Inactive Inquisition Quest: Mysteries of Brocante

[Azira]

[X] tell the truth, like the above, but also giving them details about what they'll face

let's face it, they're all gonna get purged either way - lets have them be effective in the meantime

clues - we'll look for those ourselves

He speaks the truth. This knowledge is dangerous, but we cannot keep them in the dark. Once the cultists start behaving oddly, they will know.
If any shows particular promise, might be they can be enrolled in some imperial program.
Most likely not though.

 

[baud]

In most cases, you should be able to take any survivors with you for debriefing (or "debriefing", as you prefer).

 

[Baltika9]

[X] tell the truth, like the above, but also giving them details about what they'll face

CappenVarra got it.

 

[baud]

Thanks for the votes, men. I've started writing the update, but, as usual, no ETA

[X] tell the truth, like the above, but also giving them details about what they'll face
Baltika9, Azira, CappenVarra

Tell the truth, just the basics.
daveyarsegallant

Ask them if they're willing to be purged for knowing too much.
ERYFKRAD

 

[ChumBucket]

[X] tell the truth, like the above, but also giving them details about what they'll face

Lets be altruistic, I am sure it will never backfire.

 

[baud]

​

Part 4: Fear the enemy beyond

As you take your time to answer, you hear the enforcers continuing to discuss.

"If it's again insurgents, I'm not surprised that we've gotten another group. The entire district is circling down the drain and Villeneuve isn't doing anything to help the locals." says the patrol leader, a small women carrying a combat shotgun, prompting grunts of assent from a few other enforcers.

"Villeneuve sent us to keep order and that should be enough, Cordier.", answers the second riot squad leader, a stony-faced man called Pradier, all the while checking the ammunition in his sidearm.

Having taken your decision, you call the attention of the enforcers and begin your presentation, knowing that you had likely condemned them to the hands of your colleagues, or even your own hands, if they survive the trials to come. Their souls would also be at risk, the mere knowledge of the Warp and what dwells there a blight on their souls.

"Before I begin, take a moment to pray the god emperor so that he may gird our souls." With those words, the whole room fall silent, all the attention focused on you. "This knowledge is dangerous and should never be repeated to anyone, but it will help you in the completion of our duty. Most of you have heard in the catechisms of the Ecclesiarchy about the Warp, how it is a dangerous dimension of psychic energy. But you might not know that in that dimension dwell vile xenos, hostile to mankind and jealous of our dominion on the the galaxy. One of them is the lord of brass and skulls, which seeks to corrupt the flock of the Emperor and destroys all His works." As you reach this part, Telemacus makes the sign of the Aquila to ward against evil, a gesture copied by many of the enforcers. "It revels in war, destruction, slaughter and bloodshed, pushing the lost souls worshipping it to kill and murder in its name, to plunge mankind in an eternal war." You deliberately chose to avoid talking about the true nature of the Blood God, of daemons and how they try to invade the materium, as you judge it would be too much of a revelation and wouldn't be useful in the current situation.

"Why would they do that? How can they lose faith in the Emperor?" asks a younger enforcer in riot armor, ashen-faced and visibly shaken by the revelations.

"Rage. Anger. Martial pride. Thirst for victory. All righteous emotions when turned toward the worthy cause of the Imperium, but those can be twisted, the xeno whispering lies and feeding off the emotions and carnage. The cultists worshipping it will fight, kill and shed blood in his name, hoping to sate the rage and bloodlust the xeno inspire and to received its gifts, which transform the cultists to better serve it and damning them even further by the same occasion."

"Like what, mutations?" asks Cordier.

"Yes, mutations making them better in combat or giving some monstrous, beast-like, appearance. And not just physical, but also mental mutations, like unquenchable bloodlust, frenzy or the like, so that the recipients may shed more blood for their dark patron. So the cultists will favor melee combat, in most cases closing ranges as quickly as possible and usually disdaining traps and ambushes. In melee they are relentless, fighting savagely, not stopping until their target is dead. They are merciless, just as we will have to be when confronting them. Do not falter and remember that the Emperor protects."

