[DW] Blackthorn/Swordhand: Episode III - The Sundered House

[A.T.]

"They bear the mark of a bull and fork", replies the Raptor, thinking back to the attacking vehicles at the cathedral.

[Slips]

++Understood, Brother.++

 

"Lady Astropath, no matter what happens in the next few moments, it is Imperative that you do what you can to get our message out; all other things, including our own lives are secondary. Understood?" Once she made sign that she got the message he continued "These are the ciphers and astropathic authentication codes that we use." he said transferring the relevant data to her.

Im not sure if we have Star Wars style code cylinders and stuff for our Deathwatch Ciphers, most likely they've been hypno-induced into our brains. Either way...

 

He then goes about lighting the candles around the room as she had asked using the cauterizer on his Exsanguinator to light them.

[A.T.]

Moving to a better vantage point Atratus sought what cover this place could offer, drawing bead on the distant vehicles. To sow confusion in their ranks would slow their advance, each lost step another moment for his brothers to rain death upon them.

 

 

Concealment 24 vs agility 65 - success with 4 DoS, less penalties for armour. Markmans Honour solo mode until someone declares squad mode.

[Commissar Molotov]

Vaidan, Solastion, Tyber: 

As the Sanguinary Priest lights the ceremonial candles placed around the chamber, the air begins to fill with the heady scent of spiced incense. The Sergeant returns from having replaced the sheet over the slain astropaths, as Tyber stands at the edge of the chamber with his gauntleted fists hovering over the pommels of both his chainsword and his arming sword. 

 

The Astropath sits within her cradle, her lips moving soundlessly as she murmurs the arcane mantras and focusing rituals of her calling. It is but a matter of moments before the temperature sensors within your armour detect a sudden drop in the temperature around the three of you. As you raise your hands in front of you, you see the crystalline structures of hoarfrost encrusting your sable armour. Ice begins to form from the moisture in the air, expanding out in questing tendrils. The girl herself seems heedless of this. 

 

Akkad, Atratus, Sabaan, Varvost, Greysight:

It takes Atratus seconds to blink-click the pict-capture of the iconography on the vehicles to your helm-displays. It is the heraldry of House Qurn, the same heraldry as that displayed on the shattered System Monitor vessel. As he plays the scope over the vehicles the Raptor can make out some of the occupants; armed and armoured, there are at least ten in each of the Cargo-Sixes, with five or so in each of the smaller Goliath-type trucks. 

 

They will arrive at the plaza in mere minutes.

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad pulled onto the Squad Vox as something occurred to him.

 

++My Marksman, can you get a better look at the occupants? Nycax, are you picking up any communications from their vehicles?++

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

With the first touch of frost on his plate, Tyber shifted into a very uneasy stance, his left hand behind him, gripping the handle of the chain-blade that was stored across the small of his back, his right hand ready to draw his arming sword off of his left hip, the more the frost grew on his plate, the more the little hairs on the back of his neck stood up, without thinking of what he was saying he spoke +This is not right. This is not natural…+

 

The last time he had felt such unnatural cold was a long, long time ago, during his entry into his chapter; his mind had been scoured by a Librarian, it had left him feeling like he had been violated by something otherworldly, a feeling that even now was creeping back into the dark places in his mind.

[Xin Ceithan]

Placeholder, again :(

 

Preparing the Chimera for combat

Cycling up Multilaser

Scanning for enemy communications

[Slips]

 

+This is not right. This is not natural…+

 

++Have you not seen the Librarians of your own Chapter at work? This is just another facet of that same discipline. And watch your tongue with regards to Psykers, my own Genesire was one and so is the Emperor.++ He says, making the sign of the Aquila over his chest quickly as he mentioned Sanguinius and the Emperor.

 

Absentmindedly, he flexed his hands, the frost forming over his gauntlets cracking and flaking away. He had never been in proximity to Astropaths when they went about their work but he had been present when Crimson Knights Librarians used their powers of divination and telepathy and the effects, oddly enough, were somewhat familiar to him; still unnerving to be in the presence of, however.

