40K/Inquisitor RPG. The Line of Damnation.

[The Yosemite Bear]

As a student of warfare I must take offense at your last statement, Judge. the Vetern Sargent spoke.

Actually it's inspired by the slave revolt of Lord Corax in the mining pits, as well as simular "non-conventional" campaigns, over the eons, had I infinate time, or if I was a librarian I could enlighten you on all of them. Just because it's not a set piece battle, does not make it a mishandling of forces, and with the forces available to the adversary, a set piece battle at this time would be disasterous for us.

Now while the Codex set down by Guliman of the Ultramarines, states that humanity is to stand and fight, never to give ground, that is exactly what our enemy expects, a set piece battle, where they can use their sorcery and demons to shred us. however, once an objective is achieved, then the codex no longer requires us to stay. We must decided where the grounds are, and what the objectives are, making the adversary respond to that.

[Imperial Overlord]

The Senior Judge ran his fingers through his hair in an effort to control himself. "This is a hive city, not a mining pit. We have been fighting unconvertional battles, in which we Arbites are expert, here for over a month. When we say your plans are critically flawed, it is not because we afraid to die. It is because we are afraid to fail. No Imperial relief force will arrive with enough strength to save us. We understand. Use us as a decoy if that serves the Emperor. We will not flinch. But your plan as presented is a disaster."

"It is textbook piece on how to fail at hive fighting. We have repeatedly told you we have already gathered the surviving citizenry under our banner and the commissar continues to assume that they are out there to be rallied. The only citizens out their are corpses. The shell is breach.ed We've had three dust storms since then. Do you have any comprehension what happens in a hive when a dust storm breaches the shell?"

The judge whirled on the Marine. "This is not a mine uprising. This is a ruined hive city. If you have a real plan, then share it now. Otherwise, Lord Inquisitor, tell us what you want to accomplish and we will give a plan that will succeed. We have nothing left but our service to Him on Earth. We will not fail at that."

[The Yosemite Bear]

Yashida began speaking, telling the tale of a hive city, daily airstrikes, overwhelming numbers of mechanical superiority, hives reduced to rubble, canabalism, a new commisar being appointed, Assassins dispatched not only to eleimnate targets of the enemy but to kill those who challenged the authority of the commisar, who the freely moving foe, tied up the enemy, for the hammer blow that fell, from the unexpected direction.

The story was repeated from memory, well the version he could tell them at least, Much of the information about the "Siege of Stalingrad" was classified by the Inquisition, and known only to Inquisitors, Senior Sisters of Battle, and of Course Marines who were required to spend lifetimes pondering battles of the past in order to prepare for the enemies of the future. Still hive world for major metropolis, warp storm for the freezing of the river volga, the essense or truth of the campaign could still be retold as a cautionary tale to those not cleared for the full data.

[The Yosemite Bear]

And of course there was the post decimation liberation campaign of the salamanders against the Dark Eldar, though that took place on many different kinds of worlds, hive, jungle, desert, etc.

[Imperial Overlord]

"Congradulations," the judge said caustically. "This is a shelled hive that has been breached. Tanks and airstrikes are almost impossible to use in this hive and we have access to neither in any signifigant number. You've managed to cite irrelevant material. This hive is nearly twenty kilometers in diameter and fifteen hive. There is over a kilometer of underhive levels. The shell has been broken. Toxic ash hurricanes now flay the interior on a weekly basis. The only wide open area is the breach, where you landed. There is more than a kilometer of fortified enemy tunnels to reach the perimeter of their fortress. A column wil be severed."

"The Arbites, on the other hand, have maintained order against riots and insurrections for more than five thousand years. We know how to fight in here. If we had substantial numbers of Astartes, especially Terminators, we could punch right on through. But such an unit would be a spearhead, not a spear. The enemy has millions of troops and a fortified position. A direct assault is throwing away troops."

