Son of Death (30k Mortarion Quest)

[Dream Logic]

The thing that is really annoying me is that this is a functional system. Incredibly monstrous but it could probably be integrated relatively easily.

We're not someone like Raven Guard who could just decapitate them either.

This is going to be long and bloody.

 

[The Laurent]

I mean, sorta functional? But the well-known thing of making the workers stupid and the soldiers vicious brutes definitely is the most efficient thing and not just a shitty method of control and domination.

Like the whole system honestly seems like it could wind up being painfully fragile and a hothouse not actually set up to survive change or major challenge... though if it is it'll fail in the kind of way that just kills more people, to be quite frank.

 

[Tomsawyer18]

I mean, sorta functional? But the well-known thing of making the workers stupid and the soldiers vicious brutes definitely is the most efficient thing and not just a shitty method of control and domination.

Click to shrink...

Mortarion: The Imperium of Man will not stand for this system that renders the common man to uneducated slaves and its soldiers unthinking murderous brutes controlled from on high by an uncaring ruling caste. That is not what we stand for.

 

[JevvyPython]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

The choice seems easy. Too easy. I am feeling mildly paranoid and waiting for the other shoe to drop, but this is the closest to how I feel, and probably how Mortarion feels (maybe tied with destruction, but he's also the sort of person to heal the soil, so he might want to heal the society as well).

Click to shrink...

The other shoe is that billions of people are probably going to die fanatically fighting against liberation and of the effects of deprivation of the drugs they're reliant on and other necessities. Mortarion will find himself the Liberator of the a graveyard... but I think the short term suffering could be justifiable to him to liberate countless future generations. To his mind would it have been acceptable to sacrifice two thirds, even nine tenths, of his homeworld's people to destroy the Overlords? Probably yeah.

 

[<o>U<o>]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[HalfTangible]

"You hardly needed to," Horus laughs, stopping to gaze out at the stars with you, his dark eyes flicking gently as he traces constellations new and familiar. "A man's true character is visible in all he does, and your actions speak louder than words ever could."

Is that true? You would like to believe it so, for deeds are a language you find easier to master than any spoken tongue, but some part of you insists that it cannot be that easy. If deeds along could convey intent, then men might have never learned to speak at all.

"I do," your brother nods,

Click to shrink...

Is there a line missing here? Horus seems to be responding to nothing at all =/

The other shoe is that billions of people are probably going to die fanatically fighting against liberation and of the effects of deprivation of the drugs they're reliant on and other necessities. Mortarion will find himself the Liberator of the a graveyard... but I think the short term suffering could be justifiable to him to liberate countless future generations. To his mind would it have been acceptable to sacrifice two thirds, even nine tenths, of his homeworld's people to destroy the Overlords? Probably yeah.

Click to shrink...

I'm sure Morty would say that, but I wonder how he'll feel when he actually sees that graveyard. Perty was perfectly happy to kill his own homeworld until the deed was done.

[] War
- [] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

Changed vote.

 

[Chipsy_21]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

While i do like this option i feel like there is a bit more room for negotiation, but oh well.

 

[King50000]

[X] War
- [X] Of Destruction. The Order offends you on a personal, moral level, and so it must be destroyed, torn out by the root so that no trace of it remains.

 

[Silvis]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.

 

[Arc angle]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[epic]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[BigBadBob7070]

I must say, well done on writing Horus and showing just how charismatic and insightful he can be. No wonder everyone likes him.

Now we have this "Order" to deal with who are a bunch of soulless micromanaging bureaucrats who have enslaved so many people. Yeaaah time to krump these gits.

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[Zincvit]

[x] War
- [x] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [x] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [x] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[flotter]

Mortarion: The Imperium of Man will not stand for this system that renders the common man to uneducated slaves and its soldiers unthinking murderous brutes controlled from on high by an uncaring ruling caste. That is not what we stand for.

Click to shrink...

Man though, wouldn't it just be a kick in the pants for any negaverse Heresy reader to get to that line.

[X] War
-[X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Scientists should make it a priority to immediately begin research in whether there's any way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. There must be a solution, just as with your home's soil, and you can wield both sword and plow at once.

[X] Peace
- [X] They are capable of throwing every single of those 50 billions into the grinder of war. Unsustainable attack vector if they are capable of quick war footing. But through peace we can destroy them. And quickly. We made them expand, we made them splatter their attention so wide, they would miss the gun if it was under their nose. And we can have time to prepare conditions for 50 billions to live as a free man.

 

[Nurgle]

[X] Peace
- [X] They are capable of throwing every single of those 50 billions into the grinder of war. Unsustainable attack vector if they are capable of quick war footing. But through peace we can destroy them. And quickly. We made them expand, we made them splatter their attention so wide, they would miss the gun if it was under their nose. And we can have time to prepare conditions for 50 billions to live as a free man.

 

[Speed53066]

[X] Peace
- [X] They are capable of throwing every single of those 50 billions into the grinder of war. Unsustainable attack vector if they are capable of quick war footing. But through peace we can destroy them. And quickly. We made them expand, we made them splatter their attention so wide, they would miss the gun if it was under their nose. And we can have time to prepare conditions for 50 billions to live as a free man.

