Suffer Not ≡][≡ 40k Inquisition Quest

[open_sketch]

≡][≡ Inquisitor Joanyn Praxis ≡][≡
Imperial Inquisitor, Ordo Hereticus

Spoiler: Portrait

Spoiler: Attributes

Attributes
Physical Attributes
Strength - 1
Agility - 2
Melee - 1
Endurance: 4

Mental Attributes
Intelligence - 3
Tactics - 2
Nerve - 1
Fortitude: 6

Social Attributes
Charm - 4
Presence - 3
Contacts - 3
Resolve: 10

Faith Attributes
Belief - 2
Scripture - 0
Fire - 1
Conviction: 3

Spoiler: Values & Temptation

(3) - The Imperium should be an alliance of solidarity for the weak, not an alliance of strength for the strong.
(2) - People are more than problems, weaknesses, corruption vectors to eradicate. Their feelings and dreams matter.
(1) - A Shot Fired is a Shot Wasted

<1> - Victory makes me feel alive.

Spoiler: Stat Summary

Strength is raw physical conditioning. Lifting stuff, swimming, running a long time, punching hard. It's added to many melee attack damage as well.

Agility is swiftness, reaction speed, and immediate awareness. It's used for dodging things, jumping, ducking, outrunning folks, and other twitchy reactions.

Melee is the general skill of up close combat with knives, swords, fists (power or otherwise), chainsaws, whatever else.

Intelligence is raw intellectual power, knowledge, and drive to learn and study stuff. It is also used for military logistics.

Tactics is your knowledge of battle tactics, from the strategy of leading armies to simply knowing when it is safe to rush across a hallway in a gunfight.

Nerve is the stat both for shooting firearms and for keeping your cool. Nerve checks are common in combat to prevent from panicking or fight through pain.

Charm is the social stat used for flattery, smoothtalking, lying, seduction, verbal sparring, deflection, and navigating high culture.

Presence is the social stat used for reasoning, explaining, teaching, intimidating, impressing, or public address.

Contacts is rolled to know people you need to know, and to have a good reputation with them.

Belief is your actual faith in... whatever you have faith in. The Emperor, hopefully. It is used to resist temptation and corruption.

Scripture is your knowledge of the intellectual side of your religious faith. If you can quote from the holy books and theologians. It's intelligence for matters of faith.

Fire is your ability to project your faith out and convince others of it. Want to convert somebody or whip a crowd into a fanatical fury? This stat.

Spoiler: Skills

Weapon: Laspistol
Weapon: Hellpistol
Trade: Manager
Trade: Spy
Trade: Political Operator
Talent: Verbal Sparring
Talent: Seduction
Talent: Dishonesty
Talent: Intimidation
Talent: Exfiltration
Talent: Logistics
Talent: Propaganda
Talent: Indirect Persuasion
People: Dahlia
People: The Corrupted
People: High Imperial Politicians
Knowledge: Imperial Political Theory

Spoiler: Weapons & Armour

Social Loadout
1 Compact Laspistol, 1 Laspistol Reload, Flash-Safe Glasses, 6 Concealed monoknives, 1 Show Knife, 1 Belt Buckle Gun, 1 Plastex Bodyglove/Flakweave Suit, Displacer Field

Combat Options
+1 Hellpistol, +1 Transonic Machete

Compact Laspistol
Small Handgun
Attack Dice: 1/d10 -or- 2/d10-1
Aim Bonus: +1
Damage Bonus: +2
Armour Reduction: 0
Magazine Size: 4
Special
Laser: Does not cause bleeding.
Blinding: If operated without flash protection, witnessing the impact of a las-weapon will blind for 3 rounds.

Concealed Monoknife
Small Knife
Attack Dice : 1/d10
Damage Bonus : Agility + 1
Armour Penetration : 2
Parry Bonus : -1
Disarm Bonus : +0

Show Knife
Medium Knife
Attack Dice : 1/d10+1
Damage Bonus : Agility + 1
Armour Penetration : 0
Parry Bonus : +0
Disarm Bonus : +0

Buckle Gun
Tiny Handgun
Attack Dice: 2/d10-2
Aim Bonus: +0
Damage Bonus: -2
Armour Reduction: 0
Magazine Size: 1
Special
Hidden: Will always escape searches.

