40K/Inquisitor RPG. The Line of Damnation.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-21 10:56pm

Pater Novum ran down the tunnel, the daemons of chaos hot on his heals. He had been cut off during the second wave, fighting a withdrawl through the tunnels of the hive. When he started Pater had had thirty men with him. Now he was alone.

He turned the corner and continued through the half light. The darkness ahead of him coalesced into rubble. The way ahead was blocked. He might be able to climb up to the level above, but it would take time. Time he didn't have. He turned to fight.

The came around the corner, running tirelessly. They were the Plaguebearers of Nurgle, monstrously rotting humanoids whose single eye was crowned with a great horn. Clasped in their decayed hands were potent blades of rusting decay.

Pater fired. His first burst blew open the leader's chest and he fell. The next few rounds missed but then Pater connected, blowing apart the next one's skull. The third was close enough that Pater was splattered by its filth as he emptied the rest of his clip disintigrating the daemon's torso. Pater dropped his psycannon as the fourth one was upon him.

A surge of telekinetic force knocked it back, but the daemon was unharmed. But smashing it wasn't Pater's intent. His intent was to buy enough time to draw his runestaff and he succeeded.

The daemon lunged. Pater speared it in the chest. White light flashed. The daemon fell, it's body dissolving like the others. Victory. One of a dozen he had won. It wasn't enough.

Pater Novum picked up his psycannon and turned towards the rubble pile. Two guarsmen were looking down at him from the next floor, their weapons pointing at him. Pater held up his rosette. "Take me to your leader."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-21 11:58pm

Varian stirred back to conciousness. He hurt, all over. He opened his eyes and saw a light coloured blur. His vision began to focus and resolve. A masked figure was standing over him. Shining a light into his eyes. Varian batted it away the figure retreated.

The inquisitor swung his legs over the table. He saw the puckered mass of the skin on his arms. He wasn't surprised. He could feel the pain and he remembered the flamer. The medicae babbled off to the side.

"Inquisitor, you've made a quite rapid recovery. The Psi-healer was able to accelerate your healing, but you only came out of surgery an hour ago. While the worst of the remaining damage is cosmetic their is a considerable risk-"

"Of infection and further complications," Varian finished. "I know. The pain?"

"You are still under the influence of pain killers. The damage is largely repairablie-"

"Enough," said Varian. "Internal injuries. Muscle damage. Can I function?" Prius Ristani would have dismissed pain, but he was a commissar trained to lead people down the throat of hell. Varian was an inquisitor and well aware of the power and limitations of pain. It was a factor to be dealt with."

"Normally I would confine you to bed for at least two weeks and then order another round of surgeries, but the psyker seems to have accelerated the healing progress. While I don't recommend it-"

"Can I fight?"

"Yes," the medicae said reluctantly.

"Pain manegment drugs. Mininimum impairement of faculties is a priority. Whatever anti-biotics are necessary to deal with the infection. If I survive, we can talk about future surgeries. Who's in charge?"

"Since the departure of Inquisitors Gix and Talstrem that would be Inquisitor Novum."

"Take me to him immediately."

"Your will."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-22 02:00am

Varian methodically rearmed himself and marched out of the hospital. The spire was crowded with people, being the last refuge of the Imperial forces. The walking wounded were everywhere.

But they weren't alone. A platoon of Adraxian troops double timed it down the corridor. Reinforcements had arrived. They had a chance at least.

A wounded Arbitor lead him through the courthouse and out through the main door. Hundreds of fresh troops were assembling heavy weaponry here. The Adraxians clearly intended to hold all the approaches to the courthouse. The young judge lead his through the assembly area and down a long series of corridors. This couldn't possibly be the way to the command center. Varian prepared for violence.

The corridor emptied out into a larger area, a transit tube hub. Every approach was covered with heavy weapons. Flak board shielding was everywhere and heavier plates reinforced the gun positions. Novum was off to a side with a squad of men. Varian strode towards him.

The inquisitors looked each other over. Pater seemed a little ragged, but still in fighting shape. Varian was a horror. The maimed inquisitor broke the stalemate. "What's going on?"

"Lena came down with Talstrem and Gix. Apparently the asteroid strike worked, but there's a summoning being worked. They took some troops, a few Men of Iron, and Ristani with them. They don't have much of a lead on us. I intend to catch them."

"Where were you?" Varian asked suspiciously.

"Cut off. I had to fight my way back to our lines. Apparently I missed Talstrem's departure by a few minutes. I'm going. What about you?"

