Welcome to game 39 in our ongoing campaign. For those of you following this very, very drawn out series, we are getting to the sharp end now – only 5 games to go…
Previous games in this campaign can be found here:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Gordy2000%27s_Battle_Reports
In this game, we depart from the main battlefront to another special mission by the Inquisition. Prognosticators have divined a surge in warp activity from ancient ruins in the wild lands beyond Hive Erd.
Inquisitor Bellerophon leads a force of Sororitas to investigate.
Little does the Inquisitor know, that dark forces are already at work, and their designs of many long years are about to come to fruition…
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The emaciated form of a man lay draped at the bottom of the altar stone, arms splayed wide. He was clad in a dirty loin cloth, with bracelets and fetishes adorning his bare arms. His life blood was slowly seeping out of multiple wounds scattered about his body. Closer inspection would show these injuries were not those found in battle, nor caused by misadventure. These were carefully arranged punctures and cuts, placed with great care to ensure the blood flowed freely, but death was not quick. Their nature was ritualistic, and their purpose was as singular as it was ancient. Strange tattoos crawled across his skin, moving in pulses to match his own fading heartbeat.
The man’s face was serene – he had not just accepted his fate but welcomed it with a fanaticism that Imperial authorities would have been shocked by, had they ever uncovered the cult that spawned it.
A tapping sound echoed across the grove surrounding the altar stones. The man’s eyes fluttered open and he beheld an unlikely sight – a towering figure bedecked in ancient armor approached. Shimmering runes glowed and seemed to chase each other across filigreed plate. Horns and skulls jangled, or peered from folds of ceramite. The figure held a long staff, capped with what was blue fire one moment, then wings, then an eye. It tapped on the stone as the figure walked.
The giant stopped before the man and regarded him for a moment, before speaking.
“Well, well, how fascinating.” It bent down and peered closer.
“To think, your obscure tribe has been sending a sacrifice to this place all down these long centuries, giving your blood to the thirsty stone. Such a paltry and thin offering, given what lies beneath.” The giant straightened and began to produce a series of jars and scrolls from its robes that it carefully placed on the altar above the man’s head. It continued to speak, as if conversing with the dying man.
“And yet, it has been enough. Enough to keep the thread intact. Enough to keep the link from these ritual stones to He that Dwells Below from fading….”
The figure finished arranging its offerings and cocked its helmeted head.
“How very amusing”. It leaned in again. The man’s eyes widened as he saw the skull helmet and glowing eyes regarding him.
“Rejoice little mortal. Your sacrifices have not been in vain. Today your lord rises once again, to slake his thirst upon those who defied him so long ago. The giant spread its arms wide. “My master has decreed it, and so it shall be. Great and many have been his works to bring this day to fruition.”
The giant straightened once more, assessed the items arranged on the altar a final time, then seemingly satisfied, it turned and began to walk away.
The man’s mouth worked. His head bobbed weakly. No sound came forth, but after a few gasping breaths he spoke.
“Wait…why… do you… leave?”
Khathep, Magister of the Ninth Circle, High Sorcerer of Baalor the Horned, paused and turned back, favoring the dying cultist with a glance over his power-armored shoulder plate.
“Why do I leave? Because little mortal, I have no intention of being anywhere near this place when what is imprisoned beneath that alter breaks free..…”
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This game had some special rules that are worth sharing – the Imperial objective was to destroy the shrine to stop the unholy ritual. The complicating factor was a shield of psychic force surrounding the altar that would repel any ranged weapons. Attacks directed at the shrine would need to be done the old-fashioned way – close combat!
There was also a second, secret rule known only to the
DM and Chaos player: “Blood for the Blood God!” When a certain amount of blood was spilt (casualties caused) a series of escalating events would be triggered, potentially leading up to one, major event. The casualties could come from either side, because, you know, it matters not from whence the blood flows.
As for what the major event would be, well, read on….
The Chaos altar with assorted goons
Ravening Beastmen
Mutant cultists
Bellerophon arrives with his retinue…
…and friends
Canoness Mathilda moves in
The Emperor Protects!
Purge the heretics!
Gunfire slashes into the Beastmen and cultists
Who fall like wheat before the scythe
But as the blood of the fallen soaks the ground, a pulse of warp energy spills from the altar as a wave of rage…and the chosen of the Blood God charge forth
The fight just got harder for the Imperials
A Khornate Champion roars his challenge
And Slams into Canoness Mathilda
The Sororitas find themselves hard pressed
As does the Inquisitor
Mathilda and the Champion hack chunks off each other in a duel of heroes
Eat this!
