What skill would you judge to examine a written music score (I imagine such things must exist in 40k, even if to provide Imperial Guard regiments with stirring music with which to sing battle hymns to, or for the nobility to enjoy at a Hive Operahouse in the upper spyres)?

Well: Perfomer(Music); I guess.

But THIS sounds interesting! Why is it important to your plot?

I see your topics all over the forum

zombies
music notes

please tell me more!

One of the popular "how to control a zombie horde" theories states you need a skilled drummer, who will provide the rythm, which would allow the zombies to function properly. And there is also the case of the Ratcatcher from Hammeln, who used the blowing pipe tune to lure rats then human brats out of the city...

I would say anyone making notes on both zombies and music should therefore be subject to Inquisitorial scrutiny

Of coruse there is also the proscribed recordings of the ancient musician "Mycal Jaksun" called "Thriller". Known to both animate the dead and make them move in a synchronised manner. Such things should be placed under heavy =][= scrutiny.

Nefarious!

I am no heretic.

The acolytes are to raid a small tavern where some cultists are holed up.

They discover some music and a map leading to a place in the underhive that's a sunken cathedral.

That cathedral is the focus for a music performance that will affect an opera performance later in the noble quarter where the soprano is turned into a plague carrying monster as a result of the song of nurgle.

The only problem is the clue leading to the cathedral may end the adventure early by having the acolytes destroy the place or the organ, more precisely, within that is used to perform the piece (with the aid of some warp magic).

I am no heretic.

The acolytes are to raid a small tavern where some cultists are holed up.

They discover some music and a map leading to a place in the underhive that's a sunken cathedral.

That cathedral is the focus for a music performance that will affect an opera performance later in the noble quarter where the soprano is turned into a plague carrying monster as a result of the song of nurgle.

The only problem is the clue leading to the cathedral may end the adventure early by having the acolytes destroy the place or the organ, more precisely, within that is used to perform the piece (with the aid of some warp magic).

signoftheserpent said:

It's a bit of a linear affair. The trail of clues/encounters is thus:

1. raid on tavern used as cult lair. Find a key to a church and a map through sewers under the tavern (from the cellar the cultists are hiding in). Fight some cultists.

2. go to cathedral, find evidence of chaos ritual and music manuscript on the floor pertaining to a piece of music being performed at an opera itself performed this evening in the noble quarter. (NOt sure how the acolytes can piece this all together). Fight cultist that transcribed the music and possibly some nurglings.

3 go to operahouse and stop the ritual the performers are unwittingly performing as a result of the cult's switching the proper manuscript for their, forbidden, version. Fight evil monster transforming as a result of the ritual.

End.

Hmm... is their a special reason why you took NURGLE for it? If ti comes to music, I normally would either use Slaanesh or something "undivided". Anyway

signoftheserpent said:

I would suggest that the "proper music" is only one part of the ritual. The second part could be a special instrument or even better: a set of special instruments. They have been gifted to the opera house (fine, good or perhaps craftmanship versions, all imbued with the power of the warp through vile rituals). Inside the Church, the PC will find the transcripts of notes for said instruments but not the instruments. One of the cultist the PC captured/killed turns out as a rather prominent patron of the arts. If they research his recent actions they will find out that(among other things) he donated some very fine music instruments to the opera house. In return, he kindly requested the opera house would consider playing this on opera of that one new writer (who is althoug part of the cult and received the transcripts & handed them to the opera house).

If you own the Radicals Handbook, their is a chaos time (a flute, me believes) that is the center piece of inspiration for what I just suggested.

EDIT:

IF you would switch from Nurgel to Slaanesh, the "written warp music" could be the result of an Application of the Aeris Transform (see DotdG). As a follow-up mission, the pc could be task to find who supplied the local cult with this notes.

Because Nurgle has a specific and visceral purpose. The effect of the music is like a plague. With Slaanesh that kind of purpose becomes difficult to achieve. What does the piece achieve?

Gregorius21778 said:

signoftheserpent said:

being a devoted and glorious devotee of the grandfather, I will add my 2 cents. Firstly, I really like this idea, as to Nurgle using music, well sure, but make sure that whoever looks at the musical score should be horrified as i see any song of nurgle being more of a gutteral discord, full of coughing and phlegmatic noises from the unfortunate singer, followed by vomiting and the sounds of bells, and other slime covered insturments..Yes the grandfather would use music....but not preety music...

Gregorius21778 said:

Now of course I could water them down (or try using DH to invent my own Daemon), but I think doing that sets a poor precedent. I'd rather create my own.

The other alternative is to have the singer transform into a daemonette and then hope the players can take her down before the process completes while she is weaker. But that's a risk.

But compared to other Minoris threats, Daemonettes are harsh for those with low willpower!

Hi Sign,

oh, I forgot that your acolythes are rank 1! I would then suggest to not use any daemon at all but turn the result of the warp-music into or more people in the audience becoming possessed by entities similiar to Unclean Spirits (see Possession Trait; DH core rules). The benefit of a "possessed" opponent is that while s/he is a clear result of chaos and more formidable then he was before s/he is not as mind-bending as a real daemon.

Additional suggestions: As soon as the warp-music is interrupted, role for "Psychic Phenomena" (as the bundled warp-energies suddenly disperse) or choose a certain effect from said table (or from the Perils of the Warp). The orchestra will play on and on an estatic trance. But in order to make them stop, they just need to forcefull apprehend ONE of the musicians from playing on. At this point, the music breaks down and the trance is broken. The warp-spirit possesing a victim will not be able to secure himself another victim if he is cast out of the body he is currently in (alone, it is simply not strong enough and will vanish with a wailing).

@Your mentioned questions/problems in the threat detailing your missions progress
You are right in regard to the "lack of skill/power" of the pc at rank 1. I ususally make them start at rank 3 (1000xp) due to the same experience.

To identify the runes as "Chaos" I would have allowed for a routine (or even easy) test on Scholastic Lore(Occult). I think most starting Psykers have this one. With regard to your "key problem"; I think it would have solved itself. The map is leading to the cathedral. The PC would follow the map and end up before the cathedral. Trying the key then comes naturally.

@Presenting the Map
It was wise to put the map into the hands of the PC so openly. Otherwise, they would have missed a few Search-tests and had resigned. If you want them to "work their way there" you could ask for an extended Intelligence test to make sense out of the map. The more roles they need to get the needed number of resulst (perhaps 5 result on an Intelligence+10 test) the more likely they are to stumble into something they do not want to encounter (i.e. your mentioned mutants, rats the size of small dogs). It might be wise to prepare just one or two such "additional encounters" which are thrown at them if the need to man yroles (i.E. the first one afte the fifth roles; two encoutners if 10+ roles are needed).

Thanks for the replies. I think at this point, it would be best to stick to use the other thread and stick to that for ease of discussion.

signoftheserpent said:

Read/Speak Language:: Music

Music is a whole other language in and of itself.