So this weeks session was short as the majority of time was spent showing the players how to finally level up and buy advances and such which with only 2 books and six people (some of who turned up late) levelling each character to rank 3 took a lot of time anyways…

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 11: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, Hive Sebillus 68.799.M41 to 158.799.M41

The transport raced across the upmost level of Hive Tarsus skimming the various landing platforms before dropping towards the barren desert surface which it raced over at breakneck speed. As the transport departed the riotous Hive the acolyte could see the first wave of Planetary Defence forces being shipped in behind them via larger aircraft and other vehicles.

Without using an orbital curve the Aquila raced across Scintilla giving the Acolytes time to take in the scope of the planet as they flew across its varied terrain. After 6 hours of flight their vessel finally reached the massive urban sprawl of Sebillus and was quickly dodging around the hive spires and other aircraft roaming the skies as it made its way to the blackened walls of the Tricorn palace.

The moment the transport touched down inside the Inquisitorial fortress the acolytes where wisked away into the bastions general access levels where they immediately received emergency medical care. For the most part this was nothing more than scrapes and bruises but Solaria was spirited away to receive detailed care.

Inquisitor Abidan soon arrived and after a quick word with the medical staff he led the Acolytes away from the bustling levels of administratum workers and menials responsible for the day to day needs of the Inquisition and into the dimly lit halls of the fortress proper. Under the watchful eye of Storm Troopers and Weapon Servitors the group made there way through the corridors quietly passing other Inquisitors and the retinue until they reached a set of apartments used by Abidan.

The dozen rooms including a fortified vault and a vast dining area would serve as the Acolytes home. Already Abidan had a meal prepared for the group which needed no urging. Especially Arl who simply dived in still caked in the debris of battle. While the Acolytes ate Abidan listened and when their meal and report was complete he relieved the group of the Data-crystal they had recovered before leaving them in the care of Coranst and Peleng, two elderly servants.

The information locked inside the Data-crystal took three months to decipher, during that time the group honed their skills with weapon and word amid the various facilities of the Inquisition or lucked in the nearby regions of Sebillus’ primary hive. When the crystal was finally cracked a Servo-skull summoned the group to meet with Abidan and Alpha-6-Theta-Kappa a machine priest attached to the Holy Ordo’s facility. The Gold-faced servant of the machine god worked from a facility located beneath the Tricorn. There amid the wonder of her god the crystal had revealed itself as a map. Its data stores were filled with celestial and warp references, astro-navigational data and predictive ciphers all of which showed a remarkable complexity but all of which were incomplete.

The Crystal was simply one of three and all would be needed to make the map complete. Thankfully the crystal contained one piece of navigational data intact. After a quick scan of the information a cross reference was generated indicating that the location was somewhere within the “Lower” sections of Hive Tarsus a place that had once been a temple to the God-Emperor during the founding of the Calixis sector but since abandoned as the hive had grown.

-Raith
 

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 12: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 159.799.M41

Unlike their previous visit to Tarsus, the Acolytes new trek was far more open and impressive. Accompanied by their master, Inquisitor Abidan, the group arrived at the inverted city via high velocity orbital transport.

As the Acolytes strode out onto the Hive’s landing platforms they were greeted by a cluster of officials and military personnel. General Henderick Gantz, commander of the pacification forces and Commissar Anasi Karn swiftly presented themselves to the Inquisitor, impressing the acolytes with their no-nonsense attitude when compared to the overt fawning many of the Hives ruling elite who stood nearby hoping to pay their respects and curry favour.

Dismissing the various requests for a private audience, Abidan led the Acolytes through the gathered assemblage and into the hive itself. Once again the group descended the massive lifts to waiting vehicles before once more speeding through Tarsus’s streets.

With the Hive still under partial Martial Law it didn’t take long for the Acolytes to reach their new headquarters. A small and abandoned mansion located deep below the city within the “Upper” Hive had been opened by servants of the Inquisitor. The mansion had clearly been the focus of either an inquisitorial purge or Adeptus Arbite action to have remained abandoned for so long and to still be relatively untouched by looters. Its rooms were filled with shrouded furniture and odd knick-knacks not taken away by investigative units.

As the Acolytes searched the house for anything of interest or any signs of outside prescience the Inquisitor began to set up a massive cogitator unit and communications hub. The ancient machinery had been delivered in advance and with the help of several tech-adepts was quickly up and running.

Following the evening meal Abidan summoned his acolytes, without any indication of that the data-crystal’s information pertained to there was a need to act as decisively and quickly as possible. To that end Abidan tasked his group to track down any information relating to the area of the “Low” hive they would be entering.

After some discussion the group agreed that it might be best to locate a guide for their journey and so they piled into an armoured car and took to the streets. Their journey seemed almost fruitless as the deserted streets were manned only by newly established check-points of PDF troopers and Arbites but after some assistance from several local law-enforcers the group arrived at Checkpoint 37-theta a small garrison of the PDF located on the very edge of the so called Overhive. The Outpost was tasked with monitoring one of the major access points to the dingy and forgotten levels as the area made for an excellent hiding place for rioters and malcontents who had yet to be tracked down.

Master Sergeant Agmarr Jenkins a rough Ex-Imperial Guardsman was in command of the outpost and was more than willing to help out the Inquisitorial representatives. The Master Sergeant quickly pointed out that one of his troopers was exactly what the Acolytes needed and will a bellowing yell Gunnery Sergeant Manning a wiry and nervous looking trooper hastened on over.
Manning was a local, or had been before shipping out for PDF training and as the Acolytes relayed their intension Manning paled visibly and quickly. Having heard the rumours of what the Inquisition was capable of doing to someone who didn’t help them Manning reluctantly agreed to the groups request especially after some persuasion from Jaleth in the form of a well place warning shot.

With guide secured an a small supply of survival gear obtained from a local market the group returned to Abidan to await further instruction.

- Raith

Ok, so it seems I made a little mistake in the last update, I used the name "Jaleth" (the assassin from "That Which is Made Stronger".)  Anyway it was actually Ashram Magnus who shot at the fleeing Sergeant Manning.  Obviously the fact Jaleth briefly appeared was due to the manipulations of a Warp Entity trying to drive you insane.  Initiate Arn suggests you locate the nearest confessor and expunge the warps taint with the prayers of cleansing and perform an act of contrition to assure your sanity and place beside the God-Emperor in the final days.  May the Emperor Watch and Protect Thee.

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 13: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 160.799.M41

With the gear collected, a guide secured (literally) Abidan explained his plain to the Acolytes. In the morning the Inquisitor would go before a congress of the Hives ruling trade Elite, its notable nobles and the various heads of the Reoccupation and Interdiction forces that had pacified the troubled Hive. The Inquisitor would be accompanied by Solaria and Nari-ann as aides. Solaria would be dressed in concealing white robes but would be responsible for “reading” the gathered assembly with psyniscience for any outward signs of hostility or culpability related to the Hives uprising.

While the Inquisitor took to the meeting the other Acolytes decided to put in some training time. Their search of the Mansion had turned up a underground firing range equipped with target servitors as well as a duelling pit complete with a eight-limbed combat unit armed with stun batons. As the servitors put them through their places proving they still needed a lot of work to improve their abilities the Congress began in a massive half-circle auditorium.

The meeting was a dudgery, enforced by small minded individuals more worried about the mounting losses to their trades and the reduced cash-flow lining their pockets. Solaria proceeded with her task identifying to suspect individuals one, an elderly man, who was beyond even the miracles of Juvenat treatments, was accompanied by his own astropath. The Psyker discretely shielded the Noble and his small retinue. The second individual was much different. A lone young well dressed man sat quietly in the rooms upper seating tiers who registered as a complete blank to Solaria’s investigations.

In the end Abidan dismissed the assembly refusing to get bogged down in internal hive politics or allow them to delay him from other tasks. He reaffirmed that Lord General Gantz was still in command until the curfew and decree of Martial Law were lifted then the Inquisitor left.

