And then the war paused. And everyone thought it had ended. That the galaxy could breathe a tremulous sigh of relief and recover from scars that would never truly be healed. The soldiers of one side grew ascendant, casting the galaxy in their image and ushering in an era where peace was more than a dream of a dream that nobody remembered. It wasn't perfect, because nothing ever was, but it was comforting, to know that the illusion of safety has been stretched across the gaping holes left in existence.
I think people saying that this could derail Slaneesh are right.
Essentially; the Eldar's problem was ennui; they were deeply and fundamentally bored. Now they have something to live for again, a challenge to confront.
I think people saying that this could derail Slaneesh are right.
Essentially; the Eldar's problem was ennui; they were deeply and fundamentally bored. Now they have something to live for again, a challenge to confront.
Also a terrifying threat to shock them out of hedonism because they need to fight for their lives.
That said, do you really think Kaboom and Xantalos are so kind as to let this happen early enough it might derail the Fall and thus be mostly handled by the Eldar, rather than happening just too late so that its our problem?
Ya know, there's a possibility that a war with the Necrons would drag the Eldar out of their Slannesh spawning degeneracy pits.
Edit: Should have read the rest of the comments first huh.
A rectangular obstinite tube with a handle attached close to the 'mouth' of the barrel. The mouth has above it, a hinged crest of gold and bronze on the thinner side. Below, gleaming power gems and a slot as long as an obstinate ammunition block is tall before the handle. At the rear end of the barrel two thin crackling gold rods extend from where they lined the interior of the barrel. Each end of the barrel and the wide slot has a stretch of void infused, pure water pulled over the gaps. The sigil of Itzl is carved in the most intricate detail. And golden tablets depicting its use is riveted around scripture depicting Itzl's legend.
To fire this weapon, the Saurus inserts an obstinite block- the same one that can be inserted into their rifle, into the slot and hefts the cannon over its shoulder. The block is pulled up and floated down the barrel to its pronged end, held aloft by magic emanating within. The barrel itself becomes a vacuum as stray particles and air is drawn out. The crest at the mouth flares out. At the moment of ignition lightning reaches out from the prongs to everything behind the Saurus and the floating block accelerates down the barrel to the mouth. Pre-spun enchantments coalescing around the projectile.
The cannon shot leaves the cannon with a primal roar, as a radiant star. The new made comet strikes with the force of Lustria's most feral. Enchantments bound into the melting obstinate break and lash out with spectral claws, maw and beak.
Perhaps the strongest enchantment woven into the falling star is the trailblazers. A Ghur based enchantment that invokes the thrill of the hunt. This enchantment spreads Itzl's blessings into every shot and spell loosed in the same volley as the Cannon, ensuring they strike with wild strength and instinct. To maximise the strength of this volley, training and the light of the star is used to synchronise.
Against relatively un-armoured things this weapon is a death sentence, but against heavy fortification it rends that portion of the structure fragile. Enough that the remaining volley shot tears down the remains.
The Crest cannon exists to allow Saurus teams to launch firepower sufficient to break down barricades that would normally require Kroxigor might.
Have a story, to describe it more.
<CREST CANNON>
A wall of stone stood in front of the jungle treeline, and it was ugly. It was not made from black obstinite, nor was it made with a hard stone, merely the softer kind that ground down under rivers. Gems did not adorn it and thus, nothing to anchor magic onto was present. The slope of it was also shallow enough to climb, even ignoring that it was short enough to vault over. In fact, the only form of reinforcements were iron and steel riveted in.
The worst part was that a solid 10 metres of the wall was a half filled gabion.
What, was filling it too hard? Was there a dearth of loose rocks? Was the need for obstinite so great that even the pebbles of the jungle were scoured? She knew that the durability of the fortifications was not the point but Old Ones preserve us it was so ugly!
But then, the fortifications were permissible, they are temporary and cheap in design. Not meant to last the next hour let alone the day. The innumerable flaws in both aesthetic and effectiveness are permissible. Not alike what the fortifications guarded.
Behind it was an organised collection of various tools with one shared flaw. They all failed in some fashion. From the chisel that was improperly seated in its handle to the ritual to the knife knapped in angles unpleasant to hold. All of these tools and trinkets irritated more then they helped, and every owner only needed an excuse to destroy.
The most egregious of these elements was the centrepiece, a Slann palanquin.
Lady Prakesh-to crafted it herself, wrought as her first working of magic. And it was just horrible. Transmuted from granite, sandstone and lime into chalky unnamed grey stone. The seat needed an ever present currant of magic to simply keep its shape, else it disintegrate in rainy days. Here the Dreadkin's spotlight eyes burrowed into the palanquin, noting everyone of its flaws that she could not find excuse to do away with until now.
The shallow slope of its bottom side, the lowest point just off centre that it leans to the right by the slightest inch! Every mile she had to realign the trajectory by a degree! Unacceptable!
"My lady Prakesh-to?"
The nick within the golden diagrams on the right armrest (too sharp and too high), formed by a stray norscan javelin landing just after a 'warp lighting bolt' struck the very same spot (very hectic day), that damaged the shield array! Even after purification and repairs under spiced incense she still felt the micro stutter of power flow introduced.
"M-my lady?"
But the microscopic misalignment and the maybe-placebo maybe-actual flaw is miniscule compared to the real problem. The actual issue. The most egregious insult to stone masonry. The-
"Prakesh!"
Lady Prakesh-to, Dreadkin, Lustria's keeper and Slann of the Third Generation. Turned to her chief attendant Edan'atal, who spent one glance to the tablet in his arms, ran his hand through the feather crest of his new helmet (that did not have the ridge on the back that dragged and caught on scale) and spoke to his Lady after collecting his composure.