[Petrosjko]

"Enough," he said simply. "Under the Codex Militant, section 43, subsection 3, the world of Cyrus Gamma has been declared an active war zone. Under the provisions of this section, the consolidated forces of this world, to include but not limited to the Planetary Defense Force, Adeptus Arbites, Ecclesiarch militias, and personal security forces as detailed to members of the local authorities and noble houses are remanded to the command of the senior Imperial Guard officer upon the scene, in this case Lord General Carnis. Pursuant to this, such operations are to be conducted under the supervision and if necessary correction of the Officio Commissariat, authorized agents of which are authorized as per the provisions of the Codex Militant to assume direction of military operations as ajudged necessary by the senior commissar present. Said members of the commissariat are likewise authorized to deliver specified extrajudicial punishment in cases of dereliction, deviation, and disciplinary infraction."

He paused for breath before continuing.

"As requested," a bit of stress on the last word, to emphasize the power of the commissariat- no mere Guardsman gave a commissar orders, no matter how senior. "As requested by Lord General Carnis, I have assumed command of operations within this sector, designated as the Primus Sector for the redemption of Cyrus Gamma. I hereby formally relieve the commander of this garrison, pursuant to the aforementioned statutes."

He speared the Judge with his eyes. "That will clear up the question you had as regard to the legitimacy of my authority."

He reached under his shirt and pulled free the Inquisitorial rosette Nathan had given him.

"Furthermore, this operation is to be conducted in conjunction with such agents of His Most Holy Inquisition as are present, in the persons of Inquisitors Xavier Varian and Pater Novum, who have final authority over all activities to be conducted upon this sector and ultimately upon this planet."

"I will accept your advice, Senior Judge. I will take it under consideration and at my discretion incorporate it into our plans as needed. But if you ever question my authority again, I will kill you where you stand. And if you ever by word or deed... indeed, if I ever even perceive that you are even thinking of not delivering to the offices and personnel of His Most Holy Inquisition the respect that they are to be accorded, I will see to it that you spend the rest of your miserable life strapped to an autorack that I will instruct the Sororitas to construct especially for you. The decisions of Inquisitors Varian and Novum are not for men such as you to judge or comment upon. Do I make myself clear?"

The Judge was a dead man already, of course, but Prius might have a use of him before then. What was it with the arbites in this subsector, that they felt they could flout the powers of the Inquisition so? He made a note to log this occurrence, because two major worlds with such authority issues could not be a coincidence, and it was likely a contributing factor to the current unrest.

[Imperial Overlord]

"Colonel-commissar, your authority is understood," replied the senior judge. "As are the conditions under which to relieve you of it. Adeptus authority is not invalidated by wartime conditions and ours is not limited to military personel. We stand ready to do our duty to the Emperor, but what you propose will fail to even distract the enemy. It throws away all our forces in one roll of the dice without having even the virtue of distracting the enemy's holdings in other cities. Somehow, I doubt the Inquisition was sent here to fail. Command us inquisitor and we will obey. But I tell you know, this course of action will not accomplish your goals. Your military experts are clearly unfamiliar with hive combat, however expert they may be at other forms of war."

[Stormbringer]

"Men, you will put away this squabbling now. All of you, all of it. Even the blessed Astares and the High Lord of Terra are required to listen to the Inquisition and with that in mind you will put this aside."

Sliding quickly from effortlessly menacing to polite and civil Varian continued.

"Judge, your counsel will be appreciated in the planning. No doubt the colonel-comissar will take advantage of our expertise in planning his operation. Consider yourself his senior staff officer."

[Imperial Overlord]

"As you command inquisitor," said Thorve as he bowed. "We only desire the success of the operation and the victory of Him on Earth."

[GeneralTacticus]

For the third time since he had come to Adraxis, Inquisitor Raul Adivan awoke staring at the white-washed roof of a sanitorium. Three times too many. Now, what happened to me this time... oh yes, blinded, left arm shot off, severely burned... I'll beat Prius yet. Well he could see again, so his eyes must have been replaced - again - and-

"Inquisitor, could you please lift your left arm."

