[DW] Blackthorn and Swordhand: OOC Thread

[Commissar Molotov]

Hi all, 

 

This thread has bloated slightly - Steel Company, given that you're talking about late-game material (and play-by-post games will always take longer than face-to-face games) can we delay this or move it to a different thread? 

 

Dos - I like the Novamarines too - my initial tests had me create a Novamarine apothecary! I think a Marine with fleet experience might well prove to be very useful in the future. I'd rather leave off the boarding shield for the time being if that's possible. It's entirely possible for the chapter trapping to be something meaningful - even something that has a gameplay effect - without it being a weapon. 

 

I have had a look on the Google Drive and it looks as though most of the character sheets are in place, except for Xin Ceithan's - can we all just check and confirm? 

 

 

I have created the thread for the game but have not posted yet - I will advise you when you can post. In short, however, the first of your posts will give you the opportunity to reflect on your history with your parent Chapter and the short time since you've been inducted in the Deathwatch and your time on the Watch Station. 

 

 

Edit: Xin, as someone who browses the B+C a great deal from mobiles as well, if you can't post in green, then at the very least clearly mark separate sections of your post as IC and OOC. 

Edited February 12, 2018 by Commissar Molotov

[Steel Company]

Yes C.M., I can shelve late game stuff for now, never hurts to think of relics for a custom chapter early, gives lots of time for refinement. :)

[Mazer Rackham]

Checking in as ordered.  Sheet complete and ready to roll.  How are you handling dice rolls Mol? (Orokos etc or the real deal?)

 

+++ Thought for the Day: The Hype is real +++

 

May the Relics we forge in our time, bring honour to us and be handed down unblemished by doubt or mercy to those that follow.

May our victories be uncounted and our wounds unheeded.

May our enemies fall in shame and our zeal be unceasing for the domination of Man.

 

Ave Imperator.

 

MR.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Steel Company]

That reminds me, still need to spend my 1k xp... Will get that done soon.

[Commissar Molotov]

Whilst I wait to get the final things sorted out amongst players, I have posted up an introduction. You are able to post your initial introductory post detailing your arrival to the Watch-Station. 

 

Let's get this started! 

[Xin Ceithan]

While scribbling together my biography, i realised what a huge Time Gap remains between my initial concept (and the default DW setting and our Game. There is a solid 200 years to cover, which is quite a lot Even after taking in the sideral effects on time caused by Warp Travel...

The major point to me is how I handle the gimmicks of the dreadnaught machine spirits here...If those effects are coming into effect quite early after the jury-rigging (close to the end of the Damocles Crusade in my original concept) that gives my character and the Chapter a huge amount of time to look into the issue.

Of course, I could either skip the Damicles thing entirely and have the entire event happen later in another battle, closer to our game's timeline.

Or we assume that the effects develop really Slow (over decades) and have only recently reached a level that was noticable as decribed in my concept?

Any thoughts?

And while we are on the subject - should I flesh out the dreadnaught personalities (at least basics) St this point alteady? Or is that something that remains in the hands of the GM?

 

Sorry to be a bit behind here, but I am coming up to speed finally.

[Steel Company]

Xin,

 

Wait what? What are you talking about with a dreadnought?

[Slips]

Ill get my post in hopefully tonight when Im back from work.

[Xin Ceithan]

Xin,

 

Wait what? What are you talking about with a dreadnought?

My bad. I was using a break at work to hack my thoughts into this thread hoping to speed things up. But since I did most of my character preparation offline, I should not be assuming you guys have an insight into things I have not posted much about...

 

So, thisus from my IH concept waaaay back ....

 

, he served his chapter exemplary among the Damocles Crusade.

Honoured in supporting a Dreadnaught Talon in their assault on a T'au Orbital, his force became separated from the main naval assault due to the unexpected arrival of xenos reinforcements. Refusing to yield to the xenos despite their increasing number, he took to the field along side the chapter's ancients. When the enemy brought down the mechanical behemoths one by one over the course of the ensuing running battle, he began integrating parts of the Ancients to keep the remaining Dreadnaughts -and himself- in the fight. Finally, after destruction of the orbital's powergrid, the integration of the dreadnaught components into his own Armour and body allowed him to be recovered alive after the orbital' s crash when the returned Crusade forces took the planet from the xenos later. With the dreadnaught shells recovered but their occupants deceased, the ancient machines were returned to the chapter.

