Xenos Hunters Session 35

#XenosHunters
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	=-=	Staffen is now known as Anselm
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	=-=	Mir is now known as Sinbad
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	=-=	Marklon_Wahlberg is now known as Bellerophon
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	=-=	Scoops is now known as Omniel
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	=-=	Bennie is now known as Navarre
	antoine	Several days after the encounter with the traitor marine you are called into the court room to testify, the mortal soldiers and nuns left outside to protect the proceedings. The room is large and circular with two men and a woman sitting behind an elevated solid wood bench. In the quartered off sections of the outer circle by the walls are alcoves containing Inquisitors and their hangers on....
	antoine	...One for each ordo, leaving the accused to sit by himself in the last of the four alcoves. In the middle of the room is a small platform for witnesses to testify under the watchful gaze of the Inquisitor Lords/Lady.
	antoine	Your Watch Commander sits in the Ordo Xenos Alcove by your side, chatting idly as the Inquisitor Lords/Lady prepare themselves to continue proceedings
	=-=	Sinbad is now known as Sinbad_AFK
	antoine	The Ordo Malleus' Grandmaster is a oppressively large man with a polished smooth silver mask encapsulating his face. The Ordo Xenos Master is a solid but unimpressive figure, from what you have heard he is cunning as a snake. The Ordo Hereticus Master is a slender figured woman with high cheek bones and an aquiline nose, her body seems perpetually set in a haughty pose.
	Balmung	looks completely out of place in here
	Anselm	sits with his personal sword across his lap. He has dismissed Joffery to other tasks, and so will carry his weapon himself.
	antoine	Tellion leans over and whispers, "Alright well be up soon."
	Balmung	tries not to look bored
	Bellerophon	observes the proceedings from his seat, dressed up in an Ultramarines themed suit, although the honor blades and gilded bolter on his person slightly altertinng that effect.
	Balmung	whispers low enough so only the squad members can hear "This is what the all father had in mind when he created my chapter."
	Omniel	stands in full armour with the others, seemingly at rest while he observes the proceedings.
	antoine	The Grandmaster looks up after conferring with his fellows, a deep voice booming out of his mask, "On this 20th day of proceedings in the trial of one Inquisitor Markus Hardgrave we, the protectors of Jericho Reach give thanks to him on Terra. May Imperial justice account in all balance. Inquisitor Jestilla Tellion has called forth the Vindex Kill Team of the holy Deathwatch to testify. The...
	antoine	...witnesses will stand in the circle of Emperor's light." He motions towards the center platform.
	Anselm	looks up at the Terminator and grunts. "The God-Emperor intended your Chapter all for a Wolf seconded to the Deathwatch to stand in Tactical Dreadnought warplate, waiting in the midst of politics?" he whispers back, jokingly, before standing and preparing to move.
	Balmung	tries not to laugh
	antoine	Tellion points to the platform, "We're up" as she smoothly rises on her two legs and takes a place on the circular o-ring that surrounds the middle platform.
	Balmung	stomps into the center of the room
	Anselm	follows, resting his sheathed sword against his pauldron, holding the tip in his palm.
	Bellerophon	follows smoothly to the platform
	Balmung	glances around the room and grunts
	Omniel	trundles along to the circle, looking around cautiously.
	antoine	The Grandmaster waits until everyone has entered the circle before stating, "Proceed Inquisitor."
	antoine	Tellion begins a slow walk around your team, "Thank you my Lord." she replies
	Anselm	lowers his brow and follows Tellion's movement with his eyes.
	antoine	She looks at Omniel, "For the record, when did you first meet Inquisitor Hardgrave?"
	=-=	Sinbad_AFK is now known as Sinbad
	antoine	Tellion leans in, "It's just for the record, you remember Rahas or did you replace your memory region with a new implant?" She hisses in a slow whisper.
