The Faceless Master

[profitofrage]

As the tech priest examines the world before him it quickly becomes apparent that the doorway is facing roughly east. The sand stretches out for miles with no specific land mark within sight. There are sand dunes surrounding them on all sides as the bunker appears to have been placed in a 'valley' of sorts.
Other then the large amount of sand..and a flamng corpse in the far distance..there is nothing of note.

[Exthalion]

Closing the door almost all the way Uriel back inside.

"Well, seems the engagement has already started. Unless I miss my guess they are now one less."

[Kiranvonstrom]

"Excellent. I applaud your abilities, Tech Father. We should probably head for the bunker, then. I feel it might be best to avoid wasting any time," Nicolo says, scanning the area around them.
This team was proving to be less dysfuntional than he had originally thought, between himself and the 'competely harmless' Ethan, the alternately laconic and loquatious tech priest, and the two guardsmen, he had expected more personality clashes than had already occured.
"It occurs to me that I still haven't given my name. I am Nicolo De Machenko, of Great House Machenko," What was the use of giving your name if you couldn't overwhelm people with it? He though to himself. Besides, they already probably think I'm an arrogant *******.

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As per forum rules. On the other hand, that trait is so much fun to play. I love noble born...

Noticing the flaming corpse, Nicolo raises his eyebrows. Someone had already started shooting.

[Exthalion]

It was easy, almost too easy to start thinking of these as people. As the same as him. Instead of the grotesque mockeries of men they were. Or were they?

"Uriel"

[DaedalusMkV]

Hearing the emergence of the rest of his team, Stane calls down from the roof. "I've made contact with an enemy scout. He won't be reportin' back... Or scoutin' anythin' again. Looks like the rest of the area's clear, though." A short time later, his helmeted head appears over the parapets. "Might be that we're in the clear for now. Not too sure 'bout headin' out in this heat, though. Without water or real harsh-weather gear, we might'nt all make it in th'first place. Enemy'll also be harder-pressed to find us in the dark. Maybe ask Urpna, think he's got some know-how on desert campaigns. Oh, did anyone grab m'cloak? If'n we're headin' out, good piece of cloth like that'll come in handy." With that, the head disappears again as Stane returns to his observation of the perimeter.

[profitofrage]

It was as the diligent guardsmen returned to his post that he saw it. The flaming corpse that he had recently added to his kill count was being dragged slowly backwards over the dune and edging out of sight.
Taking aim ounce more it was obvous what was occuring. The scouts friends were obviously there, hiding behind the thick sand. One of them had crawled up and grabbed hold of the mans leg and was ever so slowly dragging him back.
Although it was hard to tell..the long hair suggested the person trying to drag this body back into cover was a women.

DaedalusMkV

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If you are to take the shot, most of her body is in cover. her arm and head are not. Normally cover is meant to have an AP however since this is THICK sand, and all you have is a lasgun..any shot not hitting the head or arm is discounted.

EDIT: changed my mind. ill give it an AP value of 12. who knows you might get devine fury again.

[DaedalusMkV]

Stane grunts, then resumes his posture, relaxing and taking deep, long breaths. He doesn't bother warning his comrades this time; the engagement is begun, and there's no time to waste. God-Emperor, guide the flight, Watch the target, take the unworthy's life. Again, the prayer is short and concise. Finally, the Guardsman is ready and the distinctive *crack* of his Long-Las accompanies another destructive blast of weaponized light.

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You know I'm taking this shot. Male or female, they're all enemies, and every one killed now is one that we won't get ambushed by later, and possible a whole bunch too terrified to actually try to engage us.
Full-round Aim, again, then Standard Aim and fire. I dunno if this target's unaware or not, so I'll just roll it up and let you decide. They shouldn't get outside of my range in those two rounds, but that's again your call.
(1d100)[6] vs 38+20(full aim)+10(half aim)+10(Accurate)+10(Braced)-20(Called Shot:Head), possibly +30 (Surprised), that's your call. Target score is either 68 or 98, dependent on that Surprised status.
Damage: (1d10+3)[12]
If 2 Degrees: (1d10)[4]
If 4 (1d10)[7]
Let's do this.
EDIT: Wow, a 6. That's 4 degrees of success whether or not she's surprised, I don't even need rerolls. Boom, headshot?

