Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

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Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Hazard1325 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:41 am

Character Sheet
Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Name: Bellatrix Varus
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Bio:Schola Progenium graduate recruited as a part of inquisitor lord's retinue. The inquisitor's plan was to take her as an acolyte to give her the required training, then made her an interrogator to give her a chance to prove her ability before hopefully granting her the full inquisitorial rank. Unfortunately, before any of that could happen, he was mortally wounded, and granted her the rank before she was fully trained while on his deathbed. As a inquisitor lord, he could make such decision without seeking approval from other inquisitors, though it still created political turmoil within the organization. After some debate, the conclave decided to honor his last wish, though they seized the late inquisitor's asset and left Bellatrix with little more beyond her rosette: she was supposed to gather a retinue and make useful contacts during her training, and get some material help from her teacher, but that never happened. Some of the other inquisitors want to keep an eye on her to make sure her late master's faith in her was justified, others think they may use her to further their own schemes due to her inexperience.

Agility: d6
Smarts: d8
Spirit: d8
Strength: d6
Vigor: d6


Skills:
Fighting d6
Intimidation d4
Investigation d8
Knowledge d8
Notice d8
Persuasion d8
Shooting d6
Survival d4
Stealth d6

Edges: Progenia (some kind of bonus when dealing with the various branches of Adeptus Terra?)
Psyker

Hindrances:

Authority: d6
Modifiers: Newly promoted -2

Parry: 5
Toughness: 5

Psychic powers: Emperor's Tarot (Divination, cards): using special psychoactive cards, the psyker can focus her mind to get a hint of the things to come
Deny the Witch (Drain Psychic, light): the Emperor's golden light hinders and weakens hostile psykers
Smite (Smite, weapon, lightning?)

Equipment:
Portrait
Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Description:Image


In the ruins of Hive Crius Bellatrix Varus waited for the conclaves decision. She was sitting on one of the toppled statues of the main avenue. Fires still smoldered in the hives lower levels and half of the upper ones had collapsed. Her former mentor had given his life to preserve what he could of the planets capital but given the scale of corruption it seemed unlikely to be spared. Weeks earlier they had tracked a number of high profile heretics to this place and found the convergence unnerving. Only too late did they realize the size of the coven they were dealing with and had only been able to partially stop their goals. They were not in charge of the hive, but there was little left of it either. A pyrrhic victory at best. Now her fate was being decided. Her mentor had granted her full rank before his death with the intention of carrying out his work here to its conclusion but being the most suspicious and paranoid agency in the Imperium of course they were scrutinizing every detail of the writ, every piece of surveillance or testimony they could secure in the burned out ruins.

Eventually the colossal doors behind her opened and Grandmaster Inquisitor Torrin Balefire emerged flanked by his power armor clad guard. Torrin was more of a schemer than a brute when it came to his work and the thin hunched old man was rarely alone. "Miss Varus we've concluded our meeting. We find your late masters writ of promotion valid. Your rosette." He said handing it over to her. "However you are not the only pupil he was grooming, nor was he debt free. His possessions will therefore be redistributed to his senior Interrogators. In addition we have concluded Hive Crius is to be quarantined. We see no reason not to let the servants of chaos burn themselves out in rioting. After that we'll conduct sector wide purges, you should find someplace safe or leave the planet. I'm afraid our teams are quite thorough and may not give you time to identify yourself." He said with a thin smile and gave her a dismissive wave. "Now off with you, we've wasted enough time deliberating your fate. Good luck in your new position."

Without her mentors ship she'd need to find another if she intended to leave... and there were still the high profile heretics. She had no idea which had or had not survived the riots or the ensuing warp explosions that had ripped the city asunder.

Status
Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Healthy
Toughness 6(5 +1 Longcoat)
Parry 5
Psy Points: 10
Unarmed(Str damage)

Items: Inquisitorial Rosette
Longcoat
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Phoenixcz » Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:33 am

Victory and defeat should be easier to tell apart. That's the thought Bellatrix focuses on as she waits on the conclave's decision. It is an Imperial victory: the heretics' plan has been stopped, and it's only a matter of time before they are dealt with completely now that the other inquisitors have arrived. And even the loss of an entire hive's populace is a mere drop in the sea of humanity. But when one can still see the flames, smell the smoke and... at least in Bellatrix's imagination... blood in the wind and remember other losses suffered, it's not hard to doubt that. A loss for one side is not necessarily a victory for the other, it seems.

