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Viva Miriya
Jan 9, 2007

The Warmaster and his Justaerin Terminator elite lead you through the base you’ve conquered past General Headquarters, where the statue of Malcador the Sigilite still stands proud and gloriously despite the destruction wrecked all around it. Black Legion Terminators bash at the statue with chainfist, power mace, or whatever they have at hand. Bits and chunks of marble, imported from Gods know where, fall all over the ground below. The odd guardsman marching past in formation to man the walls is brained from time to time. Abbadon leads you up onto the South Eastern point of the Citadel where, even from here, you can see the Capital burn in blue ethereal warp fire. Vortices made of blue fire tear into entire sections of hab blocks, asphalted streets turn into a molten black goo, tinged red with the occasional mixture of Cadian peasantry. The Adeptus Arbites fortress is cut off from the rest of the city by the various firestorms that have developed simultaneous from The Clawman’s ritual. ”Quite a thing you’ve done here brothers..and sisters.” Abbadon says nodding to Chloe and Kayleen, though the heretek at this point is indistinguishable compared to some of the more exotic transhumanist enemies the Legions have fought during the Great Crusade.

”We will sack the Capital within the night but you will not take part in it. Instead I have a task more suited to your host’s..specialties. Have you noticed the pylons scattered all over this world? Probably not, you have been quite busy cutting the enemies head off and ramming it down their collective throats.” The Warmaster paces in thought, scratching and scarring the battlements with the Talon of Horus as he walks. ”These artifacts exist in every world we have encountered since leaving the Eye to date and they seem to have one thing in common. Every attempt to absorb the planets within the Cadian Gate through sorcery and warp rituals has failed. Rituals that have served us well in the past. Additionally, the seers of the Legion have had great difficulty in seeing, what was that term they used before I had one of them excoriated for his repeated failures and incompetence. What was it.” Abbadon says as he spits over the wall, some patch of dirt sizzling when the acidic saliva hits it.

”Oh yes, something about the sea of souls being brought still around the pylons, so that they could not see the ripples of fate in the waves. Such a tiresome, boring nerd. Nevertheless these structures are interfering with my plans for the Crusade. Thankfully we have plenty of minds working on the issue, including yours.”

”Thunderhawk Raptorus will be deploying to the North Pole with a battalion of engineers to set up a forward encampment for the study of these xenos artifacts. You will drop with them and get to work determining how to control or otherwise manipulate this..phenomena. If you require further information on your task I suggest you ask the Sorcerors that have landed with me. My Cabal is conducting preperations in the Headquarters building for yet another ritual. Maybe this time they can see something other than a grox fart this time.”

With that the Warmaster leaves, goring a slobbering khorne berzerker who is feasting on a pile of dead guardsman as he and the Terminators march on to meet with his other Captain’s and Champions.

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Viva Miriya
Jan 9, 2007

Kai Tave may introduce himself and his NPCs as being assigned to bolster the PC's warband. Incase you are wondering why more marines weren't assigned, its because obv the party has taken on a more human composition. The chosen that have sworn alleigance to you all still are around though, I'll get you a count of how many are still alive later and what their general equipment state. I'll also update the loot pool with captured weapons/ammo/etc. including the loot of the fallen. You may also make infamy requisitions here. Incase you didn't bother reading, this is a research mission. Also Abbadon's sorcerors might know a bit more about this problem than he's explained. Warmasters obviously don't need to know the minute details of warp interfering objects, only that they exist and a solution. Likewise there may be admech facilities that have already studied these. The locations of which could probably be acquired from the interrogation of surviving Cadian officers. Figure out how you wanna go about handling this problem and good luck.

Kai Tave
Jul 2, 2012
Fallen Rib
Harbinger class cruiser Lament of Phycaea, 50,000 kilometers from Cadian orbit:

The transition back to realspace had been a welcome one. Even to those who had pledged themselves in service against the False Emperor the Warp was an unpredictable and unwelcoming place, and while the ship's sorcerers had managed to keep the worst of the incursions at bay travel through the Immaterium still meant restless, nightmare-plagued nights and the ever-present threat of mortal danger.

