Ok I need help writing my next mission. I have a rought outline but am stuggling for ideas on how to fill it out and am concious of railroading them. This is actually the first campaign of any game system that I have GM'ed and I have only written 2 scenarios so far and one of them was a bit of a flop because I didn't have time to write it properly and so id ended with a damp squib.

So far they have been through Illumination as this all started one night when we had finished WFRP and a couple of players wanted to try Dark Heresy so I had them whip up some characters using only the main rulebook for simplicity (we didn't have much time). Since then they have been through a scenario of mine Maggots in the Meat (because we didn't have anything else ready that night) another of mine and then A House of Dust and Ash. I plan on moving them onto Tattered Fates after this scenario as it fits in quite well with what I had planned.

Characters I am going to have in this are at Rank 5 a Cleric, a Tech Priest (Secutor), an Assassin and a Rank 4 Sister Hospatalir just joining the group after the guardsman died. They are heading back to Iconothos where there Inquisitor currently is to debreif, recieve rewards, pick up the Sister and get their next mission.

Thier mission involves finding a book filled with Daemonic Rituals with one in particular that is of interest to the Inquisitor, to summon a Bloodthirster. Unfortuanately the False Prophet of the Pilgrams of Hayte Lady Solace from Diciples of the Dark Gods is also after the book. The clue to its whereabouts is in the Prol system although until recently neither of them knew it and in fact the Inquisitor only found out about the book after capturing several of the cultists while defeating Lady Solace on Prol IX.

The book was origionaly used by three sorcerers on Iconothos to try and defeat the invading Imperials but they quit the ritual to summon the Greater Daemon after the Imperial advance proceded much more rapidly than expected and escaped by using thier powers to disguise themselves. On Iconothos the name of the ship they boarded was recorded by one of thier serfs who fled into the mountains to escape Imperial retribution and died in a cave.

Using his powers of Divination the Inquisitor found the dataslate and was able to recover the name of the ship but not where it was headed. At that point his psyker sent out a pulse into the Immaterium containing the knowledge that had been discovered before he was shot and killed. Unknown to the Inqisitor his psyker had his mind seeded to send out the infomation when he discovered it, the mind manipulation was subtle enough not to register until it had been activated.

The Acolytes have been called in because the Inquisitor cannot trust anyone that was involved in any way with the Pilgrams of Hayte which rules out most of his other cells. Also this groups is unknown to the Pilgrams so they have the ability to stay below the radar should they choose to take it. The Inquisitor has determined the destination of the ship is stored on Prol I and has the Vault number where it is kept, the Vault is for some undeclared reason sealed by Inquisitorial order but he thinks he has codes that will allow access.

An Administratum vessel is currently in orbit above Iconothos collecting the planets records to be stored at Prol IX, this is the last stop on the way. Due to the nature of thier cargo no weapons are permitted to be carried on board by unauthorised personel, they can arrange to get an Inquisitorial override but that will aleart the Pilgram of Hayte group also useing the Vessel to get to the Prol System if thier presence.

Ok that is the background and start, I will post more when I have time. Any suggestions for changes or improvements are welcome, this is all very much in the works and I thought up quite a few details on the spot when writing this so its not exactly perfect.

Ok, for the next section, I want thier trip to be eventful in some way and obviously if they tip off the Pilgrams I want them to try and attack some way that can give a clue to who it was without making it obvious or giving them a reason to just purge whoever they suspect (frame other guests perhaps). Hopefully they arrive at the Prol system alive and well, if they have discovered and somehow eliminated the group they have bought themselves more time but Lady Solace was recently on Prol IX and only the inquisitorial purge removed her and her cultists but some remain. If the other group do not check in with Lady Solace telepathically then her last reamaining cell of cultists will be sent out (this group is hidden in the squalor of the basement of an abandoned worker hab with a minor daemon bound to the body of a minor cleric who acts as a conduit to Lady Solace which is how they would contact her).

When on Prol IX they will have to get a shuttle to Prol I, if they go to the spaceport and ask for transport they will be met by a Decatalogue which for those who dont know are Adepts who advocate moving onto Prol X to deal with their storage problem as apposed to the Pyratics who want to burn down the archives of Prol I and start again. This section will depend on how they will present themselves, if they seem to be a violent group or their cover story suggest violence then the Adept will suspect that he has found either a group of Pyratics or a group being payed by the Pyratics and will attempt to divert them and ultimately kill them, problem is I have no idea how. Every time I try and think of an adiquate challange I draw a blank so I would really apreciate some input. This may be an opertunity again to tip of the Pilgrams to the presence of an Inquisition team (who will recognise the group for what they really are).

Assuming they reach Prol I they will find a maze of vaults with only a token presence of Adepts left behind most likely as punishment for failure. They will have to first locate the position of the Vault and I am open to suggestions on how to make that interesting, depending on how they have been doing the Pilgrams will either be ahead of them behind them or arriving on the same shuttle, whoever arrives second will most likely be tipped off to the presence of the other group as they enquire about the destination of the Vault in question. The Vault protected by a huge door with an imprint of the symbol Administratum over an Aquilla with an Inquisitorial I sealing it shut. That isn't all that protects the Vault though as it is protected on the inside by two Praetorian Battle Servitors with Assault cannons mounted on a system of rails that allows them to move anywhere along thier wall (think one of those drink machines that goes and picks up the bottle and delivers it into the slot rather than dropping it), there is one on the left and one on the right and thier rest positions are at the top corner as you walk in. The one on the left is damaged by falling masonary during an earthquake and not sending or reciving data to the security system but is still being fed its nutrient paste, it has reverted to base protocols and will now shoot any target on site but the damage it has recieved has also caved in part of its face and its targeting and target aquisition protocols are not functioning properly which means that it cant aim well and stuggles to lock on to new or moving target.

