TEXT: AN INTRODUCTORY 
  DEATHWATCH ADVENTURE
  ™
  ™
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  ™™
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  Lead Developer
  Ross Watson
  Written by
  Owen Barnes
  Editing
  Dylan Owen
  Graphic Design
  Kevin Childress
  Additional Graphic Design
  Mark Raynor
  Cover Art
  Matt Bradbury
  Interior Art
  Matt Bradbury, Igor Kieryluk, Anton Kokarev, Karl 
  Kopinski, Winona Nelson, and Karl Richardson
  Art Direction
  Zoë Robinson
  Production Manager
  Gabe Laulunen
  FFG Lead Game Designer
  Corey Konieczka
  FFG Lead Game Producer
  Michael Hurley
  Publisher
  Christian T. Petersen
  Games Workshop
  Licensing Manager
  Owen Rees
  Head of Licensing
  Paul Lyons
  Head of Intellectual Property
  Alan Merrett
  Special Thanks to the Playtesters
  “Curious Pastimes” Paul Tucker with Colin Brook, Edd 
  Duggan, Liam Eyers, Alexander Lampson, and James 
  Littlewood
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  Oblivion’s Edge
  Oblivion’s Edge
  “I have seen oblivion’s long curved talons and leathery wings; I 
  have seen it in the soulless eyes of a million ravening beasts and the 
  keening wail of a predator that shall never be sated. And now I see 
  its shadow falling upon this world...”
  –Syndalla, Throne Agent of the Ordo Xenos 
  T
  here are few things as utterly terrifying as a full-scale 
  Tyranid invasion of a world. Trapped on the surface as 
  the air fills with alien spores and bio-spawned horrors 
  drop from the sky to devour everything in their path, there 
  is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Though a valiant 
  defence or a formidable fortress may buy you a few hours more 
  of life, once begun, a Tyranid invasion becomes as inevitable 
  as the tide, rising slowly but surely to engulf a world and 
  pick it clean of all life. It is a tragic helplessness that hundreds 
  of worlds before Avalos have endured, and hundreds more 
  will endure after, as the Great Devourer darkens skies and 
  extinguishes all hope of salvation in a cloud of marauding 
  bio-constructs and deadly toxins.
  This is the horror that faces the Battle-Brothers trapped on 
  Avalos in the aftermath of the Lordsholm uprising. Without 
  means of rescue and without the knowledge that help is on 
  the way, they must prepare themselves for the worst. As the 
  glory of their victory over the Broodlord and his nest fades, 
  they must face the realisation that it was a success that came 
  too little too late, and that the fate of Avalos and its millions 
  of citizens was sealed even before the Kill-team’s boots hit 
  the ground. Now, as Hive Fleet Dagon approaches and its 
  fearsome living ships descend on the helpless world, the 
  Battle-Brothers can only ready once more for battle and hope 
  to sell their lives well in the name of the Emperor. 
  GettinG Started
  To run this adventure, one person needs to take on the role 
  of the Game Master, and 2-4 players take on the roles of the 
  Battle-Brothers (note that if the players number less than 4, 
  the GM should reduce the number of enemies that the Kill-
  team encounters by 1/2, rounding up). You will also need 
  at least two ten-sided dice (1d10). This adventure is a direct 
  follow-on from Final Sanction, picking up the action just a 
  few days after its conclusion. While it is recommended that 
  players play through Final Sanction first, it is not absolutely 
  necessary; if the GM wants, he can run this adventure as a 
  stand-alone scenario. oblivion’S eDge has also been designed 
  so that all the rules and background information needed to 
  run it can be found in Final Sanction, along with a selection 
  of pre-generated characters.
  Final Sanction can be downloaded from the Fantasy 
  Flight Games website at www.FantasyFlightGames.com.
  noteS For the GM
  The following section gives the GM an overview of the 
  adventure and details important foes and notable allies. 
  In addition to the GM’s briefing presented here, there are 
  numerous ‘GM Guidance’ sidebars throughout the adventure 
  itself. These sidebars provide the GM with tips, advice, and 
  general guidance on how to deal with aspects of the rules, the 
  actions of the players, and the development of the plot. 
  An Overview Of the Adventure
  oblivion’S eDge follows the Battle-Brothers’ escape from 
  Lordsholm during the horror of the Tyranid invasion of 
  Avalos and their efforts to strike back against the alien terror 
  intent on stripping the world of all life.
  deAthwAtch rulebOOk
  While this adventure is designed so that it can be used 
  without a copy of the Deathwatch Rulebook, there are 
  a few occasions where the GM can expand or embellish 
  encounters if he has a copy of the Deathwatch core 
  rules. Where these instances occur, notes are provided 
  in the text to guide the GM. 
  3
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  The adventure begins four days after the Battle-Brothers’ 
  confrontation with the Broodlord and the final hours of 
  the Lordsholm uprising. The city lies in ruins and most of 
  its population are either dead or have fled the city for the 
  relative safety of the outer provinces. Ragtag bands of rebels 
  still plague the remaining Planetary Defence Force (PDF), but 
  are no longer a real threat to Imperial control of the city. 
  Having caught their breath and had time to take stock of the 
  situation, the Battle-Brothers are at Thorsholt manor in the 
  company of Syndalla, the Temple Assassin, and any of their 
  other allies that remain alive. They will be either formulating 
  a way off-world or waiting for help to arrive.
  It is at this point that the true Tyranid invasion begins. 
  From the Battle-Brothers’ vantage point, they see the sky 
  begin to darken as a mighty hive ship descends into low orbit 
  disgorging millions of spores. As day turns to red-night and 
  the air becomes thick with raining bio-matter, the PCs receive 
  a garbled vox communication from near orbit and are given 
  reason to hope that this might not be the end after all. Arriving 
  at the eleventh hour, Fleet Captain Cobb, commander of the 
  112th Calixian Expeditionary Battle Group, and his task 
  force of four Imperial cruisers and a dozen escorts have taken 
  up position on the side of Avalos furthest from the hive fleet. 
  Having received the call for help from the PCs, his group 
  was the nearest that could be dispatched. Unwilling as yet to 
  engage (his force is heavily outnumbered by the Tyranids), 
  the Fleet Captain can, however, aid the PCs by getting the 
  Kill-team off-world and into orbit.
  With the Tyranids descending on the city in an unstoppable 
  tide of death, the Battle-Brothers must reach the spaceport 
  (the only remaining landing zone) and get off-world. They 
  may also have to escort to safety the surviving Imperial 
  functionaries and other important personages still seeking 
  shelter in the manor. However they plan their escape, it will 
  involve crossing the city, possibly using some of the remaining 
  PDF vehicles, and cutting a path through the Tyranid hordes 
  which pour down old streets and fall from the sky above. 
  Remaining rebels may also prove a problem as they try and 
  find a clear route across a city that has already been fought 
  over once before. Once the PCs reach the spaceport, a new 
  challenge presents itself as they must clear a landing zone for 
  their extraction and then hold out until their rescue arrives by 
  fortifying an area against the Tyranid advance across the city.
  With luck and a judicious application of firepower, the 
  Kill-team will hopefully make its escape and be lifted by 
  Valkyrie to a waiting shuttle to the south, which will then 
  take the Battle-Brothers into orbit from where the true horror 
  of the invasion can be seen. Hundreds of Tyranid vessels 
  cluster in low orbit, crowded around a massive hive ship as it 
  spills spores and bio-matter into the atmosphere, turning the 
  blue world a dark and sickly red. After passing close to the 
  swarm, the shuttle will fly around to the far side of the planet, 
  where, sheltered from the Tyranids, the Imperial battle group 
  waits. The PCs will then be taken aboard the Emperor’s Wrath 
  and into the presence of Fleet Captain Cobb and his master 
  tactician Hadros to formulate a plan to defeat the invasion.
  There will be a number of ways in which the Kill-team, in 
  alliance with the Fleet Captain and his vessels, will be able to 
  strike back at the Tyranids, including direct intervention on 
  the planet’s surface or hit and run attacks against the outermost 
  hive fleet vessels. However, to truly destroy the hive fleet and 
  bring an end to the invasion, the PCs will need to take out 
  the hive ship or somehow destroy its ability to control the rest 
  of the swarm. In fact, this is the only instance in which Cobb 
  will commit to a frontal assault on the hive fleet—if he can 
  deploy the Kill-team onto the hive ship and have them sever 
  its hive mind link, he will then order an assault against the 
  remaining Tyranid vessels during the confusion.
  Boarding and disabling a hive ship (especially one as 
  large as the one assaulting Avalos) is no easy feat, even for 
  the Battle-Brothers. To help them, Cobb will offer them 
  command of a company of Storm Troopers, the best men he 
  has, though to a man they will not be expected to return. 
  Once the Battle-Brothers manage to board the hive ship, they 
  will then have to work their way through one of the most 
  hostile environments imaginable in an almost blind search for 
  the vessel’s central cortex and its hive mind conduit. If they 
  can reach this point alive, and if they manage to succeed in 
  their task, then they will have crippled the hive ship’s ability 
  to command the Tyranid fleet through the hive mind, giving 
  Fleet Captain Cobb and his cruisers a fighting chance against 
  a confused and disorganised foe.
  4
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  The adventure comes to a conclusion with the Kill-team 
  escaping the hive ship’s death throes, once again racing 
  against time before the bio-ship becomes their tomb. At the 
  same time, more Imperial aid finally arrives as a Space Marine 
  battle barge thunders out of the Warp to join the fray—it may 
  send a Thunderhawk to pick up the PCs if they need it. With 
  the arrival of more Deathwatch and the destruction of the hive 
  ship, the Tyranid invasion will be thwarted. However, Avalos 
  lies in ruins and will be plagued for decades to come by the 
  remnants of Tyranid organisms and fanatical rebels. For now, 
  the Battle-Brothers will be able to take a well deserved rest 
  and ponder on the greater implications of Hive Fleet Dagon’s 
  arrival on Avalos and just who or what might have influenced 
  its course...
  Allies And AntAgOnists
  Throughout the adventure the players will face a multitude 
  of fearsome foes and a much smaller number of helpful allies. 
  This section covers all of the pertinent NPCs who make 
  an appearance in oblivion’S eDge, including their rules 
  profiles and any other important background information 
  or additional rules. The adventure also includes a number 
  of NPCs and enemies from Final Sanction, most notably 
  Syndalla, Planetary Governor Thorsholt, Genestealers, and 
  the Broodlord. Profiles and other information on these NPCs 
  can be found on pages 28-29 of Final Sanction.
  fleet cAptAin ArAst cObb
  “Caution is as noble a virtue as valour when facing the unknown. 
  Only a fool throws away his strength when, had he waited, he would 
  have been able to strike but once and meet success.”
  Arast Cobb is Fleet Captain of the 112th Calixian 
  Expeditionary Battle Group, which comprises of his flagship 
  the Emperor’s Wrath (a Mars Class battle cruiser), the Blade 
  of Drusus (a Tyrant Class cruiser), two Dauntless Class light 
  cruisers (the Saint of Scintilla and the Divine Crusade), and a 
  dozen light escort vessels. Tasked with patrolling the regions 
  around the Well of Night, Cobb and his battle group were the 
  closest Imperial forces to receive the Kill-team’s astropathic 
  communiqué, and the only ones able to respond with any 
  amount of swiftness. Much like the Battle-Brothers, however, 
  Cobb was unprepared for the scale of the Tyranid incursion 
  in the Avalos system—Naval Intelligence assured him that no 
  significant tendrils of Hive Fleet Dagon were anywhere near 
  this region of space. Cobb is now in the unenviable position 
  of being able to possibly halt the invasion, but quite likely at 
  the cost of many of his ships.
