As the year M41.999 draws to a close in the benighted Askellon Sector, many of its inhabitants agree that this is indeed the Time of Ending. That this ancient portion of human space will soon be lost.
Many. But not all. Even in this region, rife with corruption, struck by xenos, and threatened by the Pandaemonium warp storm, there are watchers, guardians who plan and act against such a fate.
One of these guardians has selected you for an unknown task. Whether through skill, specialist knowledge, or sheer fortune, you have come to their attention and they brought you into their plans. You have left your prior world on his command, your transport the Imperial Navy destroyer "His Enduring Light", and a data-slate awaiting with more detailed instruction...
"Come, for the Emperor has work for you."
- The Inquisitor, to each of you in the recent past.
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Hello there! I'm going to run the Seeds of Heresy adventure for DH 2e. If that goes well, I aim to also run Dark Pursuits and Forgotten Gods.
Setting: The agri-world of Novabella in the Askellon Sector. Pre-Imperial colonisation in the Segmentum Obscurus. Largely isolated from the wider Imperium thanks to the enormous Pandaemonium warp storm. When events kick off, the cell of acolytes will be in the Novabella system on board His Enduring Light and informed of data-slates left by the Inquisitor.
Game themes:
Starting in the dark as very new Inquisitorial acolytes, learning as they go.
Investigation, but with a broad enough definition to include extremes of subtle and open action.
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Character Creation
I am fine with any of the homeworlds, backgrounds, and roles that have been published in official 2e books. There are in-universe reasons why wildly different characters might be selected to work together.
A very straightforward online character creation tool. Cheers to Grumbaki for finding that!
A pair of house rules, to make Leadership a more relevant aptitude in character creation. The only real change is to make Willpower and Fellowship potentially cheaper.
House Rule 1: The aptitudes for the Willpower characteristic are now Willpower and either Leadership OR Psyker.
House Rule 2: The aptitudes for the Fellowship characteristic are now Fellowship and either Leadership OR Social.
Equipment is
a) Choose homeworld - Where is your character from?
There are examples given in the books but there are scores of undetailed worlds in the Askellon Sector, so feel free to pitch a world at me.
b) Points buy for characteristics: 25 in most of the 10 characteristics. Any characteristics that your homeworld have as "+" start at 30. Any that start as "-" start at 20.
You have 60 points to divide between the characteristics as you like, but you cannot start with more than 40 in any one characteristic after points are spent.
(DH2 Core Book p31)
c) Choose background - What did you do? (This also determines starting equipment)
d) Choose Role - What is your core essence?
e) Spend starting experience - 1,000xp - on characteristic advances, skill advances, talent purchases, and/or elite advances.
A note on elite advances: You generally can only have at most one and most are awkward to acquire past character creation. They fit some character concepts better than others and may or may not be worth the xp.
f) Roll for divination. I have no issue with this being done before spending starting xp.(DH2 core book p84-85)
g) Details: Name, physical description, clothing style, mementos, etc.
h) Questions:
1. What does the acolyte desire?
2. What does the acolyte hate?
3. What is the acolyte willing to sacrifice?
4. How did the acolyte meet the Inquisitor?
5. What does the Inquisitor mean to the acolyte?
6. How does the acolyte see themselves in regards to this cell and their colleagues?
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To assist with that last bit, here is what you all know IC about the Inquisitor:
1. The Inquisitor is a soft-spoken, very average-looking man with slightly chemical-burned skin visible outside of concealing robes.
2. The Inquisitor keeps his secrets close, at least to you.
3. The Inquisitor seems quite willing to overlook certain personal flaws if he believes the person in question is willing to serve him to do the Emperor's work.
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Notes:
Influence is a measure of your regard in the eyes of the Inqusitior and the wider Askellon Sector. It can be used for many purposes, including acquiring services, gear, and investigation. It can be gained through connections, favours, and reputation. It can be lost through failures, hard use, and sacrifice. THe Inquisitor has his own Influence score, which you can attempt to draw upon if you dare. (DH2 Core Book p268-270)
Subtlety is a group statistic that will begin at 50 for Novabella. This will be raised or lowered depending on the actions of the acolytes but will not be openly revealed. Subtlety is tracked by the GM and all parts of the scale have pros and cons. (DH2 Core Book p271-276)
The success or failure Social Interaction and Investigations are often determined by NPC personalities and how the acolytes approach them. (DH2 Core Book p277-284)
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Hopefully that will be enough to get you started. Any questions, feel free to ask here and I will get back to them as soon as possible.
