Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

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gsteelwraith
 
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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby gsteelwraith » Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:13 pm

'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."

Brother Leveticus starts to closely study the image of the figurine, as it reminded him rather disturbingly of the icon of the xenos death-god he'd encounter on Icanthos. The Warp essence that was spoken of was enough to tell him these were works connected to the Ruinous Powers, rather than some sort of Xenos origin.

OOC: Is there anything in his studies he's come across that looks even remotely like this object?

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Capntastic » Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:56 pm

As the hummings and chantings progressed, Huw glanced from side to side, and then over the back of his chair, wondering if he was missing something.

(Gsteelwraith, please use the quote button or find some way to indicate what parts of your posts are quotes and which aren't. Thank you~)

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:36 am

gsteelwraith wrote:
Brother Leveticus starts to closely study the image of the figurine, as it reminded him rather disturbingly of the icon of the xenos death-god he'd encounter on Icanthos. The Warp essence that was spoken of was enough to tell him these were works connected to the Ruinous Powers, rather than some sort of Xenos origin.

OOC: Is there anything in his studies he's come across that looks even remotely like this object?


OOC: You get up and move toward the object, so as to get a closer look, or stay seated?

EDIT: I'll just assume that you're getting up, since that's really the only way to take a closer look.

Leveticus (why I have I been caling him Lecretus?) gets up and walks to the floating image of the statue.

Spoiler:
It doesn't resemble anything you've seen before, other than the multiple arms that the Xenos you encountered earlier also have (although they have 4, not 6.) However, you do get a closer look at the detail around the neck.

It appears to have a number of bands carved into the stone starting at the head and curling downward around the neck to the shoulders. Bands or ribbons, maybe stylized snakes or worms. There is something disquieting about them.

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helvorn
 
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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:48 am

When Kara sees the cleric get up to look at the items she abruptly stops her soft chanting in mid sentence and watches for a moment. Then she rises herself and moves forward next to Leveticus. Initially she stands behind him on tip toes, looking over his shoulder almost as if afraid of what she might see. After a moment or two she steps to the side and moves up to stand almost shoulder to shoulder with him.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:55 pm

helvorn wrote:When Kara sees the cleric get up to look at the items she abruptly stops her soft chanting in mid sentence and watches for a moment. Then she rises herself and moves forward next to Leveticus. Initially she stands behind him on tip toes, looking over his shoulder almost as if afraid of what she might see. After a moment or two she steps to the side and moves up to stand almost shoulder to shoulder with him.


Spoiler:
You get a closer look at the detail around the neck.

It appears to have a number of bands carved into the stone starting at the head and curling downward around the neck to the shoulders. Bands or ribbons, maybe stylized snakes or worms. There is something disquieting about them.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:59 pm

Kara shudders as she gazes at the figurine. She speaks, seemingly to the thin air; "Snakes or worms or ribbons, probably snakes..."

Softly whispering the Litanies of Protection again, she steps to the side and gazes carefully at the markings on the rude sphere.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:13 pm

helvorn wrote:Kara shudders as she gazes at the figurine. She speaks, seemingly to the thin air; "Snakes or worms or ribbons, probably snakes..."

Softly whispering the Litanies of Protection again, she steps to the side and gazes carefully at the markings on the rude sphere.


Spoiler:
Ridges crisscross its surface at apparently random intervals. The ridges are fairly sharp, taller than they are wide. Some are chipped, probably due to damage to the object. It is impossible to tell how large they are, since the 2-meter holo image likely does not correspond to the size of the actual object.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Jak Snide » Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:29 pm

Jim glanced at the Inquisitor and Leveticus in turn before fixing his sights on Kara and trying not to look unnerved by her mutterings.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby gsteelwraith » Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:09 pm

<When Kara sees the cleric get up to look at the items she abruptly stops her soft chanting in mid sentence and watches for a moment. Then she rises herself and moves forward next to Leveticus. Initially she stands behind him on tip toes, looking over his shoulder almost as if afraid of what she might see. After a moment or two she steps to the side and moves up to stand almost shoulder to shoulder with him.>

Brother Leveticus will glance toward her and say quietly, "You do know that I don't bite, right?" He will give her a slight smile and chuckle.

