Between the Darkness/Session 19

tylorva: Ok. So initiative order is : Mercution, Cult Leader, Clavis, Atella, Horatio, other cultists. Mercution and the cult leader have already acted, so it is Clavis's turn.

dakkareth: ((So there's no obvious results of the leaders sorcery ?))

tylorva: (( Nope. You just saw him chanting and swallowing a stub bullet. Nothing obvious seems to happen. ))

tylorva: A shudder goes through everyone at the mention of one of the Ruinous Powers, and lights flicker in front of your eyes for a moment. But you are all able to shake it off and focus on the task at hand.

dakkareth: "Witch," Clavis hisses, with fear and disgust both. She draws the gun like she practiced, makes sure her grip is sure, and with narrowed eyes aims at the witch-priest.

dakkareth: ((draw weapon, aim))

tylorva: As Clavis aims her gun at him, the cultist laughs. "We're all witches, aren't we? You and I anyway. You're just shackled by the chains of the Imperium. throw them off and discover how free you can truly be."

Atella: fires off a shotgun blast at the laughing cultist

Fatespinner: Atella rolled a 33 on a d100 for 0 degrees of success.

dakkareth: "Not true." Clavis grits her teeth against the man's laugh. "You're a slave to wicked daemons and their unholy designs. Speak not of shackles - only in service to Him on Earth can any human truly be free."

tylorva: Atella's shot seem to be on target but there is a sudden flash and the bitter sulphurous stench of the warp around the cackling cultist. As the flash dies away, the shotgun shell falls to the floor in front of him, leaving him unharmed.

Atella: ...

Atella: "I have a bad feeling about this"

dakkareth: ((Is that enough information to make a deduction about the sort of power he used, IC?))

tylorva: (( You would guess he cast some kind of shield spell. ))

tylorva: Horatio howls a battle cry and charges towards Mercution, ready to clobber the man with his shockmaul. "You're just jealous! Everyone knows you wanted to be leader! But you left!"

dakkareth: Clavis continues to aim at the so-called 'man'. "If guns don't work, try something else. There is no such thing as invulnerability."

tylorva: (( Mercution takes 17 impact + shock ))

tylorva: (( Body hit - he has 3ap and 3 TB, so that's 11 damage ))

tylorva: (( He takes two critical impact to the chest ))

tylorva: Horatio strikes Mercution straight in the chest, causing Mercution to stagger back and lose breath. There is a crackle from the shockmaul, but the shock effect doesn't seem to take hold.

tylorva: The psyker cultist seems to call upon the warp.

tylorva: Clavis feels a gathering of force, which the cultist launches towards her. It misses.

dakkareth: "That one is a witch, too," Clavis belatedly warns the others.

Atella: grits her teeth "thanks. this just gets better and better"

tylorva: The third cultist fires a short burst of lasbolts at Atella with his lasgun.

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 7 on a d100 for 5 degrees of success.

tylorva: (( The dice roller likes me today. ;) ))

tylorva: (( Wanna dodge? ))

Atella: (yes please =p)

tylorva: (( 4, 10 and 12 damage respectively ))

tylorva: (( Body body arm ))

Atella: (5 AP armor)

Atella: (3 wounds left, indeed)

tylorva: Sand cowers behind Atella. "Get this collar off me! I can help!" he yells. Meanwhile, from behind comes the sound of shouting and movement as the gangers and cultists in the main room come to see what is happening.

tylorva: (( They will arrive at the end of the next round. ))

dakkareth: "Atella! Are you alright?"

Atella: reels and bends over in pain

Atella: "I... gnnn... 'm going to... need some serious... time off..."

dakkareth: "Don't worry. The Emperor protects."

tylorva: Mercution gasps for breath but manages to maintain his compure enough to twist his body around so that he can fight off Horatio's attacks, whilst geeting a view of the gangers approaching the doorway. "Cleaners!" he yells, managing to draw breath into his lungs at last. "Look what he has brought upon you. Our gang came together to fight the darkness, not to embrace it! ...

tylorva: "The Inquisition comes looking for these cultists who have turned their backs on the emperor. Are you going to let them drag you down as well? Join me and fight!"

tylorva: (( Fel roll ))

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 21 on a d100 for 2 degrees of success.

tylorva: (( Results coming at the end of the round. :) ))

Atella: "He's... not doing a very good job at the moment"

tylorva: The sorcerer raises his hands and calls upon Tzeentch once more.

tylorva: Lightning crackles about his hands, a manifestation of the warp in its rawest form. With a howl, he unleashes the lightning, bolts shooting at each of the four of you.

Clavis_Morden: stands firm against the lightning, no matter how terrifying its source. "Imperator Dominus!"

Clavis_Morden: Clavis' voice shakes, but the plea for intercession seems to be answered. For the three of them who aren't sinners like Sand, that is.

Clavis_Morden: "How about now?"

tylorva: Mercution dives aside as the bolt of warp lightning slams the wall just behind where he had just been. leaving a scorch mark and the stench of burning decay. Sand isn't so lucky, and the bolt hits him squarely in the chest, kocking him backwards. "Owwwww...." he moans. But he seems unharmed.