	Omniel	clears his throat. "We first encounrter Inquisitor Hardgrave shortly after the defense of Lensburg, approximately 7 months ago."
	Omniel	Encountered*
	antoine	"How would you characterize the encounter?"
	Omniel	"Confrontational."
	Sinbad	grunts
	Bellerophon	"To elaborate: Intensely hostile."
	Bellerophon	"The sanctioned Inquisitor is not a pleasent man to be around, even briefly. I cannot imagine what sort of abuses his staff endures. However, that is neither here nor there."
	Bellerophon	"What is relevant is his irreverent tone regarding the Ordo Xenos, the Deathwatch, and the nature and position of the Astartes. As I recall, he called us "pets.""
	Sinbad	"He is a coward."
	Balmung	"Aye"
	Balmung	"He ran when we faced a greated daemon"
	Bellerophon	"Also including interfering with Inquisitor Tellion's and the Apothecary Cadmus' work regarding some genestealers."
	Anselm	snorts. "I can tell you exactly what sort of abuses his staff went through. They suffered the ostentatious sins of his and his retinue's decadence."
	Bellerophon	"The Bloodthirster would come much later. No need to skip ahead."
	Balmung	tries to shrug in his terminator armor
	antoine	The grandmaster leans forward, "I would kindly remind the witnesses to please just answer the questions as they are given."
	Anselm	"Inquisitor Hardgrave's staff was abominably arrogant," Anselm continues, "he surrounded himself with the highest ranks of the Sororitas, steeped his men in fabulous displays of wealth..."
	Anselm	"His Interrogator set no limits in glorifying himself. His master was not particularly responsible with that one..."
	Anselm	bangs his fist against his chestplate. "I suppose that would explain why he thought it proper to deny an Inquisitorial envoy, and assault my person."
	Anselm	"I suppose he paid the price for thinking he was above the watchmen, however."
	Anselm	bows his head again, content with his deviation.
	Sinbad	screws up his face, holding onto his turban, thinking
	Sinbad	"Throne forgive me, all I remember is that he said that Rahas was not worth defending, and that it should have been given without defense to the xenos invaders."
	Sinbad	"It was at this point I demanded his life for such defeatism, only pushed back by the reason of my brothers."
	Sinbad	"Still want to kill him, though."
	Balmung	grunts "Coward"
	Sinbad	shrugs innocently
	Anselm	shoots a glare at the Chaplain.
	Bellerophon	"Focus, Brothers."
	Anselm	whispers into his gorget-vox: ++Try not to use such antagonistic phrases.++
	Balmung	++He is though++
	Bellerophon	"Perhaps the Conclave would find wisdom in providing a new question."
	antoine	Tellion gives you all a look of exasperation, "Yes, now given those encounters would you describe those grievances as merely interpersonal conflict or do you believe the root of such conflict was from a deeper root cause?"
	antoine	"OBJECTION, speculation!" calls out Hargrave
	Balmung	glances at Hargrave
	antoine	"Overruled, the witnesses may speak their minds." replies the Grandmaster.
	Balmung	"He's a coward who runs from anything that looks mildly threatening"
	Bellerophon	"Inquisitor Hardgrave clearly bears some sort of personal vendetta. That, however, seems to be secondary concern to his propsensity for being in situations he should not be."
	Balmung	"I thought you people were to root out evil not run away from it at the first sign of it"
	Anselm	lowers his head again and speaks into his collar: ++Brother Balmung, I do not advise being accusatory towards the Inquisition, either.++
	Bellerophon	"At this time I would refrence the Niveus Incident, where Hardgrave had, somehow, propmpted the spawning of a Bloodthirster."
	Balmung	grunts into the vox
	Bellerophon	"The Ordo Malleus will no doubt agree that this is an uncommon event."
	Omniel	"Inquisitor Hardgraves' questionable methodologies seem to have been the reason for our disagreements."
