[DH1e] The Damocles Contingency (RPG IC)

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND ONE CONTINUES

 

The Warden:

Reactions: None.

Almost in contempt, the barrel-chested, metal plated brute takes the round right into the face. The bullet clips off a shard of the rictus tragedy mask as it draws a spot of blood but nothing more. A monstrous metal fist scuffs the specks from it's faceplate. There's a grinding noise, right before it spits the bullet out in a wad of blood-oil.

 

Thrall 3:

The tower of tendrils, eeire green occuli and wiry limbs floats across the floor, hovering four inches off the ground.

Half-Move to nearest plinth cover

Half-Action draw Macrostubber Pistol

 

Scourge [ ]

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

Reynard's words somehow cut through his hideous laughter and reached Scourge in his deranged state, allowing cold reality and his fell purpose to reassert themselves. His insane mirth cut off abruptly and his rictus grin twisted into a hate-filled snarl; he immediately advanced upon the towering, grotesque fiend, a muzzle flash from his boltgun lighting his grim, steel visage as he strode into the ruined fane. 

 

Free Action: Willpower Test (Snap Out): 38 + 10 (assist) = 48

Willpower test: 1d100 33: success; 1 DoS

 

Half Action: Half Move/advance toward nearest promontory (5m move)

 

Half Action: Standard Attack (boltgun)

BS: 37 + 10 (short range) + 20 (enormous; thank the Emperor!) = 67

Standard Attack: 1d100 66: success; 0 DoS; 1 hit total

 

Hit location: body

 

Hit #1 damage (boltgun): 1d10+5X, Pen 4, Tearing, Reliable

Bolter Damage: 2#1d10 4 10: righteous fury

Righteous fury: 1d10 6

 

Total Damage: 10 (d10) + 6 (RF) + 5 = 21X damage, Pen 4

 

18/24 bolts remaining in magazine

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND ONE CONTINUES:

 

The Warden:

With a grunt of pain that churls both this reality and the warp beyond, a chunk of metal-fused meat rips from the torso of the giant. The wad drops to the ground, flexing and writhing as if in death spasm.

 

Wounds Remaining: ???

 

Thrall 1:

Attempts Snap Out:

D100: FAIL

 

Falk [ ]

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by Mazer Rackham

[A.T.]

Falk

 

"The hammer Scourge, quickly". The sudden hesitation, the erratic fire, was he under psychic attack? Whatever had come over the warrior he needed to snap out of it as small arms were not going to slow that thing down.

 

Part of him wondered at the Golems words, if his demands for Locke had been more than just for revenge... was there still some key that it sought to unbind itself. Not enough time to contemplate amidst the chaos and his minions were already moving as Falk raised his shotgun, flipping the fire select to incendiary.

 

Semi-auto fire if possible into two different thralls if they are close enough to spread shots between, otherwise both shots at whichever thrall is actively seeking cover and attacking.

 

Roll to hit: 11 vs BS 44 (+10 size, +10 semi-auto) = hit and one extra(max RoF 2)

Damage 1 = 2+9 = 11

Damage 2 = 3+9 = 12

 

Both pen 0, Agility tests from any target hit or catch fire - with any luck a couple of hits on those stunned by fear will stack up some burn damage, fatigue, and fire panic

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND ONE CONTINUES

 

GM: After plotting up on the map, I have discerned Falk cannot actually see, or see enough of Thralls 1 & 2, due to the North promontory and the plinths. Even with estimation by a Perception Test (Hearing) the amount of cover will nullify the shot entirely. He can, however, see Thrall 3. Both attacks will therefore be resolved upon Thrall 3.

 

Thrall 3:

Hit 1: TB/ARM/COV = No damage.

Agility: D100: 33 PASS

 

Hit 2: TB/ARM/COV = No Damage

Agility: D100: 80 FAIL and on FIRE

Fire Dam: D10 = 1 (Machine Trait (4) Nullify Damage)

 

Normal Turn Resumes:

 

Thrall 2: Actions

WP test (Snap Out):

D100: 80 FAIL

Full Action: Full Move (Across to bottom right Plinth where he hides (as far from Nicios as he can!)

 

Thrall 4: Action

The Dark Mechanicum deviant's mechadendrites fold to a sheath on the heretic's hip and draw out a blocky automatic pistol, passing it into his scrawny, clawed hands - now supported only in their age by corroded brass rods.

Half-Action: Draw Macrostubber Pistol

Half-Aim: Scourge

 

Nicios [ ]

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Didn't like the Arc Rifle.

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios

 

Seeing the lack of damage his comrades' weaponry was doing to the Warden, Nicios knew his physical weapons would not be useful here. Taking a breath, he moves forward and unleashes his mind with a shout.

