Hello everyone,

as the subtitle of this section suggests, I will post my campaign here or at least I will start with the first adventure and look from there if I want to go on Maybe other GMs want to share their adventures or campaigns, too or help with constructive critic.

Some notes before I start:

English is not my mother tongue, so please indulge occuring mistakes. Best example the title of this topic...it should say to share...

I do not intend to post the whole worked out adventures in every detailed facet, this would be too much work for me and the posts would be several pages long I will post my intro and afterwards the course of the adventure.

My campaign was constructed for a fresh start up group and the first adventure tells the story how the acolyties meet each other and their inquisitor. Notice: My players wanted the campaign to be hard and dark.

If you find flaws in the consistency or fluff, feel free to tell me.

The goal of this adventure was to introduce the new mechanics (as few as what really has changed) and especially to build up all three primary arch enemies of my PCs. (More at the end)

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Seeds of Heresy

Intro

We find ourselves in the dark future of the 41th Millennium and there is war in the Imperium of Mankind. It is threatened by from within by heretics and traitors, from outside by xenos and from beyond by the foul forces of the Warp.

Our story begins in the eastern spiral arm of the Milky Way, in the Segmentum Obscurus on a transport spaceship, which glides through the void of the Askellon Sector.

Askellon … an ancient and mysterious region of imperial space filled with secrets and lies, tainting many generations. When you pass between the worlds and look out, you feel that dark forces gather just behind your field of vision, conspirating against the good people of the Imperium.

You are on Bord of the named ship, the wing of life. Your reasons for the journey are your own and thoroughly different. Nevertheless destiny united you in the same passenger category. You travel in a middle class compartment, which fits your Throngelt purse, your employer pays it for you or you might as well just have won the cards while gambling. One way or another everyone of you has his own small cabine. Maybe you have met in the lunchroom or at least you know everyone in the compartment by looks.

The journey leads to Desoleum, one of the biggest and oldest hive worlds of the sector. To date your trip was a quiet and relaxing one, you had a lot of time to debate with others, read or meditate. In the night you wake up, when the drumming signal for the warp transit sounds. Your muscles flex, while you prepare yourself for the sickness that accompanies every transit in the Empyrean. Shortly after the transit you doze of.

Until you are violently ripped from your slumber by screaming sirens and terrified yelling form the corridors. You do not know this particular alarm signal. What's the meaning of this? Is the ship under attack?...Or could it be worse than that? Are you still in the Empyrean?!

Before you find answers to your questions, sickness and dizzyness take hold of you. The walls start to deform, the floor feels like raw meat and the sounds you hear are terribly wrong. Reality itself seems to collabse around you, while you cry out in pain and everything becomes black.

Nothing, blankness, silence...than you feel something. You keep your eyes closed, but you can feel hungry glances aimed at you. Fearfully you open one eye. Immediately the world around you explodes. Your senses are flooded with vile colours and shapes, high-pitched screams from sensual ecstasis to painful madness hammer down at you.

You are no longer in your small cabine. You are stray around driven by panic. You recognise some fleeing people around you. They scream in dreadful fear or fall abrupt silenent all trying to escape. With every look back over your shoulder you see demonic grimaces getting closer to you. They gape and drool, while they try to grab you...to grab your soul. You run, you stumble...you fall. Certain of your death, you lie on the sweating ground. But nothing happens.

You look up and you lie in front of a 100m high wall made of some kind of red leather, all the demons behind you are gone. You rest against the wall, take a deep breath, while your heart threatens to explode.

While you listen to your pounding heart, you have a strange sensation. Then you can determine what it is. You feel another pulse. Stumbling away from the wall you fall down again. Then the giant wall rushes up in the air and uncovers a giant eye. Paralyzed by pure terror you look into the giant black pupil in which you see a maelstrom of colors and emotions...and the eye stares back on you.

It pulls you in, you try to escape, but you have nothing to counter this might. You simply fall down in a neverending abyss filled with pain and madness. After an eternity it finally gets dark around you and the little spark of you soul.

(Yes, I guess many might think this is a little much for the beginning or at all but i ran this twice

so far and both groups found it quite amusing and exciting)

The beach - Part I

The actual adventure starts on a beach. Around the PCs the wrack of the ship, crushed, destroied and on many areas still burning. I started with one PC, chosen randomly by dice, who gained his senses first, finding the other PCs one by one. Partially they were in need of help, so that a reason to stay together was directly given. This way the Players could describe their characters again to the group and the play is a little dynamic.

I let every player make an WP and TH-test, if they suceeded they gained 1D5 Cor and Ins, if they failed 1D10. Afterall their characters just had a real encounter with the warp. On the bright side I also gave them the skill psyscience, but this is more optional and had to do with later plot requirements.

Anyway they were all naked, except the techpriest, he had some kind of bed linen to cover him...nobody ever sees whats under the cloak of a techpriest;)

- PCs have to find a way through the wrack

- PCs have to get equipment and provisions

- PCs meet certain NPCs

NPCs in the wrack:

- Ihen , a young chirurgeon, trapped under a steam beam, his leg has to get amputated, has a good medkit. (If you take him with you, he should be a constant liability due to his critical condition, but Ihen is a good soul and he would still try to help others)

- Matellus , looks like a crewman from the engine department, wound himself a big wrench and some security clothes for workers, an awarness-test might show, that he seems to be a little too lean for a hardworking engine worker.

- Jaquobeaux , imperial guardsman, fully clad in armor, holding a laserrifle in his hands, still very nervous and needs to be calmed down, before he will follow the PCs and help them

- Ekatharina , a young girl (about 14 in my plays) looking for her mother, she should be played quite charming, resistant and has to survive. It is very good, if a PCs tries to help her and maybe poses as a friend to her.

- Lord Ignatius Draco Rasputin III (short IDR3), found in a compartment with many tech and medical equipment, near a burning fire, which threatens to spread. He is also trapped and needs help.

After helping him, he introduces himself and gives orders as to what is to do, he also has some bandages around his head

Obstacles

- Fires, collapsed corridors, the rising tide

- A chirurgeon servitor gone mad, killing people in an ex apothecarium

- Tainted people gone mad trying to kill

Finding help

I let my PCs get creative or let a NPC work on an still intact Vox-transiver in combination with an Auspex. They are unable to call for help, but can detect energy readings which suggest a settlement in the east...about 150km (you can vary as you seem fit).

Short overview

A small group (about 100) considering the size of the ship gathers somewhere away from the wrack. IDR3 takes over the command, like he feels entitled to by his noble rank. They meet Ekatharina's mother Baroness Lucinda Flavia de la Severine , old nobility but thankful to see her daughter again. Night falls people go to rest after a disturbing day to say the least.

