40k Cult Quest

40.750.M41
It seems Master Prefectus Goff has had a bad year. For some reason, he had gone down to the Underhive to inspect Administratum facilities there, but word of his presence had reached the rabble. An opportunistic group of mutants and low-lives rushed his convoy, for the credit of killing such an important figure would make you like a king in the Underhive. After a short but fierce battle, his private security managed to force a path through the riot; but not before Goff's transport was struck by an improvised explosive. He has returned to his manor within the Spires, and numerous official sources have confirmed he is alive, but many within the Administratum's upper echelons are shaken by the event.

80.750.M41
A break-in has occurred within the halls of the Diviso Copia. Someone unauthorized entered into the Alpha Priority Document halls, although it is apparently unclear what, if anything, was taken. The Vigilat are investigating, and are watching for any further attempts.

-5 to infiltrating Administratum holdings

120.750.M41
A minor misfile of requisition forums results in the Diviso Recorda failing to have enough parchment. The problem persists for three months, causing numerous issues, before the problem is fixed.

160.750.M41
An amusing situation occurred within the ranks of the Diviso Curato. A large number of adepts developed a dripping cough, although your cultists were spared. Of course, potential contamination of documents is abhorrent, and thus the Divisio Prefectus was reluctantly forced to give many adepts… sick leave. The infection was traced to a single adept that had attended a church service on his off-day, and picked up the bug there. The official advice bulletin did not go as far as to say to avoid attending religious services… but there was no standard benediction to the Emperor for good health.

As your members managed to avoid the sickness, they have received some unofficial praise, increasing their standing somewhat.

+7 to Administratum social actions

200.750.M41
The Diviso Exacta have developed new methods for calculating the average grain export of multiple planets.

240.750.M41
Similar efforts with the Strategos for calculating the threat level of Chaos warbands may have had the opposite effect. One of your cultits, a member of the Strategos, had a look at the algorithm, and is fairly sure it is faulty. No one else mentioned it, so neither did he. Perhaps this will be an advantage in the future.

Kelt is disadvantaged when calculating the threat level of Chaos forces.

280.750.M41
A cultist bursts into the new church, clutching a binder of parchment and panting heavily. Once she has regained her breath, she explains; while walking home from work, she witnessed a vehicular collision, including an official looking truck. Investigating to see if she could offer help, she found the truck had broken open; and that inside were binders marked with the seal of House Forstor. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the closest and fled. It seems her instincts were correct, as the binder is full of papers relating to the Clippers, detailing Forstor's management of them and secret operating details. This is an amazing find.

It is also not long before word of the incident begins to spread. Matriarch Ennema Forstor deploys her own security force alongside Clipper patrols, searching for stolen documents, but it is unclear how many have been spirited away by other opportunists. House Forstor has not said what files have been lost, meaning they could be anything, including perhaps some secrets they did not wish to see the light of day. A damaging and embarrassing incident indeed.

Gain Clipper Files as an Artifact. Can be researched for details on the Clippers.
House Forstor leaks potential secrets, greatly embarrassing them

320.750.M41
The head of the House, Nikko Andustor, opens a new library within the Upper Spires for religious texts. The reception is of polite interest, followed by unbothered disinterest.

360.750.M41
A population boom of Ogryns has allowed House Hyanstor to double their security force. Every heir and cousin of the House is now trailed by at least one hulking bodyguard, while an unknown number are likely being equipped for more.. direct action.

Hyanstor military force improved

400.750.M41
Perhaps in response to this news, Terrin mal Hyarrstor has improved the security surrounding his House, spending a great deal of money on a new system, across all of his holdings. House members, support staff and guests have to be tagged with subdermal cogitators that track them within the House's manors, vital offices and other locations. Those that are untagged will be detected, using various systems, and engaged by security and automated defences. Apparently this system is impossible to foil or bypass, and is a restricted secret.

How do you know about it? One of your cultists was hired as a worker for the project, and took the chance to copy as many details as possible. You don't have enough to dodge the system, but you know more than most.

Hyarrstor has increased Holding security extensively
You are aware of the details, but lack many specifics, and currently have no way to actually use this

440.750.M41
The Head of House Freeman, Ne-Well, has brokered a deal with the Mechanicus on Kelt to gain a closer tie to the organization. In return for his second son, Gord, joining the red priesthood, his house will gain access to their services for free. This is likely only part of the complicated political bargaining going on behind the scenes, but the truth is clear for any to see; House Freeman is committing to working with the Mechanicus, for the long term.

