luctius

Then Oath of Glory has the majority.

Degei will bow his head and accept.

As the last kid to do so, Xander quickly fetched his equipment. He found utilitarian travel clothing, which he quickly and thankfully donned. Then a hardened-leather armour which fit him perfectly, yet still felt weird and restrictive. As with the others, he too has a weapon, a rapier like Fred had found, but this one seems slightly heavier and bulkier. Xander swung it around with relative ease and the balance seemed to be very good. Yet he felt a slightly awkward as he did so, and he decided he would probably need to practice a bit more. Finally he picked-up a backpack, which he quickly searched, finding rations, various adventuring gear, including some chalk and some vellum, and an old tome. While very curious for it's content, he decided he had taken enough time and that he should read the tome later.

He moved to join the others, quickly putting everything back into the pack putting the pack on his back as he moved through the rooms.

When Riley asked if someone could sew, Xander gingerly showed his hand and stated, "I can have a try, I'm not a seamster or anything though, so no guarantees."

The goblin quickly passed over Riley's statue, getting his ears reddening quickly as he noticed it. He also forced himself not to stare too long at Madison's statue, for much the same reason.

He glanced over at Dallas, who was still admiring his wizard statue. "You know, Dallas, if you are a wizard, you might want to start practicing your spells," Xander said with a grin. "Maybe there's a spell to make sense of all this."

Xander did fully examined the statue of Ariana. The powerful warrior figure, carried their armor and spear with such authority. "I guess even statues can get our genders wrong," he joked. "But seriously, this is incredible. It's like we're part of some epic story, and these statues are here to remind us of that."

As the goblin turned back own mirror-image he asked "I'm also not quite sure what I am to be...", then as if a thought suddenly popped into his head, "Maybe I am the chronicler of your deeds?" He nodded to himself, find that idea to be comfortable. Though looking at the menacing statue before him, he had some doubt if that was his only intended role.

He stretched out his hand, touching the statue's carved hand as if trying to connect with this idealized version of himself. "I'm curious though if these statues are what they want us to become, or if this is some attempt to recreate past heroes." Or both, he thought silently. "Either way, the people who build this place, and somehow created us into this,", and he motioned at himself and at his statue, "really have high hopes for us....", he stated with a tinge of skepticism and insecurity in his voice.

"Hey Madison", Xanders responded, "Whoah, is that real? Where did you get that?", he asked as he looks up at her bow and arrows, "Was that in the other room?".
"Oh, and if you are afraid of height, don't look down", he says as he motioned to the open wall, "If the other sides are similar, we'll have quite the track before us before we get anywhere".

Turning his attention to the statues standing along the walls, Xander furrowed his brow in thought. "Yeah, weird, right?", he mused aloud, "It almost looks like this is a temple dedicated to this group. As if they are part of some prophecy, maybe even a recurring prophecy..."

Moving closer to the goblin statue, Xander examined his counterpart with a mix of fascination and disbelief. Slowly, his hands moved to his own ears, feeling their unfamiliar shape. "Damn, these are huge!" he exclaimed with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

Did I seriously miss that. I did seriously miss that. Ok, apologies :-).

In the last post it was mentioned that the temple seemed very high in the sky and all I could see (from the entry room's entry-point) was blue sky. Is it still the case that the temple is very high?

Also, Xander tried to look for the base the temple is standing on, can he see anything like that?

Degei's brow furrowed in concentration as he attempted to unravel the tangled threads of fate, his mind delving deep into the swirling maelstrom of possibilities. The Ullanor Crusade loomed ominously in his thoughts, casting a shadow over his attempts to glean insight from the intricate web of destiny.

In chamber where the augury was conducted, the lights seemed to dim for a moment and the flickering candlelight cast eerie dancing shadows across their faces. Before them, the Tarot Deck lay spread out, the cards pulsating with latent energy as if they held the secrets of the universe within their arcane symbols.

