Raith
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Posts posted by Raith
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Two weeks worth of update in this post, despite what i thought was a short couple of sessions it certainly turned into a lot of writing.
Act 3: Unseen
Session 24 & 25: Calixis Sector, Adrantis Sub, Baraspine (Hive Baraspine), 125.816.M41 to 127.816.M41The ever-smiling man with augmetic eyes introduced himself as Ruben and continued to speak exclusively with Magnus. His proposal was simple, Magnus was ideally placed to turn traitor and allow Ruben and Alfredo’s organisation to gain a plant with wide connections in house Hax-Amus and if the rumours were true the Inquisition. When Magnus protested wondering how such an event would be possible given the other Acolytes presence, the small man assured the Redemptionist with a sinister tone that they would not be of any trouble.
With little apparent thought Magnus agreed to the terms pledging his aide to Ruben’s business, the other acolytes struggled with disbelief aside from Ruby who could hear the false tones in his voice. Ruben seemed to smile even more as he issued orders to have a Servitor wheel the restraining slab that held Magnus from the room while indicating to several shadowed figures that they should get to work.
Within moments a number of Tech-adepts and Chymysts walked out of the darkness wheeling a large bubbling vat of softly-glowing green liquid. The vat was connected to a series of monitors, pumps and techno-arcane devices. With a quiet efficiency the vat was hooked into the intravenous drips already feeding into the captives and with a flick of a switch a watered down serum of Twilight flowed into the Acolyte’s veins.
The world dropped away from the struggling assassin and psykers, soon the pain in their wrists and ankles from the solid adamantium restraints was only a distant uninteresting experience, the people walking about them taking reading were irrelevant and their precarious situation was of no immediate concern.
The servitor rolled Magnus on his restraining support into a room a few dozen meters down a hallway from where he had awoken. The Redemptionist had tried to take in as much of his surroundings as possible but there was little of remarkable note on his short journey, his final destination behind a thick hatch seemed to have been a storage room, remnants of forgotten spare parts still cluttered the corners. As his escort left the priest was alone with Ruben.
Magnus stared at his captor for a moment before presenting his side of the alliance. In exchange for helping Ruben, Magnus wanted his enemy Leondis Hiram-Hax destroyed and his ploy to ally with House Cortez disrupted. Ruben swiftly agreed to the demand citing that house Hax-Amus was a far better ally than Hiram-Hax. With the bargain settling in Magnus asked to be released but with his smile still in place Ruben declined, Magnus would go free but only after one final assurance.
The door to the cell opened and another Servitor strode in, its arms had been replaced with a large silver tray, atop which sat one of the twisted Injectors of Twilight. Ruben took the device and swiftly administered the dose to the cleric before turning and leaving the room securing the door behind him.
Unaware of their companions plight Ketris and Corker concluded their negotiations with Don Inotias and returned back to the safe house, Inotias had indicated that it would take several days for his group to make the appropriate arrangements. With “Jacqui” still on his infiltration assignment the pair had no reliable way to contact their companions within the Aerie so they simply waited. There first established contact time was scheduled for the following day.
When the scheduled check in failed to occur Ketris set out to find out why. Using Corkers newly established identity with Don Inotias the Legate soon acquired a temporary upper-hive travel permit and set off to the Hax-Amus compound where he quickly learnt of the Acolytes failure to reappear the night before.
While Ketris was an accomplished Psyker it was Syrion who was the divination expert, needing to locate his companions in as short a time as possible Ketris did the next best thing and quickly set out to recruit some more specialized talent, grabbing the case in which Jalith kept his favour weapons.
Within a few hours of locating that facility Ketris had successfully bribed and bluffed his way into the secured complex of Hive Baraspines Astropath Enclave. The effort had cost some money but had proceeded smoothly enough for the psyker. Within a cluttered and messy room deep in the psychically neutral residences Ketris spoke to a man called Ibrahim. The conversation was brief but potent and within five minutes he had secured the psykers help.
The Séance was very simple, Ibrahim simply sat down on the floor of his room and bade Ketris to do they same with the gun-case positioned between the pair. Ketris could feel the power being worked by the Astropath and within ten minutes he had his answer, a set of Hive coordinates indicating Jalith was currently located back down in the Singing Depths though the astropath was not able to pinpoint an exact location as something was interfering with the tides of the warp in the area.
Curious as to why the assassin would be down in that territory without notifying Ketris or Corker of his presence the Legate departed the Aerie with Ibrahim in tow. With the looming meeting between Inotias and his supplier Ketris did not want to be caught unawares and a powerful psyker might help to foil any unseen plots, especially if something unfortunate had happened to his companions.
The following morning Corker joined Don Inotias, both had a small armed retinue, in Corkers case mercenaries hired for the task with Ketris hidden among them and Ibrahim quietly standing nearby. Inotias had brought his most trusted men decked out in a wide variety of well-service equipment as well as “Jacqui” who stood near the crime-lords side.
Earlier that morning when the location for the meeting had been concerned Ketris had been surprised to learn that the abandoned Basilica where it would take place was barely a kilometer away from the location divined by Ibrahim.
The abandoned Basilica featured a large interior atrium. The massive room would have held a thousand worshippers comfortably but had not done so in a long time. Massive columns of steel and stone reached for a distant broken ceiling that allowed the light of the sun-panels on the levels roof to filter inside.
At the far end of the area stood another group of figures, eight men armed with shotguns and dressed in uniform flak armour stood carefully watching over a small man in a neatly tailored black suit and bowler hat. Besides the small man was a figure swathed in red robes whose presence caused an shrill ringing in the ears of Ketris and Ibrahim even from so far away.
With a nod of professionalism Don Inotias moved towards the center of the room with a single guard while the little man in black did the same. When the pair finally met they settled into immediate negotiations. Minutes crept by until the bare shook hands, each guard keeping a wary eye on their masters opposite for signs of deceit until the meeting finished and the pair broke off.
Don Inotias signalled to his men to pack up, the negotiations had been successful and with the deposit payed the first shipment of Twilight would be ready in two days time. Corker asked after the delay and was informed that while the suppliers had a laboratory on Baraspine concocting the substance it was only a small operation, incapable of producing large enough quantities at present so the substance was being imported and would arrive shortly in orbit for transport to the Singing Depths.
In keeping with their original agreement Don Inotias assured Corker that he would have access to the shipment to supervise it once it arrived in orbit all the way down to the surface via a small transport company called Thuuvian Logisitcs. With that Don Inotias assembled his men and set out leaving Corker and Ketris to yet again sit and wait.
Hours and days ticked past for the cleric as he suffered through the full dose of the vicious liquid and its tranquilizing effects, deep within his mind he strained against the sensation trying with all his strength to slip free from his restraints. When full awareness returned Magnus found him self free of the restraints. Looking at the elevated slab it was clear someone had come in and set him loose, more surprising was the fact that Magnus felt no lingering effects from the Twilight-state, no tremors, after-drug bliss or even a craving for more.
Growing increasingly concerned about his situation and with hatred rising in his heart the priest rose to his feet, snatched the empty injector from the Servitors tray where his captor had left it and drove the curved tip into the base of the man-machines skull through the spine. Rage satiated Magnus distantly became away of a repeating noise and within a heartbeat was testing the door to his cell which swung open.
Beyond the room the corridor was coloured red with flashing warning lights and echoing with a distress siren. The thump of booted feet pounded on the metal grating that passed for flooring drawing the cleric’s attention past the open door to the left where a squad of six men in flak armour bearing shotguns rapidly approached. One stopped at the door with the cleric while the other five raced past towards another sealed hatch through which Magnus had been wheeled earlier when taken away from his companions. The guard standing in front of Magnus politely requested that the cleric return into his room till the situation was resolved and not willing to take on the armed man without a weapon of his own the cleric acquiesced.
While Magnus struggled with sedation the rest of the captives wandered in and out of counsciousness, the variation of Twilight being pumped into them drew only the beginning effects mostly a sense of passivity but keep an awareness of the outside including that fact that the overwatching Xeno-tech figure had vanished. Struggling against his mental state Syrion drew in the fleeting remnants of his will and summoned his power. With a sparking flicker the rooms lights went dark, cogitators whined into shutdown and the gurgling vat of Twilight ceased to pump.
Almost immediately the effects of the drug vanished and within a second Jalith had one of his hands free to draw a concealed stub automatic. Waving the gun at the dimly seen form of one of the analysts observing the group the assassin was quick to negotiate a release for himself and his companions but not before another worker threw himself at an alarm switch and then out the door.
Jalith gave chase sprinting about the rooms equipment to peer down the corridor. His aim wavered from its target when he saw the quickly approaching security forces. Ducking back into the labority and slamming shut the access hatch the assassin barely avoided a face full of buckshot. A call from Ruby pointed out a second door on the opposite wall and the unarmed group fled as fast as they could.
The chase was panicked, while Jalith could easily outpace his companions Syrion was struggling to move faster than the pursuit, minutes dragged by as they raced along corridors until the report of a shotgun echoed out and Syrion twisted thumping against the wall from a near fatal hit.
Sliding to a stop at a corner Jalith turned and levelled his weapon back the way he came firing past the stricken psyker and drilling one of the pursuers between the eyes, the man-stopper ammunition ripping through the guard’s protection. Atellus and Ruby paused beside Jalith a moment before the assassin ordered them onwards as Syrion caught up. The group ran on, twisting and turning at random hoping to loose their captors.
As the fled the acolytes tried to plan, breathless words and misunderstood intentions saw the group split up and head off down different routes or ducking into rooms hoping that the pursuers would end up walking into an Ambush by Jalith who raced ahead to hind a place to hide.
Runy dashed madly down a corridor hoping it was leading away from her pursuers. The hope faded quickly as she caught sight of four men rapidly closing behind her. Sliding to a halt Ruby focused her power, gathering every erge of strength and throwing it into a burst of emotion triggering a surge of primal fear in her opponents.
Three of the men stopped in their tracks and simply screamed in terror but the forth plowed through the psychic effect and levelled his shotgun. Ruby threw herself to the side and retaliated by slamming her will into the man taking control of his body. Rather than waste time manipulating the host for her will Ruby simply left the man standing stunned and turned to flee.
Still screaming in terror the security forces slowly reacted to her renewed flight, shaky hands operated weapons and a trio of blasts leapt out smashing into the psyker from behind. As Ruby collapsed to the floor and rolled about in pain the men grimly stalked towards her.
Atellus tried to follow Jalith as he sprinted off but quickly lost sight of the lightning quick assassin. No wanting to slow down the Adept continued his quick pace, glancing over his shoulder time and again to check for sounds of pursuits. It didn’t take long for Atellus to realise he was on his own and after a check of his surroundings apparently lost.
Distant noises indicated some sort of confrontation so the Adept continued onwards at a slower pace trying to keep some order to his wanderings. Still concerned with any pursuit from behind Atellus was unable to react when he walked around a corner and straight into the butt-end of a shotgun. Lying on the ground the adept gazed up into the maw of the weapon and the face of its weilder.
Rather than fleeing Syrion ducked into a room marked for storage, already injured and by far the slowest of the group by his reckoning any chance he had for escape would lie with avoiding anymore violence. Ducking behind a set of free standing shelves the psyker waited.
