The Chimeras
Two of the Traitors die as bolter and plasma fire erupt from the nearby jungle. Striding forth Uriel's four remaining brethren join the fray.
The Chimeras
The marine with the Meltagun collapses as the burning promethium eats away at him while the Lascannon marine, on his last legs, screams in rage and opens fire with his massive weapon, aiming at Sardus.
Meanwhile, the remaining three Traitors armed with bolters concentrated their fire on the nearest Divine Eagle.
The Divine Eagle's armor deforms as bolt shells rain down on him but he stands strong until a lucky shot penetrates his left eye lens, the bolt exploding inside his helmet. He drops to the ground, quite dead.
"It is alright wolf brother, I don't want to kill him, i don't even want to fight him right now! I am just reminding him in my own charming way, of tradition and the need for an honour duel later. For now we have a job to do. Who is staying here to guard the fortress and who goes to help the Inquisitor? "
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Attero's mind churns, the new details and their galaxy-wide implications leaving him a bit stunned.
He turns to Othair, the smile never leaving his face. "That question has already answered itself. Our main objective, the only reason we are even here, has left this pile of rocks and has now lost contact on a planet teaming with Xenos, and, we are told, Traitors."
He turns back to Morgan. "Is that a correct assessment, Apothecary? Tell me, are there any vehicles left to go and rescue her, or are we all travelling by foot?"
Sardus knows that his chances are slim, but he steadies himself for the blow and doesn't even flinch as he stares into at the traitor and hatred that ran as deep as his gene-seed.
ForeField:
FP re-roll.
We will prevailhe thinks to himself, possibly his last thought, as the lascannon fire is absorbed by the shield.
He raises his meltagun with a furious vindiction and prays his father guides his shot and keeps his aim true.
You are not destined to kill me this day he yells as the meltagun unleashes a devestating blast upon the marine and those nearby.
Astartes Multi-melta (Maxima)
Heavy 60m S/–/– 4d10+8 E Pen 13,clip 12, reload 1 Full, Blast (1)
***Melta add +1d10 dmg at short range.
BS 65, +10 Short range
6 DOS
RF Confirm:
Damage:
Total: 48E, 13 Pen, Blast (1), Felling (1), can't be dodged.
"Brother when and how do you plan for us to leave?" he inquires.
Apothecary Morgan nods at Brother Aterro's first question.
"We will be heading out now on foot as all other transports are gone."
Apothecary Morgan then turns to the Command Staff.
"We will be returning with the inquisitor soon. Keep a lookout for any further assassin's and inform us if anything else comes up."
Korbin gets a readout on the HUD that his plasma rifle is recharged and ready. It does little to slow his pace as he continues to pick up speed and moves towards the remaining traitors that killed the Divine Eagle. While he considered charging into the traitors and crushing their skulls with his weakest mechandrite, he maintains his pace not wanting to be in the crossfire of his brother and the Divine Eagles. Divine indeedhe thought to himself when they first appeared, but that notion was quickly fleeting as they fell like any other marine. You shall die slowly for your treachery!He raises his vambrace and fires another conentrated burst at the marines still standing.
Triflame Vambrace
Basic 30m S/–/– 2d10+4E, Pen 5, Clip 12, 3Full, Flame
Firing modes:
a) Concentrated (-20 AG test avoid fire)
b) Wide (60 degree Arc, +1d5 dmg to Horde)
Damage 6E, Pen 5
The Chimeras
Sardus' Melta blast engulfs the Lascannon armed marine and one of the bolter armed marines.
They both vanish under the attack as they are seared layer by layer, armor, flesh, organs, bone until they are utterly vaporized.
Korbin's flamer blast pours over the remaining two marines.
One manages to avoid the flames but both are cut down a moment later as one is torn apart by the Divine Eagle's bolter and plasma fire and the other decapitated by Uriel as he makes a ferocious charge and brings his chainblade down in a powerful arc.
Sardus looks around to make sure nothing is still standing to threaten him. He comms the Divine Eagles and attempts to message the installation on an encrypted frequency, alternating signals until he gets a connection.
Contact made with traitor marines. Presence confirmed, along with Daemonhost. Transportation Lost. Contact with Divine Eagles. Regrouping now, threat elimnated, minor injuries. Uriel confirmed alive.
Sardus keeps the signal on a loop until he gets a reply. The transponders in the Chimera's destroyed, if they couldn't get a signal through, Morgan might risk a rescue operation, possibly jeopardizing the installation and making the retrieval of the limiter useless.
For now he must consider what to do next. Continue by foot or return to the installation. Before that decision could be made, he would need to hear from the Inquisitor and Uriel first.
