Warhammer​ ​30K: The​ ​Horus​ ​Heresy​ ​CYOA v0.01 By​ ​SJ-Chan​ ​w/AbraxesAnon Welcome to the formative years of the Grimdarkness that is Warhammer 40K. This is the dawn of the dawn of war, the time of the events that shaped the Imperium of Man into what it was to become, and doomed mankind to 11,000 years of war. The story of the Horus heresy is one of secrets and betrayal, glory and tragedy, misunderstanding, murder, and treason most foul. The air of distrust and fear runs thick, and makes the quieter moments just as tense as the heat​ ​of​ ​battle​ ​between​ ​clashing​ ​forces. In the closing days of the Great Crusade, the Emperor of Man retreats to his palace on Terra, leaving his sons, the Primarchs, under the command of the first among princes, Horus the Warmaster, to fend for themselves. He has faith in his sons, faith in Horus’s leadership… but not​ ​enough​ ​faith​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​them​ ​of​ ​the​ ​threat​ ​posed​ ​by​ ​Chaos. And yet, Chaos, that same force which scattered the 20(21) princes across the galaxy, has not forgotten about them. By corrupting first Lorgar, the most fanatical of the Primarchs, the Ruinous Powers, the Chaos Gods themselves, will slowly twist the hearts and minds of many within the Legions of the Adeptus Astartes… even the Warmaster himself in time. Soon… soon will come a civil war to shake the Imperium to its core and drive its forces to their knees. Billions​ ​will​ ​die​ ​in​ ​fire​ ​and​ ​flame. This tragic passion play will open on the fields of the rebellious world of Isstvan III, where the Traitor Horus and his allies will openly declare their defiance of the Emperor and will rid themselves of the loyalists within their own ranks, setting brother against brother, fathers killing their own sons. The battle of Isstvan III is a long one, an epic and vicious tale of bloodshed and betrayal like unto an ancient Greek tragedy. Nothing will ever be the same again. You arrive in these twisted threads of fate just after the first Primarch, Horus Lupercal, has been found by the Emperor. It is the year 800.M30. During the year 005.M31, unless something changes it, the Horus Heresy, begun in secret, will rage openly across the galaxy for a decade until​ ​014.M31. Let the galaxy burn… or don’t… it’s all up to you. Here are 1000 Crusade Points to help you make​ ​your​ ​choice.​ ​You’ll​ ​be​ ​here​ ​at​ ​least​ ​250​ ​years. TABLE​ ​OF​ ​CONTENTS Racial​ ​Origins [RO] -100%​ ​Human,​ ​Ratling,​ ​Squat,​ ​Ogryn,​ ​Eldar Evolutionary​ ​Lines [EL] -Baseline,​ ​Psyker,​ ​Blank,​ ​Navigator​ ​Gene,​ ​Sensei,​ ​Perpetual,​ ​Geneson Evolutionary​ ​Perks [EP] -Psyche​ ​Unlocked,​ ​Pariah​ ​Gene,​ ​Warp​ ​Eye,​ ​Sensei’s​ ​Gifts,​ ​Perpetual​ ​Revival,​ ​Phoenix​ ​Lord +Phoenix​ ​Lord​ ​Scenario Labworks [LW] -First​ ​Generation​ ​Legionnaire,​ ​Thunder​ ​Warrior,​ ​Adeptus​ ​Custodes,​ ​Son​ ​of​ ​Not-God +Primarch​ ​Scenarios Psyker​ ​Powers​ ​&​ ​Abilities [PP] -Astropath​ ​&​ ​Navigator​ ​Sections Psyker​ ​Specializations [PS] -WIP Transhuman​ ​Abilities [TA] -WIP 100%​ ​Human​ ​Abilities [HA] -WIP Eldar​ ​Ways [EW] -WIP Companions [CM] -Empty Faction​ ​of​ ​Choice [FC] -WIP Items​ ​&​ ​Relics [IR] -WIP Drawbacks [DB] -WIP Notes​ ​&​ ​Reference [NR] ++​ ​RACIAL​ ​ORIGINS​ ​++ Choose​ ​Only​ ​One [RO] 100%​ ​Pure​ ​Human​ ​[Free] You even get a certificate proving to all and sundry that you are, indeed, human… which will be accepted by any relevant authorities, no matter what you look like. You may choose to have no memories of this not yet festering wound of a universe, if you so choose. Your age can be set to anything between 15 and 50 Terran years and your Gender is your choice. Humans of this period have a natural lifespan of about 140 years, but life extension and rejuvenation techniques are common in this day and age and several people from this era are still alive 11,000 years​ ​later. Certificate of Humanity [200] (Free 100% Pure Human): This document proves to any relevant authority that you are (no matter what you may look like or no matter what genome scans may say) 100% Pure Human. Once per jump, you can change the species included in the certificate. While you are carrying the certificate, everyone around you will act as if your appearance is not atypical for a member of that included race. So yes, be Sir Bearington. Only children​ ​and​ ​the​ ​insane​ ​will​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​see​ ​through​ ​this. Abhuman​ ​-​ ​Ratling​ ​[+200] Look, there’s no nice way to say this. You’re a halfling. A Hobbit in space. For the entire jump you will be approximately three feet high and constantly hungry… you’ll need to eat at least twice as much as a normal human. You’ll also have a nigh impenetrable accent and the compulsion to… er… loot anything that isn’t nailed down… and anything you can pry up… and the nails… and whatever it was nailed to. You will also find that you are exceptionally virile / fertile (this has the force of a drawback for the duration of the jump). However, you do get the perk “Half Man, Half Stomach” for free. Your age can be set to anything between 14 and 40 years of age, but people will probably assume you’re a child regardless… at least until you open your​ ​gob,​ ​you​ ​gobshite.