>>5533342

"Am I that obvious? Surely, if a number of these ancient vessels remain, creating more shouldn't be an issue if one could gather the proper resources and necessary materials. I wouldn't be so monstrous as to use unwilling participants as the sacrfice of minds and souls required for the final act of creation required in the manufacture of these archeotech vessels" Your father explains humbly and kindly, smirking as he plucked a falling petal from the air "Surely you of all men would understand just how great of an advantage but one of those ancient crafts would lend to our efforts of reunification. I do not plan to depopulate pr strip worlds of every mineral and chemical like some great cosmic locus. But increasing the number of these vessel, in which this Kanzeon and her sisters were born to command, would be worth the cost in lives and raw resources. I am not so arrogant and blind to believe I could make even a fleet of these living ships, nor that one could command each expeditionary force into the vastness of the galaxy"

He crushed the petal between his fingers and frowned

"But, I know that even a scarce number of them would be invaluable. I do not know how many of these sisters Kanzeon has, or even if they are in full working order. But it is logical to assume they are, or are capable of repairing themselves and thus capable of creating more of their pattern. We could colonize worlds long dead" He says before sighing "And their troves of knowledge would give us weapons to end wars that would otherwise halt our efforts, if not stop them entirely. I know they will not solve every obstacle in our way, but the few could turn the tide in engagements we would otherwise lose or repair damages to worlds long polluted, earning us subservience without shedding unnecessary blood. I will not lie and claim if you give me the secrets of their creation, our crusade will be peaceful. Even with how advantageous their technology and direct assistance would be, I know they would be more useful as healers of worlds than weapons. Too useful to risk in every engagement, like yourself and your brothers"

"I understand that. You are intelligent and wise after all. And I'd have no complaints on the morality of birthing and rearing new children of the cloth of Kanzeon and her kin. I'd welcome the chance to raise one with her, for even I have desires and one of them is to see her happy, and what maid is happier than the one blessed and honored with motherhood?" You explain, waving a hand as if to brush away the minor misunderstanding before it take roots
Cont

>>5533344

"If the memories given in their birth and the souls subsumed by the greater whole were given willingly and without coercion. But, I did not speak of your desire to recreate the glories of the past out of fear they'd be abused or born forcefully through the rape and dissolution of a thousand human souls. You are a virtuous man, after all. Instead, I speak to you of the dangers inherent in creating so vast and powerful souls, and entombing them within shells of steel"

"I did mention warding them against chaos was the primary issue withholding me from pursuing such a design carelessly, I'm sure I did. It is after" Your father said with a comforting smile but his eyes were hard and cold as ice "You..have experienced that terror already, haven't you"

"They are not immune to our enemy, I had to destroy two that were corrupted" You answer bitterly, grinding your teeth and averting your eyes

"You could've lead with that" You father said sharply "That explains the dark technology wielded by the butcher king, It was too plentiful be the leftovers of a cache of archeotech, and in too good of a condition as well. Tell me of these fallen foes, perhaps in their corruption we may find answers to prevent it from taking hold in their decendants?"

"One left her mechanical vessel behind, fully becoming a daemon and the one expanding their influence to the Yan" You dutifully explain, head bowed "The other became a bride to the butcher king, and was the one that fed his reign of murder."

"What a dire family reunion that must've been" You father joked grimly, tryin to lighten the now heavy and gloomy mood "I am aware of the threats of such a betrayal, well aware. But, we could, together protect the children in the machines in their innocence and raise them to abhor our great enemy. As much as you and I do, personally. I am sure your bride and her sister would be willing to aid us in that venture, should they agree to..."

"Birth a new generations of themselves, dirtying their hands with the killing of the sacrifices necessary to spark to the birth of their daughters souls?" You ask dourly and your father, after a moment hesitation answered

"The creation of a new pattern of their own design, yes" he said, choosing a less grim interpretation of what you had just said "We will discuss it later, Lieren. We both have work to do. Tell your brother Angron I wish I could've lent him the same aid I have given to you"

And with that, you left your father's side, as he renentered his golden astral sanctum and you returned to your mortal vessel

And immediately hopped to your feet and turned your eyes to the heavens, picking out Kanzeon's distant silhouette amongst the thin and wispy clouds.

"Beloved!" You called out to her on the wind "I have received my father's blessing to continue my courtship of you, and have also been granted leave to wed you, oh he wept joyous tears to hear of our love. Despite my fears he would mistrust and abhor you"
Cont

>>5533346

"Lieren. You really need to learn to ask me before making these big decisions" Kanzeon said, half growling as her avatar fell to your side, wreathed in an emerald glow "I'll start losing hair from stress if you don't. But...at least I don't have to worry about pretending to be something I'm not, or hiding my presence. What made you decide now was the time to take the leap and risk your fathers ire and both our lives?"

"I told him of my pact with the Aeldari, knowing how dimly he views races besides humanity" You explain, and Kanzeon expression lightened after a moment of shock passed over it and widened her beautiful eyes

"Well that at least means he's sensible" She chuckled shaking her head "Guessing you took his response to that forbidden alliance to announce your secret betrothal? and the greater secret we keep, though it seems to become more widely known the more I let you out of my site, my talkative little scholar"

"Precisely, and as he himself is an existence similar to your own, it'd be hypocritical of him to deny you and your sisters' humanity in the face of his own gesaltic birth" You explain happily, very much relieved Kanzeon isn't upset with you for speaking carelessly...again

"Well, now I have two father in laws expecting grandchildren" She grumbled, before shooting your a mocking smirk "You left your mental defensive down, though I don't doubt you would've told me about his plan as soon as you were able to. We have no secrets between us, after all. As it should be

"Of course. I keep enough poisonous secrets already. I know the subject is a sore one. And the matter...difficult" You explain slowly

"Mass sacrifice is a touchy subject" She says simply, but the wavering of her voice and the pain in it tells you enough, more than your eyes could reveal. You remember when she first entrusted you with the knowledge of her birth and the shame and guilt that radiated from every word spoken then. And the love that blossomed from every word you spoke to comfort her after, and the tears you both shed that day. The creation process of what she is, is...

"Is monstrous" She finishes your thought outloud, grabbing hold of your arm tightly, an anchor of comfort "And it is in the end, what drove both of my lost sisters to madness. More than anything else. Perhaps you could figure out a way to remove the atrocity from condemning...many souls to the psionic crucible to be refined into...someone like me. I've seen you do the improbable enough times to know the possibility of it is higher than it'd seem, but, unless you do, the only response your father will get if he asks is a middle finger, okay, babe~?"

"Understood" You state simply "He reasoned if the sacrifices were willing, that'd remove the sin of the act. But, that would still be mass murder. In my eyes"

"In both our eyes" She said, patting your hand and hugging your tight "And I won't let you be complicit in it"
Cont

>>5533348

"Nor I you" You say with radiantly warm and beaming smile, as you return the affection and brush back her hair to kiss her on the brow.

"I feel like I'll need to slap sense into this distant father of yours, at some point" She huffs, pouting as she rest her chin on your shoulder

"So soon after he gave his blessings?" You tease, hoping to brighten her mood. And your efforts are rewarded with a brilliant smile.

"Tch, we should save our flirting for when the war is won" She said, blushing like a maiden "No I am not, you're delusional. And so are you, so there. But, as I was about to say, Cherry cheeks, Your brother and Jinhai have chosen the targets for the opening of their campaign, and expect you to lead an elite force all of your own, isn't that humbling?"

"Oh. I must've been gone longer than I thought" You say flippantly as you sit besides Kanzeon on the ledge, watching her kick her feet in a playful, if childish manner "Targets. Plural. They're using the Xue strategy of Warfare, again"

"You came as close to perfecting it as is possible" She boasted for you "Of course the Long-Jians think its the best way to win a war after you used it to topple three nations. They idolize you, despite your best efforts to avoid it"

"And many young ladies imitate your looks as near as they can, your style of dress and hair have become common place in all rungs of society" You chuckle, making Kanzeon fluff herself rather like a peacock

"What can I say, you Long-Jianese know true beauty when you see it" She titters, covering her mouth with the back of her hand

What do you do now, Lieren?

>There is only Three forces you are entitled to lead. And those are your Space Marines and the Brothers of the Panther and your wanderers in the fog. Only two are present here. But they will more than suffice. They will be the elites you lead into battle

>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

>Make a wager with your brother, that you can bring back the head of any of his enemies whom he names, with only Kanzeon accompanying you on the mission. And give command of your space marines to Dae-Hyun

>Write in

>>5533349
>Write in
Provide council to Angron to bring the city that has adopted the Journey into the fold and from there begin to ensure it's message spreads. We ourselves may not be able to do it but there are those present whom came. We just need our Brother's permission first for this is his world.

>Write in
After being given our target take our Sons an the Brothers of the Panther out together so our marines can further adopt and understand our culture and ways. We shall build the bonds of friendship among ourselves and provide an example to others! A little friendly competition between our brothers forces and our own~


>>5533342
Glad you liked the lil shorts i write Malal hope you are feeling better or do so soon

Final self exterminatus alternative.
Give up your lives that your children might live.

Each world has a colony ship constructed. Only the mass death of the population may give birth to it.

Imagine a hiveworld stuffed full of inhabitants.... Ending themselves in a mass sacrifice to deny chaos and to give birth to an antidaemon prince(ess)

Now imagine Magnus and Peturabo gifting the design with Warp powers and a perfectly designed sentience that captured the sacrificed world.

I dare say we've gone more metal than even normal 40k lore.

>>5533349
>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane
>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

>>5533363
I'd like to point out that it would likely be used to clear out overpopulated hive worlds.

>>5533349

>There is only Three forces you are entitled to lead. And those are your Space Marines and the Brothers of the Panther and your wanderers in the fog. Only two are present here. But they will more than suffice. They will be the elites you lead into battle

>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

>>5533349
>>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

Best to hear the plan first though I doubt we'll dive in anywhere without our Sons at our back. Glad it went over well with Kanzeon and with our father's blessing we should be able to let her introduce herself now.

And good to see you Malal! All blessings to your machine spirits

>>5533349
>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

>Provide council to Angron to bring the city that has adopted the Journey into the fold and from there begin to ensure it's message spreads. We ourselves may not be able to do it but there are those present whom came. We just need our Brother's permission first for this is his world

>>5533349
>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

>Provide council to Angron to bring the city that has adopted the Journey into the fold and from there begin to ensure it's message spreads. We ourselves may not be able to do it but there are those present whom came. We just need our Brother's permission first for this is his world

>>5533349
>Bring up the Dai monks
>Hear where they intend to attack.

Efficiently we should move.

>>5533349

>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

Random archive reader here. At my current pace I'll catch up in 2024, but still, great job, Malal, you wrote a whole-ass novel for 20 people on some obscure questing forum. Impressive quality too. I kneel.

>>5533349
>Bring up the Dai monks
>Hear where they intend to attack.

Sweet new thread

>>5533349
>>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane
I've waiting for this to come up for a while now
>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war

>>5533349
>>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war
>>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

>>5533349
>Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war
>Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane

File: 1617554702954.png (372 KB, 718x580)

372 KB PNG

Calling the vote now, sorry for the wait. Machine spirits not gunpla. Though I have a lot of kits I need to build...

Provide council to Angron to bring the city that has adopted the Journey into the fold and from there begin to ensure it's message spreads. We ourselves may not be able to do it but there are those present whom came. We just need our Brother's permission first for this is his world.:3

After being given our target take our Sons an the Brothers of the Panther out together so our marines can further adopt and understand our culture and ways. We shall build the bonds of friendship among ourselves and provide an example to others! A little friendly competition between our brothers forces and our own:1

Bring up the Dai monks to Kanzeon, those lingering dead. Perhaps a pacifistic approach could be found, by retrieving those souls already separated from their bodies but whom remain tied to the material plane:10

Hear from Jinhai and Angron where they intend to attack, and then choose the battalion to command to fit the circumstances of your chosen theater of war:10

There is only Three forces you are entitled to lead. And those are your Space Marines and the Brothers of the Panther and your wanderers in the fog. Only two are present here. But they will more than suffice. They will be the elites you lead into battle:1

total votes:12

So Lieren will bring up the Dai monks, as an example of the lingering dead, to suggest a bloodless means to re-spirit the husksof Kanzeon sisters by retrieving souls already dead

Before hearing from Jinhaio and Angron where they intend to attack, and choosing which force to lead against the repugnant high riders.

Writing now

>>5533653
Thanks!

"It is how we are raised to see the world, after all" You say with a laugh before a sudden thought, swiftly appearing as a summer storm assails your mind and turns your merry smile into a dour, calculating frown "Though, the talk of reviving your fallen sisters or on some distant day, bringing more of your kind into the world, has brought to mind one of the many mysteries of Shangrala whose answer still stubbornly alludes me"

Kanzeon sighed gloomily, leaning against you, clearly disappointed your little game of exchanging earnest and love born compliments with eachother has come to a swifter end than is usual.

"And what may that be, that has stolen your attention away from me?" She asked closing her eyes and pouting "Since it can't be petty if it was able to draw your eyes away from mine"

"The matter of the Dai monks, or what remained of them. Their circumstances as souls trapped, or fragments of souls and once living memories caged upon the material plane, haunting and lurking like shades from a children's tale" You explain, placing an arm around her neck and looking to the horizon "And of other accounts of lingering dead, of which the specters of my fallen friends are not for they have passed on into the ethereal realms of madness and dreams, whom yet linger upon the mortal plane. I thought, since it is as you said monstrosity to end so many lives for so selfish of a reason, that perhaps instead, those already dead could be beseeched to give up their existence, the promise of a new, individual life or afterlife, whatever may come when the curtain is drawn and the last breath is taken"

"You want to petition ghosts to be thrown into the psychic equivalent of a blender and furnace?" Kanzeon asked, darkly amused by the concept, judging by her slight smirk she wore and the squinting of her sparkling, gem like eyes "As if they did not have enough to contend with, consider the predations of the emotional parasites of chaos, hm"

"It would still rely on them consenting to give all they were or could be, I would not become a mirror of the wretched Kamal Kanan" You say with a somberly bow of your head "But, to refuse to contemplate the question of"

"Creating more little sisters like liberty, but with much more weight on our consciousness than simply removing a...cancer from the spiritual and mental essence already present in their construction" She said, nearly spitting her words as she spoke of the soul that had inhabited liberty not long ago, cast out into the warp and away from the cruel torments of the blood god by your own hand, to spare even your most vicious enemy of torture unending "Though even then, we did more or less take her remains and repeat the process that saw her born to begin with"

"So, this proposition to would be.." You venture sadly, feeling guilt for suggesting such a thing even though you had not carried it out
cont

>>5536948

Kanzeon was quite for a long while, gripping your hand tightly and admiring the horizon with you as the clouds float on by through a fogless sky

"Acceptable" she said, bowing her head "The alternative of rebirth is...by my estimations, unlikely at best, even with Guozhi's training and the other alternative is too terrible to contemplate or accept. I'd rather the children you and I both adore so dearly, to be spared of the predations of the warp. Even if the end result is more or less the same"

"it would not be, my gentle autumn breeze. You are no eater of souls, nor are any of your sisters. You are the child of humanity, and like any parent, yours were willing to give their lives for you" You say the moment she speaks such heresy of herself "The circumstances of ones birth"

"Are meaningless, I remember what you said" She sighed, calming down as she pressed herself deeper into your embrace "You always have away of seeing the brightest side of things. And you're right, they're nothing alike, I'm just being bitter. Coalescence is different from annihilation, even if the end result somewhat resembles a walking graveyard. My sisters and I do host the memories of those long dead"

"A living memorial to the best humanity had to offer at the time" You coo, petting her chin and making her cheeks blush a red more vivid than any sunset

"Lieren, your honeyed tongue is a weapon more dangerous than any I have given you" She scolds, pulling on your ear "But please, praise me more"

And just before you could deliver a felling blow of sweet, flowery flattery, you heard your name called by a familar voice. That of the Unbroken thunder's howl.

