[BC] The Blackest Heart (IC)

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Placeholder

 

Standard Attack vs Horde 2

D100: 95 <eye roll> going to blame this on being distracted by a procession of long-dead minotaur and lamenter warp ghosts, courtesy of our resident maniac space wizard :P

 

Pre-emptive Parry vs Rock Hammer Hybrid (if necessary)

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

D100: 40

Edited February 21 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

Horde 2: Hanged Men

Spoiler

Hordes attack everyone in 'contact'.

Ukalegon: D100 MISS

Hagga: D100 MISS

 

 

Hybrid (Rockhammer):

Spoiler

Muliple Attacks:

Hammer, D100: 15 PARRIED

Claw D100: 015 PASS 2 DoS

1 Hit, Body, Dam: 15, Pen 10 (Razor Sharp Activates)

 

Hybrid (CCW):

Spoiler

Multiple Attacks:

CCW x 2: MISS, MISS

Claw D100: 23 Hit, 1 DoS (No Razor Sharp)

1 Hit, Body, Dam: 15 Pen 4

 

[ ] Tarh Teshub

[ ] Xerxes

[ ] Cyrandras

[ ] Hagga

 

GM: @Trokair go ahead and try to Snap Out now. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 21 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

Even as Hagga reaped his way through the lesser members of the cult, a flurry of wicked blades suddenly slashed at him from their midst. Knives and a xenoform talon, all wielded by a brute much larger and far more corrupt than its kin. Its face was more alike to how Kutha had described the pure-blood aliens; bulbous, yellow-eyed and sharp-toothed. It had been hiding among the mass, an ambush predator waiting to attack.

 

 

Parry Test:
WS52 +5(Compact) -10(Unbalanced) = 47, Roll: 73, Fail!
Hit on Body
Dam 15 - TB8 - AV6(10 - Pen4) = 1 Wound, Hagga now on 18/20

 

 

Rykaz couldn't move his heavy claymore in time to deflect the xenos’ curving claw, and he felt a flare of pain in his side. The beast was quick, strong, and for all its bestial appearance, not unskilled. Hagga paused and stepped back, raising his blade momentarily in a warrior's salute.

  

“I may take your ugly head for a trophy, xeno-filth,” he grunted, “...if you prove worthy.” 

  

Then he advanced again, spinning his sword in graceful arcs through the air around him. The flaming blade left bright, swirling after-images in its wake, and the mutant tried to follow the trail of fire, raising both its knives to block against a downward cut. But that was not Hagga's intention. At the last moment, with an expert twist of his wrists, the Executioner changed the angle of his attack and brought the blade in from his right, aimed at the left hand side of the creature's ribcage. 

 

Half Action: Feint at H4
WS52 +5(Compact) = 57, Roll: 22, 4DoS
Half Action: Standard Melee Attack
WS52 +5(Compact) +10(Standard) = 67, Roll: 45, Hit on Body
If Feint was successful, Evasion not allowed?
Dam: 1d10(7)+8 +SB11 = 26 Wounds at Pen7

 

 

Edited February 21 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

Hybrid 4:

Feint: Fail - eats the sword.

 

The Hybrid lurches, confused by the odd, strange blow that never comes, tries to intercept it with claw, blade, but misjudges entirely. And pays for it.

 

The powerful blow cleaves the target from gullet to groin, revealing his internal organs and spilling them on to the ground before him. The target is now quite dead.

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Inexplicably the Mutant dropped his Mining Laser, drew a knife and stabbed through a weakness in his torso armour. 

 

 

 

Hybrid 2. Standard Attack with Knife. 

Hit, Body, Dam: 16, Pen 2 Vs AV8. 

16 -6 (AV8 - 2) -4 (TGH) = 6 Damage. 

 

Hybrid Claw Attack

Parry: WS41 -10 (Unbalanced) =31.

Result: 08, Pass 3DoS

 

 

 

 

Then the Filth attempted another claw attack, however he managed to parry with his Fallen Magos Power Axe its Power Field flaring. 

 

 

 

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

Even without the gift of the witch Xerxes could taste it in the air, a lesser echo of the madness aboard the ship. As with the daemon he had to suffice with turning his gaze until a more technologically sound defence could be located or constructed.

 

Thoughts for another time as he pinned a krak grenade against the turrets cogitator cowling, if his positioning was correct it should strip the weapon of its agency without rendering it inoperable, and thus provide a path to override control of both the weapon and the larger mounting.