Time ticked past quietly, hearing no sounds of pursuit Syrion slowly drew on his other senses and peered out hoping to sense if any other presences where loitering nearby. Before he could even begin to search the squeak of rusty metal drew his attention back to his immediate situation.
The door to the storage room swung open, flickering light from the passageway illuminating the form of a figure draped in floor length robes of scarlet. Pain stabbed into the psykers mind a shrill noiseless sound. Gritting his teeth and blinking back tears Syrion maintained his hold on his consciousness. With a too smooth motion the figure swept into the room the red cloak sliding away as four long limbs tipped with metal blades unfolded from its back, the weapons sliced the air as the floating torso drifted forward.
Jalith’s path finally found a perfect hiding spot, the corridor widened into an old maufactorum room still littered with broken and rusting machinery. Picking a suitable hiding space the Assassin waited for his prey.
Minutes passed an pursuit failed to appear, more time vanished until finally the assassin caught sight of movement. A squad of six men, armed and armoured swept into the room, they moved with a single purpose checking lines of attack and sight smoothly and with the skill of professionals used to working together. Cursing his luck and knowing that his Stub Auto was not carrying as much ammunition as would be needed Jalith slipped from his perch and hastened from the area choosing a hatch to vanish through.
False daylight startled the assassin as he found himself on a ledge two hundred meters above the ground-floor of one level of the Singing Depths. Above him the sun-panels illuminated the enclosed level of the hive. Apparently free from the facility Jalith quickly located a way down the outside of the building, if he was out there was little point going back in to find the others unarmed, he would simply trust them to survive long enough for reinforcements (namely Jalith with his beloved Nomad rifle) to return.
As his feet touched the “ground” Jalith tensed, someone stood behind him. Turning the assassin cursed again as he was confronted by Ruben, still smiling and a half dozen guards. With a sudden lurch Jalith sprang forward twisting through the air in an attempt to leap past his opponents.
Ruby tried to crawl away from her attackers as they stood over her, one gave a short snort of disgust before a shotgun took her head off.
Syrion fell to his knees the pressure in his head to much to bare and the Xeno-tech stalked closer. Unconsciousness swept around him before he felt the sting of its blades sink into him.
Atellus looked up at the shotgun pointing at his face just in time to see the mans trigger finger tense before his head disappeared in a spray of red.
Jalith’s hectic motion was checked in mid air as shot smashed him apart from point-blank range.
Quickly sorting around his room Magnus located a heavy steel pipe, with a simple test swing the Redemptionist marched back to the door of his room. Shouldering that hatch open he stepped out into the corridor behind the guard standing just outside and bashed the pipe against his head dropping him to the floor. Moving quickly the cleric liberated than mans weapon and armour and hurried back towards the room holding his captive friends.
Spinning the locking flywheel open Magnus stepped into the dark laboratory. Technicians monitoring equipment looked up briefly before returning to their tasks. Over the far side of the room stood five guards, weapons lowered at ease, they stood just outside of the overhead illumination beaming down on the four retraining slabs holding Magnus’s thrashing companions.
Hoping that his quick disguise would be enough Magnus marched on over to the nearest guard and asked for a status report. The man glanced at Magnus briefly before reporting that the prisoners had made a brief escape attempt causing an interruption to the room’s machine-spirits but had otherwise failed to get any further apparently caught up in the hallucinogenic properties of their drugged state.
The summary delivered the guard suddenly stopped and turned to take a longer look at Magnus. Seeing the motion the Redmptionist raised his captured shotgun.
- Raith
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CAMPAIGN UPDATE
*****
Joseph walked out of his house. The moon was full providing more than enough illumination for the aging farmer to survey his lands even so late at night. The wind had carried faint cries of rage and the clash of metal on metal. Slowly Joseph swept his eyes North to the boarder of his farmland where a massive expanse of dark and foreboding forest creaked within a stiffening breeze.
This past weekend I held a demonstration day and three of my Campaigners took advantage of the day to play a pair of matches for Dark is the Fallen Sky.
*****
Match 1: 200 Levels (Jordan v Kyris)
The Azur Alliance verses The Sacred Holy Empire of AbelAzur Forces: Les Jaeger
Empire Forces: Kronnen, Iosara, Daniella, SamielThe match began in a pretty standard manner, Jordan sent Les Jaeger forward to claim a block of terrain and proceeded to sail it closer to the enemy hoping the abrupt design would hamper the Empires ability to charge. In response Kyris held his troops back forcing the Alliance forces to eventually quit thier position and move to a much more acceptable hill.
Iosara soon appeared on the table and swept forward drawing the attention of Harod who in turn brought about a charge from the Black Lion. With the Colonel holding back to protect Kirsten and Reinhold Kronnen charged on in.
Unfortunately for the Azur Alliance Kirsten had crept to close to her Leader and Kronnen was soon able to shift about and clobber her in hand to hand while still engaged with the Colonel
Azur Score: 115
Empire Score: 130Match 2: 200 levels (Sen v Jordan)
Samael Verses The Azur Alliance
Special Battle: Dark ForestSamael Forces: Konosuke, Bael, Cheshire, Momiji
Azur Forces: The Condemned Lovers, Reinhold, ClaudeWith a plethora of terrain acting as a massive forest on the edge of a more civilized area Samael squared off against the Azur Alliance. Unfortunately for Samael they where constantly hampered by the terrain which Reinhold was able to use against their slower characters with the final confrontation being settled hi[p deep in a river.
Samael Score: 140
Azur Score: 195*****
Each player in the campaign selects a force of 400 levels, while they do not have to fully their roster at the beginning of the campaign once a purchase is made it is fixed unless a reward from a match allows a change. These 400 levels allow for an additional 40points of Advantage Cards, 1 Leader class unit and 2 Organizational advantages. The following information is the various Teams so far participating in the Campaign.
The Teams:
Mecha – Wissenscraft
Character Pool: XII, Lorenzo, Rayne, Alessa Raincross, Goethia (Pilot: Mauser), Hiro, Sophia Ilmora, Khaine D’Lacreu
Organizational Advantages: The Process, Lost Loggia
Advantage Cards: Nullem Lusec, Ord of Power, Fate Clock, Greater Life Potion, Aura, Raphael’s Gift, After Image, Dragons Blood, Supernatural Traps, Supernatural Weapon.
Team Cards: Assault TeamAccumulated Exploration Points: 580
Spent Exploration Points: 0Jordan – Azur Alliance
Character Pool: High Arbiter Arkeid, Reinhold, The Colonel, Kyler, Kirsten, Claude Valmore, Drake, Cenette
Organizational Advantages: Shadow Lords, Organization
Advantage Cards: Dragons Blood, Tactical Advantage, Covert Operations, Nue, Piercing Weapon, Clock of Cronos
Team Cards: Les Jaeger, Condemned LoversAccumulated Exploration Points: 1795
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: Command Presence (Used)Fallecs – Church
Character Pool: Romeo, Evangeline, Saint Astreaga, Damien, Aliss Testarossa, Nero (50 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Unshakable Faith, Exterminators
Advantage Cards: Raphael’s Gift, Supernatural Weapon, Combined Combat, Tempus Fugit (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: Saint CouncilAccumulated Exploration Points: 105
Spent Exploration Points: 0Isaac - Samael
Character Pool: Fallen Angel Dinah, Bael, Momiji, Nahimana, Shinigami Ayl, Konosuke, Janiel, Cheshire (5 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Mystic
Advantage Cards: Protective Shield, Supernatural Weapon, Control Bound, Combined Combat, Nephiros (15 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 1310
Spent Exploration Points: 600
Rewards Bought: Seek New Horizons (Used)Andrew - Empire
Character Pool: Khaine, Erika, Claire, Lilian (225 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Combat Mastery, Imperial Armour
Advantage Cards: 2x Supernatural Weapon, Gabriel’s Gift, Pool of Life, Mikael’s Tears
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 70
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: ExodusSen - Samael
Character Pool: Cheshire, Momiji, Bael, Konosuke, Shinigami Ayl (155 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Supernatural Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Dawn of the Dark, Life Potion, Aberration (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 720
Spent Exploration Points: 0Kyris - Empire
Character Pool: Samiel, Kronen, Daniella, Iosara (215 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Empresses Chosen, Critical Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Life Potion, Logistics, Tactics (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 470
Spent Exploration Points: 0- Raith
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DEMONSTRATION EVENT 27
After Action Report*****
This past Demo weekend things got back to normal, it was so routine that there isn’t much to really report on. After a quiet first half of the day several of my regulars rocked up and got stuck into Campaigning while I talked shop and demonstrated the game to a few people.
Right in the last hour of the day I also ran a demo for a future gamer who, after the demo, did his best to convince his parents to buy some of the figures for him.
- Raith
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"I love it when a plan comes together." Wow, this past week was an amazing session, despite the short playtime a bunch of stuff happened, the pinacle of which, my players walked head first, eyes open right into a completely unseen trap.
Act 3: Unseen
Session 23: Calixis Sector, Adrantis Sub, Baraspine (Hive Baraspine), 125.816.M41The plan was straight forward. Magnus could not let any perception of impropriety with his household and that of House Cortez stand. He would go and force a meeting with house Cortez. The Redmptionist had secured an array of documentation and official pledges before leaving Scintilla indicating him as a scion of House Hax-Amus and the only legitimate personage with the authority to ally the two houses. Whatever Leondis was doing it would end swiftly.
Soon, Magnus, Atellus, Jalith, Ruby and Syrion were in a grav-transport and speeding through Baraspines Aerie towards one of the towering Hive Spires dominated by House Cortez. The vehicle pulled up outside the armoured gates that Syrion had spent time examining a day before. Addressing the machine-spirits of the entrance Magnus demanded to speak to a representative of the House citing his reasons for the conference and verifying his identity to a Guardian-Cherub that fluttered out from a concealed rookery above the monolithic access point.
For minutes the irate Redemptionist stood there waiting while cogitation circuity scanned his papers. With a sudden hiss of pressure and the dull clank of hidden restraining bolts the gates began to swing open and Magnus stepped back into the waiting transport which silently growled through the entrance and along a long boulevard.
The road from the entrance to the inner palace of House Cortez took a further twenty minutes as the car moved between artificial parks and gardens, swept past lesser residences and building used by the noble house for day to day business, the road curved round and spiralled up the outside of the Hive Spire though the view of the rarefied heights has blocked by statutory and cultured plant life. Eventually it pulled up in front of a massive sweep of stairs covered in a crimson rug. Servants hastened forward to open the doors of the transport and then to guide Magnus and his entourage up towards the looming palace
A major-domo of House Cortez bowed deeply as Magnus ascended the stairs and spoke a quick apology that the Lords of House Cortez where engaged in other activities but where aware of his arrival and had offered the hospitality of the palace while they concluded their prior engagement.
The goup was shown into a inner wing of the massive building a dozen rooms where set aside for their use with four times as many servants waiting to see to their needs. The Major-domo left the group along as Magnus dismissed the servants. As the door to the rooms clicked shut Jalith swept into motion hunting for security devicves, pict-recorders and hidden accessways swiftly locating a handful of spy devices in the various rooms.
