Inquisitor: Rules Of Posting and Planning Thread

[Jagged Tooth Grin]

Rules of Posting:
1: try to keep posts above the 2 sentence wonders seen in some of the other games, 300 or more words is a good size. Shorter will be allowed if the post warrants it, but in general it just makes it seem like you aren't making an effort.

2: Remove signatures when posting in the main story thread, they break the flow of the story and are unnecessary, feel free to leave them on in here.

3: OOC comments should be made in this topic, not the main game thread, for similar reasons as signatures.

4: Character permission. Everyone can use everyone's characters so long as they do so sensibly, in character, and do not attempt to make large decisions without the players consent. If in doubt, contact the player in question and ask, or failing that, contact me.

5: No l33t speaking. Ever. Any post that has any such indication will be removed without further warning.

6: Any questions should be directed at me Via PM or Email, or through one of the 3 IM clients I use on a daily basis. Any problems or disagreements should likewise be sent.

7: Avoid Typos and Spelling errors. Check your spell checker if you need too.
The Inquisition and the individual Inquisitors all deserve capitalisation. as does the names of the Xenos races.

Those are the simple rules. No new characters are allowed unless discussed with, and approved by, me. I will try to treat your characters well and with the respect they deserve.

This forum is for any other discussions pertaining to the 40k universe, and in particular the Inquisitor game. Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves, and speculate. But do not act with metagame knowledge.
Thank you and let the games begin.
Kim

[Master Chris]

Well, already got two replies to your intro post up. Nice work JTG.

Now, having established that there *may* be Genestealers in the RPG, I've got a few questions:

1) What knowledge of Genestealers, their methodology, and their relationship with the Tyranids are the characters in posession of? ie. Do they know there is *probably*a Patriarch, and do they know that this possible Patriarch may be calling the entire swarm to the infected planet?

2) Seeing as Genestealers in the table-top game are rather scary in close-combat, should the situation arise, who or what is considered a match for a single Genestealer in close combat within the boundaries of your RPG. ie. What is the chance a normal storm trooper has in combat with a 'stealer (10%?)? A non-combatant player character (ie. Sabin or Mother)? A combatant player character (ie. Malius or Wes' upcoming Imperial Chick)? The Lord Inquisitor Jonas Gabriel himself? A Furioso dreadnought in a recent coating of 'stealer repellant?

3) In ranged combat, what does it take to gib a 'stealer? Ie. a single Las-rifle blast? Multiple Las-rifle blasts? A Hot-shot las-rifle blast? A Bolt round? Multiple Bolt rounds? How do flamers, plasma weapons, and other such 'exotic' weaponry fare against a 'stealer?

I suppose the previous questions also apply to 'stealer cultists, 'stealer hybrids, Patriarchs, and all those other mooks the players are likely to encounter...

[SW Freak]

What's the ruling in regards to number of posts? I mean, do we have to wait until a certain number of posts onwards till we can post again?

And will there ever be player Vs. player fighting? If so, how will that work?

[VO]

Enjoy being stickied. :)

It's a pity I couldn't join, but I'm having trouble keeping up with SSR and Shadow at the moment, so there's no way I'm going to be able to join something else, at least for the time being.

[Jagged Tooth Grin]

re SW: there is no limit beyond sensability, allow atleast one other player a chance to post, perhaps 2, it all depends on the point of the posts. at the moment, feel free to add another post should you want to.

re Chris: i will write a post in the background detailing how much knowledge characters would possess on genestealers, as well as their capabilities. but for now lets say, do not let one get close to you if you can help it, hybrids and brood brothers would pose much less threat. likewise, in depth knowledge of the threat would be unlikely, most character would simply have heard rumours at this stage.

re: VO my condolences, lets see if we can get you into the second chapter.

will go work on that stealer post now. expect it up by about this time tomorrow

[Jagged Tooth Grin]

The Genestealer threat can be likened to a cancerous growth, given time, even one creature can infect and destroy an entire planet, by subverting the inhabitants and turning the entire planet against itself.
Inquisitor Wrackman ‘Codex Abhorentius’

The Genestealer is a creature of both cunning and pure animal ferocity. This hardy beast is capable of surviving the cold void of space by simply entering a suspended state, waiting the time when a new source of prey should chance apon it. The beast is larger than man by a noticeable margin, although its hunched gait does not suggest this. It is unnaturally fast as well as strong and the front pair of its four arms end in razor sharp claws capable of ripping through blocks of plascrete. Individually they do not display a high intelligence as we know it, simply cunning and instinct. (Although I take pains here to stress that this is by now means a hindrance to the purely predatory creature, as acting on pure instinct a Genestealer is still a formidable opponent, and should not be underestimated) at later stages of the infestation they exhibit planning and strategy as well as a detailed grasp of enemy tactics.