Plastex Bodyglove/Flakweave Suit
Clothing
Armour Value : 3
Coverage : All but Head and Eyes
Resistances : Impact, Blunt

Displacer Field
Energy Screen
When hit with an attack, roll 1d10.
1: Displaced into worse danger.
2: Displacer field fails. Take the hit.
3-6: Displaced hard. Take 1 Sore from bumping into something.
7-9: Displaced. Attack avoided.
10: Nothing personal, kid.

Hellpistol (Voss Pattern)
Medium Handgun/Carbine
Attack Dice: 1/d10 -or- 2/d10-1 (One-Handed)
Aim Bonus: +1
Damage Bonus: +3
Armour Reduction: 2
Magazine Size: 12
Special
Laser: Does not cause bleeding.
Blinding: If operated without flash protection, witnessing the impact of a las-weapon will blind for 3 rounds.
Convertible: When converted to Carbine mode, gain +1 to Attack and Aim Bonus.

Transonic Machete
Medium Knife
Attack Dice : 1/d10+2
Damage Bonus : Strength + 3
Armour Penetration : 1 + Half of enemy Armour (Round Down)
Parry Bonus : +0
Disarm Bonus : +3
Special
Sickening Vibrations: Enemies with 3 meters of an active blade count as being at -1 to all stats.

Spoiler: Companions

Sister Charitina
A member of the Order Famulous who found her faith again thanks to the Inquisitor. Praxis' closest confidant, dearest friend, and irritating ex-girlfriend.
Attributes of Note: Nerve 3, Contacts 4, Charm 3, Scripture 2, Fire 2
Skills of Note: Career - Order Famulous, Weapon - Bolt Carbine, People - Inquisitor Praxis
Equipment: Half-Plate Power Armour, Bolt Carbine, Burning Blade
Known Values: (3) The nobility is a blight on the Imperium, (2) I trust the Inquisitor's vision for the future, (1) Galaxy grim and dark, tiddy soft and warm.

Dahlia Hussian
A 17 year old unsanctioned psyker, rescued by Praxis from the witch's pyre she volunteered for at age 12. Loves the Emperor, and hates herself for being unworthy and twisted.
Attributes of Note: Power 1, Control 2, Sight 2, Faith 5, Strength -1, Nerve 0
Skills of Note: Talent - Self Discipline, Talent - Self-Hatred
Equipment: Web Derringer
Known Values: [3] I am here because I was given a chance. I should extend the same chance to others, [2] The Emperor is all things, [1] I can atone for my existence by aiding the Inquisitor

Marvel Ann Alemanga-Zero
A Magos of the biology wing of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Marvel Ann is an exuberant, odd, and enthusiastic cyborg lady who is an expert in medicine and bionics. She's Joanyn's current sweetheart, and she autotunes her voice.
Attributes of Note: Intelligence 4, Charm 3, Strength 4
Skills of Note: Career - Cyberdoc, Talent - Surgery, Talent - Singing
Known Values: [2] Adventure is to be seized with both hands (and as many mechandrites as possible)

Fraser Bookter
A positively ancient scribe who served Praxis' teacher, Bookter has seen all manner of things. Despite that, he keeps good humour.
Attributes of Note: Intelligence 4, Scripture 2, Contacts 2, Strength -2
Skills of Note: Career - Archivist, Knowledge - Imperial History
Known Values: ???

Korey Kilimnik
Once a Lightning fighter pilot for the Navy, until he was caught fucking an admiral's son. Kilimnik professionally doesn't care unless it has jet engines.
Attributes of Note: Nerve 5, Agility 3
Skills of Note: Career - Fighter Pilot, Talent - Piloting, Talent - Causing Trouble
Known Values: [2] By death or rejuvenation, age will never slow my reflexes

Penalties​

≡][≡​	Sore​	Strain​	Stress​	Stain​	≡][≡​
◹☠◸​	0/4​	0/6​	0/10​	0/3​	◹☠◸​
◹⛉◸​	3 XP​	XP3​	33 XP​	9 XP​	◹⛉◸​

CURRENT RP
6

RULES SUMMARY
ROLZ ROOM​

 

[Cute Princess]

[X] It is so.

