File: 1338336530938.jpg-(146 KB, 971x523, Character_Assets.jpg)

You are Captain Elesh Phryx, rogue techpriest and captain of the Sword-class frigate 'Sword of the Omnissiah'. From your captain's throne you survey your ship's bridge, noting your XO aid the fledgeling senechal, Kelly, as she uses a secondary vox channel to gather the latest rumors of goods traded across Tortuga's space stations. Veris, your chief astropath, quietly informs you that 'Heavenly Forge' has made their daily contact and has nothing of note to report.

Snapped from your light trance, you quickly dismiss Veris and consider which station you'll dock at.

>Belius Airus: A small shipyard controlled by Magos Banks, your original benefactor. Home of Garin's and the well-known games of Assassin played by crews that visit the establishment.
>Tortuga Prima: The original station of Tortuga, and home to the powerful dynasty that enforces the peace within the system.
>'Forlorn Hope': center of Tortuga's slave trade and the vast slave mines that fuel the fleets calling this place home.

previous thread:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/19228872/

archives:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Privateer%20Quest

>>19292543
>'Forlorn Hope': center of Tortuga's slave trade
We need men to work in the factory ship, right?

Privateer quest, fuck yeah.

Where can we get reliable crewmen cheap or for free?
Dock at Belius Airus if we can get crewmen for the heavenly forge there, the slave station otherwhise.

Wait, our contact with the Heavenly Forge is only daily?

>>19292634

you can get base-line crew for free @ any of the stations

skilled crew will likely vary by station, and slaves have their typical pros and cons...

>>19292678
In that case, I vote we dock at Banks' station. We can go visit the rest later if we find a reason to.

>>19292678
Would a crew recruited in Belius Airus be more suitable for work on the factory ship?

>>19292731
you could attempt to recruit some crew or buy slaves with mining experience from 'Forlorn Hope', while the other stations are unlikely to have such skilled workers.

>>19292671
hey, the asteroid won't mine itself!

that, and the Imperial Navy is guarding the ship since you're doing them a favor...

>>19292678
Considering we tend to get our crew slaughtered on a regular basis, slaves are probably the best idea. Sure they may be a lowly lot, but they're hard working and it would seem a waste of good men to hire a better crew.

>>19292768
Okay, in that case, let's try to get a non-slave crew from FH.

>>19292781
I lol'd but this is pretty much true. Well, it's more true about our armsmen than our crewmen, but still.
So, let's stop over at Banks' place, do some trading, look for someone who can give us a second opinion on that chick we want to heal and... I can't think of anything else right now.
Maybe talk to Banks about that ship and rookie captain that got blown up during the attack?

rolled 70 = 70

... stop by Belliu Airus to pick up more green arms-men, have a quick chat with Magos Banks, then hop over to Forlorn Hope and look at some slaves. sometimes the most interesting things are in the most abysmal places...

also, get kelly to find us a test subject for our newly concieved procedure. afterall, we have the technology, we can rebuild her.... our soon-to-be-named arms-woman....

>>19292968
>our soon-to-be-named arms-woman
It occurs to me that after all we're planning to do for her (or do to her, depending on how you look at it) she'll basically be our first Skitarii.

>>19292968
>slaves
Would joining our crew be more or less be an upgrade of their living condition? Do we actually have to keep them enslaved - whatever we do actually pay our crew seems pretty negligible.

"Yo helm, to Belius Airus!" you cry.

You dock with the station 'round seventh shift. "Yo helm, shore leave!"

All at once your bridge crew hurries about their final checks before streaming toward the station's less reputable bars and dives. As you look at your bridge, sitting on your throne, you can't help but watch Athe. Finally it is there, that spark in your XO's eyes as she reads your mind and speaks with you. "Garin's."

As your officers follow the remainder of your crew from the bridge, you feel a tingle within your mind as a hard vox line is linked to your ship. "Magos Banks invites you to visit whenever you wish, Captain." Information soon follows, and you inform Kelly that she must arrange for collection of your share of 'Zephyr Spirit'.

