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

[Reyner]

<Placeholder>

 

Vorr curses the Apothecary for running into the VERY TALL crops and smoke where a Lictor could hide even easier than normal but chases after the team anyway.

[Commissar Molotov]

Akkad, Tyber, Vorr, Yeng and Teralil:

As you advance cautiously you see the Levy trooper's face is lowered toward the ground, as though almost heedless of you. When he does raise his head, his eyes are rolled back, showing only the whites. His mouth opens and closes, as though attempting speech, but no sounds come out. And yet again, you hear the same noise: "Help! Help - help us!"

But the sound does not come from the soldier's mouth.

Amidst the smoke, you can glimpse a wormlike tendril at the base of the trooper's neck; a tendril that throbs with peristaltic motion. It takes a moment to trace its path with your eyes - perhaps slightly more than a moment to glimpse and comprehend that it terminates in a maw that writhes and twitches.

The Lictor stands taller than the Astartes, and as it casts the Levy soldier to one side, lifeless corpse crumpling to the ground, it throws its head back as though emitting an ululating cry, but what emerges is a perverse parody of human speech.

"Help! Help - help us!"

The same as the earlier cries. The exact same. You hear once more the flat cracks of lasrifle fire, punctuating its mocking call, sounding for all the world like a laugh emerging from an alien throat. And yet its cold eyes betray no hint of mirth - only hatred.


The scythe-like taloned limbs descend as the creature leaps forward.
 

Edited July 22, 2019 by Commissar Molotov

[Steel Company]

Tyber’s eyes narrowed under his helm as he watched the beast use the mortal like it was a meat puppet, mocking them with the sounds it made. The beast tensed its legs and leaned forward in a leap towards him and the other Astartes that were but a few steps behind him. Drawing his arming sword in time with igniting his jump-pack, he threw himself at the beast in a counter charge, the tip of his blade out stretched to be driven into the beast upon their mutual impending impact.

 

OOC:

Math times….

Charge action against Lictor

Target WS Number: 74 (54 base +10 charge +10 Size Hulking)

WS target number 74: 1d100 62 Pass with 1 DoS

Location: 26 (62 reversed is 26) Left Arm

Damage: (1D10+5 weapon +15 STR ( Base 5 with Unnatural X3, due to Codex Stance, Feat of Strength)+2 from PA) 1D10+22 Pen 3 Rending

Arming Sword Damage: 1d10+22 27

 

27 damage Pen 3 Rending

 

Edited July 23, 2019 by Steel Company

[Commissar Molotov]

Akkad, Tyber, Yeng, Vorr and Teralil

 

Lictor attempts to DODGE Tyber's attack:

AG45(+10): 46 (PASS)

 

As the Dragon of Caliban leaps forward, jump pack intakes burning blue-hot, the Lictor twists and contorts its body, avoiding Tyber's strikes and ensuring that his blade strikes only thin air. It grapples with the assault marine in mid air, rending claws tearing through Tyber's borrowed power armour with contemptuous ease.

 

Lictor uses LIGHTNING ASSAULT to attack three times with Rending Claws and once with Scything Talons:

 

Attack 1 (Scything Talons): WS65: 36 (HIT)

Tyber dodges using AG48: 33 (SUCCESS)

 

Attack 2 (Rending Claws): WS65: 2 (HIT) (RIGHT ARM)

1D10+12 Pen 5(10): 6(18) against TB8 and Armour 8(0): 10 Wounds Sustained

Toxic: T41(-50): 56 (FAIL): 2 Wounds Sustained

 

Attack 3 (Rending Claws): WS65: 12 (HIT) (LEFT ARM)

1D10+12 Pen 5(10): 2(14) against TB8 and Armour 8(0): 6 Wounds Sustained

Toxic: T41(-30): 39 (FAIL): 3 Wounds Sustained (Critical Damage, Halved by True Grit to 2)

Impact Damage: Tyber takes 1 level of Fatigue

 

Attack 4 (Rending Claws): WS65: 26 (HIT) (BODY)