"Your ladyship, the Saurus have been briefed, they are prepared. May the test begin?"
Prakesh overlooked the field, some 50 metres from both Saurus and abomination of a wall. It used to be 30, but at the behest of Edan'atal they negotiated to 50 and the cordon hidden in the jungle extended. She reclined and waved her hand and Edan'atal perked up.
Chief attendant Edan'atal turned to overlook the test team and held up his hand, a ring with the last finger extended straight up, forming the symbol '10'.
10 seconds until the first stress test begins.
T-10
15 Saurus stand in a 2 man wide rank, across from the target. At the front, the nameless spawn leader stood. An unremarkable Saurus from an unremarkable spawning. He kept his eyes square on the distant Skink figure, and though his title of spawn leader was completely arbitrary (first to climb out gets it), he intended to live up to it.
After all, his squad behind him all looked to him, not to the test administrator.
The signal to begin spread at the speed of sight, with the leader immediately shifting and intuitive instincts kicking every man behind into action.
T-9
The spawn second, the second Saurus to climb out of the pool in a batch immediately steps forward and runs their gaze up the weapon('s glyphs) in their hands. They did not know why they carried the cannon in particular, but surely that diminutive Skink had their reasons.
It stepped forwards with surety it did not really feel, reinforced only by the unfelt expectations of its spawn leader.
(That, is in fact why spawn leaders are assigned, even arbitrarily in unremarkable spawnings. Saurus without responsibility or hierarchy endanger passivity in crucial moments through uncertainty.)
T-7
The second holds in one hand a block of ammunition, fit to be inserted into a rifle. In the other it holds the crest cannon pointed skywards and resting on it's shoulder. It brings its hands towards each other and pushes the block into the slot on the underside of the cannon, before the trigger.
The bronze crest laid flat on the topside extends and flares out, the crest of Itzl prominent in red gold.
The block lifts aloft, buoyed in airless space infused with magic. It slides down the barrel to rest before the end, visible through the concave lens of water covering that hole.
At this point the spawn second has taken 3 steps forward and hefted the cannon to bear. The gemstone lens over the eye highlighting on the structure and notifying the distance. The second tilted their head and rasped. The signal that the Saurus was waiting to fire.
T-3
The rest of the squad was no less busy. At the prompting of their leader they fanned out from a line to a shallow V. The leader standing to the left of the second, his eyes watching the second for he was a proper Saurus, and watched carefully his (officially) subordinates for any signs of damage or concern.
The last of the squad reaches the furthest edges of the V, and stamps into the soft grass a touch harder. A good enough signal that the back was cleared as any.
T-2
Every reptilian eye in the squad focuses on the target wall. Their rifles raise to shoulder and the second re-centres the cannon.
T-1
The Cannon bearer, né spawn second, idly wonders what their name will be. Perhaps something that references their actions here?
It inhales.
T-0
It fires.
T+0 001
Paint daubed bronze glimmers in the sunlight, a touch brighter then normal. To magesight 8 winds embedded in the gems on the underside, at the mouth of the barrel, dim as their payload rises into the internal filigree and gold rods at the roof and bottom of the barrel.
The 8 winds split, 7 winds rush down the golden semi circle rods and Uglu stays. Uglu wafts off and builds into a mist tightly constrained by itself and hidden inside itself inside itself inside itself, pressed together into a tight skein lens. Ready to burst and scatter. Like 4000 acres of mist compressed into 1 fist.
T+0 002
6 winds flow down the barrel, Hysh stays. It forms laser threads that connect each side of the barrel, left to right to top to bottom and again for each side, and again and again until a shimmering pane of light like glass allows no gap in the barrel. Then the light twists and it becomes a torch around the corner, a sun behind the horizon, its presence noted, but until it is time it will not manifest.
T+0 004
4 winds fall, 2 remain. Ghur and Ghyran stand above the trigger.
Ghyran sinks, becomes a great kelp forest affixed to the ocean floor, waving ephemeral fronds undulating in the airless barrel, affixed in place by great masses of holdfasts, the vast majority of power sunk into the ocean floor that is the mass between handle and barrel.
Ghur rises, becomes a shoal of keel breakers, whose jaws ward off the predators who can track through the sunless sea-forests. A tenth of those fish starve and sink into the holdfasts, becoming a delicate boon for the Saurus once eaten.
T+0 005
Ashqy bursts out now, branding hot coals into the internal walls of the barrel, and where the undersea ecosystem metaphor of Ghyran meets Ghur spills out, it steams from the coal. Forming thick smoke and embers, a morass of Ashqy waiting for its carrier.
T+0 008
3 left, and 2 depart. Shyish forms a spear pointing backwards, into the centre of the ammo block, it hangs in space and soft sand dust wafts off, where it meets the steam of Ashqy the fire halts, where it touches the block the Obstinite hardens in age. It exists for scant seconds and decays with the pace of clockwork springs unwinding in the
tick
tick
tick
of an escapement, sharp shocks breaking the momentum of the gears so it can only stutter until time is up.
When all is done the spear will break its shape and the enchantment within will enact death. But until then the spear will wait.
Chamon falls into the obstinite block, whispering to it the properties it will need to become to hold for its journey, the shape it will become by the stress and the shape it will need to be when it hits. In one hand Chamon prepares the block, lays foundations for magic to anchor too. In the other hand Chamon prepares workings of breaking, ready to release until it is time.
T+0 01
Azur is left, not a portent, not an omen, not a warning. It does not guide, it does not predict, it does not see the destined end.
