You lost a finger in war? I would be more worried about your hooves-feet, which you could explain as bionics for climbing and stuff, you know like a fancy Skitarii.
If you'd like to actually join this RP, please see the start of the OOC!: http://forum.eternalcrusade.com/threads/ordo-hereticus-rp-interest-occ.50213/ If not, please go somewhere else thank you!
Nope, only limitations right now are no new Xenos(Got two, a Fire Warrior and a Kroot) and new High Power Characters (got two, White Scar Space Marine and Vindicare), so Acolyte is a valid choice! But don't feel that you have to take it!
Hmm...Very well. This is actually a pretty good story, so I'd appreciate it if you read it through. Name: Asher Sunspire, more commonly known as "The Wanderer" or "Saviour of Iybraesil" Age: 36 (720 years Sol standard) Gender: Male Role: Former Ordo Xenos inquisitor, cartographer, historian, anthropologist, mercenary and self-styled treasure hunter Wargear: Chameleonic coat of xenos materials (only really effective from a distance). A rapier blade of seeming eldar origin, a parrying knife, a bolt pistol and a brace with 2 antique modified pistols of a flintlock design (run on an archaic plasma power source that overheats if used excessively - gift from an assassin of Dunwal). Various trinkets, maps and papers, as well as a half-heart pendant given by the seers of Iybraesil - emblazoned with the rune of Isha (purpose unknown) Appearance: Asher is a relatively tall man of strong but agile build with brownish black hair, indigo eyes and a close-cropped beard. He usually wears his travelling gear and greatcoat made of apparent xenos material that bends light to make the wearer blend in with their surroundings, as well as his backpack which doubles as a portable museum/picter/logger. He wears an inquisitorial hat which he won in a gamble against an Inquisitor of the Order Hereticus. After more than 700 years he still retains his youthful look despite not using and rejuvenant treatments, a fact which vexes him greatly History: Ever a man of mystery to all who have met him, Asher started off as a promising albeit overly-curious orphan in his Schola Progenium on Eschara. After his graduation and subsequent selection into the Inquisition, Asher was first tested through the trials to see which Order he most suited. At first, he proved to be a very able swordsman, perhaps not of finesse and skill, but with the sheer determination and precise strikes that made him come out in all of his spars. However it was his strong curiosity and sheer intellect, despite being a firm believer in the Imperial Faith that made the OH inquisitors doubt their choice - after all such behaviour could prove fatal while dealing with the forces of Chaos. After much debate, the High Court decided to cast him out and at that point Asher thought that there was nothing left for him. It would have been if not for the eccentric young Inquisitor Isabella Carstein of the Ordo Xenos which took an interest in the strange lad. After his induction in the Ordo Xenos, Asher found out that he was not so limited in his pursuits as he had been previously with the OH. Over the years, his training, both academic and martial led him to all Segmentums of the Galaxy. He was found to have an extraordinary capacity for languages, and at the age of 39, he was already fluent in High Gothic, the basic Eldar dialect, Tau and the guttural tongues of the Kroot and the greenskins. His travels took him to countless xenos planets and realms of varying interest to the Order. As ever he was always accompanied by his tutor and increasingly close friend Isabella. Their main line of work was the research of ancient civilizations as well as the monitoring of Xenos activity in the Sectors around the Maelstrom and Eye of Terror. His missions also frequently brought him into contact with various other races, each regarding the two humans with either curiosity of thinly veiled hostility. Although he was always supposed to act with indifference to other xenos races, through strict orders of the Order, the two Inquisitors began to become acquainted to many of their specimens. Over the years, the two inquistitors were well known throughout the segmentums and were mostly received warmly, especially to the craftworldian eldar, with whom Asher and Isabella exchanged many stories and rumours about the location of ancestral treasures - something which did not sit too well with the other Ordos. That is not to say that they did not have their own fair share of war. Too many battlefields have they escaped by the skin of their teeth, either to retrieve an ancient artefact or to save some beleagured world. Some of their more famous exploits are shown below: 214.M40 - Asher is given his first assignment as a newly-fledged Inquisitor, which is to research into the disappearance of mine workers on the mining planet of Tharanx. Findings show a large xenos complex in the mountain