Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

[helvorn]

Sholmes takes a long drag on his pipe.

"The horrors of the Black Ships are needed; they instill fear before Him on Terra and before the darkness within. I served on one myself long ago. I was in charge of... various things."

His eyes fix on Kara for a moment, and then his lips turn in a wry half-smile.

"Your special talents will doubtless be of use to us here. In the mission on which I am about to send you, you must be alert for warpcraft. Including that within you. If your mercy blade does not hold, I trust your companions will know what to do. May the Light of Terra be with you."

Kara shudders involuntarily in memory of... various things. She touches the brand on her chest, her face pale. "I will be wary of both the enemy without and within master. May the Emperor's blessing protect you Lord." Kara gives a shaky bow and steps back, obviously terrified by memories.

[InquisitorChris]

Kara shudders involuntarily in memory of... various things. She involuntarily touches the brand on her chest, her face pale. "I will be wary of both the enemy without and within master. May the Emperor's blessing protect you Lord." Kara gives a shaky bow and steps back, obviously terrified by memories.

"Ah, you reach for the brand. Good. Your brand not only marks you as undamned; it is a badge of honor, that you are born of evil but may yet serve good. Remember it. It is the sign that, through the Emperor's grace you still live, and serve His plan."

[helvorn]

"Ah, you reach for the brand. Good. Your brand not only marks you as undamned; it is a badge of honor, that you are born of evil but may yet serve good. Remember it. It is the sign that, through the Emperor's grace you still live, and serve His plan."

Kara bows her head; "In life or death I will serve His will to pay the debt of my sin."

[Jak Snide]

Jim snapped to attention as the discipline that had been drilled into him by the Adeptus Arbites manifested. He placed one hand across his chest, fingers outstretched, to make the sign of the aquila before resuming a more relaxed stance, nodding politely when Hirlock addressed him. He was taking pains to ensure they all knew what Kara was, something made all the more jarring by the abrupt shift in tone when he'd greeted Huw and himself. Psykers weren't something he'd had much experience with and the knowledge that she was sanctioned did little to calm his nerves.

[Capntastic]

He looked up from kneading his cap, upon being addressed.

"The skies and I agree just fine, so long as my dopey grin managed to half-blind them in return."

[gsteelwraith]

Brother Leveticus will simply bow, and await the Inquisitor's response, and will not speak before then.

[InquisitorChris]

Sholmes now addresses Leveticus.

"Brother-Novice Leveticus! I salute you and the Great Chantries. There are those who call the Chantries a haven of free-thought, of bookish squirrels rummaging about to learn what they shouldn't, hiding a corruptible breast under the splendor of their Ecclesiarchal robes. From what you did on Iocanthus, however, I see that that is not the case with you. Your heart beats with true love of the God-Emperor."

He walks over to the priest and then stops, reaching into his cloak. Sholmes' hand emerges, bearing a parchment bound by a ribbon.

"Brother-Novice, as a scholar, man of the word, and passionate persecutor of the faithless, you are the Prime of this cell. In my hand I hold a writ of Inquisitorial authority investing you with the mandate of the Holy Ordos. This document will serve as your identification on the planet to which you will soon be going, showing that you are a finger on the hand of the Ordo Hereticus."

He hands the parchment to Leveticus and speaks in High Gothic: "Vobiscum sint deus-Imperator Terraque sancta."

(Spoiler for characters who know High Gothic (that is, Leveticus, James, and Chani) and whose players never took Latin in school :) ):

Spoiler:

"May the God-Emperor and Holy Terra be with you."

And then looks around at the rest of you.

"The Brother serves as my proxy on this mission. Obey him as you would me. But watch him as well. Remember -- all may be corrupted, and though he is my hand, if your hand should offend you, you must cut it off, as an old saying goes."

Sholmes takes another puff on his pipe. The cherub on his shoulder sucks up the considerable ash buildup on the pipe with some kind of internal vacuum mechanism in its mouth.

At last, he turns to Chani and bows.

"The musician of death! I hope you will not be offended, but I find such customs -- though fully in harmony (he-he) with the blessed teachings of the Ecclesiarchy -- to be somewhat quaint. The ballet, the minuet, the knife in the throat... where a warrior of the Angels of Death would simply hack his enemy's head off with his chain-sword and be done with it. Efficiency, not style, is the watchword of the Adeptus Astartes. I knew a Brother-Sergeant once, Emperor rest his soul...