1D10+12 Pen 5(10): 3(15) against TB8 and Armour 10(0): 7 Wounds Sustained (Critical Damage, Halved by True Grit to 4)

Rending Damage: Tyber falls Prone, a deep wound in his torso, and takes 1D10 levels of Fatigue: 5 (6 Total)

Toxic: T41(-35): 80 (FAIL): 4 Wounds Sustained (Halved by True Grit to 2)

Impact Damage (8): Tyber suffers Blood Loss (negated by Haemastamen) and takes 1D10 levels of Fatigue: 8 (13 Total)

 

As a Free Action, the Lictor uses Assassin Strike to escape back into the smoke and the burning crops.

 

 

 

And with that, we roll for Initiative:

 

 

Squad Status:

Tyber | AG48 (4x2)+4: 16 | WOUNDS -8/18(20) | FATE 3/5

Brakan Vorr | AG50 (5)+5: 10 | WOUNDS 21/21 | FATE 3/4

Oto Yeng | AG40 (4)+6: 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/3

Morthas Teralil | AG40 (4)+5: 9 | WOUNDS 21/21 | FATE 4/4

Daon Akkad | AG45 (4)+4: 8 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/4

[Steel Company]

The armour was useless, a painful reminder that this was not his armour as the taste of his own blood filled his mouth, he let go of the hilt of his chainsword placing his left hand over the wound in his chest, again coughing out blood over the H.U.D., it didn’t help that his vision was quickly becoming blurry, his body was starting to shut down and go into stasis mode to try and protect itself from an ignoble end in the field of grass.

 

Using his last bit of self-awareness, he fired his jump pack to launch himself towards his brothers, landing awkwardly before slumping to the ground, his eyes beginning to lose focus on the horizon of the grass blowing in the wind, “So peaceful, like watching the water…” he whispered out as the blackness took hold.

 

OOC: Will spend / burn Fate as needed to not die.

 

Tyber is out of the fight, sorry guys, this one is on you four!

[Commissar Molotov]

GM: Steel, one thing I didn't consider was that you should've healed naturally to be back at 20, as I moved time forward. I will factor this in by giving you +2 to your Fate Point rolls.

 

FATE POINT to heal 1D10 wounds: 7(+2): 9

Tyber is restored to 1/20 Wounds

 

 

Squad Status:

Tyber | AG48 (4x2)+4: 16 | WOUNDS 1/20 | FATE 2/5

Brakan Vorr | AG50 (5)+5: 10 | WOUNDS 21/21 | FATE 3/4

Oto Yeng | AG40 (4)+6: 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/3

Morthas Teralil | AG40 (4)+5: 9 | WOUNDS 21/21 | FATE 4/4

Daon Akkad | AG45 (4)+4: 8 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/4

Edited July 24, 2019 by Commissar Molotov

[Morovir]

Teralil stood amongst the levy troopers on the ramparts of Outpost 15 as he watched his brothers engage the enemy. He ground his teeth in frustration as he thought about how they had hunted the Lictor across this Throne-forsaken planet, forcing their way into outpost after outpost only to find that their quarry had beaten them to it, leaving only bloody corpses in its wake. Now they had finally caught up to it, and it was tearing through them in the same way it had the mortals.

 

Damned fools. There had been no strategic advantage in going out to confront the Lictor rather than fortifying their position, but no, it was clearly far better to risk everything to try and save a couple of mortals who were almost certainly going to be dead by the time that they were actually reached.

 

"Stay alert. Watch the crops for any sign of movement. Be prepared to light the xenos up as soon as it makes its presence known."

 

As he spoke, he directed the guardsmen into better positions of cover and improved vantage points, as laid out it Captain Keshuma's seminal treatise on fortification defence.

 

There was a chance of them accidentally shooting one of his brothers rather than the Lictor, but Teralil wrote it off as an acceptable risk, reasoning that lasgun fire would do little more than irritate them in any case.

 

OOC - Full Action: Improve Cover (5 AP)

[Slips]

While the current Astartes' sortie was his current primary concern, Locke's words were still fresh in his mind. 48 Hours until Planetfall. Not much time.