But if the men and women of Thassalania gathered aboard the Lament of Phycaea were at all disturbed by this prospect they didn't show it. To them, soldiers born and bred on a world deep within the Eye of Chaos, brought up knowing nothing but endless, eternal war, the threat of death was a constant in their lives. Every one of them had fought and killed and bled since the time they could hold a lasgun, and through it all they had survived and even thrived where others had faltered and fallen. To those that had grown accustomed to staring death in the face, the perils of the Warp held little fascination.

When Abaddon the Despoiler had come to Thassalania seeking soldiers for his Black Crusade he brought with him wealth and favor enough to enlist fully one third of the world's entire population of able-bodied soldiers to his cause. The planet had entered an unprecedented period of cease-fire simply to allow the chosen enough time to be mustered and transferred to the waiting fleet in orbit. Every Thassalanian who survived long enough to reach adulthood knew that one day they would find themselves pledged to someone's service for the rest of their lives...on a world that knew only war, the only export of any worth was soldiers. But this Black Crusade was something different, something new, and there was a palpable excitement in the air as the largest mobilization of Thassalanian forces in history made their way towards their first objective...the planet Cadia.

It wasn't daemons or Warp-ghasts that threatened the Thassalanian 1st Crusade Expeditionary Force, it was inaction. Thassalanians were in their element amidst the devastation and carnage of war...being separated from that for the first time, if only so that they could be ferried to yet another active warzone, left many of them restless and irritable. Mock battles and training drills did only so much to take the edge off, and officers had their hands full ensuring that flaring tempers and aggression were appropriately channeled, or summarily disciplined.

But now they were close. They had left the Warp days earlier, the currents proving favorable enough to bring them practically to Cadia's front step. The Lament of Phycaea along with dozens of other ships comprising the second wave of the Crusade made their way towards the besieged planet on void-engines, and when the shattered remnants of Cadia's orbital defenses first appeared in portholes and observation domes a cheer went up throughout the ship. The Black Crusade was underway.

High over Cadia, six hours later:

Those on Cadia looking to the skies for salvation from the terror that had fallen upon them would find no respite as hundreds of bulky mass conveyers began to descend from orbit, each corpulent transport carrying hundreds of thousands of troops, servitors, and vehicles in their cavernous holds, waiting to be unleashed upon the reeling world. What air defenses remained intact began targeting the slow-moving conveyers but were quickly set upon by swooping fightercraft along with periodic lance strikes from the ships in orbit high above the planet. Sleek black drop pods fell like rain as rapid assault teams hurtled towards hundreds of targets around the globe.

And in the midst of it all, a guncutter bristling with weapons weaved its way through the criss-cross of tracer fire, lasbeams, and flak as it headed in a different direction altogether.

Guncutter Reaver 025, cruising 5,000 feet above sea level:

The soldiers strapped into the guncutter's troop compartment relaxed slightly as they cleared the air-defense screen and leveled off, several of them chuckling and trading jokes as they sped through the air, but behind the banter and bravado every one of them was intensely curious as to why they had been singled out, shepherded onto a guncutter, and were currently heading away from the main deployment. Two dozen heads turned towards the front of the cabin as the door leading towards the cockpit slid open and a scarred figure in black power armor stepped through. "All right, listen up."

Immediately the jokes stopped, lhos were ground out beneath boots, and two dozen soldiers came to attention as best they could while seated as Major Javir Oskavar approached them, his armor emblazoned with the insignia of Thassalania's elite Myrmidons. "I'm sure you've all been wondering why you're here and where you're headed," he went on, giving the faintest of nods as he dispassionately completed his inspection and found things to his satisfaction. "As soon as we began our deployment we received a priority communique. From Warmaster Abaddon."

