So, I ran the free download module Edge of Darkness a while back, and I've always meant to do a follow-up, with the Acolytes once again going up against the Logicians, this time finding out exactly what they were planning to do with those genetically engineered mind-control implant-things that started the ball rolling in EoD . The problem is, I'm having a hard time coming up with a Sinister Plot that would justify the Logicians' efforts.

The first thought that springs to my mind is that they are developing the implants to create a mindlessly loyal and fearless army, but they could just use servitors for that, creating a more combat-effective army with much less effort. Taking over a population? Maybe, but to what end? The Imperium ain't a democracy, so the only power a general populace has is numbers ; what would the Logicians need with the population of, say, a hive city (other than an army, in which case see above…)? Taking over the minds of key individuals? Hmm, maybe…

I dunno, does anyone have any suggestions for a Sinister Plot that hinges on organic mind-control implants?

I would go with taking over Important people… but that's like, so expected.

What would this type of mind-control be used for…. There has to be something interesting to do with it. In my games, I mostly used it for a superior type of servitors- which, in all honesty, was a waste [and mostly served a self-reference to have the players realize that the Logicians where in the area.]

Maybe additional stuff can be added on the mind-control medusas to make them more interesting? Like cutting off someone's connection from the warp, making the servitors that have been implanted with it Untouchables?

I am afraid I don't have any good ideas for them right now- I will think up of something later and post it.

Adeptus-B said:

The thing about servitors is that they give you consistent but mediocre performance. An army of servitors would have no initiative, they would not be able to react quickly to enemy movements but would require on a controller to direct them. The servitor army would not be a very efficient army.

I thought about a thing mysefl…and I latched myself onto this "curved out lunge" thing. This one note among all those unnecessary surgeon-work.

My idea: implant controlled humans (otherwise looking totally normal humans) walk about in a city or hive…they cough…an agent containing one virus or another

…later, as the sickness spread the Logicians approach the Governeour…they can help…but they demand silence, funds and an undisturbed area to work in…. if their terms are mad, they while produce an antidote…not a cure… if their terms are NOT met the Gouvernor is free to do as he pleaeses with the risk of losing his world to an empidemic.

EDIT: why all these messing round with the implant and the lunge? The virus will not survive airborn for very long…although…naa, I have to see that this is unnecessary complicated. sorry

If they seed these things into the populace of a hive then they have control of the population. This is a massive resource if used correctly!

For example: who do the Logicians hate? The Adeptus Mechanicus and all their backward ways. So seed these things into the workforce of a forgeworld and they can stop work.

Simple as that - stop work.

They can make it so that no matter what the governor/magi/enforcers do no one will leave their home and do anything useful. The production slows and eventually grinds to a halt. That guard regiment they were supplying boots to has no boots. They can't fight properly without boots - they lose and a planet falls. Boots is pretty minor, do it to Gunmetal city or an agri world…

This is possibly too large scale for some acolytes to look at…

Or they could make idividual workers sabotage manufactoria. People start randomly throwing themselves into the workings of important equipment. To start with they are totally squished so that nothing is left to investigate but eventually one of these controllers is found. Hence acolytes are pulled in to investigate.

I've actually used this before when a whole hive rebelled against the Imperium in one of my games but this could be used in there somewhere:

Gateway 17 - found here: http://darkreign40k.com/drjoomla/index.php/adventures/plot-seeds/318-gateway-17

that's how I followed up.

Logicians are hard to fathom - getting them into gateway 17 effectively was hard for me…I used it as their escape route off-world, smashing the Rose Cartel behind them.

For my Acolytes, The Churgeon and the boss, Cord Luntz, are still out there. They'll be back…

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I just ran the rematch with the Logicians last night- here's what I ended up going with:

The Lathe Worlds are currently having a problem with the genetic viability of their vat-grown sub labourers, with huge numbers of them dying off and leaving the tech-priests short-handed as the gravitic phenomena the Lathes depends on rapidly approaches. Desperate for more hands to do simple grunt work, the Mechanicus has put out a call to other worlds within the Sector for labourers. The Logicians are developing the 'hydras' and implanting them into dregs so that they can act as sabotuer-infiltraitors on the tightly-guarded Forge Worlds: being organic and difficult to detect if you don't know exactly what to look for, the hydras and their hosts will likely make it past the Mechanicus' screenings of their new arrivals, and the programmed directives within the implants are designed to be immune to the mind-wiping that is standard procedure for new labour on a Forge World. When the implanted labourers recieve the signal, they will sabotage key elements of the Lathe Worlds' defense grid, leaving the seat of the Mechanicus within the Calixis Sector vulnerable to attack by an army of mercenary reavers hired by the Logicians, thus crippling the power of the Mechanicus within the Sector for decades to come.

At least that was the Logicians' plan. Turns out that Flame Strike with Psi Rating 5 is extremely effective in taking out small armies of combat servitors like the ones the Logicians were using to guard the facility where they were implementing this nefarious plan…