"We determine the guilty. We decide the punishment."
- Codex Arbites
"They live there in that great plascrete tower surrounded by walls and razor wire, only emerging to seize some unfortunate who has transgressed against the Imperial Laws or to patrol the city to prove that it belongs to them. There are crystal lenses and sound wave detectors on that tower that can watch citizens and listen to their conversations 100 leagues away, Imperial spy satellites watch what they can't see directly and even the Governor fears them. They aren't from here and have nothing to do with us, no more than Orks or Eldar, if they have families or children we don't know about them and we don't care. They wouldn't so much as buy a glowbulb from us and we would not sell it to them. It's ironic that they have the rather benevolent title of Arbitrators." - Vorkas Zolowski
The vast, galaxy-spanning Imperium of Mankind contains an untold number of worlds and an equally infinite number of cultures. The variety and flexibility of mankind is one of its greatest strengths and it has allowed the species to thrive in practically any environment. Even so, for the Imperium to be a single, cohesive entity, there must be a universal constant that binds the galaxy together. Many think that it is the God-Emperor and the Imperial Cult, that it is faith in our most holy Guardian that is what makes the Imperium what it is. And while it is certainly important, as faith inspires devotion more readily than any other cause, it is not what keeps the Imperium together. Belief in the Emperor takes many forms and expresses itself in many different ways. No, there is but one thing that is the same everywhere, unbending, unrelenting, unchanging. The Lex Imperialis. The rule of law.
And we are the law. The Adeptus Arbites is the galactic police force that keeps the entirety of the Imperial population in check, represented on every colonized world by a towering Precinct-Fortress inhabited by grim, faceless men and women in sinister black armor, strangers from off-world. Petty crimes like theft and murder are not what interest us, as those are investigated and punished by local enforcement agencies under the employ the planetary Governor and some of those are no better than hired thugs with a thin veil of legitimacy. We answer only to the Adeptus Terra and even the Governor is subject to our scrutiny. If the Holy Inquisition is the final line of defense against heresy, dissent and rebellion, the Adeptus Arbites are the first bulwark, poised and ready to strike against total subversion of Imperial law. We come when the local enforcers are out of their depth and we come without mercy.
That brings me to the Hive World of Aphrodus Primaris, a seething mass of industrial pollution and overpopulation. Its spires tower miles into the smog and delve even deeper into the darkness of the rotting earth. It is populated by billions of souls and is absolutely rife with corruption. It has been this way for hundreds (if not thousands) of years but the level of unrest among the population has been steadily increasing. Crime, always a problem, is severely on the rise and there are whispers on the street of something far more sinister happening in the shadows of the Underhive. It is our sworn duty to find the cause of this unrest, suppress any potential seeds of rebellion or rioting, and crush whatever insidious infection lingers in the dark.
Signed, in the name of the Emperor, Judge Kaelon Catulo
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Welcome to Strike Team Omicron, Arbites.
Formed approximately two weeks before the start of this roleplay, Omicron is a self-contained investigative and tactical unit of the Adeptus Arbites designed to respond to the increased threat of societal upheaval on the Hive World of Aphrodus Primaris, as outlined in the fluff piece above. Omicron is one of several of such Strike Teams stationed around the globe and reports directly to Judge Catulo. It is sent to deal with unusual and exceptionally severe situations, fully equipped and trained to handle all manner of criminal transgression. As such, Omicron is a diverse group of Arbitrators and Specialists selected from the best of the best in the precinct.
As directed by Judge Catulo, Omicron will be sent on a missions, details of which are provided by the game masters, and it is up to the individuals of the Strike Team to determine how they wish to tackle the objective. After successfully completing a mission, Strike Team Omicron will return to the Precinct-Fortress to receive new orders from Judge Catulo. The overarching plot will unfold itself throughout these missions but this system allows for short, self-contained stories that will be easier to play.
Below follows all the information required for you to successfully complete your application to Strike Team Omicron. Any further questions can be directed at myself or my partner in crime @Jbcool in this thread.
A P H R O D U S P R I M A R I S
Located within the Segmentum Obscurus, Aphrodus Primaris is a η-class planet, better known as a Hive World, populated by 32 billion humans. Most of the population are manual laborers that slave away in the planet's highly developed mining industry as the planet is very rich in rare minerals and metals. Several nearby Forge Worlds are heavily reliant on the output of Aphrodus Primaris and it is considered an alpha-priority world by the Adeptus Terra, which means it has a very sizable Planetary Defense Force (PDF) and Adeptus Arbites detachment. There is also an Adeptus Astartes Chapter, the Void Stalkers, that uses the planet as a recruiting ground.
Whatever parts of Aphrodus Primaris aren't systematically being hollowed out by the mining corporations are covered in sprawling Hive Cities that house all of the planet's laborers and its aristocratic ruling elite. There are five such Hive Cities, each about the size of a continent, though the borders between the ever-growing cities has become harder and harder to see over the centuries. In theory, law and order in these cities is maintained by a local police force known as the Enforcers that answers to various magistrates of the Planetary Governor's administration. In practice, huge sections of the Hive Cities are lawless, toxic labyrinths where thousands of gangs fight each other for supremacy in the darkness of the Underhive. Only the Upperhive, the large spires that penetrate above the thick clouds of smog and acid rain, are safe havens of civilized society and order. The aristocracy maintain their own retinues of militant-bodyguards and, as such, the Enforcers are mostly focused on protecting the mining industry and ensuring the planet's output remains steady... something the corporations and trading guilds pay them handsomely for. It is but one of many examples of the corruption that is so widespread on Aphrodus Primaris.
Some miscellaneous information: Aphrodus Primaris is the third planet in the solar system, revolves around the sun once every 845 days, and has no noticeable seasons. Most of the planet's oceans have evaporated or been drained and the planet imports nearly all of its food and water. The population is generally of fair complexion, increasingly more pale and gaunt the deeper into the Underhive you go, and dark-haired. The air is so polluted that, especially in the depths of the Underhives, it is toxic to off-worlders. Arbites forces wear a mandatory rebreather whenever they venture outside the walls of the Precinct-Fortress as a result.
T H E P R E C I N C T
Because of the immense size of Aphrodus Primaris' cities and the incredibly dense population, the Adeptus Arbites have spread out across several Precinct-Fortresses. The main base of operations is located near the Upperhive of Saint Sarcage's Hive, the wealthiest and least polluted Hive City, opposite the Governor's palace and the Ecclesiarchy's largest basilica on the Square of Imperial Heroes. It is a large, ominous black structure easily the size of a cathedral that houses hundreds of Arbites equipped to wage a small war. The people that work there see the splendor and magnificence of the very best that Aphrodus Primaris has to offer on a daily basis.
Strike Team Omicron is not so lucky. We are based out of a much smaller Precinct-Fortress on the other side of the globe. It is situated on the edge of Rancunhive, officially designated as Precinct S-12, one of the poorest and most crime-ridden areas of the planet. It is part of the larger city of Macaroth's Splendor, an ironic name for such a revolting place to live. Rancunhive houses more than all of the workers of one of the largest mining operations currently active on Aphrodus Primaris, known colloquially as the Deep Dig, located to the west of Rancunhive. Enormous quarries and tunnel systems have been excavated out of the earth and the smog exhaust of the vast digging machines blots out the sun in Rancunhive on a frequent basis.
These mining workers frequently form gangs and try to supplement their meager wages with less-than-legal means, like narcotics, exploitation of prostitutes and racketeering. Eventually, they quit their day job entirely and turn to a permanent life of crime in the lightless, sub-surface depths of Rancunhive. They battle for territory, raid nearby rivals and terrorize the more innocent and hard-working civilians. The local Enforcers barely deal with them at all as long as the activity in the Deep Dig itself isn't disturbed. When these gangs wars spiral out of control, the Arbites sometimes step in to intervene and restore order with a brutal smackdown that doubles as a population cull. Some of the most infamous gangs that are known to the Arbites are the Bloody Sickles, the Grinning Jesters and the Tunnel Rats. There is also a group of zealous priest-thugs, the Emperor's Wraiths, that haunt the subterranean tunnels and fight all those they deem unworthy of the Emperor's light (namely the other gangs).
Life gets better further up the Hive. The very tip of the Upperhive, above the smog, houses the elite, including local magistrates, corporation officials and trading guild executives. These elite citizens form a local council known as the Rancunhive Collective. Together they decide local rulings, trade agreements with foreign entities and all sorts of underhanded dealings. They are decidedly not friendly with Arbites Precinct S-12.
Below them live the ordinary, Emperor-fearing workers who don't want any trouble and just live out their lives as best they can.
S T R I K E T E A M O M I C R O N
Before I continue, let me briefly explain the general nature of the Arbites organization. It can be broadly divided into two divisions; the Judges and the Arbitration. Judges are the dusty old men who have memorized thousands upon thousands of pages of the Lex Imperialis and know exactly what is and isn't against the law. They decide the eventual punishment in long and complex cases against high-ranking individuals and direct the actions of the militant branch in the field. They are the brain, and the Arbitrators are the brawn.
