Damien 1427 Conv' Kit
A punishment reserved for the worst of heretics, Arco-flagellation turns them into suicidal combat unit. Although usually only used in the Ecclesiarchy's fighting units, some Inquisitors who are not afriad of collateral damage make use of them, becuase they are not what you could call a 'subtle' weapon. Sculpted by Alan Perry this boxed set contains one Damien 1427 model that requires Assembly
Equipment: Two implant decapitators (see new wargear). Combat stimm injectors containing psychon, rage (see below) and reflex. Each contains enough stimms to last for 50 turns.
Special Abilities: All of the rules for Arco-flagellants apply to Simeon 38X. Simeon 38X's trigger word is Exculpate.
Gathalamor syndrome: Simeon 38X's conditioning is not perfect and on occasion he will not respond to his trigger word once activated. When activated, there is a 10% chance he will not respond that turn, although further attempts can be made. When attempting to de-activate Simeon 38X by means of his trigger word, he will only respond 50% of the time, otherwise he will continue to attack in his frenzied fashion.
Rage: Rage is a form of combat stimm which increases awareness and response time, but ravages the user's nervous system. The character may re-roll any failed action rolls. At the end of every turn, the character must roll over their Speed on a D6 or add D10 to their injury total.
Simeon 38X
For many centuries there has been a condition found amongst many of the Imperial faithful known as the Gathalamor syndrome. Stirred by tales such as Confessor Dolan's martyrdom, some Imperial servants become suffused with the need to sacrifice themselves in the Emperor's name. Often they are easily obliged by joining the ranks of unofficial soldiery known as the Frateris Militia, or signing up to a fanatical cult such as the Crusade of the Red Redemption. However, this is not always possible and can cause problems for local authorities and the Ecclesiarchy.
One such sufferer of Gathalamor syndrome was Erin Octavus, a simple grox farmer who eked out his livelihood on the agri-world of Standalone. For his whole life he was very pious, attending the shrine every day, frequently confessing to acts he believed sinful but which weren't proscribed by local doctrine. This strange behaviour began to increase as he grew older and in his early twenties, he was stopped from flagellating himself to death several times for what he called 'impious thoughts', although what these thoughts concerned are not recorded.
The local Preacher, who history tells us was Preacher Jaxxon, was unable to console Octavus, and the farmer remained convinced he was tainted and evil. Growing suspicious of daemonic influence, Jaxxon sent word to his cardinal, who held office on the nearby world of Vrast, requesting that an exorcism team be sent to investigate. Cardinal Simeon himself attended the case, and subjected the willing grox herder to all manner of hideous trials and investigations, all of which proved Octavus free from evil influence.
Still desperately unhappy, Erin pleaded with the Cardinal to purge him of his sinful nature, but by Ecclesiarchal canon there was nothing the Cardinal could do. Finally, in a fit of rage and spurred on by hallucinations, Octavus herded his grox into the Ecclesiarchal compound and assaulted the Cardinal and his retinue. Although the attack was not serious, it was all the reason the Cardinal needed, and immediately had Erin restrained and put on trial. He found him guilty of causing harm to a member of the Ministorum clergy and, at the urging of the defendant himself, committed him to arco-flagellation.
The story would have ended there were it not for the fact that the creature known as Simeon 38X still suffers from Gathalamor syndrome. In all probability his psycho-conditioning and the effect of his pacifier helm have worsened its effects, so that occasionally Simeon 38X becomes so trapped in his own wracking guilt he breaks through his psycho-conditioning and does not respond to his trigger word.
This was a particular problem during the three years Simeon was assigned to Inquisitor Steinbeck while he was conducting the Thallasian Purges. On several occasions Simeon 38X failed to deactivate upon receiving his trigger word, and on one notable occasion rampaged through the congregation of an Ecclesiarchy chapel at mass, causing much bloodshed and damage. Amongst the dead were three preachers, an Abbess of the Sisterhood and half a dozen parishioners. It was at this point that Simeon 38X was almost terminated, but instead was granted a stay of execution by Inquisitor Tyrus, who over-turned the re-trial sentencing of deathmasking. Tyrus now holds the arco-flagellant in stasis aboard his own vessel, preferring to reserve unleashing Simeon 38X against only his most hated foes.