>orders?
>New Mission: 'Assassin' Reign victorious in a game of assassin against your crew at Garin's.

>>19293228
Tell the crew to wait with the game of assassin until we've finished speaking with Banks.

>>19293228
Hmmm... dare we bring our new servo skull friend with us? I'm sure Banks would be interested in her.

>>19293262
First speak with Banks, then play around in the bar, make sure that Kelly is doing her job.

Once we're done with that,we can scope out potential recruits. We still need armsmen and some crew.

We also had a buch of our armsmen equipped with carapace, did we repair and reclaim the carapace from the ones that got killed?

rolled 88 = 88

>>19293228

give kelly the task to aquire a test subject for our project. if she succeeds, she can become our Sanchel, if not then better luck next time.
have Julin refill the, once again, depleated arms-men forces. We should meet with Magos Banks post-humerously. after all, best not keep Tortuga's 'Fabricator General' waiting...

also...

>'Sword of the Omnissiah' is replenishing Crew and Crew Morale

>>19293228
Banks first, entertainment second.
See that everybody who needs to do something does before ending up in the bar.

>>19293298

you've managed to maintain enough carapace to equip a single company with the armor.
(your veteran armsmen currently use it.)

>>19293314
In a world with no medical ethics laws, finding test subjects is as easy as grabbing the nearest hapless fool and hauling them off to the lab.

If Kelly can't catch one unconscious hobo, I don't know what we could use her for.

>>19293389
>If Kelly can't catch one unconscious hobo, I don't know what we could use her for.
With our luck, we'll rebuild the hobo into a cyborg not seen in millennia and the promptly botch our roll to control it.

>>19293389
I would rather just ask Banks if he has any traitors or terminally injured people around. preferably someone in a similar condition to what happened to our patient.

rolled 30 = 30

>>19293411

well, it would still be better than trying to subjugate a carnifex... which i doubt we would refuse the offer if such a thing became available... but a murder hobo is a small price to pay for NAMED-SKITARI-MKI!!!

>>19293266

any one else have input on bringing Dominion to be introduced to or simply observe Magos Banks?

>>19293496
Elesh has known Banks for years, how would he react to that thing, in her opinion?

>>19293496
...Yeah, let's bring it.
I get the feeling that this isn't exactly the smartest thing I wrote in the last 48 hours, but let's take it along.

>>19293496
Bring it along. We can't be parted from our servo-skull.

>>19293571

...should we make servo-skulls for our named crew? also, can we get Veris as a fixed member of our crew, rather than just hired help?
also, another thing kelly could find for us is a skilled medic or a magos biologis or some such named character... un-named will do fine for now....

>>19292543
>>19293705
>Veris

Wasn't she named Teris in the last few threads?

You manage to catch both Julin and Kelly, giving and amending your orders to the women, respectively. Your Master-at-Arms grumbles slightly, something about not feeling right recruiting men to your usual meat grinders. Kelly's confidence grows at the simple addition to her orders.

Making your way from the ship, you encounter a small group of armsmen guiding several distraught strangers from your medicae deck. While your interest is roused by such an event, you pay it little heed after seeing your crew white-faced by the horrors of your last battle. With 'Dominion' concealed within the spacious sleeves of your robe, you make your way toward Magos Banks' favored quarters. Along the way you note that Gerin's has a larger crowd than usual, and the roar of the audience suggests that quite a game of assassin is taking place.

Finally you are met by Magos Banks, who seems to have a lovely new servitor assisting him. "Elesh, i am glad that your mission was a success. Do not worry about the ship lost. The Omnissiah judged her and she was found wanting."

>Conversation Mode Activated!
>orders?

>>19293716
gah, this is what happens when family visits and I get stuck bouncing a baby on my knee.

thanks for the catch.

>>19293764
Ask him if he knows anyone who could help us out with our medical problems. We already have a good idea as to how to heal her, but some additional knowledge that would increase her odds would help.