Strike Team Omicron is, essentially, a fledgling and growing team of Arbitrators and supporting Specialists created by Judge Catulo to rapidly respond to any and all situations out in the field without ever having to call for backup. More than just a squad of armored Arbitrators, Omicron has it all; Combat Medics, Verispex Adepts, a Chaplain, etc etc. The following roles are available to play.
ARBITRATORS
These are the highly trained combat specialists that are responsible for performing arrests, breaking up riots and summarily executing those felons that resist. All variants are equipped with a primary firearm, a secondary firearm, a melee weapon and a Suppression Shield, and wear Carapace armour.
Arbitrator: The bread and butter of Strike Team Omicron and guardians of order and the rule of law within the Imperium. Implacable, unrelenting, and nigh-on impossible to kill; they are the Emperor's justice manifest. Most common rank of Arbitrator an ordinary Imperial citizen will come into contact with, usually to his or her misfortune if they have broken the law. Makes up more than half of Omicron's numbers. Follows the Commander's and the Sergeant-Arbitrators' orders but retains relatively great autonomy. Availability: ∞x
Shocktrooper: Paramilitary combat troops that carry out no-knock raids and assaults on fortified locations. First through the door in scenarios where strong resistance is suspected. Experts in heavy weapons and explosives. Availability: 1-3x, depending on player count.
Mortiurge: An Arbitrator that takes on the role of a sanctioned killer rather than a servant of the law. Specially trained to operate independently both as sniper overwatch and close-quarters gunfighter, away from the rest of the Strike Team. Access to special wargear. Due to the singular nature of the character, exceptional character sheet is required. Availability: 1x
SPECIALISTS
The supporting staff that elevate Omicron from ordinary Arbitrator squad to self-contained unit capable of fielding all necessary expertise in any situation. While still very capable fighters, the Specialists focus on their respective trades more than their combat skills and will generally be outclassed in a fight by the Arbitrators, both in equipment and in capabilities. Specialists give up the Suppression Shield in order to carry the tools of their trade into the field. Additional rules may apply.
Combat Medic: Trained in first aid and battlefield surgery, the Combat Medic is responsible for Omicron's physical welfare and health. Equipment includes gauze, bandages, scalpels, needle & thread, stimpak, painkillers and bonesaw. Availability: 2x
Verispex Adept: Forensic investigators that use cutting-edge technology to inspect crime scenes, test samples and overcome cyber-security. Also responsible for various tech-tasks like auspex scans, monitoring local Vox-networks and meticulous record-keeping in the field. Adepts wear the Verispex armour, which symbolically resembles Arbitrator carapace armour but is far lighter and more comfortable. It contains a variety of special tools and scanners, including an auspex, long-range Vox-caster, chrono, combi-tool and data-slate. Availability: 2x
Tech-Regulator: Where the Verispex Adept is responsible for using all sorts of technology, it is the job of the Tech-Regulator to make sure it all stays functional. Skilled in maintaining and repairing vehicles, weapons and various gadgets and carries the necessary tools to perform said tasks in the field. Could potentially be a bonafide Tech-Priest of the Mechanicus merely attached to the Arbites if so desired by the player. If so, the Tech-Regulator does not wear Carapace armor but instead Enginseer robes dyed black. Availability: 2x
Chaplain: Where the Combat Medic sees to injuries in the flesh, the Chaplain is responsible for the spiritual, mental and religious well-being of the Strike Team. Well-versed in the dogma of the Imperial Cult and exceptionally devout. Carries a copy of the Imperial Creed in book form as well as the incense and oils necessary for both blessings and last rites of Arbites that die in the field. Availability: Currently unavailable.
Chastener: Nice way of saying 'torturer'. Responsible for interrogating prisoners in order to obtain information or confessions, a frequently lethal process. Utterly pitiless individual. Carries various tools of torture into the field; be creative. Availability: 1x
Investigator: The sharp mind that guides Omicron's actions in developing and following leads. Heavily cooperates with the Verispex Adepts and the Chastener in their line of work. Can potentially be a sanctioned psyker in order to divinate the truth or obtain information through supernatural means. Due to the important nature of the character, an exceptional sheet is required. Availability: 1x
OFFICER CADRE
The first among equals, the officer cadre are all Arbitrators distinguished by rank alone. They use the same wargear as other Arbitrator variants.
Strike Team Commander: Leads Omicron into the field. Answers directly to Judge Catulo and has nearly limitless authority otherwise, as even Planetary Governors fear the Adeptus Arbites. Experienced and fearless Arbitrator. The position of Commander and Specialist are mutually exclusive; aside from leadership, the Commander has no utilitarian skills. Due to the importance of the role, an exceptional character sheet is required. Availability: 1x
Arbitrator-Sergeant: Makes sure the Commander's orders are carried out and enforces discipline among the troops. Grizzled veteran Arbitrators that don't take shit from anyone. Like the Commander, Specialist and Sergeant are exclusive roles. Availability: Currently unavailable.
A R M O U R Y
This list details the various pieces of wargear available to the members of Strike Team Omicron. Pick and choose your equipment and make sure that it is available to the role you wish to play.
PRIMARY FIREARMS
Combat Shotgun: Standard-issue weapon for all members of the Adeptus Arbites due to its reliability and power in close-quarters combat; an important attribute considering the dense and crowded nature of a Hive City. Easy to fire, reload and maintain and will probably never jam. Solid choice for any Arbitrator or Specialist. Available to: All roles.
Autogun: Fully or semi-automatic rifle that fires high-velocity solid ammunition. Shotguns remain powerful at distances of up to 40 meters but the autogun becomes significantly deadlier beyond that and the larger ammo capacity of its magazines make it easier to take down small groups of opponents. Can be used with armor-piercing (AP) ammunition to increase potency against vehicles and light armor at the expensive of sheer flesh-rending power. Not as easy to use and significantly less potent in close-quarters, however. May jam occasionally. Available to: All roles.
Lasrifle: An energy-based alternative to the autogun, the lasrifle is the signature weapon of the Imperial Guard where it is mostly used for its reliability and the high ammunition count of its rechargeable power packs. The lasrifle has no penetration power and suffers against armored targets but it is supremely easy to use and will never jam (though it can potentially overheat after extended use). Available to: All roles.
Bolter: High-caliber automatic rifle that fires a self-propelled explosive 'bolt' which explodes with devastating effect once it has penetrated its target, effectively blowing it apart from the inside. The bolter is a double-edged sword that balances unparalleled firepower against difficulty of use due to its massive recoil, cumbersome weight and size. Too unwieldy for Specialists to bring into the field and too expensive to be issued to rank-and-file Arbitrators. Available to: Shocktrooper, Arbitrator-Sergeant, Commander.
Grenade Launcher: When the bolter isn't explosive enough, you bring this bad boy. Its revolving drum magazine houses six grenades that explode on contact after being fired in an arc. Capable of taking down multiple targets (anything from unarmored civilians to light tanks) with a single shot but difficult to use and slow to reload. Low ammunition count due to the large size of the grenades. Available to: Shocktrooper.
Heavy Stubber: Also known as a heavy stub gun, the heavy stubber is a projectile weapon that fires large-caliber bullets able to stop a man dead in his tracks at a high rate of fire. Its long barrel gives it more accuracy than the bolter and the prodigious ammunition count from its hefty magazine means it is undeniably the best weapon for use against hordes of lightly-armoured combatants and vehicles or to suppress enemies behind cover. Comes with a stabilizing harness that allows it to be used without a tripod. Prone to jamming after extended use. Available to: Shocktrooper.
Sniper Rifle: An assassin's weapon capable of taking down soft targets with a single shot at any distance or stopping a vehicle in its tracks with a well-placed shot to the engine block. Comes with a powerful telescopic sight and a suppressor. Its extremely long barrel and low rate of fire make it all but useless in close-quarters combat. Available to: Mortiurge.
SECONDARY FIREARMS
Stub Gun: Simple and robust semi-automatic weapon that fires low-caliber slugs only potent versus soft targets, but reliable in a pinch. Easy to use and requires barely any maintenance. Doesn't jam often. Available to: All roles.
Autopistol: The stub gun's aggressive and spastic brother. Capable of emptying its clip within a split second, the autopistol fires a barrage of caseless shells that can riddle a target full of holes before they can react. Prone to jamming and highly inaccurate but useful when your life is on the line. Available to: All roles.
Laspistol: Smaller version of the lasrifle. Same advantages and disadvantages as its big brother, but even less potent versus armor. Available to: All roles.
Hand Cannon: Kicks like a mule and hits like a truck, the handcannon is a powerful sidearm for when you absolutely, positively need to stop an enemy in their tracks. The large slugs it fires punch clean through flak and even carapace-armour and will take a man's head clean off with a single shot. Low rate of fire, high recoil and small ammunition count make it difficult to use. Prone to jamming. Available to: All roles.
Bolt-Pistol: Very similar to the hand cannon when put into practice but easier to use and maintain. Status symbol throughout the Imperium and will as such only be found in the hands of a decorated individual. Available to: Arbitrator-Sergeant, Commander, Mortiurge (potentially dual-wielded).
