Flashpoint: Compliances (Must Read)
Okay, time to post another omake.
For context, here are the three compliances. Each were modified in various ways to make them a bit more interesting after player/GM input
Guilliman 2: A world focusing on using extremely violent executions on captive enemies as a deterrence to others, using biomancer psykers to further the gruesome act.
Perturabo 20: A military force on a world with intense food and water supply issues, survives through intense rationing. Tough but fair, experienced in maintaining supply and dishing out quick punishment to dissenters. Would work well with the Sun Guard and/or Black Brigades. Called the 'Wights'.
Ferrus 19: A world named 'Naga' that's almost identical to Medusa, complete with similar technology constructs and also possessing another monstrous Necron beast.
---
Flashpoint: Compliances
Spiritus Invictus…
This world disturbed Ferrus Manus. The natives of this world called it Naga. Ferrus didn't know what part of Naga disturbed him the most that it was so eerily similar to his homeworld of Medusa.
Everything from the wrecks of starships in orbit, unstable tectonic plates, vast mountains, dangerous volcanoes, or this world's humans likewise lived in mobile crawler cities. Humans lived as techno-barbarian city-states and battled against the numerous "monsters" that were the old relics of the Dark Age that were still active today.
When Ferrus learned that the natives had a local legend, passed down through a hundred generations, of the "Thirteen Daughters of Telstarax," the same Ring of Iron that died over Medusa, the Primarch knew that Naga and Medusa were kin. The Mechanicum even found a few traces of genetic lineages on this world that could be traced back to a few ancient clans on Medusa.
If Medusa was "mother" to Ferrus Manus, then Naga was an "aunt," to use human nomenclature for this particular situation. These people were his responsibility. His family. Not that they recognized Ferrus Manus as anything such. But that would change in time.
The clans of Naga greeted the Primarch with the respect given to a man hailing from the stars above deserved but warned him that the master of their world would not take kindly to his arrival here.
"Beware, stranger. The Hunter sees and knows all on Naga and waits within the Realm of Hatash. They will know of your arrival, Ferrus of Medusa." Just like on Medusa, there was a beast in this world. One whose cruelty and destruction had earned its status as lord and master. Just like with Asirnoth.
Nagatami the Hunter. The name caused Ferrus to feel his hands twitch. Living metal did not react unless it was near something that resonated with it. Nagatami and Asirnoth had to be connected. That Naga and Medusa alone were somehow "daughters" to Telstarax hinted to the Primarch that there was much more afoot than he initially thought.
The clans of Naga had been victims of Nagatami for centuries. Unlike Asirnoth, this particular monster had routinely sent out challenges and calls for champions to come and face it within its blighted realm. Few ever returned, but it was a necessary sacrifice in most cases. Nagatami threatened to attack the clans directly if this demand wasn't met.
Yet, unlike Medusa, the clans of Naga had united under the banner of a council of Lords, Elders, and Champions. Ferrus felt a slight tinge of envy over Nagaian's ability to overcome centuries of grievances and feuds to stop Nagatami from destroying everything they held sacred and dear to them. It took them generations to produce the best warriors, and even then, it was never enough to finally end Nagatami.
These people had an indomitable spirit, but they were still only human. Entire armies and great champions were lost to the Hunter, all to keep its bloodlust sated. That was going to change.
Just as Ferrus ended Asirnoth, so too shall Nagatami fall.
It was simple and easy enough for Ferrus to get his clans to agree to aid in this endeavor. The Primarch had an army of super-human soldiers, and Ferrus himself wielded powerful weapons with arms of living metal. A god and his angels by any other metric. The Council of Naga gave the Gorgon the necessary details to find Nagatami within the Forbidden Realm of Hatash.
A destination given, Ferrus called upon ten thousand of his sons to follow him into battle and hundreds of thousands of eager Nagaians warriors to witness Nagatami the Hunter's end. The greatest war host the world had ever seen gathered and descended upon the Realm of Hatash.
Upon wings of steel and fire, the Iron Fists and Nagaians invaded the realm and encountered millions of minor machines, repurposed and remade by Nagatami, but no more than automated mining and lesser security robots. The Nagaians knew that the Hunter made its home within the ruins of an abandoned mining outpost built into a volcano called the "Black Soul," At the volcano's base, Ferrus Manus rallied the clan warriors.
A great siege of the Black Soul commenced in the following two months. The shifting environment and robust static defenses made for a difficult march into the heart of the volcano fortress. Old and distorted machines of the Golden Agent descended upon the gathered host. Tens of thousands perished, but the dead acted as stepping stones toward the Hunter's lair. All the while, Nagatami was nowhere to be seen.
Finally, an opening presented itself after a third month into the siege. This was the opportunity that Ferrus had been waiting for. Another score of warriors died, but before long, a cohort of Iron Hands and Nagaians arrived at the "gates" of the Hunter's Lair.
Addressing his sons and cousins, Ferrus Manus remembered Fulgrim's advice in a moment like this, "Here is where the Hunter lords over your world! If you wish to take it back, you must be the hunter and slay Nagatami! Follow me, and I shall show you how!"
A thunderous cheer rang out across the battlefield. Even though most of the clan warriors would perish, those that survived would carry on the tale of the Gorgon Slaying the Naga. The hunted were now finally the hunters.
Within the Black Soul, though, Ferrus Manus would be the one that would stand face-to-face and decide the final fate of Nagatami. As the swarms of decrepit and twisted machines harried the human and Astartes, the Gorgon strode into the lair of Nagatami carrying Forgebreaker in his metal hands. Unlike the battle with Asirnoth, Ferrus was stronger, wiser, and gifted with a weapon from his beloved brother Fulgrim.
He could not lose against Nagatami.
Just with Asirnoth, Ferrus would find the Hunter "bathing" within the magma of Black Soul. The heat, which would've otherwise cooked a lesser man in minutes, didn't even cause the Gorgon to break a sweat.
Nagatami the Hunter was a strange entity. Clearly a machine and alien as well. But unlike the Great Silver Serpent, Ferrus saw an almost "humanoid" carapace or skeleton. The Nagaians had long since lost records of what the Hunter looked like, referring to it only as a "snake" but nothing more.
It had a serpent-like lower half, but beyond that, its torso and head were vaguely humanoid. It was green and obsidian, and its sole eye glowed with an unnatural light that caused Ferrus's arms to feel a slight burning sensation starting from the fingers and heading up his forearms. It had four limbs, two carrying a dangerous and pulsating green glaive.
+W̸h̷o̵ ̴c̴o̷m̵e̵s̷ ̸b̴e̵f̷o̷r̶e̷ ̴t̵h̷i̶s̵ ̶v̷e̸s̸s̵e̴l̶?̷+
The voice was unlike anything Ferrus had heard before, but his mind translated it without even a second thought. Such an unexpected interaction, unlike with Asirnoth. It sounded robotic. A rogue AI, then?
"I am Ferrus Manus. Primarch of the Iron Hands and liberator of this world. Nagatami, I take it?"
+D̸e̵s̵i̵g̸n̵a̶t̴i̸o̶n̸ ̵o̷f̷ ̵i̷n̷t̸r̴u̵d̴e̸r̴ ̴i̶r̷r̴e̶l̴e̴v̷a̶n̵t̴.̶ ̶T̶h̵e̵ ̴d̵e̴s̷i̷g̷n̴a̷t̸i̵o̴n̸ ̶o̶f̴ ̵t̶h̵i̷s̸ ̷u̶n̷i̴t̶ ̶i̴s̵ ̸e̴q̵u̸a̴l̴l̵y̵ ̸i̶r̴r̸e̴l̸e̸v̷a̸n̷t̵.̴+ It soon pointed the glaive directly at Ferrus. +Y̶o̸u̶ ̸a̵r̶e̸ ̶n̶o̶t̸ ̷w̶e̷l̶c̶o̶m̸e̶ ̴h̸e̶r̷e̸.̶ ̵D̶i̶s̶p̴e̶r̸s̸e̴.̴+
A lance of light, what seemed almost to be solar energy, shot towards the Gorgon, who swiftly and easily dodged. "You will find that I am not such easy prey." Gripping Forgebreaker in his hands, Ferrus easily crossed the distance and swung the thunderhammer at Nagatami's body.
Nagatami didn't attempt to block or dodge. Ferrus expected either some type of energy field or maybe it to just tank the hit. Instead, Nagatami went flying into a nearby lavafall. There was no way that it would be so easy to kill such a thing with one blow.
Then Ferrus head it speak again, +I̸n̶t̸r̴u̶d̴e̴r̵ ̷≮F̶e̸r̶r̴u̴s̴ ̶M̴a̷n̴u̵s̷>̵ ̶h̷a̴s̸ ̴t̷r̵a̷c̶e̶s̶ ̴o̷f̷ ̵N̸e̶c̶r̴o̷d̸e̷r̶m̴i̶s̴.̷ ̵T̴h̵i̵s̵ ̷i̵s̵ ̵i̴m̸p̷r̷o̴b̶a̴b̵l̸e̷.̷ ̶T̶h̷i̷s̷ ̶i̵s̶.̵.̴.̶t̵h̶i̵s̵ ̵i̴s̴.̴.̸.̷t̸h̵i̷s̷ ̷i̸s̴.̸.̴.̸+ For a moment, Ferrus believed Nagatami to be glitching until suddenly it went quiet, and its body seemed to…relax? It hadn't shut down. Rather, it reminded the Primarch whenever Fulgrim, Leman, or Sanguinious readied themselves for an actual fight.
