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The Fall of House Morgenstern PDF Print E-mail
Written by Joe Hill   

Rather than use a pre-made background package for their characters, in my gaming group I allowed them to make their own, under my supervision as the GM. Here is the example one I made for my character, a Noble born Arbiter called Eli Morgenstern. I realise that it is quite powerful, but I allowed my group to make theirs so provided they make up some good background which fits it.

The Fall of House Morgenstern
Cost: 400xpHome Worlds-Noble Born
Careers: Arbiter

House Morgenstern was once a highly important noble family on Hive Sibellus. They controlled a large share in much of the Hives weapons production, and in the largest of the many mercenary companies in the Sector, however they where not a mercantile family, but a martial one. They believed in martial prowess over monetary wealth and finery, and eschewed the foppish and over-elegant tastes of other Noble families, instead moving towards practicality. Their mansion was a veritable fortress, located high in Hive Sibellus, containing their own private army.

But what made them unique amongst the hundreds of Noble families, was their teachings. From a young age all male children of the house would be instructed in the art of weapons, specifically firearms (though also in swordsmanship), and the use of two handguns, like gunslingers of old, to great and deadly effect. Upon their 16th birthday, the character would be presented their “Widowmakers”, a pair of antique guns from the armoury, which had rested there for generations. Upon the death of a gunslinger of House Morgenstern, his weapons would be retrieved, his name and legacy engraved upon them, and they would be laid to rest in those halls.

The process of “choosing the path”, or choosing your guns, would be taken alone, the gunslinger would step alone into the halls of the armoury, located in the bowels of the fortress, entirely alone, and would choose his weapon from the myriad of different designs available, all one of a kind, be they fast firing auto pistols with a massive clip, or highly accurate duelling pistols. Then, after their training and coming of age, all gunslingers would join the Arbiters, starting out as troopers and working their way up the ranks unaided by the political clout of House Morgenstern. They would be posted to some far flung world, and expected to prosper. And they always did, all rising to prestigious ranks within the Arbiters, and serving the Emperor well.

However, shortly after Eli Morgenstern, eldest son of Jacob Morgenstern, head of the Noble House, had entered into the Arbiters, and was posted to Port Suffering on Iocanthos, there was a disaster. In a bid to gain power, Remus Flagg, a high ranking advisor to Jacob betrayed him, and unleashed a daemon within the house. The gunslingers stood firm, but the Daemon destroyed them all. Inquisitorial forces moved in, and managed to destroy the Daemon and secured the house. Regulator Eli Morgenstern was pulled from his post by Inquisitorial agents, meticulously psy-scanned by the most powerful of telepaths, and was deemed pure and free from any taint. Along with the meagre funds (Though still a lot compared to most average citizens), Eli was left. He could not go back to his job due to the shame, and did not feel that it was his place to re-build the House and meet with the other gunslingers posted all around the sector, so Eli began to wander the stars, putting his skills as an investigator and a gunslinger up for hire. However, 5 years later (age of 23) Eli was contacted by the Inquisition. He undertook the trials, and proved worthy of becoming a Throne Agent, under the auspices of Inquisitor Tallow of the Ordo Hereticus, a moderate Puritan and an Amalathian. His skills will undoubtedly prove useful, and Eli relishes the chance to serve the Emperor, as well as being re-instated at his old rank of Regulator.


Starting Talents: Jaded, +5 Ballistic Skill, Two Weapon Wielder (Ballistic), Gunslinger, Ambidextrous
+1D10 Corruption points, -5 WP, hates all Psykers due to what happened to his family (-5 Fel when dealing with Psykers, if they give him the slightest excuse he will execute them, -5 to all BS tests when shooting if there is a psyker in his field of vision (he is contemplating shooting them instead) unless a psyker is the target of his shooting)

No longer takes income as Noble, instead his income is as a normal Arbiter, starts with 3,000 thrones (representing funds salvaged from House Morgenstern, diminished over time)

I used the Age and Experience download, available from this site, to represent the characters time as a Arbiter and as a mercenary/bounty hunter. I gave him 2 terms of service to get him to Regulator rank.

Thats pretty much it, I could do with some feedback. So far I am working through the starting campaign with my group, and he has proved successful with his shooting and investigating, just as I wanted him too be, but he has extremely strained relations with the TWO psykers in the group.

NB: Just in case you where wondering, the Widowmakers my character carries are a pair of hand cannons with Red dots and Manstopper rounds, representing a large pair of 5-shot revolvers, which he carries slung at his hips cowboy-style.

 

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Jimmy_P   | Registered | 2010-01-18 10:25:47
The psycher bit is a little verbose, and not entirely consistent with the rules. A man willing to shoot psychers for blinking funny is at more than -5 to interact with them. I'd call it -10 to 15, and maybe a willpower test to try and be nice.

Also, nineteen. Rule discordia.
Eli Drake   | Author | 2010-01-18 10:33:55
rule discordia indeed, i thought there must be more of us out there.
Thanks for the advice.

Long days and pleasent nights, wordslinger
kwdblade   | Registered | 2010-01-18 20:17:32
Probably be easier to just give him Hatred (Psykers) or better yet Hatred (Sorceror/witch) or Demon.
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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.
 
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