The morning begins with a scream. As surreal as it seems, some has died. Depending on the success of the PCs it will look like a poor victim, who has fallen pray to nature, while anserwing nature's call or that he has been killed by a blunt instrument and his body was mutilated by knife.

IDR3 keeps in the middle of the group afterwards, holding Jaquobeaux close. I build in some trouble with Matellus trying to steal some provisions for himself, but bowing down when he was caught.

The journey to saftey? - Part II

The group had to travel through 150km jungle (10km per day), full of poisnous plants, aggressive animals and not much food. A very nice stylistic device was to repeat constant, that it rains...the demoralizing effect was felt by the Players.

I let every now and then some people of the group die to intensify the danger. Additionally every couple of days an other human is found dead (murdered). IDR3 tries to gather people around him, for protection and power. Jaquobeaux at his side, lulled with the promises of a rich reward.

Matellus shows some troublesome behavior and tries to steal again, a logic test with 3 DOS could reveal that he steals technical components. He tries to use them to repair a signal device, which he succedes in and activates just a week away from the settlement. It is some sort of warp signal device to call for his masters. I let it radiate a bright light and the PCs go check it out. They will see Matellus standing over a dead body (someone was there before the PCs). Matellus will try to convince the PCs that it was the dead one who activated the "thing" and then attackt Matellus (a not too hard awareness test should reveal clues as who started the fight).

If the PCs interrogate Matellus successfully they can gain certain information:

- he works for the masters, who will come now that they know, where the thief has gone to

- Matellus sabotaged the geller field reactor

- He is a slave of the Dark Eldar (in a later adventure it will come to light, that he is much more; if he gets killed, he will get ressurected by a haemonculus)

- when people hear just one point of the above, their build up frustration breaks out and they want and will kill him (if he should be burned let it rain strongly...)

If you want to accelerate the journey at this point and feel the players had enough suffering, let them come upon a road through the jungle. I build in this option, if it would get monotone.

Following the road they find a little outpost or supply station. If you feel like it, everyone inside might be dead, either way through mother nature trying to fend of the invaders or something else...something that was summoned a few nights before.

Either way the group can find a transportation vehicle and fasten the journey to a few hours.

Impentra - Safety - Part III

The group leaves the jungle behind and passes through fields, cultivated on cleared jungle terrain. Then they see an imperial town, 10m high concrete walls and the promise of good food!

The players are usually quite happy as the fights are over and the end is in sight...good rpg moments can occur now.

If you feel like giving the PCs one more hard time, do not let them just into the city walls. After all they are a caravan of peaky, dirty and wounded people. Should the PCs fail due to too low stats or bad luck, let IDR3 step in and intimidate the guards with his rank and possible backlashs.

The town is not too big and more an small imperial fortress developed for more civilian needs. In front of the walls are houses build, too. It's name is Impentra and it was original the first fortress of the planet, when it was colonized. The planet is called Argun IV. The town holds a very small space port for about 4 ships, a communication centre with an astropath, an exotic market and usual town institutions. The main traffic from other planets are hunters. They come here to kill or capture dangerous jungle creature's for well paying nobles.

IDR3, the baroness and her daughter go in the palace of the gouverneur. When they return they are outfited with new clothes and seemingly an bigger amount of throngelt. IDR3 still owes his life to the PCs, he offers them to buy for their accommodation and transfer off planet in a few days, to "even his dept".

The PCs have time to explore the town, maybe find the some exotic goods or befriend themselves with hunters in the biggest tavern the hunter's lodge.

On the last evening IDR3 invites the PCs to get a drink in named tavern. The baroness is present, too. It is the first time IDR3 loosens up a little bit. He talks about the PCs life before the crash, their view on the Imperium and is not niggardly with his money and buying them drinks.

The baroness is interacting with the PCs as well, but posing some let's say difficult questions which could be answered wrong in the eyes of a puritan. For example: Don't you think in the war against evil it would be wise to fight evil with evil? Also her views on psionics are quite liberal.

All in all they should drink to the endured horrors of the past view days and be glad that is over.

When they leave it is raining again. Lightning strikes the black sky, short memories of the overcome horros plop into memory...and the memory of the eye...something you might want to emphasize from time to time. (As you might already think, the PCs catched a "glimps" of their nemesis right in the intro)

Soon their is more thunder than there could be lightning strikes. It is weapon fire. The dark eldar answered the call of their minion and launched a full scale attack on the weak defenses of the town. They were effective to hold the wildlife of the jungle out of the town, but were no match against a small xeno army. If not the players have the idea, IDR3 will propose to get to the communication hub and hail the approaching ship to get here faster and send help. The baroness will hurry off to save her child Ekatharina.

Feel free to build in encounters, and scenes where Dark Eldar catch civilians with their gliders etc.

I build in the destruction of the main generator of the town. The com tower did not work. The PCs had to go out again and repair it, while of cource fending of some attackers, if you feel real DE enemies would be too mighty or you do not want to outfit your PCs before in the market accordingly, replace them through slaves or grotesque mutants, failed experiments of the heamonculli.

I also let it open, if the transmission was send and / or received, before the com station was destroied for good. Despair was filling the air.

After that the fight for the town does not favor the imperial forces, the forces and many survivers gather in the space port or gouverneur's palace. Either way the PCs and IDR3 (maybe the baroness and her daughter too and any NPC you want to include, it is a good time to show that they are still alive) find themselves in a hopless retreat battle. One barricade after the other is taken by the foul xenos and forces the PCs and guards back, till the last stand seems inescapable.

But there comes no attack directly, but a xenos which tries to reason with the guardsmen. Her name is archon Lelith Araquir. She promises free passage and no harm to anyone more, if they give her the soulstone Aragul Rakarth. (Yes, a relative of Urien Rakarth, and yes I know that DE usually don't have the technology to use or manufacture soulstones...which maybe makes it so desirable)

The PCs might want to try to hold her off as long as possible. I decided that it would not come to a fight anymore, usually the PCs were beat up bad enough and so threat remains more mysterious and yet they know it is out there and will come back. The PCs and the rest of the town will be saved by attacking aircraft of the ship in orbit. A contingent of troopers lands later and helps cleansing the town.

The Outro

When the first transport ships with soldiers touch down, IDR3 goes up to them. The PCs can see it from afar. They supervising officer wants to get rid of him. Then he suddenly stands as straight as a soldier stands, when he gets a surprise control of his private chambers. IDR3 dismantles the bandages around his head, while talking to the officer. He gestures towards the survivers of the crashed ship, while he does that you see the sanctioning symbol of the schola astra telepathica on his shoven head. You can see the reason for the tension of the officer, too. A big and golden I hangs in front of his breast. The old aristocrat is an Inquisitor of the holy God-Emporer.

