Lyssian and Allion ask around the tents to try and identify the creature. One grizzled looking pilgrim cleaning a rifle nods at the description.
"You say it had a barbed tongue? That would make it a Hexalid, though I'm not sure why it would have been anywhere near Stern Hope. Those things are territorial creatures and tend to keep to themselves. As to why it was rotting... maybe it was diseased?"
Part Five: Faith Betrayed
The Acolytes gather for a breakfast of fried clota meat and broth, but Aristarchus does not join you. Just as they are finishing, the sounds of ululating cries echo through the camp, but they don’t seem to be sounds of alarm. A local tells you that the Ashleen Warchief Kos’ke and his party have arrived for the consecration when you ask.
Outside, small crowds of Stern Hope’s people already line the road watching. Kos’ke and six of his warriors ride through the town on massive Dustdogs. Each beast is a lean, longtailed biped three times the size of a man, and growls and barks as it lopes along. Kos’ke and all of his men are heavily-built fighters clad in dusty hide longcoats, hooded mantles and mismatched scraps of body armour decked out with trinkets. They are also obviously well armed with sabres, bandoliers of shells and saddle-guns, and a few also carry heavy-bladed spears rattling withfeathers and fetishes. The one that the Acolytes guess must be Kos’ke is a huge brute with a full beard whose leather cross-belts are festooned with pistols. He waves as he rides, occasionally calling out a greeting in a tongue unrecognisable to any but a very well-read sage. As the retinue draws close, the Acolytes notice that at the centre of the riders is strikingly different figure—a veiled woman clad in flowing wrappings of tattered black and grey cloth shot through with crimson ribbons. A murmur goes through the crowd as they pass, phrases such as “Holy One, Esha Raine” and “Death Singer” can easily be heard, and many of the people bow or nod their heads in respect as she passes. Kos’ke and his men head for an area of the settlement that locals refer to as the Warriors’ Camp while the veiled woman rides on to the priory.
Aristarchus heads down from his room around twenty minutes after Kos’ke’s party arrives. The seer has dark circles under his eyes and looks more haggard than they have seen him before. Despite this, he seems eager and somewhat excited.
“The Emperor protects, but His cards can be a harsh master. Be careful today, the High Priest was in the ascendant, which I would normally interpret as a blessing for the day’s occasion, but the Lost Child and the Jackal were present as well. Holy ceremony or not, be on your guard today. Abbot-Missionary Skae has invited us all to the morning plainsong rites that begin today’s ceremonies in an hour’s time. Unfortunately, I do not feel up to attending. I’d like a bit more rest, but I think it wise for you all to attend as a show of our earnestness. Assure the good Abbot that I will be present for the great consecration service at dusk.”
As the Acolytes head to the cathedral they find it shining darkly in the morning sun. Many of Stern Hope’s people who are obviously wearing their best attire for the occasion are filing inside the great open doors, and organ music is starting to filter out into the morning air.
As they approach, Abbot Skae and two other minor clerics come out to greet them wearing white chasubles over their robes. The abbot asks after Aristarchus and nods sagely once his absence is explained. He then leads them inside to a place of honour in the front benches to the right of the altar.
After a time the abbot departs, and returns leading in the veiled woman escorted by the still-heavily armed Kos’ke and his men to a place opposite the Acolytes. The warriors are looking very uncomfortable. At the last moment, Aristarchus slips in and slides quickly over to stand next to the Acolytes. The organ music swells, voices are raised in praise to the God-Emperor and the ceremony begins.
At the height of the plainsong ceremony, Abbot Skae, every inch the commanding servant of the God-Emperor, moves to the altar flanked by Brothers Lamask and Severus who are holding aloft burning braziers. The music falls silent and the abbot begins his sermon.
“On this day, brothers and sisters, the God- Emperor of humanity casts His eye to this world so distant from His Golden Throne. On this day, He acknowledges your great faith andblesses our endeavours. I know you have long fought in the darkness, thinking to see no dawn. Behold! It is upon you at last, and today shall live in history forever and we shall be witness to a great miracle!”
Skae pauses to let his words sink in and in the stillness, you hear the alarm bells of the wall towers begin to ring as the clatter of gunfire and the high zip-crack of lasfire echo about the cathedral. The abbot looks about in surprise, but his gaze swiftly hardens. He turns and looks towards you pronouncing loudly, “For blood is the sacrament of the Imperium.”
Despite what the Acolytes would expect, the people of Stern Hope do not panic, although shocked words quickly echo round the cathedral. Kos’ke bellows, “Aside!”, allowing him and his men to directly depart through the swiftly opening 'corridor' of worshippers.
When the Acolytes exit, the cathedral’s placement in the settlement gives the Acolytes a wide view of Stern Hope and a good picture of what’s going on. A large smoke-belching vehicle with a widebladed iron plough has been driven into the front gates of the settlement, smashing them aside and jamming itself there in the process. Now at least thirty or so dishevelled-looking warriors, all of whom have strips of yellow cloth tied somewhere on their persons, are running into the town, shooting and hacking at anything that moves. A number of tents are already on fire.
Five of the robed attackers run towards the generatoria and the workshops with firebombs. If these are damaged, Stern Hope will be plunged back into the dark ages.
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Topic: Dark Heresy: Illumination IC - Faith Betrayed (Read 39919 times)