Greeting and salutations esteemed coleagues. As gamemaster in our group i had long decided to use the Haarlock legacy campaign in addition to my homebrew adventures. The Legacy is quite well written and is expandable with facts and details of each GMs choise. Here i have to thank Gregorius, Brother Kane, The Laughing God, Darth Smeg and Others whose ideas i shamelesly stole to enhance my groups experience. So without further ado:

The Cast

Acolytes:

345692 Gerald Ian Joseg. Acolyte Primaris. Voidborn Veteran Guardsman from Cadian stock (insert rules and bonuses from OW here). G.I. is uncompromising, considers ignorance a virtue, favours overkill and feels threatened by the cleverer and/or more esoteric members of his group who he so far has cowed with his adherence to the Imperial virtues. In the House he goes in pretending to be an Arch Militant.

Techpriest Voltrus . Voidborn Cogboy. Voltrus enters the stage being in a spot of trouble. Half the Mechanicus contigent of Hive Gloriana on Solomon wants him dead now, the other half after they have plundered his memory banks for the things he found in the Data files of a failed expedition in the Deep Underhive. Those thing include a Warhound Titan, the wreck of a pre-Reconquest Frigate and a Gate of Possible Yu'vath origin guarded by extensive Defence lines and 3 Ordinatus units. Voltrus decided that such information belonged to the Inquisition as he was sworn to them and at a hiatus from his duties as a Techpriest. Only the fact that he is still out of the Mechanicus reach has kept him alive. During the previous adventure he was forced to alter imperial technology patterns to keep thew group alive and is currently undregoing a Crisis Of Faith ^tm . In the house he goes in pretending to be a Magos Explorator

Sanctioned Scholar Medicae Hermes. Voidborn Psycker. Albino and hairless, Hermes is a quite powerfull Telekine who is the most sociable of the group despite his Paranoia, and that should be saying something. He has an aversion to overkill, is a seeker of knowlegde and really want to serve the Imperium, his Cell and the Inquisition. In that order. In the course of previous adventures he came in the possesion of a Eldar Soulgem holding the soul of a Farseer. The group killed the Eldar in previous campaign (insert comment about inept former GM here), with the Spirit Stone kept as a bauble by the blunt Guardsman only to given to Psycker later on. The Stone currently inhabits his body, in hiding and helps by sprouting cryptic bits of Lore and giving Hermes the Favoured by the Warp talent in return to being returned to her people at the first opportunity. Of course she harbours thoughts of revenge but that can wait. Unknown to both character and Player, Hermes is the Scion of Haarlock . In the house he goes in pretending to be the Rogue Trader.

Adept Hercules. Grievously wounded in the previous adventure he will not be taking part in the House. His absence and theoretical expertise was keenly felt.

Assasin Frost. Imperial world born Killer. Give the man a Big F……g Gun and make him happy. At times his character rembers he is a faithfull servant of the Emperor and steers the group toward puritanism. In the house he goes in pretending to be a RT's bodyguard

Assasin Erevos VII . Dusk born Killer. Loyal to the death to his Primaris Acolyte, skilled in infliltration and quite lethal. Erevos is the most mentally scared acolyte but is stedfastly loyal. (Can't make a WP roll to save his life apparently). In the house he goes in pretending to be a RT's bodyguard.

Investigator Krixos . Hive born Judge with the Enforcer background. The newest (and statisticaly weakest) member of the group, he is still trying to accept the fact that he no longer is a street cop , but a member of His Imperial Majesty's Holy Inquisition. Recruited in a moment of need for official manpower he was allowed to join the Cell in the rest of their Mission. In the house he goes in pretending to be a RT's Senechal. Not the best match i'll admit but Inquisitor Marr needs to work with what he's given at times.

Noble persons in Attendance in The house of Dust and Ash

Note: In my campaign for continuity reasons the Gilded Widow was renamed the Gilded Daughter

Adeptus Munitorum (Guard)

Lord General Bastillus the VII w/3 Officers , 8 Enlisted Men. Imperial Guard General roleplayed with all the pompousness you can imagine. Wants certain baubles and The Gilded Daughter. ^*

Rogue Traders

Baron DJango the Scourge w/ Wreck ,2 Servitors.I Used the NPC from the RT adventure Lure of the Expance where he comes across as one real B… lovechild. Beast House afiliations. Wreck is an Ogryn fanaticaly loyal to his master. Otherwise he's a big baby.

