[DH2e] Icharus' Angels - IC

[Janwin]

Icharus' Angels

By bolter shell, flamer burst and melta blast, the mutant, the heretic and the traitor alike are cleansed of their sin of existence. So it has been for five millenia, so shall it be unto the end of time.
- Words of Devotion, Verses IV-V, Chapter X, Volume LII

OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?589369-Dark-Heresy-2E-Icharus-Angels-(OOC))

You've been at Convent Sanctorum, one of the two great Convents of the Adepta Sororitas, on Ophelia VII for over a year now. Your training has gone well, and although you may have had some bumps here and there along the way, you've managed to demonstrate an above average capability. You've been lectured and instructed by Battle Sisters in rigorous physical training and trials. You've been lectured and instructed by Sisters Dialogous in the Imperial Creed and about the vast history of the Adepta Sororitas and how to speak High Gothic. You've been instructed by Sisters Hospitaller in basic battlefield first aid. It has been a hard year, but a year filled with a taste of the vast knowledge still yet to be learned.

While the paths you have taken to reach this point differ, this particularly fateful day progresses the same for each of you.

You are each pulled out of class and told to report to the Superior Advance--a stern woman in charge of your particular class of Sororitas Acolytes. Very few novices or acolytes have ever been pulled out of their studies without a good reason, and those unfortunate individuals are generally found later that day undergoing some form of punishment or deep in penance prayers in the Emperor's shrine.

Uncertain of what you've done wrong and with the thoughts of what punishment you might receive on your mind, you obey the summons--what else can you possibly do?

As you walk into her office--a large room with a high, vaulted ceiling and sturdy furniture--she puts down the dataslate she was reading. A stern frown, as usual, sits on her face and her eyes seem as though they are peering through you to judge your very soul.

"A message has come in regarding you, Acolyte. From the Inquisition."

Your mind briefly goes to thoughts of your past. What could you have done wrong? Was that fight you had with a bully in the Schola Progenium a sign that you aren't worthy of becoming a Sister? Have they discovered something about your parents that you didn't know?

The Superior Advance then lifts the dataslate and hands it to you to read.





++++++++++++++++++ INCOMING TRANSMISSION
++++++++TRANSMITTED: Juno
+++++++++++RECEIVED: Ophelia VII
+++++++++++++++DATE: 2549002.M42
++++TELEPATHIC DUCT: Arcturius
++++++++++++++++REF: Inq/297046720258370641389/NH
+++++++++++++AUTHOR: Icharus Calwell
++++++++++++SUBJECT: Inquisitorial Attachments
++++++++++++THOUGHT: Death in service to the Emperor is its own reward. Life in failure to Him is its own condemnation.

The Ordo Hereticus requests notable individuals in the ranks of the Sororitas Acolytes for assignment under Inquisitor Icharus Calwell on the planet Juno within the Askellan Sector.

Individuals assigned will be tested in their training, faith, endurance and will receive additional training as the Inquisition deems necessary.

Send selected candidates to Inquisitorial Cruiser Flame of Terra currently in orbit around Ophelia VII.

>>ATTACHED PLANETARY DATA DOWNLOAD<<
>>PROCESSING<<
>>DOWNLOAD COMPLETE<<

++akh93hafa946619gad12khsafa9y31513a8ashklha34a9gs lnkbewtiudgahch38218dssh::





As the words slowly dawn in your mind, you look up to find that the Superior Advance has a small smile on her face--the same cold smile you've seen before with little joy or humor behind it. "You've been selected for a great honor, Acolyte. I'm sure you will serve the Inquisition well and learn much from them." The smile quickly fades as she takes the dataslate back from you. "You have your orders. Pack your belongings and report to landing pad 25-Alpha. Get to it!"

You hustle to your room--a small, cramped space barely large enough to fit a bed--and pack the few belongings you have. Most of them were provided to you by the Adepta Sororitas, and they have only deemed you worthy to receive what is absolutely necessary. Packing doesn't take long.

From there, you move on to the landing bay--an enormous area carved out of the fortress convent filled with landing pads to handle the constant in- and out-flow of Sisters. It's not hard to find landing pad 25-Alpha, and there you see a pure black Aquila Lander. You and 11 other sisters are loaded into the lander after your identity is confirmed by the crew, and the lander takes off for its short journey to the Flame of Terra. As the ship comes into view, you notice an oddity compared to any other Imperial vessel you've ever seen: the massive void ship is painted black with no livery or designations, and the lights that dot the exterior of other vessels in the Imperial fleet are completely missing.

The landing craft enters the voidship through a side bay and touches down. As the ramp lowers and you depart, you find a shuttle bay that is completely empty of any other craft. A scrawny man wearing some form of ship's uniform steps up and splits the group in two.

"You six, come with me." The words are directed to the player characters.

He leads you through a confusing labyrinth of hallways and corridors, and eventually you reach a door. He opens it to reveal a small boarding room capable of housing six. There are six small beds with lockers beside them and a small communal area. A side door presumably leads to the head and shower.

"Now that everyone is on board, we'll be departing shortly for Juno. Wait here until Inquisitor Calwell summons you."

With that, the man leaves and you are left to converse with your new companions and unpack your possessions from your travel bags. It's unlikely any of you have met except in passing within the giant fortress convent.

[Deadguy]

https://s4.aconvert.com/convert/p3r68-cdx67/cbte8-u21iy.jpg
Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Aerilaya held no hesitations once the man had given them directions. She unloaded her pack from her shoulders on one of the cots, seemingly chosen at random. Those familiar with strategic positioning would notice that while not the closest to the door, the one she chose had a direct route to the exit. She began to systematically unpack her clothing and equipment.

Once she had completed emptying the pack, it was folded and tucked neatly beneath the rack. Turning, she sat on the bed to test it's firmness. Not that it overly mattered. She was in no position to complain about a flat or lumpy bed. Looking around toward the other young women, she studied them intently for a moment. Her silent stare without introductions was a bit eerie or awkward, though her expression would have the others believe that she didn't feel or recognize it, even remotely.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Lentrax]

Jenora, having calmed down since her initial shock at having been requested to serve the Inquisition, settles her things into the locker next to the bed she chose for herself. She then turns to survey the other women in the room with her.