Also feel free to dot and delete in the gameplay thread, but let's save proper posting until the cell is ready.
So I have 3 ideas.
1. A void born desperado from the Adeptus Administratum
2. A Noble Imperial guard Hierophant
3. A psyker Seeker focusing on divination and being an astropath
I'll choose the one that best fits the group but I'm leaning toward the Hierophant
Hi there! I’m thinking of a feral world (Gregorn) warrior of the imperial guard. With her background being that she has had the fortune of just not dying. She has gone through four squads thus far, with each one dying to a man instead of her. And never due to any heroics either.
Her first squad was lost when there was no space for her on her designated troop transport, forcing her onto the next one. The one she should have been on was destroyed, killing all inside.
Her second squad was lost over the course of a campaign against elder corsairs. She never saw a single xenos, but they picked off guardsmen one by one. By the time they were pulled out everyone from her original team had been killed or taken. The squad that was left was just a conglomeration of guardsmen from different units.
Her third squad died due to a disease that swept through their ship while in space. She recovered, while the rest didn’t.
Her fourth squad died in a small civil war in the regiment between guardsmen from different clans. She was found alive, but wounded, under the bodies of her comrades. As it turned out the knife that was to slit her throat merely left a scar, but didn’t cut deep enough to cause any lasting damage.
Her fifth squad all survived...when the company itself was wiped out on a drop site massacre. This was because someone put the wrong coordinates into their vessel, causing them to land hundreds of miles in the wrong direction...in friendly territory.
It was at this time that the superstitious (surviving) warriors turned on her, declaring that she was a witch. With no evidence against her besides extreme luck, the commissar had her arrested before she could be torn apart by her own comrades.
Just when it seemed like her luck had run out, the investigation was taken over by the inquisition. Once it had been determined that there was no taint of chaos upon her, nor any latent psychic abilities, she was taken and placed in the cell as an acolyte, under the theory that while she had both useful combat and survival skills, there was something to be said for being lucky enough to make superstitious savages want to kill you.
——
Making the character
3 fate
Jaded Talent
Hey there folks! Thank you Decimus for the invitation!
I am considering a classic Hiveworld Outcast Desperado or I may switch it up to an Hiveworld Adeptes Arbites Desperado. The former is your going to be your classic criminal type, teying to survive and after making a name for himself, was recruited by the Inquisitor.
The other is more of the hard-bitten arbitrator who walks tue thin line of criminal and arbitrator, doing what needs to be done to preserve order even if isn't "standard operating procedure".
EDIT: I have decided to go with a Penal Colony Outcast Desperado. I'm going with a mixture of gunslinger and social con-man; I have an idea that he helped organize a riot due to a food shortage and when it was put down by one of the Inquisitor's other cells, he was recruited rather than executed. I'll fill in the planet details and stuff later tonight.
= "A mind without purpose wanders in dark places" = When gaining Mental Disorders (see page 287), the character may choose to gain a new Disorder instead of increasing the severity of an existing Disorder.
I think I'll go for a Death world Hierophant
Even one who has nothing
can still offer his life.
When this character burns Fate threshold to survive a lethal injury, roll 1d10. On a
result of 10, he survives whatever grievous wound would have killed him but does
not reduce his Fate threshold.
I'm thinking of having his death world be the volcanoy type with giant crab monsters that are usually fought with tanks
Grumbaki here
Feral World - Outcast - Warrior
Skills: Dodge +10 (100xp) Stealth +10 (100xp) Parry trained (100xp)
Crushing Blow (The Acolyte has the ability to focus his entire body into close combat attacks. He adds half his Weapon Skill bonus (rounding up) to damage he inflicts with melee attacks.) 400xp
Combat Master (The Acolyte’s weapon seems to be everywhere at once, keeping many more opponents at bay in close combat than would seem possible. Opponents fighting him in hand-to-hand combat gain no bonuses for Ganging Up (see page 229).) 300xp
Figure that for a close combat specialist, stealth and dodge can get her into chainsword range. Parry is needed for fighting, and she won’t be as easily overwhelmed by numbers.
