[DH1e] The Damocles Contingency (OOC)

[Lysimachus]

Hmm, do you think that's why Reynard has been given so much cash?*

 

Should I try to buy stuff from the gunsmith before I move on...?

 

(Our GM has already been very generous with extra guns, so I wasn't going to push for more! )

 

*seriously concerned I'm going to walk out and get mugged immediately... 

[Mazer Rackham]

I'd be more concerned about your encumbrance threshold, but if you want to buy guns...you're in the right place...

[Lysimachus]

44 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

I'd be more concerned about your encumbrance threshold

 

Very true! Though Reynard has got big pockets, they aren't like Combat Colin's Combat Trousers! 

 

I think I'll leave off buying anything for now... I suspect we will need that money later! 

 

 

Edit: Reynard will definitely sneak out the back... but I'll go quiet now until Bardas is ready to meet up, plus I want to see what happens with the Magisters too!

Edited November 1, 2022 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

4 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Combat Colin's Combat Trousers! 

 

It's funny, I was thinking of Semi-Automatic Steve yesterday. ;)

[Lysimachus]

Maybe we should gatecrash Tro's game with Colin and Steve, a pair of gung-ho, all-the-gear-but-no-idea, kinda stupid Guard conscripts...

 

Norombearg's upper atmosphere...

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Lysimachus

[Trokair]

PDF are investing in Air Defence.... 

[A.T.]

Has Nicios actually looked at the scrolls contents ?

[Lord_Ikka]

18 minutes ago, A.T. said:

Has Nicios actually looked at the scrolls contents ?

No, I'm assuming that because Gywnne moved it that it is important. With her passed out (plus not being very clear anyway) and the old guy not really saying anything, I don't think we can get any further with the Magisters. They definitely aren't enemies, they seem to be hiding more than plotting. Just my thoughts though.

[Lysimachus]

Ok, questions:

 

So, am I right in thinking Sebastian starts where he is shown on the map, then he goes first and immediately disappears from view and therefore from the map? (I assume we at least know he starts off by going north from his starting position, or we'd see which of the other alleys he went up?)

 

Then we get to move?

 

How are we counting movement - can we travel diagonally through squares (and therefore cut corners off!) or is it a more simple method like Space Hulk where each person is in a square and has a certain number of squares they can move? (Eg. Reynard's half move is 4m, so as a half Action he could move 2 squares?)

 

And if we land or pass through the square where he is, presumably we catch him?

 

Really fun idea btw, like playing battleships or something!  

[Mazer Rackham]

16 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

So, am I right in thinking Sebastian starts where he is shown on the map, then he goes first and immediately disappears from view and therefore from the map? (I assume we at least know he starts off by going north from his starting position, or we'd see which of the other alleys he went up?)

 

Seb has pegged it from the shop at a run, and his last known location is the marker. Effectively, yes, you know he's gone up that middle alley.

 

19 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Then we get to move?

 

Yep, it's your turn. Lacroix senior isn't going far with his foot in that bucket! :)

 

21 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

(Eg. Reynard's half move is 4m, so as a half Action he could move 2 squares?)

 

Yes mate, each square is 2m. 

 

24 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

And if we land or pass through the square where he is, presumably we catch him?

 

Not quite, old bean, you should play a Jason Bourne/James Bond/Inception/Dark Knight theme in the background  Once you round the corner, if you have no bead on him, you're going to have to use your noggin. Tracking Tests, Perception, etc to see which way he went. Listen for background noise as he knocks someone over, etc. He'll be doing the same to you. There will be other folks about.

 

It's less battleships, and more cat and mouse - well it could be battleships if you just 'recon by fire' and cut the village in half with a shotgun...

 

Any use?

[Machine God]

What is the status of Geist?

 

Was return passage booked?

 

Did the Weasel Reynard and Bardas impart any information on where they were headed to the party?

[Mazer Rackham]

10 minutes ago, Machine God said:

What is the status of Geist?

 

Why not have a peek outside..? 

 

10 minutes ago, Machine God said:

Was return passage booked?

 

No refunds!  Maybe if you ask nicely, someone can show you the way.

 

10 minutes ago, Machine God said:

Did the Weasel Reynard and Bardas impart any information on where they were headed to the party?

