Within the Belly of the Iorn Beast- A Suspensful Game of Rouge Trader

[thebothan]

It is the 41st Millennium, the Age of the Imperium of Man, whose unending legions ply the stars in search of fame, fortune and the chance to make their mark upon the very fabric of reality.

This is the tale of a few such searchers:

Their independent journeys take them far from their original home worlds, but they meet here; inside this space ship, hurtling through the realm of daemons on a doomed voyage.

--Funny thing about destiny, sometimes you just stumble into the wrong place, with the right people.--

Quill: You awaken to the dull thudding of your pulse in your earholes, a parched throat, your eyes blurry and a headache like the vice-jaws of a Krik'thun at the forefront of your mind. The familiar withdrawals from blush tells you that though you cannot remember last night, it was not a perfect one. You find yourself sitting in a chair at a long table, strewn with papers, ink wells, broken glasses, spilled fluids, broken needles and 12 mostly empty bottles. Elaborate crystal light fixtures hang above you, casting little light on the room around you. Your alien senses suddenly snap into focus, a bestial hunger runs through your veins, your quills shake and rattle in anticipation. You are without even clothing, and there is prey to be found in this room. The strong iron scent of human blood fills this room, from at least 5 different people, and perhaps your own. You feel sharp pain across your legs and torso, you appear to have been scratched up by something in the recent past. Across from you a groggily moving human also begins to move, wearing the robes of the Imperial faith, and carrying the tools that mark him a converter of men into the flock that humanity clings to in times of hopelessness. He looks young for his position, and seems as disoriented as you about his circumstances.

Joel: You cannot tell for how long you have slept, only that you did in fact sleep. You no longer feel the nausea of the malign forces of the great enemy, so you must have left the warp. You are sitting in the left hand chair at a long table, the head seat is empty, and stained with some liquid that mars the red plush of the chair. Across the table is strewn papers, some implements of addiction, as well as the bottle for those who imbibe. There is not strong lighting in this room, mood lights above you glimmer in the quite hues of twilight. The other chairs at this table are empty, except for the towering beast that sits across from you, about 4 hands taller than you, even sitting down, with a vicious gleam in its eye, and a hide scarred with marks. Quickly scanning yourself, you look to have your possessions on your person, and you appear to not have been harmed, beyond your limbs feeling stiff from a lack of recent exercise.

Fantastic to be playing with you guys, looking foreword to seeing where this goes!

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill's eyes dart back and forth beneath hooded lids, scanning the corners of the room from where he sat. It wasn't unlike the humans to subject him to their whims or petty cruelties, but this was something new. This wasn't the result of a few drunk voidsmen out for xenos blood in the back of a bar.

He turns his attention to the waking human before him and spoke with difficulty, fighting to hide the pounding ache in his head and the pain of the scratches. He needed to discover as much as he could before breaking the pathetic thing. If it thought that he was helpless without his rifle and blade, it would soon learn the error of its ways.
"What have your folk done to me, manniken?" Quill croaks, flexing his talons and testing his strength. Whatever had picked off the other humans might still be near, and Quill has no intention of letting himself be surprised, at least not on an empty stomach.

Awareness: [roll0] v. 47

And we begin! I suggest that we also set up an ooc thread for biffed rolls and the like

[thebothan]

Quill: Your keen eyes pierce through the darkness, the room around you is in disarray, the room is narrow, and on either wall blood and drink stain the walls, even the table has patches of blood on it. On the floor lie 7 of the humans, both male and female, dead from the looks of them; bloodied and battered, some slump on the floor, others lie on top of one another. 5 bear marks of cutting implements, though some are larger wounds than others. 2 have no marks on their bodies whatsoever. As to whatever did this, there is no sign.

[juke_box]

Joel shakes his head to clear the fogging cobwebs of sleep and squints into the dim light, grimacing at the pounding in his head. Years spent bringing light of the Imperium into the darkness of mine shafts and hazy foundries quickly bring into focus the bleeding creature sitting across from him. Startled by the large talons, Joel instinctively slips his hand down to his holstered pistol. At least he still has his gear and judging from the bodies on the floor, he could be far worse off. What a way to start an assignment, he thinks but he has faith the Emperor will guide him.

When the creature speaks, Joel is surprised. His interactions with xenos has been limited and he is surprised it speaks the common tongue. Joel answers its question, "I have no answers for you, xeno. The Emperor's grace has sheltered us from the fate of the others, it appears."

Years of practice run through his head. Where is he? Such unusual circumstances are often the actions of dark powers but Joel prefers not to rush to conclusions. The best missionaries are slow and steady, he muses. And well armed...



Forbidden Lore Hersey d10+5 vs. 41 to see if the beast is of a heretical variety or has any heretical markings.

Forbidden Lore Hersey 2d10+5 vs. 41 to see if anything in the room suggests heresy, such as the way the bodies on the floor died or room decoration.

Medicae 2d10 vs. 41 to if the creature across from him is impaired in any way by its injuries. What caused them?

Common Lore War 2d10 vs. 41 to recognize alien creature. Is its species hostile to the Imperium? Do I remember how to kill it?

[thebothan]

For some reason I don't see any numbers after your rolls, so I am going to roll them here:
Forbidden Lore Hersey (vs your INT of 36 (41-5)): [roll0]
Forbidden Lore Hersey (vs your INT of 36 (41-5)): [roll1]
Medicae (vs your INT of 41): [roll2]
Common lore War (vs your INT of 41): [roll3]

[thebothan]

Joel: Though your eyes may be well adapted to the darkness of the mine shaft, the investigation of crime scenes has never been your strongest suit (if only you had a street-savvy assistant, or your battle hardened mentor to aid your thought process);the killing of an imperial citizen indicates the presence of heresy, though of what kind you have no clue. The twilight hides the details of the bodies from you, though you do notice they are all quite attractive examples of both male and female, some wearing the outfits of courtesans, others wearing not much at all, still others have no covering on themselves at all. At this notice you stop looking too hard at the bodies, lest your mind wanders into dark places. You turn your attention to the perplexing xeno across from you.

Once again you find yourself astounded by the truly bizarre anatomy of the xeno, truly the emperor turned his back on this species at the moments of their creation. You have a hard time telling where the fresh wounds end on the beast and where the old scars begin. The darkness may have clouded your sight, but your mind sharply scans the figure in front of you for signs of the great enemy. Though the xeno is an abhorrent sight of inhuman stature, strong muscle and crude battle scars it has no clear allegiance to heretics. You remember vague trench fire stories about xeno mercenaries, half as tall as a tank tread, often found in the forces of mindless tyrannical xeno lords, human rebels and well paying imperial traders.

I see the discussion forum that was posted, disregard my rolls in the earlier post

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill's eyes narrow when he sees the befuddled human priest's hands clasp its weapon beneath the table. He knows how quick human priests can be to call down vengeance and this one was likely to be no exception. Still, he was so very hungry, and there was so much blood.

Upon hearing the priest's confused utterance, Quill's cruel beak opens and he lets out a throaty chuckle from deep in his chest. "If that's all you know, you're as lost as poor old Quill." He easily grasps the ankle of one of the eviscerated corpses and tosses it on the table, scattering the various pieces of debris. He runs a talon over the edge of the wound, wondering what could have caused it. Quill licks the blood from his talon almost delicately, and a shiver of anticipation runs down his spine. "Well, at least they left us a meal."

Quill watches the priest's reaction from beneath hooded eyelids. It was time to see who he was sitting across from.

Forbidden Lore (Xenos) of wound recognizing: [roll0] vs 42

[juke_box]

Joel flinches the creature tosses a body onto the table. Surprise at the callousness of the creature turns to disgust as it licks blood off its claw. How savage! Even starving nomads at least blessed the dead before eating them. “This hardly is the time for a snack,” Joel replies. “Are you a friend of the Imperium, creature?”

