Rosenkrantz 19

	Rosenkrantz_GM	PREVIOUSLY, ON "NOT-ONLY WAR"...
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The Consequence arrived to the orbit of the colonial planet of Chardis, in order to deliver the Imperial Guard supplies, in the middle of a fierce attack from the enemy. A mutant uprising has torn the planet, and the Imperium has been largely unresponsive, with a single reinforcing regiment helping the PDF hold back the tide against the mutant warband.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The Dynasty launched an offensive, providing overwhelming airpower to the Guard Regiment, striking against key targets and halting the advance with close air support the likes of which the planet had never before seen. In truth, the Dynasty represents the largest military presence ever assembled on or near the colony.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Back at the colonial center, supplies have already started arriving from the Consequence, and the Colonial authorities have announced (perhaps to calm the populace) that the Imperial liberation has arrived.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Lord Chomun's party has been taken to Colonel Paweb's command post some 20 kilometers north-west of the colonial center. He has based his command Staff on a half-destroyed PDF bastion. His troops, you soon realize are... underwhelmingly equipped, even for the feeble standards of guardsmen outside of the logistical robustness of a Rogue Trader Dynasty.
	Makh_Chomun	shakes his head in disbelief. "Why are these men so poorly armed? Even the Murcian 17th were better armed than this."
	Baine_Mort	"Must be what they could round up in supplies it seems."
	Makh_Chomun	"I somehow doubt that, Mr. Mort." He continues to mess with his Power-Fist as they are lead the colonial center.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Paweb, Colonel. 3rd Koranu Auxiliary." His accent is thick, yet somehow easily understood.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	His uniform's quality is equivalent to the field uniform of a non-commissioned officer of any average Guard regiment.
	Makh_Chomun	gives the man a once over before grinning, and proffering his hand to the Colonel. "Greetings Colonel, I'm Lord-Protector Chomun of the Rosenkrantz Dynasty."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Mighty resources, Lord-Protector. Mighty resources indeed," he extends his hand, "And a timely deployment, too."
	Makh_Chomun	"Yes. But I would like to know, why are your men so poorly equipped?"
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	Walks over to the group, hair askew from the helmet that has been strapped to his head for the last serveral hours
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The Colonel's staff visibly tenses up at the question, falling silent, with glances shared among them.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"Greetings gentlemen."
	Makh_Chomun	"Welcome back, young Friedrich. Your boys and girls did great!"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Lord Algaron has generously equipped our regiment. Your eyes are simply used to another level of opulance, Lord-Protector."
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"With the AA down it's just dropping cargo." he says with a yawn, he's been in the air for hours and it's taken it's toll
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"I've seen street gangs equipped better."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The Colonel looks at young Friedrich, "One of the angels at our backs. We thank you, sir." he nods.
	Makh_Chomun	folds his arms, making a clinking noise as he does so, and regards the man support staff before looking back to the Colonel. "I see. Well then, Colonel. What's the situation now?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Thanks to your intervention, we have been able to solidify our hold along our lines. We will soon launch an assault on the supply depot. We estimate that the losses they took in the advance were substantial enough that one aggressive push may be enough for them to abandon their hold on their position."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The screetching engines of a descending gun-cutter interrupt your conversation momentarily.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Once landed, Armsmen pour out, setting a perimeter. The stout red robed figure of 'Josef' steps out soon after.
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	whispers to Makh "Does that guy get any less creepy?"
	Makh_Chomun	merely shakes his head.
	Josef	"Greetings, Lord Chomun and Wing Commander Rosenkrantz."
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"Friedrich will do."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Is the Dynasty here on orders of Tactician Dryd? We hadn't expected any support for some time."
	Josef	"Understood, Wing Commander Friedrich."
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	sighs and turns to the Colonel
	Friedrich_Rosenkrantz	"We aren't here on any orders other than the Lady Captain."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Colonel Paweb raises an eyebrow.
	Makh_Chomun	"Aye, though it's a tad more complicated than that."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Then may I ask to what we owe your most generous intervention? And, if I may add, for how long we might enjoy your support?"
	Makh_Chomun	"Nothing but your continued service to the Emperor, Colonel."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Ave," he replies.
	Makh_Chomun	"The orders, as I know them, was to drop the supplies off and leave, but given what I've seen I think we'll stay longer, if I can help it. Besides..." Makh looks over at some of his armsmen. "I think this is a great opportunity for some training for my men."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Should you stay, Lord-Protector, I am certain the people on this planet will be filled with hope."