While the Assassin hunted for mundane technology Syrion sat down and focused his energies inward, his inner eye perceiving that the rooms had recently been used by a lesser member of the Cortez family, one who was a member of the Imperial Navy. The man had apparently enjoyed a very good time during his stay. While Syrion read the room Ruby kept her mind focused on the present reaching out with her senses to feel the life of those nearby. There where many though they where indistinct behind the think walls of the apartments.
A hour slipped by with Magnus building in impatience. The major-domo had promised that someone would see them quickly and the waiting grated at the Noble until a solid knock at the main door broke the nervous tension. Jalith moved to the opening drawing one of his more discrete weapons while his companions readied themselves.
The reply to enter barely escaped JAliths lips when the door swung violently open and the assassin found himself face to face with a large man swathed in full Carapace Armour and levelling the maw of a combat-shotgun in his direction. In that moment a number of hidden doors into the apartments sprang open. Within seconds the rooms where filled with fifty of House Cortez’s household guards, what thoughts of resistance quickly vanished as a distinct figure swept into the room following the muscle. Draped in robes of scarlet and posing as a Tech-priest the Xenos-tech devices presence registered with shocking force on Syrion and Ruby, dropping the latter to the ground in a moment while Syrion managed to battle against the inaudible pressure crawling at his head for a few moments dropping to one knee before falling alongside his companion..
Resistance was futile, Jalith and Magnus quickly surrendered against the massive odds and where quickly relieved of their weaponry, bound, gagged, hooded and drugged and finally carted from the room.
Sometime later the acolytes began to stir, each slowly came back to reality feeling the lifting of a blissful fugue state. Each was secured to an almost vertical metal plinth along one wall of a room, the only source of light seemed to be directly above their position or issuing from a variety of cogitation screens scattered in the darker areas of the room. Figures moved back and forth in the darkness but it was the red-robed Xenos-tech that drew their immediate gaze. The abomination stood quietly three meters in front of the restraining tables holding Ruby and Syrions, unmoving and silent.
A cheerful voice called out on seeing the group stir and for a moment Magnus suspected he was in the captivity of Alfredo Telarquin but the man soon stepped from the shadows and dismissed the supposition saying he was only an associate of Mr. Telaquin. The speaker stood a little over five foot tall, dressed in a well-cut but simple black suit with a bowler hat. Bulky augmetic eyes that gave the impression of glasses dominated the mans face above a overly large and seemingly permanent smile.
After a swift round of pleasantries and some consultation with another unseen presence smiling man turned to Magnus and with a asked as to whether or not the Priest had thought more of the bargain offered by Alfredo months before on Maccabeus Quintis.
While the acolytes within the upper hive walked head first into a trap those within the Singing Depths walked boldly in the company of armed mercenaries into the facility ruled by Don Inotias and his organisation. Corker had managed to set up the meeting with the Inotias while Ketris had been investigating the Thuuvian Logistics.
Corker led the way, dressed in elaborate finery purchased for the occasion while Ketris posed as one of the escorting guards. Arriving on schedule and where lead into a plain unadorned meeting room. A steel desk dominated the room illuminated by a single light, a middle-aged man sat behind the table with a dozen men armed to the teeth flanking the rooms walls, moments following entry the man began questioning the two undercover acolytes as to their presence, proposal and intentions.
After a few minutes of answers the man nodded and dismissed the illusion that he was who the pair had come to speak to and instead he set forth formal terms for the proper meeting, the heavily armed escort lead by an ex-arbitrator would have to wait outside of the meeting location as would his own men and only a single escort would follow. Agreeing to the turns Corker motioned for Ketris to stay close and the pair made their way into the inner sanctums of the facility.
The room stood at odds to the utilitarian nature of the previous areas, a vast attempt had been made to disguise the old Manufactorum. Pillars reached towards the roof of the long room each buried behind silicon moulded and coloured to seem like marble. The center of the room was a steaming swimming pool in which a pair of young women swum back and forth. At the far end of the pool lunging on a recliner lay Don Inotias his skinny form apparently at ease despite the nearby presence of Infiltrator Jacqui who had only days before broken into to the crime lords supposedly safe room.
Don Inotias sat up and beckoned Corker and Ketris closer showing them a seat and offing Corker to eat, drink or partake of Inotias’ excess with a sweep of his hand towards the women in the pool. With a few words of thanks Corker offered the Crimelord a bottle of fine Amasec as an offering then they began the negotiations.
The Deal in question was for Corker to provide financing for Don Inotias in the drug trade, they hoped that if Twilight or some other narcotic of significant value was being brought to the planet that following the money would likely lead to any outside smuggling groups. The negotiation took the better part of an hour before an initial investment amount of 60,000 thrones was reached. In turn Corker offered an additional 20,000 to sweeten the pot and soon the deal was struck. Don was quick to offer a small celebration and to disclose a little of his plans. It seemed that a new drug previously too expensive and thus only marketed to the very wealthiest of clients was beginning to appear at a much cheaper rate and it would be a significant coup de tat for Inotias to become a major distributor within the Singing Depths for the product. A product rumoured to be called Twilight.
- Raith
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DEMONSTRATION EVENT #27
Saturday October 9th
This coming weekend my Anima Demonstration schedule will return back to normal with its regularly scheduled Saturday Demonstration Day on the 9th of October. As usual the day will be hosted by Mind Games (City Store) for all those who wish to learn about the game, play some friendly matches and meet others who play.
A basic demonstration takes about half an hour and even if I am busy Demoing for others I am more than happy to split my time and answer questions or multi-play the demonstrations.
The day is also available for use with my Campaign event, Dark is the Fallen Sky.
Location:
Mind Games, Melbourne,. 244 Swanston Street in the heart of the CBD, Victoria, Australia.Time:
12:00noon till 5:30pm, Sat 9th OctoberFor specific information post questions here or email: freeagent005@gmail.com
- Raith
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There are a few (very rare) references of very small vessels in the service of the Imperium that have small crew populations and are still Warp capable.
Aside from the Servitor-crewed ships as mention there are one of two references to some very specialized pre-imperial tech or Heresy era tech ships with a small specific crew. The ships are usually controlled by in-built servitors linked to someone in a dreadnaught-sarcofagus like device with the only living crew being some Enginseers and a Astropath and Navigator. These types of ship probably skirt on the edge of tech-heresy and would be in no use as a fighting vehicle due to thier tiny size.
Other mentions are usually clanky falling apart transport ships used for running bulk non-perishable cargo but not enough to warrant one of the massive transport. These are the ships that do without a Navigator only making very carefully plotted Micro-warp jumps. Crew size in these vessels is about a hundred or so who work to keep an ancient vessel running with little true knowledge.
The references are there, just difficult to find and usually contain no information as they are a plot mcguffin for a writer to set a scene or reason for an event to occur.
Despite all I have said and what others point out, its your game, if you have a plan for you players that needs a ship do as you will. Give them a rare small vessel say 500m long with only a dozen living techs and the rest hardwired servitors. Make it capable of small warps andthen make it clear that the Mechanicus or Inquisition have maybe a dozen such vessels, each unique and irreplacable, with no way of making new versions, perhaps the ship might even have a piece of archeotech at its heart or be originally a xenos design. The choice is yours.
- Raith
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SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION MONTH
Part 3Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th
*****
This past weekend was pretty busy despite the Aussie Rule Football Grand Final keeping the city faily quiet. A lot of people took the opportunity to queitly shop without the usual crowds to move around. A number of matches for my campaign where played as well as a ordinary match between a Dark/Church team and a force from Samael.
On top of this I ran a few demonstrations showed off my miniatures and chatted as normal. For the first demonstration I showed a couple of guys how the game worked.
The battle was fairly different from usual with Bael not letting off a single Mark of Erebus and going for Dark Beam and seal instead. Despite Evangaline being taken out Kronnen successfully charged Cheshire and sliced him in half before turning on Bael to finish the fight.
My last demonstration was late Sunday. This time I demoed against the newcomer who had seen the figures before but knew little about the game itself.
It was a pretty quick match that ended up with Bael getting charged by Kronnen while Evangaline fought off Cheshire, miraculously being missed by Summon, twice! Kronnen then charged on in and the Demo ended. A very different outcome than I expected.
- Raith
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SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION
Part 3
Campaign Update*****
This last weekend to the September Super Demonstrations was much different from the previous ones with the majority of gaming being Demonstrations and only a pair of Campaign related matches.
Monsters had been crawling out of the dark places, armies where on the march and secret societies had clashed in the most exotic of locales but now the conflicts had died away fading into the background, those few confrontations took place in the shadowed distance unseen by those not involved.
*****
Match 1: 200 Levels (Mecha v Sen)
Wissenscraft verses SamaelWissenscraft Forces: Rayne, Lorenzo, Cordellia, Hiro
Samael Forces: Momiji, Shinigami Ayl, Konosuke, Dark CheshireThe first of the campaign matches was a little backwards compared to many Wissenscraft matches.. After deployment Samael quickly secured the high ground with Cheshire and Shinimagim while Momiji lurched about and Konosuke tried to keep some cover between him and Cordellia who sniped away as Wissenscraft charged across the open ground.
While Samael managed to inflict some initial damage the match fell apart for Sen as Lorenzo and Hiro quickly double teamed on Konosuke but avoided his explosive retribution and Ayls Mimic Damage. The blast ended up doing more harm to Sen’s own forces and the match was over soon after.
Wissenscraft Score: 155
Samael Score: 25Match 2: 150 levels (Sen v Isaac)
Samael Verses SamaelSamael Forces (Sen): Konosuke, Bael, Shinigami Ayl
Samael Forces (Isaac): Nahimana, Janiel, BaelAnother copy cat game between the Samael teams but this time not so bad with only Bael participating on both sides of the battle. The weekend before I and my players took some time to sort through the massive box of terrain available to use and discovered a lot of cool pieces that had fallen so far to the bottom that they became forgotten. This match ended up using some of that often unseen terrain including a full river and some low hedges as well as a bigger forest than usual.
The river proved to ba a small hinderance, running across the table it slowed down Sens forces for an additional turn preventing him from being able to quickly gain access to some elevated ruins where his opponent Isaac had set up. This would become the theme for this match.
Knowing that Isaac had a lot of ranged attacks and access to a bonus to hit through Janiel’s magic, Sen attempted to use the forest as cover threading his characters through its depths. Unfortunately this slowed down some of his characters far to much allowing Nahimana and Janiel to plink away at Sens forces while Bael (Isaac) sealed away much of Konosuke’s might or readied Paralyse for when he reached hand to hand.
Samael Score (Sen): 70
Samael Score (Isaac): 150*****
Each player in the campaign selects a force of 400 levels, while they do not have to fully their roster at the beginning of the campaign once a purchase is made it is fixed unless a reward from a match allows a change. These 400 levels allow for an additional 40points of Advantage Cards, 1 Leader class unit and 2 Organizational advantages. The following information is the various Teams so far participating in the Campaign.