Clavis_Morden: Following the priest with her aim Clavis squeezes the trigger to send a bolt of lasfire toward him. "Let's see how you like this," she whispers.

Clavis_Morden: Then, since he has apparently seen through her shielding technique anyway, she lets the White Noise drop and in silent focus draws up her will to pit sanctioned training against the sorcerer's unholy craft.

Clavis_Morden: ((shoot, then try to manifest a power))

Fatespinner: Clavis_Morden rolled a 17 on a d100 for 3 degrees of success.

Clavis_Morden: ((11 Energy damage, unless he dodges))

Clavis_Morden: ((manifesting Precision Telekinesis is successful due to preparation (see last session) ))

tylorva: The sorcerer tries to step aside, but he is too slow. The laspistol shot goes straight through whatever unholy shield he has drawn around himself, and he cries out in surprised pain.

Atella: tries to take advantage of the sorcerer's distraction and fires off a blast at him

tylorva: His shield flashes again and another shell drops to the ground harmlessly.

Atella: "that's just unfair"

Clavis_Morden: "Use fire! Or your shockmaul!"

Atella: grits her teeth

Atella: "right, thank you..."

tylorva: Horatio glares at Mercution as he makes his speech. Then he speaks up himself. "Ignore the traitor, Cleaners!" he yells. "He left us, abandoned us to join with the enemy, the Inquisition who have been hunting us down. He's led them straight to our door! Are you going to listen to him now?"

tylorva: (( Oppose Fel against Mercutions earlier roll: ))

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 22 on a d100 for 2 degrees of success.

tylorva: (( Equals... ))

Clavis_Morden: "The Emperor is on our side," Clavis cries, then points towards the hideous altar. "See what's on theirs!"

Clavis_Morden: ((no action left for this round, so I can't formally Aid Another - but I can still try ;) ))

tylorva: The other psyker gasps as his master is injured by Clavis's laspistol. He summons his energy and slams it roughly against Clavis, trying to knock her to the floor.

tylorva: (( His WP vs your strength: ))

Clavis_Morden: ((heh, oops :p))

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 86 on a d100 for 3 degrees of failure.

tylorva: The blast of energy dissipates ineffectively around Clavis.

tylorva: Meanwhile, the other cultist also leaps to the defence of his master and fires a burst with his lasgun at Clavis.

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 1 on a d100 for 5 degrees of success.

tylorva: (( This guy is the only one being effective. ))

Clavis_Morden: throws herself sideways to escape the lasfire

tylorva: (( Yeah forget sorcery and psychic powers. Who needs them when a good old-fashioned lasgun does it all for you? ))

Clavis_Morden: ((FP))

Fatespinner: Clavis_Morden rolled a 10 on a d100 for 2 degrees of success.

Clavis_Morden: ((fully automatic fire is scary))

tylorva: (( This is just semi-auto. ;) ))

tylorva: (( But you managed to dodge all three. ))

tylorva: Sand gives up yelling that he can help and settles for cowering in the corner where the lightning had knocked him, wrapping his arms over his head and whimpering. Fettered by the collar round his neck, he is helpless.

Clavis_Morden: Clavis, surprised to be still alive much less unhurt, laughs brightly. "Did I not tell you, heretics, that the Emperor protects the righteous?"

tylorva: Meanwhile, the gangers and cultists reach the door, but they pause, looking in confusion between Mercution and Horatio, clearly still deciding which one to support.

Clavis_Morden: ((well, in all this ruckus Clavis will hardly have time to trigger the collar, but I guess he might not want to take the chance))

tylorva: Mercution takes Clavis's cue. "And we are the righteous, Cleaners. We are the Emperor's chosen and we stand against this heresy!"

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 81 on a d100 for 3 degrees of failure.

tylorva: (( Want him to use his last FP on that? Or save it? ))

Clavis_Morden: ((but for the re-roll. I say yes, FP. If this doesn't work we're in a world of (even more) hurt.))

Clavis_Morden: ((and remember Peer: Underworld

tylorva: (( Ok. ))

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 73 on a d100 for 2 degrees of failure.

tylorva: (( That should have been 53. But still a fail. :( ))

tylorva: (( We'll see how Horatio gets on during his turn. ))

Clavis_Morden: ((we could give him a +20 at most with Aid Other))

tylorva: The chaos sorcerer is clutching his chest in pain where Clavis had shot him. He turns and affixes Clavis with a glare. "Pitiful slave of the corpse, you deny your power and resort to primitive weapons to kill me? Face me like the witch you truly are." And he dips his hand into a bowl on the altar then flicks something warm and liquid-ish at Clavis - blood. The red dots splatter against you.

