Illumination

From Lexicanum

From The Brazen Sky to the Barren Lands

After having to wait a few weeks on Sepeheris Secundus for a ship, the acolytes continued their journey to meet Inquisitor Gaius on a battered Imperial  Guard transport. The arrived at the main spaceport on Scintilla four days later. For a while they wondered what to do and where to go - no one  seemed top be expecting them and they had no idea how to proceed. Eventually  Plax took charge and decided to head to the nearest offices of the  Adeptus Ministorum, Zaddion meanwhile led the others to the nearest alehouse! Unfortunately the Ecclesiarch were unable to help and eventually they  decided to return to the spaceport and wait. When they returned they found a harassed looking Inquisition functionary pacing the area nervously. After taking them to task for not waiting for him,  he told them  Inquisitor Graves would be unable to meet them but had new orders for them. They were to take passage on the Brazen Sky to the  world of  Iocanthus  there to meet with Senior Inquisitorial Agent Aristarchus the Seer and assist him in investigating reported phenomena around the raising of a new Cathedral to St Drusus on the planet.

Passage on the Brazen Sky was basic and uneventful and three days later the acolytes were  packed into a lighter for the gut-wrenching drop to the planet's surface and the charmingly named Port Suffering. On arrival at the spaceport, Iocanthus was hellishly hot, dusty and generally unpleasant. After a brief discussion with the local port officials, a battered cherubim servitor appeared and handed the acolytes a set of orders to follow it to Aristarchus. This the acolytes did, with some difficulty, as the small  servitor fluttered over the crowded streets. As they progressed through the crowds Zaddion noticed at several points that young men with blue flames  tattooed on their faces were watching them from alleyways. A few minutes later, a half-naked and badly sun-burned stranger with wild dirt-caked hair and blue and white flame tattoos across his face leaped out at then and began haranguing them. Most of the acolytes could make little sense of the  gibberish, but Plax managed to catch a few words here and there - references to "the Crow Father" and "His hill shall run with blood". Eventually the acolytes tired of this and made as if to go on. As if taking exception to the group ignoring the hermit a bunch of young men, also with  the flame tattoos appeared and attacked the acolytes. While Mercutio drew his sword and Zaddion readied his shotgun, Rabelias used his warp abilities to erase himself from the young men's minds and moved out of danger. The young men's attack was pretty ineffective, the acolytes able to  dodge most of the blows. When Mercutio realised the blows weren't even penetrating his armour, he sheathed his blade and contended himself with  shouting abuse at the young hotheads. Eventually the local guards arrived to break up the fight and the hotheads disappeared into the crowd. Rabelias  elicited from someone in the crowd that the young men were Ashleen clansmen from the outlands and the flame tattoos were to ward off evil spirits. Continuing to  follow the servitor, which had waited patiently, the Acolytes arrived at the walled Imperial compound where they met Aristarchus. 

The seer was playing with a curious deck of cards when they arrived and he quickly put the cards away ad rose to greet them. He advised that it  was two days travel across the Shale Wastes to the site of the Cathedral. He had secured a flatbed truck for transport and some basic supplies and  they would set out at first light. If the acolytes required anything else they could purchase it in the town. After some shopping and seeing what sights there were in the town, the acolytes returned to the compound and after a pleasant meal rested.

Next morning, early, they set off. Plax who had volunteered to take the first shift driving, sat in the front With Aristarchus, the others perched as  best they could in the back. The drive was hot, unpleasant, dusty and bone-jarring. Aristarchus proved a pleasant companion, chatting amiably to  the acolytes over the noise of the engine, and playing idly with the pack of cards that he'd had yesterday. With the merciless sun beating down on  them they acolytes rigged a tarpaulin to try and give them some shade. They took frequent stops to let the engine cool down which permitted the  acolytes some relief from the pain of being bounced around on the truck, time to stretch their legs and replenish their fluid intake. On these frequent  stops Zaddion noticed that several carrion birds, identified by Aristarchus as "shale crows" seemed to follow them - obviously on the look-out for any titbits. The shale crows were scaled rather than feathered, but the most unnerving thing about them was their lack of eyes! As it does in the desert, night fell suddenly, accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature. Aristarchus suggested they maintain watches and keep  a fire burning as it would become bitterly cold.

Brushwood was gathered  and a fire lit and rations broken out. Zaddion took first watch while Aristarchus related tales of his adventures. Suddenly Zaddion saw a figure walking towards the campfire - the figure stopped stock still just out  of range of the firelight. Moving forward, Zaddion activated his glowlamp, then screamed in horror. The figure was obviously dead, a huge gash running across his tattooed neck and his body was partially decomposed. Panicked, by the sight of the walking-dead  Zaddion fled and hid under  the truck calling on the mercy of the Emperor to protect him. The other acolytes reacted swiftly, preparing for an attack, but no further dead-men appeared. Aristarchus seemed unperturbed by what had  occurred and calmly walked across and pushed the corpse over. He instructed Mercutio and Plax to drag it some distance off into the desert,  which seemed to calm Zaddion .