I havn't decided how the Pilgrams will get through the door and am not sure what to do if the beat the Acolytes to the information so suggestions on how to deal with that will be appreciated. The information recieved will lead them to Regulus where the book is hidden and the next part of the adventure but at this point they will recieve some experiance depending on thier preformance.

Things I am concerned about, it is a very action heavy mission, I am rubbish at divising puzzles for my players and so would really like some help with that. Also the mission is quite linear and I am terrible at stepping back and trying to see if im railroading them so please let me know if I am and suggestions on how to fix it. I dont know if it will be any fun to play in so tell me, does this sound like something you would like to play. Does anything not make any sense, I havn't included everything as it asking alot of people to read more than what I already have down but is there anything that would leave you feeling cheated as a player because of a strange leap in logic by me.

Please comment and criticise, this is only part one but I want it to be as enjoyable for my players as possible.

Kaihlik

Why should the Pilgrims need a way in? If they arrive second (or at the same time) they can just follow the Acolytes. If they arrive first they could be be stumped scratching their noggins with a few melta charges that obviously didn't work. These fanatics have been given a crucial role so they're obviously more thinking than the average bunch of hereticks (it's a thinking problem to aquire knowledge), so they could be discguised as Pyratics (whom the Acolytes should have become aware of by now). Let them talk to the Acolytes and even aid them (if they don't get suspicious) to enter the vault, retrieve the tome and escape the immolation (used to maintain the cover/s). Have them run into a few real Pyratics/ Decatologues to complicate things on the way out. Let the Pilgrims maintain cover as long as they can, tipping off opposing factions (Pyratics or Decatologues as appropriate) to slow or eliminate the Acolytes (they could talk their way around this or fight) whilst they make off with the co-ordinates. If they're outed they can scatter (the priority is to preserve the information) whilst some stay as a rear guard to eliminate the Holy =][=. If they're not outed (whether they have the information or the Cell have kept it from them) get them to beg passage with the Acolytes (or stow away) to escape their vengeful opposittion/ supperiors as Prol I burns/ is saved. Coincidentally, this takes them to the next link in the chain, do the Acolytes suspect... (or eliminate all accomplices to maintain security).

Mix it up with events from the Scriveners Star (or even run both) with the events intefering wth each other.

I like some of the ideas but Prol I will be mostly uninhabited and covered in Data vaults so the chance of anyone being at that Vault who isn't also after the information (and the Acolytes will be aware that the Pilgrams are after it as well) is close to zero so I dont think they would try that.

I have 2 ideas for that bit now. First is that the cultists arriving early and knowing that they cant access the Vault kill the Adepts at the space port and disguise themselves for the Acolytes arriving and act as thier guides into the Vault, give them some clues like the occational blood stain if they spot it. The second is to invoke a time consuming ritual that will allow 3 of them to phase through the wall leaving the others to fight off the Acolytes while they try and retrieve the information, have it on a cogigator which they then shoot up before leaving and legging it in every direction to make sure some of them escape. The Acolytes can then try and follow the Pilgrams, capture one, or they could have the techpriest attempt to repair it enough to use his mind impulse link to retrieve the data.

I need to think of ways to slow them down before they get there, the 2 main factions seem to be mostly based on Prol IX so I could imagine that they could get caught up in something between the 2 which ate at thier time and gave the cultists a lead if not careful, i'm not sure how to trap them though in a way that would tip off the Pilgrams to their arrival, I suppose I could have the Pilgrams infiltrated both sides to make them come to conflict, it fits their MO of causing as much chaos as possible, that way then the Decatalogue tries to have them killed the Pilgrams would find out. Since I have two seperate cells of Pilgrams who wont be in immediate contact with each other I could have the Pilgrams inform the Pyratics to try and start a shooting war between the two. Basically I need a way for the Decatalogues to try and trap them that they can either figure a way out of or that would bring the Pyratics to help, I would like this bit to be interesting and challenging while making sense to all parties involved. I'm stumped, suggestions?

Alot of this is thinking aloud and just putting my thoughts out, I find it helps to try and explain it to other people as if I cant do that then it probably doesn't make any sense.

Thanks for any help.

Kaihlik

EDIT - I have just started reading the Scriveners Star and have decided not to run it at the same time but I am thinking that one of their guids to the sealed Vault will be a woman called Philologia Moror. Why this vault is sealed and none of the others was just going to be an unsolved mystery too add some challenge to the scenario. Now I am thinking that the Vault was used later by an Inquisitor to store the book although he was later killed with the secret dying with him. I can make sure Phologia survives and hides in the Vault if they are attacked and refuse to move from fear, once she is alone she looks though the archives and finds the book. Or if they dont have a guide then she is part of a teams sent to check on the Vault after the acolytes have been.

Argg Just realised I have been misusing the term Decatalogue, it should be Centurist a faction of the Decatalogues. Anyway just replace all mentions of Decatalogue with Centurist.

So, the main "mile stones" of your adventure are:

- a flight onboard a vessel to Prol
- the landing on Prol...where you want the pc to mingle with both the Centurists and the Pyratics
- a sealed vault which has to be opend
- vault guardian to be dealt with

- all along having a group of Pilgrims of Hayte tagging along

Ooooooooooo-kay:

Aboard the "Dignitatia Omnitas"
Besides the paperwork, documents and dataslates, the Freigther "Dignitatia Omnitas" although carries a number adepts and scribes, servitors, supplies, a couple of technomant families, a couple of ministorum missionaries and preachers and perhaps some other passensgers to rise the numbers till "Final Destination". The "Pilgrims" have arrived scatter, to draw less intention and to ensure that if one group is discovered, the others will make it to Prol.