Varian considered his options. Military matters were in hand. He could feel something unclean building. The place for a Malleus Inquisitor was clear. "Lead the way."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-22 11:55pm

The two inquisitors moved forward at steady jog. It didn't take them long to reach the remains of the skirmish. The broken bodies of the Pox Brotherhood lay strewn about.

Varian had heard of the prowess of the Men of Iron. Shipboard rumour had reached his ear about Lord Vonrilyental's special force, but they had been kept out of view. Now he saw their work first hand. Some of the heretics had been killed with las bolts and shrapnel, but many more had been killed by less ordinary means. Many bodies bore the mark of bolter wounds, crushed skulls, collapsed rib cages, and other atypical methods of killing. Not a single Imperial had fallen.

Impressive. The Men of Iron must have spearheaded the assault and achieved results that only Sororitas or Astartes would have obtained under normal circumstances. They seemed to be as deadly as the ancient records suggested.

"Well, he's definitely got some Men of Iron with him," said Pater. Varian looked over at him questionly. "I saw their handiwork on Adraxis. This is their work."

Some intuition touched the back of Varian's mind. "Their rearguard is just ahead." He lead Pater towards their comrades and the enigmatic archaeotech warmachines.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-04-23 11:03pm

Nathan stopd and looked behind there group." jolan I think some more 'Lemmings' are headed this way"

"So O Queen of the Lemmings shall we wait for the extra ones to arrive or press onwards to our goal?"

Nathan smirked at Lena as he said that.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-24 03:47pm

Lena didn't reply as the two inquisitors jogged towards them. "I take it you are here to join us?"

Varian nodded. Pater replied, "that's why we are here." Lenal didn't bother asking if they were up for it. They had already made that determination for themselves.

"That way," she pointed. She didn't know how she knew it, but she did. "Let's move."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-25 03:04am

Data poured into the Reaver's subordinates who fearfully confered on how to approach their lord. A viscious blow with monoedged cleaver reduced their numbers by one and established a pecking order. A junior lieutenant was sent to their master.

"Lord," he said nervously, "there have been developments. Enemy strike craft have launched rocket attacks against our strongpoints in the Gap."

The Reaver seemed unnconcerned. "Do any other senior warlords survive?" he said blandly.

"No, lord. They were all slain by the impact. Several other commanders such as The Flayer of Women and the Corpse Burner-"

"Are not capable of challenging me for leadership of the army. What else?"

"The enemy has unleashed new troops at the courthouse spire. At least one hundred Adraxians, probably a thousand. They have stiffened the resistance-"

"Yes, I imagine they would. Transfer troops to positions near the Gap. We will hit the Imperials when they land. And send the Skull Takers to the Cathedral. Victory lies there."

"Forgive me lord, but how many Skull Takers should I send?"

"All of them."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-04-25 09:14am

The advance continued. Thus far, no serious resistance had been encountered. The Iron men had taken care of a few more stray enemies along the way, utilizing their advanced weaponry and inhuman speed with a lethal grace that he still found to be mind-boggling. Watching them in action, he had the almost heretical thought that one of these monstrosities could be a match for a marine such as Yashida, but that was of course ridiculous. Yashida had been a marine, with the Emperor on his side and in his soul, whereas these things were simply soulless machines.

He checked the charge on the meltagun he'd acquired once more as he trudged along. The Adeptus runes engraved along its length comforted him. Soon, he promised the weapon's eager spirit. Soon it would deliver its hellish fire upon the enemies of the Emperor.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-25 07:08pm

Transit junction J-8 was guarded by thirty men. In less than twenty seconds they were dead or dying. The Men of Iron charged in and killed with their bolters, their firsts, and their feet. Adraxians poured las fire, glass rod anti-personal shot, and frag grenades into the enemy. Flamers belched death at any holdouts. Blood, soot, and body parts were scattered over the lift junction. Adraxian wandered about, shooting each body twice in the head.

'We are close, I can feel it," Lena said. Jolan nodded in confirmation. Anyone sufficiently sensitive could feel it. Dread powers were building.

They ascended towards the hive's upper reaches. The first transit cage contained two of the Men of Iron. As the doors swung open, they blasted the heretics point blank with their melta guns, blasting their targets into swirls of ash. As they did so, they unleashed a devestating hail of bolter fire. Men were blown apart by the hail of armour piercing rockets. They charged the enemy with the speed of galloping horse. Their steel fists descended. Helmets were shattered, skulls crushed. The walls were splattered with blood and brains.