Lord & Lady Captains Severus & Iocanthe Destienne w/5 servants. I used the NPCs Abel Gerrit and Madame Charlabelle from the RT adventure Lure of the Expance for these two. Made them really likeable to the players. Honourable, righteous and loyal. Also Lady Iocanthe is terminally pregnant. That's correct, i love to torment my players souls.The couple wants a couple of trinkets from the auction but also the device inscribed "ΓΕΝΝΗΤΩΡ" (means he who gives birth)and of course the Gilded Daughter

Lord Captain Rubio of the Ozzymandias w/4 “friends” The stock character from the module. I played him as annoying as he can get.

Captain Magyar Marsheck . Ditto. In my game he has Beast house affiliations and wants the Halo Device on the Onyx Statue

Master Haddarak Fell of The Fell Hand w/3 bodyguards, 2 accountants. From the RT adventure Lure of the Expance I played him as some sort of father figure to the young captain of House Sunder. Came across as Honorable and Righteous but always watchfull for his interests.

Hermes Sunder of the Sundered Foe w/Seneschal, Militant, Magos Explorator, 2 crewmembers. That's our heroes right here.

NaVis Imperialis

Commodore Laurent Strophe w/ family & 4 Midshipmen. Used the NPC from the DH adventure Rejoise for You are True . Buffed his stats a little. Family is of course his daughter and niece, both equally flighty, stubborn and spoiled daddy's girls. The Commodore has the Cruiser "indomitable" in orbit along with a squadron of frigates. A LOT of firepower a vox message away. Looking for trinkets for the house in Hive Sibellius.

Adeptus Ministorum

Abbot Tamas of Shale w/ 6 5 Faithfull. Stock Character. Bufed his stats a little and gave him Pilgrims of Hayte membership. His Faithfull are slowly in the process of being turned in Dybuk.

Brother Idomeneus. My Red Herring ^tm . Alpha Legion Astartes Landus Rize pretending to be a monk. Wants the Pauldron. No power armor or obvious Mutations. Keeps a low profile. Has extensive Imperial Creed Lore and looks to be fiercely loyal to the Emperor. He might actually be.

Adepta Mechanicum

Magos Acturan Dineth w/7 servitors, 5 Servoskulls. Used the Arch-Heretec profile from the Lathes Worlds. Insane scientist on the run with his final creation: JANUS. A Goleph on a tight leash that starts to strain his programming.

Administratum

Archlibrarian of the 7 ^th Seal Master Outidanos w/4 adepts. Thats our friend Nonesuch here. My Greek players would recognise Nonesuch as a nickname and be suspicious but Outidanos is ancient Greek and illiterate peasants that they are nobody spotted it.

Noble Sector Houses

Elsegri Krinn of House Krinn w/ 10 “Attendants”. Used the NPC from the DH adventure Rejoise for You are True. He can be really entertaining for the GM.

Count of the south sector Lanus Cistern w/ Whent . Stock Character. Whent is NOT a Scion.

Unaffiliated Parties

Lady Octavia Nile w/2 Bodyguards & Adept. Stock Character.

Vimer & Quill Shaft . Stock Characters. Made the agents for the archheretic Tobias Belasco . Want the Halo Device. Otherwise really friendly in a italian gangster way.

Part two comming right along with a list of the items in the Auction

Onwards to part 2…

This is a listing of the items offered for sale in the auction along with a brief italic description whre needed.

1. An archeotech bionic eye. It is a good quality model that houses a one shot hellpistol.
2. A Gemmed Vambrace. A refractor field in a shield mode. 2d10 damage absorbed in body and hand location.
3. A full set of Regicide on a gilded board. An item for the discerning coolector it houses a small cogitator that you can play against. The pieces move by themselves
4. A sword with a illustrious handguard. A power weapon with a compact Hellpistol concealed in the handguard
5. Flack Gloves _Bragg Pattern. Grant the wearer the Bulging Biceps and Autostabilised traits
6. An Illuminated square box. An antigravity device that levitates anything placed on it
7. Xeno Brains in a glass backpack. A Callophean Psi Engine without it's activation wand
8. An Archaiotech Cylinder. A Sollex pattern energy blade, powered by plasma cells
9. A Book Unbound. Stock Item
10. A Bloody Seal. Stock Item
11. A silver Key. Stock Item i intent to use somewhere. Possibly in the Tessarct Labyrinth
12. A grey skin bound Psalter Stock Item
13. A craked Astartes Paulrdon. Stock Item
14. A Xenoflesh Mask Stock Item
15. An Onyx Statue. Stock Item
16. An Unknown Portrait Stock Item
17. A primitive statuette in a glass bottle Stock Item
18. Assorted replacememts for a Data-Loom. i had determined to add a location called the Fearsome Enjin to the map. It was to be a Data Loom (in my campagn datalooms are supercomputers used to assess sector wide information) that if it was fully repaired a Haarlock blooded character would be able to get answers to the Komus question.

