Of Lords and their Legions (A Necron Overlord Quest)

Translation into realspace is as always a rough affair. The warp writhes and pulls to try and hold onto that which it has claimed, eldritch energies lashing out at the ships gellar fields. This turbulence is reduced for those inside the ships, who merely experience near a minute of violent shaking as the ship returns to realspace. And the choir high above the bridge of the Divine messenger softly sing their prayers of thanks to the emperor for a safe exit.

Cardinal Riliscue releases the death grip she had held on the arms of her ceremonial throne as the captain, father Vor Thorpe goes through the process of ensuring all is well upon both this the Messenger and those others which had come along for this journey. Near a full seven cohorts of the Frateris Militia had been summoned for the liberation of Golgatha, along with sororitas contingents from half a dozen convents. It would be a privilege to liberate blessed Golgatha, with such a force of faithful at her back. Her eyes darken however as she looks into the depths of space, shown upon the gilded view screens of the Messengers bridge. It was such a shame that it had to be done with the aid of damne%^*#@#$##$#$$#, mysterious xenos. Who's aims are enigmatic even to the eyes of the seers, though which can be divined through prolonged study at arms length.

Still, from the emperor came opportunity, even in the darkest corners of the galaxy. And provided boons to those who showed themselves worthy. Thus she had brought the Eternal Vigil, worked upon for this by the magi of Invadeen for the past year, though it cost her many favors. To, for perhaps the first time in the history of the Imperium, get accurate data on the capabilities of the Imposs%$*@^$* formidable, but ultimately, still beatable ships that the xenos send war. Without having to scour the ruins of armadas to find the tiniest scrap of usable data. Speaking of

"Father Vor Thorpe, have our honored guests made themselves known in the system?"

The captain, a regal and imposing man, seemingly in his early forties hedges as he answers "Seemingly not excellency, though we have arrived less than a day later than intended, Perhaps they have been delayed themselves"

Something in her mind rebels at the thought. Levnekh, cruel and strange as he had proved to be, had never been anything but fastidiously punctual. Still, it is possible, and she gives a noncommittal hmm before moving on

"And the Orks? If our guests don't arrive soon will our faith and fire be enough?"

HIs jaw locks into a grimace, "The Emperor looks to test us this day excellency, It appears there are four groups of orks in the core-ward regions of the sector. Any one of them I am sure we could defeat. Should they combine, I would not like to risk the souls of forty million faithful to hubris, I know not to quote scripture to a cardinal. but if the coin of the imperium is lives, we are to spend HIS coin with care"

And if we lose, we add another century to the timeline on retaking Golgatha. "How long do we have then, before we are forced to allow even the bastions that remain untainted In the Basilica of divine wrath to fall to the xenos tide?"

Thorpe turns back to his bridge glancing at the displays showing the positions of the forces around the system. "The closest of the beast's are, perhaps a dozen hours, depend…." The captain stares confused toward his readouts before glancing toward one of his many underlings and points to one of the more distant squadrons represented. "Preceptor what is happening here?"

The preceptor, a younger woman wearing the crimson robes of her order. Pales as she turns to face both the cardinal and the captain. "I... I think it's the Necrons father. The orks are being engaged...from… everywhere sir". The bridge falls silent as she turns and continues to read from what she's seeing, seconds turning to minutes as she describes the dance of death light hours distant. Eventually the cadence of her report slackens until finally she gives her final report. "The Necrons have completed their pass on the ork vessels, three escort class losses for the ork, and a cruiser is showing internal detonations….no losses for the Necrons." A murmur of discontent rolls through the bridge. Whispered prayers only faintly audible over the soft singing of the choir, now having changed to a hymn of martial preparation.

another preceptor on the far side of the bridge speaks up his voice piercing through the stunned bridge . "Father Thorpe sir, Eternal vigil confirms, They've got weak traces on the overlords three cruiser plus class vessels, less useful readings on the smaller ones" He swallows before continuing. "There are wrecks rim side of the system to where they are now sir. the Necrons have been at this for hours…. Magos Figilatrix expresses his regrets that none of the wrecks appear to be Necron losses, though sends his thanks regardless for the wealth of data already captured today.."

