Echoes of Creation (30k/Exalted)
- Thread starter Yzarc
- Start date
- Crossover
Are you sure? Considering how hotly contested that vote was, we might need more time.
Turn 10: Anger and regrets
Yzarc
The Spark of Madness
Colchis - 832.M30
Elyn's twilight cast long shadows over the bleak, frost-bitten plains as Dharok surveyed the developing base. The ground was a jagged lattice of stone and ice, rugged and unwelcoming, much like the dwarf planet itself. Yet, it held the promise of something valuable: strategic potential, hidden resources, and a unique vantage point for Colchis' expansion into the greater system. They'd barely scratched the surface of what Elyn had to offer.
"Lord Dharok." A scout, clad in camouflaged power armor and glistening with frost, approached with a sharp salute. "We followed the Eldar and……..we found something. A cave, sir. It's… unusual."
Dharok's eyes narrowed. "Unusual how?"
"It doesn't seem natural. The walls inside look organic, almost like bone. They curve, intertwine, almost like they were shaped, not formed. Worse, we found traces of the bugs there as well."
Dharok grunted thoughtfully. Elyn was known for its hostile surface, but there was always a chance that what lay beneath held mysteries even stranger. Reinforcements had arrived and he called for a small team of his finest, a squad of highly trained Space Marines, Gene-sons of his cousin, Lorgar, each a specialist in their own right. They approached him quickly, quiet but resolute.
"Listen up," Dharok said, his voice a deep, low rumble. "We're exploring this 'bone' cave the scouts found. There could be more to it than meets the eye. Check your weapons, but stay sharp. We don't want to be heard before we're ready."
They all nodded in unison. They fell in line behind him, silent and ghostlike, their steps barely a whisper against Elyn's frozen crust.
The cave yawned before them, a maw in the planet's surface. The entrance was tall enough to accommodate a battle tank, its walls slick and faintly glistening under their armor's faint red lenses. Dharok felt a chill that had nothing to do with the frigid air.
"Scans show significant structure below the surface," murmured one of the Marines, Brother Gavran, the team's tech expert. He was stoic, analytical, and precise in his movements, his helm slightly cocked as he analyzed readouts. "This 'cave' isn't a natural formation. It could be the hull of a craft… crashed or buried here long ago."
Dharok glanced back, his gaze stern. "We keep moving. Eyes open, weapons ready."
Moving deeper, the squad filed through the narrow, spiraling corridors of the cave. The 'walls' seemed alive with strange whorls and patterns, almost as if they'd been carved from the bones of a gargantuan creature. The smell was faint, but unsettling, a mixture of dust, decay, and something almost chemical, lurking just at the edge of perception.
One of the Marines, Brother Orin, chuckled softly. Known for his dark humor and stoic confidence, Orin was a scout and survivalist.
"Looks like this place might just be older than any of us," he whispered, his voice tinged with faint amusement. "Maybe we've found ourselves a ghost ship."
"Focus, Orin," Brother Sidan snapped. Sidan was the team's tactician, a quiet and intense Marine who rarely spoke outside of directives. "We're here to investigate, not sightsee."
They pressed onward, falling back into a practiced silence. Their footfalls were muffled, their senses honed to any hint of threat. Dharok moved at the front, his mind calculating distances and routes instinctively, always aware of his team's positions.
They reached a vast chamber, nearly cathedral-like, with ribbed columns stretching up into the shadows. Dharok activated his helmet's light, casting beams into the darkness. The walls were lined with strange, pod-like formations, half-crushed and brittle.
"Look at this," murmured Brother Gavran. He crouched down, scanning a fragment of the material with his optics. "It's like a mixture of bone and....something else. I've seen nothing like it in standard archives."
"So it's xenos?" Orin asked, his tone almost eager.
"Or something…ancient," Gavran replied.
Dharok nodded thoughtfully. "Let's proceed, but mark the path. We may need to retreat quickly."
The group continued, stepping over fallen debris, remnants of what might have once been a bridge or a catwalk. They entered another corridor, narrower this time, the walls pressing close like the ribs of some monstrous beast. At the end, they found another chamber, dimly lit by bioluminescent fungi clinging to the walls. The air felt thicker here, stale and ancient, like the breath of a long-dead titan.
"Movement," whispered Brother Seraph, a close-quarters specialist and the team's medic, whose natural quietness and alertness made him the best watchman. He held up a hand, eyes narrowed.
They froze, weapons at the ready. The Marines scanned the room, senses straining for any sign of life. A sound echoed, faint, irregular, like the rustle of dry leaves.
"What is it?" Dharok asked, his voice low.
Gavran adjusted his optics, analyzing the source. "Readings are faint, but… there's residual power. Some systems might still be active."
Dharok's eyes narrowed as he signaled his men to proceed cautiously. The corridor led to a series of stair-like formations, descending further into the cavern. Step by step, they moved in sync, their footfalls soundless.
"Feels too quiet for my liking," muttered Brother Kael, a demolitions expert with a pragmatic, hard edge. "I've seen ruins, but this… this thing feels like it's waiting for something."
Dharok glanced at Kael, nodding. "Stay sharp, Kael. This ship could have defenses we can't detect."
Finally, they reached what appeared to be a control center. Cracked consoles stretched across the room, lined with controls and strange glyphs. Some flickered faintly with a dim, eerie light. Dharok approached, brushing frost and dust from one of the displays.
"Can you make sense of this?" he asked Gavran, who was already stepping forward.
Gavran's fingers danced over the console, linking his auspex to the ancient systems, trying to coax the………machine back to life. His eyes narrowed in concentration, and after a few tense moments, a holographic display flickered to life. Alien symbols and diagrams flashed across it.
"Most of this is ineligible but from what I can tell? It's a layout of the ship," Gavran murmured. "There's a central chamber. It might hold data cores…..or something more valuable."
"Good work, Gavran," Dharok replied. "Let's move. Stay close and keep your eyes peeled."
The team advanced down another twisting corridor, reaching a vast, cylindrical shaft lined with ladders and conduits. As they climbed, the hum of ancient power grew stronger, almost like a heartbeat reverberating through the structure.
Brother Seraph was the first to reach the top.
"It's another door, sir," he reported, his voice taut. Dharok joined him, inspecting the seal. It was thick, carved with intricate, sinuous symbols that pulsed faintly in rhythm with the ship's heartbeat.
With a calculated effort, Dharok placed his hand against the control panel, and the door hissed open.
The chamber inside was bathed in a pale, eerie glow. In the center of the room was a massive, skeletal throne of metal and bone, shaped in an alien likeness. Seated in it was a figure, massive and gaunt, clad in cracked armor, its eyes dark and empty. Dharok could feel the chill seeping into his bones as he approached. This figure was old, older than any of them could imagine, a remnant of a forgotten era.
"What… is this?" Brother Sidan whispered.
