Blackstone Fortress - 2nd Expedition

Rogue Trader Janus Draik, Imperial Navigator Espern Locarno, Eldar ranger Amallyn Shadowguide, and Kroot tracker Dahyak Grekh unite to once again enter the Blackstone Fortress. They are optimistic as they enter the Stygian Aperture, after their first expedition into the fortress had proved quite lucrative, both in archeotech and, perhaps even more valuable, information. There is, however, a nagging feeling, to a greater or lesser degree in each of them, that their initial success might have been a fluke, and that their adventures might prove more dangerous than their previous expedition had led them to believe.

Blackstone Fortress - 1st Expedition

Janus Draik is a Rogue Trader – one of the bold pioneers tasked with expanding the borders of the Imperium. The Blackstone Fortress is one in a long line of claims this explorer has made for the Imperium – and a source of invaluable archeotech and artefacts for future ventures.

The Blackstone Fortress is filled with treasures of ages past – and the Navigator Houses are interested in getting ahold of some of these. Espern Locarno is a sanctioned mutant tasked with rediscovering cargos which belong to his house by ancient right – as well as technologies to refine the ill-understood processes of warp travel.

Hailing originally from the now-shattered Craftworld of Biel-Tan, Amallyn Shadowguide has travelled the webway for centuries. For her, the Blackstone Fortress represents a possible way to save her dying home and to make Biel-Tan whole again through the strange technologies within.

Like many Kroot, Dahyak Grekh is a mercenary, working for the highest bidder. The Kroot mercenary code of honour is key to him – for it is through loyal service that the Kroot may consume new genetic material. Through eating many unfortunate inhabitants of the fortress and thus assuming their memories, Grekh has learned much of the mysteries within…

On Precipice the four explorers find each other and band together, their common cause to explore and plunder the Blackstone Fortress, each for their own reasons. They quickly determine that none of their reasons conflict with each other, and can see that their abilities could complement each other well. Together than plan their first tentative foray into the fortress. Entering through the renowned Stygian Aperture, they disembark their small transport craft and search for one of the maglev transport chambers that run through the fortress.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Final Trial Part 1

Byron Manfred opens his eyes to see the wight king standing guard over him. The necromancer can remember feeling the wight king's massive axe cutting into him, though his wounds have now disappeared, undone over time by the mysterious magic of the Silver Tower. Byron also vaguely remembers the now absent bestial fury that had overcome him, and obviously the wight king as well, which made them fight each other for possession of the fragment of Ghur. Suddenly Byron realizes that between them, they now possess all eight fragments of the Gaunt Summoner's amulet!

Long had the champions wandered the twisting ways of the Silver Tower. Many and great were the dangers they had faced. Now, at last, they held in their hands enough fragments of the sacred amulet that they could conjure the Gaunt Summoner to them. With power and freedom beckoning, the champions deemed the hour was nigh, and with that resolution they began a mighty ritual. The amulet fragments flared with light as Byron and the wight king chanted, the words of the ritual coming unbidden to their minds and spilling from their mouths like a river of power. 

As the final syllables were uttered, the light flared bright, and from it stepped the Gaunt Summoner. No illusion was this, no simulacra or trick. The Summoner had himself been summoned, and he stood before the champions in all his infernal might. Yet the creature was not angry. Instead a shark-like grin split his hideous features, and a malevolent chuckle shook his narrow shoulders. Very good, spoke the Summoner, very good. The champions had brought him forth to battle. But were they ready? And if they were, which one of them would claim his boon? Vital questions, sneered the Gaunt Summoner, but ones that would only see an answer if the champions could keep up! With this, the daemon swept his staff in a great arc and with it tore reality aside like a curtain. A glowing rent was left behind, and through this the Gaunt Summoner leapt. The champions exchanged swift and telling looks, then plunged into the rift in pursuit of their tormentor. 

