Note to players: If you’re GM is running games set in the Askellon sector, you should stop reading now.

Note 2: This is a cross-post from www.rollforheresy.net . If you haven't signed up yet, please consider doing so, so we can help keep the 40kRPG community going after FFG kills the line!

Whist it doesn’t have as much support from the player base as the Calixis sector, I actually prefer the setting of the Askellon Sector. A damned sector which is seemingly lacking any kind of Inquisition presence is really appealing to me and is why I run my games here (with plans to port over the campaigns from other systems into Askellon).

The history of Askellon as presented by FFG is conveniently collated over at the 40k wikia, and it’s all good stuff, I especially like the details on the Vaxi Atrocity. However, with FFG’s support for the line disappearing it seems like we will never get any answers as to what exactly the Pandemonium is.

Here’s what we know: The Pandemonium is a large, sector wide warp storms which waxes and wanes in strength but is generally getting stronger and fiercer with each passing generation. It’s mentioned that in addition to its unusual persistence and violence (which is bad enough to have caused the major Navigator Houses to withdraw from and refuse to have anything to do with the sector), the main other thing that distinguishes the Pandemonium from other warp storms is that it appears to be alive, or is at least guided by some kind of intellect. I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I believe that it’s implied that it may even be the ruling powers of Askellon who are doing this?

My question is, what do you guys think is the mystery of the Pandemonium if indeed, there is actually one beyond “GM’s discretion”? If there isn’t one, do you plan on doing anything with it? I’m not entirely sure what I want to with it myself in terms of what mystery there is to unlock, but I do like the either of it being controlled by some kind of intelligence or the ruling lords of Askellon. I guess I just need to think of a way to do it that makes sense to me. I’m also considering having the Pandemonium be connected directly to the Screaming Vortex in case I ever want run some Black Crusade games and have them affect the Askellon Sector. I also believe the Screaming Vortex is connected to the Jericho Reach and although I plan on running my Deathwatch games in Askellon, it would provide a convenient way to have Tau show up (although the lore purist in me is debating that last point for now )

What are your thoughts?

Personally, I think having the Pandemonium possessing a secret passage to the Screaming Vortex, which then can be used to reach the Jericho Gate would be a far more enjoyable journey than having the Pandemonium directly connected to the Jericho Reach. Although there are two defining features of the Pandemonium I do like alot:

1. The Pandemonium has a core at it's storm - something quite like the screaming vortex. I wonder whats at the center of it.
2. I've always liked to think of the Pandemonium as a warp geyser, or a font of flotsam and jetsam of the immaterium. It may connect to anything and everything, but only from one direction - coming into dreadspace but never going into it. I.e. anything can come out of the Pandemonium, travelling as far from the Ultima Segmentum, but only death results from trying to go into the Pandemonium from Askellon itself.