The Adraxians lead the inquisitors in after the Men of Iron as the mechanical monsters surveyed the area. They were in a great vault like the one Talstrem and Ristani had fought in not so long ago. But instead of an industrial complex, this one housed the dwellings of the high. Administratium palaces and Munitorium storage facilities lined the broken streets. A modest courthouse fortress lay shattered nearby. The fighting here had been harsh. No building was unscarred by war. At the center lay a magnificent cathedral, its towers broken and its walls stained by soot. Even at this distance it was possible to make out the barricades errected around it. "There," Lena whispered.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-04-25 07:20pm

Almost there.

Prius glanced at the mixed group of troops and growled in a voice made harsh by the smoke and pollutants of the battlefield. "Gird your souls with the strength of the Emperor."

As he spoke, his hands again mechanically checked the meltagun, eyes flicking from the weapon to the inquisitors. They were a ragged lot, wounded in ways both visible and invisible, each of them, but still going. None of them were going to fall just yet. He glanced over the Iron Men, assuring himself that they were still functional as well.

Vonrilyental was in command, by dint of his Emperor-given authority, but Prius Ristani took a deep personal responsibility for the survival of his leaders.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-25 10:28pm

Gruthar Hass stroked his bolter like a lover. He and all of his men had been ordered away from glorious battle to guard this out of the way Imperial shithole. Even the screaming coming from inside of it could not molify his anger. But it was his place to obey.

The Skull Taker looked out from behind the barricade to the corpse strewn streets. The big killer climbed over the barricade and grabbed a body. An Ecclesiarch by the robe. He drew his knife and began to cut.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-04-26 02:49am

Nathan watched the barbrian work.

*OK how do we procede from here? We have one idiot out in the open but shooting him would raise the alarm*

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-04-26 06:15am

"Iron men," he whispered. "Hand to hand. They can be on top of him before he even sees them."

Bitter experience behind those words, from his first encounter with the machines.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-26 06:26am

"Um," said Pater, "he is within ten meters of a whole bunch of his friends. He's entertaining them, for the Emperor's sake. They'll notice. I think I surprise attack should kill more than one of them."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-04-26 06:51am

"Lead off with the Iron Men," he replied. "And we follow. Our only chance to do this is by speed and shock. We don't have time to debate this."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-27 12:45pm

The four Men of Iron sprinted forward towards their target. It took only moments for the Skull Taker's to go from loafing around to full combat readiness. Bursts of bolter fire killed two, hammering their carapace armour until it failed and then punching through and shredding flesh. A wave of retalitory fire poured out.

A lot of it missed the swiftly moving automatons. Rifled slugs, hellgun beams, and bolts fell around them. Craters were vaporized in their armour and chunks were blasted out. None of the damage was serious. A mechanical fist ended the life of the Skull Taker outside the barricade.

The Adraxians and the inquisitors leapfrogged forward, on group moving while the other provided covering fire. Las bolts and grenades bombarded the barricades, but the Skull Takers heavy armour shed most of the fire with only a little damage. Most of it, but not all.

The Men of Iron charged the barricade as the fire around them intensified. Their melta guns blasted a gap in it, their massed volley incidently incinerating three Skull Takers. The heretics fired back at close range. A blast from a plasma gun struck on the Men of Iron directly on its carapace, vaporizing a hole the size of a human head. The war machine dropped like a discarded puppet.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-04-27 04:20pm

The perimeter was breached... Prius knew well what those machines could do close in...

"Move!" he bellowed, jogging forward with his melta-gun at ready. He paused and braced, blasting another gap in the defensive berm and making life very uncomfortable for anyone on the other side of it.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-28 12:18am

Point blank bolter fire hammered the bodies of the Men of Iron. Adamantine edged chainswords bit and chewed. The carapace armour of Skull Takers withstood the blows of their fists and the shells of their bolters, only failing after repeated impacts. The mutants took wounds that should have dropped or killed ordinary men and kept fighting.

More Skull Takers poured in from the other sides of the Cathedral. A few rushed towards the brutal close range melee. The rest fired on the inquisitors and the Adraxians. The Imperials had taken what cover the could as they advanced, but the Skull Takers were good shots and their weapons were potent.

