[IC] Dark Heresy (Warhammer 40k)

[Raineh Daze]

Stood at a window on an imperial world, opulescent robes glittering in the evening sun, Inquisitor Castella had given your orders: to go to the hive world of Helheim, to descend down into the under-hive and find out why, exactly, her contact in the place has stopped responding. The mere entrance to the place is a world away, and even from here it's clear that finding Pontius Gold is going to be a difficult task. Behind, the heavy doors to the hive proper creak as they slowly close, leaving you in almost total darkness.

A few flickering strips of light hang from what must once have been a solid ceiling, giving only enough illumination to show that your entrance lies at a fork in the road: to your right stretches a long corridor, from which the sound of multitudes of voices echo; down the other the lighting soon fades entirely, and the path is strewn with dripping, toxic liquid--but a clear path is outlined between mounds of refuse, too useless even for the under-hive to make use of.

[clanjos]

Axel's vox synthesizer crackled in. It could do a perfect impression of his voice of course, but... there was just something he liked about the dramatic flair of the static bookending his words. Plus, a lot of people expected a certain aesthetic from a tech-priest.

"*chckch*I say we head on through the one with people. I've got protection from most poisons, but I'm pretty sure you don't.*chckch*"

[Crayt]

Virgyl’s emerald eyes peered cautiously down the left path while his mouth twisted into an expression of quite clear distaste. He dismissed the option of going that way with a wave of his left arm and looked down the right path, now with an expression of… well, distaste, but still quite obvious decisiveness.

“I don’t much care for people, but I suppose it’s a moderately more attractive option opposed to having my robes soiled by vile fluids and the like”, he said as he clutched his left lower arm with his right hand. With that, he turned to look at the remainder of the party, even though he felt quite confident in that there was no other alternative here.

[Dblade26]

Ethel Snake nodded rather jovially along with the robed individual's decision as he surveyed their little group. As to the source of his good mood, well, toxic liquids and near-darkness aside, he hadn't felt this comfortable in ages and it was showing through rather quickly. So far as which tunnel to choose, well in Ethel's mind stumbling about in the dark with no goal in mind other than 'find this probably-dead Adept' wasn't likely to get them nearly as far as asking around after clues, least of all while protecting the virgin-sanctity of Mr.Virgyl's robes, to say nothing of his over-inflated sense of dignity.

"I'm all for civilization if you fine lot are, so the right tunnel's my vote! Ah, marvelous to be back in a decent hab' away from all that looming space and sky and whatnot, innit? All it needs is a bit more in the way of noxious fumes and shuffling bodies to give things a homey, lived-in touch! Yessir, down here they're my kind of people, so never-you-fear, we'll find our man and be on our way before you can even identify those fluids!"

A promise that was dependable for reasons entirely separate from matters of speed, but that was hardly the point.

[Omega]

Hearing the voices and looking around with a bit of a twitch in her manner Praetia stifled a rough cough with one hand while she unslung her rifle off her back. She then loosened her pistol in it's holster before gripping her lasrifle properly. She glanced back and forth between the two tunnels with her grey eyes trying to pierce the gloom.

"Everyone seems to prefer the people. I like people, people I know, people I can kill," She stuttered slightly as she spoke and had a minor coughing fit as she finished as well. Crouching slightly she moved as silent as she could towards the right tunnel, "I-I-I'll take the lead, n-n-noo glow lamps, they outline us in tunnels." She did not like it being here again, it reminded her of the hive wars too much. She did not like it most places though, she was technically a guardsman but did not particularly look like and certainly did not act like it. Her only redeeming quality was she was good at it professionally and swiftly sweeping the right tunnel with the barrel of her lasrifle.

Looking at her if one knew what to look for they could identify her characteristics as well, her mousy hair tied up and under her helmet save for a few loose strands she periodically brushed behind her ear. Her armor though well worn and dirty was cinched tight on her lanky frame and properly fitted with her webbing holding her few accoutrements such as her extra weapons and ammo magazines. Suppressing another coughing fit mostly she looked back at the group to ensure everyone was with her ad ready to go before advancing, she did not want to be forgotten and accidently end up alone again.

[Rin]

Sister Arturia of the Order of the Argent Shroud

To be perfectly honest, the Battle Sister looked incredibly out of place in the decaying squallor of the underhive. The luster of her silver power armour was beginning to dull due to the grime that had caked upon it due to simply being in such a place, and the filth surrounding her had made her snowy-white hair grey and greasy. Such a wretched place it was... If only the Emperor's light could illuminate the darkness here, maybe it would not be so terrible.

"Heading towards what counts for civilization here is the best idea," her voice boomed out throughout the underhive. Sister Arturia seemed to lack an indoor voice. "Let us make haste! The Emperor's work cannot wait one moment!" Clutching her bolter tightly, she headed off down the right-hand path with the others.

