Overview

Gerbrand is ready??... I Think.

Hi all, Apologies for the radio silence, everything got a bit busy! I'm kinda back on track (ish), so I thought I'd get an IC opened up. I can't quite remember where everyone was in terms of being ready to play, but there's no great rush. If anyone still has questions, feel free to ask?

Iron Gods: Scions of Talek Varn Prologue: New Blood You stand in the vast, dark, echoing stone chamber that is the Crag's Auditorium. Almost a hundred Astartes have gathered on the wide tiers that lead downwards towards the brightly lit podium. A high proportion, perhaps eight or nine of every ten, are like you - youthful, largely clad in beaked MkVI armour painted in the grey and red of the Iron Gods. Some wear heraldic patterns or devices reminiscent of Feudal Houses. Others bear randomised camouflage designs. Pictograms and slashes of feral origin are oddly similar to and interchangeable with the gang tags and graffiti of Hive slums. There is an air of excitement, eagerness at this first prospect of battle, of glory. The hubbub is tremendous, as young warriors jostle and mock in friendly - and sometimes less friendly - rivalry. The few veterans of the Iron Gods who are present do not hold themselves aside from you, but nevertheless each one stands out in your midst. For the most part, their wargear is a mishmash, decorated with a wealth of trophies and knick knacks. In manner, most seem outwardly cool and calm. Some even appear bored. However, a few are almost as raucous and eager for bloodletting as the new recruits. Either way, whether they run cold or hot, each one has open space around him, respect demanded - and given - by their younger brethren. Atop the stage, another Astartes waits. He has stood silently, unmoving in shadow, towards the rear of the podium as you filtered in. Even as the Iron Gods veterans are lions amidst wolves, this figure is yet another step beyond - some monstrous apex predator of myth. He is clad in ill matched Terminator warplate, and armed with a wicked axe and a brutal power fist/storm bolter combi-weapon. His helm has become a new source of legends whispered over the last half-decade, a terrifying, grimacing skull mask with piercing green lenses. Talek Varn. He steps forward and raises his axe aloft, and silence falls immediately, a deathly hush. With remarkable precision, the fingers of his unpowered glove reach up and delicately remove the skull-faced helm, revealing the cruel, patrician features of the Lord of the Solios Nebula. He nods to someone in the darkness to one side, and a moment later the hololithic emitters create a huge, glowing orb of light in the air above his head. A planet, a temperate world of broadly even division between landmass and blue seas. All is given a grayish cast, an all-pervasive haze that suffuses the atmosphere. “Iktab III.” Varn's voice is a deep, gravelly rumble. “One of our vassal worlds in the Ultima Segmentum, located a short distance beyond the north-western border of the Solios Nebula. It lies directly between our home and the ‘Great Rift’. Iktab III is a mining world, sending a vast wealth of raw materials to the Adeptus Mechanicus… and diverting a much smaller percentage to the Solios Nebula. However, that fraction is not small to us. In fact, it is vital to our ability to continue to grow.” “We have lost contact with Iktab. Reason unknown. It was only a matter of weeks since our last communication. All was well at that time, but the ship that was supposed to be carrying our supplies never arrived, and no answer has been forthcoming since.” “We are not aware of any movement of Imperial forces that would account for this sudden silence. Perhaps it is something out of the Rift, Chaos worshippers? Maybe Xenos? Equally, it could be that some more independent Imperial group - a Rogue Trader, Astartes… even the Inquisition? - has arrived unscheduled at Iktab.” “You will go in Company strength, aboard the Avarice. Degier will lead, aided by Ghoran. For many of you, this will be your first mission with the Iron Gods. A new generation of our brotherhood. It is your opportunity to begin making a name for yourself. Prove your skill, your loyalty, your value. You will be rewarded, with glory, with wealth… and with the knowledge that you are having a share in building something better for Mankind than the moribund Imperium.” Whether Varn says it openly or not, whether each of you understands it or not, to a discerning listener the truth is clear. The resources of Iktab III cannot be that important to the Iron Gods. There are always other ways to find what is needed. So, this mission is a test. The odd breakdown of communications with the mining world is a perfect opportunity to turn loose and evaluate the new warriors that have been created at the Crag. A trial run, before the next generation of homegrown Iron Gods - several hundred more Astartes - reaches deployment readiness in a matter of months. Eighty-plus Astartes, even new-minted ones, should be more than enough to bring this world back into Talek Varn's fearful fold. And if something truly terrible has engulfed Iktab, something beyond the ability of such a force to defeat? Well, the Pride of Kings has given Varn temporarily deep pockets in terms of weapons and armour… …and there are always more young rebels ready to take up those arms against the hated Imperium… *** OOC: Well, firstly, apologies for the delay in getting things started! I'm still not in a great rush to get things going, but I thought I could start up the IC with an opening post. If people would like to add posts to introduce and/or describe their characters, please do. Feel free to interact with one another if you wish, either during the hubbub before Varn begins his mission briefing, or after it has concluded.