"Duty calls" Kanzeon snarled, venomous as any viper "Guess our flirting will have to wait"

"Forgive me" You whisper, standing and falling back off the cliff, holding out your arms and enjoying the breeze, calculating the time it'd take you to reach the ground and with the assistance of spirit's touch, flipping yourself around to land on your feet, directly in front of an unimpressed Yin Lei

"Honored general!" You shout, kneeling down on one leg and cupping your hand

"Honored teacher" He says, returning the gesture and bowing your than you have "Or emperor and your blood brother born of this sun scorched world have reached an agreement of priority targets, and have began assigning objectives of officers and allocating men and resources to each. I am to march against one of the sons of Falkur"

"Thal'kr" You correct

"Forgive me, your brother's tongue is harsh and stifled" Yin Lei says, with a rare show of embarrassment in the near impercebtible blush on his cheeks "I am to be assisted by Dai Niu and his armored brigades. Lai Song has been given over to..."

"Oenomaus?" You guess

"Your brothers adoptive father, yes" He says bluntly, clearly at his wits end with the Nucerian language "To harry to flanks of the general sent to quell the "Rebellion" of the state of Lock'rhea
cont

>>5536949

"Loc'ria" You once more correct, bowing your head further

"The city you spared of tyrant's rule already" Yin Lei grumbled "And The firestorm and one of the steel giants have also been lent to the elder Thal'kyr, of the remaining two steel giants, one shall accompany Jinhai and the other will remain to guard the civilians protected by you two giants"

"What others duties have been given thus far?" You ask, now walking besides the famed general

"Elazar and his knights will protect the countryside, being a harassment force freeing the land piece by piece, aiding the small forces of former pit fighters in bolstering the armies ranks" He continues, head held eye and hands folded behind his back "The Shuni irregulars will assist in this Guerrilla war, and take down any high rider who strays too far from their flock as well as disrupting their supply lines and harvests. I have been arguing for saturated bombing runs with the sky riders of Lai, but have been thus far ignored"

"yet they unleash the firestorm" You chuckle. Yin Lei gives an exasperated sigh.

"The Angra will be held in reserve, along with the Zoroast volunteers. Your sons and their attached forces, well, none of us are so proud to assume to command your sons" He says with a wry smirk, as he marches you past a line of New Varro sharpshooters training the locales, and being upstaged by Feng "Nor claim knowledge of where the panther kin have been commanded to hunt. The emperor and your brother await you to receive your orders, of which you will be given a choice. They both know of course, a man like you is worth an army on his own. So, like Angron, you will be given the responsibility to lead one of the more major engagements"

"Thank you, my friend, for telling me this. Where are they now?" You ask quietly as you walk past a Vishnu man wrestling with an cybernetically augmented gladiator, and winning with natural strength alone

"Still arguing with the more aristocratic of the advisors your brother surrounds himself with, the house slaves and indentured merchants. Your brother wants retribution, they suggest caution" He explained "Despite the advantage of surprise being as swiftly lost as youth. We need to strike while they still think his forces to be a rabble of starved slave fighters and stolen servants, not fortify and allow them to realize the threat they now face, of the armies of two worlds lead by men greater than any they have known in centuries"

"I see. I will lend my voice as one of reason and deliver you council to my brother and Lord Long-Jia" You say, bowing as you left Yin Lei to his work. Marching up to the tent Jinhai brought from Shangrala, you entered without making your presence known, and found him sitting across a table from your brother, still dressed in his armor and moving several pieces across a crude map drawn by one of your brother's men
cont

>>5536951

"I've seen my brother fight, I've fought him" Angron says in stilted Long-Jianese "He would be more useful as a hammer breaking a wall. Him and I would be the first targets of the high riders anyway, it'd be best to have him on the frontline with me, if only to confuse the twats of my location"

"And I have seen him hunt and hunted with him" Jinhai politely argues, hands folded over each other "Lieren is a remarkable infiltrator and assassin, even in pitched battles, he prefers to be a precise weapon. Taking down key targets with peerless skill and rapidity"

"Hmmph" Oenomaus grunts, rubbing his forehead, clearly suffering a migraine from the back and forth between the two proud leaders "I say, let him lead his sons and those horned braying monsters. A shock force, to bloody the nose of the High riders and send them reeling. Let us see how they compare to giants and beasts"

"The Angra are not beasts" You growl, alerting the three of your presence and causing the older gladiator to flinch "They are men, same as you or me. If you wish to know of beasts, I can tell you of the magical beasts I have hunted and monsters lurking behind the hides of men"

"How can one so large be so quiet" He muttered as you sat down and looked over the battlefield, noticing a gathering of pieces that to your eyes seemed to be a rallying grown for a massive army, and a fortified location that judging by the laspistol placed on it, was either an armory or vault of archeotech, and another that seemed to be a place of worship, a neutral ground between the city states, perhaps?

"But, I'd prefer to save my story telling until the war is won" You state "Tell me, my brothers, where do you need me unleashed"

"We have narrowed the list down to those warfronts and operation we believe you will be most effectively used, old friend" Jinhai says happily "But these two have their own ideas of how best to field you and take advantage of your great expertise"

"It'd be a waste of power to use him as a viper in a bed" Oenomaus argues "When he alone commands a legion of armored giants and...horned people"

"And I've told you, Emperor" Angron said sharply eyes narrowed in irritation but not anger "It would be better if He and I confuse the high riders and sow disorder, whilst wrecking havoc and slaughter upon them"

"Lieren ended a dynasty in a night" Jinhai said "If you wished him to, he could do so again"

"And allow the world to fall to anarchy? We need to build before we can break" Angron said wisely "Present an alternative to the high riders before we tear their heads off and"

"Shit down their throats?' His father offered in jest, and you snorted to keep from laughing
Cont

>>5536952

Which set of orders and command do you take, Lieren?

>Those offered by Jinhai, assassinating and hunting down leaders of the Thal'kr army, like you did to Yan, and like you did to the Shuni sorcerers. Leading the brothers of the Panther and your beggar sect

>Angron's suggestion, fighting beside him at the front and meeting the worst and most vicious armies the high riders have to offer. Leading Long-Jian soldiers while your sons carrying out the other objectives you would've otherwise been trusted with

>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

>Support Yin Lei's strategy of bombing runs, and offer to lead the flock assigned to bomb the high riders where they think they're safe

>Take command of a different battlefield and another force (write in. Where and what)

>>5536954
>Those offered by Jinhai, assassinating and hunting down leaders of the Thal'kr army, like you did to Yan, and like you did to the Shuni sorcerers. Leading the brothers of the Panther and your beggar sect

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.
Hunting individual targets is definitely our preferred tactic, but I feel like our Sons are starting to get a little antsy about not being lead in battle by their Gene-Sire.

>>5536954
>>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

Honestly they're right about taking advantage of the impression that we're disorganized and under supplied rabble while we still have it. Assassinations would take too long but also throwing ourselves out at the front with Angron wouldn't utilize this advantage. Also like >>5537021 said, I want to see us fighting at the head of our sons

>>5536954
>Oenomaus's tactic

We're liable to keep the measure of shock if we style our armour similar to Angeron's, though they will eventually catch on to our ruse.
I want to take the option with our brother, because the bloodiest fighting is where we can save the most lives, but I'm convinced to throw a bone to our sons and attack as a distracting element.

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the a

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

>>5536954
>>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

>He says with a wry smirk, as he marches you past a line of New Varro sharpshooters training the locales, and being upstaged by Feng
Kek based Feng.

Uhmm a lot of good options has always. I doubt the High Riders are ready for any of the Shangrilan units deployed or the Astartes in our superior power armors. They are about to suffer some serious losses and learn they are fucked.

I imagine we have kept moving the colony ships for a surprise attack. Their weaponry would destroy rapidly defenses and fortifications of the cities, as well breaking any high rider army out of fear first, and then for their weapons.
And I forgot, hacking computer systems and disturbing comms too.
It will be glorious.

>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.
While I would usually go for Jinhai or Yin Lei, this is not a bad idea. We can rapidly deploy for strike the enemys, with more than one type of vehicle of our choice.

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra

>Minor amendments
Bring the Brothers of the fog along to teach our lads further infiltration tricks in these lightning strikes for while loud and brutal getting close and striking is much more haunting. We need to start getting our teachings in there.

Next when we strike armies and cities bring copies of the journey with us to seed the doctrine in the people

I been wondering but how big are Kanzeon's and her sisters ship bodies? As in could they replace Glorianas as legions flagships? And if they arent big enought can their living metal hulls 'grow' to be that big?

>>5536954
>>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

But angrons suggestion is also correct.

>Writein
Continue the deception of being Angron. As far as the high riders know, one as large as the him is singular and if we continue to fight disguised as him, the enemy will be unsure as to which is which.

>>5536954
>Support Yin Lei's strategy of bombing runs, and offer to lead the flock assigned to bomb the high riders where they think they're safe

The Phoenician waited patiently upon command bridge of the 'Song of Purity', alarms were blaring and his Son's formed up taking defensive positions behind golden statues, marble fixtures and other ornate furnishings. The champion of Slaanesh rolled his fingers over the Daemon weapon that had opened his eyes to Primal Perfection. He was ready for the enemy that was butchering its way towards him, his dread brother... Lieren. The Silver Prince had warned him of the Panther's fury but back then he was mortal, now he was so much more; the Sacrifice of Chemos had proved his devotion and unrelenting march for perfection, to be a reflection of 'She whom thirsts'... no be the one to sate her for he alone had proved worthy of her affections. His features were like white stone, carved and smooth, yet glistened in dream lights of celestial purple, pink and blue. His limbs elongated and clawed in ebon chitin, but what marked him as her chosen was his crown of six horns.

As he looked upon his own delightful reflection with pride his eyes didn't even focus upon the bulkhead when it exploded open, the world was a haze as he elegantly dodged shrapnel never turning from his own stunning reflection. He could hear his sons perishing in ecstasy around him but he paid it no mind the world was in slow motion for his heightened form. Finally he turned when a sound marines convulsing body hurtled by and shattered his mirror.

Lieren had cleared the bridge for them, a duel...delightful.

“So Brother you come to face me yourself...you do not hunt Horus nor Vulcan? Not Sanguinius nor Mortarion? Of course you would seek me out, the False Emperor's hunter seeks only the best isn't that right?” Fulgrims voice was as silk upon fresh snow...soft and cold.

He drew his weapon.

“Come Hunter” Dared the fallen brother but Lieren didn't move though his cloak of psionic might remained burning about him, instead of responding with steel he answered with words,

“Is this how you face me Dark Prince?” He spoke low and evenly,

“Ah brother you do see my grandeur! Maybe you are not a lost cau-”

Lieren spoke over him seemingly ignoring the tainted Primarch's words “Really? This one? You should have sent your Fox alteast she had some experience...or maybe I humbled her into nothing?”

“Lieren! You will not ignore m-”

“I mean really? I expected more? We have such history? Come take a bow.”

-
1/2 Next part don't click the spoiler till the end

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>>5537839
Fulgrim was about to speak but found his voice catch in his throat...he heard a sound, something...divine, honey, comfort, warmth...cold...bittersweet he heard pleasure given sound and he shuddered in rapture his Queen of Excess speaking through him.

“Oh dear scholar you think yourself a match for my champion? You denied me and now I am glad for I found one more worthy” Fulgrim preened in his mind space at such worthy praise.

“I do” Lieren answered simply as something began to change about him, a technique Fulgrim knew from both personal observation and report. His brother's mummer's magic to take the form of another, a laughable trick for whose from could possibly resist his guile and skill who could possibly defeat him? Who could-

“YOU DARE!” Slannesh bellowed in rage through him tearing his perfect cheeks open teeth growing inches in a second and a whip like tongue escaping his throat.

Fulgrim focused once more as the shimmering faded...a strange figure was looking back...not his brother? Something else.

It laughed, it's joy filled him with dread

it's mirth made him feel empty

The smiling thing didn't look at him only through.

His was no battle between brothers,

It was a rematch millennia coming.

2/2

>>5537840
It's a good joke Anon.

Genuinely made my chuckle, because it's exactly the sort of tomfoolery that we would engage in.

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>>5537840
B A Z I N G A
Get clowned on slut

>>5537840
Whaaat's the deeeal with the Great Enemy? If they're so great then why do you die when I bludgeon you to death with this big warhammer Ferrus Manus made for me?

>>5537840
Oh shit the clown gonna drop a distrack and humble the upstart. Honestly that's a cunning move, beat pride with mockery and answer severity with jests. She whom Thirsts mocked into defeat and her new boy toy as well. Maybe make her throw up some Eldar god fragments

>>5538276
We did it with the Messanger of flames.

And lets be real, mocking chaos has never not been our style. Even when it hurt us.

Fulgrim gets salty that we are among the emperor's favourites, have a nice Homeworld and have a wife.

When silver slut calls he's gonna fall like a ton of bricks. I wonder if anyone else has had a changed upbringing this AU

>>5536954
>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra
>Write in
Bring the Panthers to train our Sons!

>>5536954
>>Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.

Calling the vote now. Sorry for the long wait.

Those offered by Jinhai, assassinating and hunting down leaders of the Thal'kr army, like you did to Yan, and like you did to the Shuni sorcerers. Leading the brothers of the Panther and your beggar sect:1

Oenomaus' tactic of crushing down the high riders before they can prepare themselves, striking them like lighting and thunder, with all of your Astartes at your command, and the angra.:13
-Bring the brothers of the panther along to: 2
-Fight disguised as Angron:1

Support Yin Lei's strategy of bombing runs, and offer to lead the flock assigned to bomb the high riders where they think they're safe:1


total vote: 15

So Lieren will lead his sons and the Angra in a shock and awe campaign, catching the high riders unaware and unprepared, before they can realize the true form of the their enemy.