Following the assembly the Acolytes and their master left on their true mission. Locating an entrance to the “Low” Overhive took little time, and the group began the slow journey into the Overhives leaking, damp and dark depths. The deeper they journied the more oppressive thesurrounding becan. Several times the group was forced to backtrack around collapsed areas and piles of rotting machinery before their way was truly bared. An ancient factory prevented their passage, its roof had collapsed in a tangle of metal spars and rubble.

Needing a ay through the Acolytes searched the rubble until Arl located a crawlspace. It would be hard going but passable. The crawlspace ran for over a hundred meters through broken stone and precariously positioned rubble. Taking the lead Arl slowly pressed forward checking the way. As Arl reached the end of his journey disaster struck as a spar of metal, nudged by his movements slipped free of its perch and speared the acolyte in the thigh.

The piercing bar kept the Guardsman held in place, forcing him to draw his mono-sword and hack away at the bar until he was free. While Arl dragged himself the last few feet clear of the tunnel the rest of the group quickly made their way through so that Solaria could use her powers to repair the hole in Arl’s thigh. While the psyker knitted the guardsman’s flesh the rest of the group took in their surroundings it was obvious that the crawl-space was in bad shape and was unlikely to support a return trip for the group.

Solaria soon finished her manipulations and Arl was once again back on his feet. Pointing the way Abidan continued to lead the group further into the darkness. Hours later the Acolytes emrged onto a rickety landing twenty meters above a broken floor in a vast room which had once been a power transfer station. Distant voices raised in song could be vaguely heard. Arn suggested the song might have been an Imperial Hymm and so the Inquisitor directed Ashram to go take a look. The Assassin dutifully obeyed slipping over the landings guard-rail with a descent harness before scurrying across the floor and into the shadows.

It was soon clear that a gathering of some kind was taking place. A section of the ancient room had been converted into a makeshift chapel, a broken winged Aquila hung from chains near the ceiling, its multi-tonne shape silently gazing down on a gathering of around thirty robed penitents. The group was guarded by three figures located on crude watchtowers. At the head of the congregation stood another robed figure chanting in high Gothic, behind him sat a crude alar top which lay a naked woman, bound to the stone by thick chains. While their was no outward sign of any mutations on the heavily cloaked worshippers their hidden forms certainly seemed misshapen..

As Ashram reached for her comm.-bead a presence settled upon her mind, for a moment the Assassin panicked before the voice of Abidan pierced her brain, using her mind and eyes to see what he could see and hear. The information was in turn relayed to the other Acolytes. As Ashram continued to listen to the chanting prayers he began to name out worlds spoken in accented high Gothic, names that sounded different from the standard monikers for the God-Emperor such as the Eternal Shadow, Watcher in the Night, He who is without Life. As a chill crept down his spin the assassins eyes picked out a curious design stitched into the robes of the worshipers, the crud embroidery read “Narthaqueladenckarculthars”.

The abominable word leapt into Ashram’s mind and as it pressed the assassins will Abidan acted, shutting down the Acolyte’s eyes, and mind before possessing his body and carefully guiding it back to the group. As Ashram returned to awareness Abidan addressed the group, their would be no forgiveness for the corruption of an Imperial ritual, the worshippers would be destroyed.

- Raith

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 14: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 160.799.M41

Inquisitor Abidan released Ashram’s mind and allowed his acolytes a few moments to compose themselves. The Genetorium lay not on in the path of their journey but was clearly some form of cultist hub and thus could not be simply avoided to locate a different route. The Genetorium was vast, over a kilometre long and half as wide, the massive electricity-stacks still crackled with minor discharges despite the rundown state or their systems.

The gantry upon which the Acolytes stood ran around the entire room which meant the had a superior position and would be able to fire down upon the cluster of ruinous worshippers but it was a very exposed position especially with a number of lookouts stationed near the makeshift chapel atop ancient scaffolding that in ages passed would have served as overseer posts.

After some quick planning it was decided that Ashram would attempt to snipe one of the Lookouts, hopefully dropping the figure silently allowing for the rest to approach as close as possible to surprise the congregation. While the Assassin set up his weapon the Sisters of Battle and Arn descended to the floor of the Genetorium as slinked forward under cover, they would assault the Mass from the ground while Arl, Solaria and Nari-ann would stick to the elevated walkway following Abidan who intended to take care of the “priest” leading the worshippers.

With everyone in position for the attack Ashram took his shot. The bullet punched a hole in the chest of the closest lookout dropping the man instantly. Despite the silent kill a second lookout noticed the first fall from his perch as called out an alarm, firing his shotgun into the air. With the element of surprise slipping away the Inquisitor dashed along the walkway raising a hand towards the distant podium and its attending priest Abidan unleashed a blazing arc of green witch-lightning which scorched the ground but appeared to have no effect upon its target.

As the Inquisitor continued to rain psychic destruction towards the ruinous preacher the Sisters of Battle and Arn leapt from concealment, their weapons opened up with a roar cutting into the backs of the worshippers who had begun to move towards their leader. The Acolytes attack forced the group to turn about and address the latest assault when Arl and Nari-ann joined in on the carnage firing shots from on high as Solaria sought a way down to the Genetoriums floor.

The crowd of worshippers swiftly closed the gap towards Narla, Trauma and Arn despite the volley’s of shotgun fire. With a furious prayer to the God Emperor Arn leapt to meet his foes swinging his blessed Hammer into the robed cultists. With an iron determination the priest swept aside several of the mutated worshippers but was soon in danger of being surrounded by weight of numbers.

Continuing to fire as he moved Arl finally reached a point on the overlooking gantry where he had a clear line at the attackers below. Grabbing a pair of grenades the feral guardsman hurled them into the mass of robed cultists inflicting serious injuries upon their corrupt forms and briefly giving Arn room to breathe.

The raw power unleashed by Abidan seemed to do little against the Cultists leader, the fell priest laughed and held up his hand towards the Inquisitor deflecting or shattering the mental attacks directed at him. Without a moments hesitation the Inquisitor leapt off the gantry towards his opponent dropping to the ground with such force it bent the ancient floor-plating. Abidan quickly gathered his strength and bore down upon the no-longer laughing cultists renewing his assault.

- Raith

Short update this time, session was filled with the echo of battle.

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 15: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 160.799.M41

The heretical chapel was engulfed by the Acolytes assault, the Sisters of Battle pressed forward into the ranks of the cultists blazing away with shotgun and smashing apart the infidels with blessed hammer. From their elevated position Nari-ann, Arl and Ashram continued to rain down volleys of las, and solid rounds.

Again and again Inquisitor Abidan and his Chaos infused opponent traded aetheric blows, the discharge of power rippling the air with electricity and frosting the ground around the battle. Despite the horrific power unleashed, the ruinous preacher continued to hold up against Abidan’s powers until a small buzzing noise sped between the pair jerking the cultists head aside and causing him to falter in his concentration.

The momentary distraction was enough for the Inquisitor to press his attack blasting through the heretics defences and ripping apart his skull. Ashram looked up from the scope of his rifle and turned his attention from the smouldering corpse of the Heretic Priest back towards the throng of cultists still standing, his shot had barely injured the Priest but it had been enough.

Even with their leader down the Cultists did not falter, instead renewing their assault with even more vigour Arn laid about himself calling upon his faith and the fury of the God-Emperor over and over while Narla pumped her slayer’s shot into clusters of the cultists brining the battle to a close.

- Raith
 

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 16: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 160.799.M41

The last of the mutated cultists hit the ground and the Acolytes gathered together near the heretical altar. Solaria quietly approached the blood stained plinth still decorated by the naked body of the cultists sacrifice. As the Psyker steeled herself to look at the vivisected woman’s face she recoiled in horror as the sacrifices eyes rolled to focus on her and her muscle les jaw worked trying to make a strangled noise.

