Some form of 40K RP- here and now

[Petrosjko]

Okay, looks fine to me. Just one question... I thought the Monodominants were the faction that didn't particularly care for psykers.

[Imperial Overlord]

They don't but that's a generalization of a big group. Commodus Voke has Thorian beliefs and uses Monodominant tactics. How do you classify him?

[Petrosjko]

They don't but that's a generalization of a big group. Commodus Voke has Thorian beliefs and uses Monodominant tactics. How do you classify him?

As my hero, for whom I swoon with ecstasy and wish that he would autograph the countless pictures I have of him on the wall...

[Petrosjko]

Addendum. If you wish to dive in right now, SB, the current meeting is being held on the Ramilies class star fort that orbits Adraxis. Feel free to barge right in.

Or at least have your character wave his rosette at the guards, anyway.

[Imperial Overlord]

Yah, I don't see NL having any problems with your character and he can always insist on a small revision if he feels there needs to be one.

Jump right in.

[Stormbringer]

Okay, looks fine to me. Just one question... I thought the Monodominants were the faction that didn't particularly care for psykers.

As pointed out, there are those that make a few exceptions to the Monodominate creed. And for that matter the Daemonhunters Codex says nothing of them being the required to shun psyker powers. They seem be a bit less hardline than all that.

Voke was all but a monodominat as was Heldane before he became a radical. Same for Osma for that matter.

[Imperial Overlord]

The Monodominant info comes the Inquisitor skirmish game, which goes into great detail about their philosophies. In Xenos, Eisenhorn calls Voke a Thorian who uses Monodominant methods, not a Monodominant. Inquisitors who use psykers are obviously not conformist Monodominants, but it isn't an impossible combination, just an unlikely one.

Being Malleus has nothing to do with being a Monodominant.

[Petrosjko]

Cool 'nuff then.

By all means, enter. We're busy discussing cheerful topics like dropping rocks from orbit and inspiring indiscriminate crusades among the population of a massive hive world.

[Stormbringer]

The Monodominant info comes the Inquisitor skirmish game, which goes into great detail about their philosophies. In Xenos, Eisenhorn calls Voke a Thorian who uses Monodominant methods, not a Monodominant. Inquisitors who use psykers are obviously not conformist Monodominants, but it isn't an impossible combination, just an unlikely one.

Being Malleus has nothing to do with being a Monodominant.

Well, the problem with Eisenhorn's description of Voke is up until that point he knew him solely by reputation. And as we see later, a Thorian he isn't. He's in every regards but his psyker ability a textbook Momodominant. And we do see that there are Monodominants that are psykers.

And I know Mallues doesn't mean Monodominant. I am quite familiar with the stories and fluff. Though now that you bring it up, and it makes sense, that there are very few radicals and a hell of a lot of hardline Monodominants in the Ordo Malleus. After all, it's a Ordo that the difference is as black and white as it comes.

[Imperial Overlord]

I don't recall Voke doinng anything that is inconsistent with Thorian beliefs. What incident are you thinking of?

I know you are quite familiar with 40K fluff and didn't mean to imply that you weren't. I did just reread the Eisenhorn trilogy in the last two weeks so it is fresh on my mind and I was just pointing out a resource that I thought might be useful if you didn't know about it already. I did not mean to patronize you or talk down to you, and I apologize if I appeared to do so.

That being said, philosophies aren't straight jackets. We all agree that you're character can be a Monodominant psyker and that you can jump right in.

[Stormbringer]

I don't recall Voke doinng anything that is inconsistent with Thorian beliefs. What incident are you thinking of?

It's not any specific incident, it's the fact that he's every bit the monodominant. His tactics, his personality, and for that matter his consorts all in line with a strange personal interpertation of monodominance. Hell, even Eisenhorn notes that Voke's one in all but name.

I know you are quite familiar with 40K fluff and didn't mean to imply that you weren't. I did just reread the Eisenhorn trilogy in the last two weeks so it is fresh on my mind and I was just pointing out a resource that I thought might be useful if you didn't know about it already. I did not mean to patronize you or talk down to you, and I apologize if I appeared to do so.

I have re-read them as well (odd, no?). I'm familiar with the passage and the exact implications (and the caveat about him knowing him only through reputation) all imply that Voke is essentially a monodominant. I figure he's basically the equivalent of a gay hardline catholic. Weird as hell but not impossible. For that matter not that impossible since on can create a logical exception.

That being said, philosophies aren't straight jackets. We all agree that you're character can be a Monodominant psyker and that you can jump right in.

Thanks. I plan on it.

[Imperial Overlord]

Thorians is a religious belief that the Emperor manifests himself with things like living saints, invisible guiding hands, and the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath. The Monodominant Philosophy is more of a methodology. From what I can tell one can be a Thorian and a Monodominant. Of course the existence of a benevolent warp power isn't reconcilable with a strict Monodominant approach, but perfectly reconcilable with Commodus Voke's approach.

[Petrosjko]

Okay, quick description drops.

Commissar Prius Ristani is a young man of medium height and build, roughly 5'8, and has the slightest of bulges at the waistline, a pudginess that he has to work devoutly to keep from springing into full-fledged paunch. (He's just got the chubby gene.)