[Raineh Daze]

Soon enough the path widens, and the voices are everywhere but behind: in the shadows off the beaten track, the denizens of the underhive watch your every move. Perhaps cowed by power armour and 'civilised' weaponry... or more likely whoever was in charge here saw no reason to strike, preferring to try and put the Acolytes to use furthering their own goals.

Ramshackle huts cluster around a sloped surface that can only be the underside of one of the upper layers, and the under-hive's inhabitants are for the first time clearly in view, all of them with gang leathers on and openly carrying weapons of some description, though nothing to even compare to the guardsman's equipment. If they wanted to, the Acolytes could probably wipe the gang out--but why do that?

Out of one of the huts steps a man that looms over the rest. Both from his size and his sidearm, it's unlikely he started life down in the hive--but with the way the rest of the gang members defer and step out of the way, it's clear he's the boss. The tan man shows no signs of fear as he confronts the group, blocking further progress and flanked by two firearm-toting louts.

"What brings the Ecclesiarchy down here, eh?"

[Dblade26]

Ethel Snake stepped out to meet the big man with an easygoing grin on his nondescript face. He didn't seem bothered at all by the men with the guns and took them in with the same casual air as the rest of the gathered group.

"Nothing too troubling I promise you that, just looking in on someone really. He's gone and gotten himself all out-of-touch like a fool, probably nothing but so-called 'disappearances' get the higher-ups in a little bit of a state" Ethel sighed in a long, victimized manner and shrugged resignedly in feigned exasperation at the inscrutable whims of those who lived on high "So we got sent down here to see what's keeping him. Goes by the name Pontius Gold, d'you happen to know him?"

There was probably no point spinning some elaborate cover story for these fine people, at least not as long as the bunch of oddjobs and fanatics Ethel had been stuck with were around. Better to be direct but friendly before the rest spoiled his chances at asking normally.

[Raineh Daze]

Ethel Info!

Despite the attempts made to disguise it, you recognise--possibly from prior bad experience--that the sidearm he's carrying isn't just a non-standard las pistol or the like: he's carrying an Inferno Pistol, and it would be a really bad idea to pick a fight with him. Sadly, the more belligerent Acolytes can't see past the fancy addons, so they're unaware.

(In mechanical terms: if that thing hits you, it ignores all armour AND does massive damage)

[Crayt]

The thought of this place’s constant filth was something that Virgyl could not quite push out of his mind. He had grown quite fond of his robes of the Administratum and felt a little disheartened for every little smudge that got onto them, while they wandered aimlessly around at a crawling pace. They might have avoided the toxic death of the hive, but it remained as dirty wherever they went. Virgyl missed sitting at a desk, attending papers - he even missed being bullied about by the Scriveners. At least all of that was clean, sterile, and tidy.

It seemed that his mind had wandered a bit too far, as he noticed with a sudden gasp that the party had reached some sort of civilisation. While he felt hope rekindle for a moment, it didn’t take long for him to realize that this was most possibly a quite lowborn society, with few luxuries and more distasteful issues than someone of his stature could stand. No, he had already decided that he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

He was just about to air his opinion to the rest of the party when he noticed the brute man approach the party. Any and all negative comments that Virgyl had in mind died just then, just there. He even couldn’t muster the courage to protest towards the lowborn’s, Ethel’s, open approach towards the man, but instead made a frown. A silent, disappointed frown.

[Omega]

Keeping an eye out as they proceeded down the path Praetia noticed the people watching them as they went. She did not like it, even if they did not attack them they could report to others they had been here, there were too many to kill though as the sounds of the first few dieing would cause the rest to flee. She just had to hope they went mostly unnoticed until they were far enough away for it to be irrelevant. Stomaching the fact that they were being watched and in clear danger she kept on near the front of the group trying to follow any source of sound or motion she could.

Noticing the men advancing forward she kept her lasrifle pointed down and a little bit to one side of them to show she did not intend to shoot, at least not right now. She also fell back trying to meld slightly into the shadows and background. Let other stalk, let others be the center of attention, she would take to the shadows, she would siappear, she would survived, she would kill if she had to, but she would not die here.

[Raineh Daze]

The man looks thoughtful for a second, tapping the laspistol on his hip for reassurance before looking Ethel straight in the eye and answering. "Sure, I know the guy. Know where he went, if not what happened--but if you want to find out, you'll have to do something for me."

Gesturing rather dramatically, he points off in the direction of one of the tunnels, "Down that way you'll find what used to be a void ship's crew, who've taken to arms dealing and the like. Might even have some xenotech, though I know they have, or had, a few archeotech pieces. They took some documents of mine, and I rather want them back. Get me the papers, then we'll talk about"

He doesn't seem to be lying about Pontius or the arms traders--from what you all can tall, he does simply want some documentation off of the ex-spacefarers.

