[DH1e] The Damocles Contingency (RPG IC)

[A.T.]

Falk

 

"Seal the door and defend this position with your life, I will return", showing the sign of the inquisition Falk hoped that it would be enough against whatever might lurk down here as he set out into the darkness.

 

The symbol of the mechanicus was concerning given recent developments, but might perhaps be the one advantage he needed. Deviation from the norm was anathema to them even when impractical and while the layout might make little sense it was never the less repeated, a curious familiarity for places never before seen.

 

Perception test 29 vs 47 = pass, 1 extra DoS

[Mazer Rackham]

The Tech Lab:

 

The automaton ignores your bluster, and concentrates on crawling after you, but as the bottle falls onto the floor, it smashes, spilling sacred unguents onto the deck and the mechanical menace both.

 

On contact with this, the machine rebels, flying into a writhing frenzy. The monster flails, emitting scrap code infused binharic with and urgency and shrill pitch that could perhaps be categorised as biological pain.

 

However, the result is as dangerous to you, as it. The boltgun in its fist erupts, randomly shooting as the metal monstrosity contorts.

 

Cases of flammable substances are immediately exploded, shedding flaming debris and resulting in a massive fireball.

 

Please make a Challenging (+0) Agility Test (Dodge).

[Trokair]

Bardas

 

Using the momentary opening while the machine writhed he grabbed the gun’s barrel, it had been closer and reaching round to the grip would have taken too long. The audible whoosh of igniting combustible sounded uncomfortably close and without turning back to look Bardas ran toward the Arbite response team.      

 

Ag:36 +1(Duster) /2(Basic) = 18.5 rounds to 18 Not that it mattered here, but I assume the halving for an untrained basic skill happens after all other modifiers. 

D100: 57, Fail, 3 DoF 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Nicios:

 

At your demand, the eyes reappear, the brightness intensifying sharply.

 

The meatal sound suddenly rejoins, but this time an odd scuttling noise, coming from above and in front.

 

A second set of lights joins the first, dropping from the ceiling, followed by a buzzing noise.

 

Falk:

 

"As you will, sir!" The doors slam shut, and you can hear the hiss of pressure before they lock tight with a vacuum seal. They will be difficult to breach.

 

As soon as that happens, and you set off, carefully negotiating the tunnels as fast as you dare, you can hear in the distance - oddly - the sound of your own voice, although being outside your own head, it gives an eerie, creepy feel to the words. Or imprecation.

 

Someone is calling on the Emperor. In your voice. You are close.

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios

 

Thinking quickly, Nicios shouts again, "By the authority of the Holy Ordos of the Inquisition in conjunction with the will of the Omnissiah, stand and identify yourselves or face destruction!"

 

One last chance before I shoot.

[Mazer Rackham]

The Tech Lab:

 

Bardas is sent flying by the blast, casting him to the floor. Thankfully, the fireball is short-lived, and only scorches the Tech Sentinel, instead of setting him on fire.

 

"Hurry Tech Sentinel!" Haldane calls, as the shotguns once more rack and shoot, blasting the closest arm into a clattering pile.

 

Bardas takes 3 Wounds from the explosion and shrapnel.

[Mazer Rackham]

The Depths: (Falk/Nicios)

 

More chittering and buzzing. A third pair of lenses appears.

 

All then vanish, before you can sense movement in the darkness, weapon stablight reflecting on metal legs.

 

Claws.

 

Teeth.

 

Gentlemen, Initiatives.

[Mazer Rackham]

The Cradle:

 

+ ROUND 2 CONTINUES +

 

Cultist 2:

WP Test against burning: FAIL.

Cultist 2 is unable to ignore the flames, and drops and rolls to try and extinguish them.

 

Reynard [ ]

[A.T.]

Falk

 

(initiative: 10+3 =13, apparently very fast, but also very not there, and not very good with Nicios' pistols in any event :p )

[Lord_Ikka]

Nicios Initiative

2 + 3= 5

Nicios is not happy

[Trokair]

Bardas

 

The flash fire licked at his heels for scant moments before exhausting its fuel. He suspected that if he had not been as swift, or if there had been slightly more flammable chemicals in the shattered cases, then he would now be alight, and stop droop and roll seemed like a really bad idea amidst a firefight.

 

As he reached the Arbites line he thrust the Techxorcism gun grip first towards Haldane.

 

+I hope you know how to use such a dangerous relic+

 

Now that he had reached them he turned to face the baleful armour alongside the React Team, his staff held two handed.  

[Mazer Rackham]

@Lord_Ikka If you'd like, you may spend a Fate Point to score a 10 for Initiative, before I roll up the combat order.

