Fighting from space is likely not an option for us until we find a way to shield from the green moon well enough to safely get out of orbit though?By safely I mean without most of the chapter going loony or suddenly having tentacles for ears.
So I don't think they'd love being stuck on a dirtball for so long either, that be their problem too in that alternate scenario.
Sure it be a great change of pace at first but a decade later? I don't know.
Fighting from space is likely not an option for us until we find a way to shield from the green moon well enough to safely get out of orbit though?By safely I mean without most of the chapter going loony or suddenly having tentacles for ears.
So I don't think they'd love being stuck on a dirtball for so long either, that be their problem too in that alternate scenario.
Sure it be a great change of pace at first but a decade later? I don't know.
What I mean is the circumstances of getting stuck on a dirtball would be preferable to carry out constant years of fighting in the void with only brief periods of resupply for recuperation.
What resupplies have we ever had from the imperium? Or from anyone else for that matter?
I guess your counting manpower for that?
Edit: Do you mean the oil wells it took us a decade to set up and that we can barely even transport to and from right now?
Also, we have been near-constantly fighting? first marines and daemons, and then lizardmen, and then arabyans and then sorcerers and deamons AND ogres and then Norscans and next oh would you look at that? what is it on the horizon? More daemons! X-D
What resupplies have we ever had from the imperium? Or from anyone else for that matter?
I guess your counting manpower for that?
Edit: Do you mean the oil wells it took us a decade to set up and that we can barely even transport to and from right now?
Also, we have been near-constantly fighting? first marines and daemons, and then lizardmen, and then arabyans and then sorcerers and deamons AND ogres and then Norscans and next oh would you look at that? what is it on the horizon? More daemons! X-D
You don't know the experiences of fighting beyond the territories of the Imperium do you? The fronts they get assigned to is deep in the desolate regions of space in the Ghoul Stars where even the planets there suck because the sun's rays barely touches them besides more xenos that are unimaginable to the human mind.
So if they stayed marooned on Mallus it would be paradise compared to where they're stationed at. Not even a patch of health green foliage to look at.
I am not pegging them as a non-threat but at the same time chasing them is resources spent probably not training our men, or feeding the Arabyans with what we currently have/can shortly make since our ability to open up agriculture is about to start, nor resources being prepared to keep already confirmed pernicious enemies like the orcs and tomb kings and ''''' heretic'''''' Norscans down.
1. what do people think of the Imperium, specifically the Space Marines, given they're the ones who've been most obviously around? What is the average Arabyan's impression of the Imperium? In Medes, everyone in the cities will have heard about the Marines, some will ahve seen them and thought they were cool etc, however most of their info has been communicated though existing channels. Mallus was never part of the Imperium, many of the people are willing to accept the points, eg that actually there's lots of other humans and they're ruled by this super cool dude, the Emperor, but how much does that actually affect their everyday lives? Has anything changed? Not really, not yet anyway.
2. What is the depth of loyalty? Why are people loyal? 'They didn't kill me when I ran away' is hardly a cohesive framework for long term civilisation.
3. Who is in opposition? If the Cult of Sigmar decides it doesn't like you, that would devastate your efforts in the Empire for centuries. Where are the Djinncallers? What about the Skaven or Assassins or jsut anyone of that sort who have good actionable intel about you? Aghilies, for example, came pretty close to destroying you, or at least maiming you etc. Where've the Djinncallers gone? are they just chilling and rebuilding? Or did they take it personally and are now lobbying various people to oppose you?
So you know I've asked before but I'm still a little unsure how this quest would handle the rest of the imperiums response to our heresy even after all this time.
Again this depends on how and when particular things happen.
Firstly, unless they're very powerful and can somehow compell the Lions through force of arms, most things are just going to get ignored. The Arbites don't have juristiction, only the High Lords (though formal organisational chains), other Chapters, especially the Imperial Fists (though tradition) and the Inquisition (through their writ) have the authority to judge the Lions. Other people can refer them for judgement, but unless it comes from one of those parties it becomes a local squabble in every else's eyes.