One of them unsettles her, though she can't place a finger on why.

But no matter. They were here to serve the Inquisition, and by their extension, the Emperor. Jenora, her faith in her God secure since her birth, found her faith kindled and forged by training with her fellow sisters.

So instead, she looks to her sisters, and nods.

Sisters. I am Jenora.

[RelentlessImp]

Jocasta stares at the dataslate with a sense of dread. That dread does not lessen as she reads the orders, but is supplemented by a growing sense of joy. A chance to serve the Emperor directly! Or, rather, indirectly, through service through His Most Holy Orders. She doesn't even wait for the Superior to finish their speech - she's already sprinting to her chambers to gather her things.

Thus it was that she stepped from the landing craft in her full feudal armor, with the more mundane robes of an acolyte draped over them, chainsword strapped to her back, hand flamer resting on her hip. She clanks along with the rest of them, and only removes her helmet once the lot of them are stowed away in the cabin, shaking her crimson hair out and running her fingers through it.

"Jocasta," she says by way of introducing herself, only a slight trace of a feudal worlder's accent remaining to her words. "I suppose this means the lot of us will be working together," she states as she begins to unbuckle her armor, stripping first from the robes before working buckles and straps. "Ugh, why does this one always stick..." she grumbled to herself, yanking on a particularly stubborn strap caught in its buckle.

Then she paused and looked up and around at the others. "I look forward to purging with the rest of you," she intoned formally, before going back to working at her armor.

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

After the initial dread had passed, and the nature of their calling had been revealed, Araleen had appreciated the irony of being summoned while in Sister Superior Heras' lecture on the inescapable nature of Duty. The smile had persisted all the way to her bunking, where she gathered her things. Heaving them to the landing bay, she found her bags were larger than those of her other sisters, being full of medical supplies in addition to armour and weapons.

Arriving on the Flame Of Terra, she attempted to remember the path to the shuttle bay, but quickly became lost in the vessel, the corridors all looking far more identical than the Convent she'd come from. The silence during the walk had made the ship a little more eerie than it needed to be, and Araleen stood back as some of her other sisters claimed their beds. Following suit, she picked the one closest to her and, stowing her things, she returned to face the group. Something about the room felt cold, but she put it down to unfamiliar surroundings.

A pleasure to serve with you, Jenora, Jocasta. I am Araleen, and I look forward to doing the Emperor's Will with you. With you all.

Seeing her associate struggling with her armour, the kind and caring nature in Araleen urged her on

Jocasta, do you require assistance with that?

[Pyros V'estian]

The interruption to Sister Afra'a lecture on the principles of spontaneous combustion was initially just an irritation to Hildegard, and she paid it little mind until her name was called out. Gathering her notes together and stuffing them into a folder, (it hurt her not to organise them, but you don't wait when called before the Sister Advance!) she practically ran for the Sister Advance's office, barely keeping appropriate levels of decorum in the process.

Initially in the meeting, she listened with a sense of dread, her brain whirring through possible reasons before she reached the crux of the message. Her brain taking off in a completely different direction, Hildegard is brought up short by the Sister Advance's closing comment and snaps to action.

Once in her room, it didn't take long to collect her scant things together, the longest part being whilst she tried to decide which of her many notes to take with her. Her things packed Hildegard heads for the landing pad, a small well of excitement building within her matched by a growing sense of worry.

The flight passes quickly in the lander, her eyes flicking over the other 11 sisters sitting around her, trying to pick up details as to their skills from their bearing and any other signs. She is then surprised when they are broken down again to a smaller group of 6 and again her mind shoots off to more possibilities. Settling on the precedent of small teams or sub-squads, Hildegard's brain relaxes and she picks up her speed closing back up to 'her squad'.

Once in their allocated dormitory, Hildegard hesitates before taking up one of the remaining beds, stowing her things securely, particularly her auto-quill. Listening as the others introduce themselves, she volunteers herself forward. "Hildegard. Sister, I think your buckle is attached about quarter of an inch to the right of where it should be. That leads to the lines of force running here and here, which is what is causing that one to jam. if you readjust your sequence of buckles, and you do that first, then the weight should sit here making this other buckle tougher to adjust, but overall a marked difference to the ease of donning your armour."

[Janwin]

As you make your introductions and settle in, a small rumble shakes the voidship. Those familiar with the operation of a voidship would recognize it as the engines coming online and the vessel starting to move.

A couple hours later, the now-familiar hum of the engines stops and a strange, increasing, almost whirring sound seems to reverberate through the steel of the walls, floor and ceiling. Then, everything goes silent.

Perhaps 30 minutes more go by before the intercom in your room comes to life. Ksssh! "Report to Inquisitor Calwell's suite." Ksssh!

The small datapanel beside the door flashes once and then displays a map of the ship which shows, vaguely, how to navigate from your current location to the Inquisitor's suite. It looks like you're three decks down and a bit aft from his suite adjacent to the bridge.

[RelentlessImp]

Jocasta managed to get her armor off, standing it on a stand she withdrew from her travel bags before the bed she claimed for herself. Left in a black bodyglove that served as protective undergarment to stop the armor rubbing her raw, she donned the robe once again over it and quickly combed fingers through her hair.

When the announcement came for them to report, she stared for a few moments at the map, head tilted to one side. "Shall we, sisters?" she asked before hurrying in the direction the map indicated.

[Deadguy]

https://s4.aconvert.com/convert/p3r68-cdx67/cbte8-u21iy.jpg
Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

As the ship went into the strange whirring sound, Aerilaya continued to sit on her cot. She hadn't spoken since arriving and now she seemed distracted by change in noise. She had not bothered to remove her flak armor and her weapons were laid out next to where she sat along with a large plasteel shield.