When the door opens, Bellatrix stand up and present herself before the older inquisitor. She can't help but show some surprise at his announcement. It may have been inquisitor Gruder's last wish, but she expected the conclave to deny her ascension and, at best, to assign her as an interrogator to a different master. While her master and tutor told her about his intention to eventually grant her the full inquisitorial rank, it was supposed to happen years in the future, after she learns and proves herself. A lucky shot from some Emperor-damned traitor ended that plan much to soon. Bellatrix knows she's not ready for the responsibilities, but how could she refuse? She stares at the rosette in disbelief for few telling seconds before reaching for it. But that's not the end of the announcement. No resources will certainly make the start of her career hard, but the decision is understandable. The decision to let the heretics starve themselves out before purging them, however understandable too... no need to waste more resources to fight an enemy before they weaken themselves when there's nothing left to save... leaves a bad taste in her mouth, though. The victory is even more hollow than it seemed.

"I'm honored by the conclave's trust, and I accept this duty." It seems strange there's no ceremony for this, but then, the Inquisition is not an organization tightly bound in rules and traditions like the Administratum or the Ecclesiarchy. Enemies of mankind won't wait, and duty calls. "Let me repay some of that time, then. Without access to lord inquisitor Gruder's information network, and a complete lack of my own's, it would be a while before I'd be able to effectively search for heresy without the risk of interrupting someone else's investigations. Surely the Conclave must be aware of more threats than they can deal with at once, so let's save us both some time and point me where my help would be needed the most, before I can." It's propably not usual for an inquisitor to offer help like this, but it is a way to compensate for her lack of resources and contacts. And, politically, it's useful way to try to gain some favor and prove lord inquisitor Gruder made the right choice. In any case, worth a try.

"I'd also like to know if you've decided who'll be granted lord Gruber's ship. There are some personal effects aboard I'd like to gather before their departure." Truth to be told, it's not much... neither her life in schola nor her service in the Inquisition required or allowed Bellatrix to have many things she could truly call her own. But it would feel weird to start her career with literally just the clothes on her back.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Hazard1325 » Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:39 am

Torrin paused briefly at her questions and wrinkled his nose as if the mere act of her speaking with him put a bad taste in his mouth. "If you wish to help clean up your former masters mess. I'll have a scribe provide you with dossiers on whats left of the cult. As I said before find your way off world and pursue your own investigation or stay here and likely die in the purge. It matters not to me, if you were not ready for these responsibilities your master shouldn't have promoted you. Your masters ship is mine. Your personal affects are of no concern we'll leave them at Crius Station in orbit. That at least is untainted." And so he left her his guards blocking her questions now as the old man moved to a nearby Valkyrie that was touching down. Within a few minutes he was gone and she was left in the ruined plaza.

As she was pondering what to do with her extremely limited resources and how she was going to retrieve her personal affects from the station when she had no means off world... a thin woman hunched woman carrying a pack that looked filled to the brim with dataslates, parchments, and various tomes made her way over cradling another book in her arms. She looked rather young to be a scribe but paused in front of Bellatrix bowing her head. "Scribe Maura reporting." The redhead said "I'm to brief you on the fugitives of the Cirus cult."

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Name: Ashkri
Status: Missing
Description: A young female Pskyer in her early twenties. Typically seen in primitive tribal robes with bird motifs. Carries relativity few trappings and is rarely armed. Origins unknown, last seen leading the conflagration ritual which damaged the hive. Often accompanied by an extremely large avian daemon.
Threat Assessment: Physically Ashkri is a very low threat but has been observed to exert near perfect control over her bound Daemon. Said Deamon is possibly a shapeshifter but most often chooses the form of a large bird or warpfire phoenix. It is unknown what will happen when their connection is severed. The bird has been killed at least twice but returns within a fortnight.

