Plots, Ploys, and Nefarious Deeds - Black Crusade meets Rogue Trader

Started by PixelatedPixie, November 18, 2017, 01:11:31 AM

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PixelatedPixie

The concept I have in mind is a combination of Dark Crusade and Rogue Trader, inspired by the Darkholder (Void Born) Origin in Dark Heresy.  I don’t expect it to be balanced between characters, and I don’t expect it to be without issues here and there.  So any player should be comfortable with power discrepancies, and with occasional house rules being needed.


The Glorious Ascendance was once spoken of in hushed whispers among the ports it visited.  An Exorcist-class Grand Cruiser, it was the scourge of pirates for centuries.  It would return after years, its holds overloaded with recovered treasure, its lower decks bursting with prisoners turned slave.  There were rumours that when times were lean, it might have turned to piracy itself.  Rumours that the Captain was a pirate himself, and simply wiping out the competition. 

Those who signed on never seemed to return.  Countless lives vanished into the ship in the hopes of a new life, and countless lives were lost as fodder, storming pirate bases and boarding ships in deep space. 

A century ago the Glorious Ascendance departed.  A decade ago it was found dead in space, its battle-scarred hull in a low but stable orbit of a massive gas giant.  The few that dared board the hulk spoke of halls soaked in blood, of living shadows, and of constant whispers that threatened to drive them mad. 

The Inquisitor Mishina, upon hearing of the ship, organized a team to go investigate.  If the ship was tainted it would be destroyed.  Adeon Kalgar, the Foolish Prince, had no intention of letting that happen.


The game will begin at the 9000xp level. 
So a Chaos Space Marine will get 500 additional xp to spend.
A Black Crusade Human will get 1000 additional xp to spend.
A Rogue Trader character will gain 4000 additional xp to spend.
A Dark Heresy character will gain 8600 additional xp to spend.

I may allow Dark Heresy characters, but I don’t want to use the Dark Heresy Psychic rules, so any Dark Heresy character must not be a Psyker or Sorcerer. 

I will be modifying the creation rules as such: You will have 90 points to distribute among 8 of your character’s characteristics as per the allocation rules (no more than 20 to any one ability, etc).  You then will roll 2d10 to add to the remaining characteristic (you must roll using the dice-roller here, and must include a comment on the roll as to which characteristic you are rolling for). 

The initial compact/endeavour will be to recover the Glorious Ascendance.  I would like to get a bit more player driven after that, but it will depend on how things go.

I will limit the number of players for now, probably six or less (if I can even find that many  :P ) and not first come first served, but at the same time I don’t expect the characters to always be in the same area/thread.  So a player should be fine with their character occasionally being alone or with only one or two other characters.

The main focus will be on Black Crusade, followed by Rogue Trader, and finally I may consider Dark Heresy.  I am willing to discuss a corruption theme for a Rogue Trader and/or Dark Heresy character, in that they would start ‘good’ and progress more towards Chaos.  This could be a subplot between player characters, or involving an NPC.

The current plan is for the characters to have to hijack a ship that the Inquisitor is using to investigate as a starting adventure, which would be a potential way to bring in any ‘good’ characters.  They could be prisoners, or something else such as a corrupted character who finally has a chance to change sides. 

The game will be rated Extreme, and will include non-consensual content.  That said, smut will largely depend on the characters, story, and rolls.  I don’t necessarily intend it to be a smut focused game, though it could end up be a significant portion of things if (for example) the above PC prisoner idea is used.

If you are interested please post a brief description of what you want to play!  I don't need a full character sheet yet. 

Terian

Oooh, nice, count me in, I've got a couple ideas lying around for this that I'd love to give a shot to.

Nice to actually get in on the ground floor here.

To elaborate on the concept, I'm thinking of going with a voidborn waif of some form, using the Psyker Archetype from Black Crusade.  One of the lucky few who had the right level of willpower to survive long enough to recognize just how bad things were liable to get, and subsequently get a semblance of control over her powers--enough so that when the vessel she was born on--and staying one step ahead of the provosts on--was overhauled by a warband, she was taken in as a disposable wyrd--who subsequently lasted long enough to be promoted to "Useful Asset" to the band.

Mostly going to be focusing on the Telekinesis Discipline, with dips into Biomancy and Telepathy.  Unaligned--and I hope to stay that way if at all possible.  It gives more flexibility of character I find.  Probably using the below image as a general character idea.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

wander

I have a Heretek who'll be on the path to being marked by Tzeentch if you'll have him.