ranges. Asher does find a spiritstone of prodigious size but any further investigation is halted after the expedition team suffers heavy casualties at the hand of metallic automatons. He manages to get off-planet but notices that various xenos vessels were starting to follow. The ship manages to facilitate a short warp jump which displaces the ship a few sectors further. Rather than giving in the stone to the nearest inquisitorial office, Asher sends a distress signal in the eldar language about the stone and response arrives in the form of a few oucast vessels, led by the eldar ranger Ultansar. The eldar find it strange that the humans would doing something beneficial to their race, and Asher himself questions whether the stone would be in better hands than with the Inquisition, but he gives it willingly regardless. Ultansar is impressed to find that the stone itself once belonged to a Wraith-Knight and thanks Asher, saying that he can return to his home. Which one it is, he never mentions. He does promise that he will repay the debt, if they ever meet. The Inquisition receive reports that the stone was lost after the chase with the xenos attackers but some inquisitors remain suspicious with Asher's activities and this proves to be his first brush with the Ordo Xenos. 220.M40 - While co-working with the barbaric deziens of Lustralia on the ancient pyramid-temples, Asher's team and the reptilemen are unknowingly attacked by Dark Eldar raiders. Asher manages to save the toad-chief's life after placing himself in front of a vile whych cult assassin poised to strike the xenos leader down. Isabella pulls Asher aside before his arm is torn off and the chief strikes the assassin-leader down. Luckily Asher walked off with minor injuries and a ruined coat. The raiders and in thanks, the mage chief gave Asher a new coat of vaguely reptilian hide that could blend in with its surroundings and was distinctly more durable than any human textiles, which he still wears proudly to this day. 236.M40 - One of his most famous exploits, Asher and Isabella were sent off to the world of Neverlight to aid the Excoriators 2nd Company (being born on Eschara, which was also the Excoriator homeworld, Asher also dealt with these Astartes before)hold the polar fortresses against the invading Ork Waagh Grotsmasha. At the time, the Imperial forces were on the verge of being overrun, when the two hatched an ingenious plan. The two managed to infiltrate the Orkish Command post, and by means of a recorder, Asher fooled the Warlord into thinking that 3 of the other Clan warbosses were planning to kill him and steal his teeth, while the Orks took Shadun Valley. Warlord Grotsmasha, as expected, started a major attack on the other ork clans in the valley which evolved into a massive civil war. As the orks spilled into the polar fortresses, they found the battlements empty. Little did they know that the Excoriators in their Battle Barges Marcus Meridius and Rising Ascendant were already calculating target projectories to the polar fortresses. After a few hours, a barrage of orbital lances ended the collective threat of the Waagh before it engulfed the entire sector. Captain Verilian of the 2nd Company, in recognition of the lives saved by his plan gave Asher his own master crafted bolt pistol, which the captain claims has saved his live on numerous occassions. At this stage, Asher also reached the rank of Inquisitor Lord for his actions and thus was on an equal footing with Isabella. 242.M40 - After a requisition order to recon a warp flare on the mining world of Tharanx (to which Ashar had been previously, and since he was in sector at the time), Asher and Isabella discover that a warp rift had opened in one of the underhives of the city and deamons were spawing on the world by the thousands. Struggling to rally the local guard regiment and militia, and unable to receive reinforcements Asher and his inquisitorial retinue revert to guerilla tactics to bog down the daemons in the extensive mining complexes. Whole tunnels are collapsed and demolitions are set off in carefully placed ambushes, but even that is not enough as the daemons take their toll and slaughter millions with many more fleeing for their lives, only to be cut down soon after. Asher, Isabella and the rest of the defenders retreat to the previously abandoned xeno complex for a last stand. The fighting is horrendous and the bloody defenders are forced back continually. Asher himself loses his right arm while fighting against a pack of bloodletters. Seemingly on the verge of massacre, aid arrived in the most unexpected of places. The red-tinged tharanxian sky suddenly turned back to its usual grey self. Panic started to break in the ranks of the daemons as their essence started to disappear in the material realm. And there, marching behind the rearguard of the daemon host were phalanxes of Necron warriors led by a sinister overlord with his retinue