Happy New Year

Happy new years to all!

Happy new years everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

Checked Sinestra, she has 3 but one of them is Psyker from another source so she's good. :)

I went through and double checked Augury. The latest version should be set as far as key words go. Being human she gets two which are Scum and Cult Mechanicus. I believe all of her equipment and the two augments should fit within those two without any trouble (I think most of what I took use the 'Any' keyword.).

We might just ignore keywords in parenthesis. I mean they do make sense but it would be a book then. For example, next to Scum stand (Imperium) which might be reasonable on one side because most of the Scum live there but not necessarily ALL, so just take the first word and ignore all the words in parenthesis. Scum is a keyword and if it's not next to a piece of equipment it can't be used. True I might be one of the largest abusers in that so I will need to adjust my equipment and/or keywords but that would be a clean way to do it in creator and still be by the book.

Good catch, i think i ended up with too many keywords so i'll be going back to fix that. He has four (Abhuman, Ogryn, Outcast and Military). One of those in redundant (Ogryn really) and so that puts him at three. He probably doesn't actually need Outcast, because he's not really an outcast, he's just.. lost? Military still works though again, thinking about it maybe not because its a 'social' keyword and his social connection to the military is basically nonexistent now? The trick is staying away from Imperium tags. I could take Militarum Auxilla which is the division for Abhumans but again, thats imperium specific. I could take Scum, because thats basically everything that isn't part of the imperium so thats a good one. Abhuman and Scum are what i'd settle on i think.

Weekend got away from me *sigh* I empathize with this so much. I always felt like I made it better after multiple passes but that might just be a coping mechanism for me. In terms of an update, I am in no position to start the game until after the Thanksgiving holiday. I haven't had the block of time I wanted yet to really take a look at the characters. Some of you have multiples. There is a minor concern with keywords that I was looking into before and needs to be mentioned. The character builder doesn't seem to properly depict how keywords should work for an unaligned character. Keywords are extremely significant for accessibility. At game start this is really just for gear. The builder lets you just select whatever keywords though and that isn't actually correct. This is how it should work. If you don't choose an archetype (which comes with predesigned keywords for species and faction) you must choose at the very least a species... and optionally a faction. Every species has it's own keyword except humans. This is why the bottom rule is in the core book. Ogryn and Ratlings get abhuman as a keyword and if factionless should only pick 1 additional keyword. This goes for any other nonhuman species as well. Noone should have more than 2-3 keywords at game start is the point. Also the character builder is misleading by putting keywords into categories that are themselves keywords. Scum is grouped into the Imperium category for some reason but scum is seperate from Imperium. This is very important for gear so I encourage questions or requests for clarification.

Lol. Almost finished the fluff for the second character (mechanics are done for all 3) and I pressed wrong button and closed Firefox, 1 hour of writing down the shiter and I really can't do it again tonight.

Well, warp-happy maniacs usually tend to be dominant so our sorceress might see the free place to begin building her power base. From my characters, one might be the dominant one. That would be Skullsmasher, he's the only one with some influence, and while I haven't written his BG yet he is the owner of a bar/brothel in Underhive. So he used to be in charge. Rand The Tank is a former guard who is one of the rare to manage to be let go on disability hence all augumetics. He had a lot of his flashy parts melted/eaten in the Tyranid invasion his regiment had the misfortune to repel and most of them including about 40% of Rand became new Biomass for the fleet so probably somewhere there is Termagant with enough of his DNA once to come and call him daddy...before his mates chomp on remaining 60% of him. What remained of him got let go but in the beauty of the Underhive he learned to keep his augments up and running and through that and the help of one Heretek he learned a lot about machines and had a small store of tech stuff, slowly improving his augs with stuff of questionable legality of procurement. If called up for duty he would be likely support for the tank, while Ogryn keeps bad stuff from getting too close he'd "clean" bad stuff off Ogryn with Bolt Pistol, and Flechette Blaster (Bolter Round a day keeps a Doctor Away), and preemptively keeps them away the tank with his Stubcannon so he's really not the dominant one. Flynn, the only fully finished, is a straight-up assassin, he does what he's paid to do, and being in charge is not one thing he's selling. So if anyone except Skullsmasher is picked I don't see others as dominant types. Flynn at the most might be a reliable right hand, Rand probably not even that, depending on how dumb Ogryn is he might consider adopting him but that's about that.