I like the ideas that are cropping up already. Whenever do you settle on ideas, I'd like answers for those six questions under h. It's mostly to provoke thought about aspects of your characters.
More specific comments:
@Solar27: Tanks vs Crabs is fine by me! The illustration for Death World in Enemies Within is quite fun. ;)
Any thoughts on what background you might go for?
Did your homeworld have a specific reason for colonisation (e.g. minerals, ceramite-hard crab shells, etc?
@Grumbaki: Now that is the sort of luck that the Emperor could use!
Are you going with straight core book feral world or taking the new Gregorn home world bonus in Enemies Without (p85)? I'm fine with either by the way, not everyone from the same world is going to have the exact same traits.
@KingHotTrash: I just spotted the penal world edit. That sounds very doable. Lots of miserable spots in Askellon too.
Was the penal colony sufficiently important to attract inquisitorial attention or was it just blind luck that they were there? The reasons could also be a mystery to your character.
I’ll get the answers up shortly. Also I’ll keep the generic ‘the old ways’ bonus.
I'm going with Highborn- Imperial Guard - Hierophant.
Name: Ven Targot
His backstory is his family rules a Death world that's mostly volcanoes
(main export minerals, main import people).
He spent his youth as a classic spoiled rich kid until after going on a joy ride in an imperial guard chimera and crashing.
It took him 3 days to walk back during which time he had a vision of the Emperor possible influenced by the toxins in the atmosphere.
After that he joined the guard and the rest is history.
Questions:
1. What does the acolyte desire?
To humbly serve the Emperor and to die in his service
2. What does the acolyte hate?
Renegades and Traitors
3. What is the acolyte willing to sacrifice?
Material possession and status in society
4. How did the acolyte meet the Inquisitor?
2 months after a hard campaign against Orks the Inquisitor interviewed him and selected him for this mission
5. What does the Inquisitor mean to the acolyte?
He is a chosen servant of the emperor
6. How does the acolyte see themselves in regards to this cell and their colleagues?
I'm buying this with the starting 1000
Charm 100
Inquiry 100
Scutiny 100
Dodge 500
Clues from the Crowds 200
I think I'm going to go with a Quanrantine World Adeptus Mechanicus Sage.
I should be able to cover the tech use and medicae side of things pretty well but aim to have them be a pretty good shot with a hand cannon to help in combat.
Don’t see why Valdear and Ven wouldn’t have served together. The question would be whether or not they’d have known each other and in what capacity.
——
And as this is my first time with this system, here is the breakdown of my stats:
WS (25 base + 15 = 40)
BS (25 base + 5 = 30)
S (30 base + 10 = 40)
T (30 base + 10 = 40)
Ag (25 base + 15 = 40)
Int (25)
Per (25)
WP (25 base + 5 = 30)
Fel (25)
Inf (20)
For 60 total points spent
——
And finally, I have deception as a skill. Could I trade it for intimidate? And common lore underworld for survival? I think that it would suit the character better. If the answer is no then that’s fine, figure asking doesn’t hurt.
Coughs "How many people did you invite boss." Looks at the long expanse of tubes and wires still attached to him... "Oh bugger it. Guess I'm in the thick of it now."
"Hiya folks, name's Pens. How ya'll?"
Penal Colony
Mutant
Mystic
WS 40
BS 25
S 40 50 due to mutation
T 40 50 due to mutation 53 with Divination
Ag 25 bonus of 1 for move speed due to mutation
Int 25
Per 35
WP 40
Fel 25 22 due to Divination
Inf 20
Skills
Athletics
Awareness
Common Lore (Underworld)
Intimidate
Forbidden Lore (Mutants)
Scrutiny
Survival
Talents
Peer (Criminal Cartels)
Weapon Training (Low-Tech)
Weapon Training (Solid Projectile)
Bodyguard
Aptitudes
Defense
Offense
General
Intelligence
Knowledge
Perception
Toughness
Willpower
Equipment
Stub Revolver and Great Weapon
Grapnel and Line
Heavy Leathers
Combat Vest
2 doses of Stimm
Wounds 13
Fate 5
Bonuses
Homeworld Bonus:
Finger on the Pulse: One survives a penal colony by instinctively knowing who is in charge and who is a threat. A penal colony character begins with one rank in Common Lore (Underworld) and Scrutiny skills, and starts with the Peer (Criminal Cartels) talent.
