[BC] The Blackest Heart (Part II) (IC)

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

GM: Please make an Infamy Test, and post your result below.

[Lord_Ikka]

Crux'as

 

Infamy Test

Target - 29 

Roll - 54

Result = Fail, 2 DoF

 

Edited February 18 by Lord_Ikka

[Mazer Rackham]

Crux'As:

 

GM: Cheers, no problem, play to continue no negative impacts.

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

An invisible fire, a path of ash where once stood mighty edifices and heat without source the harbinger of its approach. Power unlike any other but to reach out was to burn.

 

His previous conclusions were proven true for the Tyrant had indeed left them to this fate, so rich a prize as the ore would not have been so quickly abandoned and so many of the mutants not overlooked by the hunting parties. Haggas failure at the control station one more hint that a more distant hand guided these events for where else would a bomb of such complexity have been crafted in this forsaken and primative outpost.

 

A thought crossed his mind that this might not simply be the work of the xenos but of abominable intelligence, the feeling of familiarity far more terrifying than any meaningless alien script. But record must be attempted, "Give me your comm beads", it was perhaps fortunate that he had not yet converted his underlings to servitors and he could only hope that the rest had lingered long enough at the forge to obey his final instructions.

 

A command from his console spread out across the system as he withdrew, ++Abandon+Withdraw+Collect+Isolate+Quarantine+Flee++. Scorched earth protocol from the days of the Martian wars to evacuate material assets under threat of subversion, burn comms and excape by choice of by force... some part of Xerxes almost hoped that such a task would fail for scraps of this code-poison were an anathema to the craft, but they could not run forever.

 

Fixed frequency, high band conversion, Xerxes quickly spliced beads into the control rooms auditory interface as speakers lit up with binaric cant and things far worse. "Remove me from this place, to the hangar now. Clear the path".

 

Even as he moved away his work continued locking the signal to his datapad, audio only without interpretation or analysis, a wall against the fire. "Xerxes to Dredge, isolate comms, intrusion threat extremis". One bridge from this island in the void and the flames would consume it as readily as any other.

[Mazer Rackham]

Xerxes:

 

+Dredge acknowledges. Compliance underway.+

 

GM: We will assume that Xerxes and his cabal manage to extricate themselves from Brimstone successfully.

 

Edited February 18 by Mazer Rackham

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Obadiah:

 

Between himself, Varne, Hagga, and the dog, they were carving up the hybrids at a pretty rapid pace.  Obadiah kept boring into the crowd, his arm working Silence like a piston, just gutting everything in front of him.  The thump of the far door slamming down to seal the big bastard out of the room was not lost on him, either, and that was important because of the warnings blasting in his ear about the station coming apart.

 

Spoiler

Full-Action: All-Out Attack

WS 33 + 30 (All Out) + 20 (Horde) = 83

Roll: 57.  Pass, 3x DoS for 2x Mag Dam.

 

While working the blade, he blink-clicked his helmet's vox open.  +Brothers!  How far are we from an airlock?  Might be time for a quick exit.+

[Mazer Rackham]

Brawlhalla Tutti Morti:

 

Wading through the hybrids would be tiring work for mortals, but it almost - almost - becomes routine due to the sheer amount of them. The repetition is broken in the most astounding way, as the blast door to the northern corridor distends with concussive force, the plasteel warping beyond any measure of capability before you hear the terrific discharge of actinic might from the battering ram which causes its demise.

 

The door explodes, giving one last scream of buttressed locks and pinion, before scattering mechanical innards around what is tantamount to a dozer blade, scything across the hall, carving sparking runnels in the decking and clanging against the ceiling to send it into a terrible, savage spin. It hews down multiple hybrids, and the scattergun of bolts, gears and rods surround the door in a lethal halo as it unlatches and one leaf becomes two deadly petals.

 

Scatter:

1st Leaf: D10

 

The left half of the door whips by Barzani, close enough that the pressure wave is picked up by his armour, and even if it was not - the gore from the Hybrids decimated in it's wake would announce something was near.

 

Scatter:

2nd Leaf: D10

D2 = 1 Varne, 2 Eska = Eska

 

The other leaf ploughs toward the hound, a massive monolith of buckled and blood-clogged plasteel.

