falls through some crevice. The xenos turns his gaze to you. "No, [NAME]. No trinket will ever compete with me for your attention."

so needy and cute...

pasqal, i think, is fine with observing. he does seek knowledge above all else, and his documentation of Connection Between Rogue Trader and Xenosheresy Object 78-/n7TDfK78a will be extremely beneficial for anyone else who wishes to transport and study the object. the rogue trader can always afford an augment. pasqal will even help install it, as payment for their contributions to the quest for knowledge.

solomorne goes no. stop. and sticks out his metal hand before the rt touches it. at least let him touch it with that hand before the rt does, it's the least he can do. but he is not licking anything in public for the rt, no, he's got pride as a human being. nor is he making glaito lick anything for them, he cares far too much about his dog to subject him to the potential danger. getting shot at, or combat, or investigations, sure. danger from indulging a rt? mmmm... no.

when you touch the necron pillar in game, ulfar goes:

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Ulfar asks, "Do you go poking your fingers in every kind of xenos filth you encounter, Aett-Vater, or have you just taken a liking to this? Would you like me to chop off that hand before something happens? It will be quick and almost painless. We'll choose a nice augment for it… No?"

so, hmmm, perhaps you shouldn't touch xenosheresy in front of the big, grumbly wolf! lest you want an augment or argument, which he is happy to oblige with giving. ulfar gets all growly and huffy, and his hackles raise at the thought of his aett-vater doing something he can't protect them from.

yrliet is above all this. she does smack the halo device out of the rts hands if you try to put it on, though:

That is enough, elantach!" Yrliet swiftly knocks the device out of your hand. It tumbles away into the darkness until a distant thud announces that it has fallen into the wreckage. "I will not allow you to destroy yourself!"

so, probably that?

[primarchslut]

how do you think RT companions feel about kisses, especially in public? What kind of kiss do they typically give and when?

oh, kissies? kissies for my sweeties? we actually have a lot of kisses in game, both private and public. ↓

cassia - in public

we actually see cassia kiss the rt in public on the bridge, but only on a failed romance route which is… rough.

Her heated breath burns your skin. "Doing this in full view of everyone… it is unseemly." Cassia does not pull away, but merely tilts her head to the side, allowing you to press your mouth against her lips.

she's not uncomfortable really... but knowing it is on a failed route sours me on it slightly.

and she does accept kisses in commorragh, which is pretty public, but, also, many of the love interests actions in commorragh are because they are in a holy fuck we might die at any moment thing, i am going to cling to comfort/crash out.

Cassia smiles faintly and closes her eyes before your next kiss. When your lips meet once more, you feel as if your nerves are electrified. She kisses you swiftly and passionately, as if she is truly trying to lose herself in the moment. "Oh, [NAME]…"

cassia - in private

we also see this in game often, and all of cassias kisses, to me, are so sweet.

Cassia freezes as your lips join together in a sweet kiss, but then her body relaxes and her eyes close. She reciprocates slowly, uncertainly, gently… "Please, no more! I cannot breathe… I fear I may faint…"

Cassia leans forward, quickly kisses your cheek, and places something cold to the touch into your hand. "This… This is a gift. It is nothing special. I just meant to give you this when we met again."

Cassia's lips touch yours in a long, tender kiss. You relish each other for a while before she withdraws and, after giving you a parting kiss on the forehead, flutters out of the study.

but there is some pretty passionate love in her as well:

Swept away by the rushing torrent of emotions, you sense each kiss and each touch so much more acutely, and Cassia notices this. She reaches for your neck, bites it a little, and her sharp claws sensually slide down your back, leaving behind faintly stinging scratches. "I love you, [NAME]."

heinrix - in public

no wayyyyy! heinrix is so focused on the optics of the relationship between him and the rt, and he rarely allows himself anything. he even admits this!

Heinrix inclines his head slightly and begins to speak more quietly: "Being near you is a trial for me. A trial I was not prepared for, and so even speaking of it is… difficult for me. As it always is when it concerns my own desires, rather than my responsibilities and obligations. My duty comes first, even before myself. Please, [NAME]…" He hesitates for a second. Then he takes your hand, brings it to his lips, and tenderly kisses your fingers. "In our position, I can allow myself… very little. And for you it is no different, really. Just… let me be here for you and help you. That is more than enough for me."

i think he's very uncomfortable with pda, especially kissing. i think he can offer kisses on the hand, as we see above, and touches on the arm or shoulder, but only in we might die at any moment does he go for pda, such as having (very public) sex in commorragh and at the end of the game.