Background Bonus:
Twisted Flesh: A Mutant character can always choose to fail any test associated with resisting malignancy or mutation. Whenever he would gain a malignancy, he may roll to gain a mutation instead. Starts with 10 corruption and rolls 5d10 to determine starting mutation. Has one of the following Traits: Amphibious, Dark-sight, Natural Weapons, Sonar Sense, Sturdy, Toxic (1), Unnatural Agility (1), Unnatural Strength (1), or Unnatural Toughness (1)
Swollen Brute: This character becomes bloated, his muscles expanding and his form becoming excessively corpulent or disturbingly muscular (or perhaps both). This character’s Toughness and Strength characteristics are permanently increased by 10, but his Agility bonus is reduced by 1 for purposes of movement.
Unnatural Toughness (1)
Role Bonus:
Stare into the Warp: A Mystic character starts the game with the Psyker elite advance (pg 90). It is recommended that a character who wishes to be a Mystic have a Willpower of at least 35.
Psyker Elite advance gained from mystic
12 corruption Gained from unsanctioned psyker.
Gain Mutation
The Warp Made Manifest: This character becomes a Daemon-like creature, capable of reshaping reality itself at his whim. He gains the Daemonic (CB), Fear (2), From Beyond, and Warp Instability traits. He can also use his Willpower characteristic in place of any other characteristic for any test he is called upon to take.
Divination
If a job is worth doing, it is worth dying for.
Toughness +3 Fellowship -3
Corruption 22
Insanity 0
EXP spending
100 Luck Minor psychic Power
100 Invigourate
200 Smite
200 Shape Flesh
400 Iron Arm
Will get a proper sheet together soon as can... well that second mutation... don't know what you want to do about that, but I am willing to run with it.
KHT here with my penal colony bastard. Enoch is the name he was given by his parents, having been born in the unforgiving world for crimes his ancestors committed. A rabble-rouser that is dangerously quick with a pistol, he was brought in after he had helped an Inquisitorial cell defeat the cult that had overtaken the rebellion he had helped foster on his planet. Given the choice between death by firing squad or escaping the planet and living under the Inquisitor's thumb, he decided upon the latter.
@GM Decimus - I am going to do a write-up about the homeworld he comes from. I am thinking that it is a planet that suffered a terrible catastrophe during terraforming back ages ago (maybe even the Golden Age of Man, which is what the nobles that own the prison constantly say). Anything of worth, technology-wise, has long since been scavenged and taken from the planet. I'm thinking that the planet is known for these crystals that are useful for the maintenance of lasguns or perhaps some kind of combat stimulant? I'm cool with whatever you're alright with.
Questions
1. What does the acolyte desire?
Enoch yearns to be free. While he has long since realized that this is a pipedream, serving the Inquisition is the closest he feels he will ever get. Serve well and there is power in the Inquisition and that...is a good second-place prize.
2. What does the acolyte hate?
Enoch despises tyrants and authority figures who have no leadership to them, only fear. He still remembers what it is to be the oppressed and may violently react against abuse if he can afford to.
3. What is the acolyte willing to sacrifice?
Enoch is prepared to sacrifice flesh, mind, and others in order to ensure that he will survive. While he is a team player, he won't hesitate to make sure that he survives overall.
4. How did the acolyte meet the Inquisitor?
After the failure of revolution on Rusliv III and the subsequent crushing of the burgeoning Cult of Nurgle that had infested the depths of the great, dead machines, Enoch met the Inquisitor while awaiting his sentencing for formenting the rebellion. After a conversation about why he did what he did, why he helped the Inquisition destroy his rebellion knowing what it would cost, he was then recruited.
5. What does the Inquisitor mean to the acolyte?
Enoch is cautious of the Inquisitor and his goals but he is no fool either; the man holds incredible power and if he serves well, he can have a portion of that power as well. There is terrible costs to pay but it is worth it all in the name of freedom.
6. How does the acolyte see themselves in regards to this cell and their colleagues?
Once we have a better situation of how everyone is and their character's personality, I'll fill this out more. For now...