His remaining normal eye is dark brown, almost shading into brown, and on occasions when extenuating circumstances keep him from shaving his head hints of dark stubble peek through on his scalp. He's had some serious replacement work done recently, with a new augmetic arm and leg to show for his valiant brand of fanatical lunacy, as well as a red augmetic eye and earpiece. He wears an immaculate commissarial uniform, with a small death's head medal hanging from the right breast and the insignia of a colonel-commissar. His one nonstandard uniform item is a dark aquila on a gunmetal colored chain around his neck.

Paratin Carnis is an elderly man wearing a uniform that obviously was tailored when he was rather more robust, and it hangs off his spare frame. He's slightly shorter than average, with a full head of white hair and a neatly trimmed beard.

(Think skinny short Dooku.)

His uniform has a reasonably impressive collection of campaign medals and a couple of valor awards (figure the 40K equivalent of a couple of bronze stars and a silver star.)

Rynthis Marselo is a tall, thin man with dark hair that's sprouting shoots of gray, trimmed short. His features are aqualine, and a pair of thin white scars are just barely visible on his forehead. Currently he's wearing respectably fashionable civilian clothing in the local style.

Easier to do it here than to work all the descrips into the exposition.

[Imperial Overlord]

To those of you that care did some more BFG.

Gothic and Dominator class cruisers against Orks. No love with the Nova Cannon and horrible luck with the torpedoes. But the massed gun decks of the Dominator and the Gothic's lance batteries did come through and won one for the Emperor.

Retribution class Battleship against Orks. Another victory for the Emperor. Having to maneuver constantly, Ork frontal armour/shield rating, and the inferior maneuverability of the battleship (compared to a cruiser, and it is worse than it appears on paper), made this one kind of close. The afforementioned factors lead to the massed gun decks not doing very well. The lances came through though. Didn't use a scattering volley of torpedoes and probably should have. Was waiting for a good shot and it didn't come.

[Petrosjko]

To those of you that care did some more BFG.

Gothic and Dominator class cruisers against Orks. No love with the Nova Cannon and horrible luck with the torpedoes. But the massed gun decks of the Dominator and the Gothic's lance batteries did come through and won one for the Emperor.

Retribution class Battleship against Orks. Another victory for the Emperor. Having to maneuver constantly, Ork frontal armour/shield rating, and the inferior maneuverability of the battleship (compared to a cruiser, and it is worse than it appears on paper), made this one kind of close. The afforementioned factors lead to the massed gun decks not doing very well. The lances came through though. Didn't use a scattering volley of torpedoes and probably should have. Was waiting for a good shot and it didn't come.

Keep the table set up. I'll be right over.

[Imperial Overlord]

I love the Dominator. 12 Firepower gun decks with a range of 30cm and a Nova Cannon. And the Gothic is just nasty in combination. The Gothic torps force the enemy to break up, the Dominator tears down the shields and the Gothic rips out the ships guts. Point blank torpedo strikes and Nova Cannon direct hits are also fun.

The Nova Cannon also turns out to be an excellent anti-ordinance weapon. Who cares if yo miss the base with central blast effect by 2cm? The secondary radius kills bombers and assault boats good.

[Petrosjko]

And I glance at my Mekton sourcebooks and ponder the conversion possibilities.

Of course, it would lose some flavor, such as the boarding actions and so on.

[Imperial Overlord]

BTW Petrosjko, you're doing an excellent job of making Prius a dick.

[Petrosjko]

What can I say? It comes naturally.

Gaunt is the exception. Commissars are supposed to be dicks.

[Imperial Overlord]

I know. How about Ciphas Cain (sp?). I haven't read the books. Is he a dick?

[Petrosjko]

Stop whatever you're doing.

Get out of your chair.

Go to the nearest bookstore where they're available.

Buy them.

If necessary, stop and sell blood along the way for the necessary funding. Or prostitute yourself out to love-starved truck drivers. Whichever you prefer.

Cain is a self-serving little weasel, who is quite deliberately NOT a dick because he's well aware of the tendency for dead commissars to have las wounds in the back.

Edit- And the proper spelling is 'Ciaphas'.

[Imperial Overlord]

Well, that's quite a recommendation. What is the order of the books?

[Petrosjko]

Crap, I can't remember the anthology where the first Cain short story appeared, but Stormbringer or NL likely could tell you. It's not necessary reading before getting into the novels, but it does give you the highly hilarious story of Cain's baptism of fire and his introduction to Gunner Jurgen, a very important character in the novels to follow.

Then you have For the Emperor and Caves of Ice. For the Emperor was my fave. Caves of Ice was funny, but I think the author was trying a little too hard to illustrate his 'hero in spite of himself' theme.

They're written as his unpublished memoirs, recovered by an inquisitor he worked with on and off during his career. (Contents promptly restricted to Inquisitorial eyes only, of course) She adds in hilarious little footnotes and commentary on his statements throughout the books.

Cain would have a field day messing with Prius' head, I must assure you. I would get a major kick out of seeing his analysis of of Prius.

It would probably go something like this: "Ristani's eyes burned with what they would have called holy zeal back at the Schola. I made a note to stay as far away from him as I could, because in my experience such commissars tended to be las magnets. However, a few well-chosen words would send him on his merry suicidal way while I absented myself to a much safer environment."

[Imperial Overlord]

I'm going out latter this afternoon. I think I shall add a stop to my trip.

Thanks Petro.

[Petrosjko]

Just sharing the Ciaphas Cain goodness, brother. Enjoy.