Searching Souls
Premise
Several Imperial Guard units are recovering and retraining on the Agri World ‘Trebatha’ in the Tertius sub-sector.The local Planetary Defence Force are few and poorly trained and wary of the ‘professional’ Imperial Guard.An Inquisitor comes to visit from the ‘Ordo Hereticus’.Everyone understandably is on edge.
This event took place on July 25-27th 2025.
Event retrospective
Trebatha
5-753-999.M41 •Segmentum Ultima – Denepo Sector • Tertius Sub sector
Trebatha, had been a natural agri-world for centuries, settled around the Great Crusade 005.M31.
The world was owned by the powerful Tavernes Dynasty known sector wide for their trade connections. The planetary governor for the last 15 years was Alzira Tavernes.
There were 3 large settlements but only one, Romay, with more than 10,000 population and acted as the planetary capital.
Recently exports were down. High value Corn and Mushrooms made up the best Trebatha could grow. The High Value [HV] Crop Centres 357-389 specialised in these, much sought after products. Exported to Sector worlds Lastrati, Shaheen and even the Naval Fortress world of Kar Duniash. Ostensibly to ensure the crops arrived in optimum condition, ‘specialist workers’ were being sent with most shipments.
The workers originally came from Chogoris [Mundus Planus] known as the home world of Space Marine Chapter “The White Scars” Primarch - Jaghatai Khan. Most still spoke some Khorchin, as well as Low Gothic [English]. Due to work specialisms they had divided into 2 separate ‘castes’.
‘Unders’ were generally shorter, stooped and often hooded, with pale skin and purple rimmed eyes due to working at night (mostly) in covered areas.
‘Facers’ were taller with bronzed faces and hands they spent long hours in the sun, tending each individual corn plant with great care.
The Tavernes interests were guarded by the Trebatha Security Force (TSF), a rather weak Planetary defence force, recruited to Trebatha from other relatively poor worlds. This meant they were not of Chogorian extraction. Hector Tavernes-Allcott [Nick Reynolds] was a conscientious but overworked Deputy commander of the TSF. His suspicions resulted in the Inquisition arriving at this specific location, some 100miles from Romay and the eyes of the Alzira Tavernes administratum.
The Departmento Munitorum’s Officio Tactica arrived 3 months ago to establish a Recuperation area adjacent to HV Crop Centre 371, for the Imperial Guard. The Ordinate Obracher Phraum [James Clokey] operated and monitored the units as they passed through.
The Church of St Asceline (The local patron saint of) had recently been reconsecrated to the Emperor, and a Priest, Reverend Father Gideon Jukes [Chris Hannaford] had been on planet for the last month or so, trying repair the old building and encouraging the local population to attend. He has even found a preserved skull relic of a Space Marine of the “The White Scars”.
The Imperial Guard
The most recent units attending the Recuperation area adjacent to HV Crop Centre 371 were :-
A 6 strong team of Catachan 33rd who following orders from off world, went straight into the forest 2 weeks ago but only 1 [John Duffy] returned badly injured and raving in Med bay.
A similar number of Krieg 10th arrived shortly after, about 10 days ago but left 3 days ago to help TSF at Crop Centre 370 a few miles away.
The Tanith 1st arrived 5 days ago.
The Cadian 101st arrived yesterday.
Following Time In
Several ‘Facers’, ‘Unders’ and Imperial Guard were in the only place to get food and drink; the Hünsni tasag [Bar/café] dry biscuits and bread with occasional apples from other crop centres. Drinks were Water, Beer [Pivo] and Vodka [Tsagaan Arhi] this was run by Thane Yanix [Paul Watson] as barman (barmyen in Korchin) who was doing a fair trade accepting small Chogorian coins [Gold Chinese coins] and Imperial coins [One and two pence pieces] alike.
The Reverend Father and Ordinate Phaum were contacted by Hector Tavernes-Allcott to make up a welcoming committee, having realised the Viper class scout ship ‘Vicem Imperator’ belonging to the Rogue Trader, Lord Severan Vayne [James Denning] was landing imminently at the Space Port.