of Lychguard. The daemons seeing the new host, tried to retaliate, but being already weakened were easy prey for the marching legions. As the hunters became the hunted, Asher knew that the evacuation of the survivors had to occur, lest they were next on the Necrons's list. As the last Bloodthirster was torn down by a carpet of metallic scarabs, the rest of the miners and guard were ferried by dropship to the Imperial Cruiser "Hand of Judgement". Asher was the last one to leave. He cast a worrying glance from afar to the xenos host marching to their tomb complex and froze as he saw the Necron Overlord regarding him coldly. Then with a morbid gesture of parting, the xenos lord vanished. Before he could leave the ship, he noticed how the stones at his feet seemed rounded off and placed in rather strange positions. It was Isabella who pointed out that the pattern matched the Orion constellation of stars in a nearby system and the contrasting stone represented the marked Exodite world of Aleriana. Asher did not know whether to regard this as a trap or a clue, but the explorer side got the better of him and with a shadowy sense of foreboding, he set off to solve this new mystery. 243.M40 - On the way to Aleriana, the "Hand of Judgement" stops to refuel on the Oceania, a backwater ocean world with sufficient oil reserves from miles around. Isabella sets off to scout out the exodite world while Asher remained with the ship. At that time, the capital city Dunwal in one of the main Archipelagos was beset by a vast plague, and Asher suspected that the work of Nurgle was the fault. The main problem is that the new leaders refused to supply the ship with fuel. Upon private investigation and co-work with a local gang, he found out that the plague was in fact spread by one of the former Planetary Governor's staff who brought the plague from off-world in order to usurp power. Retribution does come when the bodyguard of the former PG escapes captivity and embarks on a trail of shadows and death to cast the tyrants from power. Although Asher is not interested in joining such political strife, he was more worried about rumours and the means by which the bodyguard managed to bypass the entire city security unseen - he wondered whether this Outsider was a local charlatan or the c'tan shard itself. For this world's sake he clearly hoped for the former. He did however aid an aged and disgraced assassin to attain for his past crimes, so that he could have a peaceful life in the end. In thanks, the old assassin gives him his personal brace of pistols of primitive design, but of much higher accuracy, rate of fire and punch than most Imperial side arms. Although powered by local oil, Asher's techpriest majoris managed to modify the system so that it works on a more sophisticated plasma mechanism which shoots concentrated plasma bolts, at the expense of overheating if used too much. He maintains two of the pistols, while the other two are in the possession of Isabella. After finishing repairs and refuelling, he set course for Aleriana, but not before Isabella returns with grave news... 246.M40 - Reaching the planet, Asher was horrified to see that the surface was fully devoid of life. Where the scan records showed a verdant and flourishing world, was not a lifeless rock, and he was horrified to see that even the ancient eldar structures have been stripped to the bone - quite literally. He had seen the tyranid creatures in action enough times to know their handiwork and knew that it was only a matter of time before the hive fleet reached its next target. The question was, where was it heading? Before he could conceive an answer, Isabella shouted out a warning that multiple signals were converging on a concentration of the eldar ruins. Deep within a nearby valley, hidden amid narrow twisting mountain passes, a small eldar outpost lay untouched and protected by null wards when Asher and Isabella found it. So, the tyranids had not fully digested every single organism on this planet...Unfortunately, they weren't the first to find it. From their hidden perch above the outpost Asher spied a dark eldar raiding gang ransacking the outpost of anything valuable they could find. Shattered wraithbone constructs lay about them and Asher decided that it would not be the best idea to confront the xenos. He was considering leaving them to their predations, when he overheard the chilling discourse between the Archon and his attendants. The hive fleet attack was supposedly orchestrated by the dark eldar and their prize was the spoils of a craftworld, in particular Iybraesil which was drifting in the next sector. Ordinarily, the craftworld would have detected the subtle Shadow in the Warp long before its passing, were it not for the plan of their dark kin. Years before, the same band of dark eldar had infiltrated the craftworld disguised as merchants and stashed a tyranid organism which was kept in the arenas of Commorragh