[BC] The Blackest Heart (OOC)

[Machine God]

16 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

 

Worst case scenario, we could feed a bunch of space marines with a giant tortoise... Charles Darwin said they were delicious! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be clear, I kid, of course! 

 

 

Looks like Meat's back on the Menu!

 

Tahr brought us a Crunchy Meat Pie!

[Mazer Rackham]

57 minutes ago, Trokair said:

Dare I ask how many more punny names you are going to throw around?

 

Yes.

 

48 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

To be clear, I kid, of course! 

 

That new tortoiseshell-handled cutlery set the Party just got is going to take some explaining...

[Trokair]

14 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

That new tortoiseshell-handled cutlery set the Party just got is going to take some explaining...

 

Some?! A LOT of explaining I think.

[Mazer Rackham]

Have a think about how to narratively introduce your Quadrupanzer as well, Tro. Where did you get/find him, etc.

 

Having it spontaeneously appear isn't out of the question, but it's a bit big to say it was hidden in your rucksack the whole time. 

 

 

[Trokair]

30 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Have a think about how to narratively introduce your Quadrupanzer as well, Tro. Where did you get/find him, etc.

 

Having it spontaeneously appear isn't out of the question, but it's a bit big to say it was hidden in your rucksack the whole time. 

 

 

 

You mean these don't work? 

 

 

 

I have an idea in mind, just need to flesh it out a bit and find a good place in the recent narrative for the scene, probably should reread the last page of the  in game thread while I am at it. 

[Mazer Rackham]

'Gotta Catch 'Em All!' Shouted the Inquisition, calmly.

[Trokair]

I'll get a post up this evening when I get home, quick question, re the Vac suit on the Krokodile, do i need to make any inspection rills to make sure Tarh grabs one that works?

[Mazer Rackham]

Yes you will - good call, I'll add some GM direction.

 

EDIT: I have now added this to my last post (in a format I'm happy with).

 

Edited January 9 by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

@Mazer Rackham following up on @Trokair's request, it would be awfully nice if we could lay our hands on a set of micro-beads for our little gang so we could stay in easy communication with one another should we become separated... which means an Infamy test is likely in order. 

 

Per my calculations (factoring in your reduced availability rule for this game), 7x micro-beads at avergage -> scarce rarity would put us at a -10 total on the infamy test, which per the RAW means we can't even attempt the test. Our best bet to have some semblance of short-medium-range communication amongst the lot of us will either be for us each to acquire our micro-beads individually, for which we could each make the test at a +10 modifier (still not great odds but at least a couple of us would be able to wrangle something), or we could rely upon any telepathic communication powers which Rakash may or may not possess to keep us all in line (FYI the group telepathy powers can be insanely useful for this, assuming the party's resident Khorne priest doesn't take issue and offer to give the telecom witch a viking crew cut). Or, I guess, we could all just try to nominally stick together or something.

 

All that being said, the micro-beads might not be especially important or necessary given we're assaulting a moderately-sized asteroid base, I'm just offering that up as something that could be useful to have for the party, and will be of particular importance when we get deeper into the game and are doing stuff planetside behind enemy lines. If anyone else has any better ideas, feel free to chime in.

 

One other thing @Mazer Rackham: do we need to establish a Compact for this undertaking (i.e. the swearing of Chaos oaths and blood pacts and whatnot), or is this sort of beneath the notice of the dark gods and just another opportunity for Huron to test our capabilities as a new mafia crew/nascent warband?

 

Edit: I know this is also the means by which we will be introduced to @Viking Slade's character, should we find him and not accidentally kill him.

Edited January 9 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

12 minutes ago, Necronaut said:

@Mazer Rackham following up on @Trokair's request, it would be awfully nice if we could lay our hands on a set of micro-beads for our little gang so we could stay in easy communication with one another should we become separated... which means an Infamy test is likely in order. 

 

I'll answer this with more clarity below as one thing lends to another.

 

12 minutes ago, Necronaut said:

All that being said, the micro-beads might not be especially important or necessary give we're assaulting a smallish asteroid base, I'm just offering that up as something that could be useful to have for the party, and will be of particular importance when we get deeper into the game and are doing stuff planetside behind enemy lines.

 

I'm aware of your needs. 

 

You will need to crowdfund for Tatiana again, though.

 

One thing I will say, tying into comments above and below, is that depending on your Tests with the suits, you might get temporary comms anyway depending on Quality etc, or perhaps be able to loot them from the station (which to my mind would be more likely).

 

12 minutes ago, Necronaut said:

One other thing @Mazer Rackham: do we need to establish a Compact for this undertaking (i.e. the swearing of Chaos oaths and blood pacts and whatnot), or is this sort of beneath the notice of the dark gods and just another opportunity for Huron to test our capabilities as a new mafia crew?

