Timestamp: 7.432.996.M41

Location: Icenholm/Gorgonid Mine, Sepheris Secundus, Glogenna Reach

Situation: Gathering intelligence on the situation in the Sepheris Secundus system.

Body: Within 24 hours of landing on Sepheris Secundus the intelligence gathering was going along quite nicely.

-----

Maxi headed for the Solitarium and met up with Proctor Noles Rotlan, a relatively young and energetic officer for his rank. He got transferred to Sepheris Secundus three months ago, following the death of the previous Proctor. The late proctor and 70 of his most veteran enforcers (10% of the Arbites presence on the planet) got killed while investigating heretical activities in the Shatters (the Shatters is a catchall for those mines that have been worked out and closed; they are home to runaway serfs and mutants). A most unusual event, since there are few things Arbitrators can't handle - and these were loaded and ready for trouble, moving as they were in response to the disappearance of a platoon of Royal Scourges (by themselves sufficient to deal with most serf-related trouble).

Proctor Rotlan made some attempts at learning what happened to his fellows, and was pretty sure it had to do with the massive outbreak of wyrds (rogue psykers) from the Ordo Hereticus holding facility three years ago. Normally psykers would be held at the Solitarium pending transfer to a Black Ship, so this is somewhat surprising. Turns out Sepheris Secundus has an above-average rate of mutation, quite a bit above the norm in fact. And with 12 billion people to mutate from...that's a lot of mutants. And psykers are mutants...so it stands to reason Sepheris Secundus has more cargo for the Black Ships that you'd think. Hence the existence of the holding facility - all the really dangerous psykers were kept there - since the Arbites just handed over the psykers to the Inquisition as soon as they got hold of them.

At any rate many of the escaped rogue psykers died in the wilderness, were hunted down by Hereticus Kill Teams, may have gotten off-world, but a great many are still unaccounted for (and some of them quite powerful and completely insane). Rotlan believed some of these powerful wyrds had banded together with the mutants found in the Gorgonid Shatters, creating a force more powerful than the Scourges and Arbites could handle. That was as far as Rotlan had gotten - he knew something of what awaited below the surface, but he could not understand WHY they stood up against the Arbites - even mutants and wyrds know that doing so will only bring down the heavy heel of the Imperium! Better they had kept a low profile and avoided the authorities. That is what they usually do.

Then something happened less than a month ago that stirred up things real good. Inquisitor Rykehuss arrived with one light infantry Guard division and some supporting naval assets. They closed down the lower parts of the mine by deploying the division there, but more importantly they closed down all civilian air traffic, meaning that no more ore could be carried from the ground and onto the waiting freighters in orbit. Quite catastrophic for the planet's tithe.

Military matters aside - Rykehuss' arrival got Rotlan thinking. Looking through some old files he found references to the Brotherhood of Malice, a doomsday cult that had actively sought to provke the Imperium into destroying not only them, but everything around them. The cult had been deemed heretical and the Inquisitin had stamped it out years ago, back in the early 800s in fact. But guess what...the Brotherhood of Malice had used some of the same areas that now connected to the closed mine shaft. Quite a long shot of course, but definitely something to explain the Inquisition's arrival - wyrds, mutants, and heresy all rolled into one very potent ball...

Rotlan hasn't had the opportunity to do anything more, however. Just after the Inquisitor entered the mine the Arbites reinforcements Rotlan had requested arrived. All 4.000 or so, bringing the Icenholm/Solitarium detachment to its full projected strength. Way more than have ever been deployed to this world before. Someone on Scintilla must also be taking the situation very seriously. Added to the existing 1.000 man (Icenholm/Solitarium detachment + a small Arbites station in orbit that monotirs traffic, as well as Arbitrators away from the Solitarium on other assignments) garrison that's almost 5.000 Arbites, the majority of them inexperienced troopers. So now Rotlan is finding the day has too few hours as he struggles to manage and train 4.000 men here at Icenholm, while coordingating the 1.000 troopers he has seen fit to deploy elsewhere (Icenholm isn't the only place that experiences unrest).

Oh, he almost forgot. The Calixis Rapid Response Precinct is currently in orbit over Sepheris Secudnus, having arrived shortly before the Maiden. 12.000 Arbites veterans with full riot suppression gear housed within a massive black slab of a fortress. The have not replied to Rotlan's calls any more than the Guard division has, so the Proctor is assuming that they are under orders from Inquisitor Rykehuss or someone else with very high clearances.

-----

Haxtes successfully landed in the mine's lower reaches (the open part anyway) and infiltrated the 97th Scintillan Guard Division, 577th Infantry Regiment. Or what remained of it anyway. After being spotted by one Private Edwin Jurtz, the only alert sentry remaining in the immediate are, Haxtes was taken to see the one-armed Sergeant Raynard. He was not very forthcoming, but brought Haxtes to see the Regimental Commissar Nihilius - clearly Haxtes' cover was working quite well.

Nihilius was found within the prefabricated hab-units serving as Regimental Headquarters. A few hours of talking and a few drinks revealed that the bulk of the 577th, about 5.000 men, had followed one Inquisitor Rykehuss (Ordo Hereticus) into the mine. The seal was closed after them on the Inquisitors orders, not to be opened except by his authority. That was 14 days ago.

Only a few score men remains to the 577th - men left behind because they were injured (like Raynard) or otherwise unfit to go into combat (Private Jurtz was quite devastated when the Inquisition ordered him to remain). The Commissar grudgingly admits that the reason he was left behind was that he disagreed with the Inquisitor - whatever awaited in those mines had  slaughtered both Royal Scourges and veteran Arbitrators...and the 577th isn't a real Guard Regiment at all, just a PDF unit dragooned by the Inquisitor because it was assembled for maneuvers just outside Hive Tarsus on Scintilla (making it easy to gather it and transport it here).

----

The rest of the team had not learned as much, since their cover required them to be a bit more circumspect. They did learn, however, that the Governor/Queen has her own astropathic choir. And since Rotlan made no mention about the Arbites calling for outside help (other than requesting some reinforcements to replace losses suffered in the mine) that points to the government of Sepehris Secundus being responsible. Perhaps not a big surprise, but it shows that the situation is grave - Governors are always loathe to beg for outside help. Makes them look weak and always results in the Imperium asserting more control.