<Kara shudders as she gazes at the figurine. She speaks, seemingly to the thin air; "Snakes or worms or ribbons, probably snakes...">

Brother Leveticus will say quietly, "I'm thinking worms, myself, and I doubt the extra arms are an improvement." As Kara begins uttering her Litanies, the young cleric will reflexively make the Sign of the Aquila and begin a few brief prayers asking for His protection.



OOC: If you wish I'll be using a '<>' when I'm borrowing part of a post to juxtaposition my own. As for quotes, I'll simply write them verbatim, with standard quotation marks opening and closing Brother Leveticus' actual statements.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:58 am

gsteelwraith wrote:
Brother Leveticus will glance toward her and say quietly, "You do know that I don't bite, right?" He will give her a slight smile and chuckle.


Kara looks at the cleric for a moment as if he were a green-skinned Xenos from legend before she visibly relaxes. After a few shuddering breaths she meets his eyes and smiles; for just a moment her eyes shine and she is only a woman far from home. Then her eyes veil and drop away from his as Kara tilts her head to the side in an oddly birdlike pose; "I will hold you to that promise honored priest." She smiles again with a trace of the earlier humanity; "Besides, I have it on good authority that I taste nothing like chicken."

gsteelwraith wrote:
<Kara shudders as she gazes at the figurine. She speaks, seemingly to the thin air; "Snakes or worms or ribbons, probably snakes...">

Brother Leveticus will say quietly, "I'm thinking worms, myself, and I doubt the extra arms are an improvement." As Kara begins uttering her Litanies, the young cleric will reflexively make the Sign of the Aquila and begin a few brief prayers asking for His protection.


She stares back at the statuette. "Worms then; worms eating the brain... burrowing inside out of the harsh light. This is a perversion of the holy form of Man."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby ChristianC » Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:13 am

Chani's humming faded into nothing as Kara stopped her chanting, the warrior-woman gently wiping back a strand of her powder-white hair and staring intensely at the three objects, occasionally glancing at the cleric and the witch. Her tattooed face gave her an incredibly intensive look and from certain angles her eyes looked predatorial, like a raptor, or something equally deadly.

"Can we expect those who found these props to be trusted? If they are artifact of the great maelstrom, perhaps its vile magics are already corrupting their performance..." she perched her lips tightly. If these men were corrupt, as she feared, perhaps the same fate awaited them? The Inquisition was held in mystique and folktale told of the souls dragged away to their deaths to fulfill the will of Him on Terra.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Jak Snide » Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:03 am

"I sure hope the governor had enough sense to put those men under watch. I reckon the ones who brought it to his attention wouldn't have been in contact for long, unless some pagans suddenly developed a guilty conscience."

Jim stood up and moved up to inspect the images as well. "Nasty bit of work." he muttered as he looked at the statue.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:58 am

Jak Snide wrote:Jim stood up and moved up to inspect the images as well. "Nasty bit of work." he muttered as he looked at the statue.


Kara moved aside to allow Jim access to view the holo's. She seemed lost in thought as she examined the sphere. He could hear her whisper; "Lines and lines and twisty paths..."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby gsteelwraith » Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:45 pm

<Kara moved aside to allow Jim access to view the holo's. She seemed lost in thought as she examined the sphere. He could hear her whisper; "Lines and lines and twisty paths...">

Leveticus will pick up on Kara's train of thought. "Lines and lines and twisty paths...." he will mutter, almost mimicking Kara's intonations. " Lines and lines and twisty paths, indeed...I wonder...Is there anyway we can see this sphere in a different format? Can we have the surface displayed, using the assumed top and bottom as the 'poles', in a Mercator projection? I'm wondering is this sphere is a map of some sort."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:08 pm

ChristianC wrote:
"Can we expect those who found these props to be trusted? If they are artifact of the great maelstrom, perhaps its vile magics are already corrupting their performance..."


