Lucien 'The Hound' Baptiste

Lucien 'The Hound' Baptiste.
Arbitrator Cyber Mastiff Handler - Rank 9 (Justicar, Magos)  

WS 42**, BS 62****, S 69*, T 69****, Ag 50****, Int 70****, Per 50**, WP 56***, Fel 15.
(*= upgrade purchased)

Wounds - 25, Fate - 3.

Divination - 'There is no substitute for zeal', Transition Package - The Rite of Clear Thought.
   
Mastered Skills - Cryptological Mastery, Investigation Mastery, Observation Mastery, Shadow Craft Mastery, Stealth Mastery, Tech Lore Mastery.

Skills - Common Lore (Adeptus Arbites, Administratum, Imperium, Machine Cult, Tech +20, War), Dodge +20, Forbidden Lore (Archeotech +20, ***** ***, ***********, ****** ***, Inquisition +20, Mutants +20, Psykers +10, Warp +10, Xenos +20), Literacy, Logic +20, Scholastic Lore (Astromancy, Bureaucracy +20, Chymistry +20, Judgement +10, Occult +10), Secret Tongue (Gutter, Tech, Throne Agent), Speak Language (High Gothic, Low Gothic), Tracking +20, Trade (Apothecary +20, Armourer +20, Scrimshawer, Shipwright +20, Technomat +20).

Paragon Talents - Conditioned Intellect, Exemplar of Metal, Gunfighter Saint, Heightened Reactions, Indomitable Fortitude, Machine Spirit Empathy, Mental Aegis, Peerless Marksman, Purity of the Machine, Unassailable Grace.

Talents - Arms Master, Basic Weapons Training (SP), Dark Soul, Double Team, Fearless, Hatred (Unknown Inquisitors), Heightened Senses (Hearing, Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch), Master Chirugeon, Melee Weapon Training (Primitive, Shock), Pack Hunter, Pistol Training (SP), Sound Constitution (12), Sprint, Talented (Logic, Security, Shadowing, Tracking), Total Recall, True Grit, Wolf Pack Tactics.

Influence Talents - Good Reputation (Adeptus Arbites, Adeptus Mechanicus, Adeptus Titanicus, Admistratum, Enforcers, Underworld), ****** *******, **** ****** ** *** ****** ** *****, Peer (Adeptus Arbites, Adeptus Mechanicus, Adeptus Titanicus, Admistratum, Enforcers, Imperial Navy, Inquisition, Underworld), ****** ****, ******* **** ** ****.

Traits - Fit for Purpose, Mechanicum Implants, Soul of Iron, Stranger to the Cult, Tech Tinker, Unnatural Intelligence x2.
   
Cyber Handler Gear - Best Quality Constructer Interface Augmetic, Upgraded 'Bloodhound' Cyber Mastiff x4, Upgraded 'Bullpup' Cyber Mastiff.

Weapons - Best Quality Ripper Autopistol (Backpack Ammo Supply, Motion Predictor) x2, Best Quality Vanaheim-Pattern Assault Shotgun (Extended Magazine, Fire Selector, Mono Melee Attachment, Motion Predictor, Red Dot Sight) with Executioner Rounds and Hyper Density Penetrators, Grenades (Blind x3, Frag x3, Krak x3), Combat Knife (Lathe, Mono, Venom Drip) x2, Whip (Flexible, Power, Toxic).
   
Armour - Best Quality Ballistic Cloth Surcoat (+AP2 Arms, Body, Head), Best Quality Dragon Scale Armour (AP9 All, +10 Str, Preysense Mask).

Gear - Arbitrator ID, Auspex, Charm (Engraved Bolt Casing), Chrono, Clip Harness, Cloak (Best Quality), Flask of Amasec, Inquisitorial ID, Magnacles x4, Multi-Key, Opus Machina, Servo-Skull x3 (Auger, Medicae, Utility).
   
Bionics + Implants - Best Quality Cortex Implants, Black Bone Bracing, Ballistic Mechadendrite, Chem Gland (Stimm), Hermetic Infusion, Manipulator Mechadendrite, Medicae Mechadendrite, MIU, Optical Mechadendrite, Plasma-Cutter Mechadendrite, Utility Mechadendrite.
   
Mementos - Engraved Knife, Hip Flask, ******* ******* Locks of Black Hair.  

