[Inquisitor Sargoth]

Likewise, on several threads! It's infuriating.

[Koval]

I couldn't even get onto the Conclave since this time last night... Try drafting in a word-processor?

Dolnikan: Assume there is one moon, about Triton-sized. Re. other celestial objects, make something up -- it's more fun that way

Marco, Necris: I'll put up a move-the-story-on post once you've given us your intros. Sargy's intro doesn't necessarily have to come before what I'm planning

[MarcoSkoll]

I'm not sure how much of an intro you needed, but I've put something down. It came surprisingly easily when I actually got on with it.

I'm fairly sure non-refractive glass isn't very feasible (perhaps with meta-materials), but it was such a cool idea when it came to mind that I just had to go with it.

[Koval]

Thanks, Marco. I'll get something up myself when I get a break from this bloody essay I have to write.

[Koval]

Copied over from Darkness And Light OOC.

Sargoth and I are Facebooking each other; he's having extreme problems getting onto the Conclave, never mind posting. I have no idea what's causing it, but it's the same problem I had during the week.

Any advice I can pass on to him on what he can do would be appreciated.

He's already tried:
-cleaning out all his temporary Internet files, cookies, et al
-shutting down and turning back on
-resetting his router

There's probably a few other things he could try, but just keep in mind that he'll probably be a bit late to the party...

[Koval]

triple

Introducing Madoc Haines and Andreas.

Marco: Hopefully my inventing a Lieutenant Geester on board the Sword of Integrity was okay. Do you want to get us in-system, and onto the Asculum or shall I do that?

[MarcoSkoll]

Marco: Hopefully my inventing a Lieutenant Geester on board the Sword of Integrity was okay.

Given it's a ship with thousands of crew and enough troopers to ensure the ship remains in the hands of the Inquisition, naming a few of them is hardly an issue!

Do you want to get us in-system, and onto the Asculum or shall I do that?

Sort of. I've posted something. I took the liberty of assuming Burnett would offer them dinner as well in a sort of "You wanna get a coffee and talk?" way.

Take it from here as you wish.

As far as the numbers, I'm fairly sure that while there are more Inquisitors, Burnett is only aware of two of them.
I've chosen three days transit as it sounds reasonably believable for a fast frigate that's managed to make a reasonably close jump. If you'd prefer more or less, I can change that.

~~~~~

EDIT: Need to start the timer for how long it is before I run out of text colours. Well, in any case, I hope it helps people keep track of who's saying what in a conversation without adding lots of "Riley said" and "Haines conjectured" lines.

[Koval]

Marco: Hopefully my inventing a Lieutenant Geester on board the Sword of Integrity was okay.

Given it's a ship with thousands of crew and enough troopers to ensure the ship remains in the hands of the Inquisition, naming a few of them is hardly an issue!

Thanks. Haines does tend to jump into military training regimes during Warp transit -- it's his way of staving off boredom -- but I wasn't sure how far to go with it.

Oh, and introducing Andreas was pretty fun.

Do you want to get us in-system, and onto the Asculum or shall I do that?

Sort of. I've posted something. I took the liberty of assuming Burnett would offer them dinner as well in a sort of "You wanna get a coffee and talk?" way.

Take it from here as you wish.

I'll do that a bit later. Essays on education theory suck.

As far as the numbers, I'm fairly sure that while there are more Inquisitors, Burnett is only aware of two of them.

True, but even one Inquisitor in-system would be rather worrying. The fact that Burnett will now know of four, one of whom is built like a brick outhouse, is probably enough to make him change his breeches.

I've chosen three days transit as it sounds reasonably believable for a fast frigate that's managed to make a reasonably close jump. If you'd prefer more or less, I can change that.

No, that's sensible.

~~~~~

EDIT: Need to start the timer for how long it is before I run out of text colours. Well, in any case, I hope it helps people keep track of who's saying what in a conversation without adding lots of "Riley said" and "Haines conjectured" lines.

You have so many to choose from, though! You could use this if it isn't too close to teal. Or maybe this. Or this one, or this one. And that's just blues.

[Koval]

If anyone wants to use Vice-Admiral Cairn Burnett in any posts, then I generated a suitable likeness in EVE.

It was originally going to be Andreas, but I decided that this guy looked A) too close to Severino B) too proud and arrogant to be Andreas.

[Dolnikan]

I hope to be able to post something today or tomorrow, depending on how well the writing goes this time.

[Koval]

Postage, now with 70% more colour so that Marco doesn't run out so quickly.

Haines' arms coffer was shamelessly stolen from Rogue Trader (in which it's a starting option for one character class, and is fairly easy to acquire even if you don't start with one). I decided that his thunder hammer would fit fairly snugly if it went in diagonally.

Marco, it's your call whether you want to post the start of the meeting with Burnett, or whether you'd prefer me to do it. If you do, then since Andreas doesn't really have a title, Haines will probably introduce him as "Arch-Curator Tuominen" or something to that effect.

