Space Marine Applicant Quest

>>265146

>Finial

>>265146
>unluckier
is this a huge weakness ?

>>265182

No, no - Fraq has only one Fate Point, but you'll be able to increase this amount through other means.

I'm using the 40k RPG system.

>>265146
>Finial, with brown skin and blue eyes – the brightest of you, always thinking outside the box - or willing to crush it with his club.

>>265169
>>265191

Alright, I'll give it another few minutes and then we're off.

"Where's Sen?", Rab hisses angrily. "He knows better than to keep us waiting!" Rab rocks back and forth on his heels, fingering his blade anxiously.

"Shut the fuck up, Rab. You know he'll show. He always does." Fraq states calmly.

You frown – it's odd, though. Sen's never been late before and as far as you know, he's still sleeping pretty close to the meeting place. You think about it for another minute, and finally tell the others:

>"Look, we can't wait forever. Fuck Sen, let's go without him tonight."
>"Sen ought to be pretty close, let's go find him and drag him along."
>"Let's wait another few minutes, I'm sure he'll be here any second."
>write-in

>>265212
>>"Sen ought to be pretty close, let's go find him and drag him along."

>>265212

>"Sen ought to be pretty close, let's go find him and drag him along."

Seems like the best option

File: underhive2.jpg (1MB, 2560x1600px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2560x1600px

>>265212

"Sen ought to be pretty close, let's just go find him and drag him along."

Rab and Fraq glance at one another and shrug. With that, the three of you leave the safety of the rockcrete hole and silently file out into the underhive. A tangle of rusted pipes and failing machinery, the underhive is constantly echoing with grinding, metallic clangs and the softer noises of glowlights flickering. Sen sleeps only a few hundred yards away, but getting there can be tricky – it's through a maze of rubble and altogether impossible for someone much larger than an underfed boy. The hiding spot's kept him safe for a while – but you realize that might not be the case anymore.

Sen's sleeping spot was between a rockrete slab and a rusted metallic wall, but Sen's blankets are scattered everywhere, ripped to shreds. Rab and Fraq look over the shredded fabric and their eyes go flat. Rab's mouth quirks downwards into a frown, but Fraq's face becomes a mask.

>Roll a 3d100 please, lower is better

Rolled 13, 46, 18 = 77 (3d100)

Rolled 26, 1, 36 = 63 (3d100)

>>265240

Here you go

Rolled 100, 26, 26 = 152 (3d100)

>>265240

I'll roll again for best of 2 of 3

>>265245
>>265249

Taking these two - writing.

Rab, 5 degrees of success
Finial, 6 degrees of success (damn son)
Fraq, 3 degress of success

You take in the scene with fresh eyes, and suddenly, it seems clear. The ragged markings over the stone slab where Sen sleeps, the shredded blankets – you bend down and peer closer on the ground and see a tiny droplet of blood.

"Something big was here." you whisper slowly to Rab and Fraq. Looking at the markings on the slab, you say, "Something with claws sharp enough to tear up rockcrete." Rab and Fraq's eyes seem to widen into globes, and Rab starts to say something, but then you hear it.

Someone is shrieking at the top of their lungs, wordlessly. And underneath the screaming, you hear a deeper rumble – snarling. The three of you look to one another, and then Fraq says what you're all thinking: "It has him! Go!"

Without another thought, the three of you are scrambling, leaping through the maze of pipes at full speed, as you hear another shriek: this one is louder; closer. You're almost there. The three of you sprint clear of the tangled pipes and like lightning, flash down alleys and sidestreets – the three of you seeming to run faster and faster as you go.

Turning a corner onto the main causeway of the Broken Ends, you bellow out: "SEN!", but even as you do so, your eyes latch onto something that should not exist.

Sen has clambered across rubble and ledgeways above the main hall – and below him is some kind of hulking monster – a beast of hair and fur, leaping twenty feet into the air and attempting to knock Sen loose. You instinctively take a step back at you realize the size of the creature – and then another, when the beast's head cocks your way, and meets your eyes, glowing a pale yellow in the gloom.

>Roll a 3d100 for fear check, Sen is already panicked.

Rolled 75, 7, 68 = 150 (3d100)

>>265310

File: horned lion.jpg (110KB, 651x950px) Image search: [Google]

110KB, 651x950px

>>265310

Derp, forget my picture.

Rolled 25, 47, 13 = 85 (3d100)

>>265322

Jesus fuck

Could I get one more from someone?

Rolled 15, 76, 19 = 110 (3d100)

>>265334

Shit man...

By the way can you give us the character sheet?