Valdear - Big, tough, mean, it is always good to have an enforcer type to break knees when it is needed.
Ven - One of those high & mighty types, preaching that the Emperor protects. The Emperor doesn't give a damn about us little s&%$s. We'll see if he is worth a damn.
Pens - A mutated freak. As long as it doesn't try to eat my face, I won't blow its face off. It is almost...pitiful though...how friendly it seems.
Tech Priest - Motherf*%*ing skynet. :P
A few quick replies!
@Solar27: World sounds apt. I like the idea of prior connections if you and Grumbaki hash something out. Perhaps their regiments were assigned to the same hellish front?
@Kevin: Nice. Any thoughts on which quarantine world? Why would they leave?
@Grumbaki: I have no issue with those swaps.
@Havocprince: I'll give you a choice. You can keep that second mutation or reroll it. Either way, I suspect Pens will have his work cut out to earn trust! I wonder if Pens started that mutated or if it was a sudden change in circumstances.
@KHT: Those suggestions are both fine by me. Let's say crystals for lasguns. Maybe it's the hazardous working conditions in mining them that inspired Enoch to rebel?
1. What does the acolyte desire? A way to cheat old age. It is a rare thing among her people, but it terrifies her none the less. To have one’s strength, vitality and senses slowly degrade until it causes inevitable death? A truly horrible fate. She has heard that there are ways in the Imperium to slow down and even reverse aging. She desires that above all else.
2. What does the acolyte hate? Orks. A near seasonal menace, more brutal than any rival tribe and more dangerous than nearly any natural predator. They do not follow the natural way of things. They fight incessantly, but without honor. She has lost family and friends to the orks, and she despises them for it.
3. What is the acolyte willing to sacrifice? Flesh and blood, but not soul. She is quite spiritual, and her belief in the Emperor is steadfast. She believes that warriors who die in his service are reborn as his angels of death, to eternally fight by his side. She sees that as the ultimate reward for the faithful.
4. How did the acolyte meet the Inquisitor? Her tribe sold itself out as mercenaries to an Imperial a Guard commander who found it easier to short change them than to try and enforce a tithe. Her luck at not dying got her branded a witch, and it is what brought her to the inquisitor’s attention.
5. What does the Inquisitor mean to the acolyte? He is the boss. Everyone is afraid of him which means that it is natural for him to be in charge. His prestige his obvious, so she feels fortunate to be part of his huscarls.
6. How does the acolyte see themselves in regards to this cell and their colleagues? She has gotten used to everyone around her dying horrible deaths. She is quite jaded in that sense. She would like to have comrades who don’t keel over and die the seconds lasguns start shooting, but she isn’t holding her breath.
@GM Decimus: Thanks :)
@Solar: How about the two served together in the ill-fated campaign to hunt elder corsairs? I imagined a heavily forested planet where the populace was going missing. A number of guard regiments were sent, and they quickly became the prey. For Valdear, her entire squad was picked off one by one without ever seeing the enemy. She ended up in an ad-hoc squad of other survivors, an entire rag-tag platoon trying to live long enough to regroup into something with a coherent structure. The mission was deemed a success as all xenos activity ended not long after the Guard flooded the planet, and the commanders took this as evidence of a job well done.
——
Our two PCs could have ended up in the same group of survivors. It would allow them to know each other personally, but both would still be somewhat in the dark about each other’s capabilities.
——
Two gear choices that I am picking up at character generation.
(1) Feral World Toughness (reskinned cranial armor: this augmentation covers or replaces most of the skull with layers of plasteel and gel padding to better prevent concussion and other brain injuries. This implant adds +1 Armour point to the Head, and stacks with any worn armour on that location.)
(2) Switching Chainsword for a mono warhammer with custom grip. It just feels more “feral world.” And if possible a common buckler to complete the package.
Thanks for the invite, need to take a look at what everyone else is making and fit in somewhere different. The will be interesting to see the build process for 2E as opposed to 1E. Hopefully I don't muck it up!
I will think it over while I try to get stuff together. Rough day today so we will see what I manage to get together. Might be interesting to just run with it and see what happens.
Given the party thus far I’m starting to wonder whether the inquisitor is a radical
We do have a rather...eccentric warband going together right now. I like it though.
Quite the group so far!
