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Rogue Trader - Exploring the Koronus Expanse
Cynic Jester
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Chapter One
On the Outskirts of the Koronus Expanse
On the Outskirts of the Koronus Expanse
It was only a day ago that the Emperor's Hatred made it's way out of the Immaterium, shifting back to real space after a long journey through the warp. The journey itself had been remarkably uneventful and morale was high as the fleet at last arrived at their destination. The Emperor's Hatred, Dauntless class cruiser, and the three Vagabond class transports were taken by surprise as a small group of raiders hit them immediately upon arrival. Seemingly surprised by the cruiser, the raiders none the less attacked the transports, destroying all three in moments. The retaliation from the Emperor's Hatred was no less impressive, and in the end only a single ship limped away, after finally getting out of range. Though the Emperor's Hatred is the flagship of the fleet, and where most of the command crew resides, the goods brought along were on the transports, along with a sizable portion of the armed troops available to the Stone dynasty. The raiders clearly weren't after the goods the transports were carrying, leaving you with only one conclusion. Betrayal. Someone clearly didn't want you to reach the Koronus Expanse, at least not with all your might intact.
As you approach the reach the space station known as Port Wander, your eyes are drawn beyond the station. Out there, the vast warp storms of the Halo Margins rage, and though you can't see them with the naked eye, you get the distinct impression that something out there is staring right back at you. Those storms were supposed to be the first obstacle on your way to profits in the Koronus expanse, but fate seems to have dealt you an odd hand. Turning your attention back on the station, you can't help but draw the comparison to a city floating through the void. Spires and cathedral towers arch upwards and a huge Aquila marks its allegiance to the God-Emperor. Surrounding it are the docking piers, ready to bring in the Emperor's Hatred and anchor it to the station.
Upon your arrival, you have been greeted by several formal envoys and salutations from both the Imperial Authority and other Rogue Traders, welcoming your dynasty and honoring your right of passage. This kind of reception is one you have grown used to and is no less than you expect. However, one vox message stands out and demands your attention. Recorded in your dynasty's personal cipher, the message is from a man calling himself Orbest Dray. He says he has been waiting a long time for a member of the family line to return, and carries a message and a gift from Demetrius' great-grandfather, along with information on who was responsible for the attack on the ship. He would meet with you as soon as you have docked, at a specified location in the Court of the Dead, Port Wander's vast markets. It is a matter that promises great glory according to Orbest Dray.
OOC Thread
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GothicLargo's Note: Here's the original artist's work...
Stalking the high bays over the main corridor between the gankways like an eagle watching for prey, Lucinius Caide took stock of the situation. They had arrived. They'd breached nearly all of their contracts, expended a fortune in macroshells, and oh yes, allowed their assailants to escape. But they had arrived.
It burned. It burned like dropping a melta. His chisel features conveyed only a small hint of rage that burned within. He had chosen this; it came with the territory when you took your business to the stars with a rogue. It may not have been his fight, but it was his fight now. Some of those contracts had been his, and he could think of at least a few faces he wasn't looking forward to seeing once he crossed that gangplank. It would burn deep. But he would endure; the ship would be rearmed, new contracts would be inked, and the wicked would pay. But in the meantime, it burned. He looked down at the laborers assembling below and scowled. There was a lot to replace considering how little they had left to deliver.
Stone. It was his fleet, he can take that first step.
A matter of great glory ?
Could be another trap. It could also be genuine.
Four generations of waiting.
Implausible. But possible. The house of Stone has renown, if not power.
The family cipher could have been stolen.
Unlikely. But possible.
Still. Trap ? or not ?
Well, even traps can be revealing.
Better bring Mano for backup, and Xanatov because those two together always make for fun times.
Oh and Lucinius, I suppose. He must be PISSED at the loss of the cargoes and troops. It'll keep him occupied.
Decision made, Demetrius addressed the matters of the ship, conferring with Urtrag Kurr, leader of Stone's armed forces, and Mandy Irons, Personnel Officer.
"Urtrag, Mandy, minimum crews for everyone except repair crews, shore leave as per arranged schedule. A memorial service for our lost crewmen will be held in five days, in the Shrine. Standard recruitment drive for replacement crewmembers. "
"Miles, find me Maximano Fures, Xanatov and Lucinius, have them meet me in the main docking ramp area. I have a meeting to attend in Port Wander."
"Oh. Mandy. Make sure Ayla has everything she needs, I'll check in on her later."
'Come in, Preacher Rezeel', he said in a subdued tone.