	Balmung	++Not my fault they can't take a bruised ego++
	Bellerophon	"This is ignoring his complete ineptitude at running whatever facility the Ordo Hereticus had deemed appropriate to install under the fyceline plant."
	Bellerophon	"It was, in fact, only good fortune that had us on planet to prevent the entire collapse of that penal colony."
	Bellerophon	"Not to mention the banishment of a greater daemon."
	Bellerophon	"A fact which the Inquisitor or the Ordo Hereticus have never thanked us for, I might add."
	Bellerophon	"Is there a problem, Madame-Inquisitor?"
	antoine	The haughty Hereticus mistress looks down at you, "Oh, we did indeed thank your kind Kill Team for its efforts to fight the unholy daemon." she says flatly.
	Bellerophon	"I have heard no such statement from Inquisitor Hardgrave."
	antoine	Tellion continues to circle you, "Given those answers I must ask. Do you believe Markus Hardgrave to be guilty of the charges laid out by this carta?"
	Anselm	coughs, and looks to the Inquisitor. "For the record's sake, what precisely are those charges?"
	antoine	"OBJECTION, asking for an opinion your highness!" Hardgrave screeches out
	Sinbad	"That's a point. Is it 'Heresy'? I bet it's Heresy."
	Sinbad	"Possibly even Grand Heresy."
	Bellerophon	smirks
	Balmung	"They like throwing the heresy flag around don't they?"
	Sinbad	"Any crime is a subset of Heresy."
	antoine	"The most heinous crime, Extremis Diabolus, guilty of consorting with daemons and witchcraft most foul." Tellion replies
	Anselm	nods.
	Sinbad	"...Is that a type of Heresy? I am not a very learned man."
	Balmung	"Sounds about right"
	antoine	"Overruled, these are expert witnesses Inquisitor, they are here to GIVE their opinion." replies the grandmaster.
	Anselm	looks up to the Conclave. "There is a long history of the power of the Rosette being misused, and for personal gain. Indeed, it is the reason you have called this hearing to order. Think back to Inquisitor Eisenhorn of yore, Ordo Xenos - when he walked the path of the righteous and defeated the dreaded Quixos, his foes branded him a heretic."
	Anselm	"Eisenhorn turned from the Emperor's light, yes, but in his prime he was a man of action." Anselm begins to pace around the podium. "Hardgrave cannot even muster that. We found him, steeped up to his neck in foul-smelling deeds, hidden away beneath a false explosive ordinance plant, in a prison for the abominable! He hid away while the Sororitas who had pledged loyalty to him were
	Anselm	slaughtered under the brunt of mutant, both of the malignant and the psyker varieties!"
	Anselm	"Hardgrave is more a Quixos, with less the previous good deeds it seems. He kept a sorcerer suspended in a cage, like a pet rather than kill it. He fled even then, with a contingent of his best combatants, when the accursed warp-spawn took the field."
	Anselm	"If that does not stink of Extremis Diabolus, I know not what does!"
	antoine	Tellion looks at the Lords and Lady sitting behind the hardwood bench for a moment and turns back to you smiling, "That is all your honor, I call the defendant to the stand."
	antoine	She motions for you to return to the Ordo, Xenos bench.
	antoine	./alcove
	Omniel	nods and clomps back to the bench, folding his various arms.
	Balmung	stomps back to the alcove
	Anselm	returns to his seat.
	Sinbad	stands, sighing, then joins his brothers on the walk back
	Sinbad	++What just happened? When does the honor duel begin?++
	Bellerophon	returns to his seat
	Anselm	++Calm, Brother-Chaplain. Just take a seat.++
	antoine	Inquisitor Hardgrave rises and heads to the platform, giving you a scowl as he heads there.
	Bellerophon	smiles with all his teeth
	Balmung	gives his wolfish grin
	Anselm	narrows his eyes and returns the expression.
	Omniel	watches Hardgrave calmly.