While chided for his irregular practices, the ruling council of the Clan Companies involved in the Crusade found that logic and circumstances dictated his -supervised- return to frontline services taking precedent over arguing arcane procedures.

Following that incident, he found that, on occasion, the machine spirits of the ancients would intervene on his behalf, rerouting a damaged subsystem just in time, emphasizing a pict feed or hinting at a beneficial arcanos. Later, he would actually receive a word of caution or advise over his internal com and lately even found a hololithic apparition of one of the ancient battle brothers guiding him. Extensive technomantic scrutiny and maintenance found no evidence of empyrean or xenos corruption.

While the Clan Council is still debating whether to banish him for tech heresy , treat him for augmentation psychosis or recognize some sort of techno beatification, he has volunteered for service in the Deathwatch as to not disturb his clan and chapter further and put the advice of his own inner council to use against the enemies of mankind.

 

...which our poor GM found to have the most interesting background/ concept for our current group.

Of course, that event does not have to be at the end of the Damocles Crusade. It does not even have to be vs T'au.

(I think I got carried away since the Crusade is closer to FFG's original setting and in the books, basically everyone and their battle brother can roll up past events regarding Damocles. Just like every bloody chapter gets to fight in the Jericho Reach ;). )

So anyway, my point is... do we leave the...say.. mental issue .., open and kind of a developing side plot for my character and the group to discover? Or do I come up with something like the "Ancestor Spirit"/ "Past Life" background from the Werewolf RPG where you occasionally get a useful hunch now and then (with the machine spirits of the dreadnaughts being kind of a spirit guide / past life memory thingy) Nothing game changing, more of a gimmick. Would be needing some prompting to their demeanors then.

Or..as in my OP we leave deliberately vague and slow burning that we/ I do not have to worry about it too much and Inust keep it to a kind of character quirk?

But there is a difference if I work it into my char's bio and post as one thing is more "felt the calming influence of Ancient Varak stealing his aim as the Xenos charged" as opposed to "seemed momentarily distracted, as if listening in to a private vox channel"

 

Hope this helps. Any thoughts or further questions?

[Steel Company]

 

...which our poor GM found to have the most interesting background/ concept for our current group.

Of course, that event does not have to be at the end of the Damocles Crusade. It does not even have to be vs T'au.

(I think I got carried away since the Crusade is closer to FFG's original setting and in the books, basically everyone and their battle brother can roll up past events regarding Damocles. Just like every bloody chapter gets to fight in the Jericho Reach . )

So anyway, my point is... do we leave the...say.. mental issue .., open and kind of a developing side plot for my character and the group to discover? Or do I come up with something like the "Ancestor Spirit"/ "Past Life" background from the Werewolf RPG where you occasionally get a useful hunch now and then (with the machine spirits of the dreadnaughts being kind of a spirit guide / past life memory thingy) Nothing game changing, more of a gimmick. Would be needing some prompting to their demeanors then.

Or..as in my OP we leave deliberately vague and slow burning that we/ I do not have to worry about it too much and Inust keep it to a kind of character quirk?

But there is a difference if I work it into my char's bio and post as one thing is more "felt the calming influence of Ancient Varak stealing his aim as the Xenos charged" as opposed to "seemed momentarily distracted, as if listening in to a private vox channel"

 

Hope this helps. Any thoughts or further questions?

 

 

 

Oh I like this, I like it a lot.

 

For now, I would play it up as a quirk and let our GM figure out if he wants to do more with it... I can see some fun / interesting things to do with it campaign wise from a GM'ing stand point already.

 

Right now, I'm still fleshing out the more... quirky parts of my chapter, like their limited use of chainswords and jump-packs, non use of flamers/bikes... So far I'm going with Tyber being very reluctant to use his assigned chainsword... He's also from their second company that is mounted exclusively in Razorbacks, so he is going to be coming to terms with going into battle with out riding in a Razorback...

[Commissar Molotov]

Xin - your character is the least complete at the moment - you mentioned that you were posting on your phone - if you need me to start filling in your character sheet for you, let me know and I can start doing so. 

 

My first thought is your character could have been in a coma - the sus-an membrane could have activated, which could have taken time. Then you can consider that your character would have had some time to recuperate from his extensive injuries - perhaps so the Iron Fathers could try to sort out what he had done to himself. I can entirely see how the Iron Hands could have been torn between the logical necessity of keeping oneself alive to fight the enemy against the desecration of the honoured ancients. I can see how that could result in the Marine leaving his Chapter to spare them the headache of what to do with him. 