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled [2, 9, 3, 7] for a total of 21

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled [10] for a total of 10

Clavis_Morden: ((can I try to dodge?))

tylorva: (( No, it's not dodgeable. Make me a WP -30 test ))

Fatespinner: Clavis_Morden rolled a 21 on a d100 for 2 degrees of success.

tylorva: Horrific images of darkness and despair cross into your mind, visions of the warp, images of horror that makes even the black ships seem rosy. You feel yourself becoming transfixed, rendered helpless by the thoughts and feelings - but you are stronger and you fight back, breaking through the horror to focus once more on what's happening.

tylorva: Meanwhile, the mirror behind the altar starts to ripple and distort.

tylorva: (( Clavis turn - you managed to resist his power and can act normally. ))

Clavis_Morden: grits her teeth, muttering litanies of protection. She has been tested, she has gone through the trials, she has been proven pure and strong. The priest's dark power can not defeat her.

Clavis_Morden: Gasping for air as she returns from the horrific place he tried to sent her Clavis turns to the gangers, using her staff to point at the sorcerer-priest in the strange feathered dress. "Is *that* who you would have for your master? A witch performing unholy rituals within your homes? Throw off the chains he has fashioned for you, with which he has bound Horatio. Join us in *cleansing* this place!"

Clavis_Morden: ((Aid Other to support Mercution's address))

tylorva: (( Ok. :) ))

tylorva: (( Atella? ))

Atella: nods. "You know why the inquisition was down here? For *them*. They're the source of all your trouble... and Horatio, that brought them into the bosom of your group."

Atella: (how's that? =p)

tylorva: (( That works. Mercution's roll is now a straight success (but no DoS). Horatio's turn. ))

tylorva: Horatio glares at his people. "The Inquisition seek to destroy us! They'll have us all in chains, packed off to the nearest penal colony in no time! We are not slaves! Fight back against these traitors, for we make our own destiny now!"

Fatespinner: tylorva rolled a 47 on a d100 for 1 degrees of success.

tylorva: (( He wins by 1 ))

Clavis_Morden: ((Damn!))

Atella: (well crap)

tylorva: (( Give me awareness rolls. ))

Fatespinner: Atella rolled a 96 on a d100 for 6 degrees of failure.

Fatespinner: Clavis_Morden rolled a 75 on a d100 for 2 degrees of failure.

Clavis_Morden: ((...))

tylorva: There is a rattle of guns being prepped and aimed from the doorway, all now pointing towards you all. Horatio grins. "Well, looks like it's settled eh?" he says. The chaos sorcerer laughs in the meantime. "Take them alive. They have much to learn. He tips his head slightly. "I suggest you surrender quietly. You wouldn't want the cleaners to waste ammo." ...

tylorva: Sand seems to be peering at something in the doorway, and Mercution turns to look at what he has seen. He then leans over and whispers. "Look at Purple." In the doorway behind the gangers is Purple, who seems to be making gestures. "She says go quietly, she'll help."

Atella: freezes and growls

Clavis_Morden: looks around, feeling strangely calm. Is this it, the end?

Clavis_Morden: ((so, how many guns are pointed at us?))

tylorva: (( About half a dozen from the archway, with more behind, plus the sorcerer, the two cultists and Horatio. ))

Atella: grinds her teeth and fidgets

tylorva: Mercution grips his gun. "Your call..." he whispers to the other two.

Atella: trembles

Atella: moves haltingly, dropping her weapons

Atella: (yeah, not going to die in a hail of bullets)

Clavis_Morden: Clavis feels the weight of the gun in her hand. Sooner or later everyone dies, master Ravion had said, the question is how you face your death.

Clavis_Morden: Is this what he meant? He also said "the only true fear is dying with your duty undone". So what is the right path? To one side Atella drops her weapons. To the other Mercution is still undecided.

Clavis_Morden: Better not leave her duty undone, she decides after a long moment. Inquisitor Vika Shaeye might find a way to punish her even at the feet of the Emperor. Slowly and carefully Clavis switches the safety and puts the laspistol on the ground.

Clavis_Morden: Silently she waits what the servants of the Archenemy will do with them, using the time to steel her mind against the trials sure to follow.

Atella: (next time, we stick to the "let's get them on our side first" plan =p)

tylorva: (( *giggles* Totally came down to the dice rolls. If the dice had gone your way, this would have turned out very differently. :) ))

Atella: (having all those shiny guns on our side from the start would have made it a lot easier too ;)

tylorva: (( This is true. But it would also have given the cultists more time to prepare. ))

Clavis_Morden: ((Well, that *was* the plan until Mercution started shooting ... and we didn't plan for that mind reading business))

tylorva: (( You did surprise them! ))

Atella: (yay for us =p)

Clavis_Morden: ((Should have focused on Horatio rather than the sorcerer. With him gone this would have been much easier.))

Atella: (true)

Fatespinner: Clavis_Morden rolled a 62 on a d100 for 2 degrees of success.

Clavis_Morden: ((using Protective Invocation to help shield her mind))

tylorva: Mercution follows, reluctantly putting his guns and knives on the floor. Sand just whimpers - he doesn't have any weapons to drop. Horatio gives a loud vulgar laugh. "Not so tough now." The chaos sorcerer meanwhile just smiles. "Very wise," he says. "Take them." And you are all promptly jumped upon and separated.