[Koval]

double

If anyone's still sorting out an intro post, then keep in mind that I'd like to move the story on tomorrow evening (Tuesday) -- I appreciate there are some technical difficulties, so I might email round.

The planned story development shouldn't affect outstanding intros that heavily, though

[Dolnikan]

After I get home today I will probably finish Semplice's arrival on the planet, but nothing more than that.

[Koval]

Bios for Sargy's characters, for when he gets back onto the 'clave:

OOC Bios for the 'The Maimed'

Sonneillon

Sonneillon was born on Colchis and inducted into the Word Bearers at the time of the Great Crusade. He was as much a philosopher as a warrior, hardly uncommon in the 18th Legion, but a strain of rationalism was. Among the pious and fanatical brothers of the Word Bearers he was a veritable Doubting Thomas. Still, his scientific mindset meant he was ideally suited to serve in the Apothecarion.

When the Legion turned from the worship of the Emperor, Sonneillon did so without sorrow, for the in secret he had never truly believed in the Emperor’s divinity. Lorgar’s new patrons fascinated him – he witnessed what could only be described as miracles again and again, saw daemons (some wearing or sharing the flesh of his brothers) and perhaps for the first in his life, Sonneillon believed.

After the Heresy, Sonneillon joined his brothers in the Eye of Terror, where he witnessed dark miracles that eclipsed anything he had hitherto witnessed; worlds shaped like spirals and discs orbiting stars that burned with cold; sentient planets that moved through the aether, consuming other stellar bodies in a grotesque hunger; hollow forge-worlds and daemons as large as star systems. It then his doubts were rekindled – the chaos gods, the dark pantheon, were creatures of madness and illogic. True, they rewarded those who served them – his own Legion especially – though these rewards were just as often curses (though his brothers seldom regarded them that way). Sonneillon’s new gods were capricious and their ties to the hell-realm of the warp lead him to the heretical notion espoused by the pre-Heresy Imperium; that the chaos gods and daemons were little more than extradimensional aliens, reliant on the energies of the warp and powerless without it.

Sonneillon did not voice his suspicions, but he spoke to the hereteks who served the Word Bearers, to natives of the Eye both primitive and advanced, even (in rare times of alliance) to the more rational and polite members of other Traitor Legions. He saw how to some Legions the chaos gods were nothing more than a weapon, a tool for their own ambitions. He volunteered to help translate stolen eldar texts after a successful Webway raid and learned much. Sonneillon was now convinced that the Word Bearers were wrong in their view of the chaos gods, as was the Imperium, the tech-heretics, the other traitor Legions, everyone. Sonneillon wanted to understand what he suspected was beyond mortal comprehension. He wanted to know what he had unwittingly sold his soul to/

The Word Bearers are among the few Legions to have retained a leadership structure, fractured and disparate as they may be, and Sonneillon spoke to his Apostle and begged to be granted leave to pursue what he called a pilgrimage. The Apostle demanded to know why and the two would come to blows in the conversation that followed. Sonneillon expected to be put to death for heresy, but to his surprise the Apostle granted his wish, allowing his pilgrimage, though both of them and the rest of the host knew it was to be exile. Sonneillon vowed to return with the truth and the Apostle, knowing the futility of his quest, laughed. The two had each accused one other of lacking vision in their argument, so as punishment and penance the Apostle plucked out Sonneillon’s eyes. He has taken no steps to replace them.

To Jacques’eyes, Sonnellion is like an ancient statue, handsome and powerful of feature but marred by scars. His armour is not the red of his Legion, nor the bone-white of an Apothecary, being the grey colour of naked ceramite (not unlike that of the pre-Heresy Word Bearers). All adornments have been filled away and the two antlers that once crowned his helm have been snapped off (the bases of each remain). He carries his old bolter, a stolen flamer (with a modified handle) which he uses as a hand flamer and power sword (again, with a handle resized for his hands). The weapon is a thin rapier that is essentially an unusually thin short sword in his hands.

Sonneillon is a capable warrior, in spite of being blind, an expert battlefield medic and has picked up a fair amount of basic sorcery as a Word Bearer. He’s also very calm and rational, for a chaos marine, with little time for insults or gloating (though he’s known to make the odd meandering pseudo-philosophical speech to his subordinates). He is guided by spiritualism, following visions and dreams, as much as his rationalist tendencies. Jacques has next to no understanding of him.

Jacques Volos

Jacques Volos was never ambitious or malign enough to become a magus by choice but he wasn’t left with one. Born the youngest son of a noble house, there seemed little role for him. His eldest brother was to inherit his father’s title, the second-eldest was captain of the house guard and the others were all married off in political marriages to other houses or else joined the Ecclesiarchy. Such a fate was reserved for Jacques, too, but he was always rebellious youth. He gambled, fell in with criminals crowd and was eventually disowned.