Inquisitor Ignatius Dracor Rasputin III gives the order to round up every survivor of the crash on the fore court of the space port. The PCs get within earshot and are ordered to get closer. "This is my ruling, officer. You will kill everyone who survived the crash. They had all direct contact with the warp and are potentially tainted. Everyone except these (PCs). I will personally take care of them." The officer looks into the crowd of wounded, women and children. You see pity in his eyes, but also the knowledge, that you don't defy the orders of an inquisitor. He salutes, relucantly.

IIDR3 then turns towards the PCs: "You have proven yourself to be capable and of a nature I can use.(The talk in the tavern was an inoffical interview) Additionally I owed you my life. This dept has been repaid now. You will follow me and step into my service, if you are found not tainted by the warp." He turns around and enters the cabin of the shuttle.

The PCs look in shock to the crowd of people, they see their newly won friends and allies. Jaquobeaux, Ihen, the baroness de la Severine and even Ekatharina, the little girl with the untamable will to survive. They all get lost by the surrounding troops blocking their field of view. The PCs have to decide if they want to wait and watch or enter the shuttle and only hear the opening of las fire.

... end

I set up three enemies for my PCs in this adventure.

- The eye - of course as it can't be any different a chaos demon...he will often resurface. Mostly only as a hint as in the activities of a cult called Servant of the bleeding Occulus or similar. I plan to let him be the ultimate end enemy when the PCs reach the XP top level.

- The archon Lelith Araquir in her hunt for the soulstone... IIDR3 has stolen it away from her grasp, she send Matellus behind him to gather it back or to prolong his journey so she could attack him

- Last my personal favorite, as it most of the time, hits the players cold...Ekatharina. As through travle between planets time goes by quite far it is no problem to get her back into play as an adult a few years later. The little girl was touched by the warp, her forces first erupt when she gets surrounded to be shot. She then uses her Psy-abilities to either fake her death through an illusion or force an guardsman to rescue her. Betrayed by her "saviors" (PCs) who have abandoned her and left her behind to die, she will grow stronger and plot revenge on the now acolytes. Beginning with attacks on their reputation etc. but only after 3-4 other adventures

I am a bit curious. Does no one else want to post an adventure or comment mine? Is it possible too long or too bad? ;p

I wouldn't want to clog up your thread, but I do enjoy reading about your campaign!

I really liked reading it. I'm still working on the first adventure for my group, still having to read up on the new sector, but I'll post something when it's done.

Oki doki, well tanks, was just wondering^^

I will post the next part this or next weekend, as it takes sometime to translate and shorten it so it is not a super gargantuan post

Sounds like a fun Campaign. Is this just a summary or have you played it already? I'm still getting my Campaign together but I will try to post something when I have something.

I have played it. I posted the Introduction and part of the outro, the rest I summarized, as I tried to keep the post short...and I am a bit lazy

So i switch modules...I translated the first part of my 2nd adventure the rest comes later...maybe this weekend but more likely next. This is a little special and was custom made for one of my groups as they wanted to try out DH without violence This first part can be left out, it is more of an interlude...

Intro:

Darkness and pain were your steady companions. You do not know how much time has passed. Sometimes it seems, it was like yesterday that your normal life ended and you embarked the Aquilla-Shuttle. Behind you the terrified cries for help and mercy of your new won friends. In the end they died when Matellus or what his real name might have been, deactivated the Geller-fields on board of the wing of life. The recovered black box indicated that the fields just failed for a few milliseconds before the ship reentered the real space. But this nearly insignificant period of time and short contact with the matter from which the arch-enemy arises from, was enough reason to kill every survivor. It was enough reason for your new master Inquisitor Ignatius Draco Rasputin III, a hard man and seasoned inquisitor. Just to be on the save side, he decided to give the order. In the future you might understand, that he was right.

But you still remember, sitting in the small compartment of the shuttle on the other side of this man. His old blue eyes fixating you. His mind probing you. The seal of the Sanctioned emblazoned on his forehead. Someone of your group maybe yourself, thanked him for sparing you. He smiled faintly, maybe a litte sad, like he would pity you. „Thanks? You should not thank me. I did them a favor, not you. For us there is a much darker path ahead than the eternal rest on the side of our Lord the God-Emporer.“

And he was right. Over a year you lived in darkness, most of the time blindfolded, chained in cold steel, warded against the warp, tested and probed, if you were not tainted.

This time ended...for now. After what seemed to be an endless torture of your body and soul, you wake up. Bright morning light shines through a big window of coloured glass, showing a scence a saint curing the ill. You lie in a comfortable bed in a small room with simple wooden furniture. When you stand up, you still feel a little bit dizzy, but well rested. Your memories are blurry, too, maybe erased at least a part of it. You put on a simple white robe, which lies on a chair besides your bed.

When you open the door, you are see a long cooridor, with dozens of similiar doors and a monk. It is a young man, in his middle twenties, he weres a simple grey robe with a seal of the inquisition and on of a medicus. He smiles and comes straight towards you. „I greet you, may the Emporer be blessed you have recovered quite fast. My name is brother Jeremiah, I am the provost of these quarters and take care of it's inhabitants. I guess you have many questions. Well, come along I will show you the Refectio while answering every single one.“

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Brother Jeremiah explains, what the Refectio is :

• First of all it has no other name, it is just called the Refectio

• A peaceful and large abbey, guarded by high walls, which seperate it completly from the outside world (might feel like a golden cage/prison)

• New as well as seasoned acolytes and agents, sometimes even inquisitors use this place to regenerate

• The PCs shall stay until their inquisitor calls upon them, regenerate so long and harden their faith, as they are favored by the Emporer to have the honour to serve in his left hand

• The PCs are free to go and do what they want...but not to leave the Refectio

Description of the Refectio :

• a through and through beautiful and peaceful place

• endless gardens, with exotic flora, magnificent lakes and statues and plazas out of white marble

• a big and ostentatious church made of white marble

• all in all the Refectio should be described as a heavenly place of peace, every picture or window shows only positive images

• the counterpart are the inhabitants...seasoned and crippled veteran acolytes, mad muttering scholars (of course none are too far gone...to be dangerous) I used this as an break in the stereotype world picture of 40k and a glimpse in the future for the PCs

The players should have the possibilty to get some information about their future inquisitor and maybe if they are smart enough find some friends, allies or sources for the future.

Possible locations to visi t:

Shrine of meditation ; old pavilion made of grey marble, cushions and blankets are available, a spring and soft breezes of fresh and clean air soften the atmosphere

• A choral of high young voices wispers in the air, played by a few cherubiem

• Brother Pietus , helps people to relax

  • he is a feral worlder, big arms, rough face, but found his balance in the belief of the purity of humankind

  • helps to overcome and deal with the fears and horrors and takes confessions

  • might be a potential source of all possible information (will not reveal any, his belief is too strong and the players have no means to force or persuade him...yet)

• Cornelius Rugh , crippled throne agent

  • Vile to look at, lost his legs, an arm, part of his face, seems to be in constant pain

  • the calmness of the temple helps, but he would enjoy drugs more (PCs might try to get some from the Medicae temple or somewhere else...)