It is the destined start. It reaches out from the barrel, builds in one golden prong to a crescendo, unbuilds in the other prong to a promise formed by absence.
The cannon bearer tenses, facing the distinctly unpleasant sensation of stray electrons rushing from front to back to the tip of its tail.
And lightning springs forth, from the scales, from the air, from the grass that remembers past storms. From everything in a cone behind the cannon bearer raw potential power is drawn out, those everythings become sucking absences of power that draws in power from further, and further in a chain reaction of currant.
The sparks quest out in sound and light to the promise and the crescendo. It is bright and powerful and immortal in each instant until
connection.
T+0 011
Carried by the furious momentum of voltage within magic thick enough to hold matter aloft, the block accelerates by thunder and lightning.
The block impales itself into the Shysish spear, and the spear rests within its Chamon sheath.
The block blasts past ancient sand, and through the smoke, Ashqy brushes against the sides of the block and billows against the head, it heats Chamons iron red hot until the block carries Ashqy. A tangible layer of heated coals pressed flat.
The sunless sea-forest burns, its oceans wither into Ghyran in the correct shape. The power flows down the handle at the behest of Ghur and the glyphs inscribed externally. Ghyran and slivers of Ghur enter the cannon bearer and scale becomes stone, the blood quickens, the flesh soothed.
The cannon bearer roars. And the keel breakers flee from the burning forest, the heat bring forth latent instincts and the fish revert to Ghur in the blocks passing. In the remains of the brushfire Ghur catches Chamon's scent and follows. The block heats even further, then even more, then even more. It is now too bright to look upon, almost a star in its luminescent, but it is not a star, not yet.
The block shatters the mirror of Hysh, and becomes the star reflected back. The star falling from the sky, chased by a pack of Ghur.
Here the shooting star reaches Uglu, and banishes the night, pushes it out into Uglu that seeps through the void infused water at the mouth of the Crest Cannon. Uglu becomes a dark cloud from choked fires spilling out.
At this moment, as the star manifests fully, leaving the semi metaphorical space internal, the Crest Cannon finalises the enchantments for the star, under the protection and obfuscation of Uglu's night.
T+0 012
Light from the star spills out, overtaking day, it demands attention by the omen of stars. A clear signal to the squad to fire in turn.
T+0 5
The signal ends, as it moves too fast to be seen still. Blazing white for one single instant before reverting to a more gentle glow. This is irrelevant, guidance will come by different measures.
Ghur lingers in the air, too slow to follow at the stars heels, but fast enough to remember the taste. It undulates out, forming winding game trails and way marks. Signs and paths all the way to the target, to where the star guides.
T+0 6
Impact.
Obstinite meets metal and melts, Chamon drops one hand and the other strikes, the spear shatters. Death and Metal lash out in the form of ghostly teeth and claws. Scratching through and out the soft stone, bending steel where it does not outright shatter, The plate impacted outright disintegrating. Then the liquid obstinite splatters and molten rock drips down and up as vaporised rock.
Ghur slams into what remains and billows into a cloud, marking out the most vulnerable remaining points of the wall, as feral instinct dictates.
T+0 7
The volley of obstinite spikes land, each blessed by Itzl and chasing Ghur-blood, each lands and digs deep, deeper then normal. The gabion cage spills out more rocks and mortarless bricks are blown off.
T+1
The second ends.
The cannon bearer's roar ends, the squad lowers their weapons as one. They stand at ease.
The cannon bearer steps back a half-step, and breathes in and out. Steady and slow. Not panicked, nor desperate. But measured and consistent and slow. The exhilaration and pain of firing the cannon was
was not pleasant. But it's fine. It is a Saurus, it will not shake, it will not be affected, it will not break discipline. It will not.
Soft rumbling, soft enough it carries only to the seconds ears. The cannon bearer turns to its squad leader (a half step closer then the Saurus to the right). He is silent, but the second breathes easier all the same.
Prakesh-to's expression was not a smile, it was not pleasant enough. It was not sly like a smirk for a long predicted outcome. It was not pleased, as if the Cannon performed above and beyond. Her grimace was as feral as the intent of her guard.
The Slann remains observant, the test is not over, and will not be until the prototype breaks from use. Her grimace shifting to a grin with each lightning strike crackle of the cannon.
AN:
The cannon bearer makes a decision, and asks their administrator to be given a name venerating Itzl.
The spawn leader asks to be assigned a Crest Cannon for use, they think they will be greatly satisfied to use it instead of witnessing.
Also here's the character sheet for the Slann overseeing this test.
A fourth generation Slann enamoured with Itzl, and sought to live by its principles. Only Slann on record to have killed something with her bare hands. She disdains adornments and arcane focuses, rejecting entirely the golden plaques most Slanns pierce on their flesh. The only article she accepted was a wreath, formed of a great stags shedded horns. It was a gift from her student, who collected the materials himself.
Her palequinn stands as an intricately carved chair, lined in metal. The carvings look savaged, as if a beast with claws and fang scratched it. Yet on closer inspection the carvings are seen to have been carved around the damage. The back of the seat extends into a great crest of Itzl, a potent enchantment of sound woven into it. Such that in battle Prakesh-to may cast a great feral roar, that terrifies the foe and emboldens the jungle swarms following in her wake.
Numerous hooks stick out of the back of the palequinn, and Prakesh-to has her attendants hang fresh dripping carcasses and braziers for blood-incense. A scent to attract beasts towards her, to murder or tame as she wishes.
Traits:
Dreadkin: Prakesh-to departed into the jungle, alone and unadorned. Then returned astride an un-armoured, unidentified dread saurian never sighted in records. Never have they parted.