Other than that they concluded that the Queen was very old and decrepit, but that she refused to give up power. It's been that way for the better part of a century now, but somehow the wheels of government keeps turning and the tithe is met. Appeared to be lots of court intrigue as well, but that's expected. No mention of any cults or heresies up in Icenholm. Only unspoken indignation about the closing down of the entire mine complex. That they felt was completely uncalled for.

The city team would probably have learned more if they had more time, but deep below in the mine a very eager Acolyte was about to quicken the pace...

Sepheris Secundus is a world of immense mineral wealth, city sized mines, billion strong hordes of serfs and the sharpest divide between the elites and the masses in the Calixis Sector. It is a grim place of snow and twilight, feral mutants, and lives spent in back breaking labor hacking at the ground. The Imperium’s eagerness to exploit Sepheris Secundus’s vast resources is such that the planet is at the same time the richest and poorest world in the sector.

Sepheris Secundus’s climate is cold and stormy, its surface obscured by a mantle of cloud. It has no oceans save for a series of small equatorial seas; most of the planet's fresh water is bound up in the great ice sheets that cover its poles. Its surface is split between the vast open mines that run like deep scars in the crust, and dense, snow laden forests broken only by ruins of failed kingdoms that tried to claim Sepheris Secundus in the past. With its endless blizzards, widespread ignorance and antiquated methods for doing everything, Sepheris Secundus would be a meaningless backwater were it not for the enormous mineral wealth beneath its surface.

Planetary history: The planet has been settled for a very long time. Perhaps as far back as the Dark Age of Technology. No surviving records of the early period has been found, making exact dating impossible. It really doesn't matter - humanity has been around for thousands of years, long before the arrival of the Imperium here in the Calixis Sector.

Vern supposes that the world was once a much more fertile place than it is today, with great oceans and a more temperate climate. Starting about 4.000 years ago an ice age set in, an ice age that continues to this day (indeed, the ice age might actually be deepening). Perhaps this is but part of the world's natural cycle or perhaps it is the result of some terrible calamity (like the one that befell Corax Secundus).

The onset of the ice age brought an end to sophisticated civilization on Sepheris Secundus, and for the next two thousand years the world devolved into a series of low-tech feudal domains. It was to this world Drusus came during the Angevin Crusade. Seeing the immense mineral wealth of the locals (who hardly had any mining skills at all) Drusus quickly recognized the value of the planet. Before moving on to new conquests he ordered a star fortress taken down from orbit and positioned over the most valuable mining real estate on the planet. Ore exports commenced shortly thereafter.

By early M40 the world was made an Imperial World and a Governor appointed. The old star fortress/mining station became the Governor's capital. To ensure his complete control over the planet hi-tech was banned (except for Icenholm and the Governor's own forces) and infrastructure kept at a minimum. At the same time it was arranged to provide for food imports and encourage the growth of the serf population. It was reasoned that a few billion men with picks, hand-drills, black-powder charges, and wheel-barrels could accomplish the same as a smaller hi-tech workforce. This arrangement stands to this day (with some minor tech-creep; most mines now use proper mining explosives for example), with manpower substituting advanced mining techniques.

Icenholm/the Gorgonid Mine: The capital city of Sepheris Secundus is Icenholm. Built around Drusus' ancient star fortress this city of millions literally floats over the Gorgonid Mine. It is from here that the Royal House of Sepheris Secundus rules (with the ancient and decrepit Lachryma III as the current Queen). It is also where the Royal Scourges - the Queen's hi-tech personal army - are based. Icenholm is a spectacular sight by any standard - a great floating city covered by mirrors, crystals and colored glass. Great metal cables in their thousands reach out from the city (one could suppose that they keep the city aloft, but this is erroneous - most of them hang down from the city) and into the massive mine beneath the city. The standard of living in Icenholm is not unlike that found elsewhere in the Imperium - it is the sole oasis of civilization on this world, and it is reserved for the nobles and their retinues.

The Gorgonid Mine remains the most important single mine on Sepheris Secundus, accounting for nearly 10% of the world's Gross Planetary Product. Directly beneath Icenholm the Gorgonid is like a gargantuan tiered cone turned on its head - the greatest strip mine in Calixis sector, several kilometers deep and many scores of kilometers in diameter, all wedged in between jagged mountain peaks rising as high as 6000 meters. Floating on top is the glittering crown that is Icenholm, its many mirrors and colored glass faces turning the city into a dazzling sight (too bad the serfs are always looking down, or one would imagine they'd be quite impressed).

Today there is little strip mining in theGorgonid directly beneath Icenholm - that sort of activity has moved on to the valleys and plateaus in the surrounding mountains. Instead the old faces are puckered by great portals of metal leading down and into the surrounding mountains and the deep earth. Each portal leads to a single independent mine, each run by a Baron, and there are thousands of such mines (many of whom are no longer operated, their mineral bounty stripped out long ago, and the portals closed forever).

Approximately 200.000 million serfs live and work in the shadow of Icenholm, with another 300.000 million spread across the strip mines in the surrounding mountains. In a way they are the fortunate ones. The Gorgonid is not run purely by hand power - semi-advanced gear is in use, ranging from drilling equipment, to explosives and massive ore haulers. In other regions of the planet conditions are more primitive, and the lives of the serfs even more desperate. But that is beyond the score of this brief (but there is an appendix ;-)

The ore that is gathered is sorted on site and hauled by building-sized trucks to the great ore processor stations at the edge of the Tumble (the great slag heaps that surround the mines of the Gorgonid). Elsewhere on the planet ore must sometimes be transported overland for quite a distance to reach the regional orbital landing fields. After sorting and some simple refinement the processed ore go into the great ore barges (the pilots and tech-adepts operating these shuttles also live in Icenholm - but out of sight of the nobility). Thousands of barges make the trip every day, carrying the ore into the waiting maws of the megafreighters waiting in low orbit.

Social classes: The Royal House is the top dog - seeing as they are Imperial Governors as well as royalty, and can draw upon the might of the Imperium if need be. The rest of the high nobility is made up of the regional Dukes and the Counts (whose responsibility is a single city-mine). The lesser nobilty is the Barons and their families; a Sepheris Secundus baron is responsible for the running of a specific mine shaft or mine face. By law a Baron is required to live on his own fief, although they are also encouraged to have estates in Icenholm.