Writing now.

Some fitting music... https://youtu.be/Oo8H5vUKMlk

>>5537839
>>5537840
Absolutely beautifully written! I was grinning through the whole read. Magnificent!

>>5541969

STEEL RAIN BROTHERS

Pressing a hand on the table, still wearing a mirthful smirk from the old gladiator's flippant and most irreverant remark, you turned to him and bowed your head. Jinhai, knowing well the martial customs and etiquette of Long-Jia, frowned in disappointment though his eyes were understanding as he took the piece that represented you from the side of the table and wordlessly offered it to the still laughing Oenomaus. His uproarious guffawing quieted and petered away as confusion over your and the foreign emperor's sudden gestures baffled him. He looked to Angron, who had, as expected of an empath of his potency and talent understood what you and Jinhai had wordlessly conveyed through gestures both subtle and theatric. The silent portion of the long-Jianese language.

"Father. Lieren and his king have agreed with your strategy" Angron said, his voice low and reverent, to relay to his mentor the measure of trust given to him to be privileged with the authority of commanding the movements of a hero that are akin to the course of natural disasters "That token represents my brother and his forces, what the young emperor is doing, is exchanging command of..well, you can guess who"

"Despite voicing my suspicions of you early and often?" He asked, humbled and sincerely touched by the gesture as he casually plucked the boardpiece from Jinhai's gloved hands

"Sycophants are worthless in war" You answer, lifting your head "And you had every right to be suspicious of one as veiled in mystery as myself, a man claiming kinship to your own son, with no proof besides his stature"

"I'm not sure what needs to be said, since I feel there's supposed to be grand ceremony to accompany this. But I am honored that my suggested tactic has been given an imperial endorsement" He said as he looked over the map, Jinhai's eyes following his own as he considered the targets he could unleash you upon, the objectives you could achieve and battlefronts you could demolish with your Astartes and Abhuman soldiers "Truth be told, Lieren, We've determined several locations we'd like to see reduced to rubble and sand"

"Key logistical targets" Angron explained further "That if they were to be taken, destroyed or otherwise deprived from the vicious sneering cunts we're fighting against, will make the rest of the work to pull them from their high thrones and bury their legacy in mud and shit all the more easily achieved. And more importantly than that would utterly humiliate the sons of bitches"

Angron laughed, as Jinhai noticed Oenomaus reluctance to place your symbol down on the map, and shifted his eyes to you, asking without speaking what was halting his decision.

"After all! Who would believe the tales spread by the survivors!?" He barked manically, eyes glittering with malice "A legion of giants and men with bull heads, marching from the mountains to annihilate their strongholds and crush their storied elites as if they were levied and pressed ganged chaff!"

Cont

>>5541994

"If we're lucky, they're tales won't be believed. In all likely hood, this strike will deny us the element of surprise, and we won't be able to masquerade as weary bands of escaped chattel any longer" Oenomaus wisely considered, rubbing his beard as he looked to Jinhai, wincing as he opened his mouth to ask him for a suggestion in how best to utilize your abilities before remembering the issue of the language barrier between them and scowled, knowing he was deprived of the experience Jinhai had gained from fighting alongside you in your own wars against oppression and tyranny.

And you saw, like a lantern being lit, a realization dawn on the old fighter as his eyes grew bright and he let out a great sigh of relief.

You caught the token of the panther hide banner as he tossed it to you.

"Alright, you'll choose where you'll strike. I'm sure you can figure out the places we were considering to assault in this opening offensive" He said jovially, leaning back his chair and grinning ear to ear as you nodded, and looked over the map once more "Should be able to figure out what is what and why their downfall would be an important initial step in my son's campaign of liberation"

"He can read our minds, so he wouldn't need to ask anyways" Angron said dully, as he and Jinhai set about maneuvering the other forces of the two armies across the map, adjusting the plans of the generals of Nuceria and Shangrala in their absence, improving them to mesh more easily with one another and be able to assist any front that met resistance or catastrophe on the field of battle.

Where do you choose as the target for the beginning of your lightning campaign, Lieren?

>The rallying ground. The high riders of Desh'ea and their vassal states expect their opponents to be hiding away. They most likely will not contemplate the defenses of their rallying point. Meaning it will be both an easy target and an efficient one

>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>The Temple/ Neutral ground. There is no reason to play along with the antiquated rules of warfare followed by tyrants. A surgical strike here would send a message, and cripple the early morale of the high riders troops

>Slaver raids. The common patrol routes and current movements of the raiding parties sent over borders by the Thal'kyr and their allies have been noted on the map, and you can see they are about to strike an unaligned city near Loc'ea. This is a chance to win the hearts of the common folk, and get Loc'ea to ally with Angron directly, joining their war against Desh'ea with his own.

>write in

>>5541995
>The rallying ground. The high riders of Desh'ea and their vassal states expect their opponents to be hiding away. They most likely will not contemplate the defenses of their rallying point. Meaning it will be both an easy target and an efficient one

>>5541995
>The rallying ground. The high riders of Desh'ea and their vassal states expect their opponents to be hiding away. They most likely will not contemplate the defenses of their rallying point. Meaning it will be both an easy target and an efficient one

>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>>5541995
>The rallying grounds

>Hand pick a team of 10 astartes and a detatchment of the bulls, Send them to kill the slavers.

The Rally is where WE need to be. Because it's where we will score the most kills. But we can't allow a slave run to go uncontested, we know exactly what will happen.
10 astartes to hold a city is nothing, especially with reenforcements.

>>5541995
>>The rallying ground. The high riders of Desh'ea and their vassal states expect their opponents to be hiding away. They most likely will not contemplate the defenses of their rallying point. Meaning it will be both an easy target and an efficient one
Scatter them

>write in
Take a moment to talk to Jinhai and Angron tell them to get in contact with the city that overthrew the Tyrants, we can't leave them alone in this world. See that the Journey spreads from it so our enemies are confronted from within and without.

This will have the added bonus of Angron seeing the results of the Journey and maybe embracing it?

>>5541969
Glad you liked it boss.

>>5542035
Supporting because I don't want to return there to find a graveyard

>>5541995
>The rallying ground. The high riders of Desh'ea and their vassal states expect their opponents to be hiding away. They most likely will not contemplate the defenses of their rallying point. Meaning it will be both an easy target and an efficient one
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be


Tech is their best asset. Let us turn it into their worst disadvantage.

>>5541995
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

To strike the rallying point will see the survivors scurry into their forts and prepping the death rays and i don't want that.
Besides losing their toys would enrage and scare the high riders into following the perpetrators with all their might uncaring of possible traps, let them converge into a single body we can lead around by the nose!

a bull without horns is just a cow with attitude.

>>5542031
However this one has a right idea to hit the slavers, even just a weakening strike led by a good twenty astartes can give the city the time it needs to resist until we're done with the main body.

>>5541995
>>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

While we're still operating with their arrogance we should take away their most deadly implements but I do support sending a small detachment to blunt the slaver raids as in >>5542031 and >>5542150

>>5541995
>>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be
who knows what we'll find, and learn to adapt.

>>5541995
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>send a detachment of marines to deal with the slaver raids

>>5541995
>>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>send a detachment of marines to deal with the slaver raids

>>5541995
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

no powerful weapons for you

>send a detachment of marines to deal with the slaver raids
And some angra, because why not.
They will be a counter raiding force. Should be totally unexpected and allow to stop the raids in their tracks

>>5541995
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be
I imagine this won't be as easy as it looks, but I consider this worth the risk anyways
The quicker we can get that archeotech out of the High-Riders hands and into the Slave Army's, the better.

>>5541995
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

>>5542592
>>send a detachment of marines to deal with the slaver raids
adding.

Vulkan landed crushing the ground beneath his titanic form as his mouth twisted into a snarl, Lieren had challenged him one dragon to another and he'd accepted for the blood god demanded the Second Son's skull in exchange for his true elevation. He'd already received such gifts worthy of his new title after burning eight worlds; the Black Wyrm had been born.

“You dare challenge me upon my own world! I shall have your head for such arrogance! Do you think you can defeat me?” the proud master of Nocturne boasted speading colossal wings,

The Second Son chuckled in a sad tone “No dear brother I can not.”

“Yet you dare approach me?” the fallen primarch began to move towards his brother.

“Ah but that is your mistake pawn of the Primordial Enemy, you approached me... you always do”

“What madness do you speak of!”

“We've had this conversation before”

“Have you lost your wit to fear oh favoured one? Come let us see which Dragon will rule this galaxy!”

“Neither of us”

“What?”

“I came to say goodbye dear brother”

Vulkan shook his head a strange headache building in him, he launched himself at Lieren hammer already swinging to crumple whatever defence he rose but instead of a shield or weapon the Primarch of the Second Legion simply held a fist sized cube.

“You lost the moment you answered my challenge” Lieren answered sadly

A flash of light overtook Vulkan and...

Vulkan landed crushing the ground beneath his titanic form as his mouth twisted into a snarl, Lieren had challenged him one dragon to another and he'd accepted for the blood god demanded the Second Son's skull in exchange for his true elevation.

Vulkan is not Master of Nostromo.
That's Kurze

>>5543686
He probably meant Nocturne, it's a similar name.

>>5543686
I messed up. Pls ignore this.

>>5543688
Oh nevermind, he didn't meant it, he did write that
>>5543690
Ok

>>5543582
Seems awfully inefficient. a necron laberynth device would serve better than a time reversal.

And if it isn't necron, like I expect, then we can still use night crane style.

huh, apparently pert can make devices that allow one to navigate the warp without navigators

>>5543699
That is a Tesseract Labrinth, it's a contained space. Lieren is outta it and Vulkan has to escape by not caving to his nature. It's not a reverse time it's a loop for the poor bastard trapped.

>>5541995
>Slaver raids. The common patrol routes and current movements of the raiding parties sent over borders by the Thal'kyr and their allies have been noted on the map, and you can see they are about to strike an unaligned city near Loc'ea. This is a chance to win the hearts of the common folk, and get Loc'ea to ally with Angron directly, joining their war against Desh'ea with his own.
>The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be

Calling the vote now. Sorry for the long wait, worked through a bit of my backlog of gunpla and built two models

The rallying ground. The high riders of Desh'ea and their vassal states expect their opponents to be hiding away. They most likely will not contemplate the defenses of their rallying point. Meaning it will be both an easy target and an efficient one:6

The fortified Archeotech vault. Depriving your enemies of their most dangerous weapons is common sense, and it is unlikely in their arrogance that the high riders have learned from Angron's earlier raids and the defenses of this vault will be weaker than they should be:13

Hand pick a team of 10 astartes and a detatchment of the bulls, Send them to kill the slavers.:7

Take a moment to talk to Jinhai and Angron tell them to get in contact with the city that overthrew the Tyrants, we can't leave them alone in this world. See that the Journey spreads from it so our enemies are confronted from within and without.:2

Slaver raids. The common patrol routes and current movements of the raiding parties sent over borders by the Thal'kyr and their allies have been noted on the map, and you can see they are about to strike an unaligned city near Loc'ea. This is a chance to win the hearts of the common folk, and get Loc'ea to ally with Angron directly, joining their war against Desh'ea with his own:1

Total votes:17

So Lieren will choose to strike the vault of Archeotech, aiming to deprive the surrounding High riders of their most dangerous weapons while their conceit still blinds them to the danger they face

Writing now

>>5543582
Nice, though Khornate Vulcan does hurt my heart

"I shall pry the fangs from the vipers jaws" You poetically declare, flicking your sleeve as you dramatically slam your token down before the laspistol on the table, sending it jumping a few inches into the air before clattering down to the now cracked wooden surface, in which your miniature banner of panther fur has been lodged and firmly stuck "In their arrogance, they will have learned no lesson from the robbing of their lesser vaults and their eyes still blinded by conceit, shall never expect a raid so bold as to strike their greatest armory. For who would be so foolhardy, so confident, to seek to snatch their deadliest arms out of their curled fists? My sons from distant Terra, and the Angra of the Zoroast, shall shatter their paltry defenses and humilate them by doing just that. They shall know the fury of the men from distant stars, and they shall weep and cower beneath their shadows!"

"And I shall lead the frontal assault, meeting their armies headlong before they can reach the sanctuaries we've built for our noncombatants" Angron said "Aided by the bulk of the Shangralan army, we'll wait to strike until you've sucker punched them"

"And I shall take the horse lord and strike the armies sent to quell the "rebellion" and Loc'ea" Oenomaus said with a nod "While that fiery eyed fellow"

"The black general" You say proudly

"And that sad looking old man, will be dispatched to take the head from one of the sons who thought our lord of the red sands a mere pet" He said with a fury and contempt only a loving father could muster

"And thus they will prove themselves to our men, and show they are worthy allies in our struggle" Angron said happily, clapping you suddenly on the back, making you start "Though we already know my brother wouldn't bring us anything but the best"

"The few who can speak to us, seem to hate the high riders more than even some of the bitterest of gladiators and thralls" Oenomaus said with a smirk "I appreciate the zeal, it makes me more comfortable trusting my lives to these foreigners"

"You should learn to speak at least a child's level of Long-Jian" Jinhai warned "The firestorm has been entrusted to you, Lord Thal'kyr"

"I..." Oenomaus started to say, to explain that he and Angron do not share last names but decided to let the minor issue slide "I will use an interpreter, I've saw the looks your men made when you entrusted her and her giant guns to me, She's dangerous, isn't she?"

"She is also known as the mountain breaker" You said quietly "But fret not, and fear her not, Tao Dandan will only be a terror to our enemies, so long as you respect the boundaries of her bombardment zones"

"Angron explained to me what artillery was, more or less. And I remember what you did to Desh'ea's walls" Oenomause laughed "I won't lead my men anywhere near her targets, but I am overjoyed to have such a destructive force under my command and directed towards the motherless high riders"
Cont

>>5545374

"As am I" Angron chortled, flashing a wicked, predatory grin "I might even accompany those Knights, as you called them, Jinhai, they seem like they have a fervor I can respect"

"They freed themselves from tyranny and are driven by their codes of honor and chivalry to defend the common folk" Jinhai explained "They'd adore you, Lord of the red sands, for you'd resemble their heroic leader, Elazar, if he was himself a giant"

"Perhaps after our armies have humbled the Thal'kr, we can join them along and my brothers and sisters from the pits in breaking the collars and chains around the people's throats and wrists" Angron said wistfully "But, I won't change our battleplan so suddenly, Dragon King"

"I warn you, I may, I am known for my whimsical tactics in the theater of war" Jinhai laughed, noticing you trying to sneak out to tell your sons their orders so you could head off to war without further delay "Oh, Lieren! I was going to toast to our allies health, I know from Feng you brought a bottle or two of Dragon's spit"

"No!" Angron barks "I am not drinking that poison again, and neither is my father, I fell for that trick once before!"