Name: Murdock Grimes
Status: Confirmed Sighting
Description: Ragged male in his late thirties. Murdock is from a colonized deathworld consisting of mostly swamp. His profession before he was turned to chaos seems to be a professional tracker or hunter. Identifying features include a claw scar on his right arm, a very unpleasant chemical smell, and a stutter. Last seen stalking the undercity ambushing Arbite patrols.
Threat Assessment: Murdock is a competent fighter having survived the swamps of his homeworld for many years, his weapon of choice seems to be a scatter gun with toxic rounds. He keeps a pack of highly resilient warhounds which appear to continue fighting despite grievous injuries to their body. Murdock himself may be a pskyer, it is thought to be how he commands his pack so effectively.

Name: Magos Ilmarinen
Status: Presumed Dead
Description: Former leader of the local Adeptus Mechanicus forces Magos betrayed the planetary PDF and let loose his monstrous creations. Eyewitnesses saw the Magos fall during the riots to his own Heretek abominations but that did little to slow the tide of creatures and no remains were found in the aftermath.
Threat Assessment: An Adeptus Mechanicus Magos of some skill, if Ilmarinen presume him to be armed at all times. His body is heavily grafted with artificial limbs, implants, and extensions and has the extensive knowledge of machines granted by his education as well as the disregard for safety rituals.

Name: Krieg Mercenary
Status: Confirmed Sighting
Description: Unknown Krieg mercenary appears to be a former soldier who still wears part of his mask, dog tags, and some pieces of armor. Like most of his regiment no one has seen his face and his movements have been surprisingly difficult to track. He is believed to be the one that shot Inquisitor Gruder and went on to kill several of his other interrogators during the attack on Cirus's administration hub. He is also the prime subject in over a dozen arson investigations, murders, and kidnappings over the last three months.
Threat Assessment: Tactica Anylists have surmised Kriegs training suggest ex Grenadier. He makes use of a high caliber rifle and usually preplanted explosives. His use of misdirection and repositioning coupled with his long range capabilities and traps make him extremely evasive and deadly.

Name: Ogion
Status: Missing
Description: Ogion is a fallen Adeptus Astartes, markings indicate Dark Angel's chapter. Ogion was only briefly spotted during the riots watching over the assault on the PDF's defenses and had no visible involvement other than overseeing the Conflagration ritual.
Threat Assessment: As a former Astartes Ogion should be considered an extremely dangerous foe. His participation in the Cult suggests he may be directing it or acting as an emissary for a greater conspiracy.


With the datapad in hand she had several targets to chose from if she wished to extract some kind of vengeance on those who had killed her master and possibly clean up this cult before its members could spread to others offworld. And of course there was the slightly more selfish reasons like recruiting survivors among the city to form her new retinue or gathering supplies she'd need to get off world in the first place. The scribe offered another bow almost falling over from her burden before heading back towards the Administration building, or what was left of it.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Phoenixcz » Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:02 am

Well, not the best first impression. Bellatrix wonders if the grandmaster is always like this, or if his dislike of hers is personal either to her or her late master, but that likely doesn't matter. There's work to be done, and despite the obvious threat, fulfilling lord Gruder's last wish and seeing the investigation to its end sounds like better way to start than sailing off blindly to Emperor-knows where, even assuming she could arrange a ship. And it's at least partially personal: revenge shouldn't be in an Inquisitor's mind, but Bellatrix wouldn't deny it isn't at least part of her motivation.

At least Balefire doesn't seem to like wasting anyone's time, as the scribe shows up quicker than Bellatrix would've thought. She thanks the scribe, then quickly skims the reports. It is obvious the psyker and the traitor marine are the greatest threats, both to any purging operation and in the possibility of spreading the heresy elsewhere. But they may be already long gone... either would be rather conspicuous if they were sighted, but they may still be hiding. The techpriest is an unknown... he certainly represents potential threat, and the rumors of his dead may be exaggerated. Unless a clear proof of death is found, there's always a possibility he'll show up again, only with more flesh replaced by metal. The remaining two, while significant enemy assets, don't sound like they have a prominent place in the heretic's command structure, whatever that is. Dangerous, certainly, but also the only confirmed to be still active. And they could potentially provide further leads, if captured alive and interrogated, however unlikely that is.

What's troubling, however, is the fact the cult's action were clearly organized, but none of the known heretics seems like a obvious leader. The Astarte, perhaps, but even that is uncertain. It's important to identify, and preferably eliminate, any leaders, and disrupt the command structure as much as possible before the purge commences. Something to focus on during her investigation.