That the woman was still alive was a horror to behold and Abidan quickly ordered Solaria to dispatch the sacrifice and so she did quickly snapping off a shot with her laspistol. Not wanting to waste any more time from their task Abidan briefly invoked the rite of cleansing and called form the group to see to their injuries before moving onwards.

While the Acolytes collected themselves Nari-ann took a look around the area hoping to find some extra ammunition or a retrievable weapon when a sickening sucking noise drew her attention back to the altar. From the corner of her eye the guardsman watched as the bones of the unnamed woman’s left arm worked their way free from its fleshy prison, bursting free from the muscle and sinew to reach up towards the skeletal head.

Screaming in horror Nari-ann swept up her lasgun and blazed shot after shot into the moving corpse, but all the burst seemed to do was cook the flesh off the skeleton aiding it in its attempts to free itself, throwing aside her lasgun Nari-ann swept up her ancient Matchlock fire to club at the abomination her terror driving her to extreme action.
Even though it was still somewhat contained by the woman’s flesh the creatures skeletal arms seized the ancient firearm and with a wrenching motion threw the guardswoman away. Within seconds the skeleton stood beside the altar its flesh discarded like a change of clothes. It reached down to the floor where the body of the cultist leader had fallen and quickly stripped the corpse of its ragged robe before throwing the fabric about its shoulders like a cloak.

The Robed Skeleton stood awash with eldritch power, inky shadow coiled around its bones in a semblance of the flesh it had removed though it had no body and was barely perceivable, psychic force pummelled into Solaria staggering her with the difference in power, an unseen wind stirred the ripped and shredded clothing it wore and it turned its gaze upon Abidan as he ordered its destruction.

The Acolytes opened fire but their attacks seemed to do little to damage it, bones chipped from the occasional glancing shot but the ink shadows that wreathed the creature swept out to absorb most of the weapons fire. Abidan drew his bolter firing shell after shell into the creature the holy shots caused the creature to shriek out a single word “Narthaqueladenckarculthars!” before leaping at the Inquisitor who countered its assault with a blaze of psychic force unleashed from his left hand.

Seeing the effect of the Inquisitors holy bolter shells Arn leapt into the fray at the Inquisitors side his blessed hammer forcing away the shadowy armour of the creature so his blows could strike with their full force. With a gesture of contempt the creature leap back from the priest snarling unheard words it gathered its mental might to fling knives off fire at the acolytes who hastily dodged to the side or behind whatever cover was to be found.

Seeing that its attack had little actual effort the creature again summoned its powers forming a sphere of darkness between tis hands that exploded outwards burning with unholy dark flames anyone that got too close. The creature continued to hover above the Acolytes gloating at its strength.

Without ever taking his eyes from the daemon Abidan called for his acolytes to retreat and continue with their original task, he would confront the demon and if he could not destroy it he would hold its attention. With a few worried glances the Acolytes followed their Master’s orders fleeing from the ancient Genatorium down a abandoned roadway once used by the workers of the power station but now their only way out.

- Raith
 

This will be the last update of this Diary for the year due to the Christmas break, people going on holidays and all the other fun stuff for this time of year.  I hope everyones enjoying the read, more to come in 2010.

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 17: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 160.799.M41 to 161.799.M41

The acolytes fled from the psychic maelstrom that quickly engulfed Inquisitor Abidan and his skeletal opponent. The torrent of power warped the space about them causing scaffolds to collapse and ancient plating to buckle and twist effectively blocking any way for the Acolytes to return and assist their master.

Following their orders the group trudged into the dark activating lumin-globes and flashlight to guide their steps. It was then that Arl noticed that their guide was nowhere to be seen. After a quick check the group realised that Manning had been missing since the opening moments of their confrontation with the heretic abominations.

Agreeing that it was unlikely they could find the cowardly conscript anywhere nearby the group decided to press on, they had an approximate fix on their destination, it would be just a matter of trying to head in the appropriate direction.

The passageway they followed eventually dumped out into a large open space, a dozen tunnels converged at one point and it was still clear despite the age of the area that once the junction had been used as a meeting place and transit hub for workers. A quick search of the area revealed no signs of life but the air was strangely thick with smoke which Solaria and Ashram agreed was most strongly emanating from one of the western exits.

While the acolytes pondered which route to take Narla noticed a series of regular scrapes marking the floor and proceeding down the tunnel that seemed to be the source of the smoke, the marks were shiny lines scratched every twenty centimetres into the floor, each mark was regular and was paralleled a meter away by a similar pattern. Surmising that the marks were mostly likely caused by the passage of some sort of heavy tracked vehicle Narla realised that they also had to be very recent to have remained so pristine in the rusting, dripping darkness of the Over-hive.

As the tracks seemed to go in a direction roughly in line with the groups destination they cautiously followed the marks. After a kilometre of dank and increasingly smoke choked passageways the group arrived at a small subjunction one that had long ago been dominated by refectories and restaurants.

The junction was filled with acrid black smoke issuing from the remains of an overturned tracked vehicle. A moment of inspection showed it had been some kind of mobile heavy weapon equipped with flamer throwers one of its promethium tanks had been ruptured and the resulting explosion had filled most of the area. Blackened bodies lay strewn about, several wearing the remnants of Imperial Guard Uniforms and clutch IG-Issue weapons one of which Solaria quickly requisitioned.

The area also revealed several cunning hide-aways, well concealed barricades and firing positions where someone could lay in wait. Several of the fortifications still contained burnt unidentifiable remains.

With the air still filled with smoke it was obvious the destruction was recent, perhaps as recent as their fight with the cultists. Not having any immediate answers the group quickly searched the abandoned stores until a shout from Trauma revealed a blood trail through one of the buildings. Evidence pointed to a fighting withdrawal from the central area by a number of poorly armed men, their bodies lay pierced by sustained las-fire. Each body bore the stigma of mutation though not as severe as the praying cultists.

The bloody trail ended in an ancient kitchen. The room’s lack an alternate exist had forced a last stand, three men had been gunned down in a group, a forth lay some distance away a sticky trail of gore marked where it had been wounded but not killed until someone had deliberately started blowing off its limbs joint by joint with a bolt pistol, the massive craters in the floor allowing Arl to identify the weapon.

With Nari-ann becoming violently ill over the sight of the needless dismemberment the group moved on, now fully convinced someone as heavily armed as they were moving through the Over-hive.

The Acolytes continued their journey, for several hours they wandered searching for a way to a higher level eventually locating a twisting stairway that led to a portion of the slum levels that had suffered from torque forces at some point making the floor uneven with bulging steel and twisted pipes. They ended up using a small service access lined with ancient electrical conduits and water distribution systems to continue their journey.

As they travelled the group slowly became aware of a noise other than themselves, Ashram heard it first, footsteps where there shouldn’t have been, the occasional clatter of metal on metal or the scrape of something nudged in the dark.

Swiftly Arl sought out a small niche to conceal himself while signalling to the others to continue on and make some noise as a distraction. Narla quickly took up a song reciting of the Emperors litanies in a loud and somewhat off-key voice. As the singing diminished Arl waited muscles tensed for conflict with anyone following the group.

Long moments passed until the Guardsman became away of someone moving behind him. The niche Arl had hidden himself amidst was part of a collapsed conduit, beyond the rubble a flicker of light and a muffled voice indicated a pair of men. They spoke quietly, just above a whisper, discussing why their Mistress had sent them to such a miserable place and how stupid it was for them to be wandering around in such small numbers.

Arl strained to hear more but one of the unidentified men suddenly hear the signing of the Sister of Battle and quickly ordered his companion to clam up and see what the noise was. Arl leapt from his hiding place and raced after his companions afraid they might be walking into an ambush. He slid to a halt behind Trauma as the group entered an ancient machine shop. Arl relayed what he had overheard and the Acolytes immediately went on the defensive sweeping the corners of the abandoned room with their light.

