The Power of the Emperor at Your Command - Announcing the Dark Heresy Second Edition Game Master's Kit
Dark Heresy Second Edition | Published 17 April 2014
A trail of corpses and forbidden xenos artifacts leads into the lawless depths far below Hive Desoleum. Vicious gangers and heretical cultists are out for blood, while the vile forces of Chaos are eager to devour fresh souls. Ready your bolter and chainsword, and enter the grim darkness of the 41st millennium...
Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce the Dark Heresy Second Edition Game Master’s Kit, a vital resource for Inquisitors and Acolytes in their defense of Mankind. Within, Game Masters gain useful guidance and advice in crafting powerful Nemeses to act as recurring antagonists in campaigns across the ancient Askellon Sector. The kit also includes a brand new adventure that continues the action from the Dark Heresy Second Edition rulebook, and a deluxe Game Master’s Screen that puts the most commonly-used rules close at hand for easy reference.
Nemeses in the Askellon Sector
The Dark Heresy Second Edition Game Master’s Kit provides everything that Game Masters need to develop powerful Nemeses to oppose players. These powerful adversaries will provide tough opposition for players across entire campaigns, and GM’s can harness their power to create intense and challenging encounters in their adventures!
Desolation of the Dead
The included adventure, Desolation of the Dead, is a complete adventure that can be played on its own, or as an ongoing campaign following the adventure in the Dark Heresy Second Edition Core Rulebook.
In this adventure, the players’ Inquisitor has tasked them to investigate a possible xenos relic found amidst the scene of a horrible mass murder. Their adventures take them from the lower hive reaches to the lawless depths far below its surface, where violent gangs and unholy mutants prowl decaying and pestilent regions. Deep in the Underhive, they must stop a foul cult festering in the lower depths of Hive Desoleum before its leader can raise a powerful Daemon and unleash hordes of reanimated corpses upon the hive!
Command the Askellon Sector
The Dark Heresy Second Edition Game Master’s Kit will be available in the third quarter of 2014. As you prepare to enter the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, keep checking back for more news and previews related to Dark Heresy Second Edition and Warhammer 40,000 Roleplaying.
05/14/14 12:52:00 pm, 
Leave a comment » Innocence Proves Nothing - Announcing Dark Heresy Second Edition for Warhammer 40,000 Roleplaying
Dark Heresy Second Edition | Published 15 April 2014
— — Begin Transmission - —-
Brave Acolytes:
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Dark Heresy Second Edition is a roleplaying game of danger, mystery, and brutal violence set in the decaying far future of Warhammer 40,000. Players take on the role of defenders of humanity and embark on hazardous adventures into the dark heart of the 41st millennium. As an Acolyte of an Inquisitor, you’ll serve at the front line of a great and secret war to root out dangers that imperil all of humanity.
The Acolytes of Dark Heresy shepherd Mankind from the manifold paths of damnation, with smoking boltguns or world-burning virus bombs if necessary. Acolytes cannot shirk from their noble calling, harsh as it might be, for the only thing worse than the lengths to which they may go to eradicate heresy is what might occur if they fail to act.
Their investigations take them into deadly combat against twisted mutants, powerful psykers, and other abominations. They must face the horrors of Daemons and ancient aliens dedicated to the eradication of Mankind as a species, and battle for survival amidst webs of conspiracy and betrayal. Perhaps the greatest threat they’ll face, however, is that of their fellow man, for the human soul is such fertile ground for corruption. Foul cults and insane heresies permeate all areas of the Imperium, and no
one is beyond suspicion.
The Dark Heresy Second Edition Core Rulebook
The 448-page, full-color Dark Heresy Second Edition Core Rulebook contains everything Game Masters and players will need to serve the Emperor in the Askellon Sector. With rules for quick and easy character creation, combat, and all of the source material necessary for GM’s to bring the Askellon Sector and its horrors to life, the Dark Heresy Second Edition Core Rulebook can be used to run both standalone adventures and ongoing campaigns. Dark Heresy Second Edition includes new material such as rules for Subtlety, which we’ll cover in greater detail in our upcoming series of previews. The included adventure, Dark Pursuits will have players immediately embroiled in a web of intrigue and heresy.
