Having done great deeds in the Calixus Sector as Accolytes we were rewarded by being given the refitted Mercator's Marque and a warrent of trade (basically we were kicked out nicely)... The players: Lady Ravia Tarsis (Ex-Assassin now Rogue Trader), Nilhus (Navigator) & Giaus Novus Khan (Ex-Scum now Seneschal)

#1 – “In the Beginning...”
(Minor: 900)
Gain the information, supplies & equipment we need for our new task
Part 1 – Outfit the Ship = 300 Achievement Points (+250) = Completed
- Negotiate with Adeptus Mechanicus to have the ‘Marque’ Repaired, Armed & outfitted
- Gather a Crew & Raise Regiments (Negotiate with Ordo Hospitaler to provide Medical Support & Negotiate to gain Ship’s Astropath) (+100 Military)
- Negotiate with Adeptus Mechanicus to provide ship manufactorium (for manufacture of Civilian Grade equipment) (+100 Trade)
- Through Belasko Deathworks gained Knowledge that Haarlock had gone to the Koronos Expanse ahead of us (+50 Exploration)
Part 2 – Prepare our resources = 300 Achievement Points (+500) = Completed
- Found a Rogue Trader, Captain Bron Hadis (Navigator Hiero Term-el) with a Cargo Vessel (Ravensburg 7) & close links with House Tarsis. Negotiated to give him protection in return for guiding us through the Maw.
- Investigated House Banatek holdings (tethered asteroid) & found extensive ship’s logs. Some of the information hinted at a lost treasure ship ‘ the righteous path’. Khan sent scribes to indexing the collection. Also pointed to House Banatek secret storage in the Dead Sleef System.
- Met with Ministorum & Cardinal Ignatio launched out ship & gave us 2 archo flagellant chairs (to be counted as ship upgrade: Murder Servitors).
- Met with Administratum, Departmento Munitorum Lvl 7 Sgt Krassus & became best friends (7 successes). Gained a VAST cargo mothballed Military Equipment (Malcador Tanks, Centaur vehicles, Thudd guns, mortars, Ration packs, toilet paper, helmets, photo-visors, flak coats, boots, socks, tents, rain ponchos, water purifiers, entrenching tools, rope, grenade launchers, heavy stubbers, flamers, lasguns, power packs, generators, Stim/Tranq, etc.
- Went to Dusk, practiced the guns, took all the troops down & gained vast stocks of riding beasts, attack beasts & beasts of burden.
Part 3 – Get to Port Wander = 300 Achievement Points (+500) = Completed
- Battled 3 Raiders in the Dusk system & Hulked them all. Rescued 4,000 crew form the ships who were experienced & equipped beast hunters – signed them into our service as a Beasthunter Regiment. Salvaged escort class: Warp Drive, Jovian 2 Drive, Sunseer Laser Battery, Voidsmens quarters, Vitae Life Sustainer, Standard Bridge.
- 4 Days in the Warp to Sleef, found powered down Banatek space station, broke the secret code & docked. Station Augers discovered 50 ‘metal men’ who had arrived many years before & were now powering up in response to our presence. Deployed a full Battalion against them, defeated them (only 700 of our own casualties, now 1,050 experienced soldiers), however acid ate their metal corpses. Detected other time capsules of metal men in the asteroid field & pushed them into the sun. Copied the data library (and together with the ship’s logs) which became a ship’s ‘Librarium Vault’ +10 Investigation & a master crafter Navis Primae. Also took a fleet of luxury Yachts (5 to serve as Captain’s Launches & the rest to sell)
- Arrived at Port Wander (after chasing a ghost ship for a week) charmed a good berth & a salute to the port admiral.

#2 – “Into the Maw...”
(Minor: 900)
Gain Information on Koronos Expanse & then travel through the Maw to FootFall.
Objective 1 – Investigate Port Wander = 300 Achievement Points (+250) = Completed
- Made an ally of the Harbour Master Mellor (8 Successes) – he lined us up with a future endeavour to gather ships to set up an agriworld with equipment & colonists (Ntharis). He got us to a dinner at the station commander’s residence. Met Commodore Vilnus (hard man, commander of Port Wander Imperial Fleet contingent – have a ally against Haarlock!). Met Base Commander Admiral Cambrai.
- Investigate information on Kronos Expanse - Investigated possible endeavours
- Explorator now producing simple munitions on ship (flamers, grenades, hunting lances, autoguns, ammunition, stub guns, etc).
- Nilhus met with another family branch of Banateks which did not go well.
- Khan established himself amongst the port’s merchants, Negotiated for three other ships to join our convoy through the passage, found a Voidmaster Parsor Kennan & found a Swordsmaster for the Captain, Forst Trehain.
- Talked to Seldoran (Ship’s Confessor) to assemble a team to assist the provosts to begin investigation into gaining Arco Flagellant Subjects.
- Split the Beast Hunter Regiment into 2 Regiments and get them to take the pick of the best 4,000 Dusk recruits to bring them both to full strength (loose one infantry regiment & increase reserve pool)
- Nilhus was invited to a covert meeting on the Mothership of the Navis Family of Modar. We met the Pater Nova who stated that Banatek was their enemy…
Objective 2 – Making the Passage = 600 Achievement Points (+1,100) = Completed
- Struck a deal with house Modar –3 apprentice Navigators, 30 Ova, all Kronos Maps and promises of future cooperation in return for signing over Calixus & giving them his seed. (+50 Trade)
- Back on Port Wander we found that the scribes working on the Librarium Vault had been psychically mugged by a Lady Ash (Rogue Trader Hadarack Fell’s pet psycher) – who had pulled all of the information on the ‘Righteous Path’ out of their heads and then headed out to the expanse – The Captain decided that we would give chase!
- Left port wander with another port salute. Met with Rogue Trader, Captain Bron Hadis + 3 Merchant vessels & travelled in convoy.
- Set a cracking pace through the warp – though during the first leg of the journey one of the Merchant Vessels fell out of formation and was lost – only to reappear unpowered later. Investigating the vessel it was the Psychic Lure of Warp Kracken! We got away.
- Appeared at the first stop in the maw ‘the battlefield’ - where we did a comprehensive search and found a trap waiting for us – a crippled and mined pilgrim ship ‘Penitent Traveller’ with 4 hidden wolfpack raiders surrounding it in the debris. Khan led the assault boats towards one whilst the ‘Marque’ engaged the other 3… 1 was destroyed, 1 crippled & 1 captured! Only 1 escaped. A prize crew was put on the captured ship and it was sent back to Port Wander. We rescued the pilgrims and gained vague information of a pirate base somewhere near footfall. We turned the surviving pirates over to the arco-flagellant chairs (activating the ‘Marque’s’ ‘Murder Servitor’ component).
- Mapped a passage successfully through to ‘the temple’ and then to the ‘Hermitage’ where we deposited the pilgrims – and improved our relationship with the ecclesiarchy.
- During the final passage to Footfall the captain undertook investigations into crew loyalty (which dropped crew population by 4%)
- Arrived at Footfall we off-loaded all of the gathered salvage (with the exception of those components that may be used in making a space station) and headed out into the expanse…

Finally we got a chance to play again and made some cracking advances!! As you can see we play a somewhat more 'epic' game... no '3 more orks than party members' - we take regiments with us!

#3 – “The ‘Righteous Path’”
(Minor: 900)
Find a lost treasure ship before the enemy does - its whereabouts were plucked from the minds of our scribes by Rogue Trader Hadarack Fell.
Objective 1 – Map a Passage from Footfall to Damaris = 300 Achievement Points (+100) = Completed
- Mapped a very fast Warp Passage to the Damaris Cluster (4 stars) investigated the closest (Red Star) and found a large number of artificial constructs or stations in the system communicating with a Xenos signal. Decided to study the recorded signals on route to Magoros.
- On route Investigated librarium on information on suspected location of Righteous path – we uncovered that the system had 3 planets – Prime having an ancient ocular device that had been linked to finding the ‘Righteous path’).
- On route Investigated Xenos recordings and discovered that they were Eldar in Origin and the constructs were of a group called the ‘Crow Spirits’. We designated the star ‘Corax’ and listed it as ‘interdicted’.
Objective 2 – Map a Warp Passage from Damaris to Magoros = 300 Achievement Points (+550) = Completed
- The Warp Passage from Damaris to the Magoros Cluster was very fast, but very rough and crew moral suffered.
- Arriving at the Magoros system we were hit by a radiation wave which caused us to dump our water and perishable foodstuffs (lucky we have water reclamation facilities and a mass of Surplus IG rations!)
- Due to the speed of our Warp passage Hadarack Fell had not arrived yet at the system!
- The Marque dropped into the Shard Halo (belt of Asteroids) to protect ourselves from the radiation waves – we fixed the ship and proceeded to investigate the cluster (identified Magoros One as a Neutron Star, other stars included an unstable white star, two Binary Systems, another Neutron Star, a white star, a brown star and an unclassified anomaly). Investigating the planets indicated that they were all infested with Orks...
- At which point we were boarded by Orks which had been mutated by the radiation in the system! The Captain used the guns to clear the external raiders and Khan lead the victorious counter assault – however losses amongst the crew were massive (10% of the crew was lost!)
- Took the Marque ro Magoros Prime and landed with a full Infantry regiment (two battalions placed to distract any ork reaction). The Ork reaction to our presence was massive. The Captain and the Navigator investigated the ocular device which identified 3 ships (or ship groups) in the system.
o A Crashed Adeptus Mechanicus Ship on Magoros Minor
o The Righteous Path in the Shard Halo
o A debris field of destroyed ships that had been searching for the ‘Righteous Path’.
- The ground war, coordinated by the Seneschal, against the waves of orks went well with only 500 casualties amongst our troops. A very useful exercise which gave 5,000 of our troops valuable combat experience and in which our field artillery (Thudd guns and Heavy mortars) and our coordinated space to ground strikes were successfully tested.
- The Marque headed to Magoros Minor and salvaged the Adeptus Mechnicus ship (with much appreciation shown by the Explorator on board the Marque)
Objective 3 – Righteous Path = 300 Achievement Points (+700) = Completed
- The Marque travelled back to the Shard halo and found that Hadarack had already found the ‘Righteous Path’ and had set up an ambush in the nearby asteroids. We detected his hidden Sabre-Class Escort and opened fire on the asteroid field wiping out the ambush. Hadarack Fled, leaving 3,000 crewmen on the ‘Righteous’ Path who surrendered to us and were pressed into service.
- We took the ‘Righteous Path’ (a Cruiser class cargo vessel) out of the Shard Halo and began repairs (will take us 2 months). We also salvaged what we could of the ship debris field.