 

Getting onto a private channel, he spoke to the Lion-Cub ++My apologies, Brother Tyber, I did not mean to snap at you in such a manner.++ he said with regards to his unwarranted outburst regarding Psykers.

[Steel Company]

Tyber sighed to himself after being talked at by Solastion, part of it feeling as a veiled censoring of him. Yet more disapproval by the Child of the mighty Ninth, it makes me wonder how did our gene fathers ever agree on anything…he thought to himself. He was how ever taken aback by the words that followed on a privet vox, meant to sooth any harm caused by the former words. Tyber looked off to the side in his heads up display, avoiding looking towards the Astropath, as he chose his words of reply; +Worry not, I take no offence. My experience with those that hold such powers are limited to outside of battle conditions.+

 

Taking a moment to center himself, the unnatural frost and ice make him more unnerved, bringing back memories of behind held down, a room growing colder, a pain in his head growing more intense every time he struggled against it. Yet it was the more cold and pain he felt, the more he struggled, a self-fulfilling cycle of pain, that was all over in an instant when blackness took him after a hooded figure with an outstretched hand spoke “Open your mind.”

 

Shifting his stance to a slightly more relaxed, but still on guard, Tyber responded to Solastion ‘s final statement, +My first and only experience I recall with those that use these powers is not a pleasant one… one of coldness and pain.+

Edited December 12, 2018 by Steel Company

[Commissar Molotov]

Vaidan, Solastion and Tyber: 

 

Within the chamber, a wind begins to whip up around you, scattering papers and causing the candles lit by Solastion to gutter wildly. The furniture within the room rattles and even the very air around you seems to vibrate with tangible force. 

 

Akkad, Atratus, Greysight, Sabaan, Varvost: 

Finally, the vehicles arrive within the tower plaza, grinding to a halt. Men start to dismount from the cargo-sixes; you are immediately able to discern that they wear thickly-padded carapace armour and carry heavy-barreled las-rifles. Their weapons are readied, humming with static electricity.  

[Slips]

Solastion will simply observe, move close to the meditating Astropath, kneels beside her and, very noticeably to Tyber and Vaidan, he primes his Reductor for firing.

 

He utters not a word.

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad half-crouched in the darkness, the rain a curtain of irritation and nothing more.  Carapace armour and upgraded laser weaponry.  He scanned them to see if he could discern facial features, uniform insignia, anything.  Apart from the Chimera rumbling gently in the tower plaza nothing else was amiss.  No signs of Space Marines, they may have been wary, but their dismount was alert, not aggressive.

 

They could think we are all inside and unprepared...or they could be a sweep and clear patrol responding to an emergency hail.

 

That the vehicles bore House Qurn markings meant nothing immediately.  Civil Wars were like that, a rough terrain troop transport did the same job no matter the driver.  Holding off on the ambush whilst they were in column may have been a mistake...he noted the positions of the others.

 

Varvost, lying on the reverse slope of a large debris pile, to the right of the Chimera, hidden from direct view from the road.  Greysight had secluded himself somewhere in the ruins of the gardens, cleverly away from any bodies that might be inspected, off to the left.  Atratus waited on the rooftop, behind and above.

 

The Iron Hand was centre stage - his flesh shielded by metal.  No doubt the way he preferred it.  If these mortal men attacked, they were about to die.

 

GM: what do these "men" look like?  Any extra arms or anything?

 

MR.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Commissar Molotov]

GM: No obvious signs of any mutation. No extra arms. The soldiers keep their distance in the driving rain, having established a respectable cordon. 

[Mazer Rackham]

He continued his appraisal of the soldiers as they dispersed and formed a protective cordon around their vehicles and the square.

 

Ordered, normal, well armed troops.  A lot of them.

 

+Khyber you'd better get down here.  Our visitors have arrived, but seem in no hurry.  I don't like it.+ Vox was sub-vocal. No need to let them hear him, whilst he tried in turn to listen in to any orders or conversations, hoping for a clue as to mission, identity, strength and most importantly: allegiance.  He risked a glance up to Atratus.  He needn't have bothered, the canny Raptor was scoping up already.  A small smile.

"We could have used you in the Drift young one." He whispered into his helmet.