Adivan turned his head slightly, and looked over at the source of the voice. A white-coated medicae was standing over him, a dataslate in his hand. With a mental shrug, he did as he'd been asked, and was surprised when his arm actually responded. Evidently they'd replaced that, too. The medicae nodded, and noted something down on the slate.

"Very good. Now, how are you feeling?"

"Just fine. How long have I been here?"

"Six days, sir. It's taken a while to fit you with all the necessary augmetics, and you needed a lot of skin regrown, too. Still, you should be well enough to get up now."

Adivan nodded.

"Good."

The medicae bowed and left Adivan alone to rise and dress. When he left the santiorium, he found Captain Fortis standing at attention in the corridor outside. He nodded at the Guard officer, who fell in beside him as he set off for the Divine Retribution's bridge.

"So, Captain... what's happened in my absence?"

"Well, the invasion's started... Colonel-Commisssar Ristani and Inquisitors Novum and Varian were, last I heard, busy making a huge splash on the surface, trying to make a diversion for something Inquisitor Gix is cooking up. Don't know any details; you'll have to ask Carnis and company."

Adivan nodded.

"I'll do that. Anything else?"

"Not much. Oh... we won the space battle. Crushing victory, I'm told. No big ships lost, all transports safe, enemy ships wiped out... I think the Despoiler is going to have words with whoever was in command on his side."

"Excellent." Adivan changed direction abruptly. "Bring some of your men. I'm taking a shuttle over to the Sword of Glory."

A few minutes later, Adivan's shuttle dockd in one of the cavernous hangar bays of the gigantic Emperor-class battleship. He, Fortis, and a pair of Stormtroopers disembarked and headed for Carnis' command centre.

[Petrosjko]

Leave it to a Judge to squabble over legalities in time of war, he groused mentally. While legal training was another portion of his schooling, he wouldn't care to match a senior member of the Arbites on the finer points of the Imperium's judicial code even on his best day.

Much better to simply spit him on a chainsword, but fortunately Varian was here to resolve the issue.

Nevertheless, the man had marked himself as disobedient and potentially treasonous. The incident would be marked, as would the failings of the Arbites in this subsector. Once the war for the sub-sector was concluded, he felt it very likely that an Inquisitorial inquiry into the organization of the Arbites would be part of the mopping up.

Too far in the future to plan, though he had to get this information to those who had remained behind.

In the meantime... command harmony must be maintained. The political lessons of the Schola did address such issues.

"Senior Judge," he said carefully. "We both desire to serve the Emperor to the best of our ability and to the last breath. Let us put this matter behind us and hear your suggestions as to our next course of action."

[Imperial Overlord]

"Of course, commissar. Destruction of the Emperor's enemies is the highest duty of those who serve Him on Earth." The judge taped a key and a holo display of the hive apeared. It looked like an irregular cone with a large pie slice taken out.

"The breached area is the easiest place to move large amounts of troops and the place where armoured vehicles are at their most effective. But because attackers operating their are exposed to defensive fire from multiple levels, it is also the easiest to defend. The enemy has been using heavy artillery to lessen our advantage, but we have still managed to stop him."

"Elsewhere, the basic hive structure remains intact. Both the enemy's command center and our courthouse retain defensive weapons and void shields, making air assault impractical. Attack forces moving through the hive must contend with the possibility of attacks from above, below, the sides, and the front as well as flanking maneuvers made possible by tunnel junctions. Hive tunnels range from the size of transport tubes to one kilometer diameter hab vaults."

"This form of fighting favours heavily armoured, well trained infantry and was one of the driving factors in the invention of the Mark III iron suit of power armour and the Terminator armour descended from it. Your Sword, the Sororitas, the Astartes, and the Arbites will perform well in such an enviroment. Their is one more, critical factor. The Underhives."