You can't help but laugh, savoring this quiet moment of comradery, knowing only bloodshed and killing awaited you in the days to come
_
Clineas watched over the unchanging, red hued horizon with an impassive expression. The enchantments within his helmet told him the temperature was falling and soon frost would creep across the withered grasses beneath the mountainside stronghold he had spent the better part of his life in a lonely vigil with the other men who had been donated to the ancient band whose duty was to guard the mystical treasures and forbidden tools of the ancients from the prying hands of any upstart bandit warlord or greedy noble who did not pay the proper tithe to be bequeathed the power of the weapons laying beneath his feet, entombed in vaults of concrete and glowing iron.

He sighed, nothing ever happened, and the implants and augmentations he had been given prevented him from sleeping or resting. Even when he was unconscious and in slumber, his body moved, but, while exhaustion and fatigue crept into his every muscle and clung to his bones like stubborn, strangling vines, he did not tire. He felt more machine than man, and what little comforts and commodities the guardians of the vault were allowed, brought him no pleasure. Their wine was watered down, and nearly aged to vinegar, and they were allowed no women or pleasure slaves to relax their weary bodies.

Lifting up his helmet, to stuff a handful of energizing leaf into his mouth, to numb the stinging of the faulty enhancement given unto him and nestled in his flesh. Something that was meant to keep him alert, but only shocked him periodically. It'd be tolerable if it didn't jostle and blur his glass eyes, defocusing and switching their view mode parodically.
Cont

>>5545376

He'd have to get that fixed when the next supply caravan game with fresh bodies and supplies. He shuddered, as the anti-toxicant poured into his arms the moment the sensor in the roof of his mouth detected the "poison" he was consuming, but he kept chewing, brown liquid pouring down his beard as his veins filled with ice water and his stomach curdled. Or, rather the sack that had replaced his stomach. He wasn't sure he had any meat left inside his chest really.

"Watch change" a buzzing voice barked in his ear "In...half and hour. Move patrol route to the lower battlements. Check the function of the perimeter barrier and perform the rite of recharging"

"Hrrrn" He growled, rubbing brow and closing his helmet, replacing his dulled sight with a grey black landscape, filled with static and roving black bars "Dammit, I was enjoying the view"

Stomping down the stairway, he felt, or rather, his synthetic skin measured a sudden shift in the ambient temperature and wind currents. The air was heating up around him. Blinking, he looked around, the module in the hollowed out hole where his nose used to be detecting no airborne pollutants that would be an earlier warning sign of first smoke and then fire, but there were trace amounts of chemicals that he did not recognize by name. Something was wrong.

Returning to the edge of the walls, he leaned over the steel railing and gripped onto one of the plastic sheaths keeping it from freezing over at night and peered out into the dark valley below, telescoping his eyes and switching his helmet's magical sight to detect the heat of living bodies. There were pale orange and yellow blobs, that he knew to be the bodies of local wildlife, goats and wildcats.

And nothing else, yet the hair that remained sticking through the oily grey skin that had been wrapped around his flayed body stood on end. Something was wrong. He felt he was being watched, but didn't see nor detect them on any of the sensors that had been jammed into his quivering brain.

"Hrnnn' he snarled again, rubbing at the crater in his face, blinking and looking to the sky. He blinked, tapping his brow angrily. That was odd. The Chrono was saying it was several hours earlier than the darkened sky seemed to be. Something was wrong, that couldn't be right. It was like a great shadow had fallen over the citadel and the valley beneath it.

"What's going on" He asked outload, blinking as the air thrummed around him "hrrn"
_

"One sentry is placed on the outermost wall" Nikephoros said, lowering the Magnoculars "Several more in the subsequent walls. The flickering and sparking in the air, must mean there is an ill maintained energy shield, perhaps an ancient void shield or a some sort of energy similar to the Adrathic weaponry, Pater Lieren"
Cont

>>5545378

"I doubt it would be so devastating a defense, but we should be as cautious as if it were" Daedalus advises, lifting the magnoculars to his own eyes to study the enemies defenses "Adrathic weapons were rare, even upon old terra. Most likely it is merely a defensive projection, though it isn't impossible that it could be some crude form of atmospheric shock weaponry"

"Of course I wasn't saying it was Adrathic weaponry, just that is could present a similar danger, I've read the reports made of these high rider techno barbarian's weaponry, to have an atom separating wall of electricity wouldn't be out of the question" He spat back

"I detect many minds" Rafaī́l Táphos mutters "There's a substantial force manning this citadel, Can't...get an accurate count, forgive me genesire, I am still a novice in the arts of psykerism"

"Primarch" One of the Sheowl rangers' officer calls out "Give the command, and me and the lads will get over the walls and deactivate whatever that shield is, so the big men can blast them to hell!"

"The Shuomi guard will give their lives to overload the barrier" A bearded, stout fellow shouted "It is our honor to die for our brothers advance!

"The Creti are half corpses, it is said" A dour creti soldier says, as his commanding officer remains silent "We live amongst the dead, we could provide a divisionary assault, and we shall not route even if we are reduced to a man, for it is our fate to fill graves"

"Little brothers, little sisters, no need to be so rash" Chul-Moo laughed, having already popped out a pipe he had carved for himself "Our father hasn't even ordered the advance yet, no need to argue who will give their lives to open up those coward's shell"

"Hrrm, its cold" An angra pouts "Can we crush the bad men so we can go home"

"What I wouldn't give for some of the cubs to be here and grown" Hector spat "They'd relish the chance to slaughter these pigs, see how they have defiled their bodies, disgusting! Father, give the order, let us cut them down"

"I'll have to tell Avinash and Sandip you were thinking of them, Hec" Chul-Moo laughed "Hey Aadolf, how old do you think that fortress is? How many centuries it has stood? And we'll be smash it to gravel soon, hurhur"

You sat atop a rock, Dae-hyun guarding you as you whittled down a tree limb into a fine point.

"Jah, we've brought enough armor to make Lady Dandan blush" Aadolf joked "this'll be an absolute slaughter, my kinsmen"

"If it wasn't apparent, genesire, the men are getting restless" Dae-Hyun snorted "They're excited to display their martial prowess and discipline to you. To make you proud. Doesn't that just bring a tear of fatherly pride to your eye?"

You smiled and nodded, but said nothing. You had already planned out the battle to come, from beginning to end.

Cont

>>5545381

How do you begin the attack on the vault, Lieren?

>Have Sheowl and Astarte sharpshooters take positions in nearby, sheer cliffs, and have them pick off the sentries so a small force can slip through a gap in the energy shield, and deactivate it, so your whole force can advance and break through the walls of stone

>Inspired by Aadolf's off handed comment, half Kanzeon, your iron turtles, steel birds and other heavy weaponry bombard the energy shield to overload it, and then lead a charge into the citadel,

>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing

>Draw the garrison out into an open field, where the Creti and Shuomi have already dug trenches and created a kill box between them, and then give the command to open fire. They'll have to shut the shield down to leave. And while they battle the regiments that follow your sons, your sons and Angra will blindside them from the cliffs and forest

>Write in

>>5545383
>Draw the garrison out into an open field, where the Creti and Shuomi have already dug trenches and created a kill box between them, and then give the command to open fire. They'll have to shut the shield down to leave. And while they battle the regiments that follow your sons, your sons and Angra will blindside them from the cliffs and forest
>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing

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>>5545383
>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing
Time to let the boys see how Papa Lieren gets shit done.
Quick, how many Primarchs can you spot in the attached photo?

>>5545383
>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing
Keep the timing so that it seems more like an evening mist that just keeps building and then in that mist have those gifted with psykerism swirl the mist close to our men as they advance so that the enemy can't detect us through thermal or IR among other things. The moisture also hiding our power signatures.

>Write in
Have those whom understand demolition move ahead in the mist to ensure that if there is a minefield it is clear. Once we get close tot he wall, mark breach points for our armour to target and blow down the door, then we move in however ensure rapid escape routes are set up so if they try to self destruct this place everyone can get out fucking fast.

Let us fight and move up mingling with our Sons and the baseborn, we are all in this together.

>>5545383
>>Have Sheowl and Astarte sharpshooters take positions in nearby, sheer cliffs, and have them pick off the sentries so a small force can slip through a gap in the energy shield, and deactivate it, so your whole force can advance and break through the walls of stone
enemies outside and within, a three prong battlefield. we're the third prong

>>5545439

I'll second this anon, laid out better than I was thinking and Lieren isn't one to waste any lives if he can absolutely help it, surgical precision followed by overwhelming force seems to be our style, and utilization of all the pieces we have as befits the Quartermaster

>>5545439
>>5545383
Supporting this call, it is a bit more detailed

>>5545577
Chisel then Hammer approach?

>>5545439
Support.

>>5545383
>Have Sheowl and Astarte sharpshooters take positions in nearby, sheer cliffs, and have them pick off the sentries so a small force can slip through a gap in the energy shield, and deactivate it, so your whole force can advance and break through the walls of stone
>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing

++
++LOG:XXX-XXX/PASS:XXX-XXX/GENOLOCK:ACCEPTED++
++SUBJECT QUERY:Men of Jade++
++AUDIOLOG:MechaniumREP02401/BIOLOGIA++
++PLAY_FILE?[Y/N]:Y
+
-RECORDING BEGINS-
“It was magnificent to behold an answer to humanities degenerating and vulnerable gene unity. Initially a proposal put forward by the Emperor's own 'Illuminated Triumvirate'; Magnus, Lieren and Perturabo. The Men of Jade were a way to reunify humanity at the baser level into a more sable gene stock not just for simple survival but also later Astarte recruitment for as expected of the Emperors own creations they understood that to increase recruitment for the crusade, to uplift mankind one must build from the foundations up.

It was to this end they selected humans containing the highest level of genetic purity and also possessing the Psyker genome to enter the Vaults of most reverent Terra and step into the Talos Crucible. Random genetic information was cut away, splices of differing sources modelled in with the Master of Mankind's unmatched intellect, truly the Omnissiah was at work for their efforts quickly bore fruit for the first batch to receive gene treatment held a survival rate as high as thirty percent! With their offspring inheriting the overwhelming majority of their sires genome overriding the flawed aspects of old humanity!

The change will come over humanity in generations so subtle and efficient! These men of jade bring stronger bodies, sharper minds, more potent will and control of their significantly more common latent gifts! Such divine uniformity, such clarity of purpose and elegance of design!

Guided and nurtured by the Sponsas Machina these beings will bring glory to Terra, Mars and the imperium in signing off this recording I shall quote the text which is the first words each speaks upon leaving the Crucible reborn; Renatus sum propter humanitatis victoriam permanentem.

For now I truly see a future not of steel, but Jade.

-RECORDING ENDS-
+
++QUERY:DELETE_LAST++
++LOG:XXX-XXX/PASS:XXX-XXX/GENOLOCK:ACCEPTED++
++CONFIRM_[Y/N]:Y
++FILE_DELETED

>Deploy a new technology

Let's go. This is the time to bring the mists.

>>5545439
Support, a good plan, and if their comms systems aren't ready to send messages it should be a piece of cake to disable them.
This soldiers seems all well equipped and filled with implants just like cyborgs. They likely have the best gear inside the vault or their own barracks though, if they can't reach it they can count only on the weapons they have on them.

>>5545383
>>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing

>>5545383
>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing

>Draw the garrison out into an open field, where the Creti and Shuomi have already dug trenches and created a kill box between them, and then give the command to open fire. They'll have to shut the shield down to leave. And while they battle the regiments that follow your sons, your sons and Angra will blindside them from the cliffs and forest

>>5545383
>Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing

File: you must be new here.png (105 KB, 2000x1715)

105 KB PNG

"You're clearly new here"

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470 KB GIF

>>5546616

>>5546616
>>5546939

oops i forgot to resize it, welp damage done. Bad luck lads.

>>5545439
>support

Guilliman stood beside his Father whom himself was smiling in approval at the organised Ultramarines gathered below as the whole legion acted as an honour guard for the Emperor's first proper stay upon Macragge. While the master of Mankind was here on business so to speak he did his Thirteenth Son the privilege to hold a more public ceremonial arrival to inspire the populous.

The Ultramarine stood pristine in a hundred formations of a thousand strong, broken into columns of a hundred standing vigil and equally spaced to that the citizens of the Five hundred Worlds could catch a sight of the Emperor himself whom was collected from the landing zone an entire twenty kilometres from the steps of Fortress of Hera, from there he was to transported via a gold plated open topped carriage with its own void shield generator along the route to their destination.

They were on that very carriage now waving to the crowds as four Custodian stood as still as statues at each corner the two able to share quiet words as they moved through cheering onlookers.

“When I look out onto the faces here, the Legion standing vigil I want you to know Roboute, I couldn't be prouder. The Ultramarines maintain a breathtaking record and act as an inspiration to all.” His creator praised with honesty even in his normally stern eyes and his tanned face was wearing a genuine smile. The Thirteenth Son allowed himself a quiet second or so to pass to ruminate upon the praise, a little pride welling at such a statement.

“Is that why you wished me to be the Commander of the eastern expeditionary fleet?” he probed within a jest.

“It is, that and the Lion doesn't often find his legion in this part of the galaxy rather is and his efforts are focused within the North. Currently he is working alongside Russ and Ferrus.”

“Oh? You send three north but believe me to be as capable all on my lonesome?”

“Do not envy your Brothers so my Son your armour is blue not green and look about you, no other can claim such peace across so wider realm.”

The carriage continued in a comfortable silence until they began to climb the great marble steps. The two walking together the Custodians still marching in vigil.

“I can not help you didn't answer my question Father-” Guilliman mused aloud. “-will I be receiving additional guests soon? A brother or two also coming to visit?”

The Emperor turned upon the steps close to the top to look over his prodigal son's domain and shook his head with a sigh “You will, a Commander would need a second or even third. In this campaign you may well find yourself in the need of a Spymaster since you are going to be facing mostly renegade human colonies I expect.”

The Primarch frowned “Father i-” he was cut off.

1/2

>>5548120
“I know of your disapproval of Alpharius and his methods and while I would like to see you two get along better that may have to wait till another time. Yet another brother will be joining you; Sanguinius is on his way here as we speak bringing with him a third of his legion.”

The Emperor resumed walking chuckling to himself at some unspoken joke?

“Father! My respect for Sanguinius is immense and I have no doubts as to his combat effectiveness nor his capacity to sway many a governor with words alone but you said a Spymaster?”

“That I did” the Emperor responds curtly,

“...he isn't the...sort” Roboute found the words hard and sour tasting to say like he was belittling his winged brother whom was ever the Angel among them.

