Black Crusade - Gospel of Ruin

Black Crusade - Gospel of Ruin

From shadows and ashes, a new gospel rises—of betrayal, corruption, and damnation. Chaos does not whisper. It roars.

TYPE

Campaign

SYSTEM

Black Crusade
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay

LANGUAGE

English

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

18+
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1 SEAT LEFT
$25.00

/ Session

Details

Weekly / Sunday - 3:00 PM UTC

Feb 15 / Session 38

Session Duration / 3.5–4 hours

5 / 6 Seats Filled

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Schedule

Sun, Feb 15 | 3:00 PM – Session 38

Sun, Feb 22 | 3:00 PM – Session 39

Sun, Mar 01 | 3:00 PM – Session 40

Meet your party members

5/6

About the adventure

It is the 41st Millennium. For ten thousand years, the Corpse-Emperor of Terra has sat motionless upon his decaying throne, bound in a prison of golden lies. A god in name only, fed by the souls of a thousand wretches each day, he stares blindly into a galaxy that has long outgrown him. His empire is a rotting carcass, a tyrant's dream shackled together by fear, ignorance, and blood. They call it the Imperium of Man—but it is no more than a cage of steel and suffering, a fading echo of a false age of unity. Across the stars, the servants of Chaos laugh. For every edict of blind faith, a daemon howls with glee. For every world consumed by war and ignorance, the Dark Gods swell with power. The Imperium's zealots burn witches while failing to see the sorcery in their own hearts. Its priests chant hollow litanies to a dead idol, while the warp listens and grows fat on their hypocrisy. Khorne, the Lord of War, drinks deep of their endless slaughter. Slaanesh, the Prince of Excess, exults in their debauched crusades. Nurgle, Grandfather of Decay, watches as plague rots the flesh of zealot and heretic alike. And Tzeentch, the Architect of Fate, smiles—for even the Emperor's most loyal servants play their parts in his labyrinthine design. And beyond the veil of Imperial ignorance, in the unholy depths of the Screaming Vortex—that wound in realspace nestled within the blighted Heathen Stars—a different truth festers. Here, the laws of Man and nature crumble. Here, ambition is unchained. Within this rift, a scattered brotherhood of renegades, witches, warlords, and traitors carve their paths in blood and prophecy. They are not gods, but they are no longer mere mortals. Champions of Chaos Undivided, they battle for dominion, enlightenment, and the favor of their dark patrons. Each victory draws them deeper into madness and glory. Each whispered secret from the warp leads them closer to apotheosis—or eternal damnation. They are the hands of the gods in a galaxy that forgot how to kneel. This campaign is a tale of betrayal, damnation, and dark ambition. It follows a warband of Chaos Space Marines and mortal heretics as they scheme, infiltrate, corrupt, and conquer across the stars. These are not mindless berserkers, but chosen instruments of ruin—agents of shadow and blood who twist the Imperium from within and without. Through espionage, heresy, unholy pacts, and brutal war, they tear at the fraying fabric of a dying empire. Intrigue and conspiracy intertwine with bleak horror, as the players carve a path through broken worlds, shattered loyalties, and whispered prophecies. They will tempt nobles, unmake saints, assassinate the faithful, and silence worlds in fire and warpstorm. Where diplomacy fails, terror speaks. Where secrets stir, daemons awaken. There is no peace among the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods. In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.

Game style

Roleplay Heavy

Theater of the Mind

Rule of Cool (RoC)

Game themes

Meet the Game Master
Published Writer
Artist
Teacher/Educator
Game Designer
Multi-lingual

1 year on StartPlaying

257 games hosted

Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Knows the Rules

Average response time: 2 hours

Response rate: 100%

About me

Forged in '79. Rolling the bones since 1992! 📣 Greetings and salutations, traveler! Have a seat and listen to my tale... 📣 I am Dimitris M. (Jim for short) and I hail from Greece. Most people know me by Lord Stendor, due to my booming voice which I try to keep detained. I have been a player and a game master for more than 3 decades. I have wandered in the endless paths, roads and starlanes of storytelling and met so many interesting people while having dragon hoards of fun! From classic Dungeons and Dragons to the World of Darkness to the Warhammer Universe, I have sailed through the pages of lore and adventures! I like to try all sorts of weird and fun new TTRPGs. I currently run campaigns in the various Warhammer universe games and Dungeons and Dragons. I am a details freak and I love to create new stories, situations and problems for my players. I am a fair player and even fairer game master, some may even call me "too soft". I am a strong believer that a GM is equal parts entertainer, judge and storyteller. It is the job of a GM to create a fun, fair and interesting environment for their players so everybody can enjoy themselves! The tables I run are expected to, first and foremost, respect the GM's judgement, but I am always open to listen to an argument first and judge second. I try to focus on narration, setting the mood and immersing the player in the environment. I also enjoy setting riddles and traps, so be careful. Currently, I run campaigns that focus on the Warhammer 40k universe (Dark Heresy 2e, Only War, Black Crusade etc.) and D&D (Greyhawk 5e), I soon plan to release a campaign in Warhammer Fantasy 4e and Imperium Maledictum here on Startplaying. I am always planning new stuff and I prefer to design my own material or to keep the essence of an adventure and redesign it to suit the needs of our current group. Come and join me traveler to the endless voyage within the pages of intrigue, fun and heroic deeds!