"Lower levels dating from the earliest days, now mostly abandoned. There are tunnels and pathways in those dark places, ones that could take a modest sized strike force to his destination while bypassing most of the enemy's strength. And we have Underhive refugees among our defense militia, as well as Arbites enforces that ventured there."

"Lastly, the enemy outnumbers us at least five to one and possesses many engines of destruction. I recommend avoiding any situation where he can use his superior numbers against us. Fight him in one place and be gone before he can gather his strength and use it to crush us."

[Petrosjko]

He neglected pointing out that utilizing the underhives was a portion of his plan that was neglected as the Judge launched a sally against his designs.

After all, there would be no point in being petty to a dead man. He nodded, augmetic hand unconsciously curling and uncurling with the faint whir of servos. He would have to get that system repaired before going back out into the field.

"Very well. We will begin to pressure them as soon as the soldiers can be mustered. Make no mistake, this will be a contest of endurance and will. The Pox Brotherhood fell because they failed in that regard, lacking as they do the strength and heart of devout followers of Him on Terra. In turn, lacking the numbers to press the assault we must shatter their courage and resolution. We will make them shy of the darkness, and see to it that they fear moving without overwhelming security."

[Imperial Overlord]

The judge gestured at a lower section of the map. "Using the Underhive for a assault route is impossible. No heavy equipment can be moved through there and routes change constantly. Movement time will triple, at the minimum. It can, however, be used to move a small strike force into position. Several Arbites officers are quite familiar with the Underhive and have been running patrols since the heretic attack. They are familiar with some of the changes caused by all the destruction. They are at your disposal, of course."

As the senior judge stepped back, a staff crashed through the holoprojection. The wielder was an elderly ecclesiarch. "Hubris," he announced levely, "is a sin. We here are all servants of Him on Earth. This bickering and bitterness does not serve Him. We all aspire to serve Him well. Everyone here is striving with all their might to serve him and our plans and disputes should merely be those of trying to find the beest path, but they are not. Your speeches and threats reek of blind arrogance, not of true faith and pure service. You are surrounded by friends, not enemies. Kneel in repetance."

The PDF officers and Arbites ackwardly begin to kneel. The Ecclesiarch continued. "Look to the men and women around you. They have all been tried and remain loyal despite the power of the enemy and the encroachment of despair. They are your comrades, dedicated to the Him on Earth. All here are brothers and sisters in service to our glorious Emperor. We all desire His victory and must work together for claim it. Let go of any pride and anger and embrace the purity of faith. Forgive your brothers and sisters any small slights and bond together to bring the Emperors just and terrible vengeance upon those who would seek to bring Him down!"

[Petrosjko]

Quickly, instinctively, Prius dropped to his knees.

Forgive my sins, Oh Emperor. I am but an unworthy tool of your grand design. Please honor me with use in destroying Your foes.

[Imperial Overlord]

Inquisitor Adivan was greated by the massive form of Hethor D'eckor as he and his escort exited the airlock. "Gix is tied up. He'll be with with you shortly. I'm at your disposal in the meantime. General Carnis is expetin' you, but you're the boss."

[Petrosjko]

The hour was late, by shipboard time. Carnis studied the reports. No contact yet from Ristani's force, but enemy forces were bearing down on him like lightning.

The commissar and his people had obviously drawn some attention, all the better.

"Sir! Inquisitor Adivan and escorts!" announced the sentry loudly. Carnis turned, his grave expression lightening a small bit. It was undeniable that without the heroism of Adivan and his associates, they would have lost the ship to the invading terminators. That one man had done so much against such incredible odds was another sign of the Emperor's grace upon them all.

"Inquisitor Adivan," he said politely. "They had told me you would be a while longer in recuperating. It is certainly good to have you back."

Gix's sergeant accompanied the inquisitor. Rynthis had spent some time with the man, during the course of his covert inspection of the troops, and had commented that the sergeant was top-notch. A loss to the Guard, that one, but the Inquisition's gain.