Upon reaching an inhabited planet, even a single Genestealer poses a serious threat. In such a circumstance the sole creature lurks until a stray human passes near. At which point the ‘stealer attacks, not with intent to kill, but to subdue and then impregnate. Once the victim has been violated (this is done via a needle like ovipositor under the Genestealers tongue) the toxins alter their senses and thoughts, which are then filled with a single purpose, to breed. This victim will seek out the most promising prospect readily available, and will pursue this goal with singularly intensity that is chilling to behold. Once the victim finds a suitable mate, they will unknowingly infect them via their own infected fluids. Once this is done the offspring will be hideously deformed, resembling more the Genestealer than the human parents. The two parents are helplessly subservient to their bestial child, who is in turn loyal to the original Genestealer. The Genestealer pays no heed to these human parents and instead pursues more humans to infect. Once a suitable number of hosts have been corrupted, the hybrid offspring interbreed, the subsequent generations appearing more and more human, by the third generation they appear almost entirely human, tending to heavy bone structure, sharp teeth, and pallid skin, as well as utter hairlessness. These later hybrids show human creativity and the ability to use tools in their humanoid hands. The third generation are fully formed Genestealers. By now the original Genestealer has not needed to leave its lair for some time, relying instead on his growing brood to find and bring victims to it. This Genestealer has grown larger still, and bloated on the psychic reverberations of its brood, and is known as the patriarch (although Asexual, the Genestealers are usually referred to as males) and although slow and dim-witted in appearance, the patriarch is still a deadly foe, capable of annihilating entire squads of troops, as well as developing potent psychic powers. (Although not to the same level as the magus.) During the third generation a magus is usually created, this hybrid is the most human looking of the brood, and has incredible psychic powers. This magus acts as the figurehead of the cult (who has usually began to subvert more powerful hosts and often pose as a church of the emperor) the magus possesses great intelligence, and is easily as tactically minded as an Imperial general. Although physically weaker than even an average human, it displays ferocious willpower. Should the brood be sufficient in size the cult will begin to step up raids on armouries to supply the weaponry for the growing rebellion, eventually overthrowing the entire planet. Even if the cult fails to take over the planet it is of little consequence, as the strife caused disrupts the planets defences to the point that when the main tyranid fleet arrives the planet will be unable to mount a coherent defence. Thus even a single Genestealer can subvert an entire planet in as little as fifty or sixty years. It is noted however that most Genestealers travel in packs and can take control more coherently (simply by weight of numbers, as even with the accelerated growth of the hybrids, it still takes time to complete the cycle) it is believed that a cult will often operate for a hundred or more years until striking.

Capabilities of Individuals Within the Brood

Purestrains: fast, cunning and deadly, its four arms consist of two hardened claws and two humanlike hands, although unable to use human weaponry, they are able to manipulate doors (or simply rip them off) they are capable of withstanding significant damage with very little reduction in effectiveness, and due to their speed are often able to simply dodge the hits. It is suggested that they should be engaged at a significant range at all costs.

Hybrids: variable, the earliest generation are virtually Genestealers (although not nearly as fast, dangerous or hardy) while the later generations are virtually as humans, and are usually given ballistic weapons to engage at range and provide cover for their comrades. Hybrids are often seen directing squads of brood brothers in combat.

Brood Brothers: brood brothers are human, with most frailties and strengths that accompany that, they can use weaponry although many aren’t formally trained and act more like a violent mob than a human military, as the cult grows, more and more of the military are subverted, and when the rebellion erupts, they reveal their true allegiance and cut down their former comrades without mercy. The most significant advantage they possess, is the singular dedication to their cause, like all of the brood they will die if doing so serves the goals of the cult

Patriarch: like purestrains the patriarch must close on its foe to attack, but once it has, it can cut bloody swathes through the troops arrayed against it. Nearly twice the size of a marine, even in its hunched figure, it is stronger meaner and more cunning than its purestrain brethren, and should be destroyed as quickly as possible (although the patriarch rarely leaves its lair and protection until the planet is in utter chaos and any real threats to its person have been removed)

The Magus: weak in body, almost feeble. Its main threat is its intelligence, directing the prodigious forces of the cult in battle (usually from afar via telepathy with its hybrid captains) backed with its psychic dominance and the bodyguards it is another dangerous threat (and like the patriarch should be ruthlessly eliminated at the earliest opportunity) it has been observed that once the patriarch and magus have been killed, the cult reverts to its feral level, fighting viciously but without the guidance it once had)

It is believed that the cult acts as a psychic beacon for the tyranid hive fleet somehow, although this hasn’t been proved definitively at this time.

In closing, a Genestealer cult poses a unique threat, in that their soldiers are armed with the weaponry of the imperium, and an unshakeable willingness to die for their cause. Not to mention that should even one Genestealer or hybrid escape, the process begins again, either on the same planet, or often off world
Extreme caution should be exercised when dealing with a ‘stealer infestation, as should supreme ruthlessness.

how much do the characters know about stealers.

Sabin would have most likely heard rumours about the purestrains, emphasising (and probably exagerating) their speed and ferocity. he would have heard tales of them lurking onboard giant space hulks waiting for victims (space hulks are huge abandoned wrecks that travel space at random)

likewise the men of both the 7th 7th, and the 38th 3rd would have never encountered them personally but would have heard battlefeild rumours of these roving menaces, most likely from fellow soldiers who have had to fight tyranids themselves.

Malius would know a reasonable amount about their corruptive abilities, as a commissar is expected to seek out and destroy any corruption within his unit, although he may not have completed that part of his training yet, he would have the info available

Oedipus would most likely know a reasonable ammount of the biological nature of the creatures (purestrain and hybrids) and may have fought them in the past

Lysander would probably have no real knowledge of them beyond rumours of these fast and cunning aliens

some of the info written here would be available in the ships datastores and could be accessed by anyone if authorised by the inquisitor beforehand (which he would give to all his crew except possibly sabin, who he isnt entirely trusting of)
will post further tomorrow

[SW Freak]

Nurse! This RPG needs 20CCs of BUMP! Stat!

It's not going to make it!

Goddamnit, we have to try...