Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolytes

In the nightmare future of the 41st millennium, Mankind teeters upon the brink of extinction. The galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man is beset on all sides by ravening aliens, and threatened from within by malevolent creatures and heretic rebels. Only the strength of the Immortal Emperor of Terra stands between Humanity and its annihilation. Dedicated to His service are the countless warriors, agents and myriad servants of the Imperium.

Dark Heresy is a roleplaying game based upon the universe of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000. The setting of Warhammer 40,000 is a dark, gothic future where the Imperium of Man is beset by dangers within and without. In Dark Heresy players take on the roles of Acolytes of the Inquisition, aiming to uncover and combat the enemies of mankind, be they aliens, heretics or mutants!

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Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolytes

Post by Vardaen » Tue May 20, 2008 12:19 am

"Place your fath in the Emperor, and always carry a big gun."
- Mordechai Voght, High Marshall
Image It would be a long flight from the Gorgonid Mines on Sepheris Secundus to the center of the Calixis Sector on Scintilla. The transport ship that traveled through real space was not a luxury liner, nor build for speed or comfort. These two factors would lead to weeks of uncomfortable travel for the remaining Acolytes to be that lifted off out of the Imperial Guard camp at the mouth of the mines.

The long flight would provide them with time to heal their wounds, and incure new ones as an engine mailfuction would fill parts of the ship with a toxic gas. Yet dispite the set back of the trip the would be Acolytes eventually arrived on the captial plant of the Calixis Sector. Their landing would not be a warm welcome, or a parade of marching bands or ticker tape. In fact their arrival at the run down spaceport of Heradium Quarters in Hive Sibellus was more inocuous than their arrival on the mining planet of Sepheris Secundus.

Only a single woman stood waiting for them on the landing platform with angry words on their late arrival. The woman never gave her name, but her bone fides checked out, and her authority could not be in question. The Acolytes were taken to a small run down facility, the front declaring the place as a nutraslurry redistribution center, but once inside anyone could see it was only a front.

A chance to debref was given, and after several grueling hours of questions and requestioning the woman appeared satisfied, atleast in part. Cimbria and Ishmael would eventually accompany her, and as such have never been seen again. While the other three living Acolytes were given papers and direction to small hovels in an unnamed hab-block in the Hive Sibellus, lodged under false names, and given strick orders to keep your identities and purpose to themselves.

Every few days the three were summoned via courier and would report to a hidden facility where they were debrefed again, questioned and introgated about their time in the mines. An abundant number of questions about the dead mutant Cleric Iorgo are asked, and their ties to Cimbria and Ishmael are scrutinized to the finest detail. Eventually the three find an end to the questions, and begin some lechures in dark lechure halls, by aged professors. Among the classes are other Acolytes, all who keep to themselves. The classes are sporatic, and thankfully so, for at the end of many of them they leave feeling ill, sickened by the depravity of the heretics of the Imperium. Ciphers and codes are force fed to the Acolytes until they can be recited form memory. No offical grand training is ever held, no induction into some glorious academy or temple. Only the clandestine meetings in dark shadowy buildings with other men and woman much like themselves are the only indication that the three are part of anything larger. The other Acolytes become fewer and fewer, one is even killed in cold blood in the middle of a lechure when he fails to answer a question posed to him with satisfactory zeal. The sniper shot from the dark recesses of the chamber echoes out long after the man's life is left splattered all over the chair behind him. Eventually only four of them are left to attend the classes. Three are known to each other, Jericus the Adept, Mir the former Guardsman, and Xanthia the Sell-Steel. The fourth however is alone, Frastus is his name, and something about him is off putting right out of the gate.



Then one day when the four arrive in one of the black chambers for another lechure there simply is no one else there. The Inquisition has moved on, and Jericus, Mir, Xanthia and Frastus find only a single data slate on the rust and blood covered table to explain things with a few other items awaiting them.

In the green monochrome light of the display they read...

+++ By Dictates of the Ordo Hereticus +++

Indepth integration to Hive populous is to begin.

Await further contact. Make no attempt to spoil your integration
on punishment of death. Proof through obediance.