"Do these cultists sometime takes the head of their victims with them?" asks commissioner Magret.

"Why do you want to know?", you ask, not wanting to reveal too much.

"Some of what you just told us reminds me of an ongoing case, a spat of gruesome murders, with the bodies of the victims shredded as if they were attacked by savage beasts and some were missing their heads. The murders were clearly done by a group, we shot one of them and he was clearly a mutant, the fingers transformed into brutal claws. So I would be interested in knowing if those murders might from the same group."

"Yes, sometime the cultists will take the heads, usually to adorn their dark altars with the skulls of their victims. But as we know of the cultist compound just outside of the town, it's not surprising they are active here, if that's the same group."

"There's more, using clues from the dead murderer, we tracked suspects to a decommissioned factory in the Meulun quarter yesterday and we've been keeping an eye on them since."

"You have found a group of murderers and you're letting them live?"

"Suspect murderers. But even if we were sure they are guilty, they'd still be low on our priority list: as grave as murders are, they are far less than sedition, organized crime, weapon trafficking, disrupting the tithe collection and rioting, which we are frequently dealing with in the district and which have worse consequence than the death of a few workers, to say nothing of how understrength we are compared to our duties. And we hadn't realized they were part of a deviant cult."

"Nevertheless, what do you know about them?"

This time, it's not the commissioner who answers, but lieutenant Le Floch. "The surveillance team spotted a few people arriving earlier today, so they'd be about a dozen suspects, with a few vehicles which could have been used to bring weapons. Currently most are inside and we don't know what they might be doing, with the rest outside, keeping watch."

"We could go there, smash those bastards then go to the compound outside the city, but that's your call bosun." adds lieutenant Navarro.

So where do you go first?

[] "We'll still go first to the compound, the group in the factory isn't a priority."
[] "We can't leave a group of cultists behind like this. We go to the factory first."




AN: Well, if knowing that the Warp was inhabited by xenos was good enough for the primarchs, I guess it should be good enough for the enforcers.

 

[ChumBucket]

[x] "We can't leave a group of cultists behind like this. We go to the factory first."

Suffer not the Heretic to live.

Also let the Enforcers wet their feet first. Something that seems like a routine bust is not likely to send the cult to ground, but if we take out their main base the smaller cell will disappear and proceed to fester.

 

[True Ukrainian]

Factory

 

[baud]

So, as you may have noticed, the quest is heavily inspired by the Dark Heresy line of TTRPGs, so I tried to build Balda as a PC for Dark Heresy 1ed. There was a few issues, first that there isn't really a career path for acolytes, though the Arbitrator is the closest to what we have, so I directly used it, in conjunction with the schola origin from the Inquisitor's handbook. I also needed to give you training with the grenade launcher, because Balda wouldn't be using one untrained, but it wasn't available at his low rank, so I used an elite advance for that (maybe another acolyte showed him?). And I use a starting package to explain how he knows a few things about the warp and chaos and why he doesn't have Common Lore (Adeptus Arbites). Stats were rolled and I used the re roll on Fellowship.

Name: Balda
Homeworld: Schola Progenium Family's Fate: Warrior Martyr
Career: Arbitrator Rank: Enforcer
Divination: Men must die so that Man endures.

Starting package: Malleus acolyte

WS: 23
BS: 27
S: 29
T: 26
Ag: 33
Int: 24
Per: 35
WP: 32
Fel: 37
Wounds: 13
Fate Points: 2
Insanity Points: 4
Corruption Points: 2

Traits: Schola Education, Skill at Arms, Sheltered Upbringing, Tempered Will

Skills: Literacy (Int), Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int), Common Lore (Imperium) (Int), Inquiry (Fel), Intimidate (S)

Talents: Basic Weapon Training (SP), Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Pistol Weapon Training (SP), Quick Draw, Basic Weapon Training (launcher)
Whispered knowledge: Treat forbidden lore (Daemonology) as a basic skill