"I don't know," Dharok replied. "But it looks like we're not the first to touch this world."
The team fanned out, taking defensive positions around the chamber. Dharok approached the throne carefully, his instincts on edge. Gavran scanned the figure, his instruments chirping and whirring.
"Sir, readings are erratic," Gavran warned. "Whatever power is left here, it's… unstable. I suggest we mark this location and bring a larger team for a full recovery."
"No," Dharok replied, considering carefully, his gaze fixed on the dark, alien corridors stretching away into the shadows. "We've seen enough and this thing is too dangerous to leave intact. Set the charges; let's make sure nothing remains for the Eldar to find."
Each Marine nodded in understanding. Brother Seraph stepped forward, holding a small, streamlined explosive charge fitted with a manual timer.
"Targeting the core structure will ensure full collapse," he said, his voice a calm monotone that betrayed no hint of nerves. "Once it collapses, the implosion device will ensure nothing remains."
"Good," Dharok replied. "Spread out, set the charges along the weak points. We need maximum impact if we're to destroy this thing completely."
The Marines split up in pairs to cover more ground, moving with silent purpose as they planted explosives at strategic points along the ship's interior. Each explosive was specially designed for maximum penetration, intended to burn through even the thickest alien armor and spread shrapnel that would destabilize the structure. Brother Kael and Brother Orin worked together, placing charges near the control center, while Gavran and Seraph positioned charges in the corridors that housed the ship's strange, faintly humming machinery.
Dharok moved with Brother Sidan, guiding him toward a section that seemed to be the heart of the ship, a dark, echoing chamber filled with twisted, organic-like pillars that thrummed with a strange, low frequency. The air was thick and heavy, and Dharok's senses tingled with unease. The technology was utterly alien, almost… alive.
"Here," Dharok said, voice steady. "This area is critical. If this ship has a power source, it's somewhere within this structure."
Sidan nodded and set the charge with practiced efficiency, securing it to one of the thick, pulsating columns. The moment he activated it, the low hum seemed to grow louder, resonating through the walls and vibrating the air itself.
"Feel that?" Sidan asked, a hint of tension in his voice.
"Yes," Dharok replied, his eyes narrowing. "Whatever energy remains in this ship is responding to our presence. It's as if…"
The thought hung, unspoken. The ship seemed aware of what they were doing. They reassembled back at the central corridor, where Seraph gave a short nod.
"Charges are placed and synchronized," he reported. "Ready for detonation."
"Good," Dharok said, casting one final look around. "We make our way out, and detonate from a safe distance."
A distant rumble echoed through the corridor, growing steadily louder. The ship seemed to shudder, its structure vibrating underfoot. The bone-like walls around them began to creak, small fissures appearing, and for a split second, Dharok felt as if they were standing inside a living entity, something that had sensed their intent and was preparing to retaliate.
"Keep moving!" Dharok barked, even as he felt the ground tremble.
They broke into a run, moving with supernatural speed toward the exit, their armor thrumming as they pushed forward. But the ship had other plans. A shudder ran through the structure, a deep rumbling from the depths.
"Move, Marines!" Dharok barked. They sprinted back down the corridors, their movements silent but swift, their breathing steady.
As they rounded a bend, Brother Seraph stopped abruptly, raising a fist in a silent signal. His helmeted gaze was fixed on the corridor ahead, where a faint rustling echoed through the stale air. Dharok froze, his weapon raised, as the sounds grew louder, a clicking, chittering noise, like the shifting of countless armored bodies.
"Contact," Seraph whispered, voice sharp. "Multiple signatures approaching."
From the darkness ahead, creatures began to emerge: insectoid beasts with armored carapaces and scythe-like limbs, their compound eyes reflecting the crimson glow of the Marines' visors. They were large, moving with the alien grace of predators, each one taller than a man and covered in a chitinous exoskeleton that glistened faintly in the dim light.
Dharok's eyes narrowed. "Xenos. Everyone, fall back and hold formation. Gavran, you've got point. Orin, watch our six."
The Marines immediately adjusted, their bodies moving in a single, fluid motion as they assumed a defensive posture. Gavran opened fire first, a rapid burst of bolter rounds ripping into the lead creature, sending chunks of carapace and ichor flying. But for each one that fell, two more emerged, pushing forward with relentless, hive-driven determination.
Dharok clenched his jaw, recognizing the disciplined coordination in the creatures' assault. These were not feral beasts, they moved with a precision and aggression that belied the intelligence behind them.
Eldar.
Without hesitating, Dharok activated his vox, his voice a low growl.
"Command, this is Dharok. We've got xeno hostiles converging on our position. Prepare to fire on our coordinates for immediate orbital bombardment."
Static crackled in response, but before Dharok could finish transmitting the coordinates, a new presence swept over them, as silent and sudden as a ghost. The shadows deepened, and graceful figures in sleek, alien armor materialized along the edges of the corridor.
One of them stepped forward, raising a hand in a silent, almost mocking gesture of command. Dharok could feel their deadly focus, their disdainful contempt for the Space Marines.
"They're jamming the signal," Gavran muttered, frustration tinged with anger. "We're cut off from the fleet."
"Then we'll make them regret it," Dharok said grimly, adjusting his stance as he readied his bolter. "Orin, Kael, cover our flanks. Sidan, take overwatch."
With disciplined precision, the Marines responded, unleashing a withering barrage of fire that sent xenos and Eldar alike scattering. Explosions erupted around them, throwing fragments of chitin and alien alloy into the air. The corridor became a war zone, filled with the sharp reports of bolters, the shriek of Eldar shuriken rounds, and the chittering roars of the insectoid beasts.
Dharok kept his movements calculated, directing his team with quick, silent hand signals. Despite the chaos, each Marine moved with uncanny efficiency. Brother Orin, who had been guarding their rear, fired in precise bursts, taking down any creatures that attempted to flank them, his dark humor gone as he focused on the task with deadly accuracy.
"Dharok," Brother Sidan called out over the din. "We're boxed in. They're trying to herd us deeper into the ship."
Dharok's eyes flashed. Herd, isolate, strike, drawing their prey into a trap where they could be overwhelmed. This was an obvious attempt to keep them in the ship, forcing them to disarm their bombs. But Dharok and his men were not ordinary prey. They were Space Marines, and they would not yield.
"We move forward," Dharok commanded, his voice steely. "Push through them. Gavran, see if you can disrupt their jamming frequency. We need that orbital support."
They pressed onward, clearing a brutal path through the insectoid tide. Brother Kael drew out a plasma grenade and hurled it into a dense cluster of the creatures, which erupted in a cascade of blue plasma and thick smoke. Brother Seraph was in his element, slashing through any that closed in too near with his power sword, his movements swift and precise.