The Teams:
Mecha – Wissenscraft
Character Pool: XII, Lorenzo, Rayne, Alessa Raincross, Goethia (Pilot: Mauser), Hiro, Sophia Ilmora, Khaine D’Lacreu
Organizational Advantages: The Process, Lost Loggia
Advantage Cards: Nullem Lusec, Ord of Power, Fate Clock, Greater Life Potion, Aura, Raphael’s Gift, After Image, Dragons Blood, Supernatural Traps, Supernatural Weapon.
Team Cards: Assault TeamAccumulated Exploration Points: 580
Spent Exploration Points: 0Jordan – Azur Alliance
Character Pool: High Arbiter Arkeid, Reinhold, The Colonel, Kyler, Kirsten, Claude Valmore, Drake, Cenette
Organizational Advantages: Shadow Lords, Organization
Advantage Cards: Dragons Blood, Tactical Advantage, Covert Operations, Nue, Piercing Weapon, Clock of Cronos
Team Cards: Les Jaeger, Condemned LoversAccumulated Exploration Points: 1345
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: Command Presence (Used)Fallecs – Church
Character Pool: Romeo, Evangeline, Saint Astreaga, Damien, Aliss Testarossa, Nero (50 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Unshakable Faith, Exterminators
Advantage Cards: Raphael’s Gift, Supernatural Weapon, Combined Combat, Tempus Fugit (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: Saint CouncilAccumulated Exploration Points: 105
Spent Exploration Points: 0Isaac - Samael
Character Pool: Fallen Angel Dinah, Bael, Momiji, Nahimana, Shinigami Ayl, Konosuke, Janiel, Cheshire (5 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Mystic
Advantage Cards: Protective Shield, Supernatural Weapon, Control Bound, Combined Combat, Nephiros (15 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 1310
Spent Exploration Points: 600
Rewards Bought: Seek New Horizons (Used)Andrew - Empire
Character Pool: Khaine, Erika, Claire, Lilian (225 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Combat Mastery, Imperial Armour
Advantage Cards: 2x Supernatural Weapon, Gabriel’s Gift, Pool of Life, Mikael’s Tears
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 70
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: ExodusSen - Samael
Character Pool: Cheshire, Momiji, Bael, Konosuke, Shinigami Ayl (155 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Supernatural Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Dawn of the Dark, Life Potion, Aberration (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 555
Spent Exploration Points: 0Kyris - Empire
Character Pool: Samiel, Kronen, Daniella, Iosara (215 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Empresses Chosen, Critical Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Life Potion, Logistics, Tactics (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 240
Spent Exploration Points: 0- Raith
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Act 3: Unseen
Session 22: Calixis Sector, Adrantis Sub, Baraspine (Hive Baraspine), 124.816.M41The Corporate Guard ground his elbow into Ketris’s back holding his arm painfully twisted while his companion looked on shotgun at ease but still within a responsive range. Bow the row between the small work stations and cubicle cries of Witch screamed from the private meeting room as he door burst inwards and four more guards rushed in to secure the hysterical adept.
Not willing to trust the confusion to last Ketris focused his will on the man holding him. The pressure on his arm released and the security guard turned towards his companion and unleashed a thundering punch into his companion’s stomach dropping him to the ground. While Ketris picked himself up and fled, the sounds of a brutal beating and yells of aggression echoed in his wake.
The psyker fled through the office and out into an access stairwell taking the steps two at a time down through three floors and bursting out a doorway flying past its security guard to hide within the packed crowds of petitioners, factors and business representatives trying to organise for their goods to be transported by the company.
Slowing his headlong flight Ketris blended with his surroundings, his features where bland and rather unassuming despite the absence of any hair and he simply slipped into one of the many queues displacing another who put up only a brief argument before the Legatine flashed the hilt of his gold-inlaid boltpistol.
For a few moments Ketris pondered making another attempt to investigate Thuuvian Logistices further before he noticed the man behind him had left his space in line and was busy talking to one of the nearby security enforcers. Without waiting Ketris left his place and walked out of the crowded foyer, straight past the guard and the informant and out into the Singing Depths once more.
Within their apartment complex in the Aerie, Magnus, Ruby and Syrion contemplated the information overheard by Ruby. Magnus quietly panicked, there were two possibilities, if his house was involved with House Cortez or the Sarcosian Dynasty it might see them implicated by association to any potentially damning activities. If so Magnus was in trouble, if that was not the case then a rival to House Hax-Amus was at working making the association look that way, another option that would only result in the same outcome.
House-karl Jerald reported in to the group that his spies where hard at work and would most likely return some information within the next day but Magnus was unwilling to wait and the quartet headed back out into the streets of the Noble Spires. Perhaps they would find something for themselves more quickly and time seemed to be of the essence.
After searching through several Clubs, Lodges, Social-halls and Café’s, Ruby was directed to a lounge frequented by some of the most powerful merchants-princes within the Hive, their questions led them to a man with a taste for fine Amasec and after procuring a bottle that would make most Acolytes weep with the excessiveness Magnus sat down to discuss the weather.
A few chasers of the amber liquid later Magnus had an answer. An envoy by the name of Leondis Hax-Amus had arrived in system three days earlier aboard the sprint trader Illumination bearing a complex contract of allegiance for House Cortez and House Hax-Amus, the initial dealing had gone well and Leondis was supposedly an honoured guest of House Cortez while the negotiations took place.
Confused at why his family would send a representative Magnus could not shake the feeling he knew of the name Leondis without being able to make the connect. Returning to his apartment Jerald could offer no further explanation until Ruby mused if it was possible that an enemy of House Hax-Amus might be using a false name. Chills ran up Magnus’s spine as pieces of information fell into place. It was a setup and the culprit was Leondis Hiram-Hax, the man Magnus had maimed over a year before in a duel on Scintilla.
- Raith
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Grandmikus said:
Sorry but this one is incorrect RaithHaste alone cannot replenish the AP that was spent on Upkeeps.
Let me tke out the sheet
1) Recovery phase
1. Strighter up characters
2. Recover action points
3.Recover gnosis points
2) Upeekp phase
1.Remove state counters (Here the haste gives you the additional AP
2.Remove bind points and make stability checks
3.Pay the abilities upkeep costs (here u spend the AP)
4. Determine the initiative
3) Action phase
As you can see haste cannot buy you your upkeeps and keep you at your max AP at the same time. No present ability that takes place in the recovery or upkeep phase can do that
Actually you can...
Sidebar: Haste page 33 Mainrules
"If the unit has a special ability with Upkeep active, the controlling player can choose to remove a haste counter to pay the ability's Upkeep instead of recovering the Action Point."
- Raith
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One of the biggest advantages to Neo-kinesis is that ability for Haste markers to be used to pay off an Upkeep cost before you go through the maintainence phase replenishing your Action Points and then paying it out.
Neokinesis on Dereck by itself is nect to useless. Its only there in case you have the Neo-Kinesis Magnus card from Celia or you have another character that can improve the ability as it really only kicks in as an advantage if you have Dereck sitting on full AP for one round and all he does is Neo-Kinesis in preparation.
example: Round 1 - Dereck begins the game with 4 AP but the player decided to begin with the ability Upkept so he has 3 AP, on his activation he takes a walk action and his turn ends.
Round 2 - Dereck refreshes 3 AP bringing his total to 5 and keeps Seals of the Dragon going giving him 4 AP for the round. Dereck Activates Neo-kinesis knowing he will need all 5 AP in the next turn leaving him with 2 unspent AP
Round 3 - Dereck uses his Haste Marker to pay for Seal of the Dragon early. HE then regenerates 3 AP bringing his total to 5. Mr. Fist then proceeds to decimate his opponents with his awesome super kinetic kung fu action.
This is pretty much the only way that Derecks Neo-Kinesis is any advantage and its a big set-up. Add the MAgnus card to it and its a much quicker set-up. Or ignore the ability and give him something like Clock of Kronos to do pretty much the same thing. Otherwise you can usually use Dereck's normal Regen to far more effect.
On other Characters Neo-Kinesis is usually a level 2 ability already which makes for a good payout.
- Raith
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SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION
Part 2
Campaign Update*****
Another round of Campaign related matches where fought across the past weekend, all where closely run with the battles swinging back and forth between the combatants with few desicive victories.
Moonlight filtered through the trees illuminating the dim shapes of broken walls of crumbling stone. Few people ventured this far into the dark wilderness and fewer still brought back even tales of what wealth and power was to be found within but if the arrival of the Black Pillars was any indication such secrets where needed now more than ever.
*****
Match 1: 200 Levels (Andrew v Sen)
The Sacred Holy Empire of Abel verses Samael
Special Battle: Clash in AlbidionEmpire Forces: ILilian, Claire, Daniella, Erika
Samael Forces: Bael, Momiji, Cheshire, KonosukeThe first battle was probably the hardest fought and coolest scenario of the weekend. The conflict took place between the two sides, both had a character that was capable of using Magic ability and such actions would attract the attention of the Inquisition from nearby Albidion summoning an agent of the Church onto the Field. With this in mind both sides set out to avoid using their magic until Bael broke the balance using the Mark of Noah to Berserk Daniella and sent the archer charging into combat.
Unfortunately the closest target ended up being Bael as Claire lunged out from beneath some ruins using her spear to throw Konosuke away from her. The demon creature smashed into Cheshire as he flew backwards and the pair crashed into a thicket of trees before coming to a stop. With a cry of forced Rage, Daniella lept from her perch and raced across the ground to stab at the enchantress with her arrows.
With magic activated an Agent of the INquisiton turned up to investigate the fight entering the field close to the swirling conflict. In short order he raced into combat whirling his lawgiver about his head and bringing down Bael with a single strike finishing the job Daniella had started.
While the Church Agent continued his destructive rampage against Samael, moving on to face Konosuke, Cheshire swept towards the exposed Daniella. Despite his best efforts Cheshire was unable to land a clean hit and the enraged archer survived the blow.
The battle was over soon after as Cheshire was charged by Lilian and then Claire in turn.
Empire Reward: Exodus (Influence Reward)
Match 2: 200 levels (Sen v Jordan)
Samael Verses The Azur Alliance
Special Battle: The Fairy WoodsSamael Forces: Bael, Momiji, Cheshire, Konosuke
Azur Forces: Les Jaeger (Colonel, Kirsten, Reinhold, Kyler)With a node of power in the center of the table both teams had a pretty straight forward battle. Les Jaeger rushed forward to claim some ruins overlooking the objective while Samel powered across the board avoiding some woods. In the early turns of the game it looked like Azur would easily achieve victory gobbling up a couple of rounds worth of bonus points from the power well before Samael rushed up and with a couple of turns and some exceptionally lucky roles obliterated the opposing team.
After the battle the Samael Forces made use of the magics hidden inside the fey woods to reveal how advanced their enemies plans where, thankfully their chosen target had yet to discover any clues about the Black Pillars (This was a special bonus reward of the scenario)
Samael Score: 150
Azur Score: 105Match 3: 200 Levels (Sen v Isaac)
Samael Verses Samael
Special Battle: Lost RuinsSamael Forces (Sen): Bael, Momiji, Cheshire, Konosuke
Samael Forces (Isaac): Bael, Nahiman, Cheshire, KonosukeThe Battle of the Mirror Armies unfortunately had to be fought with proxies due to some figures being unavailable so Ligori stood in for Konosuke on Sens team while Alastor stood in for NAhimana on Isaacs.
