As the large creature breaches the mist Luthar's excitement grows. A beast of this size was a tale to be told, slaying it would be a heroic worthy of the hears of his brothers during feasts. Too large to wrangle it, nearly cursing his heavy armor, the wolf takes in every sensory feeling he can, all his heightened senses narrowing his focus and he concentrates more deeply, searching for the words to call forth a lightning with soul.
Is that the b#!%* (wolf speak more than curse) that spawned you? She will fall before this planet is consumed. Your wings will not keep you safe from this planets revenge. hey says just before his runes begin glowing and his language changes.
Push Level Focus test: WP 70 PR 6, talent +1, Push +3 = PR 10
Living Lightning: Action: Full Opposed: No Range: 30 metre radius x PR Sustained: Yes
300m range (PR 10x 30m)
Description: The Rune Priest cries out to the sky and calls forth a dancing bolt of sentient electricity arcing down from the heavens. While this power is in effect, the Rune Priest can direct the bolt of lightning against any target within range, changing targets between turns regardless of how far apart they are. Those struck by the lightning will suffer 1d10 x PR Energy damage with the Shocking quality. If the target passes a Challenging (+0) Agility Test, he reduces this damage by half (round up). This power can only be used outside under an open sky.
Damage:
With Shocking Quality.
Psychic Phen.
Daemonic Mask: For a fleeting moment the psyker takes on a Daemonic appearance and gains a Fear rating of 1 for the rest of the Round. He also gains 1 Corruption Point.
He roars furiously roars in a foreign tongue, a frenzy of energy as the runes on his staff and armor glowed brightly. While summoning the living lightning something else momentarily passed across his wolf helm, a daemonic darkness, giving the Rune Priest a look and reason to be feared. After Luthar’s call to the skies a bolt of lightning flashes across the skies but not in a random pattern. It’s movements lingering near the thunderhawk, ready to strike lash out at the Rune Priest calling.
1 Point Corruption taken, Fear ( 1 )trait for a round
"Negative reply, transmission not understandable," Tech Marine Ramsey said into the vox after running the response through several processors in his implants and still getting nothing but gibberish. "Situation update, we have drawn the attention of a large tyranic life form, unknown designation but likely a Synapse relay for the hive."
Leaving the vox terminal, assuming any further reply would be similarly garbled, the Storm Warden made the short climb through the floundering thunderhawk to the Heavy-Bolter turret. His various mechanical limbs folded away so he could squeeze into the control chair. Running through the activation rituals, ensuring the turret was still in more or less working condition, he quickly found the turret to be functional aside from the damaged machine spirit which would normally control the automated fire.
"I do not like it when they do this," Ramsey said over the local vox to his fellow marines aboard the thunderhawk, "Do not mistake them for mindless beasts, circling for a kill. I have seen them in battle before and... Brother Decius, is the Thunderhawk's Auspex still working?"
Growling at his inability to do anything at this range, Othair grumbles "I wish i had my jump pack, the hunter of that beast will be worthy of a saga. Come brothers turn this boat around and charge it, surely with our combined might we will bring it down. Yes brother Ramsey, they hunt us and seek our ite, if we charge it, we can tear it apart."
The Installation.
"Brother Morgan what are your thoughts on this installation?" Naaman inquires as he surveys what is possible from their current location.
"With three chimeras and a leman russ traveling together may be better. Also, I loathe the thought of just sending these machines out to die for a simple distraction."
The Gunship
Gently nursing the Thunderhawks engines to get the most distance out of them Brother Decius heads for the installation.
The Tyranids continue hanging back, even when the colossal forms of two other Harridans and their swarming retinues of Gargoyles join the chase. Even with the extra strength the beasts don't attack and suddenly you realize something, far from behaving like rabid animals and swarming you the beasts are tailing you. They must realize you have a destination and are trying to stalk you until you lead them there.