Two Adraxians fell, one with blood streaming from his chest and the other with his leg blown off. Their return fire was fierce and disciplined, but lacked the punch of Skull Takers. But Prius Ristani's squad and another had closed the range. Close enough for their flamers and melta guns. They opened fire. Another chunk of the barricade was blasted open and more Skull Takers fell. The Adraxians behind them advanced.

Pater and Varian husbanded their psychic reserves. They picked off Skull Takers with bolters and plasma weapons. Their troops bracketed them, a bodyguard of seasoned killers. The inquisitors advanced closer to the Cathedral. Only the blunt could not sense the evil gathering within.

As his fellow inquisitors advanced, Jolan Gix hedged back. The Adraxians switched from frag to krak grenades for their launchers as they reacted to the former's poor performance against the Skull Takers armour. An order was barked out over the vox. The Adraxians opened up with a volley from every launcher and a wave of psychicly propelled grenades from Gix. Six Skull Takers fell.

At the rear, guarded by one last squad, were Lena and Nathan. They chaffed at the restriction, but agreed they were too valuable to risked in the frontal assault. Their powers would be needed inside.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-04-28 01:39am

Nathan slid forward watching ,firing when he could get a shot off safely.

"Well Commodore how shall we get inside the chapel? I know I don`t have any breeching charges on me" Nathan droped ,then rolled behind a skull taker ,he twist and cuts the heretic in half at the waist as he stands up.

"And I doubt if our hosts will be accomodating enough to open the doors for us"

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-04-28 01:42am

Lena fired a burst. "I think the melta guns will provide a solution."

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-04-28 01:46am

"Right. Kommisar if you will please make a nice door there so we may give our hosts the Emperors most gracious reguards and rewards for there service"

Nathan squeezed of a few plasma bolts to cover Ristani as he worked.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-04-28 12:07pm

Prius leveled his meltagun and fired again. Heat roiled off the weapon from the regular firing, so hot that his eyebrows smoldered. A Skull Taker closed with him, swinging a chainaxe horizontally, forcing him to leap back. The veteran warrior reversed the swing, coming overhand. Prius sidestepped and darted forward, meltagun swinging up to buttstroke the heretic under his chin. The blow would have killed a human, but the mutant merely staggered backward, dazed, as Prius swifly followed, bringing his weapon around in a blurring streak to lay the barrel alongside his opponent's helmet, the force of the blow throwing him off-balance and stumbling. Still the Skull Taker stood, and as Prius turned back toward him, the bastard raised the chainaxe again, wobbling unsteadily.

Turning his head away, Prius squeezed the trigger again, firing from the hip. The blast of the melta washed over the Skull Taker, incinerating him where he stood. The blast backwashed over him, sizzling as it struck bare skin. He paused for a moment, his immediate vicinity clear, fighting down a wave of pain and dizziness, the side of his head burned badly by the backwash, before triggering his vox.

"Talstrem, Ristani. Received. Advancing as ordered."

He staggered forward, looking for something else to kill.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-05-03 03:19pm

The Men of Iron continued to kill. The mutants were strong, fast, skillful, and heavily armoured. It did not save them. Flesh fell before steel. The three survivng warbots bore the scars of ferocious combat, but they did not fall. And then it happened.

A huge Skull Taker parried a crushing fist with a blade of dark metal. The sword did not shatter. The mutant's guard was not beaten down. Instead the Man of Iron lost its hand at the wrist. The mutant lunged forward. High density steel parted under the unholy edge of his daemon blade. The point came out the back. He twisted the sword in the wound as destructive warp energies ravaged the internal components of the archaeotech war machine. The Man of Iron fell.

The commander of the Skull Takers looked around. The other two Men of Iron were some distance away, butchering his men. But Prius Ristani and his force were close. Very close. "Blood for the Blood God!" he howled.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-05-03 10:02pm

"Men," Prius said calmly, leveling his meltagun. "Shoot that stupid bastard, in the name of Emperor."

He squeezed the trigger.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-05-04 02:52pm

The Skull Taker was tough and well armoured, but against the ravening fury of the melta gun he might as well have been wrapped in paper. Ceremite shattered and blackened, flesh flash burned to ash, and bones were carbonized under the hellish glare. The daemon blade, still clenched in a charred fist, glowed a merry cherry red but was otherwise unharmed.

The squad of Skull Takers that advanced with their leader only lost one member to las fire and another to armour piercing slugs from the shot cannon. The flamer and melta gun was another matter entirely. The last survivor fell less than a half meter in front of Prius Ristani. From the way the bodies were falling all around, his unit was not the only one enjoying success.