if i get into my first choice, there are rather strict restrictions on leaving the city.
Sorry? So you pay them to educate you and they tell you where you are and are not allowed to travel? Hm... That would be an interesting tribunal.
I have to admit that it would make a pleasant change to have a group of players who actually know the rules.Depending on the date, and any deadlines I'm dealing with at the time, I might be convinced to attend. I think it's safe to assume that I'm familiar with Dark Heresy and its sister games :)
R.
Not sure I want to GM a game with you in it, Nathan! ;) You'd be pointing out all my mistakes.I'm more tactful than that; I've played in a few games where I knew the system better than the GM; I provide advice where necessary (to keep the game moving; nothing slows down the game like the GM having to look up a rule), but otherwise have the good sense to keep my mouth shut. In most cases, rules details are less important than the events they're depicting. I play RPGs frequently enough to know that all the knowledge behind my face isn't strictly necessary to enjoying a game.
*That said, here's a secondary question: for people who are thinking of attending this, whenever I get around to organizing it, would you prefer a miniature-based campaign with maps and battle boards, or a purely P&P campaign?I personally haven't used miniatures in an RPG for years, and while I will use sketch maps, I don't tend to use boards and models and the like in my games unless I'm running or playing D&D 4th edition (where they're pretty much essential). Doesn't mean I won't try if bringing miniatures is the common consensus, though.
I would start with a campaign of my own devising that basically tells the story of how the Acolytes some to the attention of the Inquisition. This would then be followed by a number of published campaigns, including Illumination, Maggots in the Meat and Purge the Unclean**, but with significant plot-changes to ensure that those who've played those games before find them as unpredictable as possible.That's a good thing; I've run all those adventures. I'd be wary oif Maggots in the Meat, as it's not an easy adventure to get right when running it, as the tone varies quite considerably based on what you're aiming for as a GM. If you PM me with any questions you have about the adventures (to avoid spoiling those who've not played them), I can provide advice in this regard.
Please search for me on Skype as "precinctomega" and I'll add you as contacts.Done. And as for my username... don't ask how I got it.
I've already got one Scum and one Tech-Priest.Works for me. I've already put down a few notes on my two preferred ideas (hey, I figured that if I don't use them here, I may have the chance to use them later as characters for Inquisitor or a fiction), and neither is either a Scum or Tech-Priest.
I have a nagging fear that my character will die absolutely horribly half an hour in.
This is the bonus feature: once we've played through my introductory campaign, we're going to be joining Fantasy Flight Games's playtesting teams (I've agreed with Ross Watson that the group should find its feet and establish its ability to meet consistently before we join in), so all participants will have to sign NDAs.I will have to excuse myself from joining, then - as I freelance for FFG, were I to join this group, there's a chance I'd end up in a position playtesting my own work, which would be something of a conflict of interests (I can't really expect to be impartial regarding my own work, can I?).
You were recording that? Cool!Yeah, it's a fairly simple plugin that makes an MP3 file of the conversation for me. Kinda useful for someone who fails to take notes as they go along.
The upshot is that my preparatory notes for the next session are unusually well fleshed-out.Well, it should also save it needing to be done when you publish the campaign notes (I think you were talking about that, anyway).
I was hoping that someone (Dave?) might take over my Thursday night for the next adventure and let me pick up a PC.I don't mind GMing (although the people who were in last week's session can tell you I need practice...), but I'm not quite sure what you mean by that.
Either a or b.I can roll with either of those.
- Guilleman: Slender and gaunt. Male Guardsman. (Okay then, very vague.)5'9", 65kg, slender, ruddy skinned, red hair, brown eyes, 22 years old, aquiline nose, former agri-worker (so a bit weatherbeaten).
guard flak armour & uniform.Any particular style? Imitation Cadian, one of the other regiments or just some kind of random free for all?
I heard an insanity point was garnered thanks to Ernst - you're welcome, everybody!Sanity is for the weak!
a lovely young man from virginThat sounds like a euphemism ;)
now where is Euan hidingI should probably refresh myself with the Rogue Trader archtypes seeing as I've put zero thought into this so far XD
Of course, with all that in mind, Bron's crew assignments become somewhat ironically underinformed - putting the genetically engineered bodyguard in charge of his armsmen, and the former armsman in charge of his bodyguards. :P
Just stumbled across this (http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/tamiya-mini-cooper-1275s-24039-p-9842.html). I dare someone to include a grimdark version in their IGT 2012 scenario :P
uncontrollable D&D roleplaying groupLooked pretty normal to me... which I guess does mean pretty uncontrollable.
No, I think I probably do "have a problem", given that I write about twice as many female characters as male ones. Not sure what said "problem" might be, but I'm sure armchair psychologists could make up all kinds of excuses to use the word "Freudian".Hmm. To date, I can't think of many female characters I've written at all. Over the period of time I'm actually willing to count (as my writing before that was just bad), I think I've used:
Mind you, I can at least be fairly confident I'm not misogynistic. Unless I'm in really deep denial.