Bellatrix stops the scribe before she leaves. "Do your duties allow you to asist me further?" If not, she'll have to find someone else. The scribe could be helpful, but that help is not worth any possible tensions between herself and the grandmaster.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Hazard1325 » Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:47 am

The scribe adjusted her spectacles and pondered the question a moment. "My master has not assigned me any other tasks yet. I have some time to answer questions for you if you wish, beyond that I'm not sure what good I'll do you." She said moving to take a seat on some of the debris nearby. The administration district in general had fared better than the rest of the city but it too had been damaged. Thankfully the rioting was far enough away that the could be considered relatively safe to chat. Bellatrix didn't have so much as a weapon on her to carry out any tasks. If she wasn't a pskyer she'd be totally defenseless. Beyond equipment she'd need allies and this scribe was already fare more helpful than Balefire had been.

Browsing through further notes Bellatrix compared the last known positions of her primary interests. Ashkri and the conflagration ritual had been on the southern end of the upper city near the markets. There they had severely damaged the upper spires supports and infrastructure raining hell down on the lower levels and threatening to destabilize the entire city. What exactly became of the cultists preforming the ritual was unclear and her masters interrogator squad that had been sent in to disrupt the ritual had not reported back in after a week, presumed dead.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Phoenixcz » Tue Oct 20, 2020 5:04 pm

"That's all I ask, though it may take a while to find the answers to my questions. I'll understand if you can't do that." Bellatrix sits close to the scribe. "I need to know if there's any noble house, guild or other organization with access to voidcraft linked to the cult. It doesn't need to be Warp-capable, anything that could help them escape the planet." There are other ways to escape from a surrounded city, but having the enemies escape off-world would complicate things. And if there's such organization with assets still intact, it should be possible to seize them without making other enemies, making it the cleanest way for Bellatrix to get a ship for her own use. Not the only option, but the best at the moment.

"And I need to know if there are other organizations or individuals that may have ties to the cult. Anyone who mysteriously moved a lot of their wealth and other assets away from the hive before the riots started, or who brought in supplies that were later used by the rioters, even if they claim it was stolen, or who benefits from the whole mess. And of course any other suspicious activity in the days and weeks leading to the riots. I know I'm asking a lot, but these..." Bellatrix taps the dataslate she's holding "Can't be the only ones responsible for what happened, and I can't let their other associates get away with this." Especially as two out of five persons of interest seems more like muscles than masterminds, and other two would be pretty conspicuous if they were setting things up for the events to come.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Hazard1325 » Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:53 am

"Your request will take some time to process... I will give you a vox channel where you can contact me on but please be aware we have no secured lines in place at the moment. What I can tell you, if your masters records are correct, is that this incursion started in the lower levels of the hive and spread upward. The Adeptus Mechanicus were infiltrated and the Magos was corrupted. Many of the lower hives gangs served as fodder for the chaos worshipers overloading the Arbites workflow for the last two months. Many noble families have unaccounted personnel and there was a major robbery on the hives largest banking guild. We do not have full access to the recorded transactions, if you wished to know more about the notabilities finances in the days leading up to the assault you'll have to see what remains in the central bank records. As for voidcraft... besides our own inquisitorial vessels we have impounded one rogue trader, and all twelve shipping vessels that are owned by various families. They are likely to be retrofitted or outright scrapped."

After the explanation the scribe retreated towards the building. "Use the vox if you wish to reach me. Ask for Adjutant Claire." Claire had been as helpful as she could have considering her masters disposition towards Bellatrix... but it looked like if she wanted to pursue any real leads she'd have to venture into the rioting city to locate evidence. She'd need equipment for that, the logical places might be the remains of the Arbite HQ or the merchants quarter. There wasn't much left of it but the selling of weapons was not as heavily restricted on this hive as it was in others.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Phoenixcz » Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:51 pm

"Thank you. And I hope your master won't cause you any trouble for helping me further. He seemed to take an instant dislike of me the moment we've met." Saying that may not help Bellatrix if Claire decides she doesn't want to get into trouble with Banefire, but Bellatrix thinks she deserves the warning. The scribe was helpful, and with no further questions for the moment, Bellatrix let her leave.