Greater Items

1. A Partitioned Cylyndrical chamber with two chairs. A soul transferal device. Extremely valuable and of course blackest heresy of the worst kind.
2. A mettalic box with the Inscription "ΓΕΝΝΗΤΩΡ". It replicates DNA and can mix DNA from 2 sources. Can also work as an Incubator. See the above comment
3. The Gilded Daughter. Remember gentle reader that in my Campaign the Gilded Widow is a Daughter

The Adventure Starts!!

The Acolutes are held in house arrest in the Tower of the Benevolent Eye of The God Emperor, the Inquisition HQ in Hive Gloriana. They are taken to meet Inquisitor Marr, who takes them in his employ and appears to give particular attetion to the Psyker Hermes. He briefs them on their mission, gives them (false) Cognomens and Credentials that identify them as a Rogue Trader with Selected Members of his Crew. They are told to lose their weaponry and armour (dress weapons only), so each keeps a mellee wepon and a pistol of somekind. That didn't go down well with some of my players altough their equipment includes 4 bolt Pistols, 2 kronos Pattern Plasma pistols, a power sword and assortred hancannons. Just no explosive or basic weapons. The Acolytes are quicly take to the airstrip where they board the Cygnan Martyr for an 18 hour flight. (I made the distance greater to bring up the seclusion of the place)

Aboard the Airship they quickly take their bearings. Captain Shadrack is distant but friendly, the two colored gangsters are friendly towards the two assasins who claim to be bodyguards (Frost & Erevos Vii) , whereas the Arbitrator/ Seneshal takes messages between mr Cistern and Hermes while the aforementined RT flirts shamelesslywith ms Nile. The fat Abbot and his gang are thoughrouly despised and the Acolytes are rebuffed at their clumsy attempts to come in contact with Brother Idomeneus or even spy on him. After dinner Hermes escorts lady Nile to her cabin for a little tete-a-tete while his Senechal Krixos and her adept (Ashen Tear Assasin) are outside the door to the cabin. While their captain is having fun the rest of the "crew" explore the vessel and eye the coming storm with trepidation. The Cygnan Martyr is hit by the storm but she handles well and her captain is a good one. During the storm while Frost is on one of the balconies caressing the Autocannon emplacement like it was a beautifull lady he is the first to spot the Wreckers that attack on one man figher craft performig strafing runs on the decks and balconies. Frost bravelly mans the emplacement through blistering fire only to be notified by microbead from the Archmilitant G.I. Joseg that their group must converge on their cabins to protect the august person of theit RT. A large crash then signals that the Martyr has been rammed and boarded by wreckers.

The Acolytes decide not to distrub their Captain in his negociations with lady Nile and barricade themselves in the corridor outside her cabin. They fight on two fronts with blows given and taken freely (chainaxes even poor quality ones are painfull). The Vox casters of the airship are awash with Shadrack ordering mr Grist (first mate) to "remove these cephalopodes from my ship". Among the Captains tirade of descriptive epithets from without, the screams of the dying and the warcries of the living in the decks and corridors and moans of intense passion from within the cabin, the battle ends after Erevos kills the wreckers lieutenant.

After first aid is given and the dead carried away, Krixos and G.I. Joseg interrogate one of the wreckers who tells them that their boss was paid by a stranger to perform the attack . Captain Shadrack hosts the surviving guests (all bar a few wounded) to impressive dinner on the captains table and warns them on the dangers of the burning isle. he also informs them that theit tickets are one way only paid by the Mourners guild. he adds that his ship will wait for a couple of days to perform needed repairs and should they happen to want passage by then he wouldn't be adverse to offereing passage back to Hive Gloriana.

After the landing the Acolytes suspiciously eye the rest of the passengers especially Abbot Tamas who seems to have misplaced a companion (sacrificied and turned into a dybuk then banished back to the Warp, Hermes did sense something but didn't investigate) and the huge form of Brother Idomeneus who only carries a large sack. They notice the two Gangsters going towards" the little fishing village" and are confronted by Adept Hiram Bland Provost of the place who ckeck their credentials and gives the acolytes a list of the Items, a list of the people who are currently attending and a map of the place. The acolyte are then taken to their rooms.

Note :The list of the items the Acolutes had from Marr did nor include the Glided Daughter. I reasoned that if Marr knew that that thing was for sale he would have descended on the place with a flight of Valkyries and a regiment of Stormtroopers and to hell with sublety. But now the storm blocks all communications with the mainland.