Preacher Omenicus Rall is a ministorum preacher that is heading to Prol as a replacement for a preacher that passed away. Or "was", since Omenicus was killed before the beginning of his journey, replaced by Pilgrim which took his role. Use the "Cult Fanatic", but heigten IN by 3 and add the skills from "Hagiographie" and "Liturgie" from the Imperial World Background and add "Hatred (Clerics)"
"Omenicus" will try to play the faithfull imperial preacher, but his mask is thin. He makes mistakes in prayers and sermons, mistake a pc can notice with Lore skill for "Imperial Creed", marking the preacher as "suspicious". Among other things, Omnicus owns/carries a hammer, a shotgun and a multikey.
Onboard, he will not try anything. He will approach any travell (including the pc) at least once and offer "to take confession" (a praxis not uncommen for warp travel...since you never know...). He hopes to get some information about the other travellers by learning about them through there confessions...

The Hibbert Familie concists of Mabert (Husband), Rowena (his Wife) and Tobbias (16year old son). The Hibberts are a familiy of Technomats on there way to Prol, tending to the datacrypts. Make sure there are two other families as well heading there, since you need some red herring to hide the Hibberts. Those are Technomats, but again those are "Pilgrims" and there documents are fake. Along there instroments and tools of the trade, there are disassembelt weapons and a melta charge next to other "tools". Take the "Cult Fanatic" for Maber and Rowena while using the Initiate for Tobbias (who is not there real son, only a young initiate). PC might find out that the son isn´t looking any familiar with neither father nor mother...(perception) or a strange lack of familiy feeling between them (Scrutiny).

Khaleb, Jorwyn & Faddel are obvious rough-shots that will not answer any question to "where" or "why". If the pc are on the good sight with the crew and/or captain, they will find out that these are heading for Prol as well...and brought a sizeable amount of arms with them. They are picking fights during travel and one of them might end up in a holding cell for the rest of travel. Use "Heavy" stats for them. They are cult muscle, but "disposable". Never the less, they are "consumed by spite". Perhaps, they have managed to sneak some weapon with them. They will not, however, start to use deadly force until discovered. Then, they will fight until death. Fortunately, they do not know the others on board. Only the code/phrase the "Pilgrims" on this mission reveal themselves. "Wrath is Holy", answered by "Virtue shall be with those travelling".

[More ideas proberbly later..]

Thanks this is just the sort of thing that I am bad at, filling in the detail. I like the Hibberts especially. Will be using all of those characters plus i'll need to add in a few more otherwise my group will probably find them too easy (the assassin is a bit of a monster). One change is that all of the Pilgrams know each other and they all borded on Iconothos as they were the group that was looking for the clue on Iconothos. The group doesn't know there is a group of Pilgrams on the ship just that they are trying to reach the information first and that their might be so if they work out what to look for then they may spot them but they would probably have to blow thier cover to get to talk to the Captain who wouldn't be all that interested in the passengers on board and more concerned about the precious cargo of Data.

I will add in someone else who has taken the place of a shy adept who spent most of his time away from everyone else. Some of the other passengers will note that he has been acting strange since he went down to Iconothos for a day, they suspect he is taking drugs aquired on the planet as "everyone knows thats all Iconothos is good for". Name?

If identified as agents of the Inquisition which the Pilgrams know about I think I will use the melta charge as a trap on the ship placed in a corridor on the outside of the ship and have it go off when they are near a set of blast doors which will seal as soon as a hull breach (although due to the thickness of the hull it will start out small and quickly get bigger) is detected it will then be a race to reach the door before it closes or get to an air lock which will trap them but keep them alive.

Hopefully this will give a good mix of positives and negatives for either course of action. All though blowing cover may have worse ramifications later on where they will be amongst less sympathetic company. Will mix in a good amount of inconsistancies with their stories to give the Acolytes a chance to work it out for themselves and a red herring or 4.

Thanks, Kaihlik

Name for a red-herring adept? How about Collimus Maddew? And yep, you net a small list of passengers. I would guess about half a dozen Technomat families (some of them onboard long before Iocanthus...but you can´t know without bribing the crew or talking to the captain), a nice sum of about 30 45 figures on the way to prol. With about 6 or 8 of them "Pilgrims", the rest are harmless Technomats, Adepts... perhaps a void body smuggler bringing in plastique explosive for the Pyratics?

One "must have" should be a Pilgrim Witch/Magus with the face-changing-arcana from "DotdG". A lot of fun for causing trouble for the pc!

Jomares of Dirvini is a scribe and a cousine of sorts from a minor (and rather unimportant) noble line from a nearby planet (perhaps the agri world of Regis?) He made a stop at Iocanthos "because I had to!" while being on the way to Prol. He wants to research his line and genology of his ancestors "to proof relations of our ancestors to the offspring of Drusus" in order to better the status of his lineage.

Jomares is who he claims to be, but also is a foul magus of the Pilgrims. He is wearing an amulett (hidden under his clothes) with certain hexes and spells that "dampens" his aura (actually absorbing the signature) so it does not betray him (and any pskyer under the pc´s does not catch him outright). Never the less, this amulett (while worn) although hinders his powers to the degree of near uselessness... and the spells his fading day by day.

Use the stats for a cult magos npc and add the minor arcana "mask of flesh" from DotdG. It empowers him to mask himself as everyone else. He the pc somehow blow there cover, he will undue his amulett to take the appearence of one of them to conduct some crime onboard which the pc will get the blame for. Murder is a little gross (he is smart and knows that the best lies are little once) but he could for example beat a rating to near death which "offended him by locking at him" while imposing one of your more "up-nosed" pc. Harassing the daughter of a member of the officer caste (or even ****) could lead to a lot of problems for the pc (if you and your group are comfortable with such themes).

Otherwise, on the day of arrival and departure, let the pc and all other passengers be howled down in one shuttle. At this ride down, the psyker (if you have on!) can start to detect the aura... but only able to pin-point it to "someone in the first lines", unable to get close enough during flight or departure. The pc will naturally stalk all suspects (perhaps 4 or 5) which might lead to the first interaction with Centurist and/our Pyratics.... and waste there time!

