In essence what happens if Karrad Vall manages to close the Maw and propably turn Port Wander into a hellhole full of insane people and demons??. I've thought to run a short max. 4 sessions (about 5-10 game years between each,and lots on meta stuff between) "we're screwed royally" scenario for my players.

Ok. My thoghts;

- Koronus expanse is cut off from empire for a long time to come. ( start building your on pocket empire and look for allies)

- No forgeworlds on expanse (scavangers feasts to come), how to resupply, keep ships running.

- Where does surviving Imperials go to to, Damaris? (taken it wasn't entirely wrecked by Waagh!)

- Downward spiral towards heresies. Even the staunchest servants of the Emperor might lose their heart/faith.

- Chorda-Winterscale cold-to-hot wars. ( who else might rise to power out there )

- Anyway out of expanse. "Soo how did the Kroot get here? along with unknown Marine Chapter." (a webway gate or natural "wormhole" etc.)

- Does atsropathy work even when Maw is Closed??? (can we send letter home...?)

My suspicions of my players schemes:

- We'll take the "Heathen Stars" (Zayth and Naduesh atleast)

Ideas, comments etc. ?

--At0miclich

PS: thinking of giving players rank three characters to start with.

PPS: Lousy idea or not, worth of trying ???

PPS: Lousy idea or not, worth of trying ???

I'd say this makes an excellent playing ground for a game that thrives on player agency and freedom of choice. Lots of potential for cool stories and unusual "what if" scenarios, considering what tends to happen in the fluff about worlds cut off from the Imperium for an extended period of time (ranging from Bucharis' pocket empire to the infamous pogroms of Lastrati), with just the right hint of a post-apoc vibe.

Even though the most interesting stuff would probably to see what becomes of those systems after generations have passed ...

Here's an idea, how about making a "generations" campaign where you occasionally fast forward a couple centuries, let your players roll up new characters (descendants of the original RT and/or his/her crew), and re-shape the setting in a way that reflects the actions of their (grand-)parents?

Not just a "little" hint of "End Times". Being a former veteran "Call of Cthulhu" GM (I've run everything from Masks of Nyarlhothep to Horror on Oriient Express. i do not touch anything that looks like "delta green", but I Loved the Cthulutech http://www.cthulhutech.com/ if you dont know, despite its flaws.

Insantity is my second name.

This is going to be a "We'll save everything that we can, and bomb rest to an oblivion from orbit" campaign with some tough choices. Do we allow slight heresy on world that produces our VERY needed starship parts or do we purge them ( Production drops for a long time).

That sounds like a lovely, if completely horrifying, setting. It would be a shame if it were to be eaten by Tyranids...

No, wait, that would be excellent. Tyranids are always excellent.

*EDIT* a word

My first place to start would be to create the major players. There are only a handful of people of note who happened to be in the expanse when it closed, so those are the people you're going to have to keep track of.

* What Rogue Traders where there? (Particularly Winterscale and Chorda, but also the other powerful players.)

* Did Karrad Vall survive the closing? (if he didn't chaos might fall to.. well... chaos rather than being a semi-unified force)

* Were any ships of Battlefleet Koronus in there?

* Were any Space Marines in the Expanse when it sealed? Deathwatch?

Then a couple of extra notes:

* Is the Jarico Gate sealed, on the Expanse side, or on the Calexis side?

* Did the Astropaths of Footfall send out a general emergency message letting everyone know the Way Is Shut, or does news have to filter down still?

* Are there any items/resorces that are just not available in the expanse now? (like new plasma drives?)

My first place to start would be to create the major players. There are only a handful of people of note who happened to be in the expanse when it closed, so those are the people you're going to have to keep track of.

* What Rogue Traders where there? (Particularly Winterscale and Chorda, but also the other powerful players.)

* Did Karrad Vall survive the closing? (if he didn't chaos might fall to.. well... chaos rather than being a semi-unified force)

* Were any ships of Battlefleet Koronus in there?

* Were any Space Marines in the Expanse when it sealed? Deathwatch?

Then a couple of extra notes:

* Is the Jarico Gate sealed, on the Expanse side, or on the Calexis side?

* Did the Astropaths of Footfall send out a general emergency message letting everyone know the Way Is Shut, or does news have to filter down still?

* Are there any items/resorces that are just not available in the expanse now? (like new plasma drives?)

Uhh. a stupid question "Jericho gate" where is that (I thinki it is related to deathwatch and Jerichos reach anyway?)

Other ideas in order

- Battlefleet Koronus is quite devastated, but still a small but formidable fleet (could they takeover Braking yards at SR-651,that would support them for a while and deny most pirates repairs and refit.)

- Karrad Vall dies either in battle or assasinated year or two afterwards. (Chaos is not truly undivided, without Horus or so)

- Roguetraders; big ones plus everyone on official list

- Propably few few Deathwatch teams and one Ordo Malleus Grey Knight team on expanse. No true chapter.

That sounds like a lovely, if completely horrifying, setting. It would be a shame if it were to be eaten by Tyranids...

No, wait, that would be excellent. Tyranids are always excellent.

*EDIT* a word

And I hate the Tyranids. They night be fun on miniatuire games but on RPG they worse than he Necrons (I absolutely hate them).

Jericho Gate is at the 13th station in the Maw Passage. Hence why it could kinda fall on either side depending on exactly how the Maw was closed.

What occurs to me, is that the impact and relative weight of the characters is going to be dependent on the number of RTs in the expanse. If there are 100s, the negotiating power is in the hands of the Planetary Governors and other resource holders, because there's always another RT or seven they could barter with for protection/trade. If there are only a dozen, the RTs are in better position as Lords of Space, forcing planets to deal with them. So I'd consider this part carefully based on how you want the game to play out.