SYSTEM INFORMATION:

DAMARIS Cluster:
System primus:
Red Star - DAMARIS
Designate: quarantine anathema in extremis – the Marque
Eldar Corsairs – the Crow Spirits

Solar Zone
Comet

Dwarf planet
? Elliptical orbit
? No axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Crater fields and plains

Terrestrial planet
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Standard gravity
? No atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Mountains and ocean

Habitable Zone
Dust cloud

Artificial - XENOS PIRATE BASE

Outer Zone
Gas giant
Satellite – Artificial
XENOS PIRATE BASE

Satellite – Artificial
XENOS PIRATE BASE
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Standard gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Caves and canyons
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 45% land mass
? Volcanoes
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Asteroid field

Gas giant
Satellite - Asteroid ring
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Plains and crystal formations
Satellite – Artificial
XENOS PIRATE BASE
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Slight axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 95% land mass
? Volcanoes and plains

Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Terrestrial planet
? Standard Orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Breathable atmosphere
? 10% land mass
? Canyons and plateaus

Dwarf planet

Comet

System secundus:
Yellow star - unclassified

System tertius:
Unstable Red Star - unclassified

System quartus:
Yellow Star - unclassified

MAGOROS Cluster:
System primus:
Neutron star - MAGOROS
Designate: quarantine anathema in extremis – the Marque
Navigational Hazard: Radiation Waves
Xenos Hazard: Ork Infestation

Solar Zone
Magoros Minor – Dwarf planet
? Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator crash site

Habitable Zone
Magoros Prime – terrestrial planet
? Mirror Array
? Subterranean Orks – genus mutans magorinis primus

Magoros Secundus – terrestrial planet
DEATH WORLD
? Silicate crystalline arboriforms
? Sub-arboreal Orks – genus mutans magorinis secundus

Outer Zone
Shard Halo – asteroid field
? Silicates, heavy elements, wreckage
? Inter-asteroid Orks – genus mutans magorinis tertius

system secundus:
Loose binary red (alpha) and brown (beta) stars - unclassified

system tertius:
Unstable White Star - unclassified

system quartus:
Neutron star - unclassified

system quintus:
Brown star - unclassified

system sextus:
Stable white star - unclassified

System septimus:
Tight binary red giant and red star - unclassified

System anomaly:
UNKNOWN - unclassified

Our main issues now are:

1. We know where the major Eldar Pirate Base is... and they know who we are...

2. We need new water & supplies

3. We about 30,000 new crew!

4. Do we need to declare every system we visit quarantine anathema in extremis ?
-

Great read, lots of inspiration on how to make RT more epic feeling. Unfortunately, my player's dynasty is sitting at a really low profit rating, so they are going to have to build up to these kinds of numbers. In fact, they just scavenged the Emperor's Bounty out of Forsaken Bounty, even though it was a light cruiser because there was no way they were going to be able to get a big enough crew on it any time soon. I'll do a write up of our campaign so far.

Thanks for the response - actually our profit factor isn't that high either; we just have barracks and did a deal on Scintilla to equip a whole bunch of our Hive levies with obsolete imperial equipment – hence the army! We don’t tend to go onto strange planets or ships as an ‘away’ team – this is 40K not Star Trek! Going to dinner in civilized society is another matter – and usually when we have more personal combats!

We manage to game again on Friday night and got quite alot accomplished!

4th Endeavour – “Re-crew & Resupply” - completed
Having just recovered the ‘Righteous Path’ it needs to be crewed, resupplied & repaired.
Objective 1 – Explore Nearby Systems = Completed
- The navigator tested the Cargo for psychic risk and found amongst other xeno items a wraithbone prison which had been responsible for the disappearance of the ‘Righteous Path’s crew. They were all dumped into the void (resulting in -2 loss in profit factor).
- Downloaded the ‘Righteous Path’ nav computer and found out allot of information on the surrounding systems. We set our next goal as the unexplored Morgoros System ‘Quartus’ which indicated a feudal settlement.
- After cargo redistribution, the crew completed repairs on the ‘Righteous Path’ & the Mechanicus Ship ‘Explorator’. Transferred 10,000 crew to the ‘Righteous Path’ to allow it 50% crew.
- We listed the system as ‘interdicted’ due to the Ork infestation & Navigational Hazard.
- As the ships prepared to jump another ship was detected investigating the former resting place of the ‘Righteous Path’. On investigation it was revealed to be the ‘Wrathful’ A Red Corsair Space Marine Strike Cruiser under the command of 1st company commander of the (previously) Astral Claws Mordant ‘Barca the Bloody’ himself!! It became apparent that they had found Hadarack and pulled from him the information on the ‘Righteous path’ and also on our own ship! After a brief moment of panic we fled the system into the warp (without finding the astronomicon!) 20 Days in the warp caused massive loss of moral (though we did slaughter many of our barracks horses to give the crew fresh meat). Eventually there was a large warp incursion which was met head on by our captain (we lost 1,000 crew, but gained 5 moral by the captain’s martial example and victory!)
Objective 2 – Explore Supply Planets = Completed
- Finally we arrived in the Magoros ‘Quartus’ system that had indicated a ‘feudal’ human population. We named the System’s star ‘Chalice’ in the hope that the emperor would resupply us with his grace.
- Investigation of the system found a massive Yu’Vath battleship/artefact that was derelict
- Investigation of the inhabited planet (High Grav, fertile, good mining) showed them to have been based off an Imperial Guard Settlement (or marooning) which still stayed true to the Imperial Creed and had not mutated.
Objective 3 – Re-crew and Re-Supply = Completed
- We restocked our supplies and gathered crew (approx 12,000 crew for Righteous Path, approx 26,000 crew for the Marque, and approx 6,500+ ‘soldiers’ to top up the Barracks).
- In return for the crew and supplies we needed we welcomed the planet back into the light of the Emperor, placed 100 Missionaries, gave them steam and musket technology and 3,000 horses. In addition the high thegn was given enough modern equipment & lasguns to equip an honour guard (100 strong).

Next onto Ntharis (and stay ahead of Barca the Bloody!)

We started on the next endeavour, but have a fair way to go yet! I will post details on the systems we visited as soon as the GM gives them to me!

5th Endeavour – “Ntharis”
Prior to leaving the Koronos Expanse the only thing we ‘need’ to do is scout the Ntharis system to determine its suitability for the Navy to set up its supply base.
Objective 1 – Run the Emperor’s Scourge & Getting to Ntharis = Completed
- Mapped a warp passage from Magoros to the Ramien Cluster (Skirting the God Emperor’s Scourge) (+50 Exploration).
- 30 Days in the Warp suffering the worst warp storms we eventually arrived in the Primary system of the Ramien Cluster which we mapped (but did not allow shore leave)
- Mapped a warp passage to from the Ramien Cluster to Ntharis (+50 Exploration) – 7 days in the warp.

Objective 2 – Explore Ntharis = Completed
- Investigated the Ntharis System and found a heavily inhabited system of pre-warp space travellers. Awe allowed ourselves to be escorted into one of the space stations where we were invited on board. We were met by religious police who were to determine our diplomatic status...
- We quickly realised that the society largely a penal society with over 70% convicts. It was also
- a heretical divergence of the Imperial Creed – worshipping a ‘Lady Law’! The Captain executed their official and we retired back onto the ship, to disengage from the station with our macro-cannon.
- We determined that this system would make an excellent navy base with it’s high levels of infrastructure and readily available workforce – we just had to bring down the heretical government.

Objective 3 – Subjugate Ntharis - in progress
- Remove any threats in the system & on the planet.
- Establish a Tarsis presence – Install Garrison, Surplus Storage and Army Training Facilities?

In addition to what's going on in the game - meanwhile I have been amassing a number of 'Battle Fleet Gothic' and the ancient 'Space Fleet' Ships to serve as play aids.

Had another chance to game last Friday...

5th Endeavour – “Ntharis”

Prior to leaving the Koronos Expanse the only thing we ‘need’ to do is scout the Ntharis system to determine its suitability for the Navy to set up its supply base.
Objective 1 – Run the Emperor’s Scourge & Getting to Ntharis = Completed (300) + 100
- Mapped a warp passage from Magoros to the Ramien Cluster (Skirting the God Emperor’s Scourge) (+50 Exploration).
- 30 Days in the Warp suffering the worst warp storms we eventually arrived in the Primary system of the Ramien Cluster which we mapped (but did not allow shore leave)
- Mapped a warp passage to from the Ramien Cluster to Ntharis (+50 Exploration) – 7 days in the warp.
Objective 2 – Explore Ntharis = Completed (300)
- Investigated the Ntharis System and found a heavily inhabited system containing a pre-warp human civilisation. We allowed ourselves to be escorted to the Gas Giant Kollt space stations. We were met by religious police to determine our diplomatic status...
- We uncovered that the society was a pre-‘age of strife’ penal society (over 70% convicts). The civilisation covered 2 other systems within the cluster.
- The Society was quickly discovered to be a heretical divergence of the Imperial Creed – worshipping a ‘Lady Law’! The Captain executed their official and we tried to retire back to the ship amidst heavy fire. Our troops counter-bordered the station to support the captain.
- We determined that this system would make an excellent navy base with its high levels of infrastructure and readily available workforce – we just had to bring down the heretical government.
Objective 3 – Subjugate Ntharis
- The station severed the captain and her entourage from our ship and opened fire on the ship. We led our escort to the bridge to take prisoners, but we a little over-enthusiastic and none were taken alive. The voidsmaster on the Marque returned fire, but the station’s guns had breached our Hull and caused 50% losses amongst our crew!
- After a lengthy battle our ‘ship’s troopers’ (can one call them marines if they are serve on a ship but are not MARINES?) evacuated us off the station as it slid into the crushing depths of the gas giant it orbited.
- We managed to rescue 19,000 of the station’s crew, who were immediately pressed into service.
- The captain was very angry due to the level of damage to the ship! We rapidly repaired our bridge and detected 8 system ships coming towards us. We sent the explorator ship (renamed ‘the Shadow’) to the other side of the gas giant to pretend to be us and project our ship’s ‘shadow’. The system shisp responded by sending a flanking squadron behind the ‘shadow’. Having split their forces we ambushed the flanking squadron, capturing two of their ships and destroying the other 2. The battle against the other ships cost them all 4. (+100 Military)
- The victory gained us back 5 Moral and the captain passed her leadership to avoid a mutiny. We pressed another 6,000 crew out of their survivors.
- We proceeded in system towards the major planet, escorted by our two new system ships, and fixed all our damaged systems. We gained all the information we could on their society from the two captured captains and turned them to the Imperial Creed. The ‘Shadow’ was sent back out to the ‘Righteous Path’ to bring it into the system.
- Playing on the weaknesses inherent in their Penal society, we flooded the system with Imperial Propaganda informing them that we were the higher justice they were seeking as delegates of the ‘Emperor’.
- We passed through their picket line of system ships without a shot being fired and landed with all 60,000 of our troops (including tanks and artillery) at their religious capital and the Navigator’s powers created quite an occasion. The religious leaders bowed to our might and our divine judgement. (+50 Creed)

