"Is that the same guy we saw a while back?" Burgos rubs his eyes just to check he wasn't seeing double.
"Is that the same guy we saw a while back?" Burgos rubs his eyes just to check he wasn't seeing double.
"Any of you guys familiar with a cult using such facial tattoos?"
Gaia eyed the first tattooed man quietly, wondering why he was so interested in their group. Surely this planet had seen off-worlders before? As the servitor moved on through the crowd, the guard decided to leave it be for now. It was probably nothing, but it never hurt to be aware and prepared anyway.
As they passed the second tattooed man, Gaia was unable to make out any of his mad-sounding ramblings. She wondered what the tattoo meant, before shaking her head in reponse to the priest. "Haven't seen it before."
Ivaanov's mechanical components whirred as they opened the compartment in his leg casing. Reaching into the folds of his robe, he gripped the ornate hand of the las pistol that had emerged from the casing, even as the small mechadentrites in the area finished loading the weapon and charging the gun. The distinctive whine of the charge cell activating brought a smile to the mechs face, though none could see it past the face plate and vox unit that covered his mouth.
If trouble was brewing, he at least wouldn't be caught unarmed. He left his hand inside the voluminous robes, hopefully concealing the weapon from casual view.
He responded to Burgos question with a shake f his head. His sheltered life both on his home planet and then within the confines of the machine cult didn't leave him very open to information on obscure cults.
"What Crow Father?" Asked Justine, as she whips out her las pistol and scans the alley for any surprises. "All I got out of that rambling are 'False, false, the two faces he has! First of three has two!' and 'They have grasped a serpent in their hearts, fools! Pity the damned fools!'"
Your discussion is cut short by a sharp whistle from the other end of the alley. Turning around, you find six thugs with the same flame tattoo brandishing clubs. "Begone, offworlders. We don't want your kind here.", says the apparent leader.
"Stay your hand in the of the God-Emperor of Terra!"
Burgos raises his sword for emphasis. He readies his autopistol with his other hand.
Burgos shoots the ringleader hopefully scaring the others with this show of firepower.
"No one threatens one who comes in the name of the Emperor!"
"Begone!"
The man attempts to dodge the bullet, but he only succeeds at falling to the ground clutching his right arm. "He shot Roth! Priest or not, no one shoots at us gets away with it!" While most of the thugs have the sense to run for cover, two stay there and try to take revenge for their almost-fallen comrade, drawing pistols and firing at Burgos. Their aim is off.
"O Mighty God-Emperor, grant us the strength to massacre Your enemies!"
"We don't want your k..." Before the ringleader even finishes his sentence, Justin raises her las pistol and shoots into the group of club-wielding thugs.
She then uses the moment of confusion to duck behind the wooden crates.
Davi and Burgos, I have a feeling that you guys live on the West Coast (or somewhere using the western time zone). I, unfortunately, live on East Coast (NYC, in fact) and am 3 hours ahead of you guys. Therefore, when Davi posts at around 3~4 AM my time (which is 12~1 AM your time), there is no way I am awake and my fastest response time is next morning. Looking back at this combat, I feel that things have transpired without me and I have to belatedly make up for my actions (even though I have the highest Init). Please understand that I am not trying to blame anyone or be anyone's parents, but I feel if there is scheduled DM posting times that are accommodating to everyone's timezones (instead of 3 AM), then we can all post in our appropriate orders vs. literally having the first person who posts acts first. I also think that for next time, the DM can take care of all our Init in one swoop (along with the NPCs); it will clarify who goes when and people can immediately start posting their actions.
Please feel free to comment on the idea of scheduled dm posting times.
My next action, after everyone has gone, assuming there is any thugs left...
The sounds of pistol fire thunder in the alley as the two groups exchange shots. Justin sees Burgos gun down the ringleader and her impression of the man rises even higher ("Charming AND skilled...must get to know him better after this," she thought). From behind the wooden crates, Justine aims at the thug who is also behind wooden crates and calmly pulled the trigger
"They really should have shot first and asked questions later..."