There is also a small middle class of Freemen, mostly made up of two groups - independent homesteaders living out in the wilds, and skilled workers in one of Icenholm's guilds (such at the one that operates the ore barges - the Cloudwalkers - and the guild that maintains the shuttles).

The remaining 99% of the population are serfs. Unlike slaves they are not owned, but are considered free. In practice they are worse of than most slaves - a slave is a valuable commodity, a serf is not - all they have to offer is cheap labor, and the Barons work them hard. A serf will have to pay his Baron as much as nine tenths of what he gathers in the mines, just to be allowed to mine. Whatever else he can collect is his - to be sold to the Baron in return for food, lodging, etc. It doesn't help that what he picks out of the ground is worth a fortune on any other world - all the serf will ever know is endless toil and an early death.

Adeptus Arbites/the Solitarium: Sepheris Secundus is a hotbed of dissent and insurrection - the serf population is too big and too downtrodden for it to be otherwise. For the most part local forces, sometimes backed by Royal Scourges, are sufficient to deal with such problems. Only in special cases are the Arbites called upon to solve cases of insurrection gone too far, investigate-in-force into mines where outright heresy is suspected, or hunt for rogue psykers hiding in the Shatters (a name for abandoned mines).

The Arbites are garrisoned in the Solitarium; a black Precinct fort that hovers ominously just below Icenholm. A few cables and utility ducts link the Solitarium and Icenholm, as well as retractable roadway, but otherwise the Solitarium is completely separate. In addition to a large motor pool, an entire hangar deck, and a sophisticated monitoring central, the Solitarium has room for some 5.000 Arbites, but there are currently less than 700 stationed there.

+++PLANETARY DATA+++

GALACTIC POSITION: 52/34/CS/NNE.

CLASS: Imperial World, Mining World sub-classification

SUBSECTOR: Golgenna.

SYSTEM: Sepheris system; regular system with G9 V primary, seven planetary bodies; 1. Hypermassive gas giant, 2. Imperial World, 3-7 small-to-medium icy cores.

SATELLITES: Three moons, none inhabited.

CLIMATE: Sub-arctic with narrow band of cold temperate climate along equator.

POPULATION: 12,000,000,000.

PLANETARY GOVERNOR: Queen Lachryma III.

ECONOMY: Icenholm and Gross Planetary Product tied into Sector-wide economy. Local currency-based economy specific to each planetray region. Barter ecnomy at the local level; in the mines and villages of Sepheris Secundus life revolves around endless mining, to the point where chips and lumps of ore are sometimes used as currency.

PRINCIPLE EXPORTS: Semi-processed ores, exported primarily to Scintilla, but with some being hauled futher abroad.

Over the course of the past four centuries there has been an increase in the export of serfs; with DeVayne Incorporation and its likes purchasing the rights to the serf's labor and transporting them off-world to other labor-intensive occupations. Since the serf surplus is increasing there will likely be more serf exportation in the future.

PRINCIPLE IMPORTS: Sepheris Secundus relies on imports of food from the sector’s agri-worlds. Icenholm is an importer of exotics and luxuries from across the sector.

MILITARY FORCES: Its vast population makes it a potential supplier of Imperial Guard recruits, although a relatively small proportion of the population would be suitable because of universally poor health, along with the risk of exposing the subjugated masses to the possibility of life outside the mines. There are currently no active Secundan Guard Regiments.

The planet's PDF force consists of three divisional equivalents (the Royal Scourges) armed with las/autoweapons and body armor, but very little heavy equipment. The Scourges are based in Icenholm, but a third of the force is usually deployed somewhere assisting/keeping an eye on the regional Dukes, and another third is (very frequently) engaged in supressing serf revolts or clearing out agressive mutant populations.

CONTACT WITH OTHER WORLDS: Major warp routes link Sepheris Secundus to Scintilla, Iocanthos, Fedrid and Ganf Magna. Secondary routes lead to Quaddis, Luggnum, Vaxanide (currently closed due to fluctuations in the warp), and Valon Urr.

Sepheris Secundus is one of the planets on the path of the legendary Chartist vessel the Misericord.

Timestamp: 7.429.996.M41

Location: Aboard the Maiden of Golgenna, holding in high orbit above planet Sepheris Secundus, Golgenna Reach

Situation: Gathering intelligence on the situation in the Sepheris Secundus system.

Body: Nearly four months (Terran standard) have passed since the formal reception aboard the Ignorance is Bliss. Nearly four months since your old selves died, and you were reborn as Acolytes in the service of the Inquisition. Four months quite unlike any you've experienced before - training with the Astartes, a rogue machine intelligence, space battles, xenos, lost worlds, war, and more. You really do feel like you've left your old lives behind and become something different.

You should have arrived in the Scintilla system three months ago, to undergo screening and training, but as you remember Xerza diverted towards the world of Sepheris Secundus in response to an astropathic distress call begging aid from the Imperium; citing a massive heretical uprising among the serfs of the Gorgonid Mine as the reason.

OOC: See separate post for Vern's general brief on Sepheris Secundus.

Using Venus, Vern and Inquisition encryption protocols you manage to get some real-time data, and you've given a situation-specific brief...but it's fairly...brief (sic):

The Gorgonid Mine, which alone accounts for 10% of Sepheris Secundus' Gross Planetary Product, is still in a state of martial law. The 97th Scintillan Guard division has been deployed in the lower reaches of the open-face parts of the mine, with Navy elements flying air cover for them. According to Vern nothing like that has ever happened before - the Royal Scourges are usually more than capable of putting down serf uprisings.

Xerza is unwilling to make any assumptions regarding the situation. Firstly the distress call was not very detailed, just calling for aid in putting down the insurrection (so that the Imperial Tithe can be met). Secondly you are three months late, and the situation seems to have changed for better or worse. And thirdly Xerza doesn't want to look the fool in front of other parties that may have responded to the call.

