Getting to a safe point to exit the system, it takes a few days to get to the systems edge. The dangers and horrors seen as well as the potential profit are clear in your minds... as are the hints at more. You augurs had detected planets yet unexplored by you, someday you will return to make more fortune... or find your doom.
The Hymn of Battle delves into the warp and you can immediately tell something is wrong. You can feel the deck plates shudder beneath your feet. The walls groan in protest as they are put under immense strain. The comms system crackles to life as the navigators tower tries to contact ye. <-ergency. It's like ---olding onto us, pulling --- back in. - can press ahead or -xit?>
Garm leaps to attention in his quarters and replies via vox to the navigator tower immediately.
"Draw back! This feels like a trap!"
He starts putting on his armour and preparing for battle. The warp has proven to be a risky way to travel.
His ruddy face is marked by scars, both savage ones from combat and neater lines, some form of primitive glyphs. Stormy blue eyes stare out below shoulder-length, thick black hair, only held from his eyes by a crude leather strap.
He stands 6' 9", with a muscled build. His age is surely in the thirties, with no sign of rejuvenat therapies. Visible on his hips are a pair of coiled whips. One consists of viciously barbed steel, covered in serrated monoblades. The other looks even more unusual, made of a blue material and clearly not made by human hands. His longcoat includes many odd pieces of equipment and blatant holsters for a pair of bolt pistols, one with a grinning skull emblazoned on it and the other covered in gold detailing. There are few hints to his allegiance on his clothing or weaponry, bar a few aquila marks clearly put on the modified clip of the first pistol. He is in the process of removing the longcoat and strapping on a suit of red-tinted carapace armour, the steel-tinted breastplate clearly from a different suit and significantly thicker.
"It sounds like we should drop out while we can. 'Something' on these planes is never good"
Illorn was with Phillips in one of the empty cargo bays. Clad in plain, sweat stained and loose fitting white hosen and shirt he was power washing pieces of Rak'Ghul off his new armor. It proved a devil of a time, the shrapnel embedded by the beasties explosive choice of suicide. It was also made no easier by the young tech priests intermittent swearing and religious babble every time a new gouge in the ceramite was found. Still, it was relaxing in its own way and Illorn had taken to counting the different ways Phillips could pray to his Omnib*$~@#!s when the message came through.
Illorn sighs, turns off the hose and taps his microbead "If I doth remember rightly this place, 'tis like a whirlpool, a sandtrap. Easy enough to enter, a bastard of a time when sallying forth. I sayeth we push forth, break free the bonds of this place and go spend our ploughing lucre!"
With that, he turns the hose back on and continues cleaning his armor.
"Wait no. Don't break the ship. All my stuff is here and so am I. Maybe we just need to be futher out" Lax protests, hammering on the vox in his desk.
<Unders-ood.> Navigator Ferraci clearly understood someone though the line isn't clear....
The vibrations of the deck plating get more sever, idle objects on surfaces begin to visibly shake and clatter, some falling to the floor. The walls screech in an ever increasing droning sound.
In the cargo bay Illorn and Philips are flung hard against some crates as the ship bucks knocking both of them out.
In his quarters Ferris is pinned beneath a chandelier that comes loose from the sealing with the servant deside him crushed under it's weight.
On the bridge Lax, P0D and Garm as well as the rest of the crew are finding it hard to stay on their feet as the controls in front of Master Helmsman Second Lt. Yatto explode sending shrapnel about the room and clearly killing him as he is peppered with high velocity debris.
The area is dimly lit by emergency lighting, the sounds of groaning fill the area. Most lie at or near their station you appear to be one of the first to awaken but looking at the structural damage it is clear that the not all will arise even with time.
Structural beams lie cracked, you can see a body beneath one that collapsed but the body is in such a state you can't tell who it is. It will take some time to repair the bridge it seems.
Garm feels a slam to his chest and the breath is knocked from him. And briefly consciousness.
When he comes to, his chest burns as he gets back to his feet. Groggily, he looks around and shouts:
"Any of ye live?!"