Other than that, ask him if anything of interest came up in the subsector recently.
Preferably something we haven't heard about.

>>19293764
>Assassin
Hey, didn't we tell them to wait for us?

>Making your way from the ship, you encounter a small group of armsmen guiding several distraught strangers from your medicae deck.
We need to investigate that once we're back.

>orders
Elesh isn't one for subtlety, ask about that shiny new servitor.

>>19293764
>who seems to have a lovely new servitor assisting him
We ought to admire his excellent skill as a craftsman.

If he has his new servitor out and about for our visit, you know he's fishing for complements.

>>19293764
I say we ask for his feelings on the current Forge Mistress of the sector. I'm guessing there's little love lost between the two. Banks could be very helpful if Grumman and the Sisters ever go on the offensive...

>>19293764

start with a standard compliment on the quality of his new servitor.
then bring up recent happening in the sector. afterwards, brifely enquire if he know of any biologis in the area

>>19293844

"Fabricator General Robertson? A short-sighted fool, lost in his quest to find a cavern of archeotech that does not exist within Feophe's caverns. It is Arch-Magos Thorum that holds the true power in the priesthood of Feophe. It is he who declares the Omnissiah's followers heretics when no such proof exists."

>>19293836

"Thank you for noticing, Elesh. This one has been a labor of several years to perfect in both form and function. It shall serve myself and my underlings quite well." Magos Banks seemingly glows with pride, though it may simply be a fresh polishing of his bionics.

>>19293812

"I doubt my underlings can assist you sufficiently before your test subject loses her will to live, Elesh; but they shall arrive to assist you within the hour."

>>19294051
>fresh polishing of his bionics
Oooooh, did he dress up for something important?

>>19294051

thank him for his assistance in the matter.
would it be wrong for me to believe that Magos Banks invited us for a reason? i would assume that now we have bombarded him with questions he has graciously answered, we should allow him to take charge of the conversation and make his preposal/offer/questions/threats/ whatever he origianly wanted with us.

>>19294051
>though it may simply be a fresh polishing of his bionics
Insert joke about the servitor "polishing his bionics" if you know what I mean.

>>19294131

Magos Banks was your benefactor and sponsor for Captain. Now that you are your own master, he simply enjoys seeing you as a peer of sorts. When you visit.

>>19294051
>Magos Banks seemingly glows with pride
Ask about the process and what the servitor can do. People love talking about their new toys.

>>19294173

doesn't mean he does not have a request or job for us... maybe i'm just paranoid about being 'invited' to things, seeing as though bad things seem to happen when we get 'invited'.
examples include; the celebration party, the resistance meeting and most recently the navy dinner... even though only one was phsyically negative, the other two had rather bad-end vibes in parts...
either way continue with small plesentries and minor conversation, then excuse yourself due to your project and to 'check on crew moral'... and to remind them why we're the captain...

>>19294082
>>19294162
Banks cocks his head quizically as you question his recent bionic polishing. "I fail to note what you find interesting about routine maintainence of such blessings, Elesh. Do you require cogitator calibration?"

>>19294131

"I simply enjoy seeing my pupil's progress, Elesh. Though I've recently acquired a small amount of quality cogitators, if you'd like to purchase some for yourself."

>purchase additional cogitators?
>12 wealth for basic, 15 wealth for Good Quality.
>each purchase is a single upgrade for an individual

All that's left now is to catch up with him on the our recent adventures and whatever rumours he might have heard and then we can move on to the bar.
Unless I forgot something.

>>19294266
How about Advi? Would she want an upgraded cogitator to help her run the factory ship?

>>19294291

changing my idea to second this. we can see to our project once we are appropriatly inebriated....
(take this as a joke or seriously, i mind not either way....)

>>19294266
>Do you require cogitator calibration?
"I have been trying to adapt my sub-cogitators to yield better results when dealing with personnel not following the Omnissiah. I think I have largely grown unaccustomed to the pleasant company of fellow tech priests."