Separated from each other: Atella

tylorva: You are hauled off into a small room that seems to have been set up as some kind of interrogation chamber. You are stripped of your armour and possession quite swiftly. A wooden chair with straps is in the middle of the room and you are forced down into it and strapped down, then left along for a while.

• • • Atella fumes in silence

tylorva: After a while, the door opens and an older-looking man in a plain black robe enters the room. He is burly and bearded and gives a cheerful smile. "Hello," he says.

Atella: "Hello. I'd give you a hand, but..."

• • • Atella moves her hand against the restraints

tylorva: "Protection, I'm sure you understand." he waves his hand dismissively.

Atella: "I'm not dangerous."

tylorva: "Of course you're not. But I am."

Atella: "Shouldn't... you be in the chair then?"

• • • Atella tries to shrug

Atella: "just saying"

tylorva: He chuckles. "No, i don't think so." He pulls up a chair and sits down in front of you. "My name is Calyn Raxus," he says. "You are?

Atella: "Tired, pissed off, beat up, tied to a chair"

Atella: "You can call me Atella though"

tylorva: He chuckles again. "Glad to see you are keeping your humour up. What are you doing here, Atella? Down here in the Underhive I mean. You don't exactly belong here, do you?"

Atella: "Getting out from under a death sentence, you?"

• • • Atella looks around

Atella: "though this place seems to be just as deadly"

tylorva: "Oh, it's worse. I'm not from here originally, but I've been down here long enough to learn the ins and outs. You're an arbitrator?"

• • • Atella looks down at herself

Atella: "is it written on my forehead or something?"

tylorva: "No, but the armour was a giveaway. Nonetheless, you could have stolen it."

• • • Atella shrugs again

tylorva: "Why did you come here, Atella?"

Atella: "Told you."

tylorva: "No you didn't."

Atella: "Trying to get out of a death sentence."

tylorva: "That's a motivation. It's not a reason."

Atella: "Oh. I was sent to find someone. Of course, that someone isn't even here."

tylorva: "Who?"

Atella: "I don't know his real name."

tylorva: "Then what name do you have?"

• • • Atella sighs

Atella: "Kirian or something"

Atella: "I really have nothing against the rest of you guys."

tylorva: He seems to recognise the name and raises a bushy eyebrow. "And what is Vika Shaeye's interest in Kirian?"

• • • Atella barks a laugh

Atella: "You really think I've been told anything useful?"

Atella: "I got a choice between 'die now' or 'find this guy'"

tylorva: "Yes. I think you were."

• • • Atella shrugs

Atella: "Well, you think wrong."

Atella: "No offense."

tylorva: He gives another friendly chuckle. "Well, if you really are of no use, i suppose I'll have to kill you now." He reaches into his robes for some kind of weapon.

Atella: "Really, I know how this works. I know how irritating it can be when they don't tell you the truth, so trust me when I say I am."

tylorva: "Oh I believe you. That's the problem. Any last words?"

Atella: "You could just let me go, you know. I don't even want to be here. I don't care what you do down here."

tylorva: "I could. But that would be very foolish of me."

Atella: "Really? How so?"

tylorva: "Because I am intelligent enough to simply kill useless prisoners. And so far you seem particularly useless."

Atella: "Hey, that's hurtful. It's not because I don't know some little piece of information that I'm useless"

tylorva: "Then what use are you?"

• • • Atella shrugs

Atella: "What do you need done?"

tylorva: "Well for a start I need Reinhardt taken care of. But I'm hardly going to entrust that to you, am I?"

Atella: "... yeah, no."

Atella: "You know Reinhardt?"

tylorva: He ignores the question. "So tell me. What use are you? Why shouldn't I kill you here?" He draws a particularly vicious-looking knife from his robe - it has serrated edges and a carved handle that just looks wrong somehow.

• • • Atella shrugs again

Atella: "Because I'm funny?"

• • • Atella tries not to look at the knife

tylorva: "In your dreams maybe."

Atella: "You could use me as muscle?"

tylorva: "I have a whole gang of muscle, that are reliably loyal."

• • • Atella thinks

• • • Atella sighs

• • • Atella hesitates

Atella: "Anyone you want fucked?"

tylorva: He raises an eyebrow again. "That's the best you can offer?" He snorts derisevely.

Atella: "Oh hey, now you're hurting my feelings again."

Atella: "You could just send me back to Vika?"

tylorva: "Sure. In pieces. That would send a very useful message, would it not?"

Atella: "I don't know. Not very useful."

Atella: "Easy to misunderstand too."

Atella: "Ambiguous even."

tylorva: "Oh, but my master knows Vika Shaeye. She's hardly the sort of person to take things ambiguously, is she? She sees things in their simplest form."

• • • Atella shrugs again

Atella: "I've only met her briefly."

tylorva: "I' sure that was long enough."

Atella: "Well, she did impress me."

tylorva: "In what way?"