 

My thought is that we should dial back the insanity a little bit (so no holographic ancients) but have him believe that he is being guided by his brothers. This could simply be a rationalisation of his guilt in doing what he did. My thought is that we build this around the Primarch's Curse, so that at various insanity milestones his relationship with his fallen brothers becomes more tangible. 

 

As you say, this could be a much closer battle to the 918 timeline - you could detail it out as you wish. 

[Mazer Rackham]

 

Or..as in my OP we leave deliberately vague and slow burning that we/ I do not have to worry about it too much and Inust keep it to a kind of character quirk?

But there is a difference if I work it into my char's bio and post as one thing is more "felt the calming influence of Ancient Varak stealing his aim as the Xenos charged" as opposed to "seemed momentarily distracted, as if listening in to a private vox channel"

 

Hope this helps. Any thoughts or further questions?

 

 

I like the idea very much, it's almost like Rogue Trooper, with all his "friends"   I think roleplaying it as you describe would work quite well, but it might get a bit difficult to know who the real you is, after all I take it your character has his own....character?

 

Get that sheet finished Xin and get Brother Identity Flux into action! 

 

 

Right now, I'm still fleshing out the more... quirky parts of my chapter, like their limited use of chainswords and jump-packs, non use of flamers/bikes... So far I'm going with Tyber being very reluctant to use his assigned chainsword... He's also from their second company that is mounted exclusively in Razorbacks, so he is going to be coming to terms with going into battle with out riding in a Razorback...

 

 

Ah I can see your issue Brother.  You don't like slumming it with us grunts eh?  Whilst you ride around in your shiny, shooty, cadillac?  Wait til it rains.  On a sincere note I will be interested to see how you work outside of that comfort zone - after all, nothing like riding in a big metal box to make you feel safer...

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

 

 

 

Right now, I'm still fleshing out the more... quirky parts of my chapter, like their limited use of chainswords and jump-packs, non use of flamers/bikes... So far I'm going with Tyber being very reluctant to use his assigned chainsword... He's also from their second company that is mounted exclusively in Razorbacks, so he is going to be coming to terms with going into battle with out riding in a Razorback...

 

 

Ah I can see your issue Brother.  You don't like slumming it with us grunts eh?  Whilst you ride around in your shiny, shooty, cadillac?  Wait til it rains.  On a sincere note I will be interested to see how you work outside of that comfort zone - after all, nothing like riding in a big metal box to make you feel safer...

 

MR.

 

 

 

Naw the Cadillac are the Land Raiders, those are for Adamantium Scale company (1st)... Iron Scale company (2ed) is the main battle company, all heavy weapons are vehicle mounted in that company, everyone else is bolter/bolt pistol & arming sword... They have a very Templar feel... also they look great, most of the miniatures I've got for them are all in Mk IV with squad leaders in Mk VIII.

 

I'm actually looking forward to seeing Tyber out of his comfort zone and how he is going to adapt, he is used to things being done one way and is going to be in for a culture shock to see things done another way.

[Xin Ceithan]

Whew, that is quick feedback indeed. Glad you guys like it!

 

I am sorry that I am way behind here. I work at the local community hospital and flu season kind of hit us hard this year and Ihad to cover for way more on-call duty over last weeks than I planned. Also, kids, remember not to work emergency services during carnival...

 

So, yes, if you can find the time to put the stat things I spread over this thread on the sheet...that would be most appreciated. I have the weekend off, I promise to have the fluff ready and in character posting up this week end. Might even get the sketch finished ...

 

Your feedback helps a lot ironing out the rest. I will skip the time frame up closer to the current year and take into account recovery times and such more (the Su-san thingy I had totally forgotten about and fits in great,thanks!) and figuring in the time the Chapter has to invest into the issue can be used just as well before my character gets cleared for duty and an arrangement is made when the Deathwatch calls on the Iron Hands. I am totally ok with the ancestor thing being more quirky than full blown insanity here...I feel that characters should be assets to the player group and not hinder them. Just didn't want to appear as to trade all that off to the GM homework pile.

 

Funny enough, I was indeed taking a cue from Rogue Trader. I have only the faintest brush with that story but I still read ABC Warriors and gave the RT PC a try. While I was thinking about the tech mysticism of 40 K and the whole grim dark thingy, the necromundarevival reminded me how GW used to put some of those pop culture thingies in the game, like the Dredd/Astartes connection. I like to think of it as nod to all that Britishness in the setting, especially how the Iron Tenth has all those Albia and Celtic quirks.

