[center][sub][color=D3D3D3][b]WARFIGHTING – INVESTIGATION – POLITICS – ADVENTURE[/b][/color][/sub][/center][hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/BxOnHht.png[/img][/center][hr][sub][color=moccasin][b]▸ SETTING:[/b][/color] [color=D3D3D3]An underdeveloped deathworld of little strategic interest to the powers of the empire, located in a far-flung frontier sector bordering the fiefdoms of the Imperium Nihilus. Sehnsucht, an austere arid planet cursed by decade spanning bitter nights, must overcome the machinations of aliens and the forces of chaos in order to secure its peoples continued survival.[/color] [color=moccasin][b]▸ PROLOGUE:[/b][/color] [color=D3D3D3]As the twilight deepens, cloaking Verlorenhive in the pre-dawn hush of its long night, anxieties sharpen around the rumored alien threat within. This fear is stoked by the increasingly fractured communications from Xerostech Hive, a rising tide of administrative misconduct, and the unsettling disappearance of trusted contacts. With peril looming, the investigation into the subversive alien cult intensifies. The chilling reality settles upon Verlorenhive; should they fail to eradicate this alien malignancy before the darkness fully descends, the seven-year night will not only spell their doom but also deliver it, defenseless, into the clutches of horrors lurking in the shadows.[/color] [color=moccasin][b]▸ STORY – PART I:[/b][/color] [color=D3D3D3]The fragile peace on Sehnsucht shatters as the Rogue Trader's arrival, fueled by the prospect of a lost treasure, ignites an ancient and sinister plot orchestrated by agents of Chaos. The scoundrel's unwitting possession of a key artifact becomes the focal point of a sinister scheme to unlock a devastating psychic power, exploiting a suspiciously held planetary myth. Amidst the latent civil unrest and a burgeoning guerrilla war with Dustcrown, Verlorenhive finds itself caught in a three-way struggle with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.[/color][/sub] [hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/31lQkJY.jpeg[/img][hr] [hider=Narrative Summary – A World Among Countless Millions][hr] [quote][color=D3D3D3]Sehnsucht. A red planet under a wounded and indifferent sky. Devils of smoke and of dust danced across the bones of ancient seabeds, a testament to a thirst unslaked since time began. The axial tilt, a cruel joke of celestial mechanics, gifted halves of the world to seven years of burning light and equal stretches of starless night. Between these extremes, the terminator crawled, a band of perpetual twilight where life, both human and otherwise, clung to a precarious edge. The Imperium, monolithic in its blind and grasping reach, an empire which set upon this desolate sphere shielded hive sprawls, long since lighted bubbles of spirating gothic supercitadels cast against the encroaching dark. Within, a hostile hierarchy of nobles and merchants laid their games of power and profit, ignorant to the deeper fabrics of fate. But beyond the curtain walls, the true inheritors of Sehnsucht etched out a hard existence. The natives, their eyes wielding the strange luminescence of the perpetual dusk, moved with the slow rhythm of the shifting light, their knowledge of the land a silent scripture. And in the endless nocturne, or the blasted wastes, whispers spoke of others, of nightkin, touched by the void, their forms twisted by the planet's isolation and the cavernous bleed of the warp. A Rogue Trader, driven by the beguiles of forgotten wealth and the lure of a myth – a lost technology, a temperate past, an inner sanctum – arrived like a carrion bird drawn to a dying beast. He carried with him, unknowingly, a key, a fulcrum upon which the hidden history of Sehnsucht would turn. A history that spoke not of salvation, but of a patient, ancient darkness stirring beneath the rusted sands. A darkness that had woven its tendrils into the very legends the Rogue Trader sought to exploit. The longing inherent in the planet's name, a deep ache for something lost or never possessed, permeated all. The Imperials yearned for comfort and dominion. The nomads for a freedom in a paradise lost. And the darkness yearned for its unleashing, a tide of chaos to wash over the fragile holds of order. Sehnsucht was a stage set for a tragedy played out under an alien sun, a world where hope was soon to be a fragile bloom in a field of sulphur and the whispers of the past carried the seeds of a grim future. A pillar of salt stood among them. The wind carried the dust and the silence held the screams yet to come.