The Installation
"We can use the Chimeras but there is a breach in the western wall from the earlier earthquakes and we are going to use the Leman Russ to plug the gap in the event of an attack." Shar Quinn comments. "The heavy front armor and guns should be effective and even if the tank gets destroyed its wreckage will do a better job of plugging the gap than any work we can do in the next few hours."
You should order the Chimera crews to be ready to fight , but remain light with less men. Mobility is the key, speed and staying alive to buy us time to get away in our slower, though more heavily armed, transport. Once we are clear, those men should retreat if they encounter overwhelming forces. We will surely need them for later, as our transport will most likely not be intact for extraction.
As he considers his own words, he knows that extraction can be difficult and unpredicatble. He hopes the men follow orders and don't risk themselves unnessecarily, their time for sacrifice would surely come, but not until their duties to the Inquisitor were completed.
Lastly, after some time with maps and the proper information to make a logical decision, Korbin considers a stealthy approach of the Watch Station and how best to mask their route.
Int 65 Tactics (Recon and Stealth) vs ...2 DOF
The Installation
Korbin finds that taking the Chimeras to a rocky ridge just north of the Watch Station will give the marines the best chance to stealth in. It is far enough that the noise and heat of the tanks won't be detected and it offers an excellent route on foot once there to approach unnoticed.
By the time he is done the transports are fueled, crewed and ready to go.
"Shall we?" Shar Quinn beckons as she steps into the center Chimera.
The gunship
Stomping up to brother Decius, Othair exclaims " Look brother, as i just said, they are following us to our Ite...our den. Charge them and put them off or put us down, so we don't lead them straight to the Inquisitor." You can tell Othair's voice is filling with anger and turning into a growl.
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Aterro's eyes go wide with realization as Othair points out that they are being stalked.
"Break break break!" he shouts toward the cockpit. "By Throne the devils are crafty. We will lead this massive horde right to them! Brothers, cut away at some angle and put us down where ever you see fit. It is better that we die in glorious combat than to lead this pack on and make it worse than if we had died on entry!"
Aterro tries for a lock again. Just a little bit closer....
"I hear some grumbling in the engines and the cockpit I guess we must brace for landing" as Decius realizes what the others have, swearing vengeance upon the Xeno filth.
"I might be able to convince the spirit of this thunderhawk to attempt to lead the Tyranids away after we land," Ramsey said simply over the squad vox as he climbed down from the heavy bolter turret now that it was clear they were being followed, not attacked. "I can not be sure they will take the bait but it may be worth the attempt."
Once again returning to the control lectern in the cargo hold the Tech marine's various mechanical limbs unfolded and proceeded about various tasks. A mechadendrite retrieved the vox microphone from where it hung, one servo arm pulled an inactive servo skull from a shelf on which it had been secured while the other assisted the Tech priest.
"Thunderhawk Sure Strike to imperial forces, we are aborting approach to set down short due to tyranic tailing force," Ramsey spoke with the same calm he always seemed to while busily performing the necessary rituals to reprogram the machine spirit's automatic piloting system.
The Installation
Having heard the inquisitors words Naaman remarks: "Alas I should fear it will not suffice for long, we must be allowed to escort you to safety as soon as possible."
The Gunship
Keeping the beasts at bay with threats of guns and psionics and expertly landing in a patch of thick jungle the marines disembark and the gunship rises shakily on auto pilot to lead the Tyranids on a chase.
The majority follow with only a single Harridan and its brood remaining to circle far above the landing site, the jungle canopy is thick though, and you are well concealed.
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Brother Aterro watches the gunship rise and lead away the bulk of the forces. Relieved, he congratulates Brother Ramsey. "A fine work, Brother Ramsey! You have single-handedly neutralized two full Brood-groups! Now I can only hope to aspire to your own level of effectiveness!
Well, now that we're here, there is nothing for it but to move along. Let us hoof it as quick as we can, and hopefully there will still be an installation left for us to rescue!"
