[DH1e] The Damocles Contingency (RPG IC)

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND THREE CONTINUES

 

The Warden

Another invisible finger plucks a small chunk from the broad shoulders. The brute almost ignores the chip, focusing on Scourge.

 

+Core vent in progress. Threshold 30% and rising.+

 

The Golem of Antares: Actions

Sustain Weaken Veil

Half-Action: Psychic Power - Dominate Thrall 2

WP D100: Pass, 1 DoS

Manifest Test (Target 24 -4 (Sustain) +2 (Weaken): 33 (Psychic Phenomena Rolled 2 x 10's so RF as well, but you know.)

Opposed WP Null as Target is co-operative.

 

GM: Psychic Phenomena

D100: 49 - The Earth Protests. Everyone within (5D10 = 33m I think only Restal is unaffected due to position, going by thumb) must pass Routine (+10) AG Test or fall over.

 

Golem: Immune

Warden: D100 +10 = 70 (FAIL) FP Re-Roll = PASS

Thrall 4: D100 +10 = FAIL

(The other Thralls are all Prone).

 

Reynard [ ]

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Calcs, PsyPhem, rolls.

[Lysimachus]

Reynard:

 

Spoiler

Ag50+10=60, Roll: 42, Pass.

 

What the hell is that…?

 

Reynard steadied himself against the suddenly shuddering deck. No time to worry about it though, just another sign that the intrusion of the warp seemed to be getting worse and worse. Pistols reloaded and ready to fire, he took a deep breath and hurled himself forward around the pillar.

 

He avoided the frankly terrifying combat between Scourge and the Aldario-thing entirely, immediately ducking away behind the statues to his right. His goal was to reach and sabotage the generator. The sudden loss of all tech had revealed it as the source of the shield's power. If they wanted to kill the Golem, they needed to kill the shield first. He hoped a few bolt shells would do the trick.

 

 

Spoiler

At GM request:
Awareness Test: Per28 +20(Awareness+20) +10(HS:Sight) = 58, Roll: 21, Success!

 

 

However, as he skidded to a stop near the arcane machinery, he noticed one of the fallen Thralls lying beside it. Still breathing. Perhaps even starting to recover? Wait, was it moving?

 

"Sorry, old boy," Reynard muttered amiably, turning aside to stand over it.

 

In his opinion, there was no such thing as 'fighting dirty'. Either you walked away or the other guy did. Calmly he leant down, placed the barrel of one of his pistols against the nape of the construct's neck, and pulled the trigger.

 

 

Spoiler

Full Action: Charge Thrall 2 (up to 15m, so should be plenty)
Single Attack with Bolt Pistol - Called Shot at Head
BS41 +10(Hulking) +10(Prone) - 20(Called Shot) = 41
No roll required, Helpless Targets (Unconscious) are hit automatically.

Dam1d10+5 Pen4 Tearing
Helpless Target = 1d10 becomes 2d10, + Tearing = roll 3d10 and discard lowest.
(7,10(!),1)+5 = 22.
RF roll: 17, Success. d10 = 5.
Total Dam: 27 at Pen4

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Lysimachus

[Trokair]

Bardas

 

Spoiler

Earth Protest Test

Ag: 41 + 10 (Routine) = 51

D100: 75, Fail, 2 DoF

Free Action Leap Up

Free Action Quick Draw, stow Saxa, draw Staff.

 

Charge Thrall 4

Move up to 12m, then attack.

WS:33 + 10(Charge) +10 (Size) = 53

D100: 10, Pass, 4 DoS – Location 01 = Head

If no dodge

Damage 1d10: 10! + 4(Sb) 

Riotous Fury Conformation WS:33 D100: 07 – Confirmed

Damage 1d10: 10! + 1d10: 10! + 4(Sb) = 24 at Pen 2 (mono)  

Second Riotous Fury Conformation WS:33 D100: 71 –  not confirmed

 

+Hive Quake+ but the words died even as he uttered them, it had been too short, to local, and still it had thrown him. However his new limbs acted on auto upon detecting the shift in gravity of his inner ear, restoring balance with an awkward roll.

 

With momentum already behind him Bardas lunged forward at the thrall besieging the Lawman behind his shield, Saxa swinging round on its strap to rest on his back, and staff  to hand spear like he thrust at the thrall.  

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND THREE CONTINUES

 

Thrall 2:

Explodes all over Reynard.

