[BC] The Blackest Heart (IC)

[Mazer Rackham]

Krokodil 4-2:

 

GM: The time has come. Gentlemen, Initiatives.

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

Initiative: 2+5 = 7.

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

Out of corner of his eye Tarh saw Crux'as take up a position next to the door, the other two were somewhere behind him, hopefully covering whatever danger Xerxes had spotted. If the five out front were also a diversion then holding this location was unlikely to be tenable. First they had to hold and tip the balance in their favour before they could break out.

 

Steadying his breath, reciting a mantra, steadying his heartbeat, counting the seconds for the first to appear in the door frame, the long-las ready to pounce.  

 

Initiative

d10: 3 + 4(Ag) + 2(The Quick and the Dead) = 9

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Scratching around in the dark, in the shadows consorting with the Xenos is Anathema. It's worse than slaanek and tzentich Vitchery! 

 

It is not the pure way, although a stab in the dark is good for initial contact. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Initiative = 1D10 + AGB +2 (The Quick and the Dead) 

10 + 4 +2 = 16. 

 

 

 

 

 

Rage spoke to him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 1 by Machine God
The Quick and the Dead

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

Initiative - 7 + 3 (Ag) + 2 (The Quick and the Dead) = 12

Edited February 1 by Lord_Ikka

[Mazer Rackham]

Krokodil 4-2:

 

++ NARRATIVE TIME ENDS ++

++ STRUCTURED TIME BEGINS ++

 

MAP: (MS Paint, lol)

Spoiler

 

Red is the vent, blue is the antenna, grey is your scatter terrain for cover, door is the tasteful architect's slash top right.

 

Map's not to scale, it's just for some idea of what's where and the layout. This will be the orientation of the room when rolling Scatter.

 

Initiative Order:

Kraggen 16

HM 1 12

Crux'As 12

HM 2 11

Tarh 9

HM 3 8

HM 4 8

Xerxes 7

Hm 5 7 (Player has Priority)

 

GM Info: The door is currently locked in the open position, allowing two persons to pass abreast. There are significant consoles and cogitators to take cover behind which will provide AP4 to Legs, Body. If you need further info, screaming and shouting in the OOC.

 

Edited February 2 by Mazer Rackham
Init adjust

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

 

OOC- Going to do Crux'as action as I'll be busy until Sunday and don't want to slow anyone down, it won't effect Kraggen. 

 

Crux'as looked at the Hanged Men charging towards them. They were wearing mining suits, but several of them had odd bumps and protrusions straining the material. Their faces were masked by the purple scarves, but strange eyes and ridges on their foreheads marked them as not purely human. Mutants.

 

"My friends, look upon this scum. These mutated wretches, not touched by the blessed Warp but by some foul Xenos! Bring them down, destroy them, kill them!"

Spoiler

Full Action Inspire Wrath (Mutants)

Charm Test

Target - 61

Roll - 35

Result = Pass, 2 DoS. All cell members gain Hatred (Mutants) until the end of the encounter. This gives +10 WS against Hatred targets, but must take a Willpower Test to retreat or surrender unless massively outnumbered or outclassed. Any cell member not wanting to be Inspired must take an opposed Willpower Test vs Crux'as 45WP. 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Krokodil 4-2:

 

ROUND ONE BEGINS

 

[ ] Kraggen

 

Edited February 2 by Mazer Rackham

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

He raised his Fallen Magos Power Axe and roared a challenge to the doorway. 

 

"Come on, face me! You Purple Xenos Scum! I'm here!" 

 

 

 

 

 

(Hold Action)

 

 

 

 

 

Let them come, he would not be found wanting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Trokair]

OOC:I am out for most of the day, so while two of hostiles have higher initiative I am posting Tarh’s turn on the assumption that at least one of the hostile enters the door space and therefore into Tarh’s prepared line of sight.   

 

Tarh

 

Now was not the time for a sermons, Tarh tried to ignore the preacher, least it distract him in the fight.

 

Spoiler

Willpower Test , I know I am turning down a buff, but I do feel Tarh would try to ignore this and stay focused.

WP:28

d100: 02, Pass, 3DoS

 

Somewhere to one side Kraggan bellowed a challenge at the enemy, enticing them to come in.

 

 

Spoiler

Half Action Aim, Half Action Standard attack with long-las

BS: 44 + 10 (short range) + 20 (Aim and Accurate) = 74

D100: 76, Miss, 1 DoF

 

For a moment he thought he had hit, the hostiles torso turning as if from an impact, but in the following seconds it became clear that the enemy was unharmed, somehow his shot had missed, perfectly threading the needle between the enemy, the open door and the other enemies to strike somewhere harmlessly.