Finding himself penniless and powerless, surrounded by criminals he owned money too, he sezed upon a lifetime dangled in front of him. He entered into a pact with a magus and found he soon had money enough and his enemies died mysterious (and utterly horrible) deaths. Then the magus came to collect, and he did not come along, showing Jacques for the first time what manner of creatures he had dealt with and what the true price was.

The magus had underestimated how desperate Jacques was and was stabbed and killed with his own dagger. The real threat circled Jacques, killing those he was close to, taunting him with horrifying nightmares and visions, drawing out his suffering before it would come to claim his soul as punishment for a broken deal. Jacques picked up sorcery quickly, because his life depended on it. He had always been intelligent, though never motivated enough to make use of it, with loose morals and an inventive streak. He summoned the powers of the warp and made new deals, staving off the daemon on his trail for a time (though only gaining more enemies in the long run).

Jacques has been running since, fleeing from city to city, world to world, striking new deal to pay off the dark powers. The souls of innocents. Chaos. Disorder. Too afraid of discovery to act for himself, Jacques became like the magus who first made a deal with him, inflicting his fate onto others without guilt. Eventually his actions stirring up and helping chaos cults on a border world attracted the attention of Sonneillon and he was offered a simple choice. As always, he chose life and became Sonneillon’s public face and main agent (under the watchful eyes of Remiel, of course).

He is terrified of his master and his silent servants and has little understanding of their actions. He has a good idea of what chaos is, however, having witnessed more daemons than he’d care to count. He also understands, to his horror, that daemons do not make deals for souls – they have souls enough. Daemons make deals for their own twisted amusement or, more commonly, to gain footholds in reality and he’s seen what they like to do.

Jacques is charming, if a bit smarmy, and an elegant liar. To the wary and suspicious he appears too much like a con-man (which he more-or-less is) but he tends to impress such doubters with a show of power.

Perhaps the best way to describe Jacques ‘appearance is to imagine a young, good-looking rock star who peaked early and succumbed to drugs as his success was forgotten. Jacques was once a handsome and charming man but these days he looks sallow and tired, with the first signs of grey at his temples and lines upon his forehead. His clothing was once fashionable and well-tailored, but now it looks increasingly frayed, patched and shabby. He is missing the last two fingers on his right hand and the other digits are stained with nicotine. Most of his teeth are replacements and he is currently missing one of his top incisors. Below the knee his left leg is a simple bionic replacement and he walks with a barely perceptible limp as a result. He habitually lies about how he received his injuries (but he habitually lies about most things). Though he one sported a magnificent ponytail, these days he wears his dark hair short. He has a well-groomed goatee and his eyes are brown and cold. He carries a laspistol he dislikes using and a customised revolver he seldom loads (be wary of ammunition when he does).

Remiel

Jacques has little idea where and how Sonneillon obtained the services of Remiel – the fact that he lacks a tongue is a major contributor. Remiel is lithe and well-muscled and is a master of close combat, wielding a telescopic spear and two short swords. He moves like a dancer, light on his slippered feet when walking and possessed of a fluid, acrobatic grace in combat. He shaves his head short. His eyes are violent, implying he is of Cadian (or other near/within-Eye) stock.

His loyalty to Sonneillon appears to be unquestioning, perhaps odd considering he cannot communicate with his master even using sign language (Jacques has learned enough to communicate with him). Name is afraid of him and dislikes the way he stares. He mentally considers him Sonneillon’s hound and knows should ever betray his master Remiel would be sent to bring him to heel.

Mordecai

Mordecai is Sonneillon’s personal serf, manservant and artificer who joined him in exile. He is a eunuch, thin and soft-voiced. His hairless chin is pointed and he usually wears a slight smirk. His hair is grey, but his age is fairly indeterminate. Jacques finds him sinister.

Would have put these in the text, but facebook isn’t HTML. A few relevant tropes for you. Not that many.

Sonneillon -
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheHeretic
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CrisisOfFaith
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheExile

Jacques –
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheCorrupter
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DealWithTheDevil
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DragonWithAnAgenda (Sort of)
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWatson (With regard to how we’ll mainly be seeing the Maimed).
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThoseTwoBadGuys (Has shades of this with his ‘partner’, Remiel)

Remiel-
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheVoiceless
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SilentPartner
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SubmissiveBadass

Mordecai –
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EunuchsAreEvil
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BewareTheQuietOnes

[Koval]

double

The latest character to be introduced was drawn up together with Sargy a few years ago, including his apparent allegiance. I just never got around to doing an awful lot with him until now.

Besides which, since Semplice is Ordo Xenos, I felt I had to throw Dolnikan a bone

The story itself will be moving on tomorrow evening, but like I said, this shouldn't mean drastic rewrites of intro posts.