Welcome back to the latest instalment of our Wrath & Glory campaign. This story arc involves a plot to contaminate Gilead with a pox starting with the second city. The agents are investigating…
A vaccine rollout
The agents begin their task and visit the main hospital. On the surface the pox outbreak is nothing significant, but with intelligence from elsewhere that it has spread quite quickly, they are presuming the worst. They track how the virus has spread and determine that there is a disproportionate number of cases affecting key transport nodes, the Gravediggers garrison and other strategic locations. This suggests ill intent and a deliberate act. The vaccine rollout has been thorough and this raises the question if there is a malignant force, why are the efforts to contain the virus working so well?
The agents determine to examine some of those affected. Their investigations lead them to the garrison and they go in search of missing troopers, leading them to a few known drinking dens. In the course of their observations, they spy several hooded individuals lurking at the edge of the plaza. Umbrae scans their minds and uncovers they are assessing the air pumping system and ventilation in this district; a district which despite its seedy appearance is home to a significant workforce. Umbrae is spotted and the mysterious figures exit scene, with the agents entering the Den of Steel.
They are suspicious when Errol detects the presence of a drukhari masquerading as a human in a group newly arrived. When he leaves, Errol addresses the two humans left masquerading as a drukhari, stating he is a rival who wants their friend dead and offering to pay them if they provide information that will help. The ruse works and they give directions to a local obscura den where he operates.
In due course, the agents begin a watch, agree this is where they should stage a raid and engage with the local Arbites for back up. Nox takes out pict security devices and they storm in. Their attack uncovers not merely an obscura den, but a hidden torture room further back. Several troopers are seen either dead or in a severely poor condition. The drukhari are eliminated except for their leader and in addition to saving the lives of two of the missing troopers they discover a cache of vaccines. In the aftermath of the raid, Amicia tests the vaccines and discovers that, unlike those recovered on Trollius, these have had an unknown compound added.
The deduction is that the plan needed an outbreak large enough to ensure a vaccine rollout and the vaccine, now in the process of being given to the local population, will sit dormant inside until some presumably airborne trigger is released. The agents realise they must find the nearest air pumping station in the lower levels to stop this.
The air pumping station
The agents gather their resources and begin the journey down through the hive. It’s easy going to begin with and life in its squalor and bustle is as expected. Down through the early levels, they encounter no threats, but as they descend, they note the signs of dwindling Imperium order. They are not threatened; they are clearly a threat in themselves, but there is the growing feeling that if anything did kick off, they couldn’t guarantee they would receive any support.
As they enter one district it is clear it has fallen into a state of significant disrepair. A few locals try to persuade them to come to their support to counter raiders, but the agents correctly conclude that would not only eat into valuable time but require them to use unnecessary force for a matter that is beneath their inquisitorial duties. Whoever lives at this level is either desperate or keen to evade Imperial law.
Soon enough they enter a level where the air itself is stifling with gases and vapours identifying it as the industrial district where the huge Imperial pumping station is housed. Largely working remotely, it makes an ideal location to sabotage. With the workforce nowhere to be seen, the agents send their repurposed flying servitor to carry out a recon of the area. It reveals what they feared. Several cultists can be seen on patrol at various levels making a tactical assault tricky. In addition, they spy a group high up, brewing some no doubt foul concoction.
The agents sneak into the district and gauge their chances. They know time is critical. The landscape marked with ramshackle dwellings, uneven ground and narrow passageways make this ideal for ambush and a battle of attrition as they seek to gain access to the steps leading higher up.
GM note: the scene is set with the clock ticking and the players know this. It means they can’t hang around. They must press forward, running the gauntlet, knowing this increases the risk of injury or death. Tactically, they have enemies with ranged weapons placed at different levels of elevation, so if they want to engage them in melee, it means additional time and a greater chance of being shot at. If they spend too much time using their ranged options, they will almost certainly succeed in taking down the guards, but at what cost in terms of time. They also can’t wait for reinforcements because success is determined by stopping the contamination which is time sensitive. So, as a GM I created the dilemma. What risks are they prepared to take?
As they tread ever closer, they are spotted. The initial cultists that seek to waylay them are taken down with some ease, with Nox picking off those at range high up and Errol darting forward to engage in melee. With the element of surprise lost, Umbrae and Amicia push forward to force a hole in the defences.
Eventually, with Nox taking care of several snipers, the remaining agents battle their way up the several flights of steps to the brewing gang. Whatever they are doing, it promises to be unholy and mustn’t be allowed to be added to the air supply being pumped to the higher levels. At this point, if there was any doubt left, the sight of pox ridden corpses, the swarm of flies, the stench and possessed humans, together with a plaguebearer and poxbringer, mark this as the workings of Grandfather Nurgle.
Filled with disgust, the agents continue to battle onwards and upwards. They know the clock is ticking. They fight against the fear, they fight against the corrupting influences with Umbrae engaging and winning in psychic battle with the poxbringer. With everyone contributing, Amicia leads the charge to also bring down the plaguebearer, but at a cost. With the support of Errol, she is assisted to the top level. The agents see a foul looking cannister affixed to the pumping station machinery. They realise they could be moments away from the contents being spread. Moments before she collapses, Amicia pulls a lever down to release the cannister from its housing to end that threat. Unfortunately, the strain is too much and she collapses, one of her eyes pops and she loses the use of one of her arms.
But, the agents are successful and they destroy the cannister. In time, a squad of space marines from the Absolvers Chapter make their way to the site to complete the cleansing process and the agents are evacuated with medical support to eventually rendezvous on the Inquisition cruiser, the Gladius Imperator…
About the author:
As well as playing board games, Neil has been playing a variety of roleplaying games since 1982, including creating campaigns as a GM and espousing the art and craft of being a good GM and the therapeutic value of games generally.