When he sees the pinned body, he perks up and strides over. Living or dead, he will get them out. He grasps the beam and heaves.
Rolling the damage first and Lax will respond accordingly.
"Oh, Emperor that hurt. Can someone please give me a status report and summon the navigator. He has some explaining to do" Lax says as he climbs to his feet." And get a medic up here"
Shrapnel pierces P0Ds armour with a large piece of the secondary engine drive control stick lodging in his lower abdomen. Half rising he looks at the piece of sanctified engine controls sticking out of him and swears before lying back. "Make that two medics", he says.
"Did we exit the warp or are we still in it?"
Lets keep it in spoilers... have ye all wondering what the others are doing...
Master of Ordnance Second Lt. Larius is over by the warded entrance to the navigators tower. "I've been trying to raise him or any of his kin on the comms, there doesn't seem to be power."
Master of Etherics Second Lt. Samas stands up stumbling as one hand covers his right eye, blood staining her face "What happened.." They steady themselves on a console before vomiting and slumping against it.
Master of Vox Third Lt. Ur lies beneath a beam. Hefting it to one side Garm can see they live for now... but their left leg is crushed at the thigh, the Druchii could repair it but though Chief Chirugeon Doctor Ball is skilled and far more pleasant than them he lacks their secrets. A mechanical one is needed.
Twistcatcher Third Lt. Davies sighs looking at a dead ensign "B~@+$$%s, I should have stayed in my quarters. I've never needed a drink more... Navigator or not, Feracci needs a good thump for this cock up."
A few other members of the bridge crew stumble about injured but some lay there. A young ensign stumbles around in a stupor mumbling "I can't find his head... he'll have me flogged, I've got to find his head..."
Seeing the state of Lt. Ur, Garm shouts:
"Ur needs a new leg! And before that, a bone-setter! I have that kit if anyone knows the craft."
Hearing the ensign, he walks over towards them:
"Cease stumbling and turn to face me. Who lacks their head?"
One of the crewmen move over to Ur and tries to stabilize him.
The ensign keeps moving around "My brother, I can't find his head... he'll blame me."
Garm keeps talking at the ensign.
Probably fruitless but this is irritating.
"Ensign! Your brother will wait. I am first mate and you *will* stand to attention, and then assist me. Do you understand?"
"Garm as admeral your efforts are, we have bigger problems. If the bridge is like this what do you think the rest of the ship is like?
We need to summon the council and get a handle onthis situation. There could be enemies out there." Lax whispers into Garms ear.
He then activates his micro bead (on the council channel) and says the following
"This is Lax Stoneborn, Master of Whispers. I am calling an immediate general meeting. If you can hear me please respond"
The Ensign turns and shouts in Garm's face "I am trying to find his head!" The ensigns starts wandering around again looking very confused... Garm would have seen the young man around before, he's never acted like this before.
The rest of you on the bridge can hear Lax's request but no one else responds.
Master of Ordinance Larius curses "The machine spirits of the bridge no longer seem to be receiving power from the plasma drive it looks like. The emergency lighting is a short term measure that'll work for a few hours. Without the relay boosters the microbead signal probably only got so far."
Larius goes over to panel with various purity seals and begins opening it. He takes out a stablight and starts twisting a nob on the end and it begins to illuminate light. "If they don't get power connected back up we'll be reduced to these til they do. It's bad enough we are cut off, if the Gellar Field is down, well we'd be dead if it was. The life sustainers on the other hand could be down right now but they'd have some time to get them back up."
Garm turns away from the ensign in frustration.
Leave the youth. His mind will recover or not.
He replies to Lax and to the bridge crew:
"Aye. We can not tarry then. Those of us who are fit to move, we must make way to the great engine spirit and beseech it to rouse once again. Who will accompany us?"
Some of the men and women about the bridge nod in agreement a few getting to their feet.
The ensign wanders about "Don't get angry I'll find it.."
If two degrees
Garm is focused on getting an expedition together.
But the hairs on the back of his neck crawl and he turns around just in time to see the headless one get up.
He roars as he draws the agoniser lash in what is clearly a combat stance.