With closed eyes, Degei had focused his thoughts on the enigmatic Astartes before him, his mind reached out to grasp the elusive strands of fate that bound Vorticar's destiny. But as he delved deeper into the cosmic tapestry, he found himself ensnared in a dizzying whirlpool of possibilities, each more perplexing than the last.

Images flashed before his mind's eye in rapid succession, shifting and morphing with disorienting speed. In one vision, he saw Vorticar fighting a fierce aerial battlem firing against unknown aerial foes. In another, he found himself plummeting into the dark depths of the Mechanicum's labyrinthine bowels, surrounded by the cold, metallic embrace of ancient machinery and in yet another he saw the newly chosen leader fighting toe to toe with a huge Ork in a Mega Armour on the plains of the moon.

But try as he might, Degei could not anchor himself to one definitive outcome, his consciousness adrift in a sea of uncertainty. The boundaries between reality and illusion blurred, and he struggled to maintain his grasp on the elusive threads of fate.

Sweat beaded on his brow as he fought to regain control of his senses, the cacophony of visions threatening to overwhelm him. With a start, he opened his eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he withdrew from the tumultuous depths of the augury, his singing finally silent.

"Forgive me, Vorticar," he murmured in a thin voice while shaking his head both in frustration, and to clear the fog clogging his head, "The fates are elusive, and their whispers are maddeningly cryptic. I fear I cannot provide a clear answer to your question."

Why did I immediately jump to magic there, why not simply glas..., Xander admonished himself just as he noticed the open wall, Or not..?
The goblin moved to the open wall, stepping slowly the last 2 steps, and hold himself on to the left corner. As he looked out the temple, he breathed heavily a couple of times, both because of the fresh air of the hot breeze and to steel himself for his next action. Xander peered down, as far over the edge as he dared.When looking out of the temple, do I see:
- any clouds
- flying creatures
- the layout of the land below
- some sort of mountain or structure the temple sits upon? "Spider piss and snake slime, how high are we?", he cursed as he was overwhelmed by the sheer height, before thinking, What! Why did I say that? What is happening?, his face silently reacting with surprise and confusion at his own statement.

After a few moments peering outside, Xander steps back from the ledge and moved to the giant sun symbol and it's pedestals. He took an interest in the symbol and ran his fingers across it's intricate carving, following it to one of the pedestals, as he tried to figure out if it was meant to hold some sort of liquid. With a furrowed brow, he moved on to examine the pedestals, searching for any clue or hint that might shed light on their purpose or intent.

Satisfied that he had gleaned what he could from the room for now, he moved back towards the previous room; ready to report his findings and to check upon the others.

After having somewhat come to grips with his green skin, and their unusual awakening, Xander joined the others in their speculation.

After Riley's comment of, “It has to rain.”, Xander responded, thinking out loud, "Must it? I agree with Fred here, we seem to have been transported in some sort of fantasy realm. Maybe weather magic prevents rain in a localized area, or protects against rain falling into the building?"

Not that 'cause of magic' was a useful mind set, but they also obviously must keep an open mind regarding their new situation.

When Fred and Madison split off onto the right room, Xander also begins to wander the temple, but he did so more generally, confident in the others' ability to sort out their end if possible. Or to shout if they needed his assistance.

Xander instead wandered around looking for any repeating or divergent iconography, starting in the center room and moving towards the left room. As he walked around, he automatically reached for his notepad and pencil, and failed. It was only then that he really notices his new attire for the first time. A form of white pulpit robe but with long slender sleeves. Uncomfortably unlike his usual attire. And irritatingly absent his notepad. The absence gnawed at him; it had always been a source of comfort and security, a means of documenting his observations and thoughts. Now, without it, he felt strangely vulnerable without it.

The seven-rayed sun symbol was obviously important, occurring both in the iconography and the bedding arrangement, and the fact that the rooms explicitly had different light levels might be some sort of clue as to their function.

Xander was woken up from his dread when Fred called out his name. As he looked at Fred, a quizzical look came over him.

The lad before him reminded him of Fred. A lot. But Fred was taller than Xander, by quite a bit. Fred was gangling. This Fred however, was short and stout.