It was a testament to the soldiers' discipline that the only reaction this news received was a silent darting of the eyes. "He has a high priority assignment away from the main lines that he wants reinforced immediately, and you were selected for the mission. We're to rendezvouz with a Crusade spearhead element designated Bonecrusher Squad, last known position here," he said, tapping the surface of his dataslate. A hololithic projection sprung to life in the middle of the cabin, a skull emblem highlighting the squad's location against a glowing simulacrum of Cadia itself. "Bonecrusher will have more details for us once we touch down, but given that these orders come from Abaddon himself you should be prepared for anything. You were chosen for this assignment because you're all skilled, ruthless, and capable, and now's your chance to prove it and bring glory to Thassalania. Don't disappoint the Warmaster...or me."

Bonecrusher Squad's currently location, ETA 60 seconds:

As Abaddon departed to leave Bonecrusher Squad to prepare for their latest investigation a guncutter suddenly roared overhead, banking and coming about as engines swiveled and thrusters fired, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris as it touched down nearby. As soon as it came to a stop the boarding ramp lowered, two dozen soldiers in full body armor equipped with vicious-looking lasguns began fanning out and securing the area, followed by a figure in sophisticated power armor, the air around him faintly crackling with Warp energy. Javir quickly scanned the area, taking in the sight of the ruined battlements and devastation that had been recently wrought, then turned his attention to the collection of Astartes, hereteks, and other assorted misfits that were gathered nearby. "Bonecrusher Squad? Major Javir Oskavar, 1st Thassalanian Crusade Expeditionary Force. Warmaster Abaddon tells me that where you go death follows. That's good to hear. I'm your liaison with the Expeditionary Force, and also your reinforcements. So who can tell me what it is that we're supposed to be doing?"

Major Javir Oskavar



pre:
Thassalonian Myrmidon (homebrew advanced archetype approved by Mandozer)
Stat Rolls, the other one is under the same campaign name if you want to see it.

Ballistic Skill: 42 +5          47 +5 = 52
Weapon Skill: 43 +5mp -3per     45 +5 = 50
Strength: 36                    36 +5 = 41
Toughness: 39 +5                44    = 44
Agility: 45                     45 +5 = 50
Intelligence: 33 -5mp -3per     25 +5 = 30
Perception: 36                  36    = 36
Willpower: 38                   38 +5 = 43
Fellowship: 34 -4des +5 +5per   40 +5 = 45
Infamy:                         60 +2 = 62
Corruption:                     30    = 30

Martial Prowess +5 WS -5 Int
Destruction +2 Inf -4 Fel
Perfection +5 to one, -3 to two

MANMODE Unaligned, no gods no masters

Skills: 
Acrobatics
Athletics +10
Awareness +10
Command +10
Common Lore (Imperial Guard, Screaming Vortex, 
             Tech, War)
Dodge +10
Forbiden Lore (The Horus Heresy and Long War, 
               Pirates)
Intimidate
Linguistics (Low Gothic, Thassalanian Battle Cant)
Navigation (Surface)
Operate (Aeronautica, Surface)
Parry
Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis)
Stealth
Survival +10
Tech Use
Trade (Armorer)

Talents: 
Air of Authority
Ambidextrous
Ancient Warrior
Berserk Charge
Bulging Biceps
Cold Hearted
Horde Minion of Chaos
Iron Discipline
Iron Jaw
Jaded
Lightning Reflexes
Light Sleeper
Nerves of Steel
Peer (Warlords)
Pity the Weak
Quick Draw
Rapid Reaction
Rapid Reload
Raptor
Resistance (Fear)
Sound Constitution (1)
Storm of Iron
Swift Attack
Weapon Training (Power, Las, Primary, SP)
Marksman
Takedown
Technical Knock

Traits: 
The Quick and The Dead
Unnatural Toughness (1)
Regeneration (1)
+2 damage with unarmed attacks
+2 damage with all melee attacks

Special Abilities:
Chem-Warrior: Upon being raised to the rank of 
Myrmidon a soldier's body is surgically enhanced 
through heretical procedures proscribed within the 
Imperium, implanting it with a series of organs and 
glands designed to enhance his combat prowess and 
survivability against even incredible odds and harsh 
battlefield conditions.  These organs duplicate the 
effects of a Respirator and make the Myrmidon immune 
to most toxins (including extra damage dealt from 
weapons with the Toxic quality).  

