Greetings. Some notes: Infamy Points will replenish whenever an objective is completed. Choosing the Anointed is up to you, but don't kill each other over it. Duels are acceptable, just not to death. The Dark Gods may have rivalries amongst between each other, but they pale in comparison to the hatred of the Corpse-God. Cooperate.
I'll withhold my endorsement for Annointed until after we've had a little in-game interaction :D
Given that it's my first time with this game (and, to a lesser extent, that I'm a suicidal maniac) I doubt I would be well-suited as the Anointed.
Eh, all you do is point and yell. Plus there isn't even a Compact made yet.
I like to think that I provide a unique element to my yelling. A certain finesse, if you will.
Anyways, the Compact is something we make as a group right? Not like in DW were it is made by the GM exclusively.
Yep, the Compact is whatever you think would get you Infamy.
I'm all a quiver with anticipation!
Quoting The Hobbit already?
Hopefully I'm starting this off with dramatic flair! :D
Not sure if you guys know this, but if you want to add pertinent data to each post like I have, you can enter said info on your profile in the following lines:
Race
Classes/Levels
Gender
You'll have to monkey around with it a bit to make it look right. For example, on my profile I have the following info started on each line:
Race: Skills, starting with Acrobat
Classes/ Levels: L Power Armor, etc
Gender: WS: 37, etc
It does make for easier reference.
Not really something I like to do, personally.
Has anyone given thought to how they want to go about corrupting the spire/the world at large? I have some ideas of my own but I'd rather hear from you guys.
Bind daemons into the hive at strategic points, corrupt its machine spirits, and turn into a gargantuan warmachine! MUWAHAHAHA!
Maybe...but that presents its own problems. The hive is apparently a giant fax machine, not exactly ideal to serve as a fighting power. Plus, it's not really subtle and leaves us open to orbital bombardment.
First, we should assess where the current power is held. Who is it that lords over this hive? We should recruit using the old Texas Ranger method (shoot it or recruit it) and build up a rabble army.
GM said this is a major hub for data. This can work in our favor if we can recruit some adepts. We can start cutting off tithe payment and re-direct supply void-ships. Food riots are a good thing to mask our activity. Once this hive is cut from the normal flow of supplies we can begin a general uprising and take control.
Plus I may be able to locate a Force Spear from all the data they have here. HAPPY DAY!
Note that if we can subvert control of this hive world, we can destabilize the sector in short order. MAJOR INFAMY!!!!
--We can redirect ships so that they fall into the hands of other Chaos bands
--We can starve entire planets of resources priming them for insurrection and domination.
--We can redirect arms and ammunition and kill-sats here for our own protection.
And we will do it all using the pen of Imperial Administratum.
I like it, it's in the same vein as what I was thinking. However, there's the possibility that we could run-aground a few problems. Namely: the PDF of this planet are weak and ill-suited for use an as effective army and there's no guarantee that they use this world for anything more significant than mere census data (or the like).
This makes us weak and vulnerable, especially early on. That means it is vital that we remain hidden until such time that we are ready to reveal our presence, on our terms. While I would love to mess around with the administration, I'm worried that they would stomp us out if we were to interrupt the normal way of things too much.
That being said: I believe that the flaws of this world can actually serve as an advantage. Namely: that it is poorly defended and lacks strategic value.
I will outline my own thoughts in spoilers, with the ultimate goal of producing an army capable of taking on the rest of the sector, possibly even beyond.
Our best means of influencing the spire will be by way of influence over the local population. With that in mind we should first target the underhive: a dense population with virtually no integrity to speak of. The main goal here is to simply give ourselves a large area to operate from.
Our most important targets here are organizations that are already established but that have vulnerable to influence. Radical religious sects, criminal organizations, drug rings, etc.
We should also avoid converting any unnecessary servants. If the suspicion of Chaos were to spread now, it would make things very difficult.
With our operations established we can look beyond immediate survival. The key part of this phase is learning about the rest of the sector at large. Ideally there is some ork presence nearby, though I would settle for any xenos threat that isn't dark eldar or tyranids.
Assuming we do find orks than I want to do everything in my power to get them to attack New Phaeton. The best idea is to put out rumors via rogue traders and pirates that the hive is far more valuable than it really is.
Meanwhile we ourselves should start the food riots, mass conversions, terror attacks, etc. All we can to make the defenses of New Phaeton as strained as possible.
