All,

I'm part of gaming group in Houston that is about to start our first DH campaign. I'm completely new to the setting, and only one or two of us have experience besides that. However, so far i'm really liking the universe and all the potential for 40k (DH, RT, BW, etc.) as a staple of the group.

I'm going to start out with Edge of Darkness to get our feet wet (and me used to the systems). Then i'll branch out the story… We usually play 10-20 sessions, so this will be a long campaign.

Please feel free to comment:

Background

Five years ago, Eldar Hunters uncovered a space hulk that had reappeared from the warp in a remote corner of the Calixis Sector. They proceeded to board the vessel, but were soon after discovered by the Logicians who had a small contingent on a nearby system. Rather than break down into a conflict over the ship, the Logicians hired them as mercenaries who would share in the spoils by acting as co-protectors of the new found prize. The ship is a remnant of the Dark Age of Technology- infused with confusing warp technology and weapons. Unfortunately the caretakers of the ship used warp-infused neural devices to interface with the ‘living’ ship and control its systems and access to its secrets, not unlike technology used for the Golden Throne. Who knows what Xeno and ancient human tech they could uncover if they succeeded in obtaining control? (Of course, the Acolytes don’t know any of this until the info naturally unfolds in the story)

CH 1 - Edge of Darkness

The neural devices used on the ship are the same as the one found with Saul Arbest. The Chiurgeon has been tasked with trying to graft this device to non-psyker test subjects. The logicians already have lost a number of their own trying to meld with these devices, and powerful psykers willing to interface with the device outside their ranks are hard to obtain, not to mention the devices appear to rely on infusion with some dark power of the warp which the Logicians have little access to on their own. As the acolytes arrive and face the Chiurgeon, Sybas Moran determines the only way they can proceed is by making a deal with a cult of Chaos to imbue the devices with warp powers and/or call upon their dark psykers for assistance.

CH 2 - After the events of edge of darkness, the acolytes will be tasked with tracking down the Logicians and discovering their plan. Moran and the Logicians have been gathering up any dark relics they can find. Perhaps even buying up items at heretical auctions the acolytes must track (something in line with the ‘House of Dust and Ash’). The Logicians want to make a deal with a dark cult (perhaps Brotherhood of the Horned Darkness). In exchange for a dark rituals to ‘charge’ the neural devices, the Logicians will provide the Brotherhood with a tithe of dark, heretical items. In the end however, the acolytes will discover that the Brotherhood has betrayed the Logicians and intend to take the ship for themselves and use the dark warp weaponry to unleash hell upon the Calixis sector.

CH 3 - The Acolytes must pursue the Brotherhood to the ship and find a way to wrestle it from the forces of Chaos (something in line with ‘Shades of Twilight’). Whether they procure the assistance of the Adeptus Astares or broker a deal with Logicians by exposing the Brotherhood’s true plans, it is up to them. Perhaps they will even cross paths with the Eldar mercenaries at some point and offer them a better deal. If they do gain the ship, they can turn it over to the Imperial Navy or perhaps (if they are bold enough) find a way to power the ship with a newly warp-infused neural device and claim it for themselves (possibly continued in Rogue Trader).

That's about it- sorry for the wall of text….

We have an Assassin (combat-oriented), Psyker (interested in Malleus), Tech-priest (interested in Xenos), and Scum (fellowship-based). I threw in the Eldar so that there's a little Xenos, Hereticus, Malleus all around so that all the characters can make interesting choices and to give a good overall feel for the different areas of DH.

Thanks in advance for any comments! If you see any issues, please let me know…

A good idea for a campaign, with a good intro mission, and webbing of intrigue. while the Logicians generally do not work with Xenos (they still consider them inferior to humans) hiring them as mercs/meat shields would be within their power.

No, it looks good, got investigation, social, combat…a all-rounder

Let us know how it goes!

Thanks for the vote of confidence! We've had our first session and all is going well with Edge of Darkness. It really is a fantastic seed campaign for GMs new to DH.

One question I had: would it be plausible for the Logicians to hire Dark Eldar as mercenaries (not regular Eldar as noted in the original post)? It may fit better for what I am going for…

It'd be possible. You might even be able to find use of the Soul Reaver supplement for Rogue Trader, it details the Dark Eldar in the 40kRPG meta, and could work well for you.

The logicians could even be human trafficking to pay the Dark Eldar with human slaves. Just a thought.

Noctivagent said:

Just to expand upon that: The Logicians could be trading vat-grown humans to the Dark Eldar. If the PCs find this out they could attempt to track down and destroy the facility, removing the DEs support from the Logicians once they fail to make a payment. Of course, the Logicians might make a desperate move and expose themselves.