[DW] Blackthorn/Swordhand: Episode III - The Sundered House

[Nineswords]

GANSUKH’S WORDS WERE recalled with the crystal clarity only an Astartes eidetic memory could muster, devoid of sentiment. The lesson was a good one.

‘To begin, you must study the end. You don't want to be the first to act, merely the last man standing.’

The Storm Lord’s lesson played itself again and again in Greysight’s mind as he trailed Sabaan. He had followed the Iron Hand without question, though neither spoke once their strategy had been conceived. No doubt the Iron Hand was assessing alternative trajectories and percentages of success. Greysight was just there as backup, and thus contented himself acting as rearguard, occasionally sweeping round in case the enemy had caught their scent.

Twice along their path, the Storm Son had stopped, just to make absolutely sure they had not been followed. The Iron Hand had pressed on, leaving Greysight to conceal their path. After what seemed like an eternity, the Iron Hand had suddenly picked up the pace, sacrificing their near silent conveyance for expediency.

To begin, you must study the end.

Just a little further.

Edited May 5, 2018 by Nineswords

[A.T.]

Atratus moves to rejoin his brothers. Whatever the other team planned it was now two against three, teamwork and numbers would carry the day if the astartes did not allow themselves to be tricked or divided.

 

"Brother Solastion, we should hunt as one"

 

Atratus will take the servo skull with him and move quickly into coherency, though remain outside of the blue team room itself - standing with his back to the two crates at the base of the staircase to the blue room (to the right of them - with a clear run into the blue room if needed), and crouched low searching for any signs of the others.

 

Ideally Solastion will initiate squad mode in his seniority.

[Mazer Rackham]

Blackness.

 

The feedback had fatigued him and so he did what all old soldiers do when they can do nothing.  He slept, his trust in his Brothers was not misplaced he was certain - especially of the Space Wolf, who had fought just like his Gene-Sire, Leman Russ.  The legends of old were tales made flesh in the fibre of the Emperor's finest.  Dozing in and out, he was struck by a strange dream.

 

Dawn.

 

He lay broken atop a hill of carnage, blackened tree stumps like jagged teeth sprouting from the hateful gums of the orange-red earth.  He was surrounded by large blocks of granite.  The blocks spoke to one another, the words meaningless.  In the air, smoke was strewn thick like a shredded blanket over a scene of fierce battle.  Corpses, red and ruined dotted the hill, pock-marked by shells and craters filling with the now falling rain.  Gently at first, then heavier and heavier until a deluge sluiced across his body and carried the orange-mud down the hill.  The sky was a tableau of bruised, dirty grey, the smell of death hanging heavy in the tormented air of a foreign world.

 

Noon.

 

He could see them clearly now, two agents of war in the service of his Lord.  They were coming to help, but their way was barred.  One, a shadow, ornamented in rage, and carrying a blade the shape of his soul, he made no noise as he stepped, ran, dodged the rain, the tree trunks, the corpses.  He was missed, but missed nothing, his face not human, but a steel hawk, sleek and feathered with silver and black and gold.  His enemies could not hide.  Where he looked, there was death and he was master of it.  A sliver of vengeance in a world gone mad and given over to the grave-earth.

 

The other, a solid wedge of cold suppression, the rain moved away from him in fear as he came, a thunder of advance, a train of destruction that had forgotten what brakes were and cared for them not.  Over it's back arched an arm of pure malice, jaws gripping the air, hungering for metal-meat to bend to the will of it's owner.  Like an obsidian icebreaker he plunged through rust and orange-mud, knowing not fatigue or mercy as his sabatons trod the deck of the world.  No obstacles could survive him, he battered through them with logic and with a heart made of will and iron.

 

Dusk.

 

He lay broken atop a hill, a worthy ghost-brother watching over him, a dangerous friend felled by his hand.  From far away he could hear the two shades in the darkness, crimson eyes burning like liquid ruby fire.

 

Just a little further, just a little further....

 

Midnight.

 

MR.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Slips]

”And hunt we shall: the ambushers now become the ambushed. Squad, form up.” and he offers an arm to aid Vavost to his feet. Before moving out of the room, he turns to the Space Wolf ”Refrain from removing your helmet in the midst of combat, Brother Thorvald, a simple slip on either of our parts could have had disastrous consequences for you and Id rather spill the blood of xenos and traitors than one of our own.” and he turns to link up with Atratus in the main hold activating squad mode.