Next: Part III Intrigue and Pomp in the Tomb

Onwards to part 2…

This is a listing of the items offered for sale in the auction along with a brief italic description whre needed.

1. An archeotech bionic eye. It is a good quality model that houses a one shot hellpistol.
2. A Gemmed Vambrace. A refractor field in a shield mode. 2d10 damage absorbed in body and hand location.
3. A full set of Regicide on a gilded board. An item for the discerning coolector it houses a small cogitator that you can play against. The pieces move by themselves
4. A sword with a illustrious handguard. A power weapon with a compact Hellpistol concealed in the handguard
5. Flack Gloves _Bragg Pattern. Grant the wearer the Bulging Biceps and Autostabilised traits
6. An Illuminated square box. An antigravity device that levitates anything placed on it
7. Xeno Brains in a glass backpack. A Callophean Psi Engine without it's activation wand
8. An Archaiotech Cylinder. A Sollex pattern energy blade, powered by plasma cells
9. A Book Unbound. Stock Item
10. A Bloody Seal. Stock Item
11. A silver Key. Stock Item i intent to use somewhere. Possibly in the Tessarct Labyrinth
12. A grey skin bound Psalter Stock Item
13. A craked Astartes Paulrdon. Stock Item
14. A Xenoflesh Mask Stock Item
15. An Onyx Statue. Stock Item
16. An Unknown Portrait Stock Item
17. A primitive statuette in a glass bottle Stock Item
18. Assorted replacememts for a Data-Loom. i had determined to add a location called the Fearsome Enjin to the map. It was to be a Data Loom (in my campagn datalooms are supercomputers used to assess sector wide information) that if it was fully repaired a Haarlock blooded character would be able to get answers to the Komus question.

Greater Items

1. A Partitioned Cylyndrical chamber with two chairs. A soul transferal device. Extremely valuable and of course blackest heresy of the worst kind.
2. A mettalic box with the Inscription "ΓΕΝΝΗΤΩΡ". It replicates DNA and can mix DNA from 2 sources. Can also work as an Incubator. See the above comment
3. The Gilded Daughter. Remember gentle reader that in my Campaign the Gilded Widow is a Daughter

The Adventure Starts!!

The Acolutes are held in house arrest in the Tower of the Benevolent Eye of The God Emperor, the Inquisition HQ in Hive Gloriana. They are taken to meet Inquisitor Marr, who takes them in his employ and appears to give particular attetion to the Psyker Hermes. He briefs them on their mission, gives them (false) Cognomens and Credentials that identify them as a Rogue Trader with Selected Members of his Crew. They are told to lose their weaponry and armour (dress weapons only), so each keeps a mellee wepon and a pistol of somekind. That didn't go down well with some of my players altough their equipment includes 4 bolt Pistols, 2 kronos Pattern Plasma pistols, a power sword and assortred hancannons. Just no explosive or basic weapons. The Acolytes are quicly take to the airstrip where they board the Cygnan Martyr for an 18 hour flight. (I made the distance greater to bring up the seclusion of the place)

Aboard the Airship they quickly take their bearings. Captain Shadrack is distant but friendly, the two colored gangsters are friendly towards the two assasins who claim to be bodyguards (Frost & Erevos Vii) , whereas the Arbitrator/ Seneshal takes messages between mr Cistern and Hermes while the aforementined RT flirts shamelesslywith ms Nile. The fat Abbot and his gang are thoughrouly despised and the Acolytes are rebuffed at their clumsy attempts to come in contact with Brother Idomeneus or even spy on him. After dinner Hermes escorts lady Nile to her cabin for a little tete-a-tete while his Senechal Krixos and her adept (Ashen Tear Assasin) are outside the door to the cabin. While their captain is having fun the rest of the "crew" explore the vessel and eye the coming storm with trepidation. The Cygnan Martyr is hit by the storm but she handles well and her captain is a good one. During the storm while Frost is on one of the balconies caressing the Autocannon emplacement like it was a beautifull lady he is the first to spot the Wreckers that attack on one man figher craft performig strafing runs on the decks and balconies. Frost bravelly mans the emplacement through blistering fire only to be notified by microbead from the Archmilitant G.I. Joseg that their group must converge on their cabins to protect the august person of theit RT. A large crash then signals that the Martyr has been rammed and boarded by wreckers.

The Acolytes decide not to distrub their Captain in his negociations with lady Nile and barricade themselves in the corridor outside her cabin. They fight on two fronts with blows given and taken freely (chainaxes even poor quality ones are painfull). The Vox casters of the airship are awash with Shadrack ordering mr Grist (first mate) to "remove these cephalopodes from my ship". Among the Captains tirade of descriptive epithets from without, the screams of the dying and the warcries of the living in the decks and corridors and moans of intense passion from within the cabin, the battle ends after Erevos kills the wreckers lieutenant.