To Do:
- Remove any further threats in the system & on the planet.
- Disband their economic Capital (Press Inhabitants, distribute Wealth to all cities in celebration of their return to the Imperium)
- Establish a Tarsis Governorship – Install Garrison, Admin, Surplus Storage, etc
- Instigate construction of two new space stations (replace lost Kollt station & new outer zone: Deathworld/Penal Kharybas)

NTHARIS Cluster

NTHARIS system: Yellow star
Designate: INDUSTRIALISTS, PENAL COLONY, VOID BEASTS

Solar Zone
Dwarf planet: Ngogos
? Standard gravity
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Submerged caves and plains

Habitable Zone
Asteroid field

Dwarf planet: Ulm
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Heavy gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 35% land mass
? Mountains and canyons
? PENAL COLONY

Asteroid field

Terrestrial planet: Ntharis INDUSTRIALISTS
? Standard orbit
? Slight axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 85% land mass
? Canyons and mountains
Satellite- Asteroid: Mbial
Satellite - Asteroid: Hnsaf
Satellite – Artificial INDUSTRIALISTS

Gas giant: Kollt
Satellite – Artificial INDUSTRIALISTS (Destroyed)
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Utumnu INDUSTRIALISTS
? Standard orbit
? Slight axial tilt
? Heavy gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 10% land mass
? Caves and canyons
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Babrimn
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? No atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Frozen crater fields and plains
Satellite - Asteroid field

Outer Zone
VOID BEASTS

Dwarf planet: Kharybas
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Light gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Frozen mountains and crater fields
? DEATH WORLD
? PENAL COLONY

Dwarf planet: Shmbe
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 45% land mass
? Plateaus and volcanoes

Dwarf planet: Ikolong
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Volcanoes and plains

Asteroid field

ISNDER system: Tight binary white star and blue star
Designate: PENAL COLONY, XENOS, HIDDEN DANGERS - unclassified

KAKOSI system: Brown star
Designate: RESEARCH STATION, INDUSTRIALISTS, SHIP GRAVEYARD- unclassified

We finally managed to finish the current endeavour - thanks to allot of pre-planning it all went fairly smoothly in the end (apart from the loss of our two smaller ships!)

Objective 3 – Subjugate Ntharis
- The station severed the captain and her entourage from our ship and opened fire on the ship. We led our escort to the bridge to take prisoners, but we a little over-enthusiastic and none were taken alive. The voidsmaster on the Marque returned fire, but the station’s guns had breached our Hull and caused 50% losses amongst our crew!
- After a lengthy battle our ‘ship’s troopers’ (can one call them marines if they are serve on a ship but are not MARINES?) evacuated us off the station as it slid into the crushing depths of the gas giant it orbited.
- We managed to rescue 19,000 of the station’s crew, who were immediately pressed into service.
- The captain was very angry due to the level of damage to the ship! We rapidly repaired our bridge and detected 8 system ships coming towards us. We sent the explorator ship (renamed ‘the Shadow’) to the other side of the gas giant to pretend to be us and project our ship’s ‘shadow’. The system ships responded by sending a flanking squadron behind the ‘shadow’. Having split their forces we ambushed the flanking squadron, capturing two of their ships and destroying the other 2. The battle against the other ships cost them all 4. (+100 Military)
- The victory gained us back 5 Moral and the captain passed her leadership to avoid a mutiny. We pressed another 6,000 crew out of their survivors.
- We proceeded in system towards the major planet, escorted by our two new system ships, and fixed all our damaged systems. The ‘Shadow’ was sent out to the ‘Righteous Path’ to bring it in system.
- We gained all the information we could on their society from the two captured captains and turned them to the Imperial Creed.
- The main planet was picketed by their entire fleet, but having demonstrated our military might by destroying the space station around the gas giant and destroying two wings of their system ships, we ignored the attempted interdiction and flew right through it broadcasting Imperial propaganda.
- We landed on the Planet at the main Cathedral of the local Ecclesiarchy with all Regular troops, tanks etc in a major show of force. Navigator made a rather impressive display of his powers. The Lady Captain presented an Imperial Warrant which asserts that Lady Justice must answer to the God-Emperor and that this Heresy must be stopped. The head of the church was overwhelmed and saw the Emperor’s Light (literally thanks to Nihilis). (+50 Creed)
- Recruited another 10,000 crew from local volunteers to replace some of our losses – these were screened carefully to avoid infiltrators and saboteurs.
- Two of our Infantry Regiments (Troops recruited from Macebeus Quintus – very loyal to the Imperial Creed, including several cadres of black monks) were deployed to the new ecclesiarchy to commence re-education of the ecclesiarchy. All temples and religious iconography/constructs to be converted to Imperial canon. Macobeans began purging the ecclesiarchy of heretics and set up an “Inquisition/Magistratum” to vet and check the population.
- The Ntharis Police Force went into lock down and buried themselves in their bunkers underground. We ignored them, and replaced them with our own forces (2 Infantry Regiments, 2 Mounted Regiments and a Mechanised Regiment [22,600 Troops recruited from Hive Tarsis, Dusk and Chalice, led by Tarsian Officers]) and secured key logistics centres – power supply, water supply, food supply, transport corridors.
- Researched the ‘High Judges’ and determined that the most ambitious of them, Judge Zarrar, would be appointed as ‘Chief Justice’ and Cluster Governor. The Captain (under the guise of ‘Lady Law’) held a religious Rally at the unveiling of the first massive statue of the Emperor and announced Chief Justice Zarrar’s appointment. Within Half an hour he came out of hiding with most of the police/army and accepted the appointment. He was given copies of the Imperial Law to start enforcement. He was also given all of our massive cargo of military surplus to equip and update his forces and to bring the rest of the system under his control.
- The Navigator made a one man secret assault on the space station and caused it to be evacuated – breaking the symbolic picket line in space. The Space Station was then secured with our Space Troopers and the space Sunsear Battery was installed on the Station (with an additional 1,000 of our crew). A Tarsis (Golden Hand) Legation was established on the space station with 2,000 Tarsians from the ship’s admin and officer cadre. An Infantry Regiment (5,350 troops recruited from Hive Tarsis) was assigned as the ‘Legate Guard’. The Station was rapidly converted to Imperial technology.
- Our two Infantry Regiments and the Mechanised Regiment from the planet were redeployed permanently on the station (14,800 Troops) to act as an ‘emergency force’ for the new governor.
- The rest of our Regiments on the planet were returned to the ship (only one of the Machabean Regiments was returned – the other was permanently deployed within the new ecclesiarchy, leaving them 5,350 troops).
- We used lots of the cargo we had gained from the ‘Righetous Path’ to buy ‘Ntharis war bonds’ and purchase from the government the infrastructure required to convert Ntharis into a major space port. Two new space stations (replace lost Kollt station & new outer zone: Deathworld/Penal Kharybas) and a dry dock to be constructed NOW. The space station also became the property pf House Tarsis. The Nthariens were also given the template needed to construct the civilian manufactoriums we had on our ship to further their manufacturing capacity. We also set up a troop training facility on the Deathworld for later recruitment.
- Governor Zarrar set about bringing the rest of the system under Imperial control. The Marque was refuelled, resupplied and recrewed (including new recruits for the barracks). The ship set out to explore the surrounding four systems in the Ntharis cluster and to clear them of any potential hazards before the Imperial navy were brought here.
- On the outskirts of the system we found spent space marine ordinance and the Navigator quickly ascertained that Barca the Bloody (Red Corsair Captain) had taken the ‘Righteous Path’ and the ‘Shadow’ (we suffered a in our profit factor). He psychically tracked them through the warp back to the Magoros Cluster. The Captain decided to stay on mission rather than chase the Chaos Space Marines.

Next up is an endeavour to explore the 4 surrounding systems in the cluster and identify (and crush if possible) any threats. Then we go back to Port Wander!!

Got a chance to game again! Turns out there were only 3 systems we had to explore and put under the heal!

6th Endeavour – “Secure the Ntharis Cluster” (Minor: 900)
Explore and subdue the four remaining Ntharis Systems
Objective 1 – Explore the unclassified Ntharis Cluster System = completed (300 + 150)
- Given that we have gotten rid of all the remaining military surplus in our holds, The seneschal (using his trade: armourer) spoke to our Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator on the ship about re-tasking the two civilian manufactoriums to produce weapons and armour for our Barracks (Get the barracks involved in the manufacture). The discussed all that was needed was raw materials which could be mined using a mass driver. We discussed that wewould need the proper templates to start manufacturing more complex vehicles and fighters.
- Mapped a Passage from Ntharis to the unclassified Ntharis System (done – 2 day passage/normally a week). Named the system ‘Cinder’.
- The system was dominated by silicon dust clouds. In the Terrestrial Zone lay a highly polluted dwarf planet with a toxic atmosphere inhabited by post apocalyptic mutant gangs. As there was nothing of immediate value or use for the mutants – they were left alone.
- We discovered strange silicate growths on two of the inner planets which turned out to be a Yu’Vath constructs stuck on the worlds. We got out in time before they were able to instruct the silicon dust clouds to shape into a warship.
- Further investigation reviled that this system had once been the site of a massive battle between the Imperium and the Yu’Vath and that the Yu’Vath ships’ computer corse were marooned on the planets. We constructed a mass driver and sent two ice asteroids at the two Yu’Vath worlds which we calculated would destroy the Yu’Vath worlds utterly in two years time.
- Whilst gathering the ice asteroids we also mined an asteroid and gained the raw materials we needed to begin construction of our own armaments.
- We left a auger satellite and a navigation beacon declaring the system in quarantine for two years. In two years the site was marked for the construction of a space shrine in remembrance of the great battle.