Playing onbard of the "Dignitatia Omnitas"
If the pc do not blow there cover, they still could try to investigate the other travellers. Use "Investigaton" to get some minor info about the one or the other and (with enough success) a hint to a rather crocked stewart who will be willing to sell infos gleanded from the passenger list (and there cargo manifests)..for the right price [Enter "Paladias Dennua ", the splended but untrustworthy Steward].

Perhaps the pc might wittness (or get into!) a brawl with the three heavies. Those fellows ARE unsubtle, brutish, quick to anger and mean to the bone. But more lickly, the three (or at last some of them!) end up in a holding cell for the remainde rof the flight.

Omenicus will actively approach the pc...which will give anyone with "Common Lore: Imperial Creed" or "High Gothic" to spot the minor mistake he is making (Challenging roles). Not a "proof" from the start, but enough to raise suspicion.

The Hibberts will not mingle with the other folks... but if seeked out will portray a normal family. Ordinary Perception or Challenging Scrutiny checks (both one success level minimum) to notice the lack of "look-alike" or "feelings" between Parents and soon. Still, "supicious", but no "hard proof for anything".

The "suspicion" might lead to your pc trying a break-in into the quartars (during lunch which is taken in a huge mess hall (correct word? I am not native!) togehter with the parts of thecrew. Or they might want to break into the cargo holds to check there luggage/goods. Unless, without having a cargo manifest (see "Paladias Dennua" above). And the cargo-holds should be locked good & guarded (Servitors/Skull or "real guards") while the quarters might be a lot more easy to access. Here is the oppurtunity for some "sneak" and "lock picking"..or some "hide" or "run".

If the pc make themselves suspicious (allowance to carry guns, good contact to officeres and/or captain, being to nosy themselves) Jomares might act as described above. If he really messes with the daugther of an officer, stage trial (!) or simply make a challenge for a formal duel on deck (use "Dissolute Nobel" for the officer... "Officers cutlasses" (energy blades) being a good weapon of choice. Matters could well be "to the death". In this case, the Pilgrims win both ways: Dead (or horrible maimed!) pc or the bad relations between the crew (negative modifiers on social roles) and the pc. Of course, your "bombing" is a good idea as well! Suggestion: leave them a message "meet me at point 15:00 at location xyx. A friend"... let the pc wait there.. and let them make Awareness check to spot the charge&timer already in place!

The Pilgrims from Iocanthus
If all of start there travell to Prol from Iocanthus, make sure most of them (not the heavies!) have reasonable stories that they "head from X and coming with tramp freighter Y to Iocanthos, to go on from there on with the "Dignititias" to reach Prol". Technomates starting from Iocanthus would otherwise be a litte "fare fledge".

Harmless travellers heading to Prol

Three more families of Technomats send to Prol
The Kircher Familiy is a rather young one (young husband Eccob, youn wife Limi, her infant daugther Sila & infant son Odus ). They sold there oldest sons daugther Harres & Gwen (11 & 13) to a fabircator guild to afford the travell. On there homeworld, the guilds were unwiling to allow them to work for some crime there father committed. They HAD to leave (and are still not comfortable with what they have done)
Marlies & her young daughter Milicent (35 & 17) are from the Technomant trade as well, but traveling alone. Marlies will shutter down any contact to male pc and will never leave her daughter out of sight. Marlies with the victim of a **** in her youth, Milicent the daughter hailing from them. She HATES men (but keeps this down at her best due to the patriach society she lives in)and does not trust them. Use her as a "red herring". since she so deeply HATES and acts so strangley (shys away, hides her daughter, etc.)
The Svelten Familiy is an extended familiy ( Grandfather Dolmius Svelten, His Son Fabian, his sons wife Esta, there adult sons Mekke, Siggurt & daughter Kirsten) which travells to Prol since they were offered a good position and fine payment for there work in one of the Mayor Datacrypst)

about 30 scribes/data-workers/caligraphers/ink-hands/etc
(Just Role up imperial names as needed and develope quirks as game goes on)

10 people hired as enforcers (they need more down there due the rising conflicts between Centurists and Pyratics!)

5 different ink&parchments&dataslates-and-so-forth traders, travelling with staff & retineu (and their wares in the cargo holds! Intending to leave with the ship "since our deals do not take as long as the unloading of the all the old paperwork we travell with!)

Among those you could add
Some do-no-goods who have been hired as arsonists by the pyratics (little-wannabees who act as scribes and have been handed "proper papers" by the pyratics in order to smuggle them in)

A cold-guild-courier (see IH) which is in essence a void smuggler who has "hidden storerooms" carved into his body. He could well be smuggling plastic explosives (500gramm of it? perhaps more?) to sell it to the pyratics.

The “Dignitatia Omnitas”
A void vessel under contract with the Adeptus Administratum, the “Dignitatia” travels a long route between many worlds of Calixis Sector, collecting old records, data slates and even complete data crypts along the way to ship them to the “scriveners star” to hand them over to the Decatalogues for (final) archivation. The Vessel although transports travellers along the way, as well as traders and there goods as they ship is nigh empty when it is leaving the Prol system to start is route anew. When the “Dignitatia” heads back to Prol IX, it is although bringing new scribes and other personal, together with some supplies and docked tradermen´s vessels whom intended to have business the people of the Prol system.

Starting the journey
It is assumed that the pc´s master will have arranged for the tickets for their journey to the scriveners star. Allow the players some time to discuss possible “alternate egos” and stories of origin they may want to use during travel to mask there real intention (if at all!). The “Passenger List” might be used by you for suggestions here. Otherwise, they have the option of openly identify themselves to the captain before journey starts. If they choose this option, refer to the section titled “An introduction in earnest”.

Otherwise, they might wish to acquire (false) documents to prove there story. You can either provide them to the pc´s through there master, make the look for a forger in there port of departure or allow them to make them on there own. In addition, your pc might come up with some creative way of getting hands on “proper papers” themselves.

Anyway, they will have received a special coded entrance amulet from there master in order to be able to unseal the vault where the information is known to be stored. Probably, one of the pc will be ordered to keep it around his neck at all the time.