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Ghur Part 2

Continued from Part 1

In our last episode, Byron Manfred, his wight king companion, and a darkoath chieftain hunted some of the strange beasts of the silver tower, following the currents of the winds of Ghur. After being consumed by a massive wolf made of pure amber, they found themselves facing another of the Gaunt Summoner's trials. After being surrounded by enemies in a passageway, the darkoath chieftain was taken out of action. Byron and the wight king fought on and, after a long struggle, defeated all of the adversaries facing them. After taking a short respite to recover the grievously wounded darkoath chieftain, the adventurers now prepare to continue their trial.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Ghur Part 1

Byron and the wight king have just one more fragment to acquire in order to complete the gaunt summoner's amulet and reveal its true name. The wight king holds four of the fragments, while Byron has only three, making it vitally important that he be the one to lay his hands on the final fragment. They know the last fragment is the one associated with the wind of Ghur, and so they follow the trail of any dangerous beasts they encounter as they explore the constantly shifting silver tower, hoping this will lead to an area steeped in the magic of Ghur.

They soon encounter a barbarian fighting his way through the various wandering beasts of the tower. The fierce looking warrior calls himself a darkoath chieftain, though he looks like a savage marauder of the northern wastes. The chieftain appears to only desire to hunt down the strongest adversaries he can find in the tower to prove his worth to his nefarious gods. Thinking that he will not only be helpful in a fight but also likely to lead them to areas of the tower strong with the magic of beasts, Byron arranges to explore with the darkoath chieftain to help each other find strong enemies to vanquish.

After following the darkoath chieftain's lead for a while, the champions find themselves in a vast and echoing gallery from whose vaulted ceiling hangs the dusty skeletons of mythical beasts. Beneath those skeletal curios stands a vast statue, a monstrous wolf graven from a single immense block of purest amber. The champions gasp in horror as that lupine behemoth stirs, its eyes opening to spill wintry light throughout the chamber. Blades are drawn and incantations readied, yet it is all for naught.

With a single great drawing-in of breath the giant wolf sucks the champions from their feet and into its yawning jaws. Through a terrible void they tumble, surrounded by the howls and roars of bestial things, before at last plunging down upon a hard stone floor. As the champions rise shakily to their feet, there can be no doubt in their minds that another trial has begun.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Aqshy

Byron and his wight king companion wander a long time in search of their next trial. Byron knows the final two amulets they must acquire will contain the powers of the winds of Aqshy and Ghur, so they search for areas of the tower that seem to be influenced by the winds of fire or beasts. Byron therefore takes it as a good sign when they happen upon a strange dwarf who refers to himself as a fyreslayer doomseeker. The orange-haired fyreslayer is searching for something he calls ur-gold. Byron convinces the doomseeker that they should join together to help each other search the tower, offering to let the fyreslayer keep any ur-gold they manage to find.

Eventually the champions come to a place where there is only one way forward: an ominous tunnel set low in a solid wall of brass. With little choice they fall to their hands and knees, crawling one after another into that steaming darkness. The further they crawl, the greater the temperature becomes, yet at the champions’ heels the tunnel rumbles shut like the closing gullet of some terrible beast. For long  moments they crawl on with ever greater haste, sweat running freely down their scalded faces at the touch of hot brass. Just as they feel they can crawl no further, the champions scramble from the hideous tunnel and into the sweltering space beyond, a small chamber with a single door. Grimacing with pain, Byron comes to the realization that they have passed through a particularly unpleasant portal, and into the beginning of their next deadly trial.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Shyish

Byron tumbles through the abyss until at last the darkness consumes him. He slowly regains consciousness in a dark and foreboding hallway. As his faculties return to him, Byron discovers a gargantuan knight in strange looking armor standing over him. The strangely-attired knight makes no attempt to harm the necromancer, and Byron is surprised to discover that he still possesses his two fragments of the gaunt summoner's amulet. Suddenly he remembers that his former companion would now have three of the fragments himself. Or would he? Would he have all of the rest of them by now? Byron had no way of knowing how much time had passed, or what might have become of the wight king he had previous allied himself with.

The knight helps Byron to his feet, describing himself as a "knight questor". The huge knight, who appears to be a devotee of Morr, explains that he is on a quest to slay the lord of the silver tower. Now that Byron is on his own and in need of a new ally who can provide some physical protection, he offers to aid the knight. So the two agree to cooperate in the quest for the gaunt summoner. They begin exploring the area of the silver tower they have found themselves in, which is a dark and macabre dungeon decorated with countless omens of death.