 

Beckoning a communications officer over, he began ++Alert the General: we have 48 Hours before planetfall. Everyone is to be on high alert. Similarly, sound the alarm for the civilian evacuation: get as much of them hunkered down in the Spaceport as planned. The Emperor Protects.++ And he turned back to the Hololithic Display of the Space Battle raging in the void above.

 

++Fleet-Captain. This Solastion. Do what you can to stall the advancing Hive Ships but not at the risk of losing more ships; should your numbers dwindle too much, coordinate a retreat with the remaining vessels and attempt a counter-attack at a later date when they are otherwise pre-occupied. You are the expert in this field however, so I leave the proceedings to your discretion. We shall prepare ourselves for the coming onslaught.++

 

++Before I leave, however, would you be able to spare a ship or a few to return to Syndalla and perform scorched earth maneuvers on the uninhabited regions of the planet? The less Biomass the Xenos have access to, the better.++

 

++++++++

 

++Brothers, report. Have you found the Lictor?++

[A.T.]

A helmet was placed on the holo-table at Solastons side, the first indication that anyone was in the room with him. "A vanguard of the original bio-ships?" inquired a voice he identified Atratus... it took a moment to realise that the raptor still wore his own helm.

 

"I regret that brother Thorvald has yet to be recovered. No tracks were found, but telemetry may be recoverable from his armour".

 

Death was the only constant in this universe, but Atratus had hoped that Thorvalds recovery might steady the anger of his battle brothers. In the past days their desire for vengeance against the xenos and their servants had been clear enough that simply calling for a more reserved, some might call dishonourable approach would not have been met with approval. In two days there would be more of the xenos than could be fought directly if they were to hold on to any chance of victory.

[Slips]

++As disheartening as it is to hear of the lack of success in locating Thorvald, it will all be for naught if the Tyranids siphon the planet of all its biomass.++ He said as he took the beaten and battered Sable helmet and held it out in front of him to lock gazes with its empty lenses.

 

++But yes, Brother Atratus, these are merely the Pathfinders for the Hive Fleets overall Tendril. Should any of them somehow bring word back to the larger amalgamation, then we shall truly be doomed.  Make ready, Brother, all of us are to be tested soon. Speaking of which, I've yet to receive word back from our Brothers who have been on the Trail of a Lictor that managed to make itself onto the planet...++

[Xin Ceithan]

Placeholder

 

In which the order is given to cycle up the last stages before activating the thermobaric shielding

 

Sabaan recollects the efforts and then mumbo jumbo that have gone into making this possible.

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad watched the huge warrior plough a furrow in the soil into the midst of the knot of Astartes.  He didn't move and the augurs of Akkad's plate told him the rest.  "You big idiot!"  Daon snarled, although only his own ears heard his curse.  Solastion's request for a report broke into the link.

 

++Brothers...ound...th..ictor?++

++Iazu!  The Lictor has found us!  We currently have one casualty, non-responsive!++

 

Akkad watched Vorr break off, sweeping his assault shotgun to the rear.  +We are fools, we should have fought from the fastness of the firebase!+

+Not now, Brakan.+ Akkad countered, no heat in his voice, just the authority of an old Sergeant finding it's way into the deliberate use of the Red Talon's name.  +We must fight our way free of the noose.+

 

But how?  He waited for Apothecary Yeng to decide his action, levelling the flamer in front of them.

 

MR.

Edited July 29, 2019 by Mazer Rackham

[apologist]

Rob your enemy of its greatest strength, and what remains? A testude with a shell; an eagle lacking wings.

 

'Haaaaa...' Yeng breathed, inaudibly. Under the blank mask of his helm, he was grinning broadly, eyes narrowed and pupils like pinpricks. Just like the Krell, he thought. The enslavers never could resist the bait.

 

Boltgun up, striding forward, the Gatebreaker advanced on his fallen comrade, while firing at the creature. 