Rolled 13, 80, 44 = 137 (3d100)

DIE MUTANT

>>265341

Thanks for the roll, writing.

Here's the charsheet - we're a tad light on talents due to the fact that Finial is a 10 year old boy.

Finial - Runt – tanned skin, blue eyes.
Quirk: large mole on neck
Ganger Scum
Divination: Trust in your fear, AGI+2, +1 FP
Personality: Supine (loyal, devout, easily led)
Fate Points: 2+1= 3
Wounds: 12
Money: 3
Stats: WS – 34
BS – 35
S - 29
T - 28
A - 31+2 = 33
I - 39
P - 32
WP – 27
F - 35

Skills: Speak Language (Low Gothic, INT), Blather (Fel), Charm (Fel), Deceive (Fel), Awareness (Per), Common Lore (Imperium, INT).
Talents: Unremarkable, Melee Weapon Training (Primitive),
Gear: club and knife.
Rank: Dreg.

>>265350

>No trained Dodge skills...

Now we should REAL trust of fear...!

>>265350


>Rab, two degrees of Success
>Finial, three degrees of Success
>Fraq, one degree of Success
>shit, you guys are hard as fuck, nobody panicked

The beast snarls in your direction, seemingly forgetting about Sen, who slowly slides into a crouch on his ledge overhead, clearly catching his breath momentarily. You meet the eyes of your comrades and see fear – but not terror. Whatever this thing is, you and your friends are prepared to fuck it up.

The beast lopes forward at a jog, passing through the mist and emitting large puffs of steam from its mouth, and Sen calls out from the ledge – "Watch out! Its blood is hot – it can burn you!"

You and your friends grip your weapons tightly and fan out – ready to fight this montrosity.

>How does /qst/ proceed?

>cautious attack on the beast from all three sides
>defensive stance, try to counter the animal
>retreat to a better location and leave Sen to his fate?
>write-in

As a friendly reminder, you are all 10-year olds fighting a large alien monster with knives and clubs. I strongly recommend using Fate Points to heal your wounds and give yourself a bonus for this encounter. Using a Fate Point now will give you a standing +10 bonus to attack for the next 5 rounds of combat. Please let me know if you have any questions and I'll answer.

>>265146
>>Who do you choose to play, /tg/?
>/tg/
lol

>>265394

As you can tell, I prewrote some of this. heh.

>>265392
>cautious attack on the beast from all three sides

>>265392

>cautious attack on the beast

I guess try to keep it outnumber and gouge out its eyes?

>>265392
>>cautious attack on the beast from all three sides

>>265420

I agreed too by taking it eyes out. But I suggest we need something more lethal than club or knife.

>>265430
>more lethal than club or knife.

Don't worry, about that just yet.

>>265417
>>265420
>>265430

Writing.

>>265439

The beast builds speed and abruptly coils into a leap towards you, its jaws open. Catching you by surprise and the beast flying towards you, how do you respond?

>roll a d100, choose dodge or parry please.
>use a fate point for this combat session? y/n

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>265472
>roll a d100, choose dodge
It's our best best
>Y
Don't want to lose for our first fight.

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>265472

I choose dodge, and yes use a fp

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>265472
Parry, use the fate point

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>265472
>>roll a d100, choose dodge

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>265472

Dodge and use FP.

>>265439

Had played Dark Heresy and I had become more cautious and paranoid.

>>265477
>>265480

>used fate point, now at 2 of 3
>dodge roll at 35, +10 from FP = 1 DoS

With the beast flying at you, you summon up every once of strength in your legs and fling yourself to the side, sprawling across the uneven rockcrete. The beast stumbles to a halt beside you even as you scramble out of reach.

Rab and Fraq immediately scream warcries and swing at the creature, one on each side, but Fraq's swing is wild and misses entirely. Rab attempts to slash the beast along the flank with his blade, but the animal steps to the side and the blade sings harmlessly through the air. Above you, you see Sen stand again, fiddling with something in his hands.

Getting to your feet, you whip your club towards the beast's head

>roll a d100, best of three people. everyone is still alive, nice work.

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>265526

Rolling to fuck this lion up.

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>265526

>>265536

I agreed.

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>265526

>>265544

>shit, son

Writing for our successful attack.

>>265553
write faster

>>265526
>Rolled a 4 for attack
>Rolled an 8 for damage (wew lad)
>Finial takes 1 damage due to acid spray

You lash out with your club just as the beast's jaws smash together - and the beast's fangs shatter your steel club into ribbons and splinters of bladed metal. Howling in pain, the beast sprays a hot jet of steam and boiling blood across your body, and you scream out in pain as the droplets sizzle on your flesh.

