Author's note : Hi everyone !
I'd like to let you know that I'm participating in Dopamine Week on Ao3 !
What is Dopamine Week ? It is a week where authors don't update their stories so they can catch up on other's works !
Rogue Trader 40k has a loooot of fics on Ao3 and I'm gonna give them some love and attention by providing comments and kudos to them.
Should you ever feel like discovering other people's work, I would suggest you to have a look there :)
Future updates for Tapestry of Fate will be incoming next week !
This chapter is not part of the story per se, but mostly a recap of everything that happened and of the main points of interest of the story - if you don't want to read all that happened before, or just want to know what the main highlights are.
Have a nice week ! 3
** Executive summary (yes, we're doing executive summaries of Tapestry of Fate now ) : **
This story until that point extends from just-before-the prologue to the end of act II, and will soon begin covering act III and rewriting act IV/V.
Though it follows the events of the game, I began writing during the beta so there are quite a few changes from the game you know. As the romance wasn't implemented yet, I completely imagined it. Thus you won't get to recognize the romance dialogues in the game. Some plot elements weren't there as well and are being retconned in the latest chapters. A lot of things have been made up : additional banters and character development, mostly. Tapestry of Fate mainly deals with retelling the adventure, writing slices of life and banter between characters, and is centered around a slowburn romance - though the romance does not eclipse the rest of the cast and the plot.
** Who is the main character and are they likable ?**
The main character is named Elena Martyr. She is a diviner, trained to be an assassin in the Imperial Guard, with a past connecting her to the Ordo Malleus. Her powers manifest in the story through flashes from her past or other's past, and visions/dreams of alternative and possible futures. She is not that likable : she is a complicated one, with lots of introspection, and harsh tendencies.
Physically , she is a tall, eerie void woman, with pallid skin and mutated black-sclera eyes (think the Expanse-Belter inspiration), long platinum hair. She is often seen as uncanny as first, even cold or off-putting in her demeanor. She tends to be very precise in her movements.
Psychologically, Elena is a tough and determined woman, with grim resolve if need be. She believes in the God-Emperor, but has been deviating from the Imperial Creed times and times again. She has a tendency for radicality and over-pragmatism, resulting in dubious choices. She is not a "kind" iconoclast : Elena is often seen as being harsh, opportunistic, despite her compassionate streak. She has a high sense of responsibility and believes herself to hold the Expanse's fate in her hands. She is depicted as being prones to compulsions and manias, paranoid, and she is a very introspective character. Think low fellowship, high willpower.
In terms of background, Elena was born in a lower deck of a voidship called the Martyr . She never knew her mother. Her father educated her with love but, as she manifested diviner powers from an early age, used her abilities for his own interest as a smuggler and conman. Elena ended up in a Black Ship as a young child where she found herself under the tutelage and observation of the Lady Inquisitor Maria, who oversaw Elena's destiny and saw her through Scholastia Psykana. Maria acted as a toxic maternal figure for Elena, grooming her to become her diviner pet and personal assassin. Until Elena was sent away to the Imperial Guard for many years. There, she found herself working with a squad sergeant in her assassination missions, named Orlon Heydari - Jae's made up half-brother. They had a love story that impacted Elena's convictions, slowly corrupting her from harsh Dogmatic to skeptical Iconoclast. One day, Kunrad Voigtvir comes to search for her and she joins Theodora's flagship where the story begins, in chapter 1 , written from Kunrad's point of view.
** Main points of interest of the story : which chapters are the interesting ones to read ? **
Elena/Heinrix are the stars of the show. They start out as being wary, but curious to each other, as seen in the Cenobium (chapter 3) and in their first conversation on the ship about Theodora's death (chapter 5), later followed by Heinrix giving Elena an Elucidator in chapter 8. However, they both have a stubborn and sometimes cold demeanor resulting in many frictions, as seen during the Rykad Minoris dilemna (chapter 11) Though there is a quick attraction in between them, as seen at their first talk about Kiava Gamma (chapter 14), it evolves very slowly, with Heinrix and Elena growing closer first in battle, for instance during Slaneesh's minions warp incursion (chapter 16). and Heinrix becoming more protective of the Rogue Trader - as can be seen after Idira's breach incident (chapter 20).
They have their first real flirt after Kiava Gamma (chapter 22) and talks about Heinrix's duty to the Inquisition on Dargonus, chapter 23. Abelard catches on Heinrix's feelings in chapter 24 . First kiss happen during the snow off shore mission in chapter 25 . They sleep together before the Magnae Accesio, in chapter 28 , where they enjoy weeks of couple time together (sex heavily implied, pillow talk, but no smut sorry.) They are in an established but fragile relationship during chapter 30 , dedicated to them being cute, and have an important scene in chapter 33 (heavy flirt) and chapter 34 (Magnae Accessio), with a dance scene that is my personal favorite part of the romance.