To Byron's surprise, his wight king companion finds him in the twisting passageways of the tower after searching tirelessly since their separation. Byron wonders if perhaps the wight king is more loyal to him than he realized, or if maybe it just didn't want to lose the fragment pieces Byron was carrying when they were separated. The three of them continue to quest together, though only Byron and the wight king know they need to collect more amulet fragments before they will be able to confront the gaunt summoner, and they do not intend to share that information with their new ally.

Eventually the champions come before a macabre gate of vast size and ominous aspect. It resembles a scrimshawed cage, wrought from the bones of countless birds. Within its arched confines dark shadows flutter and trill, the shades of a million feathered things flitting back and forth. Seeing no other path to take, the champions swing those bone gates open and advance cautiously into the enormous cage. As the last of their number passes within, the gates slam shut with a terrible crash, and the avian shades descend in a screeching storm. The Byron and the knight cry out as they feel beaks and claws tear at their flesh, their eyes, and their minds, while the wight king it largely unaffected. Then, as suddenly as the storm descended, it is gone, leaving the champions somewhere else altogether.

Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team

Small teams of T'au operatives have managed to sneak onto the surface of the feudal Imperial world of Beresinia, which is currently engulfed in internecine conflict, with some areas even in open rebellion against Imperial rule. Colonel Kutuzov's Rangers, a light infantry regiment in Count Xuvorov's personal army, receive intelligence that a T'au kill team is operating in their area, but it is unknown why they have come to this world or what they are trying to accomplish with their covert activities.

A small team of men from Kutuzov's regiment is assembled and given the task of tracking down the T'au operatives. Their goal will be to capture some of the T'au, so they can be interrogated to gain information about their mission. At the same time, a hand-picked team of the T'au operatives have been chosen to go into the warzone in order to capture any of the native human soldiers they can find, the higher the rank the better. They are not told why they have been given this task, but the ethereal caste does not need to explain themselves, they must simply be obeyed, since their commands are always for the greater good. Before long, the T'au operatives and Kutuzov's men find each other amidst bombed out industrial ruins.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Azyr

Byron Manfred and his wight king companion each carry two pieces of the Gaunt Summoner's shattered amulet. Together, they are half-way toward completing their quest and learning the Gaunt Summoner's true name, thereby gaining power over him. As they traverse the silver tower, searching for their next trial, they find themselves in a part of the tower where the air seems a little clearer, and the light a little brighter. Strangely, as they traverse this part of the tower, their surroundings only seem to become more sublime and heavenly with each passing day.

Here they meet a towering human who appears to be a priest of Sigmar, though clearly not a native of Sigmar's lands. The priest has a loyal but very strange looking animal companion with him. Byron keeps his questions to himself, but is immediately suspicious that this strange follower of Sigmar is willing to even converse with a necromancer. However, Byron reasons, the silver tower has undoubtedly made for some extraordinary alliances in the past, and perhaps this warpriest was willing to accept such company in order to search for a way out. And, after all, Byron has no way of knowing how long he has been imprisoned in this accursed tower, or what might have transpired outside of it in his absence.

They agree to explore together for a time for mutual protection. They soon discover shifting corridors which seem bereft of monsters. Cresting a flight of obsidian steps studded with star-like diamonds, the champions find themselves before a yawning portal of heavenly light. Golden statues of strangely armored knights flank the portal, and around their feet lay the blackened corpses of acolytes and beastmen by the score. The warpriest expresses his hope that this portal will lead him to the realm of heavens, which causes Byron to fear the priest might be delusional. Byron knows that whatever lay beyond the portal is surely of the Gaunt Summoner's devising, yet they all sense that their destinies lie ahead. They step through the portal and find themselves in a small chamber with a single exit.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Ulgu

Byron and the wight king continue to explore the silver tower for some time without incident. Eventually they encounter a shadowy elf that refers to himself as a tenebrael shard, though Byron doesn't know what that means, and doesn't bother to ask. The shard is searching for a powerful artifact he believes to be nearby, and agrees to explore the area together with Byron and the wight king for their mutual safety. The three champions are searching the twisting passageways of the tower when Byron steps on a flagstone which sinks ominously into the floor.