Assuming that no one else has anything to do in this random part of Jungle, Brother Aterro brings up the Vmap on his HUD and heads in the direction of the installation.
Othair barely waits for the Thunderhawk to touch ground before moving out to cover the jungle, his heavy flamer tracking across with its little blue pilot flame glowing in the half light of the jungle floor.
(Tgt 100:Skill+heightened senses+auspex in armour)
3 successes
" Ja, well done brothers, I am glad to be on solid ground again. I am not a silent a hunter in this armour, so i will guard our left flank."
"The ground beneath my feat gives me comfort" as Decius follows the space wolf into the jungle and readies to let go a barrage of bolter fire to anything that could come into range, to cover the rest of the marines.
Forest Floor (Was The Gunship)
Aterro loads topographic info onto his HUD, gained from the passive auspex of the wounded Thunderhawk before its departure. Though the installation is quite a distance no major geological obstructions bar the way.
Othair can tell instantly that you are not alone, many smaller Tyranid creatures and a few of the larger breeds move through the jungle up ahead, they do not sense you but are turning to move in your direction, likely at the will of the Hivemind, who, through the Harridans know where the gunship landed.
None of the beasts are yet visible through the jungle but they will be here soon.
The Installation
The Chimeras start out, moving up ramps to leave the underground garage and exiting the installation through its front gates.
As the Chimeras tear through the undergrowth Shar Quinn looks at Sardus and Korbin in the dimly lit troop cabin.
"Tell me marines, are you quite experienced in battling the forces of Chaos?"
Apothecary Morgan travels down to the biolabs but his purpose there is two-fold. While he begins running tests on the samples he travels around keeps an eye out for any signs of World Bearer cultist sabotage. Knowledge of his old foes being here on this planet has turned Apothecary Morgan into a grim, brooding, and suspicious marine.
"I did little but provide the Omnissiah's guidance to the venerable machine spirit of that Thunderhawk," Ramsey said, idly loading his bolter and checking the power and fuel levels of his servo harness. "However we had best not squander the time it has given us, the tyranid hive is not easily fooled for long. And if stealth will not serve us speed must."
Without further deliberations the Tech marine takes off in the direction indicated by Brother Aterro. Starting at a light jog until the rest of his battle brothers catch up he will slowly speed up till the Terminator is going as fast as he can without tiring himself and maintain that pace.
Othair growls across the vox, as he sets off at a tangent to the approaching xenos.
"Follow me, quickly or we will not lose the xenos. Their sky monsters send them to our position, and they will be on us shortly. We push hard off their route and then stop so they pass us. Then all speed to the Ite or by Russ we won't helping anyone. Brother Rune priest, can you cloak us"
I am no stranger to the forces of Chaos. he replies to the inquisitor. Their treachery began with their betrayal of my chapter at Istvaan V many millennia ago. Korbin didn't care much for talking afterwards. He focused on the task ahead and kept a look out for anything suspicious. If possible he would guide the vehicle as best he could on a stealthy approach and make sure they avoided any likely ambush spots.
The damage our Chapter suffered at the hands of those traitors will never be understood by most. Before this days end I shall slay all I see for their betrayal cost my Chapter a homeworld. And just like the Raven, this topic seemed to be a sore spot with him as well. Not the kind to wear his revenge on his shoulders, but a brooding patience that silently yearned for action. Sardus knew the time would come, but he hoped when it did, he could put the mission before his emotions.
Decius speed might caught some by surprise for such a giant amongst giants is faster than most even with his heavy bolter that looks more like bolter in his hands. "Pick up the pace brother, I will bring the rear"
The Chimeras
Shar Quinn says nothing further, though the sad look in her large brown eyes hints that she too has lost someone or something precious to the deprivations of Chaos.
After a long time churning through the jungle the lead Chimera ranging ahead suddenly grinds to a halt and swivels its multilaser forward as it detects something on its auspex. Before it can take further action a massive blazing star bright ball of plasma fires from the darkness and burns through the frontal armor of the Chimera before detonating.