Writing a life lie
Looking for a forger near the spaceport is a difficult (-10) Inquiry test or a challenging (+0) check for Common Lore (Underworld). What the forger actually wants for the requested paper is up to you. As a rule of thumb, the suspected monthly income of the profession/person to be imposed might be charged, triple if the documents would be very hard to forge (like an Arbitrators ID).
Otherwise, a skilled Copyist (trade skill with the same name) might be able to forge papers himself with a test that might range from ordinary(+10) to hard (-20).

An introduction in earnest
If the pc request it, there master can arrange for a meeting with the Merevion Siegra, the captain of the vessel. The meeting will take place in the midst of night, in the dark hours before the departure. The pc will be asked to travel to a landing field at the edge of the space port where they are expected to wait for the landing of a vessel, meeting the captain inside. Shortly before the appointed hour, the pc can witness the landing of inconspicuous lighter. After the sturdy craft comes to rest, three armed guards disembark unspectacular and without haste. When the pc approach said guards will have close eye on them, hands on there las carbines. As the acolythes identify themselves one of the guards will nod to them and silently imply them to take the ramp aboard. Read or paraphrase the following.

As you walk up the ramp into the lighter with the armed guard following you, you find yourself entering what looks like small military style passenger cabin dimly lit in greenish-white light. Seats and safety harnesses line the walls left and right of you and before you a blank wall with a pressure door in front of you separating this compartment from the cockpit. In front of this door stands a figure wearing dark great coat with a stiff collar and heavy sabre girded to his side. Silently examing you while you make it into the small room, his broad ageless face displays an expression of calm indifference.
After you all are standing before him, he introduces himself with a quiet but clear voice: “I am Merevion Siegra , Captain of the “Dignitatia Omnitas”. Allow the pc´s to introduce themselves (and describe resentment to show on Merivion´s face if the pc do not do so at all) he will continue “I see. Your Master personally requested me to support you on your mission, what ever this shall be. Is there anything I can already do for you?” He will again allow the pc to formulate their requirements and do not ask for things you deem impossible, Captain Siegra will be replying along the lines of “It shall be seen for. Anything else?” I f the players mention weapons, he will point out that “Passengers onboard of my vessel are not allowed to carry any arms under normal circumstances. But if you wish for it you will receive a special admittance.” T his should the point the pc to the fact that they will call attention to them if they carry arms openly.

After the pc made all of their requests, the Captain will address them as follows. “Be assured that I do recognize your standings as agents of the Holy Imperium of Men and that I will assist you in any way possible. Still, certain rules have to be followed to assure the safety of you and my ship, my crew, my cargo and my other passengers. This does include that you do not wander aboard at whim without attendance. Upon arriving on board, a personal steward will be assigned to you and will be on call any given hour. Please understand that his necessity is in your own interest since the halls and corridors of a void ship can hold trouble and danger for those who do not know it. Even more so when under warp.”

He will calmly listen to whatever the pc will or will not answer to this. In fact, he knows that there is no authority he could claim over agents of the Inquisition. Still, he relies on his personal authority here, assuming that this might be enough to make the his "guests" think twice.
If the pc have finished, Merevion will take their leave with “So, now that everything has been said I look forward to welcome you on my ship together with the other passengers tomorrow”.

Note to the GM: This meeting should affirm the players that Captain Merevion Siegra sees his service to them as a necessity. One he will take serious, but still not more then a necessity.

Captain Siegra´s diposition towards the acolythes:

Charm: Indifferent
Command: Resentful
Deceive: Suspicious
Intimadation: Startled

Please take not that if the pc did not treated him with at least formal respect during their initial meeting, his "Charm" disposition drops to "Disdainfull".
If the pc took care to treat him with respect, allow them to roll for charm, giving modifiers up to +20 for "behaviour". Success and levels of Success will betters his charm based disposition as according to the rules found on p. 230 of the DH core rule book

A word about melta bombing

If your captain is that carefull about his load that he will not allow personal weapons on board, I supsect him to have some kind of "weapon check" (perhaps with dedicated scanners) for passengers and there on-board luggage. So, a meltabomb might be hard so smuggle in. Unless you rule, they transported them dissambled and were able to put them back together. Somehow hiding the melta gel with some trick from the sensors.

This will (or should?) however point the pc to the fact the trap was laid by some-one who is quiet skilled with explosives (and properbly the ways of the machine good as well).

I though I had posted last night, apparently I failed.

Anyway thanks for all the help Gregorius21778, I was worried that the adventure was going to feel flat as this is the first time that I have even attempted to write an adventure this size in fact I have only written 2 before and each time kept the number of NPC's to a minimum in order to make it easy for myself both to write and to run but now I feel they should play something more epic and exciting with more chance for investigation.

The help so far has been great and this should get the mission off to a great start. I was hoping to have something that I can run in a couple of weeks time, now with the amount of detail in the first section alone I think it will be no problem to make get a sessions worth of marerial together. When I have time I will start turning what you have given me into some notes that I can use. It really helps as a fairly new GM to be able to ask for help and recive so much input so thanks.

I will still be grateful for any ideas anyone has on how to make this better, this is still a long way from finished and its only part 1 of 3.

The next section will take them to Regulus where the 3 Sorcerers fled after Iconothos and where the book currently rests protected by their spells designed to keep all but the moth ruthless and bloodthirsty from getting thier hands on the tomb. I plan to have local legends mention tales of three healing "servents of the Emperor" who came during the crusade and helped the farmers in hard times (all a cover of course using careful mind control). These local ledgends should point them in the direction of the resting place of the tomb while the pilgrams use scrying techniques.