Joel glances around the room, taking in the setting. He's been on a large number of starships over the years and wonders if the interior looks familiar. Is that the faint hum of warp engines he hears? Perhaps they're close to the engine room.



Common Lore Imperium [roll0] vs Intelligence 41 to determine the potential allegiance of the creature.

Awareness [roll1] vs Perception 33 to recognize the interior. What type of room is it? How fancy? What type of ship? Since I'm just looking around I'm hoping for some bonuses on the role hint, hint.

[thebothan]

Quill: The leg hits the table with a meaty thump, scattering blood across the papers on the table. The wound itself is far too generic to be identified, any one of a thousand beasts could have lead to this, be it a viscous Kor'valk or a pack of Turinthian Vla'c'ria hounds. The taste of blood proves to be very disappointing to you, a thin and cold drink, been here a while, longer than 3 days.

[thebothan]

Joel: Looking around the room but never taking your eye off the creature, you can tell this room has been built for those ill accustomed to void travel, it masks the fact that the passenger is inside a space vessel, and is built in the fashion of upper class society. You cannot hear any noise of a spaceship beyond the sound of your own breathing and the sickly sound of the xeno breathing.the room is arranged like a dining room, the long table and papers seem to indicate a business of some sort was being conducted here, the lighting and the walls (in places where blood has not stained them) are very high end, the chairs luxurious and the floor just lightly carpeted in a soft woolly material.
For future rolling, please instead of subtracting from the dice roll just add the number to your ability score

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill eyes the leg sorrowfully for a moment before tossing it aside with a grimace of distaste. Not time for something as poor as this. This kill's old, at least a few days since it was fresh. Quill turns his gaze back to the priest. "Im a friend to those as can pay, little priest. Can you?" He rises from his chair, looming over the table. "Else there's little call to keep this up. Conversation is such hungry work after all."

Quill begins stalking around the room kicking over a few corpses in his search for his missing equipment. If the little man thought himself quick enough to draw his pistol, Quill wouldn't be found empty handed. Still he needed to make himself scarce. The Imperium wouldn't take kindly to a Xenos such as he being found amid so many slaughtered prey.

[juke_box]

Joel quickly thumbs through the papers on the table, skimming over them to see if they reveal anything about how and why he had awoken in this room. After finishing reading, Joel looks over the bodies. Does their clothes--at least of the clothed--match the elegant surroundings? Joel kneels, gently closing their eyelids and whispering the last rites, "May the Emperor judge you for your acts, be they crimes or saintly deeds." As he preforms the rites, sprinkling holy incense on their bodies, Joel searches their pockets, looking for anything to identify the bodies.

He runs his finger along the jagged cuts. "Do you know what blade would do such damage, creature?" Joel demands of the xeno, eyeing its claws, "Or perhaps what monster?"

Joel continues, "This is a luxurious ship for such slaughter. I free foul acts may be at work here. I do not remember arriving on this ship. Why are you on this ship?"



Literacy test [roll0] vs. 41 to read the papers. Do I need to roll for this? That depends on how technical or blood stained they are.

Common Lore Imperial Creed [roll1] vs 51 (41+10) to perform last rites on the dead.

[thebothan]

Joel: As you look over the papers, you find one that stands out to you; the others are written in a scrawled hasty hand but this one is written with series of blocky characters, at the bottom you see your own signature, besides another scrawl that you do not recognize. You are sure you have never seen this document before, but the signature is undoubtedly yours or an exceptional forgery.
The dead, are indeed as exceptionally fancy as the room they are found in; each body you aid the souls passing into the Emperor's light is exceptionally beautiful, and often have gems and jewelry on their person (though stained by blood), none of them have any identification however.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill paces uncomfortably while the human priest bumbles through his ceremonies. They recall distant and hazy memories from his past, memories of the war-sphere he had been born on. There, the fallen had always been honored and, if they were worthy, later devoured by the kindred.
However, at the priest's words, Quill halts his pace and rests easily in the posture of his people. One leg planted firmly and the other half raised in the air, he considers the little priest. Quill tilts his head. "This isn't my work, Morsel, and I don't know who's it is. I rarely leave so many leftovers, but not everyone is as thoughtful." Quill toys with an abandoned jewel-studded necklace. "Whoever it was, they weren't very thorough."

[juke_box]

Joel studies the paper he appeared to sign. What is the meaning of this? What devious powers were at work that he signed this contract of types without remembering? Joel slips the papers into his knapsack.

Joel gives the creature a disgusted look. How barbaric, to eat your dead! But it hadn't done anything overtly threatening and as long as it remained unarmed Joel was confident he could kill it.

"They've been dead for the several days. I fear for the remainder of the crew," Joel says. "If they were in on this heinous act I doubt we would still be alive."

While Joel knew better than to trust any xeno, the Emperor worked in mysterious ways. The Emperor required that he persevere in his holy mission, he thought. Such casual slaughter boded ill for his own survival and this creature could be of use.

Here goes nothing, Joel thought. "I am Joel Downes, missionary of the Imperium and bringing of the Emperor's light to dark place. What is your name, Xeno?"

[thebothan]

In case you want to double check the document later, I will be emailing you it's content once I find out how to do that..

[UncleScrewtape]

"You might call me Quill, priest of the dead god. It'll save you some trouble." He drops to a crouch and presses his ear against the door, listening for any sign of movement in the passage beyond. Pleasantries aside, I'll not stay here much longer. Someone's stolen from me, scarred me, and stuck me in a room with a priest. My patience wears thin. Come along if you like, little man. I'm sure you're no happier than I about all this." If he hears nothing, Quill eases the door open, drops the bauble he'd been toying with, and slips through with predatory grace.

Perception from OOC thread: 20 vs. 47

[thebothan]

Quill: As you listen at the door, you cannot hear any sound to indicate another behind it. Easing the door open, you slip through the door without so much as a whisper and find yourself in an elegant hallway made entirely out of fine wood paneling, the smooth surface is played across by a number of blood trails, and at the end of the hallway another body wearing a billowing gown lies crumpled in a pool of blood. The hallway is lined with glow-globes which project a hint of smooth yellow-red light along the halls, as if a sun were rising behind you. There are 4 doorways in this space, one of either side of the hallway (the first being on the left about 1/3rd of the way down the hallway, the second on the right side at the 2/3rds mark), one 1/2 way down the hallway a door is located on the floor, and the final is at the end of the hall on the left side next to the body. There is also a large blood splatter on the wall at the end of the hallway, with a large smear leading to the fallen body. Each doorway closed and the doors are finely made, of polished wood with a smart antler bone handle below a large keyhole.
I made a move silently check for you in the OOC thread

[juke_box]

"Quill, I am Joel, missionary of Lucien's Breath," Joel peeks out into the hallway, following Quill, "I concur--foul powers are at work here--and I have little interest in sitting around waiting for them"

Joel follows Quill into the hallway, drawing his pistol at the sight of another body. "Emperor protect us." he murmurs, pausing to check the fallen figure.

Joel whispers to Quill, "Which door should we choose?"



Silent Move [roll0] vs 20

Medicae [roll1] vs 41

[thebothan]

Joel:As you pass down the hallways, your voice carries much farther than intended, you nearly trip over your robes in your haste to check the body at the end of the hallway, the body is surprisingly heavy. Turning it over, you find yourself face to face with a woman, her face a dull brown color, touched by the strong light of the sun, her face is tattooed with a series of dots and patterns, and covered in blood. Wiping back the blood and her jet black hair you see that carved into her forehead is a high gothic verse, similar to those you would find carved into the bones of saints or treasured gear or artifacts, it reads "Neither Challenge, Nor Sport". The body has been shot by a bullet of some sort, and also has a number of marks across her arms and legs. But the exact cause of death is unknown to you.

