40K/Inquisitor RPG. The Line of Damnation.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-11 11:57pm

Prius led the way into the bay. As they entered, the trooper nearest the door called the residents to attention. It was incredibly crowded in the bay, the reek of unwashed humanity already filling the air. During the daycycle the lucky and ranking shared the bunks as seats, the less fortunate sat between the bunks or leaned against the walls. Prius didn't say a word, simply observing the men, his piercing gaze raking across them.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 12:12am

Varian looked at them. To his sense the men felt tense, most ready and willing but a good many frightened and nervous as well. They would serve well enough. Varian leaned to the commisar.

"Who are these men, commisar?"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 12:21am

"1244th Adraxian Planetary Guard," he said without hesitation. "B company of the 4th battalion."

He knew all the berthings, units, and assignments by heart. After all, that was his job. He maneuvered through the narrow spaces, stopping before a trooper.

"You," he said, pausing for a moment. "Trooper Berellia. Are you an Emperor-fearing man?"

The trooper gaped momentarily in surprise at the fact that the commissar knew his name. Prius hadn't memorized all the names and faces by any stretch- it was not humanly possible for anyone outside of a savant, but he he had picked a few out of the rosters, in order to foster the ideal of the omniscient commissar.

"Yes commissar!" he said.

"Good. You know that he stands with us now and always, guiding us toward victory?"

"Yes commissar!"

"Who are the three enemies?" Prius asked.

Berellia didn't miss a beat. "The alien, the mutant, and the heretic, commissar!"

Prius nodded. "Very good, trooper. I expect nothing less than the best from you and the rest of B company in the coming battle," He looked around. "We fight for the Emperor, and he will see us to victory."

He continued down the line, making his way between the press of bodies. Varian could sense something more in his words, a spellbinding force behind them. It had been possible to miss it before, in the presence of so many psykers, but here it was unmistakable. Ristani was a psyker as well, and his words held a power beyond mere sound, one that was working its ways upon the PDF troopers.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-12 12:24am

Stepping from the shadows behind the colonel-commissar was Hethor D'eckor. He wore non-descript greys with sergeant's stripes and a field cap. Most of his weapons and armour left behind, a lot of it was too good to blend in. His pockets were stuffed with tabac and a little cash for buying favours. He was just one veteran in a sea of troops. He leaned back and listened to them talk.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 12:35am

Varian felt himself tense slighty. The unbound psyker, a dangerous double edge. He was one himself and accepted that, unlike the vast bulk of Monodominants. But he could scare let this go, especially in the face of the very Archenemy.

"Commisar, would you care to come with me?" The Inquistor let a bit of The Will fill him. It was fine thing, not the powerhammer it might have been, never the less it was enough to compel the commisar. "I would like a private word with you."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 12:40am

Prius felt the touch of will but did not resist. Varian was an inquisitor, and if he wished to press upon his mind, he must have his reasons.

"Of course, inquisitor," he said, turning to follow him.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 12:45am

So he knows. This suddenly become much more dangerous.

The Malleus Inquistor kept his thoughts tightly concealed within him. It would not due to betray this. They walked till they came upon a small lounge of some sort. Beckoning the commisar in Varian let himself stand behind the rogue psyker.

And he let loose, a feirce hard strike meant to drive the man to his knees; incapacitate, not kill.

"Are you an Emperor fearing man Commisar?"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 12:49am

He collapsed to his knees, grimacing.

"Yes, inquisitor," he said. He offered no defense, no resistance. Whatever Varian was seeking, he would offer it. One did not defy the inquisition. Despite the pain, Varian could sense the neat, orderly procession of his thoughts. He was very much an open book at the moment.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-12 12:54am

No way to watch what was happening in that lounge, but Hethor's ears could tell him most of story. Hethor was willing to pay good money to watch an inquisitor work over a commissar.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 12:58am

Petrosjko wrote:He collapsed to his knees, grimacing.

"Yes, inquisitor," he said. He offered no defense, no resistance. Whatever Varian was seeking, he would offer it. One did not defy the inquisition. Despite the pain, Varian could sense the neat, orderly procession of his thoughts. He was very much an open book at the moment.