 

[Sir_Travelsalot]

[X] It is so.

 

[veekie]

[X] It is so.

 

[Baron Ouroboros]

[X] It is so.

 

[butchock]

[X] It is so.

 

[Vulkanus]

[X] It is so

 

[LilyWitch]

[X] I cannot say.

 

[The Laurent]

Well, considering how skeptical he is of it, I'm worried about him taking the whole thing, placing it under five layers of secrecy, misdirection, and double and triple checking, and then nothing gets done.

 

[Parzival95]

[X] It is so

 

[Fayhem]

De Villarreal's established he's not stumbled onto this blind.

Click to shrink...

He really, really hasn't. Literally every aspect of how you've "proven" that is a stretch.

I had intended it to be slightly ambiguous as to how much he knows.

Click to shrink...

Especially given this.

Well, considering how skeptical he is of it, I'm worried about him taking the whole thing, placing it under five layers of secrecy, misdirection, and double and triple checking, and then nothing gets done.

Click to shrink...

And this is an extremely valid concern. There is a huge lag time for action in the Imperium, even in the too-rare cases where decisions get made immediately. Even if the warning is accepted, moving reinforcements into position takes time. And according to the message, the Eldar are literally on the move already, and if we can't convince the Lord Admiral there's a good reason to let them pass unhindered the Imperium will begin mobilizing against them as a threat as soon as they realize they're coming. The timer on the Black Crusade is not the only one we need to worry about running out, although that's also a potential (and very serious) issue. Persuading the Lord Admiral that the Eldar mean no harm after local sector fleet is already engaging in battle with them is going to be a) much less effective in presenting a united front, given that our respective defensive forces will have been bloodying themselves on each other before the Black Crusade even shows up (which is a needless loss of life in its own right, moreover), and b) will be a lot harder, since we'll be trying to sell the Lord Admiral on the idea that the Eldar currently shedding Imperial blood (in self-defense, but him determining that from hundreds of light-years away through the reports of xenophobic Imperial commanders seems like at best an uncertain prospect) really actually mean no harm.

And thinking that there aren't many people besides us who would be willing to take a warning/offer of alliance from the Eldar as potentially being in good faith isn't "protagonist syndrome" or "being infected by 40k canon thinking". That's canon to this thread. People are talking about "oh, deciding whether to trust Inquisitor McRando is a question of trusting vs. not trusting, and this quest is about taking a chance on trust!" Well, what about taking a chance on trusting the Eldar asking us to let them help?

I mean, really. What do people think Inquisitor de Villarreal trying to take jurisdiction of this from us means, in practical terms? It means that we would be changing course from taking a chance on trusting the Eldar to be acting in good faith, to taking a chance on trusting the Inquisitor we literally just met to do a better job than us on deciding whether to even do anything at all, while we just move on and do whatever. Thematically, I hate that. Narratively, I hate that - did we really just do that entire quest into the underhive just so we could hand the decision-making afterwards over to an NPC we met thirty seconds ago? Is there any chance at all that Araleth wouldn't take us doing so as a betrayal of their trust in us? Is there really any argument that Araleth wouldn't be justified in taking that as a betrayal of trust?

[X] I cannot say.

 

[The Laurent]

[X] I cannot say.

 

[ctulhuslp]

So I guess this could've been avoided if we hurried with message before going to sleep.
Oh well.

[X] I cannot say.

Click to shrink...

I mean, I am tempted to agree, but OTOH I am not sure how exactly not trusting another inquisitor fits into themes of this quest either.
Nnot that he gave us a lot of reasons to trust him, but still.

 

[QTesseract]

[X] I cannot say.

 

[Fayhem]

I mean, I am tempted to agree, but OTOH I am not sure how exactly not trusting another inquisitor fits into themes of this quest either.

Click to shrink...

I mean. Are the themes of this quest "the existing power structures and authorities in the Imperium are just fine and know what they're doing, so just trust them"?

