To Plunder The Stars Themselves, Episode III

[A.T.]

Holger had lost focus, it was clear from the way he scrabbled at the interface pannel as he worked. Odysseus turned to stand over him but Kai cut him off - the rabble needed to be discouraged.

 

Once again he unleashed fury upon those before him, dozens felled in an instant yet the rest barely slowed as they trampled the burnt corpses of their companions. They sought death, and death they shall have.

 

Odysseus smites to catch both hordes and takes a half move back 6m towards Holger

Power activation (push) = 74 = pass

Automatic phenomena = 94, team reroll to 11 = minor side effect

Horde A damage = 4+7 = 11 total to A

Horde B damage = 9+7 =16 total to B

[Beren]

Face after face. Wild, gleaming eyes. Mouths contorted into snarls. Each one is lost in turn, disappearing in sprays of blood, torn apart by ravenous explosions or consumed by witchlight.

 

Each is instantly replaced by another pair of eyes. Another mouth.

 

Still they come closer, swallowing the ragged corpses of their predecessors in an instant.

 

Svelk can feel how tightly his hands are clenched around his weapon, waiting for them to come. Only the void could scourge this madness, and Svelk could feel it singing within him, a tribute to be offered.

 

Not yet. Soon enough, but not yet.

 

+++Holger, focus! We'll handle the rabble.+++

 

 

Encouraging Holger.

 

[Trokair]

As the hordes of pilgrim scrabble onwards, uncaring to the death of their priest or their fellows it was time to change tactic, continuing to kill them in this manner was becoming untenable. The only option was for the data-scalper to open the door.

“I don’t mean to worry you, but it is getting a tad problematical, is there anything we can do to speed this up?”

Assist/encourage Holger.

[Commissar Molotov]

++Decimus, concentrate fire on our right flank.++

 

The Traveller watches as the Astartes warrior moves the fat-mouthed barrel of his heavy bolter to prevent the tide from overwhelming them.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Commissar Molotov

[Black Cohort]

Decimus pans his fire back to horde B, his shots hitting a particularly grouped together knot of pilgrims, bodies and parts thereof are tossed across the deck.

 

BS48+ 20 FA +30 Magnitude +5 lead by example = 103

 

roll 15 = 8 DOS thus 9 hits

 

deal 18 Magnitude damage to Horde B

[Lysimachus]

ROUND 3 Summary:

[x] Kai: Throws Frag Grenade, does 5 Mag Damage on PH A

[x] Vesalius: Throws Frag Grenade, does 5 Mag Damage on PH A

[x] Pilgrim Horde B: Run 18m forward

[x] Odysseus: Smites, does 11 Mag Damage on PH A and 16 Mag Damage on PH B

[x] Decimus: Fires FAB, does 18(!) Mag Damage on PH B

[x] Svelk: Assists Holger (+10 Tech-Use)

[x] Pilgrim Horde A: Run 18m forward.

[x] Brynjarr: Assists Holger (+10 Tech-Use)

[x] Holger: Tech Use Test (+10 Concentrate, +20 Svelk and Brynjarr Assist): 59 Success! (2 of 3 Passes completed)

End of Round 3

[ ] Kai | (SQUAD) | AG4+10 (FATE POINT SPENT) = 14 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 2/3+1

[ ] Vesalius | (SQUAD) | AG6+6 = 12 | WOUNDS 20/20 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Pilgrim Horde B | AG3 + 8 = 11 | MAG 16/50 | Frenzied for Rounds 2 and 3

[ ] Odysseus | (SQUAD) | AG5+5 = 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Decimus | (SQUAD) | AG3+7 = 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/3

[ ] Svelk | (SQUAD) | AG4+4 = 8 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 3/3

[ ] Pilgrim Horde A | AG3 + 5 = 8 | MAG 29/50

[ ] Brynjarr | (SQUAD) | AG4+3 = 7 | WOUNDS 23/2 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Holger | AG3 + 4 = 7 | WOUNDS 12/12

***

Round 4 Begins

"Nearly got it!" Holger yells, "Just a few seconds more!"