To alight on planet were the 2 Inquisitor parties and Lord Vayne himself with a small entourage.
Inquisitor Justinian Helstrom [Alex Helm] remained aboard, with the 2 Adepta Sororitas [Erin & Holly] deep in negotiations with a Lord Inquisitor of the Ordo Excorium who demanded details of the investigation. (Think AC13 from Line of Duty, for the Inquisition)
As the remainder of the parties approached the Crop Centre a bomb went off near the Hunsni Tasag. Many were injured and 3 died, A ‘Facer’, the Krieg Commissar [Phil Higgins] and a Cadian Guardsman [Tim Atkinson], the latter being the focus of a long discussion about whether or not to turn him into a servitor. He escaped that fate.
This resulted in the 2 ‘Battle Sisters’ being released to help search for the culprits. However despite the efforts of the TSF and a few Imperial Guard, the 2 ‘Facers’ responsible were eventually caught and killed by some ‘Unders’. (The ‘early’ bombing by the ‘Facers’ brought too much attention so their fellow cultists ‘Unders’ killed them and turned their bodies over to the Imperial authorities)
At the same time the Navigator [Danni Oliver] and the Sanctioned Psyker [Sarah Clark] received the first of fragments of warp images and suffered brief lapses of consciousness as a result.
The ‘Unders’, collected the rest of their crew and went to start work ostensibly in the ‘Shroom Pits.
However a Tanith scouting party went to the ‘Shroom pits to find no one working there.
*****
The following morning started with a Church service for the Imperial Guard, whilst Inquisitorial agents under Inquisitor Tobias Harling [Dave Forster] explored the Crop Centre itself.
They were soon joined by Inquisitor Helstrom.
The Navigator and Psyker were hit by another broken image.
At this point the Commander of the TSF Lord Julian Tavernes [Andy O’Leary] turned up having been at a party in Romay the previous night.
There was a concerted effort to question all at the Crop Centre, and following the discovery of a sinister badge, Ordinate Phaum was found guilty of heresy and executed.
Meanwhile more workers both ‘Unders’ and ‘Facers’ were focussing on the Crop centre and appeared armed with simple sticks and agricultural tools, though some appeared to be using Krieg entrenching tools! Some were arguing for more food and began to riot but they were placated 1st by an offer of food and then threat of gunfire.
After several attempts the Psyker attempted a Divination, concluding that not all was in vain, but that there was a much bigger threat involved. (A simplified interpretation for this report)
The Vox on site was found to be non-functioning, but after a long attempt Tech Priest Bennika 250788 [Ben Oliver] managed to get it working and conversations were started with Romay and the Palace of Alzira Tavernes. The Vox continued to be in poor repair so failed again with Tech Priest Varnon-Beta-2 [Alex Clark] attempting to fix it as well.
By the afternoon, Lord Julian Tavernes was under great suspicion, especially as vital ‘blank’ paper from his briefcase went missing, and the Vox on site was finally sabotaged, with no hope of repair. As a result the ‘Vicem Imperator’ took off and became a waystation in fixed orbit, for the portable Vox carried by Cadian Guard Roger Bleeps [Debbie Forster].
Further interrogation about ‘missing’ workers resulted in Lord Julian using a ‘hidden’ small pistol to shoot the psyker, only to be blasted at point blank range by one of the Battle Sisters bolters.
The Catachan 33rd survivor was also interrogated about the ambush of his unit, that had resulted in his mental breakdown. (This was eventually found after the game to have been a ‘Lictor’ , the Tyranid’s own version of an advance scouting party.)
The Navigator and Psyker were again plagued by glimpses of an image.
During this time, all within the Crop centre were searched and questioned. Several were cautioned over their possessions and behaviours by the Inquisition. (They will go on the Inquisitorial ‘Watch List’)
At the same time more and more ‘Unders’ and ‘Facers’ appeared now armed with pistols as well as tools. Apparently, they came from other Crop Centres and were congregating around Centre 371.