 

[Aura]

Eh, we've been shown this by prophecy, sure, but on the other hand, neither Black Crusades or Eldar Diplomacy are explcitly Ordo Chronus remit, and if a black crusade IS gathering, I'm not sure his angle, mostly focused on the issue of the origins of the prophecy, is sufficient.
[X] I cannot say

 

[Omniatrix]

[X] I cannot say

 

[Astro Ambulance]

[X] It is so.

 

[zang269]

[X] It is so

 

[Always Late]

He really, really hasn't. Literally every aspect of how you've "proven" that is a stretch.
Especially given this.

Click to shrink...

Ignoring that is Sketch admitting to have flubbed the ambiguity, I am a little unconvinced by your evidence of me 'stretching' being 'you're wrong because I said so'. Especially since we are agreeing on a fundamental point:

Combining de Villarreal's significant familiarity in Eldar warnings to the Imperium with the current events leads me to believe his goal is to ascertain the full picture of this warning. He doesn't believe it's fake, Eldar don't cry wolf when it comes to Chaos, but he wants to know how this proclamation affects Chaos, Eldar, and Human alike. An investigation that will take, pun intended, significant amounts of time. The nature of the danger often cannot be diminished, this is Warhammer after all, but what is a true danger and what is smoke and mirrors can be discerned with a fine enough comb.

Click to shrink...

And this is an extremely valid concern. There is a huge lag time for action in the Imperium, even in the too-rare cases where decisions get made immediately. Even if the warning is accepted, moving reinforcements into position takes time.

Click to shrink...

The difference that prompts such emotional disagreement from you is a very personal opinion: You don't want to play the game path you think is winning.

Rather than seeing a way to integrate ourselves to an Inquisitor, you see the jurisdiction argument as a shut door. I'd be foolish to deny that is not a possible path things can take, but, as I have said before, this is an Eldar plotline. Nothing is as it seems. The Black Crusade and the Eldar aren't going to stop doing their thing just because we'd hypothetically do something else. That is protagonist-centric thinking, Jack me boy. A galaxy-spanning war of the 13th Black Crusade will involve us, if only because Abaddon and his servants will kick our door in asking for a cup of sugar and a gallon of blood.

And on a related note, if you don't want to, "hand over control" or whatever, of a plotline to another character that's your opinion and it's fine. You're entitled to it, more power to you, but would you mind dialing down the emotion in it? Just a smidge, if you'd please. Maybe I'm misreading, if so I do apologize, but you do sound a bit upset and directing said upset at me.

 

[EternalStruggle]

I mean. Are the themes of this quest "the existing power structures and authorities in the Imperium are just fine and know what they're doing, so just trust them"?

Click to shrink...

In fairness, they're "the existing power structures and authorities are bad for many reasons, a prominent one being a lack of faith and trust in their fellow man in favour of secrecy and beatings for dissent."

 

[The Laurent]

Well sure, but it's literally not his department, and all he's done is expressed skepticism of the prophecy as a whole. It seems pretty clear that unless he's doing some complicated double-bluff, if we just hand this all over to him he's going to be a lot more concerned with the possibility of it being a lie as it being true.

 

[Kaustos]

[X] It is so.

 

[Fayhem]

Ignoring that is Sketch admitting to have flubbed the ambiguity

Click to shrink...

That's Sketch clarifying her meaning.

I am a little unconvinced by your evidence of me 'stretching' being 'you're wrong because I said so'

Click to shrink...

Alright, then.

The choice to phrase the question from a more "Divination" perspective is ultimately defeated by the earlier use of "seer" giving away the Eldar connection

Click to shrink...

It doesn't. The word "seer", lower-case, is used in-universe for future-sight/precogs generally. The word "Seer", upper-case, is the name of a specific Path in Eldar society, yes. There's also a Path of the Warrior in Eldar society. Does that mean that every time somebody refers to a "warrior" it's evidence that they're talking about the Eldar? If you'd like a reference for Imperials using the word seer in conjunction with humans, here's one:

Warp-Seer - Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum

wh40k.lexicanum.com

Note the specific response. "This is consistent." This makes me think de Villarreal is very experienced with Eldar manipulations, or perhaps extremely familiar with his Ordo's records of such things. So far everything we have gone through, and he knows all of it, fits into a conclusion he has drawn about such activity before coming here.

