IC II: DH The Purity of Sacrifice

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marc's eyes shifted between Milo, Hound, Orla and Arl. Once the decision seemed made to go through the front, the girl straightened her shoulders up and got ready to move out to the front entrance.

[Haval]

Orla will ease her gun into the sleeve of her robe where she could hide it from any passersby on the street. To Marcella, 'If he decides to nip out the back I'd say you have to do that singing thing to him.' She fully intends to go in behind Milo and Arl.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


The Psyker nodded, her large eyes focused on Orla.

"In a manner of speaking, I think I can. We're not here to fill body bags, so as Hound says, let's show some restraint and don't shoot unless shot at first. It bears repeating: I don't think Drimmle wants Arbite attention any more than we do."

[bramblefoot]

milo cracks another rictus "nobody wants arbites attention. those guys are goddamn bloodhounds, and they just love to go sniffing around" he will tuck the shock cane back away and move to the front

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marc shook her head slightly, "no no, that means he doesn't want to draw attention...i.e, he doesn't want his Lord Above finding out!"

[Bennosuke]

Decided, the group move round the perimeter of Ser Drimmle's home. Ivy colored stone walls give way to a pair of bronze swinging gates with vertical bars. Through the bars is a beautifully manicured rose garden parted by a driveway where a luxury sports car and a less luxurious unmarked van are parked. Past the cars is Drimmle's manse, the front porch lined with ionic columns carved of ivory. The yard is studded with security cameras which all seem to swivel towards the gate entrance when the group arrive. Though the gates are swung shut, the moment the acolytes arrive, the swing inwards noiselessly, allowing them entrance.

If the acolytes proceed into the property, the gates will close behind them, again moving noiselessly on their hinges.

[Haval]

Orla looks impressed at the sight of the garden. 'Alright for some isn't it.' She'll keep a look out for any signs of life but will otherwise follow the others lead.

[Wyndeward]

Arl brooded -- going in through the front door was hardly covert, but, then, he wasn't likely to get shot, either.

He rested his hand on the butt of his stub automatic, which he kept concealed with his Credit Guild cloak.

[bramblefoot]

milo will slip a small blum fruit in the exhaust of the white van, hopefully causing it to backfire should it try to go anywhere in a hurry. "take the sports car if there is a need for a fast exit" he whispers in orlas ear, and enter. "remember, trust nothing." he subvocalizes through the microbead

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

On the way in, Marcella eyed the van suspiciously. She hadn't detected anyone in there...and there were other logical explanations. It could be one of two incognito vehicles that had ferried the 12 Star Guard team here, with the other now out in the streets as a mobile HQ for the watchers, while the other one remained here. Was anyone in it now? She hadn't sensed anyone, and it made more sense for the security team to utilise Drimmle's own suite of security camera's and control over the barriers that permitted or denied access to the grounds, so it was doubtful. Still, the paranoid part in the back of Marcella's mind didn't like it.

What she did like, however, was the garden. The sight of the veritable rainbow carpet of flowers that blossomed across their neatly arrayed rectangles and circles admidsts little sea's of well-manicured green grass that were flanked by rows of beautiful tree's and their gentle, rustling leaves. Having grown up on a satelitte in orbit, it was one of the most beautiful things that she had ever seen, let alone being able to move through, as the Psyker moved her right, thinly-gloved hand and gently brushed it through a bank of soft flowers and smiled at the sensation across her skin and the seductive, odiferous melenge of petals, pistils and pollen. Peaceful. An Eden under the hand of man. The Psyker pictured herself being able to have a chair amidst this paradise where she could read her books for hours among the flora, her head rubbernecking about the garden as she tried to determine where it would be best to sit within tranquility.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" she spoke quietly to Orla, partly in response to what she had said.

"I'm just glad it exists somewhere. I grew up on a Satellite, I've never seen greenery like this...do you think Drimmle might let me take a bud to plant back at the Cathedral?" she asked, and it was hard to tell if she was being serious or joking, her tone almost hopeful.

