Greed

## The Story So Far (T'au Perspective)

A while ago, Shas'El Shase'xan received a messenger drone from the system of "Greed". This drone had a message asking him to assist the Gue'la rebels of the forgeworld there. Shas'El Shase'xan responded and arrived in the system. They were greeted with many desolate world, all devoid of life except for one, nicknamed "Avarice". There was an odd massive weapon on the moon of "Avarice", and the cadre prepared for deployment. A remora was sent down first, carrying the messenger drone originally sent, heading for the coordinates it specified. When they entered the atmosphere, they saw a planet covered in a thick layer of yellow smog where normally clouds would be. The Fio'vre had the drone pilot place a spike into one of the many enormous craters across the wastelands, as they were picking up some very odd readings from each one. With the detour complete, the remora reaching the coordinates, upon which they were greeted with the leader of the rebels, a person wearing a gas mask styled in the art of ancient Gue'la. They introduced themselves as Valorius, and they discussed deployment with the Shas'El. The manta eventually lands, and the main force is brought underground into the fortress city of Tangsu, a sprawling network of caves and tunnels. The last bastion of hope for a dying world, the rebels fight back against their oppressive overlords who have destroyed and ravaged the planet. While in the FOB, a group of the low powers encountered an odd race of insects, that roamed the smaller caves of Tangsu. As it turns out, these insects were a herd of cattle, all shephered by a set of three brothers, Linzos, Metflos, and Arcos. The Gue'la feed the cattle in exchange for some of them to use for meat as well as the protection the larger insects of the herd offer in the deeper parts of the cave.

The T'au forces then went on various missions

The stealth teams were sent on a mission to recover a weapon cache and prisoners from a train shipment moving between the major cities. This was completed without a hitch. The stealth team was unsure exactly what the weapon they were recovering was however...

## The Interception

The pathfinder and breacher teams were sent to intercept a small vehicle that was transporting supplies across the wasteland. When the vehicle reached the intercept point it was being chased by a horde of beasts the Gue'la call "Nightcrawlers." The team, lead by Gue'vesa'ui Sha'he rescued the team from the oncoming horde, and brought them back to the FOB. While enroute to the FOB, Ui'Sha'he explained the T'au'va, but when he mentioned the city of Tangsu, the leader of the rescued team, Derrick, began to convulse. This is when Ui'Sha'he and his strike team learned of the small implants that most of the non-freed populace have on the back of their necks. It is linked into their nervous system and can control their movements, as well as if they step out of line is wired to overload their nervous system and cause them to have a seizure. Shas'la Gun'ran, the field medic quickly acted to stabilize Derrick, and stayed by his side until they returned to the FOB and Derrick was able to get his implant removed. Unluckily, the team forgot to complete the primary mission which was get the supplies from the truck, so they had to return when it was daytime as the Nightcrawlers disappear during the day.

When they returned to the truck, they found that a Nightcrawler had managed to lock itself within the back of the truck, protecting it from the sunlight. With some coaxing, Sha'he managed to prevent the nightcrawler from attacking, where Fio'ui Suam'shoh was waiting with a containment cage for the beast.

## Baron Harkness' Oil Empire

So the Kroot were sent on an assassination mission, because their kindred is extremely equipped for stealth. There is a massive construct the size of a city that wanders the wastelands, collecting promethium from the last working pumps on the planet. The construct refines the promethium while it wanders, transporting it between the major cities of the planet. This construct is ruled by Baron Harkness and his son. The kroot were sent to kill the Baron. They manage to infiltrate the construct, which is easily the size of a city itself, and eventually locate the son of Baron Harkness. Biik'ovir then decides that just in case this is not the actual Baron, they blow up the construct... just to be sure.

Grix observes the man sitting in his opulent dining room, while Biik'ovir moves to plant the bombs. In the dining room, there are no actual supports holding up any of the furniture. Instead the furniture is massive slaps of golden metal resting upon the backs of chained slaves. In a duel of honor, Grix battles the man and sustains heavy injuries, but manages to slay him and claims his ring and whip. Grix tells the children holding up the table that they are free to leave, but they refuse to move from their place underneath the crushing weight of the table. He then leaves and heads to locate the Baron who lies at the top of the spire, and when Grix reaches it he is met with a sorry sight. Baron Harkness has engorged himself on the spoils of his opulence and is barely able to move under his own weight. When the Baron learns of the death of his son he breaks down into a tantrum, and Grix kills the Baron with the inferno pistol of his son. Biik'ovir then detonates the charges that were placed within the refined promethium tanks, and in a cascade of explosions, the construct falls and shakes the very earth. The fall of the city was felt even in the underground refuge of Tangsu.