Gear: knife, good craftmanship Stub revolver and 12 bullets, loaned autogun and 3 clips, loaned grenade launcher and 10 grenades (7 explosives, 3 smoke), Administratum robes (Common Quality Clothing), loaned bulletproof vest (equivalent to Flak Vest), dataslate

Total XP: 700 (400 starting XP, 100 previous deeds, 200 for Arc 1)
Spent XP: 500

Starting package: Malleus acolyte (100 xp)
Elite advance: Basic Weapon Training (launcher) (300 xp)
Intimidate (S) (100 xp)

--------------

Starting package: Malleus acolyte

Career: Arbitrator
Cost: 100 xp
Requirements: Schola Progenium Homeworld

Instead of joining the Adeptus Arbites at the end of your time at the Schola Progenium, the progena was directly picked by an Malleus inquisitor and spent time with the retinue, hearing a some forbidden knowledge from their senior colleagues.

Gain Whispered knowledge
Gain 1d5 corruption points
Lose Common Lore (Adeptus Arbites)

I won't start using the system, especially not in the middle of an adventure, it was just an experiment, especially as I've never actually played DH (or any other TTRPG, for that matter)

 

[EyeofSauron]

[x] "We can't leave a group of cultists behind like this. We go to the factory first."

 

[CappenVarra]

[x] "We can't leave a group of cultists behind like this. We go to the factory first."

 

[Baltika9]

[x] "We'll still go first to the compound, the group in the factory isn't a priority."

Let's stay on target.

 

[CappenVarra]

[x] "We'll still go first to the compound, the group in the factory isn't a priority."

Let's stay on target.

that is probably the wiser choice

unfortunately i am unwisely greedy

 

[baud]

​

Part 5: Steelworks approach

The briefing finished, the enforcers and your group board the vehicles that will take you to to the factory and then, hopefully, to the compound. One of the vehicles is an old enforcer van, held together by spit and prayer, but the riot squads are using a pair of light APCs converted for riot control. Both are covered in dents and scratches, as if they had been repeatedly pelted with rocks. One also sports burn marks, likely from incendiary cocktails, on which lieutenant Navarro comments: "They though the fire would dissuade us from advancing. They were wrong."

"Cost you an arm, though" adds another enforcer, pointing to the lieutenant's augmentic hand.

"Worth it, if only to beat down those blockheads. And the replacement the commissioner got me is more than up to the task.", closing his augmentic hand in a massive metallic fist.

The vehicles leave the precinct, following potholed streets and boulevards bordered by crumbling buildings. The traffic is light, but you spot many idling on the sidewalks, most likely bereft of a job by the exhaustion of the mineral ressources.

"The Meulun quarter is on the East side of the town, same as the compound, so at least it won't be much of a detour." says lieutenant Pradier, who you are riding with.

"We'll have to deal with the group at the factory first. Regarding that, how many enforcers are already there?" you asks.

"Should be Saive and another guy, with a few servo-skulls. They're conducting their surveillance from a hab-block across the river from the factory."

"River?"

"Yes, the factory is on an island on the Almont river, which crosses the town. The factory itself is part of a steelwork complex, now shuttered. But you'll have a better idea of the situation once we're closer."

As the drive continue, you can smell the river before seeing it, the chemical smell wafting from it bitter, a reminder of more productive times, where mine runoffs and waste from the ore processing and refining was dumped in the river. The river's appearance is just as repulsive as its stench, sloppy, dark brown in color with oily streaks of black and purple, its banks stained and barren of vegetation. You finally can spot you can spot the steelworks, the blast furnaces half dismantled and surrounded by smaller buildings, with one being your target.

====][====​

Your small convoy parks behind the hab-block where observers are hidden, who then explain the situation. The factory you are targeting is a low building on one end of the island, close to the bank, between a pair of bridges. There's five cultists outside keeping watch, all carrying weapons more or less discreetly, while the rest is inside the building. According to the observers, there is at most a dozen of cultists.

As the matter of how to attack comes up, Navarro asks "Are you any good with your guns?", pointing to Electryos' lascarbine and your autogun.

"Good enough, why?"

