Ambush at Rast's Refuge- Grimm Omens campaign

 

Rast's Refuge- (under new management)  Grimm had been warned of the space marine strike frigates arrival in system.  He had ordered the Dread Lord to hide on the other side of the planets orbit and prepared a ambush for the imperials.  A group of phobos armored marines had expertly infiltrated into the ram shackle settlement intent on carrying out a spoiling terror raid on the pirates they believed occupied it.  Before they could take stock of the changed situation Grimm ordered his forces to open fire.  A hail of fire lanced out at the space marines sending a few on overwatch tumbling from roof perches to the muddy streets below.  A space marine walker opened fire on the advancing venomcrawler  blowing off chunks of daemon flesh and armor.  The vindicator targeted it and with a belching salvo from its demolisher cannon blew it apart in a terrible explosion that lit up the night.

With the ambush sprung the Watch knight space marines reacted quickly.  A squad of infiltrators swung onto the flank of the Black Legion force pouring flanking fire into the vindicator and moving to engage the possessed guardsmen holding the flank.  The rest assaulted into the ambush.  Reivers hurling grenades into the venomcrawler stunning it before they charged in.  Blades cut cables and daemon flesh before explosive charges were slapped in place and detonated leaving the daemon engine a immobile burning shell.

     The librarian led the incursers after the helbrute Brutus.  Explosive charges rocked the monstrosity before a hail of bolt fire cracked armor plates.  The Librarian led the incursers into the warmachine.  His psi sword swung into Brutus and an explosion of trapped psi force unleashed by the blow threw the helbrute back 50 meters to lay unmoving in the dirt.  Grimm screamed in rage at the sight and marked the Librarian out.

     "Cut them down!" Grimm screamed into the command vox.  The vindicator opened fire and blew apart a space marine sniper drawing a bead on Grimm.  The possessed guardsmen opened up on the run into the infiltrators before slamming into them guns blazing and blades flashing dropping two of the marines.  An enraged Grimm led his chosen into the incursers.  Blades flashed and in seconds they cut the marines down.  Grimm slammed the Librarian's sword aside with his staff then thrust the spiked staff butt into the Librarians chest and slammed him into the ground.  Grimm poured his psychic might into the Librarian ripping away thoughts and attempting to burn away all resistance.  He would hollow out this imperial lap dog and infused him with his own will and the will of the gods.  His husk would serve him for perpetuity.

Seeing what was about to happen the rievers charged in.  Grimm stood a little ahead of his chosen and they had an easy target.  Grimm felt bolt rounds hammer into him and he ceased his effort and looked up to see the death masked reivers.  One slashed through his armor at the midriff as he attempted to put up a psi shield.  Pain burned him but he got the energy shield of screaming daemons up saving him from the blades.  He heard his chosen and Harkon yelling and he was being pulled back from the reivers to safety.  Through the demonic psi shield he saw a reiver place a teleport Homer on the wounded Librarian.  A sudden flash of light saw his prey gone whisked to safety.

  The possessed guardsmen meanwhile we're cut down by the infiltrators opening up a escape route.

Harkon led his squad into the death masked reivers.  They had almost succeeded in killing Grimm and escaping the ambush.  Almost.  Harkon and his veterans hacked apart the marines.  His tactical display showed him nearly twenty marines had escaped the ambush and were being whisked away by transports.  This was victory but it remained to be seen how much of a victory this was.

The battle over Grimm spoke to Harkon.

     "These Watch Knight marines sending incursion spoiling attacks into the rift twice a year." Grimm said.

     "How do you know that lord?" Harkon asked.

     " I was able to rip much from the mind of our foe.  They were here to take out the pirates nest and they had Intel of a small black legion force operating near here that wasn't us.  Our contacts I would wager.  It seems they believed me dead." Grimm said in amusement.

     " The Imperium will know from those who escaped that you still live.  That Inquisitor and her execution force will be hunting us again." Harkon said. As Grimm nodded.

     " We are stronger now than the last time we met.  We will be ready.  You are already securing supplies weapons and ammo from the fallen I trust?" Grimm asked.  

     Harkon nodded , hiding his irritation at being asked the obvious.  He eyed the cut on Grimm covertly.  Grimm was overconfident and if the time ever came he would use that flaw against him.

     "Very well.  When that is done we will leave here and attempting to locate our contact as the war master commanded.  This place holds nothing else of value to us." Grimm said turning.

     Harkon began carrying out the order taking pict captures and location data and secreting it away on a hidden data card.  This place was of no value to Grimm but that would not be true of others.  Harkon saw possibilities here, others would as well.  Harkon would trade his knowledge for a b price later to others.