Specifically regarding the lizardmen, a simple accusation of heresy on that part can be defeated pretty easily:
'they were animals not intelligent xenos'
'we had better things to do'
'its good for scout training to leave them there'
'they were entrenched and we didn't want to bother them while we were weaker'
and so on.
Comparably, if the Magi Invigilator had a look at your geneseed they'd be extremely concerned becase wtf is all this tampering and anomolous psychic energy running though it? HERSEY.
That's far far harder to deflect.
YOu can have a look at the examples of other similar cases really. The Red Scimitars attacked a space hulk before the Dark Angels, and the Dark Angels were all 'we should have been allowed to attack first because we're older mmhheherr'. That's not heresy, that's just a censure for going against doctrine or whatever. Comparably, before everyone knew about the Astral Claws having lots more marines than Codex standard, even when they were actively attacking Imperial ships and fighting with the sector command, it still wasn't seen as a big deal to the High Lords.
Similarly, one of the Chapters put a different set of guns on a razorback, no one cares, even when the admech complain. It's not as clear cut really.
One of the End States of this quest that I've been thinking of is the End Times happening, the Lions sailing a chunk of Mallus through the Warp, turning it into bascially The Rock of Caliban mk2, and having magically empowered Sigmarines, that is, Stormcast Eternals in 40k. That would be super heretical, potentially, but then again if it was seen as divine favour not unsanctioned warpcraft then maybe people would be fine with it.
I think @rx915 is refering to the Shark's doctrine of fighitng without resupply rather than necessarily in space etc. That is, they'd be ok being on Mallus without resupply and resources becaue they do that normally anyway. Compare this with, for example, the Iron Hands, who rely extensively on their resources and connections witht eh Admech for their supplies.
Also, vote closed, sigmarines wins.
Scheduled vote count started by FractiousDay on Apr 21, 2022 at 5:14 AM, finished with 27 posts and 7 votes.
9
[X] Plan Sigmarine
-[X] The Cult of Sigmar
-[X] Minoris Hospitallier Mission
-[X] Genetic Surveys
-[X] Further Training: Versus Greenskins
-[X] Martial Writein: Patrol Araby
-[X] The Watchers
-[X] The Ashwalkers
[X]Plan: Dawn and Dusk: Building a new world.
-[X] Eye of the Panther
-[X] Minoris Hospitallier Mission
-[X] Genetic Surveys
-[X] Liberate the Abhumans
-[X] Further Training
-[X] The Watchers
-[X] The Ashwalkers
I think @rx915 is refering to the Shark's doctrine of fighitng without resupply rather than necessarily in space etc. That is, they'd be ok being on Mallus without resupply and resources becaue they do that normally anyway. Compare this with, for example, the Iron Hands, who rely extensively on their resources and connections witht eh Admech for their supplies.
What I'm trying to say is that the sharks had a really rough time fighting in the void so in a place that is much more lively in life would be paradise compared to where they're stationed to.
Oooof... I suppose I should be glad they were staying home at least. Imagine trying "Push into the Desert" under those circumstances. (I realize that rolls might have been different but my impression is that rolls are also supposed to reflect something about the state of events which is 'discovered' IC.) Or what might have happened at home if the troops were sent to a front.
-[X] The Ashwalkers
Stabilisation? entirely stable [96]
Deployment? Entirely deplpoyable, and indeed quite powerful [97]
Further info? 76, much uncovered
Interesting realisation, Space Marine recruitment provides an evolutionary pressure against Astartes selection. IN the same way elephants are evolving to have smaller tusks so they're not hunted, presumably the populations of humans will evolve slightly away from the best genetics for astartes etc because those with the best genetics never pass on their own genetics to offspring because astartes are asexual etc.
Interesting realisation, Space Marine recruitment provides an evolutionary pressure against Astartes selection. IN the same way elephants are evolving to have smaller tusks so they're not hunted, presumably the populations of humans will evolve slightly away from the best genetics for astartes etc because those with the best genetics never pass on their own genetics to offspring because astartes are asexual etc.
Fun followup trivia: you can calculate approximately how much with the breeder's equation. ΔΖ = h²S.