[/color][/quote][/hider] [quote]Welcome. This is a gritty Warha[s]n[/s]mer 40K Roleplay that slices into the lives of humankind on an isolated deathworld. The subjects of this story at hand are focused on Imperial citizens, servants, soldiers and leaders. No Space Marines, sorry. Our goal is to propel this planet from the brink of destruction into victory. There will be many obstacles both from within and from without. You will be able to play a sweeping host of characters should you choose, or you may refine your efforts into just one or two key players. To begin, we will elect and be selected to form a task force of sorts. Our main party will conduct a decisive investigation in pursuit of an elusive Genestealer cult. They must be crushed or risk Verlorenhive becoming far too compromised due to the inherent mobility of and corrupting effects of the long night. The threads of fate are tentative. The successes and failures made along the way will shape the true outcome of futures blurred.[/quote] [hr][center][h3][color=moccasin]——— FACTIONS ———[/color][/h3][/center][quote][color=D3D3D3]An overview of notable groups and institutions. This is not including the more recognizable strata such as the Administratum, Ecclesiarchy, etc.[/color][/quote][hr] [hider=Planetary Defense Force] Headquarters: Leadership: The Planetary Defense Force on Sehnsucht functions as the primary security and military force within the Imperial hive cities. Their responsibilities include maintaining law and order, enforcing Imperial regulations, and defending the ruling elite against local threats. This encompasses policing duties, perimeter security, and initial response to internal and external dangers. The PDF also serves as a recruitment pool for the Imperial Guard. [/hider] [hider=Imperial Guard] Headquarters: Leadership: Sehnsucht comprises a mixed assortment of regiments, a more substantial fighting force than the locally raised Planetary Defense Force. Their primary role is to bolster the planet's defenses and ensure compliance with Imperial directives. However, Sehnsucht holds a somewhat unusual status within the broader Imperium. Due to its harsh environment and relative lack of strategic value, it often serves as a long-term duty station for units rotated out of more active war zones, as well as a practical, if unforgiving, training ground for newly formed regiments. More notably, Sehnsucht is a known posting for penalized Imperial Guard units – regiments or individual soldiers serving as part of penal legions as a form of punishment or to earn absolution through service. This creates a unique dynamic, with disciplined veterans serving alongside those seeking to atone for past transgressions, all under the stark skies of this demanding world. Their presence injects a significant element of the wider Imperium's military might onto Sehnsucht, even if that presence is partly shaped by the Imperium's need for distant postings and harsh training grounds. [/hider] [hider=Greater & Lesser Houses] Headquarters: Leadership: The noble houses of Verlorenhive form the ruling oligarchy within the local administration, divided into Greater and Lesser Houses. The Greater Houses wield significant political and economic power, controlling major industries and holding the highest positions in governance. They engage in intricate political maneuvering, strategic alliances, and arranged marriages to consolidate their influence and expand their domains. The Lesser Houses, while possessing wealth and some influence through trade and occasional bribery, remain subordinate to the Greater Houses, often vying for their favor or seeking opportunities to ascend the social ladder. Both tiers of nobility are deeply invested in maintaining their status and privilege within the stratified society of Verlorenhive. [/hider] [hider=Dustwalkers] Headquarters: Leadership: The Dustwalkers are nomadic native scavenger tribes adapted to the harsh conditions of Sehnsucht's twilight zone, the terminator. They migrate constantly, following the shifting band of light and darkness to survive. This lifestyle has resulted in unique biological adaptations, notably "luminous" eyes that enhance their vision in low-light conditions. They possess an intimate understanding of the terminator's transient ecosystems, relying on its resources for sustenance. Their primary gathering point is Dustcrown, a large shield volcano offering shelter and resources. While wary of the Imperium, they