“No, Sister Yuuga,” Vernost snarled with a voice filled with contempt. “We’ll see to him as best we can and pray to the Three for his soul’s redemption.”
“He’s lost, Child,” the Presbyter shot back, her words cold. “Too far drowned in corruption.”
Members of the Ecclesiastic could call all others ‘Child,’ but most had the sense to wield proper titles when facing a Holy Knight.
Vernost swallowed the urge to smash Yuuga’s teeth in for it.
She herself called all of the Laity ‘Layman’ or ‘Laywoman,’ a blunt habit to keep her tongue consistent. The puffed-up nobles, prancing Filii Nobiles, could choke on their ‘Lord’ and ‘Lady’ titles. She’d never spit such honors their way. They were of the Laity, same as the rest.
Only a few were exceptions, having earned her respect, like Medicus, a frigid, devout woman who never crossed custom. And she matched Vernost’s zealous faith with a rigor. That title had been earned, not gifted.
The Fama Aeterna slammed into the earth, its hull groaning like an ancient beast. Medicus stalked out, flanked by two Liberi Humiles, meager serfs, trailing her through the sulfur-choked air, filtered-masks worn.
“You counsel and advise on the spiritual, Sister, not command,” Vernost growled, looming over Yuuga. “Question my orders again, and I’ll let you taste firsthand why I keep your old bones off my battlefield.”
Yuuga’s eyes flicked down, her voice softening to a deferential murmur. “Understood, Child.”
The servants scurried to the soldiers while Medicus approached, her armored stride unyielding.
Vernost fixed her gaze on Yuuga and Medicus. “Rip those Harmongulan spikes from my brother’s guts, restrain him, exorcise him, address what corruption is possible, and mend what you can.”
Medicus eyed the impaled Crusader. With a clinical voice, she said, “These poor souls have never seen gene modifications or editing. I could do more in the sickbay, but I assume you won’t risk him aboard, Madame Captain?”
“Right,” Vernost said, her tone iron. “We’ll gauge him free of that unholy venom first. Even if he defies corruption, madness might have claimed him. If he holds, we’ll test him against a gateway’s dark lure. One will open here soon. I won’t abandon this brother unless he forces my hand. He’s too weak to pose a threat out here, but he could wreak havoc aboard my ship.”
Yuuga’s scarred face twisted in shock. “You’d have me burn my purge and heal on him when an invasion looms? Both are once-a-day, Child. I’ll have none for your company in need.”
Vernost’s chest flared with rage. She grabbed the Presbyter around the throat and lifted her off the ground. “Aye, Sister. My commands aren’t wind, and I know your Capstones’ leash. You’re new to my retinue, but my tolerance is at an end. Question me again, and you’ll die painfully, lashed to death.”
After placing the chaplain down, Vernest said, “When you’ve bled your arts dry on him, haul back to the ship. First and second squads drop were the other gateways open, then you’re off to Kondune to shepherd those new to the imperial flock. Scour the city for Heresy and impose imperial order with an iron fist. You wanted to spill blood. Well, here’s your chance to spill plenty.”
As Yuuga and Medicus bent to the grim work, tearing at the long spikes, blood slicking their gauntlets or gloves, Vernost barked orders to her company. She’d hold third squad, the weakest, here with her.
As she had time to kill and wanted to avoid thinking about how many under her command would die on this cursed planet just to save a handful of useless savages, and deny Hell this trash rock, she opened her Annals.
ANNALS OF MADAME ASHA VERNOST (BODHI SAPIENTIAE, SPECTRA, LUMEN ASTRA MEGASTATION, SIRIUS B)
Age: 67
Social: Holy Knight, Captain of Dragon Company (F), No Lay Order
Chapter: The Grim Martyrs
Tier: 3
Rank: Knight-Exemplar
Level: 86
XP: 41%
Glory Points: 61
Voluvicas Credits: 157
ATTRIBUTES, STATS, AND ADROITNESS
(Each Attribute Point increases all Stats governed by that Attribute by 1. Applying 4 Stat Points to the same Stat will increase the governing Attribute by 1. Numbers in (parentheses) include increases from items.)