So a period of intelligence gathering is called for:

Maxi will travel down to the Solitarum, the Arbites compound located beneath Icenholm, and make contact with whomever is command there and learn more about the ongoing situation. The Arbites will know the details of what has transpired - it is after all their primary duty to ensure the flow of the tithe and crack down on heretics and witches.

Haxtes will sky-drop out of the lander into the lower reaches of the mine, assume the identity of a Imperial Guard officer - a Colonel of Logistics, attached to the Divisional Staff of the Guard division. A uniform is provided and Anna helps put the finishing touches on the disguise (apparently she knows her way around Imperial officers). He'll learn what he can of their operations and report back.

Meanwhile Jax and Anna will go down to Icenholm, posing as a Rogue Trader and his companion (not so difficult since that's what they are). Odessa, Ignace and Jarra go along as bodyguards, with Silon, Venus, and Vern acting the parts of pilot, tech-priest, and savant respectively (shocker). Odessa has seniority ;-)

Xerza remains aboard the Maiden to coordinate the operation while awaiting the opportune moment to make her presence known.

Timestamp: 7.352.996.M41

Location: Voidborn hideout, unnamed rogue planetoid, unknown M-class system

Situation: Staying as guest of Speaker Johammod and his clan

Body: A week or so has passed since your escape from Corax Secundus and you are now the guests of Speaker Johammod and his people, the void-born families manning the vessels that call Corax home. This is their secret hideout, sanctuary - and naval base. A place whose location is known only to the small cadre of navigators sworn into Johammod's  service. Even with the sensory data on the system's star gathered by the Maiden you could never find this system again - dim red dwarfs like this are so numerous as to defy cataloging.

Thinking back it went surprisingly well. Silon kept the ork fighters away from you, allowing you to dock with the Maiden. A sole ork raider was sent in pursuit, but the Maiden kept out of range until she could translate into the warp. One of the men Johammod brought with him turned out to be a navigator, and under his guidance the ship made good speed to the hideout, arriving after only six days in the warp.

Now you've been given accommodations within the rocky planetoid that serves as a base while the Maiden undergoes much-needed repairs and takes on crew. The new people are a mix of unskilled labor, refuguees from Corax brought here aboard voidborn clippers braving the run into the Corax system, and guild-trained crew loaned to you by Speaker Johammod. Wonder what Xerza has offerd him to make him so helpful?

There is not much to do except relax and heal (for those in need of that).

There will be a few changes to the way psykers are handled - I'm abandoning the Dark Heresy system and instead going for some thing fairly similar to the system found in Rogue Trader. IMO it is VASTLY superior, not least because it uses a standard d100 check instead of rolling those pesky D10s and adding them together. I'll have to expand a bit upon the powers and such, since Rogue Trader has only astropaths, which know divination/telepathy/telekinesis only.

Currently only Haxtes is a psyker, and he very low-grade ATM so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this part right now. Instead I'll make the framework and detail those few minor powers that Haxtes will be using with any regularity.

More later.

There will be another post to take you to the next adventure, but its just a scene translation. Nothing much to do there, and thus more XP coming.

Haxtes has been more active than Maxi, so he gets a little more XP.  He also get's a little extra role-playing XP. What he doesn't get extra for is team-work; no penalty for it, but no bonus either. Presumably this will be more even during P&P play.

Haxtes: 450 XP

300 base + 100 for extra action and general creativity + 50 for role-playing

Maxi: 325 XP

300 base + 25 for or role-playing

You can use this XP any way you like, but to account for Xerza's regimen I'll throwing each of you a one-time Elite advance offer:

Haxtes: +5% Focus for only 100XP (instead of the normal 250XP) and Psi Rating 1 for 100XP (instead of 200XP). That should account for her tuition and attempts at trying to focus your mind. If you take it that leave you with 250XP. Perhaps the Willpower skill is an option. Otherwise there are many good talents available.

Maxi: +5% Acumen 100XP (instead of the normal 250XP) and access to the Autosanguine talent for 100XP (noramlly a tech-pirest only advance; it doubles your rate of recovery from wounds). It should cover the work Xerza has made you do with reports and such; it will also give you two Fields of Knowlede and two languages known. You also have loads of Talent to pick from (125 XP left if you tack the package).

Timestamp: 7.323.996.M41

Location: Hive Primus, Corax Secundus, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system

Situation: Haxtes hunting Veiled Hand cultist with =][= Soldevan

Body: Things rarely turn out the way you expect. This time included. You meet up at the Inquisitor's residence. You later learn from Trempan that it has been provided for him by Speaker Hauptish. There are people watching the residence - spies most likely. You don't think it is a known fact around here that Soldevan is an Inquisitor - he seems to be posing as an important trade factor from the Imperium. Speaker Hauptish must know though.

Soldevan's group is kitted up and ready to go.

The Interrogator, Trempan, is dressed in a light flex-plate suit and carries what looks like a compact local autogun with a folding stock. On closer inspection is probably a tactical autopistol; lighter caliber, but high rate of fire and excellent for close-in work. He also has a sword protuding above his left shoulder, secured in a quick-draw scabbard and a double stub rig carrying matching heavy automatics. So he's not just a scholar.

"Hello again Acolyte Haxtes."

Forden, the ex-Guard Sergeant from Cadia (guesswork on your part, but the purple eyes and the Kasrkin badge sort of gives him away) seems very competent. He is, like Trempan, sporting visible augmentation work - in his case it's not a brain job, but limb grafts - and most likely other, hidden, replacements. He's clad in old guard-issue combat armor - the standard flak body-suit, but with reinforced leggings, greaves, clamshell body-piece, and a hi-threat sealable helmet. He's got a customized rapid-fire lasgun with an advanced targeting array that's linked right into his nervous system. The lasgun has an underslung multi-launcher. Various secondary weapons are carried - powered combat blade, compact shotgun, heavy pistol, some grenades. Grizzled, scarred, scowling - he's almost a caricature of a Guard NCO.

"Greetings."

Lady D, the team's resident whore (that's what she looks like anyway with her bling and facial paint) has somewhat lighter armor, an armored bodyglove, but makes up for it by lugging around a sleek-looking plasma rifle! The hood of her bodyglove is pulled down to reveal a mass of lilac and silver hair. She has a pair of hi-end targeting goggles over her eyes. You can see the faint reflection of light being projected directly onto her retinas, feeding her combat data from her gun - and other sensors carried by the team. She has a compact jump pack strapped to her back. Her role is - obviously - mobile fire support.