Another moment passed as Nagatami seemed to "stare" at the Gorgon for just the briefest moments before it spoke again, this time without the strange distortion and with a tone that Ferrus could only call pleased.
"I thought I was still dreaming." The voice briefly laughed, "Now…" Nagatami gripped its glaive, "Now the trial begins." Energy began to arc across its body, and Ferrus saw a field appear around it. Whatever that attack had done woke the blasted thing up.
"Come, Ferrus Manus." He then beckoned the Primarch forward with two of his free hands, "I have awakened just for you."
Strange as it was, Ferrus felt excited at the issued challenge. "You should've stayed asleep. Now you'll die with your eyes wide open."
Nagatami's green eye glowed ominously, "We shall see."
A moment later, the two charged toward one another. The battle was joined, and the fate of Naga would soon be decided.
Dum Spiro Spero…
Looking down upon the green and brown world, it was impossible to tell that anyone could have suffered amongst such verdant life. Humanity survived on inhospitable words, sometimes only by the skin of their teeth, but they survived all the same. For Warsmith Barabas Dantioc of the Iron Warriors, he had seen entire continents burning from orbit and seas boiling. Yet this Vakera looked almost idyllic. A shining and peaceful jewel.
When the 51st Expeditionary Fleet came upon Vakera, they found only a few primitive satellites in orbit and few signs of any shipwrecks from the Dark Age. By all accounts, a rather dull and mundane world to bring back into the fold. Dantioc was partially correct.
The first signs that something was wrong was when their ships scanned the planet's surface and reported ill-tidings. At least 48 zones of dense infrastructure, such as cities, only seven of which had any outbound vox signals. The others were dead quiet. This was made readily apparent when at night, only seven locations displayed significant surface lumination to be seen from orbit.
Most of these locations were spread out on Vakera across three major continents, though most were divided only by small seas or large rivers. It was safe to say that any interactions between the locals were done mainly through land rather than boat or aircraft. Speaking of which, air traffic appeared somewhat limited to what looked to be government or military planes.
Dantioc soon grasped there were further issues when the vox transmissions coming from Vakera spoke only about weather patterns, migrations of animals and people, and rationing remaining in effect. All of which was to say there was a famine on the planet, probably also a growing crisis related to fuel and refugees.
While Dantioc was neither cruel nor cold to the plight of others, he knew an opportunity presented itself to make for an easy compliance. The Imperium of Man could quickly alleviate all these problems in one fell swoop. Either the group in charge of Vakera would accept, or the people would.
By force if necessary in either case.
The obvious choice was for the 51st Expeditionary Fleet to reveal itself and for Dantioc to take a shuttle down after identifying the capital of Vakera. The Lord of Iron demanded that all compliances be met with "polite displays of overwhelming force" to ensure either a speedy acceptance of Imperial rule or making the mistake of fighting back.
To his credit, Dantioc gave the Vakerans a thirty-minute warning of his arrival outside their capital at a designated location. And to their credit, a force of two hundred soldiers, nine armored vehicles, and 23 attack vehicles were there to greet him and his brothers.
No doubt the Iron Warriors cast an intimidating image, but none more so than the Warsmith himself. His face and skull were enclosed within an iron mask he had crafted. The faceplate was a work of brutal beauty, an interpretation of the IVth Legion's badge. The same iron mask symbol adorned his shoulder. It was whispered that Dantioch had worn the mask immediately after he pulled it glowing from the forge, the better to hammer it into shape around his shaven skull before he dunked his head into ice-cold water, fusing the mask to his face and head.
"I am Warsmith Barabas Dantioc of the Irion Warriors." He announced to the assembled humans surrounding him. "My brothers and I hail from the Imperium of Man and serve the Lord of Iron, Primarch Perturabo. I come in peace. Take me to your leaders, or I shall go and find them myself."
As the Vakerans scrambled to figure out what to do, whether to comply with the demand, shoot the Iron Warriors, or stall for time, Dantioc saw something strange amongst their numbers. A group of seven figures wore what looked to be a modified uniform that was different from what the other soldiers were wearing…but wore bones and talismans. Most noticeable were the skeletal face masks they wore.
Brushing aside such things, Dantioc waited for the Vakerans to make their move. He didn't have to wait long. One of the captains approached and advised that the leadership was ready to meet him at the capital, but onl he and two other companions were allowed to come for "security reasons."
Unless the Vakerans had any psykers or stashed archeotech, Dantioc could probably fight his way out. That was before reinforcements arrived as well. He accepted their demands. Brothers Hugon and Alen were picked to accompany him, and they wasted no time in getting in their Rhino to follow.
Dantioc noted that the decision to follow the Vakerans in a tracked vehicle was undoubtedly not what they intended, but he bluntly pointed out that their armored cars would not be enough to carry the weight of three marines. So it was either the Astartes followed in the Rhino or the shuttle.
The Warsmith didn't give them a chance to refuse or negotiate. Within the next twenty minutes, a small convoy of Vakeran vehicles and one lone Rhino made their way to the capital. The Vakerans didn't know that this Rhino was carrying enough electronics to also listen into the vox conversations the escorts were having. Dantioc at least knew enough that they weren't planning on betraying or killing him and his brothers at the last minute.
What was strange was a repeating reference to "Wights" and how a company of them were en route in case anything went wrong. Some sort of elite unit, then. Dantioc wondered if those men wearing the bones and skull masks were Wights.
Upon entering the capital city, Dantioc got a better look at the state of affairs and how this society was handling itself. What he was disappointing but not unexpected. These people had yet to figure out things like rockets, transistors, and other such technologies.
Granted, while they were technologically primitive, they were at least an orderly, stable society. Dantioc saw plenty of vehicles, people, and elements of a functional culture indicating a distinct lack of crime and civil disobedience.
Worse than Dantioc expected but better than he hoped.
Arriving at the capital took only twenty minutes and another ten minutes to reach what local vox chatter called the "Central Command Office." Several dozen armored vehicles, at least a hundred soldiers, impromptu barricades, and sandbag pits littered an otherwise spartan lawn.
Dantioc saw more of the bone soldiers, the Wights, now moving towards more obscured defensive positions and watching the Astartes closely as the trio stepped out of their Rhino upon parking outside the building. When a series of ambassadors and officials went out to meet with the Warsmith, he wasted no time and demanded to speak with the leadership of this world immediately.
A brief argument ensued before another official appeared and said that the "Chief Administrator" and others were willing to meet with Dantioc. Finally, progress was being made. All that was required was for the Imperials to wait half an hour. Evidently, their primary leader had been out dealing with an ongoing crisis their world was facing.
In this instance, Dantioc was willing to wait. Far be it for him to interrupt an administration taking the time to handle the number of problems their world faced. If nothing else, Dantioc knew the danger of interrupting someone while they were working.
Half an hour passed. A crowd of civilians was gathered outside the capital building, more troops had arrived, and the vox-thief protocols in his power armor picked up increased activity across the entire city. A lockdown had already been declared. Which was a good and bad sign. If the population started to panic, getting out of the capital would be difficult without causing collateral damage.
27 minutes later, the Astartes were brought into a closed atrium. There was a council of about nine men and women, although there were 16 seats. Just enough to fulfill a quorum. At the head of the table was an older-looking woman, possibly in her late 70s. Dantioc had forgotten how old and frail humans became without rejuve, cybernetics, and advanced medicine.
He instantly noticed that one of the members wore a skeletal facemask, albeit one more intricate by design, almost like porcelain than bone. So, the Wights had enough influence to be part of the central government? This wasn't just some special forces unit. They were an entire demographic.
These humans looked nervously at the Warsmith. Unlike the more "approachable" legions, the IVth Legion was intimidating. This was made worse because Dantioc was impossible to read via facial expressions due to the fused metal mask. So that made him all the more "oppressive" to be around.
Unaware of these observations, the lead human began speaking. Introducing herself as Chief Administrator Grenda Meck of the Vakera Commonwealth, she nervously but warmly greeted Dantioc to their world. The Warsmith wasn't interested in pleasantries. He reintroduced himself, who he represented, and then bluntly explained why he came to their world.
"Today marks the beginning of a new era for your world. I come here to bring your world back into the fold. Vakera shall become part of the Imperium of Man. To take its place alongside a hundred thousand other worlds as the Great Crusade returns order and stability to the galaxy."
Just like with so many others, there were looks of shock and confusion. A brief moment of shouting and questioning began before Grenda Meck ordered everyone to quiet down, and she asked Dantioc for an explanation.
