The Imperium of Man has been split in half. The Great Rift has torn a great gouge through the very heart of the Imperium, splitting half of it off from the light of the Astronomicon and the Golden Throne of Terra. Chaos is in the ascendant and, all across the galaxy, cults have come into the light in order to throw of the yoke of beurocracy. On one side of the rift, the thirteenth Primarch has awoken and made his way to Holy Terra in order to assume the role of Lord Regent. Many have flocked to his banner in an attempt to save themselves from the dying of the light. On the other, Humanity struggles to fend off every nightmare in the galaxy.
Curiously, near the centre of the Ultima Segmentum, something huge has emerged from the Warp. A great rock has been spat out into realspace, its surface melding with the various ships and stations that have been mashed into it. Imperial cruisers merge seamlessly with Chaos destroyers, temples and manufactorums share the same space, and something once from outside known space squirms as its flesh is stictched into stone and metal. This space hulk has no classification, as none captured within its infernal grip care to name the abomination.
Slowly, the hellish mass floats through space. Slowly it encroaches on a system being fought over by various factions.
Irrespective of their own loyalties, those onboard must decide - aid their foes so that they might all escape a flaming death? Grind all their enemies to dust? Find a way out? Revel in the coming apocalypse?
==SYSTEM==
I will be using a very simplified version of the Dark Heresy system. For those that don't know, it is designed for P+P style, and allows for a lot of minute detail changes from one character to another. However, it is too in-depth for here, I feel, so instead:
All stat systems will be on a rating of 1-10 - NO HIGHER OR LOWER!! Actions will require a roll to be equal to, or less than, the relevant stat to be a success. The statline that you have will not be set in stone, and can increase or potentially decrease over the course of the story (I hope!). Stats are not the be-all and end-all, however. Any skill that your character has which could be used to impact the action you are doing will add a +1 to the relevant stat.
As well as skills, characters will have access to talents, which give variable bonuses but are often dependant on stats to actually have. For example:
Medic Mosul has taken the Medic skill, allowing him to treat injuries in the field. Having that skill allows him to take Master Churgeon as one of his talents, which not only increases the chances of a successful test, but heals more damage every time.
There are also 3 stats that will be affected during play, dependant on what people do. Some may start at different levels depending on character choice, but I will get into that with character creation later on. For now, they are:
XP: Fairly simple - survive an encounter, and you have learned something! XP can be used to improve stats, learn new skills, develop new talents, or even gain a specialisation
Corruption: Chaos is everywhere, and even the briefest brush can scar the soul. Dance with the Dark Gods too much, or get exposed for too long, and you will soon feel the effects. Runs from 0 to 100, the higher it is the more exposure you have had and, potentially, may start sprouting mutations! Purification rituals, meditation, etc can reduce corruption, but it is far easier to gain than to get rid of. Every 10 points you gain will have me do a secret roll against your highest stat. If it passes, nothing happens. If it fails, your mind has started to crack. If you somehow manage to get to 100, then welcome to the world of Spawndom!
Insanity: Simply the slow degradation of the mind after witnessing traumatic events. For most, being in a gunfight isn't that traumatic thanks to training, experience, and whatnot. But there is still something unsettling about seeing a man's head explode, witnessing the effects of a melta weapon on raw flesh, and most definitely seeing a Lictor consume someone's brain! Like corruption, it is possible to reduce the mental stress that leads to insanity, but it varies as to how best to do so. Also like corruption, it is on a 0-100 scale and, if you gain enough, you start to get unhinged and will aquire a mental flaw. Unlike corruption, being stark raving bonkers does not prevent you from being a human in the service of the Emperor, nor prevent you from doing your job - unless it results in pissing on a commissar's great coat, or some other act which would result in getting the Emperor's Mercy. Or, you know, whatever the equivalent is for Chaos!
While the original plan was to allow imperial, chaos, orks, and elder, I feel that would be a bit too taxing for me, so I have decided to go vanilla, and just run imperials. Now, due to the effects of the warp, characters do not have to be from the 41st millennium - they can be from any point from the Great Crusade onwards. Of course, just because you are Imperial, does not mean you cannot be considered radicalised....