She smiles at you in a very inviting fashion: "Hi there."

But its the Inquisitor himself that takes your breath away. Covered head to toe in articulated power armor of finest Mechanicus manufacture. Copper burnished adamantium scales glitter alongside germanium-and-gold-covered ridges. A tri-bolt launcher is connected to the suits right arm, but the gun is currently in the retracted position, the barrels folded back to give the suit's owner full manual dexterity. An armored ammo feed runs back to the drum mag clipped below the suits environmental unit. The suits opaque-polished face-plate of monobond crys-steel is elevated to reveal the man within.

Soldevan with a smile: "Magnificient isn't it? A gift from Magos Obligatum, the Plantation Prince of Verdure, made in the image of his own re-built body.

We do not hunt unprepared. Welcome to our little band Haxtes. We are glad to have you - the Inquisition has few resources to draw on on this planet, so its a strictly hands on operation.

We've been tracking the survivors for some time now - there are three left. D and Forden took out the other two a few periods back as they were scouting out the approaches to the lower hive. A rearguard by the look of it. Managed to report. So the enemy knows we are coming.

From the looks of it the three have split up into a single and a pair. Trempan thinks the single may be Master Oblash, the real heretic we're hunting, with the other two being a diversion. Or maybe that's what they are wanting us to think.

No matter. We have drones with advanced sniffers on to both. We'll go in, take out the pair using heavy firepower. Then we'll pursue the loner. Which is where you come in. You have stealth skills we do not. While we track the loner, you will go by another route and try to get another angle on him. I think that could give us an important edge.

If possible I'd like an arrest; but dead is also acceptable. Just not one thing - NO HEAD SHOTS. The targets brain must be preserved for examination by the Holy Ordos."

While the others finalize preparations you have a private moment with Soldevan: "I'm sure Xerza has filled you in as to my supposedly wicked character and ulterior motives for inviting you?

I do know who you are. And knowing Tancred's operation and Xerza I warrant a guess - you're a latent or emerging rogue psyker, are you not? I must say I don't like you kind in general, although I do accept that psykers have their role in the Imperium and I have a few psyker colleagues that are no worse than their mundane kind. Rogue psykers, however, the xenos-worshipping kin in particular, I usually just terminate. Like I did the Veiled Hand.

But since Xerza has claimed you as an accolyte you're entitled to some...I'm not going to just eliminate you out of hand Haxtes. Not a round in the back of the head. No accidents. But I will be watching. And if I think you're out of line I'll notify the Conclave and they can take it from there. Does that sound reasonable?"

The last member of the team, Molochan the Tech-priest, is not combat-ready. He's not going along, but staying behind to take care of things on this end. Right now he's rigging some pretty advanced equipment around the main lounge.

Soldevan to the group: "Make ready Acolytes. Oblash must answer to the Throne for his traitorous deeds. He's escaped us once before, he'll not do it again. But I warn thee - do not underestimate him. He was one of the finest Acolytes there was, and his murderous skills have only improved as a result of his stay with the cult."

Here is Vern's assessment of the Speakers and other factions on Corax:

Of Corax history: You've already been over this, but there are a few additional items worth nothing. The planet was terraformed and later settled during the Dark Age of Technology. A great disaster took place during the age of Strife, destroying much of the planet and most of its hives.

But human life endured somehow, despite hellish conditions. The people grew short and wiry - the evolved into ratlings, as happened on other isolated and devastated hive world during the Age of Strife.

Yet on Corax something miraculous happened; they not only survived, but eventually prospered as the descendants of the survivors found their Paradise - Hive Primus, virtually intact in all its dark technological glory. And somehow, against all reason the survivors managed to cling on to at least part of the tech-lore of old, enough to keep the hive running century after century after century...

Up until M39, when visitors arrived...the aforementioned men fleering the advance of the Imperium (in the form of the Angevin Crusade that eventually led to the creation of the Calixis Sector - officially made a sector in 384.M39). These warriors from the stars took what they wanted and nearly drove the indigens to extinction, pushing them into the unused and dark lower levels...

...that is, until the hive started failing and the Founding Fathers ralized they needed the little ones. And so a deal was  offered. The ratlings would be allowed to live in the lowest, least desirable portions of the hive, and in return they would take care of systems the invaders had no hope of ever mastering. It was an unfair deal, but better than destruction...and so the situation remains.

Of later arrivals: As is revealed further below; a second group has settled on Corax, arriving in M41. And there is still no explanation as to why parts of Corax' population holds faith in the Emperor, while so many do not. Unfortunately there are no records of those times - they may well intentionally have been destroyed.

A final note on the Speaker's Houses. They really have very few ties to the original Founding Fathers; the Johammod's for example, arrived very late and are not related at all to the original Fathers. And some of the current Speaker clans have risen from obscurity, while others have fallen along the way - of those present now Xolix is definitely Old Blood,  with the others having varying pedigrees.

The settlers: The settlers is a non-homogenous group that have carved an existence out of Corax' wilderness and who want as little to do with the hiver as possible. Of course, with the war and all many have been forced to abandon their homesteads and seek refuge beneath the earth.

The current First Speaker is one Madame Eoila Xolix: Eolia is a tall and dry old hag that seems far too full of herself. Or maybe she's entitled to some air, being a sovereign ruler, free of any Imperial constraints?

Xolix took over five years ago following First Speaker Mario Holt's death. Her ascent involved the usual amount of violence, intrigue, and bribery. Besides the First Speaker have most often come from the ranks of the Holts and the Xolixs (especially that case these past five hundred years); a result of their control of hive utilities and archaotech reclamation respectively.

Xolix has control over some manufacturing assets and secondary hive utilities, but her prime power base is hive reclamation. That means stripping Corax' other hives of valuable stuff. Well, most of it isn't all that valuable, having been made countless millennia ago, but here and there useful items can be found.

Now she also has the support 'someone else'. And these people (or xenos?) have voidships, which could give her control of the whole reclamation chain from procurement to final sale. And the backing of a potent military force.