[profitofrage]

DaedalusMkV

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wasnt surprised since 'she' knew there was a sniper firing. HOWEVER...it doesnt matter as you got 6 degrees of succes which means full damage.
i.e youve delt 23 wounds which toughness and armor will be deducted from.

Yet again a singing bolt bursts through the air and is heard all around. Yet again the las bolt strikes true. The targets face is no more burnt off a meer instant after the shot was fired. The brain having boiled caused enough pressure to cause the skull to crack open like an overripe fruit and catch light. There were now two flaming bodies atop the sand dune.

[Exthalion]

"Another kill guardsmen? I will look forward to venerating the spirit of your laz rifle. Do you notice any way down besides the vent?"

[DaedalusMkV]

Thanks again. 38.
Stane's reply to Uriah is formal and polite. "Yes, honored Tech-priest. Another foe sent to the Emp'rer's justice, and I thank you for your attention. There's a ladder that leads up here; Ethan should be able to show you the way." He continues watching the horizon, in the event that any other members of the kill-team are brave and foolish enough to put themselves in the line of fire for their clearly dead comrades. Not professionals, these, and not Heretics neither. I'll need t'pray for these souls, when the mission's finished.

[huyche]

Specialist's words somewhat reassured Ethan: with that man covering him, he was positive of going through this in one piece.
Ethan proceeded to climb down the ladder, then followed the north wall till the eastern corner and took a glance around it - the immediate territory was clear.
Afterwards the underhiver approached the door and began examining it by clearing the sand off the panel which held the keypad, to get a better look.
That was when, announced by a gritting sound, the door started sliding open again, which startled Ethan a little.
The techpriest's robed head showed up through the opening.
'Oh, its you.' noted Ethan, imperturbably making his way inside.

Upon entering he matter of factly added: 'Told you, I'd be back soon. Specialist Stane managed to shoot down some poor bastard, by the way', confirming his words by a wink towards Ash with a degree of reassurance, then crossed the room and sat down comfortably on his bed.

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typos :`(

[profitofrage]

Ash jolted when she heard the las shot.
"Oh no..there already here...what are we going to do?"
She said before the door was opened and Ethan stepped in.
"You all seem so calm...what if there are more of them...what if they get in here." she said worried.

[huyche]

'I'm sure this scum will find the midday sun to their liking. Hivers rarely have the chance to get a suntan, right?'
'As far as I know there is no cover in the vicinity, so they'd have to endure it till the evening, while we're resting cosily here. And when they finally grow some testes to siege our bunker, most likely at night, we'll hit them back hard.'

[Exthalion]

"Young lady, may I offer you some advice?

There is never a situation where worrying over a problem is beneficial. If the situation is beyond your power, then it is out of your control and you may do nothing. There is no need to worry, because you have done nothing, neither wrong nor right.

When a situation is within your power you either act, or you do not. In this case you made a choice. The choice you make is the best you can see at the time and so is, in that way, above reproach. Later, better information does not change the fact that it was the best choice apparent when it was made. In such a situation, worry not, for your choice is vindicated by situation.

Therefore, do not worry. It aids not, resolves not, comforts not. Seek to understand your situation so when the time comes you may make your choice in full knowledge of what you do."

As usual, the tech priest didn't seem know know if he was caring or distant.

[profitofrage]

Ash seemed to calm down when Ethan explained there advantage over there attackers outside. That was when the tech-priest shuffled over and began to speak. She was obviously taken aback, never having seen one of his nature before.
After his long winded talk she could only look slightly confused at him.
"d-does...does he always talk like that?" she asked Ethan

"Its just because im not to sure what that all meant...is he saying not to worry?" she asked bluntly.

[huyche]

'They are all like that.' - Ethan replied to her question in a grave voice.