MELEE WEAPONS
Power Maul: This is the undeniable signature weapon of the Adeptus Arbites. Perfectly suited for law enforcement and riot control, the power maul is a heavy mace-like weapon that features a crackling power field around the business end of the stick. On low settings the power maul is capable of stunning its targets, allowing them to be taken in alive or simply left unconscious in the wake of an Arbitrator breaking up a riot. On high settings, the power field can smash holes in a wall or blast a man's limbs clean off. Too heavy to be carried by some of the Specialist roles on top of their equipment and not suitable for the sinister role of the Mortiurge. Available to: Arbitrator, Shocktrooper, Chaplain, Investigator, Arbitrator-Sergeant, Commander.
Shock Baton: Smaller cousin of the power maul. An extendable and easily concealable baton that is capable of dispensing reasonably potent electric shocks that cause fierce pain and seizures, similar to a taser. Available to: Combat Medic, Verispex Adept, Chastener and Tech-Regulator.
Combat Knife: When a more elegant and lethal solution is required. The combat knife is essentially a foot-long dagger with a serrated, mono-molecular edge capable of cutting or stabbing through armor and flesh alike. Available to: Mortiurge.
Power Sword: Balanced and master-crafted longsword that features a power field similar to the power maul, but aligned with the blade's edge and designed to aid the weapon's slicing and thrusting purposes instead of bashing holes into things or people. A leader's weapon with symbolic and tangible power. Available to: Commander.
TERTIARY EQUIPMENT
Suppression Shield: Large, rectangular shield that covers the wielder's entire body from head to toe. Bulletproof and features an electro-shock unit. The electricity is discharged into the first unfortunate individual the shield contacts squarely and is capable of knocking targets out cold and pushing them back. Carried on the wielder's back when not in use. Features a circular slot in the upper right corner of the shield for the wielder to poke the barrel of a firearm through so they can fire while advancing behind the shield. Used by: All Arbitrators, Shocktroopers, Arbitrator-Sergeants, Commander.
Specialist Gear: What this exactly means varies from Specialist to Specialist, but this refers to all the equipment that replaces the Suppression Shield. Specialists carry their gear in a backpack padded with ballistic fiber and explosive-resistent padding to safeguard it in the field of battle. Used by: All Specialist roles.
Carapace Armor: Standard-issue armor for all members of the Adeptus Arbites. Provides very significant protection against small arms fire and most primitive melee weaponry. Arbitrators clad in this armor and wielding the Suppression Shield are nigh unstoppable versus the gross majority of criminal elements in the Imperium. It is, however, rather large and unwieldy, consisting of several rigid plates of ceramite molded to fit the body of its wielder. Acts of athleticism and acrobatics are heavily restricted. The Verispex Adept wears the Verispex armor instead, which incorporates elements of flak-armor instead and provides significantly less protection.
Suits of carapace armor on Aphrodus Primaris include an all-enclosing helmet that features a rebreather in order to deal with the noxious industrial fumes that are dangerous to an off-worlder's health. The helmet also has a vox-bead so nearby members of the Arbites can communicate with each other at distances of up to a kilometer. The visor can switch to several modes and frequencies, including night vision and infrared. Used by: All roles except Verispex Adept and if a Tech-Regulator is a Tech-Priest instead.
Grenades: Every member of the Adeptus Arbites carries at least a few grenades into battle. Available variants are the anti-personnel frag grenade, the anti-vehicle krak grenade, smoke grenades, non-lethal knock-out grenades and concussion grenades (essentially flash-bangs). Used by: All roles.
Plastic Explosives: Used to blow anything that deserves it to kingdom come. Reinforced plasteel doors, tanks, housing blocks -- you name it. Has a sticky surface that allows it to be attached to anything and a timed fuse. Replaces grenades. Available to:Shocktrooper.
C H A R A C T E R S H E E T
Please post your character sheets in the comments below so Jbcool and I can review it. Do not post it in the Characters tab until we have approved your character. I welcome constructive criticism from all parties involved, so if you see someone else post a character sheet and you have a suggestion or two to make that character even more interesting, please do so politely in this thread. It's helped me before and I would like to extend that experience to others.
I'd like to take this moment to emphasize that I am from the old guard of Advanced roleplayers, back when this section was a highly elitist clique of self-aggrandizing writers who considered themselves super skilled. Fear not, I am not one of them, but I do have higher standards than what I generally see in this section today. Please put in the extra effort to make your character sheets and posts free of any glaringly obvious spelling, grammatical and syntax mistakes. English isn't my native language so I will let minor stuff slide. I'll probably make those mistakes myself -- or, hell, not even notice them.
Quick note: the Adeptus Arbites are a highly skilled, disciplined and dedicated organization. Edgy lone wolves and arrogant pricks have no place in a force like this and won't be accepted. On top of that, nobody's perfect, so I hope not to see any holier-than-thou flawless Gary Sue characters either.
NAME: Self-explanatory. Can be as exotic as you like since none of the Arbites are actually from Aphrodus Primaris.
HOMEWORLD: To reiterate: all of our characters are off-worlders. They grew up elsewhere and have been deliberately assigned to police a world that is not their home. This is done to reduce any chances of corruption and favoritism with the populace. Please describe your character's homeworld here and how that has influenced their personality and outlook on life.
AGE: Anywhere from a fresh recruit (20+) to a grizzled veteran (maximum of 120~ with juvenat treatments).
GENDER: Male or female. The Imperium is no place for genderfluid or genderless people. I know; bigoted, right?
APPEARANCE: What does your character look like beneath their armor? A detailed written description is mandatory though this can be supplemented with reference images tucked away inside a hider.
ROLE: See the list above. Please make sure your desired role is available before continuing with the rest of your sheet. I will keep the list updated daily.
UNIFORM: Please detail what your character's armor looks like. All suits of carapace armor are painted black and always will be painted black, but some level of personalization and customization is allowed among the Arbites forces on Aphrodus Primaris. Perhaps some personal heraldry on the shoulderpads in the style of the Astartes or a ghastly grin painted on the rebreather. Stuff like that.
EXPERTISE: All members of Strike Team Omicron have basic military and law enforcement training but the various roles all excel in different areas, and among those different individuals have different specialties. Please detail that here. Feel free to include miscellaneous skills like card games, arts and crafts and such. Even the Arbitrators have hobbies!
EQUIPMENT: Please list your character's gear here and please do so in the following format. Feel free to customize your gear with attachments and cosmetic personalizations, but remember that the base paint job of any piece of equipment and weaponry is black. We're a grim sort.
- Primary weapon: Pick from the list above. Make sure it is available to your role.
- Secondary weapon: Ditto.
- Melee weapon: You guessed it.
- Tertiary equipment: Once again, role-appropriate. Specialists have a relatively large amount of freedom to determine exactly what their backpack contains, so be creative. Think about what they would need to fulfill their tasks. This is also where you can list any miscellaneous stuff that I forgot.
- Mementos: Arbites are still people. What precious keepsakes does your character have with them? A necklace that once belonged to their mother, a picture of their family, or any other trinket with sentimental value. List them here.
BIOGRAPHY: This is where you provide me with a reasonably detailed account of your character's life. Important fact: All Arbites are recruited through the Schola Progenium, an Ecclesiarchy-run organization that takes in and trains orphaned children of high-ranking Imperial officials to provide the next generation of elite individuals. Now, I don't need to know exactly how they were trained or the details of every operation they've been a part of since joining the Arbites, but the following areas of your character's history are key.
1. Formative years of youth on their homeworld, 2. The nature of their parents and their death, 3. Their experience in the Schola Progenium and Arbites training program, 4. Their 'big case'. What has your character achieved that has drawn the attention of Judge Catulo and made him assign your character to Strike Team Omicron?
Give me at least three solid paragraphs but feel free to be as thorough as you like. An additional thing to consider is if your character has a relationship or any children of their own in the Precinct-Fortress. I won't rule out the possibility -- they're still people and people breed. The lore doesn't explicitly forbid this so neither will I.
PERSONALITY: What kind of person is your character? How have the events of their life influenced them? Have they taken well to the life of an Arbites on Aphrodus Primaris? None of the Arbites are sweethearts, exactly, but there's a measurable difference between a dedicated Arbites and a cynical asshole with no regard for civilian life. Outline that here, please.
MISCELLANEOUS: Just in case I forgot anything.
G A M E P L A Y & R U L E S
The actual meat of this RP consists of various missions that Strike Team Omicron is sent on by Judge Catulo. Should we gather enough members and a sufficient variety and redundancy of roles, Omicron will split up and pursue several missions at once. Members will be selected based on their roles & skills to form a complimentary and wholesome squad.
Once Judge Catulo has given his orders, it will be up to the players to determine how they wish to tackle their objective or solve their case. The gamemasters (myself and Jbcool) will provide all the necessary information and dictate the setting of the mission. Now, to make sure that the gameplay remains interesting and possibly challenging, I will borrow some elements of tabletop gaming and include a dice roll for every round of posting that determines the success of your character's actions to a certain degree. It will still be up to the player to interpret the consequences of these rolls and exactly how the character succeeds or fails. I expect a gentleman's agreement between the gamemasters and the players that writing will be fair and in the pursuit of an interesting narrative instead of personal success. I do not tolerate powergaming. However, fear not: I will not callously or pointlessly have your characters killed off.