As you look up from the body, a shuffling and then a sharp metallic clanging sound can be heard from the door to your left.

Quill: Joel moves down the hall away from you to the body, carelessly making noise, but perhaps the priest will lure your quarry from hiding. After turning it over, Joel looks back to you, as he does you hear a faint metallic clang coming from the door to his left. It would seem the priest has indeed got something's attention.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill hisses in anger at The noisome priest's comments. "It seems one's already chosen us." he growls flattening himself against the wall beside the door. It would be foolish to try to hide in the open hallway, but even a moment of distraction would be of use. "Prattle aloud if you must, but do so with your weapons out."
Concealment: [roll0] vs 61, not trying to hide, just attempting to escape whatever comes through that door's notice for a moment

[thebothan]

Quill: As you edge towards the door, another sound hits your ears, a dull thud, followed by a rustling sound, like the wind blowing through the grasses on a fine hunting day. the thudding sound continues lightly for another second, then dissipates. The door handle remains still, yet your muscles remained tensed. Now that you are near the doorway, you too can see the body of the woman, as well as the inscription on her forehead, though the characters are foreign and strange to you.

[juke_box]

Joel grimaces at the sounds. Joining Quill next to the door, he also flattens himself against the wall, pistol drawn and at the ready. Whispering to Quill, he asks, "Are you still unarmed? Those bodies have bullet wounds so I fear we may be outmatched..."

Joel examines the wall and door closely for any way to secretly look into the room.



Awareness [roll0] vs 16 to detect movement in the room toward the door.

Search [roll1] vs 16 to find a way to see into the room. Any air vents or keyholes one could peek through?

To clarify exact location (i'm doing this OOC to not ruin the dramatic tension) I believe we both should stand where the door will hide us when opened (on the hinge side), assuming that it is a swinging door.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill bares his jagged beak in answer to the priests question. A kroot was never unarmed. When the sounds behind the door cease, he slowly crouches to the point where his eye is level with the large keyhole above the bone handle.He peeks through trying to catch a glimpse of whatever had made such unusual sounds.
Not sure if a perception test is needed, so here's one if necessary: [roll0] vs 47

[thebothan]

Quill: The keyhole is large enough to look through, and through it you can see a large room, you can see a tent covered bed, large chest of drawers, and an array of luggage scattered around the bed. Also, on the floor you can see a large metallic vent, and some scattered torn papers. You can detect neither movement, nor sound from the room.

Joel: Your eyes detect no vents, or other means of spying on the wooden paneling around the door, it also looks to be an inward opening door, given how the hinges are placed. At this distance you can also see that the door has a engraving on the door, at about standing eye level that reads "Luxury Quarters" underneath this a small bracket reads a name: "Her Lordship Eliksaa, esteemed passenger". This bracket looks removable, and interchangeable with another bracket piece, something you often find aboard ships whose passengers are changed often.

[juke_box]

"Quill, what do you see?" Joel whispers urgently, "Should we enter?"

Joel ponders the name Eliksaa. Does it sound familiar? The nobility had never been something a missionary paid much attention to but anyone who could rent a room like this on a starship must have been incredibly important.



Common Lore Imperium [roll0] vs. 51 to recall the name Eliksaa.

[thebothan]

Joel: The name sounds familiar, with a similar structure as the names sometimes given to the wandering nomads of the so called 'feral' peoples that you visited and lead through your crusades. For some reason, you feel you may have meet this person, but no face comes back from the name. The title alone though tells you she is almost certainly nobility, let alone the fact she is a passenger aboard a space faring vessel.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill rises from his crouch. "Whatever it was, its fled for now." He twists the knob tentatively and enters if it swings open. He pauses before entering to scratch the word VENT into the wood paneling, holding a talon before his beak in a silent mockery of human secrecy. Once inside, he begins to search the room, starting with the torn papers and working his way around the wall and towards the vent.

Shhhhhhhh :smallwink:
Perception: [roll0] vs 47 (24 for search)
(if relavent) Speak Language (Low Gothic, Kroot, Tau): [roll1] vs 42

[juke_box]

Joel carefully proceeds into the room, his heart jumping. He was a missionary, Emperor's sake. This sneaking and hiding was a solider's job. As Quill begins searching the room, Joel works his way along the other wall, searching the luggage and dressers for clues to mysterious sounds and deaths. Glancing up, he sees Quill has found a vent.

"Have you found anything, Quill?" he whispers.



Silent Move [roll0] vs. 20

Search [roll1] vs 16

[thebothan]

Quill: Rifling through the papers, most appear to be poorly written letters professing human love. There is also a letter of introduction, informing the Lordess of the fact that the Incurred Interest lies at her disposal, and that the ship will be more than happy to carry her to any and all of her destinations. It also wishes her the best of luck establishing her families newfound dominance in the Outer Fringes. It also mentions a gift has been prepared by the crew to make her feel more at home. It appears she would have been on the ship for about 3 days. The walls are embossed and gilded with images of ships and nobility, parties and wealth. The vent is made of simple steel and unpainted on the inner edges, the outside is coated in a faux wood in order to conform to the wood covering around the room. it appears to have been popped out from it's normal setting, though you can't tell how. The inside bears a number of deep grooves on the inside, and the outer wood paneling is also cracked.

Joel: Most of the luggage and the dresser is filled with exotic clothes and baubles made of bone, feather and precious stones. Nothing of any real interest, unless you were a pickpocket, most of this is very expensive and well made. All the luggage is made from thick, strong leather and has clasps made of absolute pure gold, finely embossed and engraved with images of a large animal of some sort. You also find the love letters signed by a Leighton Travers. The letter of introduction is signed Petty Trader Curin Tenebrionis.

[juke_box]

Joel creases his brow in thought. So they were on board the ship Incurred Interest, headed to the Outer Fringes with a Lordship by the name of Eliksaa! Perhaps they boarded the ship at the same time as her Lordship...

Adding the letter to his knapsack, Joel ponders the beautiful baubles. They looked valuable. Sighing, Joel decides the Emperor will forgive him, as a missionary is always poorly funded this far out in the fringes and slips the baubles into his knapsack as well. No use in letting money go to waste, Palnus used to say, because you always regret it next time you have to go hungry.



Common Lore Imperium [roll0] vs 51 to recall the history of the ship Incurred Interest and its owners

Common Lore Imperium [roll1] vs 51 to recognize the name Leighton Travers or Petty Trader Curin Tenebrionis.

[thebothan]

Joel: As you fill your knapsack with baubles and things from the room, you reflect on the names. Though the name of Leighton Travers means nothing, the Petty Trader's name does have significance in your travels. That name is widely regarded as a truly scum stained name, with a similarly stained warrant of trade. Though his warrant is for a tiny subsector in the imperial space, Tenebrionis has managed to become a known name in shuttling the rich and powerful around the sector, but usually only those who have no other means of transport. While he does this, he buys large quantities of goods (in a slightly illegal fashion), and brings them back into his sector to sell at an enormous profit. This Lordship must be one of those nobles who needs a transport.

[UncleScrewtape]

"Foolishness and human sex... but there is this." Quill hands Joel the introductory letter. "I wonder if the 'gift' turned out to be more than they could handle." He stalks across to the luggage and examines the beastial engravings, tossing a few more of the baubles to Joel on his way. "Gives me a reason to stick close"

Forbidden Lore (Xenos): [roll0] vs 42

[juke_box]

"It looks as if we boarded this ship three days ago, along with her Lordship Eliksaa. Petty Trader Curin Tenebrionis, the owner of the ship, is a piece of scum but the hold of this ship could be filled with riches. If Eliksaa is alive still it is our duty to see her and this ship to safety" Joel rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I do not know why or how we are alive. I fear for the remainder of the crew. The Emperor cannot protect them all. We must act."