Crit Effect: In a series of unpleasant explosions the target’s head and torso peel apart leaving a gory mess in the ground. For the rest of the fight, anyone moving over this spot (1m x 1m) must make an Agility Test or fall over.

 

Thrall 4: Reaction

Dodge: D100 - FAIL.

Spurts blood and oil all over Bardas.

Crit Effect: The target’s head bursts like an overripe fruit and sprays blood, bone and brains in all directions. Anyone within 4 metres of the target must make an Agility Test or suffer a –10 penalty to their WS and BS on their next Turn as gore gets in their eyes or on their visors.

 

++++++++++++++

 

Scourge [ ]

Falk [ ]

Nicios [ ]

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

The psychic backlash from the unseen battle of wills between Nicios and the Golem caused the floor of the cathedral, nay the very bedrock of the Hive to roil and heave under Scourge's feet, threatening to knock him down where he had just skidded to a halt. He staggered backward two steps, but quickly caught himself, the servo-musculature of his war-plate keeping him upright and in the fight.

 

Putting the entirety of his mass and hatred into his attack, the grizzled warrior bellowed a gutteral warcry and rained bone-crushing blows down upon the Golem's wretched avatar, Hywelesbane crackling with actinic discharge and holy light. The wicked existed only to be punished; he was the Wrath of God made manifest.

 

 

 

Agility Test: Ag42 + 10 = 52

Agility Test: 1d100 77: fail; 2 DoS

 

FP Re-roll: 52

Agility Test: 1d100 49: pass; 0 DoS

 

1 FP remaining.

 

+++

 

Full Action: Swift Attack vs Warden

WS41 + 10 (master-crafted) + 20 (Enormous) = 71

Swift Attack: 2#1d100 5 33

Attack #1: 05 - success; 6 DoS

Hit location: Body (50)

Attack #2: 33 - success; 3 DoS

Hit Location: Body (33)

 

Damage (Hywelesbane): 2d10+4E+5(SB), Pen 10, Power, Sanctified, Unwieldy, etc.

Hywelesbane Damage: 2d10 15

Hit #1: 8 (d10) + 7 (d10) + 4 + 5 = 24E damage, Pen 10

Hywelesbane Damage: 2d10 15

Hit #2: 5 (d10) + 10 (d10; RF) + 4 + 5 = 24E damage, Pen 10

 

I just realised I have been doing Righteous Fury wrong this entire game, so with abundant apologies, here's a Righteous Fury attack roll:

Righteous Fury: WS41 + 10 + 20 = 71

Righteous fury: 1d100 88: failure; 1 DoS

No bonus d10 damage. 

 

I am going to assume the photon flash effect triggers even on a failed RF confirmation roll, so here's his subsequent toughness test:

Toughness Test vs Photon Flash: T41

Toughness Test: 1d100 86: failure; 4 DoF

 

Spending 1 FP to re-roll (0 FP remaining)...

Toughness Test: 1d100 42: failure; 0 DoF (!!!!!!)

 

Words fail me. Failure by 1%. I am Scourge's ruined, bleeding retinas. 

 

Blindness Duration: 1d5 1

Scourge has been blinded again (lol) for 1 (1d5) rounds. 

 

Can we put in an order for a seeing-eye dog for Scourge once this is over? I feel as though the old boy has earned it at this point. I suppose a set of bionic eyes would be acceptable too, considering it's the future and whatnot.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND THREE CONTINUES

 

Warden: Reaction

With a dark chuckle, the Warden sidesteps. It appears he has been saving himself for this moment.

Spoiler

Dodge: D100: 10. PASS.

Second Attack Cannot Dodge.

Damage: Sanctified - Daemonic Trait does not function

Wounds Remaining: 26

 

The brute grunts, even as it's left pectoral is caved in, armour pieces shatter and fly out in an explosion of angular flechettes. A strange molten ichor bursting forth to strike the floor with great laces of seething, scolding heat.

 

"You do nOt sTRike - MORTal. You flAIL," it mocks through the agony, even as blinding light scorches across it's face.

 

Blinding Test:

Spoiler

Toughness D100: PASS, no DoS.

 

[A.T.]

Falk

 

Barely on his feet and half blinded by the blood and flashes from the battle Falk lines his shotgun up against the nearest fallen thrall, at this range impossible to miss and near enough impossible to survive for even these monstrosities.