The Black Cathedral

Next morning, bright and early a stranger walked into camp - a Sister of Battle - who identified herself as Sister Jenna. Aristarchus looked up  and explained that Sister Jenna had been sent ahead by the Inquisition to scout out the situation in Stern Hope and would be joining the party. Jenna told them that her assessment of the situation in Stern Hope was that there was a genuine problem, not simple mass hysteria as the building  of the cathedral neared completion. People had disappeared, livestock were mysteriously getting sick and strange lights had been seen in the hills. After breakfast the inquisitors set off on the old flatbed truck. Plax took the driving seat and they continued the bumpy road towards Stern Hope. Some hours into the journey, Aristarchus, suddenly called on Plax to halt.

As they stopped, near a large rocky outcropping, Mercutio thought he saw  a figure on the top, which shimmered and vanished as he spotted it. Calling on Rabalius to accompany him, Aristarchus began making his way up the treacherous slope. After a moment’s hesitation, Jenna and Silvanus  followed, unlimbering their weapons. At the top of the slope they found no trace of the figure, however burned into the rock they found a stylised  pictogram of a raptor holding a skull. They made their way back to the truck and on to Stern Hope without further incident, arriving at dusk. The settlement proved to be little more than a tent city built around the imposing edifice of the newly constructed cathedral. The streets thronged with a mixture of pilgrims and Ashleen construction  workers, as they made their way towards one of the few brick built buildings, to meet the local abbot – Orland Skae.  Unfortunately they were  advised that Abbot Skae was unable to meet with them until the morning, so they checked into a local inn - The Crying Clota -  and rested.

Next morning after a meeting with Abbot Skae, they began their investigations. While  Plax, Jenna and Silvanus headed up into the hills to investigate  the reports  of mysterious lights and visions, while Rabelais and Mercutio  began questioning the local workmen around the cathedral. They managed  to confirm may eye-witness sightings of the mysterious events that had been reported – and also reports of one woman who had seen blood spilling  from the altar-stone in the cathedra. However attempts to trace her proved fruitless – no one had seen her for days. Rabelais also managed to trace  a lead to Esha Raine – a wise woman with the Ashleen who might be able to give them more information on the history of the region. Up in the hills after several hours hard slog, Silvanus spotted a flock of shale crows wheeling. As they approached the area, they were attacked by a  huge six-legged lizard that leaped at them from the rocks. The creature, a hexalid, was covered in suppurating sores and it’s eyes appeared to have  been pecked out – however it proved to be a fearsome opponent, and Plax was badly injured in the struggle ( albeit not a little of the damage coming  from her compatriots at they fired at the creature she struggled with. After the creature was finally  despatched, the shale crows dispersed and the group made their weary way back to town. Arriving back at the inn, they tried to report back to Aristarchus only to find the seer had gone out to a private appointment with the abbot. Plax sought healing from Rabelias  who was happy to comply. After the conflict subsided, Rabalius offered to use his powers to heal the worst of his colleagues wounds before they moved forward to assault the Voicers holding the gate. Unfortunately the psyker’s ministrations had an unfortunate side-effect and he looked on bemusedly as his fellow acolytes  subsumed by a warp-fuelled berserk rage; drew melee weapons and charged unheedingly towards the Voicers guarding the gate.

A Red Morning

The acolytes rose late next morning to find the town outside a hive of activity. Rabalius woke to a sense of foreboding, sensing the nearness of the  Warp. As they finished a leisurely breakfast they heard loud ululating cries coming from outside. Rabalius wandered outside to see what was happening  while Plax took the easier option of wandering over to ask the innkeeper. The innkeeper informed Plax that Kosh’ke the local Ashleen warlord was  arriving for the celebrations as the cathedral was consecrated. Out on the street Rabalius could see crows gathering as six Ashleen warriors mounted on huge dustdogs slowly made their way up the main street, a large brutish looking man lead the group smiling an waving and exchanging pleasantries with the crowd in a language Rabalius couldn’t understand.  Rabalius also noted as the group passed that in the centre rode a shrouded female figure, obviously not a warrior, to whom the crowd reacted to with deepest respect as she passed.