He didn't answer her second question though, as his mind went wandering on the outcomes of their cruel test, related to Ash. Her fate was rather grim. No way the inquisitor is going to let her live if they succeed. She was a nobody, like countless others living and dying in the underhive, a stimulus for them to do it right, maybe an extra handicap. His heart sank as he found himself unable to come up with a way for her to get out of it alive.
But one day, this overconfident bastard of an inquisitor will get on his ass the retribution he deserves.
And maybe, just maybe, he was taking it too seriously and replaced the concern for one girl he cared greatly about with another in the absense of the former one. Ash could as well be an inqusitorial agent, perfectly playing the role of a simple scared underhive girl.
He should think this over and consider carefully, not get too attached and keep a sharp eye on her.

[Kiranvonstrom]

Nicolo shrugged. It was anyone's guess what the philospher was saying anyway.
Nicolo walked over to the nearest bed and began dragging it over to the door.
"Is anyone willing to help me with this? We're going to need cover if we're going to hunker down in here for the rest of the day. I don't like waiting, but if you think it will help..." Nicolo says.

[profitofrage]

assuming people DO indeed want to fortify this position heres some useful info for you
The beds themselves are obviously temporary set ups. There made of collapsable metal with a thin matress on them. The metal of them would provide Ap 4 to anything behind them due to there thin nature.
The walls of the bunker are hardened military constructions so thats AP 15 right there. the door is reinforced to discourage breaching so that is AP 18.
The parapits provide a AP of 15 on the cieling.

thats about it. there isnt anything else of note within the bunker

[huyche]

Ethan caught Nicolo's idea and promptly got off his bed to give him a hand. Together they will drag the bed to a nice spot to take cover at during the attack and turn it over.
Then he is going to do the same with his own bed.

[Miraqariftsky]

"Yey... Padre..." Urpna breathes on witnessing the techpriest's minor miracle...

...and then just as the desert wind hits his face, he reascertains his stance, covering the aperture. He then drops prone and hugs the wall as the doors finally open fully, training his eyes and his gun on the open field of sand outside.

Just because overwatch sez there ain't no bandits an' 'as confirm't kills, it don't mean underwatch-an'-pointguard don't 'ave 'eretics a-comin' ta frak 'em in th'arse...

When he hears the other two men trying to move the beds to construct a makeshift barricade for their doubtable redoubt, Adit quickly gets up and lends his formidable strength to their effort. Once that's done, he hops over to the nearest other bed and begins hauling it to the door as well.

[profitofrage]

everyone

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theres been alot of talk in the ooc as to in what way we should be getting to the bunker. heres some additional information thaty ou might find helpful. The distance from bunker to bunker (straightline) is roughly 90km.

[DaedalusMkV]

Even as the others go back inside and begin noisily rearranging the furniture, Stane remains ouside keeping watch for the slightest hint of the enemy. Though he's beginning to sweat in the heat from the intense desert sun the Guard Sniper resolutely ignores his discomfort, continuing his process of slowly and unpredictably repositioning himself for a different view of the surrounding area.

[profitofrage]

The crouching sniper before turning to check on a new angle spots something with his keen vision. He sees the women he had only moments ago killed...quickly get jerked back behind the sand dunes. Unfortuanatly the women herself was hard enough to see...let alone whoever..or whatever dragged her back behind the dune.

[DaedalusMkV]

"Damn. If any of you are still listenin', we've got more activity!" Stane calls out, attempting to warn the rest of the team. "'Least one more contact, same angle as before, and they're recoverin' their casualties."

[profitofrage]

can everyone please PM me a summary for what you want to be doing for the next several hours untill its "optimal time to leave the bunker and start traveling".
We will then after roleplaying those things out, time skip to the event.

[Miraqariftsky]

"I hear ye, St'n!" Adti barks up at the Specialist's report.

Finishing with his aid at constructing the barricade of beds, he hurdles the bed-block barrier and lands in a ready crouch outside the bunker. His smile is no longer that of a tribal warrior defending his homeland, no longer that of a man pursuing a maid, no longer that of a berserk fighting against hopeless odds...

...it is the smile of an Imperial Guardsman, doing his duty.