Their new glands also act as Injectors containing 
Frenzon, Slaught, Stimm, and Spur. The Myrmidon may 
activate their implant glands to produce any of these 
drugs as a Free Action requiring a Routine (+20) 
Willpower Test for each dosage. A Failure means that 
gland has malfunctioned, and will need 1d5 days to 
recover. Other newly added organs are designed to 
filter away any chemical by-products of the dosages, 
so the user does not need to take any tests afterwards 
for ill effects and halves the recovery time of any 
automatic after-effects.  The augmented physiology 
will also ward off any effects of excessive drug use, 
including addiction.

Proven Leader:  The Myrmidon is used to having his orders 
carried out with the military precision and ruthless 
discipline that a life of unending war breeds.  All of 
a Myrmidon's minions that hail from Thassalania gain 
+10 Loyalty.

In addition the Myrmidon is adept at leading by example, 
bolstering the capabilities of those around him either 
through extensive tactical training or sheer determination.  
Once per encounter the Myrmidon can spend an Infamy Point 
as a Half Action and choose one of the following benefits 
to apply to a number of minions or other heretics equal to
 his Fellowship bonus, as well as himself, for the remainder
 of the encounter so long as he remains in contact with them:

-Follow My Lead: The Myrmidon chooses one skill he knows, 
and those affected can use that skill as though they had it 
trained at the same level.
-Sweeping Advance: Those affected benefit from the Hip 
Shooting talent and ignore any movement penalties for 
difficult terrain.
-Brutal Assault: Those affected gain Tearing on all melee 
attacks made as part of a Charge or All-Out Attack.
-Cull the Weak: Those affected deal additional damage to 
Hordes with any successful attack equal to half the Myrmidon's 
Infamy bonus, and if an attack of theirs would cause enough 
Magnitude damage to force a Horde to test against Willpower 
or break, the Horde suffers a -10 penalty to that Willpower test.

Mutations/Gifts:
Mark of Chaos Undivided
Chaos Organ (Nurgle)
Wreathed in Chaos (Tzeentch)

XP Breakdown:
Advanced Archetype 4600

Fellowship +5
Willpower +5
Agility +5
Weapon Skill +5
Ballistic Skill +5
Strength +5
Intelligence +5

Characteristic Advances 1750

Operate (Aeronautica)
Acrobatics

Skills 400

Ambidextrous
Air of Authority
Pity the Weak
Raptor
Sound Constitution (1)
Iron Discipline
Rapid Reaction
Swift Attack
Storm of Iron
Horde Minion of Chaos

Talents 4000

10750/10900xp

Equipment:
Light Power Armour (Auto-Senses, Vox Link, Sustainable Power 
                    Source, Power Supply Tampering: Hotshot Lasgun)
Variable-Configuration Assault Lasgun (BQ Hotshot Lasgun 
          w/Spread Limiter, Pistol Grip Forearm Mount)
GQ Hotshot Laspistol
M31 Multilaser
Power Sword
Power Fist
GQ Knife w/Mono
Jump Pack
Dataslate with annotated Tactica Imperialis

Cybernetics:
Skeletal Petrifaction

Kai Tave fucked around with this message at 02:44 on Dec 19, 2014

MaliciousOnion
Sep 23, 2009

Ignorance, the root of all evil
The Clawman

"You have been chosen to babysit a research expedition," the Clawman states, before turning and moving away. It begins searching for undamaged data-looms, seeking information on the pylons left behind by the loyalist dead.


Tech-Use 80 to interface with data-looms.

Werix
Sep 13, 2012

#acolyte GM of 2013
Dulsatae

The desiccated marine remains stationary as Abbadon gives his briefing. Dulsatae is very tempted to challenge the Warmaster's orders. Dulsatae was not some Dark Mechanicus data compiler. Going and researching some ancient pylons was not what Dulsaate signed on for. He stares at the Capital City in the distance as the warp storms tear it apart. That is where he should be. On the front line of the fight, demonstrating the resilience of the gifts of Nurgle, spreading disease among the populace with Deliverer of Warmth. The daemon within was eager to spread filth, and standing around the frozen wastes of this land will do no good.