+++++

Pilgrim Horde A returns to Mag 50

Pilgrim Horde B returns to Mag 50

+++++

Kill-Team Cohesion: 2

Initiative Order:

[ ] Kai | (SQUAD) | AG4+10 (FATE POINT SPENT) = 14 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 2/3+1

[ ] Vesalius | (SQUAD) | AG6+6 = 12 | WOUNDS 20/20 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Pilgrim Horde B | AG3 + 8 = 11 | MAG 50/50

[ ] Odysseus | (SQUAD) | AG5+5 = 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Decimus | (SQUAD) | AG3+7 = 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/3

[ ] Svelk | (SQUAD) | AG4+4 = 8 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 3/3

[ ] Pilgrim Horde A | AG3 + 5 = 8 | MAG 50/50

[ ] Brynjarr | (SQUAD) | AG4+3 = 7 | WOUNDS 23/2 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Holger | AG3 + 4 = 7 | WOUNDS 12/12

***

[A.T.]

To tempt the warp was rarely a wise choice, and even as he raised his hand once more Odysseus could sense the veil between the materium and the immaterium wearing thin as he pulled more and more power into realspace. For a brief instant the very fabric of the hold itself seemed to lose its grip upon reality as the air rushed out through the outer hull, and then the warp receeded once more leaving yet more death in its wake.

 

The arcs of witchfire did not disperse as readily as they had before, caught amongst the eldritch gale that buffeted the room with each new blast. It would only get worse should he continue to draw upon his power so recklessly. Odysseus raised his flamer to pour more misery into the closing zealots, if the lust for battle had not been enough to drive his allies into the fray then perhaps the fear of what would happen should he be pressed to aid them further.

 

Half action shoot flamer, Half action smite.

Power test = 91 = fail, reroll to 86 = pass

Automatic phenomena = 43 - spectral gale - everyone(including the hordes) needs to make a strength or agility test at +30 or be knocked down (marines get bonuses from their unnatural strength and armour)

 

Smite horde damage: 13 (horde A), 14 (horde B )

Flamer horde damage: 7 (horde A), 9 (horde B )

Total damage: 20 (A), 23 (B )

Edited May 29, 2021 by A.T.

[Commissar Molotov]

This was a tedious battle.

 

If you could even call this engagement a battle; it seemed more akin to target practice. It would hardly go down in Iron Gods' annals of glory.

 

The force commanders of the Astartes Chapters were bound by tactical doctrines to carefully choose where their forces were committed; after all, the strengths of the transhuman warrior must not be wasted. Kai knew that the petty gods servng Talek Varn were in an even more precarious position. And yet for every bolt fired, for every grenade thrown, the seething horde continued on. Should Holger fail in opening the door soon, bloody battle would be joined. An even the Space Marines could be brought down by such foes.

 

The Traveller reaches for the small of his back, grasping the weapon in a gauntleted fist and pulling it free with a crackling discharge that wreaths the xenos blade's jagged edge in actinic light.

 

If martyrdom was what they sought, death would be what they would receive.

 

++Hold them back!++

 

 

Round 4 Actions

Free Action: Stop sustaining Follow the Path of the Traveller (Lead by Example)

Free Action: Draw Power Sword (Quick Draw)

Free Action: Initiate Defensive Stance Rally Cry

- The Kill-Team immediately recovers Cohesion equal to Kai's Fellowship Bonus (5)

- Kill-Team is now at 7 Cohesion

Free Action: Initiate Codex Attack Pattern Bolter Charge (2 Cohesion, down to 5):

- All members of the Kill-Team in Squad Mode may immediately move up to their Charge Distance and make a Standard Attack with a bolter or bolt pistol; alternatively they may use their Standard Attack to throw a grenade.

- Bolter Assault Action: Standard Attack with Bolter against Horde B

BS55(+10 Range)(+30 Magnitude greater than 30)=BS95: 70 (HIT, +1 Additional due to Explosive)

Hits resolve at 1D10+9 Tearing, Pen 4 against TB3 and Armour 0 = Auto-Kill

2 Magnitude Damage to Horde B

 

 

Upon Conclusion of Bolter Assault:

Free Action: Sustain Follow the Path of the Traveller (Lead by Example) - All members of the Kill-Team will gain a +5 bonus to all tests.