Into the Dark…
Dan Abnett, the bestselling author of numerous Warhammer 40,000 novels such as the Gaunt’s Ghost series, and the Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies, has written a short story about Acolytes in the Askellon sector specifically for Dark Heresy Second Edition! The story, Into the Dark… opens the Dark Heresy Second Edition Core Rulebook, and provides a glimpse into the life of an Acolyte, and the mysterious darkness that surrounds the Askellon Sector.
Presenting the Askellon Sector
Dark Heresy Second Edition introduces a new sector for Acolytes to explore, and even more vile and insidious heresies to discover and destroy.
Askellon is an ancient region, pre-dating the Imperium itself, and its history is filled with secrets and lies that have stained every generation. As if to compound its woes, the sector is cursed with a seemingly unending Warp storm known as the Pandaemonium that has waxed and waned across the millennia. Now, it grows ever more intense and dangerous with each passing century, raging like a hungry beast that seeks to devour the entire sector and heralding the prophesied Time of Ending, close to the culmination of the 41st millennium.
On its many worlds, from the strange lands of Hive Desoleum to the lawless asteroids of Port Aquila, from the devout population of Thaur to the red forges of Cerix Magnus, all watch in fear as the Pandaemonium’s rising ferocity heralds the sector’s fall. It will take the mightiest deeds of the Acolytes to forestall this terrible doom, if only for one day.
Askellon is a major part of this new edition, as it lets us explore entirely new cultures and peoples, and also introduce new adversaries. Within the sector, players will see a host of new characters, organisations, and cults. Their Acolytes will have no shortage of heresies to investigate and eradicate.
While Askellon is the setting for Dark Heresy Second Edition, fans of the Calixis Sector can rest assured that all of the background and source material created for that sector can still be utilized to run campaigns set there using the Dark Heresy Second Edition ruleset with minor effort. The addition of the Askellon Sector does not invalidate the Calixis Sector material. Rather, the creation of Askellon simply gives players a whole new sector to explore, and new heresies to eliminate.
Fight for the Imperium In His Name
For more information on Dark Heresy Second Edition, including the dark and deadly Askellon Sector and the role of the Inquisition within the Askellon please see the game’s description page. Then, in the coming weeks, we’ll explore what Dark Heresy Second Edtion is bringing to your gaming table in a series of in-depth previews!
Dark Heresy Second Edition will arrive in the third quarter of 2014. In the meantime, keep your boltguns at the ready. The fate of all of mankind rests with you, Acolyte. Serve your Emperor, and prepare to destroy heresy wherever you may find it. Never forget, innocence proves nothing.
—- End Transmission - —-
05/14/14 12:51:00 pm, Leave a comment » Warhammer 40,000 7th Edition
Rumors about the coming of a new edition are flying, and Games Workshop has teased something for later this month.
Rumors are flying on Warhammer 40,000 fan sites after Games Workshop pulled Warhammer 40k Sixth Edition rulebooks from retailers late last month. That action was followed up by a variety of leaks from within the publisher. What we all know - and what Games Workshop has now teased - is that something is coming on the 24th of May. And it's almost definitely 7th Edition.
05/14/14 12:48:00 pm, Leave a comment » Episode 5: The Delta Conspiracy, Part 5.5
Pretty much one, big, epic fight...
E'tan E, Leet and Janna + Heavy and a dozen clones + Nee d'o and twenty Glemnarkians (armed with advanced Republic weapons released by Dunga the hutt) vs. Colonel Boroosh and his elite Trandoshan henchmen (armed with blaster rifles and light-saber resistant melee weapons).
All but two of the Trandoshans were killed; the final two surrendered. E Leet managed to incapacitate and capture Boroosh after a lengthy one-on-one fight. Boroosh has armour in the same lightsaber-reistant material that Darth Obsirius is using. Commander Dreck was released from captivity.