What was there to explain? The Imperium of Man had all the power and ability to easily crush their world, but voluntarily joining was simple and beneficial. Their government would not be replaced, nor their citizens or planet be subject to anything beyond needing to pay their tithe to the greater Imperium.
This, in turn, allowed Dantioc to segway into the Imperium, helping them with their problems. Unsurprisingly, this offer got the Vakeran's attention, which caused the Chief Administrator and her council to explain what happened to their world.
Unsurprisingly, the situation was far worse than initially believed. Vakera hadn't always been like this. A thousand years ago, it was a far more technologically advanced and prosperous world, capable of technological feats more suited to a low Imperial world. But for whatever reason, lost to time, the old nations clashed in a global conflict, resulting in the decline of their entire civilization.
However, rather than using atomics or such weapons, the Vakerans used biological weapons as their means of mass destruction. Although, destruction was a bit of a misnomer here. The Vakerans were a people that had made great strides in medicine, ensuring that most diseases were eradicated. Attacking population centers with bio-weapons wouldn't work as well in most other instances…but there were other means to attack and destroy an entire civilization.
First came the Datacide Virus, a silicon-eating microbe that caused cogitator technology to become completely invalidated. Their ancestors made the first "mistake," one whose effects are still felt today. No one remembers who unleashed it. Probably didn't matter anyway.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing unleashed. The second was the Blight, a bacteria designed to attack crops. The Blight has constantly struggled to contain, especially after the Datacide.
Third was the Bloodrot Plague, although this came a century after the first two "mistakes" and during the civil war on Vakera. By this point, most of the biological WMDs had been expended, but so had most of the medicine. Bloodrot was a disease that causes the liver to produce corrupted blood cells, creating a toxic effect on the body. Quite deadly if caught, but plenty had also survived having it.
By now, Dantioc was starting to get an idea of the situation that had occurred here. The Vakerans likely abandoned the cities by the second century following the start of hostilities. So the question was how did they survive as a civilization and not retrogress to a feral state?
Around the fourth century, most of the planet had become a collection of new nation-states that attempted to keep the technologies and knowledge of the past intact, resulting in a quasi-techno-barbarian condition. During this time, an organization of scientists, civilians, and militia known as the Second Chance or simply the Chancers rose to power.
Chief Administrator Meck claims that the Second Chance was ultimately responsible for restoring the planetary government in the 5th century and integrating the Wights during the 8th, which ensured their survival as a people and civilization.
By the eighth century, Vakera was only on the path to recovery. The Chancers had found a means to grow plenty of new food via underwater farming of a specific seaweed and reintroducing a particular breed of rodent that could be safely eaten. The Datacide Virus seemed to have also finally died off, and the Bloodrot Plague was a distant memory.
However, nothing was ever easy in this world. A drought that lasted almost twenty years caused their lands to become dangerously low on drinking water.
Yet it also caused a group of people to come out of hiding, the Wights. The Wights claimed to be descendants of those sick or cast out during the civil war in the second and third centuries. By some miracle, the Wights survived as a nomadic people within the wilds of Vakera. They had become more "feudal" but were still relatively skilled in governance matters. The Commonwealth government requested their aid, especially when they learned of their unique abilities and skillset.
Dantioc interrupted, "What unique abilities? Are these Wights psykers or wyrdlings?" His question was met with confusion. The Vakerans had no idea what a warp user was, but they asked Hospodar Stefan, the uniformed Wight, to explain.
What the Warsmith heard was fascinating but also a bit of a problem.
Hospodar Stefan spoke with a regal accent reminding Dantioc of the Blood Angels for some reason, and briefly explained their history. The Wights initially survived the Bloodrot but carried the disease with them. Knowing that if such knowledge became public to other survivors, they would either be shunned or killed. The decision to leave was an obvious choice.
Isolated from the rest of the world, these survivors started breeding, and those who carried the plague started producing strange mutations. Within a generation, pure-strain humans were replaced by the first Wights. To their shock, the mutations were consistent, even uniform, among their kind.
Hospodar Stefan showcased this to Dantioc by removing his mask to show his unnaturally pale skin and lack of hair. A gaunt figure. It would be hard not to think of the man as a walking cadaver from a distance.
Regardless, the truth was revealed. The Wights were Abhumans, or so they claimed.
While insightful, it didn't explain why the Wights were considered vital to the Vakeran or why they allowed abhumans to mingle with their society. Dantioc knew that some worlds allowed Ogyrns and Ratlings to have a place, but they were often best kept separated.
Stranger still was that the human government defended their contribution as vital to their overall survival mainly due to their contributions as soldiers and mediators. But above all else, they provide logistical support.
"Wights can subsist off of human blood." Stefan explained, "A small pint of blood can allow us to function for days. We still drink water and eat food, but during such precarious times, we simply ask the citizens to provide blood donations so that they can get the most of the rations."
Again, Dantioc wasn't sure what to think of this. Because these Wights sounded like very polite cannibals, or worse, Khornates. However, he admitted this might have been a genuine abhuman ability. Sanguivore creatures weren't exactly indicative of corruption.
Yet as the Hospodar explained their abilities even more, Dantioc started to think there was some sort of warp connection. Stefan spoke of the Bloodtie the Wights shared with one another and how a Wight can gain a temporary effect with a human who detonated their blood. He explains that this allowed them to be used as both enforcers and peacemakers.
"We gain empathy and understanding. It allows us to judge fairly and aid the people where they need it most. The Commonwealth trusts us because we do not desire power or wealth. Our people simply obey their oaths and creeds. The Chancers brought us back into the fold, just as you wish to do with our world because they believed in our ability to contribute to the greater good."
This world used Abhumans to assert control and authority over the populace. Dantioc wasn't sure if he should feel disgusted or impressed. However, Perturabo clarified that anything useful was worth using, barring only a few instances.
Considering the state of Vakera, perhaps these Wights had done their job. Even so, the Warsmith told the council that their Abhumans would need to be "evaluated" by the greater authorities to ensure they could contribute. Otherwise…well, the alternative went unsaid.
Regardless, Dantioc heard enough. The compliance was to be carried out. In exchange for a peaceful declaration toward joining the Imperium of Man, immediate aid would be provided to Vakera through food, water, medicine, and technologies. The Vakerans had no choice on the matter, regardless.
They accepted. Vakera would join the Imperium of Man. With that all said, the Warsmith left the capital and returned to orbit within the hour after explaining Imperial officials and agents would arrive the next day to begin the integration.
Believing everything was resolved, Dantioc was thus quite annoyed when he had to deal with a new problem a month later. There were protests against the Imperial troops sent to distribute and aid the Vakerans. Evidently, the citizens wanted only the Wights to be the ones to do so.
"They trust them completely. I fear we might have a few riots on our hands," was the response the Warsmith got from the commanders below. Dantioc almost laughed but saved his breath to instead give the rations and medicine to the Wights to distribute.
Dantioc also sent a message back down to the Commonweath leadership, ordering them to prepare several regiments of volunteer Wights when they asked why Dantioc regarded the inquiry with derision.
"Any group that can get citizens to love and fear them will have a place in this Imperium. I, for one, shall have them prove their worth to my Primarch. Have your pet bloodsuckers ready to leave within the next five months."
In Terrorum…
Thiel should've known better. Ever since they arrived in this system, he felt a nagging sensation at the back of his mind, similar to what he discerned after a few key battles at Tumultus. Some of his veterans had taken to calling it a sixth sense. While Thiel loathed attributing experience and skill to something so vague, he would be the first to admit that perhaps there was some truth to the idea.
Especially after landing on this blasted moon: Kallisto. That nagging feeling hadn't left Thiel. It only got worse. Something was wrong with this place. More so than anyone could have imagined with this compliance. One needs only to take a moment to revisit the events and clues that led the Vanguard to be here.
Initially, Kallisto wasn't the focus. It had only been given a cursory glance by the 117th Expeditionary Fleet upon arriving in the Halatai system. This system was controlled by a mega-corporation called the Narhon Joint Venture (NJV). A corporatocracy masquerading as a democracy under the overt control of the Board of Directors.
Established and headquartered on Narhon's Hold, the NJV acted the part of an executive office elected by citizens and nobility via a bloated parliament and bureaucracy designed to rubber stamp everything. One might have called it a recipe for cronyism, corruption, and inefficiency.
However, the Halatai system stood out with just how developed and wealthy it appeared to be. While only having four worlds and nine moons colonized, each had a population and industry akin to a Hive World. Orbital infrastructure was all over the system, and a sub-sector-sized fleet held anchorage in-system.
Its corporate armies numbered in the hundreds of billions, and a population of nearly 150 trillion would have made it difficult to break without the assistance of Astartes or Mechanicum elements. The NJV also had access to technologies that would've made it on par with most High Imperial worlds.
To the relief of the diplomats, the NJV was more than welcoming and polite enough to hear their pitch for joining the Imperium of Man. The Board of Directors had expressed interest after living in isolation since the Age of Strife started. Narhon started as independent from the Old Federation and retained this independence even after the galaxy fell apart.