An overarching plot will unfold itself throughout these missions but this system allows for self-contained stories that will be easier to play and manage.
Non-combat specialties like the Chastener, Investigator and Verispex Adept will play a little minigame with me when those characters put their respective skills to use. Based on how their dice rolls play out and the written actions of the character (a more thorough and descriptive act of torture by the Chastener yields better results, and the same goes for application of the Verispex Adept's tools, etc) myself or Jbcool will send a PM to the player with the information that their character gained during the application of their skills, like an interrogation or crime scene investigation. This information can then be used however the player sees fit.
The rules are quite simple: be Fonz-cool, don't control other people's characters and the gamemaster's word is law. All of our decisions are final. We're here to have fun, please don't make it difficult for anyone else to do so. For those of you who didn't notice, I am a moderator, so be on your best behavior. ;)
That's it! Questions can be directed at myself and Jbcool in this thread. I look forward to writing with you all.
Feel free to choose any of the open roles but if you're lost and would like a suggestion, important roles are the Commander, Investigator, Shocktrooper, Medic and -- last but decidedly not least -- ordinary Arbitrators. They're the backbone of the team during combat situations. That Suppression Shield is a godsend.
EDIT 2: Roll call; if you're interested in joining and are (thinking of) making a character please leave a post here with your desired role.
For those of you who like that sort of thing, this RP has a channel in the Guild's Discord server. The text channel is called #crimenandpunishment_rp. Link to the Discord server (no signup required): discord.gg/dyxhc4c
Feel free to use that to discuss character ideas or to ask me questions. Either this thread or the Discord channel will do.
Feel free to choose any of the open roles but if you're lost and would like a suggestion, important roles are the Commander, Investigator, Shocktrooper, Medic and -- last but decidedly not least -- ordinary Arbitrators.
@Andreyich As you can see, certainly. It won't be all combat. I'll explain some more about how the non-combat specialties fit into the game in the Gameplay section. In the same vein, I forgot to list another important role; the Verispex Adept. That role is instrumental in gathering clues.
EDIT: Added a little explanation to the first post.
HOMEWORLD: Almata III: Arid, Sandy, scattered with the hulks of Imperial and xenos warships where they crashed centuries ago, infested with orks that the PDF can never quite manage to eradicate.
AGE: 44
GENDER: Male
APPEARANCE: A short, somewhat thickset man of pale complexion with a gaunt, pockmarked face. His eyes are a bright green, and his black hair is graying at the temples. Is practically never found without an lho-stick.
ROLE: Mortiurge. A gunslinger and assassin.
UNIFORM: In combat, wears a stripped-down version of the standard-issue arbites carapace armor, usually with a black trench coat. When not in combat, he usually wears a black jacket and a white collared shirt with no signification of rank. On infiltration missions he either wears his black civilian clothes or an arbites-issued black body glove, depending on the mission.
EXPERTISE:Murder.
Love is a skilled infiltrator, marksman and hand to hand combatant and- at least as he tells it- he is the quickest draw in the sub-sector.
Grappling hook and adhesive gloves for scaling walls, microbead comms, personal rebreather, dual silenced stub guns, and most notably, a psyber-raven who serves as Love's familiar and spotter.
The raven's name is Friendly.
- Mementos: A thin volume of poetry called the Canticles of the Gun and Blade, composed by a half-mad Death Cultist Caractacus Borgin, a member of the infamous Inquisitor Lord Ravenstein's entourage.
ARBITES DATANET
CAUTION: CYAN GRADE CLEARANCE REQUIRED [kindly note: the prescribed penance for proceeding without clearance is arco-flagellation]
PASSWORD: *** **** ** ****
ACCEPTED
GENE-SCAN INITIATING
GENE-SCAN COMPLETE
PSYCHIC PATTERN SCAN INITIATING
-Stand By-
PSYCHIC PATTERN SCAN COMPLETE
SECONDARY PASSWORD: ***** ** ********
ACCEPTED
-Welcome, Judge-
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Hatred guides our steps.
UNREAD MESSAGES: 2
MESSAGE 1 From: Borkas, Marvolo
Catulo,
Sorry to hear you're stuck on Aphrodus. A disgusting hive-sink, by all accounts. I don't envy you- keeping a lid on that cesspool of heresy and crime. May the Emperor lend you all his ruthlessness and cunning.
I am writing because I heard from Brother Vandin that you might need the services of a Mortiurge. Don't listen to any of the doubters, Catulo, or the old timers who frown on employing assassins. Emperor knows, the arbites on Aphrodus need every tool they can use.
As it happens, I am acquainted with a Mortiurge who may prove most useful to you- Athanasius Love. A reliable man, as assassins go, with a flair for the dramatic in his executions. I employed him for some time during my posting on Dolcine, and he took care of headaches quite efficiently.
I can tell you- the willful and heterodox Governor became much more compliant with my mandates after Love turned up in his bedroom and explained that his next visit would involve a knife in the gubernatorial ribs. Likewise, the successive and increasingly grizzly deaths of rival bosses in the orbital docks reduced smuggling measurably during the course of my Magistracy. One trafficker was found in the void, lashed to the prow of his ship.
I have attached Love's file below for your review. I am leaving Dolcine on pilgrimage to the Hall of Judgement, and my successor disdains the use of assassins, so you are well advised to take Love on before some other Judge snatches him up. May he wreak as much havoc on your enemies as he has on my own.
In His Name,
Marvolo Borkas Magistrate Adeptus Arbites
Subject 20,117: Love, Athanasius
Designation: Mortiurge
Parentage: Love, Augusta and Love, Zoros. Killed by xenos raiders on Almata III [see appended for planetary details]
Scholam Assessment:
Subject 20,117 assessed high intelligence/high sociopathy/low piety/low obedience/high self-reliance/high addictive personality/high linguistic competence/high creativity
Slated for Inquisitorial/Arbites service or execution for signs of deviancy.
Training regimen: Xo School hand-to-hand combat training, infiltration training, sniper and hand gun mastery sessions.
Training Results: PASS in all areas. Execution indefinitely deferred.
Addtl: interest in literature and history cultivated to 'humanize' subject for increased infiltration effectiveness among aristocratic castes & educated heretics.
Service Record:
Ophidian IV, Arbites Service [5 yrs, 2 mos]
St. Odo's World, Arbites Service [3 yrs]
[redacted], Inquisitorial Service [redacted]
Dolcine, Arbites Service [3 yrs]
Target Summary [see appended for details of deceased]
Rylo Kul, Smuggler Deceased, Gunshot to Head
Verona von Krangslin, Aristocrat, Heretic Deceased, Incinerated
Gaxz the Unfounded, serial murder, Heretic Deceased, Gunshot to Chest and Head
Prince Adolphus Stiglitz, Rogue Trader Deceased, Hung by Neck from Stateroom Chandelier
Arno Fowle, Heretic Deceased, Gunshot to Chest and Head
Gimnour van Fesselvingen, Heretic Deacon Deceased, Gunshot to Chest
Ava Pallansour, Aristocrat, Racketeer Deceased, Strangled
Foorad Vorhees, Heretic Pamphleteer Deceased, Fed Foot-First into Printing Press
Richtoff von Muldior, Planetary Governor Deceased, Knife Wound to Neck
Name Redacted, Crime Redacted Deceased [redacted]
Gallela Munch, Crime Boss Deceased, Eaten by crocodilians
Orpheo Malyn, IG Commissar, public intoxication Deceased, Gunshot to Head
[CLICK FOR PAGE TWO OF DOCUMENT]
PERSONALITY: Chilly, unflappable, aloof, Love is a quiet man with a soft voice and the air someone perpetually amused by some joke no one else has quite understood.
"You must be Salazar," said the stranger, shutting the door to Father's study behind him. He had a low, soft voice that quivered slightly, as though he was very sad or very ill. But the stranger did not look like he was either of those things to Salazar. He was a short man, pale, dressed in black suit and a silk green cravat that, Salazar noticed, matched the man's eyes.
Salazar clicked the safety back on the pistol. The stranger smiled.
"My dear boy," he said, "Never killed someone before, have you? But then, you're only twelve. This far up in the Hive, not many twelve years shed blood, I should think. Not like down in the underhives, in the darkness there."
"What have you done to Father?" asked Salazar. His voice shook but his grip on the gun was fairly steady. Barthol, the captain of Father's guard, had been taking him at the ranges on level fourteen for two years now.
Salazar wondered where Barthol was, or any of the other House Guards for that matter...didn't they patrol the halls during the nightcycle?
"Justice, Salazar, only justice," said the stranger in his odd, shaking voice. For someone with a gun pointed straight at him, he did not look in the least perturbed. He was still smiling faintly, and his head was cocked to one side as he looked at Salazar, who was reminded uncomfortably of the clawfoots that father kept in his menagerie, studying him through the bars of their cage, tongues running over their razor teeth.
"Justice?" said Salazar.
"Your father was...not a good man, Salazar," said the stranger, "and I expect you know that, which is why you haven't shot me. And why I think you will not."
