Dark Heresy - Saladaris Cell (Inactive)

Game Master Aiunder

Agh, alright, sorry, waiting on me.

"Occux, damnit, get out of there," Jacques screams, grabbing hold of Julian's limp arm and dragging it back down the tunnel, firing as he moves.

I don't know if this'll incur any more detriments so please adjust my hit/non-hit accordingly.

+30 point blank, -20 shooting into melee You said he was in close combat, right?Ballistic Skill; 42+30-20=52: 1d100 ⇒ 42

Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Jacques, screaming for Occux to get back, fires his pistol and burns a large hole through the creatures carapace. While the others are incapacitated Occux takes aim again and with the help of the Omnissiah the shot strikes true, punching straight through the beast and out the other side.
As the creatures lies there bleeding, the last vestiges of its life draining out over the piping and away into the blackness below you cant help but notice how much it looks human. Aside from the extra, clawed arms and the carapace of course.

A few moments pass while the rest of you collect yourselves and wake up Julian. Now what do you do?

Octus approaches the creature slowly, rifle leveled at it, "I say we put a few more rounds in it, just to be sure..." His voice quivers and his hands shake ever so slightly. "On a completely different note, I think we can chalk these f+%#ers up to heretics... well, if there was any doubt after the whole, you know, f~++in' human sacrifice to an unholy f$@*in' beast."

JT mashed on the magazine release causing the empty magazine to begin to fall from the magazine well. Before it hit the mud he had a fresh one in place and was palm slapping the bolt to the rear to bring the gun back into battery with a loaded round in the chamber. The gun spat and rattled off fire as he swept the line of chaos tainted guardsmen sweeping towards their position. All around him his fellow loyalists poured their volume of fire into the advancing enemy striking them down in the Emperor's name. The guns oil was beginning to sear off and the thinnest portion of the barrel began to glow cherry red in the twilight.

"Fix bayonets! Retreat is not an option, glory to the first man to die!" Screamed Commisar Whitman "The end of days is upon them, our victory is assured!"

Then they were among them hacking and slashing with everything from improvised blades to court swords, biting and tearing with teeth and bare hands. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" they yelled over and over and over and over and over . . .

"AAAAH! We are being overrun! The blood it's everywhere. It's! . . . WTF is that! That! Thing! Is it a freaking mutant! Oh my Emporer its got Nebel!" JT thrashes and looks about frantically as he comes back into consciousness obviously still in the throes of whatever dark place his mind had retreated to in its panicked loss of awareness.

It got me, but I’m not down. Things like that whatever it is really screw with my mind.

Nebdel cuts off its head. Just to be sure…

I sure hope there was only one of them. I suppose we should look around to make sure there’s not a whole nest of them or something. Nebdel shudders as he thinks about the possibilities.

As Nebdel hacks at the beast's neck, Occux kneels to get a closer look, trying to determine in any technological apparatus was responsible for its transformation.

Perception (35) 1d100 ⇒ 81

Once his investigation is complete he will notice the blood dripping from the wound in his leg, mixing on the floor with the gore already congealing there.

"That's it then. This is no technological aberration, Occux, at least as far as I can see. It's probably some xenos beast if I've ever seen one. Nevertheless, we should get a sample. We can send it back to interrogator Hobbs or the Biologicus facility for analysis."

Glancing at Occux's leg, Jacques reaches into his pack and pulls out the first aid supplies. The bandages can hardly staunch the large gashes, but it's better than nothing. The man almost dies falling from more than 100 feet, he faces down a great xenos beast with not even a wince and hardly even notices the multiple wounds he's sustained that could put an Astartes out cold. If he isn't a machine, I don't know what is.

"I agree with Nebdel. If there are any more down here we must make sure, even if we can't handle it. There also might be another way out of the tunnels, at least away from the groups of maddened cultists now probably waiting at the tunnel's entrance."

DM-ARC, were there just the 3 major branchings or is this more of a maze down here?

Hey Jacques, I could also use some patch work. Then we probably ought to get moving again.

Nebdel is trying to listen for sounds of pursuit. He's not sure whether fear of the beast will keep the cultists out of the tunnel or for how long.

You guys think we should head back to check and see if they are coming in to follow us? That might give us a better idea of how much time we have.
Then again, we are far enough in that maybe we should just see where it goes.