BODY (Physical Attributes): 19 (31)
Physique (Size/Strength): 22 (34)
Endurance (Stamina/Health): 20 (32)
Toughness (Physical Durability/Resistance): 21 (101)
MIND (Non-Physical Attributes): 19
Competence (Skill Points/Insight): 21
Cognizance (Awareness/Perception): 29 (35)
Resilience (Non-Physical Durability/Resistance): With 21 SP applied – 60 (71)
SPIRIT (Metaphysical Attributes): With 21 AP applied – 33 (36)
Power Level (PL) (Ability Damage and Effectiveness): 35 (38)
Energy (Resource for Powers shown as Energy Points equal to 3 + (Energy Stat x 3)): 33 (36)
Charges (Increases the number of times certain Abilities can be used): 34 (37)
ADROITNESS (Finesse/Reaction/Speed): 4 (5)
RESOURCES
Current/Maximum Energy Points: 111/111
Current/Maximum Charges: 36/36
CLASSES
1 – SANCTIFIER:
With an auto-blaster in hand, the Sanctifier stands as an unbreakable shield of the faithful, anointed by the Holy Trinity to defy the unending tides off Hell, holding the line where lesser souls falter.
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Clad in faith-forged resolve, they summon Divine bulwarks with Holy Fortifications, turning battlegrounds into sacred redoubts against Hellspawn fury. With Repent, they smite foes with radiant chastisement, while Sacred Flame purges corruption in fiery wrath. Their Righteous Zeal ignites unyielding defiance, bolstering their stand against the infernal abyss.
2 – BLESSED CHAMPION:
Forged in the crucible of brotherhood, the Blessed Champion wields the auto-blaster or turret as a hymn to the Holy Trinity, their faith amplifying the thunder of war, thriving in ranks, their collective might a bulwark against Hellspawn, unbreakable when standing shoulder-to-shoulder.
With Lock and Load for the Lord, they bless their firearms, turning volleys into divine barrages. Sanctify Self armors their spirit, while Blessed Congregation and Holy Cohesion bind their company in sacred unity.
3 – ZEALOT:
The Zealot strides as a beacon of sacred command, their voice a clarion call that ignites the faithful and scourges the damned, leading with unyielding zeal, their presence a blessed storm that rallies Crusaders and shatters Heresy. They are the Holy Trinity’s heralds, guiding the flock to victory.
With Purify Area, they cleanse allies of some corruption while searing Hellspawn in one brutal sweep. Divine Purgeant marks the enemy for wrath, amplifying their ruin, while Sanctify Area blesses the ground with raw power, driving their warriors to greater slaughter. Holy Aura bathes their ranks in unbreakable resolve, a radiant storm of zeal that crushes doubt and foe alike, forging victory from the chaos of war.
SKILLS
Armor, Heavy Armor, Power Armor, Crusader Armor 3
Close Combat
Leadership 3
Meditation 3
Ranged Combat 3
Ranged Weapons, Firearms, Rifles, Auto-Blasters 3
Tactics 2
FEATS
BLESSING OF AL-KHIDR: Your intuition blurs the line between the apparent and the hidden, allowing you to discern deeper esoteric truths beyond what is immediately visible, guided by your faithful gut instincts.
ENERGY OF MAITREYA: Your form brims with Holy vitality, granting you 1 Energy Point every 2 minutes whether in battle or at rest, fueling your sacred duties.
FURY OF DURGA: Your wrath mirrors Durga’s relentless fury, increasing your combat effectiveness as battles endure and amplifying your damage dealt with each injury sustained.
GRACE OF THE BLESSED MOTHER: Your bond with blessed Mother Mi Alcyone infuses you with a spark of her divine purity, increasing your Spirit by 1 point and granting resistance to dark whispers and corruption beyond what is reflected in the Resilience Stat.
HOPE OF ESTHER: Your resilience is faithful and defiant, turning adversity into strength as your power grows the longer you remain steadfast in combat’s crucible.