"Fred?", he asked, his voice filled with disbelief, "Is that you?" Despite his earlier dread and confusion, or perhaps because of it, a chuckle came over Xander, "You are as tall as I am."

Xander pointed at himself again, and then at Fred, with a quizzical face, "How is this possible?" "What happened, do you remember anything?"

Suddenly he heard Ariana's voice, “Where is my oxygen?” Xander looked over towards her.

She looked normal.
She looked nice.

Then the words seemed to echo in his brain once more, almost driving out some residual brain fog, “Where is my oxygen?”. With a jerk he looked around, Xander knew how much she needed that oxygen. How could people be so callous, so cruel to deprive her of that thing! Then he noticed just how healthy she looked, how fit, how tall, how ... vibrant? That was just plain weird.

"How do you feel?", Xander asked Ariana as he approached her, looking around in an in vain attempt to find the missing oxygen tank. His own greenskin state seemingly forgotten, for now.

Xander Vargas felt a bit woozy as he slowly opened his eyes, the bright sunlight forcing him to shield them momentarily before he dared to take in his surroundings. With a sudden jolt, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, his heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and utter confusion.

"Whoa... what in the world?", Xander muttered to himself, his voice echoing slightly in the spacious temple. He surveyed the room before him, his eyes darting from one detail to the next as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Smooth stone platforms stretched out around him, each occupied by another sleeper in a state of disoriented awakening.

"W... Where are we?", Xander blurted out, his gaze locking onto Riley, the closest figure to him. Despite her obvious confusion, he hoped she might have some answers that eluded him. With a shaky breath, he began pushing himself off the stone platform.

It took a moment for his mind to register what his eyes perceived. As he was about to rise to his feet, a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. He froze, his hands trembling as they hovered in front of him, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"I'm ..." ... "I'm ... green?", Xander stammered, the words catching in his throat as he struggled to comprehend the sight before him. His own reflection stared back at him from the smooth surface of the stone platform, his goblin features twisted into a look of shock and disbelief.

Utterly awake now, Xander stumbled backward, his mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

"H... How?!", Xander managed to choke out, his voice trembling with confusion and fear. The realization that he was no longer the person he once was sent a shiver down his spine, leaving him grappling with the terrifying uncertainty of his new reality.

Are we waking up with the white toga`s, or our characters` clothing?

Is my assumption correct that we also wake-up in the white toga's, and not that a white toga part is Riley's clothing?

I`m also assuming we wake as our DW characters and not the high-school characters.

1 hour ago, LaChupa said:

but now he's a halfling, and that's . . . well, really weird. 😁

<Waits until she finds out that Xander is a goblin...> ;-)

I agree with Vorticar as squad lead, especially for our first mission. (Maybe I jumped the gun here a bit, but it is why I asked him for the augury in-game).

That said, considering his comments in-game about glory, and Degei's and others' reaction to them, Degei would kindly suggest a different Oath...

I would suggest Oath of the Astartes or Oath to the Emperor.

Edit: Trish: Do you agree with a trophy for my Chieftain Trophy RackFF.104

Like the great khans of old, the White Scars of the Achilus Crusade have taken to wearing trophy racks to display their triumphs and prowess in battle. Like the more common back banners used by Astartes commanders, a trophy rack identifies a Battle-Brother as a leader and captain of the Chapter. . It also inspires fear in those the Battle-Brother has already bested, by displaying the heads and other trophies of his victories over them. Before each mission, the Battle-Brother can choose a single type of enemy to be displayed on the rack. This could be a specific race (i.e. Orks), organisation (i.e. the Stigmartus), or foe (i.e. the chamberlain of a treacherous planetary governor).

A Chieftain Trophy Rack counts as a Back Banner.

When fighting members of this race, organisation, or foe, the Battle-Brother counts as having a Fear Rating of 1. At the GM’s discretion, Battle-Brothers may have to defeat a specific foe before they may place a trophy from it on their rack. against the race Orks?
Edit2: IndyKophen, I just noticed your incredibly cool drawing!