“I suppose he isn't”

They were in the Fortress proper now the doors sealing behind them as they strode through a vast domed hall which echoed with their steps even as the many banners hanging from walls and ceiling tried to mute them. A throne sat at the far end and beyond that would be the entrance to the strategy room.

“Oh no-” the Ultramarines primarch gulped his mind realising what his father's cryptic jests meant, his eyes darted about the Custodians...the Emperor had brought his new spymaster here already; a troublesome man. But which was he all were suitable heights, walked correctly and none had left his senses since they landed. The Emperor began to laugh to himself before pointing ahead of them once more.

There he sat lounged across the throne of Macragge half hidden in shadow like an oversized cat on his back and eating an apple legs kicking at the air over the armrest; Lieren. The Panther swallowed more of the fruit and tucked the rest away before throwing his arms up in greeting but still not getting up.

“BROTHER! DID YOU MISS ME!” bellowed the Secondborn

“GET OFF THE THRONE YOU VAGABOND” responded the Thirteenth

The Emperors quiet laughter become loud and joyous as Guilliman rubbed his temples, his sons bringing him a measure of joy he'd not felt in millennia even as one son chased the other off the throne and around the room like children a fraction of their age. Truly at this moment he was happy.

2/2

>>5548122

Honestly adorable, if Lieren can bring some joy to his Brothers the timeline will already be changed

>>5548122
I enjoy Lieren's pranks and intentional frivolous attitude. It reminds me that this wasn't possible by design and he indulged his humanity through his own will. It's a great reward.

Calling the vote now. Sorry for the wait.

Deploy a new technology your sons presented to you, a gift from Mari, that can produce a fog similar to that on Shangrala, which you known has the queer property of interfering with certain sensors, like those in Aeldari helmets. And the humidity of the fog itself will probably short out the shield generator, allowing you to advance forward, unseen until you have scaled the walls and began the killing: 13

Draw the garrison out into an open field, where the Creti and Shuomi have already dug trenches and created a kill box between them, and then give the command to open fire. They'll have to shut the shield down to leave. And while they battle the regiments that follow your sons, your sons and Angra will blindside them from the cliffs and forest: 2

Have those whom understand demolition move ahead in the mist to ensure that if there is a minefield it is clear. Once we get close tot he wall, mark breach points for our armour to target and blow down the door, then we move in however ensure rapid escape routes are set up so if they try to self destruct this place everyone can get out fucking fast:6
Have Sheowl and Astarte sharpshooters take positions in nearby, sheer cliffs, and have them pick off the sentries so a small force can slip through a gap in the energy shield, and deactivate it, so your whole force can advance and break through the walls of stone:2

Total votes: 14

So Lieren will Deploy the newly minted Mist Generators to shroud his forces in fog similar to that of Shangrala, moving those who in his army trained in demolition to first to check for minefields and marking the wall with breech points for the Armor attachments of the army to target and blow open the gate, before beginning the assault while ensuring rapid escape routes are set in case of the defenders pulling a Yan and trying to blow their citadel to kingdom come in defiance.

Writing now

>>5545393
Kek

>>5546616
Nice.
>>5545716
Nice drabble, especially enjoyed the "...truly the Omnissiah was at work for their efforts quickly bore fruit for the first batch to receive gene treatment held a survival rate as high as thirty percent!" part

>>5548120
>>5548122
And I really enjoyed this. It was funny and heartwarming. Its good to see Big E happy. And Lieren up to his usual mischief

..... Wait. There was a minefield?

>>5548981
Lieren is being cautious and checking if there is one before ordering a full advance.

>>5548981
If the High Riders are serious about keeping this cache secure, it'd be safe to assume as much.
If there isn't, I expect the entirety of our forces to be struggling to hold in their laughter during the operation.

With a thunderous clap, you draw the attention of all of your gather soldiers and clear the branches nearest to you of leaves as your palms meet and create and explosion of sound and moving air, making it seem as if the gales of an unseen storm have ripped through the woodlands. Hopping high atop the boulder you were using as a seat, you lash your arm out, as all your troops stand at attention and focus on you, as leaves falls around you and lift upon the air current whipped up by the dramatic movements of your hand.

"The breath of Shangrala shall sigh through the valley before us, shrouding our advance with cool mist and smother fog. We shall be shrouded, moving like panthers, unseen and unheard until we sink our fangs into the throat of our enemies" You declare, poetically giving your orders "Bring forth the Lungs of the mountains, and set them at the edge of the forest. We shall begin our advance once the clouds of their breath fill the area and reduces visibility to nil. The garrison will be blinded, and believe themselves assailed by phantoms and ghosts"

The highest officers of your legion under your command, and those of the regiments assigned to them kneel, placing their arms across their chest as the rest of your Terran army stands ready to march, as still as the statues of great warriors and storied heroes. The Angra, try to mimic the dignity and silent resolve of your sons, and perform an admirable imitation even if there is clear and present confusion in their large, bovine eyes.

"Alright, you heard the big man! Get those mist generators up and running!" The leader of the Shumoi bellowed, running a hand through his dense, red beard "We're wasting precious time, standing about here! Work to be done! Prepare the grounds for Our brother's advance! This is busy work! Unfit for a space marine! GO! GO!"

You nod, crossing your arms and turning your eyes to the contingent of Sheowl rangers and Creti grave wardens

"Guard the Ursine guard and Angra as they prepare the devices, in an overwatch manuver. Keep your weapons trained on the valley and citadel above it, open fire at the first sign of movement or notice. All three of the guard regiments and Angra will join in the assault. For you have all earned the honor long ago, on distant terra and in the butcher war" You say, nodding your head, as The men and women of terra salute and head out, trailing the soldiers transporting the gifts Mari has given you. Miniature replicas of part of her own terraforming technologies, the very same that spread fog all across Shangrala, but reduced in effect and duration to cut down its staggering energy demands. In fact, from what you heard from Kanzeon and Anahita, The Lungs of the Mountain are bit a fragment of the atmospheric devices that shrouded Shangrala eons ago. A pale imitation of Mari's true breath, but an effective tool none the less. Men unused to Shangrala's veil of clouds wander through it as if they were blind.

Cont

>>5549108

"Dae-Hyun, gather the marines with the most expertise in demolition and the handling of explosive, and those students of Shan and Dai tankers from our armored support. When the mists cover the valley, fan out with Auspexes to detect any subterranean defenses or deterrents the citadel may be protected with. I belief the sudden rise in humidity will short out their poorly maintained shield generator, but if minefields are included in their standard defense doctrine, the fog will do nothing but obscure their presence" You command, crossing your arms and sitting back down on the stone "Nikephoros. When Dae-Hyun's company returns, having detected no buried explosives or traps, you will lead a dozen of your brothers forward, you may choose them freely from any company and chapter and may as requisition the assistance of the Rangers and Wardens. Your duty is to mark breach points along the walls for our armor and artillery to target. Retreat immediately."

Nikephoros bows deeply, but you have more orders to deliver

"Regroup with Dae-Hyun's minesweepers, and take a vanguard with him. I shall join both of you and lead the charge the moment the gate falls" You say sliding off of the boulder, arms still crossed "Before the operation begins, however, I will perform a final inspection on our tanks and aircraft. Ready yourselves for battle and bloodshed"

And with that, your soldiers disperse, each one having their own orders to obey and command to follow, working with an efficiency, haste and unity of purpose similar to that of working ants.
_

"I'm telling you, lord commander, something is unnatural about this night. I've never seen a fog so thick and dense" Clineas nervously explained to the eldest soldier station at the citadel, a man whose only organic component was a quarter of quivering grey matter. The iron man's mask, ever impassive, betrayed none of his emotions, if he stilled possessed them, and followed the sentry along his patrol.

"You're frightened of weather?" He mocked, his voice grating and electronic "I should give you to the rest of the men, for clearly you're more of a woman than a warrior"

"It isn't natural weather. The fogs that come here are thin. Even our long viewers can pierce through this smog!" He spat back angrily "And I don't mean just from sight, their readings have gone haywire and the moving screens turn muddled and distorted! Something isn't right here"

"Poorly maintained equipment, no matter its intricacies and the enchantments within it, will fail eventually. Give me the names of the serfs assigned to each long-viewer and they will be punished" The commander hissed, his voice aching Clineas' cybernetic ears

"It isn't just the long viewers, every man on the wall I ran into before getting to your quarters reported similar technical failures all across the wall! Even their helmets' false sense have been distorted! This mist is a hex! I'm sure of it!" He bellowed

Cont

>>5549109

"Then every man on the wall shall be flogged. Do these glitches effect anything but personal equipment and auspex apparatuses ?" the command questioned, moving his head to make his glowing red lenses seem to be rolling "Do not bother me with trifles of your own failings. Return to your task at hand, the shield generator must be appeased and fed fresh energy cores! Less we lose our greatest defense! Your punishment for your negligence will await until after you see to these vital repairs!"

"I can't find it! There's too much fog! We're blind! Even with our augmentations! And the wall is a maze!" He shouted back, losing his temper "Get us torches and oil lamps! And I will, but now, if I go to do these things, I will surely fall off the side! Already two men have! And a fall from such a height will break even our reinforced bones!"

"Then fall. The shield generator must be maintained. It is a priceless treasure entrusted to us" he growled back, gripping him by the throat with taloned, black metal hands "If it falls"

"Common bandits do not know of what lurks beneath the soil here" Clineas boasted "Nor is there any house suicidal enough to break the treaty that founded this citadel. If the shields goes down, we can repair it when the fog has lifted or bring in one of those machine whisperers who can. Its not like there's an enemy army at our gates, beating against the shield. There's just mountain goats and lions, at worse"

And, as if the gods themselves sought to punish the hubris of this single, exhausted guard, a bright blue light flared, piercing the dense, white shroud around them, before it dimmed, darker than before with a terrible sound like bleating animal being electrocuted

The taloned hand tightened around his throat, as if his commander to believed his boasting had angered the gods in some fashion.

"It...it..still..no..en" He gasped, struggling to speak as his face tightened and began to pulse with heat and his artifical lungs screamed for air

The wall of fog was bright once more, briefly illuminated and made thin enough for to see through, even with unaugmented vision.

The commander dropped Clineas to the ground, as his jaw dropped open. A pillar of fire and black smoke was rising from the outermost wall. And balls of fire with trails of white smoke were filling the sky, as a scream that could only be the war cry of a thousand devils filled the air as the earth began to quake and tremble. But the fog remained, even from the blast of searing heat and radiance, all but impenetrable.

"Man the gate" The Lord commander growled over the sound of crumbling stone and deafening detonations "We're under attack!"
_

You felt at home and at peace beneath such dense fog, as white and thick as snow on a mountaintop. Never melting nor retreating.
Cont

>>5549111

Above your head, laz cannons snapped, dark light lance sizzled, plasma shots roared, and explosive shells whistled before impacting on the citadel's walls, which was already beginning to lose its integrity and crumble away, dragging down the manned and unmanned turrets atop it down to the earth, electrical wires whipping through the air and spitting sparks into the mists as oils and unguents flowed from the gaps in the citadels once might defensives. The Angra were given bits, to keep them from growing to excited and bellowing war cries before the precise moment you gave the order to charge, and all of the terran soldiers, your sons and their companions alike, had become as silent as corpses, marching in near perfect tandem with the pace you set, leading the army in its silent approach to the fortress' gates.

While the artillery core you commanded was nothing compared to the Firestorm's orchestra, they followed their orders to the letters, and blasted any part of the wall painted with the electronically reactive pigment you had given to nikephoros, which would glow when viewed through their onboard range finders. The Dai Iron turtles rumbled forward, crushing the trees and brush beneath their threads, clearing the way for the cavalry, astride both mechanical and flesh and blood steeds. In fact, you were astride your own nameless steed, which was salivating at the thought of riding into battle once more.

In your hand, you gripped a Chendao, a new variation of the evolution of the Guandao. Instead of one firearm, it held two inside of it. In this case, an Aeldari Dark Lance was incorporated into the blade to deal with vehicles or particularly durable opponents, while a mechanism similar to a Combi bolter was placed in its haft and integrated into the blunt end of the Chendao's head, which necessitated that the hook of the blade be used in place of a traditional sight. Not that you needed one to aim.

There was a crash, and a cloud of dust ahead of you. The gate had fallen, and a hundred red dots appeared in the fog. The garrison had chosen to make its first defense at the choke point in the gate. Unaware that there were elements of your army already scaling the walls and entering through the holes blasted through them.

Swinging your Chendao down, holding it to the side of your horse in one hand, you gripped the reigns and gave a thunderous shout. A war that cracked the skies and muffled the sounds of the continued artillery barrage. A bellow that could kill a man from fright alone!

Kicking your feet, you bid your battle hungry horse forward into a galloping charge. And behind you, followed Dae-Hyun, Nikephoros, and the other nine of their brothers who knew Kanzeon as their mother and were entrusted with the truth of her nature. They were astride their own Cui Warmongers, or else piloted skipping clouds.
Cont

>>5549112

And behind them followed the rest of the space marines, on feet or driving their own skipping clouds through the air, some acting as mobile weapons platforms with how many baseborn soldiers were clinging onto their armor.

Whatever the men stationed behind the gate were expecting.

It was not a cavalry charge of Astartes.

But you have to give the garrison of the vault respect, for they did not rout the moment your horse barreled through their lines and you cut four men in twain with a single swing of your Chendao's blade.

What do you do, Lieren?

>Focus on neutralizing the defenses within the walls with your Chendao's Dark-Light.

>Find the commander, and cut him down. Without leadership, even a veteran army will falter

>Lead your space marines forward, ransacking the fort and stealing into its treasury

>Leap from your horse, and join the fray with your sons and their companions, fight amongst them, and lead them to victory

>Write in

>>5549116
>>Focus on neutralizing the defenses within the walls with your Chendao's Dark Light
>Find the commander, and cut him down. Without leadership, even a veteran army will falter
.

>>5549116
>Focus on neutralizing the defenses within the walls with your Chendao's Dark-Light.
Gotta make sure the rest of our troops actually make it here in one piece.

>>5549116

>Write in
Using the Electro pigment trace walls so that we can quickly trace identify the main power station for this place by following where the wires branch from like tracing to a tree from its roots. Then kill the power and thus the defences and lights permanently without destroying them (so we can simply restore power later and keep this place)

>Find the commander, and cut him down. Without leadership, even a veteran army will falter
In that dread dark and mist we hunt, turn this into a proper horror movie. Don't do duels just calculated assassinations, we are here to provide an example.

>Order our best tech boys to download a map of the place so once its dark we can hunt at leisure and know where we are going.

>>5549208
>>5549116
the Hunt we do to clarify should be among our sons, this is very much a bonding thing to. We know our sons can stand ground and take it, now they shall learn to hunt.