[Slips]

++One Casualty already...not good. Atratus, Sabaan, Varvost we might not be able to come to their aid in a timely manner but be ready to mobilize and hunt down the Lictor if things take a turn for the worst. Emperor, Sanguinius, guide by Brothers in this moment...++ he trailed off as he started reciting the Rites of Blood and the Hunt.

[A.T.]

"Likely the first of many, the bio-ships had ample time in orbit to land a vanguard. The order should be given to seal the weapon batteries and other defensive locations before they reach the city, if they move against us now the xenos must believe planet fall is imminent."

[Reyner]

Vorr caught the authority in the Astral Claws words and bit back a retort, his anger was a tool and wouldn't be detrimental, sweeping his assault shotgun back and forth he thought he saw a shimmer of movement but wasn't sure enough to open fire. The Lictor wants them to fire blindly so it could slide into position and attack them. The big marine had made a decent attempt in his reckless charge but now was a massive liability sprawled out on the ground bleeding profusely. They needed to break this deadlock but his missile launcher was too cumbersome for this and he had no wish to start wasting missiles before the main attack began.

 

"Yeng we need to pull back to the outpost can we move the Dragon? I'll drag him myself if needs must."

 

"Akkad burn these crops, set everything around us alight but leave a corridor we can use to pull back, it will be easier for us to spot the alien in the flames. Its camouflage is impaired by the brightness. Once we get the fires going we can unleash our heavier weapons if we're quick enough."

 

OOC test

Vorr makes a Perception check:

Perception 44 - d100 = 47 FAIL.

Edited July 31, 2019 by Reyner

[Noctus Cornix]

Zadyin. A curious title, he admitted to himself, but one he seemed to not take offence to. Guillermo know many terms for his kind, some of which among the most foul had been from his own blood-kin of the Templars. There was a way to it... a subtle sense of genuine difference and sincerity in the use of it that told Guillermo the Storm Son only meant well. Perhaps it was the term of his original culture of one blessed with psychic master. Blessed, or cursed, depending on one's perspective. 

 

The Crimson Fist returned the gesture of the bow, though not as low as Greysight had offered him. It was a subtle, but culturally significant choice. Rather than  speak, Brother Montessa remained still and attentive, hold his hands politely behind his back as he measured the Storm Son's words carefully. Were his needs of little import, then there would be little reason for him to have have approached the Codicier at all... Guillermo was far from a master of understanding other people, but Greysight didn't honestly seem like a man of idle chatter. 

 

The 'Gift of Heaven'. What a delightfully poetic saying. He found it almost flattering, really. Yet, what peaked the Codicier's interest most was the warrior's genuine sense of unease. Dreams were a simple biological function. Nearly every human was subject to their dancing images and fragmented stories. And yet, Dreams were of great significance among those who carried Dorn's blood in their veins. The Rite of the Emperor's Champion was a sacred tradition of the chapter, though rare it was for a warrior of the crimson to be greeted with such visions. And yet, dreams were of such significance all the same. 

 

With a single hand, Guillermo gestured back towards the door of his meditation chamber. "Would you join me then, brother? I would wish to hear of this dream you've had."

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad searched the swaying reeds, hearing the Red Talon and feeling the movements of the Apothecary.

 

Perception Test: 50 + 20 = 70

D100: 006 Pass, 7 DoS.

 

+Brother Vorr speaks well+ The Astral Claw let a smile ride the back of the vox, the distortion subtly influenced, +Come Healer Yeng, let us beat the grass to startle the snake.+

 

Akkad will Attempt to Enter Squad Mode as a Free Action.
Cohesion Test - D10: 5
(I am dangerously assuming the Cohesion will have been restored from previous accomplishment of mission goals? If not Akkad will spend 1 Fate to drop in for free).

Akkad will then use Half Action: Squad Mode - Fire For Effect (Spending 2 Cohesion)
All Marines in Squad Mode/declare they Join Squad Mode may now use their Reactions to make a Standard Attack (Ranged) instead of Dodge/Parry if they wish.

Akkad will then use Half-Action: Standard Attack, (Flamer) directly in front of him and toast 20 metres worth of reeds in Holy fire (Unless he spots the critter, then he will target it instead).
BS Test - 52 + (Size of field??) = 52
D100: 47, Pass, no DoS.