Such was Marcella's transfixation that she was staring at the garden over her shoulder even as they entered the bay area of the large doors, before turning her attention back to the task at hand.

"Is that what your world is like?" she asked Arl, though didn't expect him to answer immediately, given the circumstances.

[bramblefoot]

milo will eyeball the van, and then the gate "i suggest we see if we can jam the gate mechanism, so should anyone attempt a speedy escape, they will be foiled" he says quietly

[rax]

"It's an indulgence," Hound replied to Marcella's comment about the garden. "For some it might provide tranquility to meditate on the Emperor's sacrifice and their duty to humanity. For Drimmle, I do not believe it is aught but a bauble to proclaim his status."

Taking the lead, Hound walks through the gates and heads for the front door. "Keep an eye on the van. There may be ambushers within," he instructs Arl.

[Bennosuke]

Nothing happens as Hound takes the lead, though the various security cameras swivel on automatic mechandrites to follow the man, as he makes his way to the front door. Anyone who inspects any of the vehicles will find them locked and empty.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

"There's cameras everywhere, watching us," Marc replied to Milo.

She considered what Hound said, about how for Drimmle this stunning display of flora might just be a symbol of vanity rather than serving a practical use. It was likely true, she realised, looking a little glum for half a second, hoping that that wasn't the case. It'd be quite sad for such a display to serve only as a status symbol.

Moving up to the door with the others, if no on else does so Marcella will reach out and activate the door bell or comms system.

[Bennosuke]

Marcella takes hold of a bronze ring knocker, held forth from the mouth of a leering skull, and bangs against the door several times (this same knocker, Marcella and Milo had used the last time they visited). Almost immediately there is the electric hum of electronics and the tick-clicking of clockwork machinery, as the skull's left eye lights up green with the lens of a camera. From a speaker located in the skull's right eye, a robotic voice says, "That's better. Enter."

Suddenly the double doors at Drimmle's entrance open inward with a mechanical hiss. The entryway itself (again, familiar to Marcella and Milo) is palatial, large enough to house a fountain the size of a small ground vehicle. Rich blue wallpaper depicting a cloudless sky filled with a magnificent sun line the towering walls, though much of the wallpaper is hidden behind luxurious portraits. The acolytes had previously damaged much of the entry way to hide their prior assault, but all this damage has been fixed and replaced.

Reaching up from either side of the entry are two sweeping staircases carpeted in red. Standing at the foot of the righthand stairwell is Ser Drimmle, and at the left is a humongous man armed with a heavy stubber, aimed directly at the entrance and the acolytes. "Enter, enter, quickly!" Ser Pennifry Drimmle commands. He stands leering at the acolytes, his pencil thin mustache twisting upwards cartoonishly. He was gaunt before, but despite his luxurious yellow robes, Drimmle looks absolutely frail now. Heavy bags hang under his blue eyes, the whites practically filled with red. A heavy gold chain hangs heavily around his shoulders, weighted down by a massive metal plate inlayed with circuitry and holy sigils and seals. Marcella will recognize this from her times on the Black Ship, almost immediately, as a Hexagrammic Ward. An ornate las pistol rests in his right hand, pointed directly at Marcella. "Hands up, hands up, no funny business or every one of you will be filled with lead," Ser Drimmle shrieks, twisted glee spread across his face, "and don't you even think about trying anything Wytch! One false move and I press this." With his left hand, he raises a small rectangular device, that looks like the trigger to some remote bomb.

[bramblefoot]

milo sighs and cracks his neck "come get my weapon you big galoot" he says to stubber boy. to the remainder of the party minus orla, he subvocalizes "be prepared to move on my mark."

Spoiler: ooc

Show

assuming he does, im going to light the guys face on fire with the wrist flamer, and then dive left

[Haval]

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" she spoke quietly to Orla, partly in response to what she had said.

"I'm just glad it exists somewhere. I grew up on a Satellite, I've never seen greenery like this...do you think Drimmle might let me take a bud to plant back at the Cathedral?" she asked, and it was hard to tell if she was being serious or joking, her tone almost hopeful.

'He's got enough of them. If you take one I don't think he'll even notice.'