The Chimera is thrown thirty meters into the air, spinning end over end as it burns. Its entire frontal section has been blown open and peeled back into petal-like sections almost like a blooming flower of metal. It crashes to the ground then bounces once and tumbles until it comes to a rest standing on it backsection, leaning against a copse of trees, looking like a used firework tube with its top blown open.
The Chimeras
Out of the jungle a massive Word Bearers' Dreadnought with a smoking plasma cannon on one arm stomps aggressively forward. A full squad of Word Bearers marines, ten sinister individuals, approach on its heels, weapons armed and ready.
"How the hell did they find us for an ambush?" Shar Quinn questions as she moves to the forward compartment and looks at the instruments.
A moment later an additional figure joins the Chaos marines. A sickly blue light illuminates the jungle as a being floats on the air above the underbrush. It is a naked man, or something close to one, his body covered in sigils, runic brass locks and tattooed flowing scripts of some elder language. The 'man' is bald and has an elongated skull, with curling horns sprouting from his brow and eyes that burn like an icy void.
"Witchery!" The human driver of the Chimera gasps.
"Daemonhost." Shar Quinn corrects mildly.
The Chimeras
The Daemonhost licks a long tongue over its serrated teeth and speaks with a voice that reverberates psionicly in your minds.
"Greetings little mortals, I am Blassfem'mee." The monster introduces itself. "I have been charged by my master to help the Word Bearers retrieve what was stolen from them, and the scent of it hangs heavy over you in the Warp. Lead me to it, or we shall destroy you."
"You think we can take them all?" Shar Quinn calmly asks Sardus and Korbin.
The Forest Floor
The Marines make good time towards the installation and outmaneuver the hunting Tyranids.
After an hour of powering through the underbrush the battle brothers come upon something strange, a break in the canopy where something crashed through it. Moving forward they find a pod about the size of a torpedo laying in the underbrush.
It is oval in shape with a clear canopy that has been opened. On inspection you find it is a cryo-statis pod sized for a normal sized human that has been cycled down and opened. Its occupant is nowhere to be seen but over a dozen Genestealer corpses lie nearby, torn to shreds as if by a terrific force.
It appears the Tyranids stumbled upon the pod before being destroyed, but who was the occupant that could slay that many Genestealers on his own?
The Installation
Morgan works his new lab as he and Naaman keep an eye out for trouble, but at the moment everything is calm.
As the Rune Priest sets down he relinquishes the living lightning and runs to keep up with his wolf pack. Much more at ease in the jungle than in a flying machine, Luthar takes a moment to enjoy the beauty of this planet, the smells of the jungle, and the stench of the xenos. As he approaches and becomes aware of the threats ahead, he comms his brothers Such filth doesn't even deserve cages, just a swift execution. While my nose and instincts tell me to hunt, it would be unwise. Let them search, their days are numbered. If we are seen, I will call forth the wolves to protect us and distract them. We are not alone, this world begs for vengeance as much as we thirst for it.
Behind the wolf helm the Rune Priest is taking in the environment with every sense, taking deep breaths of air, careful to remember every taste and smell, like a dog in a new park.
"Could this be a pack member from the Shield Maiden? I will see if I can track where they went."
1 success
"I think they went that way, but the sign is difficult to follow"
Upon entering the clearing Luthar looks for signs of what actually slayed the genestealers. He searches for weapons or looks at wounds to determine what might of caused their death.
Awareness Per 75 vs 2 DOS
No ordinary human could have done this without some twisted warp powers he thinks to himself. Luthar cursed the warp for all it spawns and taints. While he tolerates the control that Librarians of the marines can wield, he still denies that his powers are of the same source. Regardless, he is not ignorant of the warp and fearless in gazing upon its rifts. He searches for any signs of psyionic activity or a powerful warp presence in the near vicinity.