Yet the Board recognized that the times were changing. Joining the Imperium of Man seemed the smartest thing to do, especially if they could do so on their terms. If nothing else, the NJV had plenty to offer.
Much of the neighboring systems were empty and full of resources for the NJV to exploit, yet they had no colonies, only mining stations and listening outposts. They preferred the comforts of their system, and the diplomats couldn't blame them when they saw the "lavish" lifestyle of people living under the NJv's control.
This wealth, coupled with their industry, resulted in prosperity. The rich lived like kings, the middle class enjoyed all luxuries, and even the poorest elements had access to clean water, housing, rations, and even heat and electricity…all paid for by the Board.
When the diplomats heard everything, it sounded like an open and shut case. The NJV would be a beneficial ally, and that they were situated close to the Realm of Ultramar meant that Roboute Guilliman could add their wealth and power to his own, especially if it meant getting additional resources to pay for extensive programs the Primarch was already handling.
Naturally, it was all a little too good to be true.
Let it not be said that the Imperium of Man didn't believe in the old "Trust but Verify" motto regarding compliances. Barely a week into the negotiations, the Imperial ships picked up a transmission broadcasted across the entire system. At first, the Imperials worried this was a coordinated intrusion attack or a declaration of war.
Instead, it was a pict-cast. Again, not of something aimed at the Imperials, but at everyone else in the system. And it originated from the primary moon orbiting Narhon.
Kallisto.
"Welcome to another episode of PRISONER UNKNOWN! This episode is brought to you by the Agorin National Army, where your words are backed by superior firepower! Tonight we have the 9,184th deployment, this time by team Alpha-XXXIV! Can they survive the horrors of level nine and retrieve some goodies? You'll see soon enough! Remember, viewing is mandatory but also covers your work shifts! Another gift from our illustrious Board to you, the citizen!"
This broadcast explained the nature of "Prisoner Unknown" as if it was explicitly designed for the Imperials, which at first bemused the diplomats. This pict-cast sounded almost like a gameshow or sports event. But the amusement didn't last once they started watching.
Amusement turned to confusion, disgust, and finally, horror at what unfolded over the next several hours. The NJV was sending what appeared to be armed prisoners to what appeared to be inside a space hulk of all things. If that wasn't crazy enough, the Imperials watched as murder-servitors, mutants, and other prisoners (either having gone entirely insane or charged with fighting these other teams), and then psykers appeared as adversaries against the group sent into whatever hell the NJV found.
Calling this development a bizarre turn of events understated the confusion and concern the diplomats faced. Just what the hell was the NJV doing? It would be one thing for this to be covered up or hidden…but to broadcast this?
Worse yet was when the tech-priests discovered something strange coming from Kallisto. The Imperium hadn't much time to closely examine every moon or orbital facility within the Halatai system, hence why the attention on that moon in particular escaped notice until the broadcast went out.
As if things couldn't have gotten any crazier, the tech-priests determined that there was incredibly high energy reading coming from the moon, or more specifically, something embedded within Kallisto…it was a space hulk of all things. And it was actively sending out energy readings.
The diplomatic situation took a complete turn in tone and discussion. Suddenly the Imperium was asking tougher questions to the Board: why were you broadcasting this pict-cast? What was the purpose of sending prisoners? Why were their rogue psykers? Why was there a space hulk here? Etc.
It took the Board of Directors a bit of time to explain everything. Prisoner Unknown was the primary means of handling prisoners in their government to keep the population entertained and cooperative. Justice to the NJV was a means of control and profit. They sent prisoners into the hulk to recover rare and alien trinkets and lost technology from an ancient forge facility that once existed on Kallisto.
The mutants, servitors, and insane prisoners were a combination of having already been there or dumped there by the NJV to add some excitement. The psykers, on the other hand, were all directly employed by the Board.
"You employ psykers?"
"Psykers are an elite commodity. Most of them are employed to aid the prisoners that survive via enhancements or healing their wounds."
When asked why not send soldiers down into the hulk, the Board admitted to trying that before realizing how expensive and unpopular it was. They realized throwing heavily armed prisoners was much more cost-effective, entertaining, and politically favorable. That prisoners sometimes returned with archeotech or xenotech was an added boon that allowed their industry and technology to expand to greater heights.
"This prosperity and peace came at a price that we deemed preferable to the alternative. What are the lives of a few million prisoners compared to ensuring hundreds of trillions are taken care of?"
Ironically, Thiel knew plenty within the Imperium would find this an attractive alternative to just creating penal legions or killing prisoners en masse. Thankfully, the diplomats in charge of this compliance found this practice and the underlining threat it was intertwined with intolerable.
So as the diplomacy between the NJV and Imperium started to degrade, the Space Marines were called into action. The Ultramarines were requested to send aid to "retire" the Board of Directors and replace them with a new system better suited to fix this situation.
And swift action would be needed. First Master Gage declared this compliance would be the first test for the Vanguard. A chance for Thiel and his marines to prove themselves in what should be a relatively straightforward mission.
Five weeks later, thanks to the Raven Guard stealth destroyer, Thiel and the Vanguard slipped into the Halatai system unnoticed. Their mission was to eliminate the Board of Directors…at least, that was the initial plan.
Because while waiting, the diplomats had been hard at work trying to speak with anyone willing to secretly come forward to provide information to the eventual conquest of the NJV and their worlds.
One such individual approached. Doctor Rano Conner was a scientist working on Kallisto for almost five years and came forward practically demanding an audience with the diplomats to warn them of what was happening in Kallisto.
"The board has flagrantly disregarded all my warnings, but you mustn't! Far worse things are hiding among the ruins of what you call a space hulk. Things that science can no longer begin to explain. They are using the psykers to create flesh weapons and storage crates! Yet that all pales compared to the Tyrant and the board's attempts to control!
"The Tyrant? Who or what is the Tyrant?"
"A creature or entity that seems to be the true master of the ruins and the hulk now. We only discovered it a century ago but initially thought it was a servitor or machine. It's not. I can only describe it as a cybernetically enhanced pile of bones."
Thiel was taken aback when the descriptions and pictures showed what looked to be a heavily modified and armed Dinosaur. Something about it also made the hair on the back of Thiel's neck stand up, just like back on Tumultus.
Doctor Conner wasn't finished, though. "My team and I tried to find a means to control or at least kill the blasted thing, but the Board decided that wasn't good enough. So now they will have the biomancers try their luck with trying to control the Tyrant!"
"But why?"
"Because they can weaponize the power and think it can be used to create a form of immortality via something the Board calls the Death Warder. Besides, if they control the Tyrant, they can pillage the hulk to their heart's content."
"So why come forward to us?"
"I don't want the entire system to die."
"What?!"
"You've probably noticed by now the power signature from Kallisto. It's getting out of control, and I imagine because of your confrontation with the Board over Prisoner Unknown, they are now going to escalate their attempts to control Tyrant and its powers. But if this thing gets out of control? It'll feed off whatever power source it draws from and likely explode in power. Probably creating a blasted warp storm if we are lucky. The alternatives might be even more disastrous."
Vanguard's mission changed after that. For all Thiel knew, this was a daemonic threat that was about to be unleashed. He sent an emergency astropathic message to the Primarch to request a team of Eternal Wardens to be dispatched to the Halatai system if something went wrong. Thiel wasn't going to take any chances.
The redeployment to Kallisto and toward the buried space hulk was now the priority. Thiel and 8,000 marines all but stormed the moon's surface, encountering only minor resistance as the guards had grown lax and security measures were pitiful.
Beginning their descent into the space hulk, Thiel and the Vanguard noticed what appeared to be camera drones following them. At first, his marines wanted to shoot them, but Thiel got a better idea.
"Let them follow us. Perhaps if the people see what is happening here, they will understand why we must destroy the wickedness here."
Within only an hour of their journey, the Ultramarines encountered dozens of teams of prisoners who ultimately succumbed to this ghoulish sport. Then there were the bands of mutants and servitors, but they were obstacles compared to psykers and "rogue" killers who were enhanced via biomancy and armed with dangerous archeotech.
Still, the Vanguard pressed onward. To the NJV's credit and the Ultramarines' boon, much of the lower and middle sections of entombed space hulk were simple enough to move about…until Thiel and his marines got the lowest levels.
By now, they started to notice very odd mutants and twisted psykers. They took on strange reptilian characteristics and were clearly dead. The Vanguard called these foul entities "Raptors" due to their screeching and monomolecular claws. Deeper and deeper the Vanguard went, encountering signs of the Tyrant in some places. All the while, Thiel felt that twisting sensation in the pit of his stomach.
Regardless, the Vanguard pressed on. Thiel didn't think anything else could surprise him until they encountered a section of the hulk containing a jungle.
Thiel knew, almost instinctively, that this was the lair of the Tyrant. It was both natural and unnatural, almost like a memory of a place that was brought back into being. It was far too similar to the Nomad World for Thiel's liking.
"Ready yourself, brothers. We kill whatever evil lurks in this realm."
Off in the distance, the Vanguard heard the unnatural, otherworld roar of the Tyrant. It was time for this hunt to conclude. One way or another…
---
@Daemon Hunter Okay, here you go.
