The Emperor's Chosen: A Deathwatch Campaign

[Ritzy]

Welcome Brothers to the Deathwatch! Here you will find others like you, who have cast aside their former lives for the good of the Imperium. Be it Ork, Tau, Eldar, or Tyranid, it will crush under your mighty tread. There is no Hope, there is only Faith! Until Death! For the Emperor! For Mankind!


Do not post here till the all clear has been given and the game starts. Thanks!

 

[Snuvictus]

I think this is a great idea. I'm excited.

 

[Ritzy]

The Imperial ship Unforgiving docks with the Deathwatch station. There is a loud rumble and a creak as it docks. Several of the Imperial Navy ignore this, but a few of the shanghaied throw up as it docks. The four of you are jostled together with ten other marines of various chapters, all in silence. You are aware of your duties, but some come from worlds you've never even heard of, from chapters you've never thought that existed. A Black Shield comes into your quarters. "It's time brothers." He says simply and escorts you to the station.


You are all thoroughly examined for mutation or taint and your armor is taken from you. You are escorted and given numbers the four of you given 11-14. You are sitting and a member of the Inquisition comes out.

"One though five, go see Inquisitor Helix, six through ten, go down the right hall and take a left, see Sargent Androfious. Eleven though fifteen, see me." "Sir, Brother Fifteen was killed before he could board. His replacement won't be here for some time." A Navy officer informs him. "Damn it. The four of you will have to do then. Come."


He leads you down the hall. "This is the mess area. Remember that you are all brothers in arms. Fighting is not approved of. Matters of honor of course are another matter. Just try not to kill anyone. You will be sleeping in bay 2319, with Synape Squad. Their bunkmates just finished their tenure. I am your current liaison, Inquisitor Welsh. I will be giving you your missions and handing your requisitions. Belfiat!" "Inquisitor!" Came the call and a marine wearing a wing and a sword on his chapter pauldron came to him and grinned at the others. "These men will serve with you for the time being. Try not to get them killed." "Very well." He smiled. "Belfial's my name boys, and I'm a Dark Angel, best pilot and driver in the whole damn station. I'll get you to where you need to be." He bore the tell-tale marks of a techmarine, but seemed oddly jovial for a Dark Angel. Perhaps there was a problem with his hypno-training. Perhaps the Inquisitor was pawning off a troublesome marine on the new guys.


"I will call you in the morning, 13 standard hours. Until then rest, eat, and prepare your gear. I'll leave your brother to fill in the details." Inquisitor Welsh said and stalked away. Belfial stood there looking up at the four of you. "It get's easier to adjust with time." He said with a smile. "Any questions? Or do you want to unload your gear and meet some of the others?"

 

[Varvarus]

Kerith raises a hand with a somewhat puzzled expression on his face. "Can you please never call me boy again, brother-techmarine?" His voice is in the deep gruff accent of Deliverance, although it is laced with joviality.

 

[dr xenon]

"Brother Belfial, greetings. I am Saturninus of the Black Templars," Saturninus says with a slight smile at Kerith's comment. "If you would show us the lay of the station, I would like to see it before repairing to the chapel for prayer."

 

[Ritzy]

Belfial laughed. "Yeah my personality is an acquired taste. I'll keep in in mind Brother." he said easily. "After a century of serving in the Ravenwing, alone, in a Nephilim your mind tends to wander. I'm a bit of an oddity, if not for my skills I never would have made it to full marine. I'm in my third year of service to the Deathwatch but I've never been attached to a permanent squad. I'm one of the Squadless. My skills best serve the Ordos Xenos to fill in for squads that need a driver that can't be filled in by a Chapter Serf. Brother Saturninus, a pleasure. I'll show you all around. It's as confusing as a Space Hulk, but this is home for now, you'll get used to it."


Belfial led them around. "This is the armory. Your personal weapons will be kept on you at all times, though all requisition come from here. Any repairs come here too, though field repairs will be done by me. To the left and the right twice is the Chapel. The Emperor Protects." He said as he held his hands together and bowed. "The lower levels are the Inquisitorial offices. We house captured xenos for interrogation there. Most of the lower level Ordos Xenos members are there as well. Above us are the sleeping quarters. Above that are the briefing rooms. The Apothicarium is on the same level. To get to your quarters go up and go to the middle, next to the Stormshield of Baldral Krakenteeth, a hero of the Deathwatch. Go left and its the farthest on the right. Evening meal is in two hours. The food here is actually pretty good. The Watch Commander brought his Serfs and a few among their number know how to prepare a meal. We can eat almost anything, but the Emperor gifted us with taste so why not be able to enjoy a meal?"

 

[Dest]

Dean smiles, "I must agree with you in that regard Brother."

 

[dr xenon]

"I will look forward to whatever the Watch Commander provides," Saturninus replied. Then looked thoughtful for a moment, "Tell me, Brother Belfial, what Xenos scourge dares disturb the Holy Emperor's peace here? Surely, since you have served with many squads, you are well positioned to know which are present in any force?"

 

[Varvarus]

Kerith crosses his arms across his chest looking at Saturninus. "When does something not disturb his peace?" His face quickly contorts into a grim. A large acid burn partially exposing his cheeks tendons and bones making the grin look quite horrific.

