mandibles_into_flesh_|_steel_unto_chitin

Roughly a a day ago, Eos orbital defenses shot down what was initially mistaken as an intruding aircraft. Upon its impact on the planet's surface and retrieval by research groups, what they discovered was instead an asteroid emitting unusual energy signatures and comprised of unidentifiable, seemingly semi-organic material.

The colony world of Eos, the pearl in the rough of the independent Grönskande System, has since gone dark. The methodical influx of SLE-transported data has for the first time in its history gone dead silent for far, far too long for it to be a mere technological failure. Its benefactors-slash-rivals in the GDW have become concerned. Even if they frequently butted heads with the system's proudly independent leadership, historic trade negotiations now hang in the balance.

Tensions only rise when it is revealed a few colonial defense force detachments have gone missing when investigating the colony. Has a foreign military made a pre-emptive strike or something more insidious at play?

Unbeknownst to military detachments sent to rescue survivors and repel the threat, a malevolent presence never before encountered by the known galaxy had already made landfall, ravaging the once booming city into a glorified mortuary-mockery of its former industriousness. The signs of unchained barbarity will greet their sight - violence normally relegated to the realm of feverish nightmares but crafted by hands not known to humanity. Within corridors decorated with the viscera of slaughtered colonists and in the unexplored ambiguity of the surrounding wilderness, a savage conflict predating the annihilation of Eos is playing out and humanity is about to be caught in the midst of hatred and vengefulness as foreign as it is monstrous.

GM posts will be throughout the week, typically whenever a round of player posts is done (taking into account people forfeiting or skipping turns as well). Collaborative posts are encouraged even if your characters are not from the same faction. Characters will presumably be SSM and GDW but I am open to those outside of the two or even proxy forces (ie. mercenaries and privateers) taking part in the mission. It is presumed they will have some sort of military or otherwise combat related background, being picked from some sort of renown for their capabilities in combat and the fact that they will not ask too many questions. They will be bringing custom gear and weaponry but will also be making true first contact with a non-hostile but still completely new alien species, one that under tense conditions they are being forced to work with. Everyone will have to learn to trust one another.

This is going to get pretty grisly whether investigating and exploring the colony and when you encounter the monstrous alien force. It will be quite combat heavy interspersed with not only moments of exploration and suspense but also the mystifying nature of a newly introduced alien species. The vibe will be somewhat reminiscent of say, Alien vs Predator wherein a team of soldiers investigates the aftermath of a traumatic, destructive incident but finds themselves drawn into a conflict between extraterrestrial forces with goals of their own. You can think of it as being along the lines of the second half of Halo Combat Evolved's campaign crossed with Phoenix Point.

It will follow a mission based narrative structure with multiple chapter-topics but they all follow an over-arching objective with side-objectives laid throughout. Many of them will involve eliminating high ranking Blood Axis members, recovering or destroying Sect remains and technology, and even stealing top secret research data from both hostile forces. The ultimate objective is to destroy the Womb of Excess.

This plot will serve as another formal entrance of the towering arthropod-like aliens known as the vrexul into Nobles of Null. These biomechanical creatures are towering in size and often living repositories of complex augmentations and implants but their bestial appearance belies their intelligence and technological advancement. A lengthy war has expelled many of them from their distant homeworld and now reaches human known space. Throughout the story, they will frequently appear as hostiles. Later on, non-hostile vrexul will make their appearance and the player characters will be part of a first contact scenario. Interaction with them will help to flesh out the story and possibly lead to future plot developments. This will be heavily dependent on your interaction with them.