Returning to the Crying Clota, he joined the others just as Plax fetched down Aristarchus. The seer looked tired  obviously not having slept much, but was animated and exited as he instructed the acolytes to attend the morning plainsong service. The service was well underway, when suddenly alarm bells started ringing and the familiar sound of gunfire could be heard out in the streets.  Rushing out, the acolytes discovered the town was under attack. A large truck, with what looked like a snowplough attached to the front, had been  driven through the gates and groups of Ashleen Voicer fanatics were running through the town firing and hacking civilians indiscriminately – areas of  the town were already being set afire. Brushing past the acolytes, Kosh’ke led his warriors into the fray against the attackers. The acolytes followed into battle, deciding to head towards the main gates. They clashed almost immediately with a group of fanatics on the way in a  bloody confrontation. Zaddion and Mercutio were badly wounded as they were surrounded, Rabalius popped about the combat using his psyker abilities to confuse the fanatics. Sister Jenna was having a bad day, and seemed unable to hit anything - firing off rounds wildly. Silvanus, however, after spectacularly chopping one of the Voicer fanatic's legs off with a mighty blow, once more fell prey to his aversion to the sight of blood, falling back  and sniping into the fray with his lasgun. Eventually the fanatics were dispatched and the acolytes continued on through the battle to the main gate, as they passed one of the street intersections they heard a thundering sound coming towards them!  

Dog Day Afternoon

The thundering sound soon resolved itself as four of the huge dust-dog mounts came stampeding down a side street. The acolytes scattered at their approach, but Jenna proved too slow and was knocked to her feet as they thundered past, the beast snapping at her as she feel, however she was  protected by her armour form any further damage. Mercutio, Silvanus and Plax found themselves near the group of Voicer fanatics that held the town gates and immediately came under fire. Plax retaliated by charging forwards, while Silvanus and Mercutio readied their lasguns. Rabalius, as one of the huge dust-dogs careered towards  him, used a psyker talent to scamper up the wall of a nearby house - making the relative safety of the roof. The fire-fight with the fanatics had hardly got under way when it was interrupted by the dust-dogs charging past – this had the unfortunate  consequence of isolating Plax. In frustration as he couldn’t get a clear shot Silvanus fired at the nearest dust-dog, only to have the huge hound  turn and attack him.  Mercutio tried to get some clear shots at the Voicers but it was made difficult by the dust-dogs. Jenna, lying on the ground,  managed to get off a few shots at one of the Voicers who retuned fire with a lasgun. As bullets and lasguns bolts flew across and through the  rampaging dust-dogs, Rabalius on the roof edged himself into an oversight position and blasted away! As the dust-dogs continued their stampede  down a side street, the battle with the Voicers continued, Jenna Mercutio and Silvanus were all badly wounded before their opponents were  dispatched.

The Crow Dance

Charging recklessly towards the Voicers, proved to be an effective tactic and in short order the clump of fanatics guarding the gateway were  disposed of. Plax, Jenna and Mercutio even managed to take one of them prisoner! Zaddion managed to recover the truck the Voicers used  to crash through the gate and with some help from Mercutio managed to get the ancient vehicle moving. The Acolytes were heading with their prisoner back to the cathedra, a bloodstained and troubled looking Kos'ke rode up to them. During a brief conversation he voiced his puzzlement at the actions of the Voicers which had seemed both suicidal and pointless. Before the acolytes  could explore this, however one of Kos'ke's men rode up, obviously worried, urging the warlord to return to the cathedral immediately.  Wheeling his dustdog the warlord sped of, followed by the acolytes!    At the Cathedral it was obvious that some kind of argument was taking place, on one side Esha Raine and a group of the warlord's men on  the other Abbot Skae, Aristarchus, a wounded Brother Lamork and Silvanus. Between them lay a wounded Voicer prisoner. The Abbot  was shouting in rage, obviously incensed that the Voicers had disrupted the ceremony. Esha was trying to calm the situation, while also  speaking of her puzzlement at the Voicers actions. A group of townspeople were looking on obviously troubled by what was occurring.  Suddenly Aristarchus stepped forward and, drawing a las-pistol, executed the wounded prisoner! The seer was shouting harshly - something about "the miracle to come" and accusing the Ashleen of standing against the will of the Emperor! Esha, obviously horrified at the callous treatment of a wounded prisoner stepped back, Kos'ke's men forming a protective cordon around her. Calmly she said that she had been wrong an no longer supported the Abbot and the construction of the Cathedral - accusing the abbot and  Artstarchus of being damned! Slowly she and the Ashleen warriors withdrew, and in silence left the city. Aristarchus and Abbot Skae announced they were going into seclusion to pray and prepare for the evening's ceremony! Over the next hours as most of the acolytes helped with the aftermath of the battle, it quickly became apparent that, as word spread, the people of the town were actually more troubled by Esha's actions that that of the Voicers in attacking their city.