Joel looks Quill up and down. "I do not know you, xeno, nor claim to understand you. However, the will of the Emperor brought us together for a purpose yet unknown. Why else is this happening?"

[thebothan]

Quill:The engravings are not of an actual xeno species, but rather some odd mash up of 3 or 4 top predators, and a few herd beasts. As far as your memories can vouch it does not exist in nature.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill traces the outline of the bizarre beast with a talon, pausing for a moment to consider his position. He had no doubt that he could over power the priest even without his weapons, but he had no way of getting off the ship without its help. Any others he stumbled upon in such a situation would likely attack him on sight. Perhaps cooperation would be the best course of action, at least for the moment. "Riches, little man? I can see the wisdom in your words. But without my tools, I'll be hard pressed to run this creature down, especially if its hiding in the vents. Set your god aside and help me find my gear, and I'll find your Eliksaa breathing or not... and whatever else lurks in the bowels of this ship."

[juke_box]

"I care little for the nobles and their disgusting mimicries of worship," Joel spits on the floor. "They waste the favor the Emperor has shown them with their debaucheries." Joel paces across the floor, pondering their situation. "I distrust the owner of this ship. He cares little for the laws of the Imperium. I would not put this slaughter past him--or a creature of his."

"I suggest we search other rooms in this hallway. Until we find your gear, I have a lasgun you can borrow. Do you know how to operate it?"

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill's eyes flicker between the tiny lasgun and his sizable talons, and the kroot lets out a throaty chuckle. "Kind, priest, but misguided. Yet I share in your distaste for this vessel, albeit for another cause. " He turns towards the door, then remembering Joel's clumsy attempts at stealth in the hallway, he pauses. "This time, morsel, you ought to wait. Guard the vent while I look ahead." Leaving it at that Quill slips back into the hallway. He stalks past each of the doors listening and peering into each of them in turn.

Silent Move: [roll0] vs 61
Awareness: [roll1] vs 47
Scrutiny: [roll2] vs 24

[juke_box]

As the xeno leaves the room, Joel wonders if he should trust it. Quill claimed to have awoken at the same time as himself but what if that was a lie? Joel shuddered at the thought that those claws could easily have caused wounds on the bodies. But if Quill wanted him dead he could have easily done it when Joel was asleep. Why wait? Unless he had other plans--such as leaving Joel to die in this room...

Keeping a constant vigilance, Joel studies the baubles, rolling them over in his hand. What villain would kill the owner but leave the valuables?



Evaluate [roll0] vs 20 for the baubles

Search [roll1] vs 16 for the room, particularly under the bed, along the ceiling and in the closet.

[thebothan]

Quill: As you emerge from the left side room, you stalk the hallway, nothing has changed since you last exited. Looking into the doors you see that the original interior of wooden panels continues. The rooms are as follows:
Second Door on Right Side: This room has 3 much smaller beds than the other room, on them are sprawled 5 or 6 corpses intertangled, both male and female. The room has a great deal of blood in it, but far less furniture.
Door in the Floor: This door proves quite difficult to open, but you barely manage to open the door, as you do the full stale stench of a spaceship's air supply hits you, seems the rooms you were in had a separate air filter system than the rest of the ship. These hallways are nicely decorated, but go in the wrong direction (it is a straight shot down from here). The walls in this adjacent hall appear to be simple painted shipmetal, pipes and wires cover the ceiling. There is a door on the far side.
First Door on Right Side: Moving to the first door, this one opens as easily as the first, and like the first has the familiar scent of blood. There are 10 more beds in this room arranged in a ring formation, though these ones are empty. You cannot see into the middle of the ring. Additionally, You find a small closet, just inside the room, but it appears to be locked, given the large padlock placed on it.

Joel: Though they are expensive, the value of these baubles escapes you, beyond their beauty you have no clue what these could possibly be, they look to be made of bone, feather and stone, not materials known for their values, or any other real quality. Perhaps they serve some cultural purpose (though it is slightly disconcerting to see that some of the baubles use human bone and hair in their construction). Looking about the room, nothing of any interest catches your eye, it appears you were most thorough the first time over when you searched this room. As for what kind of killer would leave valuables, it was either a killer interrupted, or something which had no need for such things. You recall the many horror stories of the things that appeared on ships as they pass through the warp, or in the dead reaches of space, and shudder inwardly; there is for sure one xeno on this ship, Throne knows how many more could be here. As you think this a foul stench hits your nostrils, stale and old, with a metallic musty undertone, the smell of the void.

[juke_box]

Joel scrunches up his nose at the smell. The musty, stale smell of warp vessels he knew well but such a sharp change boded ill. Could the thing be coming back, through the vent? Joel readies himself, aiming at the vent cover.



Awareness (Smell) [roll0] vs. 16 to detect location of smell (i.e. vent in this room or door in hallway)

Awareness [roll1] vs. 16

Full action aim at vent cover. How far from it am I in meters?

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill, after briefly examining each of the rooms, enters the second door on the right. He prowls between the corpses, examining their bodies and searching for any sign of his gear. On a whim, he takes a nibble of one of the corpses haunches... perhaps these were a little more fresh.
Scrutiny:[roll0] vs 24
Awareness: [roll1] vs 47

[thebothan]

Quill: These bodies are just as old as the original ones seems they died at about the same time, and to similar causes. You see no traces of your gear in this room.

Joel: Your eyes never stray from the vent, but nothing appears to be coming from inside it, the smell simply remains in the air, hanging and foul.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill's tongue curls in disgust at its second exposure to stale meat in as many hours. Seeing no sign of his gear, he skulks back across the hall and enters the room with the circle. He glances across the whatever lay in the middle, but his eyes are irresistibly drawn to the locked closet. Flexing his talons, he wraps them around the handle and gives the door a wrench. If someone else on this Imperial ship wanted it locked, Quill reasoned, he wanted it opened as soon as possible.
Strength: [roll0] vs 41 (82 if successful)

[thebothan]

Quill: In the ring formed by the beds you can see a crude circle scratched into the wooden floorboards, and bits of sand and sawdust scattered on the inside. Laying in the ring are 3 dead bodies of a 4 legged creature, some partially eaten, others simply ripped apart.

You do manage to rip the lock from the closet door, though as you do a low voltage electrical shock passes through the lock.

Take [roll0] wounds, not soaked by toughness/armor

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill cautiously pries open the cupboard, cautioned by the unexpected pain of the trap. He greedily peers inside hoping for something to soften the sting it had cost him.

[thebothan]

Inside the closet you do find your Leather armor, and a mono-knife (though it isn't the one you originaly came aboard with), there is also 3 empty injectors and a empty bottle in the closet.

Additionally, the closet contains 3 sets of slightly stained blue robes, and about 5 femur bones of varying sizes.

[juke_box]

Joel continues to patiently watch the vent, the tension growing every minute. Did it move? No, no...just a shadow. Were was Quill? Had he been betrayed?



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

[thebothan]

Joel: You hear no sounds from around you, though you do notice that the vent cover on the floor has three deep cuts in the corners, looks like someone/something may have crawled through.

[juke_box]

Whatever had entered the vent--or left it--was long gone, Joel decides. Carefully opening the ornate wooden door, praying to the Emperor it was kept well oiled and would not creak, Joel looks both ways down the hallway before stealthily making his way down the hallway to join Quill. The absolute silence rattled Joel: no space ship should ever be this quiet. This ship has become a tomb, thought Joel, before banishing the thought from his head. This ship would not become his tomb as well.