Combat is fairly simple. Your relevant combat skill (weapon or ballistic) is your base chance to hit. Damage is dependant on the weapon used (Melee weapons add your strength on too), and the target's damage resistance is their Toughness plus any armour they have. Note that armour can be partially, or totally bypassed, by a weapon's armour penetration value.
==CHARACTER CREATION==
Depending on what you choose to be, you will have different base stats to run with, and the like. However, everyone has some systems in common.
-Step 1-
Where do you come from? The world from which you hail will have an affect on your character in minor ways. There are four main types of world:
Feral World: A planet that, for whatever reason, is very difficult to exist on. Those who come from feral worlds tend to be tough, hardy folk who rely on their own physical abilities rather than technology, which can break down when needed most. Examples include Catachan, Tallarn, Fenris.
Feral worlders are not exactly tech savvy, and so get a -1 when testing to use technological devices (weapons are fine tho!). They are also adept at survivalism, and thankfully their bodies tend to be fine with whatever they tend to find in terms of food. Do not get poisoned from consuming meat, mushrooms, whatever. Chaos-flesh will corrupt! Cannot be an Adept, Cleric, or Arbiter as the centres of law and administration tend to be either tribal, or kept off world.
Hive World: Worlds that are very hostile to Human life unless within one of the gigantic mega-structures that dot the landscape, and even within them life is not easy. Populations are high, life is cheap, and people are locked into whatever drudgery their life happens to be. Few get the chance of a better life, most will die either in their jobs or due to street crime. Armageddon and Necromunda are prime examples, and Forge Worlds can loosely fit.
There is no chance of a lowborn hiver getting a role as one of the ruling elite, and the elite live too comfortably to bother with going off-world. As such, cannot be Adepts. Hivers are comfortable with technology, and as such get a +1 when using tech devices. Also, as danger can come from anywhere, Awareness gives a +2 modifier instead of +1
Imperial World: One of the multitude of compliant worlds which the Administratum do not give any special credence to, they can be anything from a feudal world to a shrine world. Life is as easy as it is going to get (within various degrees), and those from them can be anything they wish, within the bounds of their own law, social structure, etc. Examples are Chogoris, Ophilia VII, and Holy Terra.
Those from these worlds are happy in their ignorance of things the Ecclisiarchy keeps away from them and, as such, have a -1 when trying to figure out how "forbidden" things work, what they mean, or even exist. However, they are all confident, without any doubt, that they are the best Humanity has to offer (without any of that genetic modification rubbish), and get +1 Willpower.
Void Born: There are those that, for whatever reason, call starships their home. Life can be tough as everything needs to be recycled and nothing goes to waste in the limited space, but they tend to operate with semi-autonomy, as each starship could be considered a world in its own right. Meritocracy is the key word in these places, as good breeding means nothing if you don't have the skills to be useful.
Those that live in space are not held to the military tithe, and thus are never recruited into the Astra Militarum. They tend to be considered ill-omened by terra-firmers, but the upside is that they have no issue with the effects of low (or no) gravity, as it is simply normal. Even travelling the Warp is a common occurrence, although the dangers still persist.
-Step 2-
Everyone has statistics, because why not? The base creation is the same for everyone! All stats start at 2, and you get 9 extra points to spread as you wish.
Weapons Skill - Your skill at close combat
Ballistic Skill - Your skill at ranged combat
Strength - Your physical power
Toughness - Your innate resilience
Agility - Your reaction speed
Intelligence - How smart you are
Perception - Your ability to spot things
Willpower - Your strength of will
Fellowship - Your charismatic ability
-Step 3-
Time to choose your role. It might not seem much at the start, but I intend for you all to grow and get better.
Adept (Archivist)- One of the many Imperial scholars, administrators, and clerical assistants who fill the ranks of the Administratum. It is these who know the most, and keep it out of the hands of others.
Adepts start with the Common Lore and Scholatic Lore skills; Basic Melee training OR Pistol training talents; Staff OR Stubgun gear.
Arbitrator (Trooper) - The long arm of the law, and bringers of justice to anyone who they deem deserving of it.