For context, here are the three compliances. Each were modified in various ways to make them a bit more interesting after player/GM input
Guilliman 2: A world focusing on using extremely violent executions on captive enemies as a deterrence to others, using biomancer psykers to further the gruesome act.
Perturabo 20: A military force on a world with intense food and water supply issues, survives through intense rationing. Tough but fair, experienced in maintaining supply and dishing out quick punishment to dissenters. Would work well with the Sun Guard and/or Black Brigades. Called the 'Wights'.
Ferrus 19: A world named 'Naga' that's almost identical to Medusa, complete with similar technology constructs and also possessing another monstrous Necron beast.
---
Flashpoint: Compliances
Spiritus Invictus…
This world disturbed Ferrus Manus. The natives of this world called it Naga. Ferrus didn't know what part of Naga disturbed him the most that it was so eerily similar to his homeworld of Medusa.
Everything from the wrecks of starships in orbit, unstable tectonic plates, vast mountains, dangerous volcanoes, or this world's humans likewise lived in mobile crawler cities. Humans lived as techno-barbarian city-states and battled against the numerous "monsters" that were the old relics of the Dark Age that were still active today.
When Ferrus learned that the natives had a local legend, passed down through a hundred generations, of the "Thirteen Daughters of Telstarax," the same Ring of Iron that died over Medusa, the Primarch knew that Naga and Medusa were kin. The Mechanicum even found a few traces of genetic lineages on this world that could be traced back to a few ancient clans on Medusa.
If Medusa was "mother" to Ferrus Manus, then Naga was an "aunt," to use human nomenclature for this particular situation. These people were his responsibility. His family. Not that they recognized Ferrus Manus as anything such. But that would change in time.
The clans of Naga greeted the Primarch with the respect given to a man hailing from the stars above deserved but warned him that the master of their world would not take kindly to his arrival here.
"Beware, stranger. The Hunter sees and knows all on Naga and waits within the Realm of Hatash. They will know of your arrival, Ferrus of Medusa." Just like on Medusa, there was a beast in this world. One whose cruelty and destruction had earned its status as lord and master. Just like with Asirnoth.
Nagatami the Hunter. The name caused Ferrus to feel his hands twitch. Living metal did not react unless it was near something that resonated with it. Nagatami and Asirnoth had to be connected. That Naga and Medusa alone were somehow "daughters" to Telstarax hinted to the Primarch that there was much more afoot than he initially thought.
The clans of Naga had been victims of Nagatami for centuries. Unlike Asirnoth, this particular monster had routinely sent out challenges and calls for champions to come and face it within its blighted realm. Few ever returned, but it was a necessary sacrifice in most cases. Nagatami threatened to attack the clans directly if this demand wasn't met.
Yet, unlike Medusa, the clans of Naga had united under the banner of a council of Lords, Elders, and Champions. Ferrus felt a slight tinge of envy over Nagaian's ability to overcome centuries of grievances and feuds to stop Nagatami from destroying everything they held sacred and dear to them. It took them generations to produce the best warriors, and even then, it was never enough to finally end Nagatami.
These people had an indomitable spirit, but they were still only human. Entire armies and great champions were lost to the Hunter, all to keep its bloodlust sated. That was going to change.
Just as Ferrus ended Asirnoth, so too shall Nagatami fall.
It was simple and easy enough for Ferrus to get his clans to agree to aid in this endeavor. The Primarch had an army of super-human soldiers, and Ferrus himself wielded powerful weapons with arms of living metal. A god and his angels by any other metric. The Council of Naga gave the Gorgon the necessary details to find Nagatami within the Forbidden Realm of Hatash.
A destination given, Ferrus called upon ten thousand of his sons to follow him into battle and hundreds of thousands of eager Nagaians warriors to witness Nagatami the Hunter's end. The greatest war host the world had ever seen gathered and descended upon the Realm of Hatash.
Upon wings of steel and fire, the Iron Fists and Nagaians invaded the realm and encountered millions of minor machines, repurposed and remade by Nagatami, but no more than automated mining and lesser security robots. The Nagaians knew that the Hunter made its home within the ruins of an abandoned mining outpost built into a volcano called the "Black Soul," At the volcano's base, Ferrus Manus rallied the clan warriors.
A great siege of the Black Soul commenced in the following two months. The shifting environment and robust static defenses made for a difficult march into the heart of the volcano fortress. Old and distorted machines of the Golden Agent descended upon the gathered host. Tens of thousands perished, but the dead acted as stepping stones toward the Hunter's lair. All the while, Nagatami was nowhere to be seen.
Finally, an opening presented itself after a third month into the siege. This was the opportunity that Ferrus had been waiting for. Another score of warriors died, but before long, a cohort of Iron Hands and Nagaians arrived at the "gates" of the Hunter's Lair.
Addressing his sons and cousins, Ferrus Manus remembered Fulgrim's advice in a moment like this, "Here is where the Hunter lords over your world! If you wish to take it back, you must be the hunter and slay Nagatami! Follow me, and I shall show you how!"
A thunderous cheer rang out across the battlefield. Even though most of the clan warriors would perish, those that survived would carry on the tale of the Gorgon Slaying the Naga. The hunted were now finally the hunters.
Within the Black Soul, though, Ferrus Manus would be the one that would stand face-to-face and decide the final fate of Nagatami. As the swarms of decrepit and twisted machines harried the human and Astartes, the Gorgon strode into the lair of Nagatami carrying Forgebreaker in his metal hands. Unlike the battle with Asirnoth, Ferrus was stronger, wiser, and gifted with a weapon from his beloved brother Fulgrim.
He could not lose against Nagatami.
Just with Asirnoth, Ferrus would find the Hunter "bathing" within the magma of Black Soul. The heat, which would've otherwise cooked a lesser man in minutes, didn't even cause the Gorgon to break a sweat.
Nagatami the Hunter was a strange entity. Clearly a machine and alien as well. But unlike the Great Silver Serpent, Ferrus saw an almost "humanoid" carapace or skeleton. The Nagaians had long since lost records of what the Hunter looked like, referring to it only as a "snake" but nothing more.
It had a serpent-like lower half, but beyond that, its torso and head were vaguely humanoid. It was green and obsidian, and its sole eye glowed with an unnatural light that caused Ferrus's arms to feel a slight burning sensation starting from the fingers and heading up his forearms. It had four limbs, two carrying a dangerous and pulsating green glaive.
+W̸h̷o̵ ̴c̴o̷m̵e̵s̷ ̸b̴e̵f̷o̷r̶e̷ ̴t̵h̷i̶s̵ ̶v̷e̸s̸s̵e̴l̶?̷+
The voice was unlike anything Ferrus had heard before, but his mind translated it without even a second thought. Such an unexpected interaction, unlike with Asirnoth. It sounded robotic. A rogue AI, then?
"I am Ferrus Manus. Primarch of the Iron Hands and liberator of this world. Nagatami, I take it?"
+D̸e̵s̵i̵g̸n̵a̶t̴i̸o̶n̸ ̵o̷f̷ ̵i̷n̷t̸r̴u̵d̴e̸r̴ ̴i̶r̷r̴e̶l̴e̴v̷a̶n̵t̴.̶ ̶T̶h̵e̵ ̴d̵e̴s̷i̷g̷n̴a̷t̸i̵o̴n̸ ̶o̶f̴ ̵t̶h̵i̷s̸ ̷u̶n̷i̴t̶ ̶i̴s̵ ̸e̴q̵u̸a̴l̴l̵y̵ ̸i̶r̴r̸e̴l̸e̸v̷a̸n̷t̵.̴+ It soon pointed the glaive directly at Ferrus. +Y̶o̸u̶ ̸a̵r̶e̸ ̶n̶o̶t̸ ̷w̶e̷l̶c̶o̶m̸e̶ ̴h̸e̶r̷e̸.̶ ̵D̶i̶s̶p̴e̶r̸s̸e̴.̴+
A lance of light, what seemed almost to be solar energy, shot towards the Gorgon, who swiftly and easily dodged. "You will find that I am not such easy prey." Gripping Forgebreaker in his hands, Ferrus easily crossed the distance and swung the thunderhammer at Nagatami's body.
Nagatami didn't attempt to block or dodge. Ferrus expected either some type of energy field or maybe it to just tank the hit. Instead, Nagatami went flying into a nearby lavafall. There was no way that it would be so easy to kill such a thing with one blow.
Then Ferrus head it speak again, +I̸n̶t̸r̴u̶d̴e̴r̵ ̷≮F̶e̸r̶r̴u̴s̴ ̶M̴a̷n̴u̵s̷>̵ ̶h̷a̴s̸ ̴t̷r̵a̷c̶e̶s̶ ̴o̷f̷ ̵N̸e̶c̶r̴o̷d̸e̷r̶m̴i̶s̴.̷ ̵T̴h̵i̵s̵ ̷i̵s̵ ̵i̴m̸p̷r̷o̴b̶a̴b̵l̸e̷.̷ ̶T̶h̷i̷s̷ ̶i̵s̶.̵.̴.̶t̵h̶i̵s̵ ̵i̴s̴.̴.̸.̷t̸h̵i̷s̷ ̷i̸s̴.̸.̴.̸+ For a moment, Ferrus believed Nagatami to be glitching until suddenly it went quiet, and its body seemed to…relax? It hadn't shut down. Rather, it reminded the Primarch whenever Fulgrim, Leman, or Sanguinious readied themselves for an actual fight.