Silent Move [roll0] vs 20

[thebothan]

Joel: You skirt down the hallway with only a few slip ups, the door doesn't creak but the sound of your footfalls isn't muffled by the hardwood floors. You find Quill standing beside the entrance of the second door on the right, a ripped closet door at his feet, he appears to be examining the contents of a closet with interest.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill absentmindedly cracks one of the femurs between his jaws, considering the situation. Why had his armor been locked away? Why weren't his weapons there? As he dons his leather armor, he examines the cloak. Would it fit a kroot of his stature? It would be advantageous to be able to conceal his blade from any suspicious eyes.

[juke_box]

"I see you found your armor, xeno" Joel remarks, "Whatever entered the vent has not shown itself. Did you find anything else to explain our situation?"

Pondering their options, Joel finds himself stumped. The ship was too large to search. However, knowing Tenebrionis, the hold or the bridge would be their best options. "Shall we continue our search of the ship?"

[thebothan]

Quill: The robes are built for the weakling human body structure, but you could probably tie the sleeves around your neck and wear it, especially if you were to cut it down the middle with the blade it could certainly serve as a cloak. The femur bone is dry and brittle, it probably has been at least 10 years after the owner's death. The bones origins however, you cannot pin down.. but it does taste familiar.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill spits some bone fragments onto the floor of the room and tosses the cloak back into the closet. He steps aside and gestures for Joel to follow him into the room. "Found a few more of your dead in their beds next store, and my leathers locked in this closet. The other door leads straight down, and the air smells sour down there." Quill lithely vaults over one of the beds and crouches down beside of the slaughtered beasts. "It looks like whatever's out there needs to eat like anything else..." He prods it with the splintered femur. What do you make of this, priest?

Forbidden Lore (Xenos): [roll0] vs 42

[thebothan]

Quill: The beasts look to be Presyian marl beasts, a popular breed of space predators, they are often used by men of lower class who want to impose some respect for their persons in others.

[juke_box]

"These creatures are trifles covetous men use to buy success that the Emperor has not granted them," Joel replies, "This circle scratched on the floor is more foreboding."



Forbidden Lore Hersey 1d100 vs 36

[thebothan]

Joel: The circle could in fact be a portal to darker things, however, there is no clear indication of this, the interior is too disrupted and no lines are clearly drawn, the sawdust is haphazardly scattered, and some of it has absorbed blood, when you move the sawdust there are no definitive scratches in the floor, at least none that make any pattern.

[UncleScrewtape]

"Some tri'les" Quill mutters, tracing the wounds of the marl beasts with a talon. "Come, I sicken of scratches and stale meat. Let's continue our search." Quill, knife shoved into his armor, heads back into the hallway. He crouches by the hatch in the floor and begins to lower himself down before pausing, as if caught by an unexpected thought. "I wonder... Will you make it down, priest?"

[juke_box]

Joel follows Quill into the hallway. Glancing down the shaft in the floor, he notes that that climbing down the objects on the wall would present a potential, if slightly risky, route down. "I will be fine, xeno. After you."

[UncleScrewtape]

"Good."Quill nods and begins slowly scaling the corridor, ready to catch himself in a moment if he should slip. As his head disappears once more, he again mockingly gestures for silence. For all they knew, whatever beast they were hunting could be waiting on on other side of the door.

Climb: [roll0] vs 26
Silent Move: [roll1] vs 61
Agility (in case Quill slip and needs to catch himself): [roll2] vs 51

[juke_box]

Joel gingerly follows Quill down the shaft, fuming at shipwrights who would design a ship like this. This is what happens on non-naval vessels, he decides--something that boded worryingly for the readiness of the crew for whatever creature was now loose in the halls. Murmuring a pray to the Emperor to guide his steps, he climbs down.




Climb [roll0] vs 16

Silent Move [roll1] vs 20

Awareness [roll2] vs 16

[thebothan]

Quill: You climb down the walls, occasionally scratching the paintings and woodwork of the walls. you make it about 1/3rd of the way down before you hear a scuffling and a yelping noise. The priest falls from behind you and barely do you have time to brace yourself before you are hit by the falling form. You barely manage to cling to the walls yourself as he hurtles past you.

Joel: Your footwear isn't adequate for climbing, let alone along a metal wall. At the second foothold you select you find yourself tumbling downwards. You scramble to find purchase on anything, but instead you hit a fleshy form as you roll over the climbing xeno. It does however slightly muffle your fall, as you fall flat on your back on the unforgiving steel doorframe.

[roll0] Impact damage to the body, (toughness bonus already accounted for in damage)

You both find yourselves at the bottom of the hallway.

[thebothan]

Joel: As you make contact with the wall the wind is knocked from your lungs, you find yourself reeling.
Next turn you may only make a 1/2 action

[juke_box]

Joel lands with a loud thump on the metal doorframe, grunting in pain as the wind is knocked out of him. As he sucks the air back into his lungs, he gasps "Thank you for halting my fall with your back, cough, cough"

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill barely stifles an angry caw as he and the priest slam against the steel door. At the Joel's received words, Quill whirls around and catches him by the throat. "Is the idea of silence really so hated by your kind that you feel the need to deprive others of it as well?!" He releases him and gets to his feet, trying the hatch beneath them. There was little point to attempting to hide their actions for the moment. Anything on the other side of the door would have had ample warning of their arrival.
Strength test (if necessary): [roll0] vs. 41 (82 if successful)

[juke_box]

Joel, wheezing as he sucks air back into his lungs, sarcastically retorts "Yeah, because falling that far was obviously goal..."

As Quill rips open the hatch Joel readies his sidearm, glancing furtively into the room below, suspecting the worst. Anything beyond that door knew they were coming--but did the potential hostiles know the Emperor himself would travel alongside Joel?



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

[thebothan]

The doorway pulls sideways at Quill's touch, as you watch it slide a gut wrenching force hits you, and you find yourself sliding down the wall until you reach the floor.

The doorway opens out onto a gantry-way now you are truly and obviously aboard a vessel, before you stretches a wide area, looks to be some kind of open space into which other rooms would be built. the walkway turns to the right out of your view almost immediately outside the door.

As the door opens a dead body wearing overalls slumps through the opening, it's arms missing from the torso, and the head a gaping wound. It quietly bleeds out onto the wooden floor. A muffled sound can be heard Hello...Is anyone.....there? I heard movement but.....trying.....There, Can you hear me?

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill drops into a crouch and draws his knife before cautiosly entering the room. If the body was still bleeding, it was far fresher than the others.

[roll]1d100[/100] vs 47 (27 via OOC)

[thebothan]

Quill: You can see that a few feet in front of you there is a handrail, beyond that is a open space, studded with doorways, but with a 10 m drop. On the left side there is only a short stretch of the handrail, before it stops and curves into the wall. On the right side the hallway stretches straight for as far as you can see. The sound seems to be emerging from behind you at this point.

[juke_box]

Joel follows Quill into the room, limping at the pain of forcing his bruised body into a quick gait. Upon hearing the sound of the voice, Joel whirls around, searching for the force, ever present of how exposed they were in their current position.



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

[thebothan]

Joel: You see no evidence of the voice, though it does come from behind you.

As you both stand outside the doorway, the voice speaks again Musta been a malfunction, I'm not hearing or picking up anything else Sir. Maybe it was a lower? You know how those guys are. Anyways we got better things to do than sit around these screens and watch for signs of life, we all know there's no one left, at least no one not like us. Lets just hope the captain shows up before the watch switches. *CLICK*

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill whips his head back and forth, searching behind him for the cause of the voice. He gestures Joel forward and slips behind him. He knew the value that these little men put on their priests. At the very least, it would buy him some time.