Lustria's keeper: When Chaos broke through, a desperate enchantment was cast into Lustrias bones, that drove the land into a deathtrap. Prakesh-to dedicated her waking hours to maintaining it. As a result she has considerable skill and knowledge regarding both persistent enchantments and drawing out every bit of lethality from lifeforms.
Good for the most part, but probably not canon since the Slann in this story is identifying as female. Nothing in the quest has so far led to genderless species to try and think of themselves as male or female. (Hard to identify when theirs nothing to identify with, or have any good relationships with the silly warmbloods.)
Also a terrifying threat to shock them out of hedonism because they need to fight for their lives.
That said, do you really think Kaboom and Xantalos are so kind as to let this happen early enough it might derail the Fall and thus be mostly handled by the Eldar, rather than happening just too late so that its our problem?
A highly motivated and United Eldar Dominion tooled up for round two of the War in Heaven may be as much of a problem for us as the Necrons themselves. The Eldar are not by any stretch of the imagination nice. They've remained the galactic hegemons for tens of millions of years because anyone that tired to take the crown off them before was put down hard.
Humanity rose after the Eldar stopped giving a shit and just outsourced border control to their automata while they had a party.
I hope it's just one Nécrons world coming back online. Because if it's the whole Empire, we're dead, no ifs or buts. Either killed by the Necrons or facing a reawakened Eldar Dominion, and there would be no point to continue playing.
So I went back to look and see what has been covered so far and what remains to be posted and below are the actions that have not been in a results post- now given that the waagh has turned its attention to us I can see several of this being combined-
Metro Barriers, Itza Sacred Site (possible Tlet'notec if that is in line of the fight along with the other 3 sacred sites), also the improve cities if they are going to be in the fight. The Mag 2 ritual as well since that is part of the campaign and all the war actions except the 2 scry and 1 sabotage
Research Actions
-[] Metropolis Preservation Barriers (400 slannpower)
Stewardship Actions
-[] (Re)construct Sacred Site- Itza (1 city action, Awanabil'tat)
-[] Construct Sacred Site- Tletl'notec (2 city actions)
-[] Kanyon Repair- Hazardous Materials Retrieval (3 city actions, 1 Third Spawning slann, 40 Fifth Spawning slann, same group as before)[/B]
-[] Improve City to L2 (Amamaniliztli, Tenqu'itzcal, Ocelotl, Illuxoni) (eight city actions)
-[] Found New City (L2) (Alchemy theme?) (north of Huilcatlan, on coast) (three actions)
-[] Construct Sacred Sites (Qotlpetl, Amamaniliztli, Tenqu'itzcal) (six actions)
War Actions
--[] Magnitude 2 Warrior Enhancing Ritual. Fifteen slann of the Fourth Spawning will strive to enhance the durability and endurance of all lizardmen defending Itza during the coming campaign. Begin as soon as is consistent with ensuring the ritual's effects do not expire before the Uax Detonating Ritual completes.
-[] Scry and Spy, the Worldhamma (15 Fifth Spawning slann)
--Monitor the southern orks, the central orks, and the ork horde advancing on Yagoqua.
-[] Scry and Spy, Empty Quiver (75 Fifth Spawning slann)
--Seek out and remotely destroy any ork nuclear devices that can be found, prioritizing those most likely to be used against the lizardmen. Spare only such nuclear devices as are targeted by the Industrial Sabotage action below.
-[] Industrial Sabotage (2 city actions, 10 Fifth Spawning slann)
--[] Send chameleon skinks to attempt to steal nuclear devices from the orks for later study. Store them in a secure location far from any temple-city, for obvious reasons.
-[] Defend The Forward Cities (3 city actions)
--[] The Legion of Hexoatl will remain as garrison to hold the temple-cities of Tletl'notec and Muukhexla against any threat from either the orks or the Ayacmanik, reinforcing their defenses and assisting in preventing Ayacmanik abduction attempts. No attempt will be made to hold ground unimportant to lizardman activities.
-[] Abduction Safety Protocols (2 city actions)
--[] Tletl'notec and Muukhexla face very large Ayacmanik swarms. Lizardmen should take all precautions to avoid unnecessary danger and remain secure whenever possible while the swarms devour the feral ork populations.
-[] Prepare the Ground (2 city actions)
--[] Fortify Yagoqua against the incoming ork horde.
-[] Scatter the Barbarians (Kroq-Gar)
--[] Take the Legion of Xlanhuapec and launch a counterattack against the ork force threatening Yagoqua, after it becomes engaged with the city defenses. Once this offensive is defeated, march to counter the predictable ork attack on Itza.
-[] Harry the Foe (Tiqtaq'to)
--[] Use air power gathered from the mustered legions of the Four Old Cities to harass the orks from the air, both in the defense of Yagoqua, and in the inevitable ork march on Itza.
-[] Invoke the Mist Swimmer (Krom'tli)
--[] Invoke Ayotzl's aid in defending Yagoqua against the oncoming horde of Karvo Orktano.
-[] Your Warboss Is In Another Temple-City (5 Fourth Spawning slann)
--[] Five of the Ten Very Smug Slann will psychically provoke the orks into seeking to rescue Gardakka at Yagoqua, then relocate Gardakka from Yagoqua to Itza as soon as Mazdamundi requires it, or as soon as the orks appear to be making meaningful progress against the defenses of Yagoqua.
-[] Break the Tide (Chakax)
--[] Return the Legion of Itza to fortify the city, in preparation for a coming ork onslaught.