 

His name is Nycax Sabaan. For the record.

 

So back, to bio work.

[Mazer Rackham]

Funny enough, I was indeed taking a cue from Rogue Trader. I have only the faintest brush with that story but I still read ABC Warriors and gave the RT PC a try. While I was thinking about the tech mysticism of 40 K and the whole grim dark thingy, the necromundarevival reminded me how GW used to put some of those pop culture thingies in the game, like the Dredd/Astartes connection. I like to think of it as nod to all that Britishness in the setting, especially how the Iron Tenth has all those Albia and Celtic quirks.

 

His name is Nycax Sabaan. For the record.

 

So back, to bio work.

 

Can't wait to meet him 

 

(If I may also say to everyone that I am greatly enjoying this discussion of ideas, I think it's the most active I have ever been on the board...!)

 

MR.

Edited February 16, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Xin Ceithan]

Here is my slightly revised background for Sabaan:

 

 

 

When his scavenger tribe was annihilated by rivals, a young brave survived the wilds of Medusa, tracking and finally killing his tormentors using the debris of the world combined with a cold, calculated cunning which drew the attention of a traveling Iron Father . Mortally wounded in his quest for vengeance, he was recovered and brought to the Clan Fortress, becoming an Aspirant for the Iron Hands Chapter. An aloof and calculating demeanor combined with a sharp, analytical mind proved efficient in mastering the challenges in becoming a Battlebrother and combined with his natural talents in a recommendation for journeying to Mars and becoming a Techmarine.

Returning to the Chapter, Sabaan served in this capacity aboard the strike cruiser "Gorgon's Wrath" and distinguished himself in several boarding actions.

The Gorgon's Wrath was chosen to accompany a punitive force when the Hive World of Cumbria declared independence from the Imperium under the influence of xenogen cult demagogues.

Honoured in supporting a Dreadnaught Talon in their assault on Cumbria's main orbital plate, which was believed to harbor major cult elements, his force became separated from the main naval assault due to the unexpected arrival of xenos reinforcements. Refusing to yield to the xenos despite their increasing number, Sabaan took to the field along side his Chapter's honoured Ancients. When the enemy brought down the mechanical behemoths one by one over the course of the ensuing running battle, he began integrating parts of the Ancients to keep the remaining Dreadnaughts -and himself- in the fight. Finally, after destruction of the orbital's powergrid, the integration of the dreadnaught components into his own Armour and body allowed him to be recovered alive after the orbital' s crash when the returned Imperial forces took the planet from the xenos later. With the dreadnaught shells recovered but their occupants deceased, the ancient machines were returned to the chapter. Since the immense damage inflicted on his body in the fighting and subsequent re-entry crash had triggered Sabaan a healing coma via his Su-San Membrane, preventing an immediate assessment of his irregular practices, a ruling council of the Clan Companies involved in the Cumbria Expedition found that logic and circumstances dictated his -supervised- return to frontline services taking precedent over arguing arcane procedures.

Following that incident and a rather extensive period of recovery following his awakening from the healing coma, Sabaan found that, on occasion, the machine spirits of the ancients seemed to intervene on his behalf, rerouting a damaged subsystem just in time, emphasizing a pict feed or hinting at a beneficial arcanos. Extensive technomantic scrutiny and maintenance found no evidence of empyrean or xenos corruption. The Iron Hands remained divided over the matter. While some Council members and Battlebrothers found his actions to be an unforgivable form of heresy and debasement, others pointed out that he damaged combat records from the Cumbria Transgression seemed to indicate that at least one of the Dreadnaught Elders had actually assisted in the procedure and might have encouraged them in the first place. The debate thus kept Sabaan from returning to active duty even after his physical wounds had healed and his body and warplate had been repaired and rebuilt.

With the Clan Council still debating whether to banish him for tech heresy , treat him for augmentation psychosis or recognize some sort of techno beatification, Sabaan volunteered for service in the Deathwatch when the Iron Hands were asked to uphold their ancient pacts to the Oreos, so as to not disturb his clan and chapter further and put the advice of his own inner council to use against

 

 

The physical description to follow. Still Needs some proof reading.

 

 

And I agree that it's great to see everyone putting in so much work into this and apparently having a great time doing so!