Background -
Lucien was born in the habitation blocks provided for the workers on the primary Forge's of Arcturus Prime, the only child of an archivist and a common labourer. Like all inhabitants and serfs of the most well run Mechanicum facilities each person was regularly assessed so as to ensure their contribution to the Omnissiah would be the most appropriate one. Luckily for Lucien, his intelligence and natural awareness spared him the fate of an existence as a low level labourer and made him ideal as a candidate as an Enforcer and then later as he showed more and more ability as a locator of troublemakers he was made an Arbitrator. As his superiors noticed his moderate successes it was decided he would be granted the blessing of the Omnissiah in the form of the Implants required to become a handler for the various Cyber creatures necessary to locate the more elusive of the criminals that eluded even the most efficient of the Arbites trackers. After the successful retrieval of an important piece of Xenotech stolen from the Magos's own data archives, the Magos created a Servo Skull for Lucien from what was left of the perpetrators corpse as acknowledgement of the efficiency of the retrieval. Not long after this event a request was made to the rulers of the Arcturus system for an experienced tracker and hunter and Lucien was given the honour of the assignment.
As it turned out, the assignment was to assist with the security on a cargo vessel transporting various vehicle and weapon loads from the Arcturus System to it's nearest neighbours and then to transport other loads of various types from that sector to yet another and which due to the political power of the owning Rogue Trader meant that he could ‘ask’ for better personnel than the job would usually be allocated. Due to the convoluted structure of these vessels it was relatively easy for criminals amongst the crew to evade capture by hiding in it's cavernous depths, not to mention the ease with stowaways of various types could find unused areas to hide in. Lucien’s duties were simply to locate any of these undesirables so they could be punished appropriately and more often than not this punishment was indentured servitude or summary execution. His innate skills as a tracker meant that within a relatively short time he would become so familiar with the vessels on which he worked that the challenge of hunting down his prey would become so routine that he invariably would ask for a transfer to another vessel and if the request was refused would simply claim to have received orders from his own commanders and would leave anyway. The high rate of 'accidents' amongst ship security meant that acceptance of his employment on a new ship was never in doubt as good personnel were always in short supply. 
It was on one of these hunts that he met the scum Kallos (better known as ‘Shiv’ to his closer acquaintances). A routine expectation of the containers of foodstuffs being transported from yet another worthless Agri world to some unworthy and ungrateful Hive World showed signs of recent habitation and the increasingly jaded Lucien was sent to investigate. Unusually for such an intrusion the interloper had actually made a fairly laudable attempt to cover his trail and Lucien felt his interest in the chase rising. Even an averagely skilled target would be more interesting than the vermin he had chased on the last three occasions, these previous ‘runners’ had been so incompetent that he’d simply shot them where he found them and sent the location to ship security for their retrieval rather than have their mundane presences inflicted on him during the journey to the holding cells. However this new prey had made some rather interesting attempts to shake his pursuer and cover his tracks so that when Lucien finally cornered him in a disused storage room in the ships depths surrounded by the corpses of it’s previous owners, he was genuinely disappointed with the hunts end. He decided to reward this stowaway with his life in exchange for the momentary relief from boredom that he had provided and simply took one of the bodies of his victims back instead after removing the evidence of knife damage with a few well placed shotgun blasts. This new relationship turned out to be a mutually beneficial one. Kallos would keep this area of the ship free of trouble as well as providing any useful information he picked up in the ships depths and Lucien would ensure that none of the other security personnel investigated any incidents in the area too closely.
Finally becoming completely bored of work shipboard he decided he would see if he could find something more interesting to do on the very next habitable planet that they reached. That planet happened to be a shit-hole Hive World known as Scintilla and figuring that it might be a good idea to have somebody at least marginally on his side he took Kallos with him. Between them they have gained any employment they could find with Kallos earning money in whatever way he sees fit and Lucien doing the jobs that the local Arbites, Bounty Hunters and others were unwilling or unable to complete. Though receiving much better pay than that of an Arbitrator or member of ships security, Lucien was pretty much always only a handful of Thrones away from destitution as the ‘entertainments’ required in order to occupy his mind in between hunts had become more and more extreme. 
If something of interesting doesn’t come along to occupy him soon then who knows what he might do to relieve the boredom…

Home World - Arcturus Prime (Forge World)  
Age - 35  
Build - Well Built  
Description - Green Eyes, Black Hair, Fair Skin, Electoo  
Player - Garreth

8 comments:

  1. Lucien's Personal Log.

    Been ages since I bothered to keep a log of anything. Effectively having no authority to report to other than whoever was in command of the ship I was on or whichever barely literate inbred member of the local enforcement forces needed a job doing properly has made reports largely irrelevant. "I've found him, send a security team for retrieval" doesn't really need to be logged and to be honest what happens afterwards doesn't really concern me.