In English:
Z is the trait being measured, here the average Astartes-compatibility-ness of the population. Δ(delta)Z represents the amount of change in Z that will result from Astartes selection over one generation, which is calculated by multiplying:
h² is narrow-sense heritability: how much of the Z variation in the population is due to genetics, rather than environment (malnourished kids also make bad Astartes, as do those who stepped on a mine and lost a leg)
S is the selection pressure, measured as how much the reproductively-surviving population differs in average from the average of the whole population pre-selection.
For most human traits, h² is between 0.2 and 0.8, but the difference between those in this case is a rounding error because the equation is dominated by S, and S is a tiny number that starts with "zero point zero zero" and then there's possibly several more zeroes depending on Warhammer's very vague population figures, and how many recruits a Space Marine chapter is winnowing down.
Most Space Marine Chapters are going to be recruiting only up to 1000 people from a Hive World or from multiple worlds, which further divides the impact of S across them. What's the largest reasonable figure for S that I can come up with, if they need lots of recruits from one planet?
Let's suppose a Chapter is planet-based, and has a rule about only recruiting from its homeworld. I figure its homeworld has to be at least 100 million people, because any smaller and it wouldn't be able to support the technology, infrastructure and upkeep that SMs need. I know some chapters like to recruit from low-pop Feral Worlds to get violence-happy kids, but I figure they won't be based on those worlds.
Let's also suppose the Chapter has been struck by a Tzeentch Plot that reduces their numbers by half while leaving geneseed intact, and they decide to immediately recruit 50 000 candidates and winnow those down to 500 Marines ASAP. They have perfect gene-measuring equipment so they get exactly the best candidates, and plothole juvenat so age is not a problem.
If the chapter picks the 50 000 most Astartes-compatible people from the planet, then S is about (Stdev outlier)*(pop taken)/(remaining pop), in this case about 0.0017.
For a more sensible chapter that takes only 5000 candidates from a world with a billion people, S is about 0.00001, assuming I didn't drop a zero somewhere. This is probably outweighed by background noise and ordinary selection pressure for increased health and fitness for all the usual reasons.
Putting it in very plain language, S is small here because Space Marines never take more than 1% of a planet's population in recruits. (As far as I know.) Hunters have killed a lot more than 1% of elephants.
Various caveats about "per generation" and such apply, but this tangent is long enough already.
The white walls of Pfieldorf didn't so much shine as simply exist, for the sun wasn't bright enough to make them especially impressive and the Arch Lector Aglim frowned as he urged his horse forward. The beast had carried him well from Nuln, and he would see it rewarded when he finally arrived.
The former capital of Solland had never really recovered from Gorbag Ironclaw's Waaagh centuries ago, but it was a still a center for wool and cloth working, as well as a secondary center exporting certain metalwork to Averland and southward to Tilea. It was a worthy city, it had cannon on it's walls and a worthy guard of warriors, all of them of faith, Aglim was sure.
However he also saw that new sigils flew above the city. Twin headed eagles, raptors clutching lightning, roaring lions and burnished suns all joined the previous lion banners of Solland and the hammer marks of Sigmar's Holy Empire.
His entry to the city was unopposed, and indeed an honourguard was present, foot soldiers, these 'Imperial Guard' spoken of in Averland.
Aglim had been in the battle, he had seen the work of the 'Astartes', the humbling of Walach Harkon and the Dragonslaying as it was known.
The story had spread among the peasantry in short order, encouraged by propogandists and the Cult of Sigmar itself at times. Many knew there were such things as Blood Dragons, a malevolent order of knightly vampires, but few knew the specifics and Aglim was fairly sure the 'Dragon' which had been slain was unknown to most. Certainly some seemed under the impression Harkon himself, or even Konrad von Carstein had been slain, but no, it had been merely Harkon's mount. A pity to be sure, but it was a victory nevertheless.