Objective 2 – Explore & Subdue the Kakosi System = completed (300 + 150)
- Mapped a Passage from Ntharis to the Kakosi System (done – 3 day passage/normally a week).
- Investigated the KAKOSI system in Ntharis Cluster. Deployed the two Ntharien ‘system ships’ and boarded the largest of the two (small) Ntharis research stations that were studying a ‘ships graveyard’ on a toxic planet. Investigation found that an Imperial Dauntless and an escort of three cobra destroyers had scuttled themselves on the planet together with the debris from several Yu’Vath ships.
- The Scientists were informed of the regeme change on Ntharis and after due consideration were declared as Tratoris in extremis. The data from the Imperial Ship’s cores was downloaded to the Marque (including information on another system in the Magoros Cluster), where it was found that the Imperial ships were a scout squadron group who had discovered the Yu’Vath build up in the ‘Cinder’ system and had transmitted the information to the Imperial fleet before escaping to the Kakosi system where they were taken down by the Yu’Vath (choosing to scuttle their ships rather than have them taken). When arresting the scientists the Yu’Vath artefacts being studied by the Nthariens became active after the stations air supply was shut off and both stations had to be destroyed. The ‘archaeological sites on the ground were also heavily bombed to take care of remaining Yu’Vath threats.
- The ruins of the Imperial Dauntless and three cobra destroyers were lifted off the toxic world and placed on a nearby habitable world to set up a shrine. A cadre of Adeptus Mechanicus were assigned to study the wrecks. Tarsian Administration, Macebean Ecclesiarchy and other crew (total: 1,000 personnel) were assigned to begin building the colony. One of our two civilian manufactoriums was deployed to the planet. One of the newly raised Ntharien Regiments (5,350 troops, with Tarsian Officers and Dusk Sergeants) and a Mounted Regiment (4,000 troops) was deployed to guard and assist building the new Shrine Colony. The two system ships were also deployed to take care of the new colony.
- The crew and barracks were given shore leave.
- A nearby water world was also marked for colonisation as an Agricultural world.

Objective 3 – Explore Isnder (yet to do)
- Map a Passage from Ntharis to the Kakosi System.
- Investigate ISNDER system in Ntharis Cluster and destroy XENOS PENAL COLONY (or capture Xenos to deliver to the Ordo Xenos).
- Subjugate System and place firmly under new Imperial Ntharis Governorship and House Tarsis.

More system data collected

CINDER system: White Star (Ntharis Cluster)
Designate: HIDDEN BASE, MUTANTS, XENOS RUINS
Quarantine anathema in extremis (to be reviewed in 2 years after ice asteroid impacts on two Xenos ruins) – the Marque (auger and navigation satellite deployed)

Solar Zone
Dwarf planet
? Elliptical orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 15% land mass
? Plains and volcanoes
? SUBSURFACE XENOS RUINS
? CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURES

Gas giant
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Caves and volcanoes
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Subsurface caves and plains
? SUBSURFACE XENOS RUINS
? FLOATING CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURES
Satellite - Asteroid

Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Volcanoes and plains
? DEATH WORLD


Habitable Zone
Terrestrial planet
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 90% land mass
? Canyons and volcanoes
? MUTANTS

Dust cloud

Outer Zone
Dust cloud

KAKOSI system: Brown star (Ntharis Cluster)
Designate: Part of Ntharis Cluster Imperial Governorship, SHRINE WORLD – Imperial Colony – the Marque

Solar Zone
Dust cloud

Habitable Zone
Gas giant: Bwana
Satellite – Artificial (Destroyed – the Marque)
Satellite – Artificial (Destroyed – the Marque)
Satellite - Terrestrial planet: Amir
Shrine World: Imperial Colony created, Admin, Mechanicus & Missionaries deployed. Two Regiments, two system ships and civilian manufactorium deployed.
? IMPERIAL COLONY – SHRINE – the Marque
? Relocated SHRINE / SHIP GRAVEYARD
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 85% land mass
? Plains and volcanoes
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Kakosi
? QUARANTINE – Possible Yu’Vath remnants
? Standard orbit
? Slight axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 45% land mass
? Plains and volcanoes
Satellite – Asteroid
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Moroho
? Elliptical orbit
? Tide locked
? Heavy gravity
? No atmosphere
? 40% land mass

Terrestrial planet: Ifrir
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Volcanoes and crater fields
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Lunda
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Standard gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Subsurface volcanoes and mountains
? Reserved for IMPERIAL COLONY – AGRICULTURAL – the Marque

Gas giant: Oroc
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Dersh
? Elliptical orbit
? Tide locked
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Caves and plains
? DEATH WORLD
Satellite - Asteroid field
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Linn
? Standard orbit
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 10% land mass
? Plains and crater fields
Satellite - Asteroid

Outer Zone
Gas giant: Kash
Satellite - Terrestrial planet: Dishna
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 100% land mass
? Plains and plateaus
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Terrestrial planet: Makarr
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? No atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Plateaus and volcanoes

Asteroid field

Comet

Dwarf planet: Inko
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Light gravity
? No atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Mountains and plains
Satellite - Asteroid

ISNDER system: Tight binary white star and blue star (Ntharis Cluster)
Designate: NTAHRIS INDUSTRIALISTS, XENOS PENAL COLONY, HIDDEN DANGERS

Solar Zone
Nil

Habitable Zone
Nil

Outer Zone
Dwarf planet: Goroth
? Standard orbit
? Tide-locked
? Light gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Crater fields and mountains
? DEATH WORLD
? HAZARDOUS XENOS PENAL COLONY
Satellite - Asteroid

Comet

Dwarf planet: Obelle
? Standard orbit
? Slight axial tilt
? Heavy gravity
? No atmosphere
? 45% land mass
? Plains and caves

Gas giant: Hurru
Satellite - Asteroid field
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Sambessa
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Heavy gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 4% land mass
? Underwater volcanoes and crater fields
? AQUATIC XENOS PENAL COLONY
Satellite - Terrestrial planet: Isnder
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Breathable atmosphere
? 35% land mass
? Canyons and mountains
? INDUSTRIALISTS
Satellite - Dwarf planet: Koho
? Standard orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 100% land mass
? Caves and plains
? SILICATE XENOS PENAL COLONY
Satellite - Asteroid field
Satellite – Artificial
? WARDEN FORTRESS

Asteroid field

Magoros Cluster - System Secundus - unclassified
Surveyed by the XXIVth Drusian Fleet Coreward reconnaissance squadron
Cpt Memmio Atilychus of the Hart commanding

Unstable White Star: FERALS

Solar Zone
Terrestrial planet
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 1% land mass
? Plateaus and canyons

Dwarf planet
? Elliptical orbit
? No axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Hazardous atmosphere
? 80% land mass
? Crater fields and plains
? DEATH WORLD
? FERAL HUMANS

Habitable Zone
Nil

Outer Zone
Gas giant
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Elliptical orbit
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 0% land mass
? Subsurface mountains and caves
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Tide locked
? Standard gravity
? No atmosphere
? 1% land mass
? Subsurface volcanoes and plains

Gas giant
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Standard gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Plains and crystal formations
Satellite - Dwarf planet
? Standard orbit
? Slight axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 95% land mass
? Volcanoes and plains
Satellite - Asteroid
Satellite - Terrestrial planet
? Standard Orbit
? Extreme axial tilt
? Breathable atmosphere
? 10% land mass
? Canyons and plateaus
? FERAL HUMANS

The last game was interesting - we all knew the stationwas going to be a trap and yet we waltzed on in there... Doh!

Objective 3 – Explore Isnder System
- Mapped a Passage from Kakosi to the Isnder System in the Ntharis Cluster (done – 2 day passage/normally a week).
- The Seneschal started working with the Navigator producing warp passage maps and charts to be sold later (under contract to House Tarsis) to the Imperial navy and allied Rogue Traders.
- The Marque Investigated the Isnder System and docked at the Warden Fortress – the captain was quickly surrounded by the Yu’Vath infestation on the space station. Fighting our way out we lost 140 men from the captain’s personal guard of 200! We blinded the crystal infection, ejected the space station’s core and drove the station into the Gas giant.
- Trying to purge any UV infection we had all our eyes burnt out with a UV bombardment (and had to all get bionic eyes!)
- Research into the Yu’Vath discovered that the ship’s auger array could be set to detect their infection.
- The navigator’s cogitator implant was found to have a Yu’Vath infection and he will need to be flensed to clear him.

To Do:
- Scan the Silicate Xenos Penal World Koho for Yu’Vath infection – if infected use asteroid cure.
- Scan the Ntharien Colony world of Isnder for Yu’Vath infection.
- Scan the Aquatic Xenos Penal World Sambessa for Yu’Vath infection
- Scan the Hazardous Xenos Penal World / Death World Goroth for Yu’Vath infection – if infected use asteroid cure.
- Subjugate System and place firmly under new Imperial Ntharis Governorship and House Tarsis.

Objective 3 - completed!

- We scanned the Silicate Xenos Penal World Koho for Yu’Vath infection – and came under intensive planetary defence fire. Scans indicated a Yu’Vath drydock with a semi-sentient ship under construction. We engaged the planetary defences and when they were knocked out deployed a ‘planet killer’ asteroid onto the dock which cured the Yu’Vath infection.
- We scanned the Aquatic Xenos Penal World Sambessa for Yu’Vath infection. Only the habitation buoys were infected and the seneschal led a regiment down to scour each one individually. The Aquatic Xenos were found to be primitive Cetacea and were declared not to be a threat. The planet was marked for later colonisation as an Ag World.
- We scanned the Scan the Ntharian Colony world of Isnder for Yu’Vath infection and found that the 200 million human inhabitants of the old terran like planet had all been infected. Thankfully the population were mostly located in cities in canyons. Undertaking a 6 month campaign to reclaim the world, we mined gasses from the Gas giant that the planet orbited and gassed the cities. Then we sent in all our regiments to cleanse the planet. The remaining three newly raised Ntharien Regiments (16,050 troops, with Tarsian Officers and Dusk Sergeants), the remaining Mounted Regiment (4,000 troops from Dusk), the remaining Mechanised Regiment from Hive Tarsis (3,900 troops) and the remaining reserves (2,600 Ntharian troops) were deployed permanently to clean up the new Imperial Colony and 2,000 administration and manufacturing crew from the ship were also deployed to restart the worlds industrial infrastructure. The planet was declared under the governorship of House Tarsis.
- The two remaining Ntharian system ships were also deployed to the system
- During the campaign we also scanned the Hazardous Xenos Penal World / Death World Goroth for Yu’Vath infection. Tha Navigator was mentally assaulted by what appeared to be an Eldar Farseer trapped on the planet with a small number of bodyguards. The rest of the planet’s inhabitants were infected including a large number of Orks and a solitary predatory xenos species. Another planet killer asteroid was deployed to cure the Yu’Vath and Eldar infection. The Fungiform ‘Triffids’ and the Ork spore was unfortunately not destroyed in the resulting firestorm and nuclear winter.
- The Navigator received a psychic transmission of the elder transferring their souls to soul stones before the blast. Fearing retribution we gathered the stones and put them in stasis.