 

Krak grenade BS 41+30 point blank +20 aim +10 standard attack (capped at +60)

Roll to hit: 50 - hit

6+9+4 = 19, Pen 6

[Mazer Rackham]

Xerxes:

 

The placement and resulting flash-crack parts the auto-augurs and the weapon immediately drops into a dormant state. The command cables are still operable, and should be able to be controlled from a command console somewhere in the floors above.

 

Turret 'dies'.

[Trokair]

Tarh 

 

Spoiler

Snap out of it test

WP: 28 +10 (Radiant something something...) = 38

d100: 78, Fail, 5 DoF

 

To select target at random as per Mazers post I am going to number potential targets and then roll a dice. As Tarh was facing away from the Command Centre and towards the 5 new hostiles at the end of the corridor when he was overtaken I will start by numbering them 1 -5, then on the assumption that Tarh could turn in his laughing fits to look into the room (based on Lys helpful map annotation and where I think everybody is), Kraggan = 6, Hybrid 2 = 7, Cyrandras = 8, multilaser turret = 9. Xerxes is out of line of sight I think, as are Ukalegon and Hagga and Horde 2 and attending hybrid. So I guess to make it a easy d10 I will say Tarh is 10

d10: 7 Hybrid 2

 

Single shot

BS: 44 + 10 (short range) + 5 (Compact)  - 20 (Melee)= 39

D100: 89, Miss ...

 

 

He was about to warn the others that hostile reinforcements were on their way when another surge of unreality griped him. Flashes of long past trauma, combat that had been way to close for comfort, the terrible artillery barrage of Upzurthan 8 he had had the misfortune of being caught in the middle of, and the most recent whirlwind of The Younglings wayward Utukku back aboard the Tyrant’s ship.

 

It was the Priest Cyrandras, again, he would be their doom.

 

For a moment he thought he heard the laughter of Uncle Istvan as the Temple Guards dragged him from his workshop, still stained with the blood of the apprentice he had sacrificed in a failed bid to gain favour. Uncle Istvan was long dead, the laughter was form Tarh’s own throats, uncontrollable and uninvited. He stood, turned, laughter still baying, the pain of the leg discarded, as his hand, whole seconds ahead of his mind, brought up the long-las. He was there, their doom, the enemy within.

 

Before he had the Priest in his sight though, Tarh’s gaze swept past Kraggan and the xenos-half Utukku going in for the kill. He pulled the trigger, but his angular momentum had already moved his arm on, the las bolt briefly superheating a small part of the cogitator bank.

[Mazer Rackham]

Cyrandras:

 

Bored by the mundane nature of the fickle warp not destroying the universe bar himself, the Sorcerer hefts his boltgun and lets rip.

 

Actions On:

Spoiler

Free Action: Boltgun

Half Aim, Hybrid 2

Half Action, SAB

D100: 001, PASS Plus 4 DoS, 3 Hits. 1D10+9 AP 4

Hit 1, Head, Dam: 19, ZH (Confirms, 5)

 

The explosion flays the flesh from the target’s face and bursts his eardrums with its force. The target is Stunned for 1d10 Rounds and is permanently deafened. Finally, the target gains hideous scars—he suffers 1 point of permanent Fellowship Damage.

 

Hit 2, Head, Dam: 17

 

The target ceases to exist in any tangible way, entirely turning into a kind of crimson mist. Such is the unspeakably appalling manner in which the target was killed, that any of the target’s allies who are within two metres of where the target stood, must make an immediate Challenging (+0) Willpower Test or spend their next Turn flfl eeing from the attacker.

 

Hit 3, Body, Dam: 14

Messy overkill, but the charge packs go up in a blinding flare of pure photohdryogenic* light. (I won't bother with stunning, this has gone on long enough).

 

Hybrid 2:

Ceases to be.

 

GM: Kraggan will need an immediate WP (+0) Test or hides from Cyrandras.

 

[ ] Kraggan.

Edited February 22 by Mazer Rackham
*= Witness my Dank Abnett!

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Always check your arcs. 

 

He looked around and noticed Tarh had moved into the room, although he was shifting his eyes towards the door. 

 

 

 

(Half Action)Move to the doorway. 

(Half Action) Ferric Lure assist

 

 

 

 

Without thinking rushed back to the doorway. Assisted by his Ferric Lure he grabbed Seryna and pulled her through the doorway. 