have historically engaged in sporadic, though often tense, interactions. Their beliefs and traditions, though distinct, have seen some blending with elements of the Imperial Cult over time. [/hider] [hider=Severed Hand] The Severed Hand is a smaller, radical sect of the Dustwalker tribes on Sehnsucht. They have adopted many tenets of the Adeptus Mechanicus, prioritizing technological augmentation and viewing biological needs as weaknesses. This has led them to pursue extensive bodily modifications by means of trade with less orthodox tech-priest contacts. They are formidable techno-barbarians alternatively referred to as Oilfiends, or sometimes humorously by Imperial observors as Terminator Mechanicum. Known for their potent warrior and scavenging skills, they actively seek out and recover pre-Imperial technology from buried, likely forgotten caches on the planet. They are viewed with disrepute by most other Dustwalker tribes due to their departure from traditional ways. Their beliefs center around the idea that Sehnsucht's ancient paradise was a result of advanced technology, which they are determined to rediscover. [/hider] [hr][center][h3][color=moccasin]——— LOCATIONS ———[/color][/h3][/center][quote][color=D3D3D3]An overview of important locations, settlements, geography, etc, etc. that will most likely be places of interest.[/color][/quote][hr] [hider=Sehnsucht] Sehnsucht is an arid world dominated by rust-colored terrain, with swathes of ochre and amber marking mineral-rich areas. Its considerably dense atmosphere, while supporting respiration when acclimatized, is notably dry. The planet circles an unremarkable stellar body of moderate temperature at a close orbital distance, resulting in a long, fourteen-year cycle of light and darkness across its hemispheres due to a significant axial rotation. A powerful planetary core generates a strong protective field and injects skylighting interactions that can cause electromagnetic disruptions. A massive, ringed gas giant, Navigator Majoris, looms in Sehnsucht's heavens providing a reflection of dim alien-like illumination during the night. Life on the surface is characterized by huge resilient fungal organisms that create dry coralline reef structures, specialized predators adapted to the cyclical light changes, and unique biomes that follow the terminator. Extensive subterranean networks are a major geological feature. [/hider] [hider=Hive Verloren][hr] [img]https://i.imgur.com/NNrdPth.jpeg[/img][hr] Verlorenhive, a monument to Imperial ambition and the grim resilience of humanity, sprawls across the barren plains of Sehnsucht like a regimented army of fortress estates encamped beneath a bruised sky. Its architecture, a barbaric fusion of high gothic discipline and mystical anatolian extravagance, rises in a forest of rigidly ordered spires and bulbous, golden-domed palaces that gleam with a decadent, almost blasphemous splendor. Countless souls, a teeming mass of humanity, dwell within its fortified curtain walls, a rigid hierarchy of the militant elite and the sweat soaked masses. By night, the hive city becomes a labyrinth of flickering lighted amber, a million points of defiant illumination against the enveloping darkness, and a signal to the indomitable spirit of its inhabitants as they brace themselves against the long night and the shadows that stir within. [/hider] [hider=Hive Xerostech][hr] [img]https://i.imgur.com/2J2oZmz.jpeg[/img][hr] Hive Xerostech dominates the ochre horizon of Sehnsucht, a massive hive metropolis forged into the yielding red sands of its landscape. It is an older city, indeed born from a colony before the glorifying of its younger sister Verlorenhive. Supporting a more robust infrastructure, spirating minarets can be seen throughout the megalithic expanse, relaying powerful shield generators within their towering figures. These are the pride of Xerotech's government, procuring a technology that projects a hexagonal energy field over the city that traps in moisture and insulates an artifical microclimate. Aquifiers run through the tiered curtain walls, into the heart of the main spire, and divert out like a spider's web into the surrounding land for dozens of kilometers once supplying what are now derelict factory farms. Smaller, rough hewn settlements and shanty towns cling to its base, extensions of the spilling urban core. Aircraft punctuate the skyline with their recent patrols, underscoring the hive's wary state of emergency and closely monitored nature. Communication beyond