Lady Solace is currently hiding on Scintilla and is preparing her cultists for when she recieves the books, to create mass carnage and chaos to cover the Daemon summoning, if she cant get the book she will have to fall on her backup plan which I havn't decided on and I will need some way of the Acolytes knowing about it. This will be the third section as they try and stop Lady Solace by whatever means nessissary. I plan on using one of her 6 fate points to make sure she escapes from the Acolytes in order to take her revenge by means of Tattered Fates (unless the Acolytes can be very clever).

Hopefully this gives you an idea of where I am heading with all this and again comments and critisims are welcome especially now before I finalise things.

Kaihlik

Thanks for the flowers and "no problem" I found you ideas and concepts to be very inspiring. I am kinda "challenged" when it comes up to generating a "general idea" for something interesting. All to often, I find myself making a copy of the last movie I have seen.

One request:
At the moment, I am going with the idea of writing a mission based on your concept and original idea, keeping the concept of the travel to the scriviner star to find and get into a sealed would to collect an information (or perhaps a book) before a group of cultists can get a hand on it. If I ever find the disciplin and time to do so, I am even toying with the idea of putting it online (for free use).

If I do so, would you be fine if I am refering to you as the creator of the orginal idea and concept by the following line?

Adventure based on the original idea & concept of “Kaihlik” from FFG-Forums, fleshed out by “Gregorius21778” from FFG-Forums

Yeah thats great, I am the oposite from you I can usually come up with some general idea and then really struggle to fill it in, in a way thats satisfying to play.

Hi! I you have started to play this mission already, please give me an update where you are. I Am going to update this topic with further "pieces" on an unregular basis. So, if you tell me "what is already done" I can ensure that I do not offer "help" for thing already belonging to the past.

About the journey from Prol I to Prol IX

As the pc´s will end on Prol I, they need to got by shuttle (or anything simliar) to Prol IX (as you already established).

First thing first, they are going to need to pay for that trip. The IH comes handy here, otherwise you should assume "ticket prices" to be along the lines of some hundred thrones (perhaps 250?). There papers/ID need to be checked as well (due to a Pyratics splinter cell, the powers that be have to fear for arsonists that try to burn to down archives on Prol IX as well!). Last but not least, they next flight is not going to be "next day", so the group will need to take quarters (naturally, there should be some kind of motel near the spaceport).

Checkin the ID/papers
If the pc use there regular papers, they might be called in for questioning. This assumes that they have records that speak of violence (service records with militant organizations and/or a "checkerd past") or will have records that might be "strangely blank" (cleand by the =I= ?).
If this is the case, that "powers that be" might call them in for questioning (fearing them to be aronists), delaying them with bueracratic paperwork. Which could be short-cutted with "Scholastic Lore ("Buerocrazy") . Good explanations (Charms) or good lies (Deceive) could also be helpfull to explain to them that there should be now problem allowing them to go to Prol IX. If push comes to shove, they can reveal them selfs as agents of the =I= (the amulett will be helpfull here!) , but thís will lead to information leaking to the pyratics and the centurist... and properply to the Pilgrims, if you rule that they have some "burried agents" (which I would not assume, personally).

If the purchased forged papers (or forged them themselves!) it should be assumed that they are helpfull. If they forged them themselves, make a contest between the forgers skill (rounte +20). If they achieve (or have achieved) any success, the papers will pass the rather casual inspection.

[Optional]"What is your business again?"
Perhaps, they pc need to have proof of "legitimate business" to be shipped to Prol IX. A legitimation for access to one of the many datacrypts (for research ony type! History, geneaology, curiosity,...) should be enough. However, acquierring the papers will take a couple of days...unless they are "hacking through the red tape" (bribing with help of "Charm"; Scholastic Lore (Buerocratic); etc).
Forging the documents is a good way, as well.
Other "proper reasons" ("Tech-Priest Maximas from Adeptus of Mars. We request access to Prol IX to tend to the machine spirits and ensure the ongoing of there most holy functions!")("We are bounty hunters from Malfi, looking for some arsonists which we tracked till here. Got word of something going on on Prol IX. Would like to check ourselfs").

Getting a "black flight"
Due to all this scheming of the pyratics and the counter-movements of the centurists, some of the shuttle captains transfering goods and (mainly) documents between the worlds turned to smuggling people. Still, since the actual administration caught wind of it it´s not easy to finde some-one doing the job [Challenging Inquiery or ordinary CommenLore(Underworld], and they do not come cheap (double the fees!). Expect a cramped ride between crates with parchments and dataslates.

No I havn't started running it yet. We have a bunch of different RP systems playing at the moment and I have done Dark Heresy the most so when I run this depends on when others want me to. I would rather give them a break and let them try other things so they dont get bored than continually push Dark Heresy. That said I think some people are wanting to get back in (we have been on a 2 month haitus from most RP), I know the player who is getting a new character wants to start again and the Assassin wants to try out his shiny new power sword. Of the other 2, one doesnt mind what we do and I havnt asked the other yet although when he finds out about his shiny new toy he might be (he is getting a good quality MIU with a set of limited Inquisitorial codes hardwired in).

So you know they land on Prol IX after their jouney on the ship and then have to go to Prol I (it in my second post) as thats where the oldest records are kept. Prol IX is the currently active planet and thats where the records are being taken. The Datavault they are looking for is deep inside Prol I.

Kaihlik

Kaihlik said:

Yes........yes. That explains my odd feeling about it quiet right. No, sorry, I was mistaking. But I think it will work just fine if we only exchange "the Prols". Especially since it does make more sense if everything is arriving at "central administrative world" first, and send to the "crypts" later (see "Black Flight")

The devil will get the hindmost

In order to make it a race, there should be some "special problems" that will only arise if the players reach the sealed vault -AFTER- the Pilgrims. Things that came to my mind & which I would like you to value

Waiting for a word...
Assuming that the pc need to get information about the exact where abouts of the crypt in question by some authority (like the "Central Register of Storage and Datacrypst") a "Unclean Spirit" (see core rule book) might be lingerin at the receipt, ordered to take action as soon as someone a certain file (the clue the Pilgrim follows, let us say "Datalog 39K-CAL-IOC-000413982" or the crypt where it is stored (the clue the pc follow). "Action" means taking over one of the adepts of the receipt to for a suicidal attack and leaving the body for making rapport afterwards. Take not that even normal human beings can sense an "Unclean"

An eye for trouble
The three ruffians described for the Journey (can´t scroll far enough down to get the names again) are left behind at the shuttle port of Prol IX. They are ordered to have an eye on everyone coming in, looking for "the kind of guys looking like trouble". If the pc did not provided for a good cover, did not smuggle themselves in or raised any suspicion during the Journey, these three are likely to try to ambush and kill them.