The Trade Federation appeared. Mehket, Neimoidian envoy of the Federation was presented with evidence that the Republic didn't supply Glemnark with weapons. That it was the work of a rogue clone, working for the Separatists. Providing Nee d'O and friends with stolen/captured weapons (just like the ones on Rigelia). The Federation left the scene, vowing to take up the matter in the Senate.
The good:
- You've saved the station from begin taken over by the Trade Federation
- You've foiled the Separatist plot; preventing the Trade Federation from supplying Aunbrun with (LOTS!) of weapons.
- Which in turn means you've prevented a second Aunbrun invasion of Glemnark!
- You have a very fast ship (Cragus' YT-1210)
- You have Lo'kahrn and Vilus Vulpa helping out.
- You have your own squad of Clones
The bad:
- Obsirius has absconded with the Light of Reason and everyone aboard. Perhaps he planned it all along, perhaps he changed his plans when you screwed up his plot.
- Cragus is on the corvette; could have been woken up.
- Onna Dio is on the corvette; could be dead, captured, or turned to the Dark Side!
- The Oracle is on the corvette
- The Force-sensitive children is on the corvette!
- Mayzin Turin (Preseident's daughter) is on the corvette
- E'tan's friend, Dr. Zoliis is on the corvette.
- Plus lots of others that you've picked up along the way
The to do:
- Go to Hexan (where Obsirius is headed)
- Scout out the place
- Come up with a plan
- Defeat Cragus and Obsirius
- Free everyone
- Become heroes!
Episode 5: The Delta Conspiracy, Part 5
The Light of Reason is ready to go, but Master Dio has decided to stick around to foil what must be a Separatist/Sith plot. The Republic can't afford to let the Dark Side take control of the space station and/or a couple of planets.
You got into a pretty epic fight with Darth Obsirius. E'tan managed to destroy his lightsaber, but other than that the fight was pretty one-sided. You did, however, manage to preventhim from killing Loh'karn, which was nice since you could finally get the Twi'lek to talk.
You got some more information about the plot too, most of it from Loh'karn, your Twi'lek friend, but also from looking around the station, finding Cragus' hidden ship, speaking to the Republic Station Commander etc.
- there are Trandoshan mercs on the station, working as security
- the Trandoshans are secretly in the employ of the Sith
- the Trandosshans are waiting for the right moment to strike (which is probably very soon now)
- the planet Aunbrun is making ready to re-invade Glemnark
- the Glemarkians have been stockpiling weapons to defend themselves
- the Glemarkians have been buying weapons from the 'Republic', but those weaposn must be stolen or something, because it is the Separatist who are supplying them
- when the Aunbrunite invasion fails, they will have to call upon Separatist aid to end the 'outrage' of the Republic secretly having broken its own embargo
- you've not yet discovered what kind of excuse the Aunbrunites will use to justify their invasion; maybe it has something to do with the Prince?
- as a little side note; you found Cragus' light freighter, with one of his clones on board (it was taken to the corvette)
You need to act NOW. Seize control of the stations command module and thereby the defence systems. That won't be easy, not with the Trandoshans and the Sith. You've the aid of the stations Glemnarkians; they have been armed with weapons released by Dunga (who essentially stole them from the late Cragus - who has already sold them to Glemnark).
Darth Vader-themed TV Specials!
News on Disney's future plans for their new Star Wars franchise has leaked online, fresh from the Star Wars European Branding Expo and JediNews! Read on for a full list of upcoming projects Disney has in store for Star Wars fans, plus a rough release date zone for Star Wars Episode VII!
http://www.scified.com/news/1224
Star Wars: The Clone Wars complete boxed set
Attention fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars: These are the box sets you're looking for.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Complete Season Five, the final season of the hit series, releases today on Blu-ray (2-disc, $59.97 MSRP) and DVD (3-disc, $49.98 MSRP). The collection delivers all 20 episodes, two as director's cuts never seen on TV, and supplements them with a host of behind the scenes bonus materials, cast and crew interviews, and deleted and alternate scenes, revealing the magic behind the making of the cutting-edge series.