Full Action: Semi-Auto Burst against Horde B

BS55(+10 Range)(+10 SAB)(+30 Magnitude greater than 30)(+5 Follow the Path of the Traveller) = BS110: 46 (HIT, 6DoS) - Hit, +2 Additional (+1 Explosive)

Hits resolve at 1D10+9 Tearing, Pen 4 against TB3 and Armour 0 = Auto-Kill

4 Magnitude Damage to Horde B

 

 

Pre-emptive Strength test for Odysseus' psychic phenomena:

Strength 64(+30)(+5 Path of the Traveller): 78 (PASS)

Edited May 30, 2021 by Commissar Molotov

[Trokair]

Taking a moment to compose himself, following the psychic backwash emanating from the Librarian, Brynjarr went to heed Kai’s words.  Though there would not be much holding back if the pilgrim mass connected with their lines.

 

Carefully stepping back closer to the door and Holger, ensuring that the data-scalper was still covered from any avenue of attack, Brynjar snapped of one shot into the horde, the round punching through the chest of one and the resultant sharpened shredding those behind.  

 

“Keep going mortal, I got you covered he” he encouraged Holger, unsure where the data-scalper would even hear him over the din of battle.

 

 

Use Bolter Charge to move back as best as possible and continue to shield Holger with his bulk and shield, then one standard attack at Horde B.

BS: 43 +10 (Bolter Mastery) + 30 (Horde size) + 10 (range)= 93

D100: 65 Hit, 2 DoS, + explosion hit

Total magnitude damage: 2

Auto pass strength test for psychic phenomena based on this

Use normal action to continue to assist/encourage Holger

[Necronaut]

Vesalius rapidly translated Kai's command into the cant of his former brothers. Grasping Talon attack pattern. As he raised his bolter to fire upon the crazed fanatics charging Decimus and him down, Odysseus unleashed a brutal psychic assault, the backlash of which buffeted him quite unexpectedly with gale-force winds. Vesalius attempted to activate the mag-locks in his boots, but to no avail - it was too late. He was tossed backward like a discarded child's toy and crashed into the blast door mere inches from Decimus. The devastator, to his credit, never flinched under the psychic backlash, nor did he shy away from the briefly airborne form of his squad-mate. Vesalius was dazed for a few moments before coming to his senses, such was the force of the blow from the blast door.

 

+Curse you, librarian! Focus your wrath upon the humans!+

 

Minor bruising to cranium and left shoulder, no broken bones, no lacerations, all vital systems operating normally. Prognosis: minor discomfort; on your feet, Vesalius!

 

 

Strength test

Strength test: 1d100 95

Fail!

 

Spending a fate point...

Strength test: 1d100 94

Fail!

 

Vesalius is knocked from his feet.

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Necronaut

[A.T.]

At Kais command Odysseus holds his flamer aside from a moment to flick a frag grenade into the oncoming crowd. With so many targets it is impossible to miss, but with so many corpses also impossible to tell how many of those blown apart were living or dead.

 

Free throw, roll of 83 = miss

(BS42 +30 for size)

[Beren]

Hold them back!

 

Irritation. What else would they be trying to do?

 

The squad-leader had drawn his weapon, holding it aloft. In the dim hold its glare cut though the shadows, and Svelk could see his fellow warriors rallying to it, falling back towards the door before the tide that raced forwards to consume them. Svelk joined them, temporarily holstering his knife and drawing his bolt pistol.

 

No shots wasted, not even one.

 

 

Use the Bolter Assault charge move to move back towards the bulkhead.

 

Single Bolt Pistol shot at Horde A:

BS 43 (base +30 for horde size, +10 for short range)

D100: 79 (success + 1 magnitude damage for x damage)

2 Magnitude damage to Horde A.

 

 

He aims for the legs. Crippling them will suffice, and there's less body mass to get in the way of the shrapnel. A pilgrim's right thigh vanishes in a burst of light, and the one next to her is sent tumbling as lacerations tear through her leg. Both are trampled under the crowd in seconds.

 

Then, before he could consciously register what was happening, his body locked itself down against the forces suddenly buffeting it.

 

Hull breach.