"These artifacts were found by the Adeptus Arbites on Famine. They are under Arbites guard in a hexagrammatically warded facility operated by the Ecclesiarchy. Other than certain members of those two organizations and members of the planetary government, and of course the astropaths who sent the images, no one knows of their existence. Except perhaps those who made them."

Jak Snide wrote:"I sure hope the governor had enough sense to put those men under watch. I reckon the ones who brought it to his attention wouldn't have been in contact for long, unless some pagans suddenly developed a guilty conscience."


"The person or persons from whom they have been acquired have been watched secretly, pending your arrival."

Jak Snide wrote:
Jim stood up and moved up to inspect the images as well. "Nasty bit of work." he muttered as he looked at the statue.


Jim gets up and takes a look.

Spoiler:
You get a closer look at the detail around the neck.

It appears to have a number of bands carved into the stone starting at the head and curling downward around the neck to the shoulders. Bands or ribbons, maybe stylized snakes or worms. There is something disquieting about them.


gsteelwraith wrote:
Leveticus will pick up on Kara's train of thought. "Lines and lines and twisty paths...." he will mutter, almost mimicking Kara's intonations. " Lines and lines and twisty paths, indeed...I wonder...Is there anyway we can see this sphere in a different format? Can we have the surface displayed, using the assumed top and bottom as the 'poles', in a Mercator projection? I'm wondering is this sphere is a map of some sort."


"And so it shall be done."

The sphere warps into a flat plane. Those who could not see before can now tell that it is criss-crossed by sharp ridges at apparantly random intervals. They twist back on themselves and intersect with each other with what seems little logic.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:26 pm

InquisitorChris wrote:The sphere warps into a flat plane. Those who could not see before can now tell that it is criss-crossed by sharp ridges at apparently random intervals. They twist back on themselves and intersect with each other with what seems little logic.


Kara steps back a little bit as the image zooms in size. As she examines the image her body language and demeanor change; she seems more focused and 'present'.

"Lord, how large are these three items in actual size?"

She thinks for a bit; "Sharp ridges, the influence of the Ruinous Powers in the pattern perhaps." She looks up at the inquisitor for a moment as if mustering her courage; "My Lord, do you or your staff have any speculation as to the meaning of these items? Any theories would aid us in our mission to uncover the truth."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:46 pm

helvorn wrote:
Kara steps back a little bit as the image zooms in size. As she examines the image her body language and demeanor change; she seems more focused and 'present'.

"Lord, how large are these three items in actual size?"

She thinks for a bit; "Sharp ridges, the influence of the Ruinous Powers in the pattern perhaps." She looks up at the inquisitor for a moment as if mustering her courage; "My Lord, do you or your staff have any speculation as to the meaning of these items? Any theories would aid us in our mission to uncover the truth."


"Perhaps they are the influence of the Powers. Perhaps they have some meaning unknown to us. Perhaps they are just ridges."

Sholmes' pipe has filled with ash again, and the Cherubim on his shoulder once again siphons off the debris.

"These items are all 30 centimeters in height or less. I can reduce the images if you wish."

He takes a long drag and pats the Cherubim on the head. It nuzzles his neck -- a rather creepy sight.

"Theories. Well. There are two issues here."

"On one hand, as you can see, these items are of very barbaric manufacture, something you might see made by a truly backwards tribe on a planet like Iochanthus or Dusk, and Famine, even before the Emperor's Light was brought by Saint Drusus and it was brought back to humanity, never fell to this sort of primitivity -- no offense meant to anyone from such a planet here present."

"Also, they are not done according to any manufacturing technique or style known in the history of Famine art. Orks do not make such things. That leads us to believe they must have been made offworld."