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND ONE CONT

 

 

[x] HM 1 12

Spoiler

Half Action: Half Aim

Half Action: Shoot Picter

BS: D100 21 HIt (Picter destroyed)

 

The Screen covering the corridor to the right goes to statcic snow. As the crewman with a bit more gumption, nearly undoes himself when he pops into the sliver-gap betwixt door and frame, covered by Tarh.

 

Evade (Dodge)

D100: 014 PASS.

 

'That was a bit naughty!' the miner calls, a hint of relief in it. 'Give 'em the presents we brung.'

 

[x] HM 2 11

Spoiler

Half Action: Half Aim

Half Action: Shoot Picter

BS: D100 24 HIt (Second Picter destroyed)

 

[ ] HM 3 8

Spoiler

Half Action: Ready Grenade

Half Action: SA Frag Grenade

BS: D100 21 HIt (Picter destroyed)

BS: 54 MISS, Scatter

 

[ ] HM 4 8

Spoiler

Half Action: Ready Grenade

Half Action: SA Frag Grenade

BS: D100 21 HIt (Picter destroyed)

BS: 12 HIT, (but because blind-fire) Scatter

 

Two bombs are hurled through the door, banging and clattering from the wall and over the equipment. One gets in further than the other, in a much cleaner toss - possibly 'posted'. They erupt in fire and shrapnel, blowing out wall-panels and popping resistor-clades in a harsh snap-shower of sparks.

 

GM: All occupants of the room must now either:

• Perform an Evasion Test (Dodge), OR;
• Take a Pinning Test (Willpower)

You may use whichever stat is the highest. You should narrate your results accordingly, and may end up behind cover (if you weren't).

 

[ ] Xerxes

 

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

Fragmentation grenades... not nearly enough against his armour though the void suit he had procured from the entryway did not fare nearly as well. The others shrank back from the rabble and their crude weaponry, even the barbaric Kragan perhaps waiting for some opening but Xerxes could not shake the feeling that the room itself was compromised.

 

Better out that in. Pushing out of the room he crashed into the militia as they still fumbled with their grenades unready to engage. Mechadendrite blades lashed out around him seeking any and all targets with merciless efficiency.

 

Willpower: 13 - pass

Charge: WS test: 65 - fail

 

--------

 

Xerxes mechadendrite blades impose a -30 to WS rolls made against him. Enemies that miss by 3 or more DoS take a single automatic hit, up to 3 hits total for each miss if they fail by four or five DoS.

 

Damage is d10+4, pen 3, razor sharp. Can be dodged but not parried - death by a thousand papercuts, kind of like Spidermans 'instant kill' mode but with hobby knives :p

[Mazer Rackham]

Xerxes:

 

I'll put you into contact with HM 3 + HM 4 (the grenaders).

 

'Father's teeth, keep an eye out there - hold the tech-freak! Hold him!' the speaker is the man Tarh nearly shot. 'Cutter, get on thet door!'

 

[x] HM 5

Actions:

Full Action: Overwatch on door.

 

GM: Last call for Kraggen's remaining (Delayed) Half Action.

 

ROUND ONE ENDS

ROUND TWO BEGINS

 

[ ] Kraggen

 

+++++

 

GM: Krokodil 4-1 are of course now allowed to move about as they will, use the lifts to hook up with the female voider, pull Ukalegon off his hook, and wake him up, etc.

Edited February 2 by Mazer Rackham
Kraggan had a half action let over, added opportunity.

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

 

Willpower Test

Target - 45

Roll - 37

Result = Pass

 

"This is why I don't like fighting!" The Smiler complained as he pressed against the side of the doorframe and shrapnel whickered past his face.

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

The two grenades sailing in through the door, with more accuracy then Tarh would have liked, and he cursed inwardly as he ducked into the cover provide by the counsel he had been using as support, thus abandoning his prepared position. Maybe he would get one more opportunity with the long-las, but with the enemy already in the room it would be axe work before the end.   

 

Spoiler

Dodge grenade round 1

Ag: 42 +10 (Dodge +10)=52

d100: 34, Pass, 2DoS

 

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

With the sudden lack of enemies, Hagga deactivated and sheathed his sword. The mortal in the control room didn't respond to his message, so Hagga headed towards the lift platform at the end of the central ‘arm’.

 

He chose this route firstly because it was closest to his and Cyrandras’ position, but secondly because it would take him past the downed Krokodil. He wanted to check aboard for any working vox equipment to make contact with the other Corsair boarding parties. There also might be survivors, or some other gear that they might be able to use. Hagga didn't like such scrounging, but he was beginning to see that it in their current circumstances, you had better take what you could when you could.