Arbitrators start with Common Lore skill; Basic Weapons AND Basic Melee training talents; A shotgun AND EITHER knife / knuckledusters / club, AND Flack armour
Assassin (Sell-Steel) - When someone needs to die, assassins are called in to do the job. In some instances, the assassin's survival is secondary to the mission, and sometimes they can get hired out for extra jobs
Assassins start with Awareness skill; Basic Melee training, Pistol AND Basic Weapons training talents; Autogun, knife, laspistol, and sword gear.
Cleric (Novice) - The priests and chanters of the Ecclisiarchy show up whenever the Imperial forces enter battle, and are always on the lookout for signs of heresy
Clerics start with Common Lore skill; Basic Melle training and Pistol training talents; Hammer OR Sword, autopistol, and assorted Ecclisiarchal stuff gear.
Guardsman (Conscript) - Rank and file of the Emperor's Anvil. Billions get recruited, billions die, and the only reward they can look forward to is getting to settle a world if they do well enough. Otherwise death is all but certain
Guardsmen start unskilled and ignorant (as the Imperium wants them!); Basic Melee, Pistol, and Basic Weapons training talents; knife, laspistol, lasgun. guardsman flack armour gear, and the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer!
Imperial Psyker (Sanctionite) - One born with a special connection to the Warp, they either learn to harness their powers, or become a living Warp rift.
Psykers start with Psyscience and Invocation skills; Basic Melee training, Pistol training, and Psy Rating 1 talents; A staff and Stubgun gear.
Scum (Dreg) - The lowborn thugs, mercs, and criminal scum of the galaxy. They don't fight for a higher cause, only cold hard cash or because someone more dangerous will murder them if they don't.
Scum start with Charm, Awarness, and Common Lore skills; Basic Melee, Pistol, and Basic Weapon training talents; Knife, autopistol, autogun, and leather armour gear.
Sister of Battle (Novice) - The militant arm of the Ecclisarchy, women-art arms trained to have absolute faith in the Emperor, and bring absolute death to those who don't.
Sisters of Battle start with Common Lore skill; Basic Melee, Pistol and Basic Weapons training, and PURE FAITH Talents; club OR flail, Bolt pistol, and carapace armour gear.
Phew! I know it looks complicated, but that was about as simple as I could make it. But do not worry, you are not stuck with just the above as you can get more stuff, skills, talents, and the like in the next steps. Also don't worry about looking weak - I'll soon have you getting better and better!
-Step4-
Time to finish off stuff!
Everyone has their Health as 10, plus the toughness stat.
Everyone has 1000 Thrones to their name, to purchase extra gear, or just hold on to.
Everyone has 40 freebie points to spend on stat increases, skills, and talents.
- 5 points for a +1 to a stat
- 1 point for a skill
- 2 points for a new talent, or increase an existing one where appropriate.
-SKILLS-
Skills, as noted above, give a +1 modifier to your roll on related actions.
Acrobatics - The ability to move around with more grace than a pregnant Grox.
Awareness - Noticing things around your person, like a person's rank, which button to press, or that impending ambush!
Charm - Being suave, and getting people to like you
Chem use - Knowing drugs and how to use them.
Ciphers - Knowledge of secret codes, breaking encryptions, and the like
Command - Getting people to do what you want!
Concealment - The skill of remaining unseen by hiding in shadows, camouflage, or hiding in a box.
Lore (common, forbidden, scholastic) - Common knowledge, knowing about things the Ecclisiarchy doesn't want you to know, and knowledge of scholastic stuff.
Demolitions - HIGH EXPLOSIVES!!
Disguise - How to hide in hostile areas without being under a box, or a dark corner
Intimidate - Shouting at people, or threatening violence to get them to do what you want!
Medicae - Knowing which holes need patching up after getting shot
Tech use - What, are you some kind of Martian tech adept? Knowledge of technological devices, such as how to operate a vox, Chimera, or auspex.
-TALENTS-
Unlike skills, most talents require stats at a specific level, or the preceding talent.