Inside

Orla will cautiously put her hands up while still holding her gun. To Drimmle, 'You look tired mate. You might want to see a Doctor at some point. That thing looks like a pain in the neck.' She'll naturally focus on the large man with the stubber just in case he decided to start shooting. 'Hope you have some more boys in the house. If you shoot us here the people we sent in through the balcony might be upset with you.'

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Deceive vs. Fel 41 (Deceive +10)
(1d100)[23]

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

If Marcella was frightened in the situation, she wasn't showing it. A benefit to her willpower was hiding her emotions when she wanted to, as she looked above towards the ceiling - and the apparent explosives lining the inside - with an impassive face, before drawing her eyes back up to Drimmle. The truth was the butterflies were in her guts, ricocheting off the walls of her trim waist like ballbearings - but she knew how important it was to project confidence.

The ornate laspistol. The big guy with the heavy stubber. The detonator. The...Hexogrammic ward! It took all the willpower she had not to smile as if she had seen an old friend. The wards were formidable obstacles, but the Psyker knew they weren't perfect. She wasn't a little 10 year old girl on the Black Ships anymore, someone untrained and unpolished for whom such a deterrent would be assured compliance. This time, she believed, if she needed to, she could overcome.

"So, does Lord Durchiss know that you spoke to us last time?" she asked, her voice a bit quieter, more serious, "because I venture to guess he wouldn't be too happy knowing that you're the weak link in his operation. The Inquisitor was disappointed to learn that Durchiss was involved but, the wheels are in motion. Still, you know how the Lords operate, he'll need a scapegoat, someone to throw to the wolves..." she looked at Drimmle, the implication clear that it would be him.

milo sighs and cracks his neck "come get my weapon you big galoot" he says to stubber boy. to the remainder of the party minus orla, he subvocalizes "be prepared to move on my mark."

Marcella's own voice would slide into the back of Milos head, speaking to him telepathically:

'Don't...he has the advantage right now...you'll get us all killed...be patient...'

[rax]

Hound looks at Drimmle and the big man, shaking his head in annoyance.

"This is disappointing, Sir Drimmle. Expected, but disappointing. You know who we work for. Do you imagine that threatening us or even killing us will in any way change your fate? Our superiors know where we are and what we're doing. If we do not return, they will simply send someone else, and they will not be as accommodating as we have been," Hound states calmly.

"As for you, you are an operative of the Star Guard Force, yes?" he says to the big man. "I presume that Sir Drimmle has fully briefed you on who we are, but do you fully understand the consequences of raising arms against us? If we are harmed in any way, the Star Guard Force will cease to exist, condemned by your hand for heresy. You will be judged a traitor to the God Emperor and dealt with appropriately. Any family you have will be put to the wrack or - if our superiors are feeling merciful - sent to the Penal Legions."

"So, gentlemen, put away your weapons and cease this tiresome charade. We are not here to fight, but it is time for you to honour your vow of service, Sir Drimmle," Hound addresses both men.

Spoiler: Skill tests

Show

I'd like to try a Scrutiny test to see if Hound can get a hint as to whether Drimmle is telling the truth about there being explosives.

(1d100)[24] vs. Per 40 (or 50 if Heightened Senses could be applicable)

While he speaks, Hound will also try to scan the area for any visible signs of explosives.

(1d100)[59] vs. 70 (Per 40, Awareness +20, Heightened Senses +10)

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Having spoken her piece, Marcella remained quiet as others put forward their efforts. Orla seemed convincing in her assertion that they had back up entering the building from an unguarded location - hopefully a successful ruse! While Hound pointed out the logical inevitability of Drimmles situation, and the pointlessness in taking further action against them. Marc wasn't particularly socially gifted, being born on a satellite, traumatised before the Emperor and then developing into adulthood within the cloistered environment of the Scholastica Psykana...but she wasn't a stupid girl. She silently watched the points drawn up and spun by Orla and Hound, mentally taking note of the strategic avenues they were both employing with the intent to contrast it to Drimmles response in order to gauge how effective each had been. Marcella knew she had much to learn in this area, and so she counted herself lucky in having the forum within which to receive lessons from that greatest of teachers: experience.