A flicker of movement behind a broken pile of machinery was all Nari-ann needed. Already on edge from the Demonic confrontation earlier and the violent slaughter the Noble opened fire at the movement with her steel-burner, the shot illuminated a man in fatigues who quickly threw himself into the gaping maw of another darkened tunnel.

The Acolytes gave chase following the fleeing man and his companion down twisting access ways and around ancient buildings just as they were about to close upon their target a shriek of men and metal forced the Acolytes to a sudden halt as a portion of the tunnel collapsed beneath there quarry.

Carefully Ashram and Narla edged forward to peer down the depression they could make out a body lying on a sub-floor twenty meters below their level the figure groaned slightly and Nari-ann raised her pistol to silence him when the body suddenly jerked and was swiftly dragged out of the torchlight.

Gathering their equipment the Acolytes rigged up Ashrams harness and a number of ropes to allow a safe descent, one by one they climbed down to the sub-floor with the assassin following last, as they descended the group could clearly see that the pitfall had been deliberately designed.

It was then that the acolytes realised they could hear a muffled chant and could make out the flickering of a distant light.

- Raith.

Hello once again avid readers, after several months without any action Inquisitor Abidan’s Acolytes once again continue their story, with a few sudden changes, there is a death in the family and soon the appearance of a couple of new characters.

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 18: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 161.799.M41

The Acolytes dropped down through the ragged hole in the floor and into another long-forgotten service tunnel. The passage stretched onwards mirroring the way above but was filled with debris, shattered conduits, buckled supports and general rubble made it impossible to see what the passage had originally been for. In places it was barely wide enough for a single person while at others it stretched out to ten meters at its widest point. Not only was the passageway strangely shaped but frequent piles of rubbish meant the group had to clamber through smaller gaps or around dangerous objects.

The sound of rhythmic chanting and the pounding of drums still echoed from the way ahead, of the man they had been following there was no sign beyond some drag marks leading along the tunnel. Arl soon pointed out the faint noises sounded like some sort of primitive celebration and took point guiding the Acolytes towards the noise.

It was not long before the group found signs of their quarry, a splatter of arterial blood washed over the tunnels wall, signs of a brief struggle showed that whoever had dragged their target away had tired of any resistance offered and quickly finished the fight.

Moving passed the carnage the group closed on the chanting, now much more audible but still unrecognisable in form. As the group approached a considerable pile of rubble almost completely blocking their way forward and forcing them to crawl over the pile to continue Solaria spoke up, something had put her on edge about their situation. The rest of the group quickly dismissed the Psyker’s warning believing it was just another of her paranoid feelings when Arl cried out.

Three sets of grotty hands stretched out from beyond the blockage he was trying to crawl over. Scurrying backwards he avoided two set of grasping hands and managed to wrench his way out of the third. The hands belonged to several stunted figures all clad in tattered robes and showing signs of degeneration.

Before Arl could react further the first figure produced a crude knife made of a piece of sharpened junk, it stabbed out at the Feral Worlder and only his quick reflexes saved him as he whipped out his own knife to parry the blow down and into the rubble pile.

As the Acolytes tried to see what was happening the second ambusher brought out a long and ancient mark of lasgun. Sighting along the extended barrel towards Arl the ragged figure fired a single shot the weapon bucking from the discharge and missing the Guardsman despite the point blank range. The gunman quickly dropped back and started to dismantle his weapon in order to replace the power-cell.

Stabbed and Shot at, Arl found the third attacker now crawling atop the pile of debris with him and swinging a hatchet, the blow was wide but Arl found himself beset with little choice of action. His initial thoughts to fling a Grenade quickly became ones of survival and he lashed out with his Knife striking the first ambusher a severe blow to the chest.

Surprise wore off the rest of the Acolytes and they moved to support Arl. Sister Bles was the first to move striding forward with her weapon. Clicking a safety over Trauma primed her Exterminator charge and swept a cloud of promethium across the ambusher trying to reload his Las-lock setting him ablaze.

While Trauma purged the unclean Solaria sighted in on the ambusher with the Hatchet who had cried out a shrill call of alarm down the corridor towards the muffled drumming. Calling upon her powers to focus her vision the Psyker shot the ambusher blasting a round into his chest. As the gun discharged the air changed.

A single arc of electricity suddenly sparked along the passages wall, followed a moment later by a large surge that arced into the pile of rubble. Another arc followed, then another each a distinctly different colour, then Arl was struck power coursed through him, a moment later the burning ambusher was electrified and within seconds the passage was filled with flashes of eldritch power. Bolts of etheric lightning struck at everyone over and over filling the corridor.

As suddenly as it had begun so it ended but the aftermath was horrible. At the center of the storm lay a blackened corpse, Solaria was dead, her body a husk of cooked flesh the last arcs of power crawling across her skin. Sister Tzarine also lay on the ground wheezing with breath her lungs scorched and her senses rattled.

The warp incursion had turned over a hundred and sixty meters of the passage into a field of power, no one escaped unharmed including the ambushers two of which were as badly off as Solaria while the third lay in a daze.

As Trauma and Nari-ann cursed the incautiousness of the Psyker and their fickle ways Arl gathered himself quickly setting a plan in motion. He grabbed the last ambusher who stood in a daze. Quickly Arl primed a grenade and dropped it down the man’s pants before shoving him towards the sounds of commotion ahead. The lightning storm seemed to have struck at whatever lay further up the passageway. The ambusher stumbled along several meters before his sense returned and in a panic he hurriedly reached for the explosive.

The grenade dropped out of the mans trouser leg and hit the floor, as the device detonated Arl realised he had made a bit of a mistake and threw himself backwards across the debris pile as the ambushers remains splattered across the passage.
Picking himself up the guardsman sheepishly explained to the other Acolytes staring at him that he had thought the man would wander a bit further away and perhaps back to his encampment before snapping around.

With the storm of lightning and the bang of a grenade explosion it wasn’t long before the sounds of chanting from nearby became the sounds of war-drums and shuffling feet echoed down the tunnel. Borrowing a page from their ambushers the Acolytes hunkered down behind there side of the barricade and hid.

Minutes passed but soon the sounds of men yammering in a deviated for of crude low gothic came from the site of the grenade detonation. Figuring that there were only going to be a small group and they were close enough to eat a nice blast of shotgun, Arl rose up and swung his gun onto the top of the blocking wreckage, his howl of aggression quickly diminishing as he registered twenty pairs of feral eyes glaring back at him.

The first of the Acolytes has fallen, Solaria ended up with two 9’s while trying to manifest Unnatural Aim. Her player chose not to reroll the dice with a fortune point and seeing as even burning a fate point only takes you up to the nearest “Not outright Dead” point on the crit table (House Rule)in addition to her missing limb her Strength, Agility and Toughness as well as fellowship would have been cut in half. At that point he decided he would prefer to start over… especially seeing the two Sisters of Battle were unlikely to let the fact a Warp Incursion had happened within eyesight…

How this death will effect Abidan even I don't know yet.

In two weeks the group should be joined by a Tech-priest called Hack (To replace the Psyker) and we will be joined by a new player as well running an Arbitrator with possibly the coolest 40k character name: Gaius Bolter

In the meantime I hope you all enjoyed this update, if you can’t wait 2 more weeks then look forward to “The best laid plans of Xenos and Men” the third instalment of my other campaign.

- Raith
 

Welcome back to another instalment of my campaign entries, still no new acolytes this week the fight scene didn’t go quite as planned.  There will be a bit of a break following his due to Easter and one of my players from another game going on extended holidays, I need to finish up a storyline with him involved before he goes.

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 19: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 161.799.M41

Arl rose up a pistol in one hand a grenade in another beside him the rest of the Acolytes did likewise expecting to deliver a sudden attack an slaughter the scouts. Their actions froze as they took in the score of figures on the other side of the barricade of rubble.