After that, Elena's growing paranoia and Heinrix's doubts about their relationship, following Calcazar's visit, grow, until the argument in chapter 36 and ultimately a break up in chapter 37.
Abelard follows the same development as in the game. He has multiple screen times : we see things from his point in the planetoid prison (chapter 6), his act 1 quest is depicted in chapter 7, and in Rykad Minoris (chapter 9), where Elena is down and he leads the team ; he also leads the team during the Genestealer base mission in chapter 24 ; and he has a whole chapter dedicated to him in chapter 28. He gives Elena a dog in chapter 23. We learn more about his family life and his hardships in grief in chapter 35. Abelard is depicted as Dadelard in this fic, with the respectful distance his role impose to him, but also a growing closeness to Elena as his warden and right hand. He is nearly present in every chapter. He is tasked with a secret mission by Elena to recover lost young von Valancius heir for her to adopt as her children later on in chapter 25.
Idira is not killed during her breach scene and keeps on enjoying life. She is depicted as spying on Heinrix at first, in chapter 5, and is shown as being scared of him. She is depicted as a bit of a coward during the events on Rykad. Later on, she uses her powers time and time again to help the retinue out or warn them from immediate dangers, protecting Elena. She is depicted as a troubled woman, with a kind heart and down to earth attitude, as seen in chapter 22 where Elena and Idira talk about Idira's wellbeing, and Elena gives Idira a psy-stifle device to use as last resort. Elena and Idira are close and even confidentes as seen during the oneiro-experiment in chapter 26, where we find out two additional things about Idira : she is not afraid of Heinrix anymore, and Elena sees a twisted and corrupted version of her in the future..
Argenta follows the event of the game ; orphanage scenes takes place in chapter 4 and she has a praying session with Elena on Footfall in chapter 13. She saves Elena's life in chapter 9. Elena pierces her secret during a vision, and talks about it with Heinrix later on,,but Elena never tells Argenta or anyone else in the retinue that Argenta was Theodora's murderer. Argenta is pictured as going down a road of self-doubt. The fic focuses on her caring side. Hieronymus Doloroso is seen as trying to corrupt her and make her a proposal to join Incendia's forces instead of following Elena, as seen in chapter 32. Indeed, Elena's growing iconoclast tendencies and witchery is often depicted as making Argenta doubt herself and her place in her retinue. They started as devoted comrades in arms but are growing apart for the time being.
Cassia is treated like the little sister of the main character. Eurac-V stars in chapter 2. Later on, Cassia goes nearly everywhere the Rogue Trader goes - but she does not appear on warp events, as she is busy navigating the ship. She has a bonding scene in a library in chapter 7. She is at the right side of the Rogue Trader during her Magnae Accessio, as discussed during a very cute moment in chapter 23 where Elena declares her friendship to Cassia. Elena is often seen as having a strong soft spot towards Cassia, always taking her defense even if she sometimes has doubts about her powers, as seen in chapter 17.. Cassia finds herself left behind at the last chapter, and stays Lady Navigator, working with Jae, as Elena is abducted by the drukharis. Most importantly, she has a side-romance with Evayne, as seen in the prison scene, and during the events of Rykard where Evayne protects her ; Evayne proposes to her off-scene, and a wedding date in the winter is decided in chapter 37. Cassia is also close to Heinrix as seen when they play regicide together.
Pasqal is a hard character to write and though I adore him, he is not as developed as other characters, merely following the events of the game with not much addition. He makes numerous appearances as background character, mostly canon ones as the Rykad one in chapter 3, sometimes almost comedic ones as in the Genestealer base section. Pasqal gets to become Nomos's secret dad in chapter 24 only. He is depicted as being in possession of medical secrets concerning the Rogue Trader in the last chapter. Nomis is kept a secret to the rest of the retinue.
Jae gets a lot of screen time. She has special banter and scenes in Footfall, in chapter 13. Elena has an instant connection to Jae because she recognizes her as being her late lover's sister, a thing that she reveals only far later in chapter 25 - Jae resent her for it. Elena names Jae her Mistress of Whispers in chapter 15. Jae has uncovered a conspiracy on the ship working for Kunrad - to this day of the fic, the conspiracy arc is still unresolved. Jae has a strong relationship with Cassia and Argenta as seen in chapter 25, where the three of them pick up what dress Elena should wear for the Magnae. Jae becomes the unwilling substitute for the Rogue Trader in chapter 37, discovers Nomos's secret, and is tasked with a mysterious mission : to recover things in seven coordinates left by Elena just before her abduction, with no other explanations.