Initially both sides decided to simply annihilate one and other. While the scenario was an Exploration mission only Momiji really had the legs to make it across the board, so both groups advanced under as much cover as possible and attempted to enter Melee
The majority of the match took place with Konoske (Sen) trying to draw his opposite as well as Nahimana and Chshire (Isaac) into battle. Instead Isaac sent his version of Bael forward who sealed Konosuke (Sen) before hammering away with Nahimana’s ranged abilities as well as those from Cheshire. Only charging in once everyone was in position and able to move far enough to not leave anyone out in the open and in the sights of a lurking Cheshire (Sen).
In the end Sen saved some of the day by fleeing Momiji into Isaacs deployement and securing a smattering of VP for himself.
Samael Score (Sen): 70
Samael Score (Isaac): 360Match 4: 300 Levels (Isaac v Jordan)
Samael Verses Neo-Abomination (Azur)
Special Battle: Neo-AbominationSamael Forces: Fallen Angel Dinah, Konosuke, Cheshire, Momiji, Janiel, Nahimana
Azur Forces: Neo-Arkeid
Isaac started this match by using the Seek New Horizons ability to force a confrontation against a hideous monster. In this case after some careful consideration the Abomination was made using high Arbiter Arkeid as a base. The Arbiter ended up with 4 Free Attacks and Free Dodges a round plus an addition 8 Life Points. Both sides expected an easy fight but the battle was a nail biter.
Jordan ran his enhanced Arkeid forward hoping her Area attacks would keep Isaacs Samael from getting to close but also chose to use the terrain to limit the possible numbers of opponents. Both sides expected that the winner would be the one to simply batter down the others defences first.
The fight was brutal with the Abomination triggering Gnosis enhanced area attack after area attack. In many occasions forcing Isaac to simply weather the storm of blows or take massive damage. When Cheshire fell to a barrage of free attacks the situation began looking grim, poor dice rolls and not enough attack meant for several turns it seemed like the Abomination would claim the day. Only a round of low results and then another full of medicre numbers gave the Samael forces time to turn the table.
In the end it was mutual destruction that defeated the abomination as a fully charged Konosuke detonated slaughtering the Neo-Arkied creature as well as Nahimana and Momiji who had been stuck in combat alongside him.
Samael Reward: Purchase Reward – Final Mission
*****
Campaign Rules Update:
Reward: Final MissionAfter some consideration I have decided to reduce the cost of the Final Mission reward and update its description to make things a bit clearer.
Cost: 300 (Was 600)
Reward Name: Final Mission
This reward can only purchased following a mission that coincides with a players “Ultimate Goal”. This reward effective secures that victory to count for the conditions of the “Ultimate Goal” This reward can not have its cost reduced in any way unless Using the Stronghold and attempting the Ultimate Goal Mission, “That which should not exist”Example: A player has rolled the special scenario “Neo-Abomination” a Confrontation special mission which coincides with their Ultimate Goal: That which should not exist. After winning the matchthis player then spends 300 Exploration acquired from earlier battles to count that match towards his tally.
*****Each player in the campaign selects a force of 400 levels, while they do not have to fully their roster at the beginning of the campaign once a purchase is made it is fixed unless a reward from a match allows a change. These 400 levels allow for an additional 40points of Advantage Cards, 1 Leader class unit and 2 Organizational advantages. The following information is the various Teams so far participating in the Campaign.
The Teams:Mecha – Wissenscraft
Character Pool: XII, Lorenzo, Rayne, Alessa Raincross, Goethia (Pilot: Mauser), Hiro, Sophia Ilmora, Khaine D’Lacreu
Organizational Advantages: The Process, Lost Loggia
Advantage Cards: Nullem Lusec, Ord of Power, Fate Clock, Greater Life Potion, Aura, Raphael’s Gift, After Image, Dragons Blood, Supernatural Traps, Supernatural Weapon.
Team Cards: Assault TeamAccumulated Exploration Points: 325
Spent Exploration Points: 0Jordan – Azur Alliance
Character Pool: High Arbiter Arkeid, Reinhold, The Colonel, Kyler, Kirsten, Claude Valmore, Drake, Cenette
Organizational Advantages: Shadow Lords, Organization
Advantage Cards: Dragons Blood, Tactical Advantage, Covert Operations, Nue, Piercing Weapon, Clock of Cronos
Team Cards: Les Jaeger, Condemned LoversAccumulated Exploration Points: 1345
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: Command Presence (Used)Fallecs – Church
Character Pool: Romeo, Evangeline, Saint Astreaga, Damien, Aliss Testarossa, Nero (50 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Unshakable Faith, Exterminators
Advantage Cards: Raphael’s Gift, Supernatural Weapon, Combined Combat, Tempus Fugit (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: Saint CouncilAccumulated Exploration Points: 105
Spent Exploration Points: 0Isaac - Samael
Character Pool: Fallen Angel Dinah, Bael, Momiji, Nahimana, Shinigami Ayl, Konosuke, Janiel, Cheshire (5 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Mystic
Advantage Cards: Protective Shield, Supernatural Weapon, Control Bound, Combined Combat, Nephiros (15 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 1110
Spent Exploration Points: 600
Rewards Bought: Seek New Horizons (Used)Andrew - Empire
Character Pool: Khaine, Erika, Claire, Lilian (225 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Combat Mastery, Imperial Armour
Advantage Cards: 2x Supernatural Weapon, Gabriel’s Gift, Pool of Life, Mikael’s Tears
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 70
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: ExodusSen - Samael
Character Pool: Cheshire, Momiji, Bael, Konosuke, Shinigami Ayl (155 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Supernatural Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Dawn of the Dark, Life Potion, Aberration (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 460
Spent Exploration Points: 0Kyris - Empire
Character Pool: Samiel, Kronen, Daniella, Iosara (215 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Empresses Chosen, Critical Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Life Potion, Logistics, Tactics (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: NoneAccumulated Exploration Points: 240
Spent Exploration Points: 0- Raith
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SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION MONTH
Part 2Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th
*****
Another fun weekend has rolled by, this week there were no demonstrations but I got to show off my collection to a lot of people and the events happening in the background brought a few onlookers to the tables.
Things started out pretty normal on Saturday, as I set up I chatted to Sprue (The guy who two years ago had my first demonstration) he has since gotten into sculpting so I had a peak at his work and some painting he had done. Before I finished that conversation another old friend rocked on by and said hello.
Following the mini reunion the weekend proceeded apace with my regular crew stopping in across the two days to get some serious gaming complete. All up it was pretty much a status quo type of weekend answering questions about the game, the mini’s and talking paint shop with people.
- Raith
-
Having to post this in a rush, forgive me if it doesn't seem up to my usual standards.
Act 3: Unseen
Session 21: Calixis Sector, Adrantis Sub, Baraspine (Hive Baraspine), 124.816.M41Jacqui lurked silently above the spreading pool of blood from his victim, the guards looking at the corpse in horror as the assassin carefully tucked his kill-token (a finger) away in a pouch. Carefully eaves-dropping the assassin listened to the hurried chatter across the gangs limited Vox network. The ruckus had forced the organisations leader to make for a secure safe-room. Silently the moritat wriggled along the elevated conduits, if he could make it to the safe-room before the crime-boss the plan might still work.
As Jacqui searched for the panic-room Ruby and Magnus attended yet another long and socially interesting luncheon, this time in a private lodge filled with clouds of oscura and the sound of men and women negotiating with vast sums of money for extravagant entertainment opportunities. While the psyker carefully wandered the lodges rooms keeping an eye on Magnus, the Cleric hob-nobbed and tried to himself into Hive Baraspines politics as an offworld investor and bored noble
Stepping onto an outdoor terrace Ruby instantly picked up on a familiar string of words, listening quietly the Sanctionite quickly realised that a pair of overly-dress ladies in tall wigs where discussing news of a potentially major alliance with one of Baraspines influential houses and another from Scintilla. The local house was Cortez while the one from the sector capital was called Hax-Amus.
The psyker listen for several more minutes to confirm she had overheard the conversation correctly before hurrying to retrieve her “darling” from his “entertaining conversations”. Seeing the look of worry on Ruby the Redemptionist said his farewells and the pair quickly returned to the Apartment Villa of House Hax-Amus where Ruby disclosed what she knew. House Hax-Amus was in negotiations with House Cortez, that they had been for some time and that it was apparently for a rather serious contract.
Turning to Jerald the housekeeper and seneschal of House Hax-Amus on Baraspine, Magnus sought answer all of which were denied quickly with the housekarl quickly sending people out to discover more about the rumour while Magnus mulled over the implications that his house might be involved with a potentially traitorous House and what that might mean if the full weight of the Inquisition was to learn of the link.
It took over an hour for Jacqui to locate the safe-room, too long to stop the crime lord from retreating to it. In addition the Moritats way was blocked. He had been forced to abandon his concealing pearch as the pipes ran out and forced instead to quietly move down hallways and duck into rooms to avoid detection. Now a short twenty meter corridor twisted to the right of his postion. At the far end stood a pair of bodyguard aremed with combat shotguns and flak vests. Professionals who would turn the short corridor into a kill-zone for anyone charging down it.
Not to be stopped the Moritat again changed tacts, the safe-room seemed to only be a sealed room, nothing specifically designed for the duties and as such it would likely have an exterior source for air. If air could get in the perhaps so could the assassin. Within moments Jacqui was contorting his way through a series of ventilation ducts bypassing the room’s guards. With his target located the assassin slid down a vertical shaft smashing open the vent cover and dropping to the floor of the safe-room.
A yelp of surprise and the clatter of a chair falling over drew the assassins gaze. His target a thin man dressed in night-clothes stumbled upright from behind a plain desk his hand reaching for a stub-automatic. A second figure facing the door spun about and raised his weapon, the bodyguard was equipped like the men outside. Lightning fast Jacqui raced around the desk and grappled with the mastermind placing his blade at the man’s throat.
For several moments a tense stand-off took place with both sides’ trading threats until the Moritat finally issued his proposal. If he could break into Mansion and reach this point so might others, to avoid this, the assassin was willing to offer his services.Don Inotias was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and quickly agreed that he had a place within his organisation for such a skilled man and after a few more tense seconds the assassin released the gang leader who stumbled over to a battered bar to retrieve several shots of Amasec for himself and his new agent while Inotias’s bodyguard took to standing down the facility and disarming the booby traps baring the entrance to the room.
Meanwhile Ketris journeyed via Mag-rail through the Singing Depths and to the vast facility of Thuuvian Logisitcs. The company owned a single transport was well as a private docking facility on the skin of the cloud shrouded hive. Their corporate headquarters loomed sentinel over the docks inner doors supervising the flow of people, machines and equipment from the landing bay beyond.
Despite wishing that Atellus was present to deal with the mind-numbing bureaucracy of the company Ketris hatched a plan. He would simply approach the company as see how easy it was to ship something into orbit. An object about the same size as Ketris, the Legatine hoped that tracking such cargo might reveal why House Cortez had purchased the relatively minor company, or otherwise produce some useful information.