[Dblade26]

Ethel kept the same sort of casual smile on his face even as the big man proposed his deal while making that pistol of his nice and visible. It didn't seem like he was lying exactly but Ethel still wanted more information before he was comfortable accepting this kind of bargain.

"Nice to see some people still understand the nature of good business in the underhives. We scratch your back you scratch ours and together we itch off all the lice and sewer mold, eh? But before we do this job for you there's some information we'll need from you. Specifically what are these documents and why d'you need them so badly? S'nothing personal, I don't mean to impugn the honor of a fine gentleman like yourself, but my...compatriots and I like to be as well-informed as possible before we step into some kind of mess. S'good for the old survivability rates, you understand." He said all of this like even asking the questions pained him, but knowing was too necessary to allow things to work out otherwise.

my roll, ignore the negatives I thought it was for something else

[Raineh Daze]

The man's expression goes stony for a second, before he gestures for the group to move in closer--obviously, the explanation isn't something that he just wants bandied about. Once everyone who seems interested is in close, he explains: "My name is Artorius Fortunata, and up until a few months ago I was the captain of a small void ship. Due to a run-in with some xeno pirates, we were low on supplies, being forced to jettison entirely compartments to get away. The crew mutinied just after arrival."

His frown deepens for a second, "As they managed to get the Warrant of Trade, I'm stuck in this city until someone deals with the traitors. Get it back for me and I can promise you a lot more in the long run than Gold's location."

[Dblade26]

"Well, sounds like a sound business deal if I ever heard one, and it's not like we have any other leads. Let's move then, shall we?"

With that Ethel began sauntering down the previously indicated tunnel, seemingly without a care or concern in the world, though staying close enough to duck behind the Sister and the Guard-girl should things get violent.

[clanjos]

A Rogue Trader. A flipping Rogue Trader. A Rogue Trader with access to archaeotech and the blasphemous-yet-awesome xenotech.

And if they got his papers back, a Rogue Trader that would owe them a favor. Axel was positively giddy at the thought as he hummed a song from back on Hadd. It was probably an odd sight seeing the squat, muscly techpriest skipping.

Brothers of the forge rejoice... (swing, swing, swing with me!) Raise your hammers and your voice (sing, sing, sing with me!)...

[Raineh Daze]

The walk down the tunnel seems easy enough: it is, for the underhive, clean and brightly lit, though here and there are signs this is only such by prodigious effort--a section of wall collapsed and spewing rock right across the tunnel, for instance.

Praetia and Arturia

Where the wall is collapsed, you see a man watching from behind the next section of upright wall. He doesn't seem especially suspicious of you or the direction you came from, but he is obviously armed, and is watchingn you intently.

[Rin]

Sister Arturia of the Order of the Argent Shroud

Sister Arturia was a little agitated, really. There they were, wasting time talking to that rogue trader when there were other, more important things they could be doing. Everywhere there were heretics who needed to be shown the light or, more likely, the cleansing flames of the Emperor. Still, she kept on edge; even if she would rather be waging glorious battle against the enemies of mankind right now, she did not want to bring shame to her Order by failing to follow the commands of an Inquisitor. And so, when she noticed the armed man staring at them, she instantly raised her blessed Godwin-De'az Bolter and aimed at right at him, her finger gently squeezing the trigger enough to show that she was serious without actually firing yet.

"In the name of the Ecclesiarchy, lower your weapon and step into the Emperor's light!" she yelled, steely eyes staring straight at the unknown voyeur. "Only a heretic would skulk in the shadows like that! Step forward and state your intent, lest you feel the wrath of the Emperor!"

[Omega]

Overhearing the conversation while she attempted to stay mostly out of sight and provide overwatch for the group. Praetia was not the face of the group, she was not the talker, she was here to stay alive and keep the others alive. What she heard made her wonder just how alive she could keep everyone. The thought of archeotech weaponry did entice her and elicited her to lick her lips at the idea of the kind of equipment she could salvage. It would be dangerous though and she did not like it, did not like it one bit. You could not trust a rogue trader and a former one seemed even worse.

As they headed out Praetia placed herself at the rear guard not liking the people they had left behind and constantly keeping her lasrifle up and scanning. When a section of wall collapsed she dropped behind cover in a kneeling position and brought her rifle to bear on the new gap, immediately spotting and tracking the new individual with her rifle. The new person was better armed it looked like than most hivers down this far. It could be from the crew but she was unsure since it seemed unlikely as they were not yet close enough to the ship.

Any chance of further though was interrupted by the sister of battle who promptly bellowed out a challenge. As she mentioned skulking Praetia slid down further more into the depths of darkness to better obscure her so that when firng started most people would be sure to aim for the sister who was an easy obvious target instead of her hiding down in the shadows behind cover.

[Raineh Daze]

The man does not, in fact, step forwards--he turns tail and attempts to run, going parallel to the actual tunnel.