 

The golems puppet would be a different matter as he turned back to the ongoing melee, a blinding storm of white hot shards and thunderous impacts. The warning of the core vent barely sounded through the battle as he looked to Bardas.

 

 

Test vs quake = 39 vs 32+10 = pass - stays on feet

Test vs blindness (exploding thrall) = 79 vs 32 = fail

Test vs blindness (hammer) = good quality photo-contacts = pass

 

Semi-auto vs Thrall 1 = 39 vs 44-10 blinded, +30 point blank, +10 hulking, +30 helpless (caps out at a total of +60) = hit and 6 extra DoS

 5 total hits (two from the semi-auto, 3 from scatter)

 

Damage rolls: (all at Pen 0, Impact)

 7+9 = 16

 10+9+7 = 26

 7+9 = 16

 9+9 = 18

 4+9 = 13

 

No kill like overkill - i'm assuming the pillar / Bardas blocks splitting the two shots

[Mazer Rackham]

GM OOC: I'll answer here for speed @A.T. no, I'll rule that with Thrall 4 Dead, there's room for you to lean around. Nothing like the fusillade of a shotgun to round the ambience out.

 

ROUND THREE CONTINUES

 

Thrall 1:

The heavy shells of the Emperor's Voice of Law tear the creature asunder.

Crit Effect: The hit rips apart the flesh of BOTH legs, causing blood to spray out in all directions in a sudden flood of vital fluid, and the target dies in a spreading pool of gore.

 

Thrall 3:

Boomstick go boom boom (and not Basil Brush).

Crit Effect: The target writhes from the force of the attack, throwing back his head and spewing out a jet of blood before death.

 

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios

Spoiler

 

AG Test

Target - 32 - 10 = 22

Roll - 83

Result = Fail, 6 DoF

 

Blind Test

Target - 31

Roll - 07

Result = Pass, 2 DoS

 

 

Nicios sprawls to the ground, but his undignified tumble protects his eyes as the blinding flashes pulse. Even though he lies on the ground, Nicios launches another burst of warp power towards the Golem. The thralls were now gone and only the Warden and Golem remained. He knew his target and his duty.

 

Spoiler

 

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

Threshold - 13

Roll - 5 +  5 + 8 + 1 + 5(WPB) + 1(Power Well) + 2 (veil thinned) = 26, manifested

Overbleed ×2 (5 over thresholdeach) - Extra 1 damage per overbleed

Willpower Test (to Hit) - 53

Roll - 27, pass

Result = Target takes (1d10 roll - 6, +5 WPB + 2) 13 points of impact damage. One pyschic phenomena (one 8-10s rolled for manifestation)

 

Half Action - Move

Rise up from prone

 

 

He felt the impact as the Warp reacted to his power. He must push through and destroy the abomination, regardless of the toll the aether would take.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Lord_Ikka

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND THREE CONTINUES

 

The Golem of Antares

Can't Dodge

 

The psychic bolt smashes into the right leg of the mercurial effigy, smashing the knee. Intricate detailing and wonderful artifice which is almost mesmerising to look upon flies up into the air, to scatter in glittering confetti.

 

And yet when one stareth into the Abyss too long, and tempteth fate...

 

Psychic Phenomena: D100 = 89

Perils of The Warp.

 

[Players Stand By]

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Reynard:

 

Spoiler

Blind Test: T30, Roll: 64, Fail. 

Blinded for (d10/2) Rounds, roll: 2, 1 Round. That could have been worse, I suppose...

 

Cataclysmic Blast Damage:

12 - AV6 - TB3 = 3 Wounds, 16 Remaining.

 

That sudden light again! Reynard cursed loudly, unable to protect his eyes quickly enough. These photo-contacts were bloody useless!

 

Then something - not an explosion, but a wave of force? Heat? Electricity? - blasted him backwards, tumbling him towards the humming generator.

 

Was this it, he wondered blindly? Was Damocles dead? Was it all about to be over?

 

Reynard froze for a moment, waiting for oblivion.

 

No, not yet. The sounds of battle continued.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Lysimachus
Added Blast Damage and narrative.