 

"For the Holy Inquisition!"

Spoiler

Half Action - Move, straight towards the plinth to get all thralls/Warden in range

Half Action - Manifest Psychic Power (Psychic Shriek), targets are thralls/Warden

Threshold - 18

Roll - 1 + 10 + 9 + 7 + 5(WPB) + 1(Power Well) = 32

Overbleed x1 (10 greater than threshold) - Range increases by 10m (20m total)

Result - All targets must take a Willpower test. A failure means that a target takes 5 levels of Fatigue damage (Nicios WPB is 5). One psychic phenomena needs to be rolled (one 9 rolled).

 

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND ONE CONTINUES

 

WP Tests:

Thrall 1: 55 FAIL (Unconscious)

Thrall 2: 54 FAIL (Unconscious)

Thrall 3: 75 FAIL (Unconscious)

Thrall 4: 006 PASS

Warden: 003 PASS

 

The Thralls shudder and flail with mechanical blurts of scrapcant, save for the furthest back of their number.

 

Psychic Phenomena:

D100 Roll: 71 (Tech Scorn - All Tech Gear within 5D10 metres = 29m ceases function momentarily, and all ranged weapons Jam).

 

The whole place shudders to a stop, lights blinking out before flickering back on. Weapon actions snag with a clack, snap or chunk. The thick plasma-convector turbines cease spooling, and the shimmering fields protecting the two large statues at the end of the room wink out with a pulse of compressed air. The larger energy dome snaps into oblivion - before the generators restart, and the protective hemispheres crash back into buzzing existence.

 

Turn Resumes:

 

The Warden:

Half-Action: Pick up chunk of writhing body

Half-Action: Hurl Daemonic chunk at Nicios

D100: HIT, no DoS.

Location: Body

Dam: 1D10 + 10 (SB) AP 0, (Impact) = 19

[Trokair]

Bardas

Spoiler

Jam tests for Reliable

Laspistol, d10: 8

Saxa, d10: 5

-no jams

 

Reality blinked, for several heartbeats everything went dark, his gifts, his senses, his limbs. Staggering to steady himself as reality returned, his new limbs balance unsettled by the disconnect from the inbuilt gyroscope and microchronometer.

 

Wrapcraft was the obvious conclusion, though an EMP pulse could also have been the cause, the recovery was far too rapid for something so mundane. The Golem Or Nicios, no time to check.

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios

 

Dodge Test

Target - 32

Roll - 45

Fate Point re-roll - 11

Result - Pass, 2 DoS

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND ONE ENDS

ROUND TWO BEGINS

 

+All effects resolve.+

 

+Initiative Order+

Spoiler

Restal - 17

The Golem of Antares - 16

Reynard - 15

Bardas - 14

Thrall 3 - 14 (Unconscious).

Scourge - 13

Thrall 1 - 13 (Unconscious).

Falk - 12

Thrall 2 - 11 (Unconscious)

Thrall 4 - 11 (Gun Jammed)

Nicios - 9

The Warden - 9 (Player takes Priority).

 

MAP:

Spoiler

 

Restal [ ]

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Map update

[Machine God]

Restal:

 

A wave of weirdness washed over him from his left, at the same time he felt a singeing from his neck. 

 

"Inshalla" he intoned. 

 

His intent was a paired assault from his Carnodons at the Warden, alas his Dexter piece had jammed by the weirdness. 

 

 

 

 

2x SAB Vs Warden

Sinister - Huginn

BS 40 +10 (SAB) +20 (Full Aim) +10 (Accurate) +20 (Enormous) = 100.

Result: 02, Pass 9DoS

02 = 20 Right Arm / Body

Carnodon 1d10 +4 +2 (Mighty Shot) Pen 2

Hit #1. 10 (RF = 31, Pass) 4 +4 +2 = 20 Damage

Hit #2. 8 +4 +2 = 14 Damage 

Hit #3. 9 +4 +2 = 15 Damage

 

Dexter - Muninn

BS 40 +10 (SAB) +20 (Full Aim) +10 (Accurate) +20 (Enormous) = 100. Result: JAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Machine God
Huginn and Muninn

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND TWO CONTINUES

 

Warden:

The ragged goliath shudders as the bullets find him, puckering meat and screeching as they punch into flesh-metal. Fingers sever from writhing hands in brutal vivisection.

Wounds: ???

 

Warning chimes and runes of evacuation sound and glare with more urgency.

 

+Core vent in progress. 20% and Rising. +

 

The Golem of Antares: Actions

Full Action: Psychic Power Weaken Veil

WP Test D100: Pass, 1 DoS

Manifest Threshold (9): 19

Effect: Area of Effect is now 50m - (+2 to all Manifest PR Rolls, Perils on 8, 9, 10. Power Sustained).