That might not have been enough to really scare the other speakers, had it not been for what she's intending to use that power for - to reform Corax' society, which in her mind is long overdue. Such as giving the ratlings and the free-steaders each a place on the Speaker's council. Radical stuff to say the least!

Vern's assessment is that she wants to preserve Corax, and genuinely thinks her way is the right path to follow. She doesn't want to destroy the other Speakers' Houses, just redistribute power a little - to the benefit of 'the people' (whatever that means).

At any rate the other six Speakers are probably no better:

The obese Frau Temera Hauptish: Hauptish is the only Speaker who is really interested in bringing Corax into the Imperial fold. Both because her clan believes in the God-Emperor and humanity's manifest destiny, and because they think that the planet would do well under Imperial rule. They control much of Corax industry through various tech-guilds, so they stand to gain a lot of income and power if they gained access to some new markets. Her secondary power base is with the Faithfull of Corax (i.e. those that worship the God-Emperor).

Hauptish has been in contact with Soldevan several times, but she's afraid to court him openly, as doing so would announce her intentions and make her a target of reprisals from the more independent-minded Speakers.

The positively ancient (and heavily augmented) General-Oberst Erik Brüller: Is the man in charge of the militia. He's a pompous ass that is largely ignorant of the deeper wheeling and dealings. He sees the ork attack as an opportunity to prove himself and gain some much-deserved credit from his peers. Beyond that he's not really a big political player. His traditionalist views are well known; he supports the oligarchy, doesn't like the people settling beyond the control of Hive Primus, and doesn't want the Imperium to get involved. By and large he supports the sitting First Speaker as long as he doesn't make waves or appear too progressive-minded (which the current one does, so he's no longer adamant in his support).

The stern-faced Charles de Motaguinne: The leader of the financial sector (such as there is - its less like banking and more like a loan-shark operation) de Motaguinne is a rising star in Hive politics thanks to his affair with the poor Holt widow (its a well-known fact that she's traded away much of her freedom and power in return for short-term protection for herself). He's also sort of an underworld overlord, but one that very rarely involves himself directly into the affairs of lesser criminals (he's just content to skim the profits and uses his House Regulars to spread fear). Charles is also the Speaker with the most ties off-world - ties that he maintains through personal contracts with several minor rogue traders. He's not anti-Imperium as such, he just thinks there are more opportunities for Corax (read: himself) as a rogue planet.

The almost painfully handsome Marshal Bill Tricker: Head of Hive primus security/police force. This local Enforcer cadre is typical of such organizations; corruption is widespread (but not completely out of control) and incompetence is rife (although there are certainly exceptions - Special Branch looks competent enough as sectret/terror police goes). He's mostly just concerned with maintaining the status quo and his own family's power (which generally means cooperating with de Motaguinne, at least for the moment).

He's a real asshole, but can probably (Vern's estimate, backed by Xerza's readings) be convinced to provide aid if he thinks Hive Primus is in genuine jeopardy - not out of alturism, but out of self-preservation. He might even agree to join the Imperium as long as he'd retain power (or even better, gain some more).

The barely-adult Kimberly Holt: The second wife of First Speaker Mario Holt is a former courtesan turned trophy wife turned powerful noblewoman. If she hadn't been a shrewd mother she'd been dead and buried long time ago (right after Mario's death five years ago), but by selling out to Charles de Motaguinne she's secured her own position for now. Being childless there are always Holt scions ready to take over should she 'falter', but Kimberly deftly deflects such notions by implying that she'll marry any male Holt that rises to the occasion. It is generally believed that Kimberly is an off-worlder.

The Holts have controlling interests in Hive maintenance; including taking care of the age-old 'treaty' with the ratlings. The smooth running of the hive and its ancient systems is of course of paramount importance, and hence the Holts are traditionally very influential. The existence of the ratlings is known only to a very few (beyond the age-old rumors of 'things' in the walls etc.) - the Speakers and a few others.

The positively alien-looking Ibhram Johammod: Leader of the voidborn faction that descends from Meritech clan refugees fleeing the destruction of their movement. They arrived in the Corax system in the late 3rd century M41, finally finding a new home here.

Over the following centuries they slowly established contact with Imperial space, selling plundered archaotech in return for luxuries and other foreign goods (where there are more than enough rogue elements willing to trade with them). Before the arrival of the voidborn Corax had no real contact with the Imperium - so it all sort of started with them.

Johammod doesn't like the new Protasian 'allies' at all since the undermine his powerbase. Normally wary of de Motaguinne, he is feeling pushed into his corner by the First Speaker's recent actions. He hates the Imperium for what they did to his ancestors.

Timestamp: 7.322.996.M41

Location: Hive Primus, Corax Secundus, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system

Situation: Covert investigations continue; Xerza continuing to act as Rogue Trader

Body: More than 12 days standard have passed since your last status meeting; Haxtes has returned from his field trip, Odessa has reported in telepathically, the rest of you have added you own pieces to the puzzle (and what an odd puzzle it is; you have no real mission, only the idea that there are things here worth uncovering), and Vern and the other savants are hard at work trying to make it into a coherent whole.

Odessa is not present (she alone has no links to the rest of you, so keeping her hidden makes sense), but the rest of you are there, Haxtes included. Vern is the one doing most of the speaking, with Xerza adding a few items here and there (but of course she's already approved the brief).

Vern: "As you all know Haxtes has been in contact with the Maiden. Or rather he's been in contact with Acolyte Silon, who informed him that the Maiden is safe, operational, and nearby. Presumably he didn't want to say anything more over a relatively open channel. Silon was as far as Haxtes could understand, landed somewhere within vox range - in a Thunderbolt fighter craft."

He adds some minor details regarding the Maiden and the status of the team, everything from health to equipment. Nothing really interesting.

"As to the overall situation here on Corax it appears to involved the hallowed Adeptus Mechanicus. I would stress 'appears', because we have no proof. Only hearsay through an ork - the same ork that eluded destruction aboard the Maiden."

Xerza interrupts: "I would add that the Tarot also implicates the hand of the Mechanicus. It places the orks in a most unusual relationship with one of the Adepta of Terra, but further meaning has eluded me." She looks at Haxtes while taking about the Tarot, no doubt as thanks for the title 'Mistress of Cards'.