"You are aware that you are a psyker? Yes or No?" Varian eased the mental probe, now simply reading the thoughts carefully. So far the man was keeping calm, not the panic one usually felt in the damned.

And then he felt the snooping mind. That wouldn't do well at all, he noted it. Right now he was busy but if needs be....

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-12 01:07am

"Hey Knpw whats going on in there trooper?"

Hethor turned to face the speaker and saw Nathan stnding there casually ,hnds in thepockets of a red trenchcoat.All the while one thought in Hethors mind 'How the Hell did he sneak up on me without me noticing?'

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 01:08am

Images flashed through Prius' mind at Varian's touch. A battle. Gix imploring him to draw on his powers for the first time, as Tzeentchian warriors surrounded them. The violating touch of a chaotic psyker, and a raw blast of power from Gix purging him of the infestation.

Another inquisitor, one that Varian didn't recognize.

"Hmph. You can't fool me, Commissar. You feel that you are unclean and worthy only of death, a blight on the Imperium, am I correct? If I gave you a gun now, would you blow your own warp-touched brains out?"

"I had hoped, my lord, to perform one final service for the Emperor, and perhaps become part of the Celestial Choir. But if this is what you deem to be the only appropriate remedy, then yes. In my weakness, I allowed a daemon to possess me, and have proven unworthy of the benevolence of the Emperor."

"Yes," he said aloud. Had his suspicions about the leniency of Pater, Gix, and the others proven true? Was now his time to join the Emperor?

"I come from a belief system known within the Inquisition as the Amalathians. We believe that everything is all part of the Emperor's plan, and that it is our duty to preserve the Imperium until His task is complete. He wished for you to have Psychic powers, that much is obvious. If it wasn't for those powers manifesting in the way that they did, Inquisitor Gix, I and most likely everyone else on this planet would be dead. You have a purpose in His plans and taking the easy, short way out is rank Heresy of the worst kind. The Emperor granted you your existance and you would be betraying Him if you gave it up."

Damn your leniency, Pater...

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-12 01:12am

Hethor managed to resist the impulse to kill the inquisitor on the spot for using his witch tricks on him. Lying to him was tempting, but a poor choice. "Inquisitor Varian is discussing matters with the colonel-commissar." Letting the inquisitors clash would be almost as good as hearing the commissar get his ass kicked and would pay back Talstrem for his witch tricks.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 01:14am

"You have been possed by a daemon, yes." There was little question indeed. Varian could read him and the damnation that lay with in. Yet the man was clearly here and so far as he could tell untainted, surely a mircale.

Still, he did not relent just yet. He was Ordo Malleus, the Order of the Hammer, the Sheild of Mankind against the howling fury of the warp-spawn.

"Tell me all you know about this daemon. I must know if you bear a taint."

His hand was on his weapon now, ready. If this was true he was a marvel, to his knowledge no one remained free from the stigma of possesion. No one! But could it be true?

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-12 01:20am

Nathan raised an eyebrow at that" Discussing matters hm? Intriging .I must meet this other fellow just to say hello"

Nathan looked right at Hethor and for the barest moment let Gixs servant see what lurked behind his eyes before bringing up the friendly ,innocent facade one again"I most definitely must say hello"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 01:21am

"Not a daemon," he corrected hoarsely. "A chaos witch."

More images. A taunting voice, matched to the image of a dark, foreboding figure. Prying into his mind, using his powers for his own end. Then the powers of the Lord Inquisitor and Gix blasting through him in a seething, white-hot wave, purging the voice from his mind.

PAIN. Enough to shatter a weaker man, but Varian knew of pain; one did not pass through the rigid tutoring of the Ordo Malleus without making its acquaintance in both the enduring and the delivering. The memory was raw and brutal.

Then:

Hunting the psyker, who called himself the PsyKing, with Gix. A whirlwind battle on the surface level of Adraxis' Hive Primus, a dark cloud of the manifested minds of mutant pyskers, and the seething power of the PsyKing. Gix guided their combined powers while Prius chanted litanies to the Emperor.

