The Lost Primarch Quest

Hiya! Decided to make an omake on a Rune, the Grandmaster Rune of Time, due to the fact that it can now be made (with the help of Durante and Vergil who fulfil the requirement) and the fact that generally it's a very powerful and interesting Rune (even if we don't know what it precisely does).
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Spending time on the Rune of Time.

Time, the fourth dimension.

Its existence weighed heavily across countless minds from countless eras. To stand the test of time. To bear the torment of seconds grinding as hours. To grow old, wise and experienced after years of existence.

To quantify the smallest amount of time, the distance that linked 'before' to 'now'. To measure the largest expanse of aeons, the birth of the universe towards its death. The distortions that could be witnessed by black holes or more esoterically with the Immaterium. To turn the hands of a clock, to attune the mechanisms of measurements, to program the devices that knew 'when' things happened.

Time was one of the greatest forces in existence. There was perhaps no life in the galaxy that wasn't somewhat aware of the temporal process to some degree. From the simplest of plants and single-celled organisms to unknowable beings that bent the rules of reality and even entities from the Warp. There was a near universal resonance to its existence, even if specific interpretations differed.

Time waits for no one. Time flies. Time was money. Time was death. Time was judgement. Time was a killer. Time was fair. Time was meaningless. Time meant everything. Time devoured reality and every person that lived within it, all triumphs and all atrocities, all buildings and all civilizations, all men and monsters. Time could flow through desperate, clenched fingers and it could also be controlled and kept away.

There was the past, the foundation and spiralling path of memories from which everything was defined. There was the future, the myriad branches that either bore fruit or was torn to the ground. There was the present, where everything truly lived.

Time was an illusion. A false perception wrapped with truth, life and all.

You were determined to calculate, understand and then finally shape this force.

You are Kesar Dorlin, Primarch of the Eternal Wardens and Runelord of the Imperium, and you were going to create a Rune of Time.

Where could you reasonably start? Even considering what else you have made with your conceptual language, from 'Basic' focuses of Fire and Silver to the 'Primal' depiction of yourself as Anathema, time was such an esoteric and infinitely broad concept to easily delve into.

Should you chart a 'beginning' for time and its importance, its cultural significance, its effect upon mankind and existence as a whole? Or perhaps the end, that loomed over all things in a way similar to death, decay, entropy and ruin? Fleeting embers and flowing water from your hands, the moments that slip away?

Even thinking about time resonated with too many different views, philosophies and experiences to fully anchor into something concrete. Repeating the same questions to reach the same conclusions or lack thereof was also, conceptually speaking, a valid way to experience time. Aside from just looking through things from a different perspective.

Every moment you blinked, you witnessed a new reality. The past was a frozen, mostly immutable thing from which you came from to march towards the all too mutable future. The concept could be likened to water, a river flowing forward or a sea of shifting waves, or as fire, burning fuel as it spread and moved towards the future.

Timelines were also a consideration, for time was also the greatest element for choice and consequences in the constantly splitting pathways in the galaxy. What could you have become if you had not landed on Valhalla? If you landed on Nostramo instead of Konrad Curze? On Barbarus than Mortarion? On Nuceria than Angron?

Or if you had failed to save the homeworld you knew, dying either truly or by corruption? If the Maelstrom had not been able to be banished, either by the ritual being infeasible or the war turning into a colossal massacre? Ones where you hadn't managed to lose those you cared for? Those timelines existed, at least in an abstract sense, and that wasn't even getting into what that meant for the Warp.

But that was enough winding questions for now. Practically speaking, the best way to truly start this process was to focus on yourself and your own experience. This was your Rune, your understanding of time, so what was your own experiences with time?

Aside from your whole general life, including right now, the most prominent example that sprung to mind was the Battle of Three Stars. When your divine brothers had enacted a ritual that had shifted causality, then created a region of stopped time where you battled the Changeling for days that didn't actually come to pass.

In the same apocalyptic conflict, the monstrous being known as Aetaos'rau'keres had also manipulated time. You did not face it personally, but you were there in that battle and you witnessed the surviving recordings and reports of those few that lived after facing such a creature. What was determined to be an act of looping time to allow more spells to be cast, building up to an array of power you weren't sure if even your brother Magnus could easily accomplish.

Temporal forces had truly been bent and broken on Aleph, just as the planet itself broke apart. The Warp itself shook in ways you think will continue to be felt for ten-thousand years. So many memories there, fighting and winning against such impossible beings such as the shapeshifter or your twin brothers.

With the Warp in your mind, you considered its own relations with the fourth dimension. Ships could travel through the Immaterium into the past, or the future, or have even stranger things occur. Yet it was a mistake to claim it was truly 'timeless'. Time held meaning, for if not then cause and effect wouldn't exist at all, but it was as loosely enforced as 'space' or 'geometry' or other notable aspects of how the Materium functioned.

If time was so truly removed from the 'order' of the Warp, then killing daemons would be almost If time was so truly removed from the 'order' of the Warp, then killing daemons would be almost meaningless in terms of banishment or even true death. They could essentially just come back the moment they were dispelled, or choose a different period of time from which to emerge into 'after' their death. Or even use their very nature to go back and change what happened that would lead to their demise.

But such was not the case, for while technically 'immortal' as beings of malignant psychic energy, they did adhere to cause and effect, stories and conclusions, and the flow of time. There were exceptions to this, for Chronomancy existed and if done by a powerful enough psyker or daemon then to retroactively change things or 'turn back the clock' was indeed hypothetically possible.

Yet overall the Immaterium was bound by time, to variable but definite degrees, from all you experienced facing Chaos. For to truly ignore the flow of time was something not strongly expressed into the Warp by life in the galaxy, despite the psychic realm being inherently looser. This idea also evidenced by a recent technological design gifted by an Abominable Intelligence, hiding within the Maelstrom for reasons you did not know, that had shared a stasis device that could trap even daemons.

The advanced design was of great interest to you with its capability. Aside from freezing the monsters of Chaos, already an incredible aspect, you wondered what other psychic energy or objects that could be locked in time. With an upscaled design, could you possibly 'freeze' a Warp storm? Contain a soul before it dissipated? Keep an unstable psyker safe, as a last resort measure?

Oriacarius had written up so many contingencies the moment he got word of this schematic, which you also examined for inspiration related to your work on this Rune. His time-stop contingency was a work of art and you were glad that he had it in time against the Word Beaters.

Perhaps the greatest example of temporal strangeness that you were directly involved with was the Rune of Anathema. The Primal Rune was a work that even you did not fully comprehend, even as you carved every aspect. It was a story about you, a fractal mosaic of layered depictions, the past and the present and the future all reflected. A 'timeless' depiction of yourself and your power, the collective focus brought into the now, a paracausal reflection.

In a way it reminded you of divination, to psychically witness the past or the future as perception was carefully stretched into the Warp which could show such things. Common psykers, Navigators, Akil, Sanguinius, Magnus the Red and Konrad Curze all sprung to mind as you considered the concept. As did fouler things, still feeling deep rage towards the twin-headed slayer of your dear Scafrir. Time resonated with such seers, and perhaps could be used against them too.

Yet pure psychic ability wasn't the only means that one could predict the future. Perturabo had talked to you at length about some of his brilliant works, so delightfully animated as he shared his genius as the two of you worked together or simply engaged in discussion, and one particular creation of his was known as 'Apollonia'. An incredible sniper rifle, given as a gift for Corvus Corax, with a scope that essentially divined the future through rapid calculations of target positions.

The Cult Mechanicum had those of the 'Logis' whom, through carefully analysis of data, statistics and all other available information, predicted future events, trends and probabilities. Holy prophets and oracles of percentages, countless sources and more to determine the fates of Forge Worlds and those that relied on them. Charting the myriad branches of what could happen through number-crunching. Divination didn't have to involve the Warp, anyone could predict and hope for tomorrow.

Although at times you preferred that you didn't think about the future at all.

You mind shifted towards mechanical designs that dealt with time. Aside from the recent gift from that Epsilon-354 being, there were many 'normal' stasis containment devices and weapons that were already known. Studying such machinery along with the colossal body of scientific research performed by Tech-priests, Techmarines and those outside of the Mechanicum would take you thousands of years to go through every theory and every bit of proof.

Timekeeping devices were also something to briefly consider, if only for the symbolism and resonate designs that you could get inspiration from. Sundials, clepsydra, hourglasses, a horologium, digital clocks, atomic clocks, quantum clocks. Calenders of so many types across so many worlds, orbits defining years filled with so many different holidays.

The very position of the stars, planets and moons helped define so much of the galaxy's history. Celestial images of the past in the night skies, still showing shining sights from a time where mankind was still freely sailing across the stars. Black holes that stretched time to a breaking point, containing the torn remnants of the universe's birth.

You recall your own past experiences with the weight and flow of time. The feeling of seeing the sun rise and set on a cold world, as you prepared for another day in a war against the forces of Chaos, the important dates you'd always recall even if it was hard to know when they truly happened as you went from world to world in the galaxy. Memories crystalised by those beautiful, starlight moments.

To psychically channel it was also taught to you recently, even if you haven't quite mastered it or understood the complete theories that made up the arcane disciplines. Magnus the Red was a brilliant source of knowledge and a wonderfully passionate teacher, a welcome relief despite the near unbearable agony your psychic awakening had been.

Divination was a big part of what was taught to you, as well as chronomancy to a lesser extent. You didn't manage to be able to properly see the future or the past with any notable accuracy, clarity or for long periods but those lessons would certainly help you both with psychic mastery and to inspire your ideas for a Rune of Time.

Your brother had also shared some anecdotes about a recent compliance, as well as a relic he recovered from that world. A place where timelines converged and looped around a warrior, an assassin, an artillery commander and more whom were all the same figure. Paradoxes observed, quantified and then defeated. A mask being what remained of that time-jumping foe, a fine trophy of war.

Then there were the Calibrators that he mentioned, a race of sapient zooplankton that utilised bizarre technology based on both clockwork and biomechanical design. With such an odd mixture you weren't sure what to expect, certainly not Warp drives and Gellar field generators given the lack of psychic powers, and yet they had managed to create something you truly didn't anticipate hearing. Atemporal mechanisms, pieces made in the past, present and future combined into a cohesive whole. The galaxy was truly full of oddities.

It wasn't the strangest species that made heavy use of temporal forces, even discounting the existence of Warp xenos or Half-Warp xenos. The Hrud was the most infamous example, having fought a calamitous war against the Death Guard and the Luna Wolves for years. Beings that seemed to innate produce an entropic field of distorted time around their bodies, possessing technology that could further distort the fourth dimension in ways horrific when weaponised. Able to rapidly age and degrade opponents, or reverse them until they ceased to be.

Aside from what Magnus taught and shared with you, including the collaborative work of one of your sons that required a far greater level of dedicated analysis, there was your greatest source of Immaterium-based knowledge. The Emperor of Mankind's notes on all things relating to the Warp.

Gifted to you by the Master of the Imperium after you had helped win the Ritual War that banished three entire quarters of the Maelstrom, the notes contained a massive amount of relevant information to help your understanding. Including studies, equations, anecdotes, theories, experiments and more that related to the nature of time or the means to manipulate it. So much it'd take years to go through all of them, so complex that it'd take decades to fully comprehend everything.

But to truly have the understanding and direct insight that you required to make the Rune of Time even possible, two of your own sons held the keys. The very idea made you proud, a culmination of what the Eleventh Legion's victories over the Warp, even if the first such key was due to a very unfortunate ordeal that was only recently ended.

Durante was a name you had carried on your armour since Cadia, when you and your brother Perturabo had clashed against your former brother Lorgar Aurelian and his twisted Word Bearers. The Eternal Warden had been swept up into the Warp and was assumed dead for decades.

Then he had come back through, having fought and travelled the whole time while trapped in a space even you weren't sure you could so quickly have escaped from in similar circumstances. Fighting closely with a soldier of the Imperial Army that, by pure chance, had found him. For so many years they survived together, working together for escape even as the soldier died. Such magnificent willpower, it was truly incredible to witness.

The two of them, Durante and Vergil, had experienced time in a way that few other humans in the galaxy could ever claim to have. Time in the Warp, the 'days' and 'nights' passing for years in a realm that only faintly connected to physical laws. Timeless sensations, time dilations, half-loops, stretched time and impossible time. They had experienced things that words couldn't fully describe, yet you understood after you digested and calculated the explanations.

It was through them that the Rune of Time became truly possible to form, to capture how the fourth dimension acted in the Immaterium, the psychic 'shape' of temporal force.

The second key came from Epistolary Crescum Auro, who had been dedicated to the study of temporal manipulation for a little while now, into fields more esoteric than even Runic design. Magnus had shared a lot of his work, for your brother was happy to share the details of the research and you were very interested to see what one of your sons had accomplished.

The Nechronal Forge was the current apex of Auro's research. Channelling the conceptual energies of both Time as well as Death together, hence the name, to have the energy either be directly infused into objects or to use the energy to refine materials by the interactions of said energies. The mere idea of a conceptual engine was deeply fascinating, the fact that the machine was made a reality and utilised two at once was brilliance.

The potential of this Engine went beyond the Rune of Time, into heights you weren't sure you even fully comprehended yet, and would certainly provide further inspiration to the glyph. The schematics were a fascinating thing to read and understand, as were the reports of the 'Inverse Veil' that it partially helped create. You wondered what would happen if you combined the Rune of Time with a Nechronal Forge, whether it'd lead to an imbalance or help focus its potential?

When you mentioned that you were trying to create a Rune of Time to Crescum Auro himself, you asked for any further insight he might be able to provide from his existing research. You assumed that you'd get only a little further pieces of data, considering what Magnus had already shared with you, but he had written down and recorded more research than expected.

After nearly a month of preparation, he had sent you everything. Data-slates filled with equations that took you a while to decipher and connect, papers full of geometric diagrams of resonant shapes, test-logs coupled with observations on Nechronal energy and extrapolations over the concept of Time and its relation with other concepts and materials. Including his own work on mastering chronomancy, and his work on developing 'True Nechronal' energy.

There were extremely detailed notes on his conceptual blade, the 'Mythril Ouroboros'. It was a sword that strongly resonated with both Time and Death, hence the focus and research that went towards the Nechronal Forge, a crystal echoing the mighty forces that was then tempered by the Forge into a harmonious anchor and deadly weapon.

Then there were reports on Skysoph, a truly baffling world that was a mixture of splintered eras connected together, and of an esoteric temporal being that existed there known as the 'Timeless One'. The entity was some sort of divine creature from what Crescum Auro described, not connected to Chaos, and lived outside of normal time entirely.

While initially worrying, your apprehension transformed into interest the more you learned of the creature, its nature and the attempts of communication. It certainly challenged your notion that the Warp largely adhered to cause and effect more so than any daemon had done, that was for certain. It was certainly nice to have proof that divine beings didn't have to be nightmarish monsters bent on ruin, torment and conflict.

With enough data and research notes to last you a few years to properly go through everything and fit it with what existing temporal studies you possessed, not to mention the study of the Nechronal Forge and its implications of conceptual 'enchanting', your work on the Rune of Time would definitely be refined by it all.

You figured you'd ask about what else Crescum Auro had been researching later, making sure no other important details or revelations were being kept simply due to nobody having really asked the Librarian about what he was involved in. When you had the time for it.

When you had the time…

Malcador the Sigillite had once asked you what the worst problem that the Imperium faced, back when you prepared to face the Maelstrom. Your answer was time. His had been 'scale', and you agreed with him, but your answer lingered on the mind more and more.

You needed more time. There was never enough time. Just a little more and so many problems could be solved. So many projects could be completed. So many lives that could be saved. So many wonders that could be finished.

You just needed more time.

While it would not be enough to let you accomplish everything you wished you could do, so many ideas that came while you were remembering and studying everything relevant here, the Rune of Time would help enough where it could.

You would wield Time itself, bind it to a symbol, and grant its power to those that carried the shape you'd carve.

With the fifth decade of his discovery now ending, Kesar felt a sense of nostalgia for simpler days in times long past. He'd done great things in his time with the Imperium, yet he had also been drawn into a complicated net of politics that he only reluctantly engaged with. And he may have to do more, for there was a civil war that could be avoided. And so, he would do what he could to stop it.

His economic objectives for the past five years only somewhat reflected that, which was more than expected. Back then, the Imperium was drastically different. There hadn't been a coup on Terra, guardsmen and Astartes hadn't slain Custodes and Sisters of Silence, guardsmen weren't actively rebelling, and Kesar knew what his years would consist of. Now, now there was confusion and sorrow. Only assuaged slightly by seeing his income turn positive.

It consisted of elegant spending, with only three large projects of note. The first was the recruitment of guardsmen, funded off of what remained from Kesar's spending, helping to fill the gaping maw that was the Imperium's ever-present need for trained soldiers.

Second were the copious lasgun factories in the Monkoalia Sector, which had already paid themselves off in a few years of operation. The massive factories utilized a multitude of features, creating a rate of production that was utterly dizzying, supplying over 50 trillion guardsmen with lasguns each decade. Alone, this would have been enough to bring Svarga's Material income into the black, yet there was more Kesar could do.

The third project involved expanding the level of monitoring within Svarga itself, although, when put like that, it was far more sinister than it actually was. In reality, all that was involved was the introduction of a variety of import/export control stations around planets that experienced a notable level of traffic. While they did help streamline flight paths, their main purpose was to tamp down on smuggling, choking common tax evasion schemes through the elimination of one avenue of gray income. Surprisingly effective, Kesar estimated that these stations had reduced the level of corruption and embezzlement in his domain by a full quarter. Truly a remarkable success.

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Just as Horus feared, guardsmen across the Imperium began to bear arms against their brethren. Many simply refused to fight, causing fronts across the Imperium to simply falter and halt. Others were far more militant, outright seizing planets across the Imperium, with several such actions occurring in Svarga itself.

Of these groups, there were three that caught Kesar's eye. Two of which were outside his realm of responsibility, and the last within it.

The one within Svarga was less destructive than Kesar feared it would be, and far more simple to resolve. The camp was mainly formed out of dissatisfied elements that had served under a corrupt Lord General who was embezzling funds. While Kesar's recent orders in Svarga had resulted in their arrest, the soldiers under him were demanding compensation for the loss of wages and life that had occurred. It'd been a simple matter for the Second Anathema to resolve, simply ordering the former Lord General's wealth be liquidated and given to the soldiers. While it hadn't won him any accolades, Kesar was content with simply resolving the situation within his domain, allowing the Maelstrom War to continue without issue.

In regards to the Imperium as a whole, it was Lord General Blair's actions that Kesar first heard of, primarily due to the close ties with the Mechanicum he had. While he disliked the tendency for forge worlds to hoard knowledge, the organization had been making great strides resolving the issues within. So, when he was informed Blair had taken a forge world nearly intact, then shared every scrap of information publicly, he could understand why Kelbor-Hal was quite unhappy. With the Gamma faction continuing to operate the forge world, albeit at reduced capacity, Kesar had a suspicion of what would happen. Perturabo was logical and hands-off, he'd avoid bloodying his hands in an unnecessary war. As such, Blair would operate freely, until the Mechanicum arrived en masse, at which point she and her men would be involved in quite the conflict.

The other Gamma faction that caught his eye was Lord General Mara, who was the most successful of all Gamma factions thus far. Achieving dramatic successes in her goals, the past year had seen her camp grow nearly threefold in men, material, and land. Kesar looked into her actions as a result, finding that the reasons for such explosive growth were simple.

She was competent, her policies were immensely popular among the serfs on nearly all worlds, and she was well respected by veterans within the Imperial Army. Targeting worlds ruled by dictators and despots, some of whom had performed actions that made Kesar's stomach churn, the repeated coups her forces launched were often supported by enthusiastic and cheering crowds. And when her forces then opened the treasuries to the people … Kesar knew that she would only grow more popular with time.

Unfortunately, rather than try and avoid notice like the other Gamma factions, she had instead chosen to send envoys to Fulgrim, Vulkan, and the Emperor. While Fulgrim had refused to meet with the envoy, Vulkan had, and none knew what was discussed within their meeting. And for the meeting with the Emperor, it seemed as if the envoy had simply disappeared. The truth, Kesar thought, was likely darker than he would like, but the Emperor could be uncompromising when it came to perceived traitors.

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The Raven rests on Deliverance, awaiting future trials and excursions. Yet today is a day where is alone, only attended to by servants he pays a fair wage.

Then the silence shatters, as the Emperor teleports into the building where he rests, loudly proclaiming his presence. "DID YOU THINK THERE WOULD BE NO CONSEQUENCES FOR WHAT YOU DID?!"

The Raven hides within the shadows of the building, his skills at hiding eclipsed by only a handful of others in the galaxy. And so he asks, "What do you mean?" His words modulated so they appear to come from everywhere at once.

The Emperor only grows in anger at the response, "DO NOT PLAY GAMES WITH ME CORVUS, YOU ORDERED THE DEATHS OF MY CUSTODES. AND NOW YOU WILL PAY FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE."

The Raven remains silent, knowing his only hope is escape. He wanders through the building, seeking one of the many exits within. But the Emperor is not willing to allow his escape, forcibly shattering the building, killing the servants within as he leaves the Raven with nowhere to hide, forcing the two to come to blows.

The Raven fires a single round from a weapon created for him by the Lord of Iron, the Emperor simply catches the bullet, and returns it to where it came.

Even as the Raven disappears back into the shadows, he leaves behind drops of his own blood.

Racing through the greater city, he is only stopped by a wall of flame that surrounds the city, the flames swirling around the Primarch, illuminating him, and giving him nowhere to hide.

The Emperor's Blade slices through the Raven, one lung collapsing, scars forming on his still-beating heart. Yet the Raven manages to vanish once more, diving through the flames into a momentary semblance of safety, vanishing from sight once more.

The Primarch makes for a grim visage, burnt skin is all that remains of the Raven, blackened and bloody, an Astartes can scarcely imagine how he still lives.

The Raven tries to hide within the city itself, yet the Emperor's flames have marked him, and the Raven fails to hide from the Emperor. And so the father stands before the son, with the son believing this is where he may perish.

The Raven stares the Emperor down and pulls out what seems to be an innocuous key.

The Emperor takes a step back.

The fight turns into a standstill, the Emperor wary of the divine object the Raven wields. An object of such immense power that he can feel it humming in anticipation of possibilities that may occur.

His eyes grow gold, as he looks into the future at what may occur.

In one timeline his sword slices through the Raven's neck, and the key is his.

In a second, his sword slices through the Raven's neck, yet the key turns. And Deliverance dies, as a new god is born within its own deathscream.

In a third, his sword slices through the Raven's neck, yet the key turns partially. Reality breaks and shatters. The Emperor looks and wishes he did not.

The Primarch and Emperor remain where they are, and the Emperor demands the Raven turn over the key.

The Raven refuses, leaving the Emperor to finish what he came here to do.

The Emperor steps forward and declares that the Raven will receive no more support from the Imperium. He will for all intents and purposes, no longer receive guardsmen from outside his domain, nor will he be able to recruit Astartes from other worlds.

The Emperor turns to leave, and the Raven cannot resist a final parting question.

"You still want 50 thousand of my sons patrolling your Empire?"

The Emperor gives the raven a look, yet doesn't respond. Choosing instead to teleport back onto his ship, his task now complete.

Even near death, the Lord of Ravens laughs to himself. The action hurts his entire body. All the while, he thinks of how a certain woman will find his story amusing.

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GM Note: For socials this turn, you have 5 slots. You can choose to sacrifice 1 social for 5 research years if you wish up to twice.

[] Leman - The Great Wolf seems to be preparing for the conflict on the horizon, he's invited Kesar over for a talk in the hopes that the two of you can find a way to avoid it. Or at the very least, minimize the effect the conflict has on human life in the galaxy.
[] Fulgrim - The Phoenician has created a museum showcasing the culture and history of each of the Primarch's homeworlds, save for Nuceria and Colchis. It would be nice to visit and see how Fulgrim captured the essence of Valhalla.
[] Vulkan - Horus' worries are not without merit. It would be a good idea to check on the Lord of Drakes and see how he will be responding to the birth of the Gamma factions across the Imperium. And to ensure he doesn't publicly support any of them.
[] Perturabo - While the Lord of Iron has his own conflicts to care for, he has elected to send a detachment of Iron Warriors to assist Kesar. It'd be good to thank him in person and ask if Perturabo may know how to avoid a civil war.
[] Mortarion - The Primarch of the Death Guard suffered horrifically recently. Checking in with him to ensure he is coping healthily would be useful, even if Horus has already done so. Not to mention he's almost certainly planning something …
[] Konrad - The Night Haunter has worked closely with Vulkan for decades now. If Kesar's talk with Vulkan fails to achieve any results, perhaps a talk with Konrad would?
[] Fabius - While the biologist will be vivisecting Kesar, it may be worthwhile to increase the amount of time allocated to the project. Extending the experience to more than 1-2 operations could prove beneficial for all.
[] Lord General Militant Karcer - The officer that seems to have earned the respect of Oriacarius, and one that took time to warm up to the Eternal Wardens. Kesar is quite curious about what she is like, and if he wishes to take command from her, he would need to make it known immediately.
[] Lord General Mara - The head of the most successful Gamma faction to date, Lord General Mara has extended an open invitation to all Primarchs besides Dorn, Lion, and Alpharius. Taking her up on it would be horrific from an optics perspective in some areas. Yet Kesar could learn an immense amount about why the rebellion has so much support.
[] Oriacarius - The First Captain has had an eventful decade, to say the least, and has a multitude of reports for Kesar. Ranging from the mundane to having regular contact with an Eldar (what?!), it'd be prudent to debrief the First Captain on what has transpired recently.
[] Sacrifice 1 social for 5 research years.

Right, so for context, Khan rolled a Green but it was never clearly defined by Daemon so I decided to do it instead. This is the outcome. This is also the final conclusion to the Stratios Expanse arc before the next big event.

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Lightning Refinement

The Khan had done it. He conquered the Stratios Expanse. He was not the first. The Primarch doubted he'd be the last. But such was fate. All empires were ephemeral. Names and events would inevitably fade into the annals of time, known only to the departed.

Fate, as he perceived it, dictated the impermanence of empires. Names and events, once significant, would inevitably dissipate into the recesses of time, preserved only in the memories of those who had departed.

As foreseen by Arkhas, a figurative spark effortlessly ignited the powderkeg, setting ablaze a war among the Unholy Trinity. The Expanse, no stranger to conflict, witnessed the scorching of its worlds once more. A strategic series of hit-and-run tactics and meticulous planting of evidence provided ample cause for the Unholy Trinity factions to engage in mutually assured destruction.

Within three years and a dozen major battles, the Imperials recognized the inevitable ascendance of the Lost Tribes due to superior mobilization and industrial capabilities, which would inevitably force the Vagyr and Nekresethni to escalate to otherwise "impactful" levels of harm for future colonization efforts. This realization did not bode well for Khan's expedition. He mobilized 100,000 Astartes and an equivalent number of Imperial Army regiments, supported by a vast fleet of thousands of ships, before descending upon the Stratios Expanse like an unstoppable horde.

What ensued was a magnificent exhibition of martial prowess. The Unholy Trinity caught off guard, attempted to resist but found themselves forced into destructive last stands. Despite possessing impressive technologies and formidable powers, the Expanse's greatest armies proved no match for the might of the White Scars and the Imperial Expedition. Such was the fate of all who dared challenge the Khan.

No force could stop him. No amount of technology or sorcery could hope to impede the inexorable tide of fire, steel, and lightning that was his Legion.

The Nekresethni were the first to succumb. The Aetherlings hordes burned beneath the relentless onslaught of the Karaoghlanlar, as did the foul Necromancers and their alien sorcery. Though the Nekresethni attempted to conceal their armies and fleets, the keen eyes of the Stormseers anticipated their every move, resulting in battles of attrition that were unfavorable to them.

Ostrvosylo stood as the final bastion. Yesugei and his Stormseers, realizing the need to eradicate the Nekresethni threat at its root, targeted the source of their power: The Simulation. It took Yesugei six weeks to meticulously prepare the ritual that triggered the collapse of the Simulation, compelling the spirits of the dead to finally embark on their journey into the great unknown and whatever fate, cruel or otherwise, awaited them.

The remnants of the deceased armies collapsed like marionettes whose strings had been abruptly severed. The surviving inhabitants and soldiers of Ostrvosylo pleaded for mercy in surrender, but Yesugei remained unyielding. Instead, he issued the decree for an exterminatus upon their tainted world. His decision stemmed partly from the imperative to prevent any attempts at replicating the control over the dead, but more profoundly, it bore the weight of his disdain for the cruelty unleashed upon the spirits of the departed by these people.

Ostrvosylo's fate was sealed; its plea for clemency met with relentless destruction.

In the ensuing chapters of the conflict, the Vagyr faced their ultimate reckoning at the hands of Jubal. The Laughing Storm descended upon the formidable, albeit beleaguered, constructed armies of the Illuminated Ones. Despite their inherent resilience, these forces, already weakened by the assaults of the Nek and Lost Tribes, found themselves ill-prepared to withstand the onslaught of the White Scars.

The Vagyr, with their fervent Eclipsar conviction, proved unable to contend with the superior might of these enhanced humans. Driven into a desperate corner, the Vagyr invoked the Bru'Kh and unleashed the New Word upon the Astartes, a formidable psychic onslaught. However, the formidable mental fortitude of the Astartes shielded them from the worst effects, while millions of Imperial Army humans succumbed to the devastating power. For his troubles, the Warhawk obtained ten Blanks.

Just as with the Nekresethni, the Vagyr worlds were engulfed in flames, and their species perished under the relentless barrage of fire, steel, and bolt. The New Word, a gruesome memetic, met its demise with the last Vagyr, finally ending its dark influence. The potential utility against daemonkind could not justify its existence in this galaxy. The echoes of its horror were silenced, allowing the galaxy to breathe free from its malevolent grip.

The ultimate challenge lay in subduing the formidable might of the Lost Tribes. In a collaborative effort led by the Khan and Arkhas, supported by the majority of the expeditionary force, the armies of the Tribes were finally shattered, and their resistance quelled. The Warhawk himself teetered on the brink of death multiple times, facing fierce champions sent by the Tribes. Only the timely return of Jubal and his forces tipped the scales in favor of the White Scars during the final pivotal battles.

As the expedition's fleets drew near the orbit of Neospiti, the Lost Tribes found themselves in a dire predicament. Their resolve shattered, fleets obliterated, armies tied up on other fronts, the Esoteric Order of Trivolt annihilated, and the Unbroken Kin forced into hiding – the Tribes were on the brink of collapse.

Despite scattered revolts, the nations of Neospiti formally surrendered to the Khan and his sons, marking the decisive end of the war. In an act of mercy, the Lost Tribes were spared.

With the surrender of Neospiti, the entire Stratios Expanse was finally pacified. The Unholy Trinity, once aspiring masters of these stars, now lay utterly defeated. The victory was not just a triumph for the White Scars but a resounding testament to the capabilities of the Imperial Expedition.

Nevertheless, the challenge of taming the Expanse now lay ahead. Yet another challenge was also placed at the feet of the White Scars. Tens of thousands of Astartes had died, while hundreds of billions of humans perished in the fighting. These stars would not remember them.

Jaghatai sought to forge a lasting legacy in the face of impermanence, for he was the Warhawk, and this was a victory that deserved recognition even if, someday, he would outlast time itself, but that was beside the point. The triumphs against the Unholy Trinity would be meticulously commemorated as he directed his seers to sanctify the battlegrounds. The fallen warriors on these alien worlds would not be forgotten; they would be immortalized.

He envisioned a timeless tribute, commanding the erection of pillars made of unyielding adamantium and even the alien materials left behind by the Vagyr and Nek. A fitting use for all the "rubbish" of their enemies. The names and deeds of the fallen would be engraved upon these enduring structures. Their resting places, adorned with stones and rocks from Chogoris, would serve as solemn memorials.

Genetically enhanced seeds would be sown on worlds capable of sustaining life, ensuring that, over time, they would flourish on the skeletal remains of these battlefields. Similarly, planets with existing ecosystems would one day witness the emergence of diverse creatures descended from the fallen warriors' homeworld. Thus, in this way, their final resting place would act as markers for the expedition and their victory here.

Completing this monumental task required a patient investment of time. Acquiring resources, training and deploying workers, consulting the Magi for intricate industrial and biological aspects, and addressing many other logistical considerations demanded meticulous planning and execution. Achieving honor and admiration, particularly in a limited timeframe, was a complex undertaking.

Fortunately, time was a generous ally. Total victory in the war against the Unholy Trinity, spanning a mere two years, necessitated a period of respite for the Imperial Expedition. This hiatus allowed for a comprehensive assessment of gains and losses and the crucial reconstruction process. Setting off on new endeavors would have to wait until the Expedition had fully rested and fortified its capabilities.

During this interlude, the Khan wisely directed the exploration of the Stratios Expanse to continue. Ships ventured forth to uncover potential riches or threats, ensuring that the Expedition, even in repose, remained vigilant and poised for any future challenges. The Lost Tribes had a region of space they called the "Omega Sector," slated for exploration before the Great War.

With the desire to control the remains of the expanse fully, a select few daring ships were granted permission to venture into the uncharted territory of the Omega Sector and report back anything. The Warhawk was still eager for battle. While the recent conflict had offered a taste of what these unknown stars could offer, he still had yet to satiate his thirst for conquest and battle fully.

In some peculiar way, the Warhawk harbored a silent hope that another threat lurked in the unexplored depths of the Omega Sector. If for no other reason than for the reason that it would, inevitably, have to be destroyed for the good of the Stratios Expanse. To that end, though, his seers reported that warp spoke of only small instances of foes to face still.

Sensing his disappointment, Yesugei did report that there was something of note within the Expanse that the Khan could still obtain. The survey team merely had to move about and look hard enough. With any luck, the Primarch would get his last treasure within this section of the Badlands.

---

Six weeks later…

Yesugei's elusive treasure was eventually discovered amidst the Omega Sector, an endeavor that had been rather difficult for many. Navigating through this treacherous territory proved perilous, with several ships failing to return and those that did speak of encounters with pirates and other ghastly horrors.

Against the odds, one audacious crew persevered, stumbling upon a star system long lost to the annals of time. They encountered the remnants of an ancient alien minefield and a lone, dilapidated weapons platform. Through a combination of skill, luck, and sheer courage, the crew deftly navigated the obstacles and uncovered the prized discovery – an ancient starship of alien origin.

Returning to the expedition with tales and, more importantly, evidence of their triumph, the Khan, recognizing their valor, ordered the repair of their battered ship, its hold filled with riches and weapons and finally, a Warrant of Trade that to be was granted to the captain, elevating their family into a significant and loyal house within the Khan's domain. However, in the eyes of the Primarch, this treasure was a relatively minor consideration.

What truly captured the Khan's fascination was the alien ship itself. Yesugei convinced it was the Omega Sector's rumored treasure, spurred the Primarch into swift action. The Mechanicum eagerly complied with the retrieval operation, returning within a fortnight with the enigmatic vessel in tow.

The alien ship was of a peculiar make and design, with open-structured lattices resembling an otherworldly polyhedron that displayed a form of geometry bordering on the edge of madness. Clearly born of non-human intellect, the ship defied conventional logic. Though lacking an apparent warp drive, it likely possessed the means to navigate the warp and bore scars of past battles. The Khan pondered the mystery of the force that could have triumphed over a race capable of constructing such a vessel.

While the ship itself was largely reduced to a hulk, its core systems and sub-systems rendered as scrap metal, the Khan's initial bemusement turned to intrigue. Tech-priests and Iron Khans, upon closer inspection, uncovered a singular apparatus within the bowels of the lifeless vessel. Comparable in size to a Warhound Titan, this mysterious mechanism continued to generate power.

Once it was established that the mysterious apparatus posed no immediate threat as a weapon or trap, the tech-priests devoted their efforts to deciphering its purpose. However, caution was sounded by a Magos who warned the Primarch that the device was likely nearing the end of its functionality. In the eyes of the Magos, had this been technology conceived by human minds, its mere survival would be considered nothing short of a miracle.

The Khan, initially disappointed by the seemingly modest nature of this treasure, found solace in Yesugei's belief that the apparatus could bestow a significant boon upon the Primarch. All that was required was patience, allowing the tech-priests the time needed to unravel the mysteries embedded within the ancient mechanism.

Adhering to the wisdom that good things come to those who wait, the Khan redirected his focus to pressing matters, including integrating the Lost Tribes and other critical endeavors that demanded his attention.

---

Four years later…

The Omega Treasure, nearly forgotten in the extraordinary confines of Jaghatai's mind, returned to the forefront when the overseeing Magos approached the Primarch one day with a surprising revelation. The Magos informed him that their team had successfully deciphered the language embedded within the ancient device, unveiling a set of meticulously laid-out instructions.

Their determination led them to believe that the machine held the potential for "absolute refinement," a concept that piqued the Khan's interest. Intrigued, Jaghatai questioned the Magos further, seeking clarity on refinement.

The Magos cautiously explained that while he could not wholeheartedly endorse the use of the machine due to its violation of universal laws, it could refine and improve an object of choice if the instructions were followed.

Intrigued and displaying a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, the Khan nodded, acknowledging the Magos's warnings. Nevertheless, he issued a direct order for the Magos to elucidate the workings of the refinement process.

Seizing the opportunity the Primarch's command granted, the Magos explained that the machine could disassemble a chosen object down to its sub-atomic level and then meticulously reconstruct it. The result would be a significantly enhanced and more efficient version, with improvements from material composition to overall functionality.

With the potential of Absolute Refinement before him, Jaghatai sought counsel from his trusted advisors, Jubal and Yesugei. Considering the Magos's explanation that anything larger than a Sentinel could fit into the device, the Khan pondered the possibilities. The Magos, however, had cautioned about the potential inadequacy of the remaining power within the treasure to complete the refinement process.

Determined to explore this unique opportunity, the idea of subjecting a weapon to Absolute Refinement was proposed. Jubal endorsed the notion, and Yesugei concurred, offering a pragmatic perspective, "No reason to put your precious Sojutsu at risk, yes?"

Agreeing wholeheartedly, the Khan resolved to safeguard Sojutsu from any potential risks. That left him with another option - his master-crafted power sword, the White Tiger Dao. It had served him faithfully and was an exquisite weapon but was otherwise quite mundane compared to his brother's primary armaments. If it were lost, it wouldn't be the end of the world to the Khan. It would just be exceedingly frustrating and disappointing.

But the opportunity was something else. He had to take the chance.

---

A day later…

The interior of the Omega Treasure now teemed with Imperial technology, a network of thousands of cables, scaffolding, and a myriad of technomats, servitors, and serfs diligently working to ensure seamless access and prevent any unforeseen decompression events. Jaghatai, accompanied by Jubal and Yesugei, followed the Magos toward the heart of the apparatus, an area where the refinement process would unfold.

Despite the alien nature of the ship, the Khan couldn't help but sense an absence of malevolent intent. It became apparent that the creators of this vessel were likely eccentric engineers and creators, driven by a desire for innovation rather than any sinister motives. The atmosphere within the ship was charged with an aura of anticipation as the Khan, flanked by his advisors, prepared to witness something that was, hopefully, extraordinary.

Finally arriving at the staging ground, Khan approached the apparatus; he beheld a mechanical marvel that exuded complexity and advanced engineering, albeit it looked to have seen better days.

The device, a fusion of intricate machinery and cutting-edge technology, held an undeniable allure, even for a rustic individual like the Khan. Jaghatai couldn't help but ponder what insights Perturabo might have gleaned from such a technological masterpiece. Alas, the opportunity for the Lord of Iron to unravel its secrets would remain forever unfulfilled.

With that all said, the Magos guided them through the procedure: place the White Tiger Dao inside Compartment A, and after the Absolute Refinement concluded, the weapon should reappear in Compartment B. A straightforward process that held the promise of transforming the revered power sword into an unparalleled instrument of destruction.

Hope and anticipation filled the Khan's thoughts as he placed the White Tiger Dao into Compartment A, signaling the Magos to initiate the Absolute Refinement process. The prospect of obtaining a weapon comparable to Captain Orion's Humility proved enticing, driving Jaghatai's curiosity and eagerness.

To everyone's surprise, the usually silent apparatus remained eerily quiet as it activated. A moment of trepidation crossed the Khan's mind, fearing the possibility of a malfunction. As the concern began to settle, the machine rumbled to life, a cascade of flickering lights and the scent of ozone and forest filling the expansive room. Across the device, a holographic display materialized before them, projecting an image of the blade enveloped in an otherworldly green and yellow glow.

The power sword, suspended mid-air, started to break apart before their astonished eyes. Each component of the blade disintegrated only to be remade instantly, hanging in suspended animation. The surreal sight left the onlookers, including the Khan, captivated by the ethereal display unfolding before them as the mysterious process continued within Compartment A.

Had this been the work of an Archmagos, it would have taken perhaps centuries to complete such a feat, but Khan realized that only a few minutes had transpired. Meanwhile, the Magos diligently monitored the process and began listing off the data captured by their scanners. It became evident that the White Tiger Dao was undergoing a profound reconstruction on a fundamental level.

As if engaging in a meticulous analysis, the apparatus appeared to be determining the optimal course for the refinement, guiding the rebuilding of the power sword with the precision of a machine. The White Tiger Dao had undoubtedly been destroyed and rebuilt within a manner of seconds before the process repeated again and again.

As the machine focused on the power field generator, it began to emit an almost melodic hum, a harmonious symphony of refinement. The holographic display portrayed the generator undergoing a radical transformation, somehow miniaturized to an unfathomable degree while concurrently enhancing its capabilities.

The Magos, engrossed in the data from the scanners, exclaimed that the apparatus had refined the generator to a potentially quantum level of resonance tuning. Even for the Khan, it took a moment to comprehend the magnitude of this achievement — the White Tiger Dao was likely tapping into energy sources hidden within the very folds of reality.

As the process reached its zenith, the melodic humming grew louder, and the apparatus emitted an intense rumbling, signaling a surge of energy coursing through its intricate mechanisms. Around Jaghatai Khan and his entourage, power failures cascaded, and minor machines succumbed to the overwhelming energy. Pandemonium ensued, yet the Primarch observed with a keen interest, intrigued by the unfolding technological impossibility.

Amidst the chaos, the machine reached a crescendo, its humming and energy intensifying almost overwhelmingly. Power failures and breakdowns proliferated, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. For what felt like an hour, though only five minutes had passed in reality, the machine began to decelerate, its energy waning. The melodic humming faded, and the holographic display extinguished, leaving the room in darkness again.

But then, Compartment B opened, and a wave of ozone swept into the room. The Warhawk's power sword was revealed with the return of power to the lights. To the amazement of all present, the White Tiger Dao appeared unchanged, as if the remarkable transformation witnessed moments ago had never occurred. The apparatus, having pushed the boundaries of technological possibility, had seemingly reached its limit and finally, after spirits knew how long it was spent lying in space…died.

Despite the ending and uncertainty, the Magos, breaking traditional Mechanicum norms, expressed genuine joy over the collected data. They boldly proclaimed the possibility of the Imperium replicating the extraordinary events on a much more limited scale in the future. Khan paid little attention to their excitement, choosing instead to reach out and grasp the White Tiger Dao.

As the Primarch held the weapon, he sensed a distinct change. The grip felt electric and unnaturally light, reminiscent of a dirk rather than the formidable power sword it once was. The length and adamantium remained, but the weight had shifted. It seemed some adjustment would be needed to restore the sword's familiar heft.

Jubal and Yesugei, eager to understand the nature of the boon bestowed upon their Primarch, questioned the outcome of the entire spectacle. Yesugei cautioned against activating the power field generator, sensing the potent and potentially uncontrollable power now imbued within the weapon.

Jubal looked unhappy with this declaration, "Then what good was this whole show?! Was he given something that can't be used?"

Jaghatai, with a growing smile, reassured his companions. He felt the ethereal winds on his face, a sign of the extraordinary change. "No," he declared, "Quite the opposite. I've been given something extraordinary. Now, I must tame it just as I have done on countless worlds and peoples. Just as I have done to the Stratios Expanse and all those foes yet to come."

It would take years of practice before Khan felt confident enough to unleash the storm contained inside the White Tiger Dao; until then, he would learn to harness the lightning inside against his foes.

He took to calling the storm the Namikiri. The Cutting Wave. A presumptuous title but a necessary one. In time, Jaghatai would come to master it, but that was still a hundred battles off before anything else.

---

@Daemon Hunter Okay, done with this omake.