Dark Heresy 2E. the FFG 40k RPG system, and the future of this blog

I do not like this system anymore. I will probably be switching content to GURPS when I'm not just using DND content. I might convert old content to GURPS. I am not married to that idea nor promise it. Also, 40k stuff probably won't stop I just won't be using DH rules or templates anymore.

Edit: Even this mild hyperbole feels like too much. It's like... tolerable but has so many annoyances to it. I'm just interested in GURPS.

[Setting] Rann

       

Big WIP
Planet Rann

Name: Rann

Segmentum: Obscurus
Sector: Askellon
System: Rannite
Population: 18,344,000,000
Affiliation: Imperium
Class: Civilized World
Tithe Grade: Exactis Tertius (In Process of Becoming Exactis Primus)
Planetary Governor: Verace Galatia

      Rann fits a designation between Civilized World and Agri-World. It is planet of a vast ocean covered by many thousands of islands breaking up the dark green expanse. It seems that at one point in the planet's history there was a greater landmass that sunk down due to some geological collapse. Along with this, magma vents grew from the collapse that created the islands. The vents tended to be smaller but more numerous. There are interestingly no above-ground volcanoes on the planet. The vast land reaches of the planet tend to have a tropical nature of sorts. Indeed, most of the livable landmass that covers about a third of the planet in the multitudes of lands are all centered around the planet's equator. The northern and southern bits are a bit more temperate and great big ice-sheets cover the poles.       Rann is rather feudal by design. Their technology matches that of many civilized worlds but much of the planet's hierarchy starts with great big clans at the bottom that are connected by villages and townships ruled by seneschals in the stead of nobility that rule great tracts of land including multiple islands underneath the Prime, who right now is Verus Galatia the Eighth. Underneath the nobility are retinues of forces that keep order and also comprise the policing force along with acting as militia. These men and women are well-armed, well-trained, and indoctrinated to be utterly loyal to the nobility and especially the Prime.
      The Prime is named as such as he is of the first family to settle Rann. Interestingly, the lower clans actually have a sort of presence in the power structure of the planet as there is a sort of parliamentary apparatus there.
      Deep mining would lessen livable space on the planet surface. There are a number of underwater structures, however. Along with underwater settlements, mining structures, and enclosures. That is part of where Rann’s wealth comes from. It’s also where the piece is held. His domain is not on the islands but underneath the water and that piece is in his land. Along with the water agri-fields and fisheries.

       The administratum is in the process of raising the tithe grade. It would require a mass overhaul and extreme exorbitant measures on the world and its inhabitants along with possibly ruining the oceans with what would have to be built. This seems to be a recent development after Selvanus Binary found a titan STC and the sector is being more scrutinized and sized up to increase tithe grading and production. Even some Calixian cartographers are putting it back on the map.
       The parliamentary spaces on the planet are spread out. They are linked together by a mass vox-caster and holo-vid system. Weapons are not allowed in those places. You’ll know them easily, they’re big domed buildings with great satellites on them

[Mechanic] Fervour

Fervour mechanic:

Redoing this whole thing

Fervour is the representation of intense belief or passion that affects a character or those around them. 

It acts as an elite advance.

Fervour costs 1000XP to buy with a Willpower of 40 as a prequisite. 

Characters with the Adeptus Ministorum, Adepta Sororitas, or Missionaria Galaxia backgrounds automatically receive fervour once obtaining a Willpower characteristic of 45 or over.

It operates on a system with a 30 point pool.

NPCs do not have to have 40 Willpower to receive Fervour.

Fervour is timed to be acted upon within 72 hours of its gain. The focus is on the immediate.

Gaining Fervour

Focus

Focus is a Difficult (-10) Willpower test a character can make to gain five Fervour. A Focus test requires ten minutes of the character's concentration. It can be made only three times a session to gain a maximum of +15 Fervour gained per session. 

-Spiritual fetishes, religious tokens, or other items one can focus on gain a character a +10 bonus on this test.