In its Emmy-winning fifth season, the gripping Star Wars story moves closer to the grim events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and several major players face their destinies as the galaxy plunges into darkness. Planets are rocked by revolution, ancient Jedi secrets are explored, and Ahsoka Tano -- the spirited Padawan so central to the series -- faces a major crisis that will change her forever.
For those wanting to relive every moment of the epic series from the beginning comes theStar Wars: The Clone Wars Seasons 1-5 Collector's Edition, is also released today, on Blu-ray (14-disc, $149.99 MSRP) and DVD (19-disc, $119.98 MSRP). All previous complete season sets have been collected here for the first time. With unique packaging, the Collector's Edition also includes a brand new 54-page Art of The Clone Wars booklet that showcases concept art from across all five seasons, with many pieces never before published.
http://starwars.com/news/new-star-wars-the-clone-wars-blu-ray-and-dvd-box-sets-now-available.html
Scarred Lands setting finds a new home
The setting is set on the world of Scarn in a post-apocalyptic era where the world is recovering from a horrific war between the Gods and Titans, which ended 150 years ago and left the land warped.
In need of a way to rid the world of the whimsical and dangerous titans, the gods - the children of the titans - decided to unite against their parents. However, the essence of the titans are inseparably bound to the world of Scarn, since they are the world's creators, and so the gods are obliged to simply incapacitate their parents instead of destroying them. Hacked to pieces and/or chained, the felled titans are a constant incentive for the titan-worshippers to resurrect their masters and for the divine races to continue fighting against the titanic abominations.
A great deal of the system's appeal comes from the detail of cultures, cities, governments and history given by the module books. There are also several continents which have been influenced in a lesser degree by the Titan/God war.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarred_Lands
Now the setting has found a new publisher: http://theonyxpath.com/scarred-lands-finds-new-home-with-onyx-path-publishing-and-nocturnal-media/
Second ed Dark Heresy update
The 2nd ed Dark Heresy Beta has been extended; apparently the feedback hasn't been all good, and instead of going for something entirely new they're rolling back to a system that's evolved from Only War (the last of the line of 40k RPGs)
The design team is already hard at work implementing changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition. Dark Heresy Second Edition’s core system will be revised to follow (with some important exceptions, some of which are outlined below) the development vein of Only War and Black Crusade. This new course will enable Dark Heresy Second Edition to become the latest and best iteration of the Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay system.
Due to the extensive nature of the changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition, our next update will be available at the end of November. Instead of a list of changes, this update will be a new and complete document containing the newest iteration of Dark Heresy Second Edition. Everyone who has purchased the Dark Heresy Second Edition Beta will be able to download the new version of the beta free of charge, and, of course, will still receive their $20 credit toward the purchase of the final game.
While the upcoming update will fully detail all of the changes to Dark Heresy Second Edition, a brief overview of some of the changes is outlined below:
- Weapons and Combat rules, as well as the Skills and Talents selection and usage will be made more consistent with Only War.
- NPCs will be rebuilt to become compatible and usable in other Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay games
- A new Reinforcements system which allows players to temporarily call-in and play as high-level characters will be added.
It is important to note that some of the popular elements from the current beta will be retained in this new direction, some of which are outlined below:
- The new sector, Askellon, will remain, giving your Acolytes a whole new sector full of heresy to eradicate.
- The character creation system will remain as well, along with Elite Advances, allowing you to play as a Psyker, Untouchable, or even Inquisitor.
- Rules for Subtlety, Influence, and Investigation will be retained.
- Integrated vehicle and vehicle combat rules will remain.
Episode 5: The Delta Conspiracy, Part 4
Long overdue update: Last session ended with a lengthy trek through the bowels of Delta Station, several droid fights - the destruction of rogue Clone Trooper named 'Cragus'. After an epic brawl E'tan finally managed to land a blaster shot (peculiar tactic for a Jedi) on Cragus' jet-pack, even as he was blasting away.
Jedi 1 - 0 Cragus!
There is definitely a Separatist plot unfolding aboard the space station. You're just not sure exactly what is up. There is also some disagreement about whether you should take your ship and run for Hexan or stay and help out the people on the station. Oona has said 'stay and fight'.