"I digress. Your job on this mission is to do what you are trained to do -- kill, specifically those who oppose the Ordos. You are, as it were, the instrument of the Brother-Novice here, an instrument the sheet music of which is written not in ink or flashing across a data-slate, but in blood and screams. Or, as our friend Huw here might term it more prosaically, you are muscle."

He looks back at Huw.

"My dear Lind hiver, that description might fit you as well. You know guns, and you know the more sordid side of life, how to get around with those who are, if you forgive me saying so, further from the Emperor's light than an Imperial citizen should be. I hope that both talents will serve you well on this mission, for it is on their basis that I have selected you."

Sholmes takes a step back, looks up to one side for a half-second, and then calls out in a somewhat irritated tone. "Wazzon my dear! Where are you? The data files on the mission need to be presented, and the cogitator tells me you haven't loaded them yet! Hurry up about it! It should be elementary!"

He sighs, then addresses you.

"For all of Chirurgeon Wazzon's admirable qualities, there are times when I think his mother must have been a Grox. Do you have any questions to ask in the time before the files are ready to be shown?"

OOC: in other words, you can ask Sholmes whatever you want in the minute or two before the mission briefing proper begins.

[gsteelwraith]

Brother-Novice, as a scholar, man of the word, and passionate persecutor of the faithless, you are the Prime of this cell. In my hand I hold a writ of Inquisitorial authority investing you with the mandate of the Holy Ordos. This document will serve as your identification on the planet to which you will soon be going, showing that you are a finger on the hand of the Ordo Hereticus."

He hands the parchment to Leveticus and speaks in High Gothic: "Vobiscum sint deus-Imperator Terraque sancta."


Brother Leveticus will bow and reply simply, "Ego ago ut servo , ego servo vivo."

[InquisitorChris]

Brother Leveticus will bow and reply simply, "Ego ago ut servo , ego servo vivo."

"Serva Imperium," he simply responds, handing you the writ.

[helvorn]

"For all of Chirurgeon Wazzon's admirable qualities, there are times when I think his mother must have been a Grox. Do you have any questions to ask in the time before the files are ready to be shown?"

Kara watches the byplay between the inquisitor and the other members of her team; for a team they now were in word and deed. The cleric had been quiet up to this point so she was unsure of his character or leadership abilities but she had faith in the judgment of the inquisitor; at least until proven wrong. She noticed some of the uncomfortable shifting and shuffling of feet when Sholmes made it clear that she was a psyker. Still, it was best that they heard it from him; it would reduce the unpleasantness later.

"Master, do you have other lesser identification for the remainder of the team?"

[Jak Snide]

The Inquisitor sure liked to talk. He reminded Jim of what he'd called "city-folk" back before he'd left Balecaster and learned that there were far worse things than men incapable of speaking concisely. Of course those city-folk had been self important merchantmen and scheming politicians, not men given absolute authority and entrusted with the safety of the whole Imperium. He reminded himself that Inquisitor Hirlock was well within his rights to be verbose and listened carefully. A killer, a psyker, a priest and an outcast. The man had certainly assembled a team with a broad range of skills. He gave Leveticus a nod as he took the parchment, acknowledging the cleric's command while making a mental note to question the man about what he did on Iocanthos.

He held his own question until the Inquisitor had answered the woman's one. Eager for power, or just scrabbling for some badge that'd stop her getting burnt by fearful citizens? Something else he'd need to determine. When he spoke his question it was hard to keep the eagerness from his voice.

"Are we going to be following up on whatever happened on Sinophia, sir?"

[ChristianC]

Chani gave a flourished bow to Sholmes, lowering her head and doing her best not to show her unease, specifically regarding the nature of their comrade Kara. She was a psyker, one of the cursed apprentices of the Great Composer. She willed herself to think of what the inquisitor told her instead, and her eyes narrowed in surprise at the talk of the Adeptus Astartes. So her ways were not to his liking? She had little choice but to accept this fact, but wonder silently why then he had seen fit to take her from her troupe and put her in this cell.

"I am the instrument of Brother-Novice Leveticus. I understand."

She gave the priest a glance, he had been unnervingly quiet during the whole time they had been together... but he was elected to be the inquisitor's proxy, his lead actor. It was her duty to follow, nothing more.

