Colchis - 831.M30
As you leave, you turn to take one last look at your nephew. You remember the boy he used to be, the one who played in the dunes, laughing with your son, their bond unbreakable. Now, Dharok's once-mighty frame was gaunt, his skin pallid, and his eyes hollow. The chaos taint has consumed him, twisting his soul into something unrecognizable
Looking at your pain, Lorgar stops and turns back.
"Dharok," he says, his tone both commanding and compassionate. "You have walked the path of darkness for too long. But there is still hope for you."
His gaze flickers toward Lorgar and you see the scorn in his eyes. Lorgar steps closer, placing his hand on the hilt of Dharok's sword.
"You seek to bring back your mother," he says. "But at what cost? Look around you, Dharok. See the suffering you've caused, the lives you've shattered. Your mother would weep to witness the monster you've become."
Dharok's jaw clenches, but he doesn't look away.
"I would do anything," he whispers. "Even if it means embracing the darkness."
Lorgar's eyes narrow. "Then prove your faith," he says. "Prove your dedication to the Gods of the Covenant."
The air pulses with malevolent energy. Symbols of the Gods of the Covenant writhe upon Dharok's skin, promising power and pain. Dharok hesitates, before walking towards Lorgar.
"No one interferes." Dharok shouted to his men. "This is my test from the Gods."
He then places his trembling hands upon Lorgar and the effects were immediate. The ground immediately started to tremble, and flames danced wildly around the two.
Ignoring this, Lorgar raises his voice, chanting ancient words that resonate with power. The chaos taint within Dharok responds, surging forth like a tempest. His body contorts, veins bulging, and his screams echo through the desert. You grip your staff, ready to intervene if necessary.
But Lorgar remains steadfast.
"Remember your sins," he shouts over the cacophony. "Remember the innocents you've slain, the villages you've razed. Your mother's spirit weeps for you."
Dharok's eyes roll back, and his skin splits open, revealing writhing tendrils of darkness. The land quakes, tents threatening to collapse. You step back, shielding yourself from the chaos energy, your heart pounding.
Lorgar's voice rises to a crescendo. "Repent!" he commands. "Repent, Dharok!"
Lorgar saw how Dharok's body wracked with the corrupting taint, and knew that he had to continue. His eyes were wild with fear and pain, his skin marked with the sigils of damnation.
Lorgar began to chant, his voice a deep, resonant timbre that echoed through the dunes, calling upon the power of faith.
The air shimmered with power as Lorgar's words wove a tapestry of purification, a desperate attempt to save the young man from the abyss that sought to claim him. The earth shook with the force of his conviction, tents and men toppling from their shaking of the earth.
But the Gods of the Covenant are not so easily denied their due.
As Lorgar's chant reached its crescendo, the young man's body convulsed violently, a scream tearing from his throat a sound of such despair and agony that it seemed to split the very fabric of reality. And then, silence.
Lorgar, to his and your horror, had his soul pulled into the Warp and there was nothing he could do about it. Left unable to even fight it, he could only watch as you tried desperately to save him.
In the Warp, he drifted, lost and alone, until he found himself before the embodiments of the four dark gods of the Covenant. Each god, a monstrous reflection of humanity's darkest desires, loomed over him, their presence overwhelming.
The Red God roared with laughter, his voice a cacophony of every battle cry ever uttered.The Green God whispered promises of decay, his words a symphony of coughs and the sickening squelch of rotting flesh. The Blue God spoke in riddles, his every syllable a twist in his fate. And finally the Purple God crooned a lullaby of excess, each note a caress upon his souls.
They offered him power, glory, immortality, all the things that mortals crave and for which they are willing to damn themselves. But Lorgar held a spark of defiance within him. He refused them, one by one, knowing that to accept their gifts would be to lose himself forever.
They merged together and the Gods of the Covenant spoke in unison through the abomination, their voices a cacophony of madness. "Lorgar, oh Arch-Priest of Chaos, why resist us? We offer power beyond measure, knowledge of the cosmos, and the truth you so desperately seek."
Lorgar's gaze did not waver. "I seek only enlightenment, not through the deceit of so-called Gods, but through the illumination of the human spirit. You offer nothing but enslavement."
The debate raged on, words sharper than any blade. Lorgar countered every temptation with wisdom, every lie with truth. He spoke of unity, of strength, and of a future where mankind stood free from the shackles of the Gods.
As the debate reached its zenith, the embodiment of chaos faltered. Lorgar's conviction was a beacon, outshining the seductive darkness. With a final, thunderous proclamation, Lorgar declared, "You shall not have Dharok, nor shall you have our species. We are the masters of our fate, not pawns of the warp!"