I have the character sheet at starting level for Black Crusade games, so I believe I'll need to add 1000xp to him and tweak his characteristics for the game, which shouldn't take me too long.

So you have an idea of what he'd be like, here's his unedited character sheet for a regular starting level game. He'll obviously be more powerful and very likely carrying a Mark of Tzeentch in the game proposed;

Heretek of Tzeentch; Mantik Khihsor
Mantik, Heretek Acolyte of Tzeentch

WS 38
BS 40
S 29
T 29
Ag 37
Int 41
Per 34
Wil 39
Fel 39
--
Infamy: 24.
Corruption: 5.

Skills;
Logic, Common Lore (mechanicus, tech), Tech use, Parry, Tech Use +10, 1x Forbidden Lore (Xenos),
Scholastic Lore (astromancy).
Added known skills (1000xp): Inquiry, Scrutiny, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Trade (Rememberancer).

Talents;
Die Hard, Technical Knock, Weapon Training (Las, Primary, Shock), Weapon Training (choose 1: bolt, plasma, power),
Mechadendrite Training (Utility), Meditation, Weapon-Tech, Lesser Minion of Chaos (Servitor), Enemy (Adeptus Mechanicus).

Heretek's Wounds = 15/15.

Chosen Path: Tzeentch.

FAILINGS;
Pride; Logic.
Disgrace; Regret (special: enemies gain +10 Intimidation bonus vs. Mantik)
Motivation; Legacy.

GEAR;
Best Craftsmanship Lascarbine (2.5kg)
Good Craftsmanship Great Weapon (Axe) (7kg)
Light Carapace Armour (15kg)
Best quality Cameleoline Cloak (1kg)
Cybernetics;
Best quality Mechanicus Assimilation (Rank 1)
Good quality Optical mechadendrite
Good quality Synthmuscles
Utility Mechadendrite (loaded with x1 ligature oil)
Maglev Coils.

Total carried: 25.5kg.




Cloaked Scouting Servitor;

WS: 01
BS: 01
St: 10
T: 10
Agi: 23
Per: 21
Int: 23
Wil: 01
Fel: 10

Skills (all Trained, +10 bonus to rolls): Awareness, Dodge, Security, Stealth.

Talents: Heightened Senses (visual, hearing), Mimic, Total Recall, Unremarkable.

Traits; Hoverer (4), Machine (2), Size (3).

Gear; Auspex, Pict Recorder.

Mantik's Gear Carried by Servitor's Cloak (2kg);
0) Combi-Tool (1kg)
0) Dataslate (0.5kg)
0) 2x lascarbine magazines (0.25 each = 0.5kg)

Encumberance: 4kg / 4.5kg

Loyalty = 39.

HairyHeretic

"I want vengeance against a galaxy that hates us. I want Imperial worlds to cower when we draw near. I want the weeping of this empire's souls to reach all the way to Holy Terra, and the sound of suffering will choke the corpse-god on his throne of gold."

"I will cast a shadow across this world. I will burn every man, woman and child so the smoke from the funeral pyres eclipses the sun. With the dust that remains, I will take the Echo of Damnation into the sacred skies above Terra, and rain the ashes of twenty million mortals down onto the Emperor's palace. THEN they will remember us. THEN they will remember the Legion they once feared."


-Talos Valcoran to First Claw

The Night Lord known as Draugr is a former member of the 3rd Claw Terror Squad within the 20th Chapter. He wears heavily modified Mark 6 plate, complete with the distinctive skull faced helm of a Terror Squad member, and bears a weapon which he uses almost to the exclusion of all others, a Stalker pattern legion bolter named 'Last Breath'. Rumour has it the name comes because once his sights are upon you, you have time for but one last breath before the end.

We were the monsters you wanted, the weapons you shaped us to be. We sacrificed all to be what you needed, and you dare .. you DARE .. censure us for doing that, for doing just what it was you wanted? We brought scores of worlds to compliance, and for every one we visited, for every one where they learned to fear the night, five, ten, twenty would surrender for fear they would be next.

We are the ones betrayed. That bitch assassin was allowed .. allowed, not able .. to take our father. To prove the truth of his words. Well, listen to the truth of my words. I will burn one world in the name of each of my brothers, and when the ashes of those worlds burn cold, my fathers words will be all that remains.