At the announcement to report, she stood and stowed her weapons in their holster and sheathe respectively. She placed the shield in her locker and secured it. Walking toward the door, she didn't make eye contact with any of the others but did say a single word. "Aerilaya." Whether it was her name or someone else's, she didn't bother to elaborate. Instead, she stood outside the door waiting for the others to follow.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png


Psyniscience (37) - [roll0]

[Janwin]

There seems to be a barrier around the vessel that the senses and gut instincts learned during your life on a daemon world can't seem to penetrate. It's a reasonable conclusion that it's a Gellar Field, and the ship has entered the Warp. The whirring was probably the ship's field spinning up.

[Lentrax]

Turning from her own set of armor that she had been checking over when the summons came in, Jenora began to head for the door.

Of course. Best to not make our Inquisitor wait on us.

[Pyros V'estian]

"Oh.. err yes very good, we had better go hadn't we."
At the door, Hildegard stops to study the map, comparing it against her knowledge of imperial ship layouts.
I haven't got navigate, so this more of a roll to see if Hildegard recognises the type of ship and what might be near it e.g. bridge/engines etc. I'm not sure which lore it might go against, but Hildegard has them all at the same level. Vs 43[roll0]

[Genth]

Zesa remains quiet as she unpacks, watching her sisters talk with a friendly, if slightly stiff look on her features, waiting it would seem for the moment to speak. When the summons comes, she smiles, straightening up and pulling a crease out from her bodyglove and robes. "Zesa, by the way. Sorry for being quiet, I do that sometimes" she says through a nervous smile as she follows the others.

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

Having properly stowed her equipment in the locker, Araleen followed the group out of the room, excitement and nerves all at once starting to build again

What do you think they are like? The Inquisitor? If they are running their own ship, they must be important. Do you think we'll meet the other 6 sisters again here?

The questions came forth with child-like curiosity, not waiting for an answer before asking the next.

[Janwin]

You're not sure what this ship is. If it's a standard Imperial pattern, it's not one you've been in before. From the outside, it's probably around the size of a light cruiser, though.

You're able to make your way to the Inquisitor's suite without much difficulty while following the map that was provided. As you make your way through the corridors and get closer and closer to his offices, the corridors get bigger and more opulent. Finally, you find yourselves in a wide corridor--wide enough to drive a Chimera, possibly even two, down. At the end of the hall is a large, reinforced blast door, around 100 meters away. In the other direction, the hall continues into the distance. Servitors and crew members move around the corridor, busily tending to the needs of the massive vessel.

You walk toward the massive blast door, and find a smaller door to the left about 10 meters in from it. This is the door the map leads you to.

It's a reinforced, steel door. The frame is in a gothic style, and the ornate decoration is inlaid with gold. A small datapad set into the wall next to the door says, simply, "Command Staff Quarters".

As you walk up to it, a smile chime dings, and the door opens under its own power.

Before you is an even more ornate and well-decorated hallway. A number of doors line each side of the hallway. You make your way to the one at the end of the hallway, which is open.

Inside, you see a nicely decorated office space. The walls are lined with shelves displaying books, trophies, awards, weapons and many things that probably are worth more than you are. To the right of the room is a seating area with some couches and chairs, all of which look quite comfortable. To the left is a large desk.

A tall man wearing an ornate breastplate and uniform bearing multiple decorations is seated behind the desk, and a man dressed in stormtrooper carapace is standing in front of it. They appear to have been engaged in a serious conversation judging by their faces and demeanor. As you walk in, the man behind the desk nods to the stormtrooper and states, "Very well. Look into it and report back to me with your findings. Take a squad."

The stormtrooper straightens and nods. "Sir." He then turns and walks past you to leave the room. As he looks each of you over, there's a scowl on his face which states, rather clearly, that he's not impressed.

The man behind the desk stands up and gestures for you to come in. "Welcome to the Flame of Terra, Acolytes. I am Inquisitor Icharus Calwell."

[Pyros V'estian]

Hildegard pauses a moment as she takes in the room and the person before her, but quickly remembering the lesson on etiquette given by Sisters Agape, Chiona and Irene of the Order of the Key she steps forward. Offering a deep curtsey she speaks. "Thank you my Lord Inquisitor, we are keen to serve the Emperor's will and as such how may we be of service?"

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

Walking through the halls, Araleen ceased her questioning, and began taking in the awe of the structure. Certainly her homeworld had had both monuments and amazing sights, but the beauty and majesty all around her was something else. As the final door opened, she suddenly realised she'd started humming "The Emperor Above All", and quickly ceased as she moved towards the desk, kneeling before the Inquisitor. Only after seeing Hildehard curtsey did she remember her own training. Silently cursing her misstep, she made the Aquila at her neck, and spoke

My Lord, I am unworthy to be in presence of such a great servant of the Most Holy Emperor

Her head remained pointed towards the floor, her eyes examining the exquisite flooring beneath.

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Despite the scarring across her eye, Aerilaya seemed to be able to see well enough. She had to step to the side several times as the group moved through the hall toward the Inquisitor's chambers. She stood silently as the man departed with his assignment. There was a small cant of her head as she watched the others react to the Inquisitor that sat before them. She mimicked the curtsy, but spoke much more plainly than the others when she addressed him."The Gellar Field has engaged. Are we en-route to Juno then, Sir?"


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Janwin]

At the statements, he raises a finger. "If I may? I am no Lord Inquisitor. Simply an Inquisitor." He pauses for a brief thought and then comments, "Though also a Lord, but that is unrelated and of lower importance than my status as an Inquisitor."

He glimpses over at Aerilaya as she makes her comment. "An observant one. You must be Aerilaya, then." He chuckles to himself. "I can't wait for Genevieve to meet you. I'm sure that will be an interesting day for me. And yes, we are en route to Juno."

He looks over each of you and then asks, "So, what have you learned thus far about the Ordo Hereticus?"

You can all do a Forbidden Lore: Inquisition check if you'd like. -20 if you don't have it. It's completely feasible that none of you have been taught anything about the Inquisition yet, or even run into the Inquisition yet to know of its existence. But who knows, maybe someone's heard something in passing.