 

[Ritzy]

"I'm not sure what you faced in battle, Brother." Belifast said to Saturninus. "Here we have Orks, Eldar machinations, Dark Eldar incursions, Genestealer Cults, and even a few xenos that the Imperium at large are unaware of. Mostly not too much of a threat, but some play a role big enough to be dealt with by the Ordos Xenos." He looked at them. "The worst of it are we are expected to deal with some of them. I myself have seen treaties with the Eldar and while it sickens me, I know the inquisitors are doing their jobs, so I best do mine. That doesn't mean the Eldar haven't fallen beneath my axe though." He said with a quick grin.

 

[dr xenon]

"Then it is here as elsewhere in the Imperium," he says and then looks around at the other Astartes. "If we are all to be battle brothers, then perhaps we should spend what time we have in training? While we can rely a great deal on our shared knowledge of the Codex, it might be prudent to see how each of us approaches our craft. What say you brothers?"

 

[Varvarus]

"I am indeed restless from the journey here. Training would be a nice return to the norm from all of this." Kerith waves a hand at the surrounding fortress.

 

[Dest]

"It will be good to see how my fellow battle-brothers fight, I would not want to shoot any of you if you try something I'm not aware of," Dean grins, making a large scar on his cheek ripple.

 

[dr xenon]

"Exemplary! Brother Belifast, can you lead us to a training drome suitable for unarmored practice?"

 

[Ritzy]

A big smile came across Belfiast's face. "Certainly brothers. Follow me. New recruits always want a chance to see what the others can do."


He leads you across hallways and around corners, each adorned with a trophy of some kind. He remarks on each in turn. "This is the bolter of the Azurnaiel, one of my own chapter. He held the line against a hundred orks at the Battle of Seris Segundus, only succumbing to his wounds when the drop pods fell. That is the Power Sword of Watch Commander Typhos, an Ultramarine. He was the 13th Watch Commander. He led the battle for Hexium Prime, against the Thousand Sons. It is said he took the head of a Daemon Prince with him as he fell. Ah he we are, the training room."


There were lines for target practice, and blunted combat knives and other close combat weapons for training. "I'm more used to vehicular combat," Belfiat said picking up a blunted axe. "however I'm still a Space Marine. Let's see how we approach our craft Brothers." he said, swinging the axe around a few times."

 

[Varvarus]

"Does anyone mind if I go first? I am not used to standing around doing nothing for so long." Kerith walks over to the wracks selecting a pair of short swords.

 

[dr xenon]

"Not at all Brother, fortune favors the bold."


Saturninus pulls a chainsword sized practice weapon off the rack.


"Do you normally fight with two weapons in close combat?"

 

[Varvarus]

"When I can I normally go into battle with a pair of lightning claws but these blades shall be sufficient. Now Brother Techmarine shall we proceed?" Kerith turns to Belfiat smiling his ghastly smile.

 

[Dest]

Dean grabs a combat knife and watches the two with interest

 

[dr xenon]

Saturninus runs a hand over his razor-stubbled head as he tests the grip of the practice weapon. The light of the training room reflects dully off the skin tanned by more suns than he can easily recall. A glint shines on the service studs along his left temple. Another highlight here on the tracery of fine scars running from his right temple down to the neckline - easily recognizable by the other veterans as the product of a needle grenade. His other features show a mishmash of genetic ancestry that could tell any number of stories about what his birth planet might have been.


"I suggest we practice in pairs, and then in small teams. Best to know how we all fight in single combat before trying to combine our styles together," he shrugs and smiles, a fervent light coming to his eyes. "I must admit, Brothers, I have fought in joint actions with other Chapters before. But always at a distance. In concert yes, but not in a tight harmony, if you understand my meaning. Like how sections of a orchestra work together to deliver a symphony, but members of a string quartet intertwine their playing seamlessly and play off each other. The idea of fighting shoulder to shoulder with you all - it fills me with great excitement to learn the music of war as each of your Chapters practice it, and intertwine that of mine. Praise the Emperor, we shall rain down such a warsong on the Xeno scourge!"

 

[Dest]

"I understood none of that Brother."

 

[dr xenon]

"Ha ha!' Saturninus laughs. "Then let us train now, so that together we rain destruction upon the xenos later!"

 

[Ritzy]

Pair off into teams and roll initiative and declare actions. Wounds count as normal, but losing all your wounds will not result in being down, just defeated. No armor.


Belfiast looks at the team. "You must learn how to work as a team or you will die." He says simply. "You come from different Chapters, different worlds, and they expect us to carry on like nothing changes. Your first mission is the cornerstone. It will set the example of things to come. Besides Inquisitor Welsh is a right berk when it comes to his charges. He expects nothing less than perfection. If you wish to honor your Chapters I suggest getting to know each other's moves and skills very soon. I'm just the driver. I'll get you there fast, but don't expect the ride to be a pleasing one. The rhinos we have here are as old as the Deathwatch itself and let's just say that they are temperamental at best."

 

[Rookie]

He had chosen not to speak for a while now but now seemed like a good time "Any specific directions for when we get there?" He looked at the man and then at the group and then back at the man.

 

[Ritzy]

"Well right now, we fight like hell in the training room. In the hall next to us is the firing range. We can show off there next." Belfiast smiled. "I'm sure everyone is itching to show off their chapter's bolters. Some are works of art, while others are simpler. Usually depends on the will of the Primarch that we come from. My own chapter has less eye catching bolters than say the Blood Angels or the Ultramarines, but the purity seals are more plentiful. My own was used to fight Chaos so it is more seal than bolter after all of that, same as my armor." he said, knocking on his chest.