Advanced Weapon Training - You are skilled enough in the use of power-based melee weapons, and chain blades
Air of authority (Fellowship 3) - You can command those that are not normally inclined to follow your orders (like the enemy when they are not trying to kill you)
Armour of contempt (Willpower 4) - Whenever you would gain corruption, you gain 1 point less
Basic Melee Training - You know hoe to use all standard melee weapons. Just don't try using a power weapon unless you want to loose some fingers.
Basic Weapon Training - You know how to use most standard rifle-style firearms of Imperial manufacture.
Bulging biceps (Strength 4) - You can wield a heavy weapon as if it was a basic one (still need the talent to know how to use it)
Chem geld - Due to extensive chemical influence, you are immune to seduction (you've seen far sexier when you last tripped out)
Concealed cavity - You have a space, somewhere on your person, where you can hide a pistol from prying eyes... or searching hands
Crushing blow (Strength 4) - +2 damage with melee weapons.
Dark soul - Your soul is stained, and you do not concern yourself with such things as mental instability, and actual malignancies only have half the effect.
Decadence - It is nearly impossible for you to get drunk or suffer negative effects of drugs, you filthy deviant.
Discipline focus (Psy Rating 3) - +2 to psy tests for a discipline of your choice
Dual wield (Ballistic Skill 3) - You are skilled with using a pistol in either hand, and have no issue attacking with both at the same time
Dual strike (Agility 4) - You know how to use two melee weapons at the same time. Snikt snikt!
Exotic Weapon Training (Basic Weapon Training) - You xeno-heretic! You know how to use weapons of alien manufacture, as well as the more unusual guns!
Favoured by the Warp (Willpower 3) - If your psy power goes wrong, you are less likely to suffer a bad result from the perils of the warp.
Hatred of X - You really don't like one particular group, and get +1 Weapon Skill when trying to beat the crap out of them.
Heavy Weapon Training (Basic Weapons Training) - You know enough to wield the big guns.
Litany of Hate (Hatred) - You hate people so much that a successful Charm roll will make everyone around you hate them too!
Jaded (Willpower 3) - Violence doesn't faze you, and you don't gain insanity from seeing people filled with lead, burned to a crisp, evaporated, or diced up. Really fucked up shit can still get through, though.
Master Chirurgeon (Medicae) - You really know your anatomy, and heal 2 wounds instead of 1 when fixing people up.
Mental Fortress (Strong Mind + Willpower 5) - Your mind is so strong, that mental attacks against you cause the psyker to take a wound through mental feedback!
Master shot (Ballistic Skill 40) - Your ranged attacks deal +2 damage! Ouch!
Minor psychic power - You are a psyker! Have a minor power! (This can be taken multiple times)
Pistol Training - You know how to wield the smallest guns. Good for you!
Power well (Psy Rating 2) - You are a focal point in the Warp, and get +1 to psy tests
Psy Rating 1 - You are a proper psyker, not a simple wyrd. Get a number of minor psy powers equal to half your Willpower (rounding up)
Psy Rating 2 (Psy Rating 1) - Your minor psycic powers equal the same number as your Willpower
Psy Rating 3 (Psy Rating 2) - You have begun to learn one of the major disciplines. Gain 1 power from 1 discipline
Psy Rating 4 (Psy Rating 3) - You now know a number of discipline powers from a single discipline equal to half your Willpower (round up)
Psy Rating 5 (Psy Rating 4) - You are one of the most powerful psykers around! Gain a psychic power from a second discipline!
Psy Rating 6 (Psy Rating 5) - You are as powerful as you can be. Gain EITHER a number of powers from a known discipline equal to half your Willpower AND the same number of minor powers, OR gain 1 power from a new discipline
Psychic power (Psy Rating 3) - Gain an additional psychic power from a known discipline
Sound constitution - Gain +1 Health! Hooray!
Pecial Weapon Training (Basic Weapon Training) - You know how to use the more unusual weapons in the Imperial armoury
Strong mind (Willpower 3) - Mental psychic powers are less likely to affect you
Talented - One of your skills is sharper, and grants +2 instead of +1 (Can be taken multiple times)
-GEAR-
Here is where you can get extra stuff for your character to start with. Given that you will be on a space hulk, there will not be many opportunities to simply get better weapons on the fly (most of what you will face will probably have basic weaponry), but there will be a way to requisition gear after a bit. Do not worry, I will not make it difficult.