Perfect timing Sardus says to Uriel as he approaches the piles of metal and flesh. I feared the worst, but never gave up hope.
The Chimeras
"Hmmm." Says Blassfem'Mee. "It appears my companions have gone to join the Gods." He releases his mental grip on Shar Quinn then drags one talon vertically against the air. His nail splits the sky and opens a window into the Warp.
His demonic leer grows wider as he considers the Inquisitor. "The Skull of Zuvassin is in our possession, Inquisitor. I have seen the future and what happens if you do not retrieve it. Come and get it if you are able, you should know though, an entire company of Word Bearers awaits to greet you."
The Daemonhost laughs manically as he steps through the rift and vanishes, the window to the Warp snapping shut behind him.
The Chimeras
The Sergeant smiles tiredly as he helps Shar Quinn to her feet.
"Good to see you Sardus, apologies for being late." He says.
The three remaining Divine Eagles reload as they approach and give Sardus and Korbin respectful nods.
"We need that skull...the limiter." Shar Quinn, her voice slightly slurred from the stress of the mental assault she suffered, says.
The Installation
Matteus is about to respond to Morgan when the Vox lights up and Sardus' voice comes through.
Korbin moves to the inquisitor to make sure she is ok. I am not an apothecary, but I know a bit about medicine. Do you require attention?
After waiting for a response an depending on her composure, Korbin considers the hosts words and decides the mission and threat are too dangerous not to know.
What is this skull they speak of and what happens if you do not retrieve it? I thought it was not as important as the device?
Why devote so much to protect such a thing? Maybe we are not the only ones interested in it? Too much mystery, not enough answers.
The Chimeras
"I'm ok, the Daemon didn't breach my mental defenses, it simply pressed me...hard." Shar Quinn responds, her words still slurred. "I guess it doesn't matter much if I tell you now, the enemy obviously already knows."
"The Skull is the remains of a powerful Pariah who was in the service of the Inquisition before his death. Like Psykers those who possess the Pariah gene, that blank quality that dampens the strength of the warp around it, have differing levels of strength. Zuvassin was an Alpha plus level untouchable, the negative black hole of his soul crushingly powerful in its negation abilities. As he lay dying after a deadly mission in which he performed heroically he requested of his Inquisitor that he serve the Inquisition even after he passed, doing the Emperor's work forever, so his brain and soul were bound and crafted into a device, one that can be activated to unleash his massive Pariah powers." Shar Quinn informs you, her voice getting stronger and clearer as she speaks and recovers.
The Chimeras
"The Warp blade device we have is unstable and prone to spillage, the Skull is its failsafe, to be activated if things go wrong to banish the Warp energy in case of an overload. A very useful device to have, but if the Skull's function and purpose are known to the Enemy it means our motivation to recover it, or at least destroy it, has doubled. Such a weapon could be frightfully destructive in the wrong hands." Shar Quinn informs you.
"As of what the Daemon speaks of I have no knowledge, the creature taunts me with riddles and dire warnings. I hold close the Ordo Malleus' first teaching on the Daemon and you should too. 'The Daemon is lies given form, to listen to its whisperings is to damn yourself!'"
As a connection is confirmed with the installation Sardus sends a more coherent encrypted message, high priority, to Commander Morgan.
Our transports are down, currently at an unknown position.He pauses trying to get a sense of their exact location with whatever he has available.
Navigation INT: 50 4 DOF
he continues on after giving up, not even to make sense of north or south.Escort package secure, contact with remaining Divine Eagle Squad, Uriel survived. Daemonhost and a squad of traitors neutralized. Target package likely compromised, Chaos troops likely awaiting our arrival. New intel suggest target package more important than thought, aborting mission not advisable. Please update on your status...Over.
Korbin searches the area for anything that could be of use to him or the Eagles in their assault. They would likely need all the firepower they could carry. Perhaps there would still be some intact cogitators or data slates with some intel on the marines. Lastly, if given time, Korbin will take a closer look at the dreadnought and try to recover any plamsa fuel he could to replenish his own supplies.
He turns to the Divine Eagles and motions for them to help while opening a comm channel: Help me search for any intel or weapons that could be of use. We are not heading to the installation and we just lost our ride. It will surely be a dangerous trek, best to make sure you have every weapon at your disposal possible. As he finishes he begins to search the rubble looking for clues or useful equipment.
Awareness Per. 93, (+20 with Augur, but not sure if it would help, so didn't add) 2 DOS
The Installation
"Would that be a prudent choice," Naaman questions the suggestion of moving on food.