	=-=	Mode #XenosHunters +o antoine by Anselm
	=-=	Mode #XenosHunters -o Anselm by Anselm
	Sinbad	eats a soylens bar
	Balmung	wishes he had some ale
	antoine	"Inquisitor Hardgrave, this is your final chance to explain yourself. We know you had captured witches in that prison, we know you were experimenting on them. You accuse this court of being unfair but I am giving you an open chance to defend yourself." Tellion maintains her fake but genuine looking smile.
	Balmung	++Is this the part where they feed him to the wolves?++
	Sinbad	++Is that a faith trial from Fenris? Do they get set on fire at any point?++
	Balmung	++No that's what happens when someone is found guilty of treason or many other crimes really++
	antoine	Hardgrave screws his nose up at the woman, "The Emperor walks among us. He chooses his vessels to do his work, as he has done so since time began. The rotting carcass maintained in the Golden Throne is not the Emperor, for he travels abroad, tending to his Divine Will, instilling his power into those that have been chosen. But what if the Emperor could be granted a body that does not wither...
	antoine	...and die, that could be his vessel for all eternity to come? I believe that such a thing is possible, that the Emperor yet waits for his new body to be found or created. In essence, a new Emperor will be created to lead Mankind to its destiny and conquest of the galaxy."
	Bellerophon	"Objection!"
	Navarre	yawns. He's found the whole thing boring, to say the least. And didn't bother to testify having not known Hardgrave at all. Besides, any evidence he could provide wouldn't add that much to the heap of damning they already have. "Is almost over?"
	Anselm	++Quiet, Brother. Let him dig his own grave.++
	Bellerophon	"He is providing a story, not a legal defense."
	antoine	Tellion raises her eyebrows in mock surprise, "So you admit your insane warp experiments then?"
	Anselm	++And you aren't at the witness stand right now. Sit back down. Have some faith in Tellion.++
	antoine	Hardgrave starts spouting nonsense now, "The ends always justify the means. There is no right or wrong in our profession. The present changes the past from moment to moment. I only pray for the future to vindicate my actions. Mine is the story of a man who did insane things because he put in practice what many Saints have preached! Who among you can say you were as fervent in devotion? Saint...
	antoine	...Casophili will be waiting for me!"
	antoine	Tellion gives a look to the bench, "Need I continue?"
	antoine	"I will join the Emperor's enternal wandering spirit, I will be reborn with him into paradise!"
	Navarre	"He seems rather anchored in his beliefs, doesn't he?"
	antoine	The grandmaster stands slowly, "You will indeed become a spirit, sooner than you think heretic." booms the Ordo Malleus Inquisitor.
	Omniel	nods, quite satisfied that Hardgrave has damned himself and saved them all a lot of trouble!
	Sinbad	looks about confused, wondering why the stones have not yet been brought for the faith trial
	Balmung	++Will someone please shoot him and be done with it?++
	Anselm	++As much as I would love to, this business must first be dispensed with.++
	antoine	The Ordo Xenos, Inquisitor Lord stands as well, "Agreed, Guilty. A majority vote is achieved. You will die now.". The Ordo Hereticus Mistress just looks dejected.
	antoine	"A volunteer then? He looks to your Kill Team.
	antoine	then?"
	Sinbad	++Will the burning commence then?++
	Anselm	looks about.
	Balmung	steps forward
	Sinbad	stands up
	Anselm	"A member of the original number should be the one to do it."
	Sinbad	looks to Balmung, and says something to him
	Bellerophon	stands up!
	Omniel	raises his axe.
	Anselm	++Brothers, would you, by chance, be able to all do something together... in unison?++
	Anselm	++Perhaps, I don't know, take sections of him and tug? Something particularly gruesome to appease the wrath of the Emperor.++
	Balmung	++Sounds acceptable++
	Sinbad	++Splendid. That's the idea I suggested to Brother Balmung.++
	Anselm	++Brother Balmung, Brother Navarre. Let us watch. This is not our justice to deliver.++
	Omniel	++Inefficient, but symbolic. I approve.++
	Balmung	++Alright++
	Navarre	"Agreed."
