40K/Inquisitor RPG. The Line of Damnation.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-01 09:34pm

Prius looked at Nathan and Shanan. "Where do the men need to be deployed?" he asked. Not being trained naval troopers, they had best be positioned in advance if possible, rather than having to navigate their way through a vessel they still weren't entirely familiar with.

It was an oversight he had not considered and if given the chance would not make again. Next time, they would come to know their transport like the backs of their hands, for just these sort of contingencies.

It was a shame they weren't being called on to assault the enemy vessels. It would be infinitely preferable to bring the sword and hellgun to the enemy's territory.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-01 10:12pm

Commissar Walls approached Ristani. A diagram of the Mars class battlecruiser was desplayed on a side screen. "If you deploy your men at these points, near the outer hull and the weapon and shield systems, they will be in position to counter attack the borders at all likely points."

As he spoke, detection alarms triggered. A surveryor officer shouted excitedly. "Contact, cruiser class moving-it's Hellhound! She's moving perpendicular and trying to close. Distance 90,000 klicks."

Shanan barked. "Bring us about to face Hellhound."

"Another contact. Small craft squadrons! We have a lock on Plague King! She's hanging back in Hellhound's shadow."

"Master of Ordinance, Launch. Have Pilium break of pursuit and move to circle Hellhound on her far side like they're trying for a run on Plague King. Status on the Idolators?"

"Killing velocity and circling widely. They know we have reach."

"Brace yourselves. We are going into the storm. Our enemy thinks he has us, but we have the opportunity to win a great victory for the Emperor. We will not fail."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-01 10:39pm

Good words, fine and inspirational words. Prius locked his faceplate down, triggered his augmetic vox to issue orders to the Sword, and arbitrarily selected one of the primary shielding systems to be graced by his own presence.

Looking at Nathan, his voice now filtered by the helmet speaker, he bowed his head.

"With your permission, Inquisitor Talstrem, I will lead my men into combat."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-01 11:08pm

Along the the flanks of the mighty battlecruiser huge doors opened into space. A squadron of Fury interceptors boosted out, the vanguard of the attack craft. Larger vessels followed, the massive Starhawk bombers with their defense turrets and payload of armour piecing rockets with plasma bomb warheads. Their powerful engines pushed them through the void towards their targets.

Meanwhile on the Plague King a very similar maneuver was taking place. Sleek and deadly Swiftdeaths preceeded the fearsome Dreadclaw assault boats into the void. Each boat contained heavily armoured chaos marauders, all touched by Father Nurgle and lead by one his chosen. They hungered for glory and slaughter.

As the attack craft closed, so did the great leviathans of the void. Pilium squadron slipped away to the starboard of the Divine Retribution. the opposite side from the distant Idolators. They circled as if trying for an attack angle on Plague King.

As they did so Captain Shanon gave orders to his Master Gunner. "Bring the nova cannon t bear on the enemy attack craft."

Salen Vivelvi answered. "The attack craft? As you will captain." Huge banks of logic engines linked to surveyor relays feed processed data to the cogitators and the implants of the Master Gunner. "Alter course point zero seven seven to starboard." The huge ship moved ponderously to bear.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-01 11:23pm

Prius clambered down the ladder to the void shield chamber, nodding to his men.

"Very soon, we will likely be engaging the archenemy. Let us give thanks to the God-Emperor on his Golden Throne for our opportunity to serve His glory once more. Pray with me now. Almighty Emperor, let me not fall before giving death to Your enemies on this day. Let me deliver Your divine retribution upon all who would oppose Your glorious reign over the stars, and let me spend my last drop of blood in striking against those who have blasphemed against Your most gracious glory. It is by the death of Your foes that we bring honor to Your name and Your Throne, amen."

He and the squad made the signs of the aquila before each man began checking his weapons once more, readying themselves for the coming battle.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 12:09am

Adivan stood with his eyes closed. The materium was not his concern. He had to find the right path, the one that was closest to the desired future. He probed and found . . . .there. "Five seconds, Master Gunner."

"Aye Inquisitor," replied Vivelvi over the com. Projections flowed across his cybernetic lenses. Not optimal, but fairly good. He trigged the gun he was linked to. The Retribution shook with the force of the recoil.