"Well, I propose that you take position in the hab-block and cover the advance of the two riot cars. That way we'll advance up to the building via the South bridge. Once arrived, my squad will immediately enter the building, while Pradier and his boys will finish anyone left outside. While we get started there, you join Cordier's squad in their car and join us for the mop-up. What do you think?"

"That'd split us in three groups and your squad will be left alone to face what's inside the factory". You remark. You'd also prefer to avoid leaving unsupervised enforcers next to cultists and whatever they are doing.

"And from the other direction?" Telemacus asks

"Further away, it's the blast furnaces, currently being dismantled by work gangs led by a few cogheads, who've locked down the area tight, no one can leave or enter by this side; though that mean the targets won't be able to flee in that direction." answers Pradier

"I don't think they'll try to flee anyway. Pradier, you have an idea?"

"I still think splitting up is the right idea, but in two groups, both striking at the same time, via each bridge. My team with our riot car, plus two of you guys", pointing to you and Telemacus, "via the North bridge and the rest via the South bridge. We strike hard, clean everyone outside then go inside from both sides. Your call, anyway."

So which plan do you choose?
[] Navarro's plan
[] Pradier's plan
[] I have a better idea: write-in

Current forces:
Balda - grenade launcher, autogun, revolver, knife
Telemacus - shotgun, autopistol, riot baton
Electryos - lascarbine, electrified caestus

Navarro's riot squad, with a riot APC
Pradier's riot squad, with a riot APC
Cordier's patrol, with an enforcer van.

A riot APC has capacity for 8 people, the van for 11 people.

 

[CappenVarra]

[x] Navarro's plan

keep some covering fire from across the river when dealing with khornies instead of hugging them as close as possible?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Pradler's sounds okay.

 

[True Ukrainian]

Pradier

 

[Baltika9]

[X] Pradier's plan

We aren't equipped for long- range overwatch.

 

[baud]

So Pradier's plan it is

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Fuck, I read that as Pradler.

 

[ChumBucket]

Praider seems like more what we are equiped for.

 

[Nevill]

Caught up. While on a mountain with no internet connection, but I finally got to read the rest of the story, and just found out we have a new adventure. No better time to resume my participation, then.

[x] Pradier's plan

 

[baud]

So I hacked together quickly a (very light) ruleset to solve the combat, so what happens with the grenade launcher is a result of rolls. Though now I realize that the rule I used for the riot shield make them closer to ballistic shield but also usable in melee, so a bit OP, especially for supposedly second rate enforcers. I won't be changing the rules for the next fight, but maybe next time I have squad-sized combat I'll just use the wh40k table top rules.

Update is ready, just have to do one last edit pass and it should be up this afternoon

 

[baud]

​

Part 6: Steelworks assault

After agreeing to Pradier's plan, you board the APC assigned to his squad with Telemacus. You make a last minute check-up, grab your autogun and then lieutenant Navarro gives the order to start the attack. The vehicles leave the parking and split up toward the two bridges. Inside, you take a look at those you'll fight alongside: they seem tense, some maybe afraid of what they will face after the earlier revelations, but all are ready to fight, shields at the ready and either baton or handgun in hand. Telemacus is at your side, shotgun in hand, softly psalmodying litanies of hate to prepare him to the coming fight.

In squeal of tires, the APC abruptly stop near your objective and you pile up out of the vehicle, facing a pair of cultists, with one opening fire from a concealed handgun and the other charging at you with a wordless scream. Both are gunned down in short order, without any damage to your forces, other than a few additional dents on the hull of the APC.

"Disciples of the Lord of skulls indeed. Pradier, status of the other group?" you asks, while switching from your autogun to your grenade launcher.

"They've neutralized their targets, one enforcer lightly wounded, but still combat effective. Ready to assault on your signal." he relays, hand on his com-bead.