He scratches the Cherubim on the back of the neck and it coos with pleasure, or simulated pleasure, arching its wings.

"On the other hand -- and this is what brought the Ordo Hereticus into the affair, and what drove the Famine Ecclesiarchy into paroxysms, which is why they contacted us in the first place -- is that the statue appears to be a parody or satire on Famine's version of the Imperial Creed. Which would imply that it is local."

"Hence the conundrum."

"That, and the Warp signature on the statue, and also there are residual traces of human tissue on the knife."

Spoiler for the Cleric:
Spoiler:
You saw my note about the knife, right?


The Cherubim on Sholmes' shoulder looks at you with its empty, dead eyes.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Jak Snide » Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:21 pm

Jim arched an eyebrow at that last piece of information.

"Beg your pardon, sir, but I don't recall a six armed saint from my lessons. What is that thing supposed to be parodying?"

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Sat Jun 12, 2010 11:52 am

Jak Snide wrote:Jim arched an eyebrow at that last piece of information.

"Beg your pardon, sir, but I don't recall a six armed saint from my lessons. What is that thing supposed to be parodying?"


"The Famine authorities believe it to be a blasphemy on their local Saint Altheria, the woman who, by legend, brought the planet into the Imperial fold during the Angevin Crusade."

"I most likely have materials on this in the estate's librairies."

OOC: Since you have 24 hours before departure, once the briefing ends you'll be able to spend some time either researching in the library or looking around for equipment in the local Imperial settlement, as you wish.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Sat Jun 12, 2010 5:08 pm

InquisitorChris wrote:"Theories. Well. There are two issues here."

"On one hand, as you can see, these items are of very barbaric manufacture, something you might see made by a truly backwards tribe on a planet like Iochanthus or Dusk, and Famine, even before the Emperor's Light was brought by Saint Drusus and it was brought back to humanity, never fell to this sort of primitivity -- no offense meant to anyone from such a planet here present."

"Also, they are not done according to any manufacturing technique or style known in the history of Famine art. Orks do not make such things. That leads us to believe they must have been made offworld."

He scratches the Cherubim on the back of the neck and it coos with pleasure, or simulated pleasure, arching its wings.

"On the other hand -- and this is what brought the Ordo Hereticus into the affair, and what drove the Famine Ecclesiarchy into paroxysms, which is why they contacted us in the first place -- is that the statue appears to be a parody or satire on Famine's version of the Imperial Creed. Which would imply that it is local."

"Hence the conundrum."

"That, and the Warp signature on the statue, and also there are residual traces of human tissue on the knife."

The Cherubim on Sholmes' shoulder looks at you with its empty, dead eyes.


Kara shudders a bit as the Cherubim catches her eyes; the lack of a soul or spark in the creature that was a parody of human form particularly bothered her. Since she first became a woman Kara had been able to sense the flame behind the eyes of those around her, even animals. In some creatures the flame burned low and in others it was a ravening fire of ambition or cruelty but always the spark.

Turning away from the creature she nodded slightly to the Inquisitor as he mentioned the primitive nature of her home world. She had long ago learned to wear the status of her people as a badge of honor rather than one of shame. In her mind it was far better to be close to the flow of energy generated by the natural world and humanity in a balance than the overwhelming tide of human presence that she felt on crowded Terra. The beating force of human emotions and desires with out the balance of natural rhythms almost drove her mad during her first years in the Schola Psykanna despite the pentagrammatic shielding around the deeply buried class-bunkers.

Kara's eyes narrowed at the mention of human flesh on the knife. That implied cannibalism or sacrifice or even worse...

"I would guess that the artifacts are fairly recent, made by off world cultists come to Famine to cause trouble or locals influenced by off world methods." She pauses; "Are the traces of human flesh recent Lord?"

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Sat Jun 12, 2010 7:10 pm

helvorn wrote:Kara's eyes narrowed at the mention of human flesh on the knife. That implied cannibalism or sacrifice or even worse...