 

MR.

[Commissar Molotov]

Solastion (and Atratus, Sabaan and Varvost):

 

Even in the grainy light of the hololith, you see the tenseness in Locke's jaw.

 

"Acknowledged. We will do what we can to delay the fleet, and I will keep you updated. May the Emperor be with you."

 

The helm given to you by Atratus is battered and damaged, its eye lenses cracked. It bears a diamond-shaped gem upon its brow that shines a dim orange. Inside the helm, you see minute rows of runes that wrap around its circumference, angular shapes that seem to evoke what you know of the frigid wasteland of Fenris.

 

Akkad, Tyber, Yeng, Vorr and Teralil:

 

Within the firebase, the Levy troopers scurry to fulfil the Techmarine's orders. Under the dispassionate iron gaze of his helm, they man the walls, gazing out at the burning fields with reddened, weary eyes. They see little of what Teralil can, his helm display filled with data-runes depicting the Demi-Squad's members, their bio-signatures, armour integrity, wind speeds and trajectory calculations. Even with your natural senses fouled by the smoke-haze, you can see with remarkable clarity. The only variable, the only inconstant, is the lictor-beast itself.

 

 

Lictor's Concealment (AG40+20): 11 (PASS, 4DOS)

Vorr's Perception: 47 (PASS, 1DOS)

Yeng's Perception: 25 (PASS, 3DOS)

Akkad's Perception: 7 (PASS, 6DOS)

 

Within the fields themselves, as the Lictor seems to disappear into the smoke and flames, even the enhanced senses of the Space Marines make it difficult to discern the creature's location. As Vorr brings his shotgun up, moving to cover Tyber's prone form, the Apothecary fires into the field, his shots failing to contact.

 

Akkad enters squad mode (I will assume that Vorr and Yeng do so as well) and declares "Fire for Effect" - all Marines may now use their Reactions to make a Standard Attack (Ranged) instead of a Dodge/Parry if they wish.

 

Akkad fires flamer: 52 (HIT)

Lictor attempts to Dodge (AG40+20): 26 (PASS)

 

Against the smoke, Akkad glimpses the creature and its long scythe-like limbs. Scarlet promethium gouts from the Astral Claw's flamer, licking at the field and the crops. Again, the crack-crack-crack, the stolen sound of lasrifle fire, sounding for all the world like laughter.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Commissar Molotov

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad watched as the glimmer of chameleon-like scales twisted and turned, making a mockery of the licking flames surging after it, droplets of liquid fire dodged or spattering uselessly against the wheat stalks almost in slow motion, none of them landing on the creature.

 

++Contact!  To my front, Twenty Metres!++

He uploaded a Tactical plan.

//Assault Pattern Beta - Fire For Effect//

 

He didn't need to look, he heard the snap and whirr of power armour as the rest of the squad reacted, his ears picking up the faint slithering of alien chitin against good, honest soil.

 

Akkad, Tyber, Yeng, Vorr and Teralil:

 

Round 2:

 

Squad Status:
Tyber | AG48 (4x2)+4: 16 | WOUNDS 1/20 | FATE 2/5 (Unconscious 2/6 Rounds)
Brakan Vorr | AG50 (5)+5: 10 | WOUNDS 21/21 | FATE 3/4
Oto Yeng | AG40 (4)+6: 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/3 (SQUAD)
Morthas Teralil | AG40 (4)+5: 9 | WOUNDS 21/21 | FATE 4/4 
Daon Akkad | AG45 (4)+4: 8 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/4 (SQUAD)

 

I'll let you boys declare Squad Mode if you want?

 

MR.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Mazer Rackham

[apologist]

[OOC: Joining squad mode]

 

With a grunt and vox-click, the Gatebreaker acknowledged Vorr's words. Reaching the injured Tyber, he placed his feet squarely; protectively. He dared not begin in-depth physiopeutics – not yet; not with the threat still present.

 

He allowed the corners of his mouth to crease as Akkad assumed command. Keeping his boltgun raised, Yeng paused. 