This is a labyrinthine complex of twisting pipes. To try and find an alternate exit you can roll Navigation:ground thanks to Occux and his map. Otherwise you can go up and see what's going on with the cultists.

There are no signs of technology or even metal on the corpse Occux.

Are you doing anything with the body?

Jacques reaches down and picks up the monster's severed head. Holding it up to his eyes, Jacques's face twists away in disgust. "Ugh, this will serve as good a sample as any."

He moves over and applies the same highly basic first aid to Nebdel's wounds.

Ain't got no navigation:ground. I ain't makin' no rolls.

"Skrate may be right. I'm not too concerned about the cultists following us in here as long as they still believe their reverential idol to be alive. I'm more interested in finding out what exactly they're up to now that they know they're compromised."

"We should burn this thing, this mutant makes me sick! Then we need to let HQ know what's going on so they can get us some more help so that we can burn all the mutant loving A-holes that live down here."

Nodding to Jacques his acknowledgement of his assistance with his leg, Occux rises and says to JT "Burning the remains may not be advisable, it would serve to give notice of our position."

Occux then looks for a suitable hole in the floor or adjacent to the floor and pushes the beast's body out of sight.

Too bad navigations an advanced skill, can't try it unskilled. could Occux use his Logic skill to figure out another exit path?

"How about one of these pipes then? Any of them carry steam or enzyimes? We could use their own lair against them. We need to cleanse this place somehow."

I'll allow a logic roll at (-20) since the map doesnt fully list the piping routes and its basically a gigantic knot of pipes crisscrossing and doubling back over itself in a suitable futuristic and utterly illogical design that looks cool in movies... like Alien.

Jacques stuffs the head inside an 'evidence bag' while Occux unceremoniously kicks the rest through a gap between some pipes where it quickly falls tumbling into darkness, the sound of many thuds echoing as it drops.

Occux brings the map of the facility up on his slate, attempting to find a path through the maze of pipes and conduits.

logic (39-20 = 19) 1d100 ⇒ 45

"Unfortunately, this facility is not laid out in a logical manner. A direction for egress is unknown to me."

Mayhap we should just follow the largest pipe. Seems like that should be going somewhere. Unless anyone has a better idea.

"Your suggestion has merit, Nebdel Melfcane. I would suggest that we observe for access hatches and Mechnanicus controls that may aid our endeavour."

If all y'all are ready, let's move. This place creeps me out.

Skrate looks around to see if everyone is good to go at this time or if someone want him to wait up.

Ok tech man, pick a pipe for me to follow.

it occurs to me that this is their home territory. We've only been here a few minutes we could still break out the way we came in before they could organize. But if I am in the minority I will follow.

Making your way farther and deeper into the maze of piping in hopes of finding where they eventually exit the processing plant leaves you all ducking and weaving your way through. Countless times you are forced to stop and double back when the way before you ends leaving nowhere for you to go. This continues for hours until you find yourselves hopelessly lost, your only option to continue farther and farther down into the bowels of the facility in hopes of at least locating the bottom.
Twice you are forced to stop and rest from the exhaustion and to allow the wounded time to check and rebind their wounds. Eventually you find yourselves walking precariously along the lowest row of pipes, hanging above a yawning chasm below before having to climb back up to avoid a section entirely rusted away.
eventually you find yourselves hanging several feet above a gantry way and carefully drop down to it. From there you can easily orientate yourselves with Occux's map and its a simple eight hour hike back to the surface from there.

Tired, sore, wounded and sick of the smell of the rotting head you finally manage to limp back to the safe house. Just as you all prepare to collapse and get some real sleep a single chime and the Vox units link light illuminates.

Inquisition credentials validated...
Link established...
Audio sincronized...
"Greeting Saladaris, I am Interrogator Rowen of the Ordo Malleus. I've been updated on your situation and my team is breaching atmosphere now. Please update me on your situation."

It's probably the best plan we've had thus far. Let's get on with it then and hope the Emperor shall guide us."

Since everyone appears to be tired, Skrate decides to respond to the communication.