## Things that go Bump in the Night

Meanwhile, Fio'ui Suam'shoh moves the Nightcrawler into the cage, who oddly does not struggle against its captors. Its cage is brought into the lab of the Fio for further study. Shas'ui Va'na is also given the Mantle of Heroes for her many selfless deeds in service of the Greater Good, and is assigned an XV8 crisis suit, dubbed "Ranger." Fio'Ui Suam'shoh is asked to preform upgrades on the battlesuit, and while

    she does so, she receives a message from her Fio'vre to return to the lab as soon as possible. The nightcrawler has escaped containment, and had wreaked havoc on the data centers of the lab before escaping deeper into the city. When the group confronted the nightcrawler they found it was in the middle of performing some kind of ritual. 3 Darkened orbs were orbiting the air around it, and when the T'au forces attacked the nightcrawler it consumed one of the orbs and became a massive beast. The beast wielded some kind of weapon that manifested the energy of a black hole. In a hard fought battle, Shas'ui Va'na fired volley afted volley and blew off the arm of Sylaks. Unfortunately, Sylacks also managed to heavily damaged a Devilfish and almost killed several of the T'au with the force of the attack. However, after sustaining heavy damage itself, Sylaks let lose an mind-numbing screech that incapacitated the party. In the ensuing chaos, Sylacks dissappeared into the earth below with a foreboding message that they would return. The Kroot recovered a claw from the arm of the beast, and Shaper Grix harvested some of the dark ichor that dripped from the severed veins of Sylacks.

## Meeting with the Brothers

A few days after the attack on the city of Tangsu, one of the three xenos brothers, Metflos, was reported missing. Pech'vesa Grix and Biik'ovir were sent to investigate and locate the missing brothers. Their kindred, being expert trackers, quickly located the Metflos. They found him in the ruins of a wooden village in the middle of a large building. He was centered in the middle of some sigil on the ground, the sigil itself glowing a deep green. Biik'ovir quickly moved to subdue Metflos, and the strong kroot overwhelmed Metflos and dragged him out of the sigil. Once Metflos was out of the sigil, he became comatose, and the kroot were unable to awaken him. Biik'ovir burned the building to the ground with a flamer tank he had found on the body of a guard from the city, and the Kroot returned to the city with the now bound Metflos. When they returned they were greeted by Steven and Linzos. The two Kroot attempted to get some answers from the brother, but was met with half answers. Frustrated, the Kroot accepted their payment and informed the Fio and Shas'vre Ter'syqo of the events.

When Shas'vre Ter'syqo was informed of this, she voiced her frustrations with both the local Gue'la as well as the Brothers, and stormed off to confront Linzos. Biik'ovir followed, seemingly undetected, as she made her way deep into the caves to the home of the brothers. Under threat of a point blank pulse round, she managed to get a small amount of information out of the brothers, detailing their background and history. She then managed to set up another meeting with the brothers, attended by Por'vre Draig and the Fio'vre. This is the report that Por'vre Draig submitted after slowly whittling away at Linzos in the meeting.

*The brothers were a part of a species that evolved and shaped the foundations of the first civilization on the planet. Their society grew for many thousands of years. While it was a primitive society, they prospered greatly and eventually their people covered the lush forests of the planet. However, several millennia ago their queen began to hear whispers from beyond the veil. The queen started to commune with these voices and the society drastically changed over night. Their house symbol became the one our kroot found Metflos communing with. The three brothers are all that remain of their species, the rest having eventually fallen to the whispers and becoming the nightcrawlers you see stalking the wastelands at night. The cattle are simply a cousin species to the brothers that were raised as such for as long as the brothers ancestors have been sentient.*

## Baron Naveen's Factory City

Through other discussion, the Cadre learned that the nightcrawlers avoided the human citys ran by the Barons, even avoiding their large railways, staying to the wastelands below. Metflos personally believed that long ago the ancestor of the Barons may have struck a "deal with the devil" in order to secure protection from the nightcrawlers, or even to gain more power and control of the system. After the meeting with the Brothers, Fio'ui Suam'shoh discussed with Por'vre Draig and the Fior'vre on how best to deal with the Barons. The trio concocted a plan to capture one of the Barons in order to interrogate them and learn any weaknesses the cities may have.

Within the week, Por'vre Draig managed to arrange an ambassadorial meeting with Baron Naveen in his factory city, and the plan to capture him was arranged as well. Strike Team Aun'erra'sha'he would guard Por'vre Draig and attempt to get close enough to the Baron in order to incapacitate him, while Pech'vesa'o Grix's kindred would encircle the facility and assist with the extraction of the target. The teams geared up for the mission and departed... The following are Pict-feed excerpts scrutinized by Shas'nel Ter'syqo after the fact.