INSIGHT OF RUMI: Your perception reflects a mystical vision, enhancing your ability to unveil the deceit of the unholy and those swayed by the infernal abyss’s whispers.
PURITY OF AGNES: Your spirit is touched with purity, bolstering your resistance to dark whispers and corrupting forces with a 3-point increase to Resilience, and offering some protection against curses and possession.
RAVANA’S BOON: Your ability to slowly regenerate applies to all injuries that do not immediately kill you. This minor regeneration effect cumulatively enhances (stacks with) most other sources of regeneration.
UNITY OF GURU HARGOBIND: You’re in touch with the harmonious, ensuring any Ability with a unity effect counts as having at least 10 united members and gains 5 beyond its maximum capacity.
VISIONS OF DANIEL: Your dreams bear a prophetic gift, granting you one daily vision of future infernal threats and imminent dangers from the Underworld’s dark designs.
IMPLANTS
Head: Infernus Oculus, Neurvux, Sanctapex Trivux, Somnoregulator,
Right Arm: Brachium Sanctus
Mods:
Radius Manus – Hand mod projecting a concentrated energy beam.
Left Hand: Lamina Palma
CAPSTONES
Holy Vigor
Increase Body, Mind, and Spirit by 2
During active combat, you gain 1 Energy every 2 minutes and 1 Charge every 4 minutes minus 30 seconds for Energy gain and 1 minute for Charge gain for each higher Tier attained.
Fervent Renewal
You call forth a Holy resurgence, restoring all Energy Points and Charges to their maximum and providing substantial healing to yourself.
Cooldown: 96 hours minus 24 hours per each higher Tier attained.
Cost: NA
ABILITIES
(Selected Upgrades Bolded. Cooldown and cost reflect selected Upgrades in (parentheticals). Ability description does not reflect selected Upgrades.)
From Sanctifier:
1 – HOLY FORTIFICATIONS:
Summon a sturdy 1-meter square block of protective cover before you, lasting for 10 minutes or until it absorbs 8 x PL damage. While standing within 1 meter behind this block, gain a 0.5 x PL boost to Resilience and Toughness, and a percentage of damage mitigation (subject to DR) equal to your PL.
Cooldown: 10 minutes (6 minutes 40 seconds)
Cost: 9 Energy (6 Energy), 1 Charge
Upgrades:
Enduring 1: The block absorbs 12 x PL damage.
Enduring 2: The block absorbs 16 x PL damage.
Fervor: No Charge required, but cooldown increases to 40 minutes.
Merciless 1: Increases ranged weapon attack damage by 0.1 x PL when standing behind the block.
Merciless 2: Increases damage of all Ability and ranged weapon attacks by 0.2 x PL when standing behind the block.
Mighty: Provides a minor regeneration effect while standing behind the block.
Rage: Reduces cooldown by a third.
Zeal: Reduces Energy cost by a third.
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Holy Congregation 1: Up to 6 Crusaders within an area of 100 meters of one another with the Holy Fortification Ability can unite, enhancing each block with an additional 1 damage absorption and each participant with an additional 1 damage mitigation and 1 Resilience and Toughness per participant.
(A) Holy Congregation 2: Up to 15 Crusaders can unite.
(C) Holy Congregation 3: Up to 34 Crusaders can unite. With more than 10 participants, the effects of Merciless and Mighty Upgrades are doubled and the cooldown decreases by 2 seconds per participant.
2 – REPENT
For the next second your ranged weapon deals and extra 0.5 x PL Holy damage
Cooldown: 12 seconds (6 seconds)
Cost: 2 (4) Energy (1 (2) Energy)
Upgrades:
Enduring 1: Duration increases to 2 seconds.
Enduring 2: Duration increases to 3 seconds.
Fervor: Affects all targets within 3 meters, but Energy cost increases to 4.
Merciless: Adds a 0.5-second blind effect.
Mighty 1: Increases damage to 0.62 x PL.
Mighty 2: Increases damage to 0.75 x PL.