Z.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Laying on the table are four badges, and a pack of bone fides, each one keyed to one of the four Acolytes. They declare the bearer of the seals as true and loyal Acolytes of the Inquisition. There is a feeling of eyes on the chamber, and someplace deep in the shadows a click is heard as a safety on a sniper lasrifle is flipped. With the paperwork a small stipend is attached, enough to get each through a few more weeks, and perhaps enough to pick up some addtional gear.
Welcome to the glorious begining of the Warhammer 40K Edge of Darkness chapter. This thread is for the four mentioned above: Brennor, Trogdor, MadVlat and eldrichknight. I know its a bit vague and suspicious, and its intended as such. Please feel free to make a post here, phyiscally description included. There will be a few short posts here, before things continue on.

Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment!
Last edited by Vardaen on Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolytes

Post by Brennor » Tue May 20, 2008 2:31 am

Xanthia peers over the green monochrome display, reading the words and trying to remember what the Z means.

"Await further contact. Those are our orders."

She then peers over the other items on the rusty and bloody table, picking out her set of handouts with her eyes before grabbing them.

As she grabs her bone fides and her badge her trademark sneer creeps over her features before she can stop it.
Is the small stipend the monthly wages we've already spent?

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by eldritchknight » Tue May 20, 2008 9:44 am

Frastus looks over the sets of badges before selecting his.

The middle aged man has a sttoped stance, and as his hand extend from the sleeves of his tattered robes, you all see that his skin has a grayish cast to it. He places the bone fides in his satchel, and he turns to look at the others, you all see the mark upon his forehead.

A psyker, cast out, one who taps into the Warp, the symbol says. One who serves the God-Emperor of Mankind, but ever susceptible to corrupting influences of the Warp he taps to do his duty.

Frastus smiles a ghastly smile, his emerald green eyes seeming to sparkle as he rasps, "So we wait for orders then. Simple."

And he sits upon the floor, pulling out a knife he begins to clean his fingernails of the grime caked upon them.
Meesa take down quote to get in game:)

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by Vardaen » Tue May 20, 2008 4:29 pm

Yes, the stipend is the money you've already spent.

And Z is the signature.
Xanthia peers over the green display and lightly touches the Z at the bottom of the dataslate. The signature could mean any dozen of people in the food chain above the Acolytes, but it is also possible that the Z is signed directly from High Inquisitor Zerb. The papers and the badge now mark the men and woman as true and rightful Acolytes of the Inquisition.

Frastus, the stranger to the three bares the marks of the Imperial Psykers, a man that touches the Warp, and invites madness and deamons toward him as he does the Imperium's will. Should he fail to guard himself against the warp, then his fall shall be truely terrible.

Mir, the feral worlder remains standing on the edge of the circle of chairs, not stepping forward to the table yet. He scans the shadows around the room for any signs of the sniper he knows is there. If he spots the figure in the darkness he makes no sign as of being able to.
MV is gone with injury so I'll post for him until he's back. Bad timing.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by Trogdor » Tue May 20, 2008 9:28 pm

Jericus quickly scans the display, reading it for any of the others who have trouble with the words. Then, with no lectures to look forward to, he steps forward and picks up both his badge and his bona fides. He glances briefly at them both before slipping them into his pocket.

"Nothing much more do do but wait." Strangely, he finds himself missing the lectures. Difficult as they were, they still represented a chance to learn something new - something that might help him gain increased rank and a better, if not safer, life. "I suggest we keep our heads down so we don't gather any unwanted attention."

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by MadVlat » Wed May 21, 2008 7:39 am

Mir finally takes his turn at the table. Assuming that what is left there is for him. He lifts the badge, recognizing its purpose instantly. He stuffs it into an inner pocket beneath his armor. Then a meaty hand snatches up the rest and sticks it into another pocket in his fatigues. Unwilling to acknowledge his lack of reading ability to the others he asks, "So what hell do we travel to next". He moves to a nearby wall and slumps against it. His armor somehow fitting the mans rough exterior. He withdraws the bearded axe from his belt and begins sharpening its edge. Spitting on the whetstone as he goes. The necklace of wired fingerbones rattling lightly with each stroke...
...And the stone of the earth and the wind in the sky bowed before the wisdom of the Ancient One...

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by Vardaen » Wed May 21, 2008 5:05 pm

The three Acolytes, noe proclaimed truely as such, take their rosets that bare the mark of the Inquisition as well as their papers. The dataslate suggests that they are to simply continue to live as they have been in secret in the hive. It is not a glorious task, no pomp, no praise, just a life of obscurity until the day the Inquisition calls on you.