 

Awareness Test: Hearing
Target: 50+10(HS)+10(AS) = 70
D100: 43 Pass, 2 DoS

 

MR.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Commissar Molotov]

Vaidan, Solastion, Tyber:

 

Dolorous warning chimes, like the cloister bells of cardinal worlds, sound a death-knell within your ears as the machine-spirits of your warplate rebel against the treatment they are enduring. Any attempt to move forward is stymied; time itself seems to slow as static blurs your helm-displays, lending everything around you a ghostly quality.

 

Physical strength will not aid you here; you are like prehistoric creatures caught in tar, thrashing wildly but only dooming yourselves further.

 

Distantly, dimly, you hear Akkad's voice:

 

++Khyber, you'd better get down here.++

 

 

Akkad, Atratus, Sabaan, Greysight, Varvost:

 

The rain steals away any attempt to hear what the soldiers are saying to one another. You see one pointing at the scattered corpses around the plaza, but you are unable to make out any words.

 

With the Chimera blocking the entrance to the tower, Varvost, Greysight and Atratus out of sight, Sabaan ensconced within the Chimera and Akkad hunkered down within the tower, it appears your new visitors are at a loss for what to do.

 

 

 

 

[A.T.]

Atratus watched the men closely. These did not bear the obvious markings of the earlier group but the indoctrination of the Ecclesiarchy would bear fruits in signs of superstition and muttered prayers to the Emperor in a place like this.

 

The silence of his brothers weapons suggested they too waited unsure of friend of foe, though the humans had little time as neither innocence nor guilt could be permitted to interrupt this working.

[Steel Company]

As a ghostly wind picked up in the room, causing his tabard to blow this way and that, Tyber found this to be unsettling, but not enough to be a serious issue. It only became a serious issue once the temperature gauge on his armour started to dip down deeply, causing the onboard cogitator to shut all external vents and reroute the exhaust from the back pack into the life support systems to keep his body at optimal temperature. No sooner had his armour done that, than everything seemed to stop. The motors of his armour, the hum of the internal heater, even the onboard chrono seemed to halt. He tried to use his muscles to move forward, but found nothing happened, trying harder, straining his muscles and his will to push them forward, again nothing happened. This was new to him, he felt trapped, no force of will or might seemed to do anything, if anything it made his armour seem heavier than it actually was, heavier than it had been on HSC-296 when his power pack had been cracked open, and forced into shutdown.

I feel powerless. A part of himself said, it continued with; I was weak, I couldn’t save them. I failed Adavan, Crixis, Varkan, Molak and even Thorvald.

 

As the lenses of his armour frosted over he could have sworn he could make out the headless body of Adavan, the melted and charred bodies of Crixis, Varkan and Molak, even the broken body of Thorvald.

 

Guilt, I am are guilty of failure, of weakness. If I were stronger or faster or I had persuaded our crew to take a different rout with 212… That dark part of his mind continued to berate him for the past.

 

“No I didn’t fail them; I had no control over what happened there.” He said to himself.

 

Closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again, he found his fallen squad brothers gone from his sight, he whispered out, “I am not weak.”

The voice seemed to leave his mind and his eyes caught sight of something flapping on his right pauldron, a simple bit of parchment, one word visible in black ink Invcitus written on the bottom of it.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Steel Company

[Slips]

As the temperature continued to drop and his armor automatically engaged sub-zero/void countermeasures, Solastion continued shifting slightly to shatter the rime and hoarfrost forming upon his Sable-And-Silver Plate on his fourth such attempt he realized that he could not move.

 

A brief spark of panic ignited in him as he attempted to shift and turn around but nothing happened. He was trapped in his armour, nay his own body as time itself seemed to freeze in place. Glancing down to his wrist medi-cogitator to ascertain the status of Tyber and Vaidan, he saw the screen frozen mid refresh but what he could discern told him that they too were in a similar situation.

 

He considered, then, in that moment to put his entire being into firing his reductor already aimed at the Astropaths head but could not bring himself to even attempt the act; too much was riding on her successfully sending her message. He had to have faith that she would succeed.