Rage: Halves cooldown
Zeal: Halves Energy cost
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Penance 1: Targets hit are slowed by 15% and take 0.5 x PL damage if they attack you during the effect.
(A) Penance 2: Targets hit are slowed by 30% and take 0.75 x PL damage if they attack you during the effect.
(C) Penance 3: Targets hit are slowed by 50% and take 1 x PL damage if they attack you during the effect. While a target is slowed, your regeneration effects double.
From Blessed Champion:
LOCK AND LOAD FOR THE LORD:
Automatic-blaster firearms and turrets have increased effective range, heat soak, and thermal runaway and reduced recoil equal to PL percent lasting 4 x PL seconds.
Cooldown: 5 minutes (3 Minutes 33 Seconds)
Cost: 6 Energy (4 Energy), 1 Charge
Upgrades:
Enduring 1: Lasts 6 x PL seconds.
Enduring 2: Lasts 8 x PL seconds.
Fervor: No Charge required, but cooldown increases to 20 minutes.
Merciless 1: Each enemy killed increases duration of effect by 2 seconds.
Mighty 1: Every forth shot requires no ammo or energy for the duration.
Mighty 2: Every other shot requires no ammo or energy for the duration.
Rage: Reduces cooldown by a third.
Zeal: Reduces Energy cost by a third.
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Holy Anthem 1: Up to 6 Crusaders within an area of 100 meters of one another with the Lock and Load for the Lord Ability can unite, further increasing effective weapon range, heat soak, and thermal runaway and reducing recoil by 1 percent per participant.
(A) Holy Anthem 2: Up to 15 Crusaders can unite.
(C) Holy Anthem 3: Up to 34 Crusaders can unite, as well as increasing PL by 0.3 percent per participant.
From Zealot:
DIVINE PURGEANT
The next target hit by your attack is marked with Divine wrath, increasing damage taken by 10% from all sources and dealing 0.25 x PL damage per second for 12 seconds.
Cooldown: 45 seconds (23 seconds)
Cost: 6 Energy
Upgrades:
Enduring 1: Duration increases to 18 seconds.
Enduring 2: Duration increases to 24 seconds.
Fervor: Affects a 3-meter radius around the target, but Energy cost increases to 9.
Merciless: Marked target glows brightly.
Mighty 1: Damage increases to 0.37 x PL per second.
Mighty 2: Damage increases to 0.5 x PL per second.
Rage: Halves cooldown.
Zeal: Halves Energy cost.
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Doom’s Purge 1: Marked target takes 14% increased damage and loses 7% Toughness and Resilience.
(A) Doom’s Purge 2: Marked target takes 19% increased damage and loses 14% Toughness and Resilience.
(C) Doom’s Purge 3: Marked target takes 25% increased damage, loses 25% Toughness and Resilience, and critical areas and weaknesses are highlighted on the marked target.
ITEMS
Primary Weapon: Hellhammer Auto-Blaster, NL, V12M6/6, Fusion Rifle, Tier 3.
Mods: Hidden
Secondary Weapon: Waveshatter Pistol, NL, V8C6/6, Phased Handgun, Tier 3.
Mods: Hidden
Armor: Crusader Armor, Templar, Tier 3, 6/6 mods, w/customizations (+1 Adroitness, +12 Body, +3 Spirit, +68 Toughness, +6 Cognizance, +4 Resilience).
Mods: Hidden
Back: Captain Cloak – Reduces susceptibility to dark whispers for all under your command (excluding yourself) within 100 meters, increasing each ally’s Resilience by 3 points.
Necklace: Beads of Accuracy (Tier 3) – Enhances precision with ranged weapons at extended distances.
Ring 1: Command Ring (Tier 3) – Boosts experience points gained by you and all under your command within 300 meters by 15%.
Ring 2: Purgator (Tier 3) – Grants a 36% chance per enemy killed to reduce all active cooldowns by 1 second.
Trinket/Accessory: Negatus Susurri – Decreases vulnerability to dark whispers and corruption, increasing Resilience by 5 points.