  Cobb is by nature a cautious man. Old and worn by over 
  a century of service to the Imperial Navy, he has risen to 
  his current position by following protocol and protecting the 
  valuable assets under his command. While a younger or more 
  reckless captain might have immediately launched an assault 
  on the hive fleet attacking Avalos, Cobb has chosen to hang 
  back and wait for more information or a more advantageous 
  time to attack. He has made steps to complete what he sees 
  as arguably his real reason for being here, the recovery of the 
  Deathwatch Kill-team, doubtless the Imperium’s most valuable 
  asset in the system. He realises, however, that his work here 
  is not done, and if he can find a way to reliably engage the 
  hive fleet with a reasonable degree of success, he will take it. 
  Currently, however, the hive fleet greatly outnumbers his own 
  battle group, and even the combined firepower of his two 
  ships of the line would not stand long against the massive 
  Tyranid hive ship at the centre of the swarm.
  When the Battle-Brothers finally meet Cobb, they will need 
  to overcome his caution and rigid adherence to procedure 
  if they are to succeed in the destruction of the hive fleet. 
  This situation is made more interesting by the fact that Cobb 
  has no command over the Kill-team, nor do they have any 
  authority over him. However, both are ostensibly supposed 
  to work together for the interests of the Imperium—interests 
  that currently seem to focus on saving what can be saved 
  from Avalos and hopefully crushing the hive fleet. The GM 
  should make the Battle-Brothers work to gain Cobb’s trust, 
  and they will have to both respect his station as well as come 
  up with decent plans of attack if they are to complete their 
  own mission and win glory for the Deathwatch.
  MAster tActiciAn hAdrOs
  “To kill something you must first understand its ways and study its 
  patterns and movements. Thus, when the time comes to strike, you will 
  best know where to sink in your blade.”
  Fleet Captain Cobb’s primary advisor is Master Tactician 
  Hadros, an Imperial Navy adept of the Tactica Imperialis. 
  Quiet and softly spoken, Hadros is likely to be present 
  whenever Cobb meets with the Battle-Brothers, offering his 
  counsel and wisdom on plans and matters regarding the hive 
  fleet and its likely actions and reactions. Ironically, Hadros 
  is often the voice of risk and recklessness, urging Cobb to 
  take chances if he deems a high probability of tactical or 
  strategic success, and generally trying to overcome Cobb’s 
  natural cautiousness. In this way the GM can use Hadros as 
  an ally for the PCs, helping them to refine and develop any 
  plans of attack they might have as well as smoothing relations 
  between them and Cobb.
  The other key purpose of having Hadros on hand is to 
  give the players access to knowledge their character would 
  not have, notably information on the hive fleet, the world of 
  Avalos, and the capabilities of the Imperial battle group. The 
  GM can use Hadros to throw in hints or guide the actions of 
  the Kill-team, or to help them in coming up with effective 
  strategies. The GM should remember that Hadros is not all 
  knowing, and it is worth maintaining a level of mystery 
  around the Tyranids. For example, while Hadros will know 
  that the hive ship directs the hive fleet, he has a limited idea 
  of just what the Battle-Brothers might encounter once they 
  board it.
  Hadros provides a great roleplaying opportunity for 
  the Kill-team; his adherence to the Tactica Imperialis 
  may please an Ultramarine, whilst a Space Wolf may 
  grow impatient with that same methodical approach.
  5
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  cAptAin grAysOn
  “I’ve never met something I couldn’t kill with a bit of faith in the 
  Emperor and the right amount of firepower.” 
  Grayson is the leader of the 227th Storm Trooper Company, 
  which was in transit to the war-zones of the Reach when 
  the battle group received the PCs’ call for help. A veteran of 
  numerous campaigns, Grayson can offer the Kill-team advice 
  and support in the field, and can help them to complete their 
  objectives and break the back of the Tyranid invasion. The 
  GM can use Grayson in much the same fashion as Hadros, but 
  in a more hands-on practical way, such as when Grayson and 
  his strike force accompany the Kill-team on their assaults.
  Captain Grayson Profile
  WS
  BS
  S
  t
  ag
  int Per WP Fel
  45
  45
  40
  40
  40
  40
  40
  40
  45
  Movement: 4/8/12/24  
  Wounds: 18
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Dodge (Ag).
  Armour: Storm Trooper Carapace (All 6).
  Weapons: Power sword (1d10+9 E; Pen 6; Balanced, Power 
  Field), bolt pistol (30m; S/2/—; 1d10+5 X; Pen 4; Clip 8; 
  Reload Full, Tearing).
  Special Rules
  Hardened Leader: While Grayson is in command of his 
  strike force, his men fight more fiercely, battling on even in 
  the face of heavy casualties. If Grayson is leading his men, 
  they do not suffer from the effects of low morale and cannot 
  be broken (see page 16 of Final Sanction for details on 
  breaking hordes). In addition, Grayson can rally his men and 
  restore their will to fight. This is a Full Action for Grayson, 
  and will restore 2 points to the Magnitude of his Storm 
  Trooper Detachment. This may not raise the force above its 
  starting Magnitude.
  stOrM trOOper detAchMent
  “Anoint them with their own blood!”
  The Storm Troopers are an elite formation of the Imperial 
  Guard, equipped with exceptional armour and weapons. 
  While far below the combat abilities of even a single Space 
  Marine, they are nevertheless an effective battle formation and 
  will be able to aid the Kill-team in situations where additional 
  firepower is required.
  Storm trooper detachment (horde) Profile
  WS
  BS
  S
  t
  ag
  int Per WP Fel
  35
  45
  35
  40
  40
  30
  35
  30
  30
  Movement: 4/8/12/24  
  Magnitude: 15
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Dodge (Ag).
  Traits: Disciplined (Horde).
  Armour: Storm Trooper carapace (All 6).
  Weapons: Hellgun (100m; S/3/—; 1d10+5 E; Pen 2; Clip 
  40; Reload Full).
  Special Rules
  Special Weapons: In addition to their hellguns, Storm 
  Troopers also carry a range of special weapons such as plasma 
  guns, flamers, grenade launchers, and melta guns. Once per 
  round, the Storm Troopers can focus the fire of these weapons 
  to devastating effect, choosing one of the following effects 
  to apply to their attacks for that round: Re-roll all Damage, 
  Increase Pen by 8, Increase Damage by 1d10, or increase 
  Range by 100m.
  tyrAnid wArriOr
  Standing almost three metres tall, the Tyranid Warrior is 
  among the most fearsome of the hive fleet’s foot soldiers. 
  Covered in diamond-hard chitin, with multiple arms (each 
  ending in a fearsome living weapon or curving talon) and 
  a maw filled with razor sharp teeth, it is a perfect killing 
  machine. In addition to its range of deadly bio-weapons, the 
  Tyranid Warrior is also a focal point for the hive mind, and 
  its presence on the battlefield ensures that the lesser Tyranid 
  creatures attack relentlessly, without mercy and without 
  regard for their own lives.
  6
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  tyranid Warrior Profile
  WS
  BS
  S
  t
  ag
  int Per WP Fel
  (12)
  (10)
  55
  30
  60
  50
  44
  20
  35
  50
  ––
  Movement: 6/12/18/36  
  Wounds: 38
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Dodge (Ag).
  Traits: Unnatural Strength (×2), Unnatural Toughness (×2).
  Armour: Reinforced Chitin (All 8).
  Weapons: Scything talons (1d10+14 R; Pen 3), or rending 
  claws (1d10+12; Pen 5), Deathspitter (40m, S/3/—; 
  1d10+6 E; Pen 4; Clip na; Reload na; Living Ammunition, 
  Tearing).
  Special Rules
  Living Ammunition: The ranged weapons of the Tyranids 
  use ammunition that is grown, gestated or excreted by the 
  creature or weapon. As such, ranged Tyranid weapons do 
  not have a Clip value (they are considered to have infinite 
  ammunition), and do not need to be reloaded. Such weapons 
  also never Jam nor do they ever suffer a Misfire.
  Xenos Horror: Tyranid Warriors are towering monsters with 
  multiple limbs and blinding speed in combat. To reflect these 
  bio-engineered advantages, a Tyranid Warrior may attack 
  three times in a single round with a Full Action. These attacks 
  may be made against separate targets.
  hOrMAgAunt hOrde
  A variant of the Gaunt genus, the Hormagaunt has evolved for 
  close combat. Armed with a pair of long, sword-like talons and 
  powerful hind legs, it can cross distances with blinding speed 
  and leap over obstacles with ease. Individually dangerous, 
  Hormagaunts are usually encountered in large hordes where 
  their weight of numbers will bring down almost any foe in a 
  frenzied rush of claws and fangs.
  hormagaunt horde Profile
  WS
  BS
  S
  t
  ag
  int Per WP Fel
  45
  20
  35
  30
  55
  10
  40
  30
  ––
  Movement: 10/20/30/60  
  Magnitude: 30
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Dodge (Ag) +10.
  Traits: Overwhelming (Horde).
  Armour: Chitinous carapace (All 3). 
  Weapons: Scything talons (1d10+5 R; Pen 3).
  Special Rules
  Leap: In addition to their increased speed, Hormagaunts can 
  also make great leaps allowing them to ignore any kind of 
  difficult terrain in their path, such as low walls, trenches or 
  stretches of razor wire.
  terMAgAnt hOrde 
  One of the most common of the Tyranid foot soldiers, the 
  Termagant, like the Hormagaunt, is always encountered in 
  vast hordes. Running on four legs, it carries a bio-weapon in 
  its fore limbs. Unlike the Hormagaunt, the Termagant will 
  often close to weapon range and rain down fire upon its 
  foes, retreating out of range if pursued, only to return again 
  harassing and peppering its targets with living ammunition.
  termagant horde Profile
  WS
  BS
  S
  t
  ag
  int Per WP Fel
  30
  33
  32
  30
  40
  10
  40
  30
  ––
  Movement: 4/8/12/24  
  Magnitude: 30
  Skills: Awareness (Per)
  Armour: Chitinous carapace (All 3) 
  Weapons: Fleshborer (20m; S/–/– , 1d10+5 R; Pen 3, Clip 
  na, Reload na; Living Ammunition, Tearing), teeth and claws 
  (1d10+3 R; Pen 3, Primitive)
  Special Rules
  Living Ammunition: The ranged weapons of the Tyranids 
  use ammunition that is grown, gestated or excreted by the 
  creature or weapon. As such, ranged Tyranid weapons do 
  not have a Clip value (they are considered to have infinite 
  ammunition), and do not need to be reloaded. Such weapons 
  also never Jam nor do they ever suffer a Misfire.
  7
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  gArgOyle hOrde
  A winged variation of the Termagant, Gargoyles fill the skies 
  above the Tyranid swarm as it advances. Constantly attacking 
  from unexpected angles and reaching enemies who believe 
  themselves safe from attack, Gargoyles often pin foes in place 
  until larger, more deadly Tyranid creatures can reach them. 
  Gargoyle horde Profile
  WS
  BS
  S
  t
  ag
  int Per WP Fel
  30
  33
  32
  30
  40
  10
  40
  30
  ––
  Movement: 4/8/12/24  
  Magnitude: 30
  Skills: Awareness (Per).
  Traits: Flyer (10).