That said, if there was one thing Death Guard did, it was follow orders, no matter how wasteful. He give Abbadon a slight nod in his new Terminator armor while waiting for everyone to depart. He cranes his neck up into the air as the guncutter comes in for its landing. Some of the weaker humans in the area begin to flee from the jet wash coming off the vessel, but such things will not move a Death Guard. The ramp of the guncutter drops less than a meter away from Dulsatae. He does not move, and as the soldiers debark from the craft they are forced to move around him, grumbling. Lastly the one that must be the leader comes down the ramp. Even in his power armor the human was small compared to the Marine in Terminator Armor.

As the newcomer steps around Dulsatae the marine turns, following the newcomer with only his helmet. he is glad when The Clawman answers the newcomer. Finally Dulsatae speaks, his voice still a ghostly whisper even with the amplification from the Terminator Vox, "Yes, we have already claimed what Glory there was to claim here. Your forces have come just in time to be bored; all praise Abbadon and his deft leadership in assigning Bonecrusher to such exacting tasks." The sarcasm is evident in the Marine's voice. There was doubt if he was even capable of such things.

Ronwayne
Nov 20, 2007

That warm and fuzzy feeling.
Kayleen

Kayleen smiles with joy as she hauls herself out of the baneblade wreckage. The front line fighting stuff was fun but finally she was being recognized as the technical brilliance behind the whole warband.

On the otherhand, while it was fun to watch the meatheads squirm at the possibility of having to think about complex concepts that didn't directly involve killing things, she needed to keep them focused. Bored humans could easily cause disaster, a bunch of bored astartes would...yeah.

She nods at the new guy. They didn't appear to be unhinged savages that would loot the place like orks before she was done investigating. "Good to meet you Major. Dr Larraman. We're going on a reasearch expedition. I think you could best help by securing the perimeter when we arrive and sweeping it. My experience with ancient technology is it likes to try to kill your for no and any reason." She moves up to the pylons and begins to do her thing. While she respected the clawman's superior knowledge in warp based existential-technology combinations, left over faculty drama from centuries ago still burned in her mind and she wasn't going to let him take any honors when it came to more worldly knowledge. She begins her own inquiry "What have we here...also, I need a new assistant. Don't have time to build one..."

Investigating/finding something to do with Techuse 110+2dos.

Ronwayne fucked around with this message at 20:15 on Dec 21, 2014

Dachshundofdoom
Feb 14, 2013

Pillbug
Lysander

He'd hardly heard Abaddon over the bubbling and cracking in his head, which was only now beginning to subside. Reaching up, he runs his fingertips over swollen, rotted flesh and a permanent grin of jagged needle teeth. A glorious reward, unlike this mission. Nurgle himself had seen fit to bless him with the Mark and a countenance like his own, and yet the Warmaster wasted his talents on these pylons when there was a war to fight? Either he wasn't telling them something or he was an idiot, and Lysander didn't think he'd have made it this far by being stupid.

Turning to the new arrivals, he chuckles expectantly. More meat for the grinder. "Greetings to you, Major. Don't let the pessimism of my companions diminish your enthusiasm. I have seen enough xenos artifacts in my time to know that there are always guardians to slaughter and things to blow up. If you will all excuse me, I think I shall question the Warmaster's sorcerers before we depart."

Asking the sorcerers in the HQ for more information about the pylons and how to make them go away. Inquiry 55, Charm 84 (74 without Ancient Warrior).

vvv edit: In that case, I'll gladly take any or all of:

Unholy Icon (BC Core pg 187): TN 52 (72 Infamy +10 Single -30 Extremely Rare)

Plague Claw (Decay pg 45): TN 52 (72 Infamy +10 Single -30 Extremely Rare)

4 Metal Storm Bolt Clips (BC Core pg 172): TN 52 (72 +0 Minor -20 Very Rare)

Dachshundofdoom fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Dec 22, 2014

Viva Miriya
Jan 9, 2007

Ask for what you want/need and you'll either get it or you won't.