	Anselm	looks out to the Conclave. "My Battle-Brothers Sinbad, Bellerophon, and Omniel, would all like to perform the execution. To appease them, I submit that we have the Inquisitor drawn... and segmented!"
	Sinbad	stretches his arms preparing for justice
	Anselm	"Let justice be done upon him for affronting these brave and heroic warriors!"
	Sinbad	hands Anselm his turban
	Bellerophon	"I say nay. His offenses require a more personal touch."
	Sinbad	"Handle this for a moment, Brother? I shall bring this coward down."
	Anselm	nods, and takes the peculiar head-garb.
	Anselm	++Unless you have some better idea for getting the three of you up there, I suggest you just go with it.++
	Bellerophon	"Quite."
	Bellerophon	draws his honor blades and steps into the witness circle with Hardgrave
	Bellerophon	"Does the condemned have any last words or requests?"
	Sinbad	goes forwards, reaching for the man's wrists to hold him
	antoine	As you grab Hardgrave and pull he screams, "Mankind stands on the shoulders of the Martyred!"
	Sinbad	"And spits on the bones of its heretics."
	Bellerophon	"The Conclave will note you die a heretic, not a martyr."
	Bellerophon	pulls his blades towards Hardgrave's neck, and performs the Gladiator fatality
	antoine	As you split him in smaller pieces, gore flowing everywhere the Ordo Xenos alcove is a frenzy of activity.
	Omniel	remains silent as he carries out the sentence dispassionately.
	Sinbad	begins smashing into the body with his fists
	antoine	The two Inquisitors in the Hereticus alcove rise, "The Asp sends his thanks!" they shout as four hangers on emerge with them. Chains rattle on the floor as they rise above the ground on invisible winds.
	Bellerophon	waits for the powerfield to obliterate any blood, and reseats the blades
	Anselm	draws his power swords.
	Anselm	++Brothers! To arms! Protect the Conclave!++
	Sinbad	is about to eat Hardgrave's liver, then looks up in chagrin
	Sinbad	"Knew this couldn't be that easy. TO HOLY WAR!"
	Omniel	looks to Tellion immediately, unsure which side she might be on.
	Navarre	"And here I was looking forward to a light day of judicial discourse. There goes my afternoon."
	Balmung	whistles loudly
	Anselm	grunts on the vox. ++Just kill the obvious ones right now! We'll deal with the rest later!++
	Sinbad	replaces his helmet, and readies his bolter and crozius
	=-=	antoine has changed the topic to “ Balmung, Anselm, Sinbad, NPC, Belle, Omniel, Navarre, NPC”
	antoine	The two men call out in an arcane language, "Isho Nah, Mehur Iso'kraco Tok'meh Quizak!"
	Sinbad	points
	Sinbad	"Now /that/ is Heresy!"
	Navarre	"And rather obvious."
	Balmung	shouts something in fersian and charges into the men still on the ground cleaving through them with his axe
	Anselm	"Stand together, Brothers!" Anselm shouts, stepping into the open and point to one of the airborne apparent-sorcerers. "Come and face me if you think me your match, heretic!"
	antoine	The airborne man hisses from beneath his cowl at Anselm.
	Anselm	mocks with a return-hiss of his own, flinging acid-spittle between his teeth.
	Sinbad	brings up his bolter, firing a burst of bolts at a member of the heretic party
	antoine	The shots slow down as they hit some kind of shield but it is not enough the rounds knock the figure to the ground
	Sinbad	"I will wear your organs as trophies, heretic scum!"
	antoine	The Inquisitor Lady and Lord of Hereticus and Xenos respectively run from their benches to the malleus alcove for protection and weapons. The Grandmaster however draws a hand flamer, Shouting, "Be purged!"