  Armour: Chitinous carapace (All 3). 
  Weapons: Fleshborer (20m; S/–/– , 1d10+5 R; Pen 3, Clip 
  na, Reload na; Living Ammunition, Tearing), teeth and claws 
  (1d10+3 R; Pen 3, Primitive).
  Special Rules
  Living Ammunition: The ranged weapons of the Tyranids 
  use ammunition that is grown, gestated or excreted by the 
  creature or weapon. As such, ranged Tyranid weapons do 
  not have a Clip value (they are considered to have infinite 
  ammunition), and do not need to be reloaded. Such weapons 
  also never Jam nor do they ever suffer a Misfire.
  Flyer: Gargoyles have broad leathery wings that allow them 
  to swoop down from the skies in vast numbers upon their 
  prey or to stay at a distance and pepper them with fire from 
  their fleshborers. Gargoyles can fly at a Movement Rate of 
  10—treat this in all respects as normal movement except that 
  it can be made through the air in any direction (note that 
  Gargoyles do not need to be in constant motion to fly, and 
  can hover in one place).
  tyrAnid prOfiles
  As with the profiles for the Genestealers and the Broodlord 
  from Final Sanction, the profiles for the Tyranids presented 
  here have been simplified for the purposes of the scenario and 
  for reasons of space. However, if the GM has a copy of the 
  Deathwatch Rulebook, he can instead use the full profiles for 
  Tyranid creatures found in Chapter XIII: Adversaries. He 
  should be aware, however, that these expanded profiles make 
  the Tyranid adversaries more powerful and consequently 
  more of a challenge for the players.
  The Long Night 
  Falls
  “First murderers, renegades, and rebels trying to tear the city apart, 
  now alien horrors raining from the sky! I didn’t sign up for this...”
  –Sergeant Gorpan, 117th Lordsholm PDF
  O
  blivion’S eDge picks up directly after the events of 
  Final Sanction, carrying on the Tyranid invasion 
  of Avalos and the Battle-Brothers’ role in trying 
  to defeat it. Having dealt with the Broodlord and quelled 
  the rebel uprising (one way or another), the PCs will be 
  recovering from their wounds, restocking their supplies, and 
  generally taking stock of the situation before deciding what 
  to do next. They may also be in the process of dealing with 
  the needs and demands of any surviving notable NPCs, such 
  as Governor Thorsholt or Syndalla.
  ShadoW oF  
  the hive Mind
  The defeat of the Broodlord was not the end of the Tyranid 
  threat to Lordsholm, rather just the beginning. Unfortunately 
  for the PCs, by the time they arrived to deal with the uprising, 
  the damage had already been done and Hive Fleet Dagon 
  had already set its sights on Avalos, its massive living ships 
  slipping across the void towards the tiny blue world. The PCs 
  now find themselves in an unenviable position, trapped on a 
  backwater world on the cusp of a full-scale Tyranid planetary 
  invasion. The GM can set the scene for the players using the 
  background for Lordsholm presented in Final Sanction, 
  bringing them up to speed on the state of the city, its location 
  and assets, as well as reminding them of any prominent NPCs 
  they have already encountered.
  gM guidAnce: tAking stOck
  If the GM is running this adventure directly after 
  Final Sanction, the conclusion of that adventure 
  may influence the PCs’ situation. It is possible that 
  the uprising was not put down effectively and rebels 
  are still rampaging across the city. Likewise, the 
  Broodlord may still live and have the players pinned 
  down, with the surviving PDF barely holding on. Also, 
  certain NPCs may have died, most notably Governor 
  Thorsholt, which will change some of the action in 
  the first part of the adventure and possibly some of the 
  priorities of the Battle-Brothers. However the previous 
  adventure turned out for the PCs, it is worthwhile for 
  the GM to consider the current state of Lordsholm and 
  Avalos, and apply it to the setting before getting this 
  adventure underway.
  8
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  The GM should assume that the PCs have been doing 
  things in the intervening time between the adventures (about 
  four days). If the GM is using a copy of the Deathwatch 
  Rulebook to run this adventure then this is an ideal time 
  to allow the players to spend experience and buy advances. 
  Also, any PCs wounded or crippled in the previous adventure 
  should be allowed to make a full recovery (due to their 
  impressive Adeptus Astartes physiques and superhuman 
  powers of healing) so they are fresh to face the trials ahead. 
  Whatever the Battle-Brothers choose to do during this time, 
  there are a few points that the GM should bear in mind:
  Lordsholm’s PDF is in tatters, a pale shadow of its former 
  •	
  self, and doesn’t really exist any more as an effective 
  fighting force.
  The spaceport has been mostly wrecked and all off-world 
  •	
  shuttles destroyed.
  Tyranid Kraken droneships patrol the void around Avalos, 
  •	
  making it almost impossible for unarmed vessels to safely 
  land or take off from the world.
  The bulk of the population is dead and most of the 
  •	
  survivors have fled to the surrounding countryside, 
  leaving the city mostly deserted.
  The presence of the hive fleet and the ‘Shadow in the 
  •	
  Warp’ has cut off all inter-system communication. 
  However, shorter range vox communication is still 
  possible, though only on the planet or with ships in  
  low orbit.
  A spArk Of hOpe
  Once the players have taken stock of the situation and 
  the scene has been set, the GM can begin by reading or 
  paraphrasing the following:
  It has been four days since your confrontation with the Broodlord 
  and the final bloody night of the Lordsholm uprising. With your 
  heroic efforts, the city has been saved, at least for the time being, 
  and you have retired to Governor Thorsholt’s manor to oversee 
  the final stages of securing the city. During your few days of 
  convalescence, however, it has become painfully clear that a full-
  scale Tyranid invasion is descending on Avalos, and reports have 
  been coming in from across the planet of dark shapes moving 
  against the stars. Even in Lordsholm you have witnessed the 
  sky darkening with spores and alien clouds obscuring the sun. 
  There can be no doubt as to what is coming next, as those few 
  who have survived the uprising and remain in the city huddle in 
  their hiding places awaiting the next and final chapter of this 
  nightmare to unfold.
  All is not lost, however, and it seems that the Emperor’s 
  favour has finally fallen on you. On the morning of the fourth 
  day, a spark of hope lights up the darkness and you receive a vox 
  communication from an Imperial cruiser, the Emperor’s Wrath, 
  as it makes orbit. It seems that your final astropathic call for aid 
  has somehow got through; hopefully it will not be too little or 
  too late... 
  The GM should have Fleet Captain Cobb make contact 
  with the players via the manor’s cliff-top vox relay and then 
  outline the situation. The PCs are free to ask the Fleet Captain 
  questions and discuss plans. However, he should make the 
  following clear:
  His ‘fleet’ consists of only two cruisers and two light 
  •	
  cruisers, and is not strong enough to take on the hive fleet 
  in orbit around Avalos. Currently his ships are sheltering 
  on the far side of the planet from the hive fleet, which 
  has as yet taken no interest in them.
  His primary orders are to recover the Kill-team and the 
  •	
  Temple Assassin (Syndalla).
  From his vantage point, he can see that the hive fleet is 
  •	
  launching a massive spore cloud, which will soon touch 
  down in and around the city.
  He can send a shuttle to pick up the Kill-team, but it 
  •	
  can only land at the spaceport on one of the surviving  
  launch platforms.
  More help may be coming, but there is no telling how 
  •	
  long it will take or even if it will arrive before Avalos has 
  been reduced to a barren ball of rock.
  Captain Cobb and his vessels are currently the only hope 
  the Battle-Brothers have of getting off-world alive. The GM 
  should make it clear to the players that if the PCs remain on 
  Avalos, they will in all likelihood die, and their lives are far 
  too important to the Imperium to throw away in a futile stand 
  against the hive fleet. This means that they must either escape 
  the city and the extent of the spore cloud or (more likely) try 
  to make it to the shuttle and spaceport.
  9
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  crOss-tOwn cArnAge 
  Getting out of Lordsholm or crossing the city to the spaceport 
  is, of course, easier said than done. It involves leaving the 
  protective walls of the manor and finding a path across the 
  ruins of at least the Magistria, Calistria, and Portica districts. 
  The city is still plagued by rebels. Worse, the vanguard of 
  the Tyranid landing is pushing in from the west, devouring 
  whole city blocks in a tide of alien horrors. The GM should 
  allow the PCs to come up with a plan, perhaps using their 
  knowledge of the city from their time spent here so far to 
  plot their route. Some of things they will be aware of are 
  listed below:
  The token force of PDF remaining will be of little help 
  •	
  against the Tyranid swarm. However, depending on their 
  actions in the first adventure (i.e., their successful rescue 
  of PDF units), the GM may allow the Kill-team to have 
  access to the semblance of a fighting force.
  Getting to the spaceport on foot will take hours at least, 
  •	
  and it is doubtful that the PCs will be able to stay ahead 
  of the swarm. Fortunately there are three functioning 
  Chimera transports (belonging to the PDF) that they  
  could use.
  The Governor (if he is still alive) and the nobles will 
  •	
  expect to be rescued as well, and the Kill-team may have 
  to decide who stays and who comes (if they want to try 
  to save any of them at all).
  However the Kill-team choose to reach the spaceport, be it 
  in a convoy of Chimeras, a stealthy dash through the sewers 
  or even lowering a boat (such as the Lord-Governor’s luxurious 
  yacht) down the cliffs to sail across the bay, the GM should 
  not make it easy for the PCs. In addition to obvious combat 
  encounters against hordes of Hormagaunts, Termagants, 
  Gargoyles, Tyranid Warriors, Genestealers or even rebel mobs, 
  the Battle-Brothers may also have to overcome natural obstacles 
  such as broken bridges and barricades. They might also have to 
  make moral choices. For example, they might run into survivors 
  pleading for rescue, or, if they are escorting the Governor and 
  his nobles, someone might get left behind forcing the PCs to 
  decide whether or not to go back to rescue them.
  Whatever happens, the GM should remember that this is a 
  desperate escape, the city is about to be overrun with Tyranids, 
  the sky is darkening, and Avalos is in its final hours of existence. 
  If the PCs fail to reach the shuttle, then they and whoever is 
  travelling with them will probably not live to see the sunset.
  Below are presented six possible encounters for the players 
  to overcome before they reach the spaceport. The GM can use 
  any or all of these encounters, depending on the Kill-team’s 
  escape plan. 
  Mycetic Spore Strike
  Out of the swirling alien cloud overhead a dark shape suddenly 
  appears, growing at an alarming rate as it plummets to earth. Just 
  ahead of the Kill-team, a huge Mycetic Spore (a Tyranid drop 
  pod) crashes to the ground and bursts in a mist of bio-matter, 
  10
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  spilling Tyranid creatures in all directions. The PCs have to 
  either plough into the spore (running or driving right through 
  it) or beat a hasty retreat and find a way around (taking more 
  time). If they choose the former, they will need to defeat at least 
  three or four Hordes of Hormagaunts and Termagants if they 
  are on foot. However, if they are in vehicles, they can simply 
  try and run down the Tyranids (requiring a Challenging (+0) 
  Driving or Agility Test), though at least one battle brother 
  will probably need to pop the hatch open and clear off any 
  creatures clinging to the hull. The Hormagaunt Hordes may 
  also try to simply swarm the Chimera transports and tip them 
  up on their sides (make a single Strength roll for the Horde to 
  accomplish this) in order to slow down the evacuation.
  refugees and rebels
  Despite the presence of the swarm, there are still some pockets 
  of rebels and refugees within the city. This can present a moral 
  dilemma for the Battle-Brothers as their little band probably 
  represents the last vestige of Imperial authority in Lordsholm, 
  and survivors will flock to them for help. This can have two 
  distinct effects. The first is that they may encounter survivors 
  who are actually rebels, who will attack them when they get 
  close—crafty rebels might even wait until they are inside a 
  vehicle to strike in order to cause maximum carnage. The second 
  effect is that if the PCs choose to help the pockets of refugees, 
  they will end up with a trailing ragged mob of humanity who 
  they must protect and shepherd to the spaceport, where sadly 
  they will probably meet their end anyway...