[Lysimachus]

Reynard:

 

Well, of course.

 

Reynard snorted mentally, with only the slightest hint of envy. Easy to kill the bad guy and ignore blasts from shotguns when you wore gear like that. For a fraction of a second, he was tempted to fire his own shotgun into De Grassi's back. Bad idea. Maybe later.

 

Right now, Una needed help. The mutant had her pinned. Much too risky for 'Fennella', though. Reynard drew his laspistol and a red dot appeared against the bar above the figures struggling on the floor. Reynard centred it on the side of the creature's head. He did his best to aim carefully, but he could already feel his hand shaking from the airborne soporifics. He wasn't sure how much time he - or any of them for that matter - had left.

 

 

Spoiler

Free: Quickdraw Laspistol.
Half: Aim
Half: Single Shot at Cultist 5
BS41 +10(Short) +10(Aim) +10(RDS) - 10(1LoF) -20(Engaged) =41, Roll: 30, Hit!
Hotshot Dam 1d10+3 Pen4 Tearing
(4,10!) RF roll: 91, Fail. 

FP Reroll: 08, Success!

RF d10: 6
19 Dam at Pen4

 

OOC: Note that I didn't select the Head as a Called Shot, but after I rolled, it seemed fitting to add it to the narrative?

Also, if the bad guy fails to Dodge (are there any neg modifiers to Dodge shots coming at you while you're engaged in CC? Feels like there should be, but I can't remember reading it anywhere?) I might spend a FP to reroll the RF test and try to push a few more Wounds through?

 

End of Round Toughness Test: T24 -10(1LoF) = 14, Roll: 66, Fail.
One more and he goes unconscious, right?

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

The Cradle:

 

Rules Queries first:

Spoiler

There's normally no penalty to Dodge, as Cultist 5 isn't Helpless or Stunned (before the shot). There's no Surprise to it either, as most combatants are generally 'aware' of the area of danger, which allows the Dodge.

 

However, I will impose a Penalty here to Dodge of -10, due to him grappling with Una. Please note that any Target that is Prone incurs a -10 BS +10 WS (If you're standing above them) To Hit. Don't fret about this for now, just a note for everyone, going forward.

 

The Soporific Musk is a strange and unholy toxin that makes you lethargic. In normal circumstances, you are quite correct, but the effect here is that it reduces your Init step by a cumulative number, so if 2 LoF, then Init roll 13 becomes Init roll 11. Should you continue to fail the Toughness Test, and your Init Score is reduced to your AG Bonus, you will be required to pass WP, or go unconscious.

 

If the combat goes on that long, you'll probably want to. 

 

+ ROUND 2 CONTINUES +

 

Cultist 5: Reaction.

Spoiler

Dodge (-10) (Target already on the floor): FAIL

Damage: 13 - TB3 = 10. Wounds (-4/12)

Blinded 1 Round, 2 Levels Fatigue

Seeing Reynard's swift aim from the corner of his eye, the Cultist tries to wriggle free, but Una's got him as much as he's got her, and the las bolt burns a furrow across his face, severing his long, probing tongue in a splurt of purplish blood.  The appendage flies away from Una, at which point it begins crawling, like a giant meaty worm, slithering around in a weird mucus trail.

 

Una:

Face screwed up in absolute disgust, Una does what a girl learns to do what her father and the Guard taught her, and brings her knee up in a thunderous crack between the man's thighs, and thanks to Reynard, gets a chance to use her heels as an Improvised weapon.

Spoiler

Full Action: Called Shot (-20 WS)

WS: HIT (Girl rolled a 004, bless her.)

Damage: 1 (after TB/Arm)

 

Cultist 5: Crit Dam 5 (Leg) (-20 Ag, for 10 Rounds, 5 Levels of Fatigue)

Target WP Test, Init Step now match TB: FAIL

Cultist 5 is Unconscious.

 

Cultist 3:

Slithers around, and heads back towards, and behind the bar.

Action: Full move

 

Cultist 4:

Spoiler

Full Action: FAB (Autopistol) (Reynard/De Grassi)

BS: PASS, 1 DoS (Hits allocated 1 x each)

Location: Head/Head

Damage: 5 (Reynard) 8 (De Grassi)

 

De Grassi: Reaction

Dodge: PASS.

 

Cultists 5/6 Out of Action.

 

Hostess:

WP Test for fire: FAIL

Hostess drops and rolls.

 

Toughness Tests for Soporific Musk:

Spoiler

Bartender: PASS

Cultist 1: FAIL

Cultist 2: PASS

Cultist 3: FAIL

Cultist 4: FAIL

Hostess: FAIL

Restal?