GM: Eska may Dodge.

 

The rest of the shrapnel murders and mutilates everything else standing between you and the hulking monster that enters the fray, bellowing a roar of such fathomless pain it makes the entire hall shake with the want of it, and through the misty clot of dust, smoke and red ruin, the bright blaze of the power hammer leaves comet trail as it charges with nought in intent but murder.

 

+ STRUCTURED TIME RESTARTS +

 

[ ] Hagga

[ ] Varne

[ ] Obadiah

 

[ ] The Beast of Brimstone

 

Edited March 7 by Mazer Rackham
Name corrected.

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

The monstrously heavy hammer head, swung by the huge mutant and aided by a massive discharge of electrical energy, ripped through the blast door like it was made of paper. Shrapnel blasted across the chamber, cutting down the beast's allies before they could reach its enemies. One of the larger pieces flew towards Eska…

 

Round 2 Dodge test: Ag35 +10(Dodge+10) = 45, Roll: 18, Pass

 

…but she dropped into a crouch and the metal plate ripped into the rock above her head.

 

With a roar that was part frustrated hatred and part purest agony, the beast smashed at the portal frame again and again until it had made room to squeeze its bulk through. As it clambered over the crumpled metal door, it roared again, this time in challenge.

 

Hagga snarled back. He wanted to counter-charge the creature before it could reach them… but maybe it was smarter to soften it up first? He eyed the launcher Varne carried. Maybe that would be enough?

 

Desire for glorious battle warred with tactical sense in his mind, but in the end, his Dornian pragmatism won out. The Executioners favoured close combat, but they weren't stupid. Plus he didn't know how much time they had left. He stepped back a few paces, and with his free hand he pulled his sidearm from its holster.

 

“Eska, veni,” he hissed, even as he aimed the plasma pistol at the monster.

 

The hound growled, eager to rip and tear, but obedient to his command. She padded back to his heel, turning and opening her jaws. Hagga could see the firelight building again somewhere down her throat… could it be an implanted weapon? He still wasn't fully sure what the animal was…?

 

No time to worry about it now. He fired.

 

 

Hagga:
Half Move to be 20m from the Beast (outside 15m Charge Range)
Half: Standard Attack with Plasma Pistol on Maximal Setting (adds +10m Range, +1d10 Dam and +2 Pen. Uses triple ammo and gains Recharge)
BS41 +10(Standard) +10(Short - 40m/2) +30(Size) = 91, Roll: 78, Hit on (78=87) Left Leg
Assuming Failed Dodge
Dam 2d10(5,8) +10 = 23 Dam at Pen10.

Plasma Pistol uses 3 shots and cannot be fired next Round.

 

Eska:
Half Move to stand beside Hagga
Half: Flamer, AutoHits
Dodge used?
Dam 1d10(3)+4 = 7 at Pen2
Flame: Even if no Dam, must make Ag test to avoid being set on Fire? (Don't know if it can do this if Dodge is already used?)

Flamer now on 3/6 shots

 

 

OOC: Eska is technically after Varne, but I don't think(?) it changes anything so I've just posted it now. Feel free to move her Actions up if needed?

 

 

 

Edited February 19 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

GM: Regarding the On Fire Ag Test, it's not a Dodge, per se. What happens is that the target gets their Dodge to avoid Damage, then gets an AG Test to avoid catching fire - the differences are specific because you only get one Dodge, but the second AG Test is to offset the fact there was no Roll To Hit.

 

Beast of Brawhalla:

Beast elects not to Dodge.

Doesn't bother avoiding fire.

 

Heated plasma washes over it, searing and melting chitin and external bone. The grisly perfume of seared meat would be enough to make the mortal stomach retch, but even as the wave of super-heated energy washes over it, the flames come, and scorch the rawness cauterised. The flame licks up and around the brute, but it takes no heed of it.

 

All its life has been agony, and this? A trifle by a doomed insect who dared to challenge the brood. It bellows in fury, in promise of abject violence.

 

GM: To be fair the fire isn't enough to hurt it, and even if one fire, it can't be pinned etc.

 

Beast is now on fire.

(GM OOC: Misread - Frenzy is half action).

