Rosenkrantz 40

	Rosenkrantz_GM	IT IS THE 41ST MILLEMMIUM...
	Rosenkrantz_GM	On the bridge of the Sacred Heart, the Children of the Flesh have become suddenly devoted to Father Colonel, and what he represents. They speak of an important figure - the Sleeping Father, and his story. What at first sounded like a call to embrace this mysterious paternal figure's ways, has been deciphered to mean a literal path to follow; the walls of the Sacred Heart are covered with
	Rosenkrantz_GM	depictions of the faithful. One such story - and path - it seems, will lead you to the Sleeping Father. Trusting the missionary among you, you put your reservations aside, and follow the apostle Nico, and the group of faithful.
	Makh_Chomun	takes Colonel to the side for a moment. "If you can, see if you can get locations out of these people. We might be able to salvage something out of this wreck if the armory or cargo bays are still intact." He says to the missionary in a low voice.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	When you look back to the group, you find the Children looking intently at you two. It's as though every word - every action involving Calvin is a moment of revelation.
	Calvin_Colonel	nods "They speak in metaphors... that's all that's left of their civilized tendencies, I fear. That and faith."
	Calvin_Colonel	"Could you postulate as to what sort of artifacts might be on this vessel?"
	Calvin_Colonel	"Or weaponry, defensive measures... et cetera."
	Makh_Chomun	nods. Makh'll take what he can get.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Defensive measures," Nico repeats, looking attentively at Calvin.
	Makh_Chomun	In the mean time Makh makes sure his HG have a secure perimeter. Not that he doubts they don't, he's just killing time.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"For lo, defense of the self is defense of the Holy. The pious are the Emperor's tools, vessels to carry his will."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	He then begins to strike at the deckplate with his makeshift metal spear.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Bang bang!"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Not all Children follow Sleeping Father. Orhpans! Like beast! Pious Children fight! Defend!"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Nico makes a thrusting gesture with his spear.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	It is repeated by the others.
	Calvin_Colonel	nods and makes the sign of the Aquila at the crowd
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Is... that a yes to weapons?" a sergeant of the House Guard seems to ask of no one in particular.
	Makh_Chomun	"We'll find out soon enough."
	Vivian	rather sleepily slumps against a nearby wall. Her head drooping a tad as she'd quietly watch and wait.
	Calvin_Colonel	"Yes. And other hostile tribes, by my reckoning."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	You have take in the bone-chilling sight one last time. A bridge not unlike that of the Consequence in utter ruin. A reminder of the fate all voidfarers face. Just like that, however, the Lord-Protector leads the way, taking instructions from the inhabitants of the Sacred Heart.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Navigating through the passageways as you did before, you find yourselves walking to lower decks. Collapsed passageway entrances along the way force you to take alternate routes, but at every possible moment the Children point to some sign of the "Sleeping Father's Story" on the walls. Either in the form of a half-standing statue, or what remains of a devotional painting; eager to show
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Calvin.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"It's extremely useful our good Father Colonel has established such relations."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Soon you find yourselves inside a chapel. An altar in engraved stone still stands, hardly damaged. Once, it surmounted a great metal Aquila, though it now lays face-down on the floor, having come crashing down during the disaster. This one appears to be dedicated to one of Saint Cognatious' disciples. Depicted as a blading man in humble robes administering medicine to the pious.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	This chapel lacks any of the precious metals, instead it is clad in rough hewn stone, with plain and spartan features.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The walls are host to the remains of numerous purity seals that once fluttered from them, many nothing more than red wax seals trailing shreds of decayed parchment.
	Makh_Chomun	"Humble men, these disciples were."
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"Oddly beautiful in a way, wouldn't you say?"
	Calvin_Colonel	"Truly."
	Calvin_Colonel	examines the purity seals closely, trying to decipher any text or seals that might have remained legible
	Calvin_Colonel	takes note of his discovery, photographs the evidence with his pict-recorder, and takes some of the seals, carefully putting them away
	Vivian	perked up a bit as she spotted something.. Only to approach. Kneeling down, she'd take a moment to dust off her finding, before slowly and carefully picking it up. "Huh.. Look at that.." She'd murmur. It seemed to be a medicae kit of some variety, but one of unique value and significance to the followers of this medicae-savvy missionary. By all that's holy, this is surely a relic, perhaps...