As they neared the main chamber again, Dharok caught sight of another figure, a tall, lean Eldar warrior in elaborate armor, their helm crowned with a plume of blood-red feathers. The Eldar leveled a long, serrated spear at Dharok, its tip gleaming with an unnatural light.
"Mon'keigh!" the Eldar hissed, their voice dripping with disdain.
Dharok growled, leveling his bolter at the Eldar. "We've come too far to be stopped by you."
He fired, but the Eldar dodged gracefully, darting across the floor with the agility of a serpent. The warrior struck, spear flashing forward, forcing Dharok to sidestep and parry with his power sword. The two locked in a vicious duel, their strikes swift and deadly. The Eldar's movements were fluid, weaving and shifting with an unnatural elegance, while Dharok's were grounded, powerful, and direct, every blow calculated to break through his opponent's defenses.
Around them, the battle raged. Orin fired his bolter at an approaching cluster of insectoids, then quickly turned to shoot down an Eldar Ranger who had appeared from the shadows.
"Think we're proving hard to herd, eh, knife-eared fiends?" he muttered, his voice tinged with defiance.
Gavran, working feverishly, managed to adjust his auspex settings, pinpointing the source of the jamming.
"Lord Dharok!" he called out. "The jammer's located above us, hidden in the ceiling. I can overload it with an EMP burst, but we'll need cover!"
"Do it!" Dharok ordered, barely dodging a thrust from his Eldar opponent, who had anticipated his strike. "Kael, Seraph, give him cover!"
Kael and Seraph launched a coordinated volley, forcing the Eldar to retreat temporarily while Gavran activated the EMP burst. The surge rippled through the corridor, shattering the jamming field and opening a clear channel to the Colchisian ships in orbit.
"Command, this is Dharok," he barked into the vox. "Coordinates relayed. Request immediate bombardment on my position."
The Eldar warrior's eyes widened. They lunged forward in a final desperate attack, seeking to cut down Dharok before he could complete his order. Dharok sidestepped, catching the spear with his power sword and wrenching it from the Eldar's grip. With a swift, powerful strike, he brought his sword down, cleaving through the alien's armor and ending their defiance.
"Charge!" Dharok commanded, his voice carrying over the battle. "We need to get out, NOW!"
The Marines regrouped and fell back, firing at any creatures or Eldar that dared follow. With their path clear, they raced through the darkened corridors, leaving the aliens behind as they neared the exit. Outside, they could see the distant glow of the sky, the cold stars shining overhead.
They barely made it out of the entrance before the bombardment began. High above, Colchisian warships unleashed their fury, plasma rounds and lascannon fire raining down onto the planet's surface. The ground shook as explosions tore through the crashed ship even as the internal explosives were set off, collapsing the tunnels in a cloud of dust and debris.
Watching all of this, all Dharok felt was satisfaction that he had avenged his men, but then he suddenly felt it, an ache, a psychic pressure, as if the air itself was crying out in agony.
He looked on, expression grim behind his helm, as he realized that the Eldar souls were torn from the crashed ships's broken shell. The death screams of thousands of psychic beings resonated through the warp, louder than any bombardment, echoing from realm to realm. These were not ordinary deaths. Dharok knew this was something far worse, these souls were being devoured, each essence grasped by a torment that none could fully imagine, a fate crafted by the Prince of Excess itself.
There was something almost haunting in that twisted sky. Dharok sensed the utter despair that lingered, a psychic echo of the thousands of souls who had known what awaited them as they died. Slaanesh's presence was a visceral thing, almost tangible, an entity that consumed not out of hunger alone but out of a twisted pleasure in suffering. Dharok could almost see the souls of the Eldar, their essence wrenched from shattered ship, pulled down into that vortex where nothing awaited them but unending torment.
His fists clenched involuntarily, realizing he had let his anger drive him into making a terrible mistake. These were enemies, yes, xenos whose beliefs ran counter to everything humanity stood for. But no creature, no matter how alien, deserved such a fate.
When the bombardment finally ceased, the area was left in smoking ruin. Dharok surveyed the wreckage. They had secured a critical victory, though he knew this would not be the last he'd see of the Eldar.
Orin came up beside him, grinning. "First we find ghost ships, then Eldar. What's next, sir? Daemons?"
"Pray it's not," Dharok replied, his tone only half-joking even as he pushed down his feelings on what he had witnessed. "Elyn has secrets, Orin. Dangerous ones. But we'll be ready."
He turned to the rest of the squad, each of them marked by dust and blood but unbowed. They had survived where others would have perished.
"We've taken a strong step forward today," Dharok said, his voice steady and commanding. "But this is only the beginning. Prepare for more. There's no telling what else lies hidden beneath Elyn's surface. But as long as we stand together, no xenos, no Eldar, will stop us."
The Marines nodded in silent agreement, their loyalty and determination unshaken. Elyn had tested them, and they had emerged victorious. Yet they knew, as Dharok did, that their journey had only just begun.
DHAROK
So what happened? Dharok did not know that the crashed ship was a mini-craft world, containign a few hundred thousand Eldar souls. So given he lost his men to the Eldar, he lost his temper and decided to blow it up, he succeeded and saw the result of his actions.
Dharok gains the following Major intimacies.
ELDAR SPEAR.
Dharok gained the Eldar's spear when he disarmed and killed them. I will admit that I do not understand how to use Holden's splendor system but am willing to allow it with caveats that it does not ruin the story. This also unlocks Splendors as a craft option.
[] Write in
(This is a 3 Dot Splendor, describe it and its abilities.)
Elyn's twilight cast long shadows over the bleak, frost-bitten plains as Dharok surveyed the developing base. The ground was a jagged lattice of stone and ice, rugged and unwelcoming, much like the dwarf planet itself. Yet, it held the promise of something valuable: strategic potential, hidden resources, and a unique vantage point for Colchis' expansion into the greater system. They'd barely scratched the surface of what Elyn had to offer.
"Lord Dharok." A scout, clad in camouflaged power armor and glistening with frost, approached with a sharp salute. "We followed the Eldar and……..we found something. A cave, sir. It's… unusual."
Dharok's eyes narrowed. "Unusual how?"
"It doesn't seem natural. The walls inside look organic, almost like bone. They curve, intertwine, almost like they were shaped, not formed. Worse, we found traces of the bugs there as well."
Dharok grunted thoughtfully. Elyn was known for its hostile surface, but there was always a chance that what lay beneath held mysteries even stranger. Reinforcements had arrived and he called for a small team of his finest, a squad of highly trained Space Marines, Gene-sons of his cousin, Lorgar, each a specialist in their own right. They approached him quickly, quiet but resolute.
"Listen up," Dharok said, his voice a deep, low rumble. "We're exploring this 'bone' cave the scouts found. There could be more to it than meets the eye. Check your weapons, but stay sharp. We don't want to be heard before we're ready."