"HEADLESS THING!"
He charges at the headless one, or runs into combat with it if he cannot charge effectively.
He will aim and shoot the man with shrapnel sticking out of his head.
BS=44+10(aim)+10(accurate)+10(range)+10(standard attack)=84
Aim, standard, range?
pen7
The agoniser tears chunks out of the man's flesh
P0D burns a hole in the man's chest
Lax is able to put down his target with a well place shot to the heart.
Garm's target closes in and tries to grab him but he is able to fend it off.
P0D's target lurches forward grabbing a chunk of debris on a console and trying to hit him with it.
Three more dead crew start lurching towards ye. The rest of the bridge crew start fending off other dead comrades. One unlucky crewman is caught off guard and you see him being struck from behind and collapses to the floor.
Garm's guy -10 Wounds
P0D's guy -7 Wounds
Garm had reacted before his mind had truly comprehended the situation...
I can beat the dead. I *will* beat the dead!
He shouts:
"The dead rise! Tear them apart!"
He swings his lash of xenos make at the thing once again.
Willpower =34
+30 puts us at 110
So Lax faints.
For
For
BS=44+10(standard attack)+20(aim)+10(range)=84
Needle Rifle- 1d10 Rending pen 0 clip 6 range 180m rld 2 full Accurate Felling(1) Toxic(5) Built in Silencer rof=s clip 5/6
Illorn wakes up with drums pounding in his head. He lies in the darkness for a few minutes after regaining consciousness, head pounding, lights out, sparks flaring. "Bloody typical" he says to the ceiling, and begins pushing the crates off of him. "Phillips, thou hath best not be dead, else I shalt mightily desecrate yon armor attempting to don it mineself." Illorn doesn't give a fiddlers s%!$e about the metal men's idea of desecration, but if anything would get a response from the young lad it would be that.
Illorns voice crackles over the command frequency, as always too loud as he compensates for distance "Art thee alive?" he queries, short and simple.
The area seems dark, a beam of light shines towards Illorn. "Chief Bosun Illorn." The figure moves towards Illorn "Power seems to be out in this area. I have been able to contact anyone, I checked to see that you were alive but once that was confirmed I tried to make contact or open the door. I woke up not long before you."
Illorn sends his transmission but gets no responce.
'What in the Holy Machine Spirit are these?'. P0D has a hard time grasping what is going on.
'I need to move away from these things'
P0D withdraws away from the zombie to 3m. Quick draw Ripper pistol.
Point Blank, Standard, Weapon master
Pen 7, Toxic 1, Tearing
12 damage Pen 7 Toxic 1
not reduced by toughness or armour
Garms attack misses, in the cramped confines of the bridge a whip is not the most opportune weapon after all
Lax collapses, the horror of what can only be the doing of the warp too much for him.
P0D's shot blows the zombies arm off at the shoulder.
The abomination before Garm grabs a nearby fire extinguisher and swings it at Garms leg.
Another creature shambles over to P0D, out of the corner of his eye he can see one looming over Lax. A second zombie moves over to Garm.
Garm's guys -10 Wounds, Undamaged
P0Ds guy Undamaged
Lax's guy Undamaged
"I have a laspistol, they are dependable and rugged. Where other more potent weapons will run out of ammo they can be renewed by a variety of means... but I think it best to leave you tackle the most potent foes." Philips helps Illorn don his rigorous star armour.
Withdraw 3m from my zombie
BS40, Range +10, Standard attack +10, weapon master +10, Fear -10
Pen 7 toxic 1
"Fragging gun has jammed, of all the times for it to happen."
The crowbar snaps in Illorns hand as he attempts to force open the door. He growls, flings the useless pieces of metal over his shoulder and uses his bare hands to force open the door.
Philips grimaces as Illorn forces the door open with brute force and mutters a prayer of appeasement to the machine spirit but keeps his laspistol handy. It takes Illorn some time but he does pry it open.
The corridor outside is also unlit. As Illorn forces it open a small flow of water comes out, not enough to knock a man over but enough that soon the cargo area and the corridor are covered in about three inches of liquid. Walking into the corridor ye do find a man lying face down in the water unmoving.