The would-be Interrogator spent hours working his way past a crowd of applicants, factors and civilians looking for orbital passage, even bribing his way ahead in a queue convincing a bored messenger to step aside with a month’s wages in hard currency. Finally Ketris managed to secure time to speak to a private consultant and was shown to a private meeting room several floors above the crushing mass of the day-to-day operations.
After a few minutes an adept entered the comfortably appointed meeting room, with a hurried look and juggling half a dozen large ledgers the pair entered into negotiations the psyker trying to pry as much information from the aide as possible.
It was an easy task, the corporate-lackey, bored from repeating the same information day in and out rattled off the long and glorious history of Thuuvian Logisitcs, their methods of transport, suitable rates per tonne, the availability of specialised cargo-handling methods such as Stasis-casques and a myriad of other details most importantly that Thuuvian Logisitcs maintained the only vessel capable of travelling through the nigh-perpetual sandstorms of Baraspine without damage thanks to specialised void-shields on their transport.
Feeling that this was possibly the reason House Cortez had purchased the company Ketris began to turn the conversation to more direct questions, inquiring about the companies new owners and what recent activities had taken place. As the timbre of the questions changed the bored adept soon realised that his client was not interested in booking the company for transport. With a huff of petulance the Adept ordered Ketris to stop wasting his time and in turn the psyker agreed forgoing the more genteel questions and turning to his innate powers.
Ketris reached out hoping to ensnare the mind of the adept with his own but as the psyker tapped into his power the warp rolled with a heaving surge throwing Ketris’s mind from his body which slumped into the sedan it had been sitting on, his mind then rushed forward literally possessing the adepts body while the unfortunate mans mind was switched into his in turn.
For a moment the pair looked at each other from outside their own bodies before the adept let loose a horrified scream and dashed from the room with cries of witch and heretic, gathering the attention of the nearby cubicles filled with the workers of Thuuvian Logisitcs. The adept-inside-ketris’s-body was quickly brought down to the floor by a pair of burly security personal as a dozen more raced into the meeting room. Ketris who had tried to stall the adept, begging him to relax stood there in confusion for a moment until the door burst inwards and his borrow body was battered to the ground.
The violence seemed to disrupt the connection and as swiftly as it had begun his mind was back in his own body. Body crushed against the floor beneath a guard, hand held painfully behind his back, Ketris could hear the renewed cries of witch now spilling from the meeting room and the adept within.
-Raith
-
Well its been a few weeks so here are two updates rolled into one, session 27 was pretty free form and then a lot of levelling while session 28 involved a lot of shopping and talk time so the update might seem a bit thin despite so much being covered.
THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 27 & 28: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 167.799.M41 to 169.799.M41The trek back through the cluttered and crushed hallways of the “Overhive” took two more days of careful moving and hiding out when they crossed the paths of abhuman and mutant scum. The Acolytes fled with the data-crystal not even stopping to inform the lost worshippers that they had completed their mission, they simply had Hack access some of the Forges reluctant Machine Spirit and retrieve a schematic showing them the most direct way out of the facility before negotiating their way back down to the inverted levels of Hive Tarsus.
Battered, bloodied and in some cases suffering extreme blood loss the group managed to return to the site of the temporary Imperial Guard outpost where they had acquired their guide almost a week before. Under the watchful gaze of a Autocannon emplacement the group sent forth Sister Trauma to identify herself and secure aid in the form of a transport.
The armoured car gave the group the first chance to relax in some time and most let themselves go to fatigue on the ride through the hive and back to the Mansion commandeered by Inquisitor Abidan. It was a surprise for those awake enough to think when the villa stood empty, its security seals still alive and functioning but with no sign of the Inquisitor. To tired to question those events the group turned in.
The following day the acolytes gathered to access their situation, they where apparently alone. The house showed no sign of the Inquisitor. The cogitation stations and portable data-stacks refused to give up any information requiring a higher degree of knowledge to operate than even the Tech-priest Hack possessed. With the Data Crystal in hand the group pondered their options. It seemed clear that Abidans failure to return meant he may still be in danger or worse, perhaps lost in the “Overhive” possibly captured by the warp-skeleton. Needing further information the group agreed to follow Hack and Gaius as they reported in to the Arbitrator Fortress, perhaps Marshal Blac would have some answers and at the very least the Fortress would have better Medicae facilities than the rough first aid the group had currently received.
Unfortunately the Marshal had little to offer, he knew of no significant cult or heretical activity nor had he seen the Inquisitor. Again the acolytes discussed their options, while most where on the mend, Sister Narla was still gravely injured and under constant care in the Fortresses Infirmary along with Gaius and Hack who would be returning to their official duties, the rest quickly considered the possibility of taking several castigator squads of Arbites and proceeding on a rescue mission into the “Overhive” but Marshal Blac soon pulled the plug from that idea informing the group that he could no authorise such an expedition seeing as how the Acolytes had no proof one way or the other on the Inquisitors status and location.
Hope for official support stymied the group left the Fortress to plan. If they could not gain support from the Adepta they would simply do it themselves. With Nari-Ann in tow Arl ventured back up into the “low hive” in search of some soldiers-of-fortune, soon locating a group called Habib’s Hellraizers a small group with specialities in sapping and demolitions, something the acolytes considered a must have skill given the semi-collapsed passageways of their previous expedition. The negotiations concluded with ten men signed to a contract (after having received a retainer) and awaiting the word to begin while the Ex-guardsmen returned to the Mansion to report in on their success.
With the beginnings of a plan in hand the group reequipped and rearmed themselves, las-packs for the looted Hellguns where recharged, bullets where bought in bulk from the myriad markets of Tarsus along with staples such as ration packs, climbing gear and even a few grenades. Satisfied that all was nearing readiness for the venture a stray though lodged in Arl’s mind. While they were preparing to go to Abidan’s rescue there was n unanswered question. The acolytes had gone into the “Overhive” with an Inquisiotrs knowledge to retrieve the Data-crystal, why had a group of mercenaries been on the same mission?
The thought quickly displaced the preparations for the rescue, perhaps finding out who was hunting for the same item as the Inquisitor was a better use of their time. While Arl went out to tell Habib and his men to stand down for a few days the rest of the Acolytes began to dredge up what information they could think of about the 122nd Malfi Irregulars
- Raith
-
Act 3: Unseen
Session 20: Calixis Sector, Adrantis Sub, Baraspine (Hive Baraspine), 120.816.M41 to 124.816.M41After settling into their respective residences within an elaborately decorated suite of apartments and the seldom used rooms of the Mid-Hive safe-house the acolytes turned their attention to their duties. Inquiries into the local social scene showed a significant event rapidly approaching a masquerade ball was being thrown by one of the children of the Sarcosian Dynasty to celebrate one of the dynasties various ancestors, before Magnus could ask about getting an invitation Jeremy, the major-domo of the apartments and a loyal servant of House Amus-Hax relayed that the family had already received such an Invitation. The ball was scheduled to take place in a week giving the acolytes time to kill, or in their case, time to fill checking other possible leads and attempting t ingratiate their presence in the Hive among the established elite.
Magnus and Ruby paired off and began to work the local Clubs and Societies, trying to be seen and heard, Magnus spent time inquiring about potential trade deals or just general information on House Cortez, trying to gain a feel for their target without tipping his hand while Ruby deftly kept an eye out on Magnus and those around him, hoping to spot anyone taking to much interest in the disguised priests questions.
Unfortunately for the priest and psyker they were able to discover little information of relevance, House Cortez seemed to play things close to the chest and the other nobles they socialized with seemed reluctant to part with any information they had on the House lest it hurt their own schemes. After several days of such polite inquiries the pair simply turned their attention to establishing their cover preferring to wait to attend the Masquerade Ball.
While some party others studied. Atellus moved to his own whims searching out Administratum offices to shuffle through public records hunting for official documents and archives relating ot their targets. The hunt was long and seemingly fruitless, House Cortez seemed to deal little in the public eye. While piles of records existed listing goods produced and sent off-world or through the Imperial Taxes there was little information to be found on the houses private dealings.
Despite the barren information desert, Atellus uncovered the location of the Houses primary residence as well as a number of small facilities in the upper Hive as well as a new-vid recording and documentation of a hostile acquisition made by the House. While it seemed nothing unusual for a Noble House to acquire a company the scale of the acquisition was interesting. House Cortez had bought out a small Lifter company operating out of the Mid-Hive, the company Thuuvian Logisitics was in charge of maintaining and operating a single bulk-lifter between orbit and the Hive.
The Information recovered by Atellus sent Syrion out into the Aerie. The Diviner staked out the main entrance of the House Cortez residence hoping to use his abilities to sense anything unusual from the residence but despite his efforts their was little information to be gained without getting inside the facility.
Within the Singing Depths, Corker and KEtris moved about their plans, searching street by street hab by hab they began to get a feel for the local underworld. Unsure if their was any connection between the drug Twilight the Sarcosian Dynasty, House Cortez or even the Upper Hive nobility and Baraspine’s Underworld they hatched a plot to ingratiate themselves with the locals. They would find a suitable organisation, one looking to expand and using the funds provided by Inquisitor Thrakis would offer to buy in on a venture. Hopefully if they picked the corr3ect target they would be able to follow their money and see if it led anywhere interesting.Under the cover as a Bounty Hunter and associate the pair soon located a target for their plans and where getting ready to act when they where surprised by a visit from Jacqui, the Assassin had discovered a small maintenance tunnel that lead from the Aerie to the upper floors of the Singing Depths. The Moritat quickly outlined the events taking place with the rest of the Acolytes and their relatively little progress before proposing he would assist Ketris and Corker by infiltrating their target ahead of their approach, hopefully insinuating himself into the Organisation as a bodyguard by sneaking into the leaders residence and proving just how ineffectual his security was.
The Moritat’s plan seemed like a good idea and having someone on the inside to keep track of this was certainly going to be handy so Corker and Ketris swiftly altered their plans to accommodate the attempt.
Having spent several days scouting out the Aerie and House Cortez’s facilities Jalith returned to the villa rented by House Amus-Hax and reported in. The Acoltyes compared notes and lamented the difficulties faced with the investigation so far. Only Atellus’s discovery of the unusual acquisition seemed of any import and knowing that the group already emplaced in the Singing Depths would have an easier time looking into the business the Assassin acted as a messenger taking the latest report down into the Singing Depths, carefully bypassing the Arbitrator Enforcer Patrols watching the access ways to the mid-hive.
With the update delivered Jacqui began his infiltration, stealthily working his way past patrols of thugs and auspex-nets the Moritat managed to successfully gain access to his target’s residence a small single level hab covering a few open acres, the building had once been an quality monitoring facility attached to a refinery complex and still bore a resemblance to its more legitimate past, confident in his abilities the Moritat stalked through the building late at “night” hunting for the gang’s leader when the thud of a gun barrel into the small of his back alerted the assassin that his progress had not gone unnoticed. With a twist of his upper body the Assassin twirled around mono-swords clearing their scabbards and striking for the patrolman who back-peddled to avoid the strike and sent off a blast from his sawn-off shotgun in response.