  • will tell how the ruthlessness of Inquisitor Ignatius Draco Rasputin III (IIDR3) killed his cell and let him barely alive, IIDR3 gave the order to destroy a building, which was used as a hideout by a heretic cult, Rugh and his cell captured or killed most, some might have tried to flee. But knowing his acolytes were still in there he choose to destroy the building, even when the situation was under controll (IIDR3 had other reasons to destroy the building, he gained information about a demon being bond in the deeper vaults, but this is something the acolytes may learn later in the campaign...some much for now, the cult was named pilgrims of the bleeding eye.)

Physicarium , a sport and rehab centre after our understanding. A big building, enclosed by an caopied alley of marble columns, inside is an open runway course, a long swimming pool, fighting pits, training grounds, shooting ranges

• Brother Harken , veteran of the imperial army, you have seen trees with smaller stems than his neck

  • he lost his inquisitor in a fight against orks, found no new master and serves now here to help the active acolytes to regain there strength and enhance their skills

  • has some old war stories to share, hears some rumors about a big cleaning of some distant world, does not really want to talk about IIDR3 or other inquisitors, too much trouble may come from there

• Elayne , young, inconsiderable, maybe beautiful, if you look closely and deadly

  • she is the perfect infiltrator, only very attentive acolyties might notice she is not a simple, shy scholar, who wants to gain a little experience in self defense

  • if uncovered her attitude changes, she gets more dominant and the acolytes should get the feeling of being pray

  • she can be a useful ally in the future, as she is an agent of IIDR3

    • IIDR3 is a great man, much influence and knows how to treat a woman, to give her everything she could possible desire (while saying this quite intriguing, it should dawn the PCs that this comes from a woman who adores death...)

    • Still it is a great honor to work for such an old and successful inquisitor

Tabularium , Archive and library, a small building only two levels high, but goes deep beneath

• Brother Ulysses , the warden and head librarian

  • quite young for a head librarian (35) was infected by a virus which does not allow him to be in the field any longer

• Gregor Engelbrecht , an old man, really old

  • he is one, no he is the only one of IIDR3's acolytes who are released of their duties due to old age, this is seldom enough

  • he spends his last days in the Refectio, reads and dies slowly...he sits in an anti-grav-chair, sunk down over a big foliant

    • he may be a source of eternal wisdom, but also relucant to talk about his old life, always saying things like „aww, that will interest you...but...no...I can't...the young monster (IIDR3) would need to send one of his assassin's behind you...he he.“

    • he will warn the players, if he likes them, that they are at the beginning of a great adventure. They will be tested by IIDR3 to the outmost, but if they prevail, they will have the honor to really be part of the great work of the inquisition and maybe even safe the Imperium.

    • A secret about IIDR3, if they do not want to annoy him, they should always call him by his full name or title, never ever call him things like „Iggie“ or the like...there are again some very fascinating stories...but...yes you know

These are some of my favorite characters and a short summary of potential information, I had some more and a little conspiracy around the cook, but I do not want to overload the post

When you feel like your acolytes have spend enough time resting or they want to go on, brother Jeremiah will come to them and announce it is time for their departure. He will escort them to the walls and enter a code into the door. He bids farewell and closes the door behind the PCs. After a short corridor the outside door opens. Hot, dry air and the loud screams of a shuttle engine hits the PCs. It is the first time they see the surrondings of the Refectio. From the outside it looks like an emperial Fortress with high walls, no marble to be seen anywhere just cold steel and gun turrets. The Refectio lies on the top of a mountain and the PCs see no nice vegetation or life at all as far as they can see. Only a dead dessert, grey sand and stone, but blue sky can be seen.

A young pilot runs to them from an Aquilla shuttle, he introduces himself as lieutenant Volatus. I have orders to bring you into the orbit, where Inquisitor Ignatus Draco Rasputin III awaits you on board of the Salvation.

Love your idea of starting a new group off.

Really nice way to set up many plots I adore that.

I hope the translation isn't to stressfull.

Es kann manchmal etwas stressig sein oder?

Can't wait for the next part.

Well, thank you very much. (Ja, es ist manchmal etwas verzwickt )

I will try to post the next part this weekend.

I am new to 40K roleplaying. I am looking for as many adventures as I can find to give me ideas for constructing my campaign. Thank you very much for posting yours. Much appreciated

Thanks

I was quite busy this weekend and did not translate as much as I would have liked. Here is the next part, it is only the mission briefing and NPCs. I added a map, too. I cut out the frame as I do not know if it would be ok to post it, too. Usually my maps have a datapad frame.

The Salvation is a long-serving black cruiser of the inquisition, protected by two smaller escorts. I try to use the Salvation as a mobile base, as my players like to have some steady enviorment and constant connections.

Maybe I will post my overview map of the ship and it's points of intereset and NPCs later.

When they go to the meeting, the PCs notice, that suddenly the big busy hallways are empty, only a few servants hush through the shadows. Hidden guards and Auto-turrets can be noticed. They have passed the invisible border to the domain of their master. (I describe the rest of the ship mostly like a kind of hive, with normal quarters and even people spending their spare time.

When they reach the gate to official office quarter of IIDR3 they are stopped by two guards in full heavy armor and heavy weaponery. They enter a 30m long chapel like room, three rows with arcs supported through columns lead to them to the next door. Only the middle row is light by dim light. While they go through the room, the PCs may notice or think to notice something in the dark, maybe a quiet berath taken...

Afterwards they reach the waiting salon, The high servant Eolaus takes care of the acolytes. He suggests they take a seat and offers them beverages of their choice and some snacks. The room looks like a living room of the rich and wealthy. Dark and red colours dominate it. There are vitrines with medals and throphies of IIDR3 and a big painting showing the inquisitor, hanging hig over a chimney and glaring intimidating down on everyone.

It takes some time, until the doors to the office of his holy inquisitor open. A group of four throne agents walks down the five steps into the waiting salon. (Introducing the rivals of my PCs, a group of veteran throne agents, their leader has apparently some issues with the PCs)

• Interrogator Uriel Rex , tall, wiry, cold intellectual, arrogant, carries his title with proud and shows off when he can. Long scar disfigures a once good looking face

• Sgt. Trask , the muscle, rough stereotype

• Igor van Husk , covered by a dark red robe, slim, his visible face (jaw) covered by a respirator (Psyker)

• Tigris , a woman of many charms and not so many clothes, she walks like a predator and charms one of the acolytes (PCs) it is difficult to resist her and many men have fallen to her charms and later her weapons (Assassin)

Rex provokes the PCs fully knowing they can't do anything against him, the seal around his neck prevents them form doing anything (emphasise that attacking him would be very stupid, but make your players hate him...in the next following adventure they have to first work with him..and then help him, players love it to rub it then under the nose of the bad NPC )

If the situation threatens to escalate let Eolaus interrupt them and announce that IIDR3 is now waiting for the PCs. The name of IIDR3 will shut down Rex too immediatly.

