Malediction

Searching for clues to determine the history of this ship (maybe even its name!?)

Tech use trained 45

The member 'Dekaru' has done the following action : Dice Roll\'d

'd100' : 1

Checking cargo holds and quarters for goods.

[Search use, Perception 41]

The member 'Corenat Rovarnus' has done the following action : Dice Roll\'d

'd100' : 28

Rolling to determine clues about the ship.

Search-perception-37

forgot to roll

The member 'Jarrion Xanatov' has done the following action : Dice Roll\'d

'd100' : 8

@Camlann: You find mostly emptied out crates of food supplies and ammunition. When you are mulling about the armory on the ship you find a damaged but functional voice-recorder device. The recording is a little difficult to make out but you think it says the following: "---- days till the jump. Everyone is concerned and we cannot shake the feeling that we are being watched always. ----------- goes there? Red eyes?". Right behind the machine is an unloaded bolt pistol.

@Vendigroth: Your successful manipulation of complex machine systems helps expedite the repair process.

@Xanatov: On the bridge you can make a severely scratched etching of the words "Battle Rampart" in a semi circle around the front of the Captain's throne.

A broad grin crosses Camlann's face as he holds up the bolt pistol.
"Just what I needed! This trip's theme seems to be free weapons. Now if only there was some ammo- aha!"He loads the bolt pistol, spins it twice in his hand and holsters it, stowing extra magazines in his arms coffer. He goes to find the others and show them the voice recorder.

When Jarrion hears the recording his face grows pale. "Darrius," he says quietly, "do red eyes remind you of anything?" He then addresses the rest of the council. "Be on the lookout for mechanical monsters with a single, glowing red eye. Also be wary of illusions. Madness may strike our men at any time. They may attack each other, or us. We should try to reduce casualties from these attacks if possible."

"I don't think it's a coincidence we would run into these things so far from the space hulk. Whatever they are they're likely still here since they were on the space hulk. It might be best to have the entire ship searched stern to starboard to see if we can turn up anything. If we do the men should be told to be wary of firing their weapons in the event their minds are being affected and they shoot one of their own."

Darrius takes some time to go think about what he'd learned from the inquisitorial datavaults if their's anything about mechanical daemons that mess with peoples minds and drive them to madness (Forbidden Lore Daemonology trained int 45 - 5 from background)

The member 'Dekaru' has done the following action : Dice Roll\'d

'd100' : 17

"Firstly, if we do search the ship, we should search from bow to stern. I'm sure that's what you meant. However, I am not sure I agree. Searching the ship would alarm the men. We should not tell them about the creature on any account; it would only reduce morale and increase paranoia. We need to repair the Battle Rampart as soon as possible and get back to civilization."

"We're going to want to search the whole ship anyway. And I have an idea to reduce casualties if friendly fire breaks out." Camlann voxes to all men currently aboard the ship to unload and put away their ranged weapons because they won't need them, and not to take them back out without consulting with him first.
"This should help with morale too, a body'll feel more at ease thinking he won't need guns here. Just like on our first ship."

[Darrius does not connect anything from his readings to the supposed Daemon on this vessel.]

(I suppose I should be happy about that)

"So what are the men supposed to do then if they do find something? It seems to me we should just tell them we're searching the ship head to toe to see what we can find; it's a reasonable thing to do in a new ship"

"Perhaps we can establish a boarding connection with the Solstice? That way we can have free access between the two ships in-case something happens."

"Rivaille, do you think you're able to bring the ships close enough together to establish such a connection? It certainly is a good plan. We should set heavy guards on the checkpoints to ensure nothing nasty crosses over." He then turns to Darrius and Camlann, "My apologies, Lords. For some reason when you mentioned searching the ship I assumed you meant the Solstice. It must be my space syphilis acting up again. If only we had found some medicine in Footfall, then I could be cured."

"Lets just have the men search every corner of the ship. If we can work from one direction and go to the other anything that could be hiding may be herded into a corner like a beast. If we find nothing we can have some peace of mind"

Over the vox caster system Rivaille confirms that he can in fact bridge the two ships together. That setup will be completed within 1 or 2 hours but people will be able to travel through some boarding tunnels within a half hour.

"Very well. Let us proceed as planned!" Jarrion orders the men to begin searching the Battle Rampart from top to bottom, stern to bow.

"Should we really bring the two ships together? If there is anything on board it could slip aboard and wreck havoc. Oh I had completely forgotten"

Darrius suddenly remembers the vial from Friend, pulls it out, and puts some water in it

"Sir I had forgotten I found a cure in footfall for your... Ahem... Condition"

"With a substantial guard at each entrance we should be alright. At the very least we will have warning if anything slips aboard. We can keep the airlocks sealed and only allow our crew through on sight."

[Take the vial and cure your damn space syphilis!]