The cloaked figure entered the cramped chamber and bowed deeply. 'Master, Trader Stone seeks your presence at the main docking ramp, urgently,' Rezeel replied.
'Did the messenger state the purpose of this invitation?' Maximano turned to look at the young Preacher of the Ecclesiarchy, who visibly withered under the gaze.
'Yes, Master, he said that we have docked and you are to accompany the Trader to Port Wander.' Rezeel subconsciously shuffled his feet, a sign of his frazzled nerves.
'Well, then it seems I must go with haste. Rezeel, get Brothers Hochum and Dayas to conduct the services this morning. Tell them to keep an eye out for absentees. I fully expect that Techservitor Tanabe and his cohort attend, this time. A battle with some pirate scum is no excuse to stop observing the rites of obeisance. Also, send my regards to the cathedral tower kitchen. Today's protein paste was a trite less bland.' Mano waved his hand, signaling the end of the interview. Razeel left in a hurry.
Though never sincerely expecting trouble in these merchant hubs, it was Mano's custom to carry around his chainsword, Teeth, at all times. He picked up the hefty blade and placed it over his shoulder, as he stood up to leave. He looked at the Shrine one more time, then turned and walked out of his bedchamber. It was a long way to the docking bay...
*** Sometime later ***
The docking bay was a gargantuan area, even by the standards of a light cruiser. Nevertheless, he navigated it with the knowing stride of a man who had been there before, on more than one occasion. It did not take long to find the docking ramp area. Demetrius Stone was already there, waiting.
'Good day, Trader. I came as soon as I could. Thank you for inviting me on this excursion, I have heard many wonderful and fell things about this "Port Wander". I look forward to seeing it, for myself.'
One of the minor tech-adepts arrives, and in a burst of binary hails Xanatov.
----Explorator Xanatov, Trader Stone requests your presence at the main docking ramp. We have completed docking procedures.---
Xanatov turns to face the adept, staring with the featurless mask of his helm for an unnessecarily long time. Finally he gestures and the servo skull ceases it's constant movement and settles just behind his right shoulder as Xanatov speaks.
---I will go. Continue this work. These repairs must be completed to soothe the spirits of this vessel.---
With this, he turns and strides away, not waiting to see what the response will be. Holstering the power axe at his left side, he adjusts the lasgun at his back while he makes his way.
===Some time passes===
Moving into the cavernous docking bay, Xanatov crosses his hands to form the holy seal of the Omnissiah as he silently prays to the glory of the numerous machine spirits present. He locates the gathering group at the docking ramp area, noting the presence of the Missionary Maximano.
He announces his arrival with a burst of binary, before realising his mistake and announcing again in Low Gothic.
"I am here. Repairs are continuing ahead of schedule as the Omnissiah wills. Reports will be delivered when repairs are concluded."
With that, he briefly turns the featurless mask to Maximano, before returning to face Stone.
Nearly at the same time he spied the cogboy and the monodominant among the crowds. Strange lot those two. The mechanicus and the ecclesiarchy; oil and water; having a senior member of each aboard was somebody's sick joke, but so far each seemed to be keeping to their respective flocks.
That's my cue I suppose.
He flagged a passing cargo floater and met the blank eyed stare of its servitor operator.
"Si-re?"
"Take me down there."
"Yes, si-re."
He tapped his microbead into place.
"Caide, vox, who've I got?"
(Woman's voice) "Eep (broken china, cursing)... Desade, sir, Corporal sir."
"Where's chief Pelton?"
"Pulled rank sir."
"Alright. What's my vox strength?"
"Uh, nine sir, loud and clear."
"If it hits two, you let me know."
"Aye sir."
Jumping off the cargo floater, Lucinius approached the Stone's assembling entourage.
One day, he was sure, Mano would write a book about his experiences roaming the stars. He would make sure to detail just how tenuous a link human beings grasp hold of, when little else is on offer. A real insight into the character of Man, and how terribly weak he must be.
Maximano turned to the approaching figure and nodded.
'Seneschal.'
Immediately regarding Demetrious...
"I have to say this is a first for me. Showing up empty handed without even a prize to offer in reconciliation. Under similar circumstances most men would have the good sense to go down with their shipments. I trust you have something up your sleeve that will reverse our fortunes."
Demetrius Stone paused to look at his three associates.
"I have received a message which may or may not be genuine. In light of the circumstances of our arrival in the Expanse, I am not inclined towards friendly and open behavior. If genuine, it should bring us closer to knowing who is responsible for the reduction of our fleet and maybe opportunities for riches and glory. If not genuine, well, it should provide the same things, albeit in a slightly more dangerous manner. I shall meet with this man in the Court of the Dead. Lucinius shall accompany me, to provide a second set of opinion. I leave it up to the two of you, as usual, to provide backup for this endeavor as you see best."