"My father-"
"Is dead," said the stranger, taking a step towards Salazar, who stepped backwards, almost tripping over a chair. He steadied himself and kept the gun trained on the stranger, "I am not sorry for that, but I am sorry for your grief, and... for what comes next for you. Though no doubt things would have been worse had your father lived. You'll find it hard to believe while you're there, Salazar, but there are worse things than the Scholam. Far worse."
"Who are you?" whispered Salazar, as the stranger took another step closer.
"My name is Love," he said, "and I am who the Emperor sends when he wants to send a message."
The stranger's hand closed around Salazar's pistol and pulled it gently from his grasp.
"This is a beautiful gun," he said, studying the weapon.
"It- it's a family weapon. Father gave it to me when I turned ten."
The stranger squatted on his haunches, bringing his face level with Salazar's. The man's cheeks were hollow and pockmarked. Wrinkles nestled around his bright green eyes. He smelled of expensive tabac.
"Go to bed and sleep if you can. Tomorrow, they will take you into custody and the rest of your life will begin. Your father was a heretic, a worshiper of false spirits and a trader in illicit goods. When they ask you about him tomorrow, do not try and defend him, or your family."
Tears streamed silently down Salazar's cheeks.
"Cry now, my boy, but not tomorrow, and not ever again."
HOMEWORLD: Noctis Quatro, another Hive World like Aphrodus Primaris, it was suffering from immense levels of poverty and destitution after the system's main resource-based industries had begun to run dry over a decade before Gideon's birth. Hive-Gang activity of all kinds was a major problem and the Arbites there often had to call in forces from neighbouring planets, or even call upon Naval units to help maintain order, but it was a constant struggle to the point where the Arbites were given extraordinary powers by the Governor to keep the Emperor's Laws enforced. Sentence penalties for even small transgressions were raised, and the Hive-World became effectively a police-state of a higher degree than most Imperial Worlds. There was no real solid "good" areas of Noctis Quatro left by Gideon's time, since anyone with money or means had left the planet to neighbouring systems or simply neighbouring worlds that were not as bad off. The only people left were those either unable to leave, didn't want to leave (for whatever reason), and those who were made to be there by Imperial Office.
AGE: 35
GENDER: Male
APPEARANCE: Young and rogue-ish, Gideon possesses an athletic body that so has mostly been able to avoid signs of the major stresses of Arbites careers. Malnutrition in his family line and early life stunted his growth, making him slightly shorter for his age than most and contributing to his relatively thin frame. His hair is a rusty brown and often is unkempt, and he often made a game of trying to frustrate the more particular officers and Schola Progium Headmasters by going through various styles of facial hair that was often equally unkempt. Though now he mostly keeps himself clean-shaved, he still doesn't keep his hair very well-maintained. He has dark green eyes and a pale complexion (as most Hive-City dwellers do), with a small Penal Brand scarred onto his right cheek and marring his otherwise normal-looking face.
ROLE: Arbitrator
UNIFORM: Standard Black Carapace Armour, though he's carved his initials onto the side of his helmet and keeps two sets of running tallies on his left and right bracers. The tallies are unmarked for distinction as to meaning, but his left bracer marks the number of personal kills, while the right bracer marks the number of deaths either to civilians or fellow Arbites. Gideon doesn't submit his armour in for retouching but for once a standard month (if such an opportunity is even available) in order to keep these tallies, so his armour often looks the most second-hand of the whole unit.
EXPERTISE: -Fist-fighting (Growing up on Noctis Quatro as an orphan and member of a Hive-gang, Gideon had to learn from an early age to defend himself even if a capable weapon was not in reach. When he entered the Schola, he decided to refine his techniques a bit so that they were more of a martial art and less street-thug tricks.)
-Gambler/Gamer (A fan of all kinds of card games, Gideon loves to kill time by trying to win other peoples' pay checks or simply trying to beat them in a game. He's competent at Regicide, though he's mostly learned through observing other people play)
-Pick-Pocket (Previous experience as a pick-pocket for his gang on Noctis has left Gideon with experience in the field. Though not the most useful tool for his current profession, it is useful to help spot pick-pockets and other criminals and to know how they think.)
-Lock-Picking (Similar to Pick-pocketing, its mostly mostly experience, though this one CAN potentialy be applied to his work if the Arbites want to go for a more subtle approach as opposed to just blasting a door down)
-Running (Specifically stamina, though he had to adjust to wearing Carapace armour and heavier amounts of gear, Gideon always had a runner's physique. He never set any records, and certainly won't with Carapace armour, but he also won't be collapsing half-way through a chase from loss of energy).
-Improvisation (Quick-witted to suitability to rapid changes in situations came naturally to Gideon living in an area like Noctis where rival gangers or Arbites could come bursting in at any moment and screw up plans. Similarly as an Arbitrator, Gideon is usually quick on the uptake to try and morph to suit the needs of a situation if things don't go according to plan.)
-Smart-ass comments to "Holier than thou" types (A life-time of dealing with Arbites that have treated him like a life-long criminal-in-waiting, which he admittedly was minus the life-long part, or simply as scum that needed to be beaten sense into has left Gideon with a sarcastic view of pretentious people. The only reason it didn't turn to total bitterness towards people of authority was because on Noctis, the Arbites were tough in spite of the fact that their actions literally changed nothing in regards to everyday life, life on the Hive was going to remain shit for the forseeable future, and everyone knew it. It left Gideon and many others like him mostly mocking the efforts of Arbites who saw themselves as the Emperor's lynch-pins in a region. Though now an Arbitrator himself, and having loyalty to his office and dedication to duty drilled into him from the Schola, the old vocal rebelliousness and cynicism still comes out in his attitude towards people he thinks are high on themselves and their cause, especially since his current placement hasn't really done much to change his views. He holds zealous Ecclesiarchs in even lesser regard than Arbites, whom at the very least he can respect for their common experience.)
EQUIPMENT:
- Primary weapon: Standard issue Combat Shotgun, with a flashlight attachment and fittings for a laser sight or suppressor if needed.
- Secondary weapon: Handcannon (//A Lammark Combination Thousander model possibly? Its a specific type of revolver used in at least one 40k book I know. It is basically a large caliber revolver with two barrels [one capable of firing a single shot slug or breaching round, the other able to fire six bullets before reloading] that you set by adjusting the firing hammer, but it functions very similarly to a Handcannon in terms of caliber and reliability.)
- Melee weapon: Shock Maul, uncustomized.
- Tertiary equipment: Carapace Armour
- Tertiary equipment: Grenades
- Tertiary equipment: A bandolier to hold shells for his shotgun and a pouch for bullets for his revolver.
- Memento: An Emperor's Tarot Deck (Though not a Psyker of any level to actually use them, Gideon likes the intricately drawn pictures on the cards enough to keep them.)
- Memento: A wind-up Chrono-meter
- Memento: A punched Imperial Crown coin from Noctis Quatro (purposefully defaced with a hole punch, that is)
BIOGRAPHY: Gideon Xanthous was born a bastard son of the Ecclesiarch Lucian Xanthous on the Hive-world Noctis Quatro. His mother was a prostitute on the destitute and economically dying Hive-world, and the Ecclesiarch had used his holy office to take advantage of her and many others for the pleasure of those who, in their words, worked so tirelessly to try to bring keep the Emperor's faith alight in these darkening times the Hive-world was facing. His mother, Ellaria Laurentia left with a baby boy and a father who would under no circumstances acknowledge his bastard progeny or the way he came upon fathering that progeny, was left to raise Gideon on the streets of the steadily de-stabilizing Hive.
By the time he was 7, Gideon was on the cramped and winding streets trying to find a way to earn more Thrones for him and his mother. Pickpocketing, scavenging, or stealing stuff to fence, sell, or pawn to various elements both criminal and legal. Often they went hungry for days, usually never having more than a handful of Thrones, and their general situation never really improving. Dodging Arbites was also became a chore, but that was the case for many on Noctis Quatro anyway. By the time he was 10, his mother Ellaria died of some kind of cold that was making its way through the Hive, Gideon never found out exactly what it was, just that one day when he woke up, she no longer had a pulse after hacking her lungs out for the last week.
Being alone in a rapidly becoming more lawless Hive-City is a recipe for disaster for almost anyone, and Gideon knew it even at his age. So, seeking security and stability, he joined in a Hive-Gang, basically taking his thieving work "pro", and turning him into a foot-soldier who could not only protect himself, but his other Gangers and their territory. It was tough, and the life was cruel, but such was the nature of life on Noctis Quatro, and those who didn't toughen up and took risks would end up in the gutter, if not by other Gangers then by the Arbites.
For six years, Hive-Ganging was Gideon's life. And although it was relatively stable and he had found a new family, it was not by any means "good". They routinely took what they needed from others who needed it just as badly, beat up or even outright murdered rival gangers with others doing the same or trying to do the same to them, and Arbites constantly searching for them. Gideon did things he is not necessarily proud of, but he justified it by believing that nobody did on his homeworld, certainly not him, his "adopted" brothers and sisters, the local Arbites, his mother, or his absentee father she had told him about.