They all nodded in unison. They fell in line behind him, silent and ghostlike, their steps barely a whisper against Elyn's frozen crust.
The cave yawned before them, a maw in the planet's surface. The entrance was tall enough to accommodate a battle tank, its walls slick and faintly glistening under their armor's faint red lenses. Dharok felt a chill that had nothing to do with the frigid air.
"Scans show significant structure below the surface," murmured one of the Marines, Brother Gavran, the team's tech expert. He was stoic, analytical, and precise in his movements, his helm slightly cocked as he analyzed readouts. "This 'cave' isn't a natural formation. It could be the hull of a craft… crashed or buried here long ago."
Dharok glanced back, his gaze stern. "We keep moving. Eyes open, weapons ready."
Moving deeper, the squad filed through the narrow, spiraling corridors of the cave. The 'walls' seemed alive with strange whorls and patterns, almost as if they'd been carved from the bones of a gargantuan creature. The smell was faint, but unsettling, a mixture of dust, decay, and something almost chemical, lurking just at the edge of perception.
One of the Marines, Brother Orin, chuckled softly. Known for his dark humor and stoic confidence, Orin was a scout and survivalist.
"Looks like this place might just be older than any of us," he whispered, his voice tinged with faint amusement. "Maybe we've found ourselves a ghost ship."
"Focus, Orin," Brother Sidan snapped. Sidan was the team's tactician, a quiet and intense Marine who rarely spoke outside of directives. "We're here to investigate, not sightsee."
They pressed onward, falling back into a practiced silence. Their footfalls were muffled, their senses honed to any hint of threat. Dharok moved at the front, his mind calculating distances and routes instinctively, always aware of his team's positions.
They reached a vast chamber, nearly cathedral-like, with ribbed columns stretching up into the shadows. Dharok activated his helmet's light, casting beams into the darkness. The walls were lined with strange, pod-like formations, half-crushed and brittle.
"Look at this," murmured Brother Gavran. He crouched down, scanning a fragment of the material with his optics. "It's like a mixture of bone and....something else. I've seen nothing like it in standard archives."
"So it's xenos?" Orin asked, his tone almost eager.
"Or something…ancient," Gavran replied.
Dharok nodded thoughtfully. "Let's proceed, but mark the path. We may need to retreat quickly."
The group continued, stepping over fallen debris, remnants of what might have once been a bridge or a catwalk. They entered another corridor, narrower this time, the walls pressing close like the ribs of some monstrous beast. At the end, they found another chamber, dimly lit by bioluminescent fungi clinging to the walls. The air felt thicker here, stale and ancient, like the breath of a long-dead titan.
"Movement," whispered Brother Seraph, a close-quarters specialist and the team's medic, whose natural quietness and alertness made him the best watchman. He held up a hand, eyes narrowed.
They froze, weapons at the ready. The Marines scanned the room, senses straining for any sign of life. A sound echoed, faint, irregular, like the rustle of dry leaves.
"What is it?" Dharok asked, his voice low.
Gavran adjusted his optics, analyzing the source. "Readings are faint, but… there's residual power. Some systems might still be active."
Dharok's eyes narrowed as he signaled his men to proceed cautiously. The corridor led to a series of stair-like formations, descending further into the cavern. Step by step, they moved in sync, their footfalls soundless.
"Feels too quiet for my liking," muttered Brother Kael, a demolitions expert with a pragmatic, hard edge. "I've seen ruins, but this… this thing feels like it's waiting for something."
Dharok glanced at Kael, nodding. "Stay sharp, Kael. This ship could have defenses we can't detect."
Finally, they reached what appeared to be a control center. Cracked consoles stretched across the room, lined with controls and strange glyphs. Some flickered faintly with a dim, eerie light. Dharok approached, brushing frost and dust from one of the displays.
"Can you make sense of this?" he asked Gavran, who was already stepping forward.
Gavran's fingers danced over the console, linking his auspex to the ancient systems, trying to coax the………machine back to life. His eyes narrowed in concentration, and after a few tense moments, a holographic display flickered to life. Alien symbols and diagrams flashed across it.
"Most of this is ineligible but from what I can tell? It's a layout of the ship," Gavran murmured. "There's a central chamber. It might hold data cores…..or something more valuable."
"Good work, Gavran," Dharok replied. "Let's move. Stay close and keep your eyes peeled."
The team advanced down another twisting corridor, reaching a vast, cylindrical shaft lined with ladders and conduits. As they climbed, the hum of ancient power grew stronger, almost like a heartbeat reverberating through the structure.
Brother Seraph was the first to reach the top.
"It's another door, sir," he reported, his voice taut. Dharok joined him, inspecting the seal. It was thick, carved with intricate, sinuous symbols that pulsed faintly in rhythm with the ship's heartbeat.
With a calculated effort, Dharok placed his hand against the control panel, and the door hissed open.
The chamber inside was bathed in a pale, eerie glow. In the center of the room was a massive, skeletal throne of metal and bone, shaped in an alien likeness. Seated in it was a figure, massive and gaunt, clad in cracked armor, its eyes dark and empty. Dharok could feel the chill seeping into his bones as he approached. This figure was old, older than any of them could imagine, a remnant of a forgotten era.
"What… is this?" Brother Sidan whispered.
"I don't know," Dharok replied. "But it looks like we're not the first to touch this world."
The team fanned out, taking defensive positions around the chamber. Dharok approached the throne carefully, his instincts on edge. Gavran scanned the figure, his instruments chirping and whirring.
"Sir, readings are erratic," Gavran warned. "Whatever power is left here, it's… unstable. I suggest we mark this location and bring a larger team for a full recovery."
"No," Dharok replied, considering carefully, his gaze fixed on the dark, alien corridors stretching away into the shadows. "We've seen enough and this thing is too dangerous to leave intact. Set the charges; let's make sure nothing remains for the Eldar to find."
Each Marine nodded in understanding. Brother Seraph stepped forward, holding a small, streamlined explosive charge fitted with a manual timer.
"Targeting the core structure will ensure full collapse," he said, his voice a calm monotone that betrayed no hint of nerves. "Once it collapses, the implosion device will ensure nothing remains."
"Good," Dharok replied. "Spread out, set the charges along the weak points. We need maximum impact if we're to destroy this thing completely."
The Marines split up in pairs to cover more ground, moving with silent purpose as they planted explosives at strategic points along the ship's interior. Each explosive was specially designed for maximum penetration, intended to burn through even the thickest alien armor and spread shrapnel that would destabilize the structure. Brother Kael and Brother Orin worked together, placing charges near the control center, while Gavran and Seraph positioned charges in the corridors that housed the ship's strange, faintly humming machinery.
Dharok moved with Brother Sidan, guiding him toward a section that seemed to be the heart of the ship, a dark, echoing chamber filled with twisted, organic-like pillars that thrummed with a strange, low frequency. The air was thick and heavy, and Dharok's senses tingled with unease. The technology was utterly alien, almost… alive.