 

Sadly not. Reynard got the location from the arms dealer, Karthago, then messaged Bardas directly. There would have been a bit too much hive in the way for the split party by then, and the comm beads won't have penetrated that ward in the Library.

Edited November 7, 2022 by Mazer Rackham
Typo

[Machine God]

20 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

 

Sadly not. Reynard got the location from the arms dealer, Karthago, then messaged Bardas directly. There would have been a bit too much hive in the way for the split party by then, and the comm beads won't have penetrated that ward in the Library.

Geist is toast like the Quarterback.

 

Did Reynard tell us about Karthago and the contest?

[Lysimachus]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

He'll be doing the same to you.

 

Ah ok, so after we make our first moves, although you as GM will know which square we are in on the map, Seb won't?

 

 

1 hour ago, Machine God said:

Did Reynard tell us about Karthago and the contest?

 

I think we were all stood in the same area before we split, so I think they would have heard? Not sure, though.

Edited November 7, 2022 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

1 hour ago, Lysimachus said:

Ah ok, so after we make our first moves, although you as GM will know which square we are in on the map, Seb won't?

 

That's correct - ish.

 

Seb will not be omnipotent, and will be testing the same as you will, against his stats. However, if you're running at full pelt, you'll make commotion, which will incur an opportunity to test to 'track' you. I will roll direction randomly from my first plot, taking into account what/if Seb detects. Likewise, there may be occasions which draw your attention.

 

I will update the map as you discover folks etc. If you pass them at full pelt, I might ask for Agility to 'beat' the test.

 

Thoughts?

 

@Machine God I'll have to read back.

 

EDIT: Looks like the flyer to show where the shooting comp was, got handed about and there were a few of them, so it's likely you do know. The half-party at the Librarium is at least 45 mins away from Kelvin's Gallery, (due to position in the hive) so you'll arrive well after Reynard left, then another 45 mins down to LeX. Travel this far down in the hive will be limited.

 

That will mean, give or take ten minutes, Bardas and Reynard will have been down there for about half an hour.  I think.

Edited November 7, 2022 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Running, have you no mercy, Bards is still hobbling around heavily injured.

 

Jokes aside, do I need to account for any penalties on account of heavily wounded status when making rolls?

 

 

Follow on question, would use of the Auspex be helpfull in tracking Seb.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Trokair

[Lysimachus]

11 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Seb will not be omnipotent, and will be testing the same as you will, against his stats. However, if you're running at full pelt, you'll make commotion, which will incur an opportunity to test to 'track' you. I will roll direction randomly from my first plot, taking into account what/if Seb detects. Likewise, there may be occasions which draw your attention.

 

I will update the map as you discover folks etc. If you pass them at full pelt, I might ask for Agility to 'beat' the test.

 

Thoughts?

 

All sounds good to me... though I think Accustomed to Crowds means Reynard can Run full pelt past any civs without testing Ag?

[Mazer Rackham]

7 hours ago, Trokair said:

Follow on question, would use of the Auspex be helpfull in tracking Seb.

 To be honest I think this might be your better bet. You have a range of 50m which will illuminate a sector of the map up to 25 squares. I can then reveal the other people on the map, and you can see the people. I'll modify the next map with a 'ping range' for want of a better word. I'll read up on if heavy wounds affect tests or stats and get back to you.

 

Your asupex will require a Challenging (+0) Tech Use Test to use it, but it will save your legs, and seems like a more Bardas thing to do. Your comms will work down here without problem.

 

36 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

All sounds good to me... though I think Accustomed to Crowds means Reynard can Run full pelt past any civs without testing Ag?

 

I sense crossed fingers here...

 

I regret it only means you don't count crowds as difficult terrain. What's happening is that you're an obvious stranger spooking the folks as you run by.

[Lysimachus]

 Misremembered what the rule does. Not 'doesn't need to test Ag', is 'takes no penalty to Ag tests'. Ah well, what's done and all that… 

 

Still, I think moving to block the closest exits on the southeast corner wasn't a terrible idea, just to stop him running straight out in 2 Rounds, so it's not all bad.