War would be a waste at the moment.

 

[patrickxx]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[No7sHere]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

 

[HalfTangible]

[X] Peace
- [X] They are capable of throwing every single of those 50 billions into the grinder of war. Unsustainable attack vector if they are capable of quick war footing. But through peace we can destroy them. And quickly. We made them expand, we made them splatter their attention so wide, they would miss the gun if it was under their nose. And we can have time to prepare conditions for 50 billions to live as a free man.

Click to shrink...

... fair point, changing my vote.

[X] Peace
- [X] They are capable of throwing every single of those 50 billions into the grinder of war. Unsustainable attack vector if they are capable of quick war footing. But through peace we can destroy them. And quickly. We made them expand, we made them splatter their attention so wide, they would miss the gun if it was under their nose. And we can have time to prepare conditions for 50 billions to live as a free man.

 

[somewhatLazy]

I love how blatantly socially awkward Mortarion, scarred immortal transhuman leader of a rebellion that led peasants to kill necromancer-kings, is. It's amazing, I love him.

You pause, briefly taken aback, and then nod. You'd not planned on such a call or response, nor on ending the speech there, but better a quick and clean death than a long and torturous end. So you nod, and you raise your fist to the sky, and when the echoes of the chant have faded you turn and make your way back over to the Legion Master.

Click to shrink...

I can all but picture him hurriedly scurrying away after heroically resisting his greatest challenge since Necare, public speaking.

finding to your slight consternation that you are taller than Horus at the shoulder and unsure how to handle it,

Click to shrink...

I also really like Mortarion's unhappiness that his long-lost older brother is shorter than him. This isn't how it should be, dagnabbit!

Is that true? You would like to believe it so, for deeds are a language you find easier to master than any spoken tongue, but some part of you insists that it cannot be that easy. If deeds along could convey intent, then men might have never learned to speak at all.

Click to shrink...

If the Emperor still ends up getting worshipped, Mortarion should one hundred percent be the patron saint of socially awkward people.

Rare indeed are the men who can look beyond such singular meanings and grasp the importance of the whole. Men like us, my brother."

You snort, shaking your head. "Will you call us lords next? Rulers of the new age, gazing down from our mountain thrones?"

Click to shrink...

Horus is one hundred percent blatantly laying on the charm offensive, and even Mortarion seems to be somewhat aware of what he's doing…

You smile at that. The expression feels strange and unnatural on your face, but you cannot help it.

Click to shrink...

…but Horus is just too charismatic, and probably more importantly, nice, with all the compliments he's giving Mortarion. Are these his real feelings? Who knows? I can certainly believe that Horus is confident enough to consider himself one of the few who can see what's really important, especially after being raised with the expectation that he's going to be a great man conquering the galaxy alongside the greatest of all great men, his father.

The Navigator sounds dismissive of such limited ambitions, but you find you have some sympathy. Everything you have learned of the immaterium makes it sound as perilous as Barbaran highlands to traverse, a feat best not attempted without serious thought to risk and reward. If they had all they needed within their little valley, why should they attempt to expand further?

Click to shrink...

I'm a bit surprised that Mortarion "I hate magic" isn't even more antipathic towards the Warp, but he hasn't had much experience with it yet and in this timeline he's accepted Typhon, his best friend, being a psyker. So instead, we just have some pretty reasonable caution.

 

[Azunth]

- [x] Of Conquest. Galaspar has refused all possibility of peaceful unification, and so they will be brought into the fold by force.

Liberaton will not work unless there is an internal enemy or religion of the Order with which they can be replaced. I hear of none. Let us then use the imperium as a scaffold for these people to grow along instead, lest we be disappointed that those we liberated do not know how to live free, even as they wish it.

 

[Tabascoheath]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect

 

[BigBadBob7070]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.

What's funny is that I can only think of one other primarch who would fight a war of liberation for these people, Vulkan. The others wouldn't give a single shit, or at the most they might make a token effort to the notion of bettering the system.

Click to shrink...

Don't forget about Corvus Corax, he's pretty pro revolution against tyrants.

 

[01paradox01]

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?

 

[somewhatLazy]

Will this end in tears? Probably! But the thing is, I simply can't see Mortarion making any other decision.

I'm looking forward to the tragedy and character development that's going to happen when Mortarion's youthful optimism meets a more complicated problem than the universally-hated and completely uninvolved with governance Overlords.

[X] War
- [X] Of Liberation. You object to how the Order treats its subjects, and you have the might and self-proclaimed right to intervene on their behalf.
- [X] Open with an ultimatum: if they end their system and work with the Imperium to reverse the damage it has caused, then they may enter its ranks peacefully. If they refuse, you will force them to do so.
- [X] Have scientists immediately, before the ultimatum is even given, researching what can be done to help the people, whether there's a way to slowly wean them from the drugs or find a replacement. Just as with the soil of your home, there must be a solution even if it is not perfect.