40K/Inquisitor RPG. The Line of Damnation.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 12:55am

Prius accompanied him, rather more happy to be accompanied by arbites than the wretched Legios troopers.

"The Ministorum's Extremis teams have been attempting to pump out the water from the flooded sections, Lord Inquisitor," the arbites explained as they accompanied him. "This section had been planned for recovery last because it was assumed to have the lowest prospect for survivors. Many of the chambers are completely flooded."

Punctuating his point was the ankle-deep water they currently waded through.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 01:01am

"Another reason why he might have taken it." Gix was not dessuaded in the least by the water level. Of course, he was wearing an armoured bodyglove. "Proceed," he said waiving people foreward. He didn't particularily care about how dank or nasty it would get as long as it gave him a decent shot at the PsyKing.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 01:05am

As they approached the massive door to the central ventilation shaft for the sector, the arbites captain looked at Gix. "By all indications we have, this room is flooded. How should we get in? Open and release the water? We are equipped with a few melta bombs..."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 01:15am

Gix checked the readings of the servo skulls, using their echo locaters to determine water levels. "No need. If we need to, I can pop the door out without much trouble."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 01:29am

The room was indeed completely flooded, having caught the wash from a secondary corridor. Prius studied the readout. "Likely if we opened the door, after the initial surge it would be passable. But we would need to relocate to avoid getting washed away by the original rush."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 01:41am

"Everyone move back," ordered Gix. He waited for the arbites and Prius to move back. The he retreated. The door was still in sight. He reached out with his power, popped the locks, and yanked it opened.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 01:45am

A torrent of water flooded out, rushing through the corridor. Dark shapes rushed with the torrent, traveling down the corridor at incredible speed...

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 01:47am

Gix's bolter barked as he fired into the rushing masses. If they weren't dangerous, then only a few rounds would be spent. If they were, then it might be the difference between life and death.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 01:50am

Prius' plasma pistol sizzled a shot into the water simultaneously with Gix's shot, while the arbites reacted only slightly slower, their weapons hammering at the dark shapes. As the torrent subsided, the dark shapes also slowed with it, and the few intact bodies revealed themselves as echo rat corpses, drowned in the initial flood. After a moment, the arbites captain shook his head and barked a small laugh.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 01:53am

"Nothing to be ashamed of. The heretic we hunt is both vile and tricky. Keep your guard up." Jolan waded foreward. He hungered to end his enemy and cast his soul into the darkness.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 02:00am

Prius followed right after him, plasma pistol in one hand, power maul in the other. He detected no presences in the room, but he was taking no chances. It was entirely within the realm of possibility that the vastly more powerful and experienced PsyKing could mask his presence.

The central chamber was a large room filled with pumps and fans designed to pull 'fresh' air from the surface of the hive down to the internal levels. The captain shook his head as he looked around at the sodden equipment. "We're already having problems with air quality at the lowhab levels. This couldn't have been more disruptive if it had been a planned strike, by the Emperor."

"It could well have been planned," Prius informed him as the arbites spread out to inspect the room.

The trail was still here, most certainly, and it lead down a corridor exiting to the north. As the arbites inspected the chamber, both Prius and Gix could feel a sudden surge in psyk-energy in the room. Prius whirled and spotted an arbites heading for a piece of machinery, hand extended and motions trancelike. He snapped off a shot with his plasma pistol, missing the man's face by bare inches. The judge paused and Prius yelled to the others. "Back!" he yelled. "Pull him back!"

Another arbites nearby tackled the entranced judge, knocking him to the floor.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 02:04am

Gix let loose a pulse of psychic power, a wave that travelled through the warp and would hopefully reveal and disrupt the PsyKing's workings.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 02:10am

Across the room a half-dozen sigils flared and dissolved. The arbites on the ground shook his head. "Wha..."

Prius walked over, studying the scorched surface of the power trunk where the sigil had been inlaid. "It was a trap of the ruinous powers, designed to lure in the weak of mind."

He glared at the judge on the floor, indicting him with his eyes.

"Good shot, commissar," the captain said, endeavoring to to defuse the tension.

Prius shrugged as he turned away. He'd been aiming for the judge, and was somewhat embarrassed by the fact that he had missed. It was a snap shot made in haste, but that was no justification before the Emperor.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 02:16am

"This cost him time to set up," Gix said. "Time and energy. Continue pursuit. Let's not let him get his breath back."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 02:21am

Prius nodded. "But it's not the fleeing of a mindless animal. He's showing his calculation. We must be vigilant for further traps."

Translation for him being 'Let's send the arbites in first to soak any stray bullets', but he knew that Gix wouldn't take such an expedient approach. So before the inquisitor did his usual foolish 'lead from the front' routine, Prius tried to assume the lead-off position in a politic fashion. "Which way?"