On a side note at least David does not go to the lengths of using a voice changerIf you're referring to that bit last week where I gave a crappy impersonation of the Ancient (who really is just a Khornate Dalek stuffed into a Dreadnought chassis), that was done using my own vocal chords. I wish I had a voice ring modulator, or any skill with Audacity, as that way I could A) sound convincing B) let Dave in on it too :P
I think we're all getting to know our characters better and getting properly into character with them now.It'll probably take me a fair while yet, with DH anyway, although I've got a fair understanding of Novus already (better than I do of Stirling, which embarrasses me somewhat) and am well on the way to understanding what makes Alyx tick.
( I have a teleporting assassin in mind currently...)As it happens our resident psyker has become something of a teleporting-assassin type. As Ruaridh says though, if you can commit to the Thursday night schedule your more than welcome to join in.
our Inquisitor specialises in cover-up operationsMuch to the dismay of no fewer than three of mine :P
also my housemate saw me looking over the books an was also interested in getting involved if there's some extra space?Unfortunately, I think that might be too much. VoIP RPing isn't as able to handle as many players as around a table, so while five players and a GM is manageable, I think six would start to drag.
the gm for DH's (marco skoll?) email addressIt's Van Helser, at present. PM him for it, I'm not sure which is his main address right now.
VoIP RPing isn't as able to handle as many players as around a table, so while five players and a GM is manageable, I think six would start to drag.I recall being the sole VoIP player during a Dark Heresy campaign run by a mate at uni. Multiple people trying to speak into one mic was pretty horrendous, although that might have just been my mate's crap laptop trying to handle a crap uni wireless connection.
blathering at ForenzSo that's how you spell his name? I'd assumed Firenze, but there we go.
So that's how you spell his name?That's how I spell his name, I'm probably wrong.
The latest after action report: If Ruaridh is planning on the next session being the finaleI checked last night during the Skype, he isn't, unless we all die horrible deaths of course - our characters I mean.
2) Any thoughts on who's taking over? I have potential ideas, but I've also nominated myself for a possible Rogue Trader storyline, and I'd really prefer not to be running both at the same time.I'm not aware of anything being arranged yet. Rich has also invited me to take a stint with RT, though for my sanity such might be better waiting till November as I'm just going to get busier and busier in the next three months. I'd be willing to run DH instead though, as I've no real plans in place for RT yet but have a few well-formed ideas more suitable for DH.
Did events on the Horizon Eventus (or whatever it was renamed) get wrapped up in my various absences?No, we're still sitting on a fifteen-minute timer before the Eventus Horizontum enters the Warp and takes us with it. Considering that was two months ago it's almost on Dragonball Z levels of time-dilation.
But seriously, are we talking RT or DH, as there was talk about both going on before I went away.We're talking about Dark Heresy, I think, as Marco already called dibs on Rogue Trader.
Oh, so that's where the bodies went...... you've lost me.
our lawman (I have some difficulty remembering his name, beyond that I think it starts with C)Campbell Zorich.
This may be my just-crawled-out-of-bed state talking, but Fabian is not hostile.No, that wasn't what I thought. I was just saying it should have been more obvious that Fabian would be involved, given that it's established that he and Rhodes are allies and have actually traded agents before.
I'm sure at the very least we'll give you till 8-ish to show up before deciding you're a no-show, after all we spend as much time nattering as playing sometimes anyway.How kind. :P
Obviously if folks feel they want a couple thursdays back to themselves for now, or if the current DH GM (Joseph in this case) requires the fortnightly schedule to give time to write up the next stage then that's fine by me.The campaign itself was written about two years ago, so aside from this "fourth area" (I did say Classic BioWare Formula, right?) that I didn't end up using and have to rewrite, everything's more or less in place. I've toned down a couple of encounters, though, seeing as none of us are Toughness 40 Unnatural x2 Arbitrators, carrying thunder hammers, or building anti-materiel rifles from a coat hanger and an old circuit board.
Fair enough.This may be my just-crawled-out-of-bed state talking, but Fabian is not hostile.No, that wasn't what I thought. I was just saying it should have been more obvious that Fabian would be involved, given that it's established that he and Rhodes are allies and have actually traded agents before.
As for speeding up the schedule, I'd not mind getting to game every week again, as a fortnightly schedule can be a little sluggish (particularly if we have to miss a session due to people having other commitments). If we could kick things up to every week until the Rogue Trader is ready to run again, I'm sure I'd enjoy it.I take it that's that settled then? :P
And I'm sure you guys would end up getting saved from a lot of the monologuing that I tend to launch into when we have just the extended chat session.
Also, I've remembered that I sent Van Helser notes on Alyx (or as now has been revealed, Lady Leveque - although I think her true first name still evades the other characters) that I don't think made it to you Koval, so I'll be forwarding those through shortly.Cheers.