>Finial is now at 11 wounds

The beast seems unable to clear the wreckage of your club from its jaws and mouth, and howls again in rage as pale blood streams out between its broken fangs.

You stumble back in pain and attempting to wipe the blood from your skin, but you hear Sen shout out from above - "FUCK YOU!" - and amazingly, you hear the loud shots of a stubpistol - Sen grinning madly as he sprays bullets wildly. The stub rounds thump into the rockcrete all around the beast, but Sen misses entirely.

>alright, you've wounded the beast, and you have a spare knife - do you want to change tactics?

>cautious attacks for everyone
>all-out beatdown
>flee
>write-in

>>265601

sorry, I'm using an automated system for the NPCs and it kept fucking up.

>>265602
>all-out beat down

we shall eat well tonight

>>265602

>beatdown

We got lucky with the club, time to double-down on our success.

>>265616
>>265625

I'll give it a few more minutes for voting

>>265602
>all-out beatdown

>>265602
>>all-out beatdown
Eat it whole!

>>265616
>>265625
>>265640

The beast is still coughing and spitting out shards of club - clearly it inhaled or swallowed some fragments. Rab shifts backwards on the left side of the beast, and the creatures' eyes flash and dives at Rab madly, clawing and slashing at him with its paws. Rab yelps at a high note and scrambles backwards, and hissing at the creature nicks his shoulder but avoids serious harm, and then unleashes his own assault, swinging wildly with his knife.

Leaping forward, he stabs the beast, driving his knife deeply into the creature's neck. A huge gout of steaming pale blood splashes over his arms and hands. You watch in horror as his skin seems to tighten and then bubble slowly away from his flesh, large pieces of skin sliding away from the tissue underneath.

>Rab has been heavily wounded and is now at 4 wounds.

In a mixture of rage and horror, Fraq leaps forward, spinning his improvised flail, a sharp piece of rockrete tied to a rope, and catches the beast across the face, the stone lodging just underneath the left eye.

The beast stumbles, and with a jerk, collapses to the bloodied and pockmarked floor.

>The beast is now at -5 wounds, i can't believe it.

>still writing.

>>265694

You stride forward, readying your own knife for the killing blow, as Rab begins to shake violently in pain and sock, and Fraq stands at a distance, awed that he brought down the beast.

In the distance, you can see Sen clambering down from his ledge over the main gangway, and carefully dropping to the rockcrete floor.

You stand over the creature and grip your knife tightly, and let out a warcry that echoes through the Underhive.

>give me a 3d100 to kill this fucking thing.

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>265708

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>265708

Avenge Rab's injuries!

>>265712
>>265717

I'm going to need another roll or we run the risk of missing entirely.

>i ran this encounter multiple times with only rab, finial and fraq, and the creature won every time.

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>265728

>>265730

>49, plus +30 for all-out, +20 for stunned/prone target
>rolled an 8 for damage
>wew lad

You drive your knife forwards faster and harder than you thought you could. It feels like another force is guiding your hand, but feeling leaves you just as you notice it. The knife pierces the creature's eye, and goes deeper into the skull. You leave it there, jutting from the beast's face.

The creature shudders momentarily, its fur and skin rippling over its flesh momentarily for the last time. You look to your right, and see Sen raising the stubpistol. "Just in case." he explains, before firing another few rounds into the beast.

The mists seems to surround your group, drawing in to view your victory. Rab painfully rises to his feet, hobbling over to you and the others. His hands are angry red spiders now - no skin at all.

"Fuck this thing." Rab grimaces, spitting on the corpse. As he does so, the mists continue to thicken and draw in.

Fraq notices it as well, suddenly watchful. The four of you draw closer together...

>roll me a 4d100 people

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>265765

This is bad... it is best to leave... NOW!

Rolled 10 (1d100)

>>265765

Rollign

Rolled 44, 80 = 124 (2d100)

>>265772
>>265795

Rolling for the other two to speed things along

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>265765

Rolled 93, 27, 22 = 142 (3d100)

>>265765
I'm not familiar with this world or its lore so I'm hella confused

>>265800

Here is quick lore of Warhammer 40k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MeVxKZBOfM

File: karlat.jpg (49KB, 400x500px) Image search: [Google]

49KB, 400x500px

>>265772
>>265795
>>265798
>>265800

>everyone fails but Finial, who gets one DoS
>welp

You frown, your eyes flickering from side to side - there's something off about the mist. It's thicker than it should be. You open your mouth to ask the others a question, but you turn and look to find that Rab has vanished without a sound.

The mist is billowing forwards.