MaliciousOnion
Sep 23, 2009

Ignorance, the root of all evil
Oh yes, acquisitions:

Psy-focus - 72 + 10 (Average) + 10 (Single) + 0 (Common) = 92
Warp Staff - 72 - 30 (Extremely rare) + 10 (Single) + 0 (Common) = 52
Good Craftsmanship Cranial Armour - 72 + 0 (Scarce) + 10 (Single) - 10 (Good) = 72

Ronwayne
Nov 20, 2007

That warm and fuzzy feeling.
G. craftsmanship MIU (Rare-10 good -10 single+10 ex wealth +10 vs infamy 65= TN65
C. " Skeletal Petrification (Rare -10 Single+10 ex wealth+10vs infamy 65 = TN75
G. quality demokit (Very rare-20, good -10 single+10 ex wealth+10 vs infamy 65 = TN55

Yeah, I know cyberntics usually require downtime but for Kayleen I can imagine they're more like swapping out PCI cards. Have 900 exp so might make a horde minion in addition to my new minion (Or another superior minion, got an idea for a sentient guncutter)

Ronwayne fucked around with this message at 07:36 on Dec 22, 2014

Kai Tave
Jul 2, 2012
Fallen Rib
Major Javir Oskavar

An imperceptible frown passed across Javir's face as the members of Bonecrusher Squad filled him in on the details of the mission he and his men had been assigned to, but he knew better than to complain like some of them were. If the Warmaster had tasked them with this then it was for a reason. Regardless he, along with the entire Expeditionary Force, had been pledged to Abaddon's service which meant that his duty was to follow orders, not question them...even if he would rather be joining the main Thassalanian force in exterminating every last Imperial soldier residing upon this world.

"Perimeter containment, sweep-and-clear, secure the area...understood," he said, inclining his head towards the woman who seemed more machine than human and the polite, if hideous, Nurglite. "I'm going to assume we don't have an accurate threat assessment or any sort of intelligence to go on beyond a location. Transmit the coordinates to our guncutter's machine-spirit. In the meantime maybe you can direct me to the nearest supply dump...my unit and I were diverted before we had a chance to properly outfit ourselves for this sort of mission."

Dear Santa, I would like:

-Thermal armor upgrade for my light power armor (Infamy 62, +10 single, -20 Very Rare = TN 52)

-Good-craftsmanship Auspex (Infamy 62, +10 single, +0 Scarce, -10 Good-craftsmanship = TN 62)

-I can't really think of anything else to aim for so gently caress it, let's go with a Conversion Field (Infamy 62, +10 single, -30 Extremely Rare = TN 42)

Werix
Sep 13, 2012

#acolyte GM of 2013
Dulsatae

Dulsatae just shrugs at the smaller man, "It is in the northern arctic region. Unless the locals of this world also colonized up there I imagine our only enemies shall be the cold and any local fauna. I am not too concerned about either, though the rest of you might want winter gear."

Speaking of gear lets get stuff for my new terminator digs:

Reaper autocannon= infamy 65 -20=45
power sythe=infamy 55-10=45

Viva Miriya
Jan 9, 2007

Going to only focus on this game for now on, Update this weekend.

Viva Miriya fucked around with this message at 00:56 on Dec 31, 2014

Xun
Apr 25, 2010

Chloe
And she thought her headache was just a cold thanks to the nurglites. But no. Anti psyker rocks. Great. Wonderful. Chloe is still careful to keep her face neutral as Abaddon gives them their assignment though, no good will come of complaining to the Warmaster himself. Especially as a puny human. She only relaxes after he leaves, sighing.

"Yeah just get me something warm and hope my head doesn't explode I guess!

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Viva Miriya
Jan 9, 2007

this game too is dead. sorry folks.

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