I guess I probably need to think about what equipment upgrades Alyx might be looking for as well, but I'll muse over that and send it through separately. (I think she might at least be on the hunt for a more combat practical pistol than she currently has, seeing as her revolver is short on capacity, and her compact laspistol bounces off most things.)You don't have to worry about that. :P
I've toned down a couple of encounters, though, seeing as none of us are Toughness 40 Unnatural x2 Arbitrators, carrying thunder hammers, or building anti-materiel rifles from a coat hanger and an old circuit board.Lucky us.
You don't have to worry about that. :PNow I'm worried about why I don't have to worry about it.
Using the Perditus shouldn't be a problem - adding in some more back history for them isn't a bad thing.Fair enough.
As for Alyx's current assessments, she's a little anxious about the ship Fabian has lent them (but would be even more so if she knew her assessment of its value is short by several orders of magnitude). The implications of the sheer level of resources he's investing means he's one or more of:Not 1, a little bit of 2, and not 3.
- Totally insane
- Highly overconfident in, or overestimating, our ability.
- Really desperate.
None of those things are a good sign.
Fabian's motive is "get these guys over there before Gorgon screw something up"Does sound like he's a teensy bit desperate then, if that's his motive!
I have this awful feeling I'm going to be crawling through a very large earthen tunnel sometime in the future.Alyx has an awful feeling she's going to have to join you.
Again, there is a reason.Alyx still wants to know it, no matter how "good" it may be.
They don't tend to produce "mundane" bladesA sharpened piece of metal is certainly basic, but it's what feels right for Alyx. A chain or power sword would be more killy, but seeing weapon selection as an integral part of a character's personality, I'm not really happy going off on complete tangents.
Wait and see. ;)QuoteAgain, there is a reason.Alyx still wants to know it, no matter how "good" it may be.
Which is why I pointed out that Minos Epsilon wouldn't be of much use the second time round.QuoteThey don't tend to produce "mundane" bladesA sharpened piece of metal is certainly basic, but it's what feels right for Alyx.
In fairness to the Matselvians, I think they just ran out of swords and couldn't be bothered to find more.Imagine being the convict that drew that particular short straw. Being thrown into gladiatorial combat, only to get passed whatever the local equivalent of a cricket bat is.
It also won't be the last time we see Master Maksim KaySeeing as we actually went there to find out what the hell he's up to, leaving it at the stage we were at would seem a little insufficient.
Well, you already know that the planet has gunsWell, yes. We haven't been deified (or lynched) for our magic death sticks. (Even if ours are a bit more advanced.)
the main concern with finding materiel isn't going to be finding it so much as transporting it.I'd suggest Ernst took a strength test, but who knows what will happen now!
Okay, I'll admit the combat dragged on a bit, but that's partly because...The major issue is that Games Workshop never really figured a way to do this kind of combat mechanics fluidly, as is evidenced by the RPs and Inquisitor getting clunky at times.
As for the combat mechanics, that's probably more FFG's fault than GW's.Given that Dark Heresy was written by Black Industries, the Black Library RPG arm, before it was licensed to FFG, and has had to retain those same basics in FFG's reprints, I don't think FFG are really culpable in that respect.
One side of the page was a perfect mirrorWas that actually in the plan when I made that guess, or was it thrown in as a "Why not"?
Don't expect Dessel to be as forthcoming as Zaan was.Alyx isn't expecting co-operation; still, she seldom seems to be without an idea - and this time is no exception.
Does this mean, however, that this Thursday's being completely nixed?Rogue Trader! ;D
What happens to him?Amphro Hawkblood has suffered an unfortunate accident involving Allerod, two tubes of Emperor's TeethTM brand dental hygiene product (the future may be Grimdark, but your smile doesn't have to be!) and a space gnome. I'm sure we'll see him sooner or later.
I like the sound of that Marco, be a fair bit of work on your end I imagine though, but it does sound like a good solutionNeat, another vote.
how readily Quickdraw can swap his work schedule back around in a couples months time I wouldn't know.Probably more easily than changing it back again just after having just made all the arrangements to change it.
With both Turlough and Grizbain having established relationships with Overseer Katia Bayev (and each other) that were significantly structured to lead straight into my campaign, my core recommendation would be to confine the adventure to the space station I believe we're currently aboard and the planet below (if it orbits one). Meaning it can act as a good "while we're waiting for transport, this also needs looked at".If I remember correctly, Port Alcis is a stand alone station. And, seeing as it's Koval's brainchild, I'm wary of writing too much of it for a story.
If I remember correctly, Port Alcis is a stand alone station. And, seeing as it's Koval's brainchild, I'm wary of writing too much of it for a story.It's sort of a standalone station. Admittedly it isn't orbiting a planet (because I have no idea of the physics involved when there's a major space station orbiting a planet that itself is orbiting two suns), but it is within the Dioskor system, and close enough to New Gemini itself that there's a steady flow of traffic going through/past it.