Once the orks make planetfall they will likely overwhelm the already-strained PDF. As a result the planetary governor will send a call for help to the galaxy at large. However, given the strategic insignificance of his world the best he can hope for is a Liberation fleet. IG, plain and simple.
It is a conservative guess that it would take 30 days for said fleet to arrive. When they do they will come ready to fight orks. We will have been using those 30 days to prepare a ritual so that, once the fleet arrives, we can unleash a Warp Storm that will completely cut off the planet from the rest of the Imperium, leaving the IG stranded. From there is is a simple matter to convert them. We will no longer have a need for secrecy while they will be isolated and backed against the wall.
Now we have an army. An actual, trained army. With guns, armor, and a fleet to boot. We also have the initiative. Once the Warp Storm dies off (hopefully after 6-12 months, though we could do it in 3 if necessary) we will have dug-in and begun preparations to take our battle to the stars.
Meanwhile, the Imperium at large still has almost no idea the extent to which we've lain our roots.
Sorry if it's hard to follow, I'm typing this all at once.
TL;DR get the Imperium to send us army under the pretense of fighting off an invading army, then isolate and corrupt said army.
*Things*
TL;DR get the Imperium to send us army under the pretense of fighting off an invading army, then isolate and corrupt said army
I like it.
Luckily a few of us are more Human than others, so in these beginning phases it should be a bit easier to have a dash of tact while running around asking people if they want some Haterade (TM) and mainline some "GAK!".
Indeed. Though, corrupting the imperial army once it's arrived may be a whole 'nother enterprise in itself. Even if we are sure the warp storm will eventually corrupt them all, if Commissar Fancy-Hat airdrops his personal Baneblade onto our heads, that would still be less than desirable.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I had thought the warp storm was just a way to cut off all communications - a Warp Curtain if you will.
I had assumed we would be more-or-less personally corrupting the arriving army with a combination of force and wits.
Warp storms are unpredictable by nature. Sometimes the appearance of one magically corrupts people. Sometimes it makes their heads explode. Sometimes it summons demons around them. Some times it makes them roll a one on their deep strike mishap. Some times it is a pretty sky box.
If we were to put this in compact terms...
I think we have three objectives, for three compacts.
Causing enough Chaos to get them to call Liberation Fleet, Medium?
Summon Warp Storm, Small/Medium?
Corrupt Arriving Army, BIG
I could work with most of that.
I thing our biggest advantage in that scenario is that the IG wouldn't be expecting to fight us. Beyond the element of surprise that would give us the luxury of choosing our own avenue of attack and, strained between two fronts, they won't have much in the way of options.
Unless they go all "Tanith First & Only" on us. Then we'd be hosed.
But what a fun hose it would be!
Domitan, does your sending thoughts allow an opposed WP test?
I think summoning a Warp Storm is a bit over everyone's heads. Do you know how hard it is to summon just one daemon? The test modifiers are ridiculous.
Note that Thought Send can be resisted if the recipient desires. But it's an Opposed WP Test.
Aw, you just need to believe in yourself a little more. Like the orks.
Yeah, Daemon summoning isn't easy, but with the right situation, sacred numbers, sacrifices, etc, anything can happen.
And with hard work, planning, believing in ourselves, and healthy living, we can build a GIANT DEATH MACHINE!! HAHAHA! Pull those levers! Press those buttons!
We get enough sacrifices together say, from a rigged invasion and subsequent slaughter of the local population, anything is possible.
Note that Thought Send can be resisted if the recipient desires. But it's an Opposed WP Test.
I'll take that.
I also disagree with the assessment that only a small "liberation" force will be sent after the orks attack. That cannot be assumed without knowing how valuable this planet is to the Imperium. We need much much more information before claiming that is a fact.
We have to research a ritual of the magnitude that has been suggested (if one exists at all) possibly without the benefit of having a fully equipped Ritual Library.
I believe the plan to be overly complex, relying on too many random factors. Maybe tone back some of the steps, or eliminate them completely.
I'm all for re-directing resources to our advantage, weakening nearby planets as well. Then taking the planet for ourselves. (in the name of the Dark Gods, of course)
Last, I'm not sure how I was pigeonholed into being a face-type character. It's like no one read my character sheet at all :D
Eh, just spit-balling ideas. This sort of stuff works in the novels, and they seem to do pretty well for themselves. I just don't want to have to rely on an army of unequipped, untrained, and underfed fighters to defend ourselves once the Imperium comes knocking.