5 hours ago, matt_s said:

 

- Maybe Xander and Fred collaborated on a story in the school paper where Fred explained and demonstrated how the school's measures for certain locks/computer security/etc. were laughably flimsy and a potentially serious problem for stuff like student privacy/academic integrity? But the story was a bit too good and admin was a tad less than amused by their "discoveries"...?

That seems to be right up to Xander's alley, sounds good!

Degei navigated the labyrinthine halls of the Imperator Somnium, his form still cloaked in the traditional garb of his people, the deel, a stark contrast to the imposing ceramite armor of his Astartes brethren. Despite the unfamiliarity of the vessel's layout, he sought out the armory with determined strides, pausing only briefly to request directions from passing crew members.

Upon reaching the armory's threshold, Degei engaged in a brief exchange with an attending clerk, his request for his personal armor met with efficient acknowledgment. As a team of serfs set about to adorn him his Armour according to the Rites of Armouring.

I accept these burdens, as the Imperium bleeds.
I accept these burdens, knowing no fear.
I accept these burdens, as an Angel of the Emperor.
I sheathe my form in this second skin.
This veil of machine muscle and false nerves.
I stand firm against the alien.
The mutant.
I grant no mercy.
I give no ground.
With humility, I bear the Imperialis, the symbol of loyalty unbroken.
With reverence, I receive actuation, awakening the armor’s spirit.
With pride, I wear the symbol of my Chapter, and join my brothers in war.
I am Iron.
I am Wrath.
I. Am. Doom.

With his armor finally donned, Degei turned his attention to the vast array of wargear displayed before him. With swift precision, he conveyed his requisitions to another clerk, ensuring he was equipped with the tools necessary to face the challenges ahead.

Equipped with his chosen arsenal, Degei rejoined his fellow Astartes, his voice resonating with authority despite its raspy timbre. "Brothers," he began, "before we embark on our mission, I propose we consult the Emperor's Tarot for guidance. It may offer insight and aid in our preparations." The ancient ritual of divination held the potential to unveil insights that could prove invaluable in their preparations. Turning to Vorticar, Degei extended a silent invitation for cooperation in this sacred practice, "Vorticar, would you be willing to serve as the focal point for this ritual. Together we may peer into the veiled tapestry of fate and gain a glimpse of what us on our first mission?"

Degei Bajan:

• Jump Pack (15)

• Totem Of Subetai (15)

• Orbital Surveillance (15 Req)

• Vox-Caster (10)

• Auspex (12)

• Magnoculars (3)

• Red-Dot Laser Sight (10)

4 minutes ago, Caystodd said:

Make her 16. Only NPCs are younger than 16. I know it is a bit arbitrary, but 16 feels better to me.

Check, fixed.

4 minutes ago, Caystodd said:

Regarding Bardic Lore and A Port in the Storm, we'll have to play these by ear a bit, since this is a D&D Cartoon style game and everything in the world is brand new; you've never been anywhere. We have two options here:

I'd say option one fits best here, possibly using her book of poems and stories as a source. (Which I pilfered from the Goblin Playbook)

How did Xander know whom?

• Madison purposefully avoiding Xander, because of his paper.
• Fancying himself as an journalist, Xander has done an interview with Ariana for the school paper, and he even drops by fairly regularly to inform her of the latest comings and goings. Additionally, he is beginning to develop a crush for her.
• Xander and Fred collaborated on a story in the school paper where Fred explained and demonstrated how the school's measures for certain locks and computer security were laughably flimsy and that was a serious problem for student privacy & academic integrity. However, the story was less well received by the school's administration.

Gear: (Load = 5 / 8)

• A well-worn book of poems and stories that is barely legible.
• 5 Dungeon Rations (1 weight)
• Leather Armour (1 armour, 1 weight)
• Dueling rapier (Close, Precise, 2 weight)
• Adventuring Gear (1 weight)

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” -- Helen Keller, The Open Door

Xander, Goblin Bard
Sixteen, small body, green skin, red fiery eyes, large ears, wild hair, traveling clothes.