What I have in mind would probably involve a stop along the way. Perhaps the warp travel equivalent of a train or plane change - we're more likely to be travelling commercially than privately, as the Inquisition can't have private or commandeered ships for running around every last group of agents.Well, Fabian did have to call in a considerable number of favours to get you the Savage Chicken -- doing it too often would indeed get a bit old.
And as warp journeys can take days or weeks in real time, one might imagine that a changeover wouldn't be too hasty a process.
But if necessary, I did briefly introduce Interrogator Regin (better known as "Gala") for the one-shot the other week*. (The justification there was that she'd been meeting with Fabian in Lyra's stead - she mentioned there'd been discussion of our team, but that probably wasn't the core reason for their meeting. Likely far more important and secret things).Makes sense, given that we've established the two to be on fairly good terms. If such a thing exists in the Inquisition.
** This reminds me. Regarding the question of putting the team in the hands of a more 'neutrally-owned' character than Rhodes, an alternative short of reassigning the team to another Inquisitor would be introducing another Interrogator/Overseer/Arch-Master/etc for Inquisitor Rhodes that we could collectively write.Having a second Interrogator sort of invalidates one of the reasons why Alice ended up being palmed off to Fabian, but aside from that, another lower-ranking operative should work just fine. I rather like it.
Put the team under them in the hierarchy, and then other GMs can be more confident about having the boss in the story if they want.[/i]
Admittedly it isn't orbiting a planet (because I have no idea of the physics involved when there's a major space station orbiting a planet that itself is orbiting two suns)Complex and weird. Predicting orbits with more than two significant gravitational masses is difficult.
Well, Fabian did have to call in a considerable number of favours to get you the Savage Chicken -- doing it too often would indeed get a bit old.That's not exactly the first time favours have been called in to get an Inquisition vessel to assist us either.
Having said that, what about having part of the adventure take place on the ship on which you're catching a ride?I'm not sure quite how that would easily integrate.
Having a second Interrogator sort of invalidates one of the reasons why Alice ended up being palmed off to Fabian, but aside from that, another lower-ranking operative should work just fine. I rather like it.Well, I'd actually recommend a rank of non-specific position in the hierarchy anyway, such that they could be overruled or overrule others as was most plot convenient and retain command as long as we want/need even as our character's own ranks progress.
I dunno. Even if the actual underlying story might have been the same, it would have made quite a difference if I had just described the Maedan High Spire as "totally bling, innit".
I think my participation is going to have to officially end for a few weeks.Ah. I'm afraid that timing is actually pretty awful.
and not only did the building itself end up partially collapsing... five hours later, checking the Beeb's article. I wouldn't consider that a guarantee that you'll (literally) crush your enemies.
Granted, he wouldn't say no if askedRelationships for Alyx aren't an impossibility (although not necessarily with Turlough), as I don't pretend my female characters don't have a sexuality*; I'm neither homophobic enough nor fixed on the "a woman who wants sex is a slut" cliché.
I mean, as we've already got 4 of us available Mondays, if Ruaridh can make it as well it'd save Josh from having to reorganise his work again to get back to Thursdays. I believe Benn is completely unable to do Mondays (?), which is a shame, but for the strength of the group I would put forward the motion that perhaps Monday should just be made the de-jure night going forwards.
Which will almost certainly help a bit when it comes to landing, as although the grav-chute should be able to do its job... well, better safe than sorry.We'll be fine. I've checked the falling table, and falls stop doing more damage after you're more than 25 metres up.
I've long wanted her to have a fight in a ship's corridor in zero gravity - it wouldn't be exactly like that scene from Inception, but it'd still be damn cool. And she'd do quite well for it, with that racial bonus to moving in zero or low gravity.
Calne was a digital half-copy uploaded into the wrong body?Sort of. Calne was indeed a digital half-copy, but the only reason her body was "wrong" was because those were originally carbon copies of Skarkon -- they'd been surgically altered to look like Calne.
Really, the only argument that swung it was the realisation that was an existence Calne wasn't happy with. (Unless she misconstrued that threat of violence).I should imagine that hearing it straight from her boss (and creator) would've been a deal-breaker for Calne -- in that respect Skarkon is fortunate that the daemon showed up when it did.
Sort of.Still, it works for Clepsydra. Being an engineered project of black science makes you a bit more open to that kind of thing.
Also be aware with plenty advance notice that I won't be around for the 28th Oct and 4th Nov either. So we'll get 3 sessions in prior to a mini break, then things will run normally up till christmas when we tend to play it by ear a bit.
she's not sure the Guard are shooting at us because Boone told them toI'm also less than sure about the infantry company that Zarkov is delaying, but I'm fairly sure the first squad were operating under Boone's orders.