Click to shrink...

Or, "this is consistent" means that our story is consistent with the readings on his instruments that he called us here to ask about, bc he didn't know what they meant other than "holy shit, my instruments are going crazy and pointing down". Deciding that it necessarily means what you're saying, or is even particularly likely to mean what you're saying, is a stretch.

I would say this is as open a return of information as de Villarreal gets, as befitting us holding back alot of info from him. He's already got the memo that Eldar are very good lawyers in their scrying, and that there are many details and moving parts the bellicose and choleric theocratic military leaders of the Imperium rarely care about or even notice.

Click to shrink...

This isn't a "return of information" at all. "Prophecies aren't 100% reliable, especially if you can't trust who's giving them" is not some groundbreaking insight or knowledge privileged to him or his Ordo. If you pulled some random citizen in off the street they could probably give you the exact same received wisdom.

De Villarreal's established he's not stumbled onto this blind. He knows almost all of what we know, if not everything,

Click to shrink...

Seriously, how has he established this? He invites us here on the grounds that "hey my instruments are saying something weird happened, explain why", then he listens to what we told him and goes "mm-hmm, mm-hmm, consistent, here's some common received wisdom, anyway hand everything over to me and let me take control." Everything about this says that he did stumble onto this blind and he didn't know anything more specific than "huh these are some weird number and readings on my instruments, wtf just happened" before we showed up for this meeting.

Now, I've got a couple things to say about your reply to me.

The difference that prompts such emotional disagreement from you is a very personal opinion: You don't want to play the game path you think is winning.

Click to shrink...

"You're being so emotional, just calm down" is condescending, and I don't appreciate it. "Well you just have a personal opinion" suggests I don't have actual reasons for the path I prefer (clearly meant to be as opposed to you), and that's condescending. I took the trouble to lay out my reasoning and my argument, and responding to that with "well you're just getting emotional about your personal opinion" is just, wow, so condescending.

The Black Crusade and the Eldar aren't going to stop doing their thing just because we'd hypothetically do something else. That is protagonist-centric thinking, Jack me boy.

Click to shrink...

It's also not what I said, so that's a) a strawman and b) "Jack me boy"? Cool, more condescension, my favorite.

And on a related note, if you don't want to, "hand over control" or whatever, of a plotline to another character that's your opinion and it's fine. You're entitled to it, more power to you, but would you mind dialing down the emotion in it? Just a smidge, if you'd please.

Click to shrink...

"Stop being so emotional, just calm down already" is, again, condescending. As is your overall tone here. And I still don't appreciate it, and I think I'm pretty justified in that.

Maybe I'm misreading, if so I do apologize, but you do sound a bit upset and directing said upset at me.

Click to shrink...

I wasn't upset with you personally before, but dedicating a reply to condescending to me because I disagreed with your "personal opinion" (to borrow a term) on what the thread should do is kinda pushing me to reconsider that.

 

[Always Late]

Now, I've got a couple things to say about your reply to me.

Click to shrink...

Well, I do apologize for coming across as condescending. Implying or stating that your statement of "I dislike this narratively and thematically" is not valid is wholly contradictory to my intent. I just wanted to de-escalate a potential argument, something I have clearly failed at. It's why I chose not to reply to your statements about the trustworthiness of the Inquisitor or the Imperium. I'm not going to have an argument with you over an opinion. I am not going to tell you your beliefs, whatever they may be, are wrong because neither I or anybody else have that right. But there is the other side to that coin. This is just a quest on the internet. The question at hand is whether or not to give this person more information. This isn't worth having a big emotional argument over. We can discuss and debate the facts of the situation, but personal opinions are how arguments escalate out of control and the point is lost. Again, I'm sorry for seeming to belittle you.

In hindsight, perhaps I would have been better served separating the evidence-based rebuttal and the person-to-person appeal into two posts, as that has apparently distorted the message.

 

[nathnathn]

[x] It is so.

This is a question about if the noble child is involved not about just handing everything over.
Essentially our conversation isn't over. My goal here would be getting his cooperation.