Still, it was disturbing to see in what shallow esteem the Hatred's Seneschal held the Trader. The pirate attack was not his fault. The Trader still deserved some level of respect. Even after all these months, the conventions of this place continued to trouble Maximano. His own experience with the Ecclesiarchy had taught him how to appreciate both structure and discipline.
'Trader, I will accompany you. As I said, this "Port Wander" is of interest to me.'
Absentmindedly he took the chained chrono out of his pocket and glanced at it, before slipping it back into his overcoat. He then quietly cleared his throat. There was a small speck of what seemed to be grease on his right boot. It was absolutely unsightly. Mano prided himself on his impeccable presentation (after all, was he not the face of the Imperial Creed in this wilderness?), and the grease grated on him. Spit shined jackboots, a freshly washed and pressed dress uniform, with an open vest accentuating the themed flak armor underneath and - of course - the flowing brown leather overcoat completing the ensemble... all marred by a bit of grease on his boot.
He willed his gaze away, and concentrated on the proceedings at hand.
OOC
And the jackboots. http://deadnazi.net/jackboots.jpg
The vest would look a little like this: http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/RB030FNV.jpg
Was I bored? Yes.
An instinctive check of the holster. The weight of an inferno pistol. A relic, the greatness of man made manifest in a handheld expression of raw destructive power. Three glowing bars; a full charge. Enough firepower to take down a lance of sentinels. Two spares, also three bars. A bad day seems less bad somehow.
"Court of the dead. Sounds opulent."
GothicLargo Note: Ready.
"Repairs are proceeding. My supervision is not required." the monotone voice buzzes. "I will accompany you."
He runs down a mental list:
Combi-tool - Check.
Dataslate - Check.
Lasgun - Check. A glorious piece of technology presented to him when he was dispatched as an Explorator.
Spare charge packs - Check. One already loaded and two spares.
Power Axe - Check. A symbol of office, it is always present.
Microbead - Check. A requirement when aboard a ship.
Having run through his checklist he nods again.
"I am ready to depart."
As you walk across the ramp connecting the 'Hatred to Port Wander, the thrumming, powerful humm of your own ships massive engine and lance systems gradually give way to the subtler, more subdued sound of the station. That noise is quickly eclipsed by the noise of the crowd awaiting your arrival on the other side of the ramp, many openly staring in awe at the containment fields surrounding the ramp, the specialized void shields the only thing standing between you and the cold vacuum of space. The crowd is a mixed bunch, some, envoys from various patrons aboard the station, including a few awaiting their goods. But the vast majority are dock workers, servitors and members of your own crew, their uniforms providing a stark contrast to the gritty and unkempt dock workers. Your own crew salute you as you make your way past them, the dockworkers do their best to stay out of your notice, the servitors continue mindlessly in their tasks and the envoys hand sealed letters to whichever one of you they reach first before scurrying off. The letters are a mixed bunch, but nothing leaps out as important. Invitations to galas, visits others ships and an invitation to a ball held by the Imperial Authorities at some undetermined time in the far future. Among the letters are also a few requests for joint ventures, but none seem particularly profitable. You get the impression that the loss of the three transports isn't common knowledge. Yet.
Making your way to the markets doesn't take half as long as it would for someone below your station, the clothing and gear you wear marking you as privileged and important, though your bearing would have marked you just as surely, even in the rags that passes for clothing among the locals. Bland corridor after bland corridor eventually leads to a large, open compartment, the sheer amount of people and stands revealing this as the Court of the Dead with far more ease than the half-rusted signs you had been following earlier. Jostling your way through the crowd proves to be a non-issue, the crowds seemingly dividing out of their own accord on your approach, skeptical and envious glares trailing you as the crowds flow back together in your wake. The disordered mess of people and stalls makes the location Orbest Drey pointed out to you in the communique harder to find, but after some backtracking and a few muttered curses you come across an area with a slightly smaller amount of people, even more disheveled and ragged than those you passed through earlier, and the smell of your surroundings go from bad to repugnant.