"Here," Dharok said, voice steady. "This area is critical. If this ship has a power source, it's somewhere within this structure."
Sidan nodded and set the charge with practiced efficiency, securing it to one of the thick, pulsating columns. The moment he activated it, the low hum seemed to grow louder, resonating through the walls and vibrating the air itself.
"Feel that?" Sidan asked, a hint of tension in his voice.
"Yes," Dharok replied, his eyes narrowing. "Whatever energy remains in this ship is responding to our presence. It's as if…"
The thought hung, unspoken. The ship seemed aware of what they were doing. They reassembled back at the central corridor, where Seraph gave a short nod.
"Charges are placed and synchronized," he reported. "Ready for detonation."
"Good," Dharok said, casting one final look around. "We make our way out, and detonate from a safe distance."
A distant rumble echoed through the corridor, growing steadily louder. The ship seemed to shudder, its structure vibrating underfoot. The bone-like walls around them began to creak, small fissures appearing, and for a split second, Dharok felt as if they were standing inside a living entity, something that had sensed their intent and was preparing to retaliate.
"Keep moving!" Dharok barked, even as he felt the ground tremble.
They broke into a run, moving with supernatural speed toward the exit, their armor thrumming as they pushed forward. But the ship had other plans. A shudder ran through the structure, a deep rumbling from the depths.
"Move, Marines!" Dharok barked. They sprinted back down the corridors, their movements silent but swift, their breathing steady.
As they rounded a bend, Brother Seraph stopped abruptly, raising a fist in a silent signal. His helmeted gaze was fixed on the corridor ahead, where a faint rustling echoed through the stale air. Dharok froze, his weapon raised, as the sounds grew louder, a clicking, chittering noise, like the shifting of countless armored bodies.
"Contact," Seraph whispered, voice sharp. "Multiple signatures approaching."
From the darkness ahead, creatures began to emerge: insectoid beasts with armored carapaces and scythe-like limbs, their compound eyes reflecting the crimson glow of the Marines' visors. They were large, moving with the alien grace of predators, each one taller than a man and covered in a chitinous exoskeleton that glistened faintly in the dim light.
Dharok's eyes narrowed. "Xenos. Everyone, fall back and hold formation. Gavran, you've got point. Orin, watch our six."
The Marines immediately adjusted, their bodies moving in a single, fluid motion as they assumed a defensive posture. Gavran opened fire first, a rapid burst of bolter rounds ripping into the lead creature, sending chunks of carapace and ichor flying. But for each one that fell, two more emerged, pushing forward with relentless, hive-driven determination.
Dharok clenched his jaw, recognizing the disciplined coordination in the creatures' assault. These were not feral beasts, they moved with a precision and aggression that belied the intelligence behind them.
Eldar.
Without hesitating, Dharok activated his vox, his voice a low growl.
"Command, this is Dharok. We've got xeno hostiles converging on our position. Prepare to fire on our coordinates for immediate orbital bombardment."
Static crackled in response, but before Dharok could finish transmitting the coordinates, a new presence swept over them, as silent and sudden as a ghost. The shadows deepened, and graceful figures in sleek, alien armor materialized along the edges of the corridor.
One of them stepped forward, raising a hand in a silent, almost mocking gesture of command. Dharok could feel their deadly focus, their disdainful contempt for the Space Marines.
"They're jamming the signal," Gavran muttered, frustration tinged with anger. "We're cut off from the fleet."
"Then we'll make them regret it," Dharok said grimly, adjusting his stance as he readied his bolter. "Orin, Kael, cover our flanks. Sidan, take overwatch."
With disciplined precision, the Marines responded, unleashing a withering barrage of fire that sent xenos and Eldar alike scattering. Explosions erupted around them, throwing fragments of chitin and alien alloy into the air. The corridor became a war zone, filled with the sharp reports of bolters, the shriek of Eldar shuriken rounds, and the chittering roars of the insectoid beasts.
Dharok kept his movements calculated, directing his team with quick, silent hand signals. Despite the chaos, each Marine moved with uncanny efficiency. Brother Orin, who had been guarding their rear, fired in precise bursts, taking down any creatures that attempted to flank them, his dark humor gone as he focused on the task with deadly accuracy.
"Dharok," Brother Sidan called out over the din. "We're boxed in. They're trying to herd us deeper into the ship."
Dharok's eyes flashed. Herd, isolate, strike, drawing their prey into a trap where they could be overwhelmed. This was an obvious attempt to keep them in the ship, forcing them to disarm their bombs. But Dharok and his men were not ordinary prey. They were Space Marines, and they would not yield.
"We move forward," Dharok commanded, his voice steely. "Push through them. Gavran, see if you can disrupt their jamming frequency. We need that orbital support."
They pressed onward, clearing a brutal path through the insectoid tide. Brother Kael drew out a plasma grenade and hurled it into a dense cluster of the creatures, which erupted in a cascade of blue plasma and thick smoke. Brother Seraph was in his element, slashing through any that closed in too near with his power sword, his movements swift and precise.
As they neared the main chamber again, Dharok caught sight of another figure, a tall, lean Eldar warrior in elaborate armor, their helm crowned with a plume of blood-red feathers. The Eldar leveled a long, serrated spear at Dharok, its tip gleaming with an unnatural light.
"Mon'keigh!" the Eldar hissed, their voice dripping with disdain.
Dharok growled, leveling his bolter at the Eldar. "We've come too far to be stopped by you."
He fired, but the Eldar dodged gracefully, darting across the floor with the agility of a serpent. The warrior struck, spear flashing forward, forcing Dharok to sidestep and parry with his power sword. The two locked in a vicious duel, their strikes swift and deadly. The Eldar's movements were fluid, weaving and shifting with an unnatural elegance, while Dharok's were grounded, powerful, and direct, every blow calculated to break through his opponent's defenses.
Around them, the battle raged. Orin fired his bolter at an approaching cluster of insectoids, then quickly turned to shoot down an Eldar Ranger who had appeared from the shadows.
"Think we're proving hard to herd, eh, knife-eared fiends?" he muttered, his voice tinged with defiance.
Gavran, working feverishly, managed to adjust his auspex settings, pinpointing the source of the jamming.
"Lord Dharok!" he called out. "The jammer's located above us, hidden in the ceiling. I can overload it with an EMP burst, but we'll need cover!"
"Do it!" Dharok ordered, barely dodging a thrust from his Eldar opponent, who had anticipated his strike. "Kael, Seraph, give him cover!"
Kael and Seraph launched a coordinated volley, forcing the Eldar to retreat temporarily while Gavran activated the EMP burst. The surge rippled through the corridor, shattering the jamming field and opening a clear channel to the Colchisian ships in orbit.