[gsteelwraith]

"I am the instrument of Brother-Novice Leveticus. I understand."

Leveticus will note the look of unease, and he will say to the Inquisitor, "Begging your pardon, sir, I see no reason to advertise Ms. Chani's abilities unnecessarily. There are those whom find gifts such as her's to be...disquieting. It might be prudent to keep them a secret for a time. Should it become an issue, presentation of a rosette should still the tongues of any whom might question."

[InquisitorChris]

"Master, do you have other lesser identification for the remainder of the team?"

"You mean further Inquisitorial Writs? The Holy Ordos do not hand those out like candy.

"Should you want to adopt some kind of cover story for your team, I can attempt to come up with the appropriate documents in the time we have remaining -- which is about 24 hours, before the Rogue Trader ship in orbit that will be carrying you departs."

"Are we going to be following up on whatever happened on Sinophia, sir?"

"As far as I know, the two events are unrelated."

Leveticus will note the look of unease, and he will say to the Inquisitor, "Begging your pardon, sir, I see no reason to advertise Ms. Chani's abilities unnecessarily. There are those whom find gifts such as her's to be...disquieting. It might be prudent to keep them a secret for a time. Should it become an issue, presentation of a rosette should still the tongues of any whom might question."

OOC: Do you mean the psyker? That's Kara -- Chani is the assassin.

[Capntastic]

Huw was smiling pleasantly, despite his relative quiet. He was taking this all in, getting a feel for his new associates, and also mentally preparing himself for the revelation of the task at hand.

Of course, he was keeping his tensions crammed down in his spine, rather than letting them seep up into his mind. He applied himself to not tearing his cap in two.

[helvorn]

"Master, do you have other lesser identification for the remainder of the team?"

"You mean further Inquisitorial Writs? The Holy Ordos do not hand those out like candy.

"Should you want to adopt some kind of cover story for your team, I can attempt to come up with the appropriate documents in the time we have remaining -- which is about 24 hours, before the Rogue Trader ship in orbit that will be carrying you departs."

"Not writs Master, but rather cover documents." Kara bows and steps back.

[Jak Snide]

Jim nodded and fell silent. The events Sinophia were probably beyond the scope of their group to handle. That's what he told himself at least.

[ChristianC]

Chani did her best to hide her impatience... and the insult she'd perceived when the inquisitor had spoken to her. Regardless of his own beliefs, he told herself, the man needed her abilities. Still, it was hardly reassuring to know that her duties to the grand composer had been summed up in a word, "muscle."

"What is it we must do, master?"

[gsteelwraith]

OOC: Do you mean the psyker? That's Kara -- Chani is the assassin.

OOC: Mea culpa, that should be Kara.

"I'm certainly not suggesting acquiring additional writs," said Leveticus placatingly. "A cover of some sort would be sufficient for our needs. I do not want to advertise Kara's (OOC:I got it right, yes?) abilities unless it becomes necessary."

[InquisitorChris]

OOC: Do you mean the psyker? That's Kara -- Chani is the assassin.

OOC: Mea culpa, that should be Kara.

"I'm certainly not suggesting acquiring additional writs," said Leveticus placatingly. "A cover of some sort would be sufficient for our needs. I do not want to advertise Kara's (OOC:I got it right, yes?) abilities unless it becomes necessary."

OOC: Goddamn it, the computer ate my post (I hit "save" rather than "submit," and can't find it now). It's 3:30 in the morning here, so I'll sleep on it and you'll all be getting the briefing in the morrow. (I was waiting for gsteelwraith's clarification to continue.)

[helvorn]

"I'm certainly not suggesting acquiring additional writs," said Leveticus placatingly. "A cover of some sort would be sufficient for our needs. I do not want to advertise Kara's abilities unless it becomes necessary."

Kara listened quietly from the sidelines as the cleric took up the conversation. It seemed that he at least could speak her name; some that she had encountered on the Chartist ships that brought her here from Terra would not even look at her let alone speak to her or mention her name. She whispered a silent prayer to the Emperor in thanks for small favors.

[InquisitorChris]

OOC: Do you mean the psyker? That's Kara -- Chani is the assassin.

OOC: Mea culpa, that should be Kara.