"I would guess that the artifacts are fairly recent, made by off world cultists come to Famine to cause trouble or locals influenced by off world methods." She pauses; "Are the traces of human flesh recent Lord?"


"Yes; otherwise they would have long been rotted away. Within a few weeks before the discovery of the knife."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:13 pm

Kara shuddered slightly. "It seems that we have an active conspiracy then Lord. No loyal servant of the Emperor would use tainted items such as these; it would have to be heretics."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby gsteelwraith » Sun Jun 13, 2010 11:40 am

Leveticus will speak up, "The knife is a sort of butcher's implement, the kind one might find in a kitchen. I've used some of a similar variety before. We should need to have the items tested to determine their age, and whether they were made with local materials. One way or another we can start narrowing down the origin of these items."

"If it is at possible, my Lord," he'll add. "I should like to avail myself of any materials you might have on Famine and it's people, and their take on the Imperial Creed. Any information on Saint Altheria would be great value."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Capntastic » Sun Jun 13, 2010 4:08 pm

Huw sat quietly, observing. He was ostensibly hired on as a facilitator, rather than brains. He mentally prepared himself for dealing with the intricacies his new workmates would bring about.

(Sorry for the sparse posting, lots of weird real life stuff happening lately)

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Sun Jun 13, 2010 7:58 pm

gsteelwraith wrote:Leveticus will speak up, "The knife is a sort of butcher's implement, the kind one might find in a kitchen. I've used some of a similar variety before. We should need to have the items tested to determine their age, and whether they were made with local materials. One way or another we can start narrowing down the origin of these items."

"If it is at possible, my Lord," he'll add. "I should like to avail myself of any materials you might have on Famine and it's people, and their take on the Imperial Creed. Any information on Saint Altheria would be great value."


OOC: Hah! And the scoffers mocked Trade (Cook) as useless! :)

"A butcher's tool it seems to be, albeit a very crude one."

"The items are made of stone, black granite, found both on Famine and many other places. There are no tests that can be done to determine the age of stone artifacts (the material being millions of years old and appropriated for incorporation into the item). All we can say, based on the chips on the rock, is that they are not brand-new."

"You will be able to make use of all the materials in the open section of my libraries. In addition, I have prepared for you a sheaf of materials on the planet, which I will give you after the briefing."

OOC: This will serve as a means for you to get information of a general nature on the planet whenever you want it.

"The basis of the local Imperial Cult, though, is this: supposedly Saint Altheria, if such a person ever existed, was an Imperial missionary who came to Famine at the time of the Crusade. As fate would have it, this coincided with one of the solar outbursts and corresponding widespread hunger. Altheria is said to have given her life to save a village. Miraculously, by the Emperor's will, the town of hundreds of people was able to consume her inexhaustible flesh for months and so survived. So convinced of the Emperor's power, the planet's people entered the Imperium en masse."

"It may or may not be the case that this is a modification of a pre-Imperial religion introduced by the Ecclesiarchy to make the worship of the God-Emperor more, ahem, palatable to the natives. We do know that cannibalism was practiced on Famine long ago, as you might expect given its situation. Such modification of local beliefs is a common practice when bringing new worlds into the fold."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:44 am

InquisitorChris wrote:
OOC: Hah! And the scoffers mocked Trade (Cook) as useless! :)


<ooc> Nothing warms the heart of a girl more than a man who can cook a good meal... </ooc

"A butcher's tool it seems to be, albeit a very crude one."

"The items are made of stone, black granite, found both on Famine and many other places. There are no tests that can be done to determine the age of stone artifacts (the material being millions of years old and appropriated for incorporation into the item). All we can say, based on the chips on the rock, is that they are not brand-new."

"You will be able to make use of all the materials in the open section of my libraries. In addition, I have prepared for you a sheaf of materials on the planet, which I will give you after the briefing."