A tremendous explosion spread through space as the shell detonated. Plague King's squadrons were obliterated instantly.

"Surveyors indicated all attack craft accounted for Captain."

"Thank you. How long until our second wave is ready, Master of Ordinance?"

"Four minutes, sir."

"Maintain course."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 12:31am

The vessels closed towards killing range. Second waves left both the Divine Retribution and Plague King as the Retribution's first wave closed.

"Status?" demanded Shanan.

"Nova cannon is now reloaded", replied Vivelvi. "Targeting Hellhound, awaiting Inquistor Adivan's word."

"Dorsal Lances now in range of Hellhound. Firing, as per orders."

"Pilium is ready."

"Wing one is nearing commitment point."

"On the Inquistor's mark," commanded Shanan.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 12:35am

Isolated from the bridge, Prius was in the dark like most of the crew as to exactly what was going on. He kept himself occupied by observing the activities of his command squad, and was content with the way they occupied themselves by checking their weapons or prayed quietly.

They were rounding nicely into form, he thought. But the real test was to come, when they engaged something other than the mercenary lackeys of the traitorous merchant houses. He would see their mettle in true combat.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-02 12:42am

Over the Vox net Prius heard Nathan speaking.

"This day let every man do his duty for the Emperor."

Prius saw many troopers part as he came striding forward ,his helment was closed as he strode to Prius.Prius felt an odd disturbance and noted Lillith was present as well her weapons ready.

"Well Commisar, the die is cast all we can do now is wait"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 12:51am

Prius straightened up slightly, nodding to Nathan.

"Patience is the virtue of Humanity, for we have endured and will endure until the end of time under the benevolent rule of the Emperor."

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 01:04am

"Fire," said Adivan.

The ship shuddered again as the nova cannon discharged. The Retribution's dorsal lance turrets massed multiple heavy laser beams at single points and flooded the Hellhound's void shields with enormous amounts of energy.

As the Retribution's weapons came to bear, the Cobras abruptley turned on the Hellhound and charged ahead. As they did so, the fighters and bombers turned towards Hellhound and burned towards it.

The noval cannon shell exploded two thousand klicks behind the Hellhound. It's void shields struggled to handle the explosion as the Divine Retribution's lances burned into it.

Pilium's guns tore into Hellhound. The gun's were puny by the standards of the cruisers, but Hellhound's void shields were already nearing overload. And then they crossed the invisible threshhold created by velocity and distnace and fired torpedoes.

Eight great missles flashed into the void, heading towards Hellhound. The Divine Retribution's heavy beams touched armour and burned through as the Cobra's punched several holes in Hellhound's hull. As Hellhound shook from the impacts, Retribution's fighters closed and struck.

The Furies lead the way, covering the Starhawk's approach. Turrets mounting lascannons, autocannons, plasma cannons, and krak missle launchers tore at the small craft. The Furies lascannons and missle batteries responded as did the gun batteries on the bombers. A few turrets fell silent and more than a few attack craft were destroyed.

More than enough Starhawk's survived. Missles were fired from less than thirty kilometers away. Many smashed into the hull and detonated and inflicted negligable damage. Some managed to tear into the hull and their plasma bomb contents detonated. They ravaged the port side of the Hellhound, killing more than five hundred people instantly. As the ship bled, the torpedoes struck.

The defensive turrets had been occupied with that attack craft, allowing the torpedoes an almost challenged run. Three struck deeply into Hellhound's hull and detonating.

The mighty chaos ship shuddered. Shields, turrets, weapon bays, and engines were all damaged. Vast areas of the ship were either burning or exposed to vacuum. Hellhound was not dead yet, but a second wave of Starhawks was on its way to finish the job.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-02 01:06am

Nathan looked at the aseembled troops " Drive the unease Sister Lillith creates from you warriors, for we stand ready to engage the Empires oldest enemy .She has her duty as we have ours look to your officers and Commisars for guidance and leadership. Remeber the lessons you learned as humble whiteshields and yuou will pass through the tempest to come."

"Not all will arrive safelty on the other side but sacrifice is required to defeat our enemies as it has always been so do not trouble your heart with that knowledge. For those tha die in the Emperors are taken to be with him and eat at his table"

"Alay your fears face your foe for though we die here today our sacrifice will allow the Empire to survive"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 01:12am

Prius made the sign of the aquila. "The Emperor's Sword is equal to the task, Inquisitor."