As you pass an old and crooked scrap picker, he straightens up and looks each of you in the eyes before focusing on Stone. He seems to be clad in the same rags as the rest of the dregs in the market, but on closer inspection you notice the tell-tale marks of longevity treatments on his skin, though they seem to have been ineffective, as the man standing before you is ancient and wizened. "Praise be to the Emperor! I feared this day would never come!" His voice is both elated and strained, but he deftly reaches into his pockets and pulls out a document with the Dynasty seals and starts reciting the oaths of loyalty binding him to the Stone dynasty. After the rather lengthy recital, he moves on to why he called on you. It seems he served as a deck hand aboard the Emperor's Testament, a ship belonging to a Vos Karlorn, and part of Demetras Stone's fleet, Demetrius' great-grandfather. Sent on a scouting mission, the Testament was struck by a violent warp storm and blown far off course. There, in their new and unfamiliar area of space, they received an astropathic emergency broadcast, but eventually their astropath identified it as several years old, and coming from the fabled treasure ship, the Righteous Path, long thought lost in the maelstroms surrounding the expanse. He then immediately launches into the legend of the ship itself.
Finished with the legend, he continues his own story. Karlorn, a loyal servant of Demetras, chose not to pursue the legendary ship there and then, but instead returned to Port Wander. After months of waiting, Karlorn got impatient and set out after Demetras, leaving Orbest in station, with the map, not wanting to risk it in his search. That was over a century ago, and Orbest Drey has been waiting ever since for one of the dynasty to show, so he could deliver his charge. Finally at the end of his speech, it seems all energy has deserted the man, and he reaches into a bag, though with none of the deftness witnessed earlier, and pulls out a small, sealed stasis container, offering it to Stone.
Having allowed his own mind to wander for a little while, Mano turned back and waited to see what Stone's reaction to this old man's tale would be.
Emperor's Testament and Righteous Path; if either was intact it would mean more then breaking even... it would be the makings of a flotilla; an armada. Two warships (or, emperor's name, three!!!)...
The numbers churned in his head, the Hatred's minimum crew requirements, fuel and consumables, parts. Xanatov... surely the mechanicus would have records of both ships' configurations somewhere within the station. If not them then at least the administratum...
Yes... there was work to be done. The grin widened.
"Your devotion to my house humbles me, Orbest Dray. Such loyalty shall not go unrewarded. For now, I shall welcome you unto the Empire's Hatred, where you will be my honored guest for as long as you wish. At the very least you will be a part of House Stone's renewal. Let us walk back to our fine vessel, that you may wash the grime off yourself, and dress in clothing more befitting to your honor. Your time of waiting is at an end."
"It may be prudent to take a roundabout way to get back, backtracking so soon would surely be noticed and attract much unwanted attention, besides the people in those corridors have not yet had a chance to bask in the awe of my presence." The strong overtones of irony tell any listeners that the Rogue Trader is mostly kidding about that last part.
"Orbest Dray, do you happen to remember if Captain Karlorn mentioned where he would look for Demetras's fleet ? It would be a good thing to know what happened to both the Emperor's Testament and the remainder of the fleet."
As Stone grasps the container, it whirrs for a bit, lets loose a stream of binary and clicks loudly before entering the traders pocket. All of that goes entirely unnoticed by Orbest Dray, who seems to fold under the praise and promise from Stone. He barely has time for a single "Thank you, thank you Lord" before Manos attentive gaze notices a group of heavily armed and armored men making their way through the crowds your own group passed through earlier. As they close in, Caide overhears one of them responding over their comms as he tries to make himself heard over the crowds. "Yes, Lord. The gene-lock is disengaged, moving in for the attack." There seems to be 8 men closing in, trying to keep their heads down and push their way through the people blocking their path. As combat draws nigh, Mano can't help but feel he's missing something.
And now, combat time.
8 enemies visible at this point. Mano and Lucy get a shot at doing something about them before they exit the crowds, but those same crowds give them cover. Roll a d10 if you hit. On a roll of 6 or more, you hit the target, if not, you blow apart a civilian in front of him and the target effectively gains 8 more armor thanks to the impromptu cover.
Routine Awareness (+20) to notice armed men sneaking up on your ass.
Lucy: One degree
Xanatov: Faaails
Mano: 3 degrees
Stone: Faaails
(1d100=47, 1d100=52, 1d100=4, 1d100=46)
Initiative:
Stone 12
Lucy 10
Xanatov 4
Bad people with guns 4
(1d10 4=12, 1d10 3=10, 1d10 3=10, 1d10 3=4, 1d10 3=4)
End results: Caide and Mano get a round worth of stuff done as they noticed the bad people before they had fully untangled from the horde of people. Because bad people were noticed, you're not surprised, which would be Bad™. After that, it's initiative order time. In general, we'll do rounds like so:
People before bad guys - Bad guys - people after bad guys and people before bad guys - bad guys
Wut dus dis mean? It means that the people with initiatives higher than the bad guys go first. Then I do bad guys. Then everyone can post their turn. Then I do bad guys. Then everyone can post. And so forth. Internally, there is no need for you guys to stick to the initiative order. This increases the pace of combat, while at the same time keeping initiative somewhat relevant. For this particular fight, you all go before the bad guys, so just post to your hearts content, but bear in mind Caide and Mano get a round before combat starts, though the bad guys have people cover.