[GeneralTacticus]

"General," Adivan nodded back, "it's good to be back. How goes the war?"

[Stormbringer]

Quickly, instinctively, Prius dropped to his knees.

Forgive my sins, Oh Emperor. I am but an unworthy tool of your grand design. Please honor me with use in destroying Your foes.

Varian simply let the preacher go on for now. He knew where he stood with the Golden Throne and the Inquisition, at least his Ordo, had little truck with Ministorium prayer mumblers. But he also knew that such men held a great sway over the spiritual health of the Imperium, so he waited in a respectful silence for a time.

[Petrosjko]

Carnis glanced around, insuring that all the staffers were safely out of earshot.

"Disturbingly according to plan, inquisitor. Pardon my suspicion of such things. Have you called on inquisitor Gix yet?"

[Imperial Overlord]

The ecclesiarch continued. "While I will leave the business of war to those who are called to it, I will accept the confessions of those who wish to face the enemy purified of sin." The aged man turned and left the room.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Sorry about the delay," said Jolan Gix. "Something came up. False alarm as it turns out, by it couldn't be ignored. Adivan, nice to see you on your feet. Good to see you as well general. Our comrades have been busy on the surface below. Knowing them they are kicking up quite a fuss."

[NecronLord]

System Trader Tiberius Gamar breathed heavily as he jogged through the winding corridors and cramped spaces of the under-hive. The rapport of shotguns sounded up ahead, and he again tried to force his legs, swamped with lactic acid already, to work themselves up and down even faster.

Turning a corner and stooping below a wide steam pipe, he turned, bulky naval pistol in hand, and snapped the trigger back, the closest of his pursuers dropped to his knees, and Tiberius cast the weapon aside – its clip was now empty – and snatched up the wounded man’s lasgun, slinging the weapon over his shoulder.

“This is the last time I ever agree to meet a contact down here,” he muttered, readying the weapon and checking its charge. Sweaty palms slid along the length of the weapon and he tried to take a firmer grip.

With a resounding snap, the lasgun punched a hole in the next black robed lunatic, one of the few remaining deviants on this planet. Tiberius let out a feral hiss, “Die,” he said, and put another hole through the man’s chest.

Shouts from around the dark corner made him think it was time to force his protesting legs into another run. His breath came in ragged jerks and he spun around once more to see a pair of the cultists closing on him. The lasgun snapped repeatedly as he opened fire at random.

“Shit,” he gasped, as he managed to pierce a wide pipe on one of the walls. The hydrogen explosion was a loud rumbling gout of flame and pressurised gas that sent him flying backward. Desperately he tried to roll around on the floor to put out the flames on his elaborate naval uniform.

After a moment, he was at least gratified by the howls of rage from behind the cooling fireball. A lasbolt smashed into the ceiling above him, and he pulled himself up onto all fours in a desperate effort to once more run. He knew it was around here somewhere.

There, at last, was the archaic destination of his quest. A small pict-screen built into an arched gothic recess in the wall. More determined lasfire came from beyond the explosion, and he ducked into the recess, hoping it would provide stout enough cover. Some bastard with an autogun joined in, and Tiberius risked a few lasgun shots around the corner, hoping to keep them down as he tried to type one handed.

Suddenly he yelped as a bullet caught him in the leg, and stabbed the transmit button. The message has been badly typed, but he had little doubt that his contact would be able to make sense of it.

There was a massed whooping cry from the cultists, and they began charging through the cooling corridor, some of them yelping as the heat conducted through their footwear and into their feet.

He shuddered at the reek from the lead figure, a hunched creature in a filth encrusted robe. The lasgun had run dry, and he dropped it, ignoring the fireworks of pain from his leg as he yanked his sabre loose of its scabbard, “Emperor damn you heretic,” he shouted, pulling himself to his feet one handed, brandishing the sabre, to be honest, a touch amateurishly, and glaring at the foul creature that approached. Impetigo stopped, hesitating for a moment, and then turned. A wicked sword was passed to him by one of the cultists, and the cracked lips broke apart into a smile, leaking blood and other less savoury fluids down his chin.