The office of IIDR3 is similar to a throne hall. Big columns support the massive 10m high marble ceiling with its mosaics and paintings of holy scenes from the codex terra and some saints. In the middle hangs a big flag of the Ordo Malleus, the side walls are filled with shelves full of old books and rolls, all sealed behind thick armored glass. When the PCs look to the end of the room they gasp and may roll a WIL test. It seems like the back side of the room has no wall and they would look directly in the void. They remember the events of the first adventure and if they fail the test maybe see the big eye again... Of course there is a thick glass-like window, but absolut stainless and only if you look close you see that there is glas. When they come closer, they also see, that the window can and will be sealed by thick armor plates when the ship transits in the warp. But as IIDR3 is quite the opposite of shy and chary, he likes to make an impression. (Maybe he also wants to test his new acolytes...)

He sits behind a giant desk of black marble, on a throne and reads in an old folio. The PCs may come closer and sit on some beautiful but very uncomfortable wooden chairs. IIDR3 closes and puts his folio aside. He then looks at them, there is no welcoming smile, only seriousness. (My IIDR3 is no one you are friends with, but you can handle him differntly...)

„Welcome. When we last met, I spared your lives, because I saw potential in you. Now it is time to proof me right. If you succeed, I will take you offically in my service and you will have the honor to serve as acolytes of his holy inquisition. But first I have some questions you will answer.“

He indicates that he will test their answers with his mind and that they should consider very careful if they want to lie to him.

(Some PCs had not yet have a fully background story and I liked to play it out, ignore this part if you do not like it)

• Are you ready for heavy duty?

• What are you ready to do to accomplish a mission I give you?

• What would you sacrifice?

• Do you feel worthy to serve me?

• Why did you take a xeno weapon? (If something else happened back in the first adventure ask that)

• If you had to relive the events on Argun IV would you change your actions?

„We travel to Herakles. The local gouverneur Alexandra Lucretia Arminova has failed to deliever the full tithe. Because of our close proximity, I was ordered to investigate why she failed. (Obvious IIDR3 does not like it to get orders). The difference aggregated to less than a half per mill and tithe investigations are not my usual domain of work, but Heraklid prospects some rare minerals which are used to craft psi foci. I guess you can imagine, that there are many applications in his holy imperium, where such minerals are needed and that they can be misused, too. I will investigate the gouverneur myself. Your first mission will be an easy task. While I do not need you for my task, I still want to bring some more peace to this world and remind it, that the inquisition hovers over every single citizen. I will dispatch many of my cells to the planet for secondary missions. You will be sent to investigate the death of an ecclesarch in the mining village of Eiskrone (Icecrown if you prefer English). Cleric Cantio's death was rather mysterious as I was told. Eolaus will give you the files and grant you access to the archives, if you want to do some research. You are free in the ways how you solve the crime. See it as a final assessment of your capabilities and how I can use you best. If you wish, you will be given local clothes, equipment and identities. That is all. Remember the Emperor observes everyone.“

IIDR3 is not willing to explain much to his new assets. He first wants them to prove themselves before he wastes his precious time with them. He also only met them to check on them.

Eolaus hands out the planetery details of Herakles and some old maps of Eiskrone and the report about the cleric's death.

------

Handouts

Re: Inq/12768802345/IDR-III

Theme: Restricted information compilation for aspirants

Datum: 1102797.M41

Originaltranskriptor: Archivist Ibex – Bord archives of the Salvation

Herakles

Segmentum Obscura - Askellon Sektor – Herakles System

Classification: Feudal world

Population: avr. 1.200.000.000

Gravitation: 0,97

Gouverneur: Alexandra Lucretia Arminova

- Reduction to important data -

Herakles is the only planet of the system, though has 8 moons which lead to unique gavitational forces affecting the planet's geology. Scholars of the Adeptus Mechanicus ascribe the high valuable minerals of the planet to these effects, although they do not interfere with biological life.

A loose feudal system rules the planet. Every settling has a administering noble, who's duty it is to protect the settling and guarantee the delivery of his tithe to the capital. [Note: The capital has the only space port of the planet]

The law system is quite simple and refers to the basic moral codex, which is taught by the Emporer. But it allows great latitude and shows a concerning abscence of imperial bureaucracy. Weapons are allowed to be carried, except in locations of the ecclesiarchy or when a noble prohibits it. The technological development is low. The quite puritan interpretation of the local ecclesarchy might lead to missunderstandings and accusations of witchcraft or heresy from the locals if high technologies are openly used. Public cremations are a usual way of punishment in the remote settlements – further information on enquiry, enquiry No. 7128X82B27

Eiskrone

Mining village – lies on the border of the norhtern polar circle – 1800m over sea level

Expected temperature on arrival: -20 C°

Population: 563

Administrator: Baron Wladimir Dragunov

Ecclesiarch: Kleriker Cantio – deceased – replacement unknown

Eiskrone is the northernmost mining site of this world. There is nearly no more date of significance of this village in the archives.

Report – Death of Cleric Cantio:

Report based on hearsay from locals. Cleric Cantio has held a midnight mess on 2812796.M41. At the end there has been an public dispute between the cleric and a person named Ergulon or Herstus – reports are inconsistent –. The person was agitated over the strict rules the cleric wanted to push through. After a short crosstalk, cleric Cantio expeled the person from the curch for the night. The next day cleric Cantio was found dead. His stomach riped open and burned. The descriptions are quite bizzare.

The file of cleric Cantio show that he was a hardline puritan, even known to be extreme after puritan standards.

So far for now...next I will post an overview of the adventure and with it the NPC list (about 4 pages short description including their involvements in the heresy as well as just decoys for the PCs )

If any of you play my campaign, I would be happy to hear how it worked out for you or if you have any critic positive as well as negative

As always an awesome read I actually used your first adventure for my group ;D worked really well.

I guess you used icecrown as an hommage to the same location in Warcraft?

Thanks again I did not notice the similatiry until you mentioned it. I just thought of a fitting name for a freezing cold village, guess the name was burried somewhere in my subconscious.

Here are the way to Eiskrone as well as some locations and NPCs, it might seem to be a little messed up, maybe I should have given an overview over the adventure and planned events first...I hope to remember to do so next time.

The landing

I let my PCs being flight down by lieutenant Volatus, who picked them up from the Refectio. He will drop them 4 hours on foot from the village. I placed Eiskrone on a circular plateau, which is in fact the worn down peak of a giant mountain, worn down by an earlier much more advanced mining operation.