Another moment passed as Nagatami seemed to "stare" at the Gorgon for just the briefest moments before it spoke again, this time without the strange distortion and with a tone that Ferrus could only call pleased.
"I thought I was still dreaming." The voice briefly laughed, "Now…" Nagatami gripped its glaive, "Now the trial begins." Energy began to arc across its body, and Ferrus saw a field appear around it. Whatever that attack had done woke the blasted thing up.
"Come, Ferrus Manus." He then beckoned the Primarch forward with two of his free hands, "I have awakened just for you."
Strange as it was, Ferrus felt excited at the issued challenge. "You should've stayed asleep. Now you'll die with your eyes wide open."
Nagatami's green eye glowed ominously, "We shall see."
A moment later, the two charged toward one another. The battle was joined, and the fate of Naga would soon be decided.
Dum Spiro Spero…
Looking down upon the green and brown world, it was impossible to tell that anyone could have suffered amongst such verdant life. Humanity survived on inhospitable words, sometimes only by the skin of their teeth, but they survived all the same. For Warsmith Barabas Dantioc of the Iron Warriors, he had seen entire continents burning from orbit and seas boiling. Yet this Vakera looked almost idyllic. A shining and peaceful jewel.
When the 51st Expeditionary Fleet came upon Vakera, they found only a few primitive satellites in orbit and few signs of any shipwrecks from the Dark Age. By all accounts, a rather dull and mundane world to bring back into the fold. Dantioc was partially correct.
The first signs that something was wrong was when their ships scanned the planet's surface and reported ill-tidings. At least 48 zones of dense infrastructure, such as cities, only seven of which had any outbound vox signals. The others were dead quiet. This was made readily apparent when at night, only seven locations displayed significant surface lumination to be seen from orbit.
Most of these locations were spread out on Vakera across three major continents, though most were divided only by small seas or large rivers. It was safe to say that any interactions between the locals were done mainly through land rather than boat or aircraft. Speaking of which, air traffic appeared somewhat limited to what looked to be government or military planes.
Dantioc soon grasped there were further issues when the vox transmissions coming from Vakera spoke only about weather patterns, migrations of animals and people, and rationing remaining in effect. All of which was to say there was a famine on the planet, probably also a growing crisis related to fuel and refugees.
While Dantioc was neither cruel nor cold to the plight of others, he knew an opportunity presented itself to make for an easy compliance. The Imperium of Man could quickly alleviate all these problems in one fell swoop. Either the group in charge of Vakera would accept, or the people would.
By force if necessary in either case.
The obvious choice was for the 51st Expeditionary Fleet to reveal itself and for Dantioc to take a shuttle down after identifying the capital of Vakera. The Lord of Iron demanded that all compliances be met with "polite displays of overwhelming force" to ensure either a speedy acceptance of Imperial rule or making the mistake of fighting back.
To his credit, Dantioc gave the Vakerans a thirty-minute warning of his arrival outside their capital at a designated location. And to their credit, a force of two hundred soldiers, nine armored vehicles, and 23 attack vehicles were there to greet him and his brothers.
No doubt the Iron Warriors cast an intimidating image, but none more so than the Warsmith himself. His face and skull were enclosed within an iron mask he had crafted. The faceplate was a work of brutal beauty, an interpretation of the IVth Legion's badge. The same iron mask symbol adorned his shoulder. It was whispered that Dantioch had worn the mask immediately after he pulled it glowing from the forge, the better to hammer it into shape around his shaven skull before he dunked his head into ice-cold water, fusing the mask to his face and head.
"I am Warsmith Barabas Dantioc of the Irion Warriors." He announced to the assembled humans surrounding him. "My brothers and I hail from the Imperium of Man and serve the Lord of Iron, Primarch Perturabo. I come in peace. Take me to your leaders, or I shall go and find them myself."
As the Vakerans scrambled to figure out what to do, whether to comply with the demand, shoot the Iron Warriors, or stall for time, Dantioc saw something strange amongst their numbers. A group of seven figures wore what looked to be a modified uniform that was different from what the other soldiers were wearing…but wore bones and talismans. Most noticeable were the skeletal face masks they wore.
Brushing aside such things, Dantioc waited for the Vakerans to make their move. He didn't have to wait long. One of the captains approached and advised that the leadership was ready to meet him at the capital, but onl he and two other companions were allowed to come for "security reasons."
Unless the Vakerans had any psykers or stashed archeotech, Dantioc could probably fight his way out. That was before reinforcements arrived as well. He accepted their demands. Brothers Hugon and Alen were picked to accompany him, and they wasted no time in getting in their Rhino to follow.
Dantioc noted that the decision to follow the Vakerans in a tracked vehicle was undoubtedly not what they intended, but he bluntly pointed out that their armored cars would not be enough to carry the weight of three marines. So it was either the Astartes followed in the Rhino or the shuttle.
The Warsmith didn't give them a chance to refuse or negotiate. Within the next twenty minutes, a small convoy of Vakeran vehicles and one lone Rhino made their way to the capital. The Vakerans didn't know that this Rhino was carrying enough electronics to also listen into the vox conversations the escorts were having. Dantioc at least knew enough that they weren't planning on betraying or killing him and his brothers at the last minute.
What was strange was a repeating reference to "Wights" and how a company of them were en route in case anything went wrong. Some sort of elite unit, then. Dantioc wondered if those men wearing the bones and skull masks were Wights.
Upon entering the capital city, Dantioc got a better look at the state of affairs and how this society was handling itself. What he was disappointing but not unexpected. These people had yet to figure out things like rockets, transistors, and other such technologies.
Granted, while they were technologically primitive, they were at least an orderly, stable society. Dantioc saw plenty of vehicles, people, and elements of a functional culture indicating a distinct lack of crime and civil disobedience.
Worse than Dantioc expected but better than he hoped.
Arriving at the capital took only twenty minutes and another ten minutes to reach what local vox chatter called the "Central Command Office." Several dozen armored vehicles, at least a hundred soldiers, impromptu barricades, and sandbag pits littered an otherwise spartan lawn.
Dantioc saw more of the bone soldiers, the Wights, now moving towards more obscured defensive positions and watching the Astartes closely as the trio stepped out of their Rhino upon parking outside the building. When a series of ambassadors and officials went out to meet with the Warsmith, he wasted no time and demanded to speak with the leadership of this world immediately.
A brief argument ensued before another official appeared and said that the "Chief Administrator" and others were willing to meet with Dantioc. Finally, progress was being made. All that was required was for the Imperials to wait half an hour. Evidently, their primary leader had been out dealing with an ongoing crisis their world was facing.
In this instance, Dantioc was willing to wait. Far be it for him to interrupt an administration taking the time to handle the number of problems their world faced. If nothing else, Dantioc knew the danger of interrupting someone while they were working.
Half an hour passed. A crowd of civilians was gathered outside the capital building, more troops had arrived, and the vox-thief protocols in his power armor picked up increased activity across the entire city. A lockdown had already been declared. Which was a good and bad sign. If the population started to panic, getting out of the capital would be difficult without causing collateral damage.
27 minutes later, the Astartes were brought into a closed atrium. There was a council of about nine men and women, although there were 16 seats. Just enough to fulfill a quorum. At the head of the table was an older-looking woman, possibly in her late 70s. Dantioc had forgotten how old and frail humans became without rejuve, cybernetics, and advanced medicine.
He instantly noticed that one of the members wore a skeletal facemask, albeit one more intricate by design, almost like porcelain than bone. So, the Wights had enough influence to be part of the central government? This wasn't just some special forces unit. They were an entire demographic.
These humans looked nervously at the Warsmith. Unlike the more "approachable" legions, the IVth Legion was intimidating. This was made worse because Dantioc was impossible to read via facial expressions due to the fused metal mask. So that made him all the more "oppressive" to be around.
Unaware of these observations, the lead human began speaking. Introducing herself as Chief Administrator Grenda Meck of the Vakera Commonwealth, she nervously but warmly greeted Dantioc to their world. The Warsmith wasn't interested in pleasantries. He reintroduced himself, who he represented, and then bluntly explained why he came to their world.
"Today marks the beginning of a new era for your world. I come here to bring your world back into the fold. Vakera shall become part of the Imperium of Man. To take its place alongside a hundred thousand other worlds as the Great Crusade returns order and stability to the galaxy."
Just like with so many others, there were looks of shock and confusion. A brief moment of shouting and questioning began before Grenda Meck ordered everyone to quiet down, and she asked Dantioc for an explanation.
What was there to explain? The Imperium of Man had all the power and ability to easily crush their world, but voluntarily joining was simple and beneficial. Their government would not be replaced, nor their citizens or planet be subject to anything beyond needing to pay their tithe to the greater Imperium.