 

Tying this into my comments above - I used Sevaris to basically give you carte blanche with how you want to deal with this. If you, as Players wish to make this a Compact, you may certainly do so. If you prefer to, this will mean you will need to elect an Anointed etc, but it is up to you if you want to entreat any dark pacts, since the name of this game is to allow you to go to hell your own way.

 

If you prefer, you may elect to echew the Compact and elect an Anointed anyway, who becomes more of a group spokesperson to the Red Corsairs (you are your own cell, now in effect), who can make a 'Request' for equipment on your behalf (similar to the Deathwatch KT Leader). Of course, Compacts affect Infamy, but this was supposed to be your entry point regardless, and therefore the boons for level 1 players doing thier intro game were always going to be curtailed.

 

Ball's in your court, boys, Tatiana notwithstanding. 

 

Edited January 9 by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

@Mazer Rackham Thanks for the clarification! Right lads, if we want to get anywhere in this game/wretched hive of scum and villainy, we're going to need to start entering into compacts for a shot at those rich, rich infamy and corruption rewards (plus bonus xp). The risk/reward here cuts both ways here, however, but I certainly think it's worth it and makes the game a bit more high stakes. I'm going to propose we nominate Hagga as our Anointed this go around since this is a fairly simple and violent mission (we can and should take turns amongst ourselves if desired/needed from mission to mission).

 

I don't feel particularly strongly about us dedicating the compact to any individual god at this stage of the game, as most of us are and likely will remain unaligned for a while, both mechanically and personally. As this is supposed to be a relatively straight forward smash, grab, kill sort of job and we're going in with fairly minimal planning and information (a most suitable complication for such a compact), I think our intrepid GM will maybe have just barely enough material to work with to get us across the line as an Undertaking (the smallest of compacts) with some secondary and tertiary objectives to go around, should he so choose, but I'll leave that to his judgement.

 

Thoughts?

Edited January 9 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

18 minutes ago, Necronaut said:

As this is supposed to be a relatively straight forward smash, grab, kill sort of job and we're going in with fairly minimal planning and information (a most suitable complication for such a compact), I think our intrepid GM will maybe have just barely enough material to work with to get us across the line as an Undertaking (the smallest of compacts) with some secondary and tertiary objectives to go around, should he so choose, but I'll leave that to his judgement.

 

*Rummages in his GM box. Finds some odds and ends.*

 

Yeah, it'll work.

[Lysimachus]

Hagga is one of the more fighty characters on the team, so I'm happy enough to be leader for this one, if everyone agrees. (Though I'm not 100% clear if there is anything more that I'm responsible for in BC?)

 

I'd tend to agree with not Dedicating a Compact at this point. Khorne is certainly the most likely one for Hagga, but right now even that one would be pretty horrific in his view? But if there is a way to do it narratively that makes sense, then the bonuses sound useful? Edit: I suppose a 'Blood Oath' of sorts could be a barbarian Stygian/Executioners thing rather than an openly Khorne-worshipping thing? (first steps on the path...)

 

From a cursory reading, we as players come up with suggestions for the Objectives for a Compact, right? So, the Primary is the overall task, which I'm guessing is fairly self-evident; ‘conquer the station’? (Or at least the bit we are assigned to deal with?)

 

Secondaries are the individual tasks that put together result in meeting the Primary, right? So, maybe things like:

‘Take the airlock’
‘Navigate the station tunnels’
‘Attack the hangar’/’shut down the enemy's ability to launch defense craft’

 

Perhaps we could also try to do more techy stuff on the way for the Adepts? - if the attackers are all void-protected, perhaps shutting down the air supply or light/heat/whatever would give the Adepts something to do and make the Corsairs’ overall mission easier?

 

Tertiaries I'm not so clear on, they seem to be more for each player to discuss with our GM and come up with their own…?

 

 

Feel free to tell me if I'm misunderstanding how this bit works... 

 

 

Edited January 9 by Lysimachus

[Necronaut]

@Lysimachus that all looks right to my eye. I love the idea of offering some sort of barbarian "blood oath" that is not dedicated to the Blood God in name, but could find its way there through the Warp by unwitting intent. Likely a wise choice given the nature of what we're doing here for the combat bonuses and general feel of things.

 

Tertiary goals are assigned by/proposed to/negotiated with the GM and done so in private as they are usually highly personal to each character and can be made in direct conflict with the personal goal(s) of fellow party members. I'll leave it to @Mazer Rackham to decide how much intraparty conflict he wishes to foster here at the outset.  

