The Lavesgrie Exile:Nil
Contents
Nihilus “Nil” Ceallach[edit]
History[edit]
Data-Spiders of Urom are a hereditary position – there is no one amongst their ranks who is not part of the dynasty. Yet merely being born to one of the privileged servants of Magos Arda is no guarantee that one will become a Data-Spider himself. Life on a Forge World is never so lenient. Every few years, dozens of children, seven to nine years old scions of data-spider dynasties, are rounded up and put in a pitch-black room, with nothing but monochrome holo-displays and chirping consoles for company. Then endless streams of data from hundreds of sources are streamed to them to be processed. The trial lasts for days and no respite is given – one would have to catch up after any attempted sleep.
Surprisingly enough, there is no punishment for failure – other than a lifetime of mediocrity and menial service. But those who are able to keep up with the data, are set to become Data-Spiders proper.
Nihilus, of Ceallach dynasty, found himself deeply changed by the trial. He fell into a state more reminiscent of a feeding frenzy rather than a cold process of memorization, calculation and distribution. Feeling strongly that his newly acquired craving was an unnatural and frightening thing, he nonetheless was unable and unwilling to fight it. “Meme-virus” the tech-priests called it, notably pleased, if apprehensive. Their new acquisition was faulty - afflicted so young, lacking both the experience and mature psyche, sufferer would be unable to get the full use of this benign psychosis, before going insane or too inhuman for normal communication - but for those couple of decades, left in the care of Adeptus Mechanicus, they could certainly get some use out of him. Especially, if the causes and genetic predisposition towards Meme-Virus could be studied and isolated.
But those streams of data, concerning mostly tithes and production quotas, felt too dry and monotonous – and Nil was rarely given anything else. He could have been a data-addict, yet he was also nearly a child – something that his superiors did not give any consideration. He possessed not yet the meticulous eye of an aged savant, but restless curiosity of youth that meme-virus has only served to deepen.
Which is why he escaped to the Explorator vessel. That was trivial, really, considering what he was able to learn of the ship's procedures and hierarchy in a month or so he spent planning.
Nil crossed paths with Inquisitor Lavesgrie during her ill-fated personal crusade against Rogue Traders of the Maleria Expanse. Among the Explorators crew, he was the only one able and willing to provide her with the information she sought – much to the chagrin of the tight-lipped tech-priests, who intended at least to extract some future boon from the Holy Ordos. He proved to be quite a nuisance from the moment he got aboard – unsanctioned access to the Explorators' data-vaults, spending too much time with the tech and specimens best left alone and his simply offending multidisciplinary expertise. And propensity to share his understanding with unauthorized personnel. In no uncertain terms he was informed that his company was no longer welcome. Most fortunate then that Inquisitor Lavesgrie had use of someone of his abilities. Just as planned.
Inquisitorial service changed him further. He still looks a youth, but his demeanor is nothing like it was. Just as he foolishly desired, Holy Ordos provided him with knowledge no-one else dares to harbour – and he is troubled by what he had to learn. His discipline has grown, yet he admits that he had become dependent – Kelara keeps him in line and guides him, lest he delves in the secrets no-one was meant to know. Thus Nihilus readily followed his Mistress in her fall-from-grace – but her current status may yet prove to be ripe with opportunity. After all, there is so much to learn and to discover between the stars, where the fortune of the future House Lavesgrie undoubtedly lie – and if he has to help build it from ground up, it is the least he can do for his Mistress.
Looks[edit]
In his earlier years, Nihilus was taking smug satisfaction in being a child-savant, in showing off both his knowledge and his youthful energy. He has outgrown that stage in more ways than one, and his manner is more subdued, if no less driven when it comes to lore-seeking. He now takes some pain to cover his apparent age, as if ashamed, usually wearing austere (if obviously expensive, in accordance to his mistress' new position) midnight-black mesh-coat with a deep face-concealing cowl and silver embroidery. His nearly-perfect memory helps him none-at-all when it comes to shaving and timely haircuts.
As Meme-Virus prompts the afflicted to not only acquire, but also to disseminate information, Nihilus has voluntarily undergone an invasive procedure, turning him into a "silent savant". To produce any audible sound, he has to physically press the subdermal rune on his artificial voicebox - the attempted motion is usually enough to bring himself under control. This gives his voice a notably metallic timbre.
Accompanying him almost always are two servo-skulls, equipped with a full array of audio and visual sensors and auspexi. They are distinguished by densely inscribed parchments affixed over the skull's eyesockets or temples respectively. Each one may also bear a pistol-sized weapon, usually a hell-pistol - Nil is so comfortable using them in this capacity, that he considers himself "armed", not "guarded".
Stats[edit]
| Bold | Hard | Adroit | Charm | Will |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | 0 | +3 | -1 | +1 |
Moves[edit]
Keeper of Lore[edit]
When trawl the archive for important lore, roll +Adroit. On a hit, you can ask the MC questions based on what you’ve found. On a 10+, ask 3. On a 7-9, ask 1 and your archive needs more knowledge on this subject (+1 Desire).
- What are the causes, antecedents or origins of X?
- What do legends and histories speak of X?
- What are the most dangerous aspects of X?
- What is the recommended way of defeating X?
- Where has X been seen before and what did X do there?
Knowledge from the Beyond[edit]
Take +1 Adroit (max +3)
World-Lore[edit]
When you first set foot on a new world, hold 2. You can spend your hold 1-for-1 to give yourself or someone else +1 to a roll based on your knowledge of that world, or ask a question of the MC:
- What valuable things does this world hold or produce?
- What dangers do they speak of on this world?
- What are the important customs and traditions of this world?
Bonds[edit]
- Orinoco-48 envies my archive; I must not let them steal from it.
- I will record the exploits of Kelara Lavesgrie for all posterity.
- Claudius has something I desire; I must have it.
Archive[edit]
Desire+2
As long as your archive’s Desire is 3 or less, you can search the archive for something useful. Describe the situation and roll +Adroit. The MC’s job is to think of something useful to the situation at hand and have your archive give it forth. On a 10+, your archive’s Desire stays where it is. On a 7-9, give it +1 Desire. On a miss, it immediately goes to Desire +4.
As long as your archive’s Desire is 3 or less, you can go into your archive for items of value. Take something out worth 1-profit and add +2 Desire.
At the beginning of the session, roll +Desire. On a 10+, the MC holds 3. On a 7-9, the MC holds 1. During the session, the MC can spend their hold to:
- Name a thing present. Your archive must have it. When you give it to your archive, mark experience and give your archive -1 Desire.
- Name something you have taken out of your archive. Your archive must have it back. When you give it to your archive, mark experience and give your archive -1 Desire.
- Speak of a thing, person, event, place, or organisation. Your archive must learn its secrets. When you discover its secrets and store them in your archive, mark experience and give your archive -1 Desire.
If your archive has Desire+4, take -1 ongoing.
Features
- Contains: Extensive star charts and scrolls of world-lore;
- Contains: Xenological specimens and lore
- Contains: Scrolls and tomes of heretical lore
- Terrible: If another character investigates your archives, they must Hold True or suffer Insanity.
- Forbidden: If authorities were to learn of your archive, you would be subject to Inquisitorial sanction and death. Naturally.
Personal Gear[edit]
- Mesh-coat (2-armour)
- 2xHell-pistols (3-harm close/hand las)
- Shock-staff (3-harm hand shock)
- Various scanners, auto-quills, cogitators and data-slates.