-[] Prepare the Ground (4 City Actions)
--[] Prepare field defenses along the probable ork approach routes towards Itza.
-[] Invoke the Serpent (Teninhuan)
--[] Invoke Sotek to feast upon the vast number of orks who will predictably assault Itza.
--[] Accompany the Legion of Tlaxtlan, in preparation to savage the flanks of the advancing ork column storming Itza.
-[] Control the Quangos (6 Fourth Spawning slann)
--[] Keep parent and child Quangos together, and bombard the southbound ork expansion wave from on high to disrupt their growth.
-[] Monitor the Thunder Lizards (4 Fourth Spawning and 20 Fifth Spawning slann)
--[] Monitor the combat performance of the Thunder Lizards, and be prepared to heal or take control of any that become endangered by an ork force.
-[] Slann Direct Army Support (20 Fourth Spawning and 120 Fifth Spawning slann)
--[] 5 and 35 with Kroq-Gar's Legion of Xlanhuapec
--[] 5 and 35 with Teninhuan's Legion of Tlaxtlan
--[] 10 and 50 with Chakax's Legion of Itza
edit @Xantalos updated the pop tracking sheet to also calculate actions assuming distribution weighted on city pop cap (it would lose us some actions but long run should make it easier). Of note currently we would have 33 pop actions with city pop as of turn 12- going to web 4 would bump that to 54
A rectangular obstinite tube with a handle attached close to the 'mouth' of the barrel. The mouth has above it, a hinged crest of gold and bronze on the thinner side. Below, gleaming power gems and a slot as long as an obstinate ammunition block is tall before the handle. At the rear end of the barrel two thin crackling gold rods extend from where they lined the interior of the barrel. Each end of the barrel and the wide slot has a stretch of void infused, pure water pulled over the gaps. The sigil of Itzl is carved in the most intricate detail. And golden tablets depicting its use is riveted around scripture depicting Itzl's legend.
To fire this weapon, the Saurus inserts an obstinite block- the same one that can be inserted into their rifle, into the slot and hefts the cannon over its shoulder. The block is pulled up and floated down the barrel to its pronged end, held aloft by magic emanating within. The barrel itself becomes a vacuum as stray particles and air is drawn out. The crest at the mouth flares out. At the moment of ignition lightning reaches out from the prongs to everything behind the Saurus and the floating block accelerates down the barrel to the mouth. Pre-spun enchantments coalescing around the projectile.
The cannon shot leaves the cannon with a primal roar, as a radiant star. The new made comet strikes with the force of Lustria's most feral. Enchantments bound into the melting obstinate break and lash out with spectral claws, maw and beak.
Perhaps the strongest enchantment woven into the falling star is the trailblazers. A Ghur based enchantment that invokes the thrill of the hunt. This enchantment spreads Itzl's blessings into every shot and spell loosed in the same volley as the Cannon, ensuring they strike with wild strength and instinct. To maximise the strength of this volley, training and the light of the star is used to synchronise.
Against relatively un-armoured things this weapon is a death sentence, but against heavy fortification it rends that portion of the structure fragile. Enough that the remaining volley shot tears down the remains.
The Crest cannon exists to allow Saurus teams to launch firepower sufficient to break down barricades that would normally require Kroxigor might.
Have a story, to describe it more.
---
A wall of stone stood in front of the jungle treeline, and it was ugly. It was not made from black obstinite, nor was it made with a hard stone, merely the softer kind that ground down under rivers. Gems did not adorn it and thus, nothing to anchor magic onto was present. The slope of it was also shallow enough to climb, even ignoring that it was short enough to vault over. In fact, the only form of reinforcements were iron and steel riveted in.
The worst part was that a solid 10 metres of the wall was a half filled gabion.
What, was filling it too hard? Was there a dearth of loose rocks? Was the need for obstinite so great that even the pebbles of the jungle were scoured? She knew that the durability of the fortifications was not the point but Old Ones preserve us it was so ugly!
But then, the fortifications were permissible, they are temporary and cheap in design. Not meant to last the next hour let alone the day. The innumerable flaws in both aesthetic and effectiveness are permissible. Not alike what the fortifications guarded.
Behind it was an organised collection of various tools with one shared flaw. They all failed in some fashion. From the chisel that was improperly seated in its handle to the ritual to the knife knapped in angles unpleasant to hold. All of these tools and trinkets irritated more then they helped, and every owner only needed an excuse to destroy.
The most egregious of these elements was the centrepiece, a Slann palanquin.
Lady Prakesh-to crafted it herself, wrought as her first working of magic. And it was just horrible. Transmuted from granite, sandstone and lime into chalky unnamed grey stone. The seat needed an ever present currant of magic to simply keep its shape, else it disintegrate in rainy days. Here the Dreadkin's spotlight eyes burrowed into the palanquin, noting everyone of its flaws that she could not find excuse to do away with until now.
The shallow slope of its bottom side, the lowest point just off centre that it leans to the right by the slightest inch! Every mile she had to realign the trajectory by a degree! Unacceptable!
"My lady Prakesh-to?"
The nick within the golden diagrams on the right armrest (too sharp and too high), formed by a stray norscan javelin landing just after a 'warp lighting bolt' struck the very same spot (very hectic day), that damaged the shield array! Even after purification and repairs under spiced incense she still felt the micro stutter of power flow introduced.
"M-my lady?"
But the microscopic misalignment and the maybe-placebo maybe-actual flaw is miniscule compared to the real problem. The actual issue. The most egregious insult to stone masonry. The-
"Prakesh!"