Garm growls and the lash picks up velocity. He will strike and strike and strike again!
Illorn rolls the body over and he can see the skin is off colour. Lifeless eyes look up at him.
Illorn sees little else but can hear the water sloshing as they move through it. In the distance he hears a shotgun being fired, through it is far off and muffled.
Garm's weapon tears the first creature to shreds but the second stumbles out of the arc of the whip.
Although P0D misses the thing it's head turns to look at him and stumbles over towards him. The other zombie continues trying to hit him but he is too nimble for it to hit for now.
Garm's guy Undamaged
P0Ds guys Undamaged, Undamaged
Note: taking +1 to actual critical damage if Garm pushes one into negatives. Doesn't apply to righteous fury crits like the one below.
If those hits land, using table on DH2 p223:
On already wounded undead:
Right arm:
18 damage
Right arm:
19 damage and crit:
The attack grazes the target’s arm, causing it to spasm uncontrollably with pain. All tests involving that arm suffer a –30 penalty
for 1d5 rounds.
On previously unwounded undead:
Body:
19 damage and crit:
The fury of the attack forces the target to the ground, helplessly covering his face and keening in agony. The target is knocked
Prone and must make a Challenging (+0) Agility test or catch fire (see page 243). The target must also make a Challenging
(+0) Toughness test or be Stunned for 1 round.
Garm roars:
"They can be felled! Keep at it!"
And swings viciously at his second opponent.
Lax groans and walks up.
"Oh thank Emperor that was all just a ...horrible....dream. Crap" he says looking around and spotting the zombies again.
He will aim and fire at an zombie that's not in melee or one of the ones attacking P0d.
He is currently in the prone position.
BS=44+10(standard)+20(aim)+10(range)-10(shaken)-20(into Melee)=74
P0D will withdraw to 3m from the first one in a way that puts it between him and the second. Holstering the now jammed ripper he pull out his laspistol and turns up the power setting to overcharge.
Shooting first zombie. laspistol
BS40, Range +30, Standard + 10, Weapon master + 10
Damage + 1 overcharge
Garm continues to find the tight confines of the ship laden with consoles challenging to use his whip in.
P0D gracefully dances around the room and scores a hit on one of the creatures legs, scorching the flesh.
Lax hits the zombie once P0D moves back but his shot goes wide.
Garm's guy Undamaged
P0Ds guys -9 Wounds, Undamaged
Garm wants this thing dead. Again. And makes swings to that purpose.
Lax took a deep breath, trying to stop his hands from shaking.
He will aim and shoot the injured zombie.
BS=44+10(standard attack)+20(aim)+10(Range)-10(shaken)=74
Philips furrows his brow "Do you mean just your microbead or have you tried the suits vox, it would be more powerful than the microbead. Normally the ones of the command crew are connected to relays... imagine it like a link in a chain, if the closest one is broken we aren't going to the others. You suit's Vox will be able to get further without the assistance. The command frequency should still be on there. It's worth a shot."
"Come on, thats it, follow me this way." He will keep manuvering to cause the undamaged one to be blocked by the damaged one if he can.
Withdraw to max 3m from damaged one.
Attacking damaged one BS40, -10 penalty, +30 range, +10 standard, +10 weapon master
Damage +1 overcharge
As the shot connects P0D focuses and briefly opens his senses to the warp.
Illorn sends his message but no response comes. Philips looks at him intently "Did they respond?" Water sloshes around.
Awareness +40 to notice
Garm continues to have trouble hitting enemies with his whip in the close confines of the bridge.
Lax's shot barely misses the creature as it lumbers towards P0D.
P0D's shot hits the creature, if it wasn't already dead it would be but despite the fact he blew a hole through it's heart it lurches forwards
The creature lunges for Garm's leg...
The two creatures have great difficulty trying to hit P0D as he kites them about the room.
Garm's guy Undamaged
P0Ds guys -18 Wounds, Undamaged
Garm deftly forces the creature back by swinging his lash, barely missing ripping off its leg in return.