 

 

+ ROUND 2 ENDS +

Edited March 8, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Updates

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

Well that was easy. Too easy…?

 

No matter; to the business at hand. To war and ruin.

 

The giant, Cephas, helped him to stand while another brother brought forth his arms and armor. For the first time in some days he looked down at himself in naught but his small clothes, and had a chance to inspect his bandaged torso. There was severe bruising around his left side, poking out from behind the wrapped linen. By some miracle his limbs had escaped any injury outside of some minor scrapes and bruises; his side and cranium had suffered the worst of it. With some effort he was able to shrug on his hessian shirt, and was then assisted with donning his gambeson, chain shirt and flak plate mail. His heavy leather boots were difficult to don – his left ankle was slightly swollen, perhaps sprained. He would endure, regardless. Duty until death. 

 

He then picked up the phial, studying it for a time. Such a strange thing, that the small, accursed object could cause such misery and death to all who sought or came in contact with it, or even near it. The collateral damage they had incurred to spirit it away was staggering. With a scowl, he wrapped the phial in multiple layers of cloth and stuffed it into a leather pouch, which he attached to a thong and placed around his neck, tucking it under his armor. They would have to kill him to claim it. 

 

As he was cinching up his thick leather belt, Cephas returned with his battered sallet. A plate of mismatched steel had been shaped and hastily welded over the top of the helm, clearly covering the area where he had sustained his head wound. He cradled the old, battleworn helm in his hands before reverently nodding to Cephas, and sliding it in place over his newly shaven scalp. He would have to make some adjustments to the straps so as not to disturb the bandages, but it would do for now. He had his face back. 

 

He filled his hands with his sidearms, slotting each into its home in the various belt loops, scabbards and holsters on his belt. Strapping his shield over his back, his ancient wooden-hafted lasgun came last.

 

He recounted the conversation he had just had with Inquisitor Locke, and found himself unwittingly giving into the pervasive paranoia of his new masters. 

 

Could the old inquisitor truly be trusted? Was this an elaborate double-cross? Had Locke truly been living here in secret under Verdict's nose all this time, or maybe they were secretly in league with one another as part of the ruse?

 

Questions upon questions flooded his mind. Questions with few answers. 

 

Keep thy friends close and thine enemies closer.

 

+++

 

Once so armed and armored, Scourge, somewhat warily, made use of Locke's secure terminal to establish a line of communication with the home office to apprise them of his fortunes and current whereabouts, though he did not reveal the existence of Locke to his master. He would cross that bridge when he came to it. He was commanded to secure transport and make contact with Haldane, whom he had mentioned, and to await further instructions.

 

+++

 

He followed Locke and Cephas down a maze of stone corridors to a vestibule with two large wooden doors. The heavy slabs of oak swung open to reveal a motor depot and the assembled Frateris, all armed and standing silently at attention, awaiting the head of their order. At a barked command, the men-at-arms broke into smaller groups and scattered, climbing into an motley assortment of old, repurposed Imperial Guard ground transports of various make and mark.

 

Scourge joined Father Hyronimus, Cephas and a number of other similarly armed and armored brothers in the back of an old armored truck of indeterminate manufacture, seating himself next to the old Inquisitor on the plasteel bench. He felt as much heard the enormous twelve cylinder engine fire to life and the vehicle lurched forward, joining the handful of other transports in the armored column. The slick smell of burning prometheum wafted over them, before being sucked out through the ventilation system and replaced with the sterile scent of recycled air. The ride was bumpy and each jarring impact was agony on his bruised ribs. But it was good to be back amongst fellow soldiers. He felt a silent bond of brotherhood with these mute warrior-monks despite having only just met them.

 

As the truck noisily rattled along, the Penitent turned his slitted visor toward Locke, leaned in close and spoke at greater length, telling more of his cell's tale to the Inquisitor, finishing with the journey he and Stimms had undertaken up-hive. Satisfied with his confession, he leaned back, resting his scarred and patched helm against the adjacent wall. 

 

"Forgive me my distrust earlier, Pater. I will admit that even now I am wary of thine aid, but if thou art truly still an agent of the Throne, then thou hast my thanks. Might I inquire as to the fate of my compatriots at the landing pad? I have no memory of what befell us save for a bright flash of light and being thrown a great distance."

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Necronaut
We can assume Scourge has introduced himself as such to Locke. ;)

[Mazer Rackham]

The Frateris Transport:

 

Locke nods sagely as he listens. "For your good confession, your penance is five litanies to Sanguinius, for his angelic mercy, and five Chaplets, reflecting upon the miseries of the Emperor in the throes of His trials at the hands of the Great Betrayer. You have paid the rest in blessed wounds."