Xander, with his wild curls and mischievous grin, is the kind of student who always seems to be at the center of some sort of chaos. Xander thrives on adventure, and storytelling, and is never one to shy away from breaking the rules or stirring up trouble. Quick-witted and sharp-tongued, he fancies himself as an investigative journalist when he grows up, and he is never far from his pencil and pocketbook, writing ideas and rumours for his school's paper. He is rather small and lithe about 1.65m and with unkempt dark curly hair.

As a goblin, Xander also small and lithe with dark wild hair, dark, green skin and large ears. His movements seem more deliberate, almost graceful. Though his diminutive statue is easily overlooked, Xander uses his sharp-tongue to distract his enemies and inspire his friends.

Level: 1 XP: 0

HPs6 (Bard) + 12 (Constitution: 18/18
Armor1 (Leather Armour): 1
DamageDueling Rapier (Precise): 1d6 (precise)

Race: Goblin - When you use Arcane Arts to increase the next time someone successfully assists your target, the bonus is increased to a +3.
Alignment: ChaoticSpur others to significant and unplanned decisive action.

Bard Moves:
- Arcane ArtsArcane Art
When you weave a performance into a basic spell, choose an ally and an effect:
• Heal 1d8 damage
• +1d4 forward to damage
• Their mind is shaken clear of one enchantment
• The next time someone successfully assists the target with aid, they get +3 (was +2) instead of +1

Then roll+Cha.
✴On a 10+, the ally gets the selected effect.
✴On a 7-9, your spell still works, but you draw unwanted attention or your magic reverberates to other targets affecting them as well, GM’s choice.
- Bardic LoreWhen you first encounter an important creature, location, or item (your call) covered by your bardic lore you can ask the GM any one question about it; the GM will answer truthfully. The GM may then ask you what tale, song, or legend you heard that information in. (Legends of Heroes Past)
- Charming and OpenWhen you speak frankly with someone, you can ask their player a question from the list below. They must answer it truthfully, then they may ask you a question from the list (which you must answer truthfully).
• Whom do you serve?
• What do you wish I would do?
• How can I get you to ______?
• What are you really feeling right now?
• What do you most desire?
- A Port in the StormWhen you return to a civilized settlement you’ve visited before, tell the GM when you were last here. They’ll tell you how it’s changed since then.

Bonds: TBD

I would like to play a Goblin Bard, or alternatively a Goblin, provided the goblin playbook is accepted, otherwise I will have to rethink my character ;-).

1 hour ago, 8bitWizard said:

 

BTW Do any of the other books include requisitionable items or anything else of note? I only have the core rulebook and Rite of Battle. I haven't finalized by loadout yet, but presuming we are not getting the renown boost, I'll likely donate most of it to a party pool or anyone else who might need extra. I can't see myself using more than 10-20 points total without spending for the sake of spending. Happy to share if anyone wanted some more.

First, the site https://www.40krpgtools.com/ has an overview of all weapons and armour from all books. Second, First Founding mostly has chapter specific gear, but has some general Deathwatch gear which I presume is available, and Honour the Chapter has Chapter Specific Relics for the described chapters of that book. So from the books you haven't got, only First Founding has some general items that can be interesting.

1 hour ago, IndyKophen said:

•  

That leaves about 25 Req points left on the table. I toyed with the idea of grabbing a Melta Bomb (25 Req) or a couple Demolition Charges (10 Req each), but Shadow would offer that up to anyone on the Squad with the Demolition skill, or at the very least, a higher Intelligence than Shadow. Low confidence on Shadow's ability to make things go boom!

As was aptly pointed out to me; the demolition skill is not yet available at our current rank, and since Demolition is an advanced skill, nobody can use Demo Charges yet. While the Meta Bomb does not state the demolition skill explicitly, I would be surprised if it wouldn't also be governed by that skill.