The scouts were bedraggled in tattered clothing, their stunted and pale forms a clear sign of degeneration from generations born in the toxic tunnels of the Over-hive. In there centre stood one taller than the others a great metal wood and bone mask covering his head and upper chest, its hand clutched a staff topped with feathers and the giant skull of a hive-rat. It flailed the staff at the acolytes and in distorted Gothic ordered its companions to attack.

Narla shot first the retort of her slayer bursting the bubble of inaction the round thudding into the Masked Hive-scum tearing at his cloths and bruising him as old but serviceable armour turned most of the shot.

The group of abandoned degenerates poured forward attempting to clamber over the rubble and get to the acolytes as quickly as they could their reckless efforts yielded much confusion with only a single figure slipping over the wreckage while a burst of solid projectiles rain forth from a battered Stub-Auto held by their leader.

Nari-ann stepped forward drawing her las-pistol in her off hand unwilling to use her rifle on the target right in front of her. The energy weapon shot the attacker in the chest but failed to fell him.
His grenade forgotten, Arl drew out his shotgun and fired into the attackers still trying to get over the barricade the blast caught several of the aggressors slowing them down but not before another managed to worm his way over.

As more of the hive-scum managed to make it over the wall, Arn stepped forward with his shotgun aiming at the legs of his opponents while Ashram moved to fight beside Nari-ann. Despite their efforts the Acolytes were soon swamped by enemies, sacrificial knives and hunks of sharpened steel were drawn and in desperation Nari-ann pulled out a grenade.

The Acolytes all closed their eyes as Nari-ann yelled “Flash-Bang!” and dropped the grenade at her feat, only Arn kept his eyes open and denied the searing explosion of light with a roar of praise “For the Emperor!”.

The scum were not so lucky, most lay on the ground clutching their eyes and shrieking at their sudden loss of sight. A few still stood, ironically those closest to Nari-Ann and Ashram undeterred by the grenade they hacked at the Guardswoman and Assassin but the acolytes easily turned away the strikes or deflected them with their superior armour.

Without a moment to waste the group took to the fallen pumping round after round into the blinded scum hoping to cause enough hurt to disable them before they could recover, only Narla continued to fire over the barricade to the lone figure of the Masked man busily trying to clear his jammed weapon. A shot took him again in the chest followed by another driving him to his knees.

- Raith

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 20: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 161.799.M41 to 162.799.M41

Despite the sudden flash of light taking down over half of the attacking horde of hive-primitives the rest seemed to simply ignore the effects with an almost religious fervour falling upon the Acolytes with long knives of sharpened metal wrapped with sinew for a hilt.

Nari-ann and Ashram took the brunt of the attackers, knives flashed but were turned away by the superior armour of the guardsman though several lucky blows snuck past the Assassins defences finding weak points in his protection and drawing blood.

Arl moved to support Nari-ann while Arn took his hammer to those assaulting Ashram, a single blow from the blessed weapon sent one of the primitives flying back and the priest had his shotgun out in a flash to deliver the finishing blow.

With so many of the attackers beginning to recover from the blinding effects of the grenade the Sisters of Battle turned their guns on them, shells from Narla’s slayer wrought havoc on the fallen while Trauma took turns firing her laspistol at those on the ground and those attacking the guardsmen.

Despite the furious assault of the primitives the Acolytes were soon victorious and the scum fell back in panicked retreat throwing themselves over the barricade as their leader fled further down the passageway. The acolytes took stock of their situation as quickly took off in pursuit clambering over the barricade and hurried onwards.

The short corridor led into an open space, an old manufactorum space from the rusting chains and gantries dangling from the ceiling. The space was scattered with the ramshackle huts of the primitives crafted from discarded iron and tin. The primitive dwellers of the village took to their heels scattering swiftly down ancient vents and conduits, the acolytes gave pursuit firing at the feeling people but quickly gave up as the population ran in too many directions. The chase brought the group to the centre of the community where a massive statue stood its form of person in robes, hands to the side but stretched out palms upward. Its torso shattered and lost making its gender indeterminate.

Around the statue sat three stone and metal plinths, atop each lay a figure, the first clothed in robes of scarlet, the second wearing the uniform an carapace shell of an Adeptus Arbites the third was also similarly attired though he lacked the helmet and a ragged wound in his neck identified him as the figure the Acolytes had been in pursuit of and who had fallen through the floor.

The second Arbite was also dead, a puncture hole in his chest, wrists and ankles showing his exsanguination and subsequent evisceration, the extracted organs adorning the feet of the overlooking statue. The third figure still lived, it took only a moment to identify the figure as an adept of the Mechanicus though only one of its junior members.

With a moments work the Adept was free and introducing himself as Hack an attaché to the Adeptus Arbites, his associated squad was following some terrorists from the hive uprising and was drawn into the Overhive where they had quickly become lost and them ambushed by the primitives residing in the labyrinth. The small Arbite squad had been overwhelmed by a sudden attack after a floor collapsed beneath them. Some of the Arbites had been able to fight their way free while others including the Tech-priest were captured for use as sacrifices.

With no time to escort the Technomancer from the tunnels the Acolytes gave him the option of fending for himself or following them, a simple choice for the logically minded adept who quickly agreed to follow the group.

After a quick recheck of their position within the general coordinates of the Hive and the suspected location of their destination the Acolytes confirmed they were still heading in the correct direction and once again moved off through the labyrinthine tunnels and hallways. Hours passed as the acolytes crawled up crushed tubes, scurried over chasms of twisted metal until the geo-positioning data from their locator beacon echoed that of their quarry and the group marched out into a massive space.

Torch light played back and forth off ancient Imperial buildings, bulky and standardized pre-fab units stacked atop each other and into necessary shapes. The are was cavernous over a kilometre in size with a massive hulk of adamantine dominating the space, one of the massive black pillars that held up the hive structure pierced the center of the area.

The pillar was over 200 meters in diameter and had been found on Scintilla prier to the Imperium’s arrival The Mechanicum had welded vast platforms around the structures and the Hive had grown from there. Now centuries later one of these platforms remained largely intact the Hive having long abandoned its lofty position for the cooler shadows of the lower sections but the basic infrastructure of its initial use still remained, Administratum facilities, had-stacks, water-recyc systems, Ecclesiarchy buildings and nestled right up against the side of the immense pillar the massive edifice of a Mechanicum depot.

-Raith

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 21: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 162.799.M41

The abandoned Adeptus buildings loomed large in the grey light provided by insufficient torches as the acolytes examined their surroundings. Having been awake for over 36 hours much of which had been filled with combat against cultists and abhuman primitives as well as the simply pressure of anxiety as they had worked there way into the abandoned Hive sections had finally caught up to the group and they searched for a defensible spot to rest.

An old Munitorum building seemed the best candidate, its bunker like structure devoid of windows and equipped with a large and heavy door. A quick inspection of said door showed that without power restraining bolts had locked it closed, but thankfully Hack the groups newly rescued Tech-priest was able to restore enough power through an auxiliary lock to release the bolts.

The small building contained a large administration office at its front with a heavy vault-door leading into an armoury tunnel and another corridor flanked by rooms for housing, self-contained power generator and private offices. The group briefly considered examining the passageway beyond the large vault door but quickly dismissed the idea as fatigue caught up with them. They closed the vault, established a quick watch rotation and bunked down in the ancient facility while Hack keep himself occupied trying to restart ancient machine-spirits within the buildings independent power-system.

About four hours after there impromptu camp was located Hack awoke Arn for his turn at watch reporting he was unable to revive the plasma-spirits successfully so the priest grabbed a lumen-stick and moved into the front room. It didn’t take long until Arn realised his was not the only source of light, the area beyond the bunkers front entrance was lightening and soon distinct traces of torch light and a rhythmic clunking noise could be heard.

Swiftly waking several of the nearby Acolytes the priest poked his head out of the buildings door. Almost instantly he was blinded by a surge of light as a torch beam swept over his position, but the glimpse was enough to spot a small unit of men armed in flak armour and equipped with lasguns marching through the area. At their head trundled a mobile weapon platform, its tracked wheels similar in design to a thunderfire weapon of the Adeptus Astartes rattled against the metal of the Overhives floors.