Atella: "She's so... masterful and striking."

tylorva: "You say that like you're in love with here." He does seem to be interested though and has lowered the knife slightly.

• • • Atella smiles

Atella: "Love is probably too grand a word. I might have a small crush on her though."

• • • Atella shrugs again

Atella: "What's a girl to do?"

tylorva: The man bursts out laughing. "Why are you here, Atella? Why did Vika send you here?"

Atella: "She... didn't really send me here. We're following clues, and we figured this might be a good place to start. Shows what we know, huh"

tylorva: "What are you looking for then?"

Atella: "Told you. That Kirian guy. And no, I don't know why. They say jump and I say 'okay, please don't kill me'"

tylorva: "So what you are saying is that you are a mere grunt with no useful information or understanding and who has a slight crush on your inquisitor?"

Atella: "If you want to be blunt about it..."

tylorva: He shrugs. "Well, it sounds like you'll be more useful dead, than alive." He starts advancing towards you with the knife.

• • • Atella sighs

Atella: "Do we *have* to go through this again?"

Atella: "Killing me will bloody your nice chair and floor. You could just let me go. I won't come back, honest."

tylorva: "No, I have another use in mind." He grabs your head to hold it still. "Don't move. You'll only make it hurt more." He holds the tip of the knife to your cheek. (Opposed strength if you want to struggle ))

• • • Atella freezes

Atella: "I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't need a shave. Thanks tho."

tylorva: The man carves something into the flesh of your cheek. And by the Emperor does that hurt - not just from the pain of cutting, but it feels like it is burning right into your soul. And yet you are strong and manage to hold out, both against the physical pain and... this other. When he is finished, blood trickles down the side of your face.

tylorva: He stands back to admire his handiwork.

Atella: "That *hurt*. What the blazes did you do?"

tylorva: "You are chosen now," he says.

Atella: "... what kind of chosen? Chosen for what?"

tylorva: "To be of use. To be of value to my master. You can go now. Your time will come." He turns to leave.

• • • Atella jerks

Atella: "Hello? Still tied down here?"

tylorva: He ignores that and leaves, slamming the door behind him.

• • • Atella sighs

• • • Atella tests the bonds

tylorva: They are very good. A few minutes later, one of the gangers comes in and unties you. "You're with us now then?" he says cheerfully.

Atella: "I've been informed I've been 'chosen', whatever that means"

tylorva: "You're so lucky." He swiftly removes the bonds and you are free to stand.

• • • Atella stretches

Atella: "Oh yeah, I feel really lucky."

• • • Atella touches her face and looks at the blood on her fingers

Atella: "You guys have a mirror or something?"

tylorva: It still feels like it is burning. "Sure," says the ganger and fishes out a shard of mirror wrapped with tape to prevent the edges from cutting into everything.

• • • Atella tries to look at whatever's carved into her cheek

tylorva: Some kind of symbol has been carved there - it looks simplar to the symbols that had been dotted around the chaos shrine. The edges of the wound seem to be blackening already - it looks very obvious.

• • • Atella winces

tylorva: The ganger hands you a cloth to clean up the wound slightly.

• • • Atella dabs at the blood

tylorva: It continues to burn and throb. The pain doesn't seem to be abating.

Atella: "Do you have one of these too?"

tylorva: "I wish," he says. "Ishik got one and after the ritual he became like a super hero. you know?" He grins cheesily. "Course that was before them inquisition people blew him up."

Atella: "That... doesn't sound very super"

tylorva: "He was an idiot though. Went up against Reinhardt."

Atella: "You guys know Reinhardt?"

tylorva: "As an enemy."

Atella: "Not very likeable, is he"

tylorva: "He's a prat. He's killed too many of us. I want him to die." The kid looks sincere.

Atella: "He'd probably kill you without breaking a sweat tho"

• • • Atella stretches again

tylorva: "Not if we all work together! And if you join us..." He reaches out and touches the mark on your cheek.

• • • Atella grabs his hand before he can touch her

Atella: "Sorry, but it hurts like hell, so I'd rather you don't touch it"

tylorva: "I'm sorry!" he wimpers. "They say the pain is there to always remind you of the Master."

• • • Atella lets him go

• • • Atella gets out of the room

tylorva: She finds herself back out amongst the gangers and cultists, all of whom now seem to look at her with some kind of awe.

• • • Atella looks uncomfortable

Atella: "Where's the other people I came in with?"

tylorva: "Still being questioned, Chosen."

Atella: 'Oh."

Atella: "So... what do you people do around here to pass the time?"

Separated from each other: Clavis

tylorva: You are dragged away from the others through the tunnels and into a small room that seems to have been set up as some kind of cell. A pair of shackles hang from the ceiling and your wrists are soon locked into them, then you are searched. Both Vika's seal and the Inquisition vox unit seem to get a lot of attention and are swiftly removed. For a while you are left alone.

Clavis_Morden: ((Clavis is also carrying Alcoth's seal, which we forgot to return ... yeah, we really should have done that))

tylorva: (( They take that too. :) ))

Clavis_Morden: endures the restraints and the search as best she can. She's seen worse - but never in the hands of the Archenemy's minions!