• Early morning

• 25C° minus

• biting cold wind, hard ice like snow

• only a few small conifers can be seen down the mountain

• the road to Eiskrone can only be guessed, long poles indicate the under snow buried road

• the way up to Eiskrone is hard, the acclivity is high, small snowslides break off now and then, sometime the „road“ is just a small way which curls just few meters from steep cliffs

Up on the plateau the last hour towards village is easy to complete. Most of the extremities have lost their feeling and the sun takes off some of the brutal cold. Black smoke can be seen. Then a wall and some small towers are silhouetted against the white snow. The village seems quite small and lies directly on a cliff. You can see there are three sledges loaded with merchandise waiting to enter the village. Two guards seem to trouble the merchant. He obviously bribes them to get entrance.

Two guards stand in front of the small village gate, two more on the towers to the sides, one on each. The leader, a old big guy, with nearly no more teeth in his mouth approaches the PCs. He is a rough fellow.

• Who are you?

• What do you want in Eiskrone?

• What do bring for our village? We don't need any beggars or „artists“. (He wants to be bribed; should your players openly display that they are well armed outworlders or tell him they are acolytes of his holy inquisition, he will back down immediatly. On a feudal world you know better than to displease your betters, but he also will spread the news about the newcomers)

Eiskrone

• a miserable place

• simple stone houses, thick black smoke lies in the air, with an unpleasant smell (wood is too valuable up here to burn it...)

• there seems to be some sort of sewerage system...but it also seems to be frozen

• the streets are made of crude stone blocks, gritting stones are spread over them

• most houses are quite small and seem to be only half a floor high, they are build partially underground to save warmth, they also have only few windows

• it is midday, there is much activity, workers go home to eat

Locations

The Rondel (outside)

• 2 ½ floor building with a dome like roof

• The front has a weathered red coat, it is obvously a tavern, maybe it was something else before

• steam forms over the roof through some leaks, it seems to be a warm place and the PCs would like to get in there

• The smell of roasted meat draws people in, the closer you come the more you smell, you can smell hot wine and mead, too

The Rondel (inside)

• You enter through a big, massive red wood door and will be greeted by Gunfried (NPCs further down) the doorman

• after him comes Thalia (innkeeper's daughter) and accepts the wet clothes and warmed up pelts, while the clothes are hung near a fireplace

• the taproom is big round room, with many but small tables to have more room for more customers, on the wall is all around a little space to place your tankard

• behind the long stretched bar counter are stairs leading up (guest rooms) and down (kitchen)

• The innkeeper Thomas stands behind the bar

• Depending on the hour the rondel is either full or nearly empty, on noon and in the evening it is always full with loud locals, most of them miners drinking away their wages

Chapel (outside)

• Second highest building in Eiskrone, romanesque architecture, massive walls with tiny windows, but those are beautiful coloured glass windows.

• Not much embellishment on the outside except a big bronze aquilla over the main entrance

• The chapel is big enough to fit in about ¾ of the population

• Close to it their lies a heavy resin like incense smell in the air

Chapel (inside)

• simple décor, only small wood bench, a few stands for glowing coals

• The altar is a big stone block

• The ceiling hat a painting of a guarding Emporer protecting his servants beneath him

• Only a few ceremonial objects are made of silver and gold

Mining complex (upper left corner)

• The complex is seperated from the village by a 2m high fence of stone and ice

• There are two guards taking turns to guard the entrance (there is no gate just an opening)

• The mineral storage is a big storage building, where the minerals are packed in boxes and readied for delivery

• Tool room a big shack, containing the crude mining instruments and clothing of the miners

• The elevators are wooden cranes with a big open platform

• They need two men to operate the linkage

The keep

• A three floor high stone tower, worn down by weather and bad care

• There is a stable for mounts and a well

• The keeps wall is bigger than the village wall and has walkable stone walls

House Pretia/Regis

• Two noble houses, Pretia has blue painting, Regis red

• Nearly identical build

• Two floors, wooden embellishment to show off wealth

• Guarded by private guardsmen

• Former allies, now enemies struggling over mining quotas s. NPCs

Apothekarium

• A big stone building, one floor high

• The building is decaying

• The walls are messed up with bad vegetables and other not nice things

• It might be used as urinal by some people

• You can observe that ill people hesitate to go there and if they do they try to do so unnoticed

NPCs

Residents

• Most are smaller than average, partially because of underfeeding

• However the people are hard, forged in everlasting winter and very hariy

• Fur and thick leather are the clothes of choice

• It is not uncommon that people cover their faces outside

• You can identify the poor quite fast, as they are missing extremeties

Baron Wladimir Dragunov

• 35 years, mighty full beard, big paunch

• Proud of his past days as a successful hunter, likes to show off his many throphies

• Enjoys his position and the might

• Has handed the administration of the mining buisness to his inferior nobles Pretia and Regis

• You could say he is a simple bon vivant

Liege Alena of Pretia (Antagonist)

• 28 years, spoiled noble, arrogant in looks and behaviour, a pointy nose (very pointy and indeed a little defacing her) and chin Jahre

• Wears always a veil to hide her looks, she suffers much under her ugly looks

• Mirrors are forbidden in her house

• She is the mistress of the night shift, she considers that to be an insult and is sure that the Baron wanted to insult her, implying she would be too ugly for the day shift

• She nearly went mad about this and feels constantly humiliated, especially since her Harold of Regis declined her hand because of her looks.

• This is the reason she fell for the whispers and promises of the Dark Eldar envoy (known to the PCs as Matellus)

• Alena does not really know what happens in the mines, only that her workers work nearly double as good as Regis' ones and she does not care, only to humiliate him and to take over his shift, too.

Liege Harold of Regis

• 36 years, tall, thin, hard face, short but elegant (for feudal measures) hairJahre

• Master of the day shift

• Arrogant, does not accept failure

• Holds a grudge against Liege Alena since she threatens to outrun him in the mining operations, tries to find out how she does that

• Might even spread rumors

Master of the village watch Incus

• 40 years (old for this world), best years are behind him

• It is hard for him to stand or sit upright, fat, many teeth missing, pale skin

• Has a sickly aura around him

• Bad mood, has no motivation anymore, just waits for the end

• Prefers the company of an easy girl to actually working

• Has to visit Sanari regulary because of his worsening condition, he is one of the reasons she was not burnt yet

Priest Talos

• 26 years, ambitious priest, is not as puritan as Cantio and has still to make a name for himself in the village

• He lives in Eiskrone for two years now and has taken over Cantio's office

• He has not seen anything in the night of the murder

  • He says, he was away on a pilgrimage to purify himself (PCs can detect lie, but have to be very convincing for him to tell the truth)

  • He met with Sanari, who is his lover

• This is also the reason he protects Sanari from the people

  • Officially he tries to convince the people that he has studied the doctrines of Medicae himself and that Sanari does nothing heretical or the like, but only applies medicine in the name of the Emporer...to let her burn would be an easy way for him to get the support of the people for him as new spiritual leader, but he obvious loves her too much

• Might tell that he has to cane Paulus for neglecting his duties and being too curious

Altar server Paulus

• 17 years, young and naive, a little bit fearful, slim

• Tries to overcome his anxiety and wishs to experience some real adventures, inspired by the stories of heroes and saints from which cleric Cantio always read

• Got many reprimands because he was often caught outside at night or neglecting his duties

  • If the PCs think about it, they might want to question him, about his „adventures“

  • He has seen Cantio sneaking into the mining complex at night (at the day of his murder...)

