[BC] The Blackest Heart (IC)

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

After nearly an hour, Druid returns - the bolt being drawn from the door instantly makes the prisoner drop his head, and feign a lolling fatigue.

 

'How fare your entreaties, my friend? Have you secured anything of note?' Druid is still wearing that hail-fellow-well-met look. He laces his fingers and lets his hands rest at his waist.

 

 

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

 

"Oh yes, I have indeed gleaned some information that should prove most valuable. "

 

The smile, triumphant and broad.

 

"I think that we can go to a control section and gain greater access to the systems." Crux'as looked at the imprisoned man. "I do believe that this man has further information of value that can be extracted later. It would be a pity to lose out on that..."

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

Druid looks genuinely happy this time. 'Excellent! I knew our faith in you was not misplaced. We shall hasten to a substation of the main control conduits at once. You look a little pale though, my friend. Was the solicitation tiring?'

 

He puts his hand on you in a comradely fashion, but immediately there is a strangeness to it.

 

'How did this reprobate enlighten you?'

 

Druid suddenly looks...taller. His voice deepens and the shuddering touch of strange alien tendrils flits across the back of your skull. The questing caress seems to have a mind of its own, and presses here, there. Looking in.

 

GM: You have choices - a temptation of various subtleties.

• An Opposed WP Test to Resist, denying him information per DoS,
• Automatically fail the Opposed Test and let him see (almost) everything.
• Make an Opposed Deceive Test using WP instead of Fel to feed him what YOU want.

GM: Obviously we have benefits and caveats to each of these - for example, resisting gives him only the codes, and nothing else, but he may be suspicious what else you're hiding. Allowing him in may reveal more than you intended, but he sees that you received the codes genuinely, and it's his problem to work out, Lying to him will provide the opportunity to insert more than was already there, or even detract from it, but over-egg it and he will refuse to believe anything.

 

I'm open to other avenues if you can think of anything.

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

Spoiler

Opposed WP Test 

Target - 45

Roll - 13 (!!!!)

Result = Pass, 3 DoS

 

The smile, confident and slightly feral.

 

"I have the code. When we input it, we will control the station."

 

Crux'as gave a prayer to the Warp, steeling his mind.  Lords of the Abyss and the Created, foil this blasphemer's touch and bring me glory!

 

The Smiler relaxed his defenses and let the xenos-corruption fill his skull. His own twisted mind branched and offered shadowy paths, false trails and supposedly hidden truths. There, in the center of a spined wall of mental might, were the codes. The codes that in the Smiler's mind were now reversed.

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

The thought-stealer withdraws from your mind, nods with blend of appreciation and satisfaction.

 

Yet...the merging of souls works a little bit both ways, for as you distract him with your blind alleys and tortuous mental warrens, you can sense that behind this individual stands another, greater, more powerful. The Father they so profess is alien, totally indecipherable by human thought. Yet...you sense there is a thin thread link. Frustration spikes not from your lingering consciousness and the task at hand, but also the very rocks around you.

 

They have dominion here by will, but they did not come here by will. Resentment. This is a prison for them, too.

 

A blunt shock occurs as Druid breaks contact altogether, and the impressions fade.

 

'Very well my friend. We shall all go together, since this wayward fool has seen fit to retinal and DNA lock the control consoles.'

 

Wordlessly, some of the brood enter, and begin pulling the prisoner from his transfixion, and are about to bend his arms behind his back for binding.

 

At that precise moment, the tinny echo of an alarm sounds along the corridor, and Druid's mouth sets into a line, his eyes rolling upwards to peer through the ceiling with a gentle sigh. 'Sooner than expected...oh well, the dinner bell has been rung. Shall we picnic?'

[Mazer Rackham]

Command Centre:

ROUND 3 BEGINS

 

The klaxon continues to pulverise your ears.

 

Init Order:

Spoiler

Horde 1 (Mining Laser) 13 (Mag 5 Remain)

Ukalegon 12

Horde 2 (Rockhammer) 12 (Player Takes Priority) (Mag 10 Remain)

Tarh Teshub 11

Xerxes 11

Cyrandras 11 (Player Priority due to Autopilot)

Hagga 10

Turret 10

Kraggan 7

 

Like water, the remaining few foemen group around Kraggan, with the Hybrid-thing front and centre, using the mining laser as a battering cudgel.