 

Edited February 19 by Mazer Rackham

[Mojake]

Varne

 

As the scraps of skidding door plate came to an abrupt halt after shearing a path through the hybrid swarm, Varne took the reprieve as opportunity to level his launcher at the roaring hulk bounding into the room. He recalled the single-minded ferocity of these abominants in previous battles, fully expecting its attention to turn to him should it survive his attack. He widened his stance, lowered his centre of gravity and prepared himself for its charge as his finger depressed the trigger, letting loose enough ordnance to bring down a chimera.
 

Spoiler

Half Action: Guarded Action; -10 to BS, +10 to Evasion

Half Action: Standard Attack +10 to BS

• Short Range: +10
• Size Bonus: +30
• Roll: 30
• Target: 92 (4 DoS)
• Location: Head
• Damage: 29 (3d10+8 = 6, 10, 5) X / Pen 8
• Concussive (3): The Abominant must take a Toughness Test with a -30 penalty. If he fails, he is stunned for 1 round per DoF. Additionally, if he takes damage greater than his Strength Bonus, he is knocked prone.
• Zealous Hatred: 1, 3 (Cold Killer)
  • "The detonation leaves the target’s face a bloody ruin from scores of small cuts. Permanent scarring is very likely. The target suffers 2 levels of Fatigue and must make a Challenging (+0) Toughness Test or suffer 1d10 (9) points of Perception and Fellowship damage."

 

Varne's curse as the beast avoided his missile would put a Catachan to shame.

 

+ Keep it off me, if you can. I'll turn this thing to chunks in short order.+

Edited February 19 by Mojake
Remove Infamy spend (agreed), fill in placeholder.

[Mazer Rackham]

Beast Of Brawlhalla:

Attempts Evade

D100: 019

That's a pass, boys - not by much more than skin of the teeth, but that's a Pass.

 

The giant, brawn-bound brute somehow through sheer luck or fate bends away just at the right moment to avoid the missile. It thunders into the ceiling, tearing and blasting chunks of heavy rock to fall from an already buckling roof.  A great, thunderous crack rips across the entire gallery of the room, rivets popping, panels shearing, and scads of dust and small bricks slewing from the gaps in the sheeting.

 

A pipe which lay entombed in the wall splits, gushing mist into the cavern, and the door panels begin to spark, popping with sharp, explosive force.

 

The very guts of the station lurch and rumble worryingly....

[Mazer Rackham]

The Naked and The Fled:

 

GM: Whilst we await the fate of Rocket Wreckit Ralph, Cloakman McDagger and Doggo Hack-Tavish, @Necronaut, Ukalegon can give me a Hard (-20) Perception Test.

 

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Perception Test (hard):

Per39 + 10 (auto-senses) + 10 (HS) - 20 (hard) = 39

D100: 77; 3 DoF

Edited February 19 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

The Naked and The Fled:

 

A fusillade of glowing bullets hammers down the corridor.

 

+Cover!+ Baraduk shouts, even as the hornets are still in the air and a way off.

 

GM: Ukalegon is carrying Atesh, you can go Prone without challenge, or make a Dodge (-10) (Atesh can provide Assistance, but Ukie makes the roll).

 

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Registering Baraduk's warning nearly too late, Ukalegon smashed up against a wall, attempting to move out of the line of fire and shield Atesh with the bulk of his armour.

 

Evasion (Dodge) Test (difficult):

Ag51 + 10 (trained) - 10 (difficult) + 10 (assist) = 61

D100: 57; 1 DoS (not even close )

Edited February 19 by Necronaut

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Obadiah:

 

Obi watched with a measure of concerned amazement as the giant brute ducked away from Varne's rocket.  The warhead blew out a portion of the ceiling, scattering dust, scrap metal, and fumes from a burst pipe across the back end of the room.  He looked over at the other Astartes as he started reloading the launcher and voxed, "Keep it off me, if you can. I'll turn this thing to chunks in short order."

 

He barked a quick laugh as he re-sighted his scope and stroked the trigger.  +That's Hagga's job!+

 

Spoiler

Half-Action: Take Aim

 

Half-Action: Called Shot (Head)

 

BaSk: 53 + 10 (Short Range) + 30 (Size) = 93

Roll: 82.  Hit, 2x DoS.

Dam:  Roll 4 & 10 +9 = 19, Pen 4.