Of course, if you end up in a combat with multiple bad guy inits, that might complicate things, but we'll virus bomb that planet when we get there.
And yes, Largo, the Testament never caught up with the fleet as far as is known in the Expanse. It should be mentioned that the fleet is also somewhere in the Expanse, and hasn't been heard from since before the Testament being sent on its scouting mission.
'Trader, we have company. I will greet them.'
For a moment, he regretted bringing neither a gun nor a flamer to the morning's proceedings. But only for a moment. The Emperor would have blood, this day.
Mano raised his waiting chainsword above his head, and then gently pressed down on the trigger plate. Teeth whirred to life with a start, its chain a cacophony of gnashing movement. It was no stranger to meat, both foreign and domestic. And it was time to feed.
'The Emperor bids you to his side, fools!' Maximano screams, as he rushes the nearest armor-clad figure amidst the throng of people.
He knew that his advantage was in the press, where blade could meet assailant on favorable terms, and he was determined to drive it home. To his companions, Mano's laughter must have sounded maniacal.
Half Action: Ready Weapon (Teeth)
Half Action: Move 3m to the nearest armored figure.
Now, I'm assuming that Mano is not getting his Hatred bonus - because he has no idea if these people are actual Heretics or not. I'm also assuming that he's joint second on the initiative list (two 7s were rolled on IC, but only Lucy is listed as 7+3=10 - so the other one should be Mano). Meaning that he will have another opportunity to take a Turn before the bad guys.
Now, to make the DMs life easier, and to promote the flow of the game, I'll do a few contingency rolls, here:
IF Mano reaches a bad guy with a 3m move, he takes an Aim Half Action and follows up with a Standard Attack:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2379367/ -> 90 ... Which he fails miserably (41 + 5 for Good Quality Chainsword + 10 for Aim).
Otherwise, he takes another Move Half Action towards the opponent, and still fails miserably in a Standard Attack.
If he does not reach the opponent in the second Move action, he will take a Full Move instead.
Ducking into cover, he readies the lasgun at his shoulder. Quiet bursts of static escape him as he recites litanies to appease the weapon spirits of the gun and ready it for combat.
Half Action Ready best quality lasgun
As he speaks, Demetrius draws his sword, its power field coming to life with a low, familiar hum and moves towards his brand new enemies.
Half - Move 4 meters towards enemies, engaging an a bad-guy in melee if possible, if not, getting behind cover if possible, if not just stand there while they shoot at me :P
A glance, that was all he could afford; matching eyes with the crowd as the pistol awakened, picking three amongst the crowd with that familiar look of malice he'd seen so many times growing up... no time to think of the innocent, they were nothing, mere leaves caught between charging bulls.
Turning on his heel, Lucinius and his gun proclaimed themselves; three bolts of fiery wrath hissed; one went high but two scythed into the sea of humanity, towards the ones who matched his gaze.
Half Action: Standard Attack
Half Action: Standard Attack
Half Action: Standard Attack
I'm making an assumption here... I'm assuming that since we're in a crowd of people, the attackers are within ten meters (otherwise how would we have become aware of them?). That's important for two reasons. One, ten meters is the optimal range for an inferno pistol. Second, for ANY kind of ranged weapon ten meters is not a challenging aim. And let's face it, it's a melta weapon, we're talking massive overkill.
So I'm assuming that I have a +10 bonus since if they were at 2 meters it would be point blank and +30.
Ballistics skill of 36 + 10 bonus, so I need to beat a 46
Rolls:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2379408/
1d100 → [86] = (86)
1d100 → [20] = (20)
1d100 → [31] = (31)
Two hits even without a bonus.
Rolling for the GM's rule about civilians for the two hits incurred...
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2379414/
1d10 → [2] = (2)
1d10 → [1] = (1)
Ok, GM... so I hit two civilians.
I have an inferno pistol; a melta. Penetration of 13. Innocents have an armor value of 8... so I mow two people down like grass and still have 5 penetration left when I hit the baddie. So I'm inflicting 2d10+8 energy to two baddies, and 5 points of armor are negated on each. Oh, and um... if I critical a person with energy for 10 or more, there's a chance all their munitions might explode... you know, in addition to turning them into kindling.