Making an assumption of at least marginal intelligence on his part, he knew where we were going to be for (or at least "in") a few hours.This is what makes me wonder whether Boone and the infantry company knew about one another, seeing as how Boone was quite happy to go up against us with just those twelve guys. And given how stupid it is not to wait for that company given that we weren't going anywhere for several hours, I'm guessing Boone was either very impatient or unaware that the Guard would get their act together and assemble a company that quickly.
Trying to attack six well-equipped Inquisition operatives (and a Warden) with twelve musketeers is pretty stupid.
Doing it when you know you'll have a hundred more musketeers in two minutes... that's very stupid.
So her best guess is that the other soldiers aren't acting on Boone's orders, they're shooting at the crazy off-worlders who just incinerated their squad mates with witchcraft - and either don't believe or don't care that we're Wardens.That's exactly what Pelagius is thinking, minus the bit about the Wardens -- even assuming that Farungo doesn't recognise the Wardens' authority per se, the soldiers (or officers) might at least know that they're Messiger law enforcement. So if Pelagius-as-Fake-Warden-Boone comes up to them and tells them that the "witch" has been terminated, that's got to mean more than some random civilian saying so.
Also, if they are working for Boone, there is always the possibility that they know what he looks like.I wasn't assuming the infantry company were working for Boone. On the contrary, if he's made himself known to the entire company-and-a-bit, and still gone ahead with just twelve only to receive an explosion to the face, then as you said, that would be a truly stupid move -- and I'm currently working on the assumption that Boone was only mostly stupid.
Alyx's current thoughts are to disarm all of the King's Guard simultaneously, then formally request that they go home with their tails between their legs.Would this involve Zarkov or not?
Step one of her plan depends on a few assumptions about the layout of the terrain, but it's at least feasible. Particularly if we play either the A-Team or the Eleventh Doctor's theme in the background when we do it.
I'm also less than sure about the infantry company that Zarkov is delaying, but I'm fairly sure the first squad were operating under Boone's orders.Seeing as he specifically ordered them to shoot us and we hadn't yet done anything except talk to the station master, I'm going to say that "fairly sure" is a bit of an understatement.
even assuming that Farungo doesn't recognise the Wardens' authority per se, the soldiers (or officers) might at least know that they're Messiger law enforcement.Wardens are "the ultimate lawmen on Levongard, each is a representative of the Governor and by extension the Administratum".
Would this involve Zarkov or not?Somewhat to Alyx's regret, it'd be a lot better if it did.
I'llThen I will PM you a question regarding the particularly vital details sometime later on.fudgemake a map of the station layout during the holidays, as well as a transport map of Farungo.
Apologies one and all but I shan't be appearing tomorrow night due to an emergency committee meeting.Well, darn.
Dave, the plan you pm'ed me sounds workable<mrburns> Excellent. </mrburns>
I just want to add for those who may not be playing our game and following this tread. The last year and a half has been a blast!Marco told me a little about it on the train journey up to WHW for the Eramus Affair - my memory (of that entire 24-hour period) is a little addled, but the strongest priest in the multiverse sticks out as a memorably hilarious point.
but the strongest priest in the multiverse sticks out as a memorably hilarious pointYes, when Ernst rolls a natural 03 everything within a 63-mile radius takes note of the fact. :P
I'm wondering if a new character might be the way I go tooAlyx'll be disappointed. She liked Ernst, someone on her sort of level - sensible, capable and cultured.
I am planning on putting together a PC for myself too, which I will hopefully get a chance to play if we continue this campaign beyond this first adventure.Well, even if it was slightly intermittent, we kept our first campaign going for four years, so I'd be surprised if this one didn't last into the second adventure.
Confirming I will be around for tomorrow's game. :)Frak, I completely forgot to heat up the cat.
dunno about anyone else, but my family have never done anything to mark mothers/fathers day.Ruaridh said he might be with the in-laws. It's also possible my family will suddenly announce we're going to see my grandmother, as that's the kind of thing they do.
And no I wasn't canoeing on SundayFair enough.
big detailed shared historiesWell, our current characters don't have an over-abundance of shared history, as we only started with this cell about a year ago, and not all of the characters have made it.
Awesome, and all I need are a competent net connection some sort of voip program and a couple of D10 right? As for a character iv got a couple somewhere. I don't currently have a copy of the DH book if that's an issue (I was more drawn to rogue trader personally)The systems are largely compatible in their core rules*, but the character creation and advancement are somewhat askew to each other. Rogue Trader characters start at a minimum of 5000 XP with fairly decent equipment (boltguns, carapace, etc), which is a little more than our present DH cell is currently at - at the moment, around 3500 XP, with equipment closer to flak armour and shotguns. However, I have the DH PDF, which I won't feel too guilty about sending you if you need it (given that 1st edition is now an OOP ruleset and you've already got most of the core rules in the RT book).
Do I need to download anything for roll20?It's in-browser; although it uses something like Flash, Javascript and/or similar, I don't recall it needing any non-standard plug-in.