	Makh_Chomun	"I don't doubt that."
	Makh_Chomun	"For now however, we should coordinate our forces and push these scum to the brink."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"The Tactician's latest report suggests something disturbing..." he waves one of his aides over.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Taking the dataslate, he continues: "the mutant warband appears to be very well organized. A branch from a known mutant liberation band from the Calixis Sector."
	Makh_Chomun	"They somehow made it all the way out here?" He whistles, impressed. "They came quite a long way to die, that's for sure."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Tactician Dryd has tracked a vessel lost in transit through the Koronus Passage. Lost, that is, in records outside of the Realm's vast network." his staff nod in an odd knee-jerk agreement.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Reports suggest they successfully mutinied, and are now planting the seeds for mutant rebellion in the Expanse."
	Makh_Chomun	"Hmmmm, interesting. Sounds like something the Lady Captain might want to look into."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Lord Chomun, the Colonial Governor requests an audience with you.+
	Makh_Chomun	+Tell him I'll be sure to give him his audience soon enough.+
	Makh_Chomun	+Downfield! You're down here now, yes? Good. I want you to coordinate our forces with that of Colonel Paweb's. They could use our assistance in ridding the planet of this rebellion. Should be good practice for the armsmen.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Understood. The pilot on the gun-cutter at your location has received instructions on how to get to the suggested LZ.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Is there a pay increase, my Lord, with my new Naval Liason position?+ Downfield adds.
	Makh_Chomun	cackles of the comm-link. +If it were that easy, my dearest Leftenant, I'd have already bought a moon or two.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Downfield chuckles +We are nearly finished here at the drop pod crash site. Wrapping up now, and headed to the Colonel's bastion.+
	Makh_Chomun	+Very good.+
	Makh_Chomun	"Colonel, I'll be leaving you in the capable hands of my subordinate, for now I'm off to see the Governor. If you anything else that Lieutenant cannot provide contact me through her. For now though, good luck to you and your Regiment."
	Makh_Chomun	He gives the Colonel a salute, fist to breast and moves off towards the Guncutter, motioning for everyone else to follow.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Colonel Paweb returns the salute. "Thank you, Lord-Protector."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Seeing their Warlord approach, the armsmen near the gun-cutter get ready to hop on, one banging on the side of the flyer to alert the pilot.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+It would appear, my Lord, that the colonials have set up some sort of event.+ the pilot informs you as he starts the engines.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The gun-cutter lifts off, and is soon flying at high speeds towards the colonial center.
	Makh_Chomun	+At our desination you mean?+ He replied while strapping himself in.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Our landing instructions make mention of a... crowded area, my Lord.+
	Makh_Chomun	rolls his eyes. +Don't land on anyone. I'm trusting in your skills now.+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Only because it's coming from you, my Lord.+ the pilot jests
	Makh_Chomun	+That's the spirit!+
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The colonial center is easy to spot. The structures become more numerous as you travel along your present course, more densely packed, and better organized.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Finally, you spot a large open plaza with a single statue of the Emperor in the center. People are gathered in their thousands.
	Makh_Chomun	+Give 'em a show, pilot.+
	Makh_Chomun	"Best behavior everyone, these are citizens of the Imperium after all." You can almost hear his smile as he says that.
	|<--	Josef has left irc.thisisnotatrueending.com (Client exited)
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Alpha Squadron, form up on lead.+ the pilot calls.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Soon, several gun-cutters form in echelon above the admiring crowd.
	-->|	Josef (chatzilla@sux-B123E5D9.lightspeed.sntcca.sbcglobal.net) has joined #rosenkrantz
	Josef	repairs the flesh of Lord Chomun and Master of Ordnance Chomun. He blesses their biological machinery with oil and prayers.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	As the formation loses altitude, you can actually hear the cheers from the crowds. And... the laud-hailers carrying the voice of, presumably, someone of authority: ++BEHOLD, PIOUS CITIZENS! BEHOLD THE IMPERIAL WARLORD AND HIS LIBERATING FORCES! HE IS THE HERO WE PROMISED YOU! THE EMPEROR'S ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYERS!++
	Baine_Mort	"Thank you Doctor, though I would cut back on the oils a bit."
	Makh_Chomun	"Much appreciated Josef."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	+Break formation. Coming in for a landing.+
	Josef	"No. This pleases the Omnissiah." He takes some of the oil and taps Mort on the forehead to complete the ritual.
	Josef	takes a seat and straps himself in.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	You slowly descend onto a prepared platform, and as soon as the engines are silenced, the roar of the crowd takes their place.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	In front of you, stand colonial representatives. One of which has adorned himself with a lavish xenopelt cloak.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	He is introduced to you as the Colonial Governor, Master Breven.
	Josef	tucks his extra set of arms into his robes before getting off the transport.
	Makh_Chomun	The roar of the crowds is no new thing to Makh Chomun. It's something he's gotten used to over the years. For him, it's like a fine music to be enjoyed. Makh gives the crowd what it wants and raises both of his arms in salute as he descends the steps of the gun-cutters disembark ramp and approaches the Governor.
	Makh_Chomun	As before, he profers his hand to the Governor in greeting before saying, "greetings, Governor Breven!"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Hats are thrown in the air, scarves are waved as flags, and the crowd reaches a crescendo the moment your hands meet. This is an historic and highly symbolic moment to the colonists.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"We welcome you, mighty warlord!" the greeting is augmented via the laud-hailers on every corner of the square.
	Baine_Mort	exits out of the gun-cutter after Chomun, he looks out out the crowd as he makes his way down to Chomun.
	Josef	makes the sign of the Omnissiah as he exits the vehicle.
	Makh_Chomun	"Quite a welcome, Governor!"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"You and your..." the governor's eyes are momentarily locked on the figure of Josef, and his words linger for a moment, "/associates/ have brought us great hope!"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"The people of Chardis have seen their prayers answered in your arrival!"
	Makh_Chomun	"The Emperor Protects, Governor. Shall we?" He motions with his power-fist, still equipped despite the non-danger in the current area.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	AND SO CHOMUN CHALLENGED THE GOVERNOR TO MORTAL KOMBAT
	Rosenkrantz_GM	[redacted]
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Governor Breven waves at the cheering crowd, and motions for his aides to open the doors to his reception hall.
	Makh_Chomun	follows the Governor.
	Josef	follows behind Lord Chomun.
	Baine_Mort	follows Josed
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Once inside, the doors are closed behind you. The Governor motions to a large raised surface in the middle of the hall, with seats placed on every side.
	Baine_Mort	walks over to one of the seats and sits down.
	Makh_Chomun	makes his way over the table and chooses a seat next to Mort and carefully sits on it, hearing it groan under his armored weight, hoping it won't break if he shifts himself.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	Once you've all taken your seats, the Governor does the same. "I won't tire you with idle babble. I am well aware that you represent a private interest. I don't expect your resources to remain with us for long."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	He sighs.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"We had heard reports, but these savages, these... animals. Nobody expected this level of organization."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"For all the resources I poured into the Planet's Defense, the PDF regiments were utterly useless... half our population, if you can imagine the disaster I'm in. Half our population has been lost already."
	Baine_Mort	"If I may interject Governor. Have you seen any humans with these Mutants, or ones that looked more human then the others?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"As you can imagine, Mr..."
	Baine_Mort	"Mort, Baine Mort Governor."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Mister Mort; mine is not a position which I am willing to endanger with frontline appearances. The defense is now entirely organized by the Tactician's regiment. They appear to be friendly enough, but are under very strict guideliness on how to operate. They tell me they're forbidden from sharing even the most elementary information with us."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"And to think we turned over so many assets to that /Dryd/... and this is what he sends us in return."
	Makh_Chomun	"Tough times, Governor, tough times indeed. You must persevere as is your duty to the Emperor and his Imperium. However, I can say that I'm doing my best to keep the Dynasty's forces here to help quell this rebellion. And I'll be frank and honest with you, I'm a little surprised at how poorly equipped Colonel Paweb's regiment is."
	Baine_Mort	"Interesting, I would of thought they would keep you update on stuff like this."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"We know very little about them. And they refuse to tell us anything more than the name of their homeworld. None of our archivists seem to know of the location of Koranu, though the quality of the equipment granted to their guardsmen is very telling..."