Emperor Helmut had not had the most auspicious start to his reign. Acclaimed amist the fires of Averheim, the Marienburger had proclaimed himself, railing against the vampire host from the walls of the city, but, wounded in the battle, he had retreated to Marienburg, and it seemed that the Age of Three Emperors would once again rule, with Talabheim already making noises about proclaiming a more worthy candidate. Though Konrad was no true strategist, it seemed someone was pulling strings behind the Empire's back. The Cult had been sidelined, Helmut seemingly stumbling on wedge issues between Lectorships, giving power to fringe voices and theories, proclaiming new golden ages, yet retreating and rarely showing himself in public. The weakness in leadership, combined with the menace of the Vampire Counts and the sudden surge of sorcerous happenings across the land, had the leadership of the Cult extremely concerned. At least the Norscans seemed busy. That was a mercy, but Sigmar's Heirs were at their weakest for centuries. It wasn't obvious, cities still stood, armies were still marshalled, but they drew closer to a precipice. Thus leading to Aglim's current mission.
The Astartes was as Aglim remembered him. Kabor Brighthand, and truly, he lived up to the name.
His tunic was perhaps the first thing Aglim saw. It was cloth-of-gold, untarnished by battle and war, and his armour beneath it shone brightly. It had been gifted to him, Dwarf-made from the forges of Nuln after the Battle of Averheim, but it seemed to sit ill on him, as if he was used to wearing another harness. Beside that there was still that unnatural beauty, the massiveness of frame and the handsome face contrasting, as he was an image of Sigmar come to life.
The greetings were short. Kabor was no diplomat, that was plain enough, but neither was Aglim, and they matched each other well.
The Arch Lector enquired regarding the other Astartes, but received only vaugeries. They had been leading the Imperial Guard tirelessly along the borders, smiting strongholds of Greenskins which had existed for centuries, and it was hard not to be impressed, but in truth Aglim would have preferred such a force as the speartip of the Empire's attack into Sylvannia, but he wasn't the Emperor after all.
"Your Creed does not inherently conflict with the dictates of our religion." Aglim remarked, after several hours of discussion with the Astartes. If your brother, or more of his kind, will present themselves for inspection in Nuln…"
Kabor laughed, and it was the cackle of a predator, "Space Marines are not 'inspected'."
Aglim suppressed a sneer, they were prideful, that much was plain, they had refused to swear alliegance to Helmut, or indeed to anyone, and it had been difficult to deal with them in the past, "I misspoke, if your sorcerers will… prove themselves, if they will…" he tried to think of another less offensive word, "If they will demonstrate the power of their training."
Kabor smirked, but waved a hand, and the discussions continued.
The dictates of the Cult were moderately flexible, more than most people knew. Many Witch Hunters and even some Lectors and Counts relied on witches of minor power, seers and divinators usually, sometimes even magical assassins, and in general the Cult turned a blind eye toward such activities. Dargo the Dragonslayer had spoken oaths while holding holy relics, had eaten a loaf of bread from flour ground in the Cult's mills, had be cut with a silver blade and healed without corruption, and other such tests which were traditionally administered, he demonstrated incredible control over his magic without the usual corruptive effects, and while the Obsidian Edict still stood, the leaders of the Cult had been forced to accept the reality of the potential weapon they saw. The Dragonslayer had demonstrated a willingness to train others, and the Cult had already been examining the various Necromantic texts they'd recovered for ways to defeat the vampires. The whole organisation had been animated by a investigative spirit, and though some called for caution or even reverses, the Grand Theogonist had sent Aglim to negotiated for aid.
"The Cult recognises that there may exist a greater polity beyond the stars, and that humanity's origin may lie with them." Aglim acknoledged, "We further accept that during his lifetime, Sigmar never declared his divinity, and that the proclamations of Helstrum in the decades that followed Sigmar's disappearance may have been innacturate in theological or metaphysical matters."
It was heretical, in Aglim's opinion, but he had the Grand Theogonist's approval to remark on such things after all. In truth, there had always been a subsection of Sigmarite philosophy which questioned the exact mechanics of Sigmar's ascendancy and whether Sigmar had merely been acclaimed by Ulric, or whether he had been raised truly to godhood, and the Ulricans had always proclaimed their distain at the suggestion of the later.
"Will you acknowledge, in time and with the proper considerations, that Sigmar was raised not as a god by Ulric, but rather, as a worthy ascendant by the greater rules of all Mankind? It has often occurred, within the Imperium, that the Emperor raises a hero from death to sit beside him. Alternatively, will you perhaps consider that Sigmar, being an exceptional man even among heroes, may in truth have been an aspect or inspiration of the Emperor of Mankind?" Kabor asked, leaning forward, steepling his fingers.