"Command, this is Dharok," he barked into the vox. "Coordinates relayed. Request immediate bombardment on my position."
The Eldar warrior's eyes widened. They lunged forward in a final desperate attack, seeking to cut down Dharok before he could complete his order. Dharok sidestepped, catching the spear with his power sword and wrenching it from the Eldar's grip. With a swift, powerful strike, he brought his sword down, cleaving through the alien's armor and ending their defiance.
"Charge!" Dharok commanded, his voice carrying over the battle. "We need to get out, NOW!"
The Marines regrouped and fell back, firing at any creatures or Eldar that dared follow. With their path clear, they raced through the darkened corridors, leaving the aliens behind as they neared the exit. Outside, they could see the distant glow of the sky, the cold stars shining overhead.
They barely made it out of the entrance before the bombardment began. High above, Colchisian warships unleashed their fury, plasma rounds and lascannon fire raining down onto the planet's surface. The ground shook as explosions tore through the crashed ship even as the internal explosives were set off, collapsing the tunnels in a cloud of dust and debris.
Watching all of this, all Dharok felt was satisfaction that he had avenged his men, but then he suddenly felt it, an ache, a psychic pressure, as if the air itself was crying out in agony.
He looked on, expression grim behind his helm, as he realized that the Eldar souls were torn from the crashed ships's broken shell. The death screams of thousands of psychic beings resonated through the warp, louder than any bombardment, echoing from realm to realm. These were not ordinary deaths. Dharok knew this was something far worse, these souls were being devoured, each essence grasped by a torment that none could fully imagine, a fate crafted by the Prince of Excess itself.
There was something almost haunting in that twisted sky. Dharok sensed the utter despair that lingered, a psychic echo of the thousands of souls who had known what awaited them as they died. Slaanesh's presence was a visceral thing, almost tangible, an entity that consumed not out of hunger alone but out of a twisted pleasure in suffering. Dharok could almost see the souls of the Eldar, their essence wrenched from shattered ship, pulled down into that vortex where nothing awaited them but unending torment.
His fists clenched involuntarily, realizing he had let his anger drive him into making a terrible mistake. These were enemies, yes, xenos whose beliefs ran counter to everything humanity stood for. But no creature, no matter how alien, deserved such a fate.
When the bombardment finally ceased, the area was left in smoking ruin. Dharok surveyed the wreckage. They had secured a critical victory, though he knew this would not be the last he'd see of the Eldar.
Orin came up beside him, grinning. "First we find ghost ships, then Eldar. What's next, sir? Daemons?"
"Pray it's not," Dharok replied, his tone only half-joking even as he pushed down his feelings on what he had witnessed. "Elyn has secrets, Orin. Dangerous ones. But we'll be ready."
He turned to the rest of the squad, each of them marked by dust and blood but unbowed. They had survived where others would have perished.
"We've taken a strong step forward today," Dharok said, his voice steady and commanding. "But this is only the beginning. Prepare for more. There's no telling what else lies hidden beneath Elyn's surface. But as long as we stand together, no xenos, no Eldar, will stop us."
The Marines nodded in silent agreement, their loyalty and determination unshaken. Elyn had tested them, and they had emerged victorious. Yet they knew, as Dharok did, that their journey had only just begun.
DHAROK
So what happened? Dharok did not know that the crashed ship was a mini-craft world, containign a few hundred thousand Eldar souls. So given he lost his men to the Eldar, he lost his temper and decided to blow it up, he succeeded and saw the result of his actions.
Dharok gains the following Major intimacies.
- Anger (Control)
- Eldar (Dislike/Pity)
ELDAR SPEAR.
Dharok gained the Eldar's spear when he disarmed and killed them. I will admit that I do not understand how to use Holden's splendor system but am willing to allow it with caveats that it does not ruin the story. This also unlocks Splendors as a craft option.
[] Write in
(This is a 3 Dot Splendor, describe it and its abilities.)
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Welp, not the best way to figure out how the Eldar work, but we have figured it out. Hopefully next time they meet someone more diplomatic.
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
Splendor (Fascination):
Three-dot Splendors are built with up to 7 Element points. They have 1 to 4 points of Form Elements and at least 3 points from a Root Element. Up to 3 points may be from Mystic Elements.
1) Form of Imminent Violence (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of a weapon. It has the traits of a Melee weapon such as a sword or mace, or an archaic ranged weapon such as a bow. The Splendor must also have a one-point Form Element with some sort of character to it.
If the Splendor is aligned with the elemental power of water, this weapon is always something flexible and graceful, like a whip or thin-bladed sword. The difficulty to parry or dodge its attacks increases by one.
This is a weapon so we more or less have to take this one. As for why Water... because we all hit very hard, the important part is to hit the enemy and this helps with that
Form of Gentle Water (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of something that is elegant, or fluid, or wet. It could be decorated with patterns of waves, or depictions of fish. It might contain liquid. Its colors might be washed-out or sea-hued. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of water. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor cannot be damaged by immersion, and it floats or sinks regardless of its natural properties of buoyancy according to whatever would be most convenient to its owner. As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of: thick fog banks; a gentle but steady rain; a light snowfall; changes in the way a nearby body of water flows or behaves.
See above, we need this to make the weapon harder to dodge and it's also the kind of weapon an eldar would make, more on that in the fluff section.
Soul Snare (3 pt. Root Element)
The Splendor captures souls. It may hold a number of souls equal to its rating. Captured soul of potent supernatural beings may later be fashioned into Prodigies or used in Splendor-crafting. Lesser souls might be bartered to beings interested in them, or used as display pieces.
As a Fascination, Soul Snare either indiscriminately absorbs the soul of anyone who dies in its vicinity, or may be designed to exercise discretion and only capture certain departing souls.
This allows people who are not Fan to trap the souls of daemons for further use. We have various means to re-format them, but that is worth very little without the means to capture them
Overriding Vision (1 pt. Mystic Element)
This Splendor grants someone an Intimacy.
As an Adornment, it gives its user a new Intimacy while in use. This Intimacy is chosen when the Splendor is designed.
As a Fascination, the Intimacy it bestows is based on criteria defined when the Splendor is designed. The maximum duration before a target loses the Intimacy (assuming they don't win free of it sooner by fulfilling some criteria built into the Splendor) is one day for a 1-2 dot Splendor, one week for a 3-dot Splendor, one month for a 4-dot Splendor, and one year for a 5-dot Splendor.
(Intimacy: She Who Thirsts: Hatred)
In character description: Forged for one of the last High Priests of the King of Storm and Sea this spear was not consecrated to its true power by the Bonesingers. Deep-gnawed was that soul, but not yet so deep nor so hungry as the companions of his last days must have hoped. Faced at last with the horror of the Dark Muses and the unborn thing they worshiped he choose to turn the spear upon himself, his spirit bound evermore within, filled with hunger only surpassed by his loathing of She Who Thirsts. All those who wounded by the spear but not drawn within are gifted instead a shard of that loathing which can be assuaged by slaying six servants of the Tempter or banishing six of its daemons
Splendor (Fascination):
Three-dot Splendors are built with up to 7 Element points. They have 1 to 4 points of Form Elements and at least 3 points from a Root Element. Up to 3 points may be from Mystic Elements.