Clavis_Morden: Tears flow in frustration and shame and pain, but they flow in silence.

tylorva: After a while, the door opens and the sorcerer comes in. He's changed his outfit - no more fancy robes and headdress, now he is just wearing a plain black robe. His face is pale, veins showing through and he has a few whisps of white hair on his scalp which is covered in sockets for plugs and implants. he stands and stares for a moment.

Clavis_Morden: does not meet his eyes, keeping her attention fixed on his black robes.

tylorva: "Look at me."

Clavis_Morden: ((in what tone does he speak?))

tylorva: (( Very firm and commanding. ))

Clavis_Morden: After a moment's consideration Clavis does raise her eyes.

tylorva: "Very good." He stares straight at you. "Name?"

Clavis_Morden: "Castus. Silentia Castus."

tylorva: (( Give me a decieve roll ))

Clavis_Morden: ((3 DoF))

Clavis_Morden: ((apart from the shackles and the two of us, is there anything or anyone else in the room?))

tylorva: He gives an ominous growl. "You do not lie to me," he says in that firm cold voice as his cold hand grips your chin. "I can pluck the truth straight out of your mind if I want. Spare me the trouble."

tylorva: (( Nope. ))

Clavis_Morden: "Alright, alright!" Clavis doesn't have to try very hard to appear panicked. The fear is there in truth, after all. She looks down. "Kadis Solomon, sir, rank of Sanctionite."

Clavis_Morden: ((yeah, not happening))

tylorva: He keeps tight hold of your chin, staring straight into your eyes and he enforces his will against yours to probe straight into your mind.

Clavis_Morden: ((besides the black robes, is he wearing anything, have any tattoos, any other identifying marks?))

Clavis_Morden: ((opposed WP, I assume?))

tylorva: (( nope, nothing visible. ))

tylorva: (( Yup, Standard mind scan this time, so opposed Wp ))

Clavis_Morden: composes her thoughts into the Tower of Iron Will, shutting out the invasive foreign thoughts.

tylorva: He seems surprised and steps back, staring at you. "Strong," he says approvingly. "Such a waste."

Clavis_Morden: Clavis doesn't react to the compliment beyond the twitch of a smile. No matter who it is, it is nice to be appreciated. "You'll just use my name in one of your foul rites if I give it to you. I might as well grant myself the Emperor's Mercy instead."

Clavis_Morden: "I'd be better off."

Clavis_Morden: ((did they take Clavis' Psykana Mercy Blade, btw?))

tylorva: (( Yup ))

Clavis_Morden: She frowns as she remembers that the vile cultists took away her Psykana Mercy Blade. Beyond the conditioning that screams at her for being without that safety measure she feels strangely naked without it.

tylorva: He shrugs slightly. "Your Emperor no longer cares, if he ever did."

Clavis_Morden: No dwelling on that, though! Stay strong, keep your focus. Inwardly Clavis begins the litany of Contempt again.

Clavis_Morden: ((Protective Invocation again))

Clavis_Morden: "I have set foot on Holy Terra," Clavis says quietly. "Your heresies can't touch me."

tylorva: "You're a witch. Condemned and feared by all of the Imperium. Why would you care?"

Clavis_Morden: "I am *sanctioned*!" Though no louder than her earlier words it comes out with the force of a scream. "Tested and found true by the agents of the Golden Throne. I am no witch, whatever they might call me. We are nothing alike!"

Clavis_Morden: Some distant part of Clavis' mind marvels that she can speak to her captor like this, that the fear doesn't paralyze her tongue or her mind.

tylorva: "Are we not?" He pulls up the sleeve of his robe to show a sanctioning brand on the inside of his left arm. It looks just like yours, just older and more withered. "I too have stood on the so-called Holy Terra." He spits. "I too stood at the base of the Golden Throne. And I saw it for the lie it was."

Clavis_Morden: recoils insofar as the the shackles allow it. "Apostate. Traitor." It is almost unthinkable. A latent never found by the Black Ships, a youth with his Psykana training unfinished, a defective breaking under the strain - she can understand those, maybe even forgive them.

Clavis_Morden: But someone turning to the Archenemy with their eyes open, betraying the Adeptus and all of humanity despite knowing, *knowing* the face of evil. It's unforgivable.

Clavis_Morden: And nothing she could ever understand.

tylorva: "To you maybe. But I simpley broke through the chains and became free. You're a slave and you don't even know it..." He strokes a cold finger down your cheek.

Clavis_Morden: shakes her head, denying the notion beyond just the mental realm. "Tainted. Corrupted. Forsaken. That's what *you* are. I never want to understand the logic that lead you down this path, if it even has anything to do with logic."

Clavis_Morden: "Your daemonic idols will consume you body and soul. You say you are free? Hah."

tylorva: The sorceror stares at his prisoner with a cold expression. "I am more free than you will ever understand," he says coldly, before changing the subject. "Tell me aboiut the Inquisition. About Vika Shaeye..." He spits at the name.