He has sworn an oath of vengeance, an eternal oath of moment, to make the Imperium pay for all it has done. He doesn't particularly care how he does it. He's as happy to cause a world to revolt in civil war as he is to assassinate the PDF high command just prior to an invasion by Orks or Dark Eldar, or drop an asteroid onto the worlds capital. He knows he won't be able to wreak his vengeance alone, but there are plenty of tools he can use along the way.


Admittedly Night Lords are an advanced class, so to speak, but swapping out the regular archtype special abilities for Spectral Haunter and Terror Tactics ought to let me build one from scratch :)
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

wander

Seeing as I'd probably have to shift a few things around based on characteristic rolls, I may actually finally go for my wanted Nurgle follower for this game actually. I'll keep them as a human character, as I find the CSMs a bit too complex for me. More to come across the weekend.

TheLaughingOne

My Ons and Offs!

You! On our wavelength! Carry our message, its heavy! Made of rocks!! Apocolypso dancing! SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY! You'll want to cut your wrists with the whole knife, but you'll only need the edge!

ShadowFox89

 If you do allow a dark heresy character, I'm assuming Dark Heresy 2e?
Call me Shadow
My A/A

frost rose

Ahh, Warhammer, my guilty pleasure. (Admittedly, more fantasy than 40k, but both are fun.) I already have... three concepts bouncing around I'll have to think about before I collapse in bed. My interest is definitely piqued, and I'll have more tomorrow certainly.

Although I do have a question — if we went with things out of Black Crusade, are we going pure random mutations, or can they be tailored to character concept? Some of the mutations can shut down a concept hard, so I'd want to know in advance. EDIT: Derp, I was misremembering something about starting corruption. Ignore the previous, but it's left here for posterity's sake.
There was a SIGNATURE here.

It's gone now.

Terian

Anyway, curious if I should be elaborating on this concept or starting on a sheet or anything, I haven't played a proper game of Black Crusade that lasts beyond the first few events, so this'll be nice if it gets off the ground.

frost rose

Mmm, I was sifting through the Rogue Trader rules, and my first thought was of course I wanna be an ork freebooter. Because really who doesn't? That probably would spoil the tone of the game, though, and I don't want to be that person, so no orkiness.

But after I got that out of my system I realised that a lot of the RT stuff is very limited if we're stuck at rank 2. I had sketched out a concept of how to reasonably do a coherent and game-friendly backstory for a dark eldar and then realise that several critical skills for it only unlock at rank 5. Oof. Since I imagine most things are going to be like that knowing how exacting I can be with wrangling with mechanics to get fluff to work, Black Crusade it is, in all likelihood. It's far more flexible.

(Side note, I'm extremely sad skaven are fantasy-only. I've been in a skaven mood lately and they're super chaosy.)

Anyhow, realising that cuts out several ideas so I'm tossing two around in my head. I'm really keen on toying around with a concept I brewed up for a game that never went anywhere having to do with a transhumanist techpriest. But we already might have someone interested in playing a heretek, so it depends kinda on how we feel about potentially doubling up on archetypes? I'm pretty dead certain that it would not look anything the same in terms of personality and the like, but I'm not sure what our opinion is on that sort of thing at the moment.

The alternative is slaaneshi blademaster, since not every warrior has to worship Khorne and constantly high on combat stims and being disturbingly into the thought of fighting in a particular sort of unnerving way sounds awfully Slaanesh. It's in large part an excuse to play an overly friendly drug addict who gets along a little too well with everyone. Everyone. Until the high wears off anyways.
There was a SIGNATURE here.

It's gone now.

HairyHeretic

Given that I don't think anyone expressed an interest in a Khornate follower, the Slaaneshi blademaster seems a solid choice. I know the Night Lords are in the Khornate book, but they generally have nothing but disdain for anyone that actually follows the different chaos powers. Mine would be unaligned, and intending to stay that way.

I've never had any issues with doubling up on characters, as long as they're different enough that they're not stepping on each others toes. That being said, I'm not the GM so it's not my call :)
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

wander

Tomorrow I have the day off, so this post here is my placeholder to work out my Nurgle Cultist stats.