Heinrix's touch is warm and ardent. He clasps you to him and breathes, "I will be your determination. Your courage. Your resolve. I will be everything you need in this dark hour."

he also very, very, very rarely initiates pda. this doesn't mean i think he hates it, but he is uncomfortable and unused to it. part of why i like the closeness romance for him versus the devil one is that it's far less pushy, and more respectful of his boundaries. but, ah, everyones got their preferences. one of the times we see him okay with pda is, again, when the rt initiates it + being near the end of the game!

Heinrix responds passionately to your kiss, then laughs huskily. "I know."

heinrix - in private

in private, though, heinrix adores kissing imo. i seriously think he can get off to just making out with the rt alone, he's that pathetic and needy for their kisses. i mean, look at how eager he is during the magnae accessio kiss~

The Interrogator freezes in shock — and a moment later surges forward. His hands slide to your waist and the back of your head and he drags you against him, gripping you tight, not giving you the slightest chance to slip away. Heinrix responds to your kiss as though he has been waiting for this moment for a very, very long time. The world around you stops.

plus, the not bringing him to commorragh event:

Heinrix stares at you in astonishment for a second, but that is immediately replaced by a smirk full of promise. "Such scandalous conduct, Lord Captain…" He claims your mouth in a kiss once more, his hands more demanding now as he holds you against him.

Heinrix is silent as he gazes into your eyes, captivated. Then, as though tired of resisting, he surges forward. Before you realise what is happening, he kisses you.

heinrix does like kissing and sex, he's just a very, very, very particular person about both regular non sexual love and sexual contact. it has to go and follow a certain rhythm for him. i've talked about this sooooo much, he's very persnickety.

jae - in public

jae is, perhaps next to marazhai at the very end of his romance, the most public love interest. she wants everyoneeeeeeee to know she's with the rogue trader, and does not hesitate to flex this, often and obnoxiously.

Jae responds to the kiss with eagerness and passion. "You have become my very special friend, shereen. Try not to die on this expedition. I do not wish to weep over you."

"Oh, I most definitely am not opposed, shereen." Jae greedily kisses you to the indignant murmurs of your audience.

i mean, she literally broadcasts you having sex with her across (almost) the whole ship. she doesn't give a single fuck. she does have more tender kisses though, whilst being no less passionate, such as when she kisses the rt in front of her former abusive lover. it's very gloating, though.

Jae's lips burn against yours and leave behind the taste of tart wine balanced with honey sweetness. She kisses you with the desperation of a woman who has found a sip of water moments before she dies of thirst.

jae - in private

jae is much more tender and more "traditionally" romantic when she doesn't have to perform in front of a crowd.

Pressing her whole body close to you and closing her eyes, Jae gives you a lingering kiss and whispers, "It doesn't really happen like that. It's all one long dream, but I refuse to let myself wake up — after this, I have no need for real life."

so i think she is softer, and kinder, but no less passionate in private.

kibellah - in public

kibellah also kisses the rt in public!

Kibellah steps into your arms, giving herself completely to the kiss. When she withdraws, her hands sliding gently down your face, she gives you a look that sets your heart ablaze. "All of my thoughts are of you, Domin'[NAME]." + Kibellah hurries near to kiss you, then steps back just as quickly. There is a spark of warmth in her eyes. "The Grace of the Web guides us hand in hand, Domin'[NAME]. Death will be our reward for a thread honourably followed."

so, i mean... coupled with how kibellah is unaware of social optics/doesn't care, i think she's perfectly happy kissing in public. their threads are intertwined, after all.

kibellah - in private

this is a slightly private kiss, but it occurs during her date and just, oh my gosh. so cute!

Kibellah looks at you closely. Instead of speaking, she clings to you and gives you a long, breathtaking kiss filled with sincere warmth. When eventually she pulls away, she gingerly touches your cheek with her fingers.

She plants an ardent kiss upon your lips. "Enough words. Today, we belong only to each other, no one else. Masks, facades… those are things of tomorrow. Not of now. Love me, and only me."

Her hands wrap around you, joining at the back of your neck. Her lips meet yours, and together you dissolve in the flood of her tenderness and passion as she loses herself in the kiss. "I love you, [NAME]. I always will. Until the end of the last star in the dark void."

just... so cute. so sweet. she really does feel like a maiden in love with her private kisses, which makes sense. the domin is probably the only person who has seen her like this (especially if you agree with my theory/headcanon? that she's the other virgin love interest next to cassia) so it's very special, and sweet, and just, AUGH!

marazhai - in public

i still think he's disgusted by kissing the rogue trader, but will do it if it makes someone (heinrix/sol/jae/cassia/kibellah/everyone?) upset. but it's not because he likes/really does want to kiss a mon-keigh, but he does love making mon-keigh upset.

but it is still mean. too much pressure, biting, french kissing in a sloppy, disgusting to everyone observing way. and this is not because he is bad at kissing, but because he wants to make everyone uncomfortable.

he can kiss well, he just chooses not to. bitch.

marazhai - in private

he deadass hates kissing, lmfao.