  Battered Bridges
  At some point the PCs will need to cross one or more bridges. 
  The GM can have them come to a bridge that has been hastily 
  repaired, but looks very rickety. Crossing the bridge is no 
  problem on foot, though the heavy Space Marines should 
  go one at a time. However, getting any vehicles across will 
  require a slow drive and a Challenging (+0) Driving or 
  Agility Test as the bridge groans, creaks, and sheds bits into 
  the canal below. This is also a good place to stage an ambush, 
  as the players are exposed trying to get across. Perhaps the PCs 
  are attacked from both ends of the bridge by Hormagaunts, 
  Termagants, Genestealers or rebels. Daring PCs may choose 
  to hit the bridge at full speed in their vehicles, and the GM can 
  have them make a Hard (–20) Driving or Agility Test to 
  see if it holds. Needless to say, if the bridge collapses and the 
  PCs are dumped into the canal or trapped on opposite sides, 
  the situation could get far more complicated. One possible 
  challenge to throw at the Battle-Brothers is to have a lone 
  Tyranid Warrior threaten one side of the bridge whilst hordes 
  of Hormagaunts and Termagants attack the other, forcing the 
  Kill-team to choose where best to place their efforts.
  Call for aid
  The Battle-Brothers receive a vox transmission from an isolated 
  PDF company that was coming to the aid of the city before 
  being cut off by the swarm. Stationed in a town about 10 
  kilometres to the south, the company has four Basilisk mobile 
  artillery pieces and can provide long-range fire support. The 
  GM can allow the players to make use of the artillery as often 
  as he allows (if he wants to limit this advantage, the company 
  can simply have limited ammunition for their guns). However, 
  this should be difficult and risky. Calling in an accurate strike 
  requires a Challenging (+0) Intelligence Test, and each shell 
  (four in each barrage) has a radius of about 20 metres. Anyone or 
  anything in this radius will take 5d10 E Damage and be knocked 
  prone (Hordes take triple Damage from artillery)—on a failed 
  test, the GM can have rounds land literally anywhere. Finally, the 
  rounds take time to reach the target from such a distance, and 
  when a strike is called it will take 2 Rounds to arrive. If the GM 
  is feeling particularly kind, he may allow the PCs to still have 
  contact with the artillery for the last stand in the spaceport.
  technical difficulties
  If the Battle-Brothers are using vehicles, the GM can have one 
  of them break down during the dash across town. At first the 
  vehicle will sputter and shudder, falling behind the convoy 
  before its engine finally dies. The Battle-Brothers must decide 
  whether to abandon the vehicle and press forward on foot 
  (presumably there will not be enough room for its occupants 
  in another vehicle) or try and fix it. If the choose the latter, 
  requiring two successful consecutive Challenging (+0) 
  Intelligence Tests, it will be a race against the swarm as 
  Tyranids slowly begin to mass around their position. The GM 
  can build tension by having at first one or two Genestealers 
  or Hormagaunts appear, followed by a few more, then a few 
  more until dozens are pouring in through the ruins.  
  Street Sinkhole
  As the players make their way down a battered street, pocked 
  with craters and rubble, an entire section of the roadway suddenly 
  collapses into the sewers below. Characters on foot must make 
  a Challenging (+0) Agility Test to avoid falling, while those 
  gM guidAnce: crOss-tOwn cOMbAts
  The GM can insert as many or as few combats as he likes during the Kill-team’s escape, bearing in mind that once they 
  reach the shuttle landing zone they will be in for one almighty battle. Whether or not there is any significant amount of 
  combat, the GM should try and keep up the pressure on the players. This can be achieved by having Tyranid creatures 
  constantly spotted moving through buildings or on parallel streets, and having lone Hormagaunts or Genestealers pop 
  up and hiss at the Kill-team before being mown down or retreating. The GM should also encourage the players to keep 
  moving and retreat from combats (especially if they are in vehicles) by making it obvious that for every creature they fell, 
  two more seem to take its place.
  11
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  driving vehicles must make this Test at –10 to avoid ditching 
  their vehicle into the hole. Complicating matters, six Genestealers 
  are lurking in the hole (having slipped in from the sewer) and 
  will attack as the players try and climb out or free their vehicles. 
  If none of the Battle-Brothers fall into the sinkhole, the GM can 
  have some of the NPCs (such as the Governor or some nobles) 
  fall in. As they scream for help from the rubble or from within 
  their overturned vehicles, the Genestealers move in for the kill 
  and the PCs must decide whether or not to go to their rescue. 
  LaSt Stand in 
  LordShoLM
  Once the PCs reach the spaceport, they must face one final 
  ordeal before they can bid the city goodbye. As they are 
  closing in on the remaining landing platforms, they receive a 
  vox message from Captain Grayson, commander of the Storm 
  Trooper Company accompanying Captain Cobb’s fleet. The 
  extent of the Tyranid spore cloud means that the shuttle can no 
  longer land in the city and has put down about 100 kilometres 
  to the south in the Valshari Mountains. Grayson and a platoon 
  of his best men are en route in Valkyrie troop transports and 
  should be there in about 20-30 minutes. Unfortunately for 
  the Kill-team, the swarm will arrive at the spaceport in less 
  than half that time. Grayson advises them to hold the landing 
  platform and tells them he will be there as quickly as he can.
  The Kill-team now has the option of staying put and 
  holding out or making a break for it. If they choose the latter, 
  then they will almost certainly have to abandon any NPCs 
  they have as the only two ways out are either across the water 
  or through the swarm and back across the ruined city. Using 
  NPCs like Syndalla, Grayson, and Governor Thorsholt, the 
  GM should encourage the PCs to hold their ground (it should 
  also be apparent that after the dash through the city neither 
  the NPCs nor the transports are in any condition to go any 
  further). If the PCs instead choose to cut and run, it should be 
  brutal and the GM shouldn’t hold back in unleashing the full 
  fury of the swarm on the Kill-team. If the PCs are to break 
  through the Tyranid swarm and escape the city on foot then 
  this should be a momentous achievement (even if it is a very 
  unlikely one).
  If the PCs choose to hold their ground until Grayson and 
  his men arrive to pick them up, they will have to secure the 
  landing platform against assault. They have about 10 minutes 
  narrative time to set up their defences and prepare for the first 
  wave of attackers (though of course the GM should give the 
  players more real time if they need it to formulate their battle 
  plan). The landing zone is about 80 metres across with the 
  platform rising above it in the centre, 20 metres high. Between 
  the platform and the edge of the area the ground is littered 
  with debris, shattered transport containers, and burnt-out 
  vehicles. Surrounding the landing zone is a maze of shattered 
  and burnt-out buildings and warehouses stretching off into the 
  rest of the district. There are four main ways into the landing 
  zone: a mag-railhead at the north end of the platform next to 
  a loading ramp, a broad roadway leading out of the spaceport, 
  a smaller western roadway, and an eastern roadway connecting 
  the platform with other (now wrecked) platforms.
  In addition to their own abilities, the Kill-team have at 
  their disposal the Chimera transports, and are also reinforced 
  by the tattered remains of a PDF platoon gathered from those 
  still garrisoning the spaceport, as well as two Tarantulas (sentry 
  guns) armed with heavy bolters and crewed by servitors. The 
  PDF have been using these to protect the remaining platform. 
  The other NPCs, such as the nobles or the Governor, huddle 
  on the platform with Syndalla to protect them, and effectively 
  take no part in the fighting. It is up to the Kill-team to create 
  what defence they can with the knowledge that the swarm 
  will attack through one or more of the entry points. The Kill-
  team might also have the idea of using the Chimeras to block 
  off one of the entrances (they will only be able to effectively 
  do this to one entrance) which will make things a little easier 
  on them. Alternatively, they might allow the PDF to use the 
  Chimeras as strong points, in which case this will extend the 
  amount of time they can hold an entrance point (see below).
  The GM should have the players choose where they will 
  be, where they are positioning the Tarantulas and where they 
  are placing the PDF platoon. The Battle-Brothers will know 
  that the Tarantulas and the platoon can each hold an entrance 
  point individually, but not for long. Conversely, if more than 
  one defensive unit is placed on an entrance, it will increase 
  the time it can hold. Both the GM and the players might find 
  the use of tokens or a sketch helpful for this battle to help get 
  an idea of how their defences are set up and how the tactical 
  situation changes as the attack unfolds. 
  Once the players have set up their defences (and their time is 
  up) they hear the first rumblings of the swarm as it approaches 
  the spaceport. The sky grows darker as the spores thicken, and 
  caustic bio-matter begins to fall like rain, burning exposed skin 
  and pitting metal. The clicking and chittering of a thousand 
  insectoid limbs begins to drown out all other sounds. 
  Finally, the first creatures burst into the landing zone. 
  The GM should refer to the Tyranid Attack Waves sidebar 
  to determine what kinds of creatures enter the fray, and from 
  which entry point. He should feel free to add or remove 
  tyrAnid AttAck wAves
  Round 1:
  •	
   A Hormagaunt Horde from the 
  broad roadway, and a Hormagaunt Horde from  
  the railhead.
  Round 3:
  •	
   A Termagant Horde from the broad 
  roadway, and a Termagant Horde from the railhead.
  Round 5:
  •	
   4 Genestealers and a Broodlord from the 
  eastern roadway
  Round 6: 
  •	
  A Termagant Horde from the  
  western roadway.
  Round 10:
  •	
   A Tyranid Warrior from the broad 
  roadway, a Tyranid Warrior from the railhead, a 
  Hormagaunt Horde from the eastern roadway, a 
  Hormagaunt Horde from the western roadway, plus 
  a Gargoyle Horde from above the platform
  Round 11+:
  •	
   Additional hordes appear whenever 
  an existing horde is destroyed in order to replace 
  it (this includes Genestealers, the Broodlord, and 
  Tyranid Warriors).
  12
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  additional Hordes depending on how the battle is going—
  after all, the goal is to keep up the pressure on the PCs and 
  have them fight desperately to hold their ground, not wipe 
  them out in a few short rounds.
  If the Kill-team blocked off an entry point with the 
  Chimeras then the vehicles negate the first Horde or creature 
  to appear from that entrance before they are torn apart. In 
  addition, the first Horde or creature to enter from a point 
  covered by a Tarantula or the PDF platoon will be destroyed. 
  However, this will also destroy the Tarantula or PDF (if more 
  than one Tarantula or a Tarantula supported by the PDF 
  are covering the same entrance, then the players can choose 
  which is destroyed). If the PDF are using the Chimeras as 
  strong points, then they can destroy two Hordes or creatures 
  before they and the vehicles are destroyed.