1) Form of Imminent Violence (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of a weapon. It has the traits of a Melee weapon such as a sword or mace, or an archaic ranged weapon such as a bow. The Splendor must also have a one-point Form Element with some sort of character to it.
If the Splendor is aligned with the elemental power of water, this weapon is always something flexible and graceful, like a whip or thin-bladed sword. The difficulty to parry or dodge its attacks increases by one.
This is a weapon so we more or less have to take this one. As for why Water... because we all hit very hard, the important part is to hit the enemy and this helps with that
Form of Gentle Water (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of something that is elegant, or fluid, or wet. It could be decorated with patterns of waves, or depictions of fish. It might contain liquid. Its colors might be washed-out or sea-hued. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of water. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor cannot be damaged by immersion, and it floats or sinks regardless of its natural properties of buoyancy according to whatever would be most convenient to its owner. As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of: thick fog banks; a gentle but steady rain; a light snowfall; changes in the way a nearby body of water flows or behaves.
See above, we need this to make the weapon harder to dodge and it's also the kind of weapon an eldar would make, more on that in the fluff section.
Soul Snare (3 pt. Root Element)
The Splendor captures souls. It may hold a number of souls equal to its rating. Captured soul of potent supernatural beings may later be fashioned into Prodigies or used in Splendor-crafting. Lesser souls might be bartered to beings interested in them, or used as display pieces.
As a Fascination, Soul Snare either indiscriminately absorbs the soul of anyone who dies in its vicinity, or may be designed to exercise discretion and only capture certain departing souls.
This allows people who are not Fan to trap the souls of daemons for further use. We have various means to re-format them, but that is worth very little without the means to capture them
Overriding Vision (1 pt. Mystic Element)
This Splendor grants someone an Intimacy.
As an Adornment, it gives its user a new Intimacy while in use. This Intimacy is chosen when the Splendor is designed.
As a Fascination, the Intimacy it bestows is based on criteria defined when the Splendor is designed. The maximum duration before a target loses the Intimacy (assuming they don't win free of it sooner by fulfilling some criteria built into the Splendor) is one day for a 1-2 dot Splendor, one week for a 3-dot Splendor, one month for a 4-dot Splendor, and one year for a 5-dot Splendor.
(Intimacy: She Who Thirsts: Hatred)
In character description: Forged for one of the last High Priests of the King of Storm and Sea this spear was not consecrated to its true power by the Bonesingers. Deep-gnawed was that soul, but not yet so deep nor so hungry as the companions of his last days must have hoped. Faced at last with the horror of the Dark Muses and the unborn thing they worshiped he choose to turn the spear upon himself, his spirit bound evermore within, filled with hunger only surpassed by his loathing of She Who Thirsts. All those who wounded by the spear but not drawn within are gifted instead a shard of that loathing which can be assuaged by slaying six servants of the Tempter or banishing six of its daemons
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@Yzarc
This is from the previouse TURN that was not updated
-[X] Fan
--[X] Mental 5 (4 XP)
--[X] Physical 5 (9 XP)
--[X] Social 5 (7 XP)
--[X] Hollow Mind Possession (8 XP)
--[X] Bank 4 XP (Fan)
-[X] Dharok
--[X] Bank 20 XP (Dharok)
-[X] Lorgar
--[X] Sell You a Brridge (10 XP)
--[X] Living Lie Detector (10 XP)
--[X] Bank 8 XP (Lorgar)
-[X] Thalassa
--[X] One Winged Angel (10 XP)
--[X] Compelling Voice (10 XP)
--[X] Your Heart's Desire (10 XP)
--[X] Bank 2 XP (Thalassa)
We automatically unlocked and developed the Golden Janissary Style (Turn 10: The Event Horizon)
And now this chapter
Dharok
This is from the previouse TURN that was not updated
-[X] Fan
--[X] Mental 5 (4 XP)
--[X] Physical 5 (9 XP)
--[X] Social 5 (7 XP)
--[X] Hollow Mind Possession (8 XP)
--[X] Bank 4 XP (Fan)
-[X] Dharok
--[X] Bank 20 XP (Dharok)
-[X] Lorgar
--[X] Sell You a Brridge (10 XP)
--[X] Living Lie Detector (10 XP)
--[X] Bank 8 XP (Lorgar)
-[X] Thalassa
--[X] One Winged Angel (10 XP)
--[X] Compelling Voice (10 XP)
--[X] Your Heart's Desire (10 XP)
--[X] Bank 2 XP (Thalassa)
We automatically unlocked and developed the Golden Janissary Style (Turn 10: The Event Horizon)
And now this chapter
Dharok
- Anger (Control)
- Eldar (Dislike/Pity)
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Damn idiotic know-it-all Eldar with a stick the size of a cluster in their asses, if they just simply left Dharok and his men instead of immediately attack them or in case of confrontation tried to at least reason none of this would happen.
I'm guessing the Proto-crafts came from an Eldar Faction like the Biel-Tan who are basically Imperium Eldar holding such disdain for other races that their first response is attacking them.
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
I'm guessing the Proto-crafts came from an Eldar Faction like the Biel-Tan who are basically Imperium Eldar holding such disdain for other races that their first response is attacking them.
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
- Location
- Arcadia
A rather... awkward start to interacting with those who shall become the Asuryani. Hopefully, relations will improve in time. One can but hope that the next Craftworld encountered will be more open to discussion.
[X] Lightning's Caress
Splendor (Adornment):
Three-dot Splendors are built with up to 7 Element points. They have 1 to 4 points of Form Elements and at least 3 points from a Root Element. Up to 3 points may be from Mystic Elements.
1) Form of Imminent Violence (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of a weapon. It has the traits of a Melee weapon such as a sword or mace, or an archaic ranged weapon such as a bow. The Splendor must also have a one-point Form Element with some sort of character to it.
If the Splendor is aligned with the elemental power of air, this weapon produces a great thunderclap and burst of air when swung. Anyone struck by it who suffers more levels of damage than their Dexterity rating is knocked prone.
Space Marines have an insane tendency to hit really really hard and this equates a distinct vulnerability in anyone he hits to also be filled with lead before their next turn it also strengthens multi-attack simply because it makes it easier to hit again if they take more damage than their stamina rating.
Form of Graceful Winds (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of something that is graceful, or cold, or crackles with electricity, or is marked with decorations evocative of winds and clouds. It might be made of ice. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of air.
