Hi,

This is my first time writing an adventure for an RPG so I'm looking for some help to improve it, so I thought posting it here would help. I've included the outline of what my idea is:

On the manufactorum planet of *, there exists several trade union type groups. One of the largest is Tradept Manus. Within them are 2 groups - one of them are radicals seeking new technoogy and new methods of doing things to improve efficiency and create new weapons to deliver and bigger and better tithe. The other are conservatives -

Sounds like a good setup to me- lots of potential for your players to get drawn into the intriguing between the various human factions. You could encourage this further by having NPCs from the different factions appealing to the acolytes for help against their rivals (all in the name of the Emperor, of course).

The only thing that strikes me as a bit awkward is the genestealer cultists having lots of xenos technology, as these cults usually grow up within the Imperium with access to local imperial technology. As such I don't think they're usually associated with xeno tech. Of course, you can always come up with reasons why this particualr cult has a lot of xeno tech.

If you haven't read it already there's a really good fan-made supplement on genestealer cults. It is available from Dark Reign http://darkreign40k.com/drjoomla/index.php/component/docman/cat_view/52-dark-reign-supplements?start=10.

I agree. Barring the xenotech the scenario idea is solid. The xeno artifacts don't really add much to the scenario but they might act as a fast-track for PCs to get the new management executed. As possessing xeno tech is pretty much illegal finding it early in the adventure might cause acolytes to call in the local Arbites right away. I'd say its better to leave that out.

Now what you have to think carefully beforehand is how it will potentially wrap up. If you are running this for starting level acolytes they don't really have the skills or weaponry to take on a large, well-organized group like Genstealer Cult.

One issue I've always had with Tyranids and it's invasions is why xeno-cults are formed to begin with. Normally the tyranids just bombard a planet with mycetic spores and mulch everything into usable parts for their continued existance. What point is there to having these xeno-cults form? Is it incidental to the tyranids plan? Are these cults formed to disable defenses maybe? I've never felt it's been explained sufficiently in the TT codex for Tyranids.

I like your ideas though and think for a first adventure it's quite ambitious.

I'd probably break down the adventure into smaller adventure chunks to make it easier for you to do.

Part 1

Do the PC's know eachother? If not, are they currently in the employ of the Inquisition?

My suggestion is to have each of them recruited specifically for their skills by the the puritan faction within the company to find out what it is the Radicals are doing. During this series of episodes they can be followed by a throne agent (Interrogator) trying to expose and destroy the xeno-cult. With the PC's already on the investigation, the Interrogator takes a back seat to watch and see how they perform. If they perform admirably the throne agent can initiate them into the ranks of inquisitorial acolytes. If he's not, he can let them go. Either way it's fun as GM to let the players know they feel like they're being followed. They may think it's the radical faction, but really, they are being evaluated.

During the course of the investigation they find a few members of the radical group are more suspicious than the rest. When they discover the radicals have a stockpile of xeno-tech, they get into a firefight where the suspicious members escape. The PC's mop up and have the company cleansed of the radical membership.

Part 2

Weeks later, word gets back to them that the confiscated xeno-tech has disappeared.

In the meantime, some local businesses have reported several prominent members have inexplicably disappeared. A few days later, the "newly indoctrinated" cult members reappear as if nothing happened. They don't remember the events of the time they were gone and go about business as if there is no difference. After several such sessions of dealing with disappearances and possible attacks on the PC's to stop their meddling they start to find an alien influence is around. Investigations reveal nothing other than most of these companies have defense contracts with the planetary government.

A package is delivered to the PCs with compliments for their efforts and encourages them to continue their investigations. It is a black ceramite trunk with a thumb print scanner. Surprisingly, one of the PC's thumbs opens the lock. Inside, they find some better equipment than their starting stuff (not too much better, of course.) In addition, a note is included thanking them for their help in flushing out the radical group. There is also a map to a warehouse along with a copy of a news article discussing a stolen cache of contraband (the xeno-tech.) While the PC's may think this is from the company, it's really from the Interrogator. This is his first bid to see if the team is ready to become acolytes.

Part 3

In the end, they can have a confrontation with the xeno-cult leadership which could include gene-stealer cultists and a gene-stealer itself being worshipped as a savior to their world. They find out the cult has been indoctrinating high ranking members of companies with planetary defense contracts to install bypasses to planetary security. This would allow for an easier invasion when their race eventually invades.

If successful, you can have the group summoned by the Interrogator. Some may recognize his apparrel if they saw glimpses of him following them. He formally indoctrinates them into the inquisition as acolytes. They will report directly to him when summoned and must maintain their cover in the interim. No one is allowed to know of their new employer.

Anyway, just some thoughts to get you going and draw that story out for a few sessions at least.

LeBlanc13 said:

'Stealer cults form to act as beacons for the Tyranid fleet (according to the 3rd ed Codex, if memory serves); the bigger the cult, the more powerful the beacon is. I've no idea how all that works, but it may be relative to the number of actual 'Stealers (+ hybrids) in the brood, considering that teh are mildly psychic.