What you've managed to piece together thus far:
- The Separatists are using Starport Delta as a staging point to smuggle weapons and other items to Aunbrun and Glemnark - in contravention of the Republic embargo. There is also reason to suspect they have more droids hidden away around the station. Their master plan has not been revealed yet, but they are surely up to no good.
- Dunga the Hutt is part of a greater Hutt crime syndicate. He's been quite helpful and has promised aid against the Separatists. Which is nice of him, but is it good to help a Hutt become more powerful?
- The Glemnark delegation (led by Ni d'O) is outraged at being tricked; they didn't know Separatists were involved, only that they were buying Republic weapons from a Clone. Weapons they need to defend themselves from Aunbrun aggression.
- The Aunbrun delegation (led by Prince Orelion) didn't seem overly concerned when Janna visited. Perhaps they are willingly in league with the Separatists? Janna thinks that is a possibility.
- The station population of fringers, refugees and other civilians are anxious about the future. You have good connections to this diverse group through your NPC contacts; Zollis, Vilus Vulpa and Lo’kharn.
You must now figure out what to do next; how do you stop the separatists when you don't know what they are planning to do next?
LIGHT OF REASON
Stripped of all non-essential equipment (except the bar) by Vilus Vulpa (part of his payment). But can actually fly and fight again!
While some of the people you've carried have jumoed ship on Starport Delta most have remained on board. So while the Ligth of Reason only has a handful of clones and partof its original Republic crew it's filled with all manner of worker droids and refugees from Arcuuna Station, Omar, younglings from Consovor, and more refugees from Rigelia. Quite the crowd!
TEAM JEDI
- Aslar To'ung, E Leet's master. Was killed by an assassin droid aboard Arcuuna Station.
- Master Oona Dio is mobile again (but not in great shape she probably shouldn't fight Sith or anything like that)
- E'tan. Skilled and eager, but rash and prone to violence. Oona tries to guide him, but he rarely listens.
- E Leet. Continues to unflinchingly follow the path of the Jedi.
- Tito Jax is still lost behind enemy lines (i.e. on planet Rigelia)
- Navik Nix, your Rodian Jedi, is still dead. Rest his spirit.
- Younglings. The ship is still home to about two dozen Force-sensitive children of various ages.
TEAM SITH
- Darth Tempos. Fell to her death in the lava cavern beneath the secret base on Consovor.
- Mystery Sith. Last seen on Rigelia as you fled that planet.
The Emperor's Tarot
I've completed a major upgrade of my Tarot supplement for 40k. It has actualy crunchy rules, a nice layout - and actual images for the cards!
40k roleplay - the emperors tarot supplement v1.24.pdf
Oblivion
I enjoyed Oblivion very much. It gets a good 5 on a D6 from me (as the GM I get to cheat when rolling dice, so it always shows what I want it to show - no randomness there!)
It had a nice mix of actual sci-fi, some drama, a fair bit of action, plus lots of techno eye-candy. The plot twists were decent IMO. Not sure why the film has been called boring and confusing; perhaps because the average critic isn't smart enough to understand anything that isn't 100% action?
Tom Cruise did a soldi lead role. Andrea Riseborough did a very solid job as Vika. New face to me. Hope she does well in the future.
The Dragon Eternal!
That's right. You can't destroy the Dragon. You can, however, put him on hold.
The Draco Chronicles will continue - one day - but for now we don't have time.
Older materials might still be added here from time to time.
Active 2300AD group on Facebook
That's right, you can now find fellow 2300AD players on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2300AD/
Incredible paintings of sci-fi suburbia will make you wish you were Swedish
Welcome to rural Sweden, sometime in the late '80s. Citizens go about their mundane lives and children explore the countryside. But something isn't quite right. Robots and hovercrafts are commonplace, and decaying science facilities sprout from the harsh Scandinavian landscape. There's even a rumor circulating that dinosaurs have returned from the dead after some failed experiment.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/27/4664842/sweden-reimagined-what-if-sci-fi-tech-were-real