A terrible noise overwhelms the explorers as the floor falls away beneath them. They fall into a shadowy maelstrom of darkness, disappearing into it's smoky depths. The seemingly infinite void does not, however, consume them, but ejects them into a small chamber. As the dark vortex recedes and the three champions are able to take in their surroundings, it appears to Byron that they have likely stumbled upon another of the gaunt summoner's trials.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Ghyran

Byron and his wight king companion now each possess a fragment of the gaunt summoner's amulet. As they prepare themselves for the next trial the silver tower will place before them, the champions look for another adventurer to ally with. Considering how useful the late mistweaver saih had been in their previous trial, they hope to find another magic user to join them, ideally a gullible one so they won't have too much trouble maintaining possession of any amulet fragments they find together. After some searching, the pair meet a human wizard who seems like he might just fit the bill, and the three of them agree to explore together.

They soon find themselves in walking in a downward spiral through a crystal tunnel, it's walls carved in the likeness of vines and roots. Glittering insects chirp all around them, and as they descended deeper a green glow begins to emanate from the crystalline walls. The green light grows brighter and more intense the further they descend, then suddenly the champions are propelled by magical force into a small ingress chamber. It looks as though their next trial has now begun.

Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team

Colonel Kutuzov's Rangers, a light infantry regiment in Count Xuvorov's personal army, have been detached on covert missions behind enemy lines for some time now. Currently, several companies of the 3rd battalion are operating in the blasted ruins of an industrial district in the city of St. Basilovsk. A squad is performing reconnaissance, marching in tight formation with conscripts to the front, as per regulations. As everyone knows, the best way to find the enemy is to make yourself as conspicuous as possible so the enemy finds you. Luckily, the patrolling squad is about to discover some very useful information concerning enemy dispositions.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Chamon

The wight king now carries the fragment of Hysh. Having completed their first trial, the unlikely companions search for the next piece of the fragment. Byron Manfred ponders how he will separate himself and the wight king from the Tzeentchian sorcerer lord so they won't have to share their prize with the chaos worshiper. His scheming proves unnecessary however, as the sorcerer simply disappears one day, as abruptly as he had appeared to them in the first place. Byron wonders if the Tzeentchian sorcerer's appearance was all part of some unknowable scheme by the duplicitous followers of the changer of ways from the very beginning.

Nevertheless, Byron looks to recruit another unsuspecting adventurer he can use to help him acquire another fragment of the gaunt summoner's amulet. He eventually meets an aloof mistweaver saih. Byron has no idea what a mistweaver saih is, but is impressed by her mystical powers and convinces her to join him and the wight king in their search. The mistweaver hopes to learn more about the silver tower from her new companions, seeing that they have found a fragment of the amulet already. Together, they set out in search of their next trial.

Warhammer Quest Silver Tower - Trial of Hysh

Byron Manfred wandered the silver tower for what seemed like many ages before attempting another of the tower's trials. He knew he could not rely on the companions he had been adventuring with, and was unsure how to proceed. He left behind his initial companions, making many attempts to find suitable partners in his quest. These all ended in disappointment, and he explored and pondered for a very long time. In his wanderings, he eventually lost the fragments he had acquired and the powerful skills the tower had granted him as rewards for his deeds. After all his fighting and exploring, his epic battles won against all odds, he was essentially back where he began, no closer to his goal that when he had first set foot in the accursed silver tower.

One fateful day, while wandering the labyrinthine passageways of the silver tower, Byron encountered an ancient wight king. Byron though the wight king would be an idea companion. Byron was confident that he could, if necessary, use his advanced necromantic powers to influence the undead warrior into doing his bidding. The wight king had also been wandering for ages, and needed some guidance. So the two joined forces. Byron explained some of what he knew about the fragments of power the would need to collect, and they set off together in search of them.

Shortly thereafter, a Tzeentchian sorcerer lord appeared to them, offering to help them. The sorcerer claimed to know exactly where they could find a piece of the amulet, which was of course being sought by all the silver towers prisoners. Byron was suspicious of the convenient appearance of the sorcerer who happened to worship the being who created the tower in the first place. Was the sudden and convenient appearance of the sorcerer merely luck? Could it be Destiny? Or were they experiencing the sinister machinations of Tzeentch? Byron did not know, but to get his quest back on track after all this time, he was willing to risk it.