  It should be clear that the Battle-Brothers cannot defeat 
  the swarm—there are just far too many creatures. However, 
  they can hold the Tyranids back until the Valkyries arrive. To 
  simulate this, the GM should keep track of the Damage the 
  Kill-team inflicts on the swarm each Round (the total Damage 
  inflicted on each Horde, though not individual creatures). If 
  the PCs can manage to inflict a total of 10 or more Damage 
  then they have held the Horde at bay. If they only inflict 5 
  or less Damage, this means that the swarm has advanced and 
  the PCs are pushed back 10 metres towards the platform. The 
  GM does not need to factor in (or make any rolls for) Damage 
  done by the PDF or the Tarantulas as their role is simply to 
  hold an entrance as detailed above.
  gM guidAnce:  
  running the lAst stAnd
  The battle in the spaceport should be a desperate 
  frantic affair as the Kill-team try to hold on in the 
  face of overwhelming odds and in the hope that their 
  transports arrive in time to extract them. To this end, 
  the GM can maintain the flow of the battle by focusing 
  mostly on the actions of the players themselves and 
  should run the rest of the battle in a more narrative 
  style. Remember that the Magnitude of a Horde is not 
  an exact representation of its numbers and it can be 
  as large or as small as the GM wants. Equally, when 
  a battle brother reduces the Magnitude of a Horde it 
  could mean cutting down dozens of foes with bolter 
  fire. The GM should try and play up the overwhelming 
  nature of the swarm in this way to impress upon the 
  players the endless tide of Tyranid creatures their 
  characters are facing. Equally while the GM need 
  not make any rolls for the PDF or Tarantulas, he 
  can describe their situation when they are destroyed 
  countering a Horde—dozens of men disappear under 
  a tide of bio-horrors, or gun turrets overheat or run out 
  of ammo before being swamped by attackers.
  Finally, it is recommended that the GM plays out 
  the whole encounter fast and loose, allowing players to 
  move about without worrying excessively about move 
  rates or keeping too close a count on ammo (unless the 
  GM wants to work this into the tension). Instead, the 
  main focus of this fight is that the swarm will inevitably 
  force the Kill-team back metre by metre, and the PCs 
  must try and slow its advance as much as possible, even 
  though there is no hope of stopping it.
  Here are a few ways to spice up the Last Stand 
  encounter:
  The Space Marines may either destroy the mag-
  •	
  railhead (either with a powerfist or krak grenades) 
  to cut off one of the avenues of approach, or they 
  may instead weaken it, intending to take down 
  a large section of the mag-rail when the Tyranid 
  hordes are half-way across. This is a clever way to 
  eliminate a horde or two, and particularly savvy 
  Space Marines may attempt to summon the mag-
  rail car from the far end to add to the destruction.
  An abandoned promethium fuelling truck, its 
  •	
  systems too damaged to be used as it was intended, 
  may be pushed into place by the Space Marines to 
  serve as an improvised explosive trap. The explosion 
  will serve nicely as both a signal (for other Space 
  Marine planned actions to occur) and a method to 
  destroy a horde or two.
  The Imperial Governor may attempt to leave early, 
  •	
  commandeering one of the Chimeras and forcing 
  its driver to try and drive away at some critical point 
  in the battle. The Space Marines should intervene 
  if they do not wish to lose two potentially valuable 
  resources: the Governor and the Chimera itself !
  13
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  Note: If the Kill-team has taken up a position on the 
  landing pad (either to gain height or for some other reason), 
  the Kill-team will not be “pushed back,” and the Valkyries 
  can arrive when (or if ) the Tyranids reach the landing pad.
  Anywhere but here
  After 11-15 Rounds of combat, or when the Battle-Brothers 
  have been pushed back onto the platform itself, the GM can 
  read or paraphrase the following:
  Over the din of battle and the hiss of the swarm as it presses in 
  from all sides, you hear the first faint whine of engines. Suddenly 
  out of the darkening sky, two Vulture Gunships scream overhead 
  and unleashes a torrent of missiles into the Tyranids, lighting up 
  the edge of the landing zone in a curtain of flame. A moment 
  later, three Valkyries appear out of the gloom, their gunners 
  hammering the swarm with heavy bolter fire. As the first one 
  lands on the platform, a man dressed in Storm Trooper carapace 
  leaps down from it and salutes. “Captain Grayson reporting sir! 
  You ordered a ride?”
  The PCs can then hastily board the Valkyries and be 
  carried to safety, leaving the swarm, the corpses of countless 
  PDF troopers, and the flaming city in their wake. After the 
  PCs are picked up, they will be flown south out of the city 
  and to the Valshari Mountains, where a shuttle waits to take 
  them up into orbit. From their high altitude, the magnitude 
  of the Tyranid invasion becomes apparent to them as they 
  witness the entire northern horizon becoming dominated by 
  the spore cloud. They can see it descending and spreading 
  outwards, slowly but surely engulfing the entire world...
  Hit and Run
  “Tyranids don’t take prisoners, and neither shall we. Kill them all!”
  –Sergeant Ricanis, 2nd Platoon, Storm Trooper Company
  O
  nce they are clear of the city, the Kill-team is 
  flown south for several hours, the peaceful Avalos 
  countryside, farms, and orchards rolling away below 
  them yet to be ravaged by the swarm. Then, after landing 
  at a forward Imperial landing site, they board a shuttle and 
  are ferried into orbit. Holding position on the far side of 
  the planet from the swarm is Cobb’s battle group. As the 
  PCs approach, they see frantic activity around the cruisers 
  as Fury starfighters fly close support and transport shuttles 
  ferry troops and ordinance between the ships. As soon as they 
  arrive on the Emperor’s Wrath they are invited to join with the 
  Fleet Captain in his control chambers. The GM should read 
  or paraphrase the following:
  running the lAst stAnd On 
  AvAlOs: AlternAte MethOd
  If the GM wishes, the Last Stand on Avalos can be 
  managed as a single encounter using the following 
  method. Once the Kill-team has made their plans to 
  defend the spaceport, ask each Space Marine to make 
  a single Test relevant to that particular Space Marine’s 
  intended actions. For example, if the Devastator Marine 
  intends to open fire from an elevated position to cover 
  one of the avenues of approach, ask him to make a single 
  Ballistic Skill Test (adding in any relevant bonuses) and 
  keep track of the degrees of success (or failure). 
  Once each Space Marine has made a Test and 
  the degrees of success have been counted, place the 
  successes into a “pool” that the Kill-team may simply 
  spend to eliminate a Tyranid horde or threat posed 
  during the Tyranid assault. Each degree of success spent 
  in this manner means that the Space Marine’s careful 
  preparations have paid off and one Genestealer, Tyranid 
  Warrior, or horde has been destroyed. The GM should 
  try and narrate this process as cinematically as possible, 
  describing the Space Marines’ actions as mowing down 
  serried ranks of foes, blasting apart Genestealers or 
  defeating a Tyranid Warrior face-to-face. 
  14
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  As you enter the vast strategic control chambers of the Emperor’s 
  Wrath, armsmen and naval officers part before you and bow 
  their heads in respect to the mighty Adeptus Astartes. In the 
  centre of the chamber a vast hololithic display shows Avalos, a 
  pale blue orb in a sea of darkness. You also note flashing icons 
  representing the fleet and a vast grey-green stain on the far side of 
  the world representing the swarm. Among the gathered Imperial 
  commanders, one tall, lean man stands ahead of the rest. As you 
  approach he greets you. “I am Fleet Captain Arast Cobb and I am 
  honoured to by your presence, my lords. It is not often my vessel 
  has been graced by warriors of the legendary Deathwatch.”
  PreParation and PLanS
  Cobb will brief the PCs on the situation and his fleet (see page 
  9 for these key facts). He also introduces them to Hadros, his 
  Master Tactician and chief advisor. Hadros outlines the plan 
  to destroy the swarm, praising the Kill-team on their efforts 
  so far but humbly requesting their aid in the effort to liberate 
  Avalos from the Tyranid invasion. Before Cobb will assault 
  the swarm, he wants to try and weaken and disperse it so 
  that his ships will have a fighting chance against its superior 
  numbers. At this stage the PCs are free to offer their advice 
  and opinions in rounding out the plan, and the GM should 
  encourage them to modify things if they come up with any 
  good ideas. The GM should remember (and make it clear to 
  the players) that Cobb is not the Kill-team’s commander, and 
  the Battle-Brothers exist outside the chain of command of 
  his battle group. Their relationship to the captain is one of 
  alliance (the PCs still ultimately report to the Deathwatch 
  or, failing direct contact with their superiors, must perform 
  within the parameters of their last set of orders—in this case 
  purging Avalos of Tyranid infestation). 
  The GM can also use this time on the Emperor’s Wrath 
  for the PCs to recover and restock, especially if they have 
  been wounded. Once they are ready, the GM (in the guise of 
  Hadros) can lay out their mission and offer a list of possible 
  targets. More details on Missions and how they work can be 
  found on page 24 of Final Sanction.
  iMPeriaL oPerationS
  The following is a list of five possible Imperial operations 
  which give examples of how the hive fleet may be weakened 
  and dispersed. The GM can use any or all of these, add his 
  own or adapt them to suit his own game. The purpose of 
  this section is to give the Battle-Brothers a chance to strike 
  back at the Tyranids on their own terms, rather than reacting 
  and falling back, which is what they have been doing so far. 
  Another purpose is to build up to the final assault on the hive 
  fleet and the destruction of the hive ship.
  Note: If the GM wishes, one or more of these operations 
  may be combined into one. For example, the operations 
  Firebreak and Evacuation can easily be combined; the 
  Valshari Dam overlooks a small farming community. The 
  Space Marines must then deal with the dam, the Tyranids, 
  and the refugees all at the same time!
  MissiOn:  
  weAken the tyrAnid AssAult
  priMAry Objective
  Complete at least one Imperial Operation 
  successfully
  Before the Kill-team can launch the final assault 
  on the swarm, they must weaken its hold on Avalos. 
  This means completing a number of hit and run attacks 
  against the Tyranids both in orbit and on the ground. 
  As soon as the PCs have completed one or more of 
  these Imperial Operations, Cobb will be willing to 
  order the assault (the GM should use his discretion to 
  determine how many Operations must be completed in 
  order to proceed to the next portion of the adventure).
  secOndAry Objective
  Complete all Imperial Operations successfully
  For greater glory and to further break the Tyranids’ 
  presence on Avalos, the Kill-team should seize every 
  opportunity to strike at the enemy no matter how trivial. 
  To complete this objective, the Kill-team must complete 
  all five of the Imperial Operations. 
  tArgets Of OppOrtunity
  Gather intelligence on the hive fleet
  During the course of some of the Imperial 
  Operations, 
  the 
  Kill-team 
  may 
  come 
  across 
  opportunities to gather information on the nature of 
  Hive Fleet Dagon which will aid the Imperial cause. 
  These instances are noted as Tyranid Intelligence in  
  the text.
  gM guidAnce: running An 
  iMperiAl OperAtiOn
  Each Imperial Operation is intended to be a small 
  encounter in its own right, consisting of some planning, 
  some combat and some roleplaying opportunities 
  for the players. The details of each Operation have 
  intentionally been left broad as it is up to both the 
  GM and the players to fill in the blanks themselves 
  and decide just how long or how involved each one 
  becomes. It is even entirely possible to expand these 
  Operations out into full-blown adventures in their 
  own right should the GM choose. The GM should 
  also remind the players that during this section of the 
  adventure they will have the resources of the fleet at 
  their disposal and should be encouraged to make use 
  of orbital strikes, Grayson’s Storm Troopers, close air 
  support or anything else they can reasonably think of 
  to help them in their raids.