Also, as you've mentioned, the Brood Brothers (yup, I used to have a Genestealer army, back in Rogue Trader 40K and 2nd ed) can disrupt planetary defences when the Fleet arrives, as the cult will rise up in rebellion against the Imperium at that point.

You know, now I seem to remember a breif synopsis of that information in the 2nd edition tyranid codex. Thanks for the info!

Yeah I probably should have mentioned - my acolytes have run already run Illumination and all but the last of Purge the Unclean so while they're not beginners they're certainly not advanced. I used to be their Psyker but our GM left so now I'm GM'ing. There's an assasain, arbite, scum and tech priest.

Good call on calling the arbites - the arbite acolyte is always looking for ways to call his contacts in.

Thanks again for the ideas,

Sondar

Sondar said:

The GM just up and left! That kind of stinks. It's great that you're taking the initiative to step up and take over. Did he leave over the fact that you were playing a psyker, which most think is broken?

The dreaded double-P rears it's ugly head.

No, he left and moved away. We broke for awhile but we enjoyed it so much I wanted to start up again. We've played 3 more sessions so far - seems to be going well

Sondar said:

Because of your psyker? I know they can run rough-shod over a GM's plans but, wow, harsh... ;-p

I hope not

Sondar.

Sondar said:

I know, right? That would just be terrible.

The Psyker is typically not that bad or "overpowered" from my viewpoint. There are plenty of ways within the rules to limit them, if not shut them down entirely. Also, and this is a point which may cause some conflict, but all abilities taken by any character; whether they be talents, skills or psychic powers, should be subject to the scrutiny and approval of the GM. I keep my own copies of my players' character sheets for referencing.

On topic: Contrary to Polaria's comment above, possession of xeno-tech is not entirely illegal, actually. It is a gray area. Rogue Traders often possess examples of alien technologies. As do some Inquisitors and even the (not so) rare Magos-Explorator. It's kind of what they do, after all. What matters in regards to the "legality" is who is in possession of said alien artifact, how dangerous it is, and toward what ends the possessor means to put it. Hell, the Adeptus Administratum has a whole sub-organization whose job is to recover and perform preliminary study of technologies both ancient and alien.

I mean, honestly, if all alien technologies were proscribed than the much sought after Jakaero digi-weapons would be illegal, which they are not. Trade is even legal with that particular xenos breed.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Perhaps your company that is the basis for your genestealer cult was purchased by a Rogue Trader, and the new management is the people he "installed" into the company. Then when your characters break out the 'you have illegal xeno-technology" The company, through the Rogue Traders Seneschal can respond, "I'm sorry, here is a copy of the Lord Writ of trade. All of this technology has been approved by the Ordos Xenos." This technology would be legitimate, which the Rogue Trader had before his crew was infected by the genestealers.

On another note, I love the genestealers and genestealer cults as bad guys. But you could also use the Slaught to fill this role. Perhaps this company was taken over by the Amaranthine Syndicate. The Slaught are intelligent to know that this world is key to the defense of this sector and if it falls they can spread carnage across the entire sector. The people that disappeared were replaced, and perhaps later in the adventure the characters come across the Slaught's freezer full of decaying bodies.

Salcor

Salcor said:

Is that from 'Maggots in the Meat'? I've no idea who the Slaught are, actually. Thanks for the reccomendation though, I have just got the Game Masters Kit so i'd probably want to run MitM first though.

Sondar.

By all means, think trice before you start to run "Maggots". Read it carefully and really think about...

@Your Genestealers
I side with the "no xeno-tech" point of view. For the final, you should prepare for mass combat and the pc calling in support from the PDF and the Arbites as well. And in my opinion, they will be doing rightly so. The "enemy" is a full blown genestealer cult that had already a lot of opportunity to steals some weapons and supply and stoe it away. And that would be a good idea.

Make a final with a big bang. Make the genestealer cult have them hideout, that the pc first sneak in and then have to run out of since they cannot take them all on(!). As they have espaced, they need to rally as much forces as possible in under 2 hours and go in guns blazing (social test and leadership test to really troops that quickly). Make them have a fight, let them come up with battle plans and but them with two or three different squads. Read the Freebee for "Deatwatch" to get some ideas.

my two cents

I would agree with not running maggots in the meat. I would read up on the Slaught from it though. They are a very powerful enemy and requires a lot of prior player planning. I was just trying to submit an alternative xenos for you (don't get me wrong I have done a similar adventure with the focus as a genestealer cult) another option if you are really set on the xenos technology. Perhaps the people who took over the company is a group of occularian radicals (radical faction of the Inquisition that follows the farseeing path) or a group of humans that work with the eldar to stop the planet from producing some fell weapon that will disrupt their plans in the future, and the discovered technology is tied to the eldar. Just throwing other options out there that will fit into your storyline, but the genestealer cult is good too (there are a lot off good threads about genestealer cults in DH).

Salcor

Well, how about getting the Serrated Querry to ship them some technology? Even better, when we played 'Rejoyce for you are True' Theodosia had to clean house quickly - how about he left some documents lying around that happened to link him to the Tradept Manus? That along with the missing people should make an excellent reason for the acolytes to be there, especially with a xenophobe, status quo holding Inquistor like Varrak...

Sondar.