Aglim restrained himself from biting his cheek, "We may, in time, acknowledge these matters, provided the required discussions within the Cult, the requisite proofs of your statements and arguments, as well as other matters."
The Astartes were content, it seemed to proceed slowly, but the Cult was equally hesitant. They would hardly proclaim serious changes in doctrine without a reason, and so far, though heroic and magnificent in battle, the Astartes' claims of a wider empire across the stars had yet to be proven.
The discussion did not actually go anywhere, and in the days that followed they spoke of more practical matters. There were matters of easy agreement, including the eventual transportation of young male witches to Solland for induction into the Astartes' ranks, as well as the potential targets which any force might strike at in future, or even matters such as trade. Aglim knew that the Astartes supposedly possessed technology beyond that of the Dwarves, technology that would be immensely useful against the undead, and the more grounded discussions proceeded far more smoothly. There were sticking points, the status of the Dawi was one, for though the Cult honoured the Mountain-folk, the Astartes seemed to consider them little more than mutants, and several times they were forced to break the talks lest tempers flare.
For the moment, much was mere theoretical discussion. In time, perhaps, something might come of it, but as he rode back Aglim considered that neither side had truly gotten what they had wanted.
If only we had spare promethium, we could have taken the Arch-Lector on a joyride a few hours straight up in the air and let him see the world from above, while his retinue watches him disappear on a pillar of fire and return. I imagine that might have been slightly more convincing about us coming from the stars.
If only we had spare promethium, we could have taken the Arch-Lector on a joyride a few hours straight up in the air and let him see the world from above, while his retinue watches him disappear on a pillar of fire and return. I imagine that might have been slightly more convincing about us coming from the stars.
You can do that, you have more promethium now for single flights etc like that, but that doesn't necessarily fundamentally change the theological issues between the Cult and the Imperial Creed.
You can do that, you have more promethium now for single flights etc like that, but that doesn't necessarily fundamentally change the theological issues between the Cult and the Imperial Creed.
Had to take a little break from this.
So as much as I love this I care about my grades more than I do this delightfully grimdank story of transhuman hubris.
I expect if we can get imperials(either faction) to team up with skaven I say it will be with clan Mors(If they exist yet? They were the newest big one right?), or any of their vassals or those influenced by them what with them being the most loyal clan by skaven standards? Or perhaps Clan eshin the most honest and second most loyal skaven, given we know they've both worked with humans for long periods in canon(but might not have this time with the timeline being warped?) and also clan against the deeply heretical clan pestilens but thats just an ideal scenario unlikley to come to pass.
The idea of trusting the rats who specifically nuked the world or the rats who turned their women into breeding machines incapable of fighting on the front lines seems a bit too much even for me.
And by trusting I generally mean shipping them warpstones, drugs and enabling them whenever they'd be against common enemies like the undead,(this is the wider polity that smote nagash twice afterall) etc not like just walking into a warren unprotected because I'm not brain dead.
Even if not eventually capturing and getting some rat ogre servitors would be useful and getting ahold of their crops could give us some interesting material to work with too, lightning canons would be interesting to analyse too if we ever capture any and are allowed to.
On a less abhuman note If things don't go as badly as all that maybe we can work on allying with the cult of ulric if we fail with the cult of sigmar? Yes their god is a little odd but he's not a chaos god, he is a war god and one that rewards warriors' hardiness and self-sufficiency... These are all things valued in space marine recruits right?
Maybe also the ungols on the borders of kislev if there are any, I mean they could be good recruits too right?
Also, I hope it's not too early to ask exactly how bad our losses in Norsca were, surely space marines died no?
EDIT: Second oddest friendship I can see being plausible could be between us and the cult of Morrr, psycher preists have a lot more control than most and we both love death iconography but the whole burial only whenever possible and ravens being seen as sacred might rub the marines the wrong way if they don't try and keep their heads cool.