>>5549116
>Leap from your horse, and join the fray with your sons and their companions, fight amongst them, and lead them to victory

Without a doubt some opportunity or danger will present itself where we will choose to further split our forces or sally forth ourselves (it always does) leaving our sons scrambling to keep up. As it stands, I think this is a rarefied chance to simply fight amongst our sons and we should take it.

>>5549116

>>5549211
>>5549208
So long as we do the killing beside the boys I shall support

>>5549116
>Leap from your horse, and join the fray with your sons and their companions, fight amongst them, and lead them to victory

>>5549116
>>Leap from your horse, and join the fray with your sons and their companions, fight amongst them, and lead them to victory

We've prepped our plan well, now we simply follow through and engage in battle, at least until a major wrench is thrown at us

>Qianliyan Terminators
Cataphractii Terminator armour forced the framework for a combined project between a number of Primarch taking inspiration from the Aeldari Aspect Warrior known as 'Warp Spiders'. The armour rather than using its additional power to run more advanced shield generators instead powers a long range Auspex suite and advanced sensory array which work to assist the primary modification.

Gone is the standardised Imperial Teleporter support system and in its' place a miniaturised 'Gold Path' anchor which rather than being provided coordinates instead simply creates a bubble around itself shifting all within it into the warp within a self contained and shielded bubble, when deactivated the Terminator returns to real space. To observers it appears as if the marine becomes a gold wreathed wraith avoiding all attacks directed at them as if a ghost. This can also cause a fascinating situation where while alone they are immobile ghosts in this state if operating in squads they can night form a chain moving through one another's save zones unharmed which firstly allows movement but also provides a rolling chance for them to quite literally step through walls and terrain provided a battle brother on one side or the other as the field should spread beyond the cover depth!

The armour is slow work to produce, however its effectiveness in cleansing and navigating space hulks is or other normally confining locations is nothing short of miraculous.

---
Just a little side project idea exploiting the Gold Dragons Path at low power

>>5549116
>Find the commander, and cut him down. Without leadership, even a veteran army will falter
Cut the head of the snake. If he is in his own command room even better, we could have a chance to take control of the vault defenses, doors and so on. Maybe close access to that generator
for avoid a bad surprise. And more importantly shut down all comms, so they don't send a SOS which will become priority 1 when they realize how fucked they are.
It might take a few seconds than usual to kill him, i would expect the commander to have cybernetics and implants almost close to Nitya ones. Or of a few tiers lower, with worse maintenance. Still a powerful enemy unit, should be eliminated quickly.
The plan remain the same for our boys, eliminate enemy forces and ensure the enemy can't organize or reach their more powerful equipment/weapons.

>>5549453
And if we have some Lai skyriders here, they can drop on the enemy with their jet packs and armors. Then again they might not be needed here, we have already a lot of powerful military units. Plus great leaders and Lieren.


>>5549451
An interesting idea to develop. In peace time i think it should be available for us, and with Shangrila safe we should have that peace for doing research among other things.

>>5549116
>Neutralizing the defences within the walls

>Leap from the horse and join the fray.

>>5549462

At least for a little while, any bets on how long it takes for the Great Crusade proper to reach us? Or if we get hit by an invasion before that? I'd love to see Lieren face down some Orks, will be worth seeing our payker powers up against the WAAGH

>>5549116
>>Lead your space marines forward, ransacking the fort and stealing into its treasury

>>5549607
The first Ork raiding parties that touch down on Shangrala will just fucking vanish in the mists.
After seeing how anticlimactic fighting the Second Primarch is, they'll probably just go somewhere else.

>>5549116
>Focus on neutralizing the defenses within the walls with your Chendao's Dark-Light.

>Find the commander, and cut him down. Without leadership, even a veteran army will falter

>>5549607
I would say bare minimum of 10-20 years, if not to 40 or 80 max. Space is large, and the great crusade need some prep before going.
With a coordinate expansion between earth and shangrila for connect, some years could be cut likely.

>>5549641

We'll have to strike out towards New Varro once we're space faring, gotta go give the hat back, there's definitely a recruitment world for us

Funny thing is Angron ain't to far from Ultramar. If he starts sending out radio waves and stuff Big Blue might detect him

> Create new Pskerist technique to cause confusion on the commander making his decision making even worse. Name it "Misty .

Very useful especially against non-psyker commanders

>>5550547
misty is not a very Shangralaian name

Calling the vote now, sorry for long the wait

Focus on neutralizing the defenses within the walls with your Chendao's Dark Light: 4

Find the commander, and cut him down. Without leadership, even a veteran army will falter:5

Using the Electro pigment trace walls so that we can quickly trace identify the main power station for this place by following where the wires branch from like tracing to a tree from its roots. Then kill the power and thus the defenses and lights permanently without destroying them:2

Order our best tech boys to download a map of the place so once its dark we can hunt at leisure and know where we are going.:2

Leap from your horse, and join the fray with your sons and their companions, fight amongst them, and lead them to victory:4

Lead your space marines forward, ransacking the fort and stealing into its treasury:1

Create new Pskerist technique to cause confusion on the commander making his decision making even worse.: 1

Total votes:12

So Lieren will hunt down the commander of the garrison and cut him down, depriving its defenders of leadership

Writing now

>>5549451
Neat! I like it

However, that amount of discipline and sternness of nerve can only mean one thing. There commander is a lion amongst men. Whether it is through the respect or through the fear he inspires, he is the pillar holding this fortress up. Either the men whom are seeing their brothers in arms cut down feel such honor to fight beneath his banner, their courage is bolstered tenfold beyond its usual limits, or they fear his ire more than they do the advancing lion of giants, butchering their fellows as if they were rice ready to be harvested. Narrowing your all knowing eyes, you scan the battlefield, looking through the clouds of smoke, mists of blood and flying limbs as your marines make a slow but steady advance through the fallen gate. Elsewhere, you can hear fighting between the soldiers of terra and the garrison stationed within the walls themselves or deeper inside of the fort as they fight their own covert battles while the bulk of the sentries are distracted by the rain of destruction and wall of death. The Angra breech through, joining the fray along with those men and women of such rare valor or unnatural talent, they deem to join the astartes themselves as their equals in the destruction of the guardians of this invaluable vault.

Quickly, you determine that the commander is not in the first line with his men, nor in any subsequent firing line or shield wall they have formed thanks to those stationed directly behind the gate giving their lives to slow but not halt your troops advance. Looking skyward, towards the second and third wall, you search for any sign of movement or increased troop presence that would signify perhaps an honor guard or escort detachment of a general. Still you see no sign of the man. Then, an idea occurs. If he is the master of this vault, he must have privilege access to the weaponry it contains. He must be preparing, arming himself with the most dangerous tools at hand, bedecking himself in ancient treasures and curses alike, to move through the battlefield like a living storm. Spending the lives of his men to be allowed the chance to do so. While the action would be called cowardly by most, you can at leas appreciate the calculations that went behind it. Even a single magical tool of the golden age of mankind could turn the tide of battle in his favor, even if he is the last guardian of the fortress left standing.

But, he might realize that. Even if he is more augmented and cybernetically altered, his willpower cannot be increased beyond the limits of its vessel, his heart. Even if his emotions and fear in particular have been numbed or entirely excised as if they were a cancer, his spirit remains untouched, no matter how cold and unnatural its mortal vessel has become. His nerve can still be broken, fear can still grip his heart and cloud his mind. His resolve can be tested and shatter.
Cont

>>5551826

All that must be done, is he must truly believe he will die if he does not join the battle and lead directly, thus marching to the grave he fears to enter. Breathing out, you raise your Chendao high into the air, determined to create a vision of hell that would make even an automaton quake and tremble with terror!

"UNLEASH HELL!" You roar, more panther than man, snarling and growling as you pull on the reins of your monstrous steed, commanding it to rear up on its hind legs and bellow a war cry of its own "Give no quarter! Set upon them like starved jackals! Not one man shall leave this fortress alive! Advance! Trample them if you much! Tear them to shreds with your fingers and teeth in you must! Give them no reprieve! Allow them no retreat! Drown them in the blood of their comrades! Turn this valley into a sea of gore and weeping phantoms! Let none escape alive"

This declaration is the beginning of a careful psychological attack. The defenders cannot understand your tongue, but they can hear the emotion and hatred in your voice, this will terrify them and make them realize they are not dealing with any bandit or petty warlord or overly proud high rider lordling thinking he can grasp more than he is owed, but rather if not some unknown race of mountain giants emerging from slumber to exact revenge for some long forgotten slight then demons from hell itself! And the increased ferocity and mercilessness exhibited by your soldiers, will deepen this terror until it becomes an all consuming abyss.

Men who must be given a greater measure of control over their selves through unfeeling metal and invasive cybernetic emotional inhibitors, shall be controlled all the more easily by the animal, instinctual panic such implants seek to quell and cage! For no amount of technology, however great or wicked, can control so completely a living soul!

With their impassive masks and animalistic or monstrous faces they have painted on them, and the queer dress and style of their terran soldiers, the force you lead becomes less of an enemy force and more a host of inhuman predators, cloaked in fog, their already terrifying stature and armor has become all the more dreadful and completes their mien of inhumanity. And with the Angra now in the fray as well, confusion spreads, as the horde of monsters and demons expands and surges forth, now, seeing bull-headed men, their imaginations, however stunted they will be, will see the Space Marines and mundane soldiers appear to their eyes as beasts whose form and nature is the thing of nightmares, their comprehension of what they're fighting faltering and giving way to delusion and hysteria!

Hysteria that shall only worsen, as those few who can report back spread the fear that has maddened them and further sow confusion what exactly is attacking the fort, muddling it with superstition and discrepancies between the descriptions of the attacks.
Cont

>>5551827

Leading the charge, the line at the gate holds longer than you anticipated, but when its numbers are greatly reduced, when the line is ground down to red dust and trampled into the mud, the few who remain alive in it break and run. Thus setting your plan truly into motion, as, unable to see what is happening beneath the shroud of fog, the soldiers further up the mountain and walls, only have the terrified screams and panicked calls for help heard over their vox-receivers to know how the battle is progressing. You can see, as you turn your head to the walls again, the troops manning them have become thinner, and some are despairing as they lean over the rallying, unable to look away from the white mist as their minds paint a ghastly image of festival of hellish slaughter and madness greater than any intimidation tactic you could carry out personally. Having advanced enough to stand at the edge of the fog, you command your steed to stop midstride, as you lift up your chendao, upon which the corpse of the highest ranking officer you could find is impaled and the blood of many soldiers staining your thrusting arm. And, with a thought, you transform the helmet of your star-metal armor into a mask much like the propaganda depicting you as a man eating ogre.

One defender on the wall faints and falls off the edge, as the others look on, frozen in fear as you tilt your head and with a flick of your wrist, throw the corpse of the veteran to the ground, where it can be see clearly before tendrils of artificial fog creep over it like a hungry mask "pulling" it away and out of sight. Then, swinging your chendao again, in a wide, crescent arc in front of your horse, you part the fog, waving it away just enough so they can vaguely see the carnage at your heels. Half seen Angra, groups of giants that seem formed from the mist itself in their pale white armor, and scurrying humanoid figures crawling through the mud and clambering up the mounds of dead, create a suitably nightmarish image to brand into the defender's collective mind.

"COME!" You bellow in their native tongue, making the lenses of your helm flash red like burning coals "I demand more sport! This meager slaughter does not satisfy me! Come! Offer yourself to me as blood sacrifice, or your torments shall continue for a thousand years in hell! Entertain me, until even your bones are crushed to dust!"

You send a telepathic signal to your sons blessed with psykerism. As one, they create a howl with their helmet's vox casters and their combined telepathic might, making it both a sensory and mental assault, a keening cry that could be uttered by no beast born beneath the heavens.

And that completes your psychological assault. As the men still safe, high on the wall, turn on their heels and run in a disorganized, fear fueled frenzy. Slamming the haft of your Chendao onto the ground, you stand, alert and ready for the appearance of the general, rallying the shattered morale of his troops.

>>5551828

And the moment he does appear, you'll take his head and call an end to the bloodbath, corralling any survivors of the garrison to be judged and most probably hanged from the surviving walls of the citadel itself.

You have no doubt, they'll try and reach out to their sponsors in the high riders, crying over any channel of communication they have to the nearby cities, requesting immediate aid and reinforcements. And so, a shadow of fear shall spread further, and the high riders will cower, thinking they're assailed on two fronts. A rebellion of freed men, and a vengeful horde of demons shrouded in mist. At least, in the opening days of war. But that confusion, however brief, will make them easier prey for your brother and his army in his campaign of just retribution.

A coy smirk graces your lips, as the group of sentries you were watching runs directly into a party of sheowl rangers, who, with practiced swiftness, slit their throats as they bumble into them. Sending a command, you have them cut their heads off and throw them over the wall, to make the defenders think the defense they trust to protect them from the monsters of the mist have already fallen. Without you having to expend any more ammunition or manpower.

It takes under a minute for the commander to show himself, as the second gate opens, and he stands, in a suit of powered armor of a much more cruder and cumbersome design than terran make and certainly your own improvements of it. He stands at the head of his forces, which by your initial survey make up the majority of the garrison force, but they stand with the manner of doomed men preparing to make a final, but unwinnable last stand. Despite the archeotech armor and weapons they have been afforded, some of which aren't even weapons, as other sorts of tools and devices for work besides killing have been handed out in the commanders haste to bolster his troops strength, not that it matters.

You show yourself, and your eleven foremost astartes in the edge of the midst and calculate the exact distance between him and yourself down to the scale of millimeters.

He lifts up his sword and opens his mouth to deliver an inspiring speech to the men rallied behind him, or else threaten them into complying with suicidal orders, commanding them in either case to throw themselves to clog the teeth of the meat grinder before him.

With a pull of your finger, you silence him before he can utter a single syllable. The men closest to him are struck blind by the Dark-Light lance that shrieks into him, reducing his armor to a pool of boiling slag and he himself into a cloud of smoldering ash. Impressively, the lower half of his armor remains intact as its upper portion is reduced to liquid metal, glowing like the insides of a furnace.
Cont

>>5551829

A light that illuminates the petrified faces of the men who were fortunate enough to be standing outside of the blinding light of the lethal shot, while those who were unfortunate enough to be within their radius scream as they claw at their eyes, slashed to uselessness by the dark matter particles.

Their nerve crumbles, their resolve vanishing and their courage is snuffed out, some fall whimpering to their knees, curling to try and make themselves smaller targets, hiding their heads between their legs. Some, so overcome with fear begin laughing manically, standing still, to horrified to even run away. A few put their own knives to their throats, and take what they imagine to be the easier way out. But most, proving they deserved your earlier respect, keep control over themselves and retain enough clarity of mind to realize they have been utterly defeated.

And flee deeper into the citadel, in search of sanctuary or seeking some hidden escape route to escape the onslaught of fog devils.