Gix had to survive long enough to bring his powers to bear, that was the prime concern.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 02:28am

There were pluses and minuses on whatever decision was made regarding who lead the way. And right now Gix didn't feel like arguing them with the commissar who had clearly decided that Jolan shouldn't be in front for the good of the mission. Jolan was pretty sure the PsyKing would consider that possibility and a psychic booby trap was easier to spot from the front.

Fuck it. Let the commissar lead. His danger sense was similar to Jolan's own. It might be the best solution. "Lead away commissar."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 02:35am

Prius made his way through the recently drained corridors, pistol and maul at the ready. As he walked, carefully examining and stepping over the debris in his path, he mentally spoke continual prayers to the Emperor, girding his strength for what he hoped would be a climatic confrontation with one of His foes.

The corridors were strewn with filth and debris from the flood. Hive grime from centuries of occupation and haphazard cleaning had been washed along with the torrent and after a time had settled to the floor, coathing it with a thin layer of dark muddish material. Personal effects, debris, and the occasional body had been carried along the path. He carefully cleared the corners, his instincts and psyk-senses guiding him.

Guide me, oh Emperor, to the lair of our foe, that we may dispatch him with your Holy wrath.

The arbites trailed along after Gix, weapons at ready, tension high after the discovery of the booby traps.

After a lengthy walk with no further discoveries, Prius paused to look at Gix. "We're moving up. I would say we're one level below the surface now."

"He's right," the captain concurred.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 02:43am

Jolan responded. "Logical. He created a distraction down at the air pumping station. He doesn't want to anywhere near it when forces converge down there. Everytime he has acted, his first choice has been using others as agents. He'll want to return to society and burrow his way in again. To rearm himself with resources and human pawns for his next scheme. It is also likely that he will lay another ambush ahead. We must continue."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 02:50am

Prius nodded, confused at the Gix's statement that they needed to continue. Of course they would continue. What else would they do?

He realized belatedly that Gix was speaking for the edification of the judges, who perhaps needed such verbal affirmations. For Prius it was a much easier matter to simply view them as organic automatons that went where they were told to go without need for justification, but he had to bear in mind the commissarial training with regards to inspiring the troops. These things were done for a reason, after all.

"At once, inquisitor," he said, turning back to the path.

The pursuit continued down the path, past the floodline. As he cautiously checked a twist in the corridor, he pulled back.

"Target," he subvocalized into his vox. "Elderly male, no obvious weapons. Sitting in the corridor against a wall."

He wasn't getting a danger sense kick from the subject, but he wasn't counting on that...

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 03:00am

Gix incinerated the man with a blast from his plasma pistol. As much as he regretted it, it was the right move. An inquisitor was allowed regret, as long as he did what was necessary. "Continue foreward," he ordered. "We cannot take any chances with this prey."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 03:05am

Well, that settled that. Another mark in Gix's favor. Prius continued past the charred remains, pausing to carefully examine the ashes. There was a flavor here, of power. Gix had definitely made a good call with this one.

"Another trap," he observed, before continuing. He paused as a breeze struck his face, faintly wafting across with the unfiltered scent of the smoggy atmosphere. He turned, pointing to an access hatchway that stood slightly ajar.

"There."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 03:09am

"Trickey. Now is this his real exit point or a sideshow?" Gix consulted the phermone trace. "High probability that he exited through here. Well that settles it." He raised his force rod and sent a shockwave through the warp. A telekinetic push sent a rock bouncing after it. Nothing seemed to happen. Gix turned towards an arbite. "Scout on ahead." God-Emperor forgive me, but if we lose someone, you are one of the least valuable.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 03:15am

Gix just kept impressing him more and more. The arbites exited through the hatch onto the windy surface, the spires casting long shadows over the superstructure of the hive. He looked around nervously, weapon in hand, as mildly acidic mist blew through the air, the humidity levels elevating the humidity to near one hundred percent in the vicinity of the explosion. After a moment, he made the all-clear sign.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-12-26 03:19am

Gix smiled grimley. "Let's go commissar. I would hate for all this ruthlessness to be fruitless."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-12-26 03:26am

He nodded, proceeding out after the arbites, not trusting the judge in his assessment of the environment one bit. The mist stung his bare skin where it found it, a pain he instinctively put aside.

The surface was dizzying, the spires towering above, their daily traffic uninterrupted by the drama that took place at their base. The shells and remnants of a once-thriving surface culture sprawled around them, having faded away back into the underhive by the ever-increasing toxicity of the rain.

It was entirely possible that the underhive had been done a long-term favor by the disaster, if new air filtration systems were installed that cleansed the air down below instead of piping in the mildly toxic soup from above.

He tapped the arbites on the shoulder and nudged him aside, once again taking the lead. Collapsed shanties and scrap rattled in the wind around them as he began leading them through the maze of the tophive.