This, in turn, allowed Dantioc to segway into the Imperium, helping them with their problems. Unsurprisingly, this offer got the Vakeran's attention, which caused the Chief Administrator and her council to explain what happened to their world.
Unsurprisingly, the situation was far worse than initially believed. Vakera hadn't always been like this. A thousand years ago, it was a far more technologically advanced and prosperous world, capable of technological feats more suited to a low Imperial world. But for whatever reason, lost to time, the old nations clashed in a global conflict, resulting in the decline of their entire civilization.
However, rather than using atomics or such weapons, the Vakerans used biological weapons as their means of mass destruction. Although, destruction was a bit of a misnomer here. The Vakerans were a people that had made great strides in medicine, ensuring that most diseases were eradicated. Attacking population centers with bio-weapons wouldn't work as well in most other instances…but there were other means to attack and destroy an entire civilization.
First came the Datacide Virus, a silicon-eating microbe that caused cogitator technology to become completely invalidated. Their ancestors made the first "mistake," one whose effects are still felt today. No one remembers who unleashed it. Probably didn't matter anyway.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing unleashed. The second was the Blight, a bacteria designed to attack crops. The Blight has constantly struggled to contain, especially after the Datacide.
Third was the Bloodrot Plague, although this came a century after the first two "mistakes" and during the civil war on Vakera. By this point, most of the biological WMDs had been expended, but so had most of the medicine. Bloodrot was a disease that causes the liver to produce corrupted blood cells, creating a toxic effect on the body. Quite deadly if caught, but plenty had also survived having it.
By now, Dantioc was starting to get an idea of the situation that had occurred here. The Vakerans likely abandoned the cities by the second century following the start of hostilities. So the question was how did they survive as a civilization and not retrogress to a feral state?
Around the fourth century, most of the planet had become a collection of new nation-states that attempted to keep the technologies and knowledge of the past intact, resulting in a quasi-techno-barbarian condition. During this time, an organization of scientists, civilians, and militia known as the Second Chance or simply the Chancers rose to power.
Chief Administrator Meck claims that the Second Chance was ultimately responsible for restoring the planetary government in the 5th century and integrating the Wights during the 8th, which ensured their survival as a people and civilization.
By the eighth century, Vakera was only on the path to recovery. The Chancers had found a means to grow plenty of new food via underwater farming of a specific seaweed and reintroducing a particular breed of rodent that could be safely eaten. The Datacide Virus seemed to have also finally died off, and the Bloodrot Plague was a distant memory.
However, nothing was ever easy in this world. A drought that lasted almost twenty years caused their lands to become dangerously low on drinking water.
Yet it also caused a group of people to come out of hiding, the Wights. The Wights claimed to be descendants of those sick or cast out during the civil war in the second and third centuries. By some miracle, the Wights survived as a nomadic people within the wilds of Vakera. They had become more "feudal" but were still relatively skilled in governance matters. The Commonwealth government requested their aid, especially when they learned of their unique abilities and skillset.
Dantioc interrupted, "What unique abilities? Are these Wights psykers or wyrdlings?" His question was met with confusion. The Vakerans had no idea what a warp user was, but they asked Hospodar Stefan, the uniformed Wight, to explain.
What the Warsmith heard was fascinating but also a bit of a problem.
Hospodar Stefan spoke with a regal accent reminding Dantioc of the Blood Angels for some reason, and briefly explained their history. The Wights initially survived the Bloodrot but carried the disease with them. Knowing that if such knowledge became public to other survivors, they would either be shunned or killed. The decision to leave was an obvious choice.
Isolated from the rest of the world, these survivors started breeding, and those who carried the plague started producing strange mutations. Within a generation, pure-strain humans were replaced by the first Wights. To their shock, the mutations were consistent, even uniform, among their kind.
Hospodar Stefan showcased this to Dantioc by removing his mask to show his unnaturally pale skin and lack of hair. A gaunt figure. It would be hard not to think of the man as a walking cadaver from a distance.
Regardless, the truth was revealed. The Wights were Abhumans, or so they claimed.
While insightful, it didn't explain why the Wights were considered vital to the Vakeran or why they allowed abhumans to mingle with their society. Dantioc knew that some worlds allowed Ogyrns and Ratlings to have a place, but they were often best kept separated.
Stranger still was that the human government defended their contribution as vital to their overall survival mainly due to their contributions as soldiers and mediators. But above all else, they provide logistical support.
"Wights can subsist off of human blood." Stefan explained, "A small pint of blood can allow us to function for days. We still drink water and eat food, but during such precarious times, we simply ask the citizens to provide blood donations so that they can get the most of the rations."
Again, Dantioc wasn't sure what to think of this. Because these Wights sounded like very polite cannibals, or worse, Khornates. However, he admitted this might have been a genuine abhuman ability. Sanguivore creatures weren't exactly indicative of corruption.
Yet as the Hospodar explained their abilities even more, Dantioc started to think there was some sort of warp connection. Stefan spoke of the Bloodtie the Wights shared with one another and how a Wight can gain a temporary effect with a human who detonated their blood. He explains that this allowed them to be used as both enforcers and peacemakers.
"We gain empathy and understanding. It allows us to judge fairly and aid the people where they need it most. The Commonwealth trusts us because we do not desire power or wealth. Our people simply obey their oaths and creeds. The Chancers brought us back into the fold, just as you wish to do with our world because they believed in our ability to contribute to the greater good."
This world used Abhumans to assert control and authority over the populace. Dantioc wasn't sure if he should feel disgusted or impressed. However, Perturabo clarified that anything useful was worth using, barring only a few instances.
Considering the state of Vakera, perhaps these Wights had done their job. Even so, the Warsmith told the council that their Abhumans would need to be "evaluated" by the greater authorities to ensure they could contribute. Otherwise…well, the alternative went unsaid.
Regardless, Dantioc heard enough. The compliance was to be carried out. In exchange for a peaceful declaration toward joining the Imperium of Man, immediate aid would be provided to Vakera through food, water, medicine, and technologies. The Vakerans had no choice on the matter, regardless.
They accepted. Vakera would join the Imperium of Man. With that all said, the Warsmith left the capital and returned to orbit within the hour after explaining Imperial officials and agents would arrive the next day to begin the integration.
Believing everything was resolved, Dantioc was thus quite annoyed when he had to deal with a new problem a month later. There were protests against the Imperial troops sent to distribute and aid the Vakerans. Evidently, the citizens wanted only the Wights to be the ones to do so.
"They trust them completely. I fear we might have a few riots on our hands," was the response the Warsmith got from the commanders below. Dantioc almost laughed but saved his breath to instead give the rations and medicine to the Wights to distribute.
Dantioc also sent a message back down to the Commonweath leadership, ordering them to prepare several regiments of volunteer Wights when they asked why Dantioc regarded the inquiry with derision.
"Any group that can get citizens to love and fear them will have a place in this Imperium. I, for one, shall have them prove their worth to my Primarch. Have your pet bloodsuckers ready to leave within the next five months."
In Terrorum…
Thiel should've known better. Ever since they arrived in this system, he felt a nagging sensation at the back of his mind, similar to what he discerned after a few key battles at Tumultus. Some of his veterans had taken to calling it a sixth sense. While Thiel loathed attributing experience and skill to something so vague, he would be the first to admit that perhaps there was some truth to the idea.
Especially after landing on this blasted moon: Kallisto. That nagging feeling hadn't left Thiel. It only got worse. Something was wrong with this place. More so than anyone could have imagined with this compliance. One needs only to take a moment to revisit the events and clues that led the Vanguard to be here.
Initially, Kallisto wasn't the focus. It had only been given a cursory glance by the 117th Expeditionary Fleet upon arriving in the Halatai system. This system was controlled by a mega-corporation called the Narhon Joint Venture (NJV). A corporatocracy masquerading as a democracy under the overt control of the Board of Directors.
Established and headquartered on Narhon's Hold, the NJV acted the part of an executive office elected by citizens and nobility via a bloated parliament and bureaucracy designed to rubber stamp everything. One might have called it a recipe for cronyism, corruption, and inefficiency.
However, the Halatai system stood out with just how developed and wealthy it appeared to be. While only having four worlds and nine moons colonized, each had a population and industry akin to a Hive World. Orbital infrastructure was all over the system, and a sub-sector-sized fleet held anchorage in-system.
Its corporate armies numbered in the hundreds of billions, and a population of nearly 150 trillion would have made it difficult to break without the assistance of Astartes or Mechanicum elements. The NJV also had access to technologies that would've made it on par with most High Imperial worlds.
To the relief of the diplomats, the NJV was more than welcoming and polite enough to hear their pitch for joining the Imperium of Man. The Board of Directors had expressed interest after living in isolation since the Age of Strife started. Narhon started as independent from the Old Federation and retained this independence even after the galaxy fell apart.
Yet the Board recognized that the times were changing. Joining the Imperium of Man seemed the smartest thing to do, especially if they could do so on their terms. If nothing else, the NJV had plenty to offer.