 

 

+Our Six!+

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24 by Machine God
Tidy-up

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

Another warren, another substation. This one you almost recognise. Like the comm centre way above, this room has a central pit - except this time, the comms array is more like a spire. A towering spear, slicing up the asteroid, and even then, it still plunges below. The room is served by four cogitators comptroller pulpits, more sophisticated, yet somehow rudmentary than the ones above. This is not a fine-tuning statio that dials into the comm chatter of the station - no, it is a mighty mantle for a giant beacon.

 

From here, the signal is lit, carries upwards, is refined and established, the noise removed, and the signal given over to purity.

 

Great buttresses and stanchions are found here, with monstrous bonding pylons that screw into the ground with heaxagonal bolt-heads the size of a Chimera turret. A small army could take root in here, and , given enough mmunition and provision, hold it until the end times. The antenna is thickly banded here, and you can see that although more supports wind up the superstructure, it would have been a straight pitch down from the comm centre, should you wish to risk such a thing - albeit surrendering yourself into the arms of the very blight you wish excised in order to secure this base, to spread your own Truth.

 

Druid moves about, guiding his men to wake the installation. The Hanged Men seem to have a knack for this, no doubt a remnant of when they were slaves to the Imperial cause. What a shame that the Ultimate Light is hidden from such useful pawns!

 

'Each of these pulpits will draw strength from the station to send our message.,' Druid assures. 'It will be crude, but it will carry our warmest endearment to your Lord Redfang - and beyond.'

 

Caleb is dragged into the room. One of the Hanged men kicks behind his knees and drops him in the rocky, sand-smooth dust.

 

Druid stands over him.

 

'Now then, traitor. The game is over. Thanks to Crux'As and his friends above, we have found the women. Seryna is even now being bound and brought to her family, where she belongs.'

 

Caleb looks up, and for all his cunning and artifice of will, there is a light of genuine fear about his eyes.

 

'Crux'As has given her to us in exchange for his own Flesh. A pity - but understandable. He agreed this before you met.'

 

Caleb's eyes shift to you, then back. Uncertain. The sting of self-defeat, of despair he has misread you, flares.

 

'The reckoning is upon you, ingrate. I will ensure she will be taken to the Great Father himself for the Blessing. Then, willingly she will lie with me-' Druid breaks off to kick the fallen man in the chest, stomach. He crunches a boot down, and Caleb's right shoulder cracks. Once the human is silent in agony, Druid continues. 'and I shall whelp progeny upon her. A Trueflesh, which will rip her asunder even as it is birthed.'

 

Caleb gasps, unable to say anything more. The pain is not just on the outside of his bones.

 

'Then she will be devoured, with joy in her heart, and a smile on her face - and I will make you watch.' Druid kneels over the man. 'Yet you can stop this. Unlock these controls, let Crux'As enter the codes, and take Seryna with our blessing.'

 

Not once has Druid raised his voice. Not once has he stopped crooning, delivering his damnable ultimatum with that smug, patronising look on his face.

 

'What do you say? You can save her, Caleb. Only you, like before.'

 

Druid is not looking at the prisoner, he is watching you. His eyes daring you to gainsay it, to discern your next steps or any signs you falter from his faith in you.

 

Edited February 24 by Mazer Rackham

[Lord_Ikka]

The Smiler

 

Crux'as crouched down by Caleb's hurt form. A follower of the Youngest One would have relished the anguish in the man, but that was not the Smiler's way. Pain was a useful tool, but sensation is not the end in itself. His eye bore into the wounded man's. 

 

"I would advise you to do as he says my friend. Regardless of your determination and valor, they will eventually get what they want from you."

 

The smile quirks, a brief twitch of utterly mirthless amusement.

 

"Besides, sometimes fate can be most interesting if you go against your better judgement."

[Mazer Rackham]

ROUND 4 CONTINUES

 

Shots from down the corridor begin to fall about Tarh and Seryna, even as she is yanked into the room, but none land. However, it's getting busy out there - as the klaxon continues, more Hanged Men pile into the corridor, accompanied by the hulking shapes of Hybrids.

 

GM: By your reckoning, you can estimate there is now a 20 Mag strong Horde out there.

 

ROUND 4 ENDS

 

+++++

 

ROUND 5 BEGINS

 

Init Order:

Spoiler

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

Kraggan 7

 

[ ] Ukalegon

 

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Cruel alien talons bit deeply into his gut even as he turned away the mighty blow from the hybrid abomination’s enormous hammer, and Ukalegon grinned a bloody grin to himself through the red haze that clouded his vision and other senses. These wretches were not to be trifled with. He lashed out again with his chainsword, carving apart the twisted rabble with cruel and efficient swings of his blade, while keeping a wary eye on the larger brood-brother, readying himself for the inevitable counter-attack.