"THANK YOU FOR THIS VIAL WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT POISON." Jarrion chugs the vial.

Camlann immediately spins around, alarmed. "What's that? Poison?"

The contents of the drug taste bitter. Hopefully this drug will cure Jarrion of his incorrigible space syphilis.

Darrius waves his hand and says

"This is not the poison you are looking for"

Jarrion makes the face little children make when they drink "cherry" flavored cough syrup. He shudders and gags. "Let's go search the ship!!!" He then strides off imperiously, his metal foot clanging against the floor as his cape swirls dramatically.

As he marches off, Jarrion orders the mercenaries to begin searching the ship from top to bottom, back to front, leaving no nook and cranny unsearched. He cracks witty jokes and improves the mens' morale as they hunt through the cramped corridors.

The men search in shifts for two days as repairs continue and find a few more corpses. mostly mangled bodies shoved into corners or stuck in moving parts of the ships.

I guess we wait, doing what we were before then

In that case Jarrion waits until repairs are done, continuing to poke around the ship and relax with his ladies.

In the intervening time, Camlann looks for some more sweet loot.

[Search use, Perception 41]

The member 'Corenat Rovarnus' has done the following action : Dice Roll\'d

'd100' : 4

Camlann searches for more items of value and discovers a motion predictor attachment.

Days pass and the repairs finish largely without a hitch. The crew is waiting for the Lord Captain to imperiatize the newly claimed vessel.

(Christening ships is in fact a religious ceremony, and Christianity was violently removed from Terra 38,000 years ago.)

The Lord Captain Jarrion makes the following announcement, "All crew will stand by the voxcasters at morning shift tomorrow for the imperiatization of the new vessel. We will sing the Imperial anthem. All crewmen will receive double rations for the day in celebration. Lord Captain out."

After the Lord Captain's words the "Battle Rampart" is activated in earnest. A large hum radiates from the engines in the stern of the new vessel. But half a minute a later terrified bloody screams sound out louder than the vibrations of the walls. Similarly an emergency message is received at the bridge of Solstice from the voidsmen quarters. The operator at that station plays it out for Lord Xanatov, Glademore, Vendigroth, Rivaille and Selena to hear: "AUUUUUGHHHHYYYYEEEeeee...." (Grinding of metal sounds in the background).

"Hmmm. That might not have been so successful." The Lord Captain returns to the vox. "All double rations have been canceled. Return to your posts." He then turns to Selena. "Selena, you might want to scan the Battle Rampart to see what has occurred. And just so you know, you should feel free to take more initiative in the future."

She nods and makes for a shuttle to the Battle Rampart.

Glademore asks "What would you ask of us Captain?"

An operator interjects before Xanatov can answer: "Captain, eight more messages with similar content have been received in the past half minute. Each comes from a different part of the Solstice."

"On second thought perhaps, we should bring Selena back here." Jarrion orders a guard to run off after her and bring her back. He sends out one more ship-wide communication, "The festival has been canceled. There will be no imperiatizing at the next morning shift. All celebration is to cease immediately."

He then sends one, more private message, to his personal guards. "Report to the bridge immediately."

Finally Jarrion turns to the others on the bridge. "As I'm sure you are aware, a situation is developing. Apparently some presence is aboard the Solstice, and our men are in pain while metal is being damaged. I propose we find some way to get across to the Battle Rampart, which seems to have been unaffected by the event. Then we can regroup and find a way to come back aboard the Solstice."

Another operator informs Xanatov she has been messaged that a similar situation is occurring on the Battle Rampart as well.

"In that case, perhaps we should sit tight and figure out more about the nature of the event before acting rashly. We need to get Mekarn, Lankath and Camlann to a safe place." He then voxes the three he mentioned before to say, "What is your current situation? Do you know what has happened?"

Darrius looks to Jarrion with a worried look

"I'm afraid to say we may have invited whatever was aboard the Battle Rampart onto our ship. Whatever it is we need to get what mercs are on board to meet up and form search parties and the rest of us should get to work killing whatever abominations are at work here. I'm not sure if leaving a functioning vessel in the hands of whatever is doing this is a good idea"

Selena returns with a distraught look on what can be seen of her face, she approaches Xanatov and whispers in his ears "Daemons, legions of them, everywhere."

"Ah. And I hope this isn't some sort of hyperbole? I thought not. In that case," and now he turns to Vendigroth. "Tell me of your studies, and what they have taught you about daemonic entities."

Xanatov notices the sword at his side glows brighter now, when he holds his hand a few inches from the blade he feels a much greater heat emanating from the metal.

"This sword must be the key to defeating the demonic legions!!! It glows in their presence and shall split their unholy skin." He then sends a message to Mekarn. "Darwin, its time to start praying."

Glademore takes to entrance to the bridge keeping lookout with what few guards are present. He would like to be the first to know when danger arrives.