Riliscue slowly feels the dread in her stomach subside, despite the horri%$#@%# Concerning nature of the Necron's capabilities. After all, now that Levnekhs abilities are known, they could be planned around. And In the end, the Imperium is in no short supply of bravery and martyrdom.

"Onwards to Golgatha father. The Necrons have cleared the skies. Now comes the faithful's task to cleans this world of orkish taint"

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You Sovenkh and Nevenoch gather upon the bridge of the Eternal Onslaught as your ships make their way to the recently emerged imperial ships.

"And why Nevenoch, is the bane incapable of breaking this world?" you ask the cryptek at the foot of the command throne.

"It is hardly incapable, my lord". She answers folding her arms behind her back. "It is simply the limitations of reality. The bane is capable of monitoring hundreds of millions of sophonts for each day that it remains in orbit. That it can do so whatsoever is a triumph of our science."

Your eyes burn into her demanding answers rather than excuses "Then explain to me exactly why we cannot purge the orks and be done with this task?"

Nevanoch looks away from your magnificence while she answers. 'It is the nature of the orks, overlord, ever they have been one of the most frustrating of our many enemies. their fungoid ecosystem means that for every true ork, there are up to ten of the smaller 'intelligent' greenskins among their numbner." she pauses a moment and turns back to you. "My lord, there are more than a hundred billion sophonts on the planet. If we wish for them to all be slain, the bane will have to remain in orbit for near enough to a full year.

Despite your irritation, you know she speaks the truth. Many were the crypteks who would lie to their rightful lords, for one reason or another. But you are an artificer yourself, a master of techno-sorceries beyond the ken of lesser species. You know the capabilities of your sciences and know that in this matter at least she speaks the truth

"Very well, as the Bane has performed beyond reproach until this point, I do not find you at fault for this failing cryptekh. However, as Nevanochs weapon is incapable of performing this service, perhaps it is Sovenkhs turn to earn his share of glory." You turn to your nemessor "What of our legions, favoured general, could we conduct a purge of the greenskins via your more preferred methods?"

Sovenkh bows his head before replying, gilded form glinting even in the darkened halls of your bridge. "Of course, my lord, we could begin such a task, though we have but eleven legions with us upon the fleet. WIth orbital supremessy, I have little doubt of ultimate victory, especially with reinforcements little more than a week distant. But the campaign would be long, and grinding for the cities, with little hope for a lesser timescale than Nevanochs own. And such grand displays of firepower the fleet is capable of would level what little remains of worth upon the world"

"And thus angering our erstwhile allies" You think upon this problem for some time, sitting in silence upon your throne. Nevenoch and Sovenkh left to wait in supplication while their superior ponders. It galls you that such efforts were to be expended for the benefit of those who would one day surely turn this world against you. But it would shame you even more to be incapable of conquering this world with anything less than absolute ease. Still, as you think of the Banes capabilities, you wonder if there is a third way to go about this purge?

"What then Nevenoch, if we focus The Banes efforts on a per continent basis. Starting with the southernmost, upon which the humans make their last stand. I assume though they are brutish in the extreme, you would be able to avoid conflating humans with orks in your targeting? Would this not solve how long it would take to ready the weapon?"

Nevanoch nods, confidence growing in her voice as she sees your reasoning. "It can be done, my lord. And this would allow the bane to be taken offline if under threat without having to begin once more from the beginning. Though, of course my lord. Such a strategy would take some time longer, and would require Sovenkh to purge each continent in turn of lingering orkoid taint"

Sovenkh speaks up then, as reproachful as he can be while still remaining within the bounds of protocol and tradition

"It…. is possible. But my lord, we would be exposing our hand to the imperials. They would learn of the bane's exact capabilities. Information that may prove crucial to be kept hidden for the wars to come.