Scrutiny: [roll0] vs 29

[thebothan]

The only thing behind you in the doorway is the decapitated body lying on the floor.
Now that you have turned around you see the bodies arms are lying on the door frame itself, seems they were hammered into the doorway, and as the door slid open the body was torn apart.

A light pinging noise is audible from the hallway you are standing in, it rings 13 times then stops. It appears a new watch cycle has been activated, yet no doors open nor do you hear any bustle of men returning to their post or their beds.

[juke_box]

Joel slinks along the side of the hallway, aware of how vulnerable he was in the open passageway, gingerly stepping over yet another body. The brutality appalled him. Was there no one left alive on this ship? Who was "like us"?

The ringing of the watch changing startled Joel. Was the captain the voice mentioned coming here?



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

Forbidden Lore Heresy [roll1] vs 36 to investigate the cause of death of the armless body. Is nailing to doors a particularly heretical act?

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill, still behind Joel, cautiously follows him. It sounded as if there were other living humans nearby, and Quill was more than willing to let Joel take the lead in that department. Nonetheless, he grasps his knife firmly and remains alert. It wouldn't be unlike a human to turn on him if others of its kind appeared.

Awareness: [roll0] vs 47

[thebothan]

Joel: Suffice it to say that simply the act of killing a crew member is a crime in and of itself, but this method, though particularly brutal seems to have no alignment that stands out to you. Around you there is no sound of anyone approaching, in fact you can still hear the echoes of the watch change ringing through the hull of this vessel.

All:The walkway you stand on now continues to stretch out to your left (since you turned around) and the passageway you came from stretches in front of you.

Suddenly with a sparking sound the lights go out, then flick on, then are extinguished. You can still see, from a faint bluish light coming from around the bend about 20 meters to down the walkway. And the smell of recycled air fills your nostrils.

[juke_box]

Joel's nose twitches at the change in air quality. While stale, recycled air was common on poorly maintained ships--Joel assumed Petty Trader Curin Tenebrionis didn't maintain his ships--the sudden change was a foreboding sign. Was the air quality change and the lose of power indicating larger damage to the ship? Joel, having little interest in standing around waiting for the ship to crumble around them, picks up his pace, advancing down the hall toward the blue light, pistol at the ready.

Whispering to Quill, he says "Did you locate the source of the voices? I lost them in the racket of the watch change bells."



Silent Move [roll0] vs 20

Awareness [roll1] vs 16 to quickly look over the hallway and the source of the light.

[thebothan]

Joel: Rounding the corner, you see that the light is coming from a small glow globe placed in a small alcove shrine to the Emperor. There is a crumpled pile of robes lying before the alcove, taking up about 1/4th of the walkway before you. Further down the hallway there are 3 doors, and a way-post, which you know would show you directions to important parts of the ship if you get closer to it.

As you walk your footfalls echo off the walls of the ship seemingly the only sounds around you.

[roll0] vs 25 Awareness
[roll1] vs 30 move silently

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill curses before stealthily following Joel in the shadows."No, perhaps the some comm system is still running." he whispers as they approach the corner. There, Quill pauses as Joel stomps forward, eyeing the scene with caution.

Scrutiny: [roll0] vs. 29

[juke_box]

Joel approaches the shrine with a pragmatic combination of the required reverence and a combat honed readiness. "A truly disastrous day when the light of the Emperor shines so dimly," he whispers to Quill. "Stay away from the shrine. We need every ounce of protect the Emperor can spare and if you tarnish the shrine with your xeno filthiness we're utterly screwed."

Examining the discarded robes and alcove, Joel mutters a pray for the fallen follower. The Emperor would wish the shrine be put to good use and not be left to be defiled by whatever things had done this, so perhaps Joel bring a holy relic with?



Search [roll0] vs 16 to examine the robes and shrine. In particular, is the glowing globe removable and would it roll?

Scholastic Lore Imperial Creed [roll1] vs 41 to remember how to remove objects from shrine and how potentially sacrilegious that would be.

[thebothan]

Joel: The shrine before you is inside an alcove about the size of a man's head, a small statue of the Emperor sits inside, and the glowglobe sits next to it (the globe could in fact be removed, and with a good throw would indeed roll).In dire times such as these removing objects from shrines is admissible, though it could bring you before a grand tribunal to question your faith who would bring such charges against you on a nearly empty space craft?

As you turn over the robes, the prayer barely passes from your lips when you find this follower hasn't quite left yet. Suddenly from inside the hood a tiny hand shoots out grabbing onto your robes. You find yourself staring into a mass of at least 50 eyes, they all move about in a mass, searching your face for something. It parts the eyes to reveal a maw of needle like teeth from the center of its doughy face, Why has he forsaken us? It speaks with a voice much like the sound of air passing through a ripped filter bag, gasping and coughing as it does so.

I need a grapple roll on your part, here's mine:

[roll0] vs S (18)

[juke_box]

Joel flinches back from the clutching hand of the monster--a monster that once was a priest! Such blasphemy would not go unpunished! Joel declares, "The Emperor has not forsaken you just yet, foul being, for he has sent me to deliver you to his judgement. Pray that he forgives your sins, for I will not." With a pray to the Emperor to guide his bullets, Joel flicks his autopistol to automatic and pulls the trigger.



Forbidden Lore Test [roll0] vs 36 to notice any daemonic or other such evils related to the former priest thingy.

Ballistic Skill Test [roll1] vs 90 (30 BS + 10 for motion predictor + 20 full auto burst + 30 point blank range)

Note to GM: I'll calculate damage rolls on the OOC thread. Remember my gun is silenced!

[thebothan]

Joel: Your autopistol fires diligently, but your white knuckles have gripped the pistol for too long to keep the gun steady, even this close to this, this...thing. Your shots riddle the robes before you, and a bloody gout erupts from one of the bullet holes. The being howls in pain as it whirls around and scrambles away from you, it grasps at the railing with twisted arms, it's legs give out from under it though as it reaches the railing and it slips below the bar, disappearing from sight.

Though neither of you can see the form anymore, you can still hear its howling cries of pain from below the walkway.

Though I failed to keep to my feet, I did pass the climb test (36), I lumped them together for effect.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill rounds the corner as soon as he recovers from his surprise at the priest's exclamation just in time to witness his seeming attack upon a bundle of cloth. As the unearthly wailing vanishes into the depths of the ship, he clucks at the shrine and the priest standing before. "Was the cloak not holy enough already? Surely your shots could be better spent then punishing a dead man's laundry." Quill tilts his head in mocking mimicry of concern.

[juke_box]

"A unholy monster had consumed the former wearer of that cloak," Joel smartly replies as he reloads his pistol, slipping new bleeder rounds into the chamber, "If you hadn't been dawdling at the rear it might not have escaped to sound the alarm."

Picking up the globe, Joel examines it before holding it up to the way sign to illuminate the words. "I'm in little a mood to climb down after it. I suggest we look at the sign."

[UncleScrewtape]

"Heh, anything that didn't notice our sudden fall certainly wont take notice of some vocal rags. " He glances contemptuously at the shrine. This was all that awaited those foolish enough to pledge their lives to the dead. "Let's keep moving then." Quill moves forward, still hugging the walls of the tunnel and listening for any sounds of motion.

[thebothan]

All: You reach the waypost with no further interruption, thought the wailing cries continue, they fade away to silence by the time you reach the post.

Looking at the post reveals another body lying to the left of the post, this one wearing the garb of a simple deck-hand. There is caked blood around the body and flies buzzing around the corpse, it's been here a while. Written in blood, on the railing is a set of words in an elegant script, carefully written so that each letter is perfect, and no smearing or dripping occurred. the words: You Are But Carrion.

The waypost marks 4 places on it.