 

Exhaling loudly into his helmet, lenses fogging up due to his helmet grille being frozen shut, he clenched his jaw, grit his teeth and relaxed himself within his armour. He retreated into his own mind, reciting the mantras taught to him by his Companies Chaplain to resist the influence of the Warp, and waited.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Slips

[Mazer Rackham]

No reply.  Unusual from the disciplined, but free with banter Novamarine.  Some interference may be in effect from the chambers above - being an astropathic relay, no doubt they were shielded...regardless, they would have to do things on their own as the human troops below approached the Chimera, seemingly at a loss.  He accessed Squad Vox.  He peered again up to the Son of Corax, who seemed to be sharing some impatience, courtesy of his helmet canting to one side and peering past his rifle.

 

Asurru.  Asurru!

 

It couldn't continue.

 

++Atratus, I'm getting nothing from Vaidan, the tower may be shielded.  I'm going to challenge.  Watch for the apparent leader and get ready to blow his head off - just in case.  Everyone else, Stand By...++ A second of silence as his interface relays clicked from private to public.  He saw Varvost the Killer tense, no doubt a wicked smile under his helm, Greysight merely pulsed acknowledged.

 

A rune blink lit on his retinal interface, as his external vox speaker activated, full volume.  A loudspeaker type squeal and pop and then his voice echoed around the square, booming out into the rain. +Who goes there? Quo Vadis? State thy purpose upon this trespass.+ He hoped he sounded imperious - and flat - enough to be mistaken for an Astropathic Guardian...

His thumb slid the safety free in case he got an answer he didn't like.  Or gunfire.  Or both.

 

MR.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Commissar Molotov]

Vaidan, Solastion and Tyber: 

For the briefest of moments the world seems to shift beneath all of you. It is as though the vibrating air seems to be bulging, rippling with half-formed remembrances of howling faces. All motion seems to be accompanied by a kaleidoscopic blur of colour. This is perhaps the merest glimpse into the warp-realm that faces psykers, navigators and astropaths. 

 

Take a -10 Willpower test. Failure will grant you 1D10 Insanity, reduced by your Willpower bonus to a minimum of 1. 

 

 

Akkad, Atratus, Greysight, Sabaan and Varvost: 

One of the individuals detaches from the vehicles and steps forward, gesturing back at the soldiers.

 

"We are here at the order of Lord Vortis. He tasks us with reinforcing the Emperor's Angels."

[Steel Company]

OOC:

 

Hard Willpower test (-10) TN: 35: 1d100 31 pass

 

Shutting his eyes tightly just as the world starts to spin around him, again Tyber utters the words quietly "I am not weak."

Edited December 14, 2018 by Steel Company

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad reflected on his own language some more, not for the first time that the words for "liar" and "excrement drain" were remarkably similar in Badabian.  The thoughts ruminated in his brain, allowing a handsome dramatic pause around the square.  He appraised the speaker.  An officer or senior Sergeant, although his tone seemed to suggest he was well-born.  His own face screwed up under his helm, cynicism in every facial crease.

 

To admit they were the Space Marines would lose the advantage and confirm they were here.

To ask about the vehicles would betray an interest a lobotomised servitor would not possess.

Their demeanour was casual, but alert, they were spread out a little, but not aggressive.

They had used Vortis' name - perhaps hoping to stimulate the thought that what was happening, was what you expected.

Even their silence was a weapon - to goad the unwary into revealing more to fill it.

The vehicles had stopped shy of the tower and the heraldry would mean nothing here, in a war torn environment where allegiance was measured in the peace between las-bolts.

 

Confident.

Casual.

Clever.

 

Sewage.

 

Akkad knew that Vaidan had not asked for reinforcements here.  Nor had he told Vortis where they were going.  The datavault of the conversation was easily accessed.

++Khyber, Solastion, Ahu, what the hell is going on up there?  Nycax, are we being actively jammed?  If not, get on to Vortis and have him pull these idiots off.++

 

Only the enemy would know.  Only the enemy would dispatch troops capable enough, professional enough to take on Astartes, with a force they knew could do the job, especially after that display in the tower.  He was sure of it - and yet...They expected an answer and they could not wait for Sabaan's reply.  He could be clever as well, he remembered Tyber's words at the palace.