 

The brute’s outline twisted before his eyes and became the monstrous form of a hulking ebon warrior clad in decadent, baroque terminator plate, its third claw becoming a cruel god-slaying talon. He had opened a rent in his foe's armour, but it was not enough. The warrior laughed at him from an utterly inhuman throat, his eyes shining with red malevolence from within the recesses of his ceramite cowl. Doom had come to Terra. His Doom had come for him.

 

He might not survive the next blow, but he would acquit himself well, opening the way for Hagga and the rest of his sons in the IXth Legion. He would clear a path for his Father. The Warmaster would pay for his crimes in blood.

 

+FOR THE BLOOD!+

 

Half Action: Guarded Action

Half Action: Standard Attack vs Horde #2

WS41 + 10 (SA) - 10 (GA) + 5 (compact) = 46

D100: 26; 3 DoS

 

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

 

Hit 1: 9 (1, 1, 9; Tearing, Flesh Render) + 3 + 10 (SB) = 22 damage, Pen 3

Hit 2: 10 (6, 5, 10 (ZH); Tearing, Flesh Render) + 3 + 10 (SB) = 23 damage, Pen 3

Hit 3: 6 (4, 2, 6; Tearing, Flesh Render) + 3 + 10 (SB) = 19 damage, Pen 3

 

Preemptive parry vs Hybrid: WS41 + 10 (GA) + 10 (Gang-Up?) + 5 (Compact) = 66

D100: 07; 6 DoS

[Mazer Rackham]

Horde 2:

Horde 2 is Destroyed.

 

Hybrid 3 (Hammer) Actions On:

Spoiler

Half Action Half Aim

Half Action: Standard Attack (Hammer)

D100: Hit (Parried)

Claw:

D100: MISS

 

[ ] Tarh Teshub

[ ] Xerxes

[ ] Cyrandras

[ ] Hagga

[ ] Kraggan

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

With the turret inactive and most of the defenders on this level felled there was breathing space, but not for long unless the entrance was sealed. Even with mining lasers it would take time to burn through.

 

Xerxes runs back towards the entry point ready to close/lock the door

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

The Mechanicus axeman yelled a warning, and the Executioner snarled. More enemies were approaching. There was no more time for this. He was about to roar an order for someone to close the damn door, but the other Adept was already moving.

 

Returning his attention to his own fight, Hagga smiled to see Ukalegon tear through the final dregs of the cultist squad. The last hybrid now stood alone between them, easy pickings for two Astartes warriors. It hissed its defiance and attacked the wounded Lamenter, but the blows were aimless, faltering, as though the creature already knew that its time was over.

 

Rykaz found he was grinning wildly. Heart-blood from the first mutant still fizzled from his blade, but he cared only for the next kill. He threw himself forwards, fiery sword drawing patterns in the air once more. A series of low slashes and jabs forced the filthy thing back, followed by a final, looping overhand cut that hammered down towards its grotesquely bulging forehead.

 

Action: Feint
WS52 +5(Compact) +10(Ganging Up) +10(Double Team) = 77, Roll: 43, 4DoS

 

Half Action: Standard Attack
WS52 +5(Compact) +10(Ganging Up) +10(Double Team) +10(Standard) = 87, Roll: 60, Hit
Assuming no Evasion
Dam 1d10(6)+8 +SB11 = 25 at Pen7

 

Edited February 24 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

Hybrid 3:

 

Caught between two forces, the Hyrbid is conned by both.

 

The broad sword cuts down through the haft of the hammer, and cuts into heart-meat with a solid chop.

 

Hybrid 3 Dies.

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

Spoiler

Snap out Test

WP: 28 +10 (Radiant Doom) = 38

d100: 37, pass.

 

Throat sore and throbbing from the laughter that had not been himself, the moment of hysteria had left him. He still did not trust the Priest, and he was not blameless, but regret and guild where whispering now. It had been his failing to almost attack an ally, to let the unreality unnerve him. 

 

It was said that the Chosen shall know no fear, if he was to remain in their company he would have to do the same.

 

The others had spotted the reinforcements, they would lock them out. Sending a las shoot old down range, perhaps he would get one, perhaps it would cause them to duck cover, either way it might slow them as he passed over the threshold, buying just a little more time for the others to seal the door.    