"The basis of the local Imperial Cult, though, is this: supposedly Saint Altheria, if such a person ever existed, was an Imperial missionary who came to Famine at the time of the Crusade. As fate would have it, this coincided with one of the solar outbursts and corresponding widespread hunger. Altheria is said to have given her life to save a village. Miraculously, by the Emperor's will, the town of hundreds of people was able to consume her inexhaustible flesh for months and so survived. So convinced of the Emperor's power, the planet's people entered the Imperium en masse."

"It may or may not be the case that this is a modification of a pre-Imperial religion introduced by the Ecclesiarchy to make the worship of the God-Emperor more, ahem, palatable to the natives. We do know that cannibalism was practiced on Famine long ago, as you might expect given its situation. Such modification of local beliefs is a common practice when bringing new worlds into the fold."


Kara's eyes glaze as she gazes at the butcher's knife. Flashes of haunted forests and splashes of blood fill her eyes for a moment and she stares panting down at her hands expecting them to be splattered with the blood of her tribesmen. She slumped back in her seat breathing deeply for a moment before sitting up. "It is cannibalism or worse my Lord. The Holy Rites are the easiest path for the cursed to reach their goals."

<ooc> that bit with the butcher's knife and cannibalism was too good not to take the opportunity for a bit of flash back. </ooc>

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Jak Snide » Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:17 am

Jim looked more than a little uncomfortable with this revelation. He'd wasn't a particularly religious man. Too many cast-iron commandments getting in the way of doing what was right, just like the endless laws of the Lex Imperialis, but you didn't need some officious weasel trying to pass for a priest to tell you that chowing down on human flesh wasn't right.

"Nothing right can come from harbouring beliefs like that. Case in damn point." he scowled, waving an arm at the collection of heretical objects in front of them.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:22 am

Jak Snide wrote:Jim looked more than a little uncomfortable with this revelation. He'd wasn't a particularly religious man. Too many cast-iron commandments getting in the way of doing what was right, just like the endless laws of the Lex Imperialis, but you didn't need some officious weasel trying to pass for a priest to tell you that chowing down on human flesh wasn't right.

"Nothing right can come from harbouring beliefs like that. Case in damn point." he scowled, waving an arm at the collection of heretical objects in front of them.


"Cannibalism is a desperate reaction to not having any other food. Where do you think corpse starch comes from?" Sholmes smirks.

"In any case, it has been hundreds of years since there was a solar outburst, and since coming into the Imperial fold Famine has ridden out such events without undue suffering. One of the many benefits of being part of the Imperium of Man is access to the production of agri-worlds."

He pauses a second.

"If there are no more questions or comments, I will continue with the briefing."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Jak Snide » Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:33 am

Jim didn't have anything more to say, being far too busy dealing with this second unpleasant revelation.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby ChristianC » Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:53 am

Chani knew enough of her own planet's past to recall the stories of cannibalism that had first plagued her people when interplanetary trade and travel first broke down. A planet like Corsa, which had long abandoned food and water for other luxuries and tourist-traps, had fallen into barbarism following the catastrophe that wrought the age of darkness.

She had listened to the conversational exchange with mingled emotions, but like Huw, hers was a role of death-dealer more than anything else. She had not approached the objects, she did not wish their visage to mar her image of her role. She would perform her role without objection, killing those she was instructed too, perhaps even finding herself another part of her cantata.

"Shall we procure the garments of the stage, or shall we appear the strangers?"

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:56 pm

ChristianC wrote:
"Shall we procure the garments of the stage, or shall we appear the strangers?"


Sholmes looks at you quizically for a second, then takes a puff off his pipe. The thing really smells foul.

"You mean, will you be going undercover in some capacity? That is up to you, but I highly recommend it. It is your decision as to which of the people on Famine who know of the Ordo Hereticus' mission will be informed of your visit ahead of time -- that is, the Ecclesiarchy, the Adeptus Arbites, and/or the planetary government."

"If you do go undercover, I highly recommend---as in I order---you to keep the music references to a minimum. People will notice this."