Yeah I created Norm with the idea of him being the "face." He is a little too obsessed with the idea of "blending in" as a human for me to envision him as the leader. I'm perfectly happy stepping into the role if no one else wants it, but my current vision for Norm is that he makes a better follower than a leader. I'm happy to fall in line with anyone else who wants to take the lead.

Augury isn't really leadership material. She's much more likely to dive into some tech related challenge or idea (probably heretical,since it would be about improving something beyond the standard patterns) and forget about some core goal or objective. Plus, she's probably the weakest of the bunch combat wise and would never dream of challenging all the big burly warrior types for the head honcho position. But that might make her a fair candidate for an Ogryn's protection. Whether she thinks she needs it or not.

I'm going to look over the character threads again and see who Bork will become most attached too. I think he'll probably compete with Norm the most.

We need to wait and see the kind of game CM has in mind since I think we're more like mercs so "leader" would be the one who is paying and telling us what to do, Then Norm or Sinestra would likely fall into classic "face" roll. Someone who talks to people so Ogrynn don't eat them😅. As group dynamic goes we'll need to workshop in the first few weeks.

It's still early, but I guess it depends on what criteria we are thinking for a 'leader'- Mechanically speaking the 2 best Social characters are Norm and Sinestra. The highest dice pool for the Leadership skill is Sinestra. Raw Fellowship stat obviously goes to Norm. Personality wise- impossible to know right now who would be overall the 'best'. But if Norm is going to lean towards Orkiness. Bork leans towards simple thinking and 'Ogryn-ness'. Maybe Sinestra's "Cult Leader In The Making" thinking works as a leader? In a higher tier of play Sinestra would still be very much the same but likely at the head of a small cult whose completely heretical ideology that "Maybe the Imperium could be just a little, tiny, fractionally, less tyrannical and maybe care about the people they rule over?" would have a fair bit of influence. She wants the world, and the broader Imperium, to be better. She cares about people. Regardless of race or creed or background etc. She sees the corruption of the Imperium's incalculable branches and departments- and yet still hopes that things can be made better for everyone. But that does make her an idealist. And it does make her a lightning rod for "Heresy!". Whether that makes her a good leader or not- I don't know. Lol

I must admit, I read over the actual reason for your absence in your first post. I am so sorry for your loss.

Great stuff, i'm glad you're doing better. I've been there, it takes awhile but you get there eventually. I've been looking over the other characters and it looks like a fun group.. but we might want to decide who is in charge because with an Ork AND an Ogryn there is at least two avenues for chaos nonsense to happen. The Ork is likely to, despite his best efforts, resort to orkiness and keeping him from krumpin' everything he sees could be its own problem. And the Ogryn is absolutely going to have a Favourite Person - probably the Boss or whoever found him - and his desire to protect that person could lead to its own outbursts. Also his insatiable curiosity and absolute lack of caution of course. Eventually someone is gonna roll up on his Favourite Person or threaten them or something and he's gonna try and smoosh them real good.

Juist want to say the kind words are appreciated. I've returned and the game is past it's first milestone. The application period has ended and those who didn't request invites should have them. I'm only just back in town and need to get my bearings but will be posting late tomorrow with better direction.

Hadn't checked the forum in a few days- I'm so sorry CM. Please. Do not worry about us in any shape or form. We'll be here whenever you're feeling okay again. Would hug you if I could. :(

As is more/less obvious I made three builds so it can fit more rolls as a novice I think all of them are viable in their own niche and will be adding background and the rest one by one. One likely tonight. Maybe one and a half. It is up to you which one you think fits the best with your story if any.