Nova Aetas - Mission 2.4 The Lion's Den

The mercenary companions have reached Venezia in pursuit of the Doge's troops. Here, among the canals of this picturesque town they know that they will accomplish their destiny. Here between the channels and masks the Doge is waiting...

Along with his normal guards, The Doge is accompanied by Jacopo Adoaldi. The heroes believe they have defeated Adoaldi previously, but it turns out that was merely a decoy posing as Adoaldi. The real Jacopo Adoaldi will not be so easily defeated. However, the heroes do have the power of the Blood of Gaea at their disposal. Joanna carries the potent artifact into the battle.

Nova Aetas - Quest 0.3 - A Book for a Genius

In order to make some additional money to prepare for their final confrontation with the Doge, the mercenary companions have taken on the seemingly simple job of delivering a scroll to an eccentric old man.

“Dear sirs, I kindly ask that you bring this ancient scroll to my friend Leonardo. It is a precious document and many spiteful persons would love to get their hands on it; it is a formulary allowing the creation of a marvel from times gone by.” Andrea Del Verrocchio.

The heroes know they would not have been hired for the job if it was going to be a simple delivery, so they prepare themselves for trouble. Just before reaching their destination, they run into the trouble they were expecting.

Nova Aetas - Mission 2.3 Face to Face

The heroes have come to Modena trying to go unnoticed. The situation in the city seems quiet, but they constantly have the feeling of being followed. This stress is added to their concerns about the malfunction of the Blood of Gaea. While the mercenary companions sit in an inn discussing what to do, a voice coming from outside calls for them get out of the room. Their worst fears are realized when the companions find themselves before Jacopo Adoaldi himself. Next to him, they notice a strange woman uttering incomprehensible words, but they can see the Blood of Gaea react to the chant! Adoaldi doesn't waste any time asking the heroes to surrender, immediately ordering an attack!

Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team - Tyranids vs Astartes/Custodes vs Orks/Tau

I recently took part in a Kill Team gathering with six players. After playing a couple of 1 on 1 games, we wanted to try something multiplayer. We ended up deciding to try paying a game with all six players at the same time, which was probably a bad idea. The way we did it was to form the six players into three teams, and then play one of the multiplayer missions as if we had three kill teams playing. So we played the Take Prisoners mission as if we had three kill teams, but each team was actually two teams controller by two different players working together.

We made teams as best we could with the kill teams we had. We ended up with two Tyranid kill teams working together, an Astartes kill team and Custodes kill team together, and a Tau kill team that tricked an Ork kill team into fighting with them against their common enemies. The objective was to take prisoners by taking an opponent's model out of action with one of your models that had no enemy models within two inches, allowing them time to capture the incapacitated enemy. Capturing an enemy leader was worth three victory points, and each other captured enemy was worth one.

Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team - Heretic Astartes vs Loyalist Astartes

The heretic astartes of the Crusaders chapter are assisting in an uprising on an Imperial world, mostly performing small, covert operations. When a loyalist shuttle is shot down near their base of operations, a squad is sent to investigate and recover any useful intelligence they can find at the crash site. However, almost immediately a unit of primaris space marines arrive to recover or destroy any sensitive information that may have been on the shuttle. Now both sides race to recover as much as the can from the wreck before it is too late.

Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team - Heretic Astartes vs Orks

The heretic astartes of the Crusaders chapter have come to a human world in open rebellion against the Imperium of Man in order to aid the rebels in their uprising. The war torn world has, like many war torn worlds, attracted the attention of rampaging orks drawn by the prospect of violence presented by the conflict. The heretic astartes prepare to enact dark rituals that will call on the powers of the warp to aid the rebels. Unknown to them, a squad of Deathskull orks lead by Grukk Daggafist have been scouting out their positions, and have located a camp that has been hastily assembled by the heretics to house their captives. As the orks prepare to launch their sneak attack on the camp, a single squad of heretic astartes stands ready to defend it.