  15
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  strike the vAnguArd
  The swarm covers a vast area of space around Avalos, and its 
  scores of vessels are scattered far and wide. Hadros believes 
  that small escort squadrons stand a good chance of getting 
  close to this picket line to take out some drone ships and 
  escape without drawing the full attention of the swarm. The 
  escorts, however, are very vulnerable to ship-to-ship assaults, 
  and so Hadros suggests that the Kill-team should accompany 
  one of these missions to help repel boarders. This means 
  defending the shadowy corridors of a Sword Class escort, 
  hunting down Tyranid infiltrators, and keeping boarders 
  away from vital systems until the vessel can complete its 
  task and return to the fleet. There may even be the chance 
  to recover the remains of a Tyranid synapse creature (such as 
  a Tyranid Warrior) which counts as Tyranid Intelligence 
  when returned to the fleet.
  firebreAk
  The swarm is moving across Avalos at an alarming rate, and 
  there is little that the Imperial forces can do to stop it. They 
  can, however, try and slow it down by destroying the great 
  Valshari Dam above the flood plains south of Lordsholm and 
  drowning the coastal towns. This will require the PCs to be 
  inserted by Valkyrie into the mountains, possibly landing on 
  the towering dam structure itself and working their way down 
  into the pumping stations to plant charges. While the main 
  swarm has not yet arrived, the vanguard is sure to be nearby 
  and Genestealers no doubt prowl the darkened tunnels.
  kill the big Ones
  Striking at some key locations on Avalos, the Kill-team can hunt 
  down Tyranid Warriors and other synapse creatures in order to 
  disrupt the swarm. Most likely this will take place in the rustic and 
  rundown streets of an agri-farm, where trapped citizens try futilely 
  to stay alive against the swarm with stub rifles and harvest blades. 
  The Kill-team may face moral choices as to whether or not to try 
  and save survivors. However this task transpires, it is likely that 
  the PCs will find themselves hunting through rundown buildings 
  and overgrown fields for their targets while under constant assault 
  from the swarm, perhaps while a Storm Trooper Valkyrie flies 
  close support, spotting targets and lending fire support with its 
  heavy bolter. Recovering bio-data and samples from these higher 
  Tyranid bio-forms counts as Tyranid Intelligence.
  evAcuAtiOn
  There are still millions of people trapped on Avalos under 
  the spreading cloud of the swarm. While it is impossible 
  to save even a fraction of these, it is feasible to save some 
  personnel vital to the planet’s governance or the Imperium’s 
  infrastructure. Certainly, if Governor Thorsholt is alive, he will 
  be able to name various nobles, functionaries, and members 
  of his government who he believes still survive somewhere 
  on the planet’s surface. Some of these extractions may involve 
  simply making a shuttle landing in an unaffected area before 
  the swarm can reach it and quickly returning to orbit, while 
  others may involve daring rescues from war-zones. The hardest 
  type of extraction will be if the Kill-team has to return to 
  Lordsholm (now a living nightmare of Tyranid infestation) and 
  cross the city (difficult even by Valkyrie) to recover survivors 
  from the Governor’s manor or another location.
  seize And secure
  Just as there are still important people on Avalos, there are also 
  a number of vital Imperial documents. These can be found 
  either in the manor at Lordsholm or in the various provincial 
  Administratum buildings dotted across the world. More important 
  than these planetary records, however, is the intelligence on 
  the swarm and its methods of infiltration gathered by the late 
  Inquisitor Kalistradi. Although the Kill-team possesses some of 
  her notes, there are other caches that she hid outside the city 
  while she was following the Broodlord’s trail. Syndalla is able 
  to help the Kill-team find some of this data, but it will mean the 
  PCs making landings in infested areas and fighting their way to 
  their targets, with a Valkyrie circling overhead trying to survive 
  long enough to extract them and the data. Gathering at least 
  some of this data counts as Tyranid Intelligence.
  the FinaL PuSh
  Once the PCs have completed their mission and the swarm 
  has been weakened to the satisfaction of both Cobb and 
  Hadros, the time will come for the final push: an assault on 
  the hive ship itself hopefully resulting in the destruction of 
  the hive fleet.
  16
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  Belly of the 
  Beast
  “Emperor’s blood! Look at the size of that thing!”
  –Lieutenant Weyer, 5th Fury Squadron, Emperor’s Wrath
  T
  he time has come. Cobb is ready to commit his vessels 
  into open battle with the swarm and the Kill-team 
  must face its final challenge—destroy the hive ship. 
  There are a number of ways in which the PCs can complete 
  this final goal. Unless they want to watch the action from the 
  vista-ports of the Emperor’s Wrath, this is going to mean them 
  boarding the hive ship. The GM shouldn’t push them into 
  this, however, and ideally the daring and dangerous idea of 
  a hit and run attack on the hive ship should come from the 
  players—though of course both Hadros and Cobb can make 
  suggestions concerning the massive tactical advantage should 
  they be able to disable the hive ship’s synapse node and thus 
  disrupt its ability to transmit the hive mind to the rest of the 
  swarm. Before the assault begins, the GM can have the Battle-
  Brothers join Cobb, Hadros, and their other advisors in the 
  battle cruiser’s command chamber to formulate a plan and lay 
  out the parameters of the mission.
  iMPeriaL aSSauLt
  The plan to take out the swarm is actually pretty simple: the 
  Imperial fleet will close into range of the hive ship, blast a 
  hole in its escort screen and send across the Kill-team (plus 
  the Storm Trooper Company) via boarding torpedo with a 
  screen of Fury Interceptors. The fleet will try to hold off the 
  swarm while the Kill-team disables the hive ship’s synapse 
  node, and then it will pick apart the remaining Tyranid ships 
  in the confusion. Captain Cobb makes it clear to the Kill-
  team that time is an important factor, and that his cruisers can 
  only stand for so long against the full firepower of the hive 
  ship, so he will be counting on the Kill-team to disable the 
  synapse nodes as soon as possible.
  Cobb doesn’t have any assault boats on his vessel or in 
  his fleet, but he has converted some regular torpedoes into 
  boarding torpedoes, which can be launched from the Blade 
  of Drusus. The torpedoes will be self-guided by servitors, 
  and the PCs simply need to sit tight until they reaches their 
  target (and pray to the Emperor that a stray lance shot doesn’t 
  vaporise them). Cobb will also commit a squadron of his Fury 
  Interceptors to protect the torpedoes from ravening Tyranid 
  fighters, assuring the PCs that these pilots are the best he has. 
  Finally Grayson and his Storm Trooper Company (or what 
  remains of it) will accompany the Kill-team in other boarding 
  torpedoes to provide additional aid, unless the players decide 
  they don’t want them to come. When the Battle-Brothers feel 
  they are prepared enough, stocked up with weapons, and 
  rested, Cobb will begin his attack and the PCs can transfer 
  to the Blade of Drusus and board their torpedoes to await  
  zero hour.
  MissiOn: cripple the tyrAnid 
  hive ship
  priMAry Objective
  Destroy the Hive Ship’s Hive Mind Link
  To finally liberate Avalos, the Kill-team must destroy 
  the Tyranid swarm. This means boarding the swarm’s 
  hive ship, finding its synapse chamber, and knocking 
  out its hive mind link. This will have the effect of 
  disrupting the rest of the swarm and throwing the 
  entire Tyranid invasion into confusion, thus allowing 
  the Imperial fleet to destroy it piecemeal.
  secOndAry Objectives 
  Destroy the Hive Ship’s Vital Systems
  Cobb and his battle group are outgunned by the 
  hive ship and will be hard-pressed to stand long in 
  a toe-to-toe slugging match with its massive spore 
  cannons, pyro batteries, and bio-plasma launchers. 
  Any weapon systems the Kill-team can disable or 
  destroy while aboard the hive ship will help to tip 
  the balance back in favour of the Imperials. Just as 
  reducing the hive ship’s weapons will make it easier 
  prey, so too will disabling its spore ducts, therefore 
  diminishing the protective spore that protects it from 
  incoming fire.
  Recover a Pure Sample of the Hive Fleet  
  Dagon Genus
  Tyranids are always changing and adapting, and 
  so Imperial forces are always after new intelligence 
  on the hive fleets that they use to better destroy them. 
  If the Kill-team can find a pure sample of the Hive 
  Fleet Dagon genus while on board, it will be of great 
  value to the Imperium efforts against the Tyranids of 
  the Reach.
  tArgets Of OppOrtunity
  Rescue Survivors
  It is always possible that the hive ship holds 
  survivors of devoured vessels, bombers, and fighters 
  that have been consumed yet not full digested. 
  Finding these survivors and managing to get them to 
  safety is a boost to both the fleet’s fighting strength 
  as well as its morale.
  Defeat the Tyranid Prime
  Deep within the hive ship are some truly horrific 
  Tyranid creatures, waiting to be deployed onto the 
  surface of Avalos. One such creature is the Tyranid 
  Prime, a towering nightmare of chitin, fangs, and claws. 
  To complete their mission, the PCs can easily avoid 
  the creature. However, should they manage to destroy 
  it then they will have accomplished a deed worthy  
  of song! 
  17
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  heart oF the SWarM
  From the relative peace of the boarding torpedo, the Kill-
  team can listen in to the vox chatter between the Imperial 
  fleet as it closes with the swarm. The GM can draw this out 
  for a few minutes if he likes, to build the tension and impress 
  upon the players the scale of the engagement. To begin with, 
  the ships exchange long-range lance and battery fire with the 
  swarm, which to start with does not seem to take a particular 
  interest in the Imperial ships. Then, as the fleet gets closer, the 
  swarm begins to stir, moving like a single giant beast. It starts 
  to slide sluggishly towards the fleet, hurling bio-matter and 
  ordinance into the void. Finally, like a storm crashing over 
  the shore, the fleet is rocked with the first impacts—even in 
  their harnesses, the Battle-Brothers can feel the ship’s armour 
  taking a beating. At this moment the deck master gives the 
  Kill-team their five-minute warning and the torpedo’s engines 
  begin to thrum beneath the PCs’ boots. The GM can then 
  read or paraphrase the following:
  With the force of an Ogryn pressing down on your chest, the 
  boarding torpedo screams down its launch tube and accelerates 
  on a crown of fire into the void and away from the safety of the 
  fleet. You can see little in the shadowy interior of the torpedo’s 
  crew compartment, its cold steel walls and crash-couches lit only 
  by feeble red combat lighting. Your only connection to the titanic 
  space battle raging outside is the occasional burst of orders, 
  reports, and screams over your vox as the cruisers fully engage 
  the swarm. Closer to your position, you can hear the chatter 
  between the Fury pilots as they engage in a rolling dogfight to 
  keep Tyranid ordinance away from your vulnerable transport. 
  For what seems an eternity, you wait in the dark while outside the 
  void is torn apart by the exchange of fire. Then suddenly your 
  torpedo shudders alarming and seems to slow as if passing into 
  deep water, its hull ringing with the sound of thousands of tiny 
  impacts. Finally a mighty impact throws you into your harnesses 
  followed by silence. You have arrived.  
  breAching the inner skin
  The Kill-team’s boarding torpedo lands within the outer skin 
  of the hive ship, a protective shell several metres thick between 
  its vulnerable innards and the void. To get into the vessel 
  itself, however, the PCs need to push their way through this 
  fleshy barrier and pierce the inner skin. When they disembark 
  from the boarding torpedo they find themselves in a stringy, 
  bloody series of tunnels (a bit like being inside a muscle). 