Augury Sin (Updated 11/13) Attributes Attributes Rating Enhanced Strength 1 1 Toughness 2 2 Agility 3 3 Initiative 3 3 Willpower 2 2 Intellect 4 4 Fellowship 2 2 Traits Defense 2 Resilience 6 Determination 2 Max Wounds 4 Max Shock 3 Speed 6 Conviction 2 Resolve 2* Corruption 0 Passive Awareness 3 Influence 1 Wealth 1 Skills Skill Rating Att Total Athletics 0 Str 1 Awareness 1 Int 5 Ballistic Skill 2 Agi 5 Cunning 1 Fel 3 Deception 0 Fel 2 Insight 1 Fel 3 Intimidation 0 Wil 2 Investigation 0 Int 4 Leadership 0 Wil 2 Medicae 1 Int 5 Persuasion 0 Fel 2 Pilot 1 Agi 4 Psychic Mastery 0 Wil 2 Scholar 0 Int 4 Stealth 1 Agi 4 Survival 1 Wil 3 Tech 2 Int 6 Weapon Skill 1 Ini 4 Name Range Damage AP Salvo Traits Autogun 12 | 24 | 36 7 + 1 ED 0 3 Rapid Fire(1) Abilities Species Caves of Steel • Hive World Origin You gain +1 dice to Tech Tests. Hivebound • Hive World Origin You suffer +1 DN to Survival tests not made within urban or manufactured environments. Archetype Unaligned Scoundrel [SCUM][CULT MECHANICUS] Talents Augmetic, Two Rare: Replace part of your biology with two rare augmetics. Core, pg. 129 Mind Impulse Unit • Augmetics • core, pg. 245. You can converse with a machine spirit as an Action; this may require a Tech (Int) Test for unruly spirits. If you succeed, you gain +Double Rank bonus dice to all Tests to operate the machine. Voidskin • Augmetics • aaoa, pg. 192. +3d bonus to resist exposure to hard vacuum, extreme cold and radiation. Wargear Autogun • Ranged Weapon • core, pg. 222 Periculum Kit • Tools & Equipment • core, pg. 238. A Periculum Kit contains: * Chrono * Data-Slate * Magnoculars * 2 Ration Packs * Respirator * Vox-bead. Combi-Tool • Tools & Equipment • core, pg. 236, You ignore DN penalties to build, repair, maintain, and sabotage Imperial technology. Clothing, Uncommon • Tools & Equipment • core, pg. 236. Common Clothing may grant a small bonus to social skill tests. Mesh Armour • Armour • core, pg. 232. AR:3 Description (Using SCUM Background) Objectives Apply your experience in a crime to the current situation. Verbally estimate the black market value of an item or person. Recount a desperate act of survival you once made. Use some gang slang — invented or real. Explain how a common object has an alternative use — probably as a weapon. Decry the violence and villainy of authority. Languages Low Gothic Keywords SCUM • Imperium Those who live upon the fringes of Imperial society, often in the underhive or criminal syndicates. [CULT MECHANICUS] • Imperium Follower of Tech-Priesthood of Mars, they are entrusted with the secrets of tech-nology; allied to the Imperium.. Background Origin: Fallen: Once a member of an Adepta, or even a noble house, you have fallen from grace through tragedy, betrayal, or some disgraceful failing. +1 Resolve Accomplishment: The Big One. You were instrumental in the biggest score anyone from your home has made. Hopefully you won’t run into anyone that can place you at the crime scene. +1 Wealth Goal: Fortune & Forgotten. You’re sick of this city, this planet, even your own name — by amassing riches you plan to abandon your life and everyone you know in search of something better. Max Shock Key Background Bullets Scion of a low-born medicae's assistant and a tech-priest. Her tech-priest father is a mid-level administrator for the Suspire. He does not acknowledge Augury's existence and in fact, would prefer her to be dead so that none of his fellows or superiors discover he has spawn that occurred via such barbaric methods as simple sex. She only survived because her mother held something over her father to keep him from acting. Now that her mother is gone, there is nothing to prevent him coming after her if he discovers where she is. Early on she showed an aptitude for devices and machines and received initial training to become a tech adept. She also learned the basics of medicae from her mother. With her mother's health failing, she stopped her training and went to work for one of the local salvage gangs to try and get money needed for treatments. A group calling themselves the Night Wraiths. Although, she was able to save enough over the course of two years, her mothers treatment was denied due to the new shortage of resources with the opening of the Rift. This left her embittered toward the Adeptus Mechanicus despite her continued belief in the teachings of the Omissiah. A month ago the leader of the Night Wraiths discovered a space hulk that had appeared out of the Rift. The gang made a highly illegal run to salvage whatever they could find on the ancient wreck. Instead they ran into an unimaginable horror. If not for luck and her tech skills she and three of her companions would not have made it back. As it was, most of the gang was killed during the run. They did bring back a handful of items from the hulk, but afraid to do anything with them the goods are stashed in an ancient abandoned part of the Avarchus orbital ring. She's no idea what any of it actually is since the others hauled it to the shuttle before things went sideways. Since her return to the hive, two of the survivors have died under suspect circumstances. With the gang obliterated