Lok Andreseyn started out as a bright young cadet in the schola progenium. Following the denunctiation of one of his teachers for lack of faith he was singled out by a monodominant inquisitor of the ordo hereticus for training as an acolyte and rapidly carved out a name for himself as having an uncanny knack for weeding out heresy and a correspondingly quick trigger finger. Even at this early stage, however, there were whispers that he often turned a blind eye to offenses where chaos was not involved, and that there was a lack of political sublety in his singleminded pursuit of the followers of chaos.
Nevertheless, he obtained inquisitorial rank in due course, but with the passage of time he gradually became more and more secretive, working less and less within official channels and often staying out of contact for long stretches of time. As his kill count rose, and the percentage of heretics within it dropped, serious questions were raised about the amount of collateral damage involved in his operations. Of greater concern was his growing use of xenos mercenaries, linked to his irrational belief that 'younger' races such as the Tau, Kroot and Hrud were free of the taint of chaos and therefore trustworthy.
Matters came to a head when he manipulated the devastation of a large imperial garrison by a Hrud migration, resulting in the dispatch of a member of the ordo Xenos to investigate him. By now thoroughly paranoid, Lok disposed of the entire investigative team, and was able at a tribunal to produce evidence linking them to dubious experiments in the use of a semi-sentient xenos race as shock troops. Coupled with the revelation that the devastated garrison had been acting as a clandestine base for a chaos cult conducting piratical raids, this was enough to protect Lok form further action, although especially among the ordo xenos he was no longer trusted.
With further passage of time Lok became increasingly paranoid and secretive, and ever more dangerous, although an uncanny knack for spotting actual heretics always protected him from prosecution. During the somewhat murky events on Feeng Alpha, Lok was stabbed by a dark eldar, hit by lightning and left for dead, with his sole acolyte present, Evandon, claiming his Rosette and placing the system under inquisitorial quarantine, for valid if mysterious reasons.
Lok was rescued by the Hrud and fixed with up, although scarred. The treatment included the incorporation of a power fist into his left arm. Whether the Hrud are manipulating him or just repaying a debt, Lok doesn't much care. Although no longer enjoying any official status he has been able to revive much of his secret network and has picked up where he left off hunting heretics, although his judgement of guilt is increasingly erratic.
His political views were always minimal, tending to the naive view that if the taint of chaos were removed the imperium could look after itself...
Withhunter Lok Andreseyn
WS BS S T I WP SG NV LD Sp
79 66 58 64 59 81 72 73 54 4
Equipment ;
Powerfist (implanted in left arm), Stubber & 1 reload, Carapace armour on the left arm & chest, flak armour elsewhere.
Skills ;
Force of will, hipshooting
Ta'Gonn
Born on a human world within the Tau empire, the human mercenary Ta'Gonn was exposed to their views from an early age, and for some time enthusiastically served the greater good. Becoming disillusioned with the frequency with which he was fighting his own species, he was easily persuaded by Lok to aid him in hunting down the minions of chaos. Although he is beginning to have suspicions about his employer, he now finds himself within imperial space with few alternatives.
Much of his equipment is a blend of human and tau technologies, including a suit of carapace armour and a grenade launcher.
WS BS S T I WP SG NV LD Sp
58 62 63 55 66 57 52 61 63 4
Equipment ;
Full carapace armour, except the head. Grenade launcher, 1 reload. Laspistol, 1 reload. shortsword.
abilities ;
left- handed, since only a fool would fire a grenade launcher with their off hand. Given his record at the GT of 9 shots fired, hitting 2 targets, 1 bystander and himself, I'm starting to doubt this.
If Lok doesn't have his official powers any more, how is he still operating? I like the idea of an ex-Inquisitor, it certainly leaves the door open for plenty of future scenarios, such as hunting down the acolyte who stole his rosette!
Even prior to his dissappearance, Lok nearly always used unnofficial channels, and has built up an extensive network of contacts and resources.
He is, oddly, largely unconcerned about his rosette, partly because he doesn't really know what happened but mostly because it'd be a distraction from hunting heretics.
Interseting background, I like the detail concerning his ongoing relations with the rest of the Inquisition.
Looking at the stats.
Ws 79 speaks of a level of ability and deadication that isn't backed up in the background. Bs 66 is what I'd expect from an Inquisitor who practices their fighting skills regularly, but not one who focuses on close combat conciderably more than shooting. I'd take 10 away from one of them and five from the other or add supporting clauses tho the background.
S and T are consistant with regular training, but not too much dedication.
I is pretty low for an Inquisitor.
While high, his Wp, Sg and Nv are consistent with his job and his background.
Ld is pretty poor for a holy inquisitor, esspecially for one who has built and maintains a network of contacts. Not quite as leadership intensive as inducting an army, but still no mean feat.
Force of will is given to Inquisitors too ofen just because they are inquisitors, but his high Nv/Wp speaks for that already. Hipshooting is an interesting choise, but I suppose it's because his experiance of shooting is mostly whilst running at peple to chop them up.
Quote from: Inquisitor Cade on December 16, 2009, 03:02:29 PM
Ws 79 speaks of a level of ability and deadication that isn't backed up in the background.
Does it need to be? As far as I can see the background doesn't say anything about how good he is with a sword, so why automatically assume he isn't as good as his stats indicate? I'm beginning to think that the idea that stats should be 'justified' in the background is just leading to repetative and unoriginal background where people just include a series of statements that attempt to explain whatever stats they've given their character. I'm thinking it's better if people concentrate on writing interesting and original background - saying that they must include statements to go against the freedoms inherent in
Inquisitor.
Fair do's, although I think that justifyinng high stats in the background, even if it isn't in the blerb that is written, helps to keep stats appropriate and prevent players representing moderate swordsman ship, with Ws 70 for example.
Maybe your right though and it should be something to think about rather than needing to be 'on paper'.
I agree - it should definitely be considered but if someone has thought about it I don't think they necessarily need to add it into the written background.
Thinking about it, if people are asking others to comment on the character's stats, then either background or a brief rundown of each stat is kinda necessary, otherwise how are they to critique them - but otherwise I'm not that bothered about seeing justification. Unless of course the background and stats really seem to disagree somehow.
I didn't dwell on it, but since Lok had a rather lenghty career in the inquisition, most of which he spent dispatching mankinds 'enemies' in person, which implicitly marks him as a highly dangerous and skilled individual, hence the high combat stats. Hipshooting is, as you guess, linked to how I see him fighting, rather than any specific aspect of his background.
I see his leadership as having declined in recent years, as he becomes increasingly neurotic and deranged on his way back to the streets of San Francisco. Young Lok no doubt would have been higher. Force of will I'm inclined to agree on - I was writing the sheet in a bit of a hurry and wanted to reflect the fact he's a bit of a zealous nutter, but like nerves of steel it's more suited to characters that, for whatever reason, simply don't react in the normal fashion.
Quotelenghty career in the inquisition, most of which he spent dispatching mankinds 'enemies' in person, which implicitly marks him as a highly dangerous and skilled individual, hence the high combat stats.
I'd say that this is more high 60's/low 70's Ws. Most Inquisitors would fit this description and few have such an impressive Ws.