Clavis_Morden: meets the man's stare with enough anger to make her fearless. She begins to answer, but gives up before speaking the first word. It's clearly useless trying to argue with him.

Clavis_Morden: "What do you want to know?" She asks after a moment's consideration.

tylorva: "Why did she send you here?"

Clavis_Morden: "You mean, were we sent after the Wanton Spiral cult?"

tylorva: "No. For that is a simple yes/no answer that tells me nothing. I said "Why did she send you here?"

Clavis_Morden: "We are here to capture the rogue psyker Kirian."

Clavis_Morden: "Do you know of him?"

Clavis_Morden: "Is he a member of your cult?"

Clavis_Morden: "Or did you dispose of him when you took control of the cleaners?"

tylorva: "I see. No, he's not a member. Not exactly." He crosses his arms. "Tell me about Reinhardt."

Clavis_Morden: "Not exactly? I'd have thought you were either in or out." Clavis shakes her head. "Now, Reinhardt, he is in charge of the purges."

tylorva: "What is he looking for?"

Clavis_Morden: "He's looking for something?"

tylorva: "Something... or someone. Why else would he spend so much time down here? He's an interrogator, he should have better things to do than to crack down on a bunch of dregs."

Clavis_Morden: "Maybe that's why he's so cranky," Clavis muses, then catches herself. "Umm. I'm not really privy to the Interrogator's plans. But I think he's just cracking down on rogue psykers."

Clavis_Morden: "Apparently the gangs down here hide a lot of them among themselves."

tylorva: "I think you're right. He's after this Kirian. But he's not taking them to Vika."

Clavis_Morden: frowns. "He just kills them then?"

tylorva: He shrugs. "Wouldn't we both like to know? Vika too I imagine."

Clavis_Morden: shudders slightly at the man's casual use of the Inquisitor's name.

Clavis_Morden: Her frown grows deeper. "What do you think he does?"

tylorva: "Perhaps, little inquisitor wannabe... we can make a deal...?"

Clavis_Morden: "What?" Clavis blurts out in confusion. This does not compute. "What sort of deal could you even imagine I'd accept?"

Clavis_Morden: "I mean ..." She stops herself before pointing out that the logical thing to do would be to kill them all.

Clavis_Morden: "I mean, what are you saying?"

tylorva: "I mean, you can get close to Reinhardt, where I cannot. you can find out what he is doing. And as long as you swear to return the results to me, you can take whatever action you want. I suspect even Vika will want to know what her pet student is up to. these days."

Clavis_Morden: "But why would you be interested?"

tylorva: "That is not your concern. If you really need one, consider as simple as this: I want Reinhardt out of my turf and if proving to your mistress that he is no good is the way to do it, then so be it."

Clavis_Morden: ((can I try scrutiny to see if he's at least vaguely honest?))

Clavis_Morden: ((1 DoS))

tylorva: (( He seems to be sincere.))

Clavis_Morden: thinks. Nothing good can come of a deal with a damned heretic like this one. His motives are unclear and likely as dark as his soul. Anything he says has to be considered suspect at best.

tylorva: "Of course the alternative is that I sacrifice you to my dark good." He smirks.

Clavis_Morden: Casting aspersions on a member of the Holy Inquisition itself, what does he think he's doing? Trying to drive a wedge between the Inquisitor and her Interrogator? Anyone working so closely with Vika Shaeye will be above reproach.

Clavis_Morden: "I'm weighing the options," Clavis says with unintentional sarcasm.

Clavis_Morden: But if she never intended to make a deal? Deceiving the deceivers is an acceptable tactic after all, isn't it?

tylorva: "You don't have long to decide. There is an opening for a sacrifice in around..." He withdraws a chrono on a chain from inside his robes. "About fifteen minutes."

Clavis_Morden: "I can't come down here again. And I can't betray secrets of the Holy Inquisition," Clavis says finally, trying for the tone of someone who has conceded that her life may be worth the deal but is haggling over the price.

tylorva: "Your friend will be returning. She has been chosen. And you do not need to reveal the secrets of the Inquisition." he does give you a very sceptical look though. "Not that I suspect you know any. I simply want to know what Reinhardt's game is."

Clavis_Morden: "Atella?" Clavis is surprised. "What have you done with her?"

tylorva: "I have done nothing to her. She is well and you'll see her again - if you agree to help me." He looks at the chrono again. "Time is running short."

Clavis_Morden: Clavis hesitates. "... alright," she says finally, as if against better judgement. "But nothing secret, nothing important! Just about Reinhardt's personal game."

tylorva: He pulls some kind of parchment from his robe and unrolls it. "Here is a contract - to be signed in blood. It says your soul will be forfeit to the ruinous powers if you choose to turn your back on our agreement." He lets you read it - it's in fairly straightforward text and makes an agreement between the signatories that all efforts will be made to discover what Reinhardt's plan is...

tylorva: ... and to return that info to Uldain of the Wanton Spiral, in return for which the contractee will be free to go.