Horde 1, Actions On:

Spoiler

Hybrid 1:

Half Action Move

Half Action Knock Down (Opposed Strength or Kraggan is knocked prone)

D100: PASS Plus 4 DoS (inc 2 DoS Unnat Str) (5 DoS Total)

If wins: Dam, Body: 8, AP 0 + 1 Level Fatigue

 

Hybrid has Multiple Arms, Claw Attack:

D100: Hit (if Prone with 1 DoS) 1 Hit (can't be dodged)

Hit 1, Right Arm, Dam: 18 Pen 5 (Razor Sharp does not activate)

 

Hanged Men:

Half Action; Half Move (to allow Hybrid through)

Half Action, Standard Attack (Axe Rake)

D100: MISS - by 1...

 

[ ] Ukalegon

 

 

Edited February 19 by Mazer Rackham
Bits and bobs

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

The hiss-roar of air molecules being torn asunder faded with the blinding after-image of the fusion beam, and instead of being vaporized, the wiry xenos-hybrid had managed to avoid a direct hit from his ancient sidearm. Ukalegon prepared to bring his chainsword down upon the wretch, when quite unexpectedly the thing exploded, bursting like an overripe fruit as it was shredded by corruscating energies, showering him with gore and viscera. He hastily, and foolishly, turned to find the source of the blast and was greeted by a horrifying, daemonic visage enveloping and surging out from Cyrandras’s armour, the faceplate of his helm running like water and twisting into a gnashing, toothy maw before reality reasserted itself and snapped its component pieces and molecules back into their intended arrangement.

 

It was more than the Lamenter could bear.

 

With an oath he turned and fired his jump pack, trying to put as much distance between himself and the corrupt psyker as possible. He had to get away. Without any care for his well-being he vaulted over the cogitator banks across the chamber and crashed into the mass of mutant scum waiting beyond, and he hacked away at them in a blind panic sending limbs and heads flying in sheets of blood.

 

KILL KILL BLOOD KILL ESCAPE

 

 

Charge Attack vs Horde #2 (moving as far from Cyrandras as he can)

WS41 + 20 (charge) - 20 (fear) + 5 (compact) = 46

D100: 42; 1 DoS - 1 Hit

 

Chainsword damage: 1d10+3R+SB, Pen3, Tearing, Flesh Render

10 (6, 6, 10; Tearing, Flesh Render) + 3 + 10 (SB) = 23 damage, Pen 3

 

Snap Out of It Test: WP 46

D100: 30; 2 DoS

Ukalegon snaps out of it.

Edited February 19 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

Ukalegon:

 

Having something to do, even violence washes out the redness with redness as the Hanged Man purges your fear with his deserving death. The Horde reacts to this brutal intrusion with brutality of its own.

 

One nail driving out one nail - the hammer comes forward.

 

Horde 2: (Overwatch abandoned, -1 Mag now 9 Mag).

Spoiler

Actions On:

Half Action, Half Move

Half Action, Standard Attack, Axe Rake

D100: MISS

 

Hybrid 3 (Hammer)

Half Action, Half Move

Half Action, Hammertime

D100: Swing...and a MISS

 

Hybrid has Multiple Arms, Claw Attack:

D100: Hit, PASS + 1 DoS

Hit 1, Right Arm, Dam: 22 Pen 5 (Razor Sharp does not activate)

 

 

[ ] Tarh Teshub

[ ] Xerxes

[ ] Cyrandras

[ ] Hagga

 

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

Even as Ukalegon charged from the other side of the stairwell, Hagga threw himself out from amongst the storage tanks, racing with a mighty roar towards the far end of the cogitators. His claymore, now fully energised, burned starkly and the closest xeno-mutant shrank back, his inhuman yellow eyes shying away from the blade’s brilliant fire. Hagga's first stroke swept diagonally upwards from right to left.

 

 

Horde 2 is now Engaged so can't fire Overwatch
Full Action: Charge Horde 2 (at lower end of cogitator bank)
WS52 +5(Compact) +10(Horde) +20(Charge) = 87, Roll: 08, 8DoS 

Yes!!! KHORNE, witness my bloody-handed offering!!!  