The group of armed men drew closer to the acolytes resting place, quiet conversation between the group was cut off by curt orders to keep alert for any movement. Hoping to get a better estimate on the number of potential opponents Ashram slipped over to the doorway and tried to peek out but the movement was spotted and a shout raised in alarm. Lasgun drew a bead on the doorway as Ashram pulled his head back. The acolytes raised their weapons to the opening and waited hoping the movement might be overlooked.

A terse order from the newcomers sent the weapon platform rumbling up to the opening, the group had previously ran into some of the Overhives denizens and where unwilling to take any chances. The noise of an ignition switch chimed as the weapon moved into position and the scent of promethium filled the air.

The Acolytes raced for safety rushing down the bunkers corridor and into the bunk room slamming its door shut a few seconds ahead of the weapons discharge. Flames filled the complex igniting and incinerating any combustibles, flooding through any opening.

The Inferno last a long minute with the Sisters of Battle learning against the rooms door to keep it closed and the deadly fire out. The surface of the door warped in the heat and it took a few moments to pry it from the lintel when they felt the heat diminish.

The Acolytes picked their way through the blackened corridor of their sanctuary. Anything that could burn had been consumed. The flames had been so intense that the entrance to the Munitorum depot glowed orange where the flames had entered. Carefully the acolytes checked the door and then the open area beyond. The squad and its support weapon continued to march through the area apparently satisfied that they had killed or driven off any hostiles, their line-of-march heading across the area towards an ancient Mechanicum facility abutting the massive support pillar.
Not wanting to risk a confrontation with such a heavily armed group the acolytes declined to send Ashram to follow closer despite the encompassing darkness of the location, the squads lights made tem a visible if monotone target and the group simple followed at an extreme distance.

The armed squad stopped before the ancient Machine-cult building, the massive edifice rested about a hundred meters from the Acolytes over destination. A pair of the armoured figures took up a post with the heavy weapon by the facilities primary entrance while the rest vanished within. While the armed men were not in their direct path the Acolytes dismissed the idea of trying to work around them, leaving such a threat behind them could be disastrous so again they waited, lights out, in the dark.

An hour rolled by and it was clear the inactivity of the guards had finally caused them to relax, they wandered about barely bothering to pay attention to their dark surroundings confident their heavy weapon would be a suitable deterrent. Before the acolytes could even begin to take advantage of the situation a subtle flicker of movement drew their attention to the Ministorum building they needed to reach.

The massive doors of the church slowly opened a slim gap and a pair of figures clad in tightly fitting black leather slipped through the space. They glided on silent feet towards the nearby guards, racing down the steps of the church and across the open ground as the men chatted to each other. Spotlights from the weapon platform flashed on blades wielded by the figures and the first man was transfixed by a pair of blades silently with the second man unable to release the gathered scream from his chest as he choked on the second figures blades.

The gruesome deaths occurred without hesitation and a moment later the Acolytes were alone as the assailants vanished into the Mechanicum facility. With no better opportunity and little time to think over the appearance of the silent killers the Acolytes raced towards the Church. Half way to the buildings sprawling steps Technomancer Hack and Trauma Bles changed their heading moving towards the abandoned Flamer Platform. The tech-priest freed the systems controls and quickly trundled it towards the church while the acolytes watched in confusion from the steps.

Initially hoping to traverse the weapon to the top of the steps it was quickly apparent it would only topple over on such a steep incline and Hack abandoned the machine but not before using his knowledge to safely disable its control-spirit. The group would use the device on the way out if necessary.

Briefly the acolytes paused on the threshold of the once gold-inlayed church doors, the room beyond hidden in total darkness aside from a single pillar of light. Weapons were checked and the group raced inside intent on finding the object of their foray as quickly as possible.

Eyes scanned the ancient pews and faded murals of the church before settling upon the rooms single source of light provided from a single still functioning spotlight in the churches rafters.

Hunched within the circle lay a body draped in black shell-like armour. The acolytes recognized the uniform of an Arbitrator and moved to its side throwing caution to the wind to check if the figure was still alive.

That had been all that was needed to make the ambush complete. Four figures dressed in from fitting black leather dropped from the rafters. Each was armed with twin swords, silver rapier-like blades flashed in the low light seeking the acolyte’s vitae. The cultist’s leather suits were sticked together in random patterns, the bindings a scrawl of debased language almost mind-numbingly complex in its sadism. Despite the profanity Trauma yelled out a call to the God-Emperor as her faith took hold, the Sister reacted alone among her stunned companions meeting the ambush head on while they rallied.

Within moments the church echoed with the sounds of conflict as blades rang against blades, shotguns blared out at exposed bodies and flesh was parted by metal. The assailants fought with a quiet fury quickly distracting multiple acolytes while one of the assassins closed on Sister Narla.

Blades flashed, biting deep into the Sororitas’ thighs, first one then the other. The savage blows felling the Battle Sister in a single flourish. With one of their number down and several others bloodied the fight took on a desperate pitch as the apparently unconscious Arbitrator laying on the stone floor beneath the fighting acolytes rolled onto his back and fired his shotgun...

- Raith
 

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 22: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 162.799.M41

The Assassins danced around the Acolytes striking at them with blades of polished steel. With one of their number lying on the floor the group quickly stepped to taking revenge laying out one or the Assassins with a point black blast from a combat shotgun and injuring the rest with a flurry of blows and bullets.

Despite their renewed attempts the group still felt itself being pushed back and back. Arn turned away from the combat and knelt down beside the bleeding form of Narla. The Piest had no skill with which to treat her injuries but spoke a benediction over the fallen Sister. As the words echoed over the battle a single source of flickering light appear, illuminating a ragged old man in a black leather Cassock.

The newcomer choked out an order in accented High Gothic and immediately the assassins leapt away from the group. Both sides cautiously stood down as the old man hobbled into the church, hands still clenched around triggers and hilts but the violence was stalled.

Struggling over to the kneeling priest the old man leant upon a battered stave of wood and metal. HE croaked out another sentence in High Gothic towards Arn but the Novice only knew the holy words by wrote and could not understand him.

Luckily others could, Ashram and Nari-ann had learned the dialect while growing up amid the wealth of their families while Trauma had studied the holy language at the Scholum. Even with their understanding the mans words were heavy with accent. He spoke that he was the guardian of the temple and the figures in black his chosen protectors. They had not realised that one of the Emperor’s holymen had come to bless their home.

Quickly the old man ordered his guardians to gather up their fallen and the injured Narla they then escorted the Acolytes from the chapel and back into the convent attached to the rear of the church.

While a matron attended to the wounds of the Sororitas the old man told his story, of how his people had remained behind as the Hive grew following the scriptures that maked the church as the site of a holy rebirth and that they had spent the centuries making sure the unclean infidels of the tech-cults could not intrude upon their home like they had in the past. It was only through the repeated reassurance of the acolytes that the old man let the Tech-priest Hack, who he considered a demon of the machine to remain alive though he insisted the “demon” be locked up for the night.

After some meagre food and more discussion the Old Man requested that if he could would Arn provide a benediction for the church and lead the morning service. Arn agreed through the translation of Trauma and in returned inquired if the Congregation had seen a small crystal like object hidden somewhere in the church. Shaking his head the Old Man informed the group that the only objects of beauty were located in the chapel but that no such item resembled the Data-crystal they had been sent to collect.

Somewhat frustrated with the sudden lack of progress most of the group turned in for some much needed rest. Not wanting to sleep so quickly Trauma and Arl took a look through the convent. It was clear that most of the facility was barely habitable. Rooms were filled with the extended families of the faithful or shelves of rotting ecclesiastical texts considered unimportant to the Ministorum when it had moved from the place.