Then, his world was turned upside down. It was late one night, Gideon was asleep, and awoke to the sound of walls blasting down. The Arbites Strike Force that had obviously been assigned to break them up had found their hideout and were now storming in to arrest them all, or shoot those who put up any resistance. In seconds, the black-armoured ministers of the Emperor's justice were all over the decrepit building they had made home, their watchers subdued or eliminated before they could even call an alarm. Thinking fast, Gideon decided that as shitty as his life was, he was in no rush to see whether or not the Emperor would actually guard his soul in death or not. And knowing he faced a fight he had no chance of winning or escaping cleanly, he merely rolled himself onto his knees and put his hands behind his head, a traditional posture of submission to Arbites authority. The last thing he felt that night was of a shock maul's quick and sharp zap before blacking out.
He woke up in the Arbites' Offices, cuffed to a chair, and spent the next three hours answering questions of the people who came in, tough Arbites mostly, they asked him questions about his various crimes, but mostly about his parentage and who his father was. He found out at the end from their own ID tests that they discovered who his father had been, and were thus undergoing a new investigation into corruption within the Ecclesiarchy (if it weren't taken from by the Ecclesiarchy's own enforcers before they got anywhere). They told Gideon that the discovery of his parentage gave him a unique option from that of his fellow Gangers, whom were going to be split up and divided amongst various labour and penal units throughout the system for upwards of twenty or thirty years for their crimes. Gideon could go and join their fate, and likely leave himself as broken as them, or allow himself be inducted into the Schola Progenium as an orphan of an Ecclesiarch was allowed to do as much as many other children of Imperial Officials, and likely be made into a servant of the Adeptus Arbites. As much as Gideon had come to hate the Arbites of his world, he knew he'd rather take his chances into becoming one himself than to join the back-breaking and monotonous work of the penal legions, the choice was relatively simple for him to make, and in short time he was on his way out of system and on to the nearest Schola.
His experience in the Schola was interesting, to say the least, he got along with mixed relations with the other students, and he did his best to be an irritant to the more zealous teachers. His parentage and childhood had left him with a distaste for the more moralistic Ecclesiarchs and Arbites, and that distaste did not really lessen despite his teachers' best efforts. All the same, he learned to accept the duties that were expected of him, and learned all kinds of techniques and knowledge that befit an Arbitrator. They refined his fighting styles and taught him how to use higher caliber guns than the trash he'd used on Noctis, as well as the basics of the Lex Imperialis and how to function as a disciplined unit with his fellow Arbitrators. He came to actually like the idea of being made into a force to finally do some good to perhaps make people's lives safer, though the memories of his morally decaying world still made him internally laugh at his own assertions. Either way, he passed through the Schola's programs with distinction and became an Arbitrator of the Adeptus Arbites.
Now an Arbitrator at 24 years old, Gideon was assigned to the Hive-world Aphrodus Primaris, it reminded him of his homeworld, minus the fact that it was not in a state of total economic collapse yet. Far from it, business was booming with the enormous mineral wealth of the planet driving the nearby Forge-worlds, even some of the fabled Astartes used the world to draw up fresh Initiates. Gideon was eager to get to work on it, it felt like he had stepped several centuries back in time on his own world, even the smells of pollution were not as bad as Noctis. To other off-worlders the planet must have been disgusting, but to Gideon he felt like he was home.
He spent the next 10 years working the beat of Precinct 32, located in the Augurspire, called such because of how much drill-work was done within that part of the Hive particularly back during the founding of the Hive-world. Lots of mining was still done there, though the rush was moving to other sectors of the Hive and other Hive-Cities, leaving Gangs to grow in the worsening conditions and the corporations working to squeeze every Throne they could get away with out of their work force making the situation even more tense. The signs of Precinct were regularly defaced with the name "Augur's Pyre" with the Gangs regularly using fire in their armaments to burn out their opponents, the Arbites had their hands full working as part-time Fire Suppression forces just as much as actual Arbites work, often since the actual Fire Suppression forces were afraid of being murdered by the Gangers who started them.
His early life as a Ganger on a planet even more lawless served him well in the Precinct over his career, and more than a few times he saved his fellows and civilians from injury or death with his intuition. Pickpockets were never a problem on Gideon's patrols, as he knew almost every trick of the trade and could spot most of them like sore thumbs, and his knowledge of ganger-culture lent itself well to Investigators and Chasteners who wanted good angles to push on targets on occasion. Though for the most part, like most Arbitrators, his work consisted of ensuring the Lex Imperialis was maintained through the use of his skills with a Shock Maul, his fists, or his guns.
His big break came in the form of his performance during a raid on ganger-den that had been found to be spreading narcotics throughout the Hive and for their pyromanics setting fire to the dwellings of those who couldn't pay up their rackets, the Gas-lighters. The raid had been meticulously planned in advance by the tacticians within the Precinct and everything was expected to go by the book as nearly three dozen Arbitrators and Shocktroopers would storm of the building and subdue or eliminate the entire gang in one fell swoop. Initially it did go as planned, with the Shocktroopers leading the way by blasting their way in through four entrance points and storming in with Gideon and the other Arbitrators on their heels. Meeting minimal resistance, everything was going fine until they had made it several feet inside and hidden incendiaries in the walls started blowing up in a wave of flame that must have been activated from further within. The blasts knocked many of the assault teams to the ground and some had even caught fire with the flames sticking to their armour. Gideon got lucky, his position in the center of the assault party and meant he was merely knocked back as some of his fellows at the sides caught the full force of the blasts. With potentially half of the Arbites knocked out, dazed, or trying desperately to put the fires out on their armour, the gangers within counter-attacked with their array of gruesome melee weapons wreathed in flame, primitive molotovs, and even a few home-made flamethrowers. Gideon did exactly what the crazied criminals would not expect, and as soon as he got up, kept up the charged, his suppression shield sliding down with practiced ease and his shotgun flaring as he met the enemy counter attack head on, a couple other Arbites who were in his position following his lead. The minutes after became a blur of adrenaline, at some point Gideon had dropped his spent shotgun and retracted the bulky shield, swapping out for his maul, a dozen different foes had come at him before the wiser gangers with molotovs and flamethrowers entered his peripheral. Acting fast, he threw a concussion grenade, stunning the ranged opponents long enough for him to draw his Lamarck Thousander and shooting the crude fuel tank of the nearest flamethrower. The explosion covered the rest of the counterattackers in flames and Gideon left them screaming in agony as the flames engulfed the hall and he ran back to his other less-dazed Arbites.
The whole operation being botched, Gideon and the surviving Arbites dragged their incapacitated and injured fellows out the way they came. The building was still surrounded, but their assault was effectively broken. Reinforcements came within minutes along with the Fire Suppression units, but by then Command had decided to let the flames gut the building and merely keep it contained, let the gangers burn to their own flames and mop up any survivors the flames didn't get afterwards. Gideon found out shortly afterwards that the other three assault teams had all been basically massacred as those who were not taken out outright had retreated back to the perimeter line in the face of the counter assault. Gideon's admittedly brash but heroic action to led his few remaining capable Arbites to meet the charge had saved the lives of his team and potentially stopped the gangers from rushing the whole perimeter force.
He was given a commendation from the Offices for his bravery, but Gideon took the whole experience as a sign to move on. He had never been much of a religious man, but he knew that realistically he and his fellows should have been dead along with most of his unit. Whether or not the God-Emperor had turned his gaze upon him for the briefest of moments to help him overcome such a chaotic situation, or it was just his experience in dealing with chaotic situations cooly that came out in spades, he submitted for a transfer to another Precinct. He'd lost a lot of people he'd known for a while in that raid too, and he figured that moving to another Precinct would serve him better to not think about them. The Offices understood his reasoning, it wasn't an uncommon case for Arbites who had survived an incredibly traumatic experience to request transfers, he may not have faced the horrors of Chaos or some of the more horrifying Xenos, but he'd seen the charred corpses of near over two dozen of his fellows and heard their screams of agony as much as those of his enemies. He wasn't quitting, but he needed a change of scenery and faces, so to speak. The former could not really be offered on Aphrodus Primaris, but the latter certainly could.
Thus, when Judge Catulo offered him a position in Strike Team Omnicron in Rancunhive, Precinct S-12, he took up the offer even though he knew it meant likely tougher work. He had heard some vague reports of the situation over there. He saw it as a fresh start, and it left him with a desire to try and make a more tangible life over there, maybe even start a family of his own, or perhaps simply some nice prostitutes. He found that to be a more tantalizing prospect to give him more of a sense of purpose than any moralistic adage, and life wasn't meant to be spent alone.
PERSONALITY: Gideon is a fairly resilient individual, and years of living in destitute situations have left him without much high expectations of others. He has known what it is like to be poor and desperate and therefore has some sympathy for the downtrodden in Imperial society. Though his teachings in the Schola have hardened him as to the necessity of the Arbites and what they do, and the potential costs of the Emperor's laws not being maintained, and having merely that faintest glimpse of what has happened to other planets and worlds before, he is not squeamish about performing what must be done in the service of his office. Doesn't mean that he likes everything he does, but then his mentors drilled into him that duty doesn't necessarily mean having to like everything you do in the process of holding to it.