• The orks spaceborne have been annihilated, though now over a hundred billion orks of various kinds call the planet home. Rendering the bane incapable of rapidly solving this problem. How would you like to go about purging this planet.

[ ] Fire the bane once it is fully ready. This will take at least six months for it to prepare, but once this is done, all orkoids on the planet will be slain and the land can be purified by yourself and the humans. The bane will however need to be activated for the entirety of this period and any interruptions will reset progress.

[ ] Fight a conventional war for the planet (with orbital support to help with the cities). With absolute orbital supremacy, any field battle will be decided by the presence of the fleet. Clearing the cities even with orbital support will still require some time and effort. But this should be greatly eased by the fleet. The only concern being whether the imperium will take affront to you burning what was once a 'holy' world.

[ ] Fight a conventional war for the planet (Only using the fleet for field battles). The deal you have made did not explicitly say the world had to reclaimed intact. Though perhaps it is better to stick to the spirit of the agreement rather than the letter. Fighting looted but heavily defended hives will be difficult in the extreme, especially against such a numerous foe. But such has been done in the past. You will likely emerge the victor, should no other Ork fleets arrive. But you would likely be fighting for years to come.

[ ] Fire the bane targeting a region at a time. Forcing the regions under ork control to one by one be fired upon by the bane and then fully purged by your troops is likely the most efficient way of accomplishing this task. Though it is also one that shows the Banes capabilities in the clearest light to the imperium.

[ ] Write in.


10 hour moratorium

You look upon the plans that Sovenkh has created for this purge. They call for a brutal speed and efficiency which only your own race or the Eldar could ever manage. Their fiendish complexity would boggle the minds of lesser mortals. The might of you navy would be brought to bear against Golgatha and its fury would be unending. Burning the Orks from their stolen world like an insect held within purifying flame. You look upon them and calculate that the entire world would be Swept of Orks before the year was concluded. Perhaps even with time to spare. You look upon these timetables and maps and you deem them insufficient. You have already wasted far too much time on this task. Already you know of four experiments of yours which should already be showing promising data. Thus you take personal command of this pest control to get this task done with all due haste.


You and two thirds of your legions teleport onto the northern continent and swiftly annihilate the nearby orkish forces. Who's slight numerical advantage means nought against the technological ascendancy of the Yulenoth. Then you begin broadcasting your message. Sheer power output onboard the Immortal Onslaught allowing you to drown out all local transmissions, orkish and imperial. And the message, though conveyed in far more words, is simple. We are the Necrons, we are here, come and die. The reaction from the Orks at first is tepid, only a dozen million or so rushing from their squallid cities to face you, this is merely a test however. And as the Orks dash themselves against your efficiently erected fortifications, you see that despite the vast hordes that surround you, what you hope to accomplish can indeed be done.

Thus you have Nevenoch activate The Bane, only as of yet able to reach 7.2% of the population, but rather than driving them to a self destructive fury. You instead direct them against you. Strengthening their bonds of comradery as well as their rage, until millions begin streaming from each of their looted fortresses. Their smartest compatriots, only somewhat more rational than their bloodlusted brethren waited, perhaps having a the shred of intelligent caution about the orbiting battleships waiting for the soonest opportunity to seek their deaths. But such an ork is few and far between, and the vast hives of Golgatha are with startling haste nearly emptied, the bourgeoning Waagghh streaming toward the north, where you lie in wait to meet them. Great green stretches of Greenskins visible from orbit. All forging their way toward one single point on the northern continent. Hearing of this, you order their execution.

Sovenkh, leading the remaining third of your forces breaches the southernmost hives first. Stripped of nearly all their numbers and defences, it is mere days before the first is declared secured and handed over to your incredulous allies, who's landers descend around their last surviving holdouts on planets. Millions of humans disembarking to almost immediately leap into battle with those Orks still fighting this coparitively petty original war. Meanwhile, your fleets descend on the vast hordes. Who, utterly unprotected against ship grade weaponry are annihilated en masse. Vast strips of blackened ork flesh viewable from miles above as your fleet makes pass after pass. There are hundreds of billions however, and despite the enormous casualties you reap, billions still levy themselves against your fortifications.