The clouds gathered. Below them, warriors of suture and syringe went out among the Arabyans, establishing medical attachments to the existing missionary forces. The Arabyans are suspicious, but in time will welcome such aid, which will hopefully lead to increased population growth and productivity in future.
It comes with a subtle purpose though. While the Space Marines have decreed improvements to the Imperium-on-Mallus' medical capacity, they also decree a genetic survey to improve the odds of survival when conducting Blood Tithes. The Chapters of the Imperium use a variety of systems to maintain themselves, from the mystical to the scientific, and the Lions order the surveys to determine which populations are the best to recruit from. While the methods are arcane, the Magi Genetor musing over their dataslates, the results are clear, the populations of the Southlands are generally average or below average sources of recruitment, their genetics too divergent from that of the Imperial Fists to be useful. It's disappointing, but the Magi propose projects to investigate the genetics of the ancient Nehekharan populations.
With the medicae come spies. Over the last decade the Chapter has hosted a number of Arabyans in Pharos, who now, fully converted to the Imperial Truth, go out once again to their homes, not as missionaries themselves, but to keep watch and inform their master, Black Nassor, of any developments.
Upon the Sorcerer's Isles, the Ashwalkers practice their magics. The Djinncallers fled with the majority of their prized texts, but Pyre-Captain Kaaram pours over the others, learnings of the summoning of natural spirits, seemingly the psychic creatures unique to Mallus. He does not practice the sorceries, not yet, but the psykers of the 3rd stand in concert and cabal, hands raised, staffs bright as they conjure power from the wind and earth. It pours out, magic and energy, up it runs as the magma flies from the mountain of power. The remaining folk of the Isles run and hide while the psykers sing ancient songs, and when they return their eyes burn in the darkness. They are ready, torchbearers, and from hand and mouth a fire rises to burn away the darkness.
It is in the deserts and the hills that fortune turns. With the information gathered by the 9th Company during their battles in the Badlands the Marines instruct the Lion Guard. Where Orks are a problem for most Imperial worlds, on Mallus they seem to have multiplied in unusual fashions, and the goblins especially seem unusual to many.
It was thought as the Lion Guard marched out that they were well prepared for what they might face, but alas. Over the next year they suffer terrible casualties. The sands engulf them, wandering bands of under come upon them during darkness and slaughter isolated patrols, and greenskins cross the sands for the first time in millennia, skirting with an evil fortune around the wandering Nehekharan constructs. Tomb Scorpions and Sepulchral Stalkers bursting out of the sands and slaying many, and while the Lion Guard retreat to the cities and towns, the people of Araby surely see their defenders beaten back.
The worst is yet to come though. The Celestial Lions reap a bloody toll in spoiling actions, speeding over the wavetops to destroy whole fleets of Norscans and tribes from further afield. Whole towns are wiped off the map in sudden attacks, the mutant filth slaughtered in darkness, but it is not enough. They keep coming. Not only the Norscans, but those from the Chaos Wastes beyond the World's Edge Mountains. The Kul, Gharhar and Khazags of the Kurgan peoples, even the Aghols and the Kuj from beyond the Great Bastion of Cathay, a flood of dark warriors and assorted horrors from across the north.
What's more, they travel not in a single host that might be defeated quickly, but march divided across the Wastes, directed by some malevolent intelligence, the small numbers of individual bands and the distance between them making aerial attack prohibitively costly. Yet, by the time they reach Norsca itself, they seem to disappear, away into the valleys and mountains they go, and thought the Chapter would dearly wish it, the Norscan sorceries prevent overflight of Thunderhawks, with unnatural weather patterns and magical attacks bringing down two Thunderhawks on a reconnaissance in the east.
Discontent to remain in sloth, Amra orders an attack. He flies, a magnificent winged light in the black clouds over the mountains, and the Thunderhawks follow him, the Marines of the 2nd held within. Though the presence of the anointed Chapter Master pushes back the horrors, the 2nd know they face a trap, and gird their spirits.
What greets them upon the Plain of Fimbul is a horror. The sky hangs low, stretching like a womb across the mountains, shrouding the land in a fetid bloom. Thousands of heretics, tens of thousands even, swarm over the plain, and all the bolter shells in the Thunderhawks could not bring them down.
