planning Warhammer 40,000: Innocence Proves Nothing (Planning/OOC; Sci-Fi/Horror, Adventure)

[Rebel the Wolfgirl 5,585]

 

Preface:

 

"It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries The Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind by the will of the gods, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die.

 

Yet even in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battlefleets cross the daemon-infested miasma of the Warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor's will. Vast armies give battle in his name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard and countless planetary defence forces, the ever vigilant Inquisition and the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name only a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat from aliens, heretics, mutants - and worse.

 

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods."

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Introduction, Part I: What is this RP?

Greetings all, Renegade here, once again bringing you another RP - this time something I've never done before: a horror/science-fantasy RP based on one of my favorite RPGs: Warhammer 40,000. Set in a brutal, unforgiving galaxy many, many thousands of years in the future, humanity has reached the stars and not for the better, having devolved into a technofeudal theocracy known as the Imperium of Man, ostensibly ruled by the God-Emperor of Mankind for the past ten thousand years. In truth, the Emperor is but a skeleton barely clinging to life on a massive life support system known as the Golden Throne. The Imperium was intended by him as a beacon of humanity's potential, an empire intended to span across the entirety of the Milky Way, built on science and reasoning. During His Great Crusade in the 31st Millennium, the Emperor's favorite son Horus gave into the dark, eldritch forces of Chaos and caused a brutal war that lasted 9 years, ending up with Horus killing the Emperor. Now the Emperor barely clings to life, the Throne empowering the closest thing to faster-than-light travel in this setting: the horrifying interspace dimension known simply as the Warp. The Warp is (to borrow a turn of phrase from Mr. Rod Serling) not a dimension of sight and sound but of mind; it is a place made up of pure emotion and thought, where terrifying anomalies known as Daemons dwell. It is also where the most powerful beings in the galaxy, no, all of reality, reside.

Khorne, the Blood God; dwelling in a massive citadel of brass and sitting on a throne made up of the skulls his followers have brought him, Khorne is the Chaos God of violence, anger, and warfare. He is brutal and unforgiving, but also noble and valorous. He cares not for where the blood flows, but only that it is spilled.

Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways; Poring over quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore in his Hidden Library, Tzeentch's only concerns are the constantly swirling tides of change and knowledge. He is constantly layering plans upon plans, looking in on the dreams and hopes of mortals so that he can gain knowledge. Tzeentch isn't content to merely observe and actively interferes with fate and destiny like a child playing with toys. To believe one is in control of one's path is a foolhardy and naive idea, there is no such thing. Tzeentch is master of all fates, and it is best to not even try thinking otherwise - it could mean doom.

Nurgle, the Plague Father; the Chaos God of death and disease who spends all his time in his Garden, Nurgle is, ironically enough, the most benevolent of the four Ruinous Powers, if only in an incredibly twisted sense. Nurgle sees all as his children, and seeks to share his gifts with everyone...whether they want to or not.

Slaanesh, the Prince(ss) of Pleasure; the youngest of the Chaos Gods and dedicated to hedonism and the gratification of the senses, Slaanesh dwells in their Palace and appears to those in the form they consider most beautiful. Slaanesh is vain and concerned with their pleasure and theirs alone. They are proud of their excesses, and want nothing more than to plunge the galaxy into a mass of pleasure and greed.

It is these forces, along with the alien and heretical, that our characters are tasked to hunt in all their forms as members of the Imperial Inquisition. It is their motto that our characters hold in their hearts: "Innocence Proves Nothing."

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Introduction. Part II: The Inquistion and Segmentum Obscurus

 

 

Galactic Map, Segmentum Obscurus highlighted

Segmentum Obscurus is located to the north of Holy Terra (Earth), and is one of the Imperium's five divisions of its territory. Consisting of thousands of worlds (as with all Segmentums), its most notable feature is the massive Warp Storm known as the Eye of Terror, which is why it's of particular interest to the Inquisition. Its notable sectors (but by no means the only ones) are: Agripinaa Sector, Cadian Sector, Calixis Sector, Gothic Sector, Ixaniad Sector, Scarus Sector, Scyllan Sector, Stygius Sector, and Tamahl Sector.

 

Sigil of the Inquisition

"There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt."

-Motto of the Inquisition

Founded in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, the Inquisition is, in essence, the secret police of the Imperium; they carry out their missions in the name of the God-Emperor, hunting those they consider dangerous to their home's sanctity. They are ruthless yet efficient, their reputation one of mystery and terror. They let nothing stand in their way from their unwavering goals, and they will accomplish them via any means necessary, from cold-blooded torture to exterminating entire worlds if need be. It is the Inquisition that our characters have been drafted into, some willingly and some not, as Acolytes - and it is the goal of all Acolytes to become Inquisitors, with all the power that implies.

There are three major Ordos of the Inquisition, and many minor Ordos (but for the sake of simplicity, it is the three major ones that will recieve focus):

Ordo Hereticus: The Witch Hunters; the most common type of Inquisitor, the Ordo Hereticus dedicate their lives to the constant hunt for those who refuse to worship the Emperor, but also mutants and unsanctioned Psykers, those who can tap into and manipulate the Warp.