God I love meltas.
Hissing loudly, the bursts of superheated air shimmered as they impacted the crowd of people. At first it looked like they wouldn't reach their targets, but some sizzling later and they continued on their way, leaving two burnt out husks in their wake. The first shot hit the intended target square in the face, flesh and bone boiling off as the soldier collapsed, the screams dying quickly. The second soldier was not as fortunate, the shot eating into his shoulder, the rest of the arm dropping to the floor, flopping. His screams went on for almost 10 seconds, until the heat ate its way to the internal organs. The remaining six soldiers seemed to flounder, but the one who had been on the comms earlier took aim and fired at Mano, missing. "Engage! Engage! Open fire you fools!" The rest of his team seemed to take heart at his commands and the distinct humm of lasgun fire could be heard over the roaring crowd. Mano took a shot square in the chest, but his armor took the brunt of the attack, Mano not even pausing in his advance. Stone ducked down behind cover, but not fast enough as a bolt punched through his carapace, searing the flesh beneath, though the second shot fired his way hit the barrel Stone was using for cover. Caide took a shot in the chest, and while his mesh was far less conspicuous than Manos carapace, it provided far less protection than the carapace, the mesh not distributing the heat fast enough, leaving a charred mark on Caides chest. Struggling to keep all his mechanical implements behind cover, Xanatov risked a look over the stand he was using for cover and took a shot straight in the head. His helmet provided some protection, but valuable pieces of technology were seared by the blast.
The crowds were dispersing now, disappearing through the various entrances to the market, though some shopkeeper were standing their ground, wielding a wide variety of weapons, but they didn't seem interested in getting involved. As Stone was struggling with the shot to his arm, he suddenly felt a hand in his pocket and a female voice whispering in his ear. "We've been waiting for someone to open that container for a long time, lordling. My master will be pleased." With that, the hand disappeared, seemingly satisfied with touching whatever was in the container. Though Stone couldn't see the woman, a slight ripple in the air betrayed her as she moved through the shootout, passing Mano with a speed that seemed impossible. Mano realized what had eluded him earlier. Witchcraft. The witch must have been there all along. Cries of "Cover her!" echoed between the soldiers as the ripple passed them.
1/2 hit -> Stone
1/1 hit -> Caide
1/1 hit -> Xanatov (1d100=84, 1d100=15, 1d100=76, 1d100=21, 1d100=24, 1d100=30)
Ya'll failed the Dodge checks
Mano
Stone
Caide
Xanatov (1d100=51, 1d100=86, 1d100=89, 1d100=41)
Damage
4 to the body -> 0 damage -> Mano
12 to the right arm -> 3 damage -> Stone
10 to the body-> 3 damage -> Caide
11 to the face -> 3 damage -> Xanatov (1d10 3=4, 1d10 3=12, 1d10 3=10, 1d10 3=11)
There are no longer any crowds left, so the soldiers don't have mancover. The psyker seems to have moved beyond the soldiers, making her way to the nearest exit as quickly as she can, though you can't see her properly, just the slight ripple left in her wake.
Mano is currently right in the face of one of the soldiers.
Stone is a 6 metres from the nearest opponent, crouching behind a barrel.
Caide is 9 metres from the nearest opponent, standing in the open.
Xanatov is 13 metres from the nearest oppoent, crouching behind an empty stall.
Stumbling from a lasbolt, Caide was all grins inside. How many rounds were left? Who cared, he'd shot some he'd need to reload but... that tingle remained. Something wasn't...
WITCH! SHE'S GOT THE MAP!
Like hell she does.
A howl went up. A howl went up that any deathwatch marine might have mistaken for the telltale call of "WAAAAAGGGGHHHHH" that presaged a squad of running orcs, and Lucinius, eyes blinded by thrones about to be lost for the second time in a week, charged.
Action Stuff:
Full action: charge the bitch and grapple.
Since I'm nine meters from the closest enemy I'm assuming I've got the minimum four meters necessary to build up steam, and that I'm within twelve meters of the witch. Charge imparts a +10 bonus to weapons skill tests at the end of the charge. Doesn't specify if that is specific to attacks only so I'm going to be optimistic and assume it applies to the attack to initiate a grapple as well.
So I'm making an unarmed attack to initiate a grapple. I'm assuming that the witch is unarmed and thus just a +0 test.
Weapons skill of 39 + 10 for the charge...
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2382222/
66. Didn't work.
Image to give you an idea of Lucinius's mental state at the moment...