After first aid is given and the dead carried away, Krixos and G.I. Joseg interrogate one of the wreckers who tells them that their boss was paid by a stranger to perform the attack . Captain Shadrack hosts the surviving guests (all bar a few wounded) to impressive dinner on the captains table and warns them on the dangers of the burning isle. he also informs them that theit tickets are one way only paid by the Mourners guild. he adds that his ship will wait for a couple of days to perform needed repairs and should they happen to want passage by then he wouldn't be adverse to offereing passage back to Hive Gloriana.

After the landing the Acolytes suspiciously eye the rest of the passengers especially Abbot Tamas who seems to have misplaced a companion (sacrificied and turned into a dybuk then banished back to the Warp, Hermes did sense something but didn't investigate) and the huge form of Brother Idomeneus who only carries a large sack. They notice the two Gangsters going towards" the little fishing village" and are confronted by Adept Hiram Bland Provost of the place who ckeck their credentials and gives the acolytes a list of the Items, a list of the people who are currently attending and a map of the place. The acolyte are then taken to their rooms.

Note :The list of the items the Acolutes had from Marr did nor include the Gilded Daughter. I reasoned that if Marr knew that that thing was for sale he would have descended on the place with a flight of Valkyries and a regiment of Stormtroopers and to hell with sublety. But now the storm blocks all communications with the mainland.

Next: Part III Intrigue and Pomp in the Tomb

**** double post!!!!

Oh well.. Part III is here.

It is currently 1100 AM. The formal reception is at 2100hrs tonight.. The auction takes place at 2000hrs tomorrow night. I have added the following locations to the map of the House of Dust and Ash.

• The Chapel. The rows of the suplicants are taken by faceless statues of richly dressed people. At the Altar where the statue of the Emperor usually is located, there is a statue of Erasmus Haarlock helping two female figures stand up from prone. Over them the inscription reads "It is Not Dead That which Sleeps Forever. For with Strange Aeons even Deathly sleep can be Defeated" (thank you Luther Harkon sir!)
• The Fearsome Enjin. After repairs this vast cogitator will still require the handprint of a Haarlock and Greel's Amulet to function. It will calculate the location of the next appearance of Komus, The Tyrant Star as well as provide sanity shattering information about it's nature.
• Observatory. Really High end Instruments track the skies. Should the players decipher they Greyskin psalter and enter the insciption toi the local cogitator it wiil provide them with the location of notable Haarlock Estates. Among others Sinophia Magna and Xicarph on Quadis.
• The Web. An Astropathic Choir that could house 12 astropaths in restraining cells plus an astropath primaris on a throne at the top. The Body that still sits at the throne shelters a deamonette that can't leave the immediate area of the throne and has been imprisoned here for the last 200 years. It is quite angry but unless someone calls it outside it cannot leave.

The Mourners shun these places and guide visitors away from them.

Hermes along with Krixos and Erevos go to the Garden of lost Saints to view the items., Cistern is with them. and Hermes' reflection is cast on the unknown portrait. It will slowly formulate to take his form over the next few hours.I enforced a no weapons allowed policy in the garden of lost saints and added a force field effect that came into being whenever a person bearing any kind of weapon entered the garden. Unfotunately it errs on the side of caution meaning tech priests can't enter but the Astartes and the ogryn can. Entry is permited to armed persons by the use of tokens held only by the Mourners at this stage.

They meet the Destienne Couple and manage to make a favourable impression to them while learning of the vendetta between Severus and Django . Hermes accepts a lunch invitation from Django who offers him money and his assistance on aquiring any of the items they want if Hermes sets his bodyguards to challenge and kill Severus Destienne . Severus is a well known duelist and a hothead who will not back down from any challenge and Django proposes to use this to lure him to his death. After lunch Hermes has the Lord General for tea. Bastellus expresses his ire and suprise for the fact that the list of Items to be auctioned initialy dit not include the Gilded Daughter. He discusses with Hermes the possibility to delay the auction with legalese tricks. The senechal Krixos starts research of imperial law to find the needed loophole. The General and Hermes agree to ask the Archlibrarian's help to delay the auction. They arrange a meeting with him for 2000hrs and Hermes feels the Untouchable nature of the Archlibrarian. But not the real horror within.