Ahem…
1 Hit +4 for DoS +1 Hit for Power Field
Horde cannot Dodge
Dam 1d10+8 +SB11 Pen7
Even allowing for minimum rolls and extra AP6 from Cover, all Hits should(?) cause Dam, so 6 Mag Dam suffered?

 

The long sword sliced neatly up through the first cultist and onwards, effortlessly cutting a jagged tear through the top of the cogitators. A shower of sparks were cast outwards, scattering in all directions from the curving wall of the stairwell, but the bellowing Executioner barely registered them. His reverse stroke was already crashing back down through the Mechanicus control system and on to bisect the next cultist.

 

With sudden rage at the weakness of these filthy creatures that had allowed themselves to be corrupted by hated xenos, Hagga stepped eagerly forward along the line of cringing foes towards the Lamenter, swinging again and again with massive, brutal, two-handed strikes. The smell of burning flesh and spilled blood began to fill his nostrils and he let out a savage bark of laughter.

 

 

 

Edited February 19 by Lysimachus

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Parry vs Hybrid 3 (MC Hammer)

WS41 + 10 (Balanced) + 5 (Compact) = 56

D100: 28; 3 DoS

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

A vulnerability found. Xerxes switched his mechadendrite to strobe lest that targeting array adapt and raised a krak grenade carefully towards the service cowling for the weapons control cogitator.

 

Double aim

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

As he worked on treating the las burn on his leg, he would look up from time to time, studying the approach and surroundings outside the Command centre.  With the din of battle inside, and the gods only know what carnage the Chosen were wreaking, and the siren’s song of alarm it was near impossible to hear anything, such as approaching feet perhaps.  

 

Spoiler

Half Action, finish First Aid Medicae

Int: 45 +20 (Medikit) = 65

D100: 47, Pass, 2 DoS

Heal 1 wound, down to 9 damage, still heavily wounded

 

Half Action Visual Awareness test (if permitted as such) on surroundings outside the bunker, trying to discern if there are enemies approaching in respond to siren/klaxon/alarm.

Per: 32 + 20 (Preysense goggles)= 52

D100: 35, Pass, 2 DoS

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Tarh:

 

A cursory inspection proves nothing to your ears, as all is lost in the din. However, your infragoggles pick up a mild heat signature in the tunnel, at a junction some 60m away. It resolves into a five-strong team of armed men, equipped with a medley of rifle-type weapons. They seem to spot you and Seryna, and duck into doorways or behind buttresses, pipes and whatever crates or cases lie in the corridor.

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Although he had whittled away at his foes, the remnants surged forwards to surround him as their Large Mutant leader made himself known with multiple blows.

 

 

 

 

 

Hybrid 1 knocked down Kraggan for Body Damage: 8, AP 0 Vs 8AV = 0 Damage + 1 Level of Fatigue

Claw Attack: Right Arm Damage: 18, Pen 5 Vs A8 = 18 -4 (TGH) - 3 (AV) = 11 Damage

 

Spend 1 Infamy Point for Healing: 1D5 +1 = 8/2 = 4 +1 = 5

 

 

 

 

He was clubbed prone by the Mining Laser and then he received a nasty gash on his right arm from a claw. The axe-rakes of the dregs were thankfully ineffective.

 

 

 

Edited February 19 by Machine God
Healing

[Xin Ceithan]

Cyrandras

 

Spoiler

As per OOC Doombolt (Push for Psy 3)

 

WP 53 + 2xPsy(3) 12 + Focus +10: 75 

 

D100: 14 ; 3  DoS (caps at Psy )

Damage d10+3:

12 (9+3)

7 (4+3)

7 (4+3)

 

Psychic Phenomena +10: d100-44: 54 Warp Ghosts

 

Who ya gonna call?! 

 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

The Command Centre:

 

Three more Hanged Men are blown apart, incinerated or - whatever the terrible sorcerous power is that streams from the Corsair's open palm. It is a dsiplay of mind over matter, of command beyond elemental law, but it carries a price.