"To continue. These items were found apparently totally accidentally. Believe it or not, they were laid out in the display window of an antiquary store for all to see. A member of the Adeptus Arbites happened to pass by off duty, could not believe what he saw, and -- overcoming his urge for immediate, pitiless, and clumbsy enforcement of the law (Jim here can tell you more about this I am sure) -- purchased the items for a mere pittance on the spot. He took them back to his superiors, and so the train of events was begun that brought the materials' existence to our knowledge."

"Since then, as of last astropathic communication a week ago, the owner of the antiquary store has been under surveillance by the Arbites. No action has been taken against him pending your arrival, in the fear that it might alert hypothetical enemies to our interest."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:09 pm

Kara pipes up; "There are many types of humans in the Emperor's realm. Will our skin colors and physiques match the locals? If we are dramatically different do you have access to artificial means of altering our appearances Lord? Even subtle changes of hair, skin or eye color can help. Dies or contact lenses may be sufficient." She tosses her hair; "We may need to shorten or lengthen or straighten or curl our hair."

Kara stops and thinks of one last point; "If their version of Gothic is unusually accented any available primers would be helpful for study during the voyage to Famine."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:44 pm

helvorn wrote:Kara pipes up; "There are many types of humans in the Emperor's realm. Will our skin colors and physiques match the locals? If we are dramatically different do you have access to artificial means of altering our appearances Lord? Even subtle changes of hair, skin or eye color can help. Dies or contact lenses may be sufficient." She tosses her hair; "We may need to shorten or lengthen or straighten or curl our hair."

Kara stops and thinks of one last point; "If their version of Gothic is unusually accented any available primers would be helpful for study during the voyage to Famine."


"Good questions. Your accents will certainly mark you as nonlocals. Of which Famine has few."

"I suppose that you could pass off unusual accents as being the result of being from the southern continent or some obscure corner of the northern, as long as you do not meet anybody with too much experience in these areas. Or you could invent some kind of reason for having arrived from offworld. Famine is rarely visited by any but those who take away the tithe of Guardsmen, but it does happen.""

OOC: This is why Mimic and Disguise are very usefull skills...

"The people who settled on Famine had pale skins, which have become increasingly dusky as a response to the solar radiation -- it protects them."

"The local version of Low Gothic is not so different from the Calixian norm."

OOC: Basically, you should all blend in (I don't think any of you have very unusual appearances?). Except for the accent, which will be a giveaway that you are not from anywhere around Harvest.

"Our musician's tatoos may be an issue. These are not normal Famine means of decoration."

"Posing as pilgrims come to see the saint might be a good idea when you interact with those who are unaware of your nature."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:34 pm

InquisitorChris wrote:
"I suppose that you could pass off unusual accents as being the result of being from the southern continent or some obscure corner of the northern, as long as you do not meet anybody with too much experience in these areas. Or you could invent some kind of reason for having arrived from offworld. Famine is rarely visited by any but those who take away the tithe of Guardsmen, but it does happen.""

OOC: This is why Mimic and Disguise are very usefull skills...

"Posing as pilgrims come to see the saint might be a good idea when you interact with those who are unaware of your nature."


OOC: Darn fellowship based skills just don't work with a psyker... :) If we were to die our skin and hair could some one in the inquisitor's staff apply the coloring so we could gain the benefit of their skill? I know Kara would have to ask for that IC but I was curious as to the off screen mechanics.

Kara listened quietly, her mind calculating. Her skin was appropriately pale as suited a native of Dusk and some one who had been locked inside a closed Schola for the last decade or so. Still, with a bit of skin and hair die she could look like a local from a distance; at least until she opened her mouth. If the planet was an insular as it sounded it might be worth trying to appear as locals from the remote southern continent. Still, pilgrims covered a wide variety of topics and would prove useful when they had to ask prying questions that might be well known to the locals.