Vern resumes: "Well yes, but as I said, we suspect the Mechanicus is here. But even if they are here, we do not know WHY or what their relationship to the orks are. Perhaps they hired the freebooterz, perhaps not. And if they did, what interest could they possibly have in Corax. And if they DID have and interest, why this very peculiar way of action? We need more data to conclude."

"Its more likely that the orks are somehow in the hire of one of the Speakers. There is a deep and vicious web of intrigue and power plays here, with wildly differing agendas. Has been for centuries; the seven Speaker houses - nine originally, after the Nine Founding Fathers - and their petty struggle for power over this meager world.

Xerza: "But something has change of late, upsetting a long standing balance. Propelling First Spekaer Xolix into a position of unprecedented power. And forcing several of the other Speakers to band together to oppose her, or risk loosing much power."

Vern: "Indeed. Which is why we at great expense of time and effort has compiled a report on the political situation. You've all contributed greatly through your investigations; and so has one of the locals - Madame Minerva Eiden, former wife of the late First Speaker. Without her insight and access clearances it would not have been possible. I'll give you the key features here now, and then you can page through the details afterwards. A most interesting read."

Xerza: "Get on with it."

OOC: See separate post for details on the Speakers and other factions of Corax.

Vern continues: "It should be added that Corax has one export item of interest - the faded remnants of forgotten times, plundered from the dead and broken hives that dot this region. Apart from the occasional gold strike its mostly artifacts of relatively low value, but sufficiently well preserved to be valuable to the right kinds of people.

And before any of you get any ideas - this can hardly be why the Mechanicus is here. Archaotech of this caliber can be found on a million dead worlds.

But to the people of Corax it gives them access to shady Imperial markets, and in return they can import stuff they cannot make for themselves - or much more importantly, luxuries and other rare goods for the aristocracy.

Still nothing to explain why the world warrants the hiring of an entire armada of ork freeboterz. Nor the involvement of the Mechanicus - if there is such."

Xerza: "I'll take it from here. What Vern is getting at is that we haven't got a clue, except for the fact that the balance of power has been upset. Xolix has these mysterious new allies that have starships, which gives her complete control over the archaotech trade. As Vern has described - the others don't like that.

Somewhere in there lies - perhaps - the answer to all of this.

But we need the answer to many more questions. Is the Mechanicus really involved? If so, why and how? Who hired the orks, and for what specific purpose? And more and more and more; all we've done so far is open up cans and cans of new questions.

Before we move on, does any of you have any ideas or observations?"

Some new rules:

- if you get hit with a lethal weapon you will always take at least 1 Wound in damage, no matter how high your Toughness Bonus is (it makes sense that you take LESS damage, but being hit with a gun/sword/whatever will always do SOME damage).

- the exception is if you're wearing armor; if you have at least 1AP (after modfication from penetration) damage CAN be reduced to zero.

Example: A stub automatic (a common low-tech weapon - much like a 21st century automatic pistol - found everywhere) does 1d10+3 damage.

If shooting at someone with TB 6, the weapon will do at least 1 Wound with each hit, even if you roll a 1, 2 or 3 (basically you get a damage spead of 1+1+1+2+3+4+5+6+7).

If a normal TB 3 person put on a flak vest (AP 4) for a total damage reduction of 7, the situation would be different. Any roll of 4 or less would result in zero damage.

It's a small and subtle rule change, but one that is important.

I've added a sidebar link listing; it has a few external links, but also contains a link to the downloads section.

You can find the Assassin Career writeup there. I'll put up the rest as soon as possible - the assassin is just a sneak-peak on what it'll look like.

The rules set is getting close to completion. I'm working through the Talents now, altering some and assigning a fixed XP cost to them. A few might be removed and some new ones added in. I've also more or less completed the Arbitrator Career, up to Rank 8. Will do the same with Assassin pretty soon. Once that is done we should be quite ready to finish up the characters.

Timestamp: 7.286.996.M41

Location: Hive Primus, Corax Secundus, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system

Situation: Idling in Hive Primus, listening to Vern's rantings...

Body: You've been stuck in Hive Primus for two days now, with Xerza meeting a few times with the First Speaker, but apparently getting nowhere. She's in a foul mood, given to sitting alone with her Tarot and snapping at her poor staff whenever they get in her way.

The Corax system appears to have been colonized by humanity during the Dark Age of Technology, between 15 and 20 thousand years ago. The locals have very little knowledge of the past - the past and the future are as unimportant to them as they are to Imperial citizens; it is the now that matters.

Vern has nevertheless pieced together a few things:

The planet once had a much more pleasant climate and an extensive biosphere comprised of STC-compliant bioforms (indicative of extensive terraforming - a sort of techno-wizardry that allowed the humans of old to alter entire planets - if you believe such a thing!). More than 10.000 years ago, at some point during the Age of Strife, there was some sort of catastrophe that nearly killed off all life. Vern suggest that it might be linked to Corax' moon, but he hasn't the data to back it up - not that you really care. The planet has slowly recovered since then and now again sports a fairly decent biosphere, but with the STC bioforms adapting extensively by mutation.

Corax is still quite volcanically active, but less so than in the past. The Disaster heralded an age of volcanism and tectonic upheavals, but the current situation is fairly stable. The atmosphere is still quite polluted, but it is not directly fatal to humans. At least not in the short run - prolonged exposure could cause lasting damage to the lungs etc. Wearing a simple filter mask and a set of protective goggles does wonders. And surface buildings on Corax are filtrated and over-pressurized where practical to keep out pollutants.

Hive Primus is not the only such site on Corax; there are at least six other inhabited hives and a number of derelict ones (its safe to assume many would have been destroyed or crippled during the Disaster). But Hive Primus seems to be the richest and most influential one, with the others at least partially dependent on their 'parent' (Hive Primus seems to have accss to tech-lore the others don't and has the only fully operational spaceport).

The current inhabitants of Hive Primus (and the other hives for that matter) arrived here in the aftermath of the Crusade that brought Calixis Sector into the Imperial fold - they were refugees fleeing Imperial domination. Vern has no idea exactly whence they came, who they were, how many there were, or how they knew how to get here (to Corax that is - seeing as it's not listed as explored by the Imperium - perhaps their pre-Imperial society possessed archaic navigational data).