Only the room shared by the Guardians was relatively well kept. The remaining trio of black clad figures had taken off their disturbing outfits only to reveal their ruined flesh scored by marks of flagellation and ritual flaying. Arl and Trauma quickly ceased their wandering after stumbling over the sight of the assassins weeping wounds and hurried back to their beds and a restless night.

- Raith

Well is been a little time since my last update but I decided to wait and do two updates in one as the first part wasn’t particularly exciting.

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 23 & 24: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 163.799.M41

Having had the chance to rest up the Acolytes where awoken by the sounds of the abandoned churches faithful preparing morning meals and getting ready for their “dawn” service. As he had promised the night before Arn readied himself to lead this wayward congregation.

With fiery rhetoric, chanted by wrote from High Gothic, the priest intoned his benedictions from the chapel which only a few hours earlier had been a battleground. Most of the gathering carried small lumen-devices or simple candles, the illumination gave the rest of the acolytes a chance to examine the chapel in detail.

The wall behind the altar was dominated with a massive stylized carving of the Imperial Aquila, the wings swept away turning into the walls of the chapel while the twin eagle heads towered high above looming out from the wall in an ever silent cry. The Aquila had obviously been embossed with gold-leaf in the past but the coating had either worn away or been removed when the hive abandoned the elevated levels.

The rest of the Chapel was in similarly abandoned state, the walls showed signs of past grandeur where paintings had once hung leaving lighter impressions on the wall, alcoves stood empty rather than holding reliquaries or Icons of faith. It was also clear that the chapel had seen some significant violence in the past, scorch marks littered the walls while faint traces of brown stains hinted at violent bloodshed.

After the ceremony Old Man Cantor hobbled up to the Arn and thanked him (with the aided translation of Trauma). He then went on to show the acolytes what he had promised the night before. With creaking joints Cantor moved to stand behind the altar where he intoned a benediction in High Gothic before bending slowly down to kiss the surface of the cold stone plinth. As he did a crackle of static raced through the air and the stench of ozone greeted the group drawing their gaze towards the chapels ceiling.

As they watched a cloud of darkness seemed to just appear among the support columns and arcs, it quickly grew until it spread out across the roof. Hands reached for weapons briefly before Old Man Cantor started screeching in fury and waving his walking-staff at the sight. Beneath his thick accent Nari-ann and Trauma were able to sort out that the dark cloud was suppose to have contained the radiance of the Emperor, showing all he lorded over but it had been stolen by the infidels of the temple of metal.

A quick quiet conversation between the Acolytes and few more questions clarified the matter, a number of Servitors had removed something from the open eye of the Aquila a few months prior a device which should have projected stars onto the black sky, and they had taken the device into the nearby Mechanicus facility. Since then Old Man Cantor and his faithful had attempted to regain the Emperors Light but had only suffered greater and greater losses.

With their objective apparently close at hand the Acolytes promised to free the Emperors Light from the heretics of metal, they quickly gathered up their gear and retrieved both Narla and Hack who had spent the night having their wounds tended to and being secured behind a locked door respectively.  They then turned to the Abritrator they had rescued the night before, the man identified himself as Gaius, like Hack he had been sent into the Overhive following the Hive Uprising to track down several wanted fugitives, his detatchment had been ambushed and slaughtered leaving Gaius to stumble into the Chapel only a few hours- before the Acolytes arrival where he had passed out from exhaustion.

Feeling the need for additional support the Acolytes quickly identified their mission and recruited the Arbitrators assistance.

The Mechanicus facility was as expected, large, imposing and very orderly. A pair of bodies still lay at the entrance from where they had fallen a day earlier. Stepping over the corpses the group found themselves inside a vehicle hanger. The two-storey room had several doors leading away on the ground level and from a raised gantry, picking a door marked as “Workshop” the acolytes moved deeper into the facility.

Even with the guidance of Technomancer Hack the group quickly began to realise that they were becoming lost, the endless ordered and featureless corridors may have been beautiful to the Mechanicus but were a pain to navigate effectively. The further they went the more confused things became. It was clear that the Mechanicum had abandoned the facility stripping out most of the components and technology but the area was obviously being maintained somehow, the floors were clear of dust and in several places even seemed polished.

The riddle was soon solved as the group rounded a corner and was confronted by a slowly moving servitor its long arms ending in a series of quickly moving cleaning devices as it walked down the passageway.

Lowering their weapons the Acolytes pondered why the Servitor was still operating, this section of the hive had been abandoned many centuries before and even a servitor would decay given time. Carefully moving past the man-machine the group back tracked its polished path hoping that it would lead them some explanation, between the unit of guardsmen, servitor and the story of an attack from Old Man Cantor it was clear the facility was far from forgotten.

After several hours of fruitless searching indistinct sounds forced the acolytes to a halt and sent Ashram forward as a scout. The assassin quietly padded down a corridor and around a pair of corners before carefully sliding up to a doorway illuminated by a bright light. Not wishing to risk being spotted the assassin simply listened to a pair of voices commenting on the slow progress of their mission and the casualties suffered so far. Before Ashram could even consider trying to take out the two patrolling men they responded to an unheard command and hurried away.

Quickly falling back to gather up his companions Ashram outlined what he had overheard. Assuming that ths unidentified guard unit was most likely present in the Mechanicus facility for the same reason they were the Acolytes quickly raced to catch up.

Weapons at the ready the Acolytes moved into the illuminated room. A single all-purpose Lumen lamp had been hooked up to the wall adjacent to a charred hole. A quickly inspection suggested a high-yield explosive had been used to cut through a reinforced wall and into a secondary corridor. This hidden area was completely at odds with the rest of the facility, the walls hummed with power and lights filled the area with a steady glow a blast door to the west showed that the corridor had been sealed from the rest of the facility.

The group moved past rooms filled with strange devices of Mechanicus design or recharging and maintenance bays for servitors guided by Ashram who shadowed the wandering patrol, eventually their path brought them up to a large multi-storey room. The group gazed down from a corridor that ran around the top of the three storey workshop. Massive glass observation windows afforded them a unobstructed view of the room and a half a dozen men standing in its center, they crowded around a work-bench atop of which lay a figure dressed in the robes of the Mechanicus.

Unable to hear what was happening in the room the Arl quickly outlined a plan, they could see two access points into the room, two doorways and metals stairs descended to the floor of the room from opposite sides. Ashram, Nari-ann and Arn would stay up in the observation passage and track the figures on the floor below with covering fire if necessary while Narla and Gaius would head to the right hand entrance, the rest of the group, Trauma, Hack and Arl himself would head to the left door.

Once in position Gaius would head carefully into the room and try to negotiate with the guardsmen, it was a risky endeavour but the group still had no clear knowledge on who the armed men were or what their intention was.

Spreading out as planned Gaius moved into the room and descended to the floor, now inside the area the Arbite could clearly see the men attempting to interrogate the recumbent mechanicus. As Gaius approached the bench he was seen by one of the men whose hurried command had a number of large calibre las weapons flourished in his direction.

The apparent leader of the group demanded the enforcer identify himself and the Arbitrator swiftly did informing the man - who introduced himself as Sergeant Simmons of the 122nd Malfi Irregulars - that he was acting as an agent of the Inquisition but had become lost amid the Mechanicus facility.

The sergeant looked somewhat surprised at the mention of the Inquisition but quickly recovered inviting Gaius to assist him. The Sergeant and his unit had been dispatched to secure the Mechanicus facility which had apparently been taken over by a wanted criminal and that the individual in particular had managed to seal itself beyond a massive blast door at the far side of the room. Knowing that both the Adeptus Arbites and the Inquisition were renowned for their interrogation abilities they hoped that he might have better luck retrieving information from the captured Tech adept.

Cautiously accepting the Sergeants offer gaius stepped forward to look at the captive, it was clear than the guardsman had already inflicted extreme damage to the Tech-Priest one of his arms had been partially flayed and a foot had been lopped off with a circular saw. As the Acolytes newest recruit leant down to speak with the Tech-Adept the retort of a gunshot echoed through the room.