But as you prepare to enter, you feel an unique pressure, one that crushes down on one's very mind and soul, but it dissipates just as quickly, with insane roars filling the tortured air and leaving a fool taste of blood in your mouth. Around you, the others are similarly affected, one enforcer puking his guts on the ground, shaken by what must the aftereffects of some fell ritual. But you rally them, shouting,

"The cultists knows we are here and are resorting to debased witchery, because they know they cannot face the wrath of the righteous! Gird yourself in the armor of contempt and prepare to mete out the Emperor's justice on those reprobates! Attack!"

Entering behind the shield-wielding enforcers, you burst into the former factory, with the other group entering from the opposite doors, weapons similarly at the ready. All the machinery had been removed from the factory, leaving an empty room, poorly lit by soot-stained windows, industrial debris and broken girders pushed alongside the walls. And between the two groups, stand a circle of eight cultists, crude melee weapons in hand and covered in blood splatters. A few are obviously mutants, sporting, mishappen bodies, horns or limbs with additional joints. They stand around what must be a ritual circle, eight skulls crudely flayed linked by rivulets of blood. In the middle a cloud of ethereal smoke is dissipating, but you can still see a grimacing face in the middle, frozen in a rictus of rage, before the cloud disappear.

Half of the cultists charge in your direction, intent on gutting you for interrupting their ritual. Among them an horned mutant is wielding not an improvised weapon, but rather a roaring chainsword, desecrated by unholy script, its wielder wiry, filled with a manic strength and half his face is covered by mad tattoos. The cultists shout as they charge, but their shouts of "Blood for the Blood god" are quickly drowned by weapon fire. You join the enforcers and fire your grenade launcher, but your shot ricochets on the uneven ground toward the line of enforcers, its explosion pelting them with shrapnel. Thankfully the fire from the enforcer strike true, felling three of the cultists.

The survivor is the chainsword wielder and he reaches your group, which devolved in a confused melee centered around the madman striking at anyone in range. One the enforcer is too slow and the weapon bite deeply in side, a spurt of blood adding a fresh coat of red on the arm of the cultist. But his successful strike left him unbalanced for a moment and Pradier strike with his baton, the rod of plasteel hitting true and breaking his neck.

The other cultists had charged the the combined squads of Navarro and Cordier and were gunned down before they were able to reach melee range, their bodies broken by the volume of lead fired in their direction.

As you take stock of the situation, Pradier comes toward you after ordering the enforcers take care of the wounded from his squad.

"What was that? What happened when we were outside?"

"As I said, the cultists used witchcraft against us, but failed.", you answer, eliding most of the truth. "And it is better that you don't know more. Order everyone to exit the building, such transgression against nature usually leave something behind."

A few moments later the doors are closed again and you have regrouped with the other group. According to Pradier, two of his men won't be able to fight, but will survive. The two other squad are still fully combat-effective. You are joined by your two acolytes.

"Do you think it was?..."

"An attempted breach? To make something come from the other side? Yes." Telemacus answers.

"Good thing we went there first place, an incarnate would have been ruinous. But now we have a ritual circle in our hands."

"I think Kyriakos will want to police the site himself?" adds Electryos "There's the enforcers who were keeping a look on the cultists, they should be able to keep it safe for a few hours. But I don't think the precinct will be able to spare more men than those already here."

"No, better destroy it. Its presence is a taint on the Materium and if someone managed to enter and learn some of that fell knowledge..." interjects Telemacus. "We could just take some promethium from the tanks of the vehicles and set the building ablaze. Not very subtle, but that would buy us some time to set up a proper clean-up."

So do you decide to

A leave the building intact and under guard of the two enforcers who were here before your arrival.
a Optionally, leave more enforcers to keep a tighter watch.
B Burn it.

But, either way, before leaving you would have the time to do a quick study of the ritual site and anything that you might have missed in the heat of the combat. If Kyriakos can take a look, why not you?

A Yes, after all, knowledge is power...
B No. This knowledge is too dangerous

AN: first time writing a fight, I hope it went well, if you have any feedback, I'm all ears.

 

[CappenVarra]

B Burn it.
B No. This knowledge is too dangerous.

better dead than red (with blood for the blood god)

we need to accumulate some virtue brownie points before we fall back into

Spoiler

DEVOUR SOUL