[Bennosuke]

milo sighs and cracks his neck "come get my weapon you big galoot" he says to stubber boy. to the remainder of the party minus orla, he subvocalizes "be prepared to move on my mark."

Still glaring with crazed hatred at the group, Ser Drimmle cries, "Go ahead Shriek!" which causes the massive man holding the heavy stubber to chuckle. He is an ugly thing, too big and too round to be any normal human, his head shaved and round, resembling his protuberent belly which distends the denim of his coverals and flak jacket. But over the man's shoulder crawls something even stranger, a tiny horror of a woman. Though her face is normal size, by distance she is maybe three feet tall, and crawling on the gunman like a spider. Her hair is thin and fire red, her eyes wild round orbs, her grin perhaps half mad. Shriek climbs over the gunman, and reaches the ground with her hands. In matching coveralls, she performs a back flip onto her feet, spinning in the air to land facing the group. Still with the crazed grin on her face, she approaches the group, hands reaching upward.

Drimmle calls out, "Shriek will relieve you of your weapons. Drop anything in your hands and raise them above your head."

(OOC: I will not presume what every player will do, so if you have any desire to resist, let me know how, and be prepared to roll)

Orla will cautiously put her hands up while still holding her gun. To Drimmle, 'You look tired mate. You might want to see a Doctor at some point. That thing looks like a pain in the neck.' She'll naturally focus on the large man with the stubber just in case he decided to start shooting. 'Hope you have some more boys in the house. If you shoot us here the people we sent in through the balcony might be upset with you.'

The man's face sours at this. "Who are you," he hisses, "you weren't with the others last time." He shakes his head, his mad grin replaced with anger and disgust. He says, "I have no desire to hurt you all, not as long as you don't do anything stupid." He eyes Milo at this, his face turning pale. "This is just a security measure. The last time you were here you beat and robbed and psychically manipulated me... I... I haven't slept soundly in weeks. I have nightmares of your lot creeping into my home!" His voice is half crazed, and spittle collects at the corners of his lips as he speaks. "I held up my end of the bargain as promised! This is just all security to protect me and mine!"

The ornate laspistol. The big guy with the heavy stubber. The detonator. The...Hexogrammic ward! It took all the willpower she had not to smile as if she had seen an old friend. The wards were formidable obstacles, but the Psyker knew they weren't perfect. She wasn't a little 10 year old girl on the Black Ships anymore, someone untrained and unpolished for whom such a deterrent would be assured compliance. This time, she believed, if she needed to, she could overcome.

"So, does Lord Durchiss know that you spoke to us last time?" she asked, her voice a bit quieter, more serious, "because I venture to guess he wouldn't be too happy knowing that you're the weak link in his operation. The Inquisitor was disappointed to learn that Durchiss was involved but, the wheels are in motion. Still, you know how the Lords operate, he'll need a scapegoat, someone to throw to the wolves..." she looked at Drimmle, the implication clear that it would be him.

"This is disappointing, Sir Drimmle. Expected, but disappointing. You know who we work for. Do you imagine that threatening us or even killing us will in any way change your fate? Our superiors know where we are and what we're doing. If we do not return, they will simply send someone else, and they will not be as accommodating as we have been," Hound states calmly.

Ser Drimmle turns his attention to Marcella and then to Hound, and one of his eyes goes mad with an uncontrollable spasm. "I kept my end of the bargain, just like we discussed," Drimmle repeats himself, "I told no one. And I have what you came for. But there is going to be a new bargain, you see? I give you what you came for today, and you and your friends, and your Inquisition, you all leave me and NEVER come back! That is the deal. Take it or leave it."

"As for you, you are an operative of the Star Guard Force, yes?" he says to the big man. "I presume that Sir Drimmle has fully briefed you on who we are, but do you fully understand the consequences of raising arms against us? If we are harmed in any way, the Star Guard Force will cease to exist, condemned by your hand for heresy. You will be judged a traitor to the God Emperor and dealt with appropriately. Any family you have will be put to the wrack or - if our superiors are feeling merciful - sent to the Penal Legions."