[Lentrax]

Nothing, Inquisitor Calwell.

[Genth]

Zesa makes the sign of the Aquilla at the Inquisitor as she entered, snapping her hands behind her back to attention as she does so, and straightens her back. "Ignorance is Purity, Inquisitor. If I did know anything, I would not reveal it unless I had cause" she replies, her tone just a little wry and joking.

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

Araleen pulled herself up to an alert position, as if on the parade ground again. The pressure of the situation did a good job replicating the beating sun after hours of obedience training

I've yet to be instructed in this Ordo Hereticus you talk of, Inquisitor, it is not my place to question why.

[Pyros V'estian]

1d100 Int 43-20

Flushing a little at the rebuke, Hildegard racks her brain at the mention of the Ordo Hereticus"Inquisitor, sir, I feel that I may know something of what you speak. I came across it in a couple of the older texts whilst following a line of research for Sister Agnes, but the information was scant."



Edit:-Sorry tried to edit it as have done on other forums, to add description to the roll. Got a 19 initially, but obviously can't prove it now, so play as needed. Won't do that again.

[Janwin]

At each response, Inquisitor Calwell nods somewhat as though he expected that to be the case. To Zesa's joke, however, there is a small perk of his eyebrow and he comments, "I expect, however, that if asked directly by me, you would reveal anything and everything truthfully and fully."

He walks over to a small table against the wall near the desk and lifts the spherical cover, revealing a few glasses and a bottle filled with a brown liquid. He pours some of the liquid into one of the glasses, and takes a sip.

He then turns back to the group, glass in hand.

"I suppose your first lesson will be in regards to the organization which you now serve, then. Please, make yourselves comfortable. No need to kneel or stand at attention. When you need to do that, you will know, I assure you."

As those gathered find more comfortable standing positions, he begins the lesson.

"The Imperial Inquisition is tasked with protecting Mankind from all sorts of threats. There are three major orders in the Inquisition: Ordo Hereticus, Ordo Xenos and Ordo Malleus.

The Ordo Xenos is tasked with learning about the xenos threats of the universe and responding to them. The Ordo Malleus is tasked with protecting Mankind from the dangers of Chaos, including the creatures from the Warp made manifest.

While those two orders look outward and protect Mankind from external threats, the Ordo Hereticus looks inward. This makes us the most important order, by far. We investigate and eliminate threats from traitors, mutants, heretics, apostates and witches. The authority of the Ordo Hereticus knows no bounds, and we investigate every sphere of Imperial life, including the other Adepta. Mind you, while the Inquisition holds ultimate authority over any other Imperial organization and may demand assistance and expect to receive it, it is often wiser to not seek it and to operate secretively."

He smiles somewhat. "After all, if your presence is known, it is likely that the threats we seek will hide and slip by unnoticed. If your presence is not known, they will continue as they do normally until they make a fatal mistake and you end their miserable existence."

He takes another sip of his drink. "Now then, how do all of you and I fit into all of this, you may wonder. You, now, are all my Acolytes.
I place my trust and faith in your ability to do the tasks that I place before you, and in turn you do those tasks to the best of your ability. I also have a number of Throne Agents under my employ. The man you briefly met earlier is named Garrit, and he is one of them. You may assume that any order that he gives you comes directly from me, and is only superseded by my own word. Above me are the Lord Inquisitors. Above them is the Inquisitor Lord Terran, one of the High Lords of Terra. And above him is the God-Emperor himself. Thus, as you can see, in serving me you serve the Emperor as our authority is derived directly from Him." As he explains the ranks in the organization, his hand gets higher and higher as if to emphasize the point.

"Any questions so far?"

[Lentrax]

No, Inquisitor Calwell. We serve the God-Emperor. In whatever way we can. If serving you brings glories to the Golden Throne, I will serve gladly to bring those glories to Him.

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"So it was the Ordo Malleus that was present during my extraction debrief..." Aerilaya seemed to be confirming her own thoughts aloud. She rested comfortably in one of the chairs, caressing the upholstered arm like it could be a beloved pet.

She looked absently at the books and then the bottle of liquid Calwell had poured his drink from. Lost in her own world, yet the petting of the furniture hadn't ceased.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Pyros V'estian]

Recognising that questions like "When was the Ordo Malleus formed?" and "How big is the Inquisition?" although interesting are not relevant at this time, Hildegard manages to forcibly restrain herself from asking the many questions in her head. Instead she responds with an eager nod, curious to hear more.

[RelentlessImp]

Jocasta stood at ease, arms behind her back, and merely listened. She kept her mouth shut, eyes and ears open, and drank in the information. She let her eyes wander between those speaking, but had nothing herself to add.

[Janwin]

At the lack of questions, Inquisitor Calwell nods satisfiedly. "Good. The convent sent some intelligent ones."

He returns to his desk and presses a small button that is out of sight. A portion of the desk retracts revealing a dataslate, and he keys something into it. A quiet whirring sound emanates from the wall and then two panels retract revealing a screen. Displayed on the screen is a planet.


https://i.imgur.com/KsqnT9V.png

He smiles at the planet displayed on the screen; and the smile even carries perhaps some degree of fondness. "That is our destination: the planet Juno within the Askellon sector. Not a pleasant sector, particularly of late, and that's why we're being sent. Due to the unending Warp Storm--dubbed Pandaemonium by the locals--the sector tends to get cut off from the rest of the Imperium every now and again."

He frowns somewhat and continues, "As it currently stands, the storms look to be getting worse. So we're using this brief opportunity to make our way into the sector to make sure that the sector does not fall to heresy should the storms once again cut it off from the Imperium of Man. There have been rumors of apostate preachers declaring that the Emperor has turned His back and abandoned the Askellon sector and of psykers being turned mad by the baleful energies of the Warp Storm."

He gestures then to the display. "Juno is a hive world with a long history of war and scarred by the population. Its seas are toxic sludge, all native biomass has been consumed and there are numerous sprawling hive cities dotting the surface. Only a small number of these cities are occupied at any given time with the others abandoned due to countless invasions and assaults by external forces."