Ducking beneath the scattered hail of shot the Moritat surged forward and hammered at his opponent with a flurry of strikes, for several moments the guard kept up his defensives using the shotgun to block the assault, pouring all his attention into defending his life while screaming for aid. Despite the valiant attempt the guard was soon skewed on the end of Jacqui’s blade and silenced. Before anymore guards could appear the assassin vaulted up into the shadowed recesses of the corridors ceiling concealing himself amidst a cluster of pipes and conduits from the residences original function.
- Raith
-
SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION MONTH
Part 1Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th
*****
Time for a quick report…
My first weekend of demonstrations and campaigning has passed. Saturday was a pretty good day, nice and busy with my time spent running a few demos, and supervising a few matches between my regulars.
Sunday was much more quiet with only an aborted match late in the day as the time ran out but I spoke to several customers about the game, ran through some painting tips with a guy who had been to the last demonstration events and basically took it easy.
*****
Out of the Demonstrations I ran on Saturday it was against this guy that I remember the most. A charge from Cheshire against Kronnen ended up 1 inch short, Kronnen stepped up an hit the defenseless Cheshire, followed a moment later in a supremely brave move by Evangaline who finished him off for max damage.
The game on sunday saw a fight around some ruins with Samael trying to avoid line of sight from Cordelia, though the sniper (Cloaked to look like a rock) still managed to draw a bead to Cheshire each round.
- Raith
-
SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION
Part 1
Campaign Update*****
This past weekend saw three matches for the Campaign fought out and a pair of new players join the roster.
Dawn peaked over the horizon in its usual casual fashion as the people of Cornes began yet another day. Farmers went to toil in fields, wives chased children to their chores and life proceeded apacae. Unseen by the villagers lurking in the ruins dotting the forests and woods nearby a fierce battle raged between superhuman adversaries.
*****
Match 1: 150 Levels (Jordan v Kyris)
The Azur Alliance verses The Sacred Holy Empire of Abel
Special Battle: Village of Cornes (150lvls)Azur Forces: Drake, Cenette, Claude
Empire Forces: Iosara, Kronen, Samiel
Azur troops took to the field confident that the cluttered terrain would be of an advantage to them while the Empire forces tried to keep as much terrain between them as they could, alas the tactics was flawed as the battle quickly joined with Cenette leaping from crumbling wall to shattered arch closing to melee in short order.
Despite the superior movement of the Alliance forces the protection afforded by the Empires Armour forced what could have been a quick victory into a drawn out conflict and then a route for the rebellion with Drake being seriously injured in the conflict
Azur Score: 70
Empire Score: 140Match 2: 150 levels (Kyris v Sen)
The Sacred Holy Empire of Abel Verses SamaelEmpire Forces: Iosara, Kronen, Samiel
Samael Forces: Konosuke, Cheshire, MomijiFresh from their battle near Cornes the Iosara, Kronen and Samiel moved on in their search only to run into a small group of Samael forces. Where the previous battle with the Azur Alliance had ended up being rather one sided the skirmish with Samael was much more closely fought.
The fight concluded with the death throws of Konosuke destroying his opponents in a final vindictive act.
Empire Score: 100
Samael Score: 140Match 3: 150 Levels (Jordan v Mecha)
The Azur Alliance Verses Wissenscraft
Special Battle: Village of Cornes (150lvls)Azur Forces: Cenette, The Colonel, reinhold
Wissenscraft Forces: Feng Yi, Hiro, Lorenzo[/center]
Reinforces arrived to aid the decimated Azur force and they continued their investigation around the sleep village of Cornes only to be confronted by yet more travelers.
A vicious battle ensued with Hiro attracting a lot of attention with his antics. Azur managed to just scrape through the day but not by much.
Azur Score: 90
Wissenscraft Score: 70*****
Each player in the campaign selects a force of 400 levels, while they do not have to fully their roster at the beginning of the campaign once a purchase is made it is fixed unless a reward from a match allows a change. These 400 levels allow for an additional 40points of Advantage Cards, 1 Leader class unit and 2 Organizational advantages. The following information is the various Teams so far participating in the Campaign.
The Teams:
Mecha – Wissenscraft
Character Pool: XII, Lorenzo, Rayne, Alessa Raincross, Goethia (Pilot: Mauser), Hiro, Sophia Ilmora, Khaine D’Lacreu
Organizational Advantages: The Process, Lost Loggia
Advantage Cards: Nullem Lusec, Ord of Power, Fate Clock, Greater Life Potion, Aura, Raphael’s Gift, After Image, Dragons Blood, Supernatural Traps, Supernatural Weapon.
Team Cards: Assault Team
Accumulated Exploration Points: 325
Spent Exploration Points: 0Jordan – Azur Alliance
Character Pool: High Arbiter Arkeid, Reinhold, The Colonel, Kyler, Kirsten, Claude Valmore, Drake, Cenette
Organizational Advantages: Shadow Lords, Organization
Advantage Cards: Dragons Blood, Tactical Advantage, Covert Operations, Nue, Piercing Weapon, Clock of Cronos
Team Cards: Les Jaeger, Condemned Lovers
Accumulated Exploration Points: 1045
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: Command Presence (Used)Fallecs – Church
Character Pool: Romeo, Evangeline, Saint Astreaga, Damien, Aliss Testarossa, Nero (50 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Unshakable Faith, Exterminators
Advantage Cards: Raphael’s Gift, Supernatural Weapon, Combined Combat, Tempus Fugit (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: Saint Council
Accumulated Exploration Points: 105
Spent Exploration Points: 0Isaac - Samael
Character Pool: Fallen Angel Dinah, Bael, Momiji, Nahimana, Shinigami Ayl, Konosuke, Janiel, Cheshire (5 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Mystic
Advantage Cards: Protective Shield, Supernatural Weapon, Control Bound, Combined Combat, Nephiros (15 points unspent)
Team Cards: None
Accumulated Exploration Points: 670
Spent Exploration Points: 0Andrew - Empire
Character Pool: Khaine, Erika, Claire, Lilian (225 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Combat Mastery, Imperial Armour
Advantage Cards: 2x Supernatural Weapon, Gabriel’s Gift, Pool of Life (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: None
Accumulated Exploration Points: 70
Spent Exploration Points: 0Sen - Samael
Character Pool: Cheshire, Momiji, Bael, Konosuke (205 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Supernatural Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Dawn of the Dark, Life Potion, Aberration (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: None
Accumulated Exploration Points: 140
Spent Exploration Points: 0Kyris - Empire
Character Pool: Samiel, Kronen, Daniella, Iosara (215 points unspent)
Organizational Advantages: Empresses Chosen, Critical Mastery (1 Unchosen)
Advantage Cards: Life Potion, Logistics, Tactics (20 points unspent)
Team Cards: None
Accumulated Exploration Points: 240
Spent Exploration Points: 0- Raith
-
Act 3: Unseen
Session 19: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, Scintilla (Hive Sebillus), 92.816.M41 to Adrantis Sub, Baraspine (Baraspine Hive) 120.816.M41The acolytes relaxed within Thakis’s secured residence within the Tricorn, two months had passed since the events on Lathe IV and Thrakis had returned to Scintilla to research the information retrieved from the Omega Vault. Rested, resupplied and once again ready for deployment the Acolytes knew it would only be a matter of time before Thrakis would send them out once more so they took advantage of the downtime to purchase a few new items and polish their skills, some like Magnus went out into the hive to seek friends and allies.
Despite the intervening months there had been no word from Mirale and Marchosis, the pair had managed to follow Alfredo Telarquin through the Vaults of Lathe IV and onto a vessel that quit the system and vanished into deep space deftly avoid the Mechanicus security patrols using unknown technologies.
Under Aimee’s watchful eyes an army of lexographers and savants prowled through the archives of the Tricorn palace. The data retrieved from the Vault was still heavily encrypted with ancient Inquisitorial and Mechanicus ciphers from the earliest years of the Calixis sector, ciphers that were remaining illusive with incomplete translation keys.
Tyboril Cortez, the young nobleman captured by Corker and Atellus provided the most immediate source of information through more traditional methods of Inquiry. Underneath the blustered threats of doom and the pitiful wails of sorrow Tyboril revealed his allegiances. House Cortez was a Noble House from Baraspine that had earned an allegiance to the great Sarcosian Dynasty a powerful Rogue Trader family operating within the Calixis Secotr and the Koronus Expanse.
Further research on the Dynasty showed a tentative link to House Strien of Arctus IV, the house investigated three years ago where acolytes discovered a hidden manufactorum producing Injectors for the drug Twilight.
Dealing with a Rogue Trader house would be difficult at best and without more tangible proof linking the involvement of these houses to the Dynasty there would be little chance for even a powerful Inquisitor like Thrakis to bring enough weight against such a potent adversary.
The order came down to the Acolytes, the Cortez House was one of the most influential families of Baraspine where they controlled vast swathes of the hive and its people in the manufactorums and export businesses. They would proceed to that world and look into the activities of House Cortez and try to ascertain if there was a greater connection to the Sarcosian Dynasty beyond a simple alliance of interests.
With an assignment in hand the group began to prepare, through his family Magnus would once again act as his heritage demanded, removing his Ecclesiastical vestments to become an agent of his family, he would head to Baraspine to establish a trade connection with the world. The rest of the acolytes would split up, first Ketris and Corker would travel to Baraspine with Ketris pretending to be a bounty hunter and Corker his liaison to the nefarious elements of the Imperium. The pair would descend to the Mid-Hive levels of Baraspine Hive and try to see if Twilight was available on that world. Jalith, Attelus and Sirion would remain with Magnus as Bodyguards, Aides and Seers, giving them an excuse to remain close to the noble.
To further their cause Thrakis opened his coffers making half a million thrones available to establishing the groups credentials as a trade envoy. The group also received a pair of new recruits, the first an old friend the psyker Ruby returned from other assignments to rejoin the investigation along with Jaqui “Six” Axa a Moritat in training.Ruby and Six would attend Magnus who had arranged for a suitable residence within the hives upper spires while an old safe house within a mid-hive stack would be made available to Ketris and Corker. With supplies gathered and resources ready the group made their way to Baraspine through a swift and safe warp passage aboard the Faithful Endeavour a quick ship secretly controlled by the Inquisition.
Once in orbit of the world they said their goodbyes and split apart. While Magnus and his group arrived in state and where greeted by factors of House Amus-Hax, Ketris and Corker made their way down to the lower hives aboard a bulk-lifter the rickety craft dropping into sand storm of Baraspine and pushing there way through the masses of humanity enclosed within the Singing Depths.
+++DATA ADDENDUM+++
+++PLEASE ENTER SECURITY CODE AND PREPARE FOR GENETIC SAMPLING++++++CODE CONFRIMED+++
+++SAMPLE COMFIRMED+++
System: BaraspineLocation: Calixis Sector, Adrantis Sub
Star Type: G (Moderate Yellow)
Celestial Features: 4 Significant features – Barren World (Uninhabited); Baraspine (Hive World); Asteroid Field (Planetary remnant); Gas Giant (Orbital Helium-1 Refinary)
Tech Level: 11, Imperial Standard
Adepta Presence: Extensive Administratum, Minor Ecclesiarchy, Minor Mechanicus
Tithe Grade: Exactus ModeratumPoint of Interest: Baraspine
Celestial Position: 2nd orbital position from the systems primary.