Fraq screams aloud: "Run!" - but as you sprint forwards with Sen, you hear a soft noise, and turning your head to the left, see that Fraq has gone missing as well. Sen starts firing his pistol wildly as you charge into the mist with him, the rounds swallowed whole by the pearly clouds. The fear catches in your mouth and you blindly stride forward into the mist - until you smash into something in the open gangway.

Stunned and with blood streaming from your broken nose, you look up and see a massive figure standing before you - draped in robes and some kind of armor. As you peer up at it, you hear a sound coming from the figure's helm: a low rumble.

"Well done, little one." The figure says, as you spin backwards to run. Before you can take a step, you feel something pierce your neck, and you fall asleep.

>1/2

>>265831

+ + + + + + + + +

"We have never inducted four candidates simultaneously, Sergeant Karlat." The Captain's soft voice is fringed with exasperation. "Surely one of these four candidates are unsuitable for initiation."

"Captain Velyas, please. I personally watched these boys rescue one of their own from the Allisan Lion and proceed to slaughter it in less than five minutes with knives and clubs – the male lion, no less! At the very least, we must determine their suitability for the gene-seed and tend to their wounds." Karlat pleads gently, but with confidence. No one could doubt the vid footage – the boys were worthy of the trials, if nothing else.

"All four?" the Captain asked again, in thoughtful tones.

"Yes, Captain. You know well enough that we need their strength. If we are to stabilise the subsector, we will need -"

"Yes, yes, I understand, Sergeant. Bring them to the Shadowed Lair after you have slain the female, and we shall see if they can stand against the trials."

Karlat grinned beneath his helm, hefting the corpses of the Allisan xenobeasts into the Thunderhawk. A beautiful pair, they had taken over four standard weeks to track down. A shame that they had to be sacrificed, but if the boys had not slain the male, the beasts would terrorized the underhive for years before attracting Carcerum security forces. Removing his battle knife as the Thunderhawk rose out of the flight shaft, Karlat began skinning the xeno beasts quickly. Left as their were, the acidic blood would spoil the pelts, and that would be an even greater shame. Karlat called out to the pilot of the Thunderhawk, saying "Brother Gyrtach, how are the readings on the stasis chambers?"

"All clear, Sergeant Karlat – the boys will do just fine." Karlat smiled – indeed, they would.

>>265831
>>265862
Aww yeah

>>265862

You blink slowly, suddenly realizing that you're awake. A soft beeping, and the hum of electrical devices seems to fill the air. The air tastes clean, somehow. Fresh, in a way that you've never thought possible. You stir gently, and look to your right.

Empty beds - huge beds - stretch across the room, full of things you don't understand. Tools and weapons of some kind, you think. Needles and saws, vats of mysterious liquids. You're not afraid, but confused at the sight. You've never seen such an orderly place. You suddenly realize your exhaustion - the weariness seems to lay heavily on you. You remember the giant, laughing at you, and as you take a deep breath, you feel a strange tightness in your chest. And then - something else. A strange feeling, like your heart is in two places. You stare at your own chest for a moment - and hear someone laughing quietly.

Turning your head to the left, you see your friends - Sen, and Fraq, sleeping restfully. Rab is watching you in his own garguantuan bed, a smile wrapping around his face.

"Awake, are we? Not bad, Finial." A thousand questions bubble up in your mind, all clamoring to be spoken.

>Where are we?
>What happened?
>Your hands, Rab! What's happened to them?
>write-in

>>265896
>Where are we?

>>265896
GET ME OUT OF THIS BLASTED DEVICE YOU BUFFOON

>Where are we?

File: apothecarium.jpg (21KB, 270x236px) Image search: [Google]

21KB, 270x236px

>>265898
>>265902
>>265904

"Where are we? Get me out of this place!" You exclaim, panic suddenly rising in your voice.

Rab grins fades, and he becomes solemn – "Finial, no, don't worry! You won't believe where we are. We are out of the Hive entirely." Your mouth drops open in shock, and Rab continues, "We are in another place, the Shadowed Lair – that's what the giants call it. They've taken us here to join them, Finial. To become giants, just like them. They will take us and mold us into great warriors, Finial." Rab's voice is conspiratorial, fevered - his eyes shine with pride and happiness.

"When we killed the beast, we proved our worth – they were watching us, Finial! They took us here to train us and make us into better warriors, to become their brothers! They're like one of the gangs in the Underhive – and now we are in their gang. They call themselves the Horned Lions!"

"But how can we trust them? If they're like you say, then they're just another gang!", you cry out. Rab laughs and says, "You're not listening, Finial - look at my hands!" He raises them up to show you, and instead of the angry muscle and damaged flesh you saw before, you see pale and smooth skin - unmarked, undamaged.