"It might be well to prepare identities as pilgrims and as locals from the southern continent." She nodded to Chani; "The score may require us to play different instruments to create the final melody. While posing as pilgrims we have an excuse for asking blundering, obvious questions about the local faith and development. As locals we may just attract less attention if this planet is as closed as it sounds."

Kara took a deep breath as if this burst of lucidity strained her. "Tanning or skin and hair dies might help us look more 'local' for those of us with pale skin and hair."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Capntastic » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:03 am

Huw adjusted his position in the seat, and decided to speak up.

"If we're going to fabricate a story for ourselves, instead of trying to compensate for any quirks about us, we should just roll with what suits us. I say we claim to be in the employ of a trading company that would like to inspect any grain that they might be thinking about buying. What's best is that it gives us plausible reason to be curious about the... goings on, without really giving anyone a reason to think twice on us asking around. Bonus, some of them trade houses have serious pull."

He glanced around, curious as to how well his suggestion would be met.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby Jak Snide » Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:02 am

Jim forced himself to cease his morbid imaginings about how corpse starch was formed and nodded in agreement with Huw.

"Anyone with a good head on their shoulders could tell that we're a strange lot. Offworlders stick out like a sore thumb, even when they aren't dressed up in black carapace, but we're going to need to ask questions without getting people all suspicious. If needs be that we crack a few heads it's going to go down alot smoother if our cover explains away why we're good at doing so and why we can get away with it. Miss Chani could be some exotic muscle kept as equal parts ornament and bodyguard. It might also help if-" he paused, glancing at the psyker before continuing, "Miss Kara's talents are revealed. You could bullshit a mercantile operation having the pull to get a sanctioned psyker. Pilgrims, not so much."

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby InquisitorChris » Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:47 am

Sholmes says, "I do not believe your physical appearance will be too much out of the ordinary. It is the accents that will require explanation."

"I will prepare a document detailing further aspects of the case that will be ready for you before your departure in 23 hours. Until that time, feel free to make use of my libraries or go into town to do some shopping."

OOC: In effect the briefing is over unless you have further questions or comments. I would like to know how you spend the next day; as Sholmes said, you can use the time doing research (for which I will make Lore rolls) or hunting for any equipment you think you need (for which I will make Inquiry rolls).

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:25 pm

Kara listened to Jim and Huw discuss ideas for their cover story. "I like the idea of a trading company as well as pilgrims." She nodded to Leveticus; "We can naturally be in the company of our honored cleric as pilgrims. Since he is the Prime the authority would flow naturally from him. Or we could pose Lady Chani as a wealthy pilgrim. Our cleric could be her spiritual advisor, Jim and Huw muscle and I could be a servant."

"If we go as representatives of a trading company do any of us know that business enough to pass as competent?" She looked to Makaber; "Honored master, is there enough off world trade moving in and out of Famine that we could pose as buyers of grain or another commodity? I thought the planet was very isolated from the rest of the Emperor's realm."

Lastly she turns to Jim; "It would be best if my 'talents' are kept quiet when we deal with the general public." She shrugs; "Many people don't deal well with my curse."
Last edited by helvorn on Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby helvorn » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:26 pm

Kara asks; "How long will the voyage to Famine last Lord?"

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Re: Dark Heresy -- Purge the Xenos

Unread postby ChristianC » Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:12 pm

Chani nodded as the discussion progressed.

"I shall temper my ways, if that is needed. I have played many roles in my carriera, but always that of the warrior. I believe it would be advantageous to our troupe if I continued that act, if only because I lack the disciplines of the protagonista."

She took a deep breath,

"My notes shall remain hidden, with ease I believe, and if it were up to me, I would support the decision to have us serve as the entourage of a cleric of The Great Composer making his journey to planets both near and far away to see the home of the saints of His most Holy Faith."

She settled back, lips puckered slightly in the coquettish way that was suitable for her costume. On their journey, she would wear her warrior's attire, her uniform. It would, most likely, make her fit the role even better.

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