The leader collapses to the ground, dead from Burgos' shot.
Unfortunately, the guard wasn't quite as well prepared as she thought. As the thugs confront the group, Gaia moved to draw her shotgun. However, the barrel snags a little, and the delay is enough to slow her reactions.
Ivaanov calls out to his companions "There is still some cover near me behind these crates." He snaps off a shot with the las pistol then takes aim again, resting his arm across the crates for stability.
Another of the thugs standing in the open nearly fall from Justine's shots.
The man barely manages to dodge Burgos' bullet.
The wounded man raises his gun and begins firing wildly at Justine. The other man in the open runs back to the others behind the metal crates, and those hiding carefully aim and fire at Burgos and Ivaan.
Shortly after Justine looses her breath from the shot to her gut, Ivaanov shoots the man dead.
Sorry, I am new to the rules, but did you apply damage straight up or did you subtract Justine's toughness + armor from each shot?
Also, don't the cover absorb some of that damage from each shot? Or did u already take that into account?
"Gaia! If you have some grenades, we sure could use them now!"
Burgos still lying flat on the ground behind a cover.
Sorry, I am new to the rules, but did you apply damage straight up or did you subtract Justine's toughness + armor from each shot?
Also, don't the cover absorb some of that damage from each shot? Or did u already take that into account?
"One coming up!" Gaia calls back to the priest, pulling a frag grenade from her belt. Pulling the pin, the guard lobs the grenade over at the enemies. Unfortunately, her aim is a little off..
"Oh God-Emperor! Make sure it was the grenade that Gaia lobbed and not the pin!"
Interestingly enough, even when you miss with a grenade, there is still a chance that you might actually throw the thing in the right general direction. Check out the Scatter Diagram on p. 196 of the core rulebook.
I think it's my turn next, but I will put off until Davi determines where that grenade lands. I sure hope it doesn't wipe out the party...
I think it's my turn next, but I will put off until Davi determines where that grenade lands. I sure hope it doesn't wipe out the party...
The grenade comes to rest on top of a crate, the thugs barely having a chance to react before the explosion. Two of the thugs were quickly turned into piles of flesh, while the third was protected by his now-dead associates. The two remaining thugs, realizing they may be somewhat overmatched, turn to flee. The man behind the wooden crates flees to the right, the survivor to the left, directly into the waiting club of a town guard. After the injured thug crumples to the ground, the guard looks at the carnage in the alley. "What the hell happened here?"
After sheathing his weapons, "Praise the Emperor that you have arrived in the nick of time, officers. These men," Burgos points to their opponents, "are heretics."
"I am Burgos. Father Burgos of the Ecclesiarchy, I am sure you have heard of that. I spread the word and enlightenment of the Emperor. So why would they attack me if they are not in fact heretics?"
"I assure you that we shall appreciate any assistance you can extend. I am sure that my superiors in the Ecclesiarchy would like very well to know who to thank for my safety and who to punish for this attack on my person."
"By the way officers, you are?"
Burgos' Charm roll. (1d100=19)
"Well, I can't bring in a priest for questioning. Besides, don't worry about them." He says, gesturing at the thug his two slower associates are now picking up. "The Ashleen from out of town have just been restless lately, for some reason. You're all free to go now."
Burgos' Charm roll. (1d100=19)
"Well, I can't bring in a priest for questioning. Besides, don't worry about them." He says, gesturing at the thug his two slower associates are now picking up. "The Ashleen from out of town have just been restless lately, for some reason. You're all free to go now."
"Thank you, my son, for your wisdom and probity. The God-Emperor sees all and I am sure he knows of your actions today."
Justine shuffles along with the rest of her group, clearly favoring her left side. Wherever the cherub is going, she sure hopes there is medical attention.
Burgos moves to assist Justine. "Here, lean on me."
"Thanks!" Justine flashes a smile at Burgos and accepts his assistance. "We have been delayed long enough, let's go!"
"Everyone look for the cherub."
Ivaanov moves from behind the crates, quickly returning the las weapon to its alotted holster and disarming the charge capaciter. It certainly wouldn't do for the thing to discharge while attatched to his leg.