​ ​Your​ ​choice​ ​of​ ​Gender.​ ​Ratlings​ ​have​ ​a​ ​fairly​ ​normal​ ​human​ ​lifespan. Half Man, Half Stomach [200] (Free for Ratling): You can eat three times as much as a normal human, and store the calories for later use. You can sleep twice as much as what you need and bank the sleep for later use. You can party tirelessly without ill effects (besides intoxication). And you can turn anything edible into actual food… good food, in fact. Oh, and you’re a crack shot with a rifle of any kind. The soles of your feet are as tough as leather if you want​ ​them​ ​to​ ​be. Abhuman​ ​-​ ​Squat​ ​[+100] Dwarves. Space Dwarves. You don’t exist. I mean, you did exist… but then Games Workshop wrote your entire race out of continuity because of reasons. Still, you’re a member of a race that (when they existed) were genetically engineered to survive on highly radioactive worlds with gravity values as high as 6g. Because of that, Squats are incredibly hardy, tough, and strong. You gain the “Squat Hard” perk for free and everyone keeps forgetting you exist whenever it would be inconvenient for you, points out that you don’t exist every so often, and in general is too damned tall. Your height is maxed out at 4’3” for this entire jump and for some reason people being taller than you is deeply annoying to you. It is probable that there are female Squats…but no one can tell the difference, so what does it matter? Your age is somewhere between old enough to know better and old enough to have forgotten how old you are. Squats don’t so much die​ ​of​ ​old​ ​age​ ​as​ ​eventually​ ​petrify,​ ​though​ ​this​ ​takes​ ​ages. Squat Hard [200] (Free for Squat): Your body is geared for a 6g world, meaning that you’re several times stronger and tougher than a normal human, immune to all mineral toxins, and​ ​have​ ​nearly​ ​limitless​ ​stamina.​ ​Also,​ ​you’re​ ​all​ ​but​ ​impervious​ ​to​ ​background​ ​radiation. Abhuman​ ​-​ ​Ogryn​ ​[+100] Big, strong… dumb. That’s the Ogryn Way. These Abhumans are a mutant strain of mankind that is tolerated because they are really good in a fight and fairly good at following orders. However, they are kinda… well… ugly… and stupid. And prone to violence. While you might not be saddled with an Ogryn’s brains or lack of impulse control, you will find yourself acting a little more foolish and impulsive than you otherwise would be and people will treat you like a moron who might go berserk at any moment… yes, even if you change forms. However, you do gain the ‘OGRYN STRONGK!’ perk for free. Your age is unknown, your maximum age is naturally about 40-50 years, and your gender is your choice, but many Ogryn are sterile. Since this jump is longer than most Ogryn live, assume you’re special and won’t die of old age if you take​ ​this​ ​option. OGRYN STRONGK! [200] (Free for Ogryn)​: You aren’t just strong… you’re flip Battle Tanks strong. You’re fight people wearing power armor (while not wearing it yourself) strong. You are as strong as you think you are (without violating physics). You are also tough enough to​ ​shrug​ ​off​ ​any​ ​wounds​ ​that​ ​wouldn’t​ ​damage​ ​an​ ​armored​ ​vehicle. Eldar​ ​[200] If humanity has any potential ally among the Xenos of this Galaxy, it would be the Eldar Race, for they alone hate Chaos as much as Humanity. However, they are a race driven to the brink of extinction thanks to the recent birth of the fourth Greater God of Chaos, Slaanesh. In being born, Slaanesh has birthed the Eye of Terror and consumed all the Eldar homeworlds. Now, the last of this once great people flee across the galaxy in their Craftworlds or take refuge in the shattered ruins of their Webway. Will you find yourself on one of the nascent Paths of a Craftworld Eldar, seduced by the darkness and pain of the Dark Eldar, or will you throw away eons of culture to become an Exodite. Whatever your choice, your soul is forfeit to Slaanesh if you die in this jump. Eldar gain the ‘Psyche Unlocked’ perk and +300 CP to spend in the Technology Section, but have limited options in the Evolutionary Lines Section below.