As the bodies pile up and skulls are taken, another warp surge blast across the field, and daemon engines of Khorne march forth
Hello ladies…
The Bloodslaughterers seem unstoppable
The Khorne champion strikes down Mathilda, but Bellerophon is quick to avenge her
The melee descends into a bloody brawl
Sisters of Silence dismantle a daemon construct
But the battle sister squad is not faring as well
Bellerophon’s retinue cuts down the last Berserker before them
But across the field the World Eaters are taking a harvest of skulls
As more blood splashes the ancient stones, a final surge of raging warp-stuff explodes from the altar. In a shower of broken granite and gore, Hekate the Enslaver, is finally broken free from his imprisonment of millennia
The Daemon King wastes no time, laying about himself with burning whip and axe
“DIE MORTAL!”
Seeing the day is lost, Bellerophon orders a retreat and beats a hasty exit
Victory Chaos! (well, Hekate anyway)
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Baalor the Horned stepped across the broken flagstones to the edge of the crater that had once been the ancient altar. There, sitting on its haunches and chewing on an armoured leg was mighty Hekate.
Spying the Chaos Warlord, the daemon rose to its full, towering height.
“YOU DARE APPROACH ME! YOUR SKULL WILL BE OFFERED
TO KHORNE!”
As the creature drew back its brazen axe to strike, Baalor lifted a hand. The daemon’s arm froze, held by invisible force.
“WITCHCRAFT! RELEASE ME OR SUFFER A THOUSAND DEATHS!”
Baalor approached a few more steps, staring up at the raging daemon.
“You are bound Hekate Encarmine. I have spent many long years obtaining the items I needed to release you and then bind you to my will.
The blood of a True Saint, the heart of an innocent man, the ashen remains of an Eldari Avatar. These and much more.”
He gestured to a series of jars and scrolls that seemed to be randomly scattered about the crater.
“Now you will do my bidding”
The daemon roared and thrashed, straining against invisible bindings. But despite its rage, it could not lay a blow on Baalor, who waited patiently, arms folded.
Finally the Chaos Warlord spoke.
“I offer you a bargain daemon.”
Hekate slowly lowered his arms. The daemon leaned forward, snorting as it regarded its captor.
“SPEAK YOUR TERMS MORTAL. LET US END THIS CHARADE. THEN
WE SHALL SEE WHO’S BLOOD STAINS THE GROUND”
Baalor nodded once.
“I seek a boon mighty Hekate. Knowledge that only you posses. I seek another prison, like this one. One where my master is held in turn.”
The daemons eyes narrowed.
“TELL ME”
Baalor spoke a name. The daemon threw backs its head and howled with its own ruined version of laughter.
“GREAT SHALL BE THE SUFFERING SHOULD THAT ONE BE FREED. I GRANT YOU YOUR BOON MORTAL. NOW RELEASE ME!”
Baalor paused a moment, then walked to one of the scrolls and ground it under his boot. Immediately, the daemon lurched forward, reaching for the warlord.
A hand-span from Baalor's helm, the creatures claw paused. It slowly moved back, circling, its head cocked to one side.
“GREAT ARE YOUR PROTECTORS MORTAL. YOU ARE FATED. I WILL LEAVE YOUR SKULL THIS DAY”
Baalor inclined his head. “My thanks, mighty Hekate. In return, I shall tell you where your jailers are hiding - the Eldar are not far from here…..”
Minutes later, with a boom of leathery wings, the great daemon took to the air, disappearing into the boiling clouds above.
Soon, the Eldar would learn the meaning of revenge…
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A fun game, although a little slanted to the Chaos side. Hekate was never really supposed to be a participant, but as we reached the required number of kills, it was too good an opportunity not to let him have a bit of a run around.
Those who have been around long enough to read our earlier campaign reports (now sadly lost to the warp) may recall Hekate was the subject of our Hellbringer campaign. That Hekate however, was just a warp echo of the real daemon, now unleashed to bring hell to Triskelion. As for Baalor, well, his road has been a long one to this point, and there is a away to go yet.
Next game, back to the front line as the Imperials assault the next line of defenses as their advance on the Chaos tainted Hive Erd continues.