	Vivian	...the last remnants of Cognatious' disciple.
	Makh_Chomun	"Whatcha got there, Viv?" Makh tromps over.
	Josef	trying to move forward, but the floor starts to give. He falls to floor, cursing in binary. It doesn't cave in due to Josef's weight.
	Makh_Chomun	chuckles. "You need to lost weight, Josef."
	Josef	is shunned at what has happens. "I am doing fine." he says aloud.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Fearing the chapel to be structurally compromised, the Children begin to make for one of the side passages with some haste.
	Vivian	"It looks to be a rather old Medicae kit. I'm going to hold onto this."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Nico grabs at something in the darkness, and a brief moment later, that something ignites. Some sort of promethium torch, burning in green flame.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The cloister passageway you find yourselves in is otherwise completely dark. And yet, with the sources of light you carry, the walls light up, telling a hundred stories.
	Makh_Chomun	"Interesting. I'm no doc but don't those have an expiration date?"
	Calvin_Colonel	looks around in wonder
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Nico walks slowly, torch in one hand, the other tracing the colored engravings with the palm of his hand.
	Vivian	"It doesn't matter. It's not meant to be used for healing, now. I'll do a little research on it, later." She'd mumble quietly, following along with the rest of the group
	Josef	"I should have brought the jump pack for safety. This ship is unstable."
	Calvin_Colonel	activates his servo-skull with the pict corder and instructs it to fly around and document this place
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	quietly examines the story on the wall
	Rosenkrantz_GM	These "stories" are made in metals of all sorts, shining in every color, from emerald green, to gilded gold. By the looks of it, they have been well maintained through the ages. And you think you know who might be responsible for the devoted service, as Nico picks up a jagged piece of metal from the deckplate and places it back in place - the pauldron on a powerful warrior fighting off a
	Rosenkrantz_GM	daemon.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Story of Sleeping Father," he says almost under his breath, still looking meticulously at every detail.
	Makh_Chomun	"And what a story it is." Makh  breathes in awe.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Suddenly, one of the Children walks up to Nico, and places a hand on his forearm, looking straight ahead to the deepest parts of the long, guilded passageway.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	With a single motion, he places the torch downside up and kills its flame. He hisses to the rest of you, and hides behind one of the statue pillars.
	Vivian	immediately falls quiet, moving behind cover, where she could. As she did, she'd draw her cloak up and onto herself.
	Makh_Chomun	finds the nearest cover and gets behind it. +Find cover boys and girls.+
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	stays close to Makh, using his as a personal shield
	Calvin_Colonel	takes cover
	Rosenkrantz_GM	You hear the sound of crashing and thudding echo through the cavernous chamber.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	A hideous scream, or howl... something faintly human.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Orphans!" Nico hisses.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"Orphans?" he asks the man
	Calvin_Colonel	+Heretics. Mutants, worse. Hide, Lord Captain.+
	Josef	+The Confessor is correct. We are going to face more mutants.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The sounds get louder. Closer. And yet the dense darkness swallows in any ability to see the abominations.
	Vivian	frowned. +The mutants are searching in the darkness. They're making their way over to us. They will find us if we do not move or act first. Stay close to me, and do not make a sound. I will try to guide us along and out of the way.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	More crashing noises. Like pottery being shattered.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	quickly falls in behind Vivian
	Calvin_Colonel	stands further from his fellows, flamer in hand
	Josef	stands near Confessor Colonel and takes a defense stance with his Eviscerator.
	Calvin_Colonel	"Here we shall make our stand, Magos."
	Makh_Chomun	+Make sure we give these Orphans a warm House Guard welcome, boys and girls.+
	Josef	"Indeed, Confessor Colonel."
	Vivian	frowns, then turns and rummages into her bag for a quick moment. Without hesitation, she'd immediately remove a robe- opening it up quickly, she'd drape it over Colonel. Soon after, she'd quietly whisper. "This way.", just before leading the way, aiming to guide them all past the mutants.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Then you hear a scraping, with metallic trinkling sounds...
	Rosenkrantz_GM	they are defacing the "story".