Also um... I tend to use a vpicevhanger via skype for a couple of reasons.We've had people use them before (generally to voice a character of the other gender); some of the programs have been thinly veiled dubstep machines*, but if you think it'll help make you clearer, that's fine by me.
Opting to further investigate "Thirteen", the cell trace his records to the specific morgue he is stored in.
After a somewhat bungled arrival, Dose manages to bluff himself as a new addition to the autopsy teams, and gain the team as a whole entry.
Investigating the latest arrivals as a precaution, most appear unimportant (knife wound to the gut, 2x short range stubber shots, one lasburns, two blunt force trauma and three seemingly of moderately natural causes) other than one who seems to have been run through the chest with a monomolecular sword:
- Nadejda Bozen. Female, Age 37, 180cm/72kg, average build. Known mercenary. Carapace breastplate, autogun loaded with armour piercing rounds. Found in the NW quarter of Level 42.
Thirteen's corpse yields no particular revelations; shot in the head from medium range with a high powered 7.62mm sniper rifle.
The team then attempt to recover the dataslate from amongst Thirteen's effects. With Maya and Gaenor noisily making a show of investigating Thirteen's long las (Solemne pattern with replaced trigger group, high power charge pack, range finder sight, lightened barrel and generally high workmanship. One power pack down by about three shots), nobody seems overly concerned about Rose taking the dataslate.
Attempting to decrypt the slate takes some hours, and yields only partial results.
Amongst the first things to decrypt is a short file, created around 12 hours ago (as compared to Thirteen having been deceased for over 48 hrs). Dose elects to read it out loud:
" If you find this at all, I'm doubting that it's your short tempered guardswoman who'll read it first.
As you saw, I found you with no great difficulty. My actions are however far more altruistic than this corpse would have been, had he found out who you were.
I advise that you watch your back rather more than you did earlier. Know that I, at least, will be watching it too, even if it is solely to find out who slides the dagger in."
As other files yield decryptions, they appear however to be secret tongues mixed in with Low Gothic.
Several appear to be addressed to or from "Josef Stuare", potentially Thirteen's name or alias, and suggest he may have had a bolthole in the north-west of Level 39.
Included amongst the files are detailed maps (although not necessarily completely accurate) between levels 20 and 60.
While many of the files are identifiable as assassination orders, ranging over a period of some months, none seem to mention their targets by name - instead identifying them through code-names and pict-captures.
Centaur - a bearded older male, chemical burns to left side of face,
Angel - middle aged female, file implies she was a Flick Metal singer.
Phoenix - Mechanicus adept, undefined gender. Appears to have been an expert on anti-agapics.
All seem to be closed, apart from one; "The Lock", seemingly associated with "The Key".
Through his description and immediate proximity to Thirteen's death, the cell identify "The Key" in the same morgue as Thirteen - a male of middle age, approximately average build, short brown hair and dressed in clothing that manages to be somewhere between civilian and off-duty military.
His personal effects included a lascarbine, a number of keys, approximately 100 thrones in amounts of off-world coinage, and a dataslate that appears to have auto-purged on his death.
This does not yield any direct clues as to where "The Lock" may be, so the cell proceed with identifying the exact location of the Black Cave.
With around 76 hours to the auction, they definitively define its location, in the East of the hive.
Session 6:
Having determined the location of the Black Cave, the team scout out the surrounding area, exploring both main and side streets in depth.
They put together several possible escape routes as part of a contingency plan, and from the general layout of the area come to a conclusion that the Cave itself likely has smuggling passages that lead up/down from/to lower levels.
The area appears to be somewhat gang-neutral, the Cave seeming to be almost a power to itself amongst the slum warfare, or at least mutually accepted by the conflicting factions. A few gang graffiti can be found, but most of them are old, faded and inconsistently placed.
Security is not overt, and there are no surly and well armed thugs guarding entrances, but several individuals in the area have the bulky and slightly lumpy appearance of wearing body armour under their clothes, or voluminous coats that could conceal carbines or sub-machine guns.
The area scouted, the cell decides to further explore their options for retrieving the casket from "Edge" and elects to return to Enforcer Tesar to ask questions.
His advice for trying to claim the bounty on Edge is "Don't" - the Razors are a comparatively large gang,
He too thinks that the rumours about them taking on an Arbites investigation team are unlikely, as many of the laws the gangs break are local laws that the Imperium-wide Arbites tend not to enforce.
Instead, most control of the gangs comes from Enforcer sweep teams, which sector Marshals call together on occasion to make a show of force against gangs that are overstepping their boundaries.
The local such Marshal is Oldrich Yanko - based in the sector's central lock-house on Level 50, when he's not exploring his aspirations for a promotion further up hive by rubbing elbows with the well to-do up there.
The cell propose that he could potentially be motivated into trying to add the capture of a dangerous criminal to his resumé and return to their bolt-hole.