 

The thought ran through his head, almost eagerly, but he could not determine the direction of the roaring winds, nor could his auto-senses detect the heat bleed that would indicate a rent in the barrier between them and the void. 

 

Hull breach, the thought insisted.

 

Now he could see Odysseus' lightning was being carried in the hurling air, leaping from mortal to mortal as it tore them to shreds. Some were almost lifted from the floor, only held in place by the sheer numbers of fanatics crushed against one another.

 

Holger.

 

Assist Holger.

 

Svelk's head snapped round to see the technician still clinging to to the panel with all of his strength, clearly distraught.

 

+++No hull breach. Keep working mortal.+++

Edited May 30, 2021 by Beren

[Black Cohort]

Decimus underhands a frag grenade into horde A, it bounces along the ground, getting a perfect bounce so it detonates behind the first rank of zealots at waist height.

 

BS 48 + 30 horde magntitude = 78

 

roll 18

 

horde damage = blast 4 + explosive 1 + unrelenting devastation 2 = 7 magnitude

[Lysimachus]

ROUND 4 Summary

 

Many, many Actions, Rolls and dead or dying Pilgrims… :P ...but here's a key one:

 

[x] Holger: Tech Use Test (+10 Concentrate, -10 from distraction caused by Spectral Gale, +20 Assists): 45, Success! (3 of 3 Passes completed!)

 

End of Round 4

 

Kill-Team Cohesion: 5

[ ] Kai | (SQUAD) | AG4+10 (FATE POINT SPENT) = 14 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 2/3+1

[ ] Vesalius | (SQUAD) | AG6+6 = 12 | WOUNDS 20/20 | FATE 3/4

[ ] Odysseus | (SQUAD) | AG5+5 = 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Decimus | (SQUAD) | AG3+7 = 10 | WOUNDS 22/22 | FATE 3/3

[ ] Svelk | (SQUAD) | AG4+4 = 8 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 3/3

[ ] Brynjarr | (SQUAD) | AG4+3 = 7 | WOUNDS 23/23 | FATE 4/4

[ ] Holger | AG3 + 4 = 7 | WOUNDS 12/12

 

***

 

+++ STRUCTURED TIME ENDS+++

 

+++ NARRATIVE TIME BEGINS+++

 

 

The horde is almost upon you. Though you have reaped a horrifying tally among the devout, they still have numbers far in excess of your supplies of ammunition. You know that if they can reach you and pin you in place, your superior bodies and armour will only delay the inevitable… and being swept away by a vast tide of otherwise pitiful dregs is hardly the glorious death a warrior might wish for. Yet for all your efforts, the tide is now scant metres out.

 

Suddenly Holger, still clinging to the frame around the control panel, lets out an elated yell and warning lumens start to flash around the heavy bulkhead door behind you. It grinds upwards and before it is even a quarter of the way raised, the weaselly little man has slipped through the gap. Without any need for words, Kill-Team Cutlass also begins to move with consummate synchronicity. Decimus lets off a final, thundering burst from his heavy bolter, giving Kai, Odysseus and Svelk time to take up positions outside the hold. Brynjarr pulls Vesalius to his feet and they also move through, turning back to provide cover for the Devastator as he finally abandons the defence. He has to duck as he passes through, for the thick plasteel is already descending once more. The gate closes with a heavy clang, followed a fraction of a second later by a mighty thud and an audible roar of rage as the pilgrims impotently vent their fury against it.

 

Meanwhile, Holger has forced open an access panel above the external door controls and is now busily ripping out data cores and handfuls of wires. A few sparks burst out and he yelps, pulling his hand free with a curse. He stands panting for a moment, then nods, satisfied.

 

"Won't no-one be opening that door again for a good long spell, Lordships. Not without a repair crew."

 

***

[Black Cohort]

"Someone tell the assault shuttle pilot to open that hold to the void before the pilgrims vent their wrath on him."

[Beren]

He'd heard the grinding of the bulkhead door opening before he saw it, and had wept under it with weapons raised, just in case there was a surprise on the other side.

 

There hadn't been, and the mortal had acted well enough on his own initiative in sealing the door behind them.

 

Someone tell the assault shuttle pilot to open that hold to the void before the pilgrims vent their wrath on him.