The way to read the lines below: Name - Damage - Penetration - Cost
Each is fairly self-explanatory. Name is what it is, damage is what damage it does, penetration is how many AP it ignores, and cost is the cost for initial purchase.
-Basic Melee-
Axe — 1d10+1 - 0 - 20
Brass Knuckles — 1d5–1 - 0 - 5
Club — 1d10 - 0 - 5
Flail — 1d10+2 - 0 - 20
Great Weapon — 2d10 - 2 - 70
Hammer — 1d10+1 - 0 - 10
Knife 1d5 - 0 - 5
Shield — 1d5 - 0 - 25
Spear 1d10 - 0 - 15
Sword — 1d10 - 0 - 15
Staff — 1d10 - 0 - 10
-Advanced Melee-
Chainsword — 1d10+2 - 2 - 6
Chain Axe — 1d10+4 - 2 - 450
Power Blade Melee — 1d10+3 - 6 - 1,750
Power Sword Melee — 1d10+5 - 6 - 3.5
Shock Maul — 1d10 - 0 - 150
Electro-Flail — 1d10+2 - 0 - 375
-Pistol Ranged-
Laspistol - 1d10+2 - 0 - 50
Autopistol - 1d10+2 - 0 - 75
Stub Revolver -– 1d10+3 - 0 - 40
Bolt Pistol - 1d10+5 - 4 - 250
-Basic Ranged-
Lasgun - 1d10+3 - 0 - 75
Long Las - 1d10+3 - 1 - 100
Autogun - 1d10+3 - 0 - 100
Hunting Rifle - 1d10+3 - 0 - 100
Combat Shotgun – 1d10+4 - 0 - 150
Boltgun - 1d10+5 - 4 - 500
-Special Ranged-
Inferno Pistol - 2d10+4 - 12 - 7,500
Meltagun Basic - 2d10+4 - 12 - 4,000
Plasma Pistol - 1d10+6 - 6 10 - 4,000
Plasma Gun - 1d10+6 - 6 - 3,000
Hand Flamer - 1d10+4 - 2 - 200
Flamer - 1d10+4 - 3 - 300
Grenade Launcher - * - * - 500
*Damage, Armour Piercing and Special Qualities are determined by the ammunition (i.e. the grenade) fired.
Grenades (Damage on the Blind, Photon, and Hallucinogen is representative of the physical grenade hitting the person, and not an explosion)
Frag - 2d10 - 0 - 10
Krak - 2d10+4 - 6 - 50
Blind - 1 — 0 - 25 (Blind grenades throw up smoke, ECM chaff, and the like)
Photon Flash - 1 - 0 - 60 (PF grenades blind anyone looking at them)
Hallucinogen - 1 - 0 - 40 (Random hallucinations!)
-Heavy Ranged-
Lascannon – 5d10+10 - 10 - 5,000
Heavy Stubber - 1d10+4 - 3 - 750
Heavy Bolter - 2d10 - 5 - 2,000
-Exotic Ranged-
Needle Pistol - 1d10 - 0 - 1,250 (Needle weapons both poison and inflict hallucinations)
Web Pistol - 0 - 0 -1,200 (Web weapons restrain targets until they are able to break free)
Needle Rifle - 1d10 - 0 - 1,000 (Needle weapons both poison and inflict hallucinations)
-Armour-
Again, read as: Name if item, armour value, cost. Assume all armour is a full suit, otherwise it would be ridiculously expensive to armour up
Leathers Armour - 2 - 50
Feudal Plate - 5 - 120
Flak Jacket - 3 - 100
Guard Flak Armour - 4 - 300
Xeno Mesh - 5 - 375
Mesh Vest - 4 - 300
Mesh Combat Cloak Arms, Body 4 1.5 kg 350 Very Rare
Enforcer Light Carapace Arms, - 5 - 575
Storm Trooper Carapace - 6 -750
Light Power Armour - 7 - 8,500
Power Armour - 8 = 15,000
My initial creation thoughts. Ignore. Just keeping here for reference if I need it.
Spoiler (click to show/hide):