Rogue Trader - Exodus

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Lt. Commander Zarkov
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Location: En route to Prethian, Koronus Expanse, Segmentum Obscurus. 816.M41

Post by Lt. Commander Zarkov »

Montresor wrote:[Although neither player has Common Lore: Rogue Traders, I ruled that Zarkov's trained abilities in Common Lore: Navy and War gave him a bonus to an Intelligence test here. Malachi had no bonus, but rolled very well. Both characters determined that the markings on the transport vessels correspond to Heale's insignia on her armsmen. Zarkov also understands that the transports are marked with common field designations which correspond to regimental groups. If the transports are stocked to capacity, they could hold up to ten or twenty thousand soldiers - an extraodinary and, perhaps, unlikely amount to disperse in such a place]
Zarkov nodded at Malachi's assent. "Those transports could hold two divisions...a full scale invasion, with ample reserves for potential casualties. It looks like Heale is planning an extended campaign. We must accomplish our goal and get out before they invade."

Zarkov looked at Malachi expectantly, hoping the Explorator had a plan. He still felt exhausted, but the stink of decay and sewage no longer stung his nostrils.
Venerate the Immortal Emperor, revere his Holy name. Praise the Omnissiah, for the Machine Spirit protects.



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Malachi
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Post by Malachi »

Malachi pondered the instructions of the servitor pilot.

"I have no plan beyond reacting to what happens next."

Malachi made his way to the tunnel entrance and input 11891 into the cog before turning the lock counter-clockwise.

"I doubt they will want to readily give up the technology they have. Maybe telling them that an invasion is coming will cause them to leave the tech unguarded, and defend other strategic points instead?"

The great tunnel door's screeching stopped, and Malachi's servo-skull glided in, with him following in its footsteps.
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Lt. Commander Zarkov
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Location: En route to Prethian, Koronus Expanse, Segmentum Obscurus. 816.M41

Post by Lt. Commander Zarkov »

Zarkov followed silently after the Tech-priest. They had rested enough.
Venerate the Immortal Emperor, revere his Holy name. Praise the Omnissiah, for the Machine Spirit protects.



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Post by Montresor »

[Zarkov and Malachi spent about an hour and a half resting and have both lost their level of Fatigue. No penalties apply to their tests as result of exhaustion. The explorers leave the dock through the vault-cog and proceed upwards, along smoothly hewn cave tunnels]

Their way lit by humming lumen cages, crudely carved into the rock walls, the explorers gradually ascend the cave network. Navigating from their memory of the map in the docking bay, they stay to the central galleries.

Life-support is very low, and the ascent is arduous. Any trace of Mechanicus markings vanish, and the gallery lights become less frequent. A blue-green moss clings to the walls, seemingly fed with thick fungal veins, sprouting malformed mushroom like protruberances.

No life can be heard or seen in the under-network.

[Due to a near failure on Navigation rolls, Malachi and Zarkov take about three hours to find their way to the Gardens. Along the way, they passed a rusted cog-like grate, overgrown with the strange moss and fungal veins. The faint humming of machinery can be heard from far behind the grate, which is wide and tall enough to admit a tank. Should you wish to explore beyond this, let me know, otherwise I will assume you press on to the Gardens]
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Malachi
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Post by Malachi »

Malachi stops to try and discern the source of the sound.
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Lt. Commander Zarkov
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Location: En route to Prethian, Koronus Expanse, Segmentum Obscurus. 816.M41

Post by Lt. Commander Zarkov »

Zarkov turned and looked at the grate Malachi was investigating. It had been an hour since they had seen anything vaguely Mechanicus in the tunnel, but this grate had the cog-like design that permeated all facets of the Machine-Cult. He walked over, studying the grate. You could drive a Russ through here, he thought. Kneeling beside Malachi, he tried to see into the gloom beyond.

"What is it brother?"

[Zarkov adds his perception and untrained Mechanicus knowledge to Malachi's]
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Malachi
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Post by Malachi »

"Can you hear that hum? There's something through here... I don't know what. Let's investigate."

Malachi inspects the grate to see if there's a way to open it.
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Post by Montresor »

Malachi wrote:Malachi stops to try and discern the source of the sound.
[A high-end failure on the appropriate tests. Since Malachi's Intelligence score is so high, this was not catastrophic]

Listening to the irregular hum of the distant machinery, Malachi is unable to discern the precise nature of the noise. He is only aware that the noise is not dissimiliar to a plasma drive.