Lady Prakesh-to, Dreadkin, Lustria's keeper and Slann of the Third Generation. Turned to her chief attendant Edan'atal, who spent one glance to the tablet in his arms, ran his hand through the feather crest of his new helmet (that did not have the ridge on the back that dragged and caught on scale) and spoke to his Lady after collecting his composure.
"Your ladyship, the Saurus have been briefed, they are prepared. May the test begin?"
Prakesh overlooked the field, some 50 metres from both Saurus and abomination of a wall. It used to be 30, but at the behest of Edan'atal they negotiated to 50 and the cordon hidden in the jungle extended. She reclined and waved her hand and Edan'atal perked up.
Chief attendant Edan'atal turned to overlook the test team and held up his hand, a ring with the last finger extended straight up, forming the symbol '10'.
10 seconds until the first stress test begins.
T-10
15 Saurus stand in a 2 man wide rank, across from the target. At the front, the nameless spawn leader stood. An unremarkable Saurus from an unremarkable spawning. He kept his eyes square on the distant Skink figure, and though his title of spawn leader was completely arbitrary (first to climb out gets it), he intended to live up to it.
After all, his squad behind him all looked to him, not to the test administrator.
The signal to begin spread at the speed of sight, with the leader immediately shifting and intuitive instincts kicking every man behind into action.
T-9
The spawn second, the second Saurus to climb out of the pool in a batch immediately steps forward and runs their gaze up the weapon('s glyphs) in their hands. They did not know why they carried the cannon in particular, but surely that diminutive Skink had their reasons.
It stepped forwards with surety it did not really feel, reinforced only by the unfelt expectations of its spawn leader.
(That, is in fact why spawn leaders are assigned, even arbitrarily in unremarkable spawnings. Saurus without responsibility or hierarchy endanger passivity in crucial moments through uncertainty.)
T-7
The second holds in one hand a block of ammunition, fit to be inserted into a rifle. In the other it holds the crest cannon pointed skywards and resting on it's shoulder. It brings its hands towards each other and pushes the block into the slot on the underside of the cannon, before the trigger.
The bronze crest laid flat on the topside extends and flares out, the crest of Itzl prominent in red gold.
The block lifts aloft, buoyed in airless space infused with magic. It slides down the barrel to rest before the end, visible through the concave lens of water covering that hole.
At this point the spawn second has taken 3 steps forward and hefted the cannon to bear. The gemstone lens over the eye highlighting on the structure and notifying the distance. The second tilted their head and rasped. The signal that the Saurus was waiting to fire.
T-3
The rest of the squad was no less busy. At the prompting of their leader they fanned out from a line to a shallow V. The leader standing to the left of the second, his eyes watching the second for he was a proper Saurus, and watched carefully his (officially) subordinates for any signs of damage or concern.
The last of the squad reaches the furthest edges of the V, and stamps into the soft grass a touch harder. A good enough signal that the back was cleared as any.
T-2
Every reptilian eye in the squad focuses on the target wall. Their rifles raise to shoulder and the second re-centres the cannon.
T-1
The Cannon bearer, né spawn second, idly wonders what their name will be. Perhaps something that references their actions here?
It inhales.
T-0
It fires.
T+0 001
Paint daubed bronze glimmers in the sunlight, a touch brighter then normal. To magesight 8 winds embedded in the gems on the underside, at the mouth of the barrel, dim as their payload rises into the internal filigree and gold rods at the roof and bottom of the barrel.
The 8 winds split, 7 winds rush down the golden semi circle rods and Uglu stays. Uglu wafts off and builds into a mist tightly constrained by itself and hidden inside itself inside itself inside itself, pressed together into a tight skein lens. Ready to burst and scatter. Like 4000 acres of mist compressed into 1 fist.
T+0 002
6 winds flow down the barrel, Hysh stays. It forms laser threads that connect each side of the barrel, left to right to top to bottom and again for each side, and again and again until a shimmering pane of light like glass allows no gap in the barrel. Then the light twists and it becomes a torch around the corner, a sun behind the horizon, its presence noted, but until it is time it will not manifest.
T+0 004
4 winds fall, 2 remain. Ghur and Ghyran stand above the trigger.
Ghyran sinks, becomes a great kelp forest affixed to the ocean floor, waving ephemeral fronds undulating in the airless barrel, affixed in place by great masses of holdfasts, the vast majority of power sunk into the ocean floor that is the mass between handle and barrel.
Ghur rises, becomes a shoal of keel breakers, whose jaws ward off the predators who can track through the sunless sea-forests. A tenth of those fish starve and sink into the holdfasts, becoming a delicate boon for the Saurus once eaten.
T+0 005
Ashqy bursts out now, branding hot coals into the internal walls of the barrel, and where the undersea ecosystem metaphor of Ghyran meets Ghur spills out, it steams from the coal. Forming thick smoke and embers, a morass of Ashqy waiting for its carrier.
T+0 008
3 left, and 2 depart. Shyish forms a spear pointing backwards, into the centre of the ammo block, it hangs in space and soft sand dust wafts off, where it meets the steam of Ashqy the fire halts, where it touches the block the Obstinite hardens in age. It exists for scant seconds and decays with the pace of clockwork springs unwinding in the
tick
tick
tick
of an escapement, sharp shocks breaking the momentum of the gears so it can only stutter until time is up.
When all is done the spear will break its shape and the enchantment within will enact death. But until then the spear will wait.
Chamon falls into the obstinite block, whispering to it the properties it will need to become to hold for its journey, the shape it will become by the stress and the shape it will need to be when it hits. In one hand Chamon prepares the block, lays foundations for magic to anchor too. In the other hand Chamon prepares workings of breaking, ready to release until it is time.