	Makh_Chomun	"Well the important thing is were here now. Mind giving us the full details on how this started and why these mutants have almost won?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Dryd, for his part, promised support in exchange for information, and the transfering of contracts with free traders who work outside the Calixis Sector. Vital resources, but nothing was more vital than the ability to fight back. The mutant population has never been able to organize like this. Small uprisings easily put down every few years. To tell you the truth, it soon became wasteful
	Rosenkrantz_GM	for us to even patrol the areas they had been pushed to inhabit. We chose to simply contain them. There were reports of stirring, but... nothing prepared us for that first week. Our population, Lord-Protector, was halved."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"They are organized. Fierce. Fighting with a sense of purpose. They claim the mutated form to be the superior one. The evolved form."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Such /heresy/..."
	Makh_Chomun	"How is it possible that the population was halved in just a week? Was the uprising that extensive?"
	Baine_Mort	"Could some mutants have gotten them organized, during our landings, I did happen to see some mutants that looked more human."
	Makh_Chomun	"I think this goes much farther back than when we arrived, Mr. Mort."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"One million deaths are approximated. They assaulted the PDF bastions and supply depots. They knew where to strike, and turned our own defenses against us. They disabled power grids and attacked us in the night. We hardly knew who or where the enemy was. In truth, the PDF was /useless/. Once we reorganized, we pushed them far enough that they retreated. Retreated... like an organized force.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	The rest was a terrible war of attrition. At least, until the resupply ships came, and Paweb arrived courtesy of Tactician Dryd."
	Makh_Chomun	"And how effective have they been before our arrival?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"The Tactician's men? In the beginning, fierce. Then their supplies ran out. The Colonel refused to ask the Tactician for resupply... I swear it was a fear in the man's eyes. So I did. His only recommendation was an attack plan. The Colonel attacked one of the supply and vehicle depots here inside the colonial center. With little more than bayonets and those elongaded blades of theirs. I
	Rosenkrantz_GM	can't speak to his losses, but some 400 men are approximated. But he succeded. This marked the way the rest of this campaign has been fought. Taking supply depots, and rearming his desperate regiment. Annexing members of the PDF, and preparing for the next assault..."
	Makh_Chomun	"Sounds like this Dryd is a very hard man if even his subordinates refuse to ask for supplies." Makh shakes his head. "Paweb seems very capable, though his methods leave a lot to be desired. Though that's not his fault."
	Makh_Chomun	"What else can you tell us that we may need to know going from here, Governor?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"That entirely depends on what your goals are on this planet, Lord-Protector."
	Makh_Chomun	chuckles. "If given permission from the Lady Captain, I'm sure I can convince her mind you, the entire eradication of this mutant uprising. As always the Dynasty is always looking for new trading opportunities...and it would be a waste to see a growing colony of His realm succumb to mutant traitors."
	Josef	"Plus, this adventure sounds quite interesting. With the test subjects... I mean mutants to slice up."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"We would be forever in your debt. Though it would perhaps be wise to coordinate with the Tactician, given the rather rigid nature of Paweb's command."
	Makh_Chomun	"Of course."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"From my experience, Lord-Protector, it may not be an easy task."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Should your Captain agree to this course of action, I would invite you to join me whenever I am next able to communicate with the man."
	Makh_Chomun	"I don't doubt it, Governor, but I've done worse."
	Makh_Chomun	"I'll be sure to be present. But for now I think the present course of action is to coordinate our forces and start pushing these scum off the planet. Do you have any PDF left to speak of?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Presently rallying to the Colonel's bastion. They are to join the next assault on the Supply Depot."
	Makh_Chomun	"Well, perhaps we should join them. That is if you don't have anything else you can tell use about the situation planetside?"
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Only that starvation is a very real concern... but that is, perhaps, a matter far removed from the military situation you shall be attending to. We administators of the colony shall find a way to deal with the crisis."
	Makh_Chomun	"Hopefully the supplies will help with that. Well, if you need anything else from us, you know how to contact me. Until next time, Governor."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"Emperor be with you, Rosenkrantz Warlord."
	Makh_Chomun	carefully stands up from his chair, it groaning quite loudly as he stands.
	Makh_Chomun	"Aye, with you as well Governor Breven."
	Makh_Chomun	He gives the Governor and his staff a breastplate salute and makes his way to the exit.
	Baine_Mort	get up from his seat and give the Governor a salute and makes his way out.
	Rosenkrantz_GM	"May your beloved have testicles bigger than her adam's apple, Mister Mort."
	Rosenkrantz_GM	[redacted]
	Rosenkrantz_GM	=========END SESSION=========