Regardless of what our ultimate course of action is, we still need to decide what on our immediate first step. From what I gather the consensus is to gather information about this planet, though I'd still like to also try and influence other aspects of the underhive while we are at it (I can't imagine myself being too particularly useful in uncovering information).
Although I do agree that the overarching plan is quite grandiose in scale anything else we try to do will sound boring by comparison. If I'm not dragging this whole system into the warp itself then I'm not trying hard enough!
I digress, our first course of action will definitely need to be gathering whatever information we can about this accursed rock we have woken up on. In support of that being our first over-arching goal I would like to point out that 3 of us are 8-ft. tall half-demons, 1 of us is more like the Tin Man, another shoots lightning bolts from his eyes, and the final cohort is actually more-or-less the "most" human. If we want info we will need to subjugate some key areas of the populace and to do that we will need to start in the only place this city has that is on the highway to corruption; the Underhive.
I agree that we look to working our way into the gangs as previously suggested and from there scale the corrupted political ladder.
Also not everyone will revere us as Gods, so we need to capitalize our current sway. Somewhere in this Emperor-Forsaken hellhole there must be some sort of religious sect - not the Ecclesiarchy, but more along the lines of some Old God worshiping yahoos that we may be able to convince that we have a better offer.
After consolidating a criminal/cult power-base through force and coercion respectively, we should be able to start formulating our next step- which we can decide upon at that time. I'd rather not lose focus since, in most ways besides glassing the rock, this step is going to be the most crucial and somewhat dangerous we will have. IF we are too blatant and gungho we will have to expect the Inquisition at the very least, quite possibly with a little backup. If we are too subtle then we lose any power WE have; yes corruption in general is a "win" for chaos, but let's be honest - I don't care what Chaos wants, I only want my power.
So, in quick summation:
Phase 1: Take Over the Underworld
- Objective: To acquire a sweeping powerbase over the city and leverage said power to gain any knowledge or materials we may require to further our goals.
* Step 1: Get some followers
* Step 2: Gain knowledge of Underhive Basics, (Gangs, Law, Food, Shelter, Etc.)
* Step 3: Leverage followers and Basics to work footholds into prominate Underhive powers
* Step 4: Take over Underhive Powers
* Step 5: Leverage complete Criminal Control to do whatever we want
* Step 6: Re-assess situation, figure out future Phases, take stock of what we know, what we don't, and how to strengthen our weaknesses
Phase Notes:
- A BIG key to this phase is subtlety. We want to run the Criminal Underworld, not invite Lord Inquisitor Chaos-Crusher to a party.
- Everyone has their own strengths, weaknesses, and aligences to the Ruinous Powers. For example Valefor is built to become a Face type character and can handle a gun fairly well, however he'd probably get wrecked in a melee fight where he couldn't shoot anyone and he's an 8ft. Tall Demon-Man so regular people get a little put-off when he tries to charm them. I'm not about to have him run in and challenge someone to a 1v1 Duel, nor would I try to sneak him into a Fancy party with nobles. However he could probably run a Cult or be a Drug Kingpin if need be. So we don't have to choose only 1 Criminal Enterprise to try and take over, in fact I think it would be better for us to diversify our Corrupted Portfolios and play to our characters strength (which I think Adyl suggested already in his first post)
Although this won't, or shouldn't, answer all the questions or concerns we may have, I believe it will give us our best start and get our best foot forward - so to speak.
Last, I'm not sure how I was pigeonholed into being a face-type character. It's like no one read my character sheet at all :D
Well...you sort of touched all the baby birds and the mother would have taken them back...but you fried her good...so now they're your responsibility.
Domitan, for your weapon's name, Zweimal is twice, Die Zweimalgetrennte would be 'the twice-separated (weapon)'.
Well...you sort of touched all the baby birds and the mother would have taken them back...but you fried her good...so now they're your responsibility.
Last, I'm not sure how I was pigeonholed into being a face-type character. It's like no one read my character sheet at all :D
I blame the GM for that one. The other instance is in the plan. But that is more workable.
Your Charm is 50 in a party of mostly Space Marines, you are a comparative face. :P
It's Chaos, crazy people that explode heads are the faces.
Your Charm is 50 in a party of mostly Space Marines, you are a comparative face. :P
And Valefour's is 52. Yours is 60.