she's found work in the repair docks and is doing her best to avoid any notice from the Suspire or Enforcers who might be looking for anyone who landed on the hulk. (Auspex signals did reveal a vessel approaching and leaving the massive wreck, however, a solar storm prevented complete identification or the final course of the ship,) In addition, some former gang rivals have already moved in on the Night Wraith's territory and is looking for whatever Augury's gang might have stashed away. And then there is whatever was aboard the Hulk. Since those events, she's suffered from nightmares and even the occasional strange vision or haunting, although she chalks that up to lack of sleep and stress. Current Motivation: To find any opportunity that would get her safely off Avarchus for a while and earn enough money to get started on a new path that would see her and the only other survivor of the Night Wraiths, Tao, to a safer, more comfortable living situation. Narrative Background - Part One A wisp of steam twirled upward like a lazy spirit from the cup of hot caffeine sitting on the dingy table in front of Augury. She stared at the curling moisture stretching upward toward the rattling air duct. For just a moment the gentle mist, made a sickly green by the dim overhead fluorolamp, swirled itself into an elongated, ghostly face. Simple black ovals where oversized eyes and a screaming mouth might reside. The eyes accused. The mouth cried out in fear and pain. Augury closes her eyes and blows away the steam shattering the grim visage before taking a sip of the hot liquid. “Are you listening to me Aug?” Tao’s voice hissed across the tiny circular bar table. It was really just a repurposed old cable spool. Like everything else in the dim, stale confines of The Deacon’s Dive it was a bit of trash turned useful again. No one outside the squalid confines of the lower docks was going to miss the spool and even scum needed a place to drink. Junk like that fitted out most everything in the favorite drinking haunt of the dock sloggers of Avachrus Orbital Station, Spine C, Subsection 354. Like every other slogger haunt it reeks of cheap lho-sticks, even cheaper rotgut, and the local spiced slurry. Augury rented a cube from the Dive’s owner, Tanda Creed. Creed once ran with Augury’s gang…ex-gang…she still wasn’t used to the fact that Lucius and the others were gone. The fact that Lucius was little more than flash frozen gristle and blood splattered across an ancient fab panel in some long abandoned and forgotten naval hab the other side of the black moon didn’t help ease her acceptance. That she and Tao were the only ones to escape that nightmare certainly didn’t ease the pain…and fear. Creed, Augury, and Tao were now all that was left of the Void Wraiths. The salvage and smuggling crew she’d run with since her mother died when she was thirteen standard years old. They were her only real family. Now only the three of them were left. “Augury, you listening? What we saw. What happened, what if it got out?” Usually capable of making himself heard clear across a busy space dock, she could barely hear the broad shouldered teamster’s voice above the usual grumble and din of the bar. He sat hunched over, his long legs splayed out wide to avoid banging his knees against the low makeshift tabletop. He looked pale, almost gray. Black stained the underside of his eyes. The bright red worm of slowly healing scar tissue ran along the left side of his neck before slithering beneath the tattered workshirt and standard issue coveralls. “I’m telling you, we gotta do something. Tell someone.” Shaking her head, she grimaces. “No way. We can’t. You know that.” She whispers back. Her voice just as subdued as her companions. More so. And filled with more fear. “Who we gonna tell? What’re we gonna tell ‘em. We tell the enforcers, they’ll be all over us in a gakking heartbeat for salvaging a restricted zone.” She hisses back. “You know I’m right. Omnissiah’s Grace, do you want to face an Interrogator?” Her hand shakes a little as she takes another sip of caffeine. “I don’t fancy getting mind wiped and turned into a brainless servitor because we know something we shouldn't.” Tao leans back, runs a hand across his stubble covered scalp. He lets out a long breath. “Gak. I know you’re right. I just can’t help thinking they might still be…” “No.” Momentary panic wells up in Augury’s chest. He'd want to try and go back. She wouldn't go back there even with a whole chapter of Astartes behind her. They’ve had this argument before. The first time was just before she hit the release on the docking clamps and punched the thrusters to get them the hell out of that place. “No.” She repeats again. This time just a little softer. Kinder. “You saw and heard just as much as I did.” Even saying that much starts to bring back the visions. The blood. The screams over the vox. The eldritch light illuminating limbs torn and tossed asunder as if some angry child threw a tantrum by ripping apart their dolls. The black tentacles slithering across the grating gathering meat to deliver back to that grotesque maw. She shivers. Rubs at her eyes to try and drive away the