Back the way you came is labeled Passengers Quarters. To the left, up a ramp and out of sight is labeled Main Deck. To the right a large blast door is marked Voidsman Deck. Finally, an arrow points ahead, labeled Concerns, Comments and Questions.

[juke_box]

Joel traces his finger beneath the bloody words. Filled with dread, he reads them aloud, translating to low gothic, "You are but carrion..." Turning to Quill, Joel remarks, "Heretics always did have a love for the dramatic. I fear we will find nothing but death in the voidsman quarters. I suggest we try the main deck. If we can't find anyone alive at the very least we'll be closer to whatever hangers and shuttles this ship might have."

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill nods at the passage straight ahead. "You aren't the least curious about this path, priest?

[juke_box]

Joel scratches his chin before replying, "Honestly I'm quite confused by it. I've never known ship captain in the Imperium to bother themselves with their crew's concerns or questions. It seems so out of place I fear it is a joke of some sort--or perhaps a trap."

[UncleScrewtape]

"Snare or no, I'd rather trip it alert than let whatever's in there get behind us." Quill grins. Let's at least take a peak.

[juke_box]

Joel nods in agreement, "After you."



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

Silent Move [roll1] vs 20

[thebothan]

Walking down the path ahead of you, unsure of what to expect, the walkway turns to the left with a gentle curve. As you round the bend you see a quartermasters station at least 5 meters ahead of you, similar to the ones you have seen in hundreds of space ships. A small booth about large enough for a standing crewmember protrudes from the walls, and 3 security cameras sit above the booth at a variety of angles.

This one appears to have been locked down, as the booth that protrudes from the wall has the windows covered in metal plates. On the floor before the room is another body, this one torn into 5 bloody pieces which lie scattered around a large pool of the victim's blood.

It is clear to see the torso, legs and the arms each scattered about, but there is no head to speak of around this gruesome pile.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill tastes blood on the air as he stalks forward. At the sight of the slaughtered body he flattens himself agains the right side of the tunnel, eyeing the cameras. "Once again, we're still two steps behind." Quill stares at the scene, wondering whether they'd be able to slip by without being seen

Silent Move: [roll0] vs 61
Awareness: [roll1] vs 47
Scrutiny: [roll2] vs 29

[juke_box]

Joel crouches besides Quill. Sneaking past cameras was not his specialty and with his horrible luck today so far, with being kidnapped, drugged and falling down a hallway, Joel decides he will just follow Quill's lead on this one.



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

[thebothan]

All: Looking at the scene before you, a few facts jump to your attention.

The body here looks old, the blood has caked and dried on the floor and no pests or vermin of any sorts are disturbing the body.

The cameras are not moving, and their bases on the wall appear to have been jarred by something, they appear bent and battered. Also, there are no other security cameras in this hallway other than these 3.

The blast plates over the booth are in pristine condition and appear to be preforming their job admirably.

Also, the passageway continues down on both the left and right side, the left side leading to a small closed door with a large pressure wheel sealing it shut, and the right leads to a larger double door where the bulkhead has sealed down, a dull green glow emitting from a panel on the wall next to it.

Both passageways have trails of blood leading down them, originating from the pile of parts.


Your footsteps may also have attracted something's attention, I need a -10 Awareness test from everyone.
[roll0]

[juke_box]

Joel approaches the quartermaster box gingerly, looking for a way to access it. "Perhaps inside this station the camera recordings will be stored. We can finally solve this mysterious slaughter."



Scrutiny [roll0] vs 16 to find way into station as the crew was meant to.

Survival [roll1] vs 41 to find way to break into station, such as a weakened panel or poorly designed lock. (Is this skill appropriate? I read the section on using Survival in a man-made environment and its unclear).

[UncleScrewtape]

While Joel fiddles with the security booth, Quill crouches over the mess. It was seeming less and less likely that he'd find a palatable meal. "In any case, we can at least continue to follow the trail." He eyes Joel's efforts. "Any luck?"

awareness test: [roll0] vs 37 (47-10)

[juke_box]

"None at all," Joel replies. "Grow up as a mud covered scavenger on a mining world and you never learn a thing about all this tech stuff. For all I know I could just be engaging extra lock. Has your nose told us which hallway we should take?"

[UncleScrewtape]

"When its this old, blood is blood. And there's plenty to go around." Quill straightens up and tests his strength against the locked door. "Mines huh, so you're a tunnel rat as well then..."

Strength Test: [roll0] vs 41 (82 if successful)

[juke_box]

Chuckling, Joel replies, "Strip mines, xeno. Between all the mud and smoke from the smelters, it could've been a tunnel for how often you saw the sky."

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill sniffs once more. Yes, this human did have a faint reminder of the sour tang of metal. "Yes. Good thing you found the open air at last..." Quill's eyes rove the constricted corridor. "I'm not sure I like the look of these doors.

[juke_box]

"Because they're ominous or because you can't break through it?" Joel asks, before examining the green glowing panel and experimentally pushing a button. "Perhaps if we try the panel or the pressure wheel before brute force?"

[thebothan]

Joel: Upon pushing the screen, it flickers into a brighter green hue, the machine wakens, and awaits your inputs. The screen is simple enough, it requests a code 2 authorization code (something almost any on-deck overseer would have on them, only denied to conscript or balckmarked crew members) in order to continue, seems someone or something locked this door into place. Perhaps with a little digging you could find out why, shame your not more versed in the souls of machinery.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill hisses, standing with his back to Joel and eyeing the corridor from which they had come. "I worry, Priest, because we seem to be drifting through the icy void in an underpowered tin can, and pressure seems a weighty matter. What of the panel?"

[juke_box]

"We need either a code that I don't know nor know how to guess or an officer of the ship's swipe card," Joel replies. "Did you see any on the bodies we've passed so far?"



Common Lore Imperium [roll0] vs 51 to recall any four digit numbers particular to Petty Trader Curin Tenebrionis

Common Lore Imperium [roll1] vs 51 to recall any four digit numbers particular to Lordship Eliksaa

Scholastic Lore Creed [roll2] vs 51 to recall any religiously significant four digit numbers that an officer might use as easily memorable. Perhaps the Emperor's birthday or this sector's namesake saint's shrine's address?

[juke_box]

Did we pass any body high enough ranked to have an access card?

[thebothan]

Joel: Racing through your memory, you can recall thousands of different holidays, feasts and days of remembrance, but the odds that such a holy code system occurring on a vessel such as this seem low. Additionally, the name you learned of before has almost no bearing in your mind especially with 4 digit numbers, Noble travelers are not known for their cleverness or their skill at creating ciphers. The bodies you have passed had no real indication of rank on them, but each vessel seems to have its own idiosyncrasies to mark those with authority and those without.

[UncleScrewtape]

"Not that I saw, though there were a few bodies above we didn't eye too carefully. Not sure I relish scaling scaling that hallway again. you wont have any padding this time."

[juke_box]

Joel grimaces at the thought, replying "I think we've hit a dead end then if we don't want to open this pressure wheel."

[UncleScrewtape]

Kehl rests his claws on the wheel. "Your kind has a saying... 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained' yes? Then perhaps its time to test that out."

[thebothan]

All: With a grunt Quill exerts his inhuman strength on the pressure wheel. The wheel slowly turns a full revolution, creaking and squeaking as the ancient and well worn metal bars slide out from their lock-moors. With merely the application of Quill's weight the door slips inwards, and glides open. As the door opens a clicking raspy voice can be heard speaking from the unlight corridor behind the door. Passenger number 4795. Verbal Designation://Downes. Currently Entering Unauthorized Space//:Eagle.Delta.Epsilon Priority. Recommended Action://Cease and Desist. Return to Your Quarters:// Return to Your Quarters. MESSAGE REPEATS

Joel: Beyond the door is nothing but an inky blackness, and though you can make out the edges of the doorway, and some metallic grating on the floor below it, noting else of interest catches your eye.

