Violence in Zone 9 Continues

If the migrants of Zone 9 thought that the BRUTAL violence of Zone 9 would end after a trade post was set up, they were wrong.
In a perceived lull in fighting, the leader of the Goliath Gang Aventine Collegiums leader was horrifically murdered by the Church of St Pyros. The Church of St Pyros, unsurprisingly burned the poor man to death.

Buoyed up by their victory, the Church of St Pyros next attacked the Van Saar gang the Archeo-Reclaimaters, robbing them blind and pushing them off the Tech Bazaar. Jeril Auber, the owner of the Tech Bazaar has thus far remained quiet on the matter.

The Church of St Pyros rampage was cut to a halt by a surprising adversary. The Escher gang the Golden Sirens saw off the Cawdor in a bloody battle that saw most of the Church cut down. 

Zone 9: Season 2

Season 2 has begun!

In each game from here on out the challenge is for territory. At the start of each game (unless it is a special scenario with the Arbitrator) each gang challenges the other for territory, with the winner of the battle able to take one of the opponents territories.

Trade Post
The Trade post is not yet open to gangs unless they have been specifically briefed otherwise. It is being set up by Jeril Auber and should be up and running in the next week or so barring any setbacks. 

New Gangs
New gangs wishing to join the campaign can do so. They will begin with 1500 credits starting and 3 randomly assigned territories.

Searching for Magna Petrum
Each Gang may search for Magna Petrum; this is a post battle action like searching for rare items, needing a Champion or Leader to lead the search. 
To search for Magna Petrum a gang must spend 100 creds, this is for equipment and resources needed for a dedicated search, the player then rolls a D6, on the roll of a "6" the gang has found the entrance to the "Motherlode". On the roll of a "1" a random member of the gang suffers a lasting injury as they are injured in the search. 
A Dome Runner hanger on allows the gang to re-roll the result of the dice roll.
There may be ways in campaign to increase one's chances or mitigate the cost of the search (such as NPC involvement), however these of course come with different costs. The best way is for a gang to find it themselves, however that is both expensive and risky.

Once Magna Petrum entrance is found, its secrets will be revealed. Finding Magna Petrum first will give the gang a significant advantage in the finale to the campaign.

Ongoing plot
There is still ongoing plot. 

• Irada is still after the Golden Sirens Gang and will join any gang to fight against them for free, however she will take any captured fighters.
• In addition, rumour is she is assembling to brute squad to go after the Sirens and may look to recruit other gangs to help.
• Honest Hans now has his mines and is happy, what this means for Zone 9 is anyones guess. There is no longer a bounty on the Church of St Pyros thanks to the actions of the Golden Sirens
• The SSMC, an void based mining company, has interest still in Zone 9, they are still happily working with the Church of St Pyros. Notably there is a number of Void Miners from the SSMC attending the St Pyros sermons. Nevertheless they are very quiet and do not talk more, they seem more interested in listening.
• The Ork issue appears to have been largely dealt with. While Orks will be a recurring problem on planets previously invaded by the Greenskins, for now, the building mobs have been smashed by the Van Saar gangs.
• Jeril Auber has further missions for gangs he trusts. 
• Mom and Pop Potts of Zone 7 have turned up alive and are setting up in Zone 9
• Lastly, a number of persons of interest have started turning up in Magna Downs. They appear to have means and resources and are interested in the Motherlode at Magna Petrum and are looking for help. These people are possibly agents of the Sector Corporations. Details of these individuals will be forthcoming.

Corporation Focus: Kotu

Kotu have long been affiliated with the immigrant Van Saar House, though this alliance goes far deeper than most realise. 

In 278.M34 Farport along with several other worlds in the Aleph Sector were invaded by an Ork WAAAGH! Led by the Warlord “Gitstabba”. Up until this time the responsibility of arming and equipping the Planetary Defence Force was subcontracted to the Magna corporation, who had a supply agreement with a local Forgeworld who’s name was lost to time. Magna, had repeatedly neglected this contract in favour of more lucrative pursuits and so the defences of the world of Farport was woefully unprepared for the attack. The Van Saar, had long maintained their own armed force, which centred around the city of “Homestead”, a city of Van Saar founding. The whole planet of Farport fell to the Ork invasion save for Homestead which held off against Ork Waagh for weeks having heavily fortified the city. The primary defence of the city fell to Ober Coerator Gretel Kotu, a renowned military strategist. The siege was lifted after 2 months when the Shining Blades Astartes Chapter made planetfall, breaking the siege.

WAAAGH! Gitstabba

In the aftermath of the defeated WAAAGH! Magna, Hayden, Veritas and what would become Hydra sought to cover the mess that Magna had created. If Magna’s own failings were highlighted in the defence of the world, the other Corporations inadequacies may be highlighted. In the months that followed, the Corporate council and the Imperial Governor pinned the blame of the unreadiness of the PDF on the unreliable immigrant Houses, particularly Van Saar and of course Cawdor. With Van Saar, the Corporations pointed to a obscure corporate by-law stating that non-corporate and imperial organisations were forbidden from keeping formal military and paramilitary personell. Magna argued that if the Van Saar had tithed troops to the PDF as was proper then the Ork invasion would never have succeeded. This threatened to destroy the Van Saar immigrant House, who in M34 did not have the power to face down the Corporations. The Van Saar sought to distance themselves from Gretel Kotu, blaming her for the military forces under her command. This caused a schism within the House that lead to the creation of the Kotu Corporation. 