His finger then moves to point to one of the landmasses on the planet's surface. "Between the occupied cities which contain the planet's ruling classes and branches of the Adeptus Terra are the wastes. These wastes contain all manner of outcasts ranging from mutants to cults and even some xenos."

He turns again to you. "That's the geographic state of the planet."

He presses a button and the image displayed switches to the portrait of an individual.


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/2/2b/Praefectrix.png

"This is Praefectrix Charlotta Anastasia XX, the Sector Governor of the Askellon Sector. Juno is the capital of the sector, and she resides on the planet in the Pullucid Tower. This tower also contains the representatives of the offices of the Adeptus Terra. She has been seen less and less frequently of late and tends to hold closed courts only accessible to her closest ministers. It is unknown why or what sway these ministers may now hold over the Sec--"

As he is speaking, the same stormtrooper from before rushes into the room and quickly interrupts, "Sir! It's worse than we thought. They've risen in revolt. Three of my men are down and I barely made it back myself." You can now see that his carapace armor bears some new scorch marks and a small trickle of blood seeps down from his helmet.

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

Araleen takes in the information as it comes, dreading to think of what would cause a person to think of preaching against the Emperor. She felt her hands tighten, but relaxed them soon after. They simply didn't have the same conviction of faith her and her sisters had. The could be re-educated, enlightened into the Emperor and how He never gave challenges that could not be overcome.

The arrival of the Stormtrooper was of note, however. The blood was fresh, whoever or whatever caused this was nearby. She silently chastised herself for leaving her medical equipment in the bunk-room. Still, the quantity of blood made the injury look minor, she should at least offer to examine it. She made a cursory look over for any rank insignia in order to address the trooper correctly, then continued

Awareness roll to find a rank insignia

[roll0] vs 33 (Base 33) + whatever modifiers (I'm hoping some, since I'd presume Sisters are trained on the military ranks of other branches of His armies)

On success, I'd like to address the trooper by his rank. If I fail, I'll address him as "Stormtrooper"

Stormtrooper, you look injured, please allow me to examine it. You cannot fight our enemies if you are incapacitated.

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Aerilaya studied the display for a few moments, until interrupted by the stormtrooper's announcement. Her nails left slight marks in the soft leather of the chair arm as she clenched her hands and stood. "A revolt on the ship?"

She moved to check her weapons, frowning slightly at the realization that she had left her shield in the locker. At least she had kept her armor, glancing to the other women who had dressed down upon arrival. The chainsword and hand flamer were prepped, so she stood by to await the Calwell's response and subsequent orders.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Pyros V'estian]

Recognising the stormtrooper from before and using logic to estimate a working distance including fight time, Hildegard reaches for her sidearm. What if they are on the stormtrooper's tail?. Using her knowledge of the Tactica Imperialis and incorporating her slim knowledge of her sister's armaments and the unknown capabilities of the inquisitor, Hildegard assesses the room for defence. Keeping quiet to listen for more information, she moves to prepare for defence.
[roll0] Schol Lore (Tactica Imperialis) Int 43

[Lentrax]

Jenora takes in the abrupt appearance of the stormtrooper, and she becomes confused. Even more so after the comment by the odd woman. What? I don’t...

Her hand reaches for her blade.

Where are we needed?

[Janwin]

He's not wearing any rank insignia at all.

The man in armor grunts in response to the chirugeon, "Nothing more than a scratch."

As people reach for their weapons, the Inquisitor calmly raises a hand. "I can assure you all that we are quite safe up here.
This vessel has a number of modifications made to it which allow faster travel within. And yes, I suppose at this point it could be called a revolt."

He turns his attention back to the stormtrooper and with complete calm and coolness in his voice instructs him, "Garrit, instruct the bridge to expose subdecks 1 through 8 to the void."

This ship probably has around 40 decks.

The lowest decks (or dregs) of a voidship tend to be just like the lowest levels of a hive; populated by thousands of outcasts, wageserfs, and the poorest of the poor.

"I have men down there, sir."

"And their sacrifices in service to the Emperor will be noted. As will the sacrifices of those loyal souls lost. Sometimes to save the arm, you must cut off a finger. Pass along the order."

Garrit frowns somewhat but nods. "Yes, sir."

The stormtrooper then turns and departs, headed for the bridge.

Inquisitor Icharus Calwell takes a calm sip of his drink and turns back to the assembly of Acolytes and then continues, as though nothing had just happened, "Now then, where were we? Oh yes. The nobility of Juno."

[RelentlessImp]

Jocasta raises a brow, and looks as if she's about to comment on the casual murder of civilians. Then, with a slight shrug to herself, she glances back toward the way the stormtrooper went, then to the Inquisitor.

"Excuse me, Inquisitor, but how much of this information are you expecting us to remember? It seems a great deal of this could be simplified into the most salient parts."

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

"Sir, forgive my ignorance on Void Ship operation. Couldn't opening the vessel to the void while traveling through the Warp be detrimental to the Gellar Field and possibly attract daemons?" Aerilaya did not seem overly concerned with the thousands of people that Calwell had just sentenced to certain death, but rather the integrity of the ship itself continuing on mission.


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Lentrax]

With nothing to say herself, Jenora simply waits for the inquisitor to go on.

[Pyros V'estian]

Hildegard slides her pistol back into her holster and moves back to her original position. Her brain races to calculate the new data, whilst also fighting to control the exaltation at the destruction of mutants.

[Janwin]

"Excuse me, Inquisitor, but how much of this information are you expecting us to remember? It seems a great deal of this could be simplified into the most salient parts."

He smiles somewhat at Jocasta's question. "All of it or none of it, really. Though remembering as much as you can would be beneficial in your future duties. Geographical information as you are likely to need to range outside the bounds of the hives and planetary leadership as you'll likely need to interact with them. But very well, we can skip ahead."


"Sir, forgive my ignorance on Void Ship operation. Couldn't opening the vessel to the void while traveling through the Warp be detrimental to the Gellar Field and possibly attract daemons?"