  • Paulus also has an affair with Thalia the Innkeeper's daughter (depending how the PCs ask, he might confess to this „sin“ as the worse misbehaviour in his eyes.

• This NPC might be easy to be recruited if players wish to get some companions

Thomas (Innkeeper)

• 35 years, scraggy beard, sometimes with meat rests in-between

• He is not as marked by the hard life as most other townspeople.

• Behind his simple face hides a cunning businessman, he does not only trade in mead, food and girls, but also in information. (I would make the lower two information quite priecey, as they can hurt these peopleand are hence valuable. Feel free to invent some decoy of yourself ) Relevant rumors are:

  • Paulus is no good altar servant too many fancy ideas about being an adventurer and hero are in his head, a real disgrace for an ecclesiarch if you ask him

  • People think they know who is responsible for the night sickness (miners working the night shift get more and more sick, nobody knows how or why, they do not leave their houses and nearly do not talk to anyone anymore...bad for Thomas' buisness) People think it is Sanari and that she is a witch...

  • Bellatrix is a good buisness partner, she offers protection services for trade caravans

    • If PCs investigate further and pay or intimidate him good enough, he reveals that she also raids the one or other if it is more profitable

• He also know about Priest Talos and Sanari the apothecary, he sometime smuggles them out of the city or rents them a room...

• He is a fence, too. But the merchandise he has to offer are mostly stolen gear or jewelry

• He will be cautious around newcomers and do hell when the PCs announced themselves as acolytes of the inquisition, except they threaten him, then he will sell everything including his daugther to save his hide

• Thomas also has his own little conspiracy on hand

  • He wants to take over Darion Segusto 's buisness and tries to convince Bellatrix to help him

  • He sometimes looks for people who would be willing to raid his mineral caravans (of course only those who are not protected by Bellatrix)

Thalia (Innkeepr's daugther)

• 16 years, simple, but beautiful in a raw way

• Shy and in constant conflict, between her love for Paulus and the rage her farther would get

• She believes that her farther also betrays her just deceased mother with Bellatrix, she believes they are a couple, as they often spent time behind closed doors...she is not aware, that her farther is not only a innkeeper but a fence, too.

  • If asked she will tell, that she believes that Bellatrix has killed her mother, so her farther would fall in love with her

Gunfried (Doorman Rondel)

• 33 years, big, wild, long beard to his mighty belly

• simple but loyal doorman, usually calm temper

  • if you wish he might be upset sometimes, when the innkeeper has a fight with his daugther, he then does not know what to do...

Darion Segusto ( Master of Commerce )

• 45 years, wiry, wears primitive glasses with a wood frame and a big necklace showing his guild seal

• He is very courteous to people who he thinks are there to do buisness, and quite the opposite to those who don't (except nobles)

• He seems to be stressed out

  • Raids on his caravans are nearly ruining his buisness, it seems like all mercenaries are worthless except Bellatrix

  • Bellatrix wants to be paid better now or won't protect his merchandise

• The night sickness is not bad for him or his buisness

  • The night shift's extracted minearls are more pure and they deliver more

  • People are making up stories, those workers are only exhausted because they work so hard in the name of the Emporer...and quite frankly one of the only reasons he is still in buisness

  • Also they don't get drunk and don't make trouble...fine by Darion's standards

Factus (Blacksmith)

• 25 years, a bear of a man, arms that look like he does not need a hammer to forge iron

• He mostly forges tools for the mine, but in the last couple of weeks it seems like they only need half as much supply...

Bellatrix (Mercenary leader)

• 25 years, wild beauty, if you are not disturbed by her scars, tall and trained

• Wears a big white pelt of some local predator, hidden knives can be seen (Awareness)

• Wears a fine curved sword

• Has earned her place as leader of her mercenaries, likes rough humor, moves like a predator

• Clearly wealth and maybe power are her only real motivation

• She can be bought, she will betray the PCs if they press her into service

• Works mostly for Darion Segusto and protects his caravans, but also raids other caravans of him she was not paid to protect and sells the prize in other villages or to Thomas

• She sits in between both men, working for both and profiting the most of their conflict

• Could be recruited as NPC companion, if the group needs more muscle

Sanari (Apothecarin)

• 21 years, small, petite, friendly and good-hearted, but the people's attitude and accusations have made her harder

• Love affair with Priest Talos, knows he will not just run away with her

• Since her farther died Cleric Cantio tried to mark her a witch and let her go over the Widow's cliff

  • Cantio wanted her for himself and was rejected...

• Night sickness first appeared about 6 months before

  • Workers had headaches and felt dizzy

  • Their conditions worsend

  • Then they did not come anymore to her and don't want her to examine them

Fos (Mortician)

• 45 years, short before he can bury himself, walks bent over on a crane, looks sick

  • Likes it when people come to talk

  • Tells old stories from all the better days

• Tells the PCs maybe in a subordinate clause, that there are less dead in the last half year

  • The people always talk about the night sickness, but it can't be that bad...he did not bury one man from the night shift in over half a year...

Oh man. I just finished your first adventure and my whole group got knocked out by eldars -.- WELL looks like we gonna have some torture going on and some ruined minds =/

Sorry to hear that...I guess it can be quite a challenge for a group of rookie PCs...

Maybe for other GMs then, try to hold escape and rescue plans ready. Like an explosion blocking the enemies part or some guards distracting them...

Yeah gonna think of something. I told them that there are 1 eldar and some consorts BUUUT the sniper got a bit of an itchy trigger finger =/

Well player behavior cannot be anticipated ;P But when I post the next part of plot, maybe I will also include encounters and a suggestion on how hard it should be or how you can prevent needless PC deaths.

I do not know if I am able to continue it this weekend though...

Ah no stress friend. It should be fun and not a job....

Where are you guys getting stats/abilities and info on the Dark Eldar that attack the town in the first scenario? Is there an older sourcebook I can convert from?