Chief Export: Cogitation Cells, Pottery and other Silicon based products.
Chief Import: Food and WaterBaraspine is one of the most inhospitable Hive Worlds in the Calixis Sector. The entire surface of the world is swept by a constantly moving wind storm that reaches Force Speed in excess of 700km and rarely much slower. These winds kick up the surface of the planet and swathe it in a constant storm of grit and sand. Anyone unprotected against these winds will be instantly torn to shreds, while even those with the protection of Baraspine’s specially designed environment suits will barely survive a few minutes even if they can prevent themselves from simply being swept away.
Point of Interest: Baraspine Hive
Population: 1.5 Billion
Type: Enclosed Hive/Solar HybridBaraspine contains three Hives the largest of which takes the planets name and houses three-quartes of the worlds general population as well as the entirity of its ruling elite. This Hive stretches out over 150 square kilometres and climbs at its highest point to over 50km from the dust shrouded surface.
The Hive is divided into three primary sections, the uppermost rises from 15km to the giddy heights of the Mesosphere and is called The Torch. This protuberance is a massive series of elevators, macro-lifts and luxury ascenders that allow the Nobility and other people of not to descend from orbit in luxury and to send supplies and export up to waiting transfer craft and vice versa. The name for this tower comes from the shroud of flame that wraps around the ancient structure. Air friction ignites against the protective inertial and structural fields of the orbital tower.
Below the torch is the Upper Hive that contains the Noble Spires as well as portions of the most affluent Mid-Hive trade guilds, it is a scintillating place of light and open spaces. The abundance of silicon products on Baraspine means the entire upper hive is built with transparent materials. While this is not as extensive as the Scintillating Palace of Sepheris Secundus the semi-transparent walls of the Upper Hives outer reaches affords and impressive view out across the great storm cloud of Baraspine which fails to reach so high outside a few rare instances every Millennia affording a spectacular view of the distorted clouds of Baraspine. This portion of the Hive is called the Aerie for its wide open civic spaces and the clean air especially filtered to be absolutely free from dust.
Beneath the Aerie are the Singing Depths which contain the majority of the Hive. All of the Lower Hive and the vast majority of the Mid Hive fall into this space as does the forbidden Under Hive, which stretches out under the clouds for miles, its tunnels dangerous clogged with sand from the Splinter Winds. Here the Hive is sheathed in armoured plates five times as thick as those on the armoured prow of an Imperial Battleship. This armour hums with the energy of the perpetual storm outside as the sands ballast against it. Everyone in these levels can hear the noise to some degree with the pitch rising closer to the Hive surface you are. The edges of the Mid levels
of the Singing Depths are where the vast Bulk Lander Airlocks are. These areas only open when the winds blow in the opposite direction as the Hive Bulk creates a furrow in the Silicon Storm which allows vessel a safe entry though even then the winds are simply slowed and each bay operates vast hordes of Servitor to sweep out any debris that builds up in the minutes the airlocks are opened.
There is no sky within the Singing depths, or windows, though vast swathes territory in the Middle regions are given over to the production of artificial crops and water reclamation. The air is thick with sweat, incense and fine particulates that pass through the overwork atmospheric scrubbers. Labour is as hard as in many other Hives but the civic systems of Baraspine are blessed. As the hive produces intricate Cogitator systems most Mid-Hive and the majority of Low-Hive communal Hab-stacks have access to Interactive Media, Wired Systems and Public Hololith channels not normally seen beyond a sectors capital world or those pledged to the Mechanicus.
+++Addendum Complete+++
- Raith
-
DARK IS THE FALLEN SKY
EVENT WEEKEND
Saturday and Sunday the 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th and 26th
For the rest of September I will be hosting Demonstration Days at Mind Games (City Store). Players will have the opportunity to use these weekends to participate in Campaign Matches or general games as they wish.
Location:
Mind Games, Melbourne, 244 Swanston Street in the heart of the CBD, Victoria, Australia.Time:
12:00noon till 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday the 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th and 26thFor specific information post questions here or email: freeagent005@gmail.com
- Raith
-
SEPTEMBER SUPER DEMONSTRATION MONTH
Event #26Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th
Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th
Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26thSeptember is a special month for Anima, it’s been two years since I started running Anima Demonstrations and I feel the need for more.
For the next three weekends I will be at Mind Games (City Store) hosting my regular games on both Saturday and Sunday’s for all those who wish to learn about the game, play some friendly matches and meet others who play.
In addition to the demonstrations these days are available for people to play in my Campaign: Dark is the Fallen Sky.
A basic demonstration takes about half an hour and even if I am busy Demoing for others I am more than happy to split my time and answer questions or multi-play the demonstrations. If I am distracted with helping other people please forgive my inattention and tap me on the shoulder, if I can’t fit you in for a demo on one day there will be plenty more.
Location:
Mind Games, Melbourne,. 244 Swanston Street in the heart of the CBD, Victoria, Australia.Time:
12:00noon till 5:00pm,Dates:
Sat and Sun 11th, 12th, Sat and Sun 18th, 19th, Sat and Sun 25th, 26thFor specific information post questions here or email: freeagent005@gmail.com
- Raith
-
DARK IS THE FALLEN SKY
After Action Report
August 25 and 26*****
Another massive weekend of Anima has come and gone… I say massive despite the first 4 hours on Sunday being absolutely dead.
Saturday was busy most of my regulars rocked up and took to the table playing through friendlies as well as Campaign related matches. While adjudicating these I spoke to a lot of onlookers who stopped by to check out the games, explained a bit about painting and the hobby in general as well as giving a run down on how Anima is played.Sunday was quiet up until the last two hours when there was a sudden influx of people into the store and to the demo table. I ended up having to apologize to people about being unable to run demonstrations as the clock ticket towards closing and I was having to pack everything up. This still meant the final demo basically lasted right up to the last possible second. I even saw some of the regulars who turned up again… only a bit to late to do more than have a 150 level match with Isaac using Black Sun for some fun.
But enough about demonstrations the weekend was primarily for Campaigning and Saturday saw two games hashed out.
The first match was fought between Jordan and Andrew (who decided to join the Campaign). The battle used 190 levels with Jordan Fielding Les Jaeger who for the first time in a few rounds had no men out due to injury while Andrew deployed Claire, Daniella, Lilian and Erika. It was a pretty good match that pretty much progressed across most of the table as Reinhold used his terrain mastery over and over driving some ruins into a hill
But Andrew suffered a string of bad dice rolls seeing his force quickly annihilated.
Later Isaac and Mecha played a round, again level 2 using 200 levels apiece. Isaac sent out Konnosuke, Nahimana (Odins model substituting due to figure unavailability), Cheshire and Bael against Hiro, Cordelia, Khaine and Lorenzo. Both organisations encountered each other on their way to the Great Library and rather than let the other gain access to its secret knowledge they did battle.
Isaac went in with a plan. At all costs destroy Hiro. Which is precisely what he did, engaging the wannabe-power ranger with Konnosuke, then Cheshire before moving on through the rest of Lucanor’s minions. Every time he rolled Isaac managed to get exactly what was needed to beat his opponent.
*****
Each player in the campaign selects a force of 400 levels, while they do not have to fully their roster at the beginning of the campaign once a purchase is made it is fixed unless a reward from a match allows a change. These 400 levels allow for an additional 40points of Advantage Cards, 1 Leader class unit and 2 Organizational advantages. The following information is the various Teams so far participating in the Campaign.
The Teams:
Mecha – Wissenscraft
Character Pool: XII, Lorenzo, Rayne, Alessa Raincross, Goethia (Pilot: Mauser), Hiro, Sophia Ilmora, Khaine D’LacreuOrganizational Advantages: The Process, Lost Loggia
Advantage Cards: Nullem Lusec, Ord of Power, Fate Clock, Greater Life Potion, Aura, Raphael’s Gift, After Image, Dragons Blood, Supernatural Traps, Supernatural Weapon.
Team Cards: Assault Team
Accumulated Exploration Points: 255
Spent Exploration Points: 0Jordan – Azur Alliance
Character Pool: High Arbiter Arkeid, Reinhold, The Colonel, Kyler, Kirsten, Claude Valmore, Drake, CenetteOrganizational Advantages: Shadow Lords, Organization
Advantage Cards: Dragons Blood, Tactical Advantage, Covert Operations, Nue, Piercing Weapon, Clock of Cronos
Team Cards: Les Jaeger, Condemned Lovers
Accumulated Exploration Points: 885
Spent Exploration Points: 0
Influence Rewards: Command Presence (Used)Fallecs – Church
Character Pool: Romeo, Evangeline, Saint Astreaga, Damien, Aliss Testarossa, Nero (50 points unspent)Organizational Advantages: Unshakable Faith, Exterminators
Advantage Cards: Raphael’s Gift, Supernatural Weapon, Combined Combat, Tempus Fugit (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: Saint Council
Accumulated Exploration Points: 105
Spent Exploration Points: 0Isaac - Samael
Character Pool: Fallen Angel Dinah, Bael, Momiji, Nahimana, Shinigami Ayl, Konosuke, Janiel, Cheshire (5 points unspent)Organizational Advantages: Mystic
Advantage Cards: Protective Shield, Supernatural Weapon, Control Bound, Combined Combat, Nephiros (15points unspent)
Team Cards: None
Accumulated Exploration Points: 670
Spent Exploration Points: 0Andrew - Empire
Character Pool: Khaine, Erika, Claire, Lilian (225 points unspent)Organizational Advantages: Combat Mastery, Imperial Armour
Advantage Cards: 2x Supernatural Weapon, Gabriel’s Gift, Pool of Life (10 points unspent)
Team Cards: None
Accumulated Exploration Points: 70
Spent Exploration Points: 0*****
- Raith
-
While a Librarian might not get access to Unnatural Willpower they do get access to a talent (Bastion of Iron Will) that doubles thier effective PR when resisting hostile mental effects... if you had a base PR 10 then you double it... that's more than even Eldar Psykers can through out.
- Raith
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Radiel, Veteran Battle-Brother for the Shadows of the Emperor
- Raith
Dark is the Fallen Sky - Campaign Complete (Final Report)
in Anima: Tactics
Posted
CAMPAIGN WEEKEND #8
Saturday and Sunday October 23 and 24
This coming Saturday and Sunday, October 23rd and 24th, Mind Games (City Store) will be hosting the next Campaign Weekend for Dark is the Fallen Sky.
The campaign is still in the early stages with anyone able to win, even new attendees still have a significant chance.
In addition to these days being used by the Campaigners they are also a good time to come and learn about Anima Tactics in general, play a game, have a demonstration, talk about the mini's and how you go about painting/assembling them.
Location:
Mind Games, Melbourne,. 244 Swanston Street in the heart of the CBD, Victoria, Australia.
Time:
12:00noon till 5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday, the 23rd and 24th of October
For specific information post questions here or email: freeagent005@gmail.com
- Raith