 

As you ask your questions, Locke spares a glance at Cephas, sat across from you both. The 'man' appears to be wearing a heavy Ogryn's Carapace breastplate, which has been hammered to fit his chest.

 

"Speaking truth is dangerous, but you have the right ear," Locke smiles, still looking at Cephas. He turns his head, sorrow and a strange despondency about his shoulders. "Voyager is dead. A shame, for he was a great pilot and warrior. My hope is that a fellow we have had our eye on for some time, will provide us with wings to flee this coop, should it begin to fall."

 

He considers for a moment. "Your friend, the medic, lies in a coma under the care of the hospice. Anonymous, he will be safe there. For now."

 

"A gang of greedy ruffians attacked the lander, seeking booty. Were it not for Cephas, you may have been taken as well, fed to corpse starch grinders. The men have been described to me. They are a gang run by a loathsome ne'er-do-well called Tarkan Pirentus. He is known to sin for hire, but via his minions, for he is a debauched hedonist since becoming a gangster."

 

"I hear a lot in confession," he explains with a tight, rueful smile. "Nobles who like a good time, that kind of thing."

 

"My greatest shame is reserved for a blessed daughter in faith, my fair Constanza. She had occasion to take a liking to rogues."

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

The warrior nodded his head in acceptance of Father Hyronimus's prescribed penance and listened intently as the Inquisitor spoke at length about Voyager and Stimms, the assault, the gangers and their leader. As the older man finished, Scourge pulled at the bottom of his visor, making a minor adjustment before responding in kind.

 

"Pater, I do not believe the assault upon Voyager's craft to be a coincidence, a crime of passion by ne'er-do-wells. My cell hath been plagued by bands of brigands e'er since our investigation commenced, each worse and more vicious than the last. Many with connections to those in high places. Methinks we hath kicked the proverbial hornet's nest, Pater. Our enemies move in league; the hive ist rife with corruption."

 

He sat and stared at the scuffed barrel of the lasgun clenched by his fist. He chewed his tongue, weighing his next words.

 

"Pater, forgive my impertinence, but I fear that we are betrayed somehow from within. If thou art still in contact with my master, surely this hath occurred to thee?"

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

The Frateris Transport:

 

"Your question is worthy, my son. Yes, it has occurred to me that we are betrayed from within, but I trust Viceroy and her people with all my heart and soul. If I was in error about any one of them, then the burden shall fall upon me, rightly."

 

Garrad Hyronimus Locke reflects on your words further. "You have a grasp of what the inside of a hive looks like, my son, and verily it is nought but cannabalism dressed as civilisation. Where the noble bees make honey, wasps make only bitterness and bother."

 

"It is perhaps more internecine politicking that has led to many of our misfortunes, but I lay the blame at three doors: Mine, Lord Aldario, and the Golem of Antares Minoris."

 

"Tell me, my son. What do you know of the Dark Mechanicum?"

[Mazer Rackham]

The Tech Lab:

 

Haldane grasps the weapon.

 

+I wilL bE FrEE!+

 

"Not today, sunshine," Haldane growls. He fires the Techxorcism gun, and the howl of the invisible beam is nothing as compared to the shriek of the disembodied spirit cast out from the suit or armour. It collapses into pieces, clattering across the floor like pieces of a marionette.

 

The React team are largely unharmed, but one or two have cuts and bruises from the pummelling shells.

 

There is a wisp of almost imperceptible smoke as whatever possessed the mechanisms vanishes into the beyond.

 

"I'd suggest giving everything a scrub before using it, Adept Bardas," Haldane says with a grim smile.

[Necronaut]

Scourge:

 

 

OOC: I know no dice roll was requested, but being an aficionado of the myriad heresies of the Dark Mechanicum, I figured I might insert this to maintain the façade of adherence to the spirit of the rules and narrative. ;)

Forbidden Lore (Heresy) Test, Untrained: 33 (Int)/2 = 16

Roll: 75; failure with 5 DoF

 

 

The guardsman shook his head.

 

"I know not that name, Pater. Be they some secret order in service to the Machine God? I hath faced the forces of the Mechanicum on the field of battle once, to my great shame. They were implacable adversaries and utterly without mercy. I had just started mine incarceration with the 801st. Many died. All over a lost shipment of Imperial Standard carriage bolts, or somesuch."

 

He looked down ruefully and fell silent, briefly ruminating on past ignominies. 

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Necronaut

[Machine God]

Kerr Restal:

 

Yes it would be so simple. Listen to the song...

 

In the act of standing up from the floor, he'd taken a larger breath of air. He felt tired and could hear things.