Clavis_Morden: ((what does Clavis know about that sort of thing? Is it possible to do something like this, does it require a ritual or anything?))

Clavis_Morden: ((3 DoS))

tylorva: (( You think it's possible to do a psychic ritual on a contract to make it binding - but it's not often done due to heretical ovetones. ))

Clavis_Morden: Clavis' goes pale at the sight of the contract, her eyes wide. Signed in blood? Forfeit to the Ruinous Powers? She reads it carefully. Twice. Time to think, she needs time to think ... Finally she nods, having made her decision. "Alright."

Clavis_Morden: She closes her eyes, obviously trying to get her nerves under control, to still the shivering. And less obviously focusing her mind into that crystalline clarity she'll need. "Give me the pen," she says, opening her eyes again.

Clavis_Morden: ((trying to get enough time to quietly prepare an Invocation roll))

tylorva: (( You have time for the invocation... ))

Clavis_Morden: The moment the sorcerer-priest reaches for whatever implement he needs for her to sign the contract is when she strikes with all her strength.

tylorva: He seems to notice you focusing your mind. "Trying something?" He withdraws a long thin stiletto from his sleeve to draw some blood onto the paper. (( No surprise - he noticed. But you can make an initiative roll against him to get the first shot in. ))

Clavis_Morden: ((spending the bonus one-time-only FP we got for this session for an automatic 10, so Initiative 13))

tylorva: (( You beat him by 1. ))

Clavis_Morden: ((whew!))

Clavis_Morden: Rather than tuning her will to be an instrument of precision and grace Clavis forgoes all subtlety for as much raw power as she can draw from the warp. In eerie silence shimmering spears of pure force lash out toward the sorcerer.

Clavis_Morden: ((Focus Power of 28 means seven bolts created, three of them hit.))

Clavis_Morden: ((damage is 15, 16 and 10))

tylorva: A couple of blasts knock him backwards away from you and he slams into the opposite wall, grunting in pain. "Not bad," he says, looking quite impressed. "Just as well, I have one more bargaining tool up my sleeve before we get to the sacrifcing - although my master would be pleased with one as strong as you..."

tylorva: He gets back to his feet and drops the parchment. "Atella has been chosen."

Clavis_Morden: "What does that even mean?" Clavis yells, even as she gathers her strength for another attack.

tylorva: "It means she will become a favoured servant of my master, unless she returns here to be ritually unchosen."

Clavis_Morden: ((Scrutiny, 1 DoS))

tylorva: (( He seems to be speaking truthfully. ))

Clavis_Morden: "You lie! Filthy traitorous demon-worshipper! I'll never be like you, I'll never sign your blasphemous contract, and nor will any of the others!"

tylorva: He shrugs. "Perhaps Atella will convice you otherwise. Bring her back here with the information and she'll be fine. Fail to do so and watch her hunted down and destroyed by your own kind. Simple as that." He turns to leave.

Clavis_Morden: In frustration and fear Clavis rants with increasingly tenuous grasp on sanity. "We will pull down your damned altars! We will scatter your ashes through the black! None of your tricks will work with us, do you hear me, I never once believed a word you said!"

Clavis_Morden: "There is only one God and he is the Emperor of Mankind and his wrath is terrible! Pray, pray you pitiful wretch who scorned his saving light. Pray for your soul!"

Clavis_Morden: ((was that time enough for the next round to come around?))

tylorva: (( In the interests of drama, I'd say no - You got him once and made your point successfully. I'm sure another chance will come to twat him good and proper later. ;) ))

Clavis_Morden: Clavis' voice rises to a screech. "Yes, flee little man! You were broken from the beginning, a flawed vessel, fit only to be cast unto the stones to shatter! You never had what it takes to serve the Golden Throne, you never had the wit to maintain your viligance, you never had the strength to resist the corruption!"

Clavis_Morden: "Curse you, traitor, outcast, blighted! You are not fit to wear that brand, nor were you ever!"

Clavis_Morden: "You were never one of US!"

Clavis_Morden: Breathing heavily with the exertion it takes Clavis a minute or two to return to any semblance of calm after the door shuts behind the sorcerer.

Clavis_Morden: After waiting another minute until the Psykana-mandated emotional safety margin is intact again Clavis slowly and methodically turns her will upon the shackles that bind her, messing with their locks to let her go free.

tylorva: It takes a while, but eventually something clicks and the shackles come loose.

Clavis_Morden: Relying on the mercy of accursed sorcerers isn't a winning strategy, Clavis has decided. When she attacked him she was ready to die resisting rather than sign over her soul to the ruinous powers, conditions attached or not.

Clavis_Morden: ((Did they strip her of the mesh?))

tylorva: (( Yup. ))

Clavis_Morden: ((MMh, so she's in her undergarments. Not the best tactical situation.))

tylorva: (( I'm going to move things back to the main thread now. So post there when you are ready. ))

tylorva: As soon as you see Atella, you can see straight away that she has a mark on her cheek - a terrible chaos symbol carved into her flesh, blackened and nasty.