    I'm doing this manually on paper as I doubt that any encryption system will be able to protect the information from Crow should she actually care enough to look for it...

    So I've now met the 'team' that I'm going to be working with.

    Kallos - It's always useful to have somebody you can rely on so I've bought 'Shiv' with me. I was expecting some resistance from our new employer but she doesn't seem that concerned as long as he doesn't fuck-up and as he can go the places I can't and has enough stealth skills of his own he shouldn't let me (or her) down. Plus he makes a good look-out.

    Lyra - A Metallican Gunslinger. Has good weapon skills and is probably the most sociable of the bunch. Pretty too...I think Atellus has a thing for her.

    Atellus - At first I took him for a Cleric of some description but apparently he's a psyker (Sanctioned of course), more specifically a Telekine. It's fortunate that he's not a telepath...I don't like people poking around inside my head. Fortunately my cranial circuitry makes reading my mind more complicated than most low-level mind scanners can deal with. His parents are apparently high level Arbites on the hive world of Malfi though whether that will be a help or a hinderance remains to be seen as Malfi is reportedly a snake-pit when it comes to it's internal politics.

    Silon - Has the look of an Assassin. He also has in his possession a close combat weapon of unusual configuration...it's unlike any Imperial Tech I've ever seen so it's either extremely advanced or Xenos in origin...either answer is suspicious though he's so reckless in combat situations I'll most likely be able to take a look when he inevitably gets himself killed.

    Mann - Typical Guardsman it seems. Allegedly he's a 'drop' trooper though that may just be in reference to the way he spills food and drink down himself all the time. Though I have my suspicians that Atellus may have something to do with that...

    Litila - A very angry young lady. She took a swing at Lyra on day one and got a bullet in the arm for her trouble...I like Lyra... This Litila's seemingly from a royal family on some backwater feral world but 'royalty' on those shit-holes probably just means they have a bigger pile of beads than the mud-dweller sitting next to them.

    Crow - Interrogator Crow is our direct link to the mysterious Inquisitor Wroth. Blunt to the point of rudeness and arrogant with it which is of course no different from any other person high up in the Imperial authorities so I wont take it personally and 100 Gelt in expenses for a weeks work isn't bad going, but.....something about the way she moves...irritates me...but I can't quite put my finger on what it is at the moment...I'm sure it will come to me at some point in the future.

    So that's the group I'm going to be working with for the foreseeable future...if we live that long.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Luciens Personal Log - 2nd Entry

    So we were tasked with finding the reasons why an apparently innocent hab-worker should be filled with illegal bio-tech organs. We were given our main briefing by sombody called 'Sand'. My Auspex scans showed he had Mechanicum Implants and rather annoyingly he had no trackable scent which is unusual as even the most blessed mechanicam representitives normally have a scent of some description. Whatever implant systems he possessed must have been of incredibly high quality...it may be worth getting on his good side if I can find a way of ingratiating myself to him in some way. Though I have no desire to abandon the flesh completely, there are a number of Mechanicum augmentations that might come in useful.

    It turned out that some lunatic Heretek Chirugeon was conducting experiments on the local populace and turning the rest into food...several of my colleagues were unfortunate enough to have eaten in the local facility where this activity had taken place which was somewhat amusing.

    We killed some of the local vermin during the mission. Five of which I killed myself when they attempted to kill us in the hotel in which we were stopping...The usual lower hive scum, no-one of importance though...

    For some reason Atellus decided to help some local whore. Not sure why he'd think she'd be grateful...that sort of...person...is used to using others and I had no reason to think this one would be any different...especially this one...she looked like...'Her'...and all those sort are the same...