 

As he advanced towards the ugly lander, even uglier in death, he cautiously tapped his microbead.

 

+++This is Rykaz, Krokodil 4-1. Anyone alive in there?+++

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Hagga:

 

The voxbead comes back with an automated salvation ping. The trilling cipher reveals a responding Astartes cyber-manifold, a copy of which currently buzzes and glows around your own head. Hypnogogic training tells you the rest. One Marine inside lives, but he currently inhabits a Sus-An coma.

 

On all other vox channels, there is nought but silence.

 

GM OOC: Just FYI, I'm playing this scene along a slightly delayed timeline with Krokodil 4-2. Essentially when you hook up with the woman, you'll hear Kraggen's proclamation on a catch-up loop. Once that's done, you and the Mortals will be in sync, and thereby contact, from the point Xerxes rushes out of the door. Unfortunately, you are several Kloms away.

 

Edited February 2 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

The Executioner waved to the Sorcerer.

 

+++We've got a live one. Sus-An, it looks like.+++

 

Hagga clambered aboard through a rent in the Krokodil's outer skin, searching for the fallen Astartes. He didn't have a damn clue about healing, but he couldn't continue onwards without confirming there was nothing they could do to assist. Most likely he'd have to just make sure that the injured warrior was secure and properly hidden, then Corsairs support teams could come find him after the fighting had moved far enough away.

 

Unless… he suddenly wondered if Cyrandras’ pet skull - a search and rescue model, if he remembered right? - might be hiding under its master's cloak somewhere.

 

 

 

OOC:

@Mazer Rackham I totally get why the Minions weren't allowed to come along, fair enough… but couldn't Cyrandras have been carrying Bhael-IV on his belt or something?

It's not like a Servo-Skull would care about the problems caused by being on the asteroid - lack of gravity (it floats) or lack of atmo (it’s dead ) - and otherwise neither of us has Medicae to assist the Sus-An Corsair in any way? Whereas Bhael-IV has Medicae and a Medikit, if I remember the profile right?

 

 

Edit: your call, though, obviously, no big deal either way 

 

 

 

Edited February 3 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

Hagga:

 

Working your way through the wreckage, you find your quarry via the proximity locator. Bedecked in the mis-matched armour common to these Renegades, his red and black body looks reasonably stately, still fixed firmly into his crash couch, for all the world looking as though he's having a pleasant afternoon nap. Given his position in the  firmly settled wreck, he is suitably protected and concealed from prying, augurless foes.

 

Spoiler

GM OOC: The Marine here is a trapdoor in case one of you suffers fatal injuries (ie  you have to blow Infamy to live) giving you a kind of respawn token should you need it. If you want to try and revive him, I'll leave it to Xin to decide if he's clamped his Bonebucket under his armpit. Even if not, the Sus-An works on hypnogogic suggestion. With a decent mind tentacle, Cyrandras could possibly just swith him 'on'.

 

GM: Your scrounging uncovers the following:

• 3 x Tubes Repair Cement
• 1 x Legion Combat Shotgun (loaded)
• 1 x Legion Boltgun (Not loaded)
• 3 x Magazines Bolt

 

Edited February 3 by Mazer Rackham

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

 

Stood waiting for a charge through the door by Purple, they instead posted grenades through the door. Effortlessly he vaulted a console, which shielded him from the blast and enabled him still to have 'eyes on' through the doorway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGL44 + 0 (Dodge) = 44. Result: 23, Pass DoS

 

 

 

 

 

From his vantage point he saw the Postman readying another Frag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

INT49 +10 (Tech Use +10) = 59. Result: 19, Pass 4DoS

 

 

 

 

 

Fragmentation Grenade. Explosive core wrapped in serrated Cast Iron Casing designed to break into Shrapnel by force of the explosion. Striker hits percussion cap, Striker held in place by Striking Lever and Safety pin.

 

 

"Blimey Charlie or is it Chorley?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Half Action) Ferric Lure - Pull Fragmentation Grenade from Postman causing Safety Pin to be pulled.

 

(Half Action) Ferric Lure - Release causing Striking Lever to fly away as Grenade drops next to Postman

 

 

 

 

 

"Spread's dead Baby! Spread's dead!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3 by Machine God
Typo

[Mazer Rackham]

Kraggan:

 

The Frag grenade goes off with such terrific force, the compound within must have been unstable. It detonates the ammo the man carries, as well as that of a couple of his friends.