"I'm certainly not suggesting acquiring additional writs," said Leveticus placatingly. "A cover of some sort would be sufficient for our needs. I do not want to advertise Kara's (OOC:I got it right, yes?) abilities unless it becomes necessary."

"Certainly. I will have approximately 24 hours to work up any appropriate documents, Not much time, but sufficient if you are not pretending to be the High Lords of Terra.

"If she's playing at being a merchant from Sinophia, just don't let her expose that brand to anybody who might know what it is."

Sholmes' eyes roll to the right a moment and twitch slightly, and then he nods.

"Excellent. Wazzon has prepared the briefing materials. We can now begin. Take seats if you wish."

He gestures at various chairs and couches placed about the room (that I forgot to mention before).

(OOC: I was waiting for gsteelwraith's clarification before continuing. It's 3:30 in the morning here now, so you'll be getting the briefing in the morrow.)

[helvorn]

"Excellent. Wazzon has prepared the briefing materials. We can now begin. Take seats if you wish."

He gestures at various chairs and couches placed about the room (that I forgot to mention before).

Kara daintily takes a seat off to one side.

[Jak Snide]

Jim likewise seated himself, sparing a glance at Kara as he did. The thought of her (or any of them) passing for a Sinophian gave him some small amusement, though he reminded himself that it was unlikely that they'd run into anyone who'd visited the world or met its inhabitants. The vast majority would never have left their homeworld and the few that had would have avoided that blighted world like the plague.

[ChristianC]

Chani, perhaps to her blessing, had not heard of Sinophia, and much of that conversation passed over her head. Instead, she merely sat herself slowly, her eyes closed for a moment as she seemed to be listening to something.

[InquisitorChris]

(OOC: some of you have bee through a version of this before. I have changed things around a bit, so hopefully it won't be too repetitive.)

The room darkens. Suddenly, a large, three-dimensional map of the Calixis Sector appears, filling half the room (it's about 5 meters across).

Sholmes walks into it.

"In one day's time, the Rogue Trader Intrepid Intolerance will depart from our location"

the map focusses on Spectoris, the image of which fills the room

"and take a side trip from its voyage to the Halo Stars (which the Trader is not happy about) and take you here"

the map pans out again, and then a bit rimward, then focussing again, so that a solar system fills the space

"to the system and planet of Famine."

Spoiler for Chani

Spoiler:

You've heard a bit about this place. It's a minor backwater, barely a player in the sector at all. You think it exports mainly agricultural produce, and not a lot of that. Most notable about the place is that it has suffered frequent bouts of famine in the past, hence its name. (This was a Common Lore (Imperium) test.)

Spoiler for Lecretus:

Spoiler:

A Hard Scholastic Lore (Ecclesiatchy) test tells you that you have heard something about the place. They have a much-revered local saint named Altheria, which Famine has been trying for a long time to get canonized off-planet, as yet to no avail.

Figures and numbers begin to dance over the map, none of which mean anything to you since you don't have the proper skills to understand astronomical data. Sholmes gestures with one hand and the figures vanish.

Planets are shown looping about the sun. There seem to be a small one closest to the planet, then two slightly larger ones, then three gas giants.

The map focusses on the second planet. As it expands to fill the room, you see that it possesses two small moons (likely not visible from the surface). It spins languidly before you, two green continents (when in the northern hemisphere and a smaller one in the southern) against deep blue water. Ice caps are on the north and south poles.

The globe ceases rotation, and the map focusses in on a spot near the east coast of the northern continent.

It magnifies. An aerial view of a city -- not a large one at all by Imperial standards; it could probably fit into a smallish sublevel of Huw's Hive -- looms into view.

"Here. The capital city, Harvest. Five weeks ago, the Holy Ordos received an astropathic communication from the high levels of the Famine government. It appears that some artifacts were discovered here that shocked them, and which they believed might interest the Ordo Hereticus. They were correct."

The map vanishes, to be replaced by three floating images, each about two meters high. They rotate slowly before you. Static obscures them; it is difficult to get a good view.

"I apologize for the quality of the images. Astropathic communication is not the most accurate means of communication."

"These objects are now being held under secure guard by the agents of the Ecclesiarchy on Famine."

The first object appears to be a sphere of black stone. Its surface is rough and uneven, unpolished. Some sort of markings appear to cover it, but you can't really tell what they are without getting closer.