its walls is currently unreliable, a symptom of internal pressures within this formidable desert stronghold. [/hider] [hider=Hive Wiran][hr] [img]https://i.imgur.com/SK6n8IL.jpeg[/img][hr] Wiranhive was a fledgling Imperial hive colony on Sehnsucht that ultimately met a violent end. Located in proximity to the later established Hollowspire, it was a settlement that, for reasons now historical, allied itself with rebel forces against the Imperium. This act of rebellion led to a decisive and destructive Imperial response, resulting in the hive's fiery annihilation. Now, Wiranhive exists largely as a bombed out, largely scavenged ruin, and a reminder of the consequences of defiance against Imperial rule. It is a bitter memory that fuels some ongoing rebellious sentiments regarding autonomy. [/hider] [hider=Dustcrown] Dustcrown is a large shield volcano on Sehnsucht, serving as a natural gathering point for the nomadic Dustwalker tribes. Strategically valuable to the Imperium for potential mining operations, it also hosts covert Imperial listening posts and a trading post that facilitates limited interaction between the Imperium and the natives. For the Dustwalkers, Dustcrown holds significance as a central location within their territory.[/hider] [hider=Hollowspire] Hollowspire is an abandoned Imperial citadel, best described as a research outpost, situated at one of Sehnsucht's poles. Its location is notable for being positioned over a significant cave network or a hollowed volcano. Despite the destruction of the nearby Wiranhive, Hollowspire itself survived and its automated security systems continue to report no breaches, suggesting it remains intact and potentially functional, though its purpose is now unclear. [/hider] [hider=High Charity] High Charity is a colossal Imperial penal facility situated in the region between Verlorenhive and Xerostech. Built around a massive, seemingly bottomless pit mine, its reinforced ferocrete structures house tens of thousands of prisoners within security bunkers and cell blocks carved into the shaft walls. It functions as a significant penal colony, a stark symbol of Imperial authority on Sehnsucht, subduing a self-contained society of the condemned and their custodians.[/hider] [hider=Ashk Halqeh] Ashk Halqeh is an ancient ruin located some distance from Dustcrown. It is characterized by several monolithic, ring shaped structures of weathered grey-green, bronze, rust tinged, and turquoise metal, resembling the skeletal remains of immense giants half-buried in the sand. Unusually, a faint moisture concentrates in the shadows of these rings in the form of a fog. The Dustwalker natives revere the site, believing the rings were a gift from Navigator Majoris connected to a lost paradise, and that the moisture represents their tears. Despite its spiritual significance, the area is avoided for settlement due to perceived bad luck and unexplained disappearances.[/hider] [hr][center][h3][color=moccasin]——— CHARACTERS ———[/color][/h3][/center][quote][color=D3D3D3]A comprehensive list of the cast of players and supporting characters. Additionally, a few noteworthy NPC's are included.[/color][/quote][hr] [hider=Player Characters – PC] . [/hider] [hider=Supporting Characters – SC] . [/hider] [hider=Non-Player-Characters – NPC] . [/hider] [hr][hr] [hr][center][h3][color=moccasin]——— RULES & APPLY ———[/color][/h3][/center][hr] [hider=Rules & Guidelines] [list][*]Follow the rules of the website. [*]No Space Marines. [*]No limit on the number of characters playable.[/list] [/hider] [hider=Sheet for "Player Character" – PC] [center][/center] [quote]"Player Character" here refers to our cast of main characters. They can have unique positions, authority, etc. and the benefit of extra plot armor. These are the characters to be creative with. [sub][color=red][b]* NOTE:[/b][/color] You can stylize your form however you like.[/sub][/quote] Name Occupation Age Sex Appearance Skillset Equipment Background [/hider] [hider=Sheet for "Supporting Character" – SC] [center][/center] [quote]"Supporting Character" here refers to everyone else, they are like NPC's but they are for your benefit. This is for filling out fireteams, retinues, associates and contacts, crewmembers, whatever you can think of. They are force multipliers for your Player Character, but lack plot armor. [sub][color=red][b]* NOTE:[/b][/color] You can stylize your form however you like.[/sub][/quote] Group or Individual: Name: Occupation: Appearance: Skillset: Equipment: Background: [/hider]