480.750.M41
The head of the Clippers, Commissioner Raym Forstor, has announced a new "Outreach" programme, asking groups of "concerned citizens'' to watch for illegal activity. What this really means is that the Clipper are offering monetary rewards for snitching on criminals.

The next few weeks sees a flurry of activity from both law enforcement and law breakers. When the dust settles, it's estimated many small gangs have been rounded up, and numerous operations broken; but not the larger groups, and certainly not in the Underhive. Things get back to normal fairly quickly, truth be told.

There is a nagging worry for your cult however. Although you haven't done much illegal activity yet, but for as long as this bounty stands, you'll have to be careful with what you do. If you interact with criminal groups, and they dislike what you say, they might decide it's worth more ratting you out than working with you.

-5 to general stealth rolls
-5 to diplomacy rolls, chance on failure the Clippers will be informed about you

520.750.M41
A critical pumping station suffered an (explosive) failure, and most of the Upper and Lower Hive lost water. On a hot world like Kelt, this is lethal, and despite the Apostles working around the clock, water is still heavily rationed by the year's end. Despite the demands for progress from the Administratum and House Forstor, they are reluctant to allow water to flow downwards from the Spires' limited reservoirs, and thus the situation continues. Workers are allowed longer rest periods, where most simply try to cool down, or purchase water at exorbitant prices. Your cultists suffer like the rest, and find they cannot contribute as much as they did last year.

Up to 60% of cultists will be unavailable
Income cut in half

560.750.M41
While anger quickly mounts towards the Apostles, the Clipper's new Outreach program shows its worth, and the true culprit is found. Higg Silo is charged with sabotage of essential Hive services, unlawful ownership of mining grade explosives, and much more. He is executed in front of the Upper Hive primary Watch House, watched by a braying crowd. Hung from the neck, dropped in a pool of lava. So ends all those who work against Hive Keltist.

There is more to this tale however. For Higgs was a member of the Disciples of Nourishment, and recently received a large bonus, with which he purchased the explosives. No link is truly found, no evidence of a direct order, and thus they cannot be charged; but the Disciples are reviled anyway. Their adepts are assaulted on the street, often pelted by their own products. Soon they are guarded by mercenary Beastmen, and the attacks stop, but still dark looks are thrown. In the Spires, their financiers House Hyarrstor do not come off well either, while House Hyanstor become much more popular, their extravagant parties open to almost all.

Disciples of Nourishment receive heavy popularity downturn
House Hyarrstor suffers as well

600.750.M41
Following the Drought, the PDF is deployed alongside the Clippers to control the crowds of angry protestors. It quickly becomes clear that they are not used to this style of urban fighting; it has been many years since they had to deploy within the Hive itself, aside from small deployments into the Underhive. In an attempt to rectify this issue, and to draw attention from other matters, First Colonel Medhurst Bloomstor announces a program of retraining, the development of new strategies and maneuverers, and more, to prepare the PDF for any future conflict from within Keltist. Soon it is quite common for sectors to be sealed off as troops drill extensively. Of course, this will likely affect many of you plans going forwards

PDF gains bonus to Urban Warfare
Higher than normal PDF presence within the city, for an unknown period

640.750.M41
Normally the most insular of the major gangs, the Under House has apparently begun to reach out to the other gangs, offering the kind of deals they never have before. Perhaps they sense opportunity, or a threat?

680.750.M41
An attempt by a Dugger group to perform a water heist went awry, breaking into the reservoir itself. The Apostles had to chase them away before they could seal the leak, and many gallons were lost. Although a minor incident, it has still worsened the drought, and directly affects your cult as the reservoir served the Upper Hive.

Possible percentage of unavailable cultists increased by 5%

720.750.M41
Diplomacy at gun-point is a time honoured tactic, but apparently chain-fists do not have the same effect. The leadership of the Chain-Fists tried to negotiate a ceasefire with the Redemtionists, but things quickly broke down, with the gangers now affirming their desire to kick the crusaders out of the Underhive. Putting two groups of chain weapon wielding maniacs in a room is a bad idea, who knew?

Chain-Fists are dedicated to fighting the Redemtionists

760.750.M41
Rumor says that the Slippers have suffered heavily from the new Clipper Outreach program, which is rapidly gaining the name "Snitch Law". Dozens of runners have been identified and imprisoned, their packages vanishing into evidence lockers. The Slippers have had to up the training of their members, outfit them better, and find new routes as the old ones are compromised. For their customers, this means raised prices, and longer wait times for packages to arrive.