The second appears to be a crude stone knife or hatchet, seemingly of the same black material as the stone.

Spoiler for Lecretus:

Spoiler:

Trade (Cook) has paid off! A roll of 11 tells you that the thing looks like some kind of crude butchering implement.

The third and final item appears to be a statue of a woman, also in the same black stone and done in a very crude fashion (think stone-age fertility figures). She is seated cross-legged. The head and belly are hugely oversized, and the limbs spindly. The mouth and eyes, crudely carved into the piece, are open and huge, as if screaming.

The figure has six wizened arms, which are held out before it as if in supplication or offering. There also appears to be some kind of detail around the neck and head, but again you can't really tell from where you are seated with all the static.

"The statuette here is emitting some kind of Warp disturbance."

[ChristianC]

Chani's eyes widened as the large map expanded into the room. She'd only seen ancient technology and props of this kind on rare occasions... it made her more amazed than uneasy, but when their destination was revealed her face shifted into a light mask of worry.

She was about to say something, until their master materialized the images of the items, and a cold chill spread in her belly. Warp? The chaos-dance? The unforeseen? And the sight of the statue made her want to turn her head away in disgust. What had created this... disturbing figurine?

"Are... are we to bring it back to you, m...master?" She asked finally, her brow knitted with worry. If this was indeed what they were to do, she feared there might be more he hadn't told them. Sending trained killers, and with one of the gentry as well... that sang of suspicion. He feared someone wanted these things.

[Jak Snide]

"More likely you want us to go over there for bit of the old scour and purge then, right sir?" He'd had a bad feeling about those images as soon as he saw them. He figured the Inquisition wouldn't become involved over a bunch of pagans worshipping crude idols unless there was something more to them. The mention of the warp confirmed his suspicions and explained the presence of a psyker on their team. "Famine's a funny name for an agri-world." he stated, guessing at the nature of the planet from the mention of a harvest.

[InquisitorChris]

"Are... are we to bring it back to you, m...master?" She asked finally, her brow knitted with worry. If this was indeed what they were to do, she feared there might be more he hadn't told them. Sending trained killers, and with one of the gentry as well... that sang of suspicion. He feared someone wanted these things.

"Barring future discoveries warning against it, these objects will be destroyed by the Famine authorities when I so order."

"Your job is to discover the origin of the artifacts and take whatever steps need to be taken. They have some... peculiarities, besides the fact that someone or something has invested psychic energy into the figure for some unknown purpose."

"More likely you want us to go over there for bit of the old scour and purge then, right sir?"

"That is likely. However, since we do not know the origin of the artifacts -- they may be prehistoric, for all we know, or of offworld manufacture -- there may be no one to scour and purge. Though the latter seems unlikely in view of certain details."

"Famine's a funny name for an agri-world." he stated, guessing at the nature of the planet from the mention of a harvest.

"'Agri-world' would be an excessive description. The planet exports food -- in fact, beyond Imperial Guard troops and the occasional psyker, that is its only export -- but not very much of it. The population is far too small -- only a few dozen million all told."

"The name is odd, and there is a story behind it."

"While the planet orbits in a position ideal for humanity, and flourishes today, it appears that when it was colonized in the Dark Age of Technology it had to be terraformed. This is because the sun is peculiarly unstable. Every so often -- that is, every few centuries -- it flares up and saturates the environs with radiation."

"Normally, this is relatively mild. However, apparently, or so claim scholars, every few million years the level of radiation is catastrophically high, making the surface of the planet uninhabitable."

"On the one hand, this has had the beneficial effect that Famine's only indigenous Xenos life consists of bacteria, a few subterranean organisms -- grubs and so forth -- and some larger animal and vegetable forms in the deep oceans. All other life is other blessed humanity or that he has brought -- trees, grass, the trusty grox and dog."

"Unfortunately, there is Xenos life on the southern continent of the planet -- far from where you will be going -- and on one of the nearby island archipelagos. Long ago, an ill-fated Ork armada passed through the area, and its primitive remnants are still to be found in the jungles and hills ekeing out a piglike existence. They are almost impossible to eradicate. I doubt however that your mission concerns them."