[???] "Hello, welcome, welcome! I am Sabanth, keeper of the house for Baron Naveen. I presume you are the emissssary for the T'au Empire?"

[DRAIG] *He nods.* "Indeed, I am Por'vre Bork'an Draig and thi-"

[SAB] "Anyways, welcome to the factory city!" *The servitors next to him begin to hum.*
"Follow me~~"

*He turns and starts to head inside the golden doors.*
*The man leads the team inside, and gold lines almost every item on the walls and ceiling, and anything that is not gold is almost certainly made from some exotic bone. Sabanth slowly walks while the two servitors pace along side him, their heads constantly looking back at the group, analyzing for threats...*

*He [DRAIG] stops and looks at a painting on the wall of a Gue'la. The image is of a long haired man with his shirt off. He is wielding a sword and pointing it toward the sky in a truimpant pose. For a brief moment it almost looks like a normal painting. Almost. Then you see numerous atrocities in the background. Heads of men, women, children, all on pikes. Underneath the man's foot is the head of some unfortunate Gue'la, being ground into the ground like nothing more than dirt.*

[DRAIG] "And if I may so ask, who is this *historical* picture depicting?"

[SAB] "Oh! Hehe! Baron Naveen the Second, in his triumph over the dogs of the forest."

[SAB] "In this particular picture, the subhuman he is using as his truimphant platform was the leader of their primitive tribe. Oh I wish I was there! I can almost hear their screams of *despair*."

[DRAIG] "I see, I see. And how long ago was this eventful painting made?"

[SAB] "382 years ago as of.... yesterday!"
*Over the cadrenet Gue'vesa'ui Sha'he speaks in Tau'sia*
[SHA'HE] +/Barbaric idiots. This is why I left 'nobility' behind/+
*They eventually are lead down through several more hallways, all filled with the same ridiculous opulence. Sabanth tells more tales of the colorful history behind the paintings, showing the first time the Barons set foot on the planet, all the way to the current day.*
The Barons are all descended from a Rogue Trader who first arrived in the system around 12 centuries ago, and visited one of the other planets in the system. His name has been lost to time unfortunately... He found a powerful resource on the planet, an odd substance the was a food, water, and also a fuel. With his massive intellect he devised a process to refine and extract it. Eventually his three sons took over his empire, one of those sons being Naveen the first. Once the resource was fully ripped from the planet, they moved onto this one you are all currently on.
[SAB] "...and this! Is the dining hall!"
*He gestures at two small figures wearing similar red coats to him, their faces covered with the hoods. They quickly scurry up and start to attempt to push open the doors, but they are clearly having issues moving the massive slabs of golden metal. You hear Sabanth click his tongue and he reaches into his robes...*
*In a flash of electricity you see him whip the small figures and a childs voice cries out in pain. They quickly recollect themselves and push the dinner hall the rest of the way open. Sabanth clears his throat.*
[SAB] "Anyways, with that *delay* dealt with!"
*He walks in...*
*As they enter, you see a massive hall decorated just as opulent as the other rooms they have passed through. The wall are lined with similar pictures, depicting "triumphs" and "heroic deeds" of various Barons in the line of Naveen. In the center of the room is a massive slab of golden metal, stretching easily 20 meters across the room. It is covered in a deep red table cloth. At the end of the table in a throne sits a single man in a deep blue suit. His skin is a pallid white and his pointed nose shadows over his crooked smirk. He stands as they enter and bows. In a haunting voice that scrapes against your spine even through the recording, he starts to speak.*
[???] "Weelcome, to my ever humble abode. Sabanth has informed me of your *empire* and I just was dying to speak in person with one of your emissaries. Por'vre Bork'an Draig, was it?"
[DRAIG] *He nods and bows.* "Indeed, it always a pleasure to speak with others of the Tau'va. I presume you are Baron Naveen the Eighth?"
*The man nods. He gestures at the table and several of the chairs pushed into the table slowly start to move away from the table, inviting them all to sit down.*
CADRENET PICT-FEED SHAS'LA BORK'AN PAX'NESH
*As the pict feed switches, you catch a glimpse of small hands pushing the chairs out, before quickly retreating under the table cover. The team sits down around Por'vre Draig and he patiently clasps his hands on his lap.*
*The man sits back down in his throne at the end of the table and snaps his fingers. A door opens up on the side of the room, and several small figures carrying large golden platters begin to file in.*
[NAVEEN] "You must be absolutely famished from your trip here. We had to dig a little, but we managed to find something your species would be able to... *digest.*"
*One of the small figures stumbles, and the one next to them quickly helps them up and manages to recover the platter before it falls to the ground. The group of figures drop off the three platters in front of your group and Baron Naveen and reveal the meal inside. Unique fruits and vegetables are lined are along the inside...*
*You see a note from the Shas'nel that one of the figures takes a fruit from one of the platters. Footage from La'Pax'nesh is played alongside it to highlight this event.*
[MANG'ES] +/When shall we commence? Shall we wait for the innocents to leave?/+
[DRAIG] +/I trust Gue'vesa Sha'he's judg/+
[NAVEEN] *He clears his throat loudly.* "Gothic. Please."
[MANG'ES] "My question was answered, Thank you Por'vre Draig."
[DRAIG] "My apologies Baron Naveen, my companion was simply asking where you procured such greenery from? We had not seen any floral specimens on our flight in."
[NAVEEN] "They were procured from my... private garden."
*Ui'Sha'he's view focuses to Por'vre Draig and you see him give a slight nod. He stands and you see his feed close in on the Baron as he pushes him to the ground.*
[DRAIG] "Oh? Your personal garden? How curious." *He eats an apple as Sha'he begins to grapple the Baron.* Shas'nel Ter'syqo has a note about Por'vre Draig being too smug sometimes.