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND THREE CONTINUES

 

PsyPhem - Cataclysmic Blast: The Psyker’s power overloads, arcing out in great bolts of warp energy. Anyone within 2d10 (18m - so everyone) metres of him (including the Psyker) takes 1d10+5 (12 total) Energy Damage (This will be to the Body. Armour is not precluded, but no Dodge is allowed, by my reading) and all of the Psyker’s clothing and gear are destroyed, leaving him naked and smoking on the ground. (I will rule that your bonding ring is the only thing left in your possession).

 

The Warden: Actions

No further words come, just a grunt and a swing.

Half-Action: Half-Aim

Half-Action: Standard Attack (Power Fist +10 Aim): WS PASS, no DoS

Dam: 21 Pen 6, E. Location Body, no RF.

 

FP: Heal (3 Wounds) = 29 Remain.

 

All Damage to be resolved, then I'll close the Round.

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
FP Heal

[A.T.]

Falk

 

Even amidst the chaos this new build-up of energy was unmistakable, as if all the world suddenly flowed inwards towards Nicios and then burst forth in a great flash of eldrich power.

 

Instinctively raising his shield he tried to interpose himself between the blast and Bardas as the wave struck

 

Toughness 3 + Armour 5 + Shield 4 = 12 - no damage, shield was clearly a good choice...

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

As Hywelesbane made contact with the Warden, Scourge's retinas were overloaded and he was plunged into darkness. There was a nearby, unearthly explosion and he felt a minor lance of pain as electrical discharge was directed into and dissipated by his armour. He swung the daemonhammer in an arc in front of himself, searching for the Golem's avatar to no avail, only to feel a brutal, crushing strike nail him directly in the chest. He felt his ceramite cuirass crack along with his still-healing ribs, and his world became pain as the giant's power gauntlet crushed him. 

 

 

 

Perils of the Warp Damage: 12 - AV7 - T4 = 1 damage

 

Dodge: Ag42 - 30 (blind) = 12

Dodge: 1d100 42: miss; 3 DoF

 

Warden Damage: 21 - 1AV (AV7 - Pen 6) - T4 = 16 damage

 

Wounds: 20 - 16 = 4 wounds remaining 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Necronaut
Removed 1 wound (thanks)

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios

 

Nicios fell to the ground, energy erupting from his mind, whipping across the battlefield, leaving him wounded and naked. 

Spoiler

 

Damage taken: 12 - 3(Toughness) - 2(armor) = 7. 10 Wounds remaining

 

 

Wisps of smoke rose from his body and only his shuddering breaths and still spinning ring showed that he was still alive.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Lord_Ikka
Totally forgot his Wound amount. 10 Woumds left.

[Machine God]

Kerr Restal:

 

A wave of energy assailed him from his left and jostled him painfully.

 

 

 

 

12 - AV4 - TB3 = 5 Wounds. 14 Wounds remaining

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Machine God
14 Wounds

[Trokair]

Bardas

 

Spoiler

Guts and Gore Agility Test

Ag: 41

D100: 61, Fail, 2 DoF – yuk

 

Hywelesbane Glory Test

T: 43

D100: 71, Fail, 2 DoF – Blind D10: 3 /2 = 1.5 rounds to 2 Round blind

 

Nicios go boom

Damage 12 – 4(Tb) – 4 (Armour) = 4 Damage  - 18 Wounds remaining

 

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND THREE ENDS

ROUND FOUR BEGINS

 

+Initiative Order+

Spoiler

Restal - 17

The Golem of Antares - 16

Reynard - 15

Bardas - 14

Scourge - 13

Falk - 12

Nicios - 9

The Warden - 9 (Player takes Priority).

 

MAP

Spoiler

 

Restal [ ]

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Map and stuff

[Machine God]

Kerr Restal:

 

It was all heading to the end, but he still had the shot.

 

Huginn still had two thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

(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: 08, Pass 4DoS. 08 = 80 Right Leg

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

7 +4 +2 +4 +9 = 26 Damage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Machine God
Error

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND FOUR CONTINUES

 

The Warden

Bullets chip and rend, doing small damage. The brutal King-Beast ignores it, trusting his Daemonic hide to protect him from the worst ravages of the weapon which would fell a man twice over.