What he does know is that the refugees were led by a cabal of nine - the Founding Fathers are they are called on Corax. Even to this day the descendants of these Founding Fathers rule Hive Primus and by extension Corax Secundus. Or rather the seven remaining 'Houses' do - two of the bloodlines have become extinct since their arrival. Each of the seven Houses controls part of hive society (military, police, spaceport operation, hive maintenance, power and utility, hydroponics and flesh-vats etc.) and has a seat in the government; they are known as Speakers. One among them is the First Speaker - the chairman of the small council and the de-facto ruler of the planet.

The current First Speaker is one Madame Eoila Xolix, and tall and dry old hag that seems far too full of herself. Or maybe she's entitled to some air, being a sovereign ruler, free of any Imperial constraints? At any rate the other six Speakers are probably no better; the obese Frau Temera Hauptish, the positively ancient (and heavily augmented) General-Oberst Erik Brüller, the stern-faced Charles de Motaguinne, the almost painfully handsome Marshal Bill Tricker, barely-adult Kimberly Holt, and the positively alien-looking Ibhram Johammod.

Vern is certain at least some of the hives on Corax, and especially Hive Primus, must have harbored human life, but he can find no real references to it, save some vague hints to a great 'purge' or 'cleansing' shortly after the 'landing'. He calls it a 'hunch' but you know better than to ask - lest he start relaying the thousand and one bits of data that has led to that 'hunch'. The core of the matter is that he cannot believe that these people have managed to fully awaken a hive dead for 10.000 years; never has he heard of such a thing. But if they simply usurped it from someone else...

At any rate there hive-dwellers are no longer the most numerous of the planet's inhabitants. The Disaster may have broken the planet in the past, but the resulting volcanism has made it a fertile heaven, ready to be exploited by crafty freemen willing to work hard in the ruddy glow of the orange star filtrated through the polluted atmosphere. There people are much less reliant on Hive Primus than the hive-dwellers; they can make or trade with one another for most of what they need.

Of course, with the ork invasion many of the freemen have been forced to retreat to the hives, Hive Primus in particular. The paranoid might assume that this could be some plot of the Speakers to regain lost power, but if so it seems excessive to put it mildly. Totally insane is probably a more apt description. So its worth considering, but you must look for other answers as well.

One other thing must be mentioned; Corax is obviosuly not completely ignorant of the Imperium. At least one Rogue Trader regularily calls here, possibly more. And judging from the  jump prints Vern analyzed when you arrived there was quite a few warp-capable ships here. That, and the size and good quality of the spaceport suggests that the locals have some void - and perhaps warp - capability on their own.

------

So, while Xerza negotiates with the First Speaker (probably to get you access to more crew and repairs for the Maiden - presumably) she's set the rest of you to gather as much information about the place as possible; a task made somewhat more difficult becuase you've restricted access to the hive and are always escorted while away from the appartment:

Vern is tasked with looking into local librariums and cogitators (too bad Venus isn't here - she could have worked miracles, but Vern and three savants will suffice) for more background data about Corax. He'll also take whatever other intel you can find and mesh it with what you already have, looking for obscure correlations and hidden truths. The rest of you can also contribute by speaking with the locals; Maxi with security, Ignace with some local scum (if he can find any) and Jarra with the PDF (if she doesn't scare them silly).

Meanwhile Xerza will take Anna with her to mingle with the upper class and see if anything comes out of that. Odessa has infiltrated the lower levels of the hive, while Haxtes has liaisoned with someone up-class. That's all for now - now go out and bring mommy back some intel.

Timestamp: 7.280.996.M41

Location: Hive Primus, Corax Secundus, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system

Situation: Guests of the First Speaker of Hive Primus, with Xerza acting the part of Rogue Trader

Body: The trip down to the planet was uneventful - you passed the great moon and made your way to the planet without being detected by the Ork warship in high orbit over Corax - and there was time to ready equipment, make plans, and rest. Vern revealed that the orks had destroyed outlying settlements and landed ground troops. He also pointed to a shielded valley as a likely point of human resistance.

As soon as you broke the atmosphere Odessa and Haxtes jumped out while the lander continued on a high-speed/high-altitude vector that would periodically bring it into vox-range of the selected landing site. Both infiltrated successfully and Odessa even made her way out from under the shield to make an extensive report - a large semi-abandoned human city protected by the mountains and the energy shield. A city apparently built on top of a massive subterranean Hive City.

Meanwhile Haxtes made contact with a local woman - Minerva Eiden - that turned out to be very well connected. Posing to be an agent of the Rogue Trader Xerza, Haxtes was able to elicit some aid from her - despite a reluctance to get involved in Hive politics. As the wife of late Speaker Robute Eiden she was able to provide Haxtes with a letter of introduction - to see Madame Eolia Xolix, the First Speaker of Corax.

Acting upon this Haxtes made his way towards the city where he soon came into contact with one Mr. Finn of the Security Police. The letter did the trick and soon Xerza was on the ground and on her way to meet with the First Speaker (taking with her the retinue, save Haxtes and Odessa). What wonders and horrors await in this place of unbelief?

Timestamp: 7.278.996.M41

Location: Free trader vessel Maiden of Golgenna, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system, 9 AU out

Situation: Aboard the Maiden of Golgenna, about to be intercepted by ork raider-class vessel.

Body: You're ready. Or as ready as you're going to get. Strapped down and awaiting the inevitable.

Outside in the void two tiny specks are about to meet. Engines flaring the Maiden goes to maximum acceleration and turns every so slightly. The ork races to meet it. Suddenly bright lances of energy leap across the silent void, fingers of destruction trying to touch the Maiden. In response your ship changes direction and acceleration, again and again, violently pushing your against your restraints. All across the ship unsecured objects go flying.

The Maiden's void shields can only survive a fleeting touch of lance energy, so it cannot allow the ork to pin it down. Mighty jammers, fed by powerful auxiliary generators, cast doubt into the ork vessel's augur-arrays, preventing it from establishing a clear firing pattern.

Then, after minutes of near oblivion, suddenly the lance fire stops - you are too close for the weapons to bear down on you anymore. You've survived the first part of the gauntlet!