[ incoming transmission ] < decrypting >[ Source]……….[Segmentum Tempestus (Sector Zulu:: Subsector Rorke’s Drift):::Rorke Primaris] + + + + + + + The Astropath twitched against his restraints of his metallic coffin as the message screamed in his brain from the Warp. At his side, hutched over in long black robes like a carrion bird was the Scribe. Its eyes replaced by tubes of wire allowing him to peer into the Astropath’s mind. The creature’s pale and spindly fingers dipped the long bone quill in an ink well with sickening care. It prepared to write on a fresh scroll of parchment as the Astropath tried screaming through the Vox emitter in its throat. The Warp carved into his mind the message. The hooded thing smiled in sick delight as he watched the message appear in the Astropath’s mind, each letter was quickly and elegantly etched into the parchment. < Priority Message: Alpha > The Blessed Scions are ready. The Word is given. The Chosen await the word. Priority targets have been acquired and included in this transmission. < file attachment transfer complete > Access codes for orbital defenses acquired: < Rite of Passage obtained > The Nobel families and Military hierarchs have been identified. < file attachment complete > We await your arrival. < End Transmission > With care another robed figure took the parchment in it’s aged hand. He was taller than the Scribe and adorned in crimson red robes. Rolling the message it into a metal canister and sealing the compartment with blood wax, the old man ran out of the chamber and down the grand halls of the Grand Cruiser ‘Vindex Gladius’, The Sword of Vengeance. He ran with haste to his master of the XVII Legion, passing by the torture chambers, the slave pins and the worship halls of the Legion. He kept to the shadows, avoiding eye contact from any of the blood thirsty Astarties that would surely crush him without a second thought. He served on the Vindex Gladius since the Horus Heresy and knew the ship as well as his master since before the Great Betrayal. Now his master became a Lord of Chaos, leading a Host of Word Bearers with zealotry and vengeance. Finally, he arrived at his master’s chamber door, blessed by streamers of parchments nailed in place. Each bared text from the Book of Lorgar and litanies earned by the Dark Council of Sicarus. The skulls of fallen enemies framed the outer lining of the door as warp fire burned in their iron bells. The thick armor plated frame towered over the Slave, as though it were disgusted by his very presence. Ignoring the fear, he knocked on the door and with voice aged by time he called out. “Master? Master, I bare a message of importance.” The door slid open like a crack in the wall. Thick mist of lavender flooded out, spilling over the deck, it was intoxicating. Using the folds of his robes he covered his mouth and nose from the aroma. The shroud was a mix of incense and drugs that would overload his senses all together. Behind a curtain wall of shrunken skulls was his master, kneeling before a shrine. Incense orbs poured the mist to the ground as candles flickered and danced in the small room. The slave dared not speak while his lord was in prayer. “Malgus, where did the transmission originate?” The warrior’s voice was sharp like a hunter, but he never moved or made notice to the slave. “Rorke’s Drift in Sector Zulu, my lord, the message was labeled as Alpha priority.” Malgus kept the sleeve of his robe to his face as he presented the casing to his master. The warrior arose to his feet and pushed the bead of skulls away, he towered over Malgus as though he were a child. Without ceremony Lord Sharr took the canister from his slave and broke the wax seal, revealing the parchment. His daemonic eye scanned the scrolls of old Gothic faster than his Astarties eye could keep up. A smile cut across his perfect features as the daemonic eye of his augment peered straight down at the slave with malice. His other eye seemed reverent and joyful. “Summon the Host to the Great Hall and inform the Helmsman to plot a course for the Subsector.” The slave acknowledged his task, bowing his head and scuffling out of the room. > Segmentum Tempestus: Sector Zulu:: Subsector Rorke’s Drift – Rorke Primaris Rorke Primaris, Hive world within Subsector Rorke’s Drift. It has grown rich off the mines, slaves and manufactorums of its neighboring Subsectors. It has long supplied the Imperium with munitions and man power for the glory of the God-Emperor. Rorke Primaris has since prospered from its success, establishing towering Cathedrals to the God-Emperor around its more prestigious habs. Protected by a detachment of the Praetorian Guards 207th regiment, the Defenders of Rorke’s Drift have protected the Sector from raids forged by xeno pirates. Armed with trained men and women of the Praetorian Guard, the Regiment has since recruited and trained additional manpower form the outlining worlds of the Sector. Utilizing their Manufactorums too produce the notorious war tanks from the Lemus Russ battle tank to the Magnificent BaneBlade. Though for the 207th, their more infamous transport of war has been the Praeton Steed. A gene bread running stallion made for land speed, often employed by fast attack platoons and officers. Many have been known too have been augmented with cybernetics. With the Praeton Steed along with the War Engines of the Imperium, the Praetorian Guard have fended off the hordes of