>Cogitator
What could we use those for. They're basically advanced computers, right?

>>19294308
you're not actually replacing any cogitators, you're adding extra ones.

very few self-respecting techpriests refuse extra cogitators, if they're offered.

>>19294323

upgrading/adding cogitators basically allows you to store additional skills and higher quality ones may increase your mental stats.

>>19294351
Well, we can buy Advi a little gift then.

Oh, and a little small talk about the glorious battle wouldn't hurt before we go to get drunk.

>>19294351
>>19294370
Oho! Well then! Good quality one, here we come I say!

>>19294370
2 good quality cogitators it is, then. 1 for Advi, 1 for Elesh.

Wait, how much money do we have?

>>19294266
>15 wealth for Good Quality.

Do want, let's take 2.

>>19294390

64 wealth.

>>19294408
In that case, let's purchase only 2 for now. There might still be other interesting stuff to buy on Tortuga.
Better equipment for our armsmen would come to mind, or some proper armour for the named characters involved in our boarding operations.

>>19294390
>>19294402

>2 Good Quality cogitators purchased!
>choice of normal-sized cogitators or compact cogitators! (both have same storage, choice impacts hidden stuff)

>>19294444
A compact cogitator for Elesh, and a normal-sized one for Advi.
Why?
No clue.

>>19294458
seconding

>>19294458
Thirding.

>>19294458
fourthing

apologies, family distractions going on.

back in ~10 minutes.

>>19294051
>It is he who declares the Omnissiah's followers heretics when no such proof exists."
DON'T BRING UP THE ABOMINABLE INTELLIGENCE.

>>19294999
Hey, we don't *know* the servo skull is an AI. It claims to be the consciousness of a person transferred into a computer. That's different.

>>19295021
There is precedence for that among Tech Priests (I remember one doing the same thing in one of the Grey Knights books), but this guy isn't a Tech Priest and couldn't pass as one. And that's bad.

>>19294999
>>19295041
You might be right, we don't really have anything to gain by showing him and we have quite a bit to lose...

Your eyes dance across the offering of cogitators, studying the intricacies of each individual construct. In a moment your mechadendrites snatch a compact cogitator with a fine crystaline matrix and a standard sized cogitator with a compressed data bank stack. "A good selection, Elesh. I see that your tastes are improving with your gained experience. Now if you'll be off, I must attend to several pressing matters. May the Omnissiah anoint you with his blessed unguents."

"Omnissiah guide your path, Magos Banks."

You soon find yourself back upon 'Sword of the Omnissiah', with your new purchases stored securely within your favorite strong box. You leave Dominion upon the box as well, silently lamenting your weakness for not allowing Magos Banks to investigate the strange intelligence. Perhaps another time. Now, you must investigate the medicae deck and the status of your future skitarii.

The medicae deck opens with a strange chill, revealing Julin and 'Bob' standing over a covered body. The pale hand hanging limp from the bed before your officer and xenos follower gives you pause, though your cogitators eventually push your body forward.

"A warrior until the end." mutters Bob.

"Who has passed?"

Julin sighs, slowly removing her hand from the body. "Armswoman Presti, Captain. She made it home and we brought her relatives aboard earlier. Turned for the worst after they left."

"Presti? What were her injuries?"

"Paralized below the neck, Captain. Even with the ship breathing for her... she saw her family and gave up." Your Master-at-Arms gingerly returns the body's limp appendage to the confines of the cloth draped over the bed.

>orders?

>>19295084
Damn. Tthere go our plans. Eh, nothing we can do about that.

Let's head to Garin's and see if we can still join the game.

File: 1338348976713.jpg-(26 KB, 500x328, HesdeadJim128408492539815000.jpg)

>>19295084
>mfw
Fuuuu-

I suppose we'll need to find someone else for our work. Say, I wonder what sort of test subject Kelly will find...

>>19295084
Oh, right, we probably should have mentioned to her we were going to fix her.
WHOOPS.