Archmilitant G.I. Joseg meets with Locutor Merryweather who brieefs the Acolytes on thei current predicament. The group converges to discuss their strategy.. After a rather heated debate they decide that they do not trust Django (rumors of him stealing away resourses, flaunting imperial authority and siphoning off imperial tithes abound). The acolytes suffer several diatribes by Voltrus on the subject of "anything marked "Assorted replacements for a Data-Loom" is much too valuable to be taken by anyone else" and Frost on the nature of their duty, along with a reminder by G.I. Joseg that the whole lot is probably heretical and all present are guilty of consorting with heresy and should be purged. Hermes then stipulates that notions such as these do not really apply to the high and mighty such as those that are gathered here. They also decide to try and delay the auction until they can send a message back to Marr that the Daughter is for sale.

Feeling rather pessimistic Voltrus goes to meet Magos Dineth , where he is plesantly suprised that the magos is unaware of Voltrus 's excomunication from the local Mechanicus. The two cogboys spend some time discussing techical matters and Voltrus starts to realise that the magos's research is well within the Silica Animus Interdiction and his creation are affronts to the Omnisiah. Dineth waxes lyrical about the Janus project and describes his creation as state of the art and groundbreaking. He certainly is a few teeth short of a cog and Voltrus realises this and restrains his righteous anger. Dineth then proposes the he and Voltrus watch the Auction through the eyes of his Servoskull of which he has several. Our cogboy leaves deeply troubled and takes with him the two assasins to sneack around the house looking for clues as to the whole Haarlock affair. Upon entering one of the more secluded librairies they find Janus dressed in the robes of a techpriest reading books. The Goleph deos not respond to Voltrus commands and the techpriest continues his research.

Krixos figures that the simplest way to delay the auction is to invoke the "Warp Travel Distortion Clause". In a quick meeting with Iocanthe Destienne Hermes informs her of the plan to kill her husband and asks her to join the petition for the delay of the auction. She declines stating that the current turn of events suits their interests just fine. She is however grateful for the warning and is willing to help Hermes aquire a few of the Items. She also sends a message to her ship in orbit to tell them to protect House Sunder assets from Django's revenge. Hermes notes the fact that the Destiennes can communicate off island in spite of the storm.

Part IV… It's a bloody soiree, what's the worse that can happen?

Techpriest Voltrus along with Assasins Frost and Erevos continuie their exploration of the House. Next stop: Haarlocks Tomb . The two Assasins find the two secret doors and the depression that looks like a sunburst atop the Door inscribed "DEATH IS BUT A DOOR". Voltrus manages to decipher an inscription on the hieroglyphics decorating the Tomb stating

" From inaction Erasmus in wrath arose

perfidius traitors and murderers to hunt

the whole Clan He deemed unworthy

and their posessions irrelevant

So aboard the Spear of Destiny He wanderered

to beyond and back the Traveller forevermore

to find a way to shackle Time.

From Cold Stars He returned

the secrets of the Cosmos now His

along with artefacts of wonder

and terrific creations of forgoten aeons.

He still Wanders

He is the Traveller.

Notice that the poem is 13 verses long. Also believe me it sounds better in greek. Before the three acolytes can pry even futher Master Mourner Greell appears and chases them out of the tomb. Erevos manages to spot his medallion and make the obvious connection with the sunburst shaped depression above the door. The three acolytes then proceed to the Observatory, where Voltrus tries to commune with the Machine Spirit of the Cogitator and discovers that the whole place is boobytraped. The group then proceeds to the Fearsome Enjin where the Techpriest divines it's true nature (wow a Data Loom!) and after a few checks he figures that if the parts in the auction are from here he can bring it back to operational status. Also it will only work for a Haarlock and it is certainly trapped. So onwards to the location marked "The Web". Where all hell is let loose. Literaly.

In the Web Voltrus levitates himself to the Astropath's throne where he proceeds to disturb the remains of the late astropath. Erevos having superior senes to the other two catches a sweet smell starting to emanate from the throne. Then the whole chamber is powered up and a passage to the Immaterium is opened. Enter Syrlythyressissyn the Deamonette. The techpriest is terminally scared and runs frantically away, Erevos is struck dumb and only faithfull Frost retains his wits about him and starts to shoot at the thing. The players are relieved when they discover that apparrently the deamon cannot leave the platform the throne is built on and flee when they discover that their guns are useless.* Frost drags the fascinated Erevos away only to find the Techpriest cowering in a corner and shakingly pointing a plasma pistol at him. Wich the badly shaken Techpriest proceeds to fire at his "hunters". Luckily Frost manages to Dodge the Maximal power shot, drops Erevos to the ground, draws his faithfull Bolt pistol and his vision sparkling with bright after images returns fire at the shadowy tentacled figure. Luckily his weapon jams so no friendly fire here. The three acolytes recover enough to return to their quarters. There they brief G.I.Joseg who then asks the Psyker if that thing can leave its confinment. The answer of course is no, unless someone sets it loose. Well guess what will happe next.