Arma drops with a roar, sword burning, and as he fights the Marines join him, making for a central arena, sorcerers beckoning them with foul oaths and spellflame.
The battle is one of legend. Thirty champions against a legion of abominations. The Marines fight with all their transhuman grace and fury, yet the host of evil is greater in strength and numbers. This was known, the Lions knew it was the stronghold of their enemies, but they press on, through the host toward the sorcerous conclave, if only to dispel the strength of their foes and turn the host to the treachery and confusion so known to traitors.
The priests of darkenss are slain. It was inevitable, but so was what followed. When the strikeforce reaches their target they are overcome almost immediately, buried under a boiling mass of flesh, differentiated only enough to scream and gibber before it engulfs the Marines.
The Norscans mutate around them as a fell voice rises in a growing storm, men who touch are seemingly drawn together, sticking as if by resin to the bodies of their fellows, and the reaction spreads through the horde as the servants of the Dark Gods scream, a carpet of a thousands heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand suffering fools.
The High Deathspeaker recites his litanies, but the Flesh-that-Hates grows ever closer. Bolter fire blows away chunks of it and the creeping mass shivers, sometimes chunks breaking away, walls of rotting sinew and mounds of blubber, indeed even the forest itself, assails the Marines, and it's only by a valiant rearguard action by a squad of heroes that any marines escape at all, the Master of Sanctity and Chapter Master almost hauled away by their honourguard as the other Lions are absorbed by the mass.
The mood is grave on the return flight, and in the Chapter's bastion Amra looks out. Is there a smile there? Among the clouds? A laughter on the wind? Daemons twirl and cavort in the air and the Chapter Master turns away in disgust.
21 Battle Brothers with Neophytes killed in Norsca
2 Thunderhawk Transports destroyed
1,500 Lion Guard killed in battle against Greenskins and wandering undead
Greenskins and Tomb Kings expanding
All PDF trained in Mallus Greenskin peculiarities (such that the Imperium knows anyway)
Ashwalkers deployable, each very powerful but limited in psychic discipline
Norscan situaiton deteriorating.
Hospitallier missions established.
Genetic surveys conducted, ancient nehekaran populations potentially useful for Astartes recruitment due to inherent resilience etc
Watchers expanded, general human information network established in Arabyan cities
Not only the Norscans, but those from the Chaos Wastes beyond the World's Edge Mountains. The Kul, Gharhar and Khazags of the Kurgan peoples, even the Aghols and the Kuj from beyond the Great Bastion of Cathay, a flood of dark warriors and assorted horrors from across the north.
Thank us later, rest of Mallus! We really are drawing the attention of so many miscellaneous gribblies from all over: Chaos Warriors, Greenskins, Tomb Kings, Vampires, and we're on the verge of opening a front with the Skaven, and the Lizardmen are kinda there but that front has been quiet enough to ignore.
Meanwhile in Estalia... we have too little idea what is going on Estalia. I wonder what they think of us. I'm going to vote for the "Further Afield" Intrigue action next turn so that we know WTF is happening elsewhere, we've been flying around pissing on fires and starting new fires so many places that we've mostly ignored the almost-neighboring country for entirely too long, and I'm sure they've been doing agentic things that we will regret not interacting with earlier.
I've been representing this a little bit in places. There are no free humans in Naggarond anymore, the Asur are going on the offensive, the Empire have indeed noticed a lack of Norscans etc. That sort of thing.
But yes, I imagine to a lot of people its a rather confusing situation. I like the quote on it though
suddenly this bristling lump of iron appears sailless and trailing steam in the bay and these guys carrying long funny-looking sticks come ashore and announce you've just been discovered, you're all subjects of the Emperor now, he's keen on presents called tax and these bright-eyed holy men would like a word with your priest
I imagine that might have been slightly more convincing about us coming from the stars.
We really are drawing the attention of so many miscellaneous gribblies from all over: Chaos Warriors, Greenskins, Tomb Kings, Vampires, and we're on the verge of opening a front with the Skaven, and the Lizardmen are kinda there but that front has been quiet enough to ignore.