*The feed from Ui'Sha'he's is too fast paced to follow, most of it the angered grimace of Baron Naveen, so Shas'nel Ter'syqo notes to flip to Shas'la Mang'es' feed. You watch as he runs over to assist Ui'Sha'he*
[NAVEEN] "XENOS BASTARDS!"
*The Baron rolls over on top of Ui'Sha'he and starts to bash his face in. At this point you see the hood that had been covered Ui'Sha'he's face fall down. Naveen's face turns into a snarl*
[NAVEEN] "YOU." *He lets out a hiss.*
[NAVEEN] "YOU DISGRACE YOU FATHER."
*Ui'Sha'he spits his lho stick into the face of the baron and throws him to the ground.*
[SHA'HE] "And my father disgraced existence by cavorting with and committing any number of monstrosities. I'd say I balanced the scales a bit."
*The feed then flips to La'Pax'nesh's feed again and you watch as they run over and slam their pistol into the leg of Naveen. Over all of the feeds you hear the same resounding crack. Shas'nel Ter'syqo has a note at this node simply saying "Ouch."*
[GUN'RAN] "We have company." *He says and gestures towards the door. The sounds of footsteps play through his feed.*
[GRIX] ++/Keep Devilfish ready to move. Must keep landing pad clear, suggest team inside hurry./++
*The feed then flips to O'Grix's*
He lands on the balcony with a graceful flutter as his wings close back up. Through the window he sees Por'vre, Ui'Mang'es and Ui'Sha'he currently keeping Baron Naveen pinned and beating him. Grix then powers up his sword and takes a stance. With a flash the window shatters and he steps through.
[GRIX] "We move now."
*He walks over and looks down at the baron.*
[GRIX] "Will you be coming in one piece or two?"
*The Baron looks around at the team and then stops his struggle. Grix then points at the kitchen.*
[GRIX] "Check for path through kitchen. Cannot fight whole city."
*The feed then shows O'Grix and the rest of the team guarding the door while some of the team look for a way out through the kitchen. The Gue'la soldiers breach through and are promptly shot to piece. The team makes their way out through the kitchen. A couple of the small robed figures in the kitchen kick the Baron as he is dragged through by Ui'Sha'he. They make their way up through the spire of the Baron, and eventually Naveen passes out from the pain of his broken leg. After some time Grix leads them through.*
[GRIX] "We head up, back to balcony. Have transport pick us up above."
*While they move the feed flips to Ui'Sha'he's. The audio is amplified here by Shas'nel. Naveen is quietly mumbling the words Tyliks over and over.*
[SHA'HE] "Captive is chanting and keeps bringing up Tyliks, ring a bell to anyone?"
[DRAIG] "Silence him. I do not want to test Gue'la mind science today."
*Ui'Sha'he then shoves a pack of Lho sticks into Naveen's mouth. They eventually start to round the corner out to the balcony and as they do so, Naveen thrashes in the grips of Ui'Sha'he. Luckily you watch as he keeps a hold on him. The balcony comes to view and in the center of it is a large jet black orb floating above the floor. Just off the edge of the balcony is the devilfish.*

[SHA'HE] ++/Just a reminder, last time we saw one of these we shot it and the damned bugs popper out./++

[GUN'RAN] "That's just lovely."
[MANG'ES] "Sha'he, shall I obtain another sample as well?" *He says as he approaches. The orb then pulse and you see La'Mang'es', Ui'Sha'he's, and La'Pax'nesh's feed fall to the ground. From the other feeds you watch as the three collapse.*
[GUN'RAN] "What do we do now?"
[DRAIG] "Are they alive still?" *He says as he crouches down.*
[DRAIG] "La'Mang'es still has a heartbeat, so presumably the others do as well."