************************************
@All:
This line was cut off in my original post. Just so no one misses out on starting equipment.
"Equipment is based on your background and your influence score. (DH2 Core book p81)"
I'll also take this opportunity to draw your attention to the weapon noise table on p148. It gives some guidelines for how relatively loud different "approaches" can get. ;)
************************************
@Grumbaki: A no to getting an additional item, but it should be relatively easy to requisition or otherwise acquire as items go.
************************************
@Oblivion's Scion: Heyo. If you're feeling stuck, feel free to ask questions.
Actually, that still goes for everyone else too. :)
Fair enough. It isn’t essential, and I don’t think that a common item should be too out of reach once the campaign gets going.
Plus I have Orc Crusher. That alone makes me quite happy. :)
Taking a quick read through, it looks like this is the current break down:
Solar27 - Ven Targot, Highborn Imperial Guard Hierophant
Grumbaki - Valdear, Feral World Outcast Warrior
KingHotTrash - Enoch the Scoundrel, Penal Colony Outcast Desperado
HavocPrince - (name), Penal Colony Mutant Mystic
Kevin O'Rourke - (name), Quarantine World Adeptus Mechanicus Sage
So there are a few serious combatants including a brute-psyker, a social face, and a tech adept. With the amount of criminals and mutants, maybe an arbite or someone from the church. Hmm.
For my 3 extra items I'll be taking Devotional Iconography on my Flak armour, Mono on my sword and a microbead
@Grumbaki that idea works for me
@OS: Still quite a few options and bear in mind that even if two characters do with the same homeworld, background, and role, they can still be quite different in several respects.
A few ideas with sample roles:
* Holy warrior (e.g. warrior, crusader from Enemies Beyond)
* Investigator (e.g. seeker)
* Stealthy infiltration specialist (e.g. assassin, penitent from Enemies Within)
* Pilot (e.g. ace from Enemies Without)
Rules question. My plan is to pick up “hammer blow” which does this:
“ The Acolyte strikes a single blow with such focus and force that it breaks armour and pulps flesh as it strikes. When he uses an All Out Attack action to make a single melee attack, he can add half his Strength bonus (rounded up) to the weapon’s penetration. The attack also counts as having the Concussive (2) weapon quality, to represent the shocking force of the blow’s impact.”
My hammer already has concussive. Does this add to the hammer’s concussive? Because if not then it would make more sense to start with a sword.
Still cleaning up.
The three tier system (homeworld, background, role) definitely allows for some really interesting combinations. I have been bouncing ideas in my head all day. A few ideas thus far:
Forge World Mechanicus Warrior (Skitarri)
Frontier World Arbites Assassin (Arbite with a wild west sheriff / bounty hunter vibe)
Feudal World Ministorum Crusader (a Knight, akin to the aspirants to the Dark Angels)
Death World Imperial Navy Seeker (Voidship Security Agent)
I am going to sleep on it and try to build something in the morning, see what comes of it.
All of those do sound really cool.
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Alright, so here is the write-up for the planet as well as the revolution that had occurred. It is a bit of writing so I've put them both into spoilers. If you have any questions or changes that you want to put in, I am totally down for it.
The noble family Mordini purchased the planet in the last two centuries and has repurposed these terraformers into the habitats for their prisoners. While the machines are inoperable and anything of real technological worth has long since been claimed, there are still the rare hidden compartment as well as the open veins to Ruslivian Crystal. These red, sharp crystals are the raw product that is harvested and shipped to the foundry worlds to be used as the focusing lens for the lasguns of the sector's Imperial Guard. These mines are built on the extremities of the machines that push down deep into the mountains, far beneath even the ocean's surface.
Life is cruel, short, and miserable for the prisoners within Rusliv III; gas pockets have been known to spread terrible diseases among whole barracks of prisoners, collapses are common, and crimes of every kind are committed against fellow prisoners. Supplies, rations, and medical support was only given to the blocks that produced the highest quota of crystals, leading to gang wars for profitable territory, gathered resources, and needed supplies.