 

+Warning: Safety interlocks disengaged. Core vent interrupted. Critical chamber pressure now at 40% and rising.+

 

The Golem of Antares: Actions

Spoiler

Sustain Power: Weaken Veil

Half-Action: Tech Possession - Bardas

WP D100: FAIL, 2 DoF

 

Players [ ]

 

GM Turn Resumes with the Warden

[Lysimachus]

Reynard:

 

Reynard edged backwards, stumbling around to take cover behind the generator while he waited for the glowing spots in his vision to subside. But his mind was still distracted by the last thing he had seen before the blazing flash of light. The hideous flesh-construct being struck, wounded, but still not destroyed by the hammer's deadly fury. How could an ordinary man become something so monstrous? What an end Aldario's misguided fatherly love had brought him to…

 

A sudden thought struck him.

 

"Aldario! Over here!"

 

He shouted as loud as he could in the general direction of the combat, hoping that the vile conglomeration would look over and see as Reynard took an object from his pocket and waved it blindly in the air. The precious vial.

 

"You know what this is, Aldario?" he yelled from behind the machinery. "The cure Dreyfuss made for Magda! I read your letters to her! Your 'dearest' daughter! Your family's 'last hope'! The good motive behind every monstrous thing you've done!"

 

Still blinking furiously, he stuffed the vial away again and took a deep breath.

 

"If we destroy that thing you once called 'the devil'… if Damocles survives… we can still save her! If there is any part of the father who would do anything to protect his daughters left inside that shell, then he must help us now!"

 

Maybe Aldario the devoted, loving parent was too long buried inside the Golem's Chaotic 'Warden', too far gone to ever be brought out again… but maybe he wasn't?

 

Worst case, the monster might now come after Reynard, but if it did, it would have to rip through the forcefield generator to get to him! Perhaps, if nothing else, his words might at least make the thing hesitate before using that evil-looking claw against Scourge?

 

Worth a damn shot in the dark, right?

 

Spoiler

Reynard is Blinded this Round.
Half Move behind generator.
Use Quick Draw to take out the vial and put it away again as a Free Action.
Yell at the Warden.

 

OOC: I don't know that there is much point in this attempt, but it's not like I'm doing any shooting this Round!
@Mazer Rackham I don't know if you want me to roll anything for this (I guess it could be Deceive, Charm or even Blather?) or just handle it as a bit of narrative?

 

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND FOUR CONTINUES

 

Reynard:

The Aldario thing turns from it's crouch over the fallen knight, pivoting at the hip in a strange, fluid manner. You can't see the remaining eye behind the mask, but it strikes you with a look that goes from mild irritation at being pestered by a gnat, to something approximating full and complete attention.

 

GM: You may attempt a Very Hard (-30) Deceive Test - the difficulty is due to Disposition (The guy hates you). From this you can also ascertain any Charm Test would automatically fail.

 

[Lysimachus]

Reynard:

 

Spoiler

Nice! I'm inclined to think I might as well try it? The Warden can't move out of combat until it's his turn, right? And even if/when he does, it would give Scourge a free chance to thwack him for leaving Engagement?

 

Deceive Test: Fel45 +10(Deceive+10) - 30(Hard) = 25, Roll: 29, Fail with 0DoF.

 

Oof, close but no cigar! I don't think it's worth spending a FP to try and reroll that, will leave the result as is, up to you @Mazer Rackham whether it slows the thing down/brings Aldario's good(ish) qualities out in any way.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Lysimachus

[A.T.]

Falk

 

Falk raised his shield ready for a fresh charge but the warden had paused, distracted somehow... perhaps like his daughter some part of him still remained. The golem after all was the manipulator, not a true controller of the mind. Quickly he fumbled in his pockets for the holocameo of Gwynne that Kraevus had carried and activated it, holding it out towards the warden.

 

"Your daughters still live, Gwynne lives and fights for this world, do you not recognise her light upon the hammer? It is by her grace that we stand here now to end this golem, this curse upon your house and set her free."

 

Falk charm/deceive?

12 vs target 45 (and i'll add a fate point for +10  - and i'll take any assists I can get :p )

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND FOUR CONTINUES

 

The Warden:

A...noise comes from the man-daemon. It's chest heaves, and the groaning of metal and meat in pain wheezes into the chamber. Following it is something else. Something gentle in a shell of hatred. It is a small thing, easily missed, easily mistaken for the wretched murmurings of a damned soul.

 

Something human.

 

The brute slowly shifts it's bulk, furtively peering for the implicit trap. It looks at the holocameo.

 

"Give...give..." it pleads, voice devoid of any inflection other than the metallic timbre of a throat made from steel.