Victory. A death scream. Peace, at last. Revenge was served.

I sent that bastard screaming back to the warp.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-12 01:25am

Hethor nodded back. Nathan was a fool if he though that Hethor feared anything less than Astartes at close quarters. The inquisitor was fast, but not as fast as eldar pirates and he wasn't as tough as an ork nob. Intimidation was the wrong tool to use against him. The big veteran grinned. It did bode well for the coming spat.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 01:30am

Xavier released him. The man was a loyal servant of the Emperor, if a dangerous one. His will was strong and he had the potential within him to become so much more. This was a waste and a danger as well.

"Commisar, you understand why I had to do this." Varian helped the man to his feet. Now that he was satisfied that he was taint free the question actualyl became much harder. The man was pure and devoted. "I take it you have no desire for me to slay you here nor summon the Black Ships."

At the mention of that his disturbing eyes seemed to tear. But no, that was not possible. Inquistors did much but not shed a tear, not for psykers.

Varian remembered the misery, fear, and despair of those ships. Back then he had no idea his gift or how close he came to death. Only the gripping fear for the future. He was educated enough to know something of what became of psykers. Sent to the Astrinomicon or the Emperor and consumed or burnt and blinded to become an astropath. He know all were holy and vital. And yet....

"Obviously we will have to do something with you."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 01:35am

He gasped, head pounding. "I... do not question... I merely follow... Lord Vonyirental and the other inquisitors... bade me stay here. I bear no malice... toward you... one must be sure."

He reached up, feeling the slight trickle of blood from his nose, and wiped it away with the back of his hand. He almost missed the strange behavior of the inquisitor. A tear? It was baffling enough he almost missed the next words.

"I will serve, inquisitor, in whatever capacity I am ordered to serve in."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-12 01:42am

As quick as it came, he clamped down on that. He was lucky and the others, they represented a danger and so went to a holy and worthy end. His face slid back to it's polite yet iron hard mask.

At the commisar's words Varian winced inside a little. The notion of unregistered, unsanctioned pysker wrankled some part of him deeply. Yet would not this man serve well here?

"I am very glad to hear that. Glad indeed. I would hate to deprive the Emperor of a loyal servant unnecessarily." Varian considered. "I can leave you here for now, you are too valuable to this operation. Yet you can understand the dangers? And understand my obligations."

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2005-01-12 01:48am

A strange thing happened, no one had noticed the approch of the novice, the mutant wasn't disturbing them this time, however there was something different about her. A helm much more primative, and anchinet in design then in common issue, also much too big for the small sister. The helm completly enclosed her, except for a "T" like juction that left the mouth, nose and eyes uncovered.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 01:50am

The cold, blank stare of a fanatic met Varian's gaze. "The witch must be purged, for the witch opens the door by which heresy runs rampant." he quoted tonelessly. "Yes, inquisitor, I understand the risks. I gird my soul as best I can with prayer to the Emperor that I be allowed to die in his service. That is all I ask. And if I should fall, know now that I would pray that you or another of the inquisitors should deliver upon me the Final Absolution, that I might be redeemed to sit at the side of the Emperor for all the ages to come. If ever I give you cause to question my loyalty, kill me."

He reached under his shirt, slowly and carefully, and withdrew the hexagrammatic ward that dangled from the chain around his neck. "Inquisitor Novum gave this to me, previously the property of Inquisitor Kruger, who died upon Adraxis. He said that it will aid in guarding my soul against the powers of the daemonic."

How, he didn't understand. But it was enough to know that it worked, as with so many things he did and tools he used.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-12 01:55am

Hethor decided against killing the Sororitas with delusions of being stealthy. He put his finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-12 01:56am

Nathan slowly walked forwards "So Inquisitor are you certain of Prius`s loyalties?"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-12 01:58am

Prius jumped at the sound of Nathan's voice. His normal awareness had cut back as Varian had probed his mind. Even when done in such a relatively gentle fashion, it had taxed him greatly.

Reaching out, he sensed Hethor. Another distinctive mind, like a spring perpetually waiting to uncoil.