The noble house of Mordini was fine with this system for many years; the weak were culled and the strong survived while also keeping their costs low. It was only after an attempted revolution and an insurgency of one of the Dark Gods that change has come through. Under the scrutiny of the Inquisition, House Mordini has had to change their system and improved the life of their prisoners. While violence still exists, supplies and food is more constant and the prisoners are more at ease. This increase to their billing has not gone unnoticed by the noble house, who follows the order of the Inquisition out of fear than respect. Grudges are maintained and remembered, even now.
In time, the lack of supply and silence from the planet drew the attention of the Inquisition. Arriving under fire at the planet, the warband was able to ascertain that the war had grown more violent in the recent six months; a mysterious third force was releasing deadly gas as a weapon in both the Red Bandana forces as well as House Mordini's private army. The investigation led to the discovery of a witch that had survived such a pocket only to be found by some entity known as Vazthane. The demon was seeking to enter into reality by possessing the witch but only after enough disease had infected the area. The cult was eliminated with notable assistance from the Red Bandana forces at the behest of their leader, Enoch. After the insurgency was defeated and order restored, the Inquisitor instilled a number of new reforms to ensure such heresy does not spread again. Enoch was spared from the firing lines for his part in sedition and instead recruited as an Acolyte despite Mordini's demand for his head.
@Grumbaki: It makes sense to me that those should stack.
@Enoch: I approve. Nice work!
@GM Decimus
I'm still working on the character but going with a canon quarantine world from the Askellon Sector called Kul.
Kul - The world of Kul lies beyond Port Aquila and is counted amongst those worlds having fallen afoul to heresy and madness brought on by the proximity of the Pandaemonium. For much of its history, Kul was a Frontier World, undeveloped and of little interest to the great houses of Askellon. Its people were regarded as tainted and regressed, and few outsiders had any reason to visit the world. When Kul was engulfed by the Warp in the mid-38th Millennium, most thought it lost for all time, and none shed a tear for its populace. A standard century later, however, the Warp apparently spat the system out once more, and an Imperial Navy squadron was despatched from Port Lokhart to ascertain what, if anything, remained of its people. What the mission discovered was a cause for concern amongst savants of the Pandaemonium. The surface of the world was blasted beyond all recognition and its settlements reduced to ruins. Blanched bones littered the land, but were not of the natives -- they were from an Imperial Guard regiment thought lost in transit many centuries ago, judging from their tattered uniforms. Their vehicles also dotted the now-hellish rock. Subsequent investigations failed to turn up any clues as to the population's fate, but most did meet with unexpected calamity and disaster. Currently the world is under quarantine, though this has not stopped agents of the black market Faceless Trade from plucking especially interesting items from its surface to sell across the sector.
My idea is he's from one of the ships the patrols the area around Kul and has to go down to the surface to deal the the "Faceless Trade". I am going to have pilot aeronautica and FL Smugglers and Cartels to help show this and possibly Warp.
WS 30, BS 40, S 25, T 30, Agi 30, Int 40, WP 30, Per 30, Fel 30, Influence 30
Fate Threshold 3 (Emperor’s Blessing 9+)
Home World Bonus Secretive by Nature: Those who manage to leave a quarantine world learn how to keep secrets. Whenever the warband’s Subtlety would decrease, it decreases by 2 less (to a minimum reduction of 1).
Replace the Weak Flesh: An Adeptus Mechanicus character counts the Availability of all cybernetics as two levels more available (Rare items count as Average, Very Rare items count as Scarce, etc.).
Quest for Knowledge: In addition to the normal uses of Fate points (see page 293), a Sage character may spend a Fate point to automatically succeed at a Logic or any Lore skill test with a number of degrees of success equal to his Intelligence bonus.
Aptitude: Fieldcraft, Ballistic Skill, Intelligence, Knowledge, Perception, Tech, Willpower
Skills: Operate (Aeronautica), Common Lore (Adeptus Mechanicus), Logic, Security, Tech Use
Mechandrite Use (Utility), Weapon Training (Solid Projectile), Ambidextrous
Traits: Mechanicus Implants
Wounds: 8+1d5 wounds
Hand cannon, Optical mechadendrite, Imperial robes, 2 vials of sacred unguents
Starting Acquisitions: Subskin Armour, Utility Mechandrite, Medicae Mechandrite
XP:
Infused Knowledge 400
Awareness 100
Medicae 100
Commerce 100
FL Smugglers and Cartels 100
FL Warp 100
+5 Int 100
@Kevin: Looks solid. Those lores would definitely make sense given his prior profession.
