Dark Heresy: The House of Dust and Ash.

[LanSlyde]

As the title says, I am running the House of Dust and Ash; from Disciples of the Dark Gods, and I was curious of anyone here has run it before and how difficult it was for your players to accomplish/survive. We have 6 players, 1 Adept with ALL the knowledge, 1 Templar Calix Biomancer, 2 Arbitrators with a penchant for shotguns and fire, 1 twin pistol wielding Assassin, and 1 Melee focused Guardsman. All at level 5, optimization ranges from strong (the Arbitrators) to flavorful, (the Adept and Biomancer). Currently they are on their way to Solomon to meet Silas Mar, I've stalled them with Eldar Corsairs during transit.

As I said above, I was wondering if anyone else has run this module and if so what challenges did you offer your players and what did they do to overcome them.

Thanks in advance,

Lan

[Kaun]

I have never run it but it is meant to be a bit of a meat grinder isn't it?

[LanSlyde]

Very much so, the main part takes place on a volcanic island surrounded by kilometers of black, acidic ocean. After some time at the House things start going to hell as heretics, rogue servitors, and xenos come out of everywhere to murder everyone in attendance. Just for good measure the island will also explode at the end.

[LanSlyde]

*chirp *chirp

Seems this subforum moves slower than the 3.5 forum...

[Asmodai]

I've not run it, but I always thought the idea was to hide and avoid direct conflict, lead the groups into each other and get the hell out of Dodge.

[LanSlyde]

I've not run it, but I always thought the idea was to hide and avoid direct conflict, lead the groups into each other and get the hell out of Dodge.

That would be the normal method of doing things. However, my group is gun happy to a fault. So I fully expect them to attempt to blast everything in sight. Especially when the trap is set in motion and everything goes to hell.

[Andrewmoreton]

I ran it at lower power levels of PC's and only killed one of them but he just rolled badly.
If the players do not work put how to get out they all die, make sure you are ready to give them strong hints if they are missing it (or charge them all 1 Fate point)
The Sluagh can be truly Brutal, my players have a fear of Sluagh, their Deathwatch Marines and throne agents have trouble with them . I can't remember what that one has, but they have some superb defences and deadly weapons. (IIRC when I ran this one he took a righteous fury for some obscene amount of damage 10,10,10,10 ,10 8 or something like that from an NPC guardsman) otherwise the fights would have been much more lethal.
So check that your PC's can hurt it, shotguns probably don't cut it without really good rolls. I know I had one take multiple hits from a Heavy Plasma cannon and keep fighting .
If they have played the intro scenario from the rulebook they will probably kill the fake bishop on sight (Mine did they somehow linked him back to the Raven daemon and put a bolt round through each eye at the first oppertunity)

[LanSlyde]

I ran it at lower power levels of PC's and only killed one of them but he just rolled badly.
If the players do not work put how to get out they all die, make sure you are ready to give them strong hints if they are missing it (or charge them all 1 Fate point)
The Sluagh can be truly Brutal, my players have a fear of Sluagh, their Deathwatch Marines and throne agents have trouble with them . I can't remember what that one has, but they have some superb defences and deadly weapons. (IIRC when I ran this one he took a righteous fury for some obscene amount of damage 10,10,10,10 ,10 8 or something like that from an NPC guardsman) otherwise the fights would have been much more lethal.
So check that your PC's can hurt it, shotguns probably don't cut it without really good rolls. I know I had one take multiple hits from a Heavy Plasma cannon and keep fighting .
If they have played the intro scenario from the rulebook they will probably kill the fake bishop on sight (Mine did they somehow linked him back to the Raven daemon and put a bolt round through each eye at the first oppertunity)

Only one of my PCs played through Illumination. Right now they are on the ship about to interrogate one of the bishops followers after he started a fight at the bar with the Adept and later tried sneaking into their cabin to stab someone. Of course, the interrogation won't go off perfectly. I planned to make use of the Bishops ability to summon unclean spirits. Gonna be real fun if someone ends up possessed.