Xeno assaults for millennium. The more notorious of these raiding pirates are the Orks. Once every Century an Ork Raiding party strikes hard in the neighboring SubSectors, the Green Skins taking what they can from the manufactorums in their attempts of a Waagh. The most recent was the Waagh of GoreBash, who managed to lead his Green Tide across two Subsectors, before finally falling to the tactical prowess of the Regimental Governor Militant John “Iron Cross” Bromhead. As his tradition, Bromhead takes the head of the pirate leader to his ever growing collection at his palace of Rorke Primaris. Mounting it along side others of the walls of the Great Banquet Hall, each one ranging from Ork, Eldar and Tau. The noble families of Rorke Primaris along with the Commanding officers of the 207th gather at the Capital Spire palace in celebration of the successful campaign against the Ork Waagh. The nobles praise the Emperor’s finest for their valor and bravery as veterans speak of heroic deeds and against the Orks. The Grand hall glistened in gold and white as the nobles and Regimental officers walked about meeting, drinking and laughing. The hall was a clamor of excitement. The servants, dressed in fine black and white uniforms served drinks and finger snacks on fine plates of silver. A fountain crafted of fine marble was the center piece of the hall as the evening sun shined through the towering glass windows. There, at his trophies wall stood Regimental Governor Militant John Bromhead, dressed in his military red and gold coat and uniform, sharing a drink with his guests. “Yes, I’d say I’m most proud of this fellow here.” He pointed his Champagne glass at the head of GoreBash on its mount. “He was a very elusive Ork, damn near intelligent for one, I must say.” One of the Ladies examined the massive alien jaw plating covering it’s chin. “What is the purpose of that…thing around its chin, Sir?” Bromhead cleared his throat as he fondled his beard with one hand. “Um, well madam, like many Orks they follow the largest and most brutal of their kind. A Warboss is no exception. That particular…attachment is a sign of dominance you see? The Orks have the primitive notion that “If it’s bigger it’s better”, but I’ve yet to meet a Gargant that could stand up against the might of a Baneblade.” “How big do Orks get, Lord Bromhead?” Another nobleman asked, taking in the size difference in Orks on the wall. “Oh I’d say about as tall as a Praetorian on his steed, Lord Pyrll. They nearly grow as tall as the honorable Space Marines.” { Any Officer rank players may join in the party at this stage }
The Vindex Gladius sailed through the insanity of the Warp with it’s escort craft. As the fleet traversed the Ether, the Host of Word Bearers had assembled in the Great Hall aboard the Vindex Gladius. The hall was built as a place of worship to the dark gods of the Warp. The floor was carved ornate stone, the walls housed shrines marked with candles and skulls to honor the fallen. Towering arches and support columns lined the Great Hall overlooking the ascending rows upon rows of the Host. Every warrior gathered aboard the Vindex Gladius wore robes of cream white over their crimson red power armor. Above the gathering was a clear crystal dome looking out into the maelstrom as the Grand Cruiser traversed the Warp. Horrors and flurries of skinless flying beasts encircled over head, taking to the pillars and arches for perch. From the massive twin iron doors marched the slaves in black robes. They walked across the blood red and silver carpet as they entered the Great Hall. The first two carried banners honoring the XVII Legion and the 3rd Host. The next carried sacred war relics wrapped in fine linen and others wreathed in black iron chains. The final two entered wafting the incense from their thuribles as they passed the gathered Host. They stopped at the far end of the Hall, coming to stand before a stone podium as Sharr entered the Hall, standing before the gathering, draped in his ceremonial robes. His voice had taken on a clear and elegant tone to it as he prepared to speak to those on the Vindex Gladius and it’s escort. Sharr raised his hands aloft before the gathered Host. “May the Gods favor us, for we go to spread the truth.” “And dispose the lies of the false idol!” The Host responded as one. Sharr placed his hands on the podium, his demeanor was calm and soothing, yet his daemonic eye glared each and every direction of its own will. “Brothers, we go to a world that has never known the truth, because it has been choked into the lies of the corpse emperor.” He spat onto the deck, the acid saliva melting into the stone floor. “It is with great fortune that the gods send us on this crusade that we liberate this poor, blighted world and pull back the veil of lies. This world is only now taking its first few steps to opening it’s eyes to the truth. A group of the ‘enlightened’ has called for our support in liberating the Sector from its troubles. Too long have they endured the cruelty of the xeno that even their defenders cannot protect them. Even our poor, lost cousins cannot reach out and protect those who pray for salvation. Only further proof of how deaf the Imperium is to the needs of humanity! For it is the true gods who have heard their prayers, the true gods who have heard their pleas and the true gods have sent their salvation…us. My Brothers, this day we do more than wage war against the Imperium. We do as our father, Lord Aurelian, had intended his sons to do: save humanity and bring it into light. For Lorgar and the True Gods!” “For Lorgar and the True Gods!” The Host chanted. ‘As ever your sermons are direct and to the point, Lord Sharr.’ ~The Whisper muted out the choir. ‘It is the truth that I seek, Whisp.’ ~Sharr growled his thoughts at the voice. ‘So you say. But be mindful, some truths are best left unknown.’ { From here on all Word Bearers must start off in the Armoury of the ship, preparing and may interact with NPC & Players } < Mission Briefing as follows: Upon exiting the Vindex Gladius will relay the security codes to the orbiting defense satellites. Once delivered, Squads will deploy from the Vindex Gladius and escort ships via Thunderhawk Gunships and seize full control of the stations. The stations must remain operational Vindex Gladius and Escort ships must remain at orbiting level until ground defenses have been destroyed. Orbital bombardment will not be available until then. As the stations are seized, a strike force consisting of Khornates, Slaanesshi and Havocs will deploy via Drop Pods to the minor Hab Blocks. They must: Disable enemy communications. Establish contact with cultists within the Sub Habs. (will be mentioned by Mod) Seize control of any and all enemy armour for cultist use. The Cultists shall NOT touch the armour of the XVII. Do so brings death. Take no prisoners. Destroy or corrupt any shrines to the Emperor and Imperium. Clear landing zone for Gunships. All Priority targets are loaded into helmet identification. (These will be mentioned by Mod) Air Support provided as needed via gunships. Prepare for battle > Sharr had delivered the mission briefing to his Champions and they in turn briefed their warriors. The Lord of the 3rd Host watched from the balcony, overlooking the ritual blessings and preparations of the Thunderhawk Gunships. At his right stood his ever body guard Alexander Aurelius. At his left stood Malgus, hunched over in his robes as he held his staff of office. Sharr’s daemon eye seemed fixated on Alexander, nearly turning fully in the augmented socket. “Are you excited, Alexander?” OOC: I am working on maps for the stations and the city. This will help players get an idea of where everything is. Just FYI the Palace won’t be the landing zone for the Drop Pods, YET.
*if Alexander was actually looking back at him or not, Sharr could not tell as Alexander's eyes were simply black for as long as Sharr could remember, they looked like all color was drained from them, it was like staring into a void* *Alexander noticed the Daemon eye staring at him before Lord Sharr spoke* "Yes Lord... i look forward to shedding the blood of the corpse-worshipers! This pitiful world shall be illuminated to the glorious truth!" *visions of combat and bloodshed swam through Alexander's head, another world would be claimed for the true gods of the warp.. and more blood would flow.....*
"Excellent. Once we are in orbit over the planet we'll launch the Dread Claws. You will be with the first attack wave."
*if it could be called a smile, Alexander smiled under his grill-mask, this was going to be good... most of the Khornates of the Host looked to Alexander as their leader, he would once again be leading them into battle, gene-father Lorgar would be pleased with another world brought to see the divine truth.... as much as he believes he owes Lorgar for showing them the true ways of the universe, Lorgar was wrong about one thing, Lorgar believes that all the Chaos gods are equal to some extent..... but Khorne was the most powerful, and while Lorgar would be pleased with a new flock being shown the truth, Khorne would be even more pleased by the blood of the corpse-worshipers that would soon flow.... 'and Khorne rewards his followers' Alexander thought as he noticed his enhanced body by the fact that he was actually looking down at Lord Sharr* "shall i go prepare the faithful?"
"At once, see too that you make your pledges to Khorne before the drop. But there is one more thing I require if you, Alexander." Sharr turned and look up into the pitch black of the Khornate's eyes. His own daemon augment burned red with rage at it pierced the flesh of the warrior. "Bring me the heads of every commander you find on that world. I don't care if it's one of the cultist or Imperial, nor the condition in which you bring them." Sharr Returned his attentions to the busy work of the slaves and work crews below. But the daemon eye never left its soul piercing gaze. "I have plans for them, yes."
OOC: so im drop-podding right? IC: *Alexander was confused for a second... what would Sharr want with the skulls of the commanders? last he checked Sharr favored all of the gods.... probably best not to question it... yet.... Sharr has led him to good battles so far over the centuries, spreading enlightenment and bloodshed both in equal measure* "yes Lord" *Alexander turned around and walked away from the balcony, he was convinced that Daemon that resided in Sharr's augment hated him, everytime he is near Sharr (quite a lot due to his duty) he feels that eye watching him... just that eye, not the other, unaugmented eye.... he wondered what kind of Daemon was trapped in there...* OOC: ill begin my little briefing of the Khornate npc marines after i find out if im drop podding or not, dont want to tell them about the wrong objective