Lingering here in the lechure hall the four will have nothing to do, nothing shall happen, and eventually hunger or boredom will set in. One by one the four will return to their hovels in the Hive and live their lives just getting by, waiting and hoping for the day that the Inquistion will call on them to pick up their weapons and join the fight against heresy.



** Three Weeks Later, Current Date **

The wait will be long, weeks shall pass, and the money secured from the order will begin to run thin. Some acuire themselves better armor and weapons in anticipation of combat to come. Others practice and hone their skills, but all are begining to think they have been forgotten.

At last that call has come and a blank-eyed courier has delivered to you a note featuring the cipher of the Holy Ordos. The message within was simple and perfunctory, containing a time, a date and a location. The instruction to come prepared and expect company is signed off with a single epithet' 'œThe Emperor Protects'

The note gives little time to prepair, by the time you decipher it you realize that the time and date given on the note are today. The location a mid level Adminitration quarter in another part of the Hive Sibellus. Each will have to hurry if they are make the meeting on time, perhaps another test?
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by eldritchknight » Wed May 21, 2008 8:38 pm

Frastus grabs what little personal possessions he has, then leaves the squalid little hovel that he called home ever since he left the Academia.

Now the time has come, he thinks to himself. Time to prove to my fellow team members that, while I'm not to be completely trusted, I AM a valuable tool to be used. Such is the life of a psyker.

He moves off into the crowds, the hood of his tatty robe pulled up to hide the mark on his forehead from supersticious hivers around him, and hurries off to the meeting place.
Not sure if I have enough money to get quicker transportation than walking, but if I do, I'll take it.
Meesa take down quote to get in game:)

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by MadVlat » Thu May 22, 2008 8:28 am

Mir grumbles at the endless hours of boredom. Until finally a knock comes at the door. The courier hands him the correspondance and quickly departs. Leaving the guardsman with a message he can't read. The only thing he recognizes are the numbers which he quickly compares to his wall clock. He gathers his spartan possessions and is quickly out the door hoping for action at last. Soon he stops a man at random and asks. "Could you give me directions to this location?". Showing him the datapad memo. Mir's face almost daring the man to say no. As he produces his badge of office and clips it to his belt...
...And the stone of the earth and the wind in the sky bowed before the wisdom of the Ancient One...

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Re: Capitulus Primoris: Edge of Darkness - Acolyte

Post by Vardaen » Thu May 22, 2008 4:18 pm

Frastus grabs his meager possesions and hurries off out of his hovel. Covering his face, and the mark of the psyker on it, he begins the long trip to the Adminitrative quarter. Taking a few of the public rails he is able to hurry along to his destination. Arriving on time, Fratus has found himself in a section of the higher-mid hive of Sibellus, and while not far above the sky might be visible from those hab blocks, here howeve; deep in the city there is no sun, no stars, no moon, only the weight of the city pressing down on one. The trip has been uneventfull, a few transit changes, and the Psyker stands double checking his direction, the numbers on the side of the metal alloy buildings count out various number: HR45-IJ78 heading north, and GG45-01 heading south, while five more similarly labeled tunnels through the Hive 'claerly' mark the hub that Haxtes stands in. Several of the passages are blocked by heavy iron portcullis, with Imperial Guard standing watch behind them. Others lead into rubble or ruin, but the pass Fastus wants heads north and is open to travel. The man is almost there when he spots Mir.

The guardmans has a difficult with words, writen words, and reading the numbers is about as much as he can manage. Knowing the date and the time he realizes he must get someplace, but is forced to ask several peopel outside his hovel in the Hive of the location. Flashing his rosette of the Inquisition the people are very helpful, and very shocked. Apparently Mir's ability to keep his presense as a member of the Inquisition secret, as ordered, is not something he is good at. Already he has broken his first command, his cover is blown, and while everyone is helpful to get him to the place he needs to be, he can not return home now as another anonamous hiver -- The Inquisition will not be pleased.

Mir does however eventually arrive in the Adminitratum Quarter, his badge clipped to his belt, blaring his alligence to the Inquisition ruining months of deep cover and undercover work all the way from one side of the Hive to the other. Someplace, Grand Inquisitor Zerb is regreting ever raising the guardman above his station.

Frastus spots Mir as he arrives in the small hub area, the badge on Mir's belt visible, and the Psyker had thought he might be the troublemaker.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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