Quill: You can see the first 3 meters of the doorway, it looks to be a narrow corridor, leading deeper into the vessel, on the walls there are storage bins of some sort, and wires and power couplings hang from the ceilings, dim red lights blink on and off maybe 15 m from the doorway

[juke_box]

Joel kneels, squinting into the darkness before gently rolling the glowglobe down the corridor. Pistol drawn and a pray to the Emperor on his lips, he slowly follows it, examining the storage bins as he advances.



Awareness [roll0] vs 16

Search [roll1] vs 16 to examine the bins

Stealth [roll2] vs 20

[thebothan]

Joel: The sphere of light rolls gently down the corridor over the grating, and settles down 9 meters down the hallway. As you walk past the dangling cables and tubes, you too notice the dimly blinking red light further down the corridor. The rasping voice repeats it's same message as before, but paying it no mind you open one of the storage bin, peering inside in the dark, you can see it has a few uniforms and overalls stuffed into it.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill lets out a breath he hadn't known that he was holding. The narrow confines of the corridor had been weighing on him more and more with every passing moment. He prowls forward after Joel rolls the ball down the hall, tasting the air and eyeing the boxes on either side.

Silent Move: [roll0] vs 61
Awareness: [roll1] vs 47

[juke_box]

Whispering to Quill, Joel says "Nothing but clothes in these boxes. It seems suspicious for such a heavy door for merely a storage closet." Joel approaches the red blinking light, cautiously threading his way through the dangling cables.

[thebothan]

Quill: Peering through the darkness, you can hear your own footsteps as your claws clink and scrabble against the grating, your weight sets some some of the grating and it groans as you move, apparently not used to your weight. In the gloom of the room you see a human form standing off to the right side of the corridor. It doesn't seem to notice you. As the priest walks foreword, it steps to intercept him.

Joel: As you step foreword, a shuffling form steps out in front of you, it grabs you by your shoulder, dead eyes look into yours, as the servos beneath it's tattooed skin bring a vice like grip to bear on you. It's lips do not move as the volume on the message emanating from a grill plate in it's throat repeats it's message: Passenger number 4795. Verbal Designation://Downes. Currently Entering Unauthorized Space//:Eagle.Delta.Epsilon Priority. Recommended Action://Cease and Desist. Return to Your Quarters:// Return to Your Quarters. MESSAGE REPEATS

[juke_box]

Joel jumps in surprise at the arm grabbing his shoulder. Swearing, Joel shakes the damaged servitor off his shoulder.

[UncleScrewtape]

Kehl hisses in disgust at the machine's lurching movements. He darts forward between the priest and the servitor, slicing at the figure's chest with his newfound knife.

WS: [roll0] vs 47
[roll]1d5+8 Pen 2, Rending

Edit: Biffed the damage roll, but I don't think it matters in this case.

[thebothan]

The figure you saw was the servitor, just to clarify, so you are in the same combat as the once-grappled priest and the (yet untouched) machineman.

Both: As Joel struggles free of the automaton's grip, the blades of Quill fail to find their mark in the circuitry and wires. With a small shift of its head the figure assesses the situation and the unblinking red eye of the man-machine turns a deeper shade, Passenger number 4795. Verbal Designation://Downes. Currently Entering Unauthorized Space//:Eagle.Delta.Epsilon Priority. Recommended Action://Cease and Desist. Return to Your Quarters:// Return to Your Quarters. THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING, FORCE AUTHROIZED, as the message leaves the machine, its left hand crackles with power and swings clumsily towards Joel.

missed the hit, so no damage rolls for me

[juke_box]

Joel ducks, narrowly avoiding the menacing looking crackling hand. Thank the Emperor he had got it off his shoulder before the zapping part came on, Joel thinks--and for rusty Machine Spirits! He wasn't in shape for any fighting after that fall...

"Today has just not been our day," Joel remarks to Quill, pulling the trigger on his pistol dramatically mid sentence, "But let's plan on living through it."



BS Test [roll0] vs 90 (30 BS + 10 for motion predictor + 20 full auto burst + 30 point blank range)

Note to GM: that +30 point blank range modifier depends on if I'm in melee or not.

[thebothan]

The retort of the pistol echoes around the chamber, the beings unmoving face is reduced to strings of meat and shreds of metal by the storm of fire that emanates from the barrel. The thing sputters and falls to the floor, blood and a black fluid spraying the wall and storage cabinet behind it. The last fragment of the message it was emanating winds down, and the room falls silent, save for the sound of static.

Then the static once again gives way to faint sound. Hah, were through. Told ya I could hack this receiver. *A scuffling sound can be heard, and someone clears their throat* a new voice can be heard faintly Hello? Hello? Is anyone there? The yet another voice speaks By the Throne! Save your breath, this frequency is used for servitor function. Something just killed a servitor, you wanna bet it ISN"T one of those crazies? the first voice again, annoyed Oh yeah? check the code the servitor just uploaded before it was, ah, re-appropriated. *Shuffling* I'll be blinded by His light, a passenger made it through that hell. Make your way to the General Quarters there friend, we will want to take a look at you there before we tell you anything more, for security you see. with a wet sucking sound the face of the servitor caves in and the line goes dead.

[UncleScrewtape]

Quill pauses at the voices, both from the priest and the collapsing servitor. The ship was becoming more crowded by the second. He needed to step carefully as he approached the others. He could be sure of his safety with the priest wounded as he was, but Quill can't help but pause at the possibility of a cabin full of armed and terrified human pups. "So far so good, priest. But what d'you make of your brothers on the other end of the wire?"

[juke_box]

"I'm confused myself, xeno. Its difficult to tell if 'friend' refers to us or some bloody thirsty murder," Joel strokes his chin, deep in thought. "However, this ship is crazy. Whoever is murdering the crew is something we're not equipped to kill and the men on the speaker appeared to have suspected some else to have destroyed the servitor. An enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say--particularly one who praises the Emperor's light!"

"I think I recall a sign pointing to voidsmen quarters, which these men directed us to. Do you believe you would be in danger? Not all humans react, ahem, patiently to xenos."

[UncleScrewtape]

"Pssht, they can try." Quill crunches the servitor's skull beneath a talon. "I wont wait 'til their guns are drawn before I show 'em what a hungry kroot can do. But I don't know where my kit's been stashed, and this seems like the trail to follow."

[thebothan]

Both: As you round the bend heading to the waypost sign, something appears out of your peripheral vision. Two figures drop from the ceiling on either side of you, each wearing synthskin suits studded with metal shavings, apparently from the ships interior. All 4 are armed, two with sharpened fan-blades, the others with ratty auto-guns, draped in chains and metal charms. Their faces are obscured by hoods, again perforated by the metallic shavings, but from the depths of the hood yellow light glows menacingly. One of the figures points towards the blast door labeled voidsmans quarters, and speaks in a soft voice. Lambs, know this; you walk on the sacred ground of the Shadows of Silver, and your ignorance is your protection in this palace of the great enemy. A great gift has been given to you, She who Casts the Shadow has asked for you visit her, in the aft quarters.

[juke_box]

Eyeing the numerous blades and spikes, Joel whispers to Quill, "I don't think we've got much of a choice in this."



Common Lore Imperium [roll0] vs 51 to recall significance of Shadows of Silver or She who Casts the Shadow.

Forbidden Lore Hersey [roll1] vs 41 to decide how heretical those spikes look

[thebothan]

The figure who had spoken before laughs, the voice seems decidedly female, There is always a choice, if you do not realize the honor you have been given, we will not force you to realize it. she inclines her head to the armaments carried by her companions These holy implements are not meant for you, only for those accursed figures who still haunt this vessel.