"They healed me, Finial! They have great powers and... And all kinds of other things! They've already started to remake us - the giant who healed me, his name is Fatho - he told me that they've already given us a gift - a second heart, to keep us alive and well, no matter what."

You shake your head in disbelief - and the thudding of your new heart seems to prove him right...

>Rab, and Sen - what about them?
>Where is this Fatho?
>When can we leave?
>write in

>>265947
>Rab, and Sen - what about them?
>Where is this Fatho?

>>265947
Are we some sort of insect? My lack of lore knowledge is clear.

>>265959

No, no - we're humans.

The Hive City is simply a massive superstructure that houses billions of people. Finial and his friends grew up in the Underhive, an extremely dangerous and poverty-stricken area of the Hive.

>>265970
So we're just niggers from the Bronx?

>>265959
I assume that you are referencing the term "hive" for that belief. The reason it is called that is because of the density of human habitation. Also because the usual style of construction is similar to that of termite hills.

We are a human, born near the bottom of one such hive.

>>265947
>>Rab, and Sen - what about them?

>>265978

Yep, we are pretty much boys from the hood.

>>265978
More accurately, we are a cockney orphan from a part of the hive which looks like Somalia on a great day.

>>265952

"Rab and Sen, what about them?"

"Still sleeping, I think - Fatho says that we will need to eat constantly and sleep all the time to grow. I am tired myself..." Rab seems to be becoming drowsy, his eyelids drooping. "They are joining the giants too, you know."

"But where is Fatho?"

"Oh, Finial, I'm sure you'll meet him eventually," Rab says, half-yawning. "Go to sleep! I'm too tired to keep talking..."

At all once, Rab is asleep again - the hum of the machines beeping softly and soothing you to sleep as well.

Your eyes seem to close of their own accord, and for a while, you drift off into a dreamless sleep.

>>265993
we gonna get genetically altered and super-aged soon ain't we

>>265996

Welp, I've been running for about four hours and I have to do some other things.

I might pick this back up later tonight if anyone is interested.

>>265998
Gene altering is far too difficult, they are juat going to manually insert the needed oegans and such in manually as to being super aged. We are at the age most recruits would be brought into the fold and even if we weren't they lack the tech.

>>265999
I don't know the first thing about 40k, but I don't have anything else to do.
I'm up for it. When ever you are ready.

>>265996

>I'm back for another hour or so, people.

The next few weeks blur together in a way that you never imagined possible. You realize quickly that the Underhive where you grew up, despite being cavernous and seemingly endless, was in fact the tiniest corner imaginable of the world. You learned about the Emperor of Mankind who ruled over the Imperium from His Golden Throne on Terra. You learned about how he had twenty sons, and those sons had sons themselves - mighty and powerful warriors who conquered the galaxy, who defeated hordes of aliens and freed humanity from their ignorances. You learned how half of the Emperor's sons betrayed their father in a great Heresy - Fraq once solemnly pronounced it "the greatest gang war ever done", and you all fell silent for a moment, thinking of the bloody and pointless shoot-outs you had seen in the Underhive. The tragedy of it seemed to swallow you alive for a time - all of Mankind locked in a life-or-death struggle.

You were anxious when the next surgery was performed - a piece of gene-seed to be implanted in your skull, designed to grow you into the size of giants, like the Horned Lions. And the one after, implanted in your guts - this one to make your bones and muscles harder than steel and give you the power to crush the enemies of Mankind. In the days that followed the surgery, the four of you did little more than eat huge quantities of food, sleep, and attend the sonorous prayers that the Horned Lions held twice a day - beautiful chants in a language that you didn't yet fully understand. Glories sung of old heroes and titanic conflicts and damned souls of those heretics who dared act against Him on Terra - it seemed that you had been plucked from the garbage and the rubble of the Underhive and placed directly into your own myth.

In only a few months, the four of you had become significantly taller - stronger too. Dressing yourself for morning prayers, you step into your robes - almost tent-sized now, and fitting you well.

>roll me a 4d100 to see how the initial implanting has gone for the Carcerum gangers

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>267213

Rolling

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>267213

Rolled 20, 2, 97, 68 = 187 (4d100)

>>267213

Rolled 20, 66, 47, 73 = 206 (4d100)

>>267213

>>267256
>>267259

Using these.

(Rolling against T, +10 modifier for Fatho's experience in gene-seed modulation)

Rolled 22, 43, 88, 55 = 208 (4d100)

>>267213

>>267263
So Faniel gets a -8?