 

So, on that basis, we really want Bardas to go first after Lecroix acts each time, move to a fairly central location and scan with the auspex to pick up as many life signs as possible, then he can use his microbead to direct Reynard to move around and check them out?

[Trokair]

Will get a post together tonight.

Is the tech use for the auspex a half action or a full action? 

[Mazer Rackham]

2 hours ago, Lysimachus said:

So, on that basis, we really want Bardas to go first after Lecroix acts each time, move to a fairly central location and scan with the auspex to pick up as many life signs as possible, then he can use his microbead to direct Reynard to move around and check them out?

 

Perfectly doable, and actually helps solve a few problems with the PBP medium we're using.

 

46 minutes ago, Trokair said:

Will get a post together tonight.

Is the tech use for the auspex a half action or a full action? 

 

Full, but talk is (cheap!) Read: a sentence is a Free Action, so Bardas doesn't have to limp around. Much.

 

I scoured the FFG morass that is Core, and can see no penalties as is, so just narrative about your aches and pains is fine, Tro.

 

EDIT: I'll update the map once Tro/Bardas takes/declares his action for this round, as it will dictate what the map shows.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Mazer Rackham

[A.T.]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

I scoured the FFG morass that is Core, and can see no penalties as is, so just narrative about your aches and pains is fine, Tro.

 

Broadly speaking penalties from injuries come from the critical injury results and the penalty for gaining one or more levels of fatigue.

[Lysimachus]

Now Nicios has expressed what his test revealed, can we read your previous spoilered bit, GM? Or was what Ikka posted all of it? Which bit referred to Mechanicus??

 

(I know Reynard can't know any of this stuff anyway until we meet up, but I like to keep up with what's happening with the plot! )

Edited November 8, 2022 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

This has actually been on my mind.

 

I'm trying to give Ikka stuff that plays to his role, and leave it to him to reveal, in his guarded way, but I understand it's interfering with the plot reveals. I have noticed a couple of IC notes which may hint at frustration with what is going on (IE the slower pace), but you guys will split the party....

 

That, and I am trying to prevent metagaming temptations.

 

All I can say is, things are going to get hairier, and you ALL will have time to shine. Or be turned inside out and hung on a bramble. Considering how you've done so far, I'm not sure which, yet...

 

We'll ask the man himself @Lord_Ikka how do you want me to play the psychic interactions, sir? Comments from the other players are welcome. This IS what the OOC is for after all. Let me help you play a good game.

[Lysimachus]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Comments from the other players are welcome.

 

I mean, to my mind, whenever any character says some variation of 'I tell the others what I found' that means they've revealed everything that you've told them and we can all therefore look at whatever bit you've spoilered? They're just saving themselves from having to retype it all out?

 

 

 

As an aside, my general thoughts about Lady Gwynne's comments and plot progression so far:

 

I've just twigged that of the three things mentioned earlier, Golem (as a created thing in human form) must be the bit relating to the Mechanicus? And so is the 'stolen hands' bit literal - relating to the body parts that the servitors we've encountered are collecting? So they need a key to something? A door? Is that why they really want Locke? Did he hide/secure something that they want access to*, and they want either him (or another equal authority Inq electoo) in order to get into it?

 

*Still not convinced he is dead and/or hasn't ever been to Damocles...

 

Stone sandcastles crumbling is obviously talking about the Hives. And it makes sense that the person threatening to blow them up is someone within the Mechanicus, as they have the access to sabotage the power generators?

 

Third Daughter who can open the door - Female, I guess? Nicios said someone with authority, but not as much as others? Could it be the Planetary Governor? Powerful, but still less power than the Big E and the HLoT…? Presumably the door is the same one that the Mechanicus are looking for a key to?

 

Not sure how all that relates to Dreyfuss (the Surgeon, presumably?) and his experiments. Was he killed by one of the servitors, or by one of his own creations? Or did the Dark Sister kill him as punishment for what he's been doing to the Hive's children (including the girl at the market)?

 

Also, is the Dark Sister someone who is sister to the Magisters, i.e. another psyker, i.e. the voice in squiggly red? I'm guessing that because the voice seemed to know them and be talking to them rather than to the team?

 

 

Anyone else got any thoughts/insights? (other than Mazer, obviously! )

Edited November 8, 2022 by Lysimachus