It does prove satisfying when the heretic puts his own head into the noose. *Meaningfully reaches for his bolt pistol*

The electric discharge crackled along the apparitions left arm before earthing itself into the metal walls. The creature appeared no worse for wear; though perhaps a little more transparent where the lances charge had passed through it. Another swing with its blade, fast despite the apparent heaviness of the blade. Darius can attempt to Parry or to Dodge. At the consul in the mean time Tion had called up a schematic of the Nostalgia for Infinity and was trying to filter the alerts, alarms and damage report into a coherent, or at least comprehensible, form that could be parse onto the schematics to reveal the root of the troubles. Taw-Samek stepped up and made some suggestion on how to filter out unnecessary information from the general flow of the ships networks. Once implemented it helped a lot, but revealed a new issue, the most crucial information was security encoded and locked from common access, the cogitator would not yield its secrets so easily. I think Machine God was working on a post for Hastus, so I am going to wait on starting round two a few days (and I do mean a few, not two and a bit weeks, hopefully), also gives Lord Ikka time for that Dodge or Parry.

Sorry for the lack of posts the last two and a bit weeks, been too busy, had a little unwanted Nurgle gift and the few times I had time to try and do something B&C was being slow/not loading. Will try to get something up this weekend.

Are we not *Chaos* cultists?

[ spoiler ] your text then [/ spoiler ] with no spaces.

Question: I haven't posted in a while how do you end a spoiler? Is it Back Slash Spoiler or Forward Slash Spoiler ?

Red three, standing by.

Talent: Pistol Training (SP) added to Character sheet. It's a starting Talent for Adept, I just missed putting it on the sheet. I will work on an IC post.

Firstly, why are you naked, and secondly, why are you holding a pair of my boxers?

*continues to stand there, starkers, holding a cloth that appears to have rainbows and Spongebob Squarepants* "Sure did!"

Hmm. Looking at your policy documents, I regret that this means, under Section 41, subsection 3.1, paragraph a, sub-paragraph 2.3 you have forfeited the the right to your underpants. *Drums fingers* Problematic. I trust you read the 3,496 page document in full?

*bows out gracefully in favor of the correct opinion*

The colour is Midnight Blue. (Lighting flashes are optional)

Okay, yeah, welcome all the Girlyman corpsies in then. Let's add some red to your very dark blue for a super dark purple. Like a bruise.

Green robes, green robes? Before you can drop a dwarf down a hole in goblin infested mine, you have every dandyprat and his duck coming around asking stuff like: 'Which one of you is the head Elf?' Or, heavens help us: 'I like the Fallen too, Hail Luther!' Cringe, sir, cringe. I think the best we can do is very dark blue.

Black is so last-year, though. Every cult is black, or red. A nice forest green, though. Rich, indicative of life and fecundity.

Dark Grey clothing is darker than Black clothing in the Dark!

Mmm. Mm. Can't beat black. Never goes out of fashion, hides curry stains, cheap to get. Also handy for blackout curtains if we need to block out streetlamps. Perhaps we can have Baharroth Blue as the liner colour. This would actually be beneficial as when the Inquisition turned up they'd be all: 'These guys are totally not a cult, look at those jolly liners. And those fashionable sleeves, oh my! Fantastic taste, think we might join!'

Classic black, in deference to all the ink that has been spilled in leu of blood.

Baharroth Blue is too jolly, though, although it wasn't the colour IIRC, it was the fact we were in deadlock about sleeves/no sleeves due to cost and 'misunderstandings' on the nature of the...uh...;club'.

Well yes, because the rota has not been agreed. Back to the robe colour, can I put Baharroth Blue back up for consideration; I wasn't convinced by the arguments against it. Apologies if I am stretching the joke too far, just need a good laugh or two, its been one of those weeks so far.

Tro, we've been through this - there is no 'Head Cultist', remember?