"On the other hand, the 'mild' bursts of solar radiation that have existed in recorded history, in addition to causing crippling rates of cancer, have had the effect of devastating the ecology. What this has meant for the people of Famine is periods of time every 500, 100, 50 years in which crops and livestock died en masse. Thus, famine, thus, mass death, and thus the name of the planet."

"I hear that the people are almost unhealthily obsessed with food."

Sholmes looks around.

"Are there any further questions, or shall I continue with the briefing?"

[helvorn]

Kara stirs uneasily as the holoprojector flares into life. The technology is far to much like trickery or worse yet the illusions of the enemy for her taste although there is no taint of the Warp associated with the tek magic of the machines. She slid forward on the edge of her chair in an uncomfortable position of attentiveness while the briefing progresses. Kara is just starting to relax and actually enjoy the wonders of the projection when the artifacts are displayed on the screen.

Her face twists as the sphere, the knife and finally the statuette flash into view. Kara starts to reach out one hand toward the statue before remembering that it is just an image. With an effort of will she settles back and waits for the inquisitor to continue. She has questions concerning the nature of the artifacts and their ties to the Warp but her time on the Black Ships and the Schola has taught her to be patient.

[InquisitorChris]

Kara starts to reach out one hand toward the statue before remembering that it is just an image.

"Careful! She might bite!", says Sholmes, grinning.

The three images continue rotating, flickering, before you. (Viewing them is a bit like looking at old scratched film images.)

[Jak Snide]

Jim did his best not to stare like an idiot as the Inquisitor rambled off a bunch of words he didn't recognise. He recognised enough of them to get the gist of what his master was talking about.

"None here, sir." he said, casting a sidelong glance at the psyker as she pawed at the floating images.

[helvorn]

"Careful! She might bite!", says Sholmes, grinning.

The three images continue rotating, flickering, before you. (Viewing them is a bit like looking at old scratched film images.)

Kara jumps slightly, startled out of her reverie by the joking comment from the inquisitor. She looks up with a smile of real humor on her face and meets his eyes for just a moment before quickly casting them back down in fear. Too many normals carried a dread of soul gazes, death curses or the evil eye when dealing with psykers and she had no desire to bring down the wrath of such a powerful man.

Mustering her curiosity and her courage she spoke up in a clear, high voice; "Lord, what is the nature of the Warp signature of the statuette?"

[InquisitorChris]

Mustering her curiosity and her courage she spoke up in a clear, high voice; "Lord, what is the nature of the Warp signature of the statuette?"

"Completely unknown."

[helvorn]

Kara slips back into her seat. She props and elbow on the arm of her chair and the hand comes up to support her chin in the classical 'thinker' pose as she studies the holos of the artifact. Chani will especially notice that she's humming a simple, repetitive tune.

[InquisitorChris]

Chani will especially notice that she's humming a simple, repetitive tune.

OOC: is that her sanctioning effect?

[helvorn]

Chani will especially notice that she's humming a simple, repetitive tune.

OOC: is that her sanctioning effect?

Basically; she involuntarily chants the Litanies of Protection when asleep or unconcious but I figure that she also chants or whispers or sings to herself at other times.

[Capntastic]

Huw sat, his silence being not similar to his earlier show of casual chatter. His smile had faded into concentration, as he worked to absorb the briefing as best as he could. Of course, this was all tempered by him trying to figure out his place in it all. He was not in a particular hurry, but he felt uneasy at the tasks he seemed to be being asked to undertake. He'd apply himself as he could.

"Go on, please."

[ChristianC]

Chani noticed almost immediately that Kara began humming, and the woman shot her a slight glance before her attention returned to the projected map... and she began humming too.

Her tune was not quite as monotone and short as Kara's, but it matched it almost perfectly, backing up the tune of her chanting with a gentle melody. Chani wasn't singing, her mouth only half-open and the humming continuing without pause. There wasn't any emotions on her face, however, except focus on the next part of their briefing.

[helvorn]

Her tune was not quite as monotone and short as Kara's, but it matched it almost perfectly, backing up the tune of her chanting with a gentle melody. Chani wasn't singing, her mouth only half-open and the humming continuing without pause. There wasn't any emotions on her face, however, except focus on the next part of their briefing.

Kara began to softly chant the Litanies in a whispered plain song. She unconsciously slipped into a polyphony with Chani as Kara carried the underlying rhythm and Chani worked the melody.