  Alarmingly the tunnels contract and expand at random 
  intervals, long cords of sinew snapping tight to the walls and 
  ceiling. Crossing these tunnels is hazardous, as getting caught 
  by a line of sinew as it contracts can tear off a limb (in fact, if 
  the PCs have brought along the Storm Troopers, this is a good 
  place to have a few of them dismembered and strangled by the 
  sinew). Getting through the tunnels requires a Challenging 
  (+0) Agility Test from each battle brother. Any PC who fails 
  this test suffers 1d10 I Damage (not reduced by armour or 
  Toughness Bonus) as they are caught by the cords. The PC 
  will then need to make a Challenging (+0) Strength Test 
  to escape. Other Battle-Brothers can help a trapped PC, each 
  one adding +10 to the Strength Test. However, they also risk 
  getting caught themselves. PCs may try to discern a pattern 
  in the flexing or determine the signs that indicate when a 
  contraction occurs to better time their passage through the 
  tunnels. This requires a few minutes and a Difficult (–10) 
  Intelligence Test. A battle brother who passes this test gains 
  a +20 on his Agility Test to get through the tunnels.
  Alternatively, the PCs may choose to shoot or hack their 
  way through the tunnels, tearing apart the sinew wherever 
  they see it. However, this sparks a response from the hive 
  ship, and 2 Rounds after the PCs make their first attack, 
  three Hormagaunt Hordes will arrive to attack them. The 
  PCs must fight off these Hordes as well as make Agility 
  Tests each Round to avoid become snared by the sinew (the 
  Hormagaunts are unaffected by the sinew). 
  Alien intelligence
  Before the PCs embark for the hive ship, Hadros offers 
  them detailed information regarding the probable 
  location of each of their targets and expected resistance 
  as formulated by the best Imperial minds. Unfortunately 
  his information is largely wrong and rarely matches 
  the reality of the hive ship’s interior (a stark reminder 
  of how little the Imperium really knows about the 
  Tyranids). For example, Hardos informs them that the 
  hive ship is probably laid out in a similar manner to 
  an Imperial cruiser, and they can expect drives and 
  engine rooms in the lower decks, weapons along the 
  hull and near the prow, and the bridge near the top of 
  the vessel. Given the nature of Tyranid creatures, it is 
  expected that the vessel will have gravity close to Terra 
  standard and some kind of atmosphere. Finally, many 
  of the mechanical devices found on Imperial ships, such 
  as bulkhead controls and lifts, are doubtless replicated 
  on a Tyranid vessel but in a biological form (much like 
  the weapons Tyranids use).
  The GM can use this bad intelligence to play up just 
  how alien the hive ship is (compared to anything the 
  Kill-team has encountered so far) and to keep the PCs 
  off balance from the moment they land. Essentially, 
  whenever the PCs encounter a new section of the ship 
  or ship system, the GM can allow them to consult their 
  intel on what it might be. This could mean discovering 
  something that their intelligence identifies as a door, 
  only to learn that it is in fact a digestive chamber for 
  bio-matter reclamation. Occasionally the intel might be 
  right (just often enough so that the PCs don’t completely 
  discount it). In a tight spot, the GM can use it to help 
  the PCs find their way about or formulate their plans.
  18
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  outer LayerS 
  The first of the three levels through which the Kill-team must 
  pass to reach their goal are the outer layers—the chambers 
  and tunnels close to the surface of the hive ship. Once through 
  the inner skin, the PCs are presented with a dizzying array of 
  tunnels, ducts, and chimneys going in all directions. They can 
  use their auspex to get a rough fix on their location within 
  the hive ship, though they will largely need to find their way 
  by guesswork. The GM can give them some help either with 
  Hadros’s intel or if they come up with a good plan (for instance 
  they might think to try and find some major arteries—the 
  equivalent of Tyranid power relays—and follow them to their 
  source). Ultimately, how long the players spend in the outer 
  layers is up to the GM. In addition to any combat encounters 
  that the GM may wish to set in this section (selecting enemies 
  from the list of Tyranids on pages 6-8), there are two set 
  encounters he can use. These encounters can take place at any 
  time and in any order.
  bile ducts
  After trekking through the twisting tunnels of the outer layer 
  for a while, the PCs come to a point where to press on they 
  must wade into a milky grey liquid. The liquid is thick and 
  clings to their armour, but otherwise doesn’t seem deadly. As 
  they press on, however, it becomes progressively deeper until 
  they must swim under water for several metres to reach the far 
  side of the tunnel. When they immerge from the liquid, they 
  find themselves in a vast chamber at the edge of a great lake 
  of bile. Across the lake, islands rise up towards the roof, each 
  sprouting a towering lung-like pillar that expands and contracts 
  rhythmically. These are spore flumes, and they are part of a vast 
  network that fuels the hive ship’s spore shielding. 
  The Kill-team can discern the purpose of the flumes either 
  with a Challenging (+0) Medicae Test (such as from the 
  Apothecary) or, if they make some close guesses, the GM could 
  confirm it with Hadros’s intel. Whether or not they choose to 
  try and take out the flumes, crossing the chamber is going to 
  be dangerous. Firstly the bile is at least waist deep (slowing 
  all movement by half and imposing a –10 on Agility Tests, 
  such as Dodge Tests) and in some places gets much deeper, 
  forcing the Battle-Brothers to skirt around or swim. Secondly 
  there are numerous Genestealers swimming undetected under 
  the bile. These will appear in swarms of 2-3 and attack for a 
  Round or two before retreating under the bile, trying to wear 
  the Kill-team down or pick off isolated members. 
  Destroying the flumes is not hard, even a stray bolt round 
  might do it. However, when a flume explodes, it will throw 
  everyone within 30 metres of it to the ground (or into the 
  bile) and create a cloud of equal size that drops visibility to 
  about a metre. As soon as a flume is destroyed, it will also 
  create a response from the hive ship and within 3 Rounds 
  three Hormagaunt Hordes appear, followed 3 Rounds later by 
  three more, and so on, making retreating from the chamber 
  a wise idea (these numbers do not increase if further flumes 
  are destroyed). Successfully destroying three flumes is enough 
  to make a difference, and counts as completing half of the 
  Secondary Objective to destroy vital systems.
  gM guidAnce:  
  using the stOrM trOOpers
  Grayson and his Storm Trooper company will probably 
  accompany the Kill-team across the void to assault the 
  hive ship. Their purpose, however, is not simply to give 
  the PCs a bit of extra aid, but also to demonstrate just 
  how incredibly dangerous the mission is. In fact, it is 
  likely that none of them will return alive. The GM can 
  use the Storm Troopers to show the PCs how lethal 
  creatures such as the Tyranid Prime are, or how deadly 
  certain areas (such as the nerve tunnels) can be. He can 
  also use them to highlight how much more powerful 
  the Battle-Brothers are, as Storm Troopers go mad with 
  fear or otherwise succumb to the horror of the hive ship. 
  It is also likely that all of the Storm Troopers won’t have 
  arrived in the same place as the Space Marines (their 
  boarding torpedoes—those that survived crossing the 
  void—will have impacted all across the hive ship’s 
  hull). This means that the players can encounter squads 
  of Storm Troopers (or their mangled remains) whenever 
  the GM wants to work them into the adventure.
  gM guidAnce:  
  A hOstile envirOnMent
  The GM should make sure that the PCs are aware of 
  just how alien their surroundings are at all times. The 
  moist red and purple tunnels constantly ooze liquids, 
  make disturbing noises, and disgorge tiny organisms, 
  most of which are little danger to the Kill-team but 
  which may alarm the Battle-Brothers nevertheless. 
  Things will also often not be as they appear, and the 
  silhouette of a Tyranid Warrior may just be the shape 
  of a wall or vent, while a real Tyranid Warrior may lurk 
  invisible, coiled into the overlapping chitin and flesh 
  of the ceiling. However, two constants within the hive 
  ship are the heat and the dark. Unless otherwise noted, 
  there is no light here except for that which the Kill-team 
  brings. The darkness in no way impedes the Tyranids, 
  who use their own superior senses plus those of the 
  ship to move swiftly around. It is also hot in the hive 
  ship, so hot that the Battle-Brothers can feel it through 
  their power armour. The air is thick around them, 
  and their armour is soon covered with condensation. 
  While the heat may have other consequences, it does 
  mean that whenever a battle brother suffers a level or 
  more of Fatigue, he will also suffer one addition level 
  reflecting his increased exertions. 
  19
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  spOre cAnnOn
  Still close to the hull, the PCs find themselves walking 
  through a vast transparent blister looking out into the void. 
  From this vantage point, they can see the space battle raging 
  and the blackness of space torn apart by slashes of lance fire 
  and exploding ordinance. Suddenly the floor below them 
  shudders violently and their attention is drawn to another 
  blister nearby, from which protrudes a massive living cannon 
  hurling deadly spores into the void. 
  Though the Kill-team doesn’t need to take out this 
  weapon, destroying it would help Cobb and his fleet. Getting 
  to it is going to be tricky, as there is no clear path through the 
  outer layer. They will have to cut their way out of the blister 
  and climb 20 metres across the hull of the hive ship, careful 
  not to slip and drift away into space. Fully enclosed power 
  armour will support the Battle-Brothers in the void, but not 
  indefinitely, and they will have about 10 minutes from the 
  time they breach their blister to reach the spore cannon and 
  take it out before they need to get back. Crossing the hull 
  is harrowing, to say the least, with the vastness of the void 
  above their heads, and the GM should impress upon the 
  players just how exposed this makes them feel.
  About halfway across, the Kill-team is attacked by a brood 
  of 2-3 Genestealers crawling out onto the hull from a nearby 
  cyst. The Genestealers are adapted to survive in the void (at 
  least for a time) and can move and fight freely. The Battle-
  Brothers, on the other hand, have their Movement Rate 
  halved as they move along carefully from one handhold and 
  foothold to the next. Whenever a combatant is struck, he 
  must make a Very Easy (+30) Agility Test to avoid being 
  knocked off the hull and drifting away into the void. If he 
  is not saved (or does not somehow manage to save himself ) 
  then he will vanish into the dark in 3 Rounds (this may not 
  be fatal for a battle brother, but it will remove him from the 
  action until he can somehow be picked up). Once the PCs 
  reach the cannon, it will take a minute or two to hack in and 
  destroy it either with bolter fire or explosives, wrecking its 
  vital components and organs. Destroying the spore cannon 
  counts as completing half of the Secondary Objective to 
  destroy vital systems.
  The Space Marines may decide to use explosives to destroy 
  the Spore Cannon. Destroying the Spore Cannon with krak 
  grenades or demolition charges requires a Challenging (+0) 
  Demolition Test (or Intelligence Test, if using the pre-
  generated characters from Final Sanction). 
  inner arterieS
  Once the PCs have made their way through the outer layers, 
  they arrive in the core of the ship, where the inner arteries 
  ferry vital fluids and bio-matter between the hive ship’s major 
  organs. This area is not as heavily populated with Tyranid 
  creatures as the outer layers (the majority of the active creatures 
  remain near the hull for deployment or to repel borders). The 
  organisms found here, however, are typically both larger and 
  more dangerous. As with the last section, the GM can draw out 
  this part of the vessel for as long or as briefly as he chooses. It 
  is recommended that the GM reduces the number of combat 
  counters (there can still be lots of tension as the PCs see shapes 
  moving in the shadows or mistake growths and fleshy mounds 
  for enemies). This gives the section a different feel, as if the 
  players are walking quietly in the gullet of a slumbering beast. 