They'd better be, or he'd kill every damn last one of them, if he had to rise from the grave to do it.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 01:26am

As the Divine Retribution closed with Plague King, its fighters rushed toward the hulk of the Hellhound. Pilium squadron turned away from the dying ship and accelerated towards Plague King, ready to make more kills. The Idolators rushed foreward, needing to make a kill.

Everything was decided in a few minutes. Plague King's prow batteries tore Darter apart. As the destroyer died, its squadron mates retaliated with another volley of torpedoes. Two struck and opened holes in Plague King's armour.

As they did, the Divine Retribution turned slightly to starboard, bringing its port batteries and dorsal lances to bear on the Rend. Plasma casters, lasers, macrocannons, rail guns, and fusion beams joined the huge laser turrets in tearing through the Idolators shields and blowing through the craft. In a flash of plasma reactor detonation, it was gone.

As an end note, the attack craft went to work. Hellhound was too wounded to put up more than a feeble defence and was blown in two pieces by the Starhawk bombers. As they did, Plague King's assault waves were winnoed by the Retribution's turrets. The survivors latched onto the battlecruiser's hull.

Phase field generators opened passages through solid matter. Blooded chaos marauders stepped through, bringing with them the stentch of Nurgle. All were heavily armoured and all bore the aweful mark of Nurgle's touch. Half of them carried terrible chainswords, eviscerators, chain axes, power mauls, and similar implements of close range murder. The other half had boltguns, shotguns, flamers, autoguns, and even the rare plasma gun. The most terrible of all were the bodyguards of the Chaos champions who commanded them. Now was the time to storm through the ship, to place the charges that would cripple it, and to seize it for their own.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 01:39am

The age old cry came across the ship's speakers. "Repel boarders!"

Prius' eyes lit up with a savage glee as he lifted his chainsword. "For the Emperor!"

"For the Emperor!" the command squad called back.

Over the command line vox the report came down. Two hundred meters toward the bow. Prius waved for the others to follow. They would meet the foe head on and drive them from the decks of His most holy warship.

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 01:44am

A wave of unspeakable stench was the raider's vanguard. A party of ship's crew were shot, sliced, and mangled while inflicting almost no casualties. The terrible warrior continued on their way towards the Divine Retribution's launch bays and the stores of fuel and arnament present there.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 01:49am

Prius waved the troopers into a defensible position along a multi-jointed corridor. He could sense and count the presence of the approaching warriors, and activated his chainsword.

"Grenades up," he ordered over the vox, gesturing toward the corridor. "On my mark."

He waited for the approaching boarders to close in a little further...

"NOW!"

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 02:01am

Against less heavily armoured targets, the grenades would have been devestating. As it was the volley still took it's toll from the attackers, but it was not a heavy one. The chaos marauders seemed insensitive to pain and contemptous of injury. They counter attacked immediately.

Imperial las guns struck them. Most of them kept coming, protected by their armour or animated by an unhealthy vigor. Bolts, bullets, and gouts of flame were fired back at the Imperials as the howling shock troops closed.

As the life and death struggle being carried out within the hull raged on, the one outside was nearing its climax. Gun batteries came to bear on Rend as the Divine Retribution closed with Plague King.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 02:09am

Prius saw the nozzle of the flamer coming on target and bellowed a warning across the vox as he dived to the side.

"Flamer!"

A hellish blast of promethium blasted down the hallway, incinterating one of his squad members who responded too slowly. Countering fire from their hellguns cracked out, but the flamer had done its job, suppressing fire enough for the invaders to close the range and engage hand to hand...

The cadets and other defenders lifted their chainswords and met the onrushing heretics in a clash of weapons, armor, and oaths to their respective masters...

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-02 02:13am

Nathan impaled a marauder then telekinetically shoved two more back into there fellows.

"For the Emperor"

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 02:18am

Prius engaged a warrior chainsword to chainsword, his filters mercifully protecting him from the horrid odor. Their blades clashed in a sparking grind of teeth. In sheer strength the warrior had him overwhelmed, but Prius was an excellent chainsword duelist. He reversed directions on the sawing blade as it was forced back toward him, bucking his opponents blade away for a second, allowing him to slash and sever his opponent's arm at the forearm. He pivoted, bringing his blade back up to intercept a vicious slash toward his head.