Meditate

Meditation is done with eight free hours in a day to gain +5 Fervour. This can represent deep reflection on the Lecitio Divinatus, a deeper understanding and communion with the black books of Chaos, an intensive training of one's body and mind for a singular purpose, meditating on a single phrase, contemplation of the life of a saint such as the sacrifice of the primarch Sanguinius, or another situation that requires deep contemplation.

-Attending a Creed temple's adoration chamber, performing rites with a congregation or a tribal gathering, actions meant to focus the mind such as self-flagellation, and other actions of the like will give a +10 bonus on this test.

Both Meditate and Fervour have a +15 Fervour gain limit per session.

Using Fervour

A character using Fervour abilities spends the amount of points in their available pool. They will spend the amount of Fervour listed with a succesful or failed test. To autopass a test, one could use Self Destructive Conviction to use an ability but take an insanity gain as a penalty.

Fervour Abilities

Mettle

5 Fervour

The character focuses through fear to wage retribution on their terrifying foe. On a Fear test a character may reduce the Fear value effect of another character on themselves to Fear (0). On a pinning test the character may retake a pinning test at Challenging (+0) test.

Ecstatic Inspiration

10 Fervour

The character inspires their allies to new heights with a display of their conviction or passion. As a free action, a character may make a Challenging (+0) Willpower test to confer the effects of the Rousing Speech use of Inspiration upon a number of allies equal to 3xFelB.

Fury

15 Fervour

The character pulls their seething anger and hatred to the fore, wielding it like a hammer against their foes. As a free action, the character may immediately frenzy. Along with this effect, they may temporarily gain the Hatred talent against a specific foe type (following Hatred rules) until the end of the encounter. IE, a feral worlder could use Fury and have their target be Heretical Cults for an encounter. Pre-existing ownership of the Hatred talent does not stack.

Soothe

15 Fervour

The character spreads the fervour of their soul like a warming flame to inspire others past their body's aches and damage. As a full action, a character may take a Challenging (+0) Willpower test to make themselves and a number of characters equal to 2xFelB gain 1d10 additional temporary wounds that may exceed the character's wounds until the end of the encounter. These wounds represent the characters ignoring their wounds through the fervent character's inspiration. Critical damage and its effects, other than death causing effects, are delayed. The end of the encounter causes loss of the temporary wounds, but it does not cause equivalent damage as if they did not have those wounds in the first place.

Communicable Mania

20 Fervour

The character whips others into a frenzy in a shared mania against their foes. As a Full Action, a character may make a Challenging (+0) Willpower test to cause a number of allies equal to 2xFelB to automatically be frenzied. 

Fearless Resolve

30 Fervour

The character overcomes all possible doubts and leading by inspiring example plunges forward even into certain oblivion. The character using this ability automatically passes all fear or pinning tests. In addition, they make a Challenging (+0) Willpower test to inspire others into ignoring fear and pinning tests until the ability using character's next turn.

Rebuke

30 Fervour

The character by their will gives an stunning impression on a denizen of the warp. As a full action, the character may take a Challenging (+0) Willpower test against a being from the immaterium. On success, the creature is stunned for a number of rounds. equal to every DoS scored.

Guaranteed Effects

Self Destructive Conviction

The character, regardless of personal willpower, intensely forces their belief or passion upon the world to the detriment of their mind.

A character, with the requisite amount of Fervour points spent, can auto-pass a Fervour ability test at the beginning of a test or with failure, but with the penalty of 1d5 Insanity per tens digit of fervour. IE, failing the Rebuke test and choosing to Convict will gain the character 3d5 Insanity.

GM Note: Do not use this for NPCs unless an NPC is to have a long-term presence in your campaign. It is unfair, even relative to the unfair 41st Millenium, to have enemies be able to use an option that they technically suffer no penalty to use.

NPC Fervour Array

Troops: 15

Elites: 25

Masters: 30

The GM can choose as they wish, but this is the general rule of how much fervour NPCs get. In general berzerker, zealot, devout, or mad types of characters can use fervour. This is not a limited list, but such character types can include ministorum priests, berzerking cultists (like pestilenants), cult leaders (contagion demagogue, pox magister, preceptors), Sisters of Battle, Drukhari wyches, and the like. The more belief flavored powers are an ill fit for characters like wyches or simple drugged up feral world barbarian types.