A single swipe of the wile weapon, and Tiberius’ sabre was shattered to fragments. “Take him,” Impetigo ordered, and the cultists surged forward.

----

Aboard the Sword of Glory* Inquisitor Vonrilyental began writing.

Comrades, recently I received a message from a contact in this system I’ve not heard of for some years. I’m sure you’ll find it interesting. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to make contact with the contact, do excuse the repetition, since the message was sent, and the conditions in the area suggest to me that he is either dead or captive now. It would help to act in the near future, but I don’t ask that you drop your own investigations. Here is a copy of the message for you to read as you desire in any case.

Urgent niews plout to raidre beast of abytss at 5 M

I can only assume that this translates into “Urgent news plot to raid beast of abyss at 5M.” The Beast of the Abyss is a reference to a well concealed event on this planet dated 467.M36, in which a heretic cult not unlike the one I believe to be acting here was put down. Obviously that statement is incorrect, and I suspect the true intent to be ‘raise beast’ – 5M, I suspect to be a spacer’s reference to a fifth moon. Unfortunately Cyrus Gamma has no such body, but there is one further out in the system, orbiting the fifth planet.

The moon in question is small and has no significant use. Therefore I am authorising the use of naval bombardment with lances and cyclonic torpedoes to break the moon up. I shall return to Cyrus Gamma within two days when this has been accomplished. Until then, I suggest that you continue as you see fit.

May the Emperor go with you.

In the Name of Him on Earth, and the Most Holy Orders of His Inquisition,
Lord Vonrilyental.

He folded the note and sealed it, passing it to a naval courier, “See that this is delivered to Inquistor Varian or Novum, protect it with your life,” he said, his tone making no bones about the fact that it was an order.

*Metagaming note: If this ship has been blown up, and I’ve missed it, assume he’s gotten another battleship somehow.

[GeneralTacticus]

"Any details? I have, as you know, been out of the loop for a few days, so I'd appreciate knowing what plans have been made so far, and how I might help."

[The Yosemite Bear]

"the movements of the great enemy are difficult to percieve at this time." Shadowseer B'letain S-yth was deeply disturbed beneath her mask

"We sent Cait out, but he has not returned since after the first battle assissting the Mon-keigh."

"Cait mentioned a mon-keigh in particular, one Nathan, one who was previledged to the secrets of the library."

"Find this Nathan, we must know what the great enemy is up to and how we may best fight it!"

"Yes, shadowseer."

[NecronLord]

Aboard the Sword of Glory, Vonrilyental rapped his cane on the floor of the wide nave of the bridge. “Captain!” he ordered, looking up at the man in the command pulpit, “Inform all aboard that wish to leave for the planet to do so now. Begin acceleration toward the fifth moon of the fifth planet. Full burn.”

The captain pointed his rod, a jewelled symbol of authority in this particular sector fleet, toward the Master of the Engines, and then toward the Master of Communications. They needed no further coaxing, and the great windows of the bridge showed the course through the system as the ship began accelerating.

There was no need to wait for passengers to debark, a shuttle could easily out pace the ship’s acclleration and it would be almost an hour before they crossed beyond the point at which a shuttle would be unable to catch the larger vessel. Vonrilyental had read the reports on the pox brotherhood with concern, but there was nothing for him to do on the matter, so far at any rate. The forces already on the ground would have to hold out long enough for him to get back. He was under no illusions about the matter, the dozen astronomical unit trip there and back would take time, but it was essential to act on the information he had available.

What concerned him more was the prospect that the enemy would be aware that they were coming. The Inquistor Lord wondered where Commodore Novadlorian had gotten herself to…