Yrliet obviously appears during the Janus events, covering chapter 18, chapter 19, and 20. Elena is seen as being otherworldly drawn to her in a platonic way, as if their fates were intertwined, and she strives to protect Yrliet's kin ; Elena is shown as being interested in the Aeldari's fate, proclaiming it to be all linked together. She promises to help Yrliet out in the recolliger's base in chapter 22. They both have a melancholic platonic relationship, like soulmates, but the misdeeds of both humans and eldars always come in their ways. Yrliet loses trust in Elena at the end of chapter 25, when she finds her Craftworld's artifact. Yrliet is present during chapter 27/28, covering the Blades of the Void events. They have a bonding moment in chapter 31 introducing the Lilaethan dialogue. Yrliet is the one to lead them to the drukhari trap in the latest chapter.
Marazai appears in chapter 27 and follows the game's script. I am certain you are aware that drukharis are bad, but in this fic they are really depicted as evil, as seen during Dargonus's siege in chapter 28.
Ulfar has not even appeared yet, at the exception of two mentions in visions of Elena.
Nomos as Sentinel is depicted following the events of the game. Keep in mind that this fic started in the beta and Nomos didn't exist back then ; he is rewired into the plot at the latest chapter, certainly a bit abrusquely but at least he's here ! Nomos is on Iconoclast conviction.
** Elena's visions recap **
As a diviner, Elena may see things from the past and the future. She grows more and more into her powers as time goes by, and is depicted to show some sign of madness (compulsions) at multiple times : tendencies to draw spirals (cycles being discontinued), morality, closing up on herself, nightmares, or even talking to alternative Rogue Trader in dreams in XX when she meets Elena Caelys von Valancius. However, people only really notice it in XX when she builds herself a dream machine and gets a bit crazy about it.
Visions of interest are :
End of Chapter 8 ; Just before the Triumph, Elena has a nightmare hinting at Ularon's plan and sees ultimate darkness devouring Rykad and the Expanse. She infers that this evil stems from the Chaos Space Marine and Kunrad. Chapter 16 : Elena's dreams are invaded by Slaneeshi demons during a warp incursion and turn into something weird and dark. It is shown that Elena's greatest longing is to be loved and admired by Lady Maria, her maternal figure. It is implied that Maria had conditioned Elena's mind for service.
The dreams feature hints at the companions' future and at the presence of Necrons, but Elena does not understand the hints.
On Janus, Elena sees through Vyatt's intentions and deems her a heretic from the start. She is shown at trusting her visions enough to doom people based solely on her forebodings. After Yrliet's reaction to the Craftworld artifact in her chamber, Elena reads the object with psychometry and guesses that Theodora is connected to the demise of the Aeldari. Chapter 26 : Elena meets her alter ego, Elena Caelys, from an alternate reality during a warp-induced dream. This chapter started as a collab with the artist Skolas, but is canon in the fic : it hints at Elena being able to perceive her alternate selves and other von Valancius Rogue Trader. Before her Magnae Accesio, Elena is depicted as being troubled by numerous nightmares. It is hinted that she knows that Yrliet will lead her to betrayal and suffering multiple times. It is implied that she sees her companions' death. Chapter 35 : It features Elena experimenting on her divination and enhancing her abilities with drugs. The vision features hints at Act III, but also at possible endings for the game. Elena is then depicted as being obsessed by her visions. It is hinted that she lives the events of Comorragh and the torture part before it actually takes place in the game. It is suggested that she knows what will happen when she follows Yrliet into her trap. Her motivations to go through this remain unclear.
** Artwork featuring Elena Martyr **
I have the great pleasure and honor of having received three gifts featuring Elena Martyr !
Pallysuune has written a fic featuring Elena and Nocturne in a post-ending scene, connected to Elena's vision in chapter 35. Nocturne saves Elena from assassination and they have a cute bonding moment together ! Check it out it's so good and I love Nocturne !
Holy Lustration has written a fic featuring Elena and Calligos together ! It explores an alternative thread of fate, where Elena goes to meet Calligos for a hunt after the events of Dargonus…and they flirt. Dog therapy is involved. A spicy follow up is coming !
Mayooonrice, on tumblr, has painted a portrait for various Rogue Trader that you might spot on Ao3, including Elena ! I'm so happy with how they look, my girl is ethereal as usual.
** To conclude **
And that's it folks ! Thank you all for reading this fic until now. It is insane to think that it all began in last July and is still going on. I would say thank you for commenting, but sadly I don't have many reviews right now on this website right now :)
Next updates will take a while, as I want to write a few chapters ahead to cover act III ; it will also be intense because I'm not going to be gentle about Comorragh. Dirty little secrets will be revealed, and drama will happen. See you soon :)