You and your forces are alone amongst the swirling tide. A rock standing against the ocean. Here you stand, atop a vast mountain range, inhospitable to all but the hardiest creatures, or those who have long left such mortal concerns behind. Here you have erected a natural fortress. Doom stalkers stalk the peaks and in vast concentrated volleys kill millions of the teeming greenskins below.

Phalanx after phalanx of warriors line the entry points backed by stalwart lines of Immortal. Here they Refuse barbarous charge after barbarous charge from their rampaging foes. The air growing thick with the atomised remains of millions of Orks.

In the skies above, your airforce duels, outnumbered nearly ten to one by screaming dackajets and great flying fortresses lifted into the sky wastefully by the Orks gestalt aetheric might. Your forces make up for the numerical disparity by merely contesting the sky above you where your numerous tesla batteries quickly find and disable the encroaching swarm of smoke belching airframes.

Finally, you yourself take to the field wherever a warboss makes their presence known, leaving the lesser foes to the lower castes. Swiftly showing that while the Orks may have fallen far from the heights of the war in heaven, you, have not. Thus you leave a trail of dismembered silver statues behind you. Small testaments of your skill with the blade.

Still though, despite the might of your host, the Orks teem in their billions, and that begins to show against you. Your legions are unflagging, but they are not unending, and a warrior once overcome by the Orks will have its frame crushed and destroyed beyond its ability to repair by the vast horde which overruns it. At least until its body is teleported back to one of your vessels for repair and storage.

Thus through sheer numbers, the Orks gradually begin to grind down your forces. Vast, crude artillery barrages pound the doomstalkers on their peaks, rendering them inoperable. The endless fury of the Orks, still driven by the bane, pushes them onward against your legions. Seizing plateau after plateau as the battle begins to be measured in weeks rather than days. As ground batteries are lost, your airforce finds it more and more difficult to contest the skies against the endless stream of airborne foes which coalesce from an entire world. Even you are forced to withdraw from time to time, you and your lychguard carving back through the tide of green to reach your ever shrinking perimeter.

Eventually pushed back to only a single peak and surrounded by calamitous detonations from orkish artillery fire, you are informed by Sovenkh that the last of the hives have been cleared. That the only substantial force of Orks remaining on the planet is that presently locked in combat with you. The rest having been atomized by your fleet. You thank Sovenkh for the haste with which he has completed his task before you order the mass evacuation of your remaining forces.

In flashes of emerald light, entire cohorts, even those presently engaged with their foes are teleported away. Vast portions of you battleline disappearing with each minute that passes, with you commanding a smaller and smaller defensive line, which the Orks leap to fight,like a man dying of thirst chasing after a mirage. You of course are the last to depart, taking a moment to be the last rational creature to ever set eyes on this mountain range before ordering its annihilation, the antimatter bombs which you had placed beneath the range detonating with enough force to permanently leave your mark on the planet.

From the depth of space you briefly wonder what the inhabitants will make of the new sea you have created. Transmitting your congratulations to the cardinal for being given the chance to witness the majesty of your forces in combat as well as warning her to brace for the inevitable seismic quakes your departure will have caused. You order your fleet to depart to true civilization.

And so it was, that within only a month and six solar days, Levnekh, Necron Overlord of the Yulenoth liberated a shrine world from the Orks on behalf of the Imperium.