Some hours later, as Rabalius was visiting the recuperating Brother Lamork in the Priory there was a disturbance in the cathedra outside. Rushing out the  psyker discovered the bloodstained figure of Abbot Skae, surrounded by guards and held by Aristarchus - the Abbot in a  gasping voice accused Esha of assaulting him. Enraged Aristarchus ordered Rabelius to collect the acolytes and go arrest her and bring her  back  to be put to the question. Within the hour the acolytes were on their way. As they headed out into the hills, a dust-storm blew up, making the driving extremely difficult. As they drove the acolytes pondered on the events of the day, particularly on the uncharacteristic behaviour of Skae and Aristarchus as the dust drove around them!. Eventually the  truck's engine conked out - choked by dust and the acolytes had to complete the journey on foot. They arrived at Esha's steading in the  late afternoon, just as the storm abated. Esha came out to greet them, for a moment there was an uneasy stand-off, the acolytes were very  aware of the shapes of armed Ashleen inside the house behind the tiny seer. Plax explained that the acolytes wanted to speak to her. Esha invited them in though warned them she would not return to Stern Hope. As she did the sky suddenly blackened and swarms of shale crows swept down attacking them. Taking refuge in the seer's house Zaddion,  Silvanus and Mercutio managed to beat off the attack with the help of the Ashleen warriors. As the battle with the crows raged, Esha  calmly explained what she feared to Plax, Jenna and Rabalius. According to Ashleen lore the daemon defeated by St Drusius was known  as the Crow Father, she feared somehow that the daemon had corrupted the building of the cathedral and dire consequences would result  for first the people of Stern Hope and then the world of Iocanthos. The sere also told them one more piece of Ashleen lore - the daemon  feared most what it loved to inflict! After consulting with Esha the acolytes decided to return at once to Stern Hope and set out at a rapid pace on foot.

As they marched, they chewed over the information they'd obtained - they speculated that given the link to the shale crows the daemon's weakness might lie in blinding it! As they arrived at the town just after dark - it was quickly apparent that something was wrong! The broken gates lay unguarded and  the walls likewise were bare. The streets of the town were deserted. As they passed the priory it looked like another battle had occurred, the figures of brother Silvanus and two of the junior clerics lay dead, their eyes torn out, nearby the dying figure of Brother Lamork,  las-pistol in hand greeted them feebly. The dying Brother bid them hurry to the Cathedral, begging them no to be too late. Hurrying to the Cathedral, they found an horrific sight, the entire population of the town stood in the pews transfixed as if in a trance, their voices raised in some unholy chants, their eyes streaming tears at the horrors they were being forced to utter! The roof of the  cathedral was a swirling vortex of unwholesome chaos as the very Warp itself struggled to break through, Hovering above the altar  was the figure of Aristarchus transfigured in a psychic ecstasy, the tarot cards he played with him circling around him and glowing  with an unwholesome light. As the acolytes stood for a moment in shock, the figure of Abbot Skae - or rather that which was once Abbot Skae - emerged from the shadows, taunting the acolytes and boasting of his return to the material world. The Skae-thing then bid the acolytes to come forward and receive his blessing! The acolytes immediately leaped into action - with the exception of Zaddion who strode forward dropping to his knees before the abbot. The abbot's body suddenly convulsed and transformed as the daemon that had possessed him burst forth.

The daemon was reaching  out to pluck forth Zaddion's eyes when Mercutio charged in blade swinging. Almost casually the daemon backhanded the guardsman away, causing Mercutio to drop his weapon. Plax, fired at the daemon but missed, Silvanus fired off a couple of shots trying to hit the daemon's eyes  but it was too difficult a shot, and he too drew his sword and charged forward. Meanwhile Rabalius and Jenna pondered how to deal with Aristarchus, appealing to the psyker to break from his course of action. Plax eventually joined them in their efforts but initially they seemed unable to break through. As the battle with the daemon continued Silvanus actually managed with the blessing of the Emperor to cut across the creatures left eye. This, needless to say, enraged the daemon who badly wounded the former guardsman in return. Eventually Rabalius hit on an idea, appealing to Aristarchus that what was occurring was the very antithesis of the miracle he was expecting and what was returned was the daemon, not St Drusius! This seemed to get through to the psyker, who looked around him and seemed to see the reality of the situation for the first time. Reaching out the psyker placed his arms into the glowing circle of the tarot cards. Immediately there was an explosion of psychic energy, Aristarchus's body burst into flames burning incandescently. The daemon screamed in rage as the  forces of Chaos reached out and dragged it back into the Warp. As Aristarchus's charred corpse fell sprawled across the altar, one of the tarot cards fell at Rabalius' feet and he picked it up, placing it in his pack. The death of the psyker released the good folk of Stern Hope from their trance and they crowded around the acolytes thanking them for saving them from an unimaginable horror.