He then turns his attention to Aerilaya. "A good, wise and cautious question. But no. The Gellar Field is projected -around- the ship. So there's a bit of leeway in regards to venting the air from parts of the vessel without causing danger to the ship."

He takes another sip of his drink and then drums his fingers against the glass. "Very well, skipping ahead. We're headed to the capital city on Juno, and your task once we are there is to investigate the reports of apostates and mad psykers. If or when you find any, interrogate them to discover any additional heresy and then purge them in the Emperor's name. We do not stop until we uncover and cleanse it all from the planet so that it might survive the next period cut off from the Emperor's light by the Pandaemonium. Any questions, acolytes?"

The question tacked on to the end seems to be a combination of a legit question and also a test to see what the sisters newly assigned to him might ask.

[Pyros V'estian]

"Sir, has anyone run the reports for patterns, such as location or date yet? Might it be possible to have a look at them? Also is it possible for me to research the world customs further? "

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

Araleen bowed, muttering a small prayer for the departed under her breath, praying for their guidance to their final end with Him, where all would face judgement. She disapproved of the Inquisitor's callousness in not pulling the switch himself, although he had made attempts to remove the cancer of disloyalty before resorting to such measures. Her own lack of knowledge regarding void ships was somewhat worrying, however, and she would need to find more time to study on them, potentially during the voyage.

Inquisitor, how long will we have to complete our mission before the Pandaemonium descends once more? Do we have any friendly assets we can coordinate with planetside?

[Janwin]

"Sir, has anyone run the reports for patterns, such as location or date yet? Might it be possible to have a look at them? Also is it possible for me to research the world customs further? "

The Inquisitor nods at the questions, apparently pleased by them. "There is some activity centralized around the capital hive and the surrounding wastelands, largely in the form of an occasional apostate preaching that the Emperor has turned His back on the sector. By the time local forces arrive, the preachers have disappeared into the crowd and moved elsewhere. One thing of note: there are reports that the preachers bear a tattoo of a sun upon the forehead."

He gestures to the display on the wall then. "Any information we have about the planet and its customs can be researched from your quarters via the data terminal."


Inquisitor, how long will we have to complete our mission before the Pandaemonium descends once more? Do we have any friendly assets we can coordinate with planetside?

He then turns his attention to the other sister. "The amount of time available is a complete mystery, to be honest. Warp storms are unpredictable to begin with, and this one in particular as it is so large. It could close down while we're in Warp, dooming us all to a failed Gellar Field and a horrific maddening death at the hands of unspeakable horrors. It could close down a few days after we arrive. It could close down years later. Or it might not close down at all. But that just makes it all the more interesting, doesn't it?" The grin on his face at this point is pretty unmistakable as that of a man who enjoys a challenge; in particular, a potentially lethal one.

"As far as friendly assets are concerned, the most reliable on the planet are likely to be the Ecclesiarchy, provided we can determine who remains loyal to the Emperor, and the small office of the Adeptus Arbites on planet. We have no other known Inquisitorial assets on planet. The PDF answer to the local nobility, and at this point they could be loyal or disloyal and we wouldn't know for certain. I recommend caution. The arrival of a group of the Adepta Sororitas may draw attention, so I would recommend having a cover story on why the Convent deployed you here."

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Aerilaya seemed content with the answers they had received. "Sir, you mentioned rogue psykers. Have there been reports of encounters recently, or just conjecture." The news of the Storms gave her a moment's pause. There was a slight trembling in her right hand at the Inquisitor's mention of unspeakable horrors.

She took a shuddering deep breath to calm herself. "I believe a cover regarding the search for an artifact of significance would serve our cause. It has the added benefit of likely increasing the activity of those we are hunting, in an effort to mirror our own search. It will allow the controlled leakage of information to determine true loyalties and give us a tactical advantage."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Lentrax]

Aye, that would do well to serve our needs. Jenora says in response to Aerilaya. Though we should probably have some details on our “artifact” so we make the search more plausible. She turns to the Inquisitor. Did anything of significance that has happened on this world that could conceivably be used for that end?

[Janwin]

"Sir, you mentioned rogue psykers. Have there been reports of encounters recently, or just conjecture."

"Simply conjecture at this point, due to reports of odd happenings on the planet. Seems most likely that psykers would be the cause, but none have been found as of yet. Similar to the preachers, they tend to disappear into the crowd before responding Arbites are able to arrive on scene. Then again, they're not exactly...subtle."

Did anything of significance that has happened on this world that could conceivably be used for that end?

He pauses at the question, considers for a moment, then walks over to his desk and keys a few buttons on the built-in dataslate.

"There are certainly options. If you wish to intrigue the nobility, you could tie it to them in some way--perhaps research has revealed that a relic of the Emperor traveled with the colony vessel that seeded the planet. The nobility of Juno regard themselves as superior to all others in the Sector, and claim that the ancient vessel which seeded Juno carried the finest of the fleet that populated the Askellon Sector. A tie back to the Emperor would likely be a joy to them to further solidify their claim.

Another viable option would be a relic of war from one of the myriad of planet-wide wars throughout its history. Perhaps the Adepta Sororitas uncovered a story of a minor miracle that happened in battle against--take your pick from heretics, orks, eldar, and anything else in a long list."

As he finishes his suggestions, a small shudder rocks the ship and a klaxon blares an alarm. He keys a couple buttons on his dataslate quickly and then nods. "Good. The subdecks have been vented. Can never be too careful when your crew discovers mutants and heresy on your own vessel, no?" He smiles at the sisters, his face clearly stating that he is certain the thousands he just sent to their deaths was the proper thing to do. The klaxon cuts out again as suddenly as it had begun and he takes another sip of his drink.

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

Still unnerved at the thought of the casualties, Araleen composed herself again

The nobility would have access to many resources, so announcing ourselves as a search party for this seed ship would ingratiate ourselves with the leadership of the world. It would also inspire the masses, and potentially tempt those who have already fallen back to the Emperor's light, demonstrating He has not abandoned them.

[Lentrax]

Jenora grins.