visions. “They’re dead. Just like we would have been if your tanks hadn’t started to fail. First time poor maintenance ever saved my life.” Tao nods forlornly. “I know. I know. You’re right. But we never heard from Cutter and his team.” “Aye, that’s because they’re dead.” She says and then offers a dismissive snort. “Besides, do you think that piece of bovine dung would go back for us or put his neck on the line with the Enforcers or Suspire?” A derisive snort. "Not likely. Not at all." She pulls out a lho-stick and lights it breathing deep of the harshly scented smoke. She’d been living on caffeine and lho-sticks ever since they’d got back. Even when she did sleep, the nightmares kept her from getting any real rest. Tao nods again. While Augury brushes a wayward strand of dirty blonde hair from her eyes. She’d been growing it out a bit and she still wasn’t used to it. Tao is still agitated. His face is all pinched and she feels the shiver of the table as his leg begins to pump up and down like an overworked air scrubber. “What now?” She asks. “You look like your trying to pass a stone.” Tao sighs again and leans back in. “Look Aug. I know you don’t like to talk about him but what about your father?” Augury’s eyes go dark and cold. She flips ash into the can. The action gives her a moment to calm her racing heart, to let the rush of anger release its grip just a little. “Absolutely not.” She says just a little too loud, attracting attention from a couple of dockers at the next table. Flushing she drops her voice back to a harsh whisper. “That bastard doesn’t even know I exist and that’s just the way I want to keep it. If he’d had his way, I’d have been spaced years ago. The priesthood doesn’t think much of natural born spawn. I still don’t know how my mother convinced him to let us be.” “Yes, but, he has rank doesn’t he? A true tech-priest. He could…well he could send a real team in there…” “No. Gak no, Tao. He’s a high ranking accountant. A bloody machine-enhanced bean counter is all. A pompous, arrogant, gakking fanatical bean counter.” She gives Tao a pointed stare. “I mean it. Stay clear of him. He even gets so much as a skiff that I was involved, he’ll send a kill squad after us just to keep his gakking record clean.” The tall man’s shoulders slump with lost hope, but he offers a barely distinguishable nod of his head. “Alright Aug. I’ll leave it be. But still what are we going to do about getting outta here? If…whatever that was gets loose, I don’t want to be around.” “I know. I’m working on it. I’ve gotta fix Tanda’s chiller, then I’m following up on a lead on some other work. Might be enough there for us to get out of the ring and set up somewhere else in the system. Maybe even Ostia. Imagine open skies and free air.” And a few million miles between us and that thing. She thought draining the final dregs in her mug. Add space Narrative Background - Part Two “Break detected…Node 345, Junction B-17” The machine voice of Augury’s compspex chimes as she runs the scanner over the runic circuitry. It’s indicator light blinking red. A sigh escapes her thin lips. This job was taking a lot longer than expected. She was supposed to meet Tao back at the Dive and was already thirty minutes late. The grav generator on the old RE-45 shuttle was worse than a mess, she was going to have to ping Tao and let him know it was going to be awhile before she’d be finished. “Initiate Repair Psalm 354: 3-14.” She says. “Acknowledged.” Replies the artificial voice of the cogitating repair unit. She’d already tied the CRU directly into her X-37 Standard Issue Combi-tool and so moments later there was a burst of light followed by the sharp scent of burning alloy and incense. A few minutes later, the light switches to green. “Runic sequence reconstructed. Node repair complete.” “Begin scanning the next sector.” Augury commands. Leaning back to stretch her sore muscles and rub at her eyes, she barely stifles a yawn. She’d been at it for over ten hours with only the occasional bio-break and a single short meal rest. Stepping back to stretch her legs, she looks up at the old shuttle. Its exterior was scratched, dented and pockmarked from years of intersystem travel. The thruster array was coated in thick exhaust residue. A there were several areas where obvious laser scars and damage had been sloppily repaired leaving formerly smooth surface rough and rumpled like an old set of coveralls. Before the Great Rift appeared, this old beast of a shuttle would have been sent to the scrapyard years ago. Its latest misadventure had it getting caught in a massive CME thrown off by Gilead. The suffered massive radiation damage when its shield generator malfunctioned as the flare first hit. According to the field report Augury had read as part of the repair order, every servitor on board had been instantly fried. Even worse, it had been carrying a crew of skitari workers to a solar power facility. Every member of the team suffered fatal malfunctions resulting in death or nearly so. But despite the unreliable and clearly failing internal systems, the continued dwindling of every kind of resource imaginable within the star system meant