 

The sheer violence of the empyrionic* storm is sudden and frightening. Suddenly, the shapes of tall, angular humanoids wander through the room, passing throguh solid matter, before collapsing in immortal green dust. They are replaced by men, hacking and shooting at each other. Always are the screams of things beyond, betwixt, beneath.

 

GM: Everyone within (3d10) = 20m (Tarh, Seryna, Kraggan - the others are too far away) must Test Fear (1) which for Heretics is (+0), IIRC.

 

Seryna:

D100: Fail 4 DoF

101–120 The character faints dead away, and remains unconscious for 1d5 rounds. Once he regains consciousness, he is still shaken and suffer a –10 penalty to all tests for the remainder of the Encounter. 1d5 = 3 Rounds

 

Letting out a sharp gasp, Seryna stares into space, and then faceplants, striking her head on the armoured sill of the pressure door. She's out cold.

 

Edited February 19 by Mazer Rackham
*Dank Abnett, for Xin

[Trokair]

Tarh
 

Spoiler

Fear Test

WP: 28

d100: 79, Fail... 6DoF

Shock. D100: 80 + 60DoF = 140

The character laughs hysterically and attacks anything near him in a manic frenzy, firing wildly or using any weapon he has at hand. This effect lasts until the character Snaps Out of It or is knocked unconscious.

Siindriii! Cyyyrandraaas!!

 

Edited February 20 by Trokair
edit, forgot to add the shock roll, i just posted the result text

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Whilst on the floor being pummelled and clawed, ghosts from the warp tear through the dregs above him.

 

 

 

Fear Test(1). WIL32 +0 (Heretek) = 32. Result: 03 Pass 3DoS

 

 

 

The decking about him just gets redder.

 

Kraggan only laughs more in that joyous hellscape, he see the flames and the floorplates appear as if constructed of infinite Skulls.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Turret:

 

The turret tries to track a target but is truncated in it's traverse and thwarted in triangulation.

targeting D100: FAIL, no shot.

 

[ ] Kraggan

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Still in possession of his badge of office, he slams the pointed head of his Fallen Magos Power Axe through the clawed foot of a nearby dreg Mutant.

 

Give me a Lever and I shall move the Galaxy!

 

 

 

(Half Action) Stand

(Half Action) Standard Attack Vs Horde. WS41 +10 (Horde) = 51. Result: 10, Pass 5DoS = 3 Hits

Fallen Magos Power Axe: 2D10+4 E, Pen 5, Power Field (+1 Hit Vs Hordes), Unbalanced

Hit #1: 1 +7 +4 +3 (SB) = 15.

Hit #2: 2 +4 +4 +3 = 13.

Hit #3: 7 +2 +4 +3 = 16.

Hit #4: 1 +6 +4 +3 = 14

Whirlwind of Death +2 Mag

 

 

 

Kraggan pushes down on the clawed foe and as he stands, he rips it free to continue on a dancing, a gouging, a stomping and a plethora of ripping to all foes about him.

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

ML Hybrid:

Evasion (Dodge) D100: 003, PASS, 4 DoS.

 

Horde 1 takes 2 Mag Dam and is destroyed.

 

GM: Tro - remember to take your action and shoot at someone...

 

ROUND THREE ENDS

 

Edited February 20 by Mazer Rackham

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

As you are 'escorted' through the tunnels Druid is out front, his hands gesturing to the kin of his polluted flesh. He speaks not. As one they move, as one, without any commands barked or supplication offered. The alarm is annoying, but it continues, pervading all nooks and crannies in the warren you are currently buried in.

 

'I apologise my friend,' Druid finally says, 'but we must impair you.'

 

A rough hessian hood is hauled over your head. Perhaps there is something here they wish to guard, or, as you are bustled hither and thither, almost stumbling, but always, miraculously caught by many bony, clawed hands and held perpendicular a moment before you fall. The hurried march is accompanied by the heavy trad of the bast you saw before, its rank scent and groaning double-faced, split maw, wafting foetid breath across your shoulders.

 

Perhaps ten minutes pass, then fifteen, twenty. The turns and trek goes on, until finally you have deck beneath your feet, and the cool push of recycled, pressured air blowing onto your exposed skin. The buzz of cogitators is audible above a muted alarm.