I got my Dark Eldar from the Purge of the unclean book. I used a Crimson Woe Raider as my standard Dark eldar ( Only used them alone) I was a bit unsure about the balancing. And for mutants I just used the sanatorium Mutant from Apostels Gambit first book.

Can't really say if the balancing worked or not. Most of the group killed themself out of stupidity =/

EDIT:AH and if you are looking for help in finding enemies or stats try this: http://www.40krpgtools.com/bestiary

Thanks Wurstbrotjoe for jumping in I had some trouble with my internet provider.

I do not remember exactly if I had a certain source (got all DH books) or made them up. I would simply adjust the enemies in relation to your PCs and the equipment you give them. A group of simple equipped scholars should maybe only face weak slave groups armed with crude metal clubs, while a group of well armed soldiers might be able to handle about the same number of DEs.

It is about three days since you posted, did you find or made up some fitting enemies or do you need further assistance?

-----

I try to add the last part of the current adventure this weekend.

Thanks for the help! In the end I did a lot of searching online and found a post on the Deathwatch forums with all sorts of interesting Dark Eldar player made stats and stuff all related to general info from their Codex. It is really only missing the glider details (which I will make up):

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/46300-stats-for-dark-eldar-enemies/

I also needed pseudo-blueprints or at least lists of various compartments for the passenger voidship. I found this site with, if not exactly blueprints, some useful info:

http://www.malleus.dk/Ordo/Blueprints.aspx

I'll be using the Mundus Vecturae as a template. I'm also told the Rogue Trader core book has info on ship components and areas. I have a friend with that book so so I should be able to have a good idea of what areas the characters would be aware of and want to visit in the wreck.

I'm now fleshing out the various encounters in the wreck and their journey and creating a map of the town. I'm not sure where I am going to find ideas for creatures/encounters. I may have to make those up. Lastly, I need to plan out the details of how the attack on the town will go down.

I want to be as prepared as possible

Thank you so much Dweomer for the link to the Dark Eldar summary

So the last part finally

As you can see in the NPC descriptions there is a lot of potential for little side line stories and distractions for your PCs. I myself did not plan them all out and just went with it, when my players got trapped in one. E.g. the residents seem to hate the Apothecarin Sanari. The hated „witch“ is usually quite a good start for an investigation in a medieval setting, where an ecclesiarch got murdered. Let them follow that lead, make observations etc. She has something to hide, of course out of PC's point of view that's nothing real important...the forbidden love to priest Talos (now I noticed that's a name from Skyrim ;P ) You can also build in your own conspirations if you want to stretch the adventure.

I will now only focus on my planned resolution of the main plot. (Other solutions are of course possible, too.) I will group up information now, as you cannot predict where players start to search and what approach they choose (open inquisition or undercover)

Questioning the staff of the dead cleric. Priest Talos will try to defend his predecessor and only reveal that he was quite the hate filled puritan to PCs with good social skills or if they have leverage (relationship with Sanari) against him.

Key witness would be altar server Paulus. He does not want to reveal what he knows out of fear, that he will be punished for breaking the rules and leaving the house after night fall. He sneaked his way out and saw how Cantio tried to sneak in the mines at night the night he was murdered.

If not the night shift disease pointed the PCs in that direction this should. There are three ways I thought of how to get in the mine.

1. Ask Liege Alena of Pretia for permission, she will decline, if she will agree to meet the PCs at all. If they do not conceal their identity, she will try to persuade them, that it is not save to enter the mines at night, their investigation could influence the effeciency and she cannot afford a setback in the quota. If the PCs succeed, she insists to accompany them on the next shift. She will start preparations and inform her allies. If the PCs go down with her, they will find nothing. Except they have an auspex and roll 3+DoS. All workers are doing their jobs, but them seem to be very slow and show great lacks of concentration.

2. They want to break in the mine at night. The guards are not their biggest problem, but the lifts need at least two strong men to be operated or a mule and a bell rings automatically to warn workers down in the mine. 50 m down to the first entry.

3. They try to enter the mine from the outside. For that they have to leave Eiskrone and walk two days through challenging terrain. My players chose this. I let them suffer a little bit, as it would be too easy other ways. I let them do a navigation and survival roll. Feel free to add bad weather.

In the mines at night (if they did not warn Pretia) there are no sounds. Only wind howling through the hollow maws of darkness in the mountain. While investigating the mines they find a big central chamber and all workers stand there. They stare on some kind of light emitting machine hovering 5m above the ground. The light shines in a sick green color...but is somehow beautiful, too. WP-test. (Usually at least one PC should pull through and be able to resist the hypnotizing light, if not let them spend a fate point to shoot the machine) Characters who are captured by the light loose their free will and become open to suggestions and new memories. After an hour of hypnosis the workers will start to work without break and with high tech xeno tools.

Deeper in the caves the PCs find a cave, that is not visible during the day. It is perfectly round and was cut in the stone by some sort of high tech laser. The workers go in there to get their Xeno tools from a chamber 100m deeper in the stone. Two Dark Eldar supervise the workers and guard the ongoing cave. The workers will not notice the PCs and simply work. With their much better tools, they prospect four times the minerals they would usually do, about 60 percent are brought to the DE. The DE steal the Heraklid for some sort of psy experiment...of course they are the DE from the first adventure and show the same symbols. The PCs will probably combine the information from the last adventure, where they wanted to get a soulstone in their possession and now they steal a material, which is used to craft potent psy gear...

Deeper in the cave can an entrance to the net of the thousand gates (I don't know if that is the correct term in English), depending on your groups strength it will be guarded by slaves or DEs and a human looking creature in a xeno armor composed of many small and filigree metal rakes. It is Matellus, the human they thought, they killed in the first adventure. If he sees the PCs, he will recognize them immediately and open fire. If the PCs win, he will leave a bomb and jump through the gate.

The PCs find a staircase up, which ends in house Pretia.

To shorten things up, cleric Cantio became suspicious of the night shift and the disease they got. They missed out the services and such things were no easy sins for a puritan like him. He investigated the mines and found the DE. Matellus knew he could not just let him vanish, the religious people might come looking for him. He wanted to poison him in his bed, but Cantio resisted and got shot. I do not know just now, if I described the specialty of his wounds? This is an important fact. His chest was torn open by a splinter weapon.

All in all the PCs are the big heroes they want to be. They did not just solve the riddle of Cantio's death (they should be able to combine the facts so far, otherwise help them), exposed a vile xeno consipracy including a local noble and might have solved the one or other little mystery of Eiskrone. If you like, build in a meeting with Interrogator Rex, where the players can rub him their success right under the nose...then decide for yourself...shall they begin to like him? He will show a little recognition. Shall they hate him more and more? He will smile at them and belittle them, while pointing out that he had solved a planet wide heresy...

If you have questions about the adventure or feel like I have missed something, please post here or send me a pm. I'm quite busy lately...