I'm not saying I wouldn't be a face. What I am saying is don't expect a player to play a face if he (or she) isn't built that way. I have zero social talents right now; and expecting me to be a face when I'd have to run around charming one person at a time is foolish.
Can I play a face? Sure I can. But right now, without the talents to back it up, I'm going to be pretty piss-poor at it. (I'm more of a wizard than a bard)
It's Chaos, crazy people that explode heads are the faces.
hahaha! From now on I'm calling Psychic Scream: "Head-BOOM"!
I believe you start able to charm as many as your FB, which is 5.
Also, 0 talents here as well. I just want to be able to deceive.
You've also just installed yourself as the head of our new cult. Even without any talents or the like you still have a good deal of influence just by way of circumstance.
This does yield an important topic though: has everyone given thought to what roles they'd like their characters to fill? I think there has already been a bit of discussion on it but we should clear up anymore misconceptions now.
Julie is an infiltrator/sniper. I have one or two more sniper talents to take before all my exp is focused down infiltration.
Best check how well I rolled just now to get some food and drink (and nookie!) Looks like my leadership is going down the tubes already hahahaha
Maybe we should just have it so that whenever you fail said checks, they simply humorously misinterpret your PG-13 required double entendre. :P
"Hey we brought you that flesh you wanted. Carved up a boy AND a girl. Here ya go!" >SPLAT!<
What a weirdo..
Shooting for a face type with plenty of charm, command, deceive, etc. who knows his way around a gun. Nothing super fancy, I just want to dual-wield pistols and be a God.
Really, both me and Valefor want to be Cypher. I think that's all anyone ever wants to be.
Look, we can both be Cypher. Just don't tell eachother.
Although I do agree that the overarching plan is quite grandiose in scale anything else we try to do will sound boring by comparison. If I'm not dragging this whole system into the warp itself then I'm not trying hard enough!
I digress, our first course of action will definitely need to be gathering whatever information we can about this accursed rock we have woken up on. In support of that being our first over-arching goal I would like to point out that 3 of us are 8-ft. tall half-demons, 1 of us is more like the Tin Man, another shoots lightning bolts from his eyes, and the final cohort is actually more-or-less the "most" human. If we want info we will need to subjugate some key areas of the populace and to do that we will need to start in the only place this city has that is on the highway to corruption; the Underhive.
I agree that we look to working our way into the gangs as previously suggested and from there scale the corrupted political ladder.
Also not everyone will revere us as Gods, so we need to capitalize our current sway. Somewhere in this Emperor-Forsaken hellhole there must be some sort of religious sect - not the Ecclesiarchy, but more along the lines of some Old God worshiping yahoos that we may be able to convince that we have a better offer.
After consolidating a criminal/cult power-base through force and coercion respectively, we should be able to start formulating our next step- which we can decide upon at that time. I'd rather not lose focus since, in most ways besides glassing the rock, this step is going to be the most crucial and somewhat dangerous we will have. IF we are too blatant and gungho we will have to expect the Inquisition at the very least, quite possibly with a little backup. If we are too subtle then we lose any power WE have; yes corruption in general is a "win" for chaos, but let's be honest - I don't care what Chaos wants, I only want my power.
So, in quick summation:
** spoiler omitted **...
I like this plan. I could push the social aspect a bit and visit uphive (but I'd need the clothes to pull it off. And a good cover story. Or at least a passable story that I can mix with delude to sell it.)
Maybe induct a few of the high and mighty into a Cult of Sensation, you know, sex, drugs, sacrifices...maybe taint their souls enough to wreck their chances of turning on us...
Hey Julie,
I wasn't making a judgement call, I just explained why I hadn't posted or pushed the plot.
Heh, everything is a judgement call. Even which socks you choose to put on in the morn. You were just explaining your call. I explained mine. :P
And, I think my rashness has at least inspired some motion. :P
Tone back the animosity in ooc and discussion a bit. This is still just a game.
Right you are. I'll try not to convey any animosity I don't mean.
Although I don't like the idea of promoting one of them to a position of any authority we do need a further command structure beyond Zurias. Also I don't think we can leave them behind and expect them to get any work done without supervision. Now we could split the party if we wanted, those of us who want to go house hunting can, the rest could help set up our religious sect and worship grounds.
We could also go hunting for a better area for a shrine, but I think the Tomb already has some sway with the people and turning it into an actual shrine is easier than trying to convince them that some other area is holy land.