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+On your command, sir. But I can't guarantee discipline from these... survivors. They're getting very uneasy.+
	Vivian	+..There's five of them. We.. If.. ugh.. god.. If we must.. we must strike now while they're unaware..+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	You hear the thumping of the footsteps on the deckplate; the Children have left your side.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	nods to Chomun, signaling towards the house guard
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+They've charged, sir.+
	Vivian	+So much for a surprise attack.. Time to illuminate and take aim. Be careful where you shoot, gentlemen.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	In the darkness, sound is your best sense, and you hear the cries of the Children as they take vengeance against the sacrilige taking place.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Lights on, squad! Move!" one of the sergeants calls to his men, staying close to Calvin.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Some shots ring out, illuminating the passageway in the distance. The abominations are hideously distorted versions of the Children, these "Orphans".
	Makh_Chomun	"Mutant scum!"
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	draws his weapons, striding down the hallway towards these creatures
	Josef	1d10+5
	Josef	runs up near the Mutants to prepare a charge.
	Makh_Chomun	With a war cry on his lips, Makh charges at the hulking abominations that would dare deface such a precious piece of art. He swings with all the weight he can muster behind his new weapon and slams it into the mutant's arm. He is rewarded with a meaty thump and crack of bone.
	Calvin_Colonel	throws off Vivian's cloak and lets his flamer spray fire at the nearest mutants
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	As Friedrich strides forward, he takes careful aim and lets loose a bolt of melta energy. The bolt travels extreme range before smashing into one of the hulking masses
	Rosenkrantz_GM	One of the hulking abominations charges the Lord-Protector, striking viciously at his right leg.
	Josef	parries one of the creature's charging towards them.
	Makh_Chomun	hisses in pain at the blow to his leg, but Makh focuses that pain into more anger.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	\/me Takes careful aim, setting up the melta blast to hit the creature right between the eyes, but a mere moment before the bolt struck the creature turned towards a new opponent and evaded the blast
	Makh_Chomun	The Lord Protector, though wounded in the leg, decides vengeance is needed. He swings the hammer around, poking the thing in the head with the haft before slamming the hammer into the things leg. It explodes upon contact killing the abomination instantly. He roars in furious victory.
	Calvin_Colonel	hands his flamer to a servitor and draws his chainsword
	Calvin_Colonel	"For the Emperor! These mutants cannot stand in the face of our faith and fury!"
	Josef	swings the Eviscerator and Power Axe. The Mutant's head is cut off by the Eviscerator and the Power Axe digs into its body.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The beast covered in flame howls and charges the Lord-Captain. The Rosenkrantz Scion, however, adeptly side-steps the beast, which collides on a statue-pillar.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The farthest of the abominations charges forward at the formation of House Guard in front of it. Several bodies are launched in the air, colliding violently against the guilded walls and pillars. You're uncertain, but perhaps even limbs were torn; the sight is gruesome.
	Vivian	takes aim with her needle pistol- firing at one of the abominations as she'd clench her teeth. Landing the shot- it didn't seem very effective..
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"Filthy scum!" he says, pricking the creature in the side, "I will cut you down myself!"
	Makh_Chomun	The Arch-Militatnt charges the mutant scum that is trying to make a mockey of /his/ boys and girls. He slams his hammer with a meaty thunk into the things chest, but it still stands!
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	jumps next to Makh "Good to fight side by side eh?"
	Josef	, in a frenzy, charges the nearest 'Orphan' and tears the creature's body with an Eviscerator.
	Calvin_Colonel	charges the flaming mutant and swings his chainsword into its leg, screaming incoherently
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The enraged beast strikes the Lord-Protector in the arm. The attack punches through his armor, flaying skin from the limb, filling the air with blood and the sounds of Chomun's screaming. The militant falls prone before his men, in a shamefur disrpay.
	Makh_Chomun	Makh would be embarassed to be laid low by such a creature, if he was conscious enough to think about it.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	Quickly moves in front of Makh, protecting the downed man. "I told you that I am your opponent you disgusting beast." he says as he lands another minor blow
	Josef	drives the Power Axe deep into the Mutant's right arm. However, the creature is resilient.
	Makh_Chomun	hissing in pain, the Lord Protector, rolls over and practically leaps to his feet. He unholsters one of his bolt pistols with his undamaged arm and fires in two quick successions into the mutant bastard that laid him low. Seeing the thing crumple before him, Makh lets out a furious rorar. "Nobody lays me low! Nobody!"