[Commissar Molotov]

Xin, I have spent some time this weekend starting to put your character sheet together. There are a few things I'm unsure of, however. As a Techmarine, you need to choose between the Improve Cover or Blessed by the Omnissiah skills. You also need to roll your Wounds and Fate Points (remembering you get -1 FP from the Price of Victory deed.) 

 

In terms of your 1000xp, I know you mentioned you wanted The Flesh is Weak from the Iron Hands chart, at 500xp. What do you want to spend your other 500xp on? 

[Steel Company]

CM, for my 1k co, I was thinking about picking up the deed "Toe to toe", it grants me +10WS against a master level enemy but I have to make a WP check not to charge at a master level enemy that is with in my charge distance. I think it would work well with my ambitious demeanor...

[Commissar Molotov]

SC: I can see how that would work and I am happy with that - although I've just looked at your Arming Sword and am surprised to see that it has a higher damage than your chainsword - what is your view on the sword? Can you link me to a real-world example of the sort of blade you envisage it being? 

 

 

Re: all - you may wish to divide your newest post into two sections - your entrance to the room and behaviour inside it, and your assumptions of the other characters. As people post, you may wish to edit your posts around just to make them fit a little better. 

 

Hope you're all well, I'm pretty excited about this! 

[Steel Company]

SC: I can see how that would work and I am happy with that - although I've just looked at your Arming Sword and am surprised to see that it has a higher damage than your chainsword - what is your view on the sword? Can you link me to a real-world example of the sort of blade you envisage it being? 

 

 

Re: all - you may wish to divide your newest post into two sections - your entrance to the room and behaviour inside it, and your assumptions of the other characters. As people post, you may wish to edit your posts around just to make them fit a little better. 

 

Hope you're all well, I'm pretty excited about this! 

 

 

An Arming sword (sometimes called a Knightly sword, often miss-named in fantasy type games as a Long Sword), typically have a blade length of around 30 inches (I would imagine this would be between 45 and 50 inches for an Astarties) an average length of around 35 inches (55 to 70 inches for an Astartes) with a typical weight of around 2.4lb or 1.1kg (some where around 2.2 to 3kg for an Astartes I would think). I see Tyber's arming sword more as a type XX or type XXa or hand and a half, due to his larger stature. This would allow it to be used one handed or two, yet not as well tuned for one handed use.

 

 

 

As for the slightly higher damage than the chainsword, keep in mind that the chainsword has the tearing special property this has it roll an extra d10 and keep the highest result, this should actually net it higher damage than the arming sword on average. Another point of differance between the two that I see, is that the Chainsword is more balanced around being a one handed weapon, this would naturally lead it to being lighter and more balanced than the arming sword

 

Hope that helps CM.

 

 

I spent my initial XP on:

 

Dodge +10

Common Lore (Astartes) +10

Toe to Toe

 

Remaining XP 100

[Commissar Molotov]

Just as a note, SC - the Watch Captain has not arrived yet. Akkad is talking before he arrives.

[Steel Company]

Just as a note, SC - the Watch Captain has not arrived yet. Akkad is talking before he arrives.

 

 

Sounds good, I'll make an edit then.

[Dosjetka]

Working on my stuff this evening.

[Mazer Rackham]

Just as an aside, obviously if anyone needs to know about the Astral Claws I'd point them to the Lexi article.

 

Threw Akkad's Battle Record together - Mol, just shout if you want it changed.

 

The Maelstrom Warders chapters originally:

Astral Claws

Charnel Guard

Lamenters

Mantis Warriors

 

Chapters Akkad knows outside them:

Black Templars

Celestian Gaurd

Fire Hawks

White Scars

 

Notable Battles (involving Akkad):

The Battle Of Hellsiris, 715.M41 (WIA, Crusade badge)

The Suppression of Badab, 718.M41 (decorated, Wreath of Thorns - Chapter specific)

The Fall of Joq, 745.M41 (Acc. Rogue Trader Orduul)

The Battle of Cygnis 447/14-3, 806.M41 (Decorated with RT household crest)

Fourth Quadrant Rebellion, 867.M41 (WIA)

Crusade of Wrath 869.M41 (Black Templars, Maelstrom Warders Crusade badges)

Destruction of Tithe Fleet VX542/11 in 901.M41 (Censured - unofficial)

 

Deployed to the Deathwatch <<PENDING>>

 

MR.

[Dosjetka]

Very late here and haven't finished my intro post so I'll post it tomorrow before noon. Edited my character sheet to reflect this new character so I'd appreciate a quick go-over from you, Mol, just to check that all's OK.