~~~~~
Meanwhile, Tallulah Belle, (a mentally conditioned Adeptus Tacticae infiltrator whose recall conditioning was activated two days ago by the assassination of her handler, suppressing/locking her implanted cover). She retrieves her emergency supply cache and heads to the drop-box on Level 127 (mid-hive-ish) mentioned in its instructions.
After watching the drop-box for some time, she sees no-one suspicious and retrieves its contents - two handwritten pieces of paper: one for an address in the underhive and the other instructing her to visit Tymon Ciril, a mid-hive tailor. The code phrase "Have the silks from Mapane come in today?" is given.
She chooses to visit Tymon first and, after giving the code phrase, is directed into a back room.
Tymon knows little of the exact details of her mission, but after she has identified herself properly and explained the mental locks that have activated as part of her recall conditioning (a failsafe to prevent her being interrogated if captured), provides a small genelocked box around 5 cm square. He speculates that it contains some form of pre-programmed trigger.
When opened, it contains rolled parchment with the phrase "The wolf hunts only before midnight" written in specific cursive; this trigger breaks down part of the recall conditioning, allowing Tallulah to start to regain her memories of her mission (an investigation into IG arms shipments going missing and turning up on the black markets) and cover identity ("Kaja Romano", an offworld arms dealer). The parchment, in proper spy style, then self-combusts.
Due to his own implanted conditioning, Tymon cannot directly provide any information about any other agents, other than to mention that the last few weeks have seen him as an emergency contact six times, a normally very rare role.
Choosing to press on with the mission, Tallulah continues to the lower-hive address, which proves to be the cell's hideout. She elects to knock, and after indentifying herself and willingly disarming, the cell cautiously allow her in.
After talking for a while, they come to the conclusion that she is "The Lock" that was mentioned on Thirteen's dataslate. (She does her best to identify picts of the disfigured remains of "The Key").
Although Gaenor remains somewhat suspicious of why Tallulah's drop-box contained an address for a bolt hole they've had for only a few hours (studying the writing, Dose thinks the notes may be written by different people), the cell concede that she may have some relevance to the mission (at least once more of her memories return) and choose to keep her under their watch.
Session ends with approximately 72 hours to auction.
Discussing, the cell decide not to engage the local enforcers in a purge, at least at this stage - its failure would limit their other options.
With the cell deciding that Tallulah can at least be partially trusted, they swap notes on V, Thirteen and the broad details of their own missions (at least as far as Tallulah's suppressed memories have started to return), trying to build up a bigger picture of the apparently hostile forces that have been targetting Imperial agents.
Tallulah has, under the programmed cover identity of Kaja Romano - allegedly an agent for the (fictional) wealthy buyers "Orion" and "Andromeda", who have been hinted to be Rogue Traders - been trying track down a supply chain leak in the Departmento Munitorum, weapons that seemed to be disappearing onto the black market.
While not a direct link to the casket the cell are trying to recover, she proposes that some of the contacts she's built up this far might have an in with the Black Cave - the "business" partners Ilia Bartosz and Mikula Kriz that she was working up to negotiating a sale with. (Up until the point that her handler's brains were blown out, seemingly by Thirteen).
Ilia seems to think he is both more handsome and less seedy than he actually is, although nonetheless proves to be the senior partner, partly because of his better connections.
Mikula is somewhat more professional and more modest, but doesn't seem to have quite the same ambitions.
Agreeing to go along posing as various experts/purse holders/etc in Kaja's entourage, the cell head to meet the pair. Tallulah is greeted over the comm-panel of their small warehouse by a jovial Ilia, who sends down Mikula to let her in. After something of a discussion about her new friends, they are permitted in.
Tallulah presses on with her own objectives, convincing Ilia to provide a wider range of materiel than previously demonstrated/displayed (such as heavy weapons), before introducing Maya as another agent of her employers, seeking an item of opportunity (saying that she/her employers would consider it a personal favour if Ilia could assist).
In a brief (if slightly off-putting, with Ilia's cloying familiarity) conversation, Maya convinces Ilia to provide details of a contact at the Black Cave - Vladek Maximilian - and the cell leaves the warehouse to plan their next move.
Session ends with approximately 61 hours to auction.
Talullah heads off briefly to check her drop-box again, time the remainder of the cell use to plan their meeting with Vladek Maximillian.
They contact Vladek via his comm code, and arrange a meeting later that day, and are directed to meet in a warehouse to the south-west of the Cave.
Wary of the meeting, they choose to try and get the attention of V, in the hope that she might provide support in the event that the meeting goes sour. Without any particular plan for how to contact her, some of this involves Gaenor shouting at nearby rooftops.
Their arrival at the warehouse (largely turned into a slum) is underwhelming, with Vladek not immediately appearing. As they come to realise that a number of the "squatters" are actually Cave personnel observing them, Vladek shows himself and takes them to the meeting proper, in his office in the Cave. (Someone, I forget who, notes that near the end of the trip, he triggers some sort of concealed button under a small ledge).