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	lowers his sword, looking back "Well that's one way to do it."
	Makh_Chomun	Makh is truly enraged now, as he screams at the top his lungs as he fires at the next mutant bastard with his bolt pistol in two quick pulls of the trigger. "DIE SCUM, DIE DIE DIE."
	Josef	screaming in a metallic growl and tears the Mutant's left leg. He ends the creature's miserable existence.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	With the last abomination dead, you gather yourselves.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Four dead House Guard. Three dead Children. And as many casualties among the penitents.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"That didn't go to plan."
	Vivian	moved on in and assisted Josef, quietly helping him patch up the Lord Protector's wounds. "Lord Emperor, please let us get out of this in one piece.."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The sergeant of the House Guard that has been with you approaches Calvin.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Could I trouble you to give my boys last rites, Father?"
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	inspects all of the fallen house Guard, learning their names and rank
	Makh_Chomun	"Thanks doc. I think I'll see to the men, if you're quite done."
	Calvin_Colonel	stands over the penitents' corpses "In martyrdom they find absolution. May the Emperor welcome them with open arms."
	Calvin_Colonel	performs quick last rites on the rest of the (friendly) corpses
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The Children hum a tune, a hymn of final rest, for the fallen.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The Lord-Captain now takes the lead of the party, with Lord Chomun taking it easy, trailing in the group.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	Admires the story as they walk
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"Father Colonel, what is this story? in simple terms?
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"
	Makh_Chomun	"What a bloody embarrassment." He mutters to himself, nursing his pride at being humiliated before his own men and women.
	Calvin_Colonel	"The story of the Saint and his disciples - many men of many walks of life. They brought Faith, Salvation, and Knowledge wherever they went - not only in a spiritual sense, but also physically."
	Calvin_Colonel	gestures at a pictogram of wheat "They brought food, medicine, and technology wherever they went. Perhaps they had ties to the Mechanicus."
	Calvin_Colonel	"They had artifacts of great power, for sure. Most likely something that could make deserts bear fruit."
<Rosenkrantz_GM> Following the story further, now roughly amidships, you find yourselves entering a large spherical chamber lined with gantries that provide access to a raised platform in its exact center. What was once the Sacred Heart's astropathic choir is now a dusty tomb. The bodies of dozens of Astropaths are splayed across the floor, carcasses untouched since the crash long ago. The centre-most gantries lead out across the center of the chamber, to a podium from which the vessel's senior Astropath would have directed the mind-voices of his subordinates.
<Friedrich_Rosenkrantz> "That would be very beneficial to the house."
<Calvin_Colonel> "Requiescat In Pace."
<Rosenkrantz_GM> "Sleeping Father voice!"
<Rosenkrantz_GM> The Children make the sign of the aquila.
<Rosenkrantz_GM> Nico walks towards a ring about knee-high in the center of the chamber, but stops just short of it.
<Rosenkrantz_GM> "Father's Rest", he points to it.
<Makh_Chomun> "It's quite a tomb." Makh has regained some of his bravado now that the painkillers are kicking in.
<@Josef> "Interesting."
Josef approaches the ring.
Friedrich_Rosenkrantz follows the Children, approaching the ring
<Rosenkrantz_GM> Nico makes a lowering gesture with his hands.
Vivian follows close beside Josef, matching his pace.
<Rosenkrantz_GM> "Children cannot go. Only the Angel!" he gestures to Calvin.
<Rosenkrantz_GM> "Angel and his friends!"
<@Josef> "High Confessor Colonel. Would you like to join us?"
<Calvin_Colonel> "Certainly."
<Rosenkrantz_GM> "Nico will gather all Children, Angel. Wait for Angel's return!"
<Rosenkrantz_GM> As you step in, the ring begins to slowly turn around you.
<Calvin_Colonel> "Make the Emperor proud, Child."
<Rosenkrantz_GM> A force of uknown power overwhelms you. In an instant, visions of all the souls that served on this vessel come to you at once, the hymns, the screams, the pleas for help, the celebreations, every range of emotion. Every communication that passed through this Astropathic chamber. It is unintelligible. You struggle to come to your senses.
<Rosenkrantz_GM> And when you do, the platform you stood on is already taking you to a lower, hidden chamber.