"The only vehicle left to us is the Leman Russ, and that isn't fit for transporting several marines in terminator armor." Apothecary Morgan answers back to Naaman.
Apothecary Morgan then responds back to Sardus's message. "Several new Deathwatch members have arrived on planet and made it to the instillation. We have also dealt with a minor security breach. We can send more assistance if needed."
Apothecary Morgan then turns to the new Deathwatch team in the center. "We have received word that the Divine Eagles have made contact with the away team and will be assisting them. Our assistance may not be needed at all in this case."
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Aterro taps his chin at the new data. "Hmmmm. Divine Eagles. Not too familiar with them. What strength have they? A full company? Well, so long as they have at least a squad, I'll concur that we might not be needed.
Still, seeing as how she is our main mission, and they have already run into problems enough to lose contact, did we not have the Eagles, it would seem mission-prudent to send out as many as the available transport could hold.
But, seeing as how ample manpower has arrived....
Well, are there watches to be kept or strong points that need to be strengthened? Last I heard this planet was besieged, so the least we can do is make sure the installation is still standing by the time she gets back.
Ah, just out of curiosity, what is the time frame, here? Any other side-missions? Once the Inquisitor returns, can we be about making her safe, or are there other things to be apprised of?"
The Chimeras
"The Divine Eagles are a chapter that pride ourselves on our purity, Brother Korbin. We would not taint ourselves with the weapons of the enemy." Uriel says as he looks over his battered men. "Well, not unless we were very, very desperate...We will help you look for clues though."
Nothing substantial remains of the Dreadnought or the marines vaporized by melta fire, but a number of bolters with extra clips, chainblades, and frag grenades can be found, as well as the Champion's powersword and plasma pistol.
You notice as you inspect these marines that these Word Bearers bear little of the honor marks or foul idolatry of veteran Word Bearers, showing that they are, relatively speaking, newer recruits not veterans of the Heresy.
The remaining Chimera finally reaches you, grinding out of the forest. Serrated slash marks mar its hull and it tracks are thick with purple goop where it ran over lesser Tyranid creatures.
The hatch on top of the turret pops and a soldier pokes his head out.
"Sorry for being late we ran into a swarm of those little hopping buggers and they cut off the Vox antenna." The trooper says, gesturing to where the supple metal cord used to be. "Got more following close behind."
Korbin grabs what ammunition he can that would be of use to him and his squad. He collects the power sword and plasma pistol only because the Chimera pulled in and the need to travel light lessened.
As for the Divine Eagles and their pride, that kind of orthodoxy was foreign to Korbin. He would make use of anything available and get the job done by any means necessary.
Let us make haste, we have lost enough time.
Sardus smiles as the lost Chimera pulls up to the squad. You should thank those bugs next time you see them. Glad you took your time with them, otherwise we might be walking. As soon as he says so he instantly recalls the drivers of the other Chimeras, perhaps they are still alive, someone should check. Uriel, have your men go with Korbin and search the Chimera's for survivors. Try to stay within support range.
He then opens comms again to commander Morgan:
We have just made contact with the last surviving Chimera, on route to destination. Suggest preperations for an exfil team should we meet excessive resistance and are pursued on route back to installation. Will update upon arrival.
Turning back to Uriel and the Inquisitor Sardus tells them to load up, missio is still a go. It does not matter what awaits us, we will retrieve the skull and return. Load up, we are moving out after we have searched for survivors. [b]Korbin, see if you can repair the vox and get more stable comms while we are on route.
With no time for idle chat on the ground Sardus motions for them to get on the Chimera. Sardus makes sure to get on last and be near the door, so he may exit first under fire.
The Installation
Matteus places a finger to his ear as the micro Vox bead in his ear begins chattering, a moment later the Installation's alarms blare to life.
Matteus turns and presses a button on his dash board that brings up various views of the Installation on the Pict screens around his station.
"What in the name of the Saint?" He asks himself as one Pict screen, showing the open corridor that houses the elevator shaft down to Shar Quinn's labs, reveals that the armored and warded seal on the shaft is deforming, as if being struck by a massive fist from below.
The whole chamber rattles as more dents appear in the seal.
"Uh, I think we have a situation with the device." Matteus comments worriedly.
On the Pict screen a massive blood red fist the size of a Dreadnaught's power claw punches its way through the seal, spilling infernal light and heat from below.
The Chimera
Finding no survivors in the wreckage of the other Chimeras you all get aboard and begin moving with all speed towards the outpost.
"Do we have a plan?" Uriel asks Sardus as he cleans his chainblade.