    Anyway...We got Sand his samples, terminated the apparent leader and Lyra killed the local gang leader with an amazing shot to the head so i guess we can call this one a success. One thing came apparent during the mission though and that's that in a prolonged engagement my Combat Shotgun isn't always the best weapon and for accuracy at range it's bloody useless. I'll see if crows 'pet' Rogue Trader can get me a back-up weapon...an IUS automatic is reliable enough but given the sort of missions were likely to be sent on I could probably do with a Silencer and a better sight might be useful as well, perhaps something that helps with aiming like a red-dot sight. I'll see if Lyra's willing to train me in some of the finer points of pistol use as she's obviously the most proficient pistol user in the group by a long way...plus it will be nice to be trained by someone who's easy on the eye...

    It looks like I'm going to be getting directly involved in the combatitive side of engagements more often than is normally expected of me which is somewhat irritating. The traditional methods of killing normally don't do anything for me but I must admit that wiping out the hive slime had a certain appeal...Not exactly as a replacement...but as a supplement...maybe...

    Best go talk to Lyra about that training...

    ReplyDelete
  3. "I'll see if Lyra's willing to train me in some of the finer points of pistol use as she's obviously the most proficient pistol user in the group by a long way."

    She is the bestest... at shooting pistols, and chatting bull shit... :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...and apparently enjoys playing dress-up according to the 'in character conversation' section of this blog.....Luciens vote is for the Black Corset, Skirt and Boots by the way ;-)

      Delete
    2. I thought it might be lol. And well a girls gota shoot stuff and buy nice clothes...

      Delete
  4. Luciens Personal Log - 3rd Entry

    A Servitor delivered me my new handgun courtesy of Crows 'pet' Rogue Trader complete with red-dot sight and silencer. It was an IUS automatic as requested...though not the most powerful of guns it is one of the best in terms of reliability and has a decent ammunition capacity so is ideal as a 'back-up' weapon. Lyra is apparently happy to train me in it's use though I suspect it will end up costing me in some way at a later point...

    Learnt a bit more about Lyra while we were training...her body-count is quite impressive for a young lady...

    My new Combat Knife has also now been delivered. It has a far superior edge to that of my previous weapon and it's beautifully balanced and should part skin and flesh...effectively...but unfortunately I have no way of testing it properly yet...hopefully an opportunity will arise at some point in the future...no likely candidates for testing spring to mind currently...

    Our current situation seems to be having some small financial benefits at least. At this rate I should be able to re-equip myself fully within a year or so, as long as I can avoid sudden violent death or summary execution that is.

    Lyra seems reasonably happy with my progress with shooting, now I just need to practice drawing the weapon with the same speed that I do my Shotgun without accidentally blowing my foot off.

    We're apparently off to some semi-feudal world to alter the balance of power in favour of a more...preferable...candidate. Assassination has always been an effective tool in politics and apparently the Inquisition agrees. Hopefully I won't have to get my hands dirty this time though as I'm informed that I can take my full equipment compliment on this occasion I can only assume that some tracking will be involved...Maybe our Sniper will be of some use this time as well...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Luciens Personal Log - 4th Entry

    Apparently when both the mechanicum and Imperium wish control of a planet they entrust the task to whichever random group of inquisitorial acolytes happens to be closest...this dubious honour has been given to us, presumably because we are appropriately expendable...or because somebody wants us to be the ones to fail...

    The planet was exactly as wretched as one would expect though we were to be accompanied on much of our mission by an honoured member of the Adeptus Sororitas...Though my mechanicum training was drawn to the precision and masterful craftsman...craftperson...craftswomanship...whatever...of both her Armour and sacred Bolter it was the aura of purity and righteous power that surrounded her that was most impressive...

    Litila acquired us a Salamander for transportation. At the time it seemed like a worthy achievement...of course I should have guessed based on her behaviour on the last mission that her method of acquisition would be of a carnal nature...apparently the word 'Royal' translates as 'whore' on her planet of origin...still we needed a transport and she got us one...

    Atellus and Mann took turns with the driving though their lack of respect for the vehicles Machine Spirit resulted in them both managing to injure themselves during their respective shifts...perhaps next time they will recite the rites of activation with more conviction.

    We spoke to 'The Voice' and he was as charismatic as we were led to believe though his army was laughably poorly equipped.

    As usual, I put forward an entirely viable plan which after a period of pointless debate was suggested again by Lyra and then accepted...Next time I'll simply suggest the plan to Lyra first and we can save ourselves the wasted time...It was a relatively simple job to locate the Trader with the Ghostfire...well...simple for me at least...