Ordo Maellus: The Daemonhunters, they fight Chaos more directly; they carry holy armor and the finest sanctioned weapons.

Ordos Xenos: This Ordos dedicates itself to the hunting of any and all aliens; they're probably also the most espionage-heavy of the Major Ordos, investigating and eliminating alien interference within the Imperium.

In addition to the three major Ordos, the Inquisition is home to various philosophical outlooks that are usually the cause of 90% of the Inquisition's infighting; divided into several factions and along the lines of "Puritan" and "Radical", these philosophies consist of the following:

Puritan Inquisition Factions:

Amalathians- Believe that the Emperor has a grand plan and that it is unfolding as it should.

Anomolian Beholders- Believe that their goal is to observe Humanity and await the Emperor Incarnate's arrival.

Ardentities- Believe that the power of the God-Emperor is likely to manifest either through a group or, more likely, through the entirety of Mankind itself.

Monodominant- Believe that the Imperium, and only the Imperium, should be allowed to exist.

Thorians- believe that the Emperor´s spirit can be transferred into another host, referred to as a Divine Avatar.

 

Radical Inquisition Factions:

Antiquarti- Focus on discovering patterns and events in the past to predict the future.

Casophilians- Dedicate their studies to the transition of a Human soul from this world to the next.

Horusians- Believe that the power of Chaos that manifested in Warmaster Horus might be harnessed for the creation of a Divine Avatar.

Istvaanism- Believe conflict is desirable to further progress through strife.

Libricars- Believe in the widespread purging of all Imperial institutions of all corruption and heresy, no matter how minor.

Oblationists- Believe that the Warp, the xenos and the unclean are utterly damning, yet their use is necessary to overcome mankind's enemies.

Ocularians- Obsessed with predicting and divining the future through arcane rituals.

Phaenonites- Believe in the rebirth of the Imperium under their own leadership. Excommunicate Traitoris.

Plutonian - Believe resistance to Daemonic forces can come through temporary voluntary possession.

Polypsykana- Believe in the ascension of Humanity into a purely psychic race.

Recongregationism- Believe that the Imperium should be rebuilt, lest it stagnate further and collapse under the pressure of countless threats from both without and within.

Revivificators- Goal is the study of the transition of the soul to the Warp at the moment of death.

Seculos Attendous- Maintains that the Ecclesiarchy is hampering and holding back mankind, and therefore they seek to reduce its power and influence where possible.

Xanthism- Advocates the use of Warp-based weaponry, such as daemon possessed swords, daemonhosts, and generally turning the power of Chaos against itself.

Xeno Hybris- Believe that Mankind must learn from both the achievements as well as the mistakes of Xenos races.

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Introduction, Part III: Careers, Roles and Homeworlds

Acolytes come from many a varied background, ranging from the elitest of the elite to the lowest criminal. This is a complete list of the Careers, Roles, and Homeworlds our characters can have.

Careers and Backgrounds

Adeptus Administratum: Bureaucrats of the Imperium.

Adeptus Arbites: The (public) police force of the Imperium.

Adeptus Astra Telepathica: In charge of recruiting and training sanctioned psykers.

Adeptus Mechanicus: Also known as the Tech-Priests, they are in charge of all technology within the Imperium, holding a literally religious significance for it.

Adeptus Ministorum: Also known as the Ecclesiarchy, in charge of maintaining and spreading the official state religion, the Imperial Cult.

Imperial Guard: Standard Imperial soldier.

Outcast: Obviously, outcasts from their particular homeworld.

Adepta Sororitas: Also known as the Sisters of Battle, the standing army of the Ecclesiarchy.

Mutant: A mutated human; generally speaking, mutants are treated as second-class citizens, if not outright hunted by the Inquisition (but this depends on the individual Inquisitor, see above)

Heretek: Rogue members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, these former tech-priests have access to forbidden knowledge of use to the Inquisition.

Imperial Navy: A member of the Imperial Fleet's military branch, one of many soldiers stationed on the Imperium's warships

Rogue Trader: a member of one of the many Rogue Trader dynasties sanctioned by the Imperium to explore the reaches of the unknown.

Exorcised: Someone previously possessed by a Daemon.

Roles of the Inquisition

The "roles" of the Inquisition are, generally speaking, archetypal categories Acolytes generally fit into, based on the usefulness of their skills to the Inquisitor in charge of them.

Assassins: Skilled killers and infiltrators.

Chirurgeons: Acolytes skilled not only in healing and medical training, but also useful interrogators and torturers.

Desperadoes: Criminals and mercenaries, useful for infiltrating gangs.

Hierophants: Alternately called clerics, they are pious holy men and women of the Imperial Cult able to channel their faith into protections and banishments against Daemons.

Mystics: Sanctioned psykers assigned to an Inquisitor's retinue; more often than not used for interrogation purposes, but also useful for Daemonhunting.