"As the Odes have it – The Sage Mu-Fi did not defeat the warrior with a sword, but his quill; he did not defeat the poet with a quill, but his sword."

 

He cranked up the audio pick-ups on his armour. The lictor might fool the eyes; but it could not fool the ears. 

[Mazer Rackham]

Yeng:

 

GM: Your augurs in the Mark III helm are older than the auto-senses in the 'newer' marks of plate that surround the bodies of your brothers, but they are no less venerable, based up the systems of the Mk II, hand-crafted by the artisans of Mars, they have served generations of loyal sons and the wisdom of the Sages not only pervades your mind but the fabric of the armour's soul.

 

Please make a perception check rolling against your normal perception stat +10 (for your heightened senses) and +10 for your auto-senses.  Further, since you have stilled your mind by reciting the mantras of Mu-Fi and awakened your inner ear, you may add your Perception bonus.

 

Teralil:

 

There is the thump of an explosion within the base.  Your trained ear recognises it as the scream of a tortured mechanism.  Sure enough your enhanced ears pick up the sounds of running boots shortly thereafter.

 

A guardsman rushes up to your position with the levy troops and command staff, safely sheltering behind the improved fortifications.  He is covered in the sweat of haste and reeks of machine oil.  He hastily salutes the Lieutenant in charge of the firebase.

"Sir, the Enginseer reports main power has failed and we cannot open the doors or traverse the guns."

"Can't he fix it?"  The Lieutenant snaps.

"That's the problem sir, he's dead."

The Lieutenant looks at you.

 

Solastion, Atratus, Sabaan, Varvost:

 

A messenger bursts into the room and startles Governor Vortis and some of the working staff.  The PDF officers and General Wrex look up from the holotable and you notice barely a ruffled feather.  The runner deposits a scrap of paper into an Adjutant's hand.

 

"There's a bit of a panic," Wrex says, "the Southeast bastion is being attacked by a mob of ganger scum looking to loot the arsenal."  His face turns grim.  The information on it's own would mean nothing, but the countless briefings you have been forced to endure lend an urgency to this report.  With a good proportion of the PDF tied up protecting the walls - and there are too few even then - and the enforcers torn apart by the mutants, the criminals have risen to the surface.

 

Of greater importance is the fact that atop the Southeast bastion idles one of the Hydra air defence batteries.  The controls for which lie inside the armoury's walls.  Unmolested they could do untold damage.

 

MR.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Mazer Rackham

[Slips]

++We'll handle the situation. It does us no good to be cooped up in here with all this happening. Keep us appraised of any developments.++

 

++Come, Brothers, it seems we have some scum to cleanse. Lets make an example of them, wasting our time prior to a xenos invasion.++

[Mazer Rackham]

Montesa & Greysight:

 

The two of you stand in the cool room, senses extended to perceive the dream.  (Please continue discussion of this for now).

 

Ghent:

 

Your restlessness to face the foe and the tiresome banter of the other comrades does little to cool your Dornian blood.  You are not present when the call comes for aid to the Southwest Bastion and such vermin do not require your stern gauntlet, you monitor the movements of your brothers keenly though - the spectre of the previous nights and the disastrous consequences of the abortive assault on the Hive ship still linger upon your shoulders like a cloak.

 

To soothe your soul you undertake a patrol of the ramparts.  You do not engage in pleasanties with the solitary and sparse defenders as that is not your role.  Inspiration, the presence of the Angels of Death and the hand of the Emperor's Praetorian, the Star upon your pauldron, should be enough for any servant of the Liege-Upon-Earth.  You approach a knot of soldiers struggling with a set of magnoculars.  They appear to be watching the square of the Tower of Echoes.  Once shattered and bloody, it has been pacified for long hours and should garner little interest.

 

MR.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Mazer Rackham

[A.T.]

Atratus nodded and turned to follow the sanguinary priest. With infiltrators from the fleet now mobilised every act of insurrection bore the possibility of more a coherent enemy action, or else a distraction from the true threat. Either way a swift and final response was the only appropriate action.