 

+I do not recognise you.  Leave now.  I speak in the Master's name - Ex Vox Cathedra.  The way is shut.  Begone.+  Then with a grim finality, +No Angels dwell here.  Only the Emperor...and...Death.+  His voice was a coffin lid closing.

 

MR.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Xin Ceithan]

>>NEVER TRUST <<.

Inside the 2-1, Sabaan watched the mortals closely. His Armour's spirit growled, drowning out the idle engine sound of the Chimera. It disliked the inactivity as much as being kept between the unnatural energies building up in the tower and from being held back from venting it's unease on the enemy. Potential enemy. Likely enemy.

The Techmarine cycled through the APC's vox unit, attempting to hijack the frequencies used by the column ahead. If a connection could be made, he might be able to assess their intentions. Would they betray their allegiance when communicating among themselves?

 

The Iron Hand remained wary.>>NEVER TRUST << He did not need the thought-echo whispering through his mind to remind of the Iron Creed here. Calculus alone demanded to identify ally from foe. The house sigil on display... why would the mortal Vortis send a unit from outside his own clan on such delicate a mission? It reeked of treachery...or utter desperation. Both options did not bide well.

Objectification was needed. Taking a cue from Akkad, the Techmarine chose a frequency he had committed to his memory as belonging to a loyal unit defending the palace during their approach on the seat of governance. He opened the channel, so that the Killteam would be able to access it on their own vox- links without delay.

 

+This is Blackthorn. Requesting immediate and direct link to Acting Governor Vortis.+

 

Waiting for a reply, Sabaan refreshed the targeting solution on the lead vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

OOC

attempting to reach Lord Vortis and seeing if the Chimera vox is being jammed

monitor possible vox emission from the PDF coloumn in front of the Tower ( Roll Tech Use ?)

Edited December 16, 2018 by Xin Ceithan

[Slips]

Willpower 53: 1d100 26 for 2 DoS (WP 53 -10 test + 10 Resistance Psychic Powers)

 

As he recited his prayers to Sanguinius and the Emperor, he felt a warmth build inside him. Holding onto that feeling, he went through the Mantras, Prayers, Supplications again and again. Opening his eyes after feeling a cold droplet of water impact the bridge of his nose, he saw the ice begin to melt away from his helmets lenses.

 

 

Slowly, he watched millimeter upon millimeter of ice begin to melt and fade, condense and drip onto his face. If it wasnt for his enhanced senses, he would have been unable to recognize the static-filled burst that he barely heard as anything else than a trick of the warp.

 

 

++Khyber, Solastion, ahu, what the hell is going on up there?++

 

 

Progress he thought, with him receiving that message meant that the warp-halted flow of time was finally starting to relax. Between each of his chants, he tried to click his vox on. 

 

Click...

 

Click...

 

Click...

 

Nothing.

 

Click...

 

Click...

 

Click-pop.

 

Finally. Attempting to speak, his voice first came out dry and hoarse; odd since it had only been a few minutes at most. Clicking the vox again to make sure he hadn't lost his opportunity, he spoke again.

 

++Brother Akkad. Solastion. Psychic Phenomena. Hindering. No Danger. Yet. Unable. Move. Standby.++ he attempts to reply.

 

If Mol allows this transmission to go through, use the voice effect found in the video below as a guideline as to how this wound sound to the person receiving it.

[Commissar Molotov]

Varvost: 

 

The vox-link established by the Techmarine crackles and hisses. 

 

"My lord...?" The surprised voice on the end seems to hesitate for a moment. "Yes, my lord!" 

 

It takes several minutes before you hear the voice of the noble. 

 

"This is Vortis. How may I aid you, my lord?" 

 

 

 

Akkad, Atratus, Greysight, Sabaan: 

 

The soldier looks back to the others for a moment. 

 

"I know not what to tell you. I have been ordered here. We cannot leave."

 

Suddenly, you hear a distant and distorted message over the vox. 

 

++Brother Akkad. Solastion. Psychic Phenomena. Hindering. No Danger. Yet. Unable. Move. Standby.++