"So, gentlemen, put away your weapons and cease this tiresome charade. We are not here to fight, but it is time for you to honour your vow of service, Sir Drimmle," Hound addresses both men.

The big man simply chuckles again, as if the threat were simply an entertaining joke. The small woman Shriek seems not to even notice Hound speaking.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Hound succeeded in both rolls, which were made because my last post was not complete. I suspect the new information I gave you might lead to wanting to make other rolls, and will allow you to reuse your successes if appropriate. The same goes for Milo's prior BS roll.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Yeah, Drimmle was nuts.

Once again, Marc's willpower steeled her features. She was the youngest member of the group, by half a decade at least, her youthful and friendly features marking her out as rather out of place, given the nature of the situation. But yet they remained seemingly impassive as the madman before them cackled and splurted maniacally, while the clear mutant and his...partner snickered and drew her hands forward to receive the groups weapons.

Durchiss had exposed him to the weapons. That was Marcella's working hypothesis right now. He'd lost sleep since their last encounter? Sure, possibly. But Marc had lost plenty of weeks of sleep in the past...it hadn't driven her to this. Either he was willingly in cahoots with Durchiss' true purpose, or he had been exposed to the true nature of the weapon crates. Either way, his fate was sealed. Consorting with mutants was just an extra layer of confirmation.

"Sure, Ser Drimmle..." Marcella answered slowly, her soft, friendly voice a contrast to his mad cackling, her eyes moving over towards Hound for a second to gauge his response before returning to Drimmle.

"...we're waiting for what you promised to give us, let it roll."


Those butterflies in Marcella's tummy that had been richoceting around...now they were slamming around at near warp-speed. They were standing underneath an explosive warhead whose trigger mechanism was in the hand of a visible lunatic. Had he 'kept his side of the bargain'? Maybe. But he was physically deranged beyond measure, his words and mentality suiting his deteriorated image, so who could trust what he had to say?

'Hold one finger by your side if you want me to try and dominate him...two if you want me to try and kill them all...three if you want me to standby...' Marcella's friendly, but clearly anxious voice moved into the back of Hounds head.

[Haval]

To Drimmle, 'Oh, I'm just here for the money.' Orla replies blandly. She will blanch a little at the sight of Shriek, but she had met mutants in the Underhive before. 'Which is why I'm going to try not to shoot at anyone who doesn't shoot at me first.' She will give up her gun only if someone else goes first or if Drimmle decides to threaten her over it. 'What's this about a deal?' Better to pretend she was only vaguely connected to the rest of the group, especially if she had to give up her gun.

[Wyndeward]

The man grins, showing his maw of rotted teeth and all the black void behind them. And when he laughs, Arl gets the full force of his breath; all sour alcohol and boiled onions. "Where do they go," he parrots the question, grinning like he caught the bird in its cage. He leans forward and whispers, "We all know where they go," and winks a a lizard like wink at Arl. Still leaning forward furtively, "The real question ish, what ish he bringi'in." He burps in Arl's face. "I've sheen the ship logsh," Pip says, his grin widening expectantly at Arl's interest. With very little prompting he closes, "I know that the Rogue Trader'sh been goin' where he shouldn' be goin'... He'sh been goin' out to the Purgatory Ring, and that'sh no mansh land. The real queshtion, is what in Terra he'sh bringin' back. That'sh what I ashk myshelf."

"Whas the Purgatory Ring? Whys it no mansh land?"

Despite the slack-jawed look on Arl's face, his mind was racing, frantically trying to figure out how to pull out as much information as possible from Pip.

[Wyndeward]

milo sighs and cracks his neck "come get my weapon you big galoot" he says to stubber boy. to the remainder of the party minus orla, he subvocalizes "be prepared to move on my mark."

Spoiler: ooc

Show

assuming he does, im going to light the guys face on fire with the wrist flamer, and then dive left

Arl's face is almost placidly calm.