	Balmung	++Good to see they're not all cowards++
	Omniel	++Better to see that they are not all complicit.++
	antoine	The flames wash over Balmung without injury as your enemies scatter away from the flames, the aerial men looping and spinning away.
	Bellerophon	runs and vaults over the bench they were sitting in, using it for cover as he's no longer armored, and aims his new bolter at one of the flying menaces, and pulls the trigger
	antoine	The menace is plucked from the air, killed by the explosive bolts.
	Omniel	follows the Grandmaster's example, loosing a jet of flame towards the aeretics.
	Omniel	follows up with a quick burst of plasma from his torch, aimed at the same two.
	antoine	The energy weapons bathe them in fire, setting one alight and eating through their robes to reveal two hovering men with a few chains dangling from their feet, their faces are visages of terror as vestigial horns slowly grow from their foreheads. Their withered hands reach out towards you.
	Sinbad	"Dajjal-kin!"
	Omniel	++It seems the Inquisitorial vetting process is not quite perfect.++
	antoine	Inquisitors from the Ordo Xenos and Malleus alcoves draw weapons and begin adding weight of fire but achieve little against the possessed bodies.
	antoine	The floating man cackles with laughter before summinging a swirling vortex on top of you, the void within seeking to suck the fabric of space and time into it
	Bellerophon	looks away
	Balmung	ignores it and continues fighting
	Omniel	stands firm despite the storm. ++Do not falter, Brothers.++
	Sinbad	utters the prayer of the Demonward
	Navarre	takes the brunt of it, stupid old man that he is. But manages to draw his bolter and points it at one of them and unleashes the PAIN!
	antoine	Navarre ends the life of the possessed man who summoned the vortex which still rages.
	Balmung	turns and cleaves the other enemy in two
	Anselm	barks in anger. "Damn you, Brother Omniel, don't go setting my challenges ablaze!"
	Anselm	charges his foe, intent on slaying him before it's too late.
	Omniel	++I was merely illuminating him for you, Brother. I would not wish for you to lose sight of your quarry.++
	Anselm	catches the heretic as he brings his blade down, swatting the possessed man to the floor and then stomping down on his chest to pull his sword loose.
	Sinbad	opens fire at the vortex, screaming foreign prayers of hate and rage and what possibly could be happiness
	antoine	He cannot miss, the round are plucked out of the air as he fires them, sucked into the warp maw that is raging around you.
	Sinbad	"Whatever's in there, it cannot be allowed to think that this side of the Matterium is safe for it! Aid me! Fire into it with holy hatred!"
	antoine	The Inquisitors run from this new threat, the Grandmaster calling out, "Evacuate the room, deny the warp spawn a chance to afflict your mind!", "GO!". The grandmaster helps haul the Inquisitors to their feet and pushes them to the door.
	Bellerophon	tactically retreats while shooting the last warpspawn through the bench
	Omniel	sends a parting shot off before breaking into a run, mechanical legs carrying him away at a considerable pace.
	antoine	Balmung's fenrisian wolf growls at the warp vortex from the doorway as the Inquisitors make a run for it.
	Balmung	points at where the last heretic is hiding and shouts in fersian
	antoine	The vortex begins to shrink while drifting towards the dead hereticus inquisitor's bodies.
	antoine	The vortex sucks up Hardgraves dismembered corpse from the centre of the room, the droplets of blood drawn in by the gravity like pull.
	Balmung	roars and smashes through the bench killing the heretic
	Anselm	"Balmung!" Anselm shouts. "Fall back! Fall back!"
	antoine	The vortex slowly dissolves into nothing in the center of the room, the room seems to be devoid of colour or lustre. As if drained of all reality.
	Sinbad	leaps over, smacking at the air with his crozius futilely
	Omniel	regroups at a safe distance from the courtroom. ++Brothers, status?++