Mission 02: Homeward [One Man Army]

Your cleansing flame purges the shrine, reducing its contents to char, the sacred smell of promethium mixing with the cloud of foul smoke.


That task done you remember there is one more conspirator involved.

Tarlocke never forgot. He turned away from his pyre to the Emperor, and turned instead his attention to trying to pick up the pontiff's trace.


[dice]1730[/dice]


[dice]1731[/dice]

OOC- GMs authority I unburn your fate point since the pontiff saud he had business in the cathedral before he left and besides out the way you came there is only one way to go.


Let me kbiw when you are ready to progress

Tarlocke moved onwards, then! He set course for the cathedral.

OOC- here it is, finally.


IC-


As you march steadily down the tunnel towards the cathedral, you hear the voice of the pontiff ahead of you, echoing down the corridor. The strange echo makes it difficult to determine how far distant he is. Thanks to your enhanced senses and the support of your helmet you can hear everything clearly.


"So you put down those pathetic followers, did you? It is no surprise, and no matter. They served their purpose." There is an edge of insanity in the pontiff's voice -- a strange kind of glee. "While you hunt me let me tell you why I serve Grandfather Nurgle. One day, many years ago, I was stricken with a disease that withered my arms. I was unable to have them bionically enhanced, so I used my only recourse. I prayed to the Emperor for mercy. I did that for years, until it seemed that the Emperor was little more than a myth on a throne.


"One evening I was pondering on this, wondering why the Emperor never answered my prayers. It was then that I realized I was praying to the wrong god. You see, the Emperor is little more than a manifestation of the four Gods of Chaos!" An insane cackle punctuated his statement. "Across ten thousand worlds, armies march and people die in the name of the Emperor, making him little different from Khorne. Upon him hang the hopes of untold billions. Hope for a better future. Hope for change. That is the very life-blood of Tzeentch himself. And is it not duty to the Emperor that gives you pleasure? In serving him you have the same reward as you would in service to Slaneesh.


"And Grandfather Nurgle. Tell me, in all the galaxy, who has rotted slowly for ten thousand years and never died? Even your own chaplains admit it! Their skull masks, copies of the Emperor's visage, little more than skeleton now. Oh yes, Marine, the Emperor of Mankind is little more than a placeholder for the gods of Chaos. They are the true power, so powerful that even the Emperor must mimic them!"


OOC- just want your response to this blasphemy before I continue on.

"If I did not hear it with my own ears," Tarlocke answered, his speaker-enhanced voice booming through the corridors. "I would never believe these words to come from someone who once called himself a man of Faith!" he said, anger rising. He trekked on through the corridors. "You mock the Emperor with your lies! You accuse Mankind's Saviour of being their Doom! By the Emperor, I will destroy you, defiler!"

You emerge soon after into what would have been the cathedral. Much of it is untouched, but area near you, around the centre of the room, has been fenced off with a very sturdy looking spiked fence. The area creates a sort of enclosure. It has a gate that is open. You are standing outside the enclosure and opposite the gate. Between you and the fenced enclosure is the pontiff. He is naked, revealing swelling pustules that cover his body and strange, writhing protrusions, as if there were giant parasites inside.


"The Arbites accomplished their task!" The pontiff screams in exultation. "The Gifts of Nurgle come to this place!" You hear, thanks to your enhanced sense, screams outside the cathedral. "But Grandfather Nurgle has something special for you!"


As the Pontiff makes his exclamation, his flesh erupts in gobs of fetid, rotting tissue. The parasite things explode outward as the pontiff sags to the ground. The parasites climb to their feet. They seem to grow, becoming man-sized and exhibiting only one eye under a single horn on their foreheads. There are two.

Tarlocke gave a cry of disgust, revulsion mingling with his already mounting fury. He quickly drew his Astartes Flamer, preparing to unleash a firestorm on the daemons.


[dice]1759[/dice]


OOC - As an aside, I forgot that my Power Armour history gives +1 to Initiative last round. Doesn't really matter, so I let it slide for the remainder of the encounter.

No worries. You act first.

Tarlocke squeezed the trigger, bathing the plaguebearers in inferno.


[dice]1761[/dice]

The plaguebearers come on, apparently undeterred by the flames (OOC- TB of 15, so no damage despite a solid hit). They attack, only one of them hitting. The blow failed to do ant damage though.


Roll initiative.

Initiative


[dice]1770[/dice]

You act before either plaguebearer.

Tarlocke discarded his flamer, instead drawing his sword on one of the plaguebringers and promptly attacking.


( Aim + Standard Attack )


[dice]1801[/dice]


[dice]1802[/dice] 
OOC - I started adding my Strength bonus to the melee attacks again - if that's wrong, that's a 1d10+6, rather than 1d10+18. It only serves to make me feel pleased with myself.

OOC- thats fine to add your strength. Just as long as I can always see the number you rolled.


IC-


You hit the plaguebearer in the hip, high on the leg. Your blade bites deep of the demonic flesh, and the foul creature reels, swinging clumsily. It misses. The second plaguebearer hits you in the torso, but it fails to draw any blood. You do notice that in the moment it hits you, you feel weaker, though the sensation passes and you suffer no further such feelings.


OOC- roll initiative. If your total is equal to or better than 10 you act first.

Initiative


[dice]1813[/dice] 
Tarlocke answered with yet another strike for the same plaguebearer.


( Aim + Standard Attack )


[dice]1814[/dice]


[dice]1815[/dice]

The plaguebearer takes the hit tp its arm as though it never happened, when it obviously did. The foul creatures retaliate, swinging rusty and pitted cleavers at you. Both miss their attacks and the one you hit shudders and convulses.


Roll initiative, same process as before.

INITIATIVE


[dice]1819[/dice]

You act first. The dice hate the plaguebearers.

Tarlocke attempted to stab the plaguebearer this time around. Wishful thinking.


(Standard Attack + Aim)


[dice]1820[/dice]


[dice]1821[/dice]

Your attack hits the plaguebearer easily, and the lesser daemon swings its sword in retaliation. Its weapon swings just wide of your torso.


Suddenly that same plaguebearer begins to collapse in on itself, as though it were imploding. WIth a shriek it is sucked into the warp.


While this is happening the other plaguebearer attacks, hitting you in the head with its toxic cleaver. The attack is painful, and you feel its blade cut deep.


OOC- 7 damage. Roll a toughness test. If you fail your oolotic kidney allows a reroll.


After that roll initiative

Toughness Test!


[dice]1840[/dice]


[dice]1841[/dice] 
Re-roll wins!


Initiative!


[dice]1842[/dice]

The lone plaguebearer attacks, but misses his swing at your chest.


Your action.

Tarlocke retaliated with stab, power sword flashing in the swing. "Repulsive fiend! I will return you to whatever hell you crawled out of!"


(Standard Attack + Aim)


[dice]1846[/dice]


[dice]1847[/dice]


[dice]1848[/dice]


[dice]1849[/dice]

Your attack hits the plaguebearer squarely in the chest, and you can tell by the power of the blow that the Emperor had a hand in your attack. Grievous damage was done, and you think you see the warp beginning to pull the daemon back. The creature struggles though, and the battle goes on.


Roll initative.