 

GM Note: With a thinned veil, a controlled, focussed mind can shape reality more flexibly. Nicios may, by either an Action or Reaction, make an Opposed Willpower Test in the stead of his comrades if they are targeted by another Psychic Power. This remains in place for as long as Weaken Veil is Sustained.

 

Everyone can feel it, the horrible sting of something foreign to sense, alien to life. It thickens in the throat like smoke you can't cough free, like a fuzz on the tongue your teeth can't scrape off. The horror of the Warden leaks into the very air, bringing the terror of a psychic deep rolling with it, pushing at the boundaries of reality.

 

Reynard [ ]

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Reynard:

 

Whatever Nicios had done, it definitely had an effect. Most of the thralls suddenly crumpled. Reynard grinned.

 

Nice work…

 

Then, a moment later, all the lights and machine power flickered out. Reynard, who had just been drawing his bolt pistols to target the Warden, heard a sudden, audible, stomach-sinking 'click' from both weapons.

 

Oh, for  sake…

 

Doing his best to work quickly and ignore the rapidly thickening atmosphere, he ran through the clearing drills shown to him by Cephas, working the actions to release the jammed shells.

 

Spoiler

Command Laspistol Reliable roll: 4, not Jammed.

 

Full Action: Clear Jam. BS41, roll: 30, Success. Rapid Reload = both Bolt Pistols unjammed.

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND TWO CONTINUES

 

Bardas [ ]

 

GM Note: Thrall 3 is Unconscious, and therefore we can move immediately to Scourge upon completion of Bardas' Turn.

 

GM Note: Likewise, once Scourge has completed, Thrall 3 is also Unconscious, so we can move immediately to Falk.

 

GM Play will resume with Thrall 4.

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Order of Play

[A.T.]

Falk

 

The energies of the warp were growing, some battle of wills between Nicios and the golem. It's minions fell as the lights flickered... was it drawing strength from them or were they just incidental casualties caught in the arcane crossfire.

 

No matter why, it was an opportunity to close the distance and create an opening for Scourge.

 

Shield high Falk advanced quickly on the last standing thrall.

 

Reliable shotgun: 5 - not jammed.

 

Run (sprint if needed) to thralls 1 and 3 - and whatever cover that pillar thing near them provides

[Trokair]

Bardas

 

Whispering a prayer under his breath Bardas moved up for a better angle on the Warden as he let another shot fly. It was resilient, but they needed to bring it down before they could do much more.  

 

Spoiler

Half Action Move (4m) eastwards, Half Action Single Shot with Saxa

BS: 40 + 20 (Hulking) + 10 (Short Range) – 20 (Called Shot: Head) = 50

D100: 45, Hit, 1 DoS

Assuming no Dodge

Damage 1d10 + 5 = 8+5 = 13 at Pen 3

 

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

OOC: With apologies to our GM and the players, in the interest of expediency I'm posting Scourge's turn a little early as I'm anticipating having a busy day with the family and do not wish to hold up play.

 

As the pulse of warp-spawned wrongness washed over him, he briefly felt Lady Costanza's boltgun, with its scarred fleur-de-lis emblazoned upon the chassis, buck in his hands, but its sanctified mechanisms remained defiant, though the pilot light on the underslung exterminator cartridge guttered and flickered out. Scourge continued his crazed march into the den of corruption unperturbed even as the structure of reality shuddered around him, and he snapped off another bolt round into the object of his hatred, hoping to draw its ire.

 

As he passed the threshold into the cavernous temple, the zealot beat upon his cuirass with one fist and roared at the twisted fusion of machine and man, "I AM THY NEMESIS, ABOMINATION, THY DOOM! THY EVIL ENDS HERE!" He dropped Costanza's bolter in his wake and drew Hywelesbane, igniting the daemonhammer in a brilliant flash of searing light, an unmistakable beacon in the gloom. 

 

"Justice hath come for the thee, Aldario," he growled as much to himself as to the twisted hulk, and pointed the maul at the Golem's Warden in ritual challenge.

 

 

Boltgun Reliability Roll vs Jamming

Jamming Test: 1d10 7

 

Half Action: Half Move (5m) towards Warden

Half Action: Standard Attack (boltgun) vs Warden

BS37 + 10 (short range) + 20 (enormous) = 67

Standard Attack: 1d100 15: success; 5 DoS

Hit location: 51 (body)

 

Boltgun damage: 1d10+5X, Pen 4, Tearing, Reliable

Bolter Damage: 2#1d10 9 2 + 5 = 14X damage, Pen 4

 

Free Action: Shout a bit

Free Action: Drop Boltgun and draw daemonhammer (quickdraw)

Edited July 23, 2023 by Necronaut
Minor narrative clean-up

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND TWO CONTINUES

 

Warden:

More horribly living metallic-lacquered flesh is chipped and blown off. Molten metal from the bolt weapon tickles down the hideous body, carving a glowing rivulet and eliciting the stink of burning skin, and aetheric stench. The shot from Bardas again chips bone and meat. A rotten eyeball pops, but the creature doesn't seem to mind - it is far more incensed at Scourge's challenge, bellowing with inchoate rage at him.