 

Svelk opened his vox-channel.

 

+++Pilot! Disengage from the ship, now!+++

Edited May 31, 2021 by Beren

[Lysimachus]

There is a crackle as the Shark pilot responds over the vox.

 

+++Aye, Lord. Disengaging now.+++

 

You cannot see or hear any change on the other side of the bulkhead door, but you know that the end of the pilgrims' journey has surely come. Especially for those of you who are practised starfarers, it is a brief moment of chill reflection. The black emptiness of the void is a cruel, uncaring enemy to all travellers, regardless of species, culture or creed. A capricious beast to make your ally, for who can know if and when it might be turned against you?

[Black Cohort]

"We should make haste to the bridge, and end this before the entire ship becomes a tomb."

[Beren]

Svelk places a hand upon the bulkhead as the pilot replies in the affirmative. For a moment he is still, silent.

 

+++Ever does it hunger.+++

 

There's an odd note of satisfaction in his voice. Then it's gone, and he turns to the rest of the squad.

 

+++How do we want to handle the lifts?+++

[Trokair]

As the shuttle pilot disengaged and the void claimed the hold and its content Brynjarr offered up a silent prayer, both for their safekeeping and in memory of the voidclaimed. For all their faults they had been devoted to grandfather, and for that alone they should have had a better death than the jaws of the void.

[Commissar Molotov]

As the heavy doors seal shut and the roar of the pilgrim tide becomes muffled and muted, the Traveller takes a deep breath to still his beating hearts; to quench the surging combat-stims in his system.

 

He says nothing as the other brothers order the assault vessel to disengage, damning the horde to a painful death.

 

 

++We make for the bridge.++

 

 

They are alone now on this vessel, for better or for worse. Whatever path lays in store for them, they will have to navigate it swiftly. He indicates the marine with the heavy boarding shield.

 

++Brynjarr, take point. Let nothing stand in our way.++

[A.T.]

There was a brief echoing screach as the the boarding vessel began to pull itself free and then silence, Odysseus nodded as the choice, "the vessels salvation augers will lock all bulkheads exposed to the void, it will take time to invoke the rite of passage even to those now safe to open."

 

Turning to Kai, "I can facilitate swifter passage through this ship, if you feel such haste is warranted". Unspoken was the obvious cost, to place trust in the guidance of a witch.

[Commissar Molotov]

The Traveller's beaked helm dips towards Odysseus, the blood-red stripe running along its snouted length gleaming in the illumination of the passageway.

 

Within the confines of a Chapter - a Codex-compliant one, at least - the Librarians are kept isolated within the Librariam, protected and warded by sigils and hexes. Kai doubted that such safeguards were assiduously maintained within the Crag. Perhaps Odysseus was among these murderers and cut-throats simply because he had failed to abide by such arcane laws. He is reminded how little he knows of the Psyker - how little he knows of all his murderous fellows. Psychic powers are a potent weapon indeed in their arsenal, but all of them had just witnessed the consequences of even the slightest lapse of control. Kai knew all too well that such consequences could be far worse.

 

++Not yet, Odysseus. ++

Edited June 1, 2021 by Commissar Molotov

[Lysimachus]

The Kill-Team moves rapidly along the wide corridors of the merchantman towards the lifts that will take you to the Command Deck. Achard's officers have led mortal boarding parties in the other Shark and the shuttle to assault other vital areas such as the Engineerium, but in reality these are merely distractions to aid your advance toward the bridge. A few squads of Ratings cross your path. Some attempt to halt your progress, some less brave are simply looking for a place to hide, but in either case you move and kill too swiftly for any real opposition to coalesce.

 

If you want to include any narrative covering these brief fights getting from the cargo hold to the lifts, please do!

 

When you reach the lifts, the security doors are shut but for a narrow vertical crack. The blackness just visible behind them shows that the car is not on this level. The mechanisms controlling it have been totally disabled, much as Holger just did at the cargo hold. He looks around morosely.

 

"Sorry Lordships, naught to be done about this 'un, I can't open it nor call the car, guess we'll have to find another way up…?"

 

***

[Black Cohort]

"Good thing we brought those breaching shears."