Other Elements may draw upon this fact.The Splendor cannot be harmed by wind, cold, or electricity. As an Adornment, increases its user's basic movement speed, before any multiplication by Charms or other powers, by (Splendor's rating) yards per turn. As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of: clear skies; specific constant (nonviolent) behavior of the wind (blowing north to south at a brisk but not dangerous speed, for example); or specific whimsical behaviors of the wind (whisking away people's hats, bookmark, or other loose items and depositing them next to the Splendor, for example).
Soul Snare (3 pt. Root Element)
The Splendor captures souls. It may hold a number of souls equal to its rating. Captured soul of potent supernatural beings may later be fashioned into Prodigies or used in Splendor-crafting. Lesser souls might be bartered to beings interested in them, or used as display pieces.
As a Fascination, Soul Snare either indiscriminately absorbs the soul of anyone who dies in its vicinity, or may be designed to exercise discretion and only capture certain departing souls.
This allows people who are not Fan to trap the souls of daemons for further use. We have various means to re-format them, but that is worth very little without the means to capture them. On top of Dragon Paradox's rationale it also makes sense for a weapon of the eldari that might be used on other Eldar to prevent the souls from going to the prince of excess.
Form of the Hero's Shadow (2 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor manifests in the world as an enchantment embedded in a specific person present at the time of its summoning, chosen by its owner. If it has no other Form Element, then it appears as a mark like a tattoo somewhere on the infected individual's body. Wherever they go, so too goes the Splendor.
If it has a physical Form Element, then it appears in the infected individual's possession, and will always return to them at the beginning of each scene even if thrown away, left behind, or given away. If its physical Form is something immobile like a tree, then the targeted individual is going to find that tree wherever they go for the duration of the Splendor's manifestation.
If the Splendor is an Adornment, then this Element allows its benefits to be enjoyed by the person to whom the Splendor is attached, even if they're not its owner and not attuned to it. Even if they're not Exalted at all.
This is so the spear can be thrown without risk of losing it. Also so he can wield the spear without any cutting off any further options for splendors.
In character description: Forged well before the last days of what people thought would be the endless Empire on a world now only known as one of the Crone worlds. Gifted in victory to a Gladiator of freakish strength even among the eldari it's Wraithbone construction writhes with barely contained electricity. Though only escaping when an echo of its first Master's strength is demonstrated against an opponent.
@DragonParadox you have eight form elements rather than seven by the way also thanks for the formatting.
Splendor (Adornment):
Three-dot Splendors are built with up to 7 Element points. They have 1 to 4 points of Form Elements and at least 3 points from a Root Element. Up to 3 points may be from Mystic Elements.
1) Form of Imminent Violence (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of a weapon. It has the traits of a Melee weapon such as a sword or mace, or an archaic ranged weapon such as a bow. The Splendor must also have a one-point Form Element with some sort of character to it.
If the Splendor is aligned with the elemental power of air, this weapon produces a great thunderclap and burst of air when swung. Anyone struck by it who suffers more levels of damage than their Dexterity rating is knocked prone.
Space Marines have an insane tendency to hit really really hard and this equates a distinct vulnerability in anyone he hits to also be filled with lead before their next turn it also strengthens multi-attack simply because it makes it easier to hit again if they take more damage than their stamina rating.
Form of Graceful Winds (1 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor takes the form of something that is graceful, or cold, or crackles with electricity, or is marked with decorations evocative of winds and clouds. It might be made of ice. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of air.
Other Elements may draw upon this fact.The Splendor cannot be harmed by wind, cold, or electricity. As an Adornment, increases its user's basic movement speed, before any multiplication by Charms or other powers, by (Splendor's rating) yards per turn. As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of: clear skies; specific constant (nonviolent) behavior of the wind (blowing north to south at a brisk but not dangerous speed, for example); or specific whimsical behaviors of the wind (whisking away people's hats, bookmark, or other loose items and depositing them next to the Splendor, for example).
Soul Snare (3 pt. Root Element)
The Splendor captures souls. It may hold a number of souls equal to its rating. Captured soul of potent supernatural beings may later be fashioned into Prodigies or used in Splendor-crafting. Lesser souls might be bartered to beings interested in them, or used as display pieces.
As a Fascination, Soul Snare either indiscriminately absorbs the soul of anyone who dies in its vicinity, or may be designed to exercise discretion and only capture certain departing souls.
This allows people who are not Fan to trap the souls of daemons for further use. We have various means to re-format them, but that is worth very little without the means to capture them. On top of Dragon Paradox's rationale it also makes sense for a weapon of the eldari that might be used on other Eldar to prevent the souls from going to the prince of excess.
Form of the Hero's Shadow (2 pt. Form Element)
The Splendor manifests in the world as an enchantment embedded in a specific person present at the time of its summoning, chosen by its owner. If it has no other Form Element, then it appears as a mark like a tattoo somewhere on the infected individual's body. Wherever they go, so too goes the Splendor.
If it has a physical Form Element, then it appears in the infected individual's possession, and will always return to them at the beginning of each scene even if thrown away, left behind, or given away. If its physical Form is something immobile like a tree, then the targeted individual is going to find that tree wherever they go for the duration of the Splendor's manifestation.
If the Splendor is an Adornment, then this Element allows its benefits to be enjoyed by the person to whom the Splendor is attached, even if they're not its owner and not attuned to it. Even if they're not Exalted at all.
This is so the spear can be thrown without risk of losing it. Also so he can wield the spear without any cutting off any further options for splendors.
In character description: Forged well before the last days of what people thought would be the endless Empire on a world now only known as one of the Crone worlds. Gifted in victory to a Gladiator of freakish strength even among the eldari it's Wraithbone construction writhes with barely contained electricity. Though only escaping when an echo of its first Master's strength is demonstrated against an opponent.
@DragonParadox you have eight form elements rather than seven by the way also thanks for the formatting.
Ah... got rid of beguiling display. Thanks.
KnightofTempest
The Man who would be King
- Location
- Chicago
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
- Location
- Pennsylvania
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
Side note there is a Kickstarter for 3E alchemical Exalted over at Backerkit now.
Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God for Exalted 3E RPG
Side note there is a Kickstarter for 3E alchemical Exalted over at Backerkit now.
Alchemicals: Forged by the Machine God for Exalted 3E RPG
[X] Spear of the Wine-Dark Sea
Hiatus
New
Yzarc
The Spark of Madness
Hi all. I am sorry for this but the Quest is on indefinite hold. I spent the last week staring at my screen unable to type some words for the next update.
Between all the stuff going on, I am having a lot of problems with not just getting time to write but also what to write. Not sure what I will be doing, but for now, this quest is on Hiatus.
Between all the stuff going on, I am having a lot of problems with not just getting time to write but also what to write. Not sure what I will be doing, but for now, this quest is on Hiatus.
Sorry to see this happen, but I know the feeling. Take care of yourself.