T+0 01
Azur is left, not a portent, not an omen, not a warning. It does not guide, it does not predict, it does not see the destined end.
It is the destined start. It reaches out from the barrel, builds in one golden prong to a crescendo, unbuilds in the other prong to a promise formed by absence.
The cannon bearer tenses, facing the distinctly unpleasant sensation of stray electrons rushing from front to back to the tip of its tail.
And lightning springs forth, from the scales, from the air, from the grass that remembers past storms. From everything in a cone behind the cannon bearer raw potential power is drawn out, those everythings become sucking absences of power that draws in power from further, and further in a chain reaction of currant.
The sparks quest out in sound and light to the promise and the crescendo. It is bright and powerful and immortal in each instant until
connection.
T+0 011
Carried by the furious momentum of voltage within magic thick enough to hold matter aloft, the block accelerates by thunder and lightning.
The block impales itself into the Shysish spear, and the spear rests within its Chamon sheath.
The block blasts past ancient sand, and through the smoke, Ashqy brushes against the sides of the block and billows against the head, it heats Chamons iron red hot until the block carries Ashqy. A tangible layer of heated coals pressed flat.
The sunless sea-forest burns, its oceans wither into Ghyran in the correct shape. The power flows down the handle at the behest of Ghur and the glyphs inscribed externally. Ghyran and slivers of Ghur enter the cannon bearer and scale becomes stone, the blood quickens, the flesh soothed.
The cannon bearer roars. And the keel breakers flee from the burning forest, the heat bring forth latent instincts and the fish revert to Ghur in the blocks passing. In the remains of the brushfire Ghur catches Chamon's scent and follows. The block heats even further, then even more, then even more. It is now too bright to look upon, almost a star in its luminescent, but it is not a star, not yet.
The block shatters the mirror of Hysh, and becomes the star reflected back. The star falling from the sky, chased by a pack of Ghur.
Here the shooting star reaches Uglu, and banishes the night, pushes it out into Uglu that seeps through the void infused water at the mouth of the Crest Cannon. Uglu becomes a dark cloud from choked fires spilling out.
At this moment, as the star manifests fully, leaving the semi metaphorical space internal, the Crest Cannon finalises the enchantments for the star, under the protection and obfuscation of Uglu's night.
T+0 012
Light from the star spills out, overtaking day, it demands attention by the omen of stars. A clear signal to the squad to fire in turn.
T+0 5
The signal ends, as it moves too fast to be seen still. Blazing white for one single instant before reverting to a more gentle glow. This is irrelevant, guidance will come by different measures.
Ghur lingers in the air, too slow to follow at the stars heels, but fast enough to remember the taste. It undulates out, forming winding game trails and way marks. Signs and paths all the way to the target, to where the star guides.
T+0 6
Impact.
Obstinite meets metal and melts, Chamon drops one hand and the other strikes, the spear shatters. Death and Metal lash out in the form of ghostly teeth and claws. Scratching through and out the soft stone, bending steel where it does not outright shatter, The plate impacted outright disintegrating. Then the liquid obstinite splatters and molten rock drips down and up as vaporised rock.
Ghur slams into what remains and billows into a cloud, marking out the most vulnerable remaining points of the wall, as feral instinct dictates.
T+0 7
The volley of obstinite spikes land, each blessed by Itzl and chasing Ghur-blood, each lands and digs deep, deeper then normal. The gabion cage spills out more rocks and mortarless bricks are blown off.
T+1
The second ends.
The cannon bearer's roar ends, the squad lowers their weapons as one. They stand at ease.
The cannon bearer steps back a half-step, and breathes in and out. Steady and slow. Not panicked, nor desperate. But measured and consistent and slow. The exhilaration and pain of firing the cannon was
was not pleasant. But it's fine. It is a Saurus, it will not shake, it will not be affected, it will not break discipline. It will not.
Soft rumbling, soft enough it carries only to the seconds ears. The cannon bearer turns to its squad leader (a half step closer then the Saurus to the right). He is silent, but the second breathes easier all the same.
Prakesh-to's expression was not a smile, it was not pleasant enough. It was not sly like a smirk for a long predicted outcome. It was not pleased, as if the Cannon performed above and beyond. Her grimace was as feral as the intent of her guard.
The Slann remains observant, the test is not over, and will not be until the prototype breaks from use. Her grimace shifting to a grin with each lightning strike crackle of the cannon.
AN:
The cannon bearer makes a decision, and asks their administrator to be given a name venerating Itzl.
The spawn leader asks to be assigned a Crest Cannon for use, they think they will be greatly satisfied to use it instead of witnessing.
Also here's the character sheet for the Slann overseeing this test.
A third generation Slann enamoured with Itzl, and sought to live by its principles.
Traits:
Dreadkin: Prakesh-to departed into the jungle, alone and unadorned. Then returned astride an un-armoured, unidentified dread saurian never sighted in records.
Lustria's keeper: When Chaos broke through, a desperate enchantment was cast into Lustrias bones, that drove the land into a deathtrap. Prakesh-to dedicated her waking hours to maintaining it. As a result she has considerable skill and knowledge regarding both persistent enchantments and drawing out every bit of lethality from lifeforms.