Ober Coerator Gretel Kotu

Thousands of Van Saar soldiers, despite the orders of the House, sided with Kotu. What’s more, her actions had not gone unnoticed among the nobility of the Aleph sector. Niloufar Zedah, young noble of the bloodline Thornglaive, genevowed of the Teglaagh Satrapy came to Farport. Niloufar Zedah while having a rich bloodline was in need of political power as her rivals had sought to oust her from her birthright on her homeworld of Krell. While she had intended an alliance of financial means, Gretel Kotu had what none of Niloufar rivals had - a well equipped and battle-hardened army. While Gretel had been condemned by little known corporate by-laws, she would be saved by one of the most well known. Gretel and Niloufar marriage ennobled Gretel, and with that, allowed her the right of forming her own Corporation. The newly named “Kotu” Corporation immediately shipped out to Krell where it violently suppressed the burgeoning tribal uprising and assasinated Niloufar’s rivals. By the end of the Krell uprisings 15 years later, the Kotu Corporation had gone from thousands of Van Saar soldiers to over a million mercenary soldiers and paramilitary personnel operating within the sector, forming security detail for numerous dignitaries as well as performing wet work for both nobles and corporations. 

Kotu resettled on Farport and while they had chased her away the fickle corporations now welcomed Gretel and her Corporation back with open arms. For her part Gretel held little ill will towards her former House, knowing they did what they had to do, even forming trading agreements that have lasted till this day. However Gretel and subsequently the Kotu corporation never forgave Magna for their actions. A bloodfeud between the two Houses has lasted ever since, while Kotu cannot hope to defeat Magna’s economic might, Magna cannot counter Kotu in any conventional war.

Today, Kotu are one of the primary traders and suppliers of military personnel and equipment not tithed to Imperial purpose, operating in multiple forms. Kotu have been hired by multiple planetary agencies across the Sector. Rumour has it they are on good terms with several Inquisitors who wish to maintain a lower profile when resorting to military solutions. Whether this is true or not is not known.

One notable issue the Corporation has suffered was the creation of the Federacy which plunged them into economic recession that has lasted since. Many contracts were with the Federacy worlds and losing these contracts was devastating. The Corporation was in no way able to influence the outcome of the Chaos invasion, simply able to ensure the protection of its assets. 

Season 1 Downtime

Season 1 of the Zone 9 Campaign has come to an end. Now there is a period of downtime.

Downtime

New Gangers
Each existing gangs receive 250 credits. These credits can only be spent on new gangers and new ganger equipment, it cannot be spent on existing gangers.
These 250 credits cannot be retained, you spend it, or you lose it.

New Gangs
New Gangs starting from this point in the campaign will start with 1500 Credits and will be allocated 3 territories by the Arbitrator. This is the only way new territory can be generated, save by special plot events.

The Trade Post
The Trade post has not yet opened for all Gangs and so cannot be used unless explicitly told otherwise.

Zone 9
The Feral Orks in Zone 9 have been seen off, for now. The Zone has been sufficiently settled that groups are striking out to find that elusive entrance to Magna Petrum and "the Motherlode".

The Corporations, Ecclesiarchy and the Houses
Both the Corporations and Houses are still locked in stalemate over what to do over Magna Petrum. As soon as one faction announces a course of action another threatens war and the stalemate resumes. That does not mean that the Corpoations have been idle. Now that Magna Downs is up and running, groups of strange individuals start appearing with clear cover stories and intentions of seeking the riches of Magna Petrum. The Houses are still operating through the gangs themselves seeking to enrich the House with the power the Magna Petrum motherlode will reveal. 

The Corporations have obvious preferences for particular Houses over another. None of the Houses like the Cawdor, however the Ecclesiarchy do, and have been sending missionaries into the Zone. 


Other Factions
Honest Hans, Servile Sovereign Mining Consortium, Irada, Rex Auber and the recently arrived "Mom" and "Pop" Potts are active in Zone 9 and have ulterior motives, to the benefit or hindrance of the Gangs.

For all factions, some information will be revealed on each of the new characters that have arrived. In the coming days there will be.

Zone 9 Season 2
Season 2 of the Zone 9 campaign will be released over the next week. Any battles individuals wish to play in this time is to recover captured gangers.

Ork uprising stopped by Van Saar! Escher opportunists routed.

The Orks are an ever present problem across the Imperium which is incapable, or more likely unwilling to deal with issue.
Rex Auber, intrepid trader working to bring supplies to Zone 9, had hired the Van Saar gangers the Archeo-Reclaimers and the Protomen to defend his goods Caravan. 