Edited January 9 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

49 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Perhaps we could also try to do more techy stuff on the way for the Adepts? - if the attackers are all void-protected, perhaps shutting down the air supply or light/heat/whatever would give the Adepts something to do and make the Corsairs’ overall mission easier?

 

With regard to the Adepts, they'll have opportunities going forward as the mission progresses, so no worries there for those Players. Granted, the design of Compacts better fit what you get up to AFTER this particular 'bit' since there you have the open world and the remit to design your own missions wholesale, but rocking and rolling with simple plans for now is the way to go I think for us all to get used to it. 

 

42 minutes ago, Necronaut said:

I'll leave it to @Mazer Rackham to decide how much intraparty conflict he wishes to foster here at the outset.  

 

Probably unwise, but sure. 

[A.T.]

In terms of tasks Xerxes primary goal would likely relate to securing resources.

 

I was going to ask the cost/difficulty of void sealing armour but possession of the machine trait from mechanicus assimilation in combination makes it a mute point.

 

(Current team salvage for reference: 20 components, 20 medical, 20 fuel, 15 supplies)

[Necronaut]

@A.T. thanks for the reminder about our supply stockpile. We'll need to give serious thought about what to do with that stuff long term once we get our feet properly underneath ourselves. Also let us not forget Ukalegon's ace in the hole: his melta pistol (I was thinking we might need melta charges or a lascutter as well, and then remembered I had bought the equivalent as part of my starting kit). Woe betide any door, armour plating or other impediment that stands in his path.

[Trokair]

Not knowing anything about Compacts or how they work I will go with the majority on this. From the post in this thread I take it is a Chaos version of a Oath of Moment kind of thing, and I can see Tarh partaking in such as long as it is to the entire pantheon and not any one god.

[Mazer Rackham]

2 hours ago, A.T. said:

Current team salvage for reference: 20 components, 20 medical, 20 fuel, 15 supplies

 

Cheers AT, I must remember to sort out that spreadsheet in the googledrive!

Edited January 10 by Mazer Rackham

[Lord_Ikka]

Well, wish I had the 19 roll for the int check instead of trying to scam someone, but I think it could work out....

 

As far as the compact goes, if we do make one I think going undivided for the first test of the cell. Secondaries seem to be stuff that needs to happen for the primary to occur, but don't need to be spell out specifically (gives more latitude to let non-combat oriented people do things?). It would look something like this?- 

 

Compact - The First Blow Struck

Annointed - Hagga 

Dedicated to - The Pantheon of Chaos (Undivided) and Lord Huron

Primary Objective - Capture the asteroid base

Secondary Objectives - 

    A. Disrupt local defense (ground forces)

    B. Control power/air supply

    C. Deny the enemy reinforcements (stop communications, prevent escaping craft, etc...)

Tertiary Objectives - Up to individual characters

     Example - Crux'as must turn/gain command of 5 enemy fighters

Edited January 10 by Lord_Ikka

[Mazer Rackham]

Looks good, appreciated. 

 

Executing a Compact is actually a very important step in your Charater's RP journey, basically throwing your old life away, and committing to this dread path.

 

I'll work out any Tertiaries if I think it's appropriate, but we'll not worry about them too much now. On the contents of the Compact - remember that what you plan is not exactly what will happen.

 

Obviously, if the 'modified' or 'complicated' tasks are completed, that will be taken into account as usual.

[Machine God]

@Mazer Rackham

 

GM: As per good query in the OOC, anyone requiring a void-glove or vacc-suit will need to make a Difficult (-10) Intelligence Test. If you have Armourer, Armour Monger or such, it becomes a Challenging (+0) Intelligence Test. Obviously on a PASS, I will advise if there are any defects, which may have a single repair attempted. If your roll/result displeases you, you can always make an Infamy Test for some other poor NPC schmuck to surrender his: beware, because his could be worse (I will roll in secret).

 

 

What about if you have Armourer and Armour Monger?

 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

14 minutes ago, Machine God said:

What about if you have Armourer and Armour Monger?

 

It's an either/and/or in this case, so the Test Difficulty is -10 if you don't have any listed, +0 if you do. There's no improvement for multiple qualifying Talents.

[Trokair]

So do we have this compact thing.

 

If there is narative we need to do for it I have a feelign there is no proper time in the Krokadile given that it is about to launch.

 

So perhaps flashback?

[Mazer Rackham]

You can do it as the spacecraft are being shuffled - so by the time you finish the Compact swearing - you're deploying into the Krok. Alternatively you can do it whilst inside the Krok and are about to get fired at an asteroid like a dart.

 

 

EDIT: Which reminds me. Might need a few D10's rolled...

 

Edited January 11 by Mazer Rackham
Foreshadowing