So that was the end of that endeavour! Now we just have to get back to Ntharis prime - load up the ship (we've been trying to empty it recently) and then get back to port wander to set up the Ntharis world as an Imperial Navy Depot and solidify our holdings!

I'm really liking the campaign so far. I have been keeping my eye it and another that gets posted. This might be a silly question, but have you ever posted the information on their ship? What is their current fleet and regiment sitting at? I have heard ships come and go, so I want to make sure I got it right. Keep up the fun!

I don't think i have posted the ship's status at that! The central ship is a cruiser named 'The Marque' (it was a reward carried on from the dark heresy game the characters grew out of). For a while there we had the 'Righteous Path' (cargo ship the size of a dauntless and a small mechanicus scout, but they were captured by Barca the bloody (poor crews). At Ntharis prime we picked up a number of non-warp system ship 'escorts' which were declared to fit in our hold - we've since dropped these off to protect our interests.

At the moment our Barracks (which have a capacity for 60,000 troops, including two mechanised regiments and four mounted regiments - so lot's of space!) are down to an all time low with two veteran infantry regiments, 2 'Beast Hunter' regiments and a training cadre of 2,000 - all up about 20,000 troops.

7th Endeavour – “Get to Port Wander”
Get back through the Maw to Port Wander
Objective 1 – Run the Damaris Gauntlet
- Mapped a short warp passage back to Ntharis (1 day). Ntharis was going well. Their forces were given information on Yu’Vath detection and shown the Holovids of the Captain’s great works in their cluster – there was much rejoicing. Another 6,000 crew were recruited to bring us to 100% crew compliment.
- In an effort to fill up our holds the Captain took the seneschal’s advice and went void whale hunting and the Seneschal took one of the beast-hunter regiments onto the Ice Death world.
- The Captain brought down a massive mother and calf and her ship was swallowed by the bull. The captain cut here way out and was attacked by the void whale’s internal parasite – the Piscine Remora! Eventually she worked her way out of the void whale and was rescued, but lost her right arm (a very nice bionic replacement was found for her though). The ship was well stocked with whale meat, ambergris, scrimshaw bones and Remora for the beast-houses.
- The Seneshal was injured and lost 2,800 troops on the deathworld trapping the local beasts, but brought back a large quantity of furs, as well as many live samples of the voracious predators (including swarms of piranha voles, Ice Sabre-beasts & 8 of the 12m3 giant carnivorous ice moles!). All troop losses were made up for by recruiting from the local Penal colony. In addition – 10,750 more local troops were recruited to create two new regiments. (+100 Military)
- The ship finally left the Ntharis Cluster and mapped a warp passage from Ntharis to one of the yellow sun systems of Damaris (hoping that another System entry point will put the ‘Crow Spirits’ off) which lasted 25 days (+50 Exploration) –unfortunately 5 Eldar aconite escorts were waiting for us. After a brief exchange of fire, 3 of the elder escorts were damaged, but the Marque had a fire in life support and our sensors had been knocked out (we lost approx 19,000 crew!). The Navigator took us into an emergency warp jump.
- Lost in the warp, we emerged 10 days later – unfortunately the ship’s time had been 100days and we emerged in a full blown mutiny. We locked down the bridge and released the archoflagelants on the main mutineers. The regiments from the barracks mopped up afterwards. The mutiny had cost us 30,000 crew!
- Repairing the sensors we found that we were still in the Daramis Cluster - in the Tertius System with a red unstable star! Closer scans of the system determined that there was a forge world and a mining colony which declared themselves to be Imperial... We were saved! But something didn’t feel right - Something about the way they declared they were awaiting the ‘return’ of the emperor.
- Rather than go down to the planet, we invited their delegation onto our ship. The Navigator meet them and instantly detected that they were ALL psychers! Upon detection, the delegation declared ‘Death to the false Emperor’ and detonated themselves in a great psychic Warp explosion!

To Do:
• Survive the warp explosion...
• Smash the Heretics
• Reclaim the Forge world & mining colony
• Re-crew

Objective 2 – Getting to Footfall
- Map a warp passage from Damaris to Footfall
- Avoid any issues at Footfall?

Objective 3 – Getting to Port Wander
- Stop by the Hermitage and donate to their station.
- Get the Marque through the Maw to Port Wander.

As requested earlier:

Tha Marque

The Marque is an ancient Luna class Cruiser with a sunseer laser battery on her prow and two Mars Pattern Macrocannon Batteries on each side. She is Ancient and Wise, but also a herald of the Imperium! She contains a comparmentalised cargo hold, troops barracks, arcoflagellant chairs (murder servitors), Librarium and Observation dome.

Addendum: 7th Endeavour from the Lady-Captain...

Yes, I was eaten by a void whale. All I had was carapace armour and a fractal blade, and my comms were down because I was inside the freaking whale. I had 50 minutes before my carapace armour was to be eaten through by the acids in the environment. So I decided to cut my way out of the stomach and into the circulatory system, where I am promptly attacked by Piscine Remora. (This is because occasionally our GM is EVIL - oops I mean he feels the need to make the game challenging...) At this stage if I stayed to fight I would not make it out, so I ran and kept cutting and cutting and finally made it out the blow-hole of the whale just as my armour fails and my right arm is frozen solid.

I have decided to keep the arm on display in the void cabinet with the heads of the special traitors, alongside the vodka...

Next time Khan, our beloved Seneschal, wishes to acquire some void whale meat "cause we simply cannot return with any empty space in the hold" the Captain is going to make him go hunting - alone in an EVA suit with a jet pack, a thermal lance and a krak grenade.

Meanwhile the Captain will sit back, drink vodka and polish the highlights on her bionic arm to a nice mithril glow.

Also, the Navigator took a big hit of corruption points when he detected the psykers, and now has an addiction to ambergris. So pretty soon someone is going to have to hunt some more void whales.

So maybe we should add to the To Do List : Acquire Thermal Lance and Krak grenades for the Seneschal.

Ravia Khadis Praetor said:

You know I'm up for that!!! Yee-Haaa!

You can go down on the icey Death world instead.

Update time - I think we are going to have to make this into a seperate endeavour (origionally this was part one of the endevour which was get through the Damaris system - we seem to have gotten stuck there for a while now!)

- The Warp rift started spewing out slime and giant slugs. We took to them with flamers and las carbines. Eventually the Navigator told us all to shut our eyes and he looked at the warp spawn with his eye which made them shrivel up and die.
- The Navigator was saved from getting splattered by warp toxins by the residue of the farseer that had taken up residue in his brain – which also informed him that we could not destroy the whole planet as the mass death would create a daemon world! This is why we had been ‘herded’ here by the Eldar... sneaky bastards.
- The planet then sent out multiple distress signals stating that all across the planet their administration had exploded and released a plague.
- Establishing coms with the PDF, arbites and emergency services the captain took command of the planet and started full quarantine procedures. The Hive was abandoned and safety centres were set up. The ship regiments were divided into companies and deployed to ‘advise’ local PDF and form emergency flying squads.
- The seneschal, with the help of the exploratory, started working on fuel air bombs in the ship’s manufactorium.
- On the planet – plague zombies started walking out of the death zones and from the abandoned Hive; a ‘brother Ansel’ called for all to join the walking oblivion. There were also several mutant plague creatures spotted in the com. We shut down the broadcast and deployed the PDF in a perimeter to contain the zombie hordes. The first Fuel air bombs were used on plague zombie clusters.
- We took the ship to the nearby ammonia sea world/mining colony to collect a cargo of Ammonia to help us fight the plague. The mining world didn’t seem too badly affected at first, but then we discovered that four of the platforms were pumping mutagenic toxins into the ocean and had caused massive mutations amongst the native sea life (effectively turning the mining colony into a Deathworld). The leviathans started attacking the other mining platforms. We took the guncutters on bombing runs (again with fuel air bombs) and shut down the four enemy platforms (causing massive explosions amongst the ammonia stored there). We then issued a warrant and took over all of the corporations to coordinate their defence, deploying 1,000 troops (missile launcher teams) to defend the remaining platforms against the leviathans. We discovered that it was one dynastic corporation that had caused been the heretic rebels on the colony. There were approximately 20,000 remaining workers on the mining colony. We loaded our cargo of ammonia and headed back to the primary world.

To Do:

Get back to the main industrial world, prop up the PDF who will be very battered by now. Get to the Hive world and pump ammonia into the air filtration system - then set it all on fire!

I finally got a chance to write everything up. I also split our current endeavour up from ‘get to port wander’... that was a little optimistic perhaps?