 

>on mobile, no green.

 

Solastion will attempt to enter squad mode with command untrained and a Fellowship Bonus of 4 means TN is 4

 

Squad mode: 1d10 4

 

Pretty sure Solastion succeeds, AFB so unsure atm about the nitty gritty.

[Commissar Molotov]

>>ROUND 5 CONTINUES<<

 

Initiative Order (AG+D10)

Solastion: (2x3) + 10 = 16 (FATE POINT)

Vârvost: 4 + 10 = 14 (FATE POINT) 

Sabaan: 4 + 8 = 12 

Greysight: 4 + 4 = 8 

Atratus: 6 + 1 = 7

 

The Raptor returns into the red team's starting chamber, grasping the servo-skull in his gauntleted hand. He turns, keeping low, and begins to move towards the rest of his demi-squad. There is still no sign of the surviving members of the blue squad, or their servo-skull.

 

>>ROUND 6 BEGINS<<

 

Initiative Order (AG+D10)

Solastion: (2x3) + 10 = 16 (FATE POINT)

Vârvost: 4 + 10 = 14 (FATE POINT) 

Sabaan: 4 + 8 = 12 

Greysight: 4 + 4 = 8 

Atratus: 6 + 1 = 7

 

 

[Slips]

”Be prepared for anything, they could have gone anywhere...” Solastion calls over the squad vox.

 

And Solastion will move out of the blue room and hook to his right (the rooms north) on his way out and attempt to provide cover for brother Atratus as he makes his way back to them with their Servo-skull.

[A.T.]

Atratus makes best speed back to his squad, a single jump covering much of the distance.

[Commissar Molotov]

>>ROUND 6 CONTINUES<< 

 

The surviving members of Solastion's demi-squad regroup. The cavernous cargo hold is eerily quiet. 

 

 

>>ROUND 7 STARTS<<

 

Initiative Order (AG+D10)

Solastion: (2x3) + 10 = 16 (FATE POINT)

Vârvost: 4 + 10 = 14 (FATE POINT) 

Sabaan: 4 + 8 = 12 

Greysight: 4 + 4 = 8 

Atratus: 6 + 1 = 7

 

BLUE TEAM ONLY:

This is the turn the lift descends. At the end of this turn you will have exited the lift on the western side of the cargo hold.

[A.T.]

Atratus scans the room, adjusting his position to provide cover and lines of sight. The bulk of his pack, weapon, and the glow of the skull may stealth impossible against the heightened senses of the astartes but his instinct moved him to it none the less.

 

Securing the skull to his combat webbing and reloading his weapon he looks back to his battle brothers, "It would seem that decisive action has carried the day thus far. Do we hold here, or do we hunt?"

 

 

Two squares up, one square left. Crouched against that support beam while he gets his weapon in order.

His attempt at stealth somewhat futile given his size (test failed - though it was a bit of a hail mary)

[Slips]

"We don't know where they could be, but I'm starting to form an idea of where they could have gone. Stay close, we'll move to the north part of the room to cover the doorways in/out but be ready to spring onto them at a moments notice. Thorvald and Akkad were known quantities due to their heavy weapons but Greysight and Sabaan are less so." Solastion replies to the Raptor and he moved toward the sniper-wielding squadmate.

 

EDIT: Not activating a squad mode ability this turn! Didn't have access to the one I wanted to use :P

 

Full action Run towards Atratus to get to the crate hes hiding behind so that everyone can be in Support Range if/when it goes down.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Slips
I made a rules goof.

[Commissar Molotov]

At work, can't edit this post properly - will do so later.


Solastion, Atratus and Vârvost move northwards, towards the giant cargo bay doors. There is still no sign of the Techmarine and the Storm Son. You hear Vârvost muttering to himself on the vox, his gauntleted fist clenching and unclenching on the chain-axe's grip.



>>ROUND 7 ENDS<<


>>ROUND 8 STARTS<<

Initiative Order (AG+D10)
Solastion: (2x3) + 10 = 16 (FATE POINT)
Vârvost: 4 + 10 = 14 (FATE POINT)
Sabaan: 4 + 8 = 12
Greysight: 4 + 4 = 8
Atratus: 6 + 1 = 7


 

Edited May 13, 2018 by Commissar Molotov

[Slips]

Solastion will move towards the center of the room towards the two boxes at the top-center, on the lookout for Sabaan, Greysight or their Servo-skull.

