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: 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."