REPORT FROM MAGNUS WHITELOCK: 504.815.M41
 

Part 1 - The Landing

As we set down off our shuttle, I recommended our Tech-Priest to do a sweep on his auspex in order to detect any disturbances from the evidently scorched buildings. Whatever happened here was hot. As (he?) detected nothing at all, we continued on, searching from building to building. The only things of note at this point other than the evident ghost town (little did I know how true that was to be later) were constant sounds and voices. It does so seem that there is another (most definitely unholy) presence here, it did not require a scholar to figure that out. Mira shot out the floorboards that the sound came from when we entered the second building, and albeit, I did question her sound and fire discipline, it does sometimes pay to be thorough. That floorboard was sure not to cause another sound again.

Eventually we got to the point were we found something it was a small data-slate. Samayel worked, whilst I guarded the entrance, keeping my eyes wary for any sign of danger (as I was apt to do). Hearing an electrical sound, I turned around, seeing (him?) on the ground, data-slate across the room. I expressed my concerns for the Tech-Priest’s well-being, which he replied to as being fine, and got the necessary data. We moved on.

Then, we experienced some warp ghosts replaying a scene, possibly a distant memory. What was shown was a group of people fighting off what looked to be Sisters of Battle. There, nearby was definitely a sign of our notable Inquisitor Frost. I averted my eyes after seeing a few of the Sisters clutching their throats. I cannot bear to even think that I saw such devoted members of the Emperor dieing due to some horrible, twist, mutated psychic choir. I shut the thought from my mind, and did a quick prayer of protection to steel myself from the possible danger.

Our group continued to search for any additional information, with Mira and I continuing to be point, with her leading, myself following with my shotgun, checking and clearing rooms for safety. Zee followed up from behind me, oddly silent. There is nothing much more notable when we were clearing out most of the scorched ruins. Burnt materials, and burnt walls, much to my surprise. We eventually followed up on what was to be a small doll though; I believe it’s called a Guard Mirror doll. Samayel did (his?) job and booted it up, checking for even the smallest of memories from the machine spirit. I took cover by the door to continue to keep a constant eye out, doing my duty.

The bloody doll turns out to be a heretical piece of work apparently. I don’t know what it was doing, but the group heavily reacted to it, even without my keen ears telling me. Samayel quickly stopped the blasphemous act, and rested the corrupt machine spirit. I also noted Balas kicking out on the floor; I guess he is getting ideas from Mira? (He?) handed it off to Vincentius, unfortunately, who took it obviously begrudgingly from whatever it did. I truly hope it does not cause any more problems, and hopefully it was not needed to destroy on first action. We took it because we do not know what exactly the Oracle wants, as you understand, we do not want to short change the Oracle. This has confused us greatly to what greater purpose he is aspiring too. But I shan’t question it, since I exist to serve and kill in His holy name.

To skip through a few more areas of non-interest (they were more simple areas which containing nothing useful, unless more descriptions of what burnt wood looks like), we eventually found upon a stockpile. Samayel proved to be even more useful here. (He? I get so very confused with Tech-Priests) found a hidden cache underneath floorboards that could have been easily missed. It was only with (his?) sharp eyes and constant communication with his auspex’s machine spirit that he found it. It was a cogitator filled with a whole bunch of useful information. I did not get much from it, since I continued to peel my eyes, looking for any dangers in those quiet streets.

It apparently contained a huge list of experiment logs, citing various generations. Pulling my thoughts together, it seems that this place is another part of the Rising Silence. This must have been a colony where they were running experiments, through the generations of people here. There were a few names that I heard that instantly crossed my mind (The heretic Darius is the first and foremost). As well, the Rising Silence seems to heavily concentrate on Psykers, but to what end is questionable. I recommend having a savant cross-reference data referring to the Joyous Choir incident and the information obtained from the Ambulon facility and the experiments conducted there with the ones here when the information is available.

To throw a thought out there for my masters to ponder, I heavily wonder why the Oracle sent us here. Was it to find out this information and to continue through with the investigation and find out vital clues of the Rising Silence? Or was it to simply find some data he wanted? Or was it both? Did he already know what we’d find with him being an Oracle, and he wanted us to know? I do not know, and we may never know or fully understand his agenda. I will not lose any sleep over it if in the end.

My recommendations at the end of this log, pending the next part (after the machine spirit’s memories are converted and transferred to our resident Tech-Priest), is that it seems prudent for our Acolyte cell, if we continue to experience more of the Rising Silence, that we may need anti-psyker training as well as equipment to fully function to the best capabilities if they continue to try and “produce” the “best” psyker possible, if I’m to understand what they are attempting to do.

++End of session.++

Part 2 – Pain in Discovery

At the next buildings below where the cogitator was held, we went southwards. We found nothing of great use. But that lead to the discovery of the speaker systems occasionally spouting static. Samayel decided to report, but to no avail. The vox couldn’t reach the Diva. Thus, we needed to find that main broadcasting hub…

We seemed to have found the library, and have found the possible seeds of heresy. As seeing so much free thought, I burned out as much as possible before our Tech-Priest urged us a move-on, before leaving altogether. What we encountered next was horrifying. There was a couple making love, and one grew extra arms and killed the man. The man shouted something before dieing, and they exited from existence. This is confusing beyond all means.

Located a data-slate later on, but, as it was turned on, it was given the text, "Subsystems located, attempting to bring online…" That caused problems. Large, angry sounds emitting from all electronics. Causing more problems, we heard large groaning sounds coming from another building that we’ve searched before.

Later on, we found the hub that distributes the vox system transmissions. Mira decided to bring Balas and I along for the ride and to check out what’s happening in this location. As the hub was turned on, it caused that same noise, with a chanting. The machines in the craft room that we were in, caused them to turn hostile, and attack us. We dispatched them with relative ease, mostly due to Mira’s chainsword, and my Bolt Pistol.

That leaves us to the problem that encountered us. It seems a group of the machines collected together. I was left by myself at this point with possibly some broken or fractured ribs, I’m not sure where anybody else was. Then I heard Mira shouted some orders into the vox, which I needed to be a distraction. I’ll try I thought at the time. As I sprinted towards it, I stood on top of a pile of rubble, trying to gather its attention. It seems to want the dock.

I shot at the contraption, firing as fast as possible with my bolt pistols. Firing at it got its attention, smashing my left arm. Afterwards, I continued to fire, and brought myself to avoid it grappling me. Seeing that Mira finished planting the meltabomb, I readied myself to cover her escape. Fully realizing how much I wish I requisitioned more bolt rounds, I saw my one bolt pistol run dry, with my other very low, with only half of my bolt pistol left. I decided that after seeing her getting free, best to run away, lest the last image I see of the flaming arrow heading towards the melta-bomb does anything.

The first thing afterwards, was destroying the piece of machinery that attacked me and left me behind the rest of the crush, and injuring me. There is nothing much more notable afterwards, albeit we found where the majority of the machines came from, which was farmland. I was mostly tending to my wounds and Bolt Pistols. We had a conversation with the Tech-Priest, which we examined and routinely set watches to make sure nothing was amiss as he piloted the shuttle, due to the warnings he set forth upon us. The odd thing was though, when he first fired it up, it shut down nearly instantaneously… Something is amiss here, and as always, I feel it was Balas who was playing trickery with us. I continue to keep my watch on him.

As the last note, He always watches us, and always makes sure that I come back as His loyal servant. The Emperor protects.

++End of session.++

Thought begets Heresy; Heresy begets Retribution