So, bank robbery. That's another place to check. It may not be related to the investigation... there isn't a hive world in the entire Imperium where crime on such scale doesn't happen daily... but the timing fits, an she doesn't have many leads. There's the place where the ritual happened, no doubt still dangerous after such massive event, but definitely related to the investigation. There may not be much left there, but Bellatrix is a psyker. Area tainted by Warp's influence presents more danger to a psyker than to most other people, but she's no unsanctioned psyker or renegade witch. While most of her training consisted of learning how to properly use common psychosensitive tools, and more importantly, making sure she's got her powers under control, she may still sense something there. And with riots still ongoing, there propably still are rabble-rousers and demagogues who may provide more useful informations... and it shouldn't be too hard to infiltrate the mobs and pretend she's one of them, if she disguises herself.

But first, equipment and... mindful of Banefire's warning and not keen on being caught in the crossfire while in the hive... information about the planned purge. The grandmaster didn't tell her much, but there must be some commander overseeing the troops more closely. Bellatrix stands up and goes to look for the highest ranking officer available.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Hazard1325 » Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:45 am

Claire looked back towards Bellatrix and offered a nod. "I do not think he likes your former master, and by extension you. If he has reasons beyond that I am not aware of them." She offered but didn't stick around to continue conversation, instead retreating inside the remains of the administratum building. Bellatrix turned to walk down the main avenue looking at the many deserted buildings on either, side both noble estates and Imperial institutions abandoned. Eventually she reached the roads leading downward into the common levels of the upper hive and found a military cordon in place. The PDF guardsmen closest to her raised his weapon briefly but lowered it once she came into the light. "Thats far enough, you should be heading to the evaluation center at the starport ma'am. They'll find a place for you there." He said clearly not recognizing her status.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Phoenixcz » Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:08 pm

Bellatrix stops at the checkpoint and keeps her distance. PDF troopers are often too jumpy in stressful situations like this disaster, and she doesn't want to be shot due to misunderstanding. "I'm inquisitor Varus. I want to speak to whoever is in command here." Only after stating her intentions does Bellatrix reaches for her new rosette to prove her identity.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Hazard1325 » Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:50 pm

The PDF guardsmen stared at the woman in front of him cautiously until she produced the insignia. Then he tensed saluting her. "Yes Ma'am right away, come with me." He said before turning and leading her inside. The checkpoint wasn't very large, she followed him into their briefing room where a tired looking older man with a shock of grey unkept hair was arranging a few chits on a table that roughly resembled the lower hive. He looked up at her as she entered frowning and then noticed the rosette and outright scowled. "Another Inquisitor here to make demands? What is it this time?" He asked sighing.
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Re: Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor[Phoenixcz]

Postby Phoenixcz » Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:37 am

Looks like the commander has heard enough orders from other inquisitors already. A more diplomatic approach will be needed, fortunately, Bellatrix's plan could benefit both of them. "Not much, I assure you. I'm looking for mutual cooperation. I intend to personally search the hive for the heretic leaders and certain high value targets, to either capture or kill them if possible, or at least confirm their presence and locations. I'm sure such informations will be useful to you as well, and I have options your men don't." Given her current situation, the options mostly consist of the fact she doesn't have to follow the regulation and can pretend to be one of the heretics, if needed, without being executed afterwards. "However, I don't want to still be there when the purge starts, which means I'll need to know the plan, or at least the timetable." That's the simple part... Bellatrix does some useful reconnassaince, and gets the informations she needs in turn. "And I wanted you to know I'll be there, in case I'll need to confirm my identity to any patrol I may encounter, as I'll have to disguise myself and hide my rosette while amongst heretics."

Now for the more serious demand. "And, more as an request than demand, I would appreciate if you could spare one of the local PDF soldiers to accompany me as a guide, preferably a volunteer familiar with the area, but I understand if you have none to spare." A guide... one with some combat training to serve as a backup... would be helpful, but not strictly necessary. Considering the dangers of her mission, Bellatrix will feel better if it's a volunteer... and, potentially, the first member of her retinue once this matter is finished.
If it takes me two weeks or more to respond to a RP without prior notice, send me a PM. It's more likely I've missed the last post, forgot or got distracted and need a little reminder rather than deciding to drop the game without warning.
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