 

 

Spoiler

Half Move- Move inside and clear of door

Hlaf Action- Single shot at reinforcements

BS: 44 + 10 (short range) + 5 (Compact)  +10 (horde size) = 69

D100: 47, Hit, 4 DoS

Damage 1d10(Roll:6) + 3 = 9 at Pen 1 and Felling 4

 

Edited February 24 by Trokair
Tidy up

[Mazer Rackham]

Tarh:

 

One of the men moving out to cover to advance is cut down.  His comrades callously ignore his last, writhing moments. Even as you watch, another two Hanged Men replace the felled mutant-xeno savage.

 

Edited February 24 by Mazer Rackham

[Xin Ceithan]

Cyrandras

 

Placeholder

 

burns out outside door controls via force sword

closes door

starts limping towards better defensives position

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

The Witch ran out through the doorway and destroyed the keypad station outside and rushed back in, and narrowly missed getting bisected by the blast door as it slammed shut. 

 

 

Idiot it's a Standard Template Construction! He thought looking at the keypad station inside that he was about to key. 

 

Mundane's!

 

 

Utilising the welding torches housed in the Combi-Tool casing of his Fallen Magos Power Axe, Kraggan welded the blast door shut. 

 

+Thank you Cyrandras.+

 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Bullets and las-bolts smack against the other side of the door, a distant, petulant protest.

 

ROUND 5 ENDS.

 

GM: And with that - we are now in suspended Structured Time. Players in the Command Centre should use this wisely, interact as they please. You are now secure - for the moment.

 

+++++

 

Crux'As:

 

Caleb's face is ashen, revealing nothing. Perhaps your message got through, maybe it did not, but he nods, and two of the Hanged Men pick him up. They bring him to the first pulpit - although this time their brutality is suspended, they don't jostle or beat him. No command for this was given you could discern. It is obvious these men, and the brutal creature are part of Druid's own body, extentions of his will - yet he himself seems to hesitate now and again, as though someone else speaks to him.

 

Yet at the moment, his silence is not communion, he is rivetted upon the prisoner's actions. His eyes do spare a glance to shift sideways to you.

 

'It is true of course. We do know where Seryna is, thanks to your memories, and your stout friend, Ukalegon. He foolishly touched our mind, not understanding we also met his. Through him, we know of your lord Redfang. It is a shame that when we send our signal, his flesh will be consumed - for the Space Marines are known to the Great father and the Star Children. We know your plans, and wish for your success - none too much, however - because by your hand will these worlds be replete with flesh for harvesting, and all at odds with one another.'

 

Druid grins.

 

'It may take decades, centuries - but the Great Devourer will come, and all your petty squabbles will be as nought. All will serve.'

 

The podiums illuminate, one by one, ready for your ministrations.

 

'Now, son of man,' Druid says, but his voice is gone...different. It is a voice which uses his mouth, tugging at the vocal chords as even your own secret patron is wont to do on occasion. Knowledge of the thing brings understanding. 'Do your duty to the Star Children and set us all free.'

 

Edited February 25 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

Whether through skill or simple luck, Hagga had avoided taking any real harm. So while Tarh cared for the wounded, the Executioner took the opportunity to shift several of the larger storage cylinders to block the outer door. That should give them a few extra minutes before the enemy could gain access.

 

With this task accomplished, Rykaz moved around the hexagonal chamber taking an circuitous route towards the stairwell door. As he went he  examined the other crates and boxes that the cultists had stockpiled, searching for anything useful.

 

 

Awareness: Per38 +10(HS) +10(Autosenses) +0/10/20(Assists, if anyone else wants a rummage too?) = 58/68/78, Roll: 65, Fail (or Pass with 1 or 2 DoS depending on Assists?)

 

 

Finally Hagga arrived back at the stairwell door. It was not so heavily armoured as the outer door, but hardly flimsy, and fitted with another keypad.

 

“One floor down,” he grunted, “...two to go.”

[Mazer Rackham]

Hagga et al:

 

Your poking about corrals:

• 5 x Autoguns
• 8 x Magazines for them
• 2 x Human-sized Frag Grenades
• 2 x Suit repair kits
• 1 x Tube of sealant (which may function as Repair Cement).
• 2 x Full canteens of potable water
• 1 x slightly scorched and dinged mining laser with a wonky barrel from being used as a battering ram.
• Handful of standard knives (aka Astartes toothpicks)

 

Any axe rakes or pistols have been destroyed by power fields and general misuse during the fight. This also accounts for the other destroyed gear and weapons.

 

Edited February 25 by Mazer Rackham
Kit