*(well not quite. But i gave that thing Natural Armour 2 and 20 wounds and had Demonic (8). So a total soak of 10. And i had ruled that things with the demonic SR ignore the penetration of mundane energy and power weapons. So you need Psychic Powers and Blessed Ammunition to deal reliably with them. And yes that makes them pretty hard to deal with. That's the whole point.)*

Meanwhile Hermes along with Krixos and G.I. Joseg are off to meet with Outidanos (mr Nonesuch) in the august company of the Lord General. Outidanos keeping a faint air of amusement at the squirming of the psyker Hermes tells them bluntly that the auction will proceed and that he will oppose their scheme. The acolytes then decide not to pit their feeble Lores against those of a master of ther Administratum and scrap their plan. While returning to their quarters they are apprehended by one of the Commodore's retinue who summons Hermes to meet with the Commodore. There Julia and Saia Strophes entertain (and bore to tears) the archmilitant and the senechal while the good Commodore tries to intimidate the truth out of Hermes. See before he landed he had received a report on all the capital ships in the Marayn Marches and there is no mention of House Sunder nor of Captain Hermes Sunder of the good ship Sundered Foe. Hermes resists admirably but is worried about how much everyone else knowns. Then all the Acolytes return to the quarters to prepare for the official Gala.

Initially at the Gala all goes smoothly. The three acolytes present dance (awkardly) and make smalltalk (clumsily). Hermes touches the subject of the Murders with Severous Destienne who tells him that he can think of at least 7 Xenos that devour brains and flesh like that , mentioning the name Worm that Walks. Hermes curses the absense of the Adept Hercules and bribes one of the resident adepts, Corteswain, to research the name for him. Then the Archmilitant notes that several of the guests are (discreetly ) armed where there should be no wepons at all. The force field is apparently compromised. They start to panic. In truth magos Dineth had been trying to circumvent the interdiction since he came to the House so he divined a password token and after having come to an agrement with Lady Nile he gave a few of them to her. Nothing fancy. Then the senechal notes that lady Nile is whispering to Captain Rubio of the Ozzymandias. The challenge is not long in coming and a battle between champions is declared. Hadarak Fell assumes the role of Master of Ceremonies and takes the names of the participants and collects the bets. Thogg from the retinue of captain Rubio and Erevos VII from the retinue of captain Hermes . Erevos menwhile finds Wreck the Ogryn and wispers to him that " Thogg said bad thing about Django ".

Before anyone can react a raging augmented 400kg brute grabs Thogg and proceeds to pulp him into paste. Then Django stands him down and proceeds to whip him publicly. When all is said and done Fell reminds the trembling Rubio that there is still the small matter of an honour duel to the death. And that his life is forfeit if he backs down. Rubio enters the ring where Erevos beats him with his fists. Thoughrouly humiliated Rubio offers the Ozzymandias in return for his miserable hide. Hermes graciously accepts and Fell engages Bland to codify the agreement so it is all nice and legal.

While congratulations are passed around and another round of drinks for the victor Voltrus and Frost as his Bodyguard are lounging in the Entrance Hall in time to see J anus the Goleph purposedly walking toward the garden of lost saints. Magos Dineth is after it ordering it to stop. The Goleph then proceeds to overload and breach the force field denying it's entrance to the garden. A few scared PDF troopers manage to firea few shots but the goleph dispassionatelly chops them to pieces while trying to sample the canapes. Seeing this and after the urging of Voltrus, Magos Dineth fires at his creation. The goleph keens in disapointment bounds down the stairs dodging fire from its creator and proceeds to disembower and quadfurcate the Magos before it is torn apart by the heavy bolter armed servitors of the House. And the night ends with the PDF enforcing a curfew, Voltrus transfering the remains of the Magos to his room and gathering his other posessions as well.

Stay tuned for Part V From the fire to the fireing pan

Nice to see someone using some of my additions, looking forward to seeing how it all turns out!

A small update…

Part V From the fire to the frying pan

While the Acolytes are withdrawing for the night a very anxious C istern calls Hermes to come quickly. Hermes alarmed by the tone of the message follows Whent only to discover that the Unknown Portrait had changed it’s image to depict his likeness. It appears that he is after all the resident Haarlock. In blind panic Erevos creates a distraction by tripping one of the mourners while Hermes covers the portrait with a piece of cloth. Unfortunately the Commodore and Hadarak Fell see through the deception and are starting to put two and two together.