7th Endeavour – “Run the Damaris Gauntlet”
(Minor: 900)
Get back through the Maw to Port Wander
Objective 1 – Run the Damaris Gauntlet
- Mapped a short warp passage back to Ntharis (1 day). Ntharis was going well. Their forces were given information on Yu’Vath detection and shown the Holovids of the Captain’s great works in their cluster – there was much rejoicing. Another 6,000 crew were recruited to bring us to 100% crew compliment.
- In an effort to fill up our holds the Captain took the seneschal’s advice and went void whale hunting and the Seneschal took one of the beast-hunter regiments onto the Ice Death world.
- The Captain brought down a massive mother and calf and her ship was swallowed by the bull. The captain cut here way out and was attacked by the void whale’s internal parasite – the Piscine Remora! Eventually she worked her way out of the void whale and was rescued, but lost her right arm (a very nice bionic replacement was found for her though). The ship was well stocked with whale meat, ambergris, scrimshaw bones and Remora for the beast-houses.
- The Seneshal was injured and lost 2,800 troops on the deathworld trapping the local beasts, but brought back a large quantity of furs, as well as many live samples of the voracious predators (including swarms of piranha voles, Ice Sabre-beasts & 8 of the 12m3 giant carnivorous ice moles!). All troop losses were made up for by recruiting from the local Penal colony. In addition – 10,750 more local troops were recruited to create two new regiments. (+100 Military)
- The ship finally left the Ntharis Cluster and mapped a warp passage from Ntharis to one of the yellow sun systems of Damaris (hoping that another System entry point will put the ‘Crow Spirits’ off) which lasted 25 days (+50 Exploration) –unfortunately 5 Eldar aconite escorts were waiting for us. After a brief exchange of fire, 3 of the elder escorts were damaged, but the Marque had a fire in life support and our sensors had been knocked out (we lost approx 19,000 crew!). The Navigator took us into an emergency warp jump.
- Lost in the warp, we emerged 10 days later – unfortunately the ship’s time had been 100days and we emerged in a full blown mutiny. We locked down the bridge and released the archoflagelants on the main mutineers. The regiments from the barracks mopped up afterwards. The mutiny had cost us 30,000 crew!
- Repairing the sensors we found that we were still in the Daramis Cluster - in the Tertius System with a red unstable star! Closer scans of the system determined that there was a industrial world (with one major hive) and a mining colony which declared themselves to be Imperial... We were saved! But something didn’t feel right - Something about the way they declared they were awaiting the ‘return’ of the emperor.
- Rather than go down to the planet, we invited their delegation onto our ship.

Objective 2 – Pacify the System
- The Navigator meet them and instantly detected that they were ALL psychers! Upon detection, the delegation declared ‘Death to the false Emperor’ and detonated themselves in a great psychic Warp explosion!
- The Warp rift started spewing out slime and giant slugs. We took to them with flamers and las carbines. Eventually the Navigator told us all to shut our eyes and he looked at the warp spawn with his eye which made them shrivel up and die.
- The Navigator was saved from getting splattered by warp toxins by the residue of the farseer that had taken up residue in his brain – which also informed him that we could not destroy the whole planet as the mass death would create a daemon world! This is why we had been ‘herded’ here by the Eldar... sneaky bastards.
- The planet then sent out multiple distress signals stating that all across the planet their administration had exploded and released a plague.
- Establishing coms with the PDF, arbites and emergency services the captain took command of the planet and started full quarantine procedures. The Hive was abandoned and safety centres were set up. The 2 veteran infantry regiments (9,700 troops) and the Training Cadre (2,000 ‘advisors’) were divided into companies and deployed to ‘advise’ local PDF and form emergency flying squads.
- The seneschal, with the help of the exploratory, started working on fuel air bombs in the ship’s manufactorium.
- On the primary industrial planet – plague zombies started walking out of the death zones and from the abandoned Hive; a ‘brother Ansel’ called for all to join the walking oblivion. There were also several mutant plague creatures spotted in the com. We shut down the broadcast and deployed the PDF in a perimeter to contain the zombie hordes. The first Fuel air bombs were used on plague zombie clusters.
- We took the ship to the nearby ammonia sea world/mining colony to collect a cargo of Ammonia to help us fight the plague. The mining world didn’t seem too badly affected at first, but then we discovered that four of the platforms were pumping mutagenic toxins into the ocean and had caused massive mutations amongst the native sea life (effectively turning the mining colony into a Deathworld). The leviathans started attacking the other mining platforms. We took the guncutters on bombing runs (again with fuel air bombs) and shut down the four enemy platforms (causing massive explosions amongst the ammonia stored there). We then issued a warrant and took over all of the corporations to coordinate their defence, deploying 1,000 troops (missile launcher teams) to defend the remaining platforms against the leviathans. We discovered that it was one dynastic corporation that had caused been the heretic rebels on the colony. There were approximately 20,000 remaining workers on the mining colony. We loaded our cargo of ammonia and headed back to the primary world.
- On the trip back we made sure everyone in the crew was paid (-50 achievement points) and gained +17% morale.
- The Captain gave a rousing speech and gained another 10% of moral (raising us up to 78% Moral)
- Once back at the primary world we received an update of the situation – the mutant zombies were able to use weapons against the remaining population. Also we realised that though the Eldar were using us to stop the world from turning into a daemon world, we had no assurances that they wouldn’t wipe out the human population as soon as we left. We also realised that if Natharis was to be the Naval port in this segmentum then Damaris was a vital way station and resupply base on the warp rout. We concluded that whilst we had to knock out the primary threat (the hive), we still had to retain its planetary defensive capabilities and industry base.
- The remaining 4 beasthunter Regiments (8,000 troops) in the ship‘s barracks were deployed on the planet and, with all guncutters, began assaults on the high infestation areas of zombies. Fuel air bombs, weaponised ammonia and mini-tac-nukes were all deployed. In addition Fuel air bombs, weaponised ammonia and mini-tac-nukes were all deployed against the Hive’s outer surface to distract their sensors (+150 Military Achievement Points).
- Under the cover of the exterior distractions, the Captain, Seneschal and Navigator sneaked into the hive via its main ground link of air intake. They took out the main air purification system (however the Navigator blew himself up with his Shotgun Pistol with an exterminator round bringing all the zombies down on us!).
- We took out some of the new mutants who responded to our presence and started making our way up the purified air shaft to the top of the hive to take out brother Ansel and find a communication devise to call off the bombardment and begin the next phase of the plan.

To Do:
• Travel up the purified air shaft to the top of the hive and find a communication devise to call off the bombardment (and then take out brother Ansel)
• Order the system tankers filled with weaponised ammonia to land (with support from all our regiments) and pump it into the air filtration system.
• Call for immediate rescue.

Objective 3 – Protect the System
• Reclaim the Forge world & mining colony in the name of the Emperor and House Tarsis.
• Make sure it is secure against the Eldar
• Re-crew

DAWN System: Red Star
Designate: Unstable Red Star, INDUSTRIALISTS – Imperial Colony – the Marque, HIDDEN CULT (ACTIVELY ENGAGED – the Marque)

Solar Zone
Gas giant

Habitable Zone
Asteroid field

Dwarf planet
? Extreme axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 95% land mass
? Plateaus and caves

Terrestrial planet
? Tide locked
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 1% land mass
? Canyons and volcanoes
? MINING COLONY
? INDUSTRALIALISTS

Terrestrial planet
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Plains and mountains
? FORGE COLONY
? INDUSTRIALISTS

Comet

Outer Zone
Asteroid field

Asteroid field

Dwarf planet
? No tilt
? Low gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 100% land mass
? Barren volcanic
? Satellite

System secundus:
Yellow star - unclassified

We go a chance to game after a long absense - it went quite well!

- We used our para-gliders to make our way up the purified air shaft to the top of the hive. Zombies started dropping down on, but we all managed to avoid them as they plummeted down (with the exception of the navigator, but he lost his para-glider and just levitated the rest of the way.
- At the top we found that the structure containing brother Ansel was severely corroded and degraded. The revenants, and then the plague Bearers, started coming at us. Moving as a tight fire-team, we used the Navigators eye as a room-sweeper and the Captain and Seneschal blew up whatever survived... Reality started having some problems...
- Finally we got to Brother Ansel who was about to become the warp portal for something HUGE! (Great Daemon of Nurgle anyone?) The Navigator did not deal well with the situation – the seneschal used his hunting instrument to put a hole the bother’s head and the Captain followed up with a Z cut with her fractal blade... the tendrils of slime collapsed and the warp portal closed.
- We got out and called off the bombardment. The gunships and system tankers landed (with support from all our regiments) and pumped weaponised ammonia it into the air filtration system of the hive. We had managed to capture the hive and it’s orbital defence weapons intact
- We then para-glided off the hive and were welcomed by cheering troops (that vid is going to be a winner)

The sisters hospitalers on our ship[ (we have two of them) put the Navigator and the seneschal into quarantine, but they scrubbed us clean in the end...

To Do:

Objective 3 – Protect the System
- Reclaim the Forge world & mining colony in the name of the Emperor and House Tarsis.

- Scrub the population

-Draft the clean population into the PDF.

- Rearm & fortify the planet and system

- Recrew

- Fight off the eldar (Cause they are the ones who led us here - they'll want to finish us off now that we've fixed the problem!)

Right - well things got a little wierd in the story... but I've updated it all...

7th Endeavour – “Run the Damaris Gauntlet”
Objective 1 – Run the Damaris Gauntlet
- Mapped a short warp passage back to Ntharis (1 day). Ntharis was going well. Their forces were given information on Yu’Vath detection and shown the Holovids of the Captain’s great works in their cluster – there was much rejoicing. Another 6,000 crew were recruited to bring us to 100% crew compliment.
- In an effort to fill up our holds the Captain took the seneschal’s advice and went void whale hunting and the Seneschal took one of the beast-hunter regiments onto the Ice Death world.
- The Captain brought down a massive mother and calf and her ship was swallowed by the bull. The captain cut here way out and was attacked by the void whale’s internal parasite – the Piscine Remora! Eventually she worked her way out of the void whale and was rescued, but lost her right arm (a very nice bionic replacement was found for her though). The ship was well stocked with whale meat, ambergris, scrimshaw bones and Remora for the beast-houses.
- The Seneshal was injured and lost 2,800 troops on the deathworld trapping the local beasts, but brought back a large quantity of furs, as well as many live samples of the voracious predators (including swarms of piranha voles, Ice Sabre-beasts & 8 of the 12m3 giant carnivorous ice moles!). All troop losses were made up for by recruiting from the local Penal colony. In addition – 10,750 more local troops were recruited to create two new regiments. (+100 Military)
- The ship finally left the Ntharis Cluster and mapped a warp passage from Ntharis to one of the yellow sun systems of Damaris (hoping that another System entry point will put the ‘Crow Spirits’ off) which lasted 25 days (+50 Exploration) –unfortunately 5 Eldar aconite escorts were waiting for us. After a brief exchange of fire, 3 of the elder escorts were damaged, but the Marque had a fire in life support and our sensors had been knocked out (we lost approx 19,000 crew!). The Navigator took us into an emergency warp jump.
- Lost in the warp, we emerged 10 days later – unfortunately the ship’s time had been 100days and we emerged in a full blown mutiny. We locked down the bridge and released the archoflagelants on the main mutineers. The regiments from the barracks mopped up afterwards. The mutiny had cost us 30,000 crew!
- Repairing the sensors we found that we were still in the Daramis Cluster - in the Tertius System with a red unstable star! Closer scans of the system determined that there was a industrial world (with one major hive) and a mining colony which declared themselves to be Imperial... We were saved! But something didn’t feel right - Something about the way they declared they were awaiting the ‘return’ of the emperor.
- Rather than go down to the planet, we invited their delegation onto our ship.