WS 25 (+10) 35 (+3 Renegade) = 38
BS 25 (+10) 35 (+3 Renegade) = 38
S 25 (+12) 37
T 25 (+12) 37
Ag 25 (+11) 36
Int 25 (+12) 37
Per 25 (+12) 37
WP 25 (+12* random rolled) = 37
Fel 25 (+11) 36
-
Inf TBD

Roll Result: wander rolled: 2d10
Comment: adding willpower
Result: 5, 7,
Total: 12




Race: Human
Archetype: Renegade

Starting Skills: Athletics, Awareness, Common Lore (Any Two plus War), Dodge, Intimidate, Linguistics (Low Gothic), Medicae, Operate (Any One), Parry (+10), Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis), Survival, Trade (Any One).

Starting Talents: Jaded, Quick Draw, Rapid Reload, Weapon Training (Chain, Las, Primary, SP), Weapon Training (Bolt or Shock), Combat Sense, Marksman, (Choose: Double Team, Disarm or Takedown), (Ambidextrous/Hip Shooting).

Starting Trait: Quick and the Dead (+2 to Initiative Rolls).

Starting Gear (max carrying weight = 36kg):
Main Gun + 2 mags, Sidearm + 2 mags, Melee weapon = TBD.
Heavy Carapace (FFG forum errata, 17kg), Medikit (2kg), Dataslate with annotated version of Tactica Imperialis (0.5kg).

Wounds: TBD.

PixelatedPixie

Terian
Sounds interesting!
Just the concept is good for now.

HairyHeretic
I am not sure trading one ability for two is fair, but I'd have to see if a rough XP cost for them can be figured out.

ShadowFox89
First Edition, I don't own the second.

frost rose
I don't mind the same archetypes as long as they diverge enough.  Otherwise a Slaaneshi Blademaster sounds fun.

HairyHeretic

I'm happy to pick up the second with XP along the line :) I'd probably use the Chosen for the base template.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

wander

I found on p.47 of Black Crusade it mentions for every +1000xp added that there's +3 Infamy and +5 Corruption for each PC.

Interestingly, on the same page it also states a Black Crusade character is made using 7000xp, on p.75 it then mentions a BC human is worth 7000xp from other lines whilst a BC Chaos Marine is worth 8000xp in other lines. I think though with the bonus xp as mentioned in OP that things work out, as there's the bonus xp given to customise characters on p.74 of the corebook.

Basically, I'm guessing Infamy will be generated the same and everyone gets +3, then we all get +5 Corruption too.

Terian

Nah, 1,000 XP for human Heretics is the default in Black Crusade.  It's supposed to balance out the ridiculously good gear, abilities, and traits that Chaos Space Marines start with, but doesn't quite make the mark.

So no, we get the starting Infamy and Corruption, not the starting amount +3/+5

I could be wrong though, if a human Heretic starts with 2,000 instead of 1,000 XP to spend...  Well, that's quite a bit more freedom to work with.

wander

I mention it because Cleric says starting characters are made up from 9000xp... A vanilla game of BC has 7000 base and the free xp at Stage 5.

So that would mean that for this game BC humans get +1000 atop of the free 1000xp they get and CSMs would get the +500xp atop of their own free xp given to them at Stage 5 of the character creation process. So BC humans for this game would get 2000xp and CSMs would have 1000xp.

Though I concede I may have got the wrong end of the stick and if Cleric meant different, that's fine. ^_^

Terian

We'll see.  Personally, I'm more interested in better gear than the starting set.  I really want a Warp Staff so I can cast with a bit less fear, but that and other stuff I want (Full sized Power Armour for instance for those Space Hulk Adventures), are all Extremely Rare, which is out of the reach of a starting PC.

wander

Tomorrow I'll try and figure out my Renegade's default starting gear and get more a basic concept in place. I'll probably do their Failing rolls to see where their persona leads, as I can't decide on the certain skills I have choices for with him yet (2 common lores, 1 operate, 1 trade). Knowing the default items I choose from the options should get a more a concept in place past 'Nurgle Cultist' and also happen to cement more what his default Talents should be.

Terian

Faye
Archetype: Psyker
Alignment: Unaligned

The Cosmos is vast, and many things can be found lurking within the shadows.  More often than not, those things will break out and chew your face off, leaving everyone in the same town as you to catch fire, screaming in the distance.  The Glory of Steel was one of those who had the ill fate to be pulled from the beaten track--a venerable Lunar-class voidship in the service of His Imperial Majesty's Navy--caught in a terrible trap and forced to execute an emergency Warp Translation to dubious safety.