>>267263

>Rab, 2 degrees of success
>Finial, 4 degrees of success
>Fraq, 1 degree of failure
>Sen, 4 degrees of failure (uh oh)

You'd learned in the past weeks that the implantations were called gene-seed - the direct physical blessings of the Emperor and his mighty sons, used to grant you strength and power. Rab had growing well, but you had been outstripping him handily, despite the fact that he had been taller than you only a few months before. Fatho had only words of praise when he carefully examined the pair of you - especially for you.

"Finial, you have the makings of a mighty warrior within you - I would be surprised if you did not reach 7 and half feet." You tried not to notice Rab's scowling when you noticed your growing height, but you couldn't resist some joking at his expense from time to time.

Fraq, though - Fatho had begun checking his growth and medical status frequently. When you asked Fatho about it, he would only say that the gene-seed was simply taking longer to take hold, but you had the distinct sense that Fraq was simply not doing as well - his growth was very slow, and it seemed like he suffered from aches and pains in his joints as he rose after prayers or when waking up from sleep.

And Sen had done the most poorly of all - he had never truly recovered from the drowsiness that had gripped all of you so tightly at first, and was prone to strange outbursts of fear or happiness when he was awake. His growth would leap forward in fits and starts, and Fatho had begun checking his progress daily, in concern. Finally, Fatho had announced at morning prayers that Sen would not be seen for some time - the gene-seed was reacting poorly and Sen's life was at risk.

"I suggest that you each pray to quiet Sen's hunting spirit," Fatho had said at the time, "So that the gene-seed can more firmly take root."

>>267338
Three out of four implantations were a success? These guys have the best gene-seed.

>>267272

eh, no. I was rolling against Toughness.

So Finiel rolled a 2 and 66, but I'm using a best of 2 system for stat-checks for /qst/'s benefit.

If Finiel rolls a 2, his Toughness is 38, which means he beat the test by 36, and 36 rounds out to 4 degrees of success. 38>28>18>8.

>>267338
>>267343
Turn Sen into a Servitor

>>267338

Another few months of eating, sleeping, and prayer passed. Each day was filled was learning about the history of the Imperium, the means by which the enemies of Man sought to destroy the Emperor's creations, and the necessity of purging the galaxy of their filth. You found yourself praying to the Emperor that he would save Sen's life - but if not, that he would release Sen's soul to fight the enemies of Man in the afterlife, if there was such a place.

You learned more about the Horned Lions - that they called themselves a Chapter, and that the Chapter itself was very new - less than 100 years old. It seemed like an impossibly long time to you - until you learned that Sergeant Karlat was over 75 years old himself, and he looked almost as young as you did. Everything you knew about what it meant to a man could be bent or broken, it seems.

+ + + + + + + + + +

"Finial, please join me in the Medicae." Fatho's voice rang clearly through the quiet halls of the chapel. You lifted your head mid-prayer to answer, "Yes, Brother." Standing quickly, you stride out into the main hall of the Shadowed Lair, your cloak billowing around you.

As you walk with Fatho, you glance at him carefully. As an Apothecary, his robes were a brilliant white, which made a contrast with his darker complexion. Unlike the other Horned Lions, Fatho was bald, and a tendency to speak too loudly. Nonetheless, you liked him - he always spoke directly to you, where other Horned Lions felt that Initiates were not worth a conversation. You had learned from example not to speak directly from full Battle-Brothers... Fatho raises an eyebrow momentarily before speaking out himself, "Yes, Initiate. You have a question?"

>What's in the Medicae?
>What is gene-seed really made of?
>When will I become a full Brother?
>write-in

>>267399
>What is gene-seed really made of?

>>267399
>>When will I become a full Brother?

>>267399
>>What is gene-seed really made of?
Good question for the source.

>>267399
>>When will I become a full Brother?

OP, is this a homebrewed chapter?

>>267432

>writing, halfway done rn

And yes, the Horned Lions are a homebrewed Chapter - I rolled them up randomly using the source books, as well as the subsector, all the planets and the characters we've seen so far as well.

Overkill, probably, but it was really helpful in determining some future story arcs.

>>267406
>>267408

"Brother Fatho, what is the gene-seed? What is truly made of?" Fatho's eyes seem to sparkle knowingly at your question.

"Ah, a perceptive question for an Initiate. What is it? The same lines of investigation led to me to become an Apothecary, long ago." Fatho seems to gather his thoughts as you stride together through the silent halls, passing other archways and stone engravings on the walls.