Objective 2 – Pacify the System
- The Navigator meet them and instantly detected that they were ALL psychers! Upon detection, the delegation declared ‘Death to the false Emperor’ and detonated themselves in a great psychic Warp explosion!
- The Warp rift started spewing out slime and giant slugs. We took to them with flamers and las carbines. Eventually the Navigator told us all to shut our eyes and he looked at the warp spawn with his eye which made them shrivel up and die.
- The Navigator was saved from getting splattered by warp toxins by the residue of the farseer that had taken up residue in his brain – which also informed him that we could not destroy the whole planet as the mass death would create a daemon world! This is why we had been ‘herded’ here by the Eldar... sneaky bastards.
- The planet then sent out multiple distress signals stating that all across the planet their administration had exploded and released a plague.
- Establishing coms with the PDF, arbites and emergency services the captain took command of the planet and started full quarantine procedures. The Hive was abandoned and safety centres were set up. The 2 veteran infantry regiments (9,700 troops) and the Training Cadre (2,000 ‘advisors’) were divided into companies and deployed to ‘advise’ local PDF and form emergency flying squads.
- The seneschal, with the help of the exploratory, started working on fuel air bombs in the ship’s manufactorium.
- On the primary industrial planet – plague zombies started walking out of the death zones and from the abandoned Hive; a ‘brother Ansel’ called for all to join the walking oblivion. There were also several mutant plague creatures spotted in the com. We shut down the broadcast and deployed the PDF in a perimeter to contain the zombie hordes. The first Fuel air bombs were used on plague zombie clusters.
- We took the ship to the nearby ammonia sea world/mining colony to collect a cargo of Ammonia to help us fight the plague. The mining world didn’t seem too badly affected at first, but then we discovered that four of the platforms were pumping mutagenic toxins into the ocean and had caused massive mutations amongst the native sea life (effectively turning the mining colony into a Deathworld). The leviathans started attacking the other mining platforms. We took the guncutters on bombing runs (again with fuel air bombs) and shut down the four enemy platforms (causing massive explosions amongst the ammonia stored there). We then issued a warrant and took over all of the corporations to coordinate their defence, deploying 1,000 troops (missile launcher teams) to defend the remaining platforms against the leviathans. We discovered that it was one dynastic corporation that had caused been the heretic rebels on the colony. There were approximately 20,000 remaining workers on the mining colony. We loaded our cargo of ammonia and headed back to the primary world.
- On the trip back we made sure everyone in the crew was paid (-50 achievement points) and gained +17% morale.
- The Captain gave a rousing speech and gained another 10% of moral (raising us up to 78% Moral)
- Once back at the primary world we received an update of the situation – the mutant zombies were able to use weapons against the remaining population. Also we realised that though the Eldar were using us to stop the world from turning into a daemon world, we had no assurances that they wouldn’t wipe out the human population as soon as we left. We also realised that if Natharis was to be the Naval port in this segmentum then Damaris was a vital way station and resupply base on the warp rout. We concluded that whilst we had to knock out the primary threat (the hive), we still had to retain its planetary defensive capabilities and industry base.
- The remaining 4 beasthunter Regiments (8,000 troops) in the ship‘s barracks were deployed on the planet and, with all guncutters, began assaults on the high infestation areas of zombies. Fuel air bombs, weaponised ammonia and mini-tac-nukes were all deployed. In addition Fuel air bombs, weaponised ammonia and mini-tac-nukes were all deployed against the Hive’s outer surface to distract their sensors (+150 Military Achievement Points).
- Under the cover of the exterior distractions, the Captain, Seneschal and Navigator sneaked into the hive via its main ground link of air intake. They took out the main air purification system (however the Navigator blew himself up with his Shotgun Pistol with an exterminator round bringing all the zombies down on us!)
- We took out some of the new mutants who responded to our presence.
- We used our para-gliders to make our way up the purified air shaft to the top of the hive. Zombies started dropping down on, but we all managed to avoid them as they plummeted down (with the exception of the navigator, but he lost his para-glider and just levitated the rest of the way.
- At the top we found that the structure containing brother Ansel was severely corroded and degraded. The revenants, and then the plague Bearers, started coming at us. Moving as a tight fire-team, we used the Navigators eye as a room-sweeper and the Captain and Seneschal blew up whatever survived... Reality started having some problems...
- Finally we got to Brother Ansel who was about to become the warp portal for something HUGE! (Great Daemon of Nurgle anyone?) The Navigator did not deal well with the situation – the seneschal used his hunting instrument to put a hole the bother’s head and the Captain followed up with a Z cut with her fractal blade... the tendrils of slime collapsed and the warp portal closed.
- We got out and called off the bombardment. The gunships and system tankers landed (with support from all our regiments) and pumped weaponised ammonia it into the air filtration system of the hive. We had managed to capture the hive and it’s orbital defence weapons intact
- We then para-glided off the hive and were welcomed by cheering troops (that vid is going to be a winner)
- The sisters hospitalers put the Navigator and the seneschal into quarantine, but they scrubbed us clean in the end...

Objective 3 – Protect the System
- With the system under our full control the Captain reclaimed the Forge world & mining colony in the name of the Emperor and House Tarsis. The population was scrubbed thoroughly and those declared clean were drafted into the PDF. We began preparations for the Eldar to arrive (as they were the ones who led the Marque to the planet to cleanse it of Chaos, it was concluded that they would want to finish the humans off now that the Marque had fixed the problem!)
- We re-crewed the Marque with 49,000 volunteers from the planet.
- The Eldar arrived from behind another planet in the system with over 40 vessels (mostly escorts, one Void Stalker). The Marque was completely outgunned, even with support from the two orbital cannons captured from the hive world.
- The Navigator made psychic contact with the Eldar (who were already in his head – but the Captain & seneschal didn’t know this) who gave the terms for our withdrawal. The Eldar would release a ‘genesis device’ through a webgate on the planet returning it to a paradise planet and the humans would be allowed to remain but reduced to a feral culture.
- The Marque negotiated a month to salvage what they could from the system. The Marque stripped the orbital cannon and a complete manufactorium from the hive, most of the system ships and ammonium drilling platforms were strapped to the hull. All regiments were recovered from the planets. The Marque replenished its troop losses from the local PDF’s veterans and then filled its barracks with 69,300 experienced PDF recruits (who were formed into 10 light infantry Regiments) and also gathered approximately 100,000 highly skilled colonist volunteers.
- At the end of the month the Captain, Seneschal and Navigator met with the Eldar. Without a chance, they took us out psychically and rebuilt us – also releasing monofilament worms into the ‘Marque’ to reprogram all aboard...
- The Marque left the system after having rescued an Imperial Scientific Station from the local unstable red star. The System was catalogued as a Navigational Hazard. No-one remembered anything about the system or the situation except for the fight with the Eldar which had taken us to the unstable red star system. The system was named the CHAR System. The Eldar had protected their system VERY well...

CHAR System: Red Star
Designate: quarantine anathema in extremis – the Marque
Navigational Hazard: Unstable Red Star
Designate: INDUSTRIALISTS – Imperial Scientific Station – Destroyed by Navigational Hazard

Solar Zone
Gas giant

Habitable Zone
Asteroid field

Dwarf planet
? Extreme axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 95% land mass
? Plateaus and caves

Terrestrial planet
? Tide locked
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 1% land mass
? Canyons and volcanoes

Terrestrial planet
? No axial tilt
? Light gravity
? Toxic atmosphere
? 40% land mass
? Plains and mountains

Comet

Outer Zone
Asteroid field

Asteroid field

Dwarf planet
? No tilt
? Low gravity
? Non-breathable atmosphere
? 100% land mass
? Barren volcanic
? Satellite

And we started the next endeavour:

8th Endeavour – “Return to Magoros”

Objective 1 – Getting to Magoros
- Trying to get out of the Damaris Cluster, the Marque discovered that the emperor’s scourge only allowed one way travel. So whilst travel from footfall to Damaris was possible – Damaris to Footwall was not possible. The Marque turned around and plotted a course to the unexplored Primus system of the Magoros cluster.
- On arrival at Magoros Primus the Marque received a distress call from Rogue Trader Ramius Castigar saying he was under attack by Eldar!

To Do:
Objective 2 – Map the Magoros Prime System
-
-
-
-
-
Objective 3 – Loot and get out of the Magoros Prime System
-
-
-
-
-
-

Phew - that Endeavour lasted a while!!

8th Endeavour – “Return to Magoros”

Objective 1 – Magoros Primus
- Trying to get out of the Damaris Cluster, the Marque discovered that the emperor’s scourge only allowed one way travel. So whilst travel from footfall to Damaris was possible – Damaris to Footwall was not possible. Unable to proceed; the Marque turned around and plotted a course to the unexplored Primus system of the Magoros cluster.
- On arrival at Magoros Primus the Marque received a distress call from Imperial Navy Ramius Castigar saying he was under attack by Eldar! Four Dark Eldar Frigates were attacking an Imperial Envoy Frigate; the ‘Void Courser’. Two were destroyed, one was crippled and the other fled. In the battle the Marque lost 30,000 crew!
- We patched up the ‘Void Courser’, but the Envoy (Simeon Lucius Varro) insisted on coming over to our ship with a warrant from the Governor of Segmentum Obsurus no less! He insisted on being taken to the Magoros Tertius system in the Magoros cluster (apparently to investigate for extreme tourism?). We discovered that the Envoy had the survey data for the Rain, Iniquity and Corpse Fortune Clusters.
- We mapped the Magoros Prime system and found that there was a large heavily defended Dark Eldar Warp Gate and a large Dark Eldar ‘Processing Centre’. The system was declared anathema and named ‘Malevolence’.
- Due to the situation we were in - We destroyed the final Dark Eldar frigate without setting foot upon it. The Navigator informed us that there were several cargo holds full of humans left in the ship, but amongst them skin-crafted Dark Eldar Assassin waited.