'Well, aren't we the clever one?!' Fures' eyes blazed.
He pulled his sword arm back, behind his left arm, with a jerk. He then quickly grasped the hilt with both hands and hacked at his opponent's hips diagonally in an upward swinging motion. The chainsword struck with a sickening change in tone, as whirling steel met armor and dug deep.
Mano bared his teeth viciously and pushed his other Teeth in a sawing motion through the armored weave protecting his opponent's scrotum, then through fleshy tissue and, finally, deep into bone. The screams threatened to perforate his eardrums.
Action: All-Out Attack
Target: 41 + 5 (weapon) + 20 (All-Out Attack) = 66
Roll:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2382210/ = 08
Location:
(80) -> Right Leg
Damage:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2382225/ = 8 + 3 (Strength) = 11
EDIT: Forgot about the Tearing extra die roll, above result is discarded
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2382280/ = 10 + 2 (weapon) + 3 (strength) = 15
Righteous Fury invoked! Natural 10 Roll!
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2382282/ = 04 (Target 66: Hit!)
Location:
(40) -> Body
Damage:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2382283/ = 11 + 3 (Strength) = 14
Total Damage: = 29 (15 -> Right Leg, 14 -> Body)
EDIT: Never mind, I misread the rule. It's actually just 29 damage to the Right Leg. Ouch!
Demetrius charges in the Witch's wake, swinging his sword as he catches up to her. Alas, his sword goes wide of its target.
Shrugging off the blow, Xanatov raises his lasgun and aims carefully down the sights before triggering a short burst at the nearest enemy.
+10 for semi-auto and +10 for short range (<50m) gives a target of 50 for 1 hit, 30 for 2 and 10 for 3.
79
Miss.
Pandemonium was reigning in the market, criminal elements taking advantage of the skirmish, others protecting themselves against the looters. Your little battlefield has emptied of everyone but you and your foes though, the brutality of the fight encouraging onlookers to stay clear. The psyker deftly dodges both hands and blade, her concealment failing her as she picks up speed. Though she is a ways off, you still make out a suit of black mesh and flowing, black hair before the enemy troops move to block your path, backing away from Mano and the bloody pulp left at his feet. "Close ranks! Open fire! Take that maniac down!" To punctuate his orders, the sergeant opens fire, but his own shot goes wide. His soldiers fare a little better, one shot taking Mano straight in the chest, and another almost hitting Stone in the leg but he manages to weave to the left, the beam striking the floor. As the combat continues, Orbest Dray calls out to you. "It's an astropathic mnemolith! She just read it, she's not carrying it!"
(1d100=71, 1d100=7, 1d100=92, 1d100=28, 1d100=39)
Mano fails dodge, Stone succeeds
(1d100=39, 1d100=34)
5 Damage -> Chest -> Mano
(1d10 3=13)
The psyker is now 50 metres away and gaining, moving with an inhuman speed.
The remainder of the soldiers are clustering around the sergeant, 3 meters away from Mano.
Caide still has his gun. If you'd have caught the psyker, you would have dropped the weapon.
'FOR - THE - EMPEROR!
He raised Teeth above his head and charged the clump of soldiers like a man possessed. In an instant, he was upon them.
Charge
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2383039/ -> Result 17 = Hit!
Hit Location:
71 -> ... Right Leg. (What is it with this guy and chopping off people's right legs?)
Damage Roll:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2383047/ -> Result 7 + 2 + 3 (Strength) = 12
Spend Fate Point: Heal 1d5!
Result: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2383048/ -> 2
Overall Results:
12 damage to Right Leg of 1x Enemy.
2 damage healed by Mano (who now stands at 5 Wounds).
Right arm : 16 damage (penetration 5)
"Alright, this has gone on long enough."
He reached for a fresh charge cell.
93!!
Good shooting tex. That'd almost be a jam if your gun wasn't as good.
Charges Remaining: 54/60
Damage Taken: 3/11
As another two of their companions got cut to ribbons in short order, not to mention the rather angry looking man with a huge chain sword staring hungrily at them, the remaining soldiers seem to lose their spirit, but their leader never the less manages their retreat with some semblance of order. "Pull back! Pull back! Covering fire on my mark!" One of the soldiers didn't have the discipline to wait for the order and fired wildly, the shots far from their target. Fueled by desperation, the other two unleash an accurate blaze of fire, one smacking into Mano's unarmored head, the other striking Stone square in the chest. But the results of their shots were sadly lacking, and their retreat seemed to gain an even bigger sense of urgency, their faces showing open fear at the men facing them.