Wounds: ???

 

Thrall 4: Actions

Frustrated by the sudden jam of the macrostubber, the Dark Magi Thrall tosses the gun away, and extends armed mechadendrites, one of which is a circular saw blade. It rushes in an arc, levitators whirring as the anti-gravity generators beneath the robe propel it onwards.

 

Full Action: Charge Falk

WS D100 +10 (Charge): HIT (1 Hit)

Location: Right Arm

Dam: 1D10 + 6 (Inc SB) Rending = 9, at AP 2

 

Nicios [ ]

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Stuff

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios

 

Despite the greasy feeling that the thinning of the veil produced, Nicios knew he had to act. He focused on the Golem itself, maybe his powers would be able to impact it.

Spoiler

 

Half Action - Manifest Psychic Power (Force Bolt), target Golem of Antares

Threshold - 13

Roll - 7 + 2 + 5(WPB) + 1(Power Well) + 2 (veil thinned) = 17, manifested

Overbleed - none

Willpower Test (to Hit) - 53

Roll - 30, pass

Result = Target takes (1d10 roll - 9, +5 WPB) 14 points of impact damage. No pyschic phenomena (no 8-10s rolled for manifestation)

 

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Lord_Ikka

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND TWO CONTINUES

 

The Golem:

The Golden Avatar behind the shielding screens takes a thump of invisible force. A dent appears in the perfectly sculpted arm at the elbow, mangling the beautifully crafted form.

 

The Warden: Actions

With the ghost of something noble inside, the brutal guardian returns Scourge's salute with a brief thump of armoured gauntlet to breast, before launching himself at the challenger to his kingship of this demesne, his massive left fist opening to crush and rend.

Full Action: Charge

WS D100 +10 (Charge): HIT, no DoS

Location (Right Arm), Dam: 2D10 + 10 (SB/PF SB+1 Inc) = 20 Pen 6

 

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

The tremendous blow would have utterly crushed the penitent knight, but he had anticipated such a response from the brute, and its enormous robotic fist instead pulverised the floor where he had been standing, pelting him with chips of rockcrete as he dodged into the Warden's blind spot. With a snarl, Scourge planted his feet and prepared to deliver a response in kind. 

 

 

Dodge: Ag41

Dodge: 1d100 30: success;1 DoS

Edited July 24, 2023 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

GM: I'll hold for Falk's Reaction, then close off the Round.

[A.T.]

Falk

 

The last of the standing thralls moved to attack, a chance for Bardas to interrupt whatever the golem had started without interruption. Holding his shield high he met the charge but would need to create some distance to use his weapon effectively.

 

The machine-man was far too dangerous a foe for Falk to risk a backwards glance to the rest of the battle but the clash of heavyweights was unmistakable - Scourge had clearly shaken off what ailed him earlier. Now to see if his training would bear fruit.

 

Parry with shield - 17 vs 50 (WS 35+15 defensive) = pass

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND TWO ENDS

ROUND THREE BEGINS

 

+Initiative Order+

Spoiler

Restal - 17

The Golem of Antares - 16

Reynard - 15

Bardas - 14

Thrall 3 - 14 (Unconscious).

Scourge - 13

Thrall 1 - 13 (Unconscious).

Falk - 12

Thrall 2 - 11 (Unconscious)

Thrall 4 - 11

Nicios - 9

The Warden - 9 (Player takes Priority).

 

MAP:

Spoiler

 

G M: AFAICT the map is correct positions-wise.

 

Restal [ ]

 

[Machine God]

Kerr Restal:

 

The Scourge had righteously charged into combat with the mutated machine, however fortune had provided him with a shot angle.

 

Reflexes. A clever man, a quick man could make the shot.

 

 

 

(Half Action) Half-Aim at Warden

(Half Action) Standard Action - Shot Vs Warden

Sinister - Huginn

BS 40 +10 (Half-Aim) +10 (Accurate) +10 (Red-Dot Sight) -20 (Shooting into Melee Combat) = 50. Result: 29, Pass 2DoS

Carnodon: 1d10+4 +2 (Mighty Shot) +1d10 (Accurate 2DoS)

9 +4 +2 +3 = 18 Damage