They were unable to beat the odds--much of the crew was slain in the ensuing incursion, as the flickering Gellar Fields struggled to preserve what little they could.  In a fit of mixed blessing, the ancient craft collided with a Space Hulk, fusing with the mass of void flotsam, perhaps protecting the meager survivors from the Warp, but at risk of exposing them to the many other creatures that reside on such structures.

It was to a world at war that Faye was born, the third generation of struggle, to hold on to what trappings of civilization they could against the greenskin, the daemonic, and the occasional outbreak of genestealers when the defenders got sloppy.  The trappings of the Old Imperium already fading into the background as the innovative survivors of the Glory fought tooth and nail to protect what life and liberty remained to them.  Faye in particular was singled out as a bright young child, well suited to train in the arts of maintenance and repair--it likely would have remained as such if the High Magus didn't emerge from his seclusion, bidding the child be apprenticed to him, his divinations making it clear that she would play a necessary role in the survival of the Glorymen.

Her youth was filled, learning of the ways of the Warp--how to harness it, how to control it.  The High Magus himself was barely a child when the Glory's descent into the darkness of hell began, piecing together what scraps of knowledge survived from the minor Psykers throughout the vessel, all for the purposes of survival--for none can stand in isolation--mankind is weak compared to the monsters out there--and only by cunning and discipline can they thrive in this universe.

Though an apt pupil, Faye's destiny was not to be limited holding the line against a tide of beasts forever.  The Hulk shook one evening, power surges filling it as the Gellar Fields finally found nothing to push against--a re-emergence, the first since the Glory joined the mass.  They had not gone unnoticed.

Bandits from afar poured into the structure, tearing and plundering at the sides.  Giant men with snarling helmets leading the way.  There was little time for mercy, and the few calls for parley ignored in the face of their Purpose.  From a purely objective side-note, it was unknown how long the Hulk would remain in the system--and it was virtually unheard of for their to be salvageable survivors.  They were ignored, brushed aside--and as the strangers bored through the Space Hulk, the other residents were forced to pull away--and the Glory was one of the few places to go.

There was little time and little place to do much about it.  Their lives were forfeit, and there was little hope to survive the tide of enemies.  There was no conventional means of escape.

But unconventional.  That was doable.

The High Magus, as his final work had designed a spell of great power--to ride the tides of the Warp to a new place, which may perhaps not be safe, but a small chance of survival was better than no chance at all.  It was impossible to execute while actually submerged.  But here?  In this place?

He cast the runes--one could live, any more would certainly be slain.

Was it so strange that he chose his apprentice to be that lucky winner?

So it was that Faye of the Glory was cast into the seas of time and space--expert in warpcraft, well educated, and free of the hidebound traditions of the Imperium of Man.  Few Warbands had the good fortune to have a wyrd of their own--ones that could be trusted to take care of themselves in a pinch were nigh unheard of outside of the mighty Sorcerers.  It was little wonder that she could accumulate something of a reputation among those who walk the Path of Glory--and if she is perhaps not a loyalist to any given great Power, she is at least known to scrupulously uphold the letter of the contracts she binds herself to--offering her wisdom and spellcraft to those who can meet her price.


Pride: Foresight
Disgrace: Regret
Motivation: Perfection

Randomly Generated Stat Roll: Ballistic Skill
At 2017-11-22 19:28:52, Faye (uid: 5837) rolls: 2d10 Result: 7

PixelatedPixie

If you include what they get by default, a Chaos Marine would be spending 1000xp and a Chaos Human would be spending 2000xp.  So a human character would start with the +3 Infamy and +5 Corruption, a Chaos Marine I suppose can start with +1 Infamy and +3 Corruption.  I haven't decided on how I might modify starting equipment rules yet. 

As mentioned I am not looking for character sheets yet though. 

Terian

Yeah, I just wanted to get the formalized backstory and stuff out of the way until we get the heads up to proceed.  I'll just edit that when we have the finalized rules.

wander

I tend to have a basic one sentence concept and form the character sheet around that, then I can add more to the backstory. ^^;

So don't mind me, folks. ^^;

That said, I'll do the old chestnut of writing a bio once I know what my character is like.

PixelatedPixie

I am going to back out of running this one.  Sorry everyone and thank you for your interest and effort.