GRIX] "Extract. Now."
*The devilfish swings open and they start to lift up their comrades. It then flips to Por'vre Draig's feed as he watches the body of the Baron float up into the air and slam into the wall with a CRACK and he falls back to the ground."*
[GUN'RAN] "There's always gotta be something doesn't there!"

*Grix then chirps in Kroot before picking Vre'Draig and Pax'nesh up, but as he attempts to do so, Pax'nesh is almost pulled up against an invisible wall. Grix then proceeds to let out an even longer set of chirps and draws a'* **NULL ROD** *(There is a note from Fio'vre about how it can negate Gue'la mind-science), as well as his power sword. With a perfect slice, the blade cuts a hole into the orb. From O'Grix's feed looking into the hole you see the three unconscious members of Aun'erra'sha'he standing. The orb vanishes into itself and the trio then starts to wake up.*
[SHA'HE] "Much thanks Grix."

[GUN'RAN] "We have company again!" *He shouts as he looks down into the hallway.*
[DRAIG] "LEAVE."

*Ui'Sha'he rushes over to the body of the Baron and examines it.*

[SHA'HE] "He needs Medicae asap but target is still alive" *Holstering his Pistol, Sha'he carefully picks the man up to start the process of getting them both to the Devilfish*
*The rest of the feeds show the kindred boarding back up onto the devilfish as well. The team extracts successfully and Naveen is stabilized.*

Baron Naveen was found to be in some sort of coma, and was placed in a statis chamber. The Fio began work on attempting to awaken him to interrogate.

## A Mountainous Task

After the mission, Pech'vesa Biik'ovir attempted to find a form of respite. In an attempt to keep moving, he made his way out of the caves where the city of Tangsu resides, and started his way up the mountain they operated under. The wind ripped through the various jagged rocks and cliff faces of the mountain, but nevertheless Biik'ovir braved the climb. A few hours later, and one close call he reaches the top. On the peak of the mountain he found a curious monument however. A small stone slab inscribed in Tau'sia.

*To those lost. Your memory will be carried on by the next generation*

He then found a small box buried in front of the monument with a Tau bonding knife wrapped in purple cloth inside. Across the box is written many different names in Tau'sia, a few of them sub commanders of Shas'O Torith. He then carefully returned the monument to the state he found it. After a few moments of respite he sett his kroot rifle and knife next to the monument.

(OOC This is his excerpt on it. This was an amazing piece to read from BrocoliMonopoly#4764 and it is always a pleasure to have him in my games.)

*Biik calmly reads the names again and notes them down, then returns the box to its place. It is time to finish what he came here for and it seems he was not the only one who had a similar idea. It may not be a private moment like he wished but likely the youngling will have enough tact to stay back. From his back the kroot draws his rifle, the symbol of their kind. One hand runs down its leathery strap, feeling the shaped studs within; each a name, a face, a voice that flashes in his mind. Does the same happen when whoever made this monument looks at the names upon the box? Perhaps. The rifle is carefully placed against the monument, its strap wrapped about to keep it attached. Next comes his knife, its bone handle worn smooth many times over. Another relic of the long gone Kindred each sported a similar weapon as their rite of passage. Its companion blades have long since been consigned to destruction by the the hand of a scrapping ork or defiled by a thieving gretchen. Biik places the blade upon the monument as well, it is just another thing keeping the dead. One more artifact of the past is in his possession, but he knows that he still cannot give it up for the face that flashes in his mind when he holds it remains too precious. The kroot lowers to the ground and descends into prayer, still and silent as a stone*

~~Let these who died alone on a foreign world, surrounded by enemies yet succumbing only after great sacrifice, be taken beyond. May they go as kin, walking together side by side. Let the kroothawk take unto its wings those who are its children so they may become spirits themselves. The Tau do not belive in the beyond yet their deeds have earned them a great fate, so let them be treated with kindness. Let the kroothawk meet them as friends and guide them on their way, they have no spirits of their own to do so. Their good will be waiting for they who have served it so well with open arms, let the kroothaw watch over them so they may find their peace as it would watch over me.~~

*This is Biik's prayer, a weak cry into an infinite cosmos. Yet he believes, surprising conviction coming from one like him.* *And so after a few silent minutes he rises, shaking of ice and snow. It is time to leave.*