  Before the players find their way to the next section, the GM 
  can have them face either of the following encounters.
  hAtcheries
  Hive ships are living bio-factories churning out millions upon 
  millions of Tyranid organisms for their endless planetary assaults. 
  After breeching the inner arteries, the Kill-team comes across one 
  of these vast hatcheries, a cavernous chamber filled with gestation 
  pods and birthing sacs. To get deeper into the ship, the PCs need 
  to tread carefully through the 200 metre long hatchery as half-
  formed creatures stir silently at their passing. The GM should have 
  each PC make an Easy (+20) Agility Test to avoid awakening 
  the hive mind to the Kill-team’s presence. If a PC fails this test, the 
  chamber begins to rumble as ripe pods begin to burst and creatures 
  spill out. Immediately 3 Gaunt Hordes (either Termagants or 
  Hormagaunts) attack. Then, every 5 Rounds thereafter, another 
  Gaunt Horde appears (or 3 Genestealers and a Broodlord, or 3 
  Tyranid Warriors) as long as the Kill-team remains here. 
  explOsives
  The Battle-Brothers may request additional krak 
  grenades or demolitions charges to achieve their 
  objectives within the Hive Ship. Whilst the Space 
  Marines can certainly carry quite a lot of explosives, 
  the narrow corridors and routes the Kill-team needs 
  to traverse within the alien ship means that the 
  Space Marines must restrict themselves to one or two 
  explosives apiece. Krak grenades or demolition charges 
  can be used in any location to cause damage to the 
  Hive Ship. However, given the ship’s size, only certain 
  critical areas are vulnerable to such attacks. The areas 
  that are vulnerable to explosives are the Spore Cannon 
  (see below) and the Synapse Chamber (see page 22). 
  It is important to note that the Kill-team has enough 
  explosives to destroy one of these two targets, but not 
  both. Thus, the Kill-team will have to decide whether 
  to try and complete the objective with their other 
  weapons and wargear instead.
  AnOther wAy Out
  If the GM wishes, the Kill-team may have taken a locator beacon with them on their mission inside the Hive Ship, 
  allowing for the Emperor’s Wrath to teleport them out. At a suitably dramatic moment, the Kill-team may activate the 
  locator beacon and will be whisked away to the teleportarium aboard the Mars Class Battlecruiser.
  20
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  In addition to the Hordes, the chamber also contains a massive 
  Tyranid Prime (count this as a Tyranid Warrior with Unnatural 
  Strength x3 and 100 Wounds). If the PCs awaken the chamber, 
  the Tyranid Prime attacks with the rest of the creatures after 
  2 Rounds. If they don’t awaken the chamber, they see its vast 
  slumbering form as they are leaving and may or may not choose to 
  attack it. Needless to say, shooting the pods, setting off explosives 
  or hacking into the sleeping creatures also awaken the chamber.
  There is also an opportunity here to gather a pure sample of 
  the Hive Fleet Dagon Genus (if there is an Apothecary in the Kill-
  team he will immediately realise the potential), and with a few 
  minutes and a bit of care, the PCs can extract a sample from the 
  gestating creatures. 
  digestive trActs
  Nearing the vital organs, the PCs find themselves climbing 
  up a steadily sloping tunnel, its floor slick with bile and other 
  foul liquids. Suddenly they immerge into a truly massive 
  chamber, so large they can scarcely see the ceiling, and so 
  wide that the far side is lost in a haze. There is something 
  here that immediately draws their eyes. The GM should read 
  or paraphrase the following:
  You seem to have entered some kind of gargantuan stomach or 
  digestive tract. The air is thick with an acidic mist and the floor 
  deep in bubbling fluids. What catches your eyes, however, is not 
  the vile fleshy cavern but rather its contents; a partially digested 
  Imperial escort! The vessel rises up before you, half sunken 
  into the bile, its hull covered in crawling horrors as it is slowly 
  dismembered by millions of tiny Tyranid organisms.
  The only way across is to climb up the outside of the 
  escort and pass though it (the bile lake into which the vessel 
  is sinking is highly acidic and will melt even power armour 
  in a matter of minutes). While the organisms devouring the 
  vessel will not disturb the Kill-team unless they are themselves 
  disturbed— prompting the arrival of hordes of Gaunts—
  there is, however, a battle still raging on the ship. As the PCs 
  enter the vessel’s slanting corridors, they pick up short-range vox 
  from a group of Imperial officers holding out in the state rooms 
  against a dozen or so Genestealers which are trying to get in. 
  One of these survivors is a high-ranking officer from the Saint of 
  Scintilla, and saving him counts as a Target of Opportunity. 
  The PCs can try to save the survivors, fighting their way 
  through the Genestealers and blasting open the doors to the 
  state rooms. Once they do so, however, the pressure within the 
  vessel will shift, and the digestive tract releases a torrent of bile 
  from below decks. The vessel begins to sink even faster, forcing 
  the PCs to make a hasty retreat, fending of Genestealers as the 
  corridors fill with fluid. Once the PCs escape, they will have to 
  decide what to do with the survivors (possibly passing them into 
  the care of the surviving Storm Troopers).
  21
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  vitaL orGanS
  Following the inner arteries will finally lead the Kill-team to 
  its goal in the beating heart of the hive ship. The vital organs 
  are unlike any of the other regions the Kill-team has passed 
  through so far, and the PCs can sense its importance almost 
  immediately. The thick air is charged with electricity and 
  thrumming with alien thoughts, and there is a stillness that 
  pervades everything, as though the Battle-Brothers are standing 
  on hallowed ground or in the nave of a great cathedral of flesh 
  and blood. The pace should change here, and no longer will 
  the PCs be encountering random hordes of Tyranid creatures 
  and surprise ambushes. The GM should run the two following 
  encounters to conclude the Kill-team’s mission.
  nerve tunnels
  Having reached the vital organs, the Kill-team is close to its 
  goal. However, to reach the synapse chamber the PCs must 
  travel up the nerve tunnels, towering chimneys of light and 
  electrical impulses leading into the vessel’s central cortex. 
  Entering the base of one of these towering tunnels, they see 
  it vanishing into a blue haze high above them, lit occasionally 
  by flashes or green and purple. Traversing the tunnels poses 
  two problems. The first is that there is only micro-gravity 
  here, meaning that the PCs must leap from ledge to ledge in 
  great arcs where a misstep can mean spinning out of control, 
  while the second is the huge electrical energy coursing up 
  and down the shaft. 
  To overcome the first issue is just a matter of time and 
  careful aim when jumping. In combat, however, when time 
  is short, the GM can have the Battle-Brothers make Easy 
  (+20) Agility Tests to move. A PC who fails this test is sent 
  spinning up or down the shaft, costing him at least a round 
  as he steadies himself. The second problem is harder to avoid, 
  and each Round the GM should roll 1d10, as should each 
  player. Any player that rolls the same number as the GM may 
  have their character struck by an electrical charge (for 3d10 E 
  Damage) unless they pass a Challenging (+0) Perception 
  Test to spot the danger. 
  The PCs are not alone, and Hordes of specially grown 
  Gargoyles fly up and down the shafts clearing away debris (in 
  this case the Kill-team). During the ascent, the GM can have 
  one or more Hordes assault the PCs, making for a daring 
  fight as they leap from ledges and avoid bolts of energy. If the 
  GM wants to make things harder for the PCs, he may take 
  into account the fact that the recoil of their weapons in such a 
  low gravity might throw them off ledges or into walls if they 
  are not properly braced.
  synApse chAMber
  Finally the Kill-team reaches the synapse chamber, a massive 
  domed cavern of grey and purple flesh dripping with thick 
  dark mucus. Five great pillars or flesh cords dominate the 
  centre of the chamber, throbbing with light and sparks, 
  giving the chamber a terrible flickering light. This is the 
  target and the Kill-team must sever these cords to destroy 
  the hive node. The presence of the hive mind is brutally 
  strong in here and the PCs will feel it pressing in on their 
  minds. Cutting a cord is not too difficult and will take only 
  2 Rounds of concentrated fire or melee attack from a battle 
  brother. However, to even focus on the cord and deliver these 
  attacks, a PC must first pass a Difficult (–10) Willpower 
  Test, otherwise they succumb to the hive mind’s influence 
  and cannot attempt to cut the cord that turn. 
  22
  
  Oblivion’s Edge
  The other challenge here is that five Tyranid Warriors 
  (elite guardians with 45 Wounds each) hide in the walls. One 
  Warrior appears when the first cord is attacked, with one 
  more arriving at the beginning of each following turn. No 
  other foes will appear, but the Kill-team must destroy all five 
  cords to destroy the node and sever the hive ship’s synapse 
  link to the swarm, and thus complete their mission.
  The Space Marines may decide to use explosives to sever 
  the cords. Severing all five with krak grenades or demolition 
  charges requires a Challenging (+0) Demolition Test (or 
  Intelligence Test, if using the pre-generated characters from 
  Final Sanction). 
  ConCLuSion
  Once the hive mind link has been severed, the Kill-team 
  must escape the stricken ship. It is up to the GM how easy 
  or difficult this, and he may wish to conclude things using 
  narrative rather than playing out any more combats or a 
  tedious trek to an extraction point. Alternatively, of course, he 
  can play this out as a desperate race as the hive ship thrashes 
  like a wounded beast. Perhaps the ship has been so heavily 
  damaged that it is falling into the atmosphere, adding to the 
  tension and limited time-frame. However the escape attempt 
  transpires, the GM should be fairly forgiving to the PCs as 
  the mission is now almost over, and they have just crippled 
  a hive ship!
  Once back with the Imperial fleet, the PCs can see that 
  Cobb has destroyed the bulk of the swarm (for the loss of 
  only the Saint of Scintilla, a handful of escorts and some 
  heavy damage to the Blade of Drusus). Shortly thereafter, a 
  Deathwatch battle barge arrives, marking the end of the 
  swarm for good. The Kill-team can finally be reunited with 
  the Deathwatch and can conclude their mission by giving 
  their report to their commander.
  With the destruction of the hive ship and the majority of 
  the swarm destroyed or dispersed, Avalos has been spared. 
  Of course, hundreds of thousands of its citizens are dead, 
  its greatest city lies in ruins and it will be many years (if 
  ever) before every vile Tyranid creature is hunted down and 
  destroyed. Despite this, the Kill-team have earned a glorious 
  victory, proving the indomitable spirit of the Adeptus Astartes 
  and their peerless skill in battle. They have also uncovered 
  the first hints of some dark design behind the arrival of 
  Hive Fleet Dagon on Avalos, information that the Inquisition 
  will be keen to receive and which may draw the PCs into 
  much greater plots as they unravel just who or what has been 
  manipulating the swarm, and to what ends...
  reWardS
  The GM should give the players the following rewards 
  depending on how well they have done with their missions:
  experience Points
  Each Primary Objective Completed: 300xp
  Each Secondary Objective Completed: 200xp
  Each Target of Opportunity Completed: 100xp†
  †In the Hit and Run section, the Kill-team must recover all instances 
  of Tyranid Intelligence to complete this objective.
  renown (apply once for each Mission)
  All Primary Objective Complete: 1 point
  All Secondary Objective Complete: 1 point
  All Targets of Opportunity Objective Complete: 2 points
  additional renown
  Killed the Tyranid Prime: 3 points
  23
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/40k/UNSORTED (help requested)/Roleplaying Games/Deathwatch/Scenarios/Demo/oblivions-edge-print-quality.pdf