The blades locked again, the Nurgle-worshipper undeterred by his maiming. The heretic then did the unexpected, thrusting the stump at Prius' face, splashing foul blood across his faceplate...

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2005-01-02 02:26am

Nathan shot the marauder trying to infect Prius with a plasma pistol, nothing like fire to destroy disease. > He led several cadets in a counter charge ,using his TK to force the warriors back as more guard came up and caught the lead group in a nasty crossfire.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 02:31am

The near-passage of the plasma bolt baked the blood onto his faceplate. He fought down a surge of panic.

You know where they are...

He lifted his blade, deflecting another strike. Whirling, he ducked low to swing the sword at waist level, cutting into the stomach of another heretic. A random shot blasted into his armor at waist level, most of the force absorbed by the armor. He lunged forward striking with his sword in a thrust that was most certainly not taught to him at the Schola, and impaled the shooter. Around him the combat whirled unabated...

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2005-01-02 02:34am

The marauders were hardened warrior chosen to lead the most prestigious and dangerous mission. They were all experienced murderers who had seen many battles and were well equipped for close quarters fighting.

Against them were arrayed the creme of the crop, the best of the Schola's cadets lead by augmented killer who had faced marines and won. Chain weapons on both sides whirled as mutants clashed with cadets. A dread weight crashed down on the cadets as death swung his scythe.

They held. They killed with las and chainsword. They held.hey died as the deadly mutants hacked them down. They held. The met unspeakable determination with ferocity and faith. They held. They would not fail Prius Ristani and they fell in place, one by one. All the bodies faced the enemy.

And then Nathan's forces attacked. Nathan's deadly accuracy fell several and his telekinetic powers smashed aside their ranks. Guard troopers poured las fire on the heavily armoured invaders. Several fell and Ristani's troops were given a moment they could us as flamers and bolt gun's chattered back at Nathan's men.

Ristani himself was a victim of his own success. The unnatural vitality of the marauder and his plague given indifference to pain. He pulled himself up the sword, a pus encrusted knife in his hand.

"Hold our course," ordered Shanan. "All surveyor stations, assist targeting."

The Divine Retribution cruised ahead, it's guns tracking its targets. Off port side was Tear, closing to bring its batteries and lances to bear. Off starboard was Plague King, her guts ravaged by fire from Pilium's torpedo strike. Several of Plague King's void shield generators had failed, several others had lost power.

Tear died in agony. The Retribution's batteries tore it to pieces with deadly accurate fire. Lances and batteries lashed out at Plague King and burned through weakened shields. Volley after volley tore the void shields down and tore holes in Plague King's side.

But Retribution did not escape unscathed. Her own void shields failed under unrelenting pressure and Plague King's lances burned a crater into the Divine Retribution's side. Almost three hundred men died instantly.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-01-02 02:44am

Prius sensed the danger coming and jerked his head back, saving his life as the knife jammed into his faceplate but didn't penetrate far enough to reach his head. However, at that moment his opponent twisted, jerking the chainsword from his grip.

Prius danced away, quickly reaching up to break the seals and pull his helmet free, tossing it and the dagger away.

Across from him the marauder laughed as he ripped the chainsword from his stomach and threw it aside.

"You... and me..." he snarled, his mouth filled with rotting, misshapen teeth.

"You and me," Prius growled back, raising his hands. He lashed out with his augmetic arm, using it as a club. The chaos warrior didn't bother dodging, expecting mere flesh and blood behind the armor. Instead, the impact rang up Prius' arm as the blow bounced off the warrior's head. Snarling, the marauder lunged forward, tackling him around the waist.

They went down in a flurry, as Prius rained blows with his real and artificial arms on the marauder's head. As they slammed into the deck, the marauder seized Prius' throat. Prius grabbed his wrist with the augmetic, applying full pressure to shatter the joint. Holding it clamped in his artificial hand, he dragged it aside and pounded a palm-strike into the chaos warrior's chin...

They rolled on the floor, locked in mortal combat.