 

"The fact that they have yet to make their presence known to us is worrisome. Wait and see approach Brothers, we do not want to step into another trap and, if possible, making them come to us will help us even the odds." he tells his demi-Kill-Team.

[A.T.]

"One entryway each then", noted Atratus, turning his scope towards the blue teams room lest they try to recover their position, "and Vârvost with the last" indicating their own room.

 

"We will hear them before we see them"

 

Overwatch on the blue room. Atratus will rely on his sense of hearing to listen for the opening of doors in the corridor beyond or either of the elevators in motion.

[Xin Ceithan]

Blue Team/ GM

Having used the sensor augury during the descent, Nycax hands his bolter to Grey once they find the room below clear clear of the enemy.

Sabaan will move into the upper right corner of the lift bay (roughly the 2 o'clock position and downwards towards the door, then attempt to close the door. If needed, he will push the right/straight down crate (from his position) into the door area. Once the door is closed, he will set a mine on the box, aiming the explosion outward once the door is opened from the outside].

 

He will make his way to pick up and prepare a servitor wreck's heavy stubber (which is probably next turn )

 

[Commissar Molotov]

XIN:

Do you have a mine to set? Has Greysight given you his mine?

Edited May 10, 2018 by Commissar Molotov

[Xin Ceithan]

XIN:

Do you have a mine to set? Has Greysight given you his mine?

Mol/ Blue Team

Whoops, I am using information from our planning pm thread and thought it was open to you.

My info is we have access to "a set of mines" - which we took meant at least two. And since we were going along the way together, we reasoned Grey and Nycax are preparing for Plan A and B on the way ( such as splitting up the mines). Sorry if I was overreaching there - just trying to move things ahead.

Otherwise, ignore the mine thingy - Sabaan will focus on shutting ruthe door and leave the mining to Greysight.

[Nineswords]

THE RUMBLE OF the cargo lift was positively deafening after what seemed like an eternity of quiet solitude. The mock-battle that played out below Greysight and Sabaan resolved itself as a series of muffled crashes and the plok plok plok of what Greysight had assumed to be Akkad’s heavy bolter. Within minutes, even that had fallen silent, replaced by the low hum of gravimetric field generators and the ominous rumble of the Voice of Thunder’s engines.

He checked his bolter over once more and activated its modified safety mode, designed to hololithically project the trajectory and impact of the real bolt rounds. Behind his helm, the Storm Son curled his lip in disgust at the deceit.

Greysight suddenly found himself looking at a second boltgun, offered to him by the Iron Hand, mechadendrites sprouting from his backpack working the control panel of the cargo lift.

‘There is an eighty-five-point-six percentile chance that our brothers have been compromised by the other team,’ Sabaan stated flatly. ‘Assuming a worse case scenario, we may be outnumbered two to one and the objective may have also moved. Therefore, logic dictates we must buy time and even the odds of success.’

Greysight took the proffered boltgun from his brother and nodded.

With a hiss, the cargo lift doors opened into a mirrored facsimile of the room where his brothers had started the exercise. Ahead, the hatch door leading into the main room was still open, an amber lumen bathing the hatchway in a ruddy glow.

Greysight assimilated this new information in an instant.

‘Clear,’ he said, sweeping both bolters round, searching for targets. Moving towards the doorway, Greysight darted his head around it for a fraction.

Three targets and the objective.

‘You were right Sabaan,’ the Storm Son whispered with anticipation, backing away from the open hatch towards the lift.

‘Time to even the odds,’ said Greysight as he ran towards the doorway and leapt, spraying the main room indiscriminately with suppressing fire.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Nineswords

[Commissar Molotov]

>>ROUND 8 CONTINUES<<

 

Initiative Order (AG+D10)

Solastion: (2x3) + 10 = 16 (FATE POINT)

Vârvost: 4 + 10 = 14 (FATE POINT) 

Sabaan: 4 + 8 = 12 

Greysight: 4 + 4 = 8 

Atratus: 6 + 1 = 7

 

 

As Vârvost cautiously heads towards the demi-squad's original starting room, you hear the unmistakable grinding noise of the cargo-lift that originally conveyed you to this deck. Somehow, the Storm Son and the Iron Hand must have circumvented the cargo hold entirely, seeking to strike you from an unexpected quarter. 

 

The hololithic augurs and displays pick up the simulated bolter fire from the door, forcing Vârvost to take cover as the door slams shut. 