 

TGH 34 -0 (Challenging) = 34. Result: 66, Fail 3DoF. 1 Level of Fatigue

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

The Frateris Transport:

 

Locke mistakes the origin of your chagrin. "Ignorance is a defence, lad, not a sin. Well," he corrects himself. "Mostly."

 

A signal comes down from the front of the Chimera, and Cephas' hands dance in some kind of secret sign.

 

"Very good, my friend," Locke responds, before turning to you. "We have arrived. The mighty Cephas will remain with the transports, and marshal them for our outward journey."

 

"Come my son, do not dwell more than penance demands upon your past sin. Second chances are our stock in trade - and by His blessed fortune, we have been granted one. By the Throne, the people here will suffer no longer."

 

He leads into the Arbites Precinct, presenting himself to the desk Officer. He merely holds up his seal, matching his bearing to the rank of it, and after pressing his thumb to a dataslate, the doors are opened, and you enter The Halls Of Judgement.

 

"I will explain further once in seclusion. Secrets are for those with little to say."

 

His eyes linger on the giant warrior, slinging his pack and gathering his stave weapon - a steel beam which makes the other staffs and pikes look like toothpicks.

[Mazer Rackham]

The Depths:

 

+ NARRATIVE TIME ENDS +

+ STRUCTURED TIME BEGINS +

 

+ ROUND ONE +

 

+ Initiative Order +

Spoiler

Falk: 13 (Arriving Round 2)

Drone 1: 11 (12/12) (Arm 3)

Guard 1: 10 (10/12) (Arm 4)

Guard 2: 6 (10/12) (Arm 4)

Nicios: 5

Drone 2: 5 (12/12) (Arm 3)

Drone 3: 5 (12/12) (Arm 3)

 

MAP:

Spoiler

MAP NOTES: The tunnels are Dark, so all BS tests would normally be Hard (-20). However, the stablight on the autogun and the lamps mitigate this to Difficult (-10). Your enemies are not hampered by this.

 

@A.T., note that you will still be required to continue your Perception Tests. Please make this test before taking actions, as if you fail the Test, you have taken a wrong turn, and I will move you (at a rate of your choice) in a random direction.

 

+ ROUND ONE CONTINUES +

 

Falk [ ]

Edited March 9, 2023 by Mazer Rackham
Updates

[Trokair]

Bardas

 

+Thank you Provost Haldane for your timely intervention. The scrapcode and baleful machine spirit took us by surprise, despite the precautions we took, there was nothing I could do to save your man Yshing, it went for him straight away. The speed with which it corrupted the bless armour was terrifying, and I cannot help but fear that if the data core had been accessed by someone before we found it in the vault then another such spirit could be loose in the Hive.+

 

With a note of horror in his mechanical voice at the thought that he just had just uttered Bardas quietly added.

 

+Actually that would explain some of the recent events, curses on the Arch-Traitor Kalbor-Hal, we will have to hunt it down and Exorcise it from every cogitator and data-node in the Hive.+

 

Grimly surveying the devastation in the Lab Bardas continued with a sigh.

 

+A scrub is going to be insufficient, but we do need to deal with this mess first. I assume you do not have an industrial furnace nearby where the remains can be safely cleansed and rendered down, but perhaps your armoury has a metlagun that will work just as well, if so could one of you fetch it.+ He addressed the last part to the squad in general.

 

Working his way across the ruined lab, taking care of where he stepped and staying well clear of the armoured remains, Bardas made his way over to the cogitator terminal that had received the data from data core. It was powered down, and as a precaution Bardas unplugged it as well.

 

+Haldane, if you have a stasis casket or similar for storing sensitive or important evidence then this unit will have to consigned to one until someone with greater skills and tools then either of us can assess the retrieved date, if not it will need to be slaged alongside the core and remnants of the power armour.+

 

+Then there is the matter of the powerpack and the bolter, I do not trust that either is free of the taint, but they cannot be melted down without risk of explosion.+

 

Considering things for a moment he added.

 

+Though the bolt shells themselves should still be sanctified, and thus we can remove them and cleanse just the bolter itself. Is there a Covenant of the Soraritas that can be called upon to dispose and cleanse the powerpack?+    

[A.T.]

Falk:

 

The sound should have provided a clear path, but instead echoed through countless vents and interconnected passageways until it seemed to come from all directions at once. With more time and a little caution the markings should have made navigating this place relatively mundane but from the sounds of things there was no time to delay.

 

Perception: 92

Not a great start, going to re-roll that one before Falk runs off into the middle of nowhere and misses the entire fight

32 - pass with an extra DoS

 

Full speed ahead