The Installation
Matteus looks on in fascinated horror as the seal is pulled apart, eagerly being peeled up like the top of a can of food in the hands of a starving transient. Emerging from the shaft comes a massive Daemon with sweeping bat wings and smouldering brass armor. As it clears the opening a swarm of crimson skinned horned daemons wielding glistening blades pours forth in its wake.
"What?" Says Matteus, finally prying his eyes away from the screen. "Oh, right." He types on his dashboard and directions are loaded into each marines HUD.
Apothecary Morgan seems disturbed by the fact that the machine can apparently bring daemons into the material plane with little effort. Apothecary Morgan follows Aterro towards the daemon disturbance.
Luthar senses nothing wrong in the warp and doesn't understand the concern until he sees it with his own eyes.
Psyniscience +10, Perc 60 vs Psy 2 DOF
Following Aterro's lead the wolf follows heading to meet whatever has broken through. While his own experiences with Daemons were limited, he didn't fear. Whether it was ignorance or the confidence of the last battle, Luthar wasn't sure, the only thing he did know The hunt is on!
"Let them be cleansed by bolter and fire" Decius follows looking for spots he can take to create killzones with his heavy bolter.
Othair growls "Malificarum" before spitting on the floor and heading after Aterro, overtaking if he gets the chance.
The Installation
Arriving in the seal hall the marines find the vicious blood red Bloodletters of Khorne swarming the area.
Out of the torn elevator shaft pours a tide of undiminished warp energy, its effects rapidly warping the room around you.
Blood pours down the walls and strange growths begin bubbling into existence out of the floor.
Above the snapping crowd of lesser daemons looms a colossal Bloodthirster, an axe appearing in a burst of flame in one hand and a whip in the other.
Waves of hate and terror so thick as to be an almost physical presence emanate from the Greater Daemon and its fanged and horned head tilts as it views the marines.
It lets out a bellowing laugh that literally shakes the room.
"What? Already? I thought I would have to hunt." It growls in a voice several octaves lower than a human could possibly produce. "The stench of the Changer of Ways hangs heavily around you, I will enjoy severing your Fate Threads!"
You desecrate the ground you stand, and the Emperor's will, both diserving of death. The wrath of the Gigas is upon you filth" Decius begins to shower the greater daemon with bolter fire "By Bolter fire I purify your wretched existence and by fire I will cleanse your presence and your miserable blight upon the earth you thread upon"
Initiative
Full Auto Burst
Ballistic Skill 95
Heavy Bolter Base Damage 1d10+16 (Tearing, Felling (1), Pen 8
Damage = 24
Damage = 25
Damage = 22
Damage = 26
Damage = 24
Damage = 23
Righteous Fury
Damage = 25
A sight to behold, Luthar pauses, much greater than anything Luthar had ever faced or seen, the wolf becomes eerily excited by the challenge of close combat and the overwhelming odds. The renowned wolf tamer growls in anticipation of the coming tide, as his brothers begin to use their human weapons at range. Luthar activates the runic powers of his chapter and summons 2 ancient spectral wolves to aid them, Freki! Geri! Come forth once again and show the darkness the fury of Fenrisian wolves! Hoping to clear a path for his brothers to engage the Bloodthirster he yells to Othair This one is yours brother, show them the true fury and might of a wolf pack son of Russ knowing his brother's lust for close combat had been previously snatched.
Full Action push: FP test WP 75, +50 PR bonus (PR 10) vs 10 DOS
Action: Full, Opposed: No, Range: 5 metre radius x PR, Sustained: Yes
Description: The Rune Priest summons up the spirits of the Thunderwolves, Freki the Fierce and Geri the Cunning, unleashing them upon his foes. As long as this power is sustained, the Rune Priest is flanked by two spectral wolves that he may direct against his foes with a verbal command. The wolves cannot be damaged by attacks nor can they be grappled (though effects that end or disrupt the power will affect them as normal). They also cannot stray outside the range of the power. Each Round on the Librarian’s Initiative, each wolf may make a single melee attack against any target within range (they move automatically into contact with their foe and are not impeded by any kind of terrain). Each attack will automatically hit unless Dodged or Parried. Freki’s bite inflicts 1d10 x PR Rending damage, while Geri’s Bite inflicts 1d5 x PR Rending damage with a Penetration of 3 x PR. Any target that takes damage from either Freki or Geri must make a roll on the Shock Table (unless the target is immune to Fear) adding the damage taken to the result.
50m range, one attack each on Luthar's turn.
Freki's bite: 10d10 Rending
Geri's Bite: 10d5 Rending Pen 30
Psy Phenom table
metres of the psyker.
22 meters total.