An explosive hello
"The Hibberts" might actually have booby-trapped the entrance area to the data crypt. "Just for the case".

Centurists on guard
The incoming Pilgrims might have been mistaken for pyratic arsonists by elements of the centurists. Said elements are now preparing a "en promptu counter-strike team" to safe the data at the crypt. They just finished gathering as the pc arrive. If they caught wind of them (they trided a ride without proper paper/ID/reaso or fumbled an attempt of getting a "black ride") they will assume that they are further arsonists. Trying to pin them down "vthe igiliant way". With our without handing them to the authority. Yelling things like "die, pyratic fools!". Please take note, thas these men are not more then eager (and hot headed!) scribes, no fighting machines!
Anyway, perhaps the pc catch their drift themselves...and are able to talk them out of this misunderstanding an in actually helping them (fodder is always good, isn´t it?)

The Centurists on Guard

The vigilant centurists are lead by an adept going by the name of Tillius Maltzin . They have normal lives & duties as scribes, adepts and/or datacrypt filers. But all of them are sworn to the centurists and see it as there duty to the Imperium to ensure that no data is destroyed. The local enforcers know of this group and are not that happy about them... but since they did not raised any trouble till now (beside a few brawls with Pyratics) they tend to let them go on.

If Tillius and his group catch wind of the pc and suppose them to be a danger, they will simply try to face them.

Talking abouth Lethality
I do not expect the confrontations of the Centurists and the Pyratics to be raging "gang wars" to death. Instead, I imagine people who a bitterly dispusting each other, settling matters with fists, clubs and simliar things. If you share this view of the conflict of the scribes, the group will easly have two dozen or more people at hand as they face the pc. Whatsoever, they are only armed with clubs, brass knuckels and fist. As soon as deadly force is used by the acolythes, they will bag off.... some of them informing local enforcers (which are not enough and will respond very-very slowly), the other coming back for more (see further down). Please take note that the description of the enforcers standing towards this groub is base on this notion.

If you see the conflict as a more bloody affair, there will be just below a dozen of them, armed with primitive hand weapons and pistoles. Same is true if conflict becomes deadly. Those are the once who are willing to kill people and involve in fights to the death.

Talking to Tillius and his group
If conflict isn´t deadly (and Tilius and his men amass to give the pc a sound beating) Tilius will adress the pc directly as "Pyratic pyromanias" and glee about how stupid they are to come up with that view men. The pc can either Intimidate them to leave (difficulty depends on the matters the pc use for a threat. Deadly weapons will make things EASY) or try to calm them down (Charm), tell them some lies (Deceive) or simply reveal themselves as authorities (any Arbitrators with ID with them? No? Any =I= badges? No?) and thereby use "Command".

Take not that Intimidation (if deadly force is used as a threat) and Command (if they have proof of authority) should be the easiest. Deceive should be a little harder, since this group expects pyratic inflitrators and won´t believe things "up front". Make "Charm" as easy or difficulty as you seem fitting.

If the pc can proof authority or use charm AND explain to Tilius that the datacrypst are endangered (true or not true), they will offer assistance. Never the less, if you do not expect the conflict of the scribes to be violent, take note that it is likely that most or all of the scribes will flee when the heat is on

I do not expect the scribes to be at the stage of outright violence yet but I expect that the Centurists will have called in some Mercinaries and Bounty Hunters to attempt to round up the growing number of Pyratics moving in (alive of course). At this point in time the Pyratics are moving people onto Prol I to prepare for the great burning and the Centurists are trying to stop them. I am using the Scriveners Star for a basis of events but I am setting the adventure before it (the Vault number will be the same as in the Scriveners Star and Phologia will probably appear if they need a guide (I like tying in things to what im doing, it opens up possibilities later on).

Clubs and fists wont really bother my PC's at this point so having a few bounty hunters armed with shock mauls mixed in and some firepower if things go bad will probably be how I will run this. If the PC's start using lethal force they will use supressing fire to let the adepts escape (they are the ones paying them after all).

Kaihlik

Kaihlik said:

Yep, I remember that small amount of armour start to make fist fights somewhat uninteresting. The bounty hunters are a good solution, but if the Adepts (Centurists) demand to come along I would give them something along the lines of "Unshakeable Faith (Centurist movements)".

Another possible approach: how about stripping the pc of some of there equipment? They are going on a trip via shuttle. Perhaps there is some kind of weapons ban for going to the achieves ("you won´t need these weapons there... unless your want to rob a datacrypt or burn something Down. But that is not the reason you want to go there..right?"). Reducing there firepower somewhat (pistoles and melee sidearms). Unless they manage for smuggling with a "black flight" (of themselves and/or there cargo).

Anyway, change BountyHunters with Shockmaules are the better option.

The sealed vault
If an =I= sealed the vault for some undisclosed reason... how about him sealing someone insight? In addtion to your gun servitors mentioned early. Since this is 40K, I thing about something far over the top. Perhaps a young scribe slept in some niche over a book and was completly overlooked and sealed accidently inside ... or as a cruel revenge for something. ("Yes, Scribe Colomas is still listed as inside. But this useless son of a freethinker always forgets about checking out after leaving the crypt. Just seal it, Lord Inquisitor, save your time").