Urpna's fist knocks twice on the ceiling, or at least, on the bottom of the doorframe and calls out, "'Edds up! Watch 'em an' cover me, gunna try an' flank 'em an' flush 'em out fer ye!"

Baring his teeth at the desert heat, he takes off on a brisk run across the sand in a tangential angle from where he sees the burning husks of the heretics Stane had spotted... and scorched. Having spent his youth in the Banite badlands, he knows to stay in the cover of what dunes and eddies may present themselves, if not against the heat, then against inevitable incoming fire.

RRAADADADADADT!

Some distance down, and hopefully on their foes' flank, he braces himself and pulls the trigger and lets loose a withering volley. Spent casings patter down into the sand at his feet, hot lead screaming towards their pursuers' last known location.

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Erm... run some ways towards the enemy and some to the side, in order to flank them. If we're ta graph it, uh... diagonal line away from bunker door, hopefully coming up horizontal with enemy's last known location, hopefully either getting a clear shot at them or driving them out of cover so't they be an even better shot for Stane.

BS test, er... Full Auto... at, uh, 58? Or Suppressive for 18? Suppressive for teeeeeeamwork. Yeah.

(1d100)[60]

[Kiranvonstrom]

Nicolo raised an eyebrow as the guardsman ran past, gun in hand. He had just been sitting for what seemed like hours behind a barricade of beds, with the gun pointed, (set on single shot, of course. No need to waste ammunition) at where the enemy position was indicated to be.
Sighing, Nicolo prepared to mark the first person the enter his field of view from the dessert.
The guardsman had better know what he is doing, Nicolo thought.

[DaedalusMkV]

Stane watches the massive Feral jump out of the bunker, then grins at his boistrous rush. "I'll keep watch, Urpta. Flush 'em out, and I'll introduce th'rest of 'em to Vera." With that, the Specialist settles back into his sniping stance, lowering his heartrate and calming his breathing. Emperor, make me the intrument of Your Will...

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If I see so much as the tinyest tip of a head, I'll do the usual full-round Aim, half-Aim, Fire routine. If any portion of the enemy is in cover, Called Shot to whatever isn't in cover, in order from head to torso to arms. If my shot misses, I'll use a Fate Point to reroll. I guess I'll roll it all now, even if no shots actually happen, since there's not exactly a lot I can do from
(1d100)[75] Vs the same DC as last time (68), unless the enemy is completely out of cover in which case 88.
(1d100)[55] If I need to use that Fate Point.
Damage: (1d10+3)[10]
Bonus 1: (1d10)[4] (If applicable)
Bonus 2: (1d10)[2] (If applicable)

[huyche]

Watching the hulking guardsman stomp out of the bunker, Ethan went to his backpack and rummaged through it again.

'Whatever this mountain of muscles ran off to do, observing him will surely be a fun way to while away the time!'

Soon, he found what he was looking for and made his way out of the building with ancient looking magnoculars in his hand.
Ethan ran for the ladder on the side of the bunker and promptly started to climb up.

'Its Ethan ascending, Specialist Stane, don't shoot!'

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Ethan will be watching what Adti is doing. Announcing anything important he spots to Stane, or even shouting it to Adti, if will still be in hearing range.
Common military binoculars range is 1000m, with ~150m field of view at this zoom range.

[profitofrage]

Several hours they had been waiting for the sun to lower in the sky and provide at least some sanctuary from the heat. Several interesting things had occured whilst these hours had passed.
The initial excitement as the large burly feral charged out from the bunker and over the dunes...only to find noone there.
No tracks..nothing...indeed nothing but the flaming burnt corpse of the first person Stane had killed. Upon inspection..his clothes had burnt..his meat sizzled to charcoal and nothing left recognisable on him.
Another perculer occurance was when even that body appeared to be missing...indeed he had only taken his eye off it for a moment. After checking ounce again...there were no tracks to be found to suggest someone had taken it.

In any case the sun was down, the heat passed...and it was now time to move.


EVERYONE

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noone expended any ammo, you couldnt find anything on the corpse since it was far to burnt to tell what was "a ration bar" and what was "part of his bone" there wernt any weapons or metalic objects on him. noone saw what might have taken the bodies.