 

GM: Atratus, as you were last in the turn sequence and looking out for the noise of the cargo-lift, you may act as normal before turn 9 begins.

 

 

 

I understand the situation to be something like this? The door is shut thanks to Sabaan - Greysight has perhaps moved one square south to below the boxes, unsure on this. Xin/Nineswords, feel free to comment as a OOC post. 

 

Once Atratus has acted, the next turn will begin. 

[A.T.]

Atratus swings his rifle around as the sound of the elevator registers in his autosenses, the grinding machinery unmistakable to even human senses at this distance let alone the heightened senses of an Astartes.

 

Greysight made no attempt at stealth nor credible attempt at attack and the Raptor wondered if it was nothing more than a fresh distraction while Sabaan moved from another direction and for a brief moment feared that his brothers failure to check the other lift would bring a hail of heavy bolter shells upon their backs. But no - there was the red skull, whatever they had planned had either failed or yet eluded him.

 

He had strayed closer than he would have liked but at this range his target loomed large, and unlike before he planned on following Varvosts enthusiastic and effective example in breeching the room and settling this matter before the others vanished again into the ship.

 

Depending on timing  :

1) If Atratus acts before Greysight/Sabaan close the door he will half aim and snap off a shot at the exposed Greysight

or 2) If Atratus acts after Greysight/Sabaan he will take a double aim at Sabaan through the door using his scope-auger, ready for a called shot the following round

 

The shot itself -

To hit: d100 = 31 vs BS 42 = 2 DoS before modifiers. +10 range, +10 aiming, +10 accurate increases that to 5 DoS

Damage = 3d10 = 17 + 4

Total damage = 21, Penetration 7, Felling 1
 

Hits the right arm. No righteous fury. A standard dodge to avoid.

[Commissar Molotov]

>>ROUND 9 BEGINS<<

 

Initiative Order (AG+D10)

Solastion: (2x3) + 10 = 16 (FATE POINT)

Vârvost: 4 + 10 = 14 (FATE POINT) 

Sabaan: 4 + 8 = 12 

Greysight: 4 + 4 = 8 

Atratus: 6 + 1 = 7

[Slips]

Turning towards the flurry of simulated bolt shells that fly towards them, Solastion has only a second or two to see the Doors to their location close before the remaining two marines vanish from sight.

 

"Sneaking and Subterfuge? Can't say I would have expected that from an Iron Hand. Be weary about advancing on their position Brothers, who knows what these two are up to." he states over his own comms.

 

"Brother Vaidan, is there a time limit on this exercise?" he ask the Watch-Sergeant.

 

Solastion will then move up to be roughly beside where Varvost is, behind a crate.

[Commissar Molotov]

Varvost inclines his slab-fronted helm towards the Sanguinary Priest. 

 

++Well?++

[Slips]

”As distasteful as we might find it, Brother Varvost, in this instance we shall wait and see. Unless my memory betrays me, there are still some grenades and mines that we havent accounted for yet when we took down the Astral Claw and Space Wolf. It seems this half of our squad is keen on hunkering down and forcing us to them.” he states looking from the Eradicator to the now-sealed door.

 

”But,” he says looking to the Raptor ”We have a Sniper and if theres no time limit to this exercise, we can always go back and retrieve the heavy weapons left behind.”

[A.T.]

Atratus shared Varvosts frustration. The longer this continued the greater opportunity the others would have to make use of this ships resources and the freedom of movement they had been provided.

 

With an intonation he switched his comms briefly to the ships internal command channel, "by authority of the Deathwatch, cut power to all access elevators adjacent to storage area 59-004 with immediate effect" Run like rats and be trapped like the same, though the others could countermand his instruction the time it would take for the ancient machinery to cycle back into function would seem like an eternity in combat.

 

Atratus will continue with his previous course when his turn rolls around, pending any change in what he can see of his targets after Sabaan and Greysights actions)

[Commissar Molotov]

There is a brief moment as the cargo hold's lights dim, then shut off. The darkness means little to your helm's auto-senses, hololithic overlays highlighting all the corners and edges in neon colours.

 

It takes a second for lights to return, though dimmed.

 

 

TEAM BLUE:

You realise that the lift out of this room has been shut down. You are, for better or for worse, trapped within the room.

 

 

Varvost mutters his assent to the Sanguinary Priest's words.

 

++Very well,++ the vox-link crackles. ++Let us end this as quickly as possible.++