    Despite Atellus destroying our Salamander (much to Litila's chagrin), Kallos botching a simple infiltration and Litila wasting an opportunity to salvage the situation by hesitating with her kill-shot we somehow managed to acquire the shipment from the Trader as well as a transfer of his military support to 'The Voice'. Much of this success was due to Lyra's skilled bargaining though Atellus hovering in the air behind us and my gun to the traders forehead were also mitigating factors.....More importantly we were given the honour of seeing a Sister of Battle in combat...her skill with both blade and Bolter were extraordinary...I took several of the expended bolter casings as they will undoubtadly serve as worthy talismans against evil once engraved with suitable prayers of devotion.

    Mann and Litila finally made themselves useful (or should I say that litila managed to do something useful with her legs together for a change) and trained the forces of 'The Voice' in the use of their newly acquired weapons and armour. All that remained was to remove his major rivals and that we accomplished through Litilas sniping abilities...though it took her three shots to remove the two primary targets the extremity of the range made this still suitably impressive.

    We managed to avoid the enemy forces for long enough for 'The Voice' to mop up the remaining pockets of resistance and with the traders stock of pollen their place as rightful rulers was ensured...as long as they served the Imperiums purpose that is...

    We were given leave to enjoy the festival and as our role in the victory was common knowledge amongst the victorious army and it's supporters 'entertainment' was easy enough to procure...the area was too crowded for me to enjoy myself fully though. On another positive note - Vittel apparently survived whatever fate had supposedly befallen her which has cheered Crow's mood considerably...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Luciens Personal Log - 5th Entry

    Well that was a situation I'd like to avoid having to go through again.

    I suppose I shouldn't be surprised given what I know about how the way that the various factions in Imperial authority are always vying for superiority over one another but the discovery that members of the Inquisition can be fighting on opposite sides was somewhat of a revelation...This 'Ghast' person attempted to convert us to his cause but to be honest his reasoning was fundamentally flawed. The Emperor is the Omnissiah, to be worshipped as an ancient font of knowledge and wisdom.....what difference would it make to the integrity of that knowledge whether he is encased in the sacred an ancient technology of his golden throne or seperate from it.....This rogue Inquisitor is obviously a fool.....but a powerful one, none the less.....He also had somehow managed to convert a member of the Astartes to his cause, though this was more likely to have been a deception of some kind as the thought of a Space Marine condoning such evil hardly bears considering.

    and of course then there were the corpses.....

    Though I'm no stranger to the dead, having them get back up again and attack has become an increasingly common problem. Twice on Coscarla and a dozen times on Gallant. Luckily they seem to have no knowledge of their former existances which is fortunate.....the thought of certain bodies rising from the dead with full knowledge of what was done to them before they became dead AND the person resposible is concerning to say the least. I must remember to remove the heads of such so as to prevent this occurrence.

    It's not all bad though. I managed to requisition some gear from the local Arbite station and the Arbites manning it managed to get themselves torn apart by the walking dead so I was unable to return it. Unfortunately Crow has decided that the items I acquired count towards my share of the missions salvage so I haven't made any Gelt this time.....I do however now have a selection of equipment that I most likely couldn't have afforded even with my share so I've kept my protests to a minimum despite the fact that much of the valuables making up that salvage were acquired by me.

    Additionally, Crow has asked me to begin to maintain the teams equipment and weapons as a sort of 'armourer' for the rest of the acolytes...by 'ask' I mean 'informed me that's what I'll be doing...' whether this is a promotion of sorts or punishment for my (as she put it) 'improper use of the vessels crew for my personal gratification' remains to be seen.

    and Litila's dead, which should increase the teams average intelligence and competence level considerably. Lyra seems particularly pleased by this turn of events. On the subject of Lyra.....Atellus managed to blow any chance he had of scoring with her by the unfortunate application of sewerage to her outfit...Not that he had much chance as it was...

    I also managed to rescue a young girl from the depths of the enemies lair...She seems free from any form of taint so may be spared the usual fate of those who have witnessed that which should remain secret. I have put forward the suggestion that she might be of some use to the team in a supporting role or perhaps as a member of Faalens crew...execution seems such a waste though mind cleansing may also be an option I suppose, as I could do with a test subject for some...ideas...that I've had...

    Anyway, I suppose I should continue to run combat drills with the new Cyber Mastiff in order to fine tune the sacred workings of it's blessed systems and fully adapt it to my Constructer Interface Augmetics in case it's needed for our next mission...whatever that may be...

    ReplyDelete