If anyone asks, it's all that families fault. Stupid meatbags.

>>19295105
Yeah, this
Also, Banks sent some people over to help us with the medical procedure, right? Let them know what happened.

>>19295084
She will be remembered.
...
...
As a servo skull.

>>19295105

NOOOO!!! we have the technology... i have found the soultion, CORTEX IMPLANTS!!! they have the ability to restore the brains functionality in a similar way to that used in servitors...

or should we either scrap the project or just turn her into a servitor....
i assume the servitor option would not go down well with the crew...

>>19295151
We didn't?
>facepalm

>>19295178

i suddenly have the image of Elesh looking at the corpse then shouting "WHO NEEDS FIXING!?" with a demi-murderous look in her eyes...

>>19295084
>orders?
Seems like a good time to drink our sorrows away.

>>19295151
I thought we kept her asleep while we got everything ready for the surgery.

>>19295169
servitors generally require the subject to be biologically alive, I believe.


>>19295159

anyone else want to turn her into a servo skull?

>>19295238
Yeah, that was pretty much my impression as well.

>>19295256

oh... may as well make her into a servo sku....
LAS-CANNON SERVOSKULLS!!!!
using about six servo-skulls attached to a lascannon.... i think that could work...

>>19295256
No.

>>19295256
Yeah, I think servitors need living humans, or otherwise dead tech priests wouldn't be turned into serve skulls when you could still use the whole body.

But nah, she kinda failed us. I don't see any reason why we should reward that by turning her into a servo skull.

>>19295268
>>19295238
They probably went "oh, her family is here to see her, how nice, let's wake her up for them!"
Stupid meatbags. Messing with our projects...

>>19295355
Get whoever is responsible for that.

I'm voting against the servo skull thing. she's dead, let her be dead while we go off and do our thing.
And our thing is partying, pirating and getting ritch.

>>19295386
Indeed. We didn't even know her.

Getting all emotional over her passing and wanting to keep her skull as a memento is a weakness of the flesh brain that can easily be overcome by delicious liquor.

File: 1338350669072.jpg-(66 KB, 300x300, 1298652184781.jpg)

>>19295400
>Acquiring as many servoskulls as possible is a weakness of the flesh brain
>MFW
The family will probably want the body, though, and news we are de-skulling random dead crew will probably not be taken well either.

"We shall remember her spirit. I expect you both to be at Garin's for Assassin."

Julin nods and Bob shoots you a confused look as you leave to meet Banks' offered specialists. The small gaggle of techpriests disperses as you share the news, lacking a purpose to assist in your project. Soon you arrive at your destination and are greeted by Garin himself once more.

"Captain Phryx! How good it is to see you again. Dear Athe has already arrived with most of your officers." The man grins leacherously at you, leaning a touch closer. "You have quite a collection of strong women, Captain. Might you be starting a little harem after taking your prize from last time?"

"You're a strange one, Garin. Even compared to my crew."

"Says the captain with a xenos in her party." Your host smiles as your eyes tighten upon his. "Not that any here care, my friend. Now would you like to place a wager or simply set the rules of your party's game?"

>Current Rules: Standard. Officers must eliminate eachother. Last officer standing may attempt to eliminate the captain.
>Optional Rules: Regicide (Game ends when Elesh is eliminated or is last man standing); Watch Your Back (Captain is a valid target from the start, last man standing wins)
>Place bet? (bet can only be won if your "killer" is the final victor, can only be won by your crew)
>Check bets? (your party)
>Gamble on other games?
>other?

>>19295499
Yes, we shall acquire all the skulls we have, turn them into cyborgs and MAKE A THRONE OUT OF THEM AND...

waaaitaaaminuuuuteeeee

>>19295585
>Check bets? (your party)
first this

>>19295627
I think it's pretty safe to assume Athe is looking for a little payback after we beat her last time.

>>19295585
>Standard rules
>Check crew's bets before placing ours

>Gamble on other games?
Can't hurt to at least have a look around.