Psyniscience +10, Per 60 (Do helmet bonuses apply to this??)vs 5 DOS
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Brother Attero pauses next to Othair and observes the scene before them. He wonders which ship the pod came from, and how the genestealers died. Was it from bolter fire or power blades or something else?
Awareness (75) 6 DOS
"Aye, Brother Othair, I too wonder if this pod is from our ship, though there has been so much activity in this system, almost anything would not surprise me.
Still, we have a mission to attend to. As much as this is a mystery that begs solving, we must keep to it."
"Well brothers, unless you are drooping on all 4 and run faster we have no time to spare and we must keep the advantage, so choose which way we are going."
"I might be able to secure some information from the pod's machine spirit," The flat metalic voice of Ramsey said, looking over the pod, "But with the level of damage it may take some time..."
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Attero contemplates the words of Brother Ramsey. "Brothers, if the expert opinion of Brother Ramsey says that he can extract aught of use from this pod, it may contain valuable insight into this egnima of a planet. We are poorly lacking in intel here, and if this pod is not from our ship, we may have need of its secrets into not just the planet, but the personage of power that was in it. If the installation can not endure without our presence for the few moments it will take him, I fear our presence there would not matter in any case.
Do your work Brother Ramsey, but be quick, lest Brother Decius makes you carry the pod to our destination! Ha!"
The Forest Floor
Othair finds the tracks, they appear the size of a normal human's boots, not an Astartes, he finds the path that leads into the forest. It heads in the direction of the Installation.
Luthar scents the warp, the being wasn't a psyker but he can feel the murderous malice of the individual, it's killing joy. He has a flash of a grinning skull, a reaper of souls whose mind exists only to inflict death.
Aterro inspects the Genestealer bodies, a combination of bolter fire and serrated power blades have inflicted the wounds. What kind of maniac would engage Genestealers in close combat?
Bother Ramsey removes the miniature Cogitator in the pod. Its data is encrypted with vermillion level security codes, which would take weeks to break but the symbol on the header data is clear: The menacing double skulls of the Officio Assassinorum.
The Installation
Morgan and Naaman look up from what they are doing as the Installation's alarms begin to blare. The screams of men dying and the whip-snap of lasfire fill the glum interior of the base. Did a Tyranid bio-form somehow sneak inside the walls?
"Our mission has new haste, Brothers, we must deliver this cogitator to the inquisition," Brother Ramsey says, carefully finding a place to secure the device on his person, "I also should warn that Tyranids may not be the only danger in the area."
After a quick glance around, ensuring nothing else is easily recoverable from the pod the Tech Marine pulls out his Meltagun and proceeds to put a couple blasts from it into the pod.
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"This is an Inquisitorial matter," Ramsey explained, stowing his melta once more. Without continuing the Tech-priest once again began running towards the Inquisitorial compound.
The Forest Floor
The pod reduced to glowing, molten slag, Ramsey runs on. Will you follow?
Apothecary Morgan tunes into the comms channel.
"Where is the attack?"
After hearing where this Tyranid attack is Apothecary Morgan rushes off on an intercept course.
The Installation
"Intruder has entered the upper eastern halls." Is the response from Command.
Morgan rushes to intercept, after several minutes he reaches the upper halls and enters a wide open space, striding out onto a wire mesh gantry that hangs some ten meters above the floor of a warehouse space.
A screaming trooper is hurled through the air towards Morgan, trailing blood in a wide arc before striking the wall next to the Deathwatch Marine and breaking his neck with a sharp snap. His body folds up into a position no living body can maintain and tumbles toward the distant floor, his shrieks silenced.
Standing across the gantry, surrounded by the fallen bodies of murdered Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, a lean but well muscled man in a black body glove stares at Morgan through a pearlescent skull mask.
In one hand hangs a combi-bolter of strange design, the other is gloved in a odd but sinister looking weapon with bladed fingers that rasp eerily as the man rubs his digits together in a frighteningly anticipatory gesture.