As burgos helps with the wounded woman, the tech keeps tabs on the little servitor drone. The firefight was certainly interesting, but not overly concerning to the tech. When they went past the bodies fo the fallen cultists, he planned on aquiring one of their weapons. They seemed to be of the more primitive projectile varient, yet the power they unleahsed was impresseive. He had the feeling this group could use that kind of damage output.
Justine is also curious about the loot from the gangsters. But for now, she's preoccupied with her wounds.
The guns were only cheap stubnose revolvers, but you do have a chance to pick one of them up while the guards' backs are turned. It only has about five shots left, but it should be a bit more lethal than your laspistol.
Meanwhile, the cherub is still able to be seen, hovering about a block down the next alley. You should be able to catch up with it easily.
Hooking her shotgun back to her belt holster again, Gaia moves forward to follow the cherub. Her grenade hadn't quite landed where she had intended, but fortunately it had been close enough. Ashleen, huh? A gang of some sort, from the looks of things. Hopefully they'd learned their lesson now, and there wouldn't be any more trouble from the flame-faced men.
"Ivaanov, can you judge from the cherub's behavior if we are near our meeting place?"
"Gaia, how many grenades you still have?"
"Justine, how are you holding up?"
You continue to follow the cherub through the streets of Port Suffering, eventually coming to a walled compound bearing the imperial eagle. As you approach, the door is opened by an official-looking man. "AH, yes. You must be here to see Master Aristarchus. Follow me." As the man leads you into the building, you can't help but notice how much has been added, from the thick carpeting to the furniture made of actual wood.
Seated at the table in an old leather chair is presumably the man you're looking for. He wears charcoal-gray robes and has a small smile on his lean, handsome face. As you enter, he holds a set of large ivory cards in his hands which he replaces in a silver case and returns to the pocket of his robes.
"Welcome! I am the Seer Aristarchus. I trust the trip passed quickly?" He stands, comes around the table and offers each of you in turn his hand in greeting before gesturing for you to sit.Up close, you can see he has curious gold-grey eyes and the sanctioning electoo of the Scholastica Psykana imprinted on his cheek. After shaking all of your hands, he adjusts a black satchel at his side. You notice that the bag is made of emadar silk, an expensive material, and is held shut with lead purity symbols.
"And it would have been quicker had we not bump into those Ashleen jerks." Justine said. "They called us 'outsiders', doesn't seem they like the imperial presence very much."
You continue to follow the cherub through the streets of Port Suffering, eventually coming to a walled compound bearing the imperial eagle. As you approach, the door is opened by an official-looking man. "AH, yes. You must be here to see Master Aristarchus. Follow me." As the man leads you into the building, you can't help but notice how much has been added, from the thick carpeting to the furniture made of actual wood.
Seated at the table in an old leather chair is presumably the man you're looking for. He wears charcoal-gray robes and has a small smile on his lean, handsome face. As you enter, he holds a set of large ivory cards in his hands which he replaces in a silver case and returns to the pocket of his robes.
"Welcome! I am the Seer Aristarchus. I trust the trip passed quickly?" He stands, comes around the table and offers each of you in turn his hand in greeting before gesturing for you to sit.Up close, you can see he has curious gold-grey eyes and the sanctioning electoo of the Scholastica Psykana imprinted on his cheek. After shaking all of your hands, he adjusts a black satchel at his side. You notice that the bag is made of emadar silk, an expensive material, and is held shut with lead purity symbols.
"Greetings, Seer Aristarchus. I am Burgos. Can I call you Aristarchus? Seer is very formal. People might think we aren't friends. And please call me Burgos. Haha."
"Anyways, I second the beautiful Justine's comments."
"I see you have been to Terra." Burgos indicating sanctioning electoo of the Scholastica Psykana as proof. "How I wish to stand upon mankind's holy birthplace."
"But enough of me. This is Gaia and this is Ivaanov."
"Now that we are all introduced, may we know the true nature of our mission here. The briefing was rather vague on that subject you see."