 

GM: Everyone within 4m (Including Xerxes takes 2D10X AP 0 = 20 (I rolled double 0 Buck) They get a Dodge. I'll hold for Reactions.

 

HM 1: PASS 08

HM 2: FAIL, 73, Dies

HM 3: FAIL, 63, Dies

HM 4: FAIL, 73, Dies

HM: 5 FAIL, 63, Dies

 

 

[A.T.]

Xerxes

 

(will hold his reaction and take the 1 point of damage - going to make sure the purples haven't brought any real weapons before I start dodging frag grenades :p)

[Mazer Rackham]

Krokodil 4-2:

 

Hanged Man 1:

 

Standing there in ragged tatters, faceplate broken to reveal his hideously gene-mutated visage, the last thug looks at the charnel-house the corridor has become, sudden, sworling smoke swathing everything in grey-black.

 

In a moment, Halon gas erupts from dispersal pods with fire-suppression sensors, creating a thick fug of carbon-dioxide and sooty smoke clouds.

 

The xeno-mutant begins to laugh madly, coughing and choking on the toxic gas at the same time, but that is not his end, for as he staggers next to a vent in the corridor with Xerxes to try and breathe, the metal grille cover flies off, and he is yankind inside with a slash of gore, a strangled scream, and the snap-cracking of vertebrae and any other bone you care to mention.

 

Silence. One, two, three heartbeats.

 

A grim, low growl echoes through the vents, and the fug roils and churns as something makes a snorting noise.

 

Chitin scrapes on metal with that odd, keening creak as whatever it was slowly contracts back into a tight space. The duct clunks once, then a slow press of something sloping through it fades.

 

//STRUCTURED TIME SUSPENDED//

 

Edited February 3 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

Ducking on instinct at the sound of another explosion. Tarh scrambled towards the door, drawing his axe. The door was supposed to have been their advantage, a choke point to thin the enemies numbers, instead now it would act the other way, making them easy targets if they wanted to break out to come to the aid of Xerxes.

 

Reaching one side of the door, opposite to where the Smiller had taken up position, Tarh tried to catch the others eye, it be best if they could coordinate, but to no avail. Leaning out for a second, to get a idea of the enemy position, then pulling back. The scene made no sense. He looked again.   

 

The Smith devote stood amongst the scattered and charred remains of some number of hostiles. What had he done? Then Tarh saw the confused look in Xerxes companion, it had not been the two of them.

 

More arcane thaumaturgy? A glance at Kraggan and the triumphant posture with which he now moved was confirmation to Tarh. Perhaps  his earlier keens to be first into the fray had not been just bravado, but an honest assessment of his battlefield calling.  

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Krokodil 4-1:

 

GM OOC: Obviously Necro is working on a post, but while he does I can move you forward a little. Necro, if you could have your piece finish with going inside the bunker, I'd be grateful.

 

Taking the lift to the third tier, you trudge towards the command operations blister. The thick windows blown, and the bunker doors open, the diminutive figure inside presents an uplifted arm, her palm quickly describing a form of hand-sign. It is obviously either some kind of penal palm tongue, or miner's loss of comms signalling, but it's understandable enough - the roots are the same to Astartes Battle Sign to make out her intentions.

 

Non-threat. Not the same as surrender, peaceful, or even friendly, but perhaps after the past few minutes it's a good deal.

 

She closes the blast shutters and seals the doors, the former grinding down onto one of the corpses, bisecting it messily, leaving a pair of legs this side. Guts slop down, and slither over the control console into a jellied heap. It's not the nicest welcome, but at least you can hear it when the pressure rushes in. Keeping her hands clear of weapons which wouldn't even threaten you, she carefully removes her void helmet revealing a stern, lean face framed by a rough, unkempt auburn bobcut. Long slash wounds crease her brow, cheekbone and jaw, reflecting a near miss with a three-bladed weapon.

 

The cuts are still red, recently earned, and carry very rough suture lines that appear to be applied by someone more used to sewing voidsuits or making boots.

 

Her green eyes are lined dark with fatigue and redness, betraying the use of stimms to keep her going, but there is defiance even in her tired deference to the three huge killers now in her presence. She pats the grapnel gun, either as identification or for reassurance. It appears to be a cannibalised bolt-driver, with replaceable spool cartridges of deadline. Plasteel D-rings are wide enough to accomodate the carabiner clips on her body-harness.

 

'Got this off a Squat Prospector Advisor they brought here,' she says, wistful. She pauses, obviously replaying whatever memory the device stirs. 'Anyway, welcome to Brimstone.'

 

The comms processing cogitator registers outside traffic, replaying the familiar voice of Kraggan in time-delay loop as the system catches up.