retiring the shuttle wasn’t really an option anymore. Instead, here it was in Repair Hanger 37-J just like numerous other out of date vehicles filling the repair bays orbiting Averchus. Battered, abused, and well beyond their expected life spans. Turned over to the followers of the Omnissiah to nurse them back to health and vibrancy for just a bit longer. Augury sucks at her lip and runs a greasy hand through her hair. The RE-45 was her Omnissiah granted charge. Right now it was barely held together by hope and prayer. It was up to her to try and back that up with some actual engineering and technical stability. “Omnissiah guide me.” She mutters. The light of the CRU flashes red again. “Break detected…node 387…junction A-11.” Rubbing at her now frowning temples, she lights a lho-stick and breathes deep of the harsh smoke before stepping back into the pit holding the shield generator to double check the holoschematic. Puzzled, she zooms in on the offending connection and follows the runic inscriptions along several different nanocorridors. “That’s odd.” She says pulling another draft and slowly releasing the smoke through her nose. “That doesn’t look like rad damage. Looks more like someone purposely altered the structure of the circuit.” “Push to the next junction.” She orders the repair auspex. “Unable to comply.” Replies the metallic voice. “What?” Augury asks. “Now is not the time for you to develop a malfunction as well. Just trace back to the previous junction.” “Unable to comply.” Is the unrepentant response. Augury temporary fills the repair bay with a string of curses. “Explain lack of compliance.” She eventually growls. “No further junction exists. Pattern shows deviations from standard, unable to recognize intersection with current script.” “Gakking hells….” She mutters. “Show me.” The holoimage shimmers and then slowly scrolls forward along the miniscule filaments of circuitry. Her eyes start to ache as the display reveals an odd, unfamiliar script. A moment later the image flickers once, twice and then ends with an odd spiraling set of runes that look something like a reptilian eating its own tail. “Omnissiah…?” She whispers looking at the unknown circuit. Before she can even contemplate the eye watering chaos symbol displayed in the holo image a vibration shudders through the entire repair bay. A ratchet she’d left precariously sitting on the edge of her kit tumbles to the floor clattering loudly against the steel surface. The caffeine in her mug ripples. “Emperor! What the gak is…?!” She exclaims reaching for the runaway tool. The question is barely uttered when emergency klaxons begin to sound and yellow voidlock lights begins to whirl in rhythm with the alarm. Her blood runs cold. Fast as a whipsnap her head twists around to gaze at the massive doors keeping the cold empty death of the void at bay. “No…nononono….NO!” She shouts leaping toward the inner hatch now sealed. Her fingers frantically work the keypad to release the lock all to no avail. Emergency override. She enters the most recent security codes. The lock screen flashes red. Panic rushes through her already amped nerves. What? What is going on? A loud pop bursts from the seal of the outer doors and suddenly air begins to rush past her. Her hair flutters wildly. The cropped locks being to flutter toward the growing opening. “WAIT! I’m in here! Someone’s in here!” She screams and beats at the hatch with the wayward ratchet. But her voice is drowned out by the rumble of the opening launch doors and the increasingly powerful rush of evacuating air. Her life, never projected to be especially long, was now down to a matter of seconds. The airlock doors are open just a few inches and already she feels the growing cold as she grips the hatch handle with white knuckled fear. Her tools, her cogitator, still projecting the odd circuitry and flashing error warnings, her mug and anything else not tied down begin to slide across the bay to be sucked into the maw of the void. Desperately she kicks away from hatch, pushing off as hard as she could in the direction of the old shuttle. With a bone jarring thud she slams into vehicle’s side and slides along the smooth surface. Flailing, slowly freezing hands swipe and grab until at the very last moment she manages to snag a maintenance grip along the sloping bow of the shuttle. For a few seconds she simply hangs there. Her legs and body flapping in the suction fueled wind as if she were a banner caught in a hurricane. As quickly as it starts, the storm subsides. As the pulling dies down, her ears pop…pop…pop. A sure sign the air pressure is quickly dropping to zero. She sucks in as much of the depleted air as she can manage and pulls herself up to the crew hatch. The wind stops. She no longer hears the alarm klaxons even though the lights still flash. She doesn’t hear, but feels the click of the lock release as she manually opens the shuttle hatch. There is no sound. Nothing but vacuum fills Repair Hanger 37-J. The airlock doors loom open wide like a dragon’s maw. Stars gleam in the distance, while the pale, brilliance of the ever present arc of Averchus lights up the interior of the repair