Black Market cost increased by 50%
Items take an extra year to arrive

800.750.M41
In stark contrast to their fighting with the zealous Redemtionists, the Beastmen were seen performing a large religious ceremony, as if they were affirming their belief in the God-Emperor. Members from all the tribes were present.

840.750.M41
Gorson, chief of the Low-Wings, died of old age. He was known for his dislike of "Up-Livers", Beastmen slang for those that lived on the levels above the Underhive, and had even lead raiding parties into the Lower Hive in his younger days. If your cult could have contacted him, he might have been an ally, but alas. His son and successor, Gorsonson, is known for having a calmer temperament, and a fervent belief in the Emperor.

880.750.M41
Something. Happened. Beyond the Hive. You cannot tell what, for your cult has no eyes beyond the walls, but your dreams are filled with animal cries of pain and chittering, the gnawing of many mouths chewing on reality itself. You can do nothing but look at the ash-filled horizon and wait… for now.

920.750.M41
Someone broke into one of the ogryn camps, but set the alarms off. The ogryns went wild searching all over for the intruder, sometimes stepping on their handlers in their mad search. It took hours for order to be returned, and by then the intruder was long gone.

960.750.M41
The Redemtionists are still reeling from their poor start. Despite the setbacks however, it seems they are still slowly growing, as they whip more and more people in a religious frenzy.

Purge
Despite the large number of troops within the city, enough remain on the outskirts to keep watch for potential threats to the Hive. A potential Smokeshark shoal is broken up by the deployment of a few Hydra Flak Tanks.

Annatar's Eye
The warp rift, glowing an unhealthy green, had little activity this year, aside from a single instance where it seemed to spasm; it blinked briefly, as if it could not understand what it saw.

+++ Thought For The Day: A man can have many masks, many faces. Always be aware they might hide heresy +++
Date: 751.M41 Terran Standard

Kelt has always been a hot world, thanks to the daily or sometimes hourly eruptions occurring across the planet, but right now it is particularly hard. The Drought, as it has become named, continues across the Upper, Lower and large parts of the Underhive. Cutlists are forced to choose between working towards the cult's goals, or concentrating on their jobs to pay for the water they need. Despite this, many of the cultists still put themselves forward, ready to do their part. Among them are new recruits, freshly sworn in as members of the cult.

Recruitment Passive: 121 Cultists - 12d4+4 = 73
Recruitment Active: +6 - 6d4+4 = 43
Recruitment Total: 116
Cultists Unavailable: Potential 65% - 28% - 66 Cultists

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Your cult has almost doubled in size, with The Fourfold Path providing inspiration to your recruiters. Questions that they would have otherwise been unsure of can now be answered, and although it has no pithy or inspiring quotes, reading section from it (in private settings, of course) can interest the potentials enough for them to come to the cult's new home, the Church of The Emperor Ascendant. Although a name change might be in order.

Another thing to consider is disguising your cult. The Houses Hyarrstor & Hyanstor use proxies to wage their secret wars; could you do something similar? It would be easier for your cult to act openly if it was in some official capacity. Perhaps you could be a social club of like minded academics, or founding a full business for a source of income. This will require some discussion.

Cult Details:
Numbers: 171 (237)
Status: Hidden
Cultists: Thirsty, but still driven
Resources: 2195 (Income 1185 - Upkeep 200 - Bank 1210)
Devotion:
13 : 0 : 1 : 0 : 0 = 14

Active Modifiers
-5 to infiltrating Administratum holdings
+7 to Administratum social actions
-5 to general stealth rolls
-5 to diplomacy rolls, chance on failure the Clippers will be informed about you
Up to 65% of cultists will be unavailable
Income cut in half

Actions
[ ] Recruit
- Write in what area of the Hive, or who you wish to focus on
[ ] Infiltrate*
- write in organization
[ ] Investigate*
- write in
[ ] Research*
- Alderi Movement (52/???) (The Aeldari Files)
- The Clipper Files
- Paper Knives (50/?)
- a system
- a unit
- a organization
- write in
[ ] Pray
- write in to who, or how
[ ] Contact Group or Organization*
- write in who, in what way, and about what
[ ] Write in
(Write in suggestions; search for something or someone, try to find information, something more complicated, etc etc. I have finale veto if they can be done)

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Voting will start in a few hours.
Remember you only have one vote.
We will be voting for the church name and organization details later

If you want do a sub-vote, do it like this:
[*] Research
-[*] The Aeldari Files
Actions with a star * next to them means you must specify through a sub-vote.

Double update, yay! Honestly I'm not happy with how I laid out the News, going to do it differently next time.

Again, we'll be giving the Church a new name and designing the business later, probably the latter first.