ZH Roll: 4.  Reroll (Cold Killer): 10, becomes 5/head/explosive = Stunned for 1d0 (3) rounds, permanently defeaned, -1 Fellowship.  Or 1 damage if I didn't get through TB & armor.

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Ukalegon and Atesh:

 

Baraduk shelters behind a cobbling-together of conduits, jubilee-clipped flexmetal pipes and cabling. A junction box serves as his immediate head cover from which he peers, periscope fashion.

 

+Do either of you see whare it came from? Distance, angle, anything?+

 

++++++++++

 

Brawlhalla:

 

This time, the Mantid's bolt is more effective, slashing a great flap of skin from the Abominant and ringing it's bell with grotesque force. The heavyset monster reels, punch drunk, but brings up it's massive hammer and blindly thunders it against the floor at the phantoms it perceives assailing it.

 

Abominant:

Reaction Used

Stunned, Half Actions

Half-Action: Hulk Smash.

Hammer, Power, Concussive (8)

 

The effect is immediately less than dazzling, but it rattles your ribcages and trembles each vertebrae. A strange tantrum in riposte, but then you feel it. The very ground beneath your sabatons quails, and the vertiginous plunge threatens your guts as the small world this room contains tips sideways. A mighty groan of plasteel giving way, a brutal, throaty roar of massive tectonic upheaval.

 

The asteroid has been made unsafe and unstable by mechanism which you cannot comprehend or even begin to guess at, the battle in the chamber has weakened the dense ridges of rock into fractured boasts of shale.

 

It moves now, at the call of the giant beast. A beast once a mining-slave.

 

Your harness detects the seismic cataclysm before it reaches your ear - the deep yawn of collapse, the dreaded fear of all who burrow and dwell in the earth's precious fastnesses.

 

GM: You may Dodge, at full AG value to avoid the giant rocks falling down (it is more accurately to avoid being buried, you should narrate this) should you pass your Evasion, you must succeed with 2 DoS to keep your feet. You may, of course, go prone without penalty.

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

+Negative.+

 

Ukalegon started to cautiously advance down the corridor again with his mighty infernus pistol raised in front of him, searching for a target. The sudden change in pace from their flight before whatever daemonic force had managed to pass through the veil was not lost on him, and his every instinct as a shock trooper told him they needed to press on ahead and flatten any resistance in their path.

 

+I can try to draw our assailant out, but we are soon to be trapped between it and whatever was summoned by the witch, if it still pursues us.+

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Obadiah:

 

The floor shifted under their feet, sections breaking apart into yawning gaps while pieces of the ceiling collapsed onto their heads.  Blessed by the fact that he was still by the door, he threw himself back out of the room and into the corridor.

 

Spoiler

Evasion (Dodge)

 

Ag 48 + 10 (Dodge+10) = 58

Roll: 06.  Pass, 5x DoS.

 

Edited February 19 by Iron Father Ferrum

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

Dodge Tests:
Hagga: Ag42, Roll: 82
Sigh… that's gonna have to be his last InfP spent…
Reroll: 39, Pass but no DoS, Hagga goes Prone?

Eska: Ag35 +10(Dodge+10) = 45, Roll: 41, Pass but also goes Prone (unless the four-footed get any bonus to keep their feet under them?)

 

The entire chamber seemed to be coming apart. Hagga grimaced and swore, just barely avoiding a falling boulder. He dropped to one knee for stability and holstered his plasma pistol to free a hand to balance himself. Eska crouched beside him, her whines and snarls directed at the sudden avalanche and the creature that was its cause.

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Ukalegon/Sapik:

 

Baraduk shoulders his shotgun, and steps forward, his muzzle covering Ukalgeon without sweeping him. He turns often towards the rear of the column, ushering the naked human between the Marines. He hands the mortal a battered lucifer with his off hand before returning it to the forearm of the close-quarters weapon.

 

+What about you, warlock? Can you detect the foe?+

 

It is only then you notice that the condensation on the metal walls is thickening into rivulets of scarlet.

 

+We have around six minutes before we join the dust,+ the Corsair says.