After the curfew has been imposed Techpriest Voltrus begins cataloguing the remains of Magos Dineth and starts to drool at the prospect of looting his possessions and absorbing his remaining augmentations. He is surprised by the visit of Octavia Nile who humbly asks for permission to remove from Dineth’s Cogitators the details of a contract between her patrons and him “for the rendering of services of great value to both parties”. She appeals to him as sole surviving member of the Mechanicus in the House to bring to a closure the dead Magos affairs. She also offers the password key to bypass the defences of the cogitator and gain access to the data within. The temptation to both logic and greed is too great for Voltrus resist and the scene ends with Nile deleting the contract from the cogitator and Voltrus plumbing the depths of Heretec knowledge after her departure. And amassing a fair amount of Corruption in the process.

Now for actions that have unforeseen consequences Hermes had commissioned the adept Corteswain to research the matter of “the Worm that Walks” for him. The adept along with his assistant Stratov slip through the guards and with the promise of Rogue Trader gold in their minds proceed to one of the libraries, passing outside the place known as the Web . They hear something whispering from inside and in the best tradition of horror films decide to investigate. Syrlythyressissyn proceeds to Compel them into releasing it, uses their passion for each other to feed, kills Corteswain and possesses Stratov. It then starts to send visions to the three Acolytes that had disturbed it in the first place, seriously spooking them.

In the morning the adept’s body is discovered. Erevos investigate to find that the body had been dragged to the edge of the curfew zone. The killing blow came from a large jagged instrument that went through the adept’s body. And it is a different modus operandi than the previous murders. Troubled, the Acolytes decide to split their forces for the day. Syrlythyressissyn takes with him Frost and Voltrus and heads down to the Shantytown, linking with Vimer & Quill Shaft on the way there. While exiting the House they witness the Commodore forcing his girls to board one of the Aquila Landers waiting for the VIPs inside. Then the hotshot pilot from his retinue salutes, mounts and braves the storm to get Julia and Saia Strophes to safety. The Commodore then gives the Acolytes a sign that he will be watching them. Down at the Shantytown G.I. Joseg acquires a custom fitted meltagun along with bolt ammunition and has to wait a few hours for the items. Vimer buys an Assault Heavy Stubber. You got to love smugglers… However back in the house Trouble is brewing…

Hermes g etting rather obsessed with the thought of a Xeno walking the same halls as he, murdering Imperial Citizens, takes along Erevos and Krixos and go to the library that contained most of the Xeno Lore of the House. C istern accompanies them. At the library there are 8 adepts cataloguing things. Hermes passes a Psyniscience check to spot the irregularity in the ether. And then note that one of the normally austerely dressed Adepts is rather revealing in her choice of garments. Syrlythyressissyn senses the Scion of Haarlock and after it Compels the adepts (and Krixos) to leave, it attempts to make peaceful contact with Hermes while shedding the skin of adept Stratov. Hermes , with the soul of the Farseer screaming at him to kill it quickly, tries to shoot it with his hand cannon and fails to wound it . Syrlythyressissyn decides to play with her food after all and playfully scratches Hermes for 12 points of damage. With a Warp weapon. No soak from toughness or armor. The players panic and Erevos b ravely steps in and attacks it with his power sword to allow the Haarlock to get away. The two start to dance a brutal tango with Erevos barely scratching the Daemon with his otherwise powerful blows and trying desperately to dodge it’s claws. He gets hit twice and that is enough to drop him to critical levels. The gore stained Syrlythyressissyn turns to regard Hermes over the prone form of Erevos a nd thankfully that’s when the Psyker finally gets his act together and uses his full Psy power to Force Bolt it with a lot of overbleed, blowing it into a bookcase and banishing it from the Materium. Krixos having previously broken through the Compel enters the room to find a smoking psyker, a bleeding assassin and a stunned Cistern and goes into damage control mode. He carries the wounded to their rooms for first aid by Hermes.

While the Acolytes are busy licking their wounds a group of PDF led by an Advocate comes to arrest them for “Moral Threat”. Then Lanus Cister n goes into full outraged Noble mode, pulls his weight around, uses his Peer (government) talent and manages to bow Bland into submission. When G.I. Joseg returns from shopping guns he is dismayed to find that the most effective melee combatant and the Psyker of the group were one shot away from death The acolytes bunker down in their rooms waiting for the Auction with a heavy sense of incoming dread…

Next ….. I have a bid for 30.000 gelt. Do i Hear 35.000?

Gahhhhh. Copy paste error. The Acolytes that went down to the Shantytown were: G.I. Joseg, Frost and Voltrus. G.I. Joseg is not a Slaaneshi Daemon in any way, shape or form…