A number of probing attacks were repulsed and more ‘cult’ symbols found. At one point the cries of a baby were heard. The Battle Sisters duly investigated and having found a mutant child, executed it and the family. Suffering shock at the sight of the abomination, they argued even with Inquisitor Helstrom, that no one else should see it and its remnants were burnt.
That evening, with more gifted images from the Psyker and Navigator and one other they were beginning to be pieced together.
At the same time an ‘Under’ [Graham Parton]was captured by the TSF at the cost of one of their number, and under interrogation revealed a meeting of ‘The Cult’ later that night in the ‘Shroom pits. They were then shot and remnants burnt
The whole of the group with the few TSF left, moved to assault the ‘Shroom pits, only to find a very large cult following, chanting and armed with all sorts of weapons. Casualties in the group rapidly increased, including the loss of Hector Tavernes-Allcott. With the Cult was a powerful female Magus [Claire Barclay] who wielding an energy staff and warp spells kept the group at bay. Indeed at one point it was feared the whole of the Tanith unit had ‘bled out’ on the left flank. Thankfully they were still a few minutes away when last minute medical aid arrived.
A final push saw the cultists killed and along with the Magus and her staff remnants burnt, which resulted in an explosion causing yet more casualties.
The group retired to the Crop Centre to lick their wounds and to take stock.
No sooner were they back then, out of the dark, leapt a Pure Strain Genestealer wreaking havoc amongst the group until finally gunned down by concentrated fire from all. Yup, you guessed it, its remnants were then burnt.
With darkness closing in and surrounding chants of “Ascension!” the group withdrew to the eastern half of the Centre to await siege. It then went eerily quiet….
*****
The next morning the cultists had appeared to have gone and all was calm. The whole group assembled in the Church on what was St Asceline’s Day to give thanks and celebrate a great victory.
As they prepared to leave the church, steeled by Inquisitor Helstrom to deal with whatever the sneaky and evil cultists intended, 3 of the congregation fell unconscious crying out, even Inquisitor Harling appeared momentarily moved. The group sprung into action, helping the Psyker, the Navigator and the Guardsman to recover and to move back to the Centre.
Once clear of the Church however, Vox operator Roger Bleeps reported that the ‘Vicem Imperator’ had detected a Xenos fleet and had been trying to contact the group.
The Ship was instructed to land at the Space Port and the groups would rendezvous there.
At this point several Cultists opened fire and delayed the group getting to the Centre.
Rallying at this point the group moved towards the Space port, but instead of crops in front of them, there appeared a greenish pool with remnants of crops and a facer skeleton slowly dissolving in it.
The ship managed to get a Vox message through reporting they were taking damage from Xenos (Tyranid) ships, and that there had been a launch from Romay, that had almost immediately gone into the warp.
As the group passed the pool a number of Tyranids, Termagants and Tyranid Warrior blocked the way and swarmed over the group. At the same time Cultists opened fire from the edges of the woods around and many were injured.
Then as hope faded, in a flash of bright light a vision of St Asceline appeared, the group found their most recent injuries miraculously healed and with the Saint leading the way through the Tyranids, were able to resume their progress towards the Space Port. Once clear of the immediate danger, the vision disappeared but not before blessing Sister Anastasia [Erin] and tiny fragments of gold material fluttered around, one piece kept by Roger Bleeps.
Once at the Space port they fended off repeated Cultist and Termagant attacks and to their surprise saw a Drukhari warrior at the edge of the Space Port, also engaging the group and the Tyranids.
The Ship finally landed, but having taken damage in the descent, from the Tyranid fleet, required the Tech priests working together to open the outer hull door.
As they chanted in unison the litany of repair, the Reverend Father lifted the defenders’ spirits with his Servo Skull playing Tanith Bagpipe music!
The door open, all dashed inside and the Pilot, Leo von Colebrooke [David Dorward] took off, only to have the ships alarms set off, as Tyranid vessels closed on them. The navigator rapidly spoke the chant of Warp navigation and then told the Pilot to initiate warp entry.
The ‘Vicem Imperator’ sliced into the Immaterium and left Trebatha to its fate………
Next event: Only in Death Does Duty End – Selling Souls