 

Your hood is withdrawn.

 

Brightly lit, you appear to be in a properly furnished and walled room, that could have been pulled out of any Imperial facility. It appears to be a control sub-station, no doubt from which your cipher treasures can be tested. The thrashing of the man you interrogated has been an ever-present noise as he tried to defy his captors with his waning strength. Here, all defiance is gone. His face is lined, drawn, beaten. Shadows haunt his once-quick eyes. Your part in this little puzzle soon becomes clear.

 

'Now then, Caleb. Do the honours.'

 

His hand is forced onto a panel, until light begin to blink, responding to some mysterious augur. Likewise, his head is gripped and his eye forced open for placement against an ocular receiver. He squirms, he rants, he screams. Naught is fruitful. The machines awaken fully, screens wink into readiness. Druid gestures to the console.

 

'Let us see. Crux'As, your code please. We may not control the Station from here - but this terminal will tell me if it is correctly logged with the main cogitator banks.'

 

GM: Again, you have a few options.

• Try and bluff it somehow, Deceive (+10) because you're still his 'mate'.
• Security (+10) on the console to try and wing something.
• Combine these actions to obfuscate further

Obviously, as before, if you can think of something else, try me.

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

 

"With pleasure. Now to see if the information he gave me is true..." At those words, the Smiler hooked his multi-key into the console and began to punch in an alpha-numeric combination.

Spoiler

Security Test - using the correct Master Cypher code

Target - 41 + 10 (multi-key) = 51

Roll - 40

Result = Pass, 1 DoS. 

 

"See here- the code was accepted and works for this specific sub-control."

 

The Smiler removed the multi-key and "accidentally" erased the input as he was moving the tool. 

 

"Now my friend, can we move to an actual communications node so that we may contact the Redfang and show him the breadth of your power?"

Spoiler

Deceive Test - attempt to move attention away from the controls and move to a new area

Target - 61 + 10 = 71

Roll - 37

Result = Pass, 3 DoS

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

Druid looks to be quite distracted by the sudden progress. After so much time waiting, perhps this is his cherished moment, the dawn on the horizon when the way forward clears. He quite forgets himself, and claps you on the shoulder, even as Caleb is torn from the retinal security devices and cast to the ground.

 

'Of course! Of course! The great day approaches! Come!'

 

This time, you are not blindfolded, and are allowed to walk freely. Even the other 'attendants' give you more space, as though your actions have bought the breathing room. Indeed, the mood amongst them becomes relaxed, conversational.

 

It's almost spoiled by the fact each one of them breaks steap and chateers with one another at the exact same time...that and how Caleb is being half dragged half battered against the walls of the cave as a sack of errant detritus.

 

'I did not dare to think we would see freedom,' one of the Hanged Men says to you, mouth full of naturally pointy, sharp teeth.

 

'You will be handsomely rewarded and exalted among us,' Druid speaks sincerely, as the group ushers you amongst them in a genteel march, which rapidly becomes a jaunty, excited hustle. He looks at you with a strange intensity, but no pressure throbs against your skull.

 

Edited February 21 by Mazer Rackham

[Mazer Rackham]

Command Centre (Floor 1):

 

ROUND 4 BEGINS:

 

Init Order:

Spoiler

Hybrid 2 (Mining Laser) 13

Ukalegon 12

Horde 2 (Rockhammer) 12 (Player Takes Priority) (Mag 3)

Tarh Teshub 11

Xerxes 11

Cyrandras 11 (Player Priority due to Autopilot)

Hagga 10

Turret 10

Kraggan 7

 

Hybrid 2: Actions On

 

Spoiler

Free Action: Drop Laser

Free Action: Pull Knife

Multiple Attacks:

Standard Attack Knife:

D100: 015 PASS

Hit, Body, Dam: 16 Pen 2 Rending

 

Hybrid has Multiple Arms, Claw Attack:

D100: 13 Hit PASS 2 DoS

Hit, Body, Dam: 17 Pen 10 (Razor Sharp activates)

 

 

[ ] Ukalegon

 

Edited February 21 by Mazer Rackham