for many years. This creature, resembling a broodlord, was sufficiently powerful enough to call upon the Hive Mind to create a sizable Shadow in the Warp over the unsuspecting craftworld. At first, the warlocks of Iybraesil felt the shadow as the waning tides of the Warp and their powers ebbed, but soon even their mightiest Seers could not catch even the closest strands of fate. Not only that, but the broodlord itself acted as a beacon to the incoming hive fleet. Asher then understood that the craftworld would have no idea of their impending doom and the subsequent dark eldar raid, and thus would be destroyed utterly Asher was unsure of what to do and sought guidance with his supperiors in the Inquisition. These instructed him not to interfere, as the ensuing battle would most likely get rid of two serious threats in the sector and any survivors could be easily mopped up afterwards. At first, he took up the order without question, but as time was running short he decided (with no less convincing from Isabella) that he could not simply let such a huge loss of life pass by, especially for such a dwindling race. Asher's ingenuity and cunning quickly worked out possible scenarios of intervention, but the creeping approach of the hive fleet meant that he had to take drastic measures. Then a brilliant idea struck him. Taking control of a battered old freighter, he, Isabella and a small retinue of his aides set course for the incoming craftworld. Asher sent a warning laden transmission which was instantly received by the eldar navy. The freighter was seized and the Imperials were promptly brought before the Autarch Lansiera. That they were not executed already was a good sign, but the skeptical eldar were far from convinced that this was not some human ploy. Further fervent talks from Asher as well as the recorded speech of the Archon finally swayed the seer council and thus he shared with them his plan which would send the tyranid and dark eldar forces into oblivion. After instruction from the inquisitors, the tyranid creature was isolated and locked in a stasis field. Asher knew that the dark eldar forces would be trailing the hive fleet, like the carrion bird that stalks the predator. Commanding the "Hand of Judgement", Asher and Isabella made a warp translation back to Aleriana in hope that the hive fleet would change its trajectory. Sure enough, the spore-infested hulls turned around and headed back. Such was the dark eldar's surprise that the majority of their fleet was destroyed in the initial confrontation and the commanding vessels were encircled by the fleet. Unable to escape, the archon called for reinforcements from the webway, and thus did the hive fleet met new resistance. The battle lasted for many more hours before the dark eldar vessels were forced to retreat. The hive fleet itself was severely mauled, and before it could move onto the nearby agri-world Verdinia, Asher and Lansiera sprung their trap. Amidst the asteroid fields surrounding the planet, the eldar vessels were lying in wait. As the tyranid ships navigated between the colossal rocks, the trap sprung. Hundreds of asteroids detonated and huge chunks were torn from the hive ships' sides. The leading ships were utterly destroyed by the punishing volleys of the fleet's vanguard. The remaining vessels were cornered and destroyed. While many thought until they were nothing but charred flesh and taking as many of the eldar vessels down with them as they could, the eldar ambush proved to be the coup de grace to the hive fleet. Lansiera and the Seer Council were overjoyed to find that the warp flowed more freely with the passing of the hive fleet and that complete disaster had been averted. Although the craftworld is notorious for its disdain of males (being a majorly matriarchical society), Lansiera couldn't help but have a grudging respect for the human who saved their entire society. As a parting gift, she bestowed Asher the Annuileas Dhun, an ancient rapier blade used by her forbearers and to both him and Isabella the "Heart of Isha" - an old artefact recovered from a Croneworld deep within the Eye. Lansiera reflected that he and Isabella reminded him of the myth of Kournos and Isha, something which Asher found rather flattering. All was going smoothly for the inquisitor, had it not been the disappearance of Isabella and the verdict demanding the surrender of Asher Sunspire and all his possessions to the Ordo after his defiance of Imperial decisions, something which Asher most likely felt would end in his execution. Thus Asher is now a convict and a runaway inquisitor, determined to prove his superiors wrong, and more importantly - to find his other half. He knew, for he felt from deep within the pendant that his counterpart was still alive, and he was determined that he would find her, even if he had to march into the Eye of Terror to do it... What do you think? I think it makes for a nice bit of fanfic.