The shot from Hack only nicked the guardsman closing on Gaius from behind but it was enough to distract the mans attack and the knife he held missed its target. A Moment after the tech-priest had fired from his elevated position the sound of breaking glass filled the room as the rest of the Acolytes opened up in support.

Gaius leapt into cover with his assailant close behind, the pair crashed to the group tussling about in a deadly melee while the rest of the armsmen scattered into what cover was provided by workstations and benches. Better equipped than the Acolytes the guardsman quickly staged a covered withdrawal across the room dragging their captive with them. Suppressing fire directed at the acolytes kept their heads down long enough the Sergeant Simmons to finally force the blast doors release codes from his captive and order his men through the opening.

The Acolytes raced into the room as Gaius struggled to his feet, his assailant had fled under covering fire with the rest of the group. Moving over to check on the discarded Tech-Adept they were able to convince him to aide them in opening the secured hatch. With his dying breath the Tech-Priest interfaced with the door control triggering it open once more so the Acolytes could follow his killers.

A short corridor ran deep into the support pillar of the Hive, the air was heavy with the press of ancient metal. The guardsmen had obviously pressed on quickly, a pair of bodies rigged apart by a volley of heavy calibre shells where still holding their weapons, nearby a pair of smoking craters in the walls held the remnants of gun-sentries destroyed by grenades.

Stopping only long enough to snatch up the D’laku Hellguns still half-strapped to the corpses the Acolytes ran down the last of the corridor and into a room illuminated by dozens of floating hololithic screens. The last six guardsmen of the Malfi 122nd hunkered down behind machinery and workbenches about the room avoiding the sniping fire from a massive combat-servitor which strode through the rooms middle, one arm of the servitor ended in the roaring teeth of a chain-axe while the other carried some sort of massive heavy auto-weapon. Across the room sealed behind massive paned of thick armour-glass reclined a figure whose form was obscured behind hundreds of interconnected conduits and the remnants of a red robe, bright dots of blue light shone from the Magos’s eyes and where echoed in the sensors of the Servitor as it turned towards the Acolytes.

- Raith

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 25: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 163.799.M41

Guardsmen scattered hunkering down behind the maze of workbenches and cogitator stations as the Servitor scanned for a target. With a deep thunk the ammo hopper on the servitors back fed rounds into the twin-linked Heavy Stubber dominating its right arm. The barrels swept to the right as the monstrous Mechanicus servant fixed on a target. A short hail of bullets fired with the precision only afforded by the greatest technology of the Omnissiah ripped through the room turning a guardsman into a bloody pulp.

The bloody violence of the weapons discharge ran through the Acolytes as they ducked into cover within the circular room or back down the entry corridor. Such a destructive weapon would mean certain death if it targeted them.

Arl quietly offered the opinion of letting the battle-servitor to kill off the guardsmen figuring they might then have a chance to negotiate with the recumbent Tech-Priest embedded across the room behind an armoured glass wall but Hack was not listening. Still enraged at the treatment of a fellow Machine Cultist by the guardsman, the Technomancer advanced into the room and snapped off a shot from his lasgun, the discharge thudding into the flak armour of the guardsmen’s sergeant from behind.

Gaius sunk deeper behind his cover within the room as Sister Trauma boldly raced across the room making towards the distant glass wall. Arl moved to follow the Sororitas a moment later as Ashram set up within the entry corridor, breaking out his Hunting Rifle and loading a clip of armour penetrating bullets.

The Praetorian Battle-servitor strode through the withering fire from the guardsmen who could spare only a few hurried shots in the Acolytes direction. Grenades flew through the air and occasionally from the squad’s heavy weapon specialist though his launcher seemed plagued with duds and misfires.

With a savage roar the Servitors implanted chain-axe swept out towards another guardsman biting through a machine-station but missing the guardsman as he threw himself to the side.

Through the detonating explosives and swathes of las-fire it was clear that the Servitor was simply shrugging the worst of the damage. A shower of sparks exploded from the Servitor as Ashram plugged a round into it, striking between the still flesh quarters of the machine-mans face. A second shot quickly followed the first, precisely striking the same location as Ashram rolled to the side avoiding a sudden retaliatory strike as the assassin moved to the head of the queue on the Servitors threat list.

With the Servitor sparking and twitching from the rounds to its cranium Trauma slide to a halt forgetting her efforts to communicate with the isolated Tech-Priest returning her attention to the Guardsmen who suddenly ceased to fire at the Servitor. Arl ducked into cover near the Sororitas sighting up one of the guardsmen as they took better firing positions. It was clear that only the well timed shots by the Assassin where having any effect and both sides where ready to renew their attack once the Servitor was dealt with.

A blare of heavy fire filled the corridor where Ashram fired from tearing up the metal walls and floor showering the Assassin in debris. Only the sharpened reflex of the Shadesman kept the damage inflicted to a minimum and gritting back the pain Ashram fired a third time his bullet smashing into the Servitors knee, severing a vital fluid conduit and causing the weaponized servant to topple to the ground.

- Raith

THE SEARCH FOR VICTORY
Session 26: Calixis Sector, Scintilla Sub, "Overhive" Hive Tarsus, Scintilla 163.799.M41

Silence filled the circular room for a moment as the Praetorian Battle-servitor twitched with the last processes and was still, around the room the acolytes and the Guardsmen of the Malfi 122nd Irregulars eyed each other, weapons carefully trained. The bulky sergeant stepped forward, hellgun lowered but covered by his men. In a stern tone he offered a truce to the acolytes. They where here on a mission which had seen enough casualties and rather than batter away at each other they would simply retrieve what they were after and then be on their way.

A quick discussion had the acolytes standing down, if the guardsmen where here for the same crystal the acolytes where perhaps they had a better idea where to find it, if not then the acolytes weren’t really in a good form for further conflict with Ashram barely conscious and Narla still suffering from her leg injuries.

With a curt order the guardsmen backed towards the section of the room partitioned by the arma-glass while the acolytes regrouped near the exit corridor. Sergeant Simmons turned to a soldier called Klaus who quickly produced a small box like device trailing a series of wires, within moments the brass object was interfaced with a console in the glass wall and a barely perceivable door slide open with an audible gassing of different pressures.

There was no perceptible movement from the enmeshed Mechanicus figure behind the glass as Simmons and Klaus poked about the cogitators, conduits and support systems, minutes ticked by with the acolytes quietly watching, Arl whispered to his companions to stand ready and reached towards his belt thinking that the soldiers had clustered up just the right amount for a grenade but reconsidered as the width of the room was a bit to long.

Klaus quickly located what he was after and removed a portion of machinery from the armoured room, the glint of a crystal caught NAri-ann’s eyes and she conveyed her insight to her gather companions. Having been waiting for the moment Arl gripped his salvaged hellgun and ordered the attack.

The uneasy ceasefire had both groups on such alert that surprise was non-existent and they opened fire in a singular moment, full-auto lasfire flashed back and forth accompanied by the crump of a shotgun as Enforcer Gaius raced into the room cutting down the intervening distance. Figures scattered towards cover on both sides and as the first soldier fell, Simmons ordered an ordered advance intending to escape rather than duke it out in the enclosed space.

Hellguns flashed in suppressing fire and men ran forward, Gaius fired almost blind over the top of a workbench catching on of the guardsman in the face staggering him before he was blown apart by more fire. Hack and Trauma manoeuvred into cover keeping their heads down under the volleys of las-fire but still managed to snap off the odd shot.

The fight ended swiftly following the fall of Sergeant Simmons and another blast from Gaius’s shotgun. The remaining two guardsman dropped their weapons, fell to their knees and offered their surrender, stating their names and ranks and that they where only following orders. The acolytes gathered up the guardsmen’s weapons, stripped them of ammunition and grenades while Trauma rifled through the pockets of the fallen sergeant. A moment later the Sororitas located the data-crystal and the acolytes collectively relaxed.

- Raith