Or lure them out of the shadows to be eradicated.

[Janwin]

Inquisitor Calwell smiles a bit at the comment from the bloodthirsty sister, "I recommend caution when eradicating the nobility of the planet, if it comes to that. You'll likely find they have many loyal retainers, and a planet-wide uprising or war against your small group would likely prove...lethal."

He pauses, and then adds a serious word of wisdom, "Do not underestimate them. They've been playing their game for millenia, and are better at it than you are."

[Pyros V'estian]

"Hmm, the idea certainly gives us a reason for being there. However, there is the possibility that we would be better off without the nobility's interest to start. I would think that we were best served establishing contact with the ecclesiarchy first and ascertaining their loyalty. From there, the Adeptus Arbites and then possibly the nobility. This would allow us to secure allies before taking on a house that has connections to the local fighting force. Therefore I would suggest an artefact of war, we are none of us of the Orders Pronatus and a war artefact it is more obviously linked to militant sisters. We could even arrive as pilgrims to downplay our reason for visiting even further, it would be a joy to learn more about further saints." Thinking further again she pipes up "Perhaps Sister Lucindia could set up a clinic in the preacher targeted areas, this would act to show that the Emperor has not forsaken them and may give us information from the populous about this preacher." With that she retires back again, deep in thought.

[Janwin]

At her suggestions, the Inquisitor nods approvingly. "All good ideas and suggestions, Acolyte. If there are no further questions for me at this time, you may do as you wish around the vessel for the remainder of the journey. It should be a couple of weeks in the Warp, but there's some unpredictability around it. We will reconvene for a pre-planetfall briefing when we arrive."

With that, the sisters are dismissed to do as they wish around the ship.

You have a couple of weeks of downtime activity that you can use. Let me know what you'd like to do in the OOC thread, and I'll give you the relevant rolls. The vessel is pretty well equipped with data cogitators, medical facilities, training facilities, shrines and relaxation areas.

[Janwin]

As the next couple of weeks go by, each sister finds herself falling into a routine that passes the time in a manner that interests them.

The vessel itself hums along, crew tend to their duties, and for the most part everything seems normal and uneventful as the weeks pass. Normal, at least, for a vessel that just had 1/4 of its population purged.

The few interactions the sisters have with the Inquisitor largely revolve around training them on matters relating to the Inquisition: how to set up a secure, encrypted communication channel, when to and when not to use their Inquisitorial status, how to properly set up an exfiltration route, etc. Of course, there's also training to be maintained in the practice range and in the shrine.

Other than that, a familiarity with the ship and with its crew is forged in transit.

Aerilaya spends her weeks in study like the others, and also tries her best to remain unnoticed throughout the journey. Throughout the course of the week, she notices one woman who keeps giving her dirty looks. The woman, based on her dress (and weapons), is part of the ship's command crew or a high member of the Inquisitor's retinue.

The journey itself goes pretty much the same as her previous Warp journeys: quietly. She can sense that there's something unnatural outside the vessel based on the portents around her, and here and there the signs tell her that whatever's outside the vessel wants to get in.

Three days out from Juno, the signs get a bit more alarming. It seems clear that whatever's out there is trying -very- hard to get in, and Aerilaya can feel the ship rocking back and forth as though it is tossed in a rough storm--but that's not possible since they're in the void of space.

OOC: This will grant you the ability/justification to purchase Forbidden Lore (The Warp) when you have XP.

Araleen spends much of her time in the medical bay of the vessel assisting with the activities of the medical crew and learning anything she can.

The majority of cases that come in to the medical bay are minor. Some injuries from practicing in the sparring circle, a burn from a poorly placed flamer burst, and a broken foot from a dropped piece of machinery in the engineerium.

Outside of combat, it seems like the challenges for a void ship are mostly mundane in nature.

You do, however, have access to a lot of medical files and a comprehensive medical cogitator and are able to study quite a lot in the two weeks.

OOC: This will grant you the ability/justification to purchase a medical-related Common or Scholastic Lore skill of your choice or Medicae +20 when you have XP.

Outside of her normal studies, Hildegard spends her time digging through the ship's cogitator for any information she can find about Juno and piecing together information that could be used to come up with a feasible artifact.

In her studies, she discovers that the Basilica of Valerius Risen, the colossal chapel on Juno, holds an entire hall of relics. Most of them are relics of the sectors' pre-eminent Imperial Saint, Valerius, who converted the sector to the worship of the God-Emperor early in its history. There are, however, some blessed relics of war held within the Basilica, so it's clear that they do collect other relics.

In the planet's history, she discovers an individual named Lord-General Azmius Kustegar. It seems that the man lived centuries ago and was tantamount to the planet's survival during an invasion by xenos raiders who were slaughtering and enslaving swathes of the population. The Lord-General led a planet-wide war against the invaders, and struck the final blow by personally leading a strike team into the heart of the enemy's command vessel near the now-ruined hive of Lazeri Rex. The story, as you read it, states that he wielded a power sword of pristine quality and he used it to parry a blow from the xenos that was so powerful that it burst the power field and shattered the blade. Even as the Lord-General was bathed in searing energy from the destroyed blade, he called upon his faith in the Emperor and drove the broken weapon into the chest of the xenos general. The pair burned together as the power field continued to overload, and all that was left of the two was a pile of ash and half of the power sword. The xenos fled the planet, and the sword was lost to time.

She also discovers that there are no listed exports from Juno.

She discovers that the planetary capital, Vesuna Regis, is an ancient city with a litany of noble houses. The most powerful noble house is that of Praefectrix Charlotta Anastasia XX, the Sector Governor of the Askellon Sector. The various other houses are constantly jockeying for power on the planet and in the Sector, but she holds the vast majority of them herself.

As to a history of issues, she also discovers that there is known to be a sizable population of outcasts and mutants living in the under-strata of the massive hive. Organized expeditions into those subterranean levels often result in uprisings of the feral denizens, and thus organized expeditions are highly discouraged. The last expedition caused the undercity to rise up and the city was set aflame with millions slaughtered or dragged below. A protracted military campaign was required to finally end it. However, there are considerable rumors of archaeotech that may exist in the ancient foundations of the city.