bay. The extra tough protective layer of skin the tech-priests granted her when she successfully petitioned to join the orbital crews was the only thing keeping her alive at the moment. It provided her a few extra minutes to withstand the cold, the zero pressure, and the radiation likely bombarding her body from the vast void. As long as the air in her lungs held out, she had a chance. Slipping inside the shuttle she hurries to the emergency locker. Please…please…please…let it be there. If the Emperor Protects, now would be a good time to actually prove it. Her mind desperately pleads. Pulling the locker open, she knows a moment of dashed hope looking at the chaotic mess inside. Used rebreathers, a torn vacc suit. Remnants of the shuttle’s earlier disaster. The dry vaccum of the void prevents tears from forming, nor can she scream in frustration. She almost gives in to the inevitable. Then her blurring vision catches a glimpse of green metal. Another small emergency tank. A mask. Not much, but maybe just enough. She slips on the mask, makes sure the seal is tight and then connects the oxygen tank. A twist of the valve and she breathes in the slightly stale, but sweetest tasting air that had ever passed her lips. Knowing she didn’t have much more time she scurries out of the shuttle and along the bay to the wide open door. For a moment she stands at the precipice, frozen like so much space flotsam. Staring into the vastness of the void beyond and the bright looming planet below. She can see the dark reflections of the stretch of the orbital ring. Lights gleaming through tiny windows, occasionally occluded by some passerby. Ripping her gaze away and doing her ineffective best to try and slow her heart rate she leans out of the door and glances along the surface of the station. It takes a few precious moments to spot, but she does find it. The exterior maintenance airlock. Sprinkled across the orbital hab, they provided quick access for crews to repair and maintain all the various systems and equipment that operated outside the protection of the station’s interior. Keeping her eyes forced directly on her goal, Augury reaches around, grabs the first hand hold and steps through the airlock door. It took her nearly twenty minutes to work her way across the three hundred paces via makeshift hand holds to the airlock. Another five for her frozen, blackened fingers to punch in the codes and cycle through to the interior. Practically collapsing into the interior of the maintenance airlock, she found the place abandoned. Outside, in the main corridor it was off-shift. The area was quiet and the lighting set to the night cycle dimness. Stumbling along she eventually collapses into a small trash filled alcove not to be discovered for twelve hours when a janitorial servitor finds her and alerts a medicae team. Her flesh is blackened from head to toe. Three of her ribs are cracked and she’d acquired a serious case of radiation poisoning. It took four days in the skin regen tanks to repair most of the damage, although her skin still retains a slight gray tinge to it even after all treatments are completed. It was another three days before she regained consciousness. Thus it was a full seven standard terran days before she discovers that both Tao and Tanda Creed are dead. Killed when a chiller in the bar malfunctioned and exploded causing a terrible fire that swept through much of Subsection 354. According to the newsfeed, the ‘accident’ happened at almost the exact same time the airlock in Repair Hanger 37-J malfunctioned and swept an unfortunate dock worker into the void. It was another week before the Enforcers discovered the existence of an emergency patient that may have been connected to the repair hanger incident. But by the time the logistics cogitators had discovered the potential link between an unauthorized maintenance airlock access and the discovery of a patient clearly suffering from void exposure, Augury had been released from the medical wards. She quickly disappeared as deep into the depths of the hive as she possibly could. That first night out of the wards, no longer under the influence of the painkillers and regen drugs, she dreamed. Dreamed of dark things, nightmares in dark corners. Dreamed of the wide open expanse of the void. Dreamed of fire and blood and lost friends. Dreamed of chaos script gleaming bright crimson on a circuit board, its sparking electrical energy patterns shifting to reveal a grinning daemonic face laughing as it slowly eats away at all she loves. Note to GM: The narrative background is mostly just me goofing around and trying to find a voice for the character and writing within the Warhammer frame. Feel free to ignore, use as you like,and/or let me know if something really doesn't fit.

I just wanted to add my condolences for you loss. And to echo the others in saying take whatever time you need.

I am sorry to hear about your father. Take all of the time you need. This is just a game, deal with what you and your family is going through.

My condolences. Take all the time you need.

I'm sorry to hear about your father. Definitely take whatever time you need to handle things.