Okay, I think I have settled on a Frontier World Imperial Navy Assassin. The character started as a courier/skimmer pilot on a backwater frontier world. After a damaged imperial cruiser limped into orbit, severely undermanned, they conscripted any capable bodies planetside to replenish the crew, including the entire staff of the courier company (at a hefty sum paid to the owner). Drafted into the Emperor's Service, he ended up an armsman assigned to the ship's Twistcatcher. He proved quite capable at taking down their prey, having gotten used to the task while guarding his deliveries working for the courier company.
Success
Innocence is an Illusion
So how is everyone doing?
I plan to give the characters another proper look over the weekend and hopefully get the campaign started then too.
Will hopefully post finished character tonight or tomorrow morning. I had intended to get interrogation with my character, but may have to reevaluate how as it currently will cost me 500 xp. Hmm, may have to go back to the drawing board.
Perhaps use the same storyline but use "adeptus arbites" as background reskinned to being an imperial navy armsman? Thoughts?
I have no problem with that reskinning.
Common Lore (adeptus arbites) would be swapped out for common lore (imperial navy). Underworld would still be relevant methinks!
We are keeping the background we discussed and letting it unfold for the rest of the group as we go if they even care to ask.
Will hopefully post finished character tonight or tomorrow morning. I had intended to get interrogation with my character, but may have to reevaluate how as it currently will cost me 500 xp. Hmm, may have to go back to the drawing board.
Perhaps use the same storyline but use "adeptus arbites" as background reskinned to being an imperial navy armsman? Thoughts?
I can get it for 100 so you don't have to pick it up.
Also ship security is a thing
I am so excited for this to get started :D
I'm glad to see the level of interest. :)
Truth is subjective. Increase this character's Perception characteristic by 3.
The first time he would gain 1 or more Corruption points each session, he gains that amount plus 1 instead.
Four fate points but he's going to get a lot of bonus corruption points...
Could make him a heretek?
Don't force it, these things take time...
I'll have to make a cowl for these robes! I am not looking forward to shots to the head.
Details:
Name: Xipil
Physical Description: Almond coloured skin, Artistic Tattoo representations of machine spirits including facial tattoos, some circling the points where implants are present. Green eyes. Black hair short short.
Clothing Style: Torquise Robes (Signifying his orders affiliation as affiliated with the minor Forge World of Aztlan). Metallic components and gear painted with a black lacquer and a gold trim.
Questions:
1. What does the acolyte desire?
Acquisition of Knowledge and Understanding it.
Understanding is the True Path to Comprehension.
2. What does the acolyte hate?
The uninitiated not respecting the expertise in dealing with the machine spirits that is the role of the Priesthood of Mars.
3. What is the acolyte willing to sacrifice?
Non essential personnel if it is efficient to do so. Status as essential is open to review.
4. How did the acolyte meet the Inquisitor?
One of the Inquisitors previous investigations led them to Kul. Xipil caught the Inquisitors notice he believes since he was able to decipher the communiques of the Faceless Traders, had enough knowledge of them to contextualise the message and during the raid on their facility was able to display his proficiency with his firearm.
5. What does the Inquisitor mean to the acolyte?
The Inquisitor is (currently categorised as) essential personnel and an agent of the Omnissiah positioned to root out rogue and seditious elements which could interrupt the flow of resources to the Forgeworlds and Fanes of the Cult Mechanicus. Assistance to this individual is service to the Omnissiah in a non standard but prestigious manner and should expedite access to higher mysteries and valuable resources.
6. How does the acolyte see themselves in regards to this cell and their colleagues?
Those currently aligned as vassals to the Inquisitor have been selected for their skills and capabilities. They are useful and categorised as high value non essential personnel. As with interactions with Imperial Navy highlighting this opinion will induce a negative response. They are valuable, reasonable effort should be made to encourage their loyalty and safe return.
Everyone settled with character building? Pens has not been introduced to the rest of the cell yet, so you are all going to have to reply to the first post before I show.
I'm fine with the completed sheets that I've seen so feel free to post, folks.
Waiting for everyone else to start looking over the paperwork and chatting before making the entrance as planned boss.
I've made enquiries. I'll move things along in the next day or so.