Investigating the grate closer, Malachi sees that it is rusted and weak in parts. Thick copper hinges on the sides make it apparent that the grate can open outwards, though this would be done from a control mechanism. No cogi-relays or digi-friezes are to be found in the overgrown exterior, however, a hole could be punched through the grate without any difficullty.

In the gloom beyond the entrance, a sickly-sweet smell wafts on a cold draft. The odour is reminiscent of decaying matter.

[a hole can be easily ripped out of the grate, or kicked through with Zarkov's mechanical leg. You may wish to approach this differently. Let me know how you make your entrance, as it will be important. Also, describe the manner in which you make your journey through the tunnel]
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Post by Malachi »

Malachi commands his servo-skull to help him try and find a way of opening the gate, or a means of communicating with whomever controls it.
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Post by Montresor »

The servo-skull flies around the grate, searching methodically along the moss-lined exterior. After several minutes, Malachi is certain that there is no external control mechanism for the grate. There is also no hole small enough to admit his servo-skull.
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Post by Malachi »

Malachi grabs at the grate's weak points and attempts to create an opening.
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Lt. Commander Zarkov
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Post by Lt. Commander Zarkov »

"Let me help you, brother."

[Zarkov applies pressure to the weakened grate with his mechanical leg]
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Post by Montresor »

With little difficulty, Malachi and Zarkov break through a weakened section of the grate. Zarkov's metallic leg provides the pressure, as Malachi pulls at the rusted metal. They tear a large chunk free, metal scratching on metal and echoing through the great passage beyond.

[The hole is large enough for both of you to fit through one at a time, and is awkward to navigate. You can widen the hole without any difficulty, though this will make more noise. Let me know in what fashion you procceed along the tunnel]
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Post by Malachi »

"Let's see what's in store for us, shall we?"

Malachi commands his servo-skull to take point, with him following about five metres behind it.
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Lt. Commander Zarkov
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Post by Lt. Commander Zarkov »

Malachi wrote:"Let's see what's in store for us, shall we?"

Malachi commands his servo-skull to take point, with him following about five metres behind it.
"Err...Yes brother. I am right behind you."

Zarkov watched the Tech-priest pass through the opening. Zarkov was beginning to realise the Explorator was entirely different to all the Mechanicus he had encountered before. Behind his filtration mask, he seemed almost...personable. Zarkov realised, for the first time, that Malachi was possibly younger than himself. The thought had never occurred to him before, so used was he to venerable, wizened Tech-priests. Shaking the thought from his head, he followed quickly behind Malachi.
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Post by Montresor »

The interior of the tunnel is dark and moist. A thin veneer of moss becomes gradually thicker as the explorers travel upwards. The metal floor and walls are soon obscured by spongy growths. Fungal tendrils hang from the ceiling, sometimes dripping a clear, sappy fluid.

[After a few minutes of walking, all sources of light are dimmed, over-grown with the moss. The floor is slippery and slow going. The humming is becoming very gradually louder. To procceed on, without proper lighting may be hazardous. The 'undergrowth' only becomes thicker]
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Post by Malachi »

Malachi commands his familiar to turn on the glow globe still fixed to it, before continuing on.
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Post by Montresor »

With the glow from the Servo-skull's lumen globe, Malachi and Zarkov are better able to navigate the tunnel. Though wide, and evidently designed to admit heavy equipment, the tunnel is becoming progressively narrowed by the fungal vines and heavy moss. The throbbing of machinery, somewhere in the depths, is also causing some of the vines to pulse a little, and drip more of the clear fluid.

The explorers terminate their journey where the tunnel meets with an open chamber. The chamber itself appears to be a loading point for some kind of fast transit system. Metal rails have been bent out of shape and broken by the clogging fungal growths all about. A distinctly tropical smell hangs in the air, and the humidity has drastically risen. Although Zarkov has in all likelihood never set foot on a tropical environment, Malachi recognises the elements well enough.

Almost obscured behind over-hanging vines, a cogi-array is built into the wall.

[The railway terminates at this point, though the tunnel upon which the 'car' was designed to have travelled goes in one direction through the asteroid. No signs of a vehicle can be found, and you would have to climb down about ten feet to the floor of the over-grown tunnel]
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" - Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado.

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Malachi
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Post by Malachi »

Malachi clears away the vegetation to inspect the cogi-array better.
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Lt. Commander Zarkov
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Post by Lt. Commander Zarkov »

Zarkov, used to the dry, filtered air of shipboard life-support, was visibly uncomfortable in the humid chamber. He watched Malachi interact with the cogi-array with detached interest, every now and again scanning the chamber for signs of movement.
Venerate the Immortal Emperor, revere his Holy name. Praise the Omnissiah, for the Machine Spirit protects.



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