1 hit -> Head -> Mano
1 hit -> Body -> Stone
(1d100=8, 1d100=16, 1d100=64)
Dodge podge
Both Mano and Stone faaaaail (1d100=87, 1d100=51)
Damage
2 damage -> Mano
2 damage -> Stone(1d10 3=5, 1d10 3=11)
Demetrius charges the shooters once again, but miscalculates and his sword falls short of the enemy soldier. The momentum of his charge still brings him up close.
"Oh. Hey Xan ! 5 thrones that you can't hit any of them."
Charge = 99! missed!
Free : give Xanatov +10 on his next roll :P
"Keep the change."
Rising and turning to face the carnage he scowled. What ever he'd eaten was lemon sour, and the survivors didn't look like they wanted to play anymore.
Coolly leveling his pistol he aimed for the enemies Stone seemed least likely to attempt to cleave in half.
Half Action: Aim
Half Action: Attack
Aim confers +10, so I need a 46 or better.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2385460/
69. Always a good roll but not what I needed.
With the +10 from Stone our targets are now 60 for 1, 40 for 2 and 20 for 3. Assuming that while they are retreating the closer targets haven't escaped out of 50m.
Hmm, looks like I can't login to Invisible Castle through the work proxy. A search on Xanatov only shows up my rolls from recently, so that will suffice for now I guess.
60!!
BOOM! HEADSHOT!
A single hit. Thanks to the mocking of Stone.
Damage is: 10
Now that's more like it.
Charges Remaining: 51/60
Damage Taken: 3/11
This time, he said nothing - shouted nothing. He merely smiled, as a trail of blood made its way down his nose and across his lips. So much rage was building up inside him that it achieved a full circle, and the moment became the very essence of tranquility. Teeth's point went up as if the chainsword weighed nothing. Suddenly, the berserker's eyes went very wide and he lurched forward, aiming his attack at the clump of unfortunate assailants standing in front of him.
Standard Attack
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2385786/ -> 85 ... Miss.
Unfortunately, the first blow glanced wide, and Mano roared his frustration.
As the rogue trader and his enlightened companion charged forward, the three soldiers leapt backwards, managing to avoid the vicious strikes by the smallest of margins. Caides shot also goes wide, dissipating in the air above the market, gone before it impacted anything. A look of hope briefly flickered on the face of one soldier, but it disappeared with a flash of light, Xanatovs lasgun turning an eye into a charred hole. The two remaining soldiers cast a frightened glance at each other before continuing on backwards, pressing the triggers on their lasguns. But only a single beam of light headed for the party, going wide. The other soldier seemed to struggle with his gun. It seemed to sizzle for a second, and then the charge pack gave out, a clear fluid leaking out. Staring at the gun with a look of utter terror dominating their face, the two soldiers look up at Mano and Stone, screaming madly. "Backup! Backup! We need backup damnit!" The leader seemed to have lost any nerve he might have possessed.
(1d100=97, 1d100=99)
Dumbass manages to jam a lasgun (1d10=2, 1d10=10)
Very impressive shooting on their part. Jamming a lasgun. Theehee.
The Rogue Trader prepares his next blow carefully and his sword snakes in below the soldier's gun to bite deep into his flank.
Aim + Standard attack : 33 ! hit !
Location : 54-Body, damage : 13
All-Out Attack:
Target: 66
Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2386263/ -> 30 -> HIT!
Damage:
Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2386267/ -> 8 + 2 + 3 = 13
Location:
31 -> Body
Teeth sawed into the man's body...
The last two enemies collapses into bloody heaps at the feet of the victorious traders, their armor scant protection against the powerful weapons wielded against them. The sound of stubbers and other primitive weapons echo weakly through the market, but with the end of your own battle, it seems the impromptu thieves decided their cover was blown, the market suddenly silent. You don't see any signs of the witch who sneaked a peek at your information, though you have a good idea of which exit she took. After a few moments of silence, the hard sound of armored boots hitting the metal floor thunders out of another exit, a group of heavily armed arbites showing up. Glancing over the market, the heavyset Arbitrator-Sergeant leading the patrol motions towards your group, leading the rest of the squad in your direction. As he walks past the corpses littering the floor, he grunts disdainfully, keeping a wary eye on the party. "Nobles and their squabbles," he mutters as he walks up to Stone. "Greetings my Lord. You wouldn't be able to enlighten me as to what happened here, would you?" His voice is professional and humorless, as his patrol fans out, weapons held at the ready.
Also, remember, you are Rogue Traders, some of the most powerful individuals around, both in might and influence. Most authorities have scant authority over you.