I "sealing" does not mean "no air anymore" (which I doubt due to the servitors!) he could have survived by cutting away the feeding lines of an other servitor (perhaps as scribe-one), spending decades among the books. Talking to himself. The Lost Scribe could become a usefull NPC, since he now knows the vault by heart... but is hard to communicate with, since he is insane. Harmlessly, but Insane. Talking to himself, perceiving the voices of the pc as just another set of voices in his head. The Talent "Peer: the Insane" could come handy hear as well. Otherwise "Charm" would be the choice of the day.

In adition, he could have been "re-organizing" the vault in order to keep himself occupied. Meaning that any "archive information" the pc might have gained from registratures about "where" the book/data slate they seek is proofes to be completely "obsolete".
If the pc cannot bring Colomas to "remember", they could try to find at least some kind of "system" in his doing by taking some books he "re-organized" and cross-check it with the Register ("where is used to stay"). An extended test for "Logik" will help here.

But make sure that either a group of pilgrims is already inside, doing the same or being on the way, so the pc need to be quick or face there enemies... in a fight ranging on inside the huge datacrypt, destroying knowledge with every shot! (nice backdrop, but not more... unless the centurists find out, which will make them enemies if they stay in the system for a longer period of time)

Reducing my team to Pistols doesn't really reduce their firepower now that I think about it. 3 out of the 4 of them only use pistols as ranged weapons and 2 of them have pistols to lend >.>

I think I will leave it up to them but the mission will be easier if they do not appear armed and or come up with an appropriate cover story. I think if their cover story is appropriate then the welcome party would be told in advance from Centurists on Prol IX and I can make them allies. Going weaponless they will not be attacked but simply questioned to make sure that they are not Pyratics.

Kaihlik

Update:
I managed to find some time to pin a little more for the "passenger list" for the flight to Prol IX. In addtion, I started to wright some information for the players "eyeing up" there fellow travellers. With minor tables for lore skills, so there are other skills needed then just combat.

http://rapidshare.com/files/249583176/Passengerlist_V01.pdf

I hope you are fine with download from rapid share. Packing all of this in posts would take a way all possiblities of keeping an overwiev (at least to me!).

For the flight, I planned opportunities for the pc to interact with the travellers. If they "recognize them right" from the start (lore skills) they will have boni for the interactions base on the assumption that they can use this to give a feeling of "familiartiy" to the people they are talking to.

The "Pilgrims" will be mixed into the groupe, and if the pc make good social rolls they might be to catch some hints. Otherwise, the interaction will result in some oppertunities for the pc to get some information on the situation on Prol IX (from all of the groups, since, they all are heading there), to get into contact with the Centurists or the Pyratics (through the scribes, but only if the pc play there cards very well), to make some money through games of cards (or something similiar) or even using the time onboard for achieving some training in certain skill (prequiesits for elite advances)


- being on the good side to some of the scribes could allow for certain "Lore" skills (basic, full or even mastery)
- the war stories of the veteran could teach a thing or two about the imperial guard, war or tactica imperial (basic level only)
- time could be used for some "spare hand-to-hand-traing" with guards (allwing to buy a WS+3 bonus for 100xp for every char with WS below 28 or a +1WS bonus for 50xp for anyone else

and so on....

In addition, pc scums could use the oppurtunity for the preperations of some thieving (hopefully, in the last days of the journey!).

Furthermore, I assumed the "Dignitias" to have "minor problem with vermin". Allowing for some encounters with Gloom Haunts (see "CA") or some mutated rat-type of vermin.

Other (small) travell encounters (Ghilliam along the passenger corridors; an gang of pressed ratings trying for an escpae with hostages at the end of the journey, a heated dispute between clerics which needs to be calmed in order to ensure peace onboard) could be possible. Perhaps one for every one or two weeks of travell.

Another update: Since it is unlinkely that all of this people hail from Iocanthus (the "Port of Departure" in your inteded story), I figured out the "where abouts" and "how do they got there" a little further. Here is what I would use so far

Where do all the people come from?

Every passenger onboard embarked together with the pc, there are no other passengers on board of the “Dignitatias”.

Those hailing from Regulus arrived at the [PortOfDeparture] with a tramp freighter named “Striving Lady”, a couple of weeks before the departure of the Dignitatias All of them (22 Scribes, one of the Clerics, the noble and the Void Commercialist from the Celestian Alliance) where on this ship together. Although it has to be said that the scribes and the cleric did not have that much contact with the Commercialist and the Noble, since the Captain of the “Striving Lady” always offered them dinner at the captains table.

Those hailing from Scintilla (8 technomant families, 9 enforcers, 46 scribes, three of the clerics and two of the void merchants) arrived on the “Passage to Glory”, a small military transporter bringing in fresh penal legionnaires from Scintilla to [PortOfDeparture] for a “pacification” campaign. Due to the nature of the “cargo”, the passenger where required to stay in there quarters for the complete duration of the journey. The “Passage” arrived only a couple of days before the departure of the “Dignitatias”

The “armsmen” either hail from [PortOfDeparture] or had been stationed there.
The cleric from the mining colony arrived there over a month ago, waiting for his trip to Prol IX and living on alms.
The final void merchant arrived a couple of month earlier. He is only onboard the “Dignitatias” since the ship “next stop after Prol IX” is his desired destination. He carries no wares along

(I intent to use this last one as a "smuggler". He has no wares any longer since he sold all of them (he claims "tools", but true is "weapons") on Iocanthus to war lords. His payment, however, is with him: Ghostfire follower. His sickly retinue is made up of people with artificall "store rooms" he uses to smuggle the flowers. This one is a "red herring" the pc can deal with ...if they want to risk there cover for nothing!
The smuggler has no intend of selling the ghostfire on Prol IX. There is no market for it. But he knows that the ships&people from Iocanthus are checked more closely for such wares... people coming in from Prol IX do not raise that much supicion..unless one looks clother in to the Passenger List, which a lot of Port Controllers do not have the time to!.