Much of the neighboring systems were empty and full of resources for the NJV to exploit, yet they had no colonies, only mining stations and listening outposts. They preferred the comforts of their system, and the diplomats couldn't blame them when they saw the "lavish" lifestyle of people living under the NJv's control.
This wealth, coupled with their industry, resulted in prosperity. The rich lived like kings, the middle class enjoyed all luxuries, and even the poorest elements had access to clean water, housing, rations, and even heat and electricity…all paid for by the Board.
When the diplomats heard everything, it sounded like an open and shut case. The NJV would be a beneficial ally, and that they were situated close to the Realm of Ultramar meant that Roboute Guilliman could add their wealth and power to his own, especially if it meant getting additional resources to pay for extensive programs the Primarch was already handling.
Naturally, it was all a little too good to be true.
Let it not be said that the Imperium of Man didn't believe in the old "Trust but Verify" motto regarding compliances. Barely a week into the negotiations, the Imperial ships picked up a transmission broadcasted across the entire system. At first, the Imperials worried this was a coordinated intrusion attack or a declaration of war.
Instead, it was a pict-cast. Again, not of something aimed at the Imperials, but at everyone else in the system. And it originated from the primary moon orbiting Narhon.
Kallisto.
"Welcome to another episode of PRISONER UNKNOWN! This episode is brought to you by the Agorin National Army, where your words are backed by superior firepower! Tonight we have the 9,184th deployment, this time by team Alpha-XXXIV! Can they survive the horrors of level nine and retrieve some goodies? You'll see soon enough! Remember, viewing is mandatory but also covers your work shifts! Another gift from our illustrious Board to you, the citizen!"
This broadcast explained the nature of "Prisoner Unknown" as if it was explicitly designed for the Imperials, which at first bemused the diplomats. This pict-cast sounded almost like a gameshow or sports event. But the amusement didn't last once they started watching.
Amusement turned to confusion, disgust, and finally, horror at what unfolded over the next several hours. The NJV was sending what appeared to be armed prisoners to what appeared to be inside a space hulk of all things. If that wasn't crazy enough, the Imperials watched as murder-servitors, mutants, and other prisoners (either having gone entirely insane or charged with fighting these other teams), and then psykers appeared as adversaries against the group sent into whatever hell the NJV found.
Calling this development a bizarre turn of events understated the confusion and concern the diplomats faced. Just what the hell was the NJV doing? It would be one thing for this to be covered up or hidden…but to broadcast this?
Worse yet was when the tech-priests discovered something strange coming from Kallisto. The Imperium hadn't much time to closely examine every moon or orbital facility within the Halatai system, hence why the attention on that moon in particular escaped notice until the broadcast went out.
As if things couldn't have gotten any crazier, the tech-priests determined that there was incredibly high energy reading coming from the moon, or more specifically, something embedded within Kallisto…it was a space hulk of all things. And it was actively sending out energy readings.
The diplomatic situation took a complete turn in tone and discussion. Suddenly the Imperium was asking tougher questions to the Board: why were you broadcasting this pict-cast? What was the purpose of sending prisoners? Why were their rogue psykers? Why was there a space hulk here? Etc.
It took the Board of Directors a bit of time to explain everything. Prisoner Unknown was the primary means of handling prisoners in their government to keep the population entertained and cooperative. Justice to the NJV was a means of control and profit. They sent prisoners into the hulk to recover rare and alien trinkets and lost technology from an ancient forge facility that once existed on Kallisto.
The mutants, servitors, and insane prisoners were a combination of having already been there or dumped there by the NJV to add some excitement. The psykers, on the other hand, were all directly employed by the Board.
"You employ psykers?"
"Psykers are an elite commodity. Most of them are employed to aid the prisoners that survive via enhancements or healing their wounds."
When asked why not send soldiers down into the hulk, the Board admitted to trying that before realizing how expensive and unpopular it was. They realized throwing heavily armed prisoners was much more cost-effective, entertaining, and politically favorable. That prisoners sometimes returned with archeotech or xenotech was an added boon that allowed their industry and technology to expand to greater heights.
"This prosperity and peace came at a price that we deemed preferable to the alternative. What are the lives of a few million prisoners compared to ensuring hundreds of trillions are taken care of?"
Ironically, Thiel knew plenty within the Imperium would find this an attractive alternative to just creating penal legions or killing prisoners en masse. Thankfully, the diplomats in charge of this compliance found this practice and the underlining threat it was intertwined with intolerable.
So as the diplomacy between the NJV and Imperium started to degrade, the Space Marines were called into action. The Ultramarines were requested to send aid to "retire" the Board of Directors and replace them with a new system better suited to fix this situation.
And swift action would be needed. First Master Gage declared this compliance would be the first test for the Vanguard. A chance for Thiel and his marines to prove themselves in what should be a relatively straightforward mission.
Five weeks later, thanks to the Raven Guard stealth destroyer, Thiel and the Vanguard slipped into the Halatai system unnoticed. Their mission was to eliminate the Board of Directors…at least, that was the initial plan.
Because while waiting, the diplomats had been hard at work trying to speak with anyone willing to secretly come forward to provide information to the eventual conquest of the NJV and their worlds.
One such individual approached. Doctor Rano Conner was a scientist working on Kallisto for almost five years and came forward practically demanding an audience with the diplomats to warn them of what was happening in Kallisto.
"The board has flagrantly disregarded all my warnings, but you mustn't! Far worse things are hiding among the ruins of what you call a space hulk. Things that science can no longer begin to explain. They are using the psykers to create flesh weapons and storage crates! Yet that all pales compared to the Tyrant and the board's attempts to control!
"The Tyrant? Who or what is the Tyrant?"
"A creature or entity that seems to be the true master of the ruins and the hulk now. We only discovered it a century ago but initially thought it was a servitor or machine. It's not. I can only describe it as a cybernetically enhanced pile of bones."
Thiel was taken aback when the descriptions and pictures showed what looked to be a heavily modified and armed Dinosaur. Something about it also made the hair on the back of Thiel's neck stand up, just like back on Tumultus.
Doctor Conner wasn't finished, though. "My team and I tried to find a means to control or at least kill the blasted thing, but the Board decided that wasn't good enough. So now they will have the biomancers try their luck with trying to control the Tyrant!"
"But why?"
"Because they can weaponize the power and think it can be used to create a form of immortality via something the Board calls the Death Warder. Besides, if they control the Tyrant, they can pillage the hulk to their heart's content."
"So why come forward to us?"
"I don't want the entire system to die."
"What?!"
"You've probably noticed by now the power signature from Kallisto. It's getting out of control, and I imagine because of your confrontation with the Board over Prisoner Unknown, they are now going to escalate their attempts to control Tyrant and its powers. But if this thing gets out of control? It'll feed off whatever power source it draws from and likely explode in power. Probably creating a blasted warp storm if we are lucky. The alternatives might be even more disastrous."
Vanguard's mission changed after that. For all Thiel knew, this was a daemonic threat that was about to be unleashed. He sent an emergency astropathic message to the Primarch to request a team of Eternal Wardens to be dispatched to the Halatai system if something went wrong. Thiel wasn't going to take any chances.
The redeployment to Kallisto and toward the buried space hulk was now the priority. Thiel and 8,000 marines all but stormed the moon's surface, encountering only minor resistance as the guards had grown lax and security measures were pitiful.
Beginning their descent into the space hulk, Thiel and the Vanguard noticed what appeared to be camera drones following them. At first, his marines wanted to shoot them, but Thiel got a better idea.
"Let them follow us. Perhaps if the people see what is happening here, they will understand why we must destroy the wickedness here."
Within only an hour of their journey, the Ultramarines encountered dozens of teams of prisoners who ultimately succumbed to this ghoulish sport. Then there were the bands of mutants and servitors, but they were obstacles compared to psykers and "rogue" killers who were enhanced via biomancy and armed with dangerous archeotech.
Still, the Vanguard pressed onward. To the NJV's credit and the Ultramarines' boon, much of the lower and middle sections of entombed space hulk were simple enough to move about…until Thiel and his marines got the lowest levels.
By now, they started to notice very odd mutants and twisted psykers. They took on strange reptilian characteristics and were clearly dead. The Vanguard called these foul entities "Raptors" due to their screeching and monomolecular claws. Deeper and deeper the Vanguard went, encountering signs of the Tyrant in some places. All the while, Thiel felt that twisting sensation in the pit of his stomach.
Regardless, the Vanguard pressed on. Thiel didn't think anything else could surprise him until they encountered a section of the hulk containing a jungle.
Thiel knew, almost instinctively, that this was the lair of the Tyrant. It was both natural and unnatural, almost like a memory of a place that was brought back into being. It was far too similar to the Nomad World for Thiel's liking.
"Ready yourself, brothers. We kill whatever evil lurks in this realm."
Off in the distance, the Vanguard heard the unnatural, otherworld roar of the Tyrant. It was time for this hunt to conclude. One way or another…
---
@Daemon Hunter Okay, here you go.