[FabiusV4lcoran]

Atesh Sapik

 

The suddenness of the attack shocked Atesh out of his furious revery when what appeared to be an Astartes blessed by the True Gods saved him from the barrage aimed down the corridor.  Sapik gratefully accepted the lucifer from the other Astartes, albeit wishing there was also a cloak or some other cover from more basic elements than gunfire.

 

Spoiler

Awareness Check

 

Perception:  43

Roll: 40

1 DoS

 

"Yes, Lord, it came from the way we were headed."  Atesh pointed back in the general direction of the enemy.

[Mojake]

Varne

 

His eyes on the abominant, Varne worked quickly amidst the rumbling of the station to retrieve another krak from his bandolier. The roaring sound of Obadiah's firearm cracking their foe's skull cut through the destruction. As the missile slid home and Varne brought it up to fire again, what felt like a carnifex smashing down on his shoulders threw Varne to his back, an immense pressure pinning him down and his vision blocked by tonnes of plasteel and ferrocrete.

Edited February 21 by Mojake

[Mazer Rackham]

GM OOC: won't pre-empt Mojake's narrative here. 4 DoF though...

 

Ukalegon/Atesh:

 

Baraduk's harsh laugh cuts across the corridor like a cold knife. +I was hoping you could give me distance, but no matter.+

 

He tears his loincloth free, which is long enough for a mortal to wrap themselves in. +Here, conjurer. You look cold.+

 

When the small party reaches a junction in the tunnels, his shoulders slump and body language betray a deep sigh.

 

+Ukalegon - take the mortal and fly - I will remain here to delay our guests.+

 

GM: Ukie may use his jump-pack for movement, doubling his rate. We will execute 4 turns of narrative movement requiring either a Challenging (+0) Operate (Aeronautica) Test from Ukie, and Routine (+10) Navigate (Surface) OR; Routine (+10) Psyniscience, OR; Routine (+10) Perception, from Atesh, whichever of those skills provide the higher opportunities.

 

GM: Failure of the Pilot Tests reduces maximum speed, failure by 4+ DoF means the jump pack has konked out for some reason. Failure of the Nav tests means a couple of wrong turns. Failure by 4+ DoF means you get lost.

 

GM: At the end of four narrative turns, you must accumulate equal to or more DoS than DoF between you, otherwise, it's an Infamy Burn to save your sorry carcasses from being smoosh. Work together and mutually support narrative/discuss in the OOC.

 

GM: On that note, screaming and queries in the OOC as per.

Edited February 20 by Mazer Rackham
Added 'Atesh' to the Tests, so both Plays can contribute.

[Mazer Rackham]

Brawlhalla:

 

Deathly silence, broken only by the intermittent, odd chip of stone and slip of dust. Crystalline formations twinkle and reflect a myriad of different hues. Between the mineral ore and sparkle-bricks there is an absolute tonnage of wealth of here, more than could fill the coffers of a newly Warranted Rogue Trader.

 

Behind Barzani, the tunnel is choked and cracked. The Western door is buried completely, and the spacious chamber as was is now curtailed by rock pillars and debris spoils. There is no sign of the beast which caused it. The only open door is to the West, the lintel crushed at one end, holding open a triangle of dim emergency light from the glowglobe bulkheads beyond.

 

Baraduk's voice crackles in through the vox.

 

+...Six..minut..s+

 

The rest is lost.

 

Varne is...gone. One moment the Doom Eagle was standing there, the next, half an asteroid replaced him. Dust swirls thickly in the - now unbreathable - air. Registers in your autosenses detect combustible and choking gases.

 

+ STRUCTURED TIME SUSPENDED +

 

GM: We will now initiate Four Narrative Rounds. Varne must take a Difficult (-10) Toughness Test or be Stunned. You automatically gain one level of Fatigue, 19 Damage to the Body Location (Arm/TB allowed). Each DoF on the Test inflicts +1 Fatigue. Your Vox is not disabled, but if you try to transmit, roll 1D100. If the score is below 25, the transmission gets through.

 

GM: The other players may search for your comrades with Hard (-20) Perception Tests each Round. Any Player can make the Test, or, one Player may forfeit the Test to grant Assistance.

 

GM: It will take one turn to dig your crew out. If you do not find your comrades after Four Turns we will have to discuss your options, as you're going to be out of time.

 

Edited February 20 by Mazer Rackham
Edited for doggo.