The creature screamed, a sound that tore at the very essence of reality, and then it was gone.
And so, Lorgar found himself back in his body victorious, not yet fallen to chaos, a beacon of hope on a planet far from Terra. But he knew deep down that the fight had not even begun and the path ahead would be fraught with darkness and temptation.
For now, though, Lorgar had proven that even the gods could be brought to heel by the power of a single, unyielding soul.
He looks down at his cousin and places his hand on him, attempting once again to cleanse him of the taint. This time, as if the very fabric of reality holds its breath, Dharok's form convulses one last time. The chaos taint retreats, sucked back into the warp. His wounds close, leaving behind pale scars. Dharok collapses, gasping for air, but his eyes are clear, free from the malevolence that once consumed him.
Lorgar staggers, sweat-soaked and drained. "It is done," he whispers, wiping blood from his mouth. "Dharok is cleansed."
You rush to Dharok's side, helping him sit up. His gaze meets yours, gratitude and remorse mingling. "Thank you, uncle," he rasps. "I was lost."
You nod, your heart heavy. "Your mother would be proud," you say softly. "But remember this day, Dharok. The path of redemption is neverending. Stay true."
"Now what Father?" Lorgar asks you tiredly.
"Now? Now we must deal with them." You say grimly as you look at the gathered corrupted warriors, who were drawing weapons even as you spoke.
Lorgar, ever the orator, nodded at you and raised his hands in a gesture of peace. His voice, resonant and commanding, cut through the cacophony of growls and the clanking of corrupted metal.
"Warriors of the Gods, I stand before you not as an enemy, but as a seeker of truths," Lorgar began, his eyes scanning the sea of twisted faces. "The same truths that you have embraced in your own... unique way."
He paused, letting his words sink into the minds of the touched brutes.
"You revel in the power of the gods you serve, but you do not understand them. The desires of the Gods are many and only those who understand these wants are rewarded by the Gods," Lorgar continued, his voice steady and persuasive.
The tainted warriors shifted uneasily, their grip on their weapons loosening ever so slightly. Lorgar sensed the change in the air, the seed of doubt he had planted.
"I ask you now, what purpose does it serve to spill our blood here when there are many more that defy the gods you hold so dear? Would it not please your patrons more to see your might unleashed upon all the unbelievers? To crush us in one glorious battle? What gifts would the Gods give for simply sacrificing a spent force when your true prowess would be on display against my Tribe? Would not only then the Gods reward you? For achieving great acts? Of the skills shown, the plans made, the passions unleashed, the hardships endured. Is that not pleasing to the Gods?"
Murmurs rippled through the ranks of the chaos warriors. Lorgar's words were a balm to the madness that fueled them, a reminder of the greater war they waged against the galaxy.
A chaos champion stepped forward, his armor a tapestry of horror. "Those two may leave, Aurelian," he growled, "but what of you? Why should we spare you?"
Lorgar met the champion's gaze, his expression one of serene confidence. "Because, Warrior, I am on a pilgrimage for enlightenment. One that may very well align with the desires of those you serve. Allow me passage, and the truths I seek may very well lead me to the Gods you so venerate. Even otherwise? I will be with my tribe and if you want the favor of your God? Claim my skull when I am at my best. Fight me then and honor your God."
The chaos champion considered Lorgar's words. With a nod, he signaled his warriors to stand down.
"You may go, Lorgar of Colchis. But know this, the eyes of the gods are upon you. There is nowhere to hide. You and yours shall find no sanctuary among the Cities or the tribes for all have been brought into the fold. We will meet your tribe in the field of battle and that is where I will claim your skull."
With that, the sea of chaos parted, allowing you, Lorgar and your nephew to pass through unharmed. As they walked away from the encampment, Dharok looked up at Lorgar, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and admiration.
"Cousin, how did you do that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lorgar smiled down at him, a smile that held the weight of futures yet unwritten. "Words, my dear Cousin, are the most potent weapon in the universe. Wield them well, and even Gods will listen."
CHOICE:
Next turn is the XP turn but for now, you need to send out raiders to harass and weaken and delay the Chaos hords. What approach do you take?
[] Traps and tricks: Choose to lay down traps and other technological devices to weaken and reduce the hordes before they attack next turn.
[] Subterfuge: Infiltrate the enemy ranks to sow discord or gather intelligence, using their words as a weapon to turn the tide from within.
LORGAR:
Unlocks: Human Aspect (the Rebel)
Unlocks: Holy Aspect (Purity)
Character sheet updated.