I have no idea how I didn't think of this before. Great concept, fantastic write-up and description. This tech is definitely being implemented, and Prakesh-to will appear in the story at some point or other. Only note is that she'll be presenting as male for now - my thoughts on lizardmen and gender have evolved as time goes on but I currently have them as something like gender roles being centered around societal function, just more fluid than human society since there's no biological sex. It's also a lot simpler than human gender roles since it's not like there's much of anything in the way of stereotypes or whatnot surrounding them - they're basically just descriptors of what job a lizardman is doing at that particular moment, and male or female is more just a shorthand I'm using because … English. The slann are all male currently because what I'm referring to as male in lizardmen terms is to do with stuff like war, administration, logistics, examination of things, etc, all of which the slann are functionally in charge of, so they don't change their gender from day to day like other lizardmen do. Most lizardmen go by an in-between designation the majority of the time and would be referred to by different pronouns as they perform different tasks. A saurus would be male when commanding his cohort to execute a particular battle formation, for instance, but 'become' female when reporting to a senior skink chief and giving a report. Outright female roles are a bit rare in lizardmen society right now - Puum'kynzid, the Ghyran skink who Isendral has talked with, is probably the closest one to appear in the main story to being referred to by she/her pronouns due to diplomacy falling under the umbrella for female designation, but even then I still refer to them by they/them since their meetings with Isendral aren't frequent enough to determine their entire identity and it's needlessly confusing for me to change what pronouns I refer to them by without making an explicit note about it. I'm certainly not equipped to properly explore the topic in as much detail as it deserves, so I'm just trying to keep things relatively consistent for the sake of readability.
Tl;dr, lizardmen go by they/them 99% of the time except for the slann and certain rare characters like Kroq-Gar who do very specific tasks. There's the possibility for this to change in the future.
edit @Xantalos updated the pop tracking sheet to also calculate actions assuming distribution weighted on city pop cap (it would lose us some actions but long run should make it easier). Of note currently we would have 33 pop actions with city pop as of turn 12- going to web 4 would bump that to 54
My thanks, though I admit my eyes still do glaze over when I look at spreadsheets. You are right that a fair few of the actions are getting bundled together, though - I estimate roughly 5 posts until the turn reaches its end, including Isendral's segment which by necessity of voting covers two.
My thanks, though I admit my eyes still do glaze over when I look at spreadsheets. You are right that a fair few of the actions are getting bundled together, though - I estimate roughly 5 posts until the turn reaches its end, including Isendral's segment which by necessity of voting covers two.
Is there any color coding I can do to help or other changes? Right now the yellow highlighted fields are the only ones that need to be changed (added orange where you can copy value to paste in total pop)
Also depends on how the talk between Fabulous Hawkboi and Silent King goes...I can legit see the Necrons and humanity at least having common enemies in the Eldar and the C'tan. Whether that amounts to a 'stay in your own corner' treaty or no we'll have to see. It's one thing to have xeno protectorates and allow abhumans as they did in the great crusade, full on alliance with a power like the Necrons...that's another story.
As for us...i can see a similar first contact situation as they had with the squats, bloody at first then a treaty when they realize we're too tough a nut to crack and would be better off treating with. Primarch that gets called over is key. Also the size of us as well and how much power we project at first and after.
TLR we'll have to see as the factors slot into place.
Sanginious doesnt exist and probably wont exist. We are still in a period where it is possible to straight up prevent the Emperor to do a stupid and throw his humanity away.
Is there any color coding I can do to help or other changes? Right now the yellow highlighted fields are the only ones that need to be changed (added orange where you can copy value to paste in total pop)
I honestly prefer this approach for the most part anyway, since as you noted, Lizardmen are functionally genderless, and the idea of male/female identification is a warm-blood convention.
It really depends on how much of the High Science the Necron's can wake up. Also it depends on if the Eldar don't immediately start dropping Phoenix Lords on them. They should be ultra stupid right now considering how close to their gods they are.
It really depends on how much of the High Science the Necron's can wake up. Also it depends on if the Eldar don't immediately start dropping Phoenix Lords on them. They should be ultra stupid right now considering how close to their gods they are.
Yeah but the people who become them do. One of them is a high executioner right now and Jain Zar I think is off killing gribblies for funsies. The others I'm not quite sure where they are.
Not even that. It's trivially easy for a spacefaring civilization to kill a planet-bound one. Just divert a few dozens asteroids of the same caliber as the one that fell on the Yucatan and voila, everyone is dead. And the Necrons can do so much more. I doubt our anti-nuke shields can resist to sustained orbital bombardment, and we don't have the magical firepower to waste an reasonable-sized fleet.
Not even that. It's trivially easy for a spacefaring civilization to kill a planet-bound one. Just divert a few dozens asteroids of the same caliber as the one that fell on the Yucatan and voila, everyone is dead. And the Necrons can do so much more. I doubt our anti-nuke shields can resist to sustained orbital bombardment, and we don't have the magical firepower to waste an reasonable-sized fleet.
Our best chance is for the Eldar to sidetrack the Necrons with a highly visible enemy while we build up our tech base and spread through our solar system.
They don't seem to have woken up nearby, so its possible they and the Eldar can sidetrack each other with fighting long enough for us to grab a few systems and get on a decentish tech base.
They don't seem to have woken up nearby, so its possible they and the Eldar can sidetrack each other with fighting long enough for us to grab a few systems and get on a decentish tech base.
Maybe there's even a possibility that Isengral will be so scared by the resurging Nécrons that she could convince the Dominion to uplift us technologically?
Yeah but the people who become them do. One of them is a high executioner right now and Jain Zar I think is off killing gribblies for funsies. The others I'm not quite sure where they are.
The ancient eldar heroes who are veterans of the War in Heaven should be running around with tens of millions of years more experience and much better infrastructure. They don't need some infants that are less than 0.001% as old.
Imagine Ulthanesh, his children, and Eldanesh's children armed with Reality Engines.
R we'll have to see as the factors slot into place.