As the Rune Priest summons forth the Thunderwolves the ground around him becomes covered in frost and the temperature instantly drops. Such as the frozen lands of Fenris the wolves spring forth from the midst of a winter's blast. Whether the frost preceded the wolves or the frost was a result of them, none could tell. The sight once again of a rune priest altering the environment might trouble his brothers, but it only calms and centers the the great wolf inside the priest. A harmony and clarity sweeps over him as if he were hunting again as a young cub. His ignorance and curiosity nearly much the same, he understands caged animals backed into a corner, and knew there would be no retreat for any side.
The sight of the hated foe and the feel of his wolf brother's fenrisian cold washing over him, lead Othair's hand to stray to the wolf teeth around his neck. A howl tears out of his mouth as the red mist fills his head and he moves to the front of the squad ready to charge.
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Aterro skids to a halt, momentarily shocked by the amount of corruption in front of him. He'd seen the effects of the warp before, but this amount, this quickly, in the very heart of a secure installation was...disconcerting.
Although, by comparison the Bloodthirster and the accompanying horde was almost to be expected.
"You speak of seevering things, O Ugly One! You know what they say, be careful what you wish for. There is always a bigger fish. Come and see what kind of a fisherman I am!"
Krak missile loaded, Legionarire.
Aterro zeroed in on the demon and pulled the trigger.
= 10 DOS -10 to Dodge
34 dmg
= 2DOS
31 dmg
= 5 DOS
= 29 dmg
34 + 31 + 29 = 94 dmg, PEN 10, Felling, -10 to dodge.
Once on their way Sardus tries to evaluate their options. When Uriel asks what the plan is, he replies honestly. The plan was to head to the outpost and retrieve the skull. That hasn't changed. Our opposition might be greater than we anticipated, but so is the significance of the limiter. Turning to the Inquisiter he asks If you want to turn back now is the time Then raising his voice so the driver could hear, Our plan is to get close enough to the installation without them knowing we have arrived. Once we get solid intel we can make a decision on how to enter. Though if the situation looks like more than we can handle I will consider aborting and returning to the installation. I can not risk our main objective.he says, then lowers his voice where only those in the back could hear, ...Let us hope the Daemon spoke nothing more than lies.
Korbin tries to repair the VOX system and relay the comms through another transciever to increase the range and stability. It's a bit bumpy and he wished he had his full harness so he could brace himself. Instead he bears down and makes the best of it with his limited time and resources.
INT 65 +Tech-Use, +20, Talented +10, +10 EQ Bionic Arm, +10 Combi-tool
5 DOS
After some fine and delicate manipulation of wires and cogitators, made easier by his bionic arm, he continues to attempt signaling the installation frequency and his squads.
I am working to restore comms
Apothecary Morgan looks over at the horde of bloodletters and quickly commands the machine spirit within his bolter to change to metal storm rounds to make the most of them being grouped together. Then he sends a mental command letting the horde face the brunt of his storm bolter's fury.
The Chimera
Korbin succeeds in fixing the Vox while the other occupants of the tight cabin converse.
"The limiter is very important but let's take a look at the opposition before we decide what to do." Shar Quinn responds, looking tired but no longer disabled.
"I follow your lead Sardus." Uriel says, sheathing his blade.
The Chimera reaches the base of the mountains and spends some time climbing a dirt path, eventually you reach a perch on the side of the mountain well above the jungle and Shar Quinn disembarks to view the distant outpost through magnoculars.
The view over the jungle is beautiful but the Inquisitor simply curses.
"I see three squads of tactical marines and a Predator tank at the base and a squad of devastators around a Thunderhawk on the roof."
She moves to hand Sardus the magnoculars so he can see.
"There are undoubtedly more inside that big outpost, what should we do?" She asks.
The Installation
The Greater Daemon raises his axe and whip into the air and spreads his wings wide as heavy bolter rounds stitch his brass armor and the krak missile blows a chunk out of his side.
Far from seeming in pain the Daemon seems to be relishing the attacks.
"My turn!" He bellows in joy and charges Othair, the closest target. "One arm behind my back!" He declares as he puts his whip behind his back.
Truly the Greater Daemon is the incarnation of War itself, a martial God with no mortal equal in the universe.
The Installation
Morgan sends a large number of the Lesser Daemons screaming back into the Warp but a huge number remain and they encircle the marines, preparing to tear them apart.
7 dos
Even Othair's quick reactions are unable to parry the War daemon's skills and his axe crunches into his arm, taking him down in a spray of blood.
Attack 2 2dos
Attack 3
2nd FP
2nd FP burnt Attack 4
3rd FP
Attack 5
Attack 6
3rd FP burnt
Any blow that gets through causes fatal damage