"Milo, I haven't finished healing from the *LAST* shootout you got me into in this Emperor benighted house. Besides, goading high-value witnesses into blowing themselves up is detrimental to a long life." he subvocalized.

[Wyndeward]

Ser Drimmle turns his attention to Marcella and then to Hound, and one of his eyes goes mad with an uncontrollable spasm. "I kept my end of the bargain, just like we discussed," Drimmle repeats himself, "I told no one. And I have what you came for. But there is going to be a new bargain, you see? I give you what you came for today, and you and your friends, and your Inquisition, you all leave me and NEVER come back! That is the deal. Take it or leave it."



The big man simply chuckles again, as if the threat were simply an entertaining joke. The small woman Shriek seems not to even notice Hound speaking.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Hound succeeded in both rolls, which were made because my last post was not complete. I suspect the new information I gave you might lead to wanting to make other rolls, and will allow you to reuse your successes if appropriate. The same goes for Milo's prior BS roll.

Arl calmly and slowly flipped the right-side hem of his cloak back with his left hand, exposing one of his stub automatics. Still using his left hand, he calmly and slowly reached down and removed it from his holster with two fingers holding the pistol near the hammer, then extended it out to Shriek with a guileless look on his face, making no movement to repeat the process with the pistol on his left hip.

Having "disarmed" himself, he turned and fixed Drimmle a look.

"Ser Drimmle, your debt is not to us, but to the Emperor. We both know that HE does not bargain and will not bargain. We are not collecting a debt that can be erased, we are merely giving you the opportunity to pay it down. Do you really want to stand before the Throne with this blot on your soul?"

[bramblefoot]

milo will stare down drimmle. "they are doing this to you, not us" he says. his left wrist does a half rotate towards shriek and stubber boy, and he'll subvocalize back "lets see how they like a good taste of holy promethium"

he flashes his pointer finger at marcella, and then moves it over to drimmle "id advise you surrender, but it seems were past that" with a fwoosh sound, a jet of flame ignites and cascades over shriek and stubber boy

assuming both of drimmles accomplices are in range of the wrist flamer, im gonna need agility tests from both of them or be lit on fire by a cone of holy promethium

(1d10+3)[4]

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

It seems Marc didn't need to wait for a response from Hound.

No sooner had Arls warning come in through the subvocaliser, than did Milo ignore it and raise his weaponised wrist at Shriek.

Marcella didn't get a chance to yell out for him to stop. He'd already ignored her the first time. All she felt was a curtain of heat against her skin as he disgorged a flame thrower inside a building.

Her eyes wide, mouth agape, Marc thought for half second and let out a pulse of psychic energy that scrambled the local circuitry and jammed mechanical devices, including that detonator/bomb and the lethal machinegun levelled in their direction. The lights would flicker and then go out and a dim dark would coat the welcome chamber, illuminated by the gout of flame from Milo's wrist.

She'd then move, desperate to get out of the drop-zone of the bomb and preferably using Milo as a human shield.

She put her hand on Orlas shoulder, encouraging the other girl to make haste.

"We've got six seconds - move!!"

OOC -
Half Action: Weapon Jinx, see OOC.
Half action: Moving with the group out from under the bomb drop zone.

[rax]

If there had been time to roll his eyes, Hound would have, but his sense of self-preservation takes over and he simply sprints straight out of the kill zone, aiming to get as far in between the two sets of stairs as possible.

Actions
Rolled Initiative 11 in the OOC thread.

Full Action: Run as far as possible (thanks to his Sprint talent, Hound can Run up to 48 metres in a round).
Run makes anyone using a ranged attack against him take a -20 penalty to their BS test until Hound's next turn. Anyone attacking in melee gets +20 to their WS test.

[Wyndeward]

Arl reached across his body with his right hand and drew his other stub automatic.

He snapped a shot at the hand holding the bomb's detonator, praying to the Emperor that destroying the detonator wouldn't set off the bomb.

(1d100)[47] vs. a 49+10 (short range)-10(called shot(dead-eye shot))

Damage: (1d10+4)[14]