Zone 9, having been abandoned by the Imperium, was desperately struggling for supplies to truly get back on it's feet, the archeo-tech rush having the poorest, most desperate, but also the most innovative and fearless flood the Zone. In this rush of need, in stepped and innovator, Jeril "Rex" Auber, has been determined for weeks to setup his trade post and start bringing supplies into the zone. Last week the Van Saar prospectors of the Archeo-Reclaimators and the Protomen secured a site for the trade post near Magna Downs, now, Auber has once again hired the two gangs to protect his caravan while it brings in supplies.

To say the least the land train of Rex Auber was heavily armed and supplied, with Storm bolters, and even a old Chimera transport at its head. 

Reports started early this morning of a massive explosion on the road into Zone 9. Rex had been trapped in his Chimera that had been immobilised by falling debris from the explosion. That most hated of species, the Orks, had gathered once again in numbers within Dirtside - the Imperium having repeatedly ignored the rising threat of unchecked spores for years in favour of their own greed. 

The Orks first skulked in the dilapidated shanty town off the side of the road. The Van Saar were unable to gain a bead on the ferals. However, reports from the Zone Pict feeds show the Golden Harpies also skulking in the ruins, giving the Orks a wide berth.

With an beastial roar, the Orks charged from the shanty town, head first into the guns of the caravan. energy and bullet slashed into the Orks, however the Van Saar have not been trained in how to deal with Orks like the Federacy Defence force, and did not know their weak points, and were unable to cut down enough the foul Xenos. If Farport ever threw off the shackles of the Imperium and joined the Federacy, all citizens as standard would be trained in how to kill an Ork with a single las-round; such training is why the Orks have not threatened Federacy for 50 years while still rampaging across the Imperium.

The Escher were happy to sit and watch the Van Saar fight the Orks who continued lay curtains of fire. The Orks, as their foul species is wont to do, haddled together while charging the expanse of ground, which was easy pickings for the Van Saar Plasma Cannon, obliterating entire groups of the beasts. But still they came.

Scarlet, the lone survivor of the Zone 7 massacre, was the first to fall, when a miscommunication between Van Saar led to her being shot with a plasma round before an Ork bludgeoned her into the ground. Two more Van Saar quickly followed suit, and the Orks tried in vain to cut their way into the Chimera. 

The Golden Harpies, opportunistically launched their attack upon the Van Saar, seeking to steal the supplies bound for Zone 9. The Van Saar made their House proud this day and refused to break despite the odds.

For an hour the battle raged, with the Orks managing to get their green claws on several crates of supplies only to be shot as they retreated. The Escher had it no better, having drawn the attention of the Orks, they started to prove a nuisance to the Escher.

It looked grim for the Van Saar, but after an hour of intense fighting there were piles of Ork dead, the gunning engine of the Chimera finally had a response, gaining traction and pushing itself clear of the debris. The orks, what was left of them retreated to skulk once more, having only taken a handful of trinklets. The Escher, not wishing to face the wrath of a fully operational Chimera retreated with their wounded and ill gotten gains.

The Van Saar had been victorious, though not without cost. Several supplies were lost, but Rex is reported to have been happy with the results. 

With the Trade Post finally up and soon to be running, many prospectors are looking to hunt down the hidden entrance to Magna Petrum. 

But how long until the Imperium swoops in and stamps its heel upon freedom and prosperity of humanity once more?

Golden Harpies steal Cawdor Mine

The Golden Harpies, ever the opportunists, have exploited Hans' desperation for the Mines.
Normally Hans', ever paranoid, would not consider working with such a powerful gang as the Harpies, however the involvement of the SSMC had pushed his hand. Though, in truth it is surprising that Hans would work with a gang under such suspicion.

The Harpies launched an attack last week on the well defended Church of St Pyros. sneaking from cover to cover in the ruins surrounding the mine.

The word spreading is that the SSMC provided heavy support for the Church, having listened to a number of sermons and hymns they had gained a fondness for the Church. For their part, the Cawdor were increasingly familiar with the hairless void born miners.

Nevertheless despite the strong bond and vicious fight, the poisons, the Ambot and monsters of the Escher took their toll, forcing the Cawdor back.

Much to Hans' surprised, the Escher kept their word, though that was likely due to the promised 300 creds that Hans had offered for the mine, far above it's value.

Van Saar lay foundations in Zone 9

Zone 9 has for months now been nothing more than a shanty town of desperation and lawlessness. Last week that finally looked set to end thanks to the work of the Van Saar and "Rex" Auber.
The Archeo-Reclaimators and the Protomen, both determined to stop the opportunistic Escher, both set out to setup the site of the Trade Post, the first signs of civilisation returning to Zone 9.

Unfortunately, Dirtside still has a long way to go until it truly becomes civilised and shakes off the barbarism of the Imperium, and so, an argument and a fight broke out between the two gangs, clearly still wary of each other.

In the fight the Protomen were beaten back, and the Archeo-Reclaimators made the claim to Rex Auber.

Fortunately, the Protomen and Reclaimators managed to patch things up a few days later.

There is a long shaky road to the rebuilding of Zone 9, but the Van Saar have made a start.