"The truth of the matter is this - the gene-seed itself is the essence of the Primarch from which we are descended, Initiate. All Chapters use gene-seed to remake their bodies and minds into a powerful weapon, but the gene-seed itself is not derived directly from the Emperor. When the Emperor created his Twenty Sons, he also created a great Legion of Space Marines for each Primarch. The most powerful and numerous of the Legions was the very first that he created, and so the very first Primarch commanded that legion. That Primarch's name was Lion'El Jonson, and his Legion was called the Dark Angels. They fought bravely and true during the Heresy, and the Dark Angels were broken up into many smaller Chapters afterwards. The Horned Lions are a new Chapter, only about 100 years old, but the gene-seed we use was collected from Lion'El Jonson, 10,000 years ago." You digest this as best you can, but the greater part of seems to be beyond your understanding – why was the Legion broken up? Who are the Dark Angels and where are they now? You force these questions into the back of your mind for a more important question.

"Thank you for your explanation, Brother Fatho," you say, as he nods his head. "But when will I become a true Brother of the Chapter?"

Fatho's head snaps at you, mouth taut in a grimace. "IF you become a Brother, it will happen when the time is right, and not before!" You keep your head low in apology – you hadn't realized what a sensitive question this might be.

>(1/2)

>>267486

Silently, you march alongside Fatho until you reach the Medicae. You step aside to allow Fatho inside, and he beckons you forward as you do. Walking into the room, you see Sen at once - seemingly bound to one of the beds by lines of cables and wires connecting to various machines. His form is bloated and uneven, one leg stretching out much longer than the other, and his forearms were like slabs of rockcrete, despite his tiny shoulders and neck. His breathing is shallow and fast - too fast, you think. And quietly, you hear a unending stream of nonsense words and conversations flowing from his lips.

"The gene-seed has begun to conquer him." Fatho states, calmly - looking in your direction. "What should be done?" For a moment, you have no idea what to say, as you look at the crumpled form of your friend.

>Can nothing be done?
>Death may be the kindest solution
>Could he still of use to the Chapter somehow?
>write

>>267513

>derp

Obviously the last option is a write-in.

>>267513
>>Can nothing be done?

>>267513
>Can nothing be done?

>>267513
>>Could he still of use to the Chapter somehow?

servitor

>>267523
Do we know what a servitor is?

>>267523
Not a fate you wish on your freinds anon

>>267523
>>267528

Presumably there are Chapter servitors in the Shadowed Lair, but Finial may not have considered where they actually come from.

>>267536
I think the character decision stands then. Kid would either want to help his friend or, likely thinking there's no help available, kill him.

>>267519
>>267522

"Can nothing be done?" you ask sadly.

"I have done everything that I can do for him, Finial. The gene-seed will run through his body and destroy his mind. But there is something that you can do for him." Fatho's voice hangs in the air. For some reason, you think of the mist in the Undercity, billowing in the dark. You blink, and realize that Fatho is holding out a stubpistol to you. The weapon has been cleaned, but it's unmistakably the same weapon that Sen used on the Lion beast in the Undercity.

You take the pistol, and it seems like a toy now, given how much larger you've become. You glance at Sen's fevered and uneven face, and then to Fatho. Fatho's heavy brows have sunk into contemplation, but he says nothing.

You turn to Sen and raise your hand.

>Do you shoot and kill your friend?
>Do you lower the pistol and walk away?

>>267566
>>Do you shoot and kill your friend?
We're not gonna let some proxy do it for us. We deserve to see him off, for his bravery in the fight.

>>267566
Can the Geneseed be removed? Is there really no way other than this?

If no
>Do you shoot and kill your friend?
End his suffering
If there is something that can be done? Do it.

>>267571
this.

>>267566
>>Do you shoot and kill your friend?

>>267571
>>267573
>>267574

You release a heavy sigh, and squeeze the trigger.

The stub round passes through Sen's forehead and bloody fragments spray across the back of the wall. Mercifully, Sen dies immediately, his feverish form going still, and the machines on the wall blinking and whirring in alarm. In just a few seconds, Sen's face seems to smooth out, the troubles fading from his misshapen brow. Lowering the weapon, you think back to your time with Sen, and the prayer you used to say when the four of you had made it through another night in the Underhive.

"Not eaten. Not stabbed. A good night. Be at peace, Sen." You state simply. Turning, you hold the pistol out to Fatho - but Fatho holds up a hand to reject the offering.

"Keep it. You have learned the first lesson of the Horned Lions, Initiate. A clean death is honorable - and the most we can hope for ourselves." Fatho strides past you before you can respond.