Nebdel Melfcane reporting.
Found evidence of a cult working towards some sort of ceremony that was suposed ot have some significant effect. The ceremony involved ritual human sacrifice at specific times and locations.
Cult is located in an underground processing facility accessed through the hive sewer sytem. Recon raid just completed.
Cult appears to be based around the worship of and sacrifice to some sort of clawed hellish beast.
One team member lost in action against the creature. It was fast, strong, and the claws were effecient.
We have a head for examination and analysis. We saw no clear evidence of other such creatures, but can not rule out the possibility.
If there are no other creatures, this should have disrupted the ceremony.
We have not as yet dscovered the human leadership of the cult.
Current intention is to recover from wounds sustained while investigating response to recon raid. Then plan another raid to discover and eliminate leadership of cult. Even if removal of the creature disrupted their plans, 'people' such as that will try again.

Skrate then steps back to give the others a chance to add to the report if they feel the need.
After he releases the transmit button, he can be heard muttering, gralthin bureaucrats always need reports. As if reports are more important than the task at hand.

It wasn't easy, but I have to call that a successful raid. Good work guys. I can stay awake for awhile to guard. When I can't stay on my feet anymore, I'll wake JT or Octus for their turn pacing. Jacques after you get some rest and cleaned up, you better report in for work before you lose your day job. We can get Occux to his tech place for treatment.

"Yeah, Occux is messed up pretty bad. I think we need to get him to help right away. The flesh part of him is still prone to shock and infection and that place was a cesspool. Those guys inbound are mutant hunters right? I freaking hate mutants. Maybe we should tell them we have the head. Are you sure that's a mutant though right? That one is a lot weirder looking than any I had ever heard of."

"Given that we've got an interrogator breaking atmo and will probably be here any minute now, I think a sick day will be in order. Don't count me out just because I'm old son. I'll let my weary bones take the hit on this one."

Jacques turns his attention to the vox's screen.

"Might also be a good idea to ask for a location for rendezvous. He'll probably want us to fill him in on events in person."

Occux says to Nebdel "Succinctly and efficiently relayed Nebdel Melfcane."

He then visibly sways on his feet. "Organic systems compromised. Medical assistance for all injured highly recommeded. "

"Understood. Can you meet me at Orbital platform 518 or do your injuries require us to come to you?"

At least 1 team member requires immediate medical attention.Two others are wounded but functional. However, travel through public spaces with bleeding wounds is likely to draw significant attention. The remaining 2 can proceed to the platform if required. If you want to debrief all of us discreetly, it is better done on the surface.

"I'll bring my team to you then. I'd rather not have to explain one of your deaths after I arrive on planet because I kept you from getting treatment. Forward me your location."
After you forward your location on the vox. You sit down to wait. It should still take him several hours to arrive at your location.
Three hours later you can hear a commotion outside and the sounds of panicked movement. Looking out you can see all of the local inhabitants fleeing something and then the sound of thunder. Exiting the main roads are two matte black chimera transports which pull up outside your apartment complex. Black and maroon garbed imperial guardsmen file out and quickly secure the area while a thin man in golden carapace armour steps down and immediately heads towards you, followed by several other less flashy individuals.
"Lets dispense with the pleasantries shall we. I want to see your findings. Sister Helenia see to the wounded." He walks right into the safehouse while the guardsmen establish a perimeter. An older woman immediately begins examining those of you wounded with a specialized Auspex system. "What have you learned since your last contact? Has anything changed?" Several older individuals that remind you slightly of Jastilus begin rummaging through your collected notes and materials.

JT snaps a salute, "Former guardsman Julian Titus Treadwell at your service sir, I believe showing you the head of the horrid mutant slain might help answer a lot of questions at least I think it's a mutant sir, though well . . . Here it is sir. Occux will have data he could unload if you have a slate, but he is not functioning optimally at the moment, but as soon as his organics are repaired he should be up and running. Something else I don't believe we have mentioned to anyone yet. It seemed like the cult was running the facility down there. They had guards at one of the terminals. It also sounded like solid objects were passing down some of the pipes. I wonder if they could use the plant to spread their mutations or something? Also sir speaking plainly, we could use some hardware like grenades and such, we expended ours when we fought our way inside to kill this . . . Thing."

New? No
Details? Yes.

Skrate doesn't have a perfect memory, but unless stopped he will rattle off eveything as he can remember it. It probably sounds more like an adventure story than a report, but that is how he remembers it.

What else can we provide?

Peering outside at the screaming chimera transports, Jacques stands dumbfounded. Well there goes any kind of pretext of STEALTH at this point. Why bloody bother if the damned interrogator roles in with his flash armor and retinue? What, is he supposed to intimidate us? Throne, he's an interrogator, of course I'm bloody afraid!