The city itself has not been touched by war in some time, which has increased tensions throughout the city, and street-preachers have prophesied impending doom for years. The recent uprising of preachers has been largely attributed to this previous trend and ignored by the planet's government.

OOC: This will grant you the ability/justification to purchase Common Lore: Askellon Sector when you have XP.

Over the course of the journey, Jenora spends more time than most in the practice range and sparring circle working on her combat skills and techniques. More often than not, while she is in practice, Garrit is also in the range area instructing one squad or another of stormtroopers. Jenora is able to tell that they seem reasonably well-trained and that their equipment is maintained with care.

Unfortunately, between being tired from exhaustive studies and being distracted due to the unfamiliar setting which is nothing like
a feudal world, Jenora's sparring seems to be quite distracted and she is able to tell that she doesn't do as well as she normally would.
While the training gives her the chance to reflect and to try to clear her mind, it certainly fails to impress the hardened trooper.

He does, however, recognize that you are one of his Inquisitor's new assets, and offers to instruct you in addition to his men. If you accept, he spends quite a bit of effort through the weeks teaching you how to use weapons he is familiar with.

OOC: If you choose to accept his instruction, this will grant you the ability/justification to purchase Weapon Training (Las, Bolt or Shock) when you have XP.

Jocasta's time in prayer and meditation goes pretty smoothly, until around 3 days out from Juno. At that time, her prayers and meditations don't quite seem to refresh her as they normally do. Maybe she's distracted, or maybe she's tired from her training, but they just seem somewhat off.

Her time spent in weapons drills go well enough, and Garrit offers to provide some pointers when they're both in the range at the same time.

OOC: This grants you the ability/justification to purchase Weapon Training (Las, Bolt or Shock) when you have XP.

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Aerilaya assumed that the woman who had been giving her dirty looks was a psyker. While most people felt uncomfortable, it was the psykers that she truly rattled. It had been an advantage she leveraged during her interrogation. It was also the only reason she had survived until her rescue.

Despite Aerilaya's hesitation, the feeling of outside entities could not be ignored. She had seen too much to not share with the far more knowledgeable and experienced Inquisitor. "Sir, if you could spare just a moment... as we've come nearer to our destination, the Warp entity activity has increased drastically. I can feel their impact against the Field, almost like crashing waves. I just wanted to inform you in the event that such things have been recorded to precede a Warp Storm."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Janwin]

Inquisitor Calwell nods at the information brought to light by Aerilaya.

"I would suspect that it is indeed the Warp Storm we are traveling through, then. The rumors of it closing down must be true. The Engineerium has reported some strain on the Gellar Field Generator of late, though it is holding up for now and looks like it will hold if the storm doesn't get much worse."

He then seems to be considering something about Aerilaya. "If I'm correct, you're our null. Yet you can apparently sense some of the Warp. Quite interesting. That should prove useful in your future missions on Juno."

[Deadguy]

Aerilaya (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23950500&postcount=7)
Sororitas Null Crusader

http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

Aerilaya shifted a bit uncomfortably as the Inquisitor brought up the subject. "Yes, sir. I am your Null. Exposure to the storm that engulfed my homeworld, Kathalon, gives me a faint ability to recognize shifts in the Warp while remaining immune to it's effects. As a latent ability, it can not be improved, however. Attempts by the Schola Progenium have proved that."


http://i.imgur.com/IJpal.png

[Lentrax]

Jenora is disappointed with herself. She knows she is better than this, but still. She tries to not let her disappointment in her skill show as she graciously accepts the additional training Garrit offers.

Of course, sir. I welcome the additional training. Anything to better be able to serve Him.

[Janwin]

"Yes, sir. I am your Null. Exposure to the storm that engulfed my homeworld, Kathalon, gives me a faint ability to recognize shifts in the Warp while remaining immune to it's effects. As a latent ability, it can not be improved, however. Attempts by the Schola Progenium have proved that."

He smiles somewhat, "That's unfortunate. However, it's still a talent that most Sisters do not possess. It will likely serve you well, and may not be something you wish to reveal too quickly to those on the planet."


Of course, sir. I welcome the additional training. Anything to better be able to serve Him.

"Right then. Ever used a lasgun? No? Right. This here is the charge pack. You put it in this slot down at the bottom of the rifle--right here. Make sure you don't touch these two metal bits unless you want to fry yourself from the inside. Now, once it's in, you flick this switch and it's ready to fire. Aim it at your target..."

The lesson drones on for a while, but he does provide an overwhelming wealth of knowledge in how to kill pretty much anything you could possibly come across with precision application of las fire.

[RelentlessImp]

Jocasta emerges from her days of meditation, prayer and training slightly frustrated with her inability to get a full grip on herself. As they have been nearing their destination, she emerges in full regalia; pristine feudal world plate, helmet included, with a flamer on her hip and sword on her back.

"Initiate Jocasta reporting, and ready for the mission," she states, her voice slightly echoing from behind the helmet.

[Janwin]

The hint that the vessel is leaving the warp is a brief alarm klaxon and then the silence being replaced by the hum of the engines traveling through every bulkhead, beam and floor of the vessel.

Fortunately, no other alarm klaxons sound afterward, so it doesn't seem that the vessel re-entered realspace in the middle of a hostile fleet or any other dangers.

A short while later, a page comes over to the intercoms for the sisters not already present in the Command Deck to report there for a pre-planetfall briefing with Inquisitor Calwell.

[qechua]

Chirgeon Araleen Lucindia

The commencement of the alarm spooked Araleen when it first began, as she scrambled to ask the duty medicae it's meaning. Upon learning it was for transition, they braced appropriately, then waited for any strange calls that she'd been told were sometimes associated. Confident there were none, Araleen thanked the medicae staff for the experience and bid them farewell. Moving through the ship, still confusing despite the map, she headed for the briefing, gently nodding her head as she entered the command deck and noticed some of her fellow sisters already present.