Exactly as you planned. With a motion, you command the stealthiest of your sons to continue on in pursuit of them, to prevent them escaping and painting a clear picture of the force that crushed this once believed to be unassailable fortress, or prevent them from leaking details that may prove troublesome or activating any system that will cause this vault to self destruct, forever entombing both defender and attacker alongside its forbidden treasury.

But that is little more than ceremony. The battle is already won, without the leadership of their commander acting as an anchor for them, their courage sapped by the terror you instilled, the soldiers no longer have the will to fight what they believe to be an undefeatable opponent, even though they have the manpower and weaponry to prove quite troublesome if they stood their ground. Enough to exact even a few fatalities amongst your gene-sons, to speak nothing of their attached forces.

What do you do, now that the battle is won, Lieren?

>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.

>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts

>Decide to be mischievous, and make the last message sent out of the fortress a blurry image of your ogre mask and the corpses of the defenders, arranged in a suitably grotesque manner.

>Prime the fortress to explode when you leave it, so it can't be used by the enemy again in the future and re-garrisoned.

>write in

Don't wanna get your hopes up, but I feel like I got my mojo back, so I might be able to get updates out quickly again

>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.
>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts

Priorities, lock this place down, teach our sons the Journey in a live situation.

>Write in
Broadcast the Trials and executions, time to spread the good word!... Angron will learn from it to~

>>5551830
>>5551845
+1 to this but it is sad knowing only the high riders will see the broadcast as only they the necessary tech to watch it.

>>5551845
Support
Uhmm the high riders might send an army during the broadcast, but if we have study the region of this vault we should have no problems in leaving.
Or bombing them with steel birds if they run here

Its Lieren we know they may well do that and thats why we'd pull a "wait this isnt live?! its a recording" and then do some sorta ambush/insta murder on them.

>>5551830
>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.
>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts

>>5551830
>>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.
>>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts

Hell yes, I don't know about making the recording for broadcast, giving a face to the enemy can give something to rally against whereas just leaving a depopulated fortress deep behind their lines where the entire population disappeared into fog might mean that fighters will flee at the first sight of fog not thinking any glory is to be gained inside it

>>5551830
>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.
>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts
>Broadcast it, but keep the ogre mask
Yama King Lieren

>Prime the fortress to explode when the enemy comes to reinforce it. Wouldn't be good to waste such a fun trap when the enemy feeling safe from the outside with the energy shield.

>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.

>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts

>>5551830
>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.

>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts

>>5551830
>>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress

>Prime the fortress to explode when you leave it, so it can't be used by the enemy again in the future and re-garrisoned.

>>5551845
I support this, also we can stay behind while our army moves away and scare the first scouts they send as they see the enemy demonic general mount his steed and fly away into the sky for maximum trolling potential.

>>5551830
>>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.

>Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies away chasing ghosts

>>5551830
Yay!

I also support >>5551845

>>5551845
I thought the point was the be as sneaky as possible. Isn't public broadcast a bit much?

>>5551830
>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.

>Decide to be mischievous, and make the last message sent out of the fortress a blurry image of your ogre mask and the corpses of the defenders, arranged in a suitably grotesque manner.

>>5552442
The enemy will come to face us, only to find an empty base, to be their tomb....we blow it with them within. That or we simply draw agro, turn the void shield back on and have a laugh.

Two Primarch stood opposed to one another within a grand arena aboard the Phalanx while three others watched intently focused. Dorn watched beside the Lion and Mortarian as Horus below carefully selected his weapons to face the man whom he'd felt over shadowed by for so long; Lieren. This was a long time coming the First Found Son versus the Favoured Son and while Dorn knew Lieren bore the Luprical no ill will it seemed that Horus had let the bile of jealousy overcome his better judgement.

Lieren and Russ had carried out an unspeakable duty at the behest of their Father, Horus hadn't even been consulted. Mortarian was furious and refused to believe what had been done, the Lion had remained silent and Dorn while disappointed at the lack of communication understood the need for secrecy. But now Lieren had been sent this way to resupply before heading off on whatever unwritten enigmatic venture he'd been assigned by the Emperor of Mankind or his Sigillite. The Lunar Wolf had snapped art the Panther, the Panther ever full of wit and mirth played off the gesture as one of passion...the Wolf angered then challenged, the Panther accepted readily.

Horus was done choosing his war gear, a great sword he wielded with a single hand with poise and a control the Master of the Fists couldn't help but admire, in his other was a Plasma pistol. Dorn was concerned things were getting to far out of hand but the moment was already here so all he could do now was ensure the medical suites were ready. Lieren however simply wore his artifice and from a shimmering portal of gold pulled a blade of black and white. The Reaper of Barbarus snarled at the overt display of Psykerism and tightened his fists, the Lion still remained quiet with eyes narrowed in study.

Sisigmund stepped between the men and waited for both to signal their readiness, Horus sharply nodded and Lieren finally showed emotion; a feline grin. Sisigmund's hand fell and it began.

---

1/3
Lieren is gonna cause so much grief in those to proud to have a laugh.

>>5552908
Mortarian was calm at this moment, Horus was known as the greatest amongst the Primarch for a reason and how he looked forward to Lieren's grin to be bloodied and missing a few teeth. The Primarch of the Second Legion had ever flaunted his accursed warp gifts, flitting this way and that across the galaxy with his Legion of thieves and mutants. Their Father had a use for them all but Lieren he was nothing but a petulant child ever seeking to gain the favour of their Father; a father whom was a Tyrant yet Lieren didn't oppose...hypocrisy at its finest.

Below the observation stand battle was joined, Horus advancing steadily firing small bouts of Plasma at Lieren to get a measure of reaction time and speed before blades were joined. At first Lieren bobbed and weaved out the way in his queer stylings moving like a crane from step to step but as the distance shrunk between them the plasma bolts were getting closer and closer to finding purchase until finally one shot was going to strike true centre of the Panthers' chest.

But then it simply didn't, Lieren paused mid pose and rather than dodging the searing chemical projectile had simply stopped it in the air an open palm to the overcharged shot. Grinning still he flicked the shot back towards Horus whom dodged aside.

“Ever the comedian Lieren, fight me in ernest” Horus barked throwing the weapon aside since it's charge was spent and he'd got the measure of his brothers speed. It was said only Magnus had seen Lieren fight in full seriousness, that all other times the Second Son acted more a fool to throw off all others.

Lieren lowered his hand as Horus was before him in a heartbeat, Lieren was not smiling now.

The greats word swung a pristine arc of silver untraceable by even the other primarch and the arc was set to cross Lierens face, which now stared in a manner Mortarian had never seen? Cold?..like the Mechanicum staring down a curiosity?

The blade stopped short with Horus midswing, armoured groaned in duress? Now he felt anger...fury.

---

2/3
Given how alot of our brothers have issues ot put it lightly I wonder whom we'll tick off a bit to much?

>>5552909
The Master of the Dark Angels pitied Horus, he'd picked a fight in a manner which he couldn't win. He was indeed Lieren's better in blade and gun, maybe even in strategy and charisma. But Lieren was not the fool he played himself up to be, long had he studied his closest younger brother so while others saw a flowery man of passion and whimsy he knew the truth, he was a man of mechanical efficiency motivated by a code of conduct more similar to the binary calculus of Mars.

El'Jonson knew he and all the Primarch were naturally resistant to the tricks and mysticism of the warp and so upon deeper thought what Lieren had done made perfect cold sense, Do not freeze or restrain Horus, restrain the air and space around him effectively trapping the Wolf of Lunar in amber.

From there the fight was all but over not the joyous brotherly brawling he'd heard of from Angron, there were now flowing colours here, no smiles and laughing. Lieren disassembled Horus.

A hand pushed and Horus was thrown backward, with the splaying of a closed fist armour was peeled open like a can. Then the Panther was upon him,fingers jabbing points across the body in a surgical manner. There was no art or flare, no taunts nor banter. Lieren had let the scholars mask slip and given a gimpse of what lay underneeth. The thing Malcador and Legion myth refereed to as; The Ogre.

Horus was not defeated in combat by a Brother fighting with feeling and investment , rather undone by a machine simply solving an equation.

Yet as Horus lay immobile upon the ground Lieren sat beside him, warmth returning to him as the mask was put back in place, he didn't know what he was saying to Horus but it stired something in him as his jaw tightened and eyes glimmered.

The Lion turned away and left, there was much to consider and think about.

---

3/3
I like the idea when serious in combat it'd be a Mechanicum's wet dream, a robot of cold calculus given the power to shape reality. Also yes I just rewatched the matrix: reloaded

That's cold, stone cold

>>5551830
>Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.
>Prime the fortress to explode when you leave it, so it can't be used by the enemy again in the future and re-garrisoned.

>>5552911

Fuck yeah, I'm imagining we said something like "Honored Eldest Brother, it was the only strategy that would see success." Simultaneously showing Horus that we're not to be trifled with but also assuaging his pride which we long ago read as his folly.

the only issue with this snippet is Lieren is technically the first found cause he met the emperor in person before all his brothers but maybe alpharius.

>>5553968
I viewed it more as Horus being the first Reclaimed/joining the Crusade. Also reminder to all we should get Perty in touch with the Emperor so dad can directly tell him "yo make Olympia ready for the great crusade". It will give him some direction and focus for the waiting time, we can also ask him about how to build a power supply for the 'Golden Paths'. From there its only a matter of finding one another and building anchors!

The Emperor twirled the figure of a Chimera around in his fingers looking over it's finer details, the Head of a man, the body of a Panther, Wings of a Swallow and serpentine tail. In one claw it held a noose, the other a Lotus marked tome. He liked the piece and the Primarch to whom it represented, Lieren had been fulfilling his purpose wonderfully if in an alternative manner as to that which was intended; diplomatic opportunities, locations of other Primarch, technology, intel, a firece hate for the arch enemy... it seems his Quartermaster was also becoming a viable Spymaster and Witchhunter. He placed the piece upon the board which represented the Galaxy which if designs held would belong to humanity in time.

His Second Son's greatest strength however was overlooked by all but Magnus, it was not his predatory capacity, his wit nor charm. It was neither the playful fool he so acted like nor the emotionless smoke shrouded ogre; it was the so called Golden Ocean and 'Mein' technique. His son's mental and spiritual capacity for stillness and emptiness allowed him to control the warp to an unheard of degree within a close proximity to such an extent when he focused and donned a false mask that disguise would take on a very true life, he was not pretending to be these concepts or figures, he was them! In the shared memories he saw so many forms already, time, fury, peace and then in his spar with Angron he wore the face of Joy. Even other souls could be mimiced it seemed and it brought forth an idea; could his son mein him? A perfect body double.... a useful tool for any Emperor no matter the era~

--
Lieren has so many options though I myself am hype for Aeldari arc

Calling the vote now, sorry for the wait.

Preside over the trials and executions of the survivors, empty the vaults and leave the depopulated fortress for the high riders to find when they arrive to reinforce its now slain defenders.:14

Make a record of those city's alerted to the attack, and send messages to the other elements of both the freed Nucerian and Shangralan armies, so they can strike at them while they'll vulnerable with a portion of their own armies are away chasing ghosts:11

Broadcast the Trials and executions:6
-But keep your ogre warmask:1

Prime the fortress to explode when the enemy comes to reinforce it. Wouldn't be good to waste such a fun trap when the enemy feeling safe from the outside with the energy shield.:3

Decide to be mischievous, and make the last message sent out of the fortress a blurry image of your ogre mask and the corpses of the defenders, arranged in a suitably grotesque manner.:1

total votes 15:

So Lieren will judge and execute the survivors of the garrison and empty its vaults of archeotech, but before leaving the fortress, make a list of those nearby cities alerted to the attack to the other elements of the two armies, so they may strike them while their men are away chasing ghosts.

>>5552908
>>5552909
>>5552911
This was an absolute treat, you captured three different points of view marvelously and wrote out a well choregraphed fight. I also greatly enjoyed how you described things. 11/10!

>>5554096
Ooh, this was short but sweet, really enjoyed it!

>>5554036
i think the emperor mentioned he talked with him after we discovered him, and then we informed Magnus and the emperor of that. Perturabo at the moment is no leader/ruler, but he has an important position. Maybe, we already talked of some interesting topics same for Magnus. It would still take time to further advance things but is time well spent and a good investment for the future.

We likely can already find each other after confronting the positions of the stars they see, combined with the use of psykerism and miens, and observation of old star maps. Both Magnus and Perturabo level of tech are not that strong, certainly not primitive of course, but not enough for create warp anchors.
.... Or at the very least warp anchors with our same level of technology that provide a broad security and efficiency despite(a great feat and triumph in my book) only creating a temporal connection.

Soon, the fleeing men were caught and lead back before you in chains and rope, your sons showing self control and mastery worthy of praise. They had learned well from the lessons and suggestions of the journey, and realized you intended to weed through the forces of the garrison in the perhaps vain hope that from their ranks there could be found worthy of mercy, whom, despite serving wicked and evil masters and aiding in tyranny and oppression, could be removed from the greater cancer and allowed to live past the day. But you were filled with an even greater pride, to see their unaltered companions following their ideals, even if you could nearly perceive their killing intent it had grown so potent in their hearts. Their battle, unlike your sons, had not been bloodless, and now they move amongst the killing field, gathering their dead and taking from their the tags they wear around their necks along with their weapons and armor.

They want nothing more to kill these men, who have shed the blood of their brothers and sisters, whom have traveled from terra and survived against the madness that was the butcher's war. But, they restrain themselves, knowing well you intend to pass judgement, as you have done to every enemy or villain you've managed to get your hands on, to measure their sins and see if they have become so burdensome that the only appropriate punishment is death. And for some of these men, that in of itself will be a mercy. Blinded or driven to the edge of insanity, execution will be a swift and compassionate end, far quicker and kinder than any other fate they might meet in this world.

Your mood is sullied and darkened, when you find amongst the ragged and weary survivors, no hint of virtue or benevolence. They are all morally bankrupt and rotten, consumed by wickedness one and all, fallen to the corruption that spreads where ever the high riders trod. If any of them were spared, they'd lead a life of violence and wroth, spreading misery and pain. If you had met them sooner, they may had been saved. For you had known natural killers of this kind, to be able to surpass their inner nature and instinctual bloodlust to stand proud as some of the most heroic of men. Like Bai. But, like Cui Fu, you had been too late, and these men's souls have been soiled by the misdeeds and villainy of their lives, having long since stepped past the line to become a host of unforgiveable blackguards. Their darker nature won out, or else the constant wrongdoing has polluted and twisted their minds. And those who had escaped this degeneration mental and spiritual, have simply done too much evil to be spared.