Before they barge in through the doorway, Jacques makes sure that he is in lock-step and presentable. Wouldn't want to make bad first impressions.

Jacques adds to the conversation. "All additional information regarding the cult we could find int eh Arbites archives is in those stacks in the corner. They were compiled by a genius of a man named Jastilus, but he... died in the sewers, sir, eviscerated by the thing who's head you have in your hands now.

Sir... I don't think that there is a mutant. It's... just too alien, sir. Do you have any idea?"

Allowing one of the older men to take the head and examine it he waits for a moment before the old man responds, "This is not a mutant per se. To be correct it is a human who's parents or ancestors were victim of a xenos attack. You see there is a type of Xenos that reproduces by corrupting you DNA and over a few generations the humans become more and more alien until a pure strain is born. I've hear about these creatures supposedly being the cause of many of the Hulks driving in the immaterium today. But this could not have anything to do with the ritual sir."
Rowan turns back to you all, "Well it appears that this hive has two problems not just one. I will not allow this taint to remain. Local Arbites and PDF forces will be mobilized to purge this. Hans, Go to the hive's Administratum hall and begin tracking down the genealogy of everyone that we find down there."
The Interrogator begins questioning you all on the whereabouts of the cult and the den before sending his men to 'purify it'.

Shortly after the Interrogator leaves to pursue to your leads regarding the ritual the Vox comes back to life.

Link Established...
Security clearances verified...
Receiving report...

Cell report to Spaceport 339 to depart planet

Congratulations on completing the first investigation. Here are your rewards.
600 XP each
Two months wages each
Skill language(Cell Cyphers)
Group has the choice of specialized training or an equipment cache

Sweet!

Gratz guys, we survived!

koolness

I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "specialized training or an equipment cache," but usually I will go with improving myself rather than my stuff. Can always gain or lose stuff, but skills always help.

Are there standard wages in the book? I must have missed that.

I vote for specialized training.
As for spending xp, the first 500 go in first rank, the last 100 goes into second rank???

koolness

I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "specialized training or an equipment cache," but usually I will go with improving myself rather than my stuff. Can always gain or lose stuff, but skills always help.

Are there standard wages in the book? I must have missed that.

yup.

Specialized training would be me giving each player skills i feel they need or can use in their perceived roll in the cell or a collection of gear and equipment that you may be lacking.

I will pick the specialized training for me!

Awesomesauce, well done guys. Yeah, I too vote for training. Skills > Stuff.

Also: "Once a character's total spent xp reaches the necessary amount, the character's rank increases." If you all spend the ammount we're given here, welcome to rank 2... or is that Rank 3? Oooh.

I'll edit in the stuff I spend in a bit.

Edit: Here we are: 100 - Awareness, 100 - Sound Constitution, 100 - Tracking, 100 - Disarm, 100 - Toughness Simple Advance, 100 - Security

Ok training it is.

Wait, does our starting XP factor into leveling up?

I will probably not have time to sit down and go through the book and allocate my gains until next Tuesday.

I believe it's just total xp spent.

XP at creation normally does count. Some houserule that it's only XP gained in game so i'll leave it up to you all to decide which way. Majority ruling and such.

I figured the creation xp was just that, spent at the beginning. reset to 0 for the rest.

So all xp gets spent in 1st rank skills?

Hrm, okay. I'll go with Occux with this one. I'll change my expenditure later to reflect this.

Okay I'll post your training tomorrow but I'll begin mission II
A cargo ship is waiting to take you off world and rendezvous with a passing Navy frigate on its way to Ryboth where your training will take place.
You spend the next three months under the grueling tutelage of several veteran soldiers, tacticians, scholars, tutors and priests. Some of your training is completed one on one while others are done as a team.
At the end you are given one week to relax and recuperate before your cell will be reactivated and put back into rotation.

Occux, due to the fact that you are currently on a major forge world and you're member of the cult you can purchase a replacement biotic arm for half price and ignore the cost of the surgery. If anyone would like to purchase anything you can automatically find anything with an availability easier than rare on planet. Once everyone has posted their XP purchases and any gear bought I'll continue. Nebdel if you can't get access to your book until next week that's okay.

I'll wait till you post our training gains before buying my new skills.
Also, instead if a biotic arm, I'd like a utility mechadendrite, is that OK?