Objective 2 – Map the 2nd Magoros Primus & Tertius System
- Both Ships then made a mini-jump to the second of the Magoros Prime’s binary suns and mapped another system populated with Dark Eldar – we got out of there quickly.
- After negotiation with Envoy Simeon Lucius Varro (who was still insisting on going to the second neutron star in the magoros cluster), the Marque stopped at the Chalice system (Magoros Cluster) and dropped the 100,000 colonists, a regiment of infantry, the two orbital defence lasers and the manufactorum that we had picked up from the stricken research station in the unstable Char System (Damaris Cluster).
- Both Ships were re-crewed from the local population and rapidly shielded to increase their chances against the Neutron star of the Tertius system.
- Upon arrival at the Tertius system we found a massive chaos station with vessels nailed to the outside of it (including the righteous path!)... The system was constantly bathed in bursts of Neutron Star Radiation waves and was choked with high density Dust clouds.
- Captain Castigar’s the ‘Void Courser’ was destroyed by Barka’s Chaos Marine Strike Cruiser.

Objective 3 – Run and Hide
- We quickly established that we could neither run (as the Marine strike cruiser is faster than our cruiser) or fight (as the strike cruiser has a bombard cannon on our rear facing and a teleportarium filled with chaos space marines) so we elected to hide – utilizing two tactics from the Ntharis annexation.
1. The Marque quickly scanned the chaos space station - in particular the ships nailed to the outside of it.
2. We launched two of our system ships we used as a decoy to create a shadow signature of our ship.
3. We then shut everything down, however our helm did not deviate enough so when Barka’s bombard cannon hit the decoy ships we also received a vast amount of damage (losing 28,000 crew!). The two decoy ship’s cores went supernova.
4. The Marque drifted away silently into the dust field as barka investigated the scene of destruction (our damage adding to the mess). It was obviuiously that Barka could sense something was wrong... probably didn’t believe that our ship was destroyed with so small a boom but he had lost our scent.
5. Then came the insane part of the plan... In the confusion the Captain, Navigator, Seneschal and the Explorator launched in a guncutter towards the chaos space station. The Captain piloted the guncutter with air bursts until we docked with the pre-scanned ships nailed to the outside of the chaos station that had an active core and was accessible. We then went EVA and cut our way into the ship.
6. The small boarding Party crept through the ship – but inside we discovered, to our horror, a massive cloning facility that was creating new chaos space marine recruits! We captured the footage of the scene and crept past the mutant ogryn workers. The Core was guarded by 2 Giant Chaos Space Marines – they were too scary so we crept around them as well! Eventually we got to the core and set it to blow.
7. We exited the ship and manoeuvred to another nearby pre-scanned ship that we had calculated will shelter us from the other ship detonation and would blow off the hullof the chaos space station. The Core detonated, we fired the engines brifly to give us momentum and then ‘we floated away with the rest of the trash’.
8. Arriving back at the Marque (through a series of very tricky calculations we had lost Barka (Hopefully our little distraction we had caused on the chaos space station had drawn him away).
- When we explained to the Envoy that we were going straight back to Port Wander he seemed alright with that... and then he came out and declared that he was searching for the Red Corsair base in the Expanse (and that the marines Warrant had had their chapter geneseed stolen by the Red Corairs) – we had found evidence that the Red Cporsairs were building up a massive strike force!
- The Marque spent a week running silent until we got to a warp distance from the star – we spent the time planning our route back to Port wander and preparing the ship for the long and arduous journey – and then we ran.
- We fled the Magoros Cluster to the Ramien Cluster. Not stopping to investigate we immediately jumped to just outside the Ntharis Cluster. Again we did not stop but jumped straight to the Corpse Fortune Cluster and then to Footfall and through the maw to Port Wander. As we arrived at port wander our morale was on a razor’s edge and our ship battered and torn but we had survived the voyage and not been caught by Barka! We had made the estimated year long journey in only 3 months!!
- At Port Wander the envoy quickly left our ship. Our crew was immediately released for shore leave, our cargo offloaded, new crew hired and a report filed on the Xenos and Chaos situation filed to Scintilla for the Tricorn and Governor Hax. Meetings were also booked with Station Commander Admiral Cambrai, Port Wander Fleet Commodore Vilnus and the Harbour Master Mellor (8 Success Ally) to brief them on the situation and to discuss the new Navy Port in the Ntharis Cluster.
- We calculated our profit factor (which we hadn’t used for a long time) and found out that it was 97!
- We had been gone for 5 ½ years...

A little bit to add - we're back in the Calixus; which means back into the house politics and Inquisitorial machinations we left behind...

9th Endeavour – “Calixus”
Objective 1 – Reap the rewards
- Upon investigation and checking in with "contacts" and messages, we have discovered that Nihilis and Khan have been called to an Inquisitorial conclave to answer the charges of excommunicatus at the Tricorn. We have five years remaining to show up. We have also discovered that Hax has become even more paranoid, monomonical and is clamping down with magistratum, survellance, becoming a police state. Not a clear cause for it. This is not logical – belief is that he is jumping at shadows and is going nuts. We need to investigate further.
- Send Astropathic messages as follows:
- Report Tricorn and Hax immediately of the Red Corsair threat direct to Ordo Xenos and Anton Xerber, Cerellus Caster and Hax.
- Astropathic messages to Cardinal Ignatio informing him of shrine world, colonisation fleet and to set up meeting. (Prepare finalisation of marriage to Castigar)
- Astropath message to Piety to lodge ownership over trade routes, governorships, ownership of assets within systems, shrine world, travel routes, Assets and resources. Lodge the entity; House Ravian.
- Theey a party for the Harbour Master, Port Admiral and Port Commodore and settled the Navy contract for the Ntharis System. If the situation allows we can negotiate and provide the System for Imperial Navy deployment. Inform them that support colonies will also need establishment and arrange a timeframe for the coordinated fleet to go through the Maw- Expecting 18mths from now.
- Set up home office in Port Wander and established ties with Port Wander Merchant’s Association. Recruited and deployed a “spy” team to support the Mercantile Company and keep an eye on Haarlock’s travels. Factotum Xerxal Ibrish runs the office.
- Hired a Scriptorium and put out the “Adventures of Captain Ravia”
- Secured new, secure premises for House Ravian and Trading company
- Chartered a troop ship to send nine regiments of light infantry 58,000 troops (rescued in the Expanse) to Tarsis Minor for redeployment.
- Seneschal booked Captain Bron Hadis: Cargo Vessel (Ravensburg 7) ally of House Tarsis and two other vessels for a LARGE consignment in 18 months time.
- Recruited a Deputy Bonden to be Lord Khan’s deputy master at arms.
- Met with House Modar - updated on their move into the Calixis sector under the Maliar (Banatek) name. [Modar's eventual goal is biological warp capable ships ie. Void whales to continue the human race when the Imperium collapses (creating Generation ships that will take humanity beyond limits of the Imperium. Attracted to Nihilis outsider mentality).
At the cost of 20 Acquisition points we negotiated with Modar to become their House militant and set up the following–
- Staff Imperial ships with Modar navigators, so we don’t have to give up our trade routes to the Imperial Navy.
- Modar to provide hatching staff and crèche for child raising in Hive Tarsis
- Provide mutual liaison with House Ravian Trading Company
- Location for secret R&D projects and foundation empire
- House Modar Battleship to meet with fleet to go through the Maw in 18 months (to relocate to Ntharis deathworld ice moon near the pods of whales

To Do...

Objective 2 – Scintilla
- Travel to Scintilla.
- Report to the Tri-corn to stand on charges brought against Khan & Nilhus (Declared ‘Traitoris’) by Inquisitor Silas Marr (Amalathian Inquisitor, Cover: Piety Info broker)
- Lobby the Inquisitors to affect the outcome of the enclave. At stake is the stability of the Calixus Sector. – I think it’s already shaken up enough after our efforts! Now it needs to rebuild.
- Lobby with Mechanicus Inquisitors to discuss potential civil war in Calixus (Rebuilding of Malfian Subsector, threat to House Tarsis is a threat to the gateway of the Lathes). Liaise with Explorator/Myrmidon.
- Lobby the Ordo Xenos: Van Vuggens (Scholar) and Ah-Subaii (anti-infiltration). Inform them of the Eldar and Dark Eldar threat in the Koronos – as well as the continuing Yu-Vath production capacity.
- Lobby the Ordo Malleus: Ahmayzi. Inform of Barka’s Chaos presence in the Expanse and the daemonic effect on the warp.
- Lobby the Ordo Hereticus. Rykehuss (extremist – will advocate for hunting heresy down), Astrid Skene (gets stuck in), Vaarak (Amalathian – wants to maintain stability which a civil war would not bring – offer to leave). Inform them of the Chaos Space Marine threat of the Magoros Cluster.
- Meet with Lord Essus Odai Tarisi (Head of House Tarsis) and discuss House Malfi, House Tarsis and House Ravian in the grand scheme of things...

Objective 3 – The Enclave
- Attend the gathering of the Inquisition for judgement.

- Survive...

A little update (massive trading gaming session!)

Objective 2 – On Route to Scintilla
- Travelled to the Lathes
- Entered into negotiations with the Myrmidons about the stability of the sector and managed them to back the Tarsis/Malfi cause against Hax who would bring the whole sector into war. Reached an agreement that the mechanicus would inform their allied inquisitors of the shared logic of removing Hax and encourage them to be at the upcoming enclave.
- Negotiated extensive refits to the 'Marque' (the price was 10 permanent profit loss, the Navigator’s station in the Sleef system, information on the Shrine world in the Koronos, extensive data on Yu’Vath ‘objects’.
• Removed the Drive and replaced it with an Archeotech Drive.
• Removed all weapons systems and replaced them with Archeotech Best Quality Turbo Staravar Laser macrobatteries.
• Remove Life Support and replaced it with an Archeotech Life Support.
• Removed Void Shields and replaced them with Repulsor Void Shields
• Removed Auger Array and replaced it with Deep Void Auger Array.
• Installed a temple Shrine, a teleportarium (Archeotech), a trophy Room, an emergency Geller Field and an Arboredum.
• Also they installed a Mechanicus Explorator Module to act as guardians to the Archeotech they traded us (1 Space, 1 Power, -100 Criminal endeavour when concerning tech items, when making extended repairs; repair an additional 1 additional Hull integrity)
- Left the 'Marque' in drydock and told the crew and barracks to reassemble for the next grand endeavour in 18 months time. Left Allica Mercer Tarsis in Command of remaining crew.
- Travelled on a Cargo vessel to Tarsis Minor (ex-settlement 228) and met with Lord Essus Odai Tarisi (Head of House Tarsis). Put on a fabulous display of tribute to the head of the house, before going into private meetings to discuss the state of the sector, the upcoming inquisition enclave and possibly a new house in the grand scheme of things...