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Character creation

Creating your character

We’ll begin with a free Session 0, where we’ll collaboratively develop your character’s concept, background, and personal motivations. This is your opportunity to create a unique champion of Chaos—whether a ruthless Chaos Marine, a devoted cultist, or a warped servant of the Dark Gods. Characters will be built fresh following the standard character creation rules from the Black Crusade core rulebook. In addition, we’ll be drawing on the rich content from the Tomes of Excess, Decay, Blood, and Fate to expand your options and deepen your connection to the Warp’s dark powers. All character creation will happen during Session 0 (or beforehand if you prefer), giving ample time for discussion, questions, and customization. We’ll run the game on Foundry VTT, using the Dark Heresy 2E system as our base, carefully modified to support Black Crusade gameplay and our unique campaign needs. Prepare to embrace corruption, conspiracy, and cosmic horror in a galaxy on the brink of damnation.

The current party

The Heretic Warband named the Choir Invictus currently are: Merzbow, a hermaphrodite Noise Marine of the Emperor's Children; Karthus the Devoted, a Champion of the Word Bearers dedicated to Khorne; Alonsus Mendacium, the Procurator, an Alpha Legionnaire with plots within plots; Trestius the preacher, a human mutant that preaches in the name of the Chaos Gods hailling from the long-lost Caliban. They are seconded by: Andreanos, a hermaphrodite Flesh-shaper of Slaanesh Mathias, a plaguemeister of Nurgle Stonecrop, a Chaos Sorcerer of Nurgle Echo, a Psyker Heretek Rulling from their captured planet of Kainsfall, the Choir has a long list of followers and allies: Vuen Tharenis, a Warpsmith of the Iron Warriors who is also captain of warband's ship the Unchained Echoes; Kazimir the Pale Baron, a Raptor of the Night Lords with a proclivity to maim and skin captives; Ragor the Planner, a Pseudodaemon Sorcerer of the Thousand Sons chapter and a large number of followers and slaves.

What to expect

Preparing for the session

Players should create a free Forge VTT account prior to the first session, as this will be our primary platform for gameplay. Additionally, please join my dedicated Discord server for out-of-game communication and as our main voice and chat medium during sessions. For character preparation, come ready with a deep and intriguing background, since the PCs are Chaos characters, who already wield considerable power and influence. Your character’s history, motivations, and personal goals will help shape the story, fuel roleplay, and add layers of intrigue and complexity to our campaign.

What Lord Stendor brings to the table

My focus as a GM is on deep roleplay and intricate intrigue, weaving a narrative rich with conspiracy, horror, and moral complexity. To enhance the atmosphere, I use ambient music and visual effects, and often employ character voices to bring NPCs vividly to life. Combat will be rare but intense and deadly, reflecting the grim and brutal nature of the setting—every fight matters and can change the course of the story. I embrace the Rule of Cool, encouraging creativity and cinematic moments while respecting the core mechanics to keep gameplay balanced and immersive. Players can expect a tense, immersive experience where their choices and interactions carry weight, and the shadows are thick with secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Homebrew rules

Some homebrewing is to be expected since it is hosted on a Dark Heresy 2E module modified to accomodate the game.

Equipment needed to play

Internet

Computer

Microphone

Headphones

Safety

How Lord Stendor creates a safe table

I’m a strong believer in creative freedom and player expression, but player safety and comfort always come first. No one should ever feel unsafe, disrespected, or offended at my table. We will thoroughly discuss safety tools, boundaries, and expectations during Session 0, including a review of Lines and Veils to ensure everyone is comfortable with the game’s themes. Given the subject matter—Chaos characters and their warped patrons—graphic and exaggerated depictions are to be expected, as they reflect the dark grandeur and horror of the setting. However, these will always be handled with respect and care. After each session, I offer aftercare to check in with players, making sure everyone had a positive experience and addressing any concerns privately. Safety tools like X-card, Lines, Veils, and Open Door policies will be used digitally through chat or discreet messaging, allowing players to communicate boundaries without breaking immersion. Together, we’ll create a space that is immersive, challenging, and, above all, safe for everyone.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions