A school for the cursed: A Psyker Quest. Warhammer 40k quest.
- Thread starter Mayto
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Omake: Odium Biomancy
Omake: Odium Biomancy
Upon the ocean world of Odium within its lightless depths there dwell countless species known and known who will never know the feeling of the light of a sun shining down on them, and after untold generations the human population of Nautilus has come to share this trait. So was it any wonder that eventually the psykers of this world would begin to learn from these great leviathans of the depth.
It is said that life is shaped by it environment no matter where it is found in the galaxy. Even humans as blessed as they are by the God Emperor's grace are not immune to this law as one needs not look further than to the countless abhuman strains of humanity, or to the subtle genetic quirks developed by a population to its native home. But for the biomancers of Odium this takes on a new definition as they reshape themselves to survive and thrive upon their homeworld.
The first and most common ability learned by the biomancers of the abyss is the enhancing of their unique electro sensory abilities as light itself is considered a luxury on this world. As this sense sharpens under their guidance some biomancers might come to rely on it entirely as opposed to their natural vision. With some even suffering an antrophying of their own eyes as they redirect the body's nutrients to other more important functions.
Next comes the ability to breath underwater as is to be naturally expected with many rogue and trained psykers using this ability to delve into flooded sections of the city and recover valuable salvage either for their own gain or that of a wider organization. This ability to breath underwater without the need of a bulky depth suit makes the biomancer uniquely suited to gaining access to tight confined sections that others would be unable to access. As the psyker further refines their abilities they eventually learn how to withstand greater and greater pressures of the deep allowing them to swim deeper and deeper. Other less notable abilities learned by the biomancer during this time frame include the generation of fins, webbed hands or other new limbs to allow the easier transversing of their aquatic environments.
But as their abilities grow so to their do their ambitions with many seeking to prove themselves by entering the open ocean of Odium. Once out there the psyker must like all things adapt or die, preferably quickly, as the open ocean is a much greater beast than the flooded corridors of the city. If the biomancer survives in this hostile realm then they can truly consider themselves a master of biomancy.
Subject to a higher amount of radiation then they are used to a strong enough biomancer can force their bodies to begin metabolizing the energy using it to keep themselves alive or alternatively using it to fuel an extremely powerful variant of bio-lightning. This ability for whatever reason also causes the formation of bioluminescence organs which glow at varying levels of intensity depending on how much energy is stored in the psyker. Such a universal effect among psykers has unfortunately caused many Inquisitors and members of the Adeptus Telepathica to look into it for signs of corruption. Though at this point no such corruption has been founded with many attributing the side effects to a cultural resonance in the Warp becoming self propagating.
Other enterprising psykers in the abyss will take the chance at capturing one of the predatory beasts within the ocean and using their abilities to adapt its body to amphibious living. These psykers also tend to have some skill in telepathy in addition to their skills as a biomancer as they will take control of these creatures to use them as familiars or attack animals within the city or beyond. Do to the effectiveness of such beasts there is an underground market for such tamed and untamed variants for the use of other organizations. So popular is it that some local Genetors have gotten requests from official organizations for the development of similar creatures be they as exotic pets or service animals.
However there is one ability among the abyssal biomancers that stands above the rest, the Shape of the Abyss. This is an ability only obtained by the most powerful, or the most deranged, of Odium's biomancers for it requires them to be within the presence of one of the great leviathans on the deep and to learn from their natural biomancy. If the psyker is not devoured by these colossal creatures they can begin the development of their own Abyssal Shape. This psychic ability is the transformation of the biomancer into a collosal warform perfectly adapted to both the ocean's depth and survival outside it. No two forms are the same as each one is unique to the psyker with some being coated in crustacean like armor and claws, and others being an amalgam of traits from predatory sea life in a humanoid shape. But one thing remains consistent amongst them the raw physical power granted by these transformations as the psyker swells in size to become a giant capable shrugging off injuries that would kill lesser men and gain the strength to tear entire gangs apart with their bare hands or other apendages. Luckily for those who may face such psykers to maintain such a transformation is incredibly taxing for the biomancer forcing them to use it sparingly and to return to their human shape as soon as possible less they suffer total organ failure or worse due to the strain placed upon them by the transformation. The psyker will also be vulnerable for some time after the transformation needing time to rest and recuperate after such a taxing experience which has led many to suffer an unfortunate fate at the hands of any survivors they may have left.
Through it all the art of biomancy as practiced by the people of Odium reminds humanity of the wisdom of their ancestors about what unknown horrors lurk within the depths of the abyss.
A.N: I did a thing.
Upon the ocean world of Odium within its lightless depths there dwell countless species known and known who will never know the feeling of the light of a sun shining down on them, and after untold generations the human population of Nautilus has come to share this trait. So was it any wonder that eventually the psykers of this world would begin to learn from these great leviathans of the depth.
It is said that life is shaped by it environment no matter where it is found in the galaxy. Even humans as blessed as they are by the God Emperor's grace are not immune to this law as one needs not look further than to the countless abhuman strains of humanity, or to the subtle genetic quirks developed by a population to its native home. But for the biomancers of Odium this takes on a new definition as they reshape themselves to survive and thrive upon their homeworld.
The first and most common ability learned by the biomancers of the abyss is the enhancing of their unique electro sensory abilities as light itself is considered a luxury on this world. As this sense sharpens under their guidance some biomancers might come to rely on it entirely as opposed to their natural vision. With some even suffering an antrophying of their own eyes as they redirect the body's nutrients to other more important functions.
Next comes the ability to breath underwater as is to be naturally expected with many rogue and trained psykers using this ability to delve into flooded sections of the city and recover valuable salvage either for their own gain or that of a wider organization. This ability to breath underwater without the need of a bulky depth suit makes the biomancer uniquely suited to gaining access to tight confined sections that others would be unable to access. As the psyker further refines their abilities they eventually learn how to withstand greater and greater pressures of the deep allowing them to swim deeper and deeper. Other less notable abilities learned by the biomancer during this time frame include the generation of fins, webbed hands or other new limbs to allow the easier transversing of their aquatic environments.
But as their abilities grow so to their do their ambitions with many seeking to prove themselves by entering the open ocean of Odium. Once out there the psyker must like all things adapt or die, preferably quickly, as the open ocean is a much greater beast than the flooded corridors of the city. If the biomancer survives in this hostile realm then they can truly consider themselves a master of biomancy.
Subject to a higher amount of radiation then they are used to a strong enough biomancer can force their bodies to begin metabolizing the energy using it to keep themselves alive or alternatively using it to fuel an extremely powerful variant of bio-lightning. This ability for whatever reason also causes the formation of bioluminescence organs which glow at varying levels of intensity depending on how much energy is stored in the psyker. Such a universal effect among psykers has unfortunately caused many Inquisitors and members of the Adeptus Telepathica to look into it for signs of corruption. Though at this point no such corruption has been founded with many attributing the side effects to a cultural resonance in the Warp becoming self propagating.
Other enterprising psykers in the abyss will take the chance at capturing one of the predatory beasts within the ocean and using their abilities to adapt its body to amphibious living. These psykers also tend to have some skill in telepathy in addition to their skills as a biomancer as they will take control of these creatures to use them as familiars or attack animals within the city or beyond. Do to the effectiveness of such beasts there is an underground market for such tamed and untamed variants for the use of other organizations. So popular is it that some local Genetors have gotten requests from official organizations for the development of similar creatures be they as exotic pets or service animals.
However there is one ability among the abyssal biomancers that stands above the rest, the Shape of the Abyss. This is an ability only obtained by the most powerful, or the most deranged, of Odium's biomancers for it requires them to be within the presence of one of the great leviathans on the deep and to learn from their natural biomancy. If the psyker is not devoured by these colossal creatures they can begin the development of their own Abyssal Shape. This psychic ability is the transformation of the biomancer into a collosal warform perfectly adapted to both the ocean's depth and survival outside it. No two forms are the same as each one is unique to the psyker with some being coated in crustacean like armor and claws, and others being an amalgam of traits from predatory sea life in a humanoid shape. But one thing remains consistent amongst them the raw physical power granted by these transformations as the psyker swells in size to become a giant capable shrugging off injuries that would kill lesser men and gain the strength to tear entire gangs apart with their bare hands or other apendages. Luckily for those who may face such psykers to maintain such a transformation is incredibly taxing for the biomancer forcing them to use it sparingly and to return to their human shape as soon as possible less they suffer total organ failure or worse due to the strain placed upon them by the transformation. The psyker will also be vulnerable for some time after the transformation needing time to rest and recuperate after such a taxing experience which has led many to suffer an unfortunate fate at the hands of any survivors they may have left.
Through it all the art of biomancy as practiced by the people of Odium reminds humanity of the wisdom of their ancestors about what unknown horrors lurk within the depths of the abyss.
A.N: I did a thing.
[X][ESOTERICA] A broken mercy-blade:
[X][ESOTERICA] An old Aquilla:
[X][RATLING]Offer her a position in the Astra Telepathica as a cook:
[X][ESOTERICA] An old Aquilla:
[X][RATLING]Offer her a position in the Astra Telepathica as a cook:
I did not do a thing belongs to Neathbow from old quest I'm just cross posting it
Odium Pyromancy
While all psychic disciplines can be visually spectacular, from the rioting masses driven mad by telepathy, to great orbiting clouds of debris held aloft be telekinesis, it is widely accepted that pyromancy is what draws the eye most effectively. Towering infernos, great rolling tides of fire, thin beams of concentrated death, and becoming one with the flame so as to dance amongst the ashes of what was once an enemy. Pyromancers originating from Odium's native populace display none of these techniques, why would they, few have ever even seen a flame. Below the sea, the luxury of something that consumes oxygen like that can only be afforded by the nobles, who in flaunting their wealth often light their palaces with candles and lambs made from and fueled by the rendered fat of native mammels similar to ancient Terran whales, the hunting of which is strictly regulated so that the nobility might have a sustainable supply. And even if they did see it the eyesight of native Odiumites is often so poor that it would be visually indistinct from the glow of a simple lumen.
Due to likely never having seen fire before pyromancy performed by Odiumites does not manifest with flames, for the flames conjured up by pyromancy are as much a product of a pyromancer's beliefs and expectations being brought to life through the warp, as they are the existence of oxygen to fuel those flames, more so even. They believe fire brings heat, and so it becomes so. Without that belief Odium pyromancy instead manifests itself in conjured heat, warp energy is converted not into flame, but raw, oppressive heat and any fires that result are purely the work of the materials in the materium reacting to the sudden heat. And even when the materium says fire should be the result, if the Odiumite is powerful enough, then the fire may simply not form, as their power expressed through the warp temporarily overwrites the local laws of the materium.
As a result of all this Odium pyromancy is certainly less immediately visually striking than the traditional psychic discipline, though, to those who have seen it, a building melting into a heap of molten stone and metal, or an enemy combatant simply crumbling to ash after a wave of heat, is no less terrifying.
Odium Pyromancy
While all psychic disciplines can be visually spectacular, from the rioting masses driven mad by telepathy, to great orbiting clouds of debris held aloft be telekinesis, it is widely accepted that pyromancy is what draws the eye most effectively. Towering infernos, great rolling tides of fire, thin beams of concentrated death, and becoming one with the flame so as to dance amongst the ashes of what was once an enemy. Pyromancers originating from Odium's native populace display none of these techniques, why would they, few have ever even seen a flame. Below the sea, the luxury of something that consumes oxygen like that can only be afforded by the nobles, who in flaunting their wealth often light their palaces with candles and lambs made from and fueled by the rendered fat of native mammels similar to ancient Terran whales, the hunting of which is strictly regulated so that the nobility might have a sustainable supply. And even if they did see it the eyesight of native Odiumites is often so poor that it would be visually indistinct from the glow of a simple lumen.
Due to likely never having seen fire before pyromancy performed by Odiumites does not manifest with flames, for the flames conjured up by pyromancy are as much a product of a pyromancer's beliefs and expectations being brought to life through the warp, as they are the existence of oxygen to fuel those flames, more so even. They believe fire brings heat, and so it becomes so. Without that belief Odium pyromancy instead manifests itself in conjured heat, warp energy is converted not into flame, but raw, oppressive heat and any fires that result are purely the work of the materials in the materium reacting to the sudden heat. And even when the materium says fire should be the result, if the Odiumite is powerful enough, then the fire may simply not form, as their power expressed through the warp temporarily overwrites the local laws of the materium.
As a result of all this Odium pyromancy is certainly less immediately visually striking than the traditional psychic discipline, though, to those who have seen it, a building melting into a heap of molten stone and metal, or an enemy combatant simply crumbling to ash after a wave of heat, is no less terrifying.
I really think the "Physical World" of the sector is pretty cool, with the black hole and deep ocean trench being incorporated into the world building seamlessly.Your QM requests commentary on the worldbuilding.
I also really like how well developed the voidborn side of the sector is, with political arrangements to justify them and how their existence influenced the development of the sector as a whole. As an extension of that, I generally really like the thought you put into, not just how the economy looks like, but also how it came to look like that.
On the other hand, I think it's pretty sad that how little you talked about the ecclisarchy up until now.
I do admit, I am a bit biased here, because I wanted to write another omake in the style of the first one (because I'm currently having a lecture about the metaphysics of God, so writing something like that was a good halfway point between studying and relaxing for me), so I searched through the whole worldbuilding informational and the last quest, to see if there is anything about the Ecclisarchy, but I found virtually nothing.
Any place in the imperium is already pretty religious, especially more well established worlds, because of how Terra uses the Imperial Cult as the soft power equivalent to every hard power branch of the imperium (Guard, Navy, Space Marines, Arbiters, PDF, etc.) combined
But that's the Base-Level, the sector we're at right now has two separate upgrades to the Influence of the Imperial Cult, but the only mention of anything concerning them was
1) The System where the Emperor was exists
2) Inquisitors destroyed a Memorial for a Custodes
3) There are some Missionaries in Natuilus that may or may not be doing anything at all
And that's it.
And that would've been sad, even if I didn't go looking special for Ecclisarchy lore. I mean, really, there are 6 separate SoB orders in the sector, who each answer to the same Bishop-Prince and there has never been a moment in the history of another planet where that has been significant?
Also, can you give us a bit more information about Sonstep? Because I really want to care, because I perked behind the curtain and saw what option led to it existing, but the two sentences of lore that you gave us, that kind of contradicts itself, really doesn't allow me to
[X][ESOTERICA] A broken mercy-blade:
[X][ESOTERICA] An old Aquilla:
[X] [RATLING]Give her your laspistol and some of your Thrones
I don't know why the kitchen option has so much traction, when the other option will explicitly be a better and safer life for her, overall, and was an option unlocked due to special circumstances to boot.
[X][ESOTERICA] An old Aquilla:
[X] [RATLING]Give her your laspistol and some of your Thrones
I don't know why the kitchen option has so much traction, when the other option will explicitly be a better and safer life for her, overall, and was an option unlocked due to special circumstances to boot.
Also how did people like my thing on Odium biomancy? I wanted to convey a feeling like the actual ocean where the deeper one goes the more creepy and eldritch it becomes.
I think its just an amusing deliberate mispelling of Being(as in human being)?
And also small and portable
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-DSVDcw6iW8
It starts with this song from the movie "Drive" and then through meme culture the lyrics 'a real human being and a real hero' eventually leads into 'bean' gaining the of meaning 'neat/cute person'
And listen, that ratling cook? She a real human bean and a real asset to the cast.
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I mean, yes please, but that's not exactly what I meant. I want to know more about the world you have created and I think it is necessary to learn about the Ecclisarchy to do that, because any lore that leaves them out would be incomplete.
Does that make sense?
Ok, I'm not really able to condense this down, so please let me explain in some more detail.
So, I read through the informational section you provided, along with some additional details I gathered from the old version of the quest. I went through all of it in an academic frame of mind because I needed something calming after tackling other texts I had to read. During that time, it felt like there was something greater beneath the surface, but I could never quite grasp it—and it was driving me mad.
I understand this might sound a bit crazy from your perspective. It could seem like I'm chasing shadows. But the more I looked at the bigger picture, the more it seemed like there's a distinct divide in the sector—on one side, the Ecclesiarchy, and on the other, "others."
Though, I'm not entirely sure who these "others" are yet.
Let me start with where I first noticed this. A cardinal world is a shrine world. So why would you make that distinction unless you wanted to establish some kind of hierarchy? Why would you want to add a hierarchy at all? One of these worlds is practically dead, out of the equation. That means there had to be a reason before the quarantine of Sonstep. There must have been some prior justification for declaring the cardinal world superior.
And, of course, it is. It's self-evident: the world where the Emperor himself walked is greater than the one where a mere Primarch stepped on. The only reason to think otherwise would be if someone had a very unorthodox understanding of the Imperial religion.
And that's when it struck me. What if that was the case? What if there had been an opposing cult that believed the world where the Emperor's son stepped was at least equal to the one where the Emperor walked? If that were true, it would make both logical and political sense for the side loyal to the Emperor to silence the others.
What better way to achieve this than to declare their world a quarantine zone?
If there really had been some kind of religious shadow war in the sector's past, it would explain why secrets and symbols—like a Custodes statue, easily renamed and repurposed—would be completely destroyed. It would even make sense for the Inquisition to collaborate with the Ecclesiarchy in such a scenario. After all, the Inquisition originally headquartered itself on the cardinal world, suggesting a closer relationship, analogous to the historical link between the Inquisition and the Catholic Church.
Initially, I considered leaving this as a simple theory: one side represents corruption and the Church's dogma, while the other symbolizes enlightened atheists with all the answers. But I know that's not the direction you're going for. In your first post, you emphasized keeping the story true to the spirit of the Imperium. So, instead, I thought about how this could work theologically.
Here's my theory based on what we know so far: there were two branches of the Imperial Cult in the sector, both agreeing on the premise that the Emperor is God and the most perfect version of a human—maxing out every possible stat and skill tree, in gaming terms. But they disagreed on what this perfection means.
One side believes the Emperor is perfect and therefore absolutely invincible. The other side believes that, even as the pinnacle of humanity, the Emperor can to oversimplify things, still bleed. And this is a disagreement that leads to two fundamentally different ways of seeing the world.
If the Emperor's perfection makes him invincible, it implies that absolute happiness—salvation—is achievable in this life. If the Emperor achieved it, then it is the duty of every human to strive toward the same goal, imitating him to the fullest. This is a perfectionist philosophy, where the end goal is to reach 100%, no matter how long it takes.
But if the Emperor can bleed, even as humanity's pinnacle, it suggests that salvation or happiness cannot be fully achieved in this life—it must be attained in the afterlife. The Emperor's purpose, then, wasn't to show humans that perfection leads to happiness but to promise that salvation is possible beyond the physical universe. To achieve salvation, one doesn't need 100% completion; one needs to improve oneself as much as possible within the span of a single human life. For this effort, the Emperor will reward them in the afterlife.
This theological divide has major implications for the existence of the Primarchs. If perfection is impossible, then there's no shame in following someone lesser than the Emperor—a Primarch, for instance. If 100% completion isn't achievable, side quests become valid paths. In such a framework, focusing on a Primarch instead of the Emperor isn't heretical; it's practical. It might even be the very reason why they existed in the first place.
This divide would likely remain theological, but it has enormous political implications. A religion instructing its followers to obey the Emperor's direct word—or that of Roboute Guilliman, Prince of Ultramar—creates friction for a system positioned along the trade route between the two.
This also deeply affects the Voidborn. Their political rights stem from a document the Emperor supposedly authored in gratitude. If the ideology of Treadfall prevails, the foundation of Voidborn rights could be at risk. However, they might not be in immediate danger, as they appear to be aligned with the Mechanicus, who likely oppose Treadfall's ideology. After all, if the Emperor was already perfect, the Omnissiah must be a lesser aspect of him—if it exists at all.
The Sector Lord and the Astra Telepathica probably also oppose Treadfall, based on our association with the Sector Lord's descendant and the hostility of the Sisters of Battle toward our recruiter. Still, without more information, I wouldn't bet on it.
- Location
- Netherlands
To claim the Emperor could be put in peril is heresy.
But is to claim that the Emperor can not feel pain or be put into danger not reducing the weight of his great sacrifice, or the magnitude of his deeds. Does it not imply he does not suffer on the Golden Throne?
Was The Emperor always a god? Or did he ascend to godhood when he sat upon the throne?
If he was no god before ascension, are his actions before then retroactively divine?
What about his sons? They were made of his blood, but if that was done before his ascension, are the sons of the Emperor part divine?
Wars have been fought over lesser theological debates.
But is to claim that the Emperor can not feel pain or be put into danger not reducing the weight of his great sacrifice, or the magnitude of his deeds. Does it not imply he does not suffer on the Golden Throne?
Was The Emperor always a god? Or did he ascend to godhood when he sat upon the throne?
If he was no god before ascension, are his actions before then retroactively divine?
What about his sons? They were made of his blood, but if that was done before his ascension, are the sons of the Emperor part divine?
Wars have been fought over lesser theological debates.
Vote closed
Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
Actually, a Cardinal World and a Shrine World are different classifications. Both are worlds administered by the Ecclesiarchy, but a Shrine World is specifically one that was declared sacred due to having some association with the Emperor or a beatified Saint, being a homeworld, the site of a significant victory, or the final resting place for the latter, and thus a significant destination for pilgrimages. A Cardinal World, on the other hand, is simply a planet run by the Ecclesiarchy, and tend to differ from Shrine Worlds due to being the primary administrative and archivist centers of the Imperial Cult, housing their most prestigious centers of theological learning and the vaults containing their most important reliquaries.
- Location
- Netherlands
You have gained a faculty member.
Martha Sternback, Ratling:
A diminuitive ratling woman whose dream job became a nightmare after a friendly Master of Service had her prepare meals for Imperial Guard officers kept as guests aboard her ship, the Sword of Integrity, instead of just the Junior officers. After deserting from the ship, you found her and offered her a better life. Due to the genuine kindness that you have shown her, you have her undying loyalty and friendship.
While a curious sight among the largely terran-norm members of the Astra Telepathica, few who actually speak with Martha find it easy to not be charmed by her smile, manners, and jovial attitude. Of those unable to get over their disdain for 'abbies' or 'gene filth', none dare to be rude to her, lest they face your considerable wrath.
Martha as a Ratling chef is a master of understanding the ability of food to motivate, encourage, punish, or break down an individual. She also has learned to work in the underbelly of society to survive, and finds it easy to make black market connections with the ubiquitous ratling communities across the Imperium.
-Gives a +20 to any rolls involving nutrition as a factor in Psyker education.
-Allows you to develop black market contacts.
Martha Sternback, Ratling:
A diminuitive ratling woman whose dream job became a nightmare after a friendly Master of Service had her prepare meals for Imperial Guard officers kept as guests aboard her ship, the Sword of Integrity, instead of just the Junior officers. After deserting from the ship, you found her and offered her a better life. Due to the genuine kindness that you have shown her, you have her undying loyalty and friendship.
While a curious sight among the largely terran-norm members of the Astra Telepathica, few who actually speak with Martha find it easy to not be charmed by her smile, manners, and jovial attitude. Of those unable to get over their disdain for 'abbies' or 'gene filth', none dare to be rude to her, lest they face your considerable wrath.
Martha as a Ratling chef is a master of understanding the ability of food to motivate, encourage, punish, or break down an individual. She also has learned to work in the underbelly of society to survive, and finds it easy to make black market connections with the ubiquitous ratling communities across the Imperium.
-Gives a +20 to any rolls involving nutrition as a factor in Psyker education.
-Allows you to develop black market contacts.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Nice, very good person to get. Especially given black market connection, which would help with getting information or more rare stuff.
- Location
- Utrecht
That's going to be vital for getting Swol psykers lol
God our psykers are justing going to be anime protagonists aren't they.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
At least they do not become swol because of warp mishap (guess the reference).
- Location
- Utrecht
The Incredible Hulk
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It is about 40K, TTS and D&D.