One other lasting blemish on Gideon's personality is his resentment towards more moralistic authority figures. Coming partially from his experiences with Arbites on his homeworld, but moreso from the fact that his father was an Ecclesiarch who refused to even acknowledge him or support his mother have coloured his view of people who blindly speak in absolutist morals. He has seen how hollow those can become on necessity, and has more respect for people who share that realistic view rather than the noxious optimism he views are only held by fools. His disrespect goes mostly into banter though, he doesn't let personal gripes get in the way of his job.
MISCELLANEOUS: He has a lot of sympathy towards Prostitutes, and not just ones he peruses. Comes from the fact that one was his mother.
HOMEWORLD: Kithamon was born on a small frontier settlement deep in the jungles of the renowned death world Catachan.
AGE: 42
GENDER: Male
APPEARANCE: Standing almost like a small giant among men, Kithamon is roughly 6’8 feet and weighing upwards of 265 lbs Kithamon is exceptionally tall with broad shoulders and seemingly made up mostly of muscle, which has given him the nickname of Little Og. Kithamon is dark of skin with a caramel complexion with dark brown eyes and black hair. He is shaven bald in military style cut and maintains a long stubble. He has hard faced features that give him an intimidating air and a strong jawline that gives him a rugged though almost handsome face. Or it would be if not for his constant serious unsmiling demeanor and the fact he sports a disfiguring scar across his face that starts at the right side of his mouth and runs across his cheek his ends several inches from his left eye at an angle.
ROLE: Shocktrooper
UNIFORM: Kithamon's uniform is, of course, standard attire aside from a few key points. The left shoulder pad of his carapace armor is reinforced and elongated like a teardrop on its side in such a fashion that it protects the left side of his face. A red bandanna is always worn around his right bicep that blends in well his his black uniform. Along with this there are several runic symbols carved into a few of his armor, which includes three daggers over his left chest plate. When not in uniform he often wears a sleeveless shirt with cargo style pants.
EXPERTISE: Kithamon's relatively short time on his dangerous homeworld exposed him to necessary survival skills such as trap building and even working with simple and primitive explosive. These skills were further expanded upon during his time in the Schola Progenium, making him a skilled explosives specialists. This has and Kithamon skilled in the creation and most importantly the disarming of numerous explosive devices. In his free time Kithamon makes use of his adept dexterity with his hands to build and repair a number of clocks and watches. His role on the team is that of heavy weapons/explosive ordnance specialist.
EQUIPMENT: Please list your character's gear here and please do so in the following format. Feel free to customize your gear with attachments and cosmetic personalizations, but remember that the base paint job of any piece of equipment and weaponry is black. We're a grim sort.
- Primary weapon: Echon Pattern Mark III Heavy Assault Stubber (equipped with a Spotting Scope)
- Melee weapon: Thunder Maul, unique in its head is shaped much like a hammer. The extra size needed to contain an overcharged disruption field.
- Tertiary equipment: Breaching Charges, Medi-pack, Signum, Ammo box
- Mementos: He wears a talisman around his neck that tied to the tooth of his first kill when he still lived on Catachan.
BIOGRAPHY: Born on a small settlement in the hearts of the dangerous jungles of Catachan. Like all children growing up on the death world Catachan Kithamon did exactly have an easy time growing up. Unlike the childhoods of most people-- his was a life of constant danger and a struggle for survival. He grew up with his father who was an accomplished jungle fighter and master hunter. His mother having died when he was very young Kithamon was raised primarily by his father who taught him the many basic but essential skills needed to survive in their hostile home. Among the skills he obtained was the familiarity with death and loss which harden him into a young boy. At age ten a inquisitor and his retinue made the unexpected visit to his home town. Allegedly seeking a skilled guide through the dangerous jungle for some obscure mission.
Kihamon’s father was chosen for the task and lead the inquisitor into the Catachan jungles when unexpected disaster struck. A wild mantra, a big cat with a deadly venom, attacked the retinue catching the group off guard. While defending the inquisitor Kith’s father was gravely wounded and on death's door. Having followed the small group due to his worry over his father’s safety.
This is where you provide me with a reasonably detailed account of your character's life. Important fact: All Arbites are recruited through the Schola Progenium, an Ecclesiarchy-run organization that takes in and trains orphaned children of high-ranking Imperial officials to provide the next generation of elite individuals. Now, I don't need to know exactly how they were trained or the details of every operation they've been a part of since joining the Arbites, but the following areas of your character's history are key.
1. Formative years of youth on their homeworld, 2. The nature of their parents and their death, 3. Their experience in the Schola Progenium and Arbites training program, 4. Their 'big case'. What has your character achieved that has drawn the attention of Judge Catulo and made him assign your character to Strike Team Omicron?
Give me at least three solid paragraphs but feel free to be as thorough as you like. An additional thing to consider is if your character has a relationship or any children of their own in the Precinct-Fortress. I won't rule out the possibility -- they're still people and people breed. The lore doesn't explicitly forbid this so neither will I.
PERSONALITY: What kind of person is your character? How have the events of their life influenced them? Have they taken well to the life of an Arbites on Aphrodus Primaris? None of the Arbites are sweethearts, exactly, but there's a measurable difference between a dedicated Arbites and a cynical asshole with no regard for civilian life. Outline that here, please.
I'd like to apply as well with this here CS. Although I do admit I went for a kind of comic relief character, rest assured his playstyle will be appropriately grimdark with a funny now and again. Biography is a WIP, need some more detail there (names, positions, timeframes). matter of fact, if any of you have criticism or funny/awesome/grimdark additions, feel free to comment.
Reggie Vance
Real Name: Reginold Vance
Home World: Juventis Persepoli Backwater agri-world. Most of the planet's surface is covered in an intricate lacework of water and stringy islands. This geographical formation allows for a good mix of heavy rainfall and sunshine, perfect for agriculture. The people of Juventis believe in the nuclear family, hard work, and an active exercise regimen of playing Bowls. The population is divided between the expansive tracts of rural farmland and small towns and cities providing specialist services to farmers as well as housing the main instruments of Imperial rule. The pace of life on Juventis is generally languid. No incidents have escalated beyond the planetary level in the last few thousand years. On the planetary level, only three events demanded the attention of the imperial forces in the last hundred years: The riots during the Bowls Prohibition era 83 years ago, a small insurgence of the so called "indigenous peoples" demanding recognition 56 years ago, and the subjugation of an upcoming ultraviolence gang, 9 years ago.
Age: 25 Gender: Male
Appearance: Reggie is of average height, and has a lean body with stringy musculature. His facial features are well defined: a strong jaw line and clear cheekbones, a slightly jutting forehead. His brown eyes contrast his pale-ish skin, and have a 128 yard-and-counting stare: In the process of seeing too much, but still a long way to go. His matt brown hair is thin, slightly unappealing, and doesn't take well to any attempts at styling it. Reggie tries to anyway, forcing it into rockabilly curl with way too much grease.
Role/rank: Arbitrator
Uniform: Reggie's uniform is spick-and-span-new, due to his sudden appointment to active arbitrator. It's still actively uncomfortable, giving off leathery creaks every step of the way. It also means that there has been no time to personalize any part of the outfit.
Expertise:
Intimidation/Bullying
Small scale Blackmail/Extortion
Speeding/Car Chases
Dextrous Tricks (Knives, guns, possibly juggling though he'd never admit it)
Looking The Part
Graffiti Art (Though he'd never admit it)
Hair Styling
Being Insecure/Desperate for attention
Equipment:
Primary: Auto-gun. Reggie favours the precision of the auto-gun contrary to the shotgun due to his his highly developed dexterity. Yellow markers on a few of his ammunition clips indicate they contain AP rounds.
Secondary: Stub-gun. For regular use. While his handcannon is Reggie's preferred showoff piece, his stubgun is the one which will see use in actual combat for its lightweight killing power. Barrel is weighted to increase precision.
Melee: Shock baton. For regular use. Smaller and more agile than the power maul, the shock baton is Reggie's preferred melee weapon. Its range and incapacitating power are far greater than his knives, which are therefore relegated to the purposes of tooth-picking, sandwich-making and fashion accessory.
Tertiary: Standard Carapace armor set. Brand new, uncomfortable and annoyingly squeaky.
Tertiary: Smoke grenades and flashbangs. Brand new (Duh). Confusion and deceit are the best tools for stealing someone's thunder, or make a quick escape or kill.
Tertiary: Suppression shield. Brand new.
Memento: Handcannon from his early days. For pretend use and tricks (Does it even fire?). Originally chosen for creating the most noise and the brightest blasts, it's destructive capability is reduced due to its bad balance and large weight. When actually hit, enemies do tend to collapse satisfyingly abrupt. It also looks impressive, with a massive barrel and red and black colors and decorations.
Memento: Knife set. For pretend use and tricks. They look sharp. Work on bread.
Memento: Parents PDF dogtags.
Biography:
Arrest Report: Reginold "Reggie" Vance To: Judge Aggradov Menchiev From: Arbitrator-Captain Joseph Hermal Subject: Arrest and prosecution of Reginold Vance. Proposed sanction: Enrolment at Schola Progenium
Honored Judge Menchiev,
I hereby write you to inform about the arrest of Reginold Vance in the aftermath of the Narcissa Insurgency. Reginold's case is of special concern: Though involved with the Narcissa gang, he does not seem to have supported their ultimate cause of violence and mayhem, and is of decent descent. Both parents fulfilled relatively high-ranking positions in our Planetary Defence Forces: His father Nathaniel Vance as a lieutenant-general directly under general Devilio, his mother Jamie Astrada as liaison officer between the PDF and Adeptus Arbites offices.