Sages: Alternately called Adepts; generally used to navigate the more bureaucratic and administrative aspects of Inquisitorial duty, something made easier due to their mental implants imbuing them with increased memory and intelligence.

Seekers: Acolytes tasked in a retinue to pursue and catch suspected criminals.

Warriors: More combat-ready Acolytes used by militant Inquisitors as backup and protection in battle.

Crusaders: Holy warriors from the Ministorum, these are the best of the best; their fanatical (even for members of the Ecclesiarchy) devotion to the God-Emperor make them extremely fierce and battle-hardened.

Homeworlds

The Imperium, due to sheer size and scope, operates on a decentralized, feudal system of government; each planet is ruled by a Planetary Governor (whose positions are often hereditary), who rule the planet as they see fit - their only duties are to provide tithes and to keep the mutant and psyker populations at manageable levels. As such, the Imperium of Man is home to a varied number of civilizations of all kinds, and each world is broadly classified into several types, a great number of which can and do overlap with one another.

Feral World: The most primitive of Imperium world classifications, Feral Worlds are barely above Stone Age technology and civilization.

Forge World: The "factories" of the Imperium, directly controlled by the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Highborn: The elite of Imperial society; generally speaking they're stereotyped as short-sighted, ambitious, and generally speaking incredibly sheltered. Those that choose to join the Inquisition, however, see that they want to contribute something more to the wellbeing of the Imperium for it is their God-Emperor given destiny.

Voidborn: Those born in space, usually aboard generation ships that have been inhabited for centuries if not millennia.

Hive World: Planets covered in continent-sprawling, mountainous termite hive-like cities that can easily number in the billions or trillions.

Shrine World: Planets dedicated mostly, if not entirely, to the Imperial Cult. Normally these worlds are of some religious or historical significance.

Agri-World: Entire planets dedicated to the growth and export of food for Imperial worlds, a vital necessity considering vast swathes of the Imperium are incapable of feeding their populations due to economic and environmental factors or just not capable of such due to their purposes and staggering population numbers.

Feudal World: A world barely above medieval levels of society or technology; however, there are highly advanced feudal worlds known as Knight Worlds, ruled by noble houses wielding powerful mechs known as Imperial Knights.

Frontier World: Worlds that have only been recently settled and as such don't have a fully established government yet - consequently, these worlds are home to pirates, criminal warlords, and those seeking to escape the harsh rule of the Imperium.

Death World: Worlds filled with incredibly dangerous flora and fauna. Tend to overlap with Feral Worlds.

Garden World: Despite the similar names, these are not the same as Agri-Worlds; instead, these planets act as leisure for Imperial citizens. In essence, imagine a planet-sized country club.

Research Station: Either orbiting worlds or on asteroids (and sometimes being on planets), Research Stations have many functions, ranging from laboratories to defense.

Daemon World: These aren't so much Imperial worlds as they are essentially twisted sub-realities; Daemon Worlds are planets ravaged by Chaos, whether taken over outright or caught in the midst of a Warp rift, those who come from Daemon Worlds are highly prized among the more lenient and radical Inquisitors. Most Daemon Worlds lie within the Eye of Terror and are ruled by champions of Chaos known as Daemon Princes (regardless of sex) who can shape the world at their whim, but there are a few heavily guarded by the Inquistion because they can't outright be purged by Exterminatus, overlapping with...

Quarantined World: Worlds that are kept isolated and heavily guarded from the rest of the Imperium under threat of death, usually because there's something that the Imperium doesn't want getting out until it can be properly assessed and dealt with. Those who manage to escape a Quarantined World are seen as those who can go beyond the impossible and can stand up to anything.

Penal Colony: Prison worlds used by the Imperium. Those prisoners recruited into the Inquisition are, in essence, forced to spend a life sentence in their service.

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Introduction, Part IV: Rules

1. This should be obvious, but no godmodding.

2. In keeping with MLPF's rules, keep things PG-13. Yes, this is Warhammer 40k, and yes, there will be dark and disturbing themes. But as long as it's not explicitly violent or sexual, it's fair game.

3. Related to the above, please tell me or others if you aren't comfortable with something. RPs, even dark ones like this, are still supposed to be fun, and fun cannot be had unless we're all comfortable with what transpires.

4. There is a risk that your character(s) will die and/or fall to Chaos. With that in mind, please inform me (or whoever you're doing said scenario with) if you want to kill off your character.

5. While I don't expect novel-length posts, please keep your posts detailed.

6. While I also don't expect you to constantly post, let us know if you somehow can't.

7. There will be 7 character slots. Once those are filled up, then submissions will be closed.

8. Remember, The Emperor Protects,

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Blank Character Template:

Name:

Appearance:

Homeworld (Homeworld Name, Type, Sector...be creative with this one!):

Background:

How did you come to associate with the Inquisition?:

Inquisitorial Philosophy:

Role:

Other:

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Character Slots

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Edited January 22, 2022 by Renegade the Unicorn