>other?
Remember to find out whose at fault for Presti's death. Merci upon whoever decided to wake her up.

>>19295587
Oh no, my cunning plan is unveiled.

>>19295627
Agreed.

>>19295627

Current Party Bets:
Athe: 'One Night' (Athe's standard bet for years. Only you have managed to claim it, once)
Julin: 'One Night' (You note that Julin matched Athe's bet last time out of some rivalry)
Kelly: 'Five Massages'
Bob: a strange gem
Teris: 1 wealth
Dess: 1 bar tab

>>19295705
So, same bet as last time?

>>19295705
>Julin: 'One Night' (You note that Julin matched Athe's bet last time out of some rivalry)

Where did the 1 credit go?

>>19295739
from the previous game?

you could only collect Athe's bet, as you can only claim the bets of persons that you personally eliminate.

>>19295756
Nah, just wondering why Julin reduced her bet.

>>19295737
I say we go same bet as last time.

>>19295781
What was our bet last time? I wasn't following the quest yet at that point.

>>19295816
>One night in the captain's quarters.
Captain not necessarily included.

Previous bet:
One Night in the Captain's Quarters


will you stick with Standard rules or go with a custom variation?

gamble on other games?

>>19295705
I'd really love to Bob's face when she realises half the bets are practically bestiality for her.

>>19295847
I say standard rules and no other gambles.

>>19295847
standard rules

>>19295876
>>19295886
>standard rules
I dunno. Playing by the optional rule could be more interesting.

If one of the crew managed to get the better of us, we might find a use for so capable a crewman.

>>19296045
Only officers are invited to play in the first place, I think.

File: 1338353602598.jpg-(71 KB, 300x346, ohyou.jpg)

"I believe one night in the captain's quarters will suffice for my bet once more, Gerin."

"As you wish, Captain. Standard rules then. One-hour recharge on your crew's handles and we frown upon attacks while your target is holding a full drink. Good hunting, Captain."

Gerin's has undergone several major changes since your last visit, the largest being the addition of a second and third floor packed just as tightly as the first. Heavy music, the clamor of the patrons, and the intermitent yelps of the defeated partially invalidate your hearing as you take in the new maze that is Gerin's.

>plan?
>defensible position, let the final officer come to you
>roam the crowd and hunt down the unwary while you're untouchable
>other?
>Next thread on Thursday @ 7:30-8:00 PM EST
>usual Q&A
>sorry for early end, but I'd rather call it than half ass it poorly.
>please vote for plan so I've got a nice chunk for the next thread.

>>19296082
>roam the crowd and hunt down the unwary while you're untouchable
We really need to knock Bob out of the game as soon as possible.

>>19296082
>>defensible position, let the final officer come to you
Sounds good.

>>roam the crowd and hunt down the unwary while you're untouchable
Don't really like that, seems rather dickish.

>>other?
-Explore the new additions to the club/bar while we're untouchable.
-Speak with the crew we don't know a lot about.
-Use the medicae mechadendrite on crew members who have been taken out to lessen the impact of the shock, if that's possible.

>>19296045
>>19296075
your crew is likely participating in several larger games in the neighboring clubs, but Gerin's proper is reserved for games between officers. Few gamble on the regular crew games.

>>19296148
>your crew is likely participating in several larger games in the neighboring clubs
We should definitely check out the winners of those.

Roam/explore sounds good. Bob should be easy enough to trail, given that people will likely react to a xenos nearby, though she may be hard to actually find. I'm surprised she was allowed into the officers game, though.

>>19296236
>officers game
Named crew members game, okay?

Well that ended well.

>>19296143
While we are untouchable, I second some exploring. We shoulg also prepair a surprise attack utalising our new arm, if at all posiable...

>>19299652
I really don't see how it would be, short of going through extensive modifications to replace the hidden blade/gun with a stun prod. And then revealing it in an open bar in a hive of scum and villainy.