- Despite the use of orbital support the planet is captured with only superficial damage done to critical infrastructure (byond that already committed by the Orks)

Levnekh acquires Ork Strategy: knowledgeable (+1 Martial, +5 to Fighting Orks)


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Over the last five years the Sirano have continued to develop with the assistance of our scientists. With the progress of decades and centuries for the Necrontyr being condensed into a mere half decade for the Sirano. For the first time this past year, a gause prototype weapon was created in laboratory conditions in a Sirano facility. Though in order for it to be operable the buildings fusion core had to be turned over to the devices use. Their industry has also progressed at great speed, making progress in leaps and bounds above the work being done in many other fields, with Jornakh watching with glee as iterative and seismic changes are made to the economy of the nascent species. This coupled with the acquisition of several new planets and the integration of the Sirane has momentarily thrown the bourgeoning class conflicts to the side, as resources aplenty and the consumer goods to spend them on make their way in vast quantities to Daeloth. Or at least that is the story that Jornakh ensures is told through various media sources. You however know of the capture and execution of several minor nobles rallying against your "tyranny" done in secret by Jornakhs apply named "Pacification Units"

The economy is not the only area seeing massive improvements however, as the fleet and armies of the Sirano also see substantive improvements. Shielding generators, once reserved for the elite are now commonplace across the elite units of their expeditionary forces, while increasingly power weapons are also seen in the hands of those who specialize in such arts. The sIrno grow ever more impressive on the field of battle. Though it is their ships where perhaps the greatest innovations have been made. Ones that even have many showing interest in your courts.


Shielding was once widely used by the Necrontyr in the first and second era's during the opening stages of their war against the old ones. However as time progressed onward, Necron weaponry became increasingly power hungry and the strength of our armor grew substantially as well. While the level of protection offered by shields reached a certain plateau. The Old ones and the Eldar also eventually reached such a level of technological ascendancy. However where the Necron's focused on reinforcing their ships with ever more reinforced armor. The Old Ones focused their methods toward stealth, obfuscation and more esoteric forms of shielding. Sacrificing solidity for the opportunity to never be hit at all. A path which the Eldar, faithful dogs that they are, followed suit in.

The Sirano however have identified a new method of shielding, never fully taken up by your ancient kin, which they refer to as lattice shielding. After the hard but segmented lattice like structure of their own eggs. The idea is simple. Instead of projecting a single wall of force around a vessel. Several smaller "panes" of shielding are created, each individually far weaker than a more solid shield. But with a far increased rate at which shields can be restored to working order. Further investigation is required to refine the idea. But the theory itself poses a few opportunities for your own scientists.

Of course, the idea of creating many smaller shields in place of a single wall of force was attempted once or twice in Necrontyr history. However the supreme accuracy of the Old Ones and Eldar meant that 'lattice shielding' rendered the ships far more vulnerable to focussed lance fire. Thus the idea was largely abandoned and forgotten. In the present age though, where your primary adversaries are likely to be or the far less precise Imperium or the debased Krork. The idea could be far more successful, at least certain variations of the idea. For, lessening the power fed to your weapons by a significant amount to power a shield would certainly not be desired. Thus a few different approaches have been discussed and theorised within your nascent military academy


As a relatively simple alteration of presently understood technology, this could be readily integrated across your fleet with integration costs merely amounting to a rounding error on present maintenance costs. The only real question is, what approach do you take


[ ] Fixed Shielding
Firstly is the idea of fixed limited protection. The shield projectors do not have to cover the entire ship. Instead several can be emplaced along areas likely to receive the most enemy firepower. Thus draining far less power than the traditional bubble shields while also affording greater protection to those areas which would see greatest benefit.
- Small loss of effectiveness against Eldar and other Necrons
- Substantially increased effectiveness against Imperials and Orks

[ ] Responsive shielding
Alternatively, a second solution has been proposed where the shielding emitters cover the entire vesssel but, for the vast majority of the time, the shielding emitters lie silent and unpowered. And are only activated when incoming fire is directed against their specific area. Making these shields even less power consuming than the alternative, but also near incapable of intercepting light speed weaponry such as lances. Or hidden devices such as mines
- Substantial loss of effectiveness against Eldar and other Necrons
- Greatly increased effectiveness against Imperials and Orks

[ ] Leave the fleet as it is
The barbarians we fight against are already no match for us. Our true enemies are those who come close to or match our technological capabilities. There is no need to weaken ourselves against them.


Sorry for the delay. Was reduced to only working on one quest while I moved house. Next update will be rumour mill before turn options