He flinches away from you, his lip curling in disgust. "Spare me these mon-keigh absurdities, [NAME]."

however, he also does kiss the rt in a fit of blood drunk insanity. i've talked about it briefly here, but it is clearly a moment due to him being under the influence, the game literally describes him as drunk:

Drunk on the misery-soaked air, Marazhai does not hesitate for a second — he drags you to him and covers your mouth with his own. The pain of his metal claws digging into your neck mingles with the salty taste of blood from your bitten lips, and you sink, sink, sink into a dark, viscous, endless abyss…

but he bites the rt, claws at them... it is not sweet or tender or nice. nothing about him is, and that is good. drukhari are not sweet, or tender, or nice.

pasqal - in public

flat out, pasqal doesn't give a fuck about anyones opinion except for maybe solomorne, and the rt. oh, and abel, but, y'know, that's a whole can of worms. he does not mind kissing in public, but how i tend to write pasqals romance is that he's not big on fleshy displays of affection.

he kisses via pressing his respirator against the rts lips and giving them a "kiss" with a very gentle electric shock. he's more interested in things such as merging their implants/connecting their processors together if the rt has augments he can connect to.

pasqal - in private

honestly, much of the same as above. pasqal is a character that marches to the beat of his own drum, he literally... strips on the bridge. public/private doesn't mean a ton.

solomorne - in public

sol does kiss in public too, on thassera, but...

After casting a sidelong glance at you, Solomorne dips his head deferentially. "I apologise, I did not mean to be rude." He accepts the cup, intertwines his arm with yours, and downs the amasec in a mighty gulp. Then he gives you a quick and not overly heated kiss and immediately averts his eyes.

i've briefly discussed in previous asks how, while i do think solomorne does love the rt/is clearly falling in love with the rt and is okay with pda (some of this is also because he heavily respects the chain of command, and the rt outranks him), as he never reprimands the rt for flirting with him publicly, i do think he can't fully get into it until post-game/act 4+ because he knows he is lying to them about some parts of their relationship.

his feelings are real, but he's also detailing everything to his superiors, which he knows, in his gut, is wrong. it's not fair to them, because while his feelings are real, him being with them is also beneficial to his job. it creates a lot of complicated feelings about pda, he even lies about how being with the rt on thassera was embarrassing.

it's really complicated, but i think once he comes clean, he's much more comfortable and open to pda. not, like, super mushy stuff, he does want to preserve both of their stations, but he is okay and much more relaxed with a quick kiss on the bridge.

solomorne - in private

sol is very confident in romance, but not in a braggart or whorish way, he's just comfortable with romance/sex/sexuality! he likes kissing, yeah, but he's not pathetic in any sense of the word around romance, or in general, (unlike heinrix) so i can see him enjoying, and giving, excellent kisses, but it's definitely foreplay for him, or just a casual and gentle display of affection, like giving the rt a kiss on the temple when they wake up.

sweet! cute! loving! and sometimes sexy! he is their chosen consort, and thus will act within that role very well. i love how romantic sol is (date ideas! playing music for the rt! dancing with them!) he is the most romantic male love interest for me, and is honestly the 2nd most romantic love interest in the whole game imo, just shy of cassia.

hand kisses, forehead kisses, proper kisses, kissing the inside of their wrists, he just... he truly loves them, with his whole heart (and everyone but marazhai is the same with the rt) and expresses that in every way he can, he is their literal knight in shining armour.

ulfar - in public

similar to pasqal, ulfar is an astartes. if anyone has a problem with him, they should bring it up to him and his face. he also doesn't bend the knee to many, if any people except for his primarch, the allfather, and the rt.

he would get on one knee, and gives the rt a big ole kissy in front of everyone if he wanted to, but, well, he is respectful of the rt and especially so when romanced, imo. if they are nervous about pda, he keeps it to lighter touches, or just hovering behind them.

you know this image by sergei gladyshev of the mama polar bear and the cub? yeah, that's how i see a romanced!ulfar and the rt in public.

ulfar - in private

much of the same, but i think he's more handsy. he likes licking and rubbing them all over, and gets a big rumbly purr in his chest when they move to lick or kiss him back. very hot and heavy kisses, with lots of touching (which is very, very, very gentle for an astartes - he is aware of their difference and size in strength)