You turn back to Sen, his body already seeming less solid, less real. Your jaw seems to lock in place as you think about the unfairness of it - it was Sen who led you to the beast in the Underhive, gave you all the chance to join something greater, and now Sen was the first to die. But Fatho's words seem to settle on your mind, soothing them. You carefully unload the stubpistol, and contemplate what you've learned.

A clean death is merciful.

>>267634

>I'm probably done for the night
>Thanks for playing everyone.

I can answer some questions about the setting, the Horned Lions, or the system if anyone has questions.

>>267656
That wasn't bad. Are we gonna go through all of the Aspirant Trials?

>>267656
That was fun, make sure you make a twitter and link it for us so we know when you are running please. Any idea when you think you'll run next?

>>267656
how about some general information.
I know nothing about 40k.

>>267659

That's the plan, although killing a huge Xeno beast with your 10-year old buddies has won the Carcerum gangers a lot of initial street cred.

>>267676

Registering for a Twitter now, I'll post it shortly.

>>267678

There's a lot of good material on the interwebs, but in a few sentences: The Imperium of Mankind is a failing galactic empire 40,000 years in the future. Aliens of all types and kinds are constantly trying to bring down the Imperium, and the Imperium uses the Space Marines as elite shock troops to do what other military forces can't. The Imperium is basically Catholic Space Nazis, and is a combination of the Spanish Inquisition and a fascist police-state. Our main character, Finial, grew up on one of millions of worlds, and there are probably over 10 billion people on Finial's planet alone.

>>267656
Who is the founding chapters of horned lions it is dark angels ?
The most common enemy in this sector/system ? or whats the most common enemy for horned lions ? chaos, orks, xenos etc ?

>>267676

Twitter is @hornedlionsque1.

I plan on running on Thursdays and possibly Sunday evenings as well, but I'll keep everyone updated.

>>267695

So, the Horned Lions Chapter Master is actually a former 10th company Captain for the Dark Angels, and the Horned Lions are a true Successor Chapter. His name is Gaelos Leovum.

The year is 913.M41, and Carcerum is the capital of Coxitae Subsector, which is part of the Inanis Sector. The Inanis Sector is directly adjacent to the Badab Sector, and so 40k fans may realize what that means.

As for common enemies, the Lions are so new that they really haven't made a name for themselves just yet - they've done some great work with surgical strikes on Ork forces in the Coxitae subsector, but they haven't had any spectacular victories or failures just yet.

In fact, there's been some pressure on Leovum to step-up operations from Imperial Sector Command - the Lions have close to 300 Battle-Brothers and a healthy stock of gene-seed.

>>267729
What's the recruitment and attrition rate for the Chapter? 300 really isn't that impressive if it takes you a year to fill 20 and lose 5 a major battle, for example.

>>267745

You've kind of hit on the problem - recruitment is typically very slow and losses are hard to replace. Unfortunately the Lions don't have access to good recruiting worlds either - Carcerum is just not a good place to recruit overall. So I'm assuming that overall, the Chapter only adds a full brother every six months or so.

Horned Lions strongly favor hit and run and ambushes on an organizational level, so losses haven't been too bad either.

>>267772
Sounds pretty Raven Guard-y to me. Good. How do they view the Codex Astartes? Did the Badab War give this chapter an air of suspicion?

>>267781

>Raven Guard-y

Yeah, they're kind of similar in that respect. In terms of Codex-compliance, they're pretty much an exact duplication of the Dark Angels, with a Deathwing and a Ravenwing, although the names are different.

As for the Badab War, it's not totally clear why they weren't more involved, given their proximity. I'd tell you more, but I don't want to ruin plot details

>>267807
Is the chapter under suspicion? Is it possible to claim another world from the subsector without pissing off the Sector Governor?

>>267813
fuck the sector governor we will pull people frorm the beest bredding stock this sector has and the governor will happy about it if he wants us to defrind thies worlds, could always overthow him and rule the worlds:P

>>267813
Hold on Battle Brother, We need to prove our chapter's honor and prowess before we are bestowed the honor of a recruitment world.

We are His angels, the deliverers of his will, and we will be forged in the blazing fires of total war.

>>267772
Would you consider activating messages on your twitter so we can ask you stuff easier?

So when do we tame one of those Lions

I want one

>>265146

Hi everyone - just wanted to let everyone know I'm planning to run tonight for a couple hours at 7:00pm EST.

>>277922
Run RIGHT now.

>>277922
don't worry mate, I have a plan

I'll cut a path towards the city, conquering the settlements in the way. Then I plan to consolidate my forces in front of the imperial city's gates.

>>277922
cool. I'll be there.

Rolled 8 + 3 (1d8 + 3)

>>279396

Rolling