They admit their crimes to you, willingly. Sadistic sports, cruel excesses, murderous deeds and avarice driven ambition. You had hung many men of their kind, and their bones still rattle in the spring winds of your homeland. Their fate shall be no different.
Cont

>>5554363

"Killing is a chore, like any other, if it is justified" You explain to the the bearded Shuomi Colonel, whom you have learned is called Tarmo Lauri "One must not think themselves righteous for any act of murder, even if their victim is the most repugnant breed of malefactor. It must be seen as a labor as any other, grueling, perhaps, but never something to be relished and exulted. It may be necessary and deserved, but it should never be celebrated"

"Dirty work, for dirtied hands" He remarks, eyes locked on the forest of bodies hanging by rope throughout the fortress "Leaves behind quiet the unsettling mess, doesn't it"

"Its a warning. Men fear hanging more than any other form of execution, besides those methods of torture disguised as proper execution. If properly performed, with a suitable length of precisely measured robe, it is one of the most merciful means of dispatching the guilty" You say as you walk by the man, as Angra hold those yet to be assigned a noose and final resting place scream indignantly or else cry in the pathetic manner of men who despite dealing death all their lives had never thought they would face it themselves one day

"I prefer tying mines to em" Tarmo says, flicking a pipe out of his pocket, to fill with a smokeable Shuni leaf "Then they can still serve a purpose in death! Even barbarians will try to save their fellows, and end up joining them in death. Though, I will admit, this does keep from wasting ammunition or explosives on em, so good on ya, big man"

"It's efficient, nothing more. Rope can be re-used, bullets cannot" You say, nodding "Tell your men and the Angra we'll soon depart, as soon as my sons and the Creti wardens have finished collecting the Archeotech here, I shall personally categorize it at a later date, when we have departed the wars front, and will safely store it until then"

"Understood, sir" he says with a lazy salute, "I'll do just that, just as soon as the last man stops kicking"

"I have not mismeasured any of the rope, their necks will snap and they will fall unconscious before they experience any pain" You say, somewhat offended but not allowing the feeling to remain, as you know the colonel meant no insult with his choice of phrasing.

"I'm certain you haven't" He says respectfully "I take it, if any of their necks prove to sturdy, we have orders to shoot them"

"Correct, inform the rest of the soldiers, no man, no matter how vile, deserves to suffer a lingering death" You say, patting him on the shoulder and nearly knocking him off his feet, as he had not steeled or ready himself for your casual show of comradery "Dai and Tao Engineers, with me! We need to scrape the data servers of this fortress, see which cities they cried out to for assistance. They will be more easily assailed with a portion of their professional armies out in the mountains and hills chasing ghosts!"
Cont

>>5554365

And Kanzeon would help with this effort, really, the mechanics and scholars you were calling upon, would mostly just gather data, while she would perform the most arduous and time consuming task of making sense of it.
_

"What...what is this!" Cercyon Thal'kr snarled with quiet menace, seeking to hide the creeping fury worming its way into his heart "What manner of devilry is this!"

He motioned to the screen he, his brothers, his sons and his nephews were gathered around, at the image frozen on flickering pixels, clouded with static and discoloration, as if they would be able to tell him what they had just watched. He could still feel the screams of the men who had sent this broadcast vibrating in his bones, could still hear their panicked cries as they tried to describe an enemy unseen in the mists. And he could still hear the sound of guns that shouldn't be outside of the hands of any beside the high riders. His metal hand groaned as he clenched it, his teeth threatening to shatter as he locked his jaw tightly. And there should only one giant upon Nuceria. His Unbeaten! The orphaned wretch he took into his own stables and gave glory and honor beyond imagining. Now, unless the video was a lie, it would seem there was an entire race of mountain giants! Mountains. That was were the slavers he had bought Angronius Thal'kyr said he had been found. He quashed the unpleasant thought that rose up in his mind, theorizing a connection between the army that slaughtered the garrison at the reliquary. A garrison supplied by several high rider families, trained, equiped and sponsored by them

And they were butchered like animals. His hand of bone and flesh trembled and he stilled it by smacking it against a table.

Is this how Angron escape? Had he met with these other giants? Or had they found him and brought fire to his city, ruining house Thal'kyr's reputation and beggaring it by nearly reducing the once great city of Desh'ea to a charred ruin? Or were these monsters and the mist that seemed to shield them, something else entirely. He was by no means a superstitious man, but the noises they made! That howling! That alien speech! They could not be human or even whatever his prized gladiator was in truth.

"Could...could it be the work of a sorcerer? You saw as well as I, some of those monsters were a mingling of bull and man, brother" His brother Damon, one of the few he allowed to live upon his ascension to what had been his father's throne suggest, submissively kneeling before him and bowing "We have no technology that could fuse man and beast to make them as one, and the tech-sorcerers we employ hold no knowledge of how to perform such abominable creation"

"Even the legends of our fore fathers, and the magic they held, the wonderous machines they once commanded, could not make such a horrid thing" Cercyon muttered, rubbing his temple, feeling his hairs greying "And...and those smaller figures, the scampering shadows"
Cont

>>5554366

"Some form of goblin perhaps? Or maybe these giants keep men as we do cattle, and they are the result" A nephew of his suggested

"Or perhaps they are but men" Damon mumbled, which brought a look of stricken fear to his elder brother's face

"They cannot be. No man would ally themselves with such...beasts" He bellowed, as if speaking it would command reality to obey him "And these giants, cannot be the same breed as Angron, if they are at all related. Did you see their skin? It was the same color as the fog that surrounded them"

None of his family spoke to point out that was probably armor they war, knowing Lord Thal'kr's temper to be legendary and quick to appear.

"And the visage of the largest one" He muttered, turning back to the viewscreen despite himself and repressing a shiver as he looked upon the horrible face of the leader of...whatever attacked that distant outpost "That cannot be a face born under these skies, it is too monstrous. It must be a devil! All of them must be. We cannot let word of this spread outside of this room! The last thing we need to the slaves to think is that a portal to hell has opened, even if that is the only explanation for these...things we have seen"

"We were the first contact, brother, perhaps, we were the only ones warned of this threat" Damon suggested hopefully
_

"What madness is this?' The council of the free city of Loc'ea said in near unison, the old general of house Loc'ria actually speaking as the rest thought it.

"A race of giants, how odd" one of the sons of Loc'ria, saved by the lost and greatly mourned Kynigos whispered "What did the old wanderer say? We would find an ally who was a giant amongst men? The hidden liberator? Do you not think perhaps, our departed grandfather spoke of these men?"

"They appear terrible" A former Lanista, who had been known for being second to only elder Kynigos in the kindness he showed his fighters, which lead to them sparring him of the fate of the rest of the arena's masters

"They're killing High riders, they cannot be all that bad" Boter one of the fighters raised by Kynigos said in response "And, I remember that young urchin, one of those first trained by Kynigos in his martial arts, mentioning something like that"

All faces in the room turned to the elderly man dressed in rags, who had been napping, and then past him as the young man they spoke of lifted his head, having been amongst the throngs of "Beggars" whom had taken part in the freeing of Loc'ea

"You were with him in his last hours" The head of the city guard said

"Yes! I remember! You were there to!" One of the lesser nobility cried out, pointing at the son of Lycuarch who mentioned it to begin with, the eldest surviving male member of that reformed house "Which of you were there by his side as he took his last breath"
Cont

>>5554367

"I visited his bed side" Lord Loc'ria admitted "He told me to mourn the man my father could've been, if he had only arrived to teach him before he became...who he was, But he did so by telling me a story of a giant, who fought a man and wept for who he could've been. A great warrior, consumed by paranoia, thought the kindly giant had come to weaken his people, when indeed he sought only to free them from his harsh rule. He also mentioned, the warrior believed him to be a servant of demonic hordes, not sure if that matters. But Elder Kynigos gave some of his precious last breathes to tell me of this tale, and guide me out of the darkness that had befallen my heart."

Respectful silence fell, and one of the older members of the successful rebellion nodded his head, urging him to speak further


"He said the giant wept as in his wisdom, he knew that man could have been saved from what he had become, had they only met a few years earlier than they had" He said, shrugging his shoulders "I may have been his student, but I don't know if this tale was just a fable or if there is any truth behind it. Aegeus? I know you visited his bedside not long after I , what did he have to say? I only heard that he gave his last breathes to tell of a hidden ally, a titan amongst men"

He swallowed nervously and pulled at his collar, glancing around the room as dozens of eyes bored into him, expecting a better answer than he had given

"Aegeus? What about you? I know you went into his chambers to visit him not long after I departed" He sputtered with a nervous smirk

"He comforted me, saying "Enlightenment cannot be found by one man, it can be found anywhere and by anyone"" The first disciple of Kynigos and his philosophy said sadly "When I came to him, weeping that we would forever lose his wisdom, he told me even he was not all knowing and that no man ever could be. But, then he said, his wisdom and ideals, would survive in his writing. Preserved for those born after his passing. How foolish, I was, declaring them just to be ink and words"

He was crying now, as all of the leaders of the freed city bowed their head, to hide the tears glistening in their own eyes

"He bid me to learn my own wisdom, to teach in his stead, to laugh instead of mourn, to live in the present, rather than the past and...like the lord here, I didn't hear anything of a giant, but he did tell me he'd return somehow, speaking of another life"

"Kynigos often spoke as if death was not a permanent affair" His elder muttered, shaking his head "But said nothing of paradise or punishment after it. He, we, believe thus that souls will one day return to another womb and shed their light upon the world in a new life"

There was a brief but heated discussion between the ardent followers of the Journey about the intended meaning of their departed teacher's word, before the first to meet him in Loc'ea, Aegeus, whom had been saved by his arrival coughed to draw his attention back to him
Cont

>>5554368

"It does not matter what it means, if he will return, he will not be the kynigos I, we knew" He said calmly but with a face red with indignation and teeth grinding in anger "We'll seek him out, just so he can smile as he remembers us, even if only as a dream. That is what he told me. And I could not muster the courage to look upon him in so sorry a state again after that. But I heard his last words, as most of us did, but I'm not sure if what I heard later was what he said originally. Rumors have a way of growing like weeds, and he had lived several days after I visited him"

"We still don't know if he meant it literally or metaphorically" The elder grumbled angrily, gnashing his teeth to chew through the hard skin of a piece of dried fruit "We promised to search for this, Next kynigos, whoever it was or whatever that meant. He never really spoke straight, that old dog. We're still struggling to figure out what some of his favored phrases and idioms meant"

"I to, couldn't stand to see him like this" Lord Loc'ria said simply "And I regret that to this day"

"I could. He deserved it! He wanted to be surrounded by his students at the end, Dog! And you too, Boy! You shame us all for fleeing his deathbed!" The elder spat, angered over being interrupted "Many of us did! How quick do you forget his words! Pah! We were granted a privilege, to be at his side as he breathed his last, and you forget that last gift he gave to us?! All of you, show grovel before his tomb and beg forgiveness"

Many bowed their heads in shame, for, many amongst them had not been allowed the chance to hear his final words

"I remember to" Boter said "All of us gladiators do"

"And his students in the noble houses" Another voice spoke up

"I will say it!" the eldest member of the "beggar sect' That could be found declared "For the rest of you may have misremembered the last, vital wisdom he shared with us, as his life faded from his noble body!"

The old man now stood as a giant, as all others listened to him as he stood up high upon the table in the center of the room in the heart of the Loc'ria's palace

"Hear me! One who stands higher than any other, has emerged from pits drowned in blood and tears! Cast aside your collars, forsake your chains!!" He bellowed, gripping at his rags "He said this, grabbing hold of the nearest mourner, and using his last flickering ember of life, continued "The great liberator walks amongst us! An unseen titan, a hidden savior! Yet unknown to all but those who shared in his suffering, find him, seek him out. He is unbowed, unchained, unbroken"

He nodded his head, and crossed his legs to sit down, rubbing his chin

"That, sounds like the lord of the red sands" One of the gladiators called out, in an oddly stilted way, glancing to the old man
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>>5554369

"Or!" He shouted back, loud enough to be heard again, again in a very rehearsed fashion but it did not seem as if any present noticed it "it could also mean these giants who fight beneath mist! Perhaps both! He could not say who he was, but did say "I see" right before he died. What could that mean, I wonder"

"If only he wasn't so damn poetic!" One of the heads of the revolution bellowed "What mysteries he could've shared, if he did not insist upon flowerily, mystical speech! But, you are both right. This man, was ancient, and traveled farther than any other in his wanderings, he had seen many things few others had or only he had. Maybe...maybe that giant story the urchin boy was told, was an event he bore witness, in some distant land, and perhaps, that kindly giant was a member of this theorized race of giants we have seen to attack the high riders' vault. Or perhaps it was another parable"

"I've heard the Thal'kr's giant has freed himself. Perhaps he means him, but knew of these giants. I do not think the kindly giant he spoke of could come from a society as vicious as that" Another beggar spoke up, nodding to young Aegeus

"Nor do I, it wouldn't be odd for him to have known of a hidden race of giants, he spoke that tale with such bitter familiarity. And it seems now they were no myth" He said suspiciously, rubbing the hairs growing from his chin, that had only just sprouted

Boter and his elder exchanged knowing glances, as amongst present company only they and Boter's fellow gladiators knew Kynigos himself was a myth, a mask worn by a golden eyed giant and brother of Angron Thal'kyr himself. But, they had done as he had bid, after having waited many days for a chance to push the rest of the free city into the direction of him. Their scheming, at last, was at an end.

And fortuatously, they had heard from the other parts of the beggar sect in the know of Kynigos' true identity, that a force sent by Angron would come near enough to meet, to halt the advance of an army sent by the nearby cities to "end" the rebellion that has already won.
_

Elazar Burueliza and Gao Qiqiang stood in abject horror. They had joined the Fierce Giant, brother of Lieren's, fellow gladiators in liberating a city from an upjumped bandit, in truth a noble brat wanting to play conqueror, and had taken it upon themselves, along with his knights of his order, those who would take on the mantle of his companions slain by the servant of the bloody handed one. His bask blood, always boiling, ran cold as he stared impassively ahead, power rapier held in a hand trembling. Not from fear, but rage. A peasant clung to his legs, crying and praying out loud as the liberator of the bask stared grimly ahead.
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>>5554372

The cottage he had just burst into, after slaying the dogs of the tyrant who ruled these lands by law of the sword alone whom had gathered outside it and were in the process of dragging away the girls and women from it to do who knows what foul and monstrous acts upon, was filled with familiar symbols.

Symbols of chaos. His mind was clouding with contempt, his hand struggled to keep him from burying his blade hilt deep into the old man's throat. He needed to think. What would the wisest do.

"Brother Burueliza" Qiqiang said sternly, drawing him out of his contemplation "The Corruption. It is here as well. Shangrala is not the only world afflicted with this"

He paused, his usually gentle eyes enflamed with cruel zeal

"Cancerrrr" He growled, eyes narrowing as he looked at the maidens, who had been so grateful to be saved by them to plant kisses upon their cheeks.

Elazar's stomach twisted at the memory. He felt unclean. Horribly unclean. He wanted to tear