I say fulfilled, as both were killed in the intense fighting during the final Narcissa counteroffensive near 31st and 22nd. Reggie himself was himself present at this final fire fight and was witness of his parents' death at the hands of so called gang leader "Hephaestus", original name Thomas Venn. They were set ablaze together with a number of civilian personnel by Hephaestus' flamer weapon, in an apparent attempt to disconnect Vance from his past and force his loyalty to Narcissa.
This kind of extreme test of faith had become widespread among Narcissa, as well as vindictive acts of ultraviolence and ritual killing. These acts, seemingly aimed at undermining the faith in the Imperium among citizens and glorifying bloodletting and murder, implicated a possibility of extra dimensional forces at play, signing Narcissa's death warrant.
Having been raised by his parents adevoted citizen of the Imperium, Vance had no criminal record before he joined Narcissa 2 years ago. Narcissa, then, was considered a mere nuisance, a place for rebelling teens to congregate and act the deviant. Little did we know. Records show Nathaniel and Jamie were worried as any parent would be, but that they harboured a careful optimism. For Vance was and seems to remain a devout devotee of the God Emperor, reportedly never missing mass in those 2 years or committing any heretical acts as some of his fellow gang members were wont to do.
Vance did not yield to Hephaestus' emotional torture, surviving eyewitnesses say. Pulling an unwieldy handcannon, Vance shot Hephaestus at point blank range in the chest. After being downed, Hephaestus attempted to raise his flamer in retaliation while "laughing maniacally", prompting Vance to empty the remainder of his clip into Hephaestus' chest and head cavity. Dentals for confirmation of ID have so far not been recovered.
I cautiously advise you to relent your judgment in this case and avoid capitol punishment. Consign him instead to the Schola Progenium. At 14 years old he is rather old for enrolment, and his trauma will not help him either, but if he is strong enough it might not be the end of him.
With the greatest respect, Joseph Hermal, Arbitrator-Captain.
//WE INTERRUPT REGULAR PROGRAMMING FOR BREAKING NEWS :: 5:12am// Just an hour ago it was confirmed to Daily Imperial Television that our steadfast protectors of the Adeptus Arbites have dismantled a major terrorist network in the downhive harbour district. "Greater Goods Inc." Apperas to have been a front for the smuggling of personnel, weapons and supplies of alien origins into our glorious hive. Terrorist forces have meanwhile been subdued according to official sources. Among them were terrible alien berserkers of the "kroot" type and classified mechanical forces.
Arbites forces only recently acquired information of both the groups existence as well as a soon-to-be-executed attack on major infrastructural, governmental and public keynodes. Having no active units in the nearby area, a quick response group was formed at the closest site of Arbites officers: The Arbites Wing of the Schola Progenium. Departing in a Schola training Chimera's and assorted half -tracks, 48 officers in training and 2 Arbites Sergeants arrived at the scene with bare minutes to spare.
Eyewitnesses report the Arbites force splitting into five separate task forces, each with their own point of entry. At five past three this morning entry was gained into the terrorist premises, resulting in heavy firefights. Little is known about the operation past this point, besides the probable immediate annihilation of two taskforces after extremely bright blue weapon discharges seen from up to two blocks away. Sporadic firefighting is reported from then on.
New information was received a full half hour later, with video footage showing support beam C12-4367B, connected helipad and upper-level facilities infrastructure. This footage has been marked classified since. Shown is the second taskforce, Schole Progenium 2, being driven back from the support beam's internal staircase onto the helipad under heavy fire. Following is a large yellow mechanical form of approximately four meter in height. At the edge of the helipad, SP-2 is seemingly destroyed completely after the machine discharges his weapon in a blue flash. Footage is then lost when an explosion rips apart the machanized horror from behind.
Recruit Reginold Vance now seems to be the man to thank for saving us from a horrible death at the hands of these xenos and heretics. Og below average performance in the Schola itself, "Reggie" has now proven himself to one of the best recruits for the Adeptus Arbites in many years. Being the sole survivor from the blast that killed his team, he took his weapon and shot, in a moment of extraordinary tactical awareness, a gas pipe leading to one of the upper hive levels. Though the resulting explosion should have killed him, his opponent stood between him and the pipe. It inadvertently shielded Reggie and was destroyed in the process.
Already rumours have spread that Reggie has been instantly promoted to the rank of Arbitrator, and is destined to have place among an elite strike team on Aphrodus Primaris. A crowd has formed in front of the Precinct-Fortress where Reggie is being treated for minor wounds, hoping to convey their thanks to Reggie and homage to the deceased. Some have however expressed their doubts at Arbites high command for "sending inexperienced men to their deaths". However, these people have since been incarcerated at the Precinct-Fortress and have yet to be heard from again. //*click*//
Turning off the television, Reggie stood up with a grimace, transforming to an angry glare once the pain in his arm and hip had subsided somewhat. Poor bastards don't even know who to thank, He thought. I wouldn't have been alive if not for Jensen. But he didn't quite make it didn't he? Him having been reduced to well-cooked Kroot-feed with some missing bits. Walking to the table, Reggie replaced his arrest report back into his file, which he had requested after he'd been promoted. It solved at least the mystery of his survival on his homeplanet. Lucky stuff that my shot missed. Whoever said shooting in anger never works? Just only do it when there's a huge gas tank behind your target. Never fails! Putting on his brand new Arbites armour Reggie made a decision: I will become better. For my unit, Jensen... My parents. This night will not be ever repeated. Reggie put on his helm and clicked it shut. Never.
Personality: Operates from behind a boisterous facade of assertive bravado most of the time. He is smarter than he makes himself appear though, which explains why he manages to pull it off for most of the time too. He is good at assessing social situations and turning them to his advantage. He likes to flash his nifty tricks with gun and knives to any and all who appear to be interested, and many who aren't. Reggie finds it hard to deal with the fairer sex, overtuning his gangsteract in an attempt to impress them. Generally does not work.
Behind the facade Reggie is of course actually terribly afraid, insecure and childish. But also heart and soul devoted to the Emperor and his glorious Imperium. Forged in the fire of his parents death, Reggie's steadfast faith in the Imperial creed and Lex Imperialis might still make him an arbitrator to be reckoned with.
Idea: My character has an Adeptus Astartes-issue bolt pistol that (s)he uses like a rifle.
Yes, it is somewhat canon that Astartes bolt pistols are like freakin' rifles to regular humans.
Aren't Astartes guns DNA coded to their genetically enhanced owners? They also have a kick not so much like a mule as much as a industrial pneumatic ram. I think it might rip an ordinary arm right off.
Idea: My character has an Adeptus Astartes-issue bolt pistol that (s)he uses like a rifle.
Yes, it is somewhat canon that Astartes bolt pistols are like freakin' rifles to regular humans.
There is no way for a regular human to obtain an Astartes-issue bolt pistol, so no. You can pick your gear from the Armoury list -- stuff like this is exactly why I made that list in the first place.
Let me once again reiterate that this RP is not about personal success. The only feasible reason I could think of for you wanting to use a weapon like that is because it gives you a significant leg-up on the rest of the cast or, if you don't believe having an Astartes-issue bolt pistol is any stronger than any other rifle, because it makes your character even more special. Neither are valid reasons.
Focus on making your character interesting, not their gear.
Aren't Astartes guns DNA coded to their genetically enhanced owners? They also have a kick not so much like a mule as much as a industrial pneumatic ram. I think it might rip an ordinary arm right off.
Someone took that into account and did the math using modern weaponry. Because they use rockets after the initial shot to accelerate the bolt, the recoil would be... Stiff, but manageable. Kind of. You'd need a few seconds between shots to stabilise it, but that shot would blow heads apart.
<Snipped quote by Dannyrulx>
There is no way for a regular human to obtain an Astartes-issue bolt pistol, so no. You can pick your gear from the Armoury list -- stuff like this is exactly why I made that list in the first place.
Let me once again reiterate that this RP is not about personal success. The only feasible reason I could think of for you wanting to use a weapon like that is because it gives you a significant leg-up on the rest of the cast or, if you don't believe having an Astartes-issue bolt pistol is any stronger than any other rifle, because it makes your character even more special. Neither are valid reasons.
Focus on making your character interesting, not their gear.
Nah, I just think it would be an interesting addition. It doesn't really make sense for my character to have it though. She's a specialist with a bizarre rocket-launcher type thing (carried by a servo skull, because the ammo is heavy enough,) so that's enough I reckon.
Nah, I just think it would be an interesting addition. It doesn't really make sense for my character to have it though. She's a specialist with a bizarre rocket-launcher type thing (carried by a servo skull, because the ammo is heavy enough,) so that's enough I reckon.
Do you mean a grenade launcher? Those aren't available to Specialists. Once again, I point you towards the Armoury list in this thread's first post.