The Cave has numerous armed guards, some even equipped to a level equivalent to Imperial Guard Stormtroopers.
Despite Dose's attempts to insult Vladek by dismissing the large armoury displayed across the back wall of his office (on the basis that it had no blessed las-weapons), Vladek agrees to allow a viewing of the casket.
The viewing area seems to be separate from the main vault of the cave, as it is a relatively wide and entirely unfurnished room in which only the desired item is on display. This part of the building is heavily reinforced - Talullah estimates that the doors to the viewing area alone would require a heavy melta charge or several minutes with a lascutter to breach.
The casket is supplied with the hand of (you presume) Vin Latko, the leader of the MIA Sierra cell. Upon unlocking the casket, it is found to contain a data skull - a servo skull optimised for the bulk transport (and delivery) of data.
Vladek refuses to allow the skull to be accessed or purchased separately.
During the walk through other parts of the Cave (much of which comes across as a seedy but exclusive club), Maya recognises Marek Broz, a known Razor ganger, from a bounty posted at the local lockhouse - they speculate that he is the handler for the casket.
Upon arriving back at their bolthole, the cell finds a micro-bead left on the main table, complete with a handwritten note: "Probably better than shouting at rooftops". During the ensuing conversation with V, she confirms that she is working for an Inquisitor (although other than an idle use of "she" as a pronoun, gives no further clues to the Inquisitor's identity), is not the only member of her cell in the hive, and is investigating the mass disappearance of Inquisition operatives within the hive - Sierra cell is but one of the missing cells. At least 17 agents have gone missing over a three month period. She claims to be watching the cell's back, even if it may only be to see who sticks a knife into it.
Eventually, V grows tired of Gaenor's insults and the conversation terminates.
The following day, the cell start to follow up two of their leads - Marek Broz and the as-of-yet uninvestigated smuggling tunnel network.
They start their search for the tunnels at "Naasman's Wares", a small shop selling underhive salvage - based on their earlier scouting of the surrounding levels, this area was hard to map. As Dose confuses the somewhat naive shopkeeper by deliberately misidentifying several items as far more worthless than they actually are, Gaenor breaks into the upper floors of his shop. Her search recovers some paperwork written in what appears to be a local dialect with various codewords sprinkled throughout - while she can tell it refers to a less than entirely legal deal, she cannot immediately translate it.
She trips loudly on the way back down the stairs, startling Naasman, who proceeds to start slinging a mix of threats and buckshot at the cell. He is fairly quickly cremated by Gaenor's inferno shell.
However, he seemed to have called several friends to the party, as the cell come under attack from a number of well armed soldiers coming up from the back areas of the shop. Withdrawing, they are ambushed on several sides by well armed mercenaries, but eventually manage to finish the fight in a general store a few hundred metres to the north.
At this point, the cell choose to execute any surviving mercenaries - they have seen the cell up close, and allowing them to report back to their masters could compromise the mission.
What are the rules/limits on chargen? may as well get some stuff done beforehandTake all of this with a massive pinch of salt, as I'm not currently GMing, but:
we needed at least one character who was allowed into the men's toilets for clandestine meetings with contacts
between a three kilometre tunnel and an Indian takeaway, I just wasn't free to join you.
“Exact dates for the early centuries of St Torrian’s Rock are impossible to find. Some obscure sources go as far as to suggest the earliest colinisation comes from before the Emperor’s holy light reached Carthax, but such claims are only espoused by the fringes of archival expertise.
What we can say with certainty is that that first written contract for the Imperial Navy to make use of docking facilities was co-signed by Lord Sector Argento Galvan & a rouge trader whose individual name is sadly lost to history, but believed by well-read scholars to have been a member of House Allrath, an ancient but now extinct line explorers of some distinction.
It is only from the signing of this contract and it’s sucessors that true stability comes to the Rock, attracting traders and a rapid growth in population and influence. Nine great households have ruled over this evolution across the centuries, each eventually being supplanted by another through politics, bankruptcy, marrage contract or death.
Yet the ninth of these great houses, Hake-Salistein has lasted the longest in this pinnacled place of command, approaching their 18th century of masterful control of both politics and trade upon the Rock.
This unrivalled position of power has also in part been upheld by the Naval contract signed by the first Duchess of their bloodline, ensuring all her heirs a naval rank of Vice-Commodore and a measure of cooperation in the security and future development of St Torrian’s Rock.”
Excerpt by Lady Olivia Molgaard, curator of the Royal Museum of St Torrian’s Rock, from the Historians Foreward to The Histories and Bloodlines of the Noble Families of St Torrian’s Rock,compiled by Trademaster Diago Acard
to then attempt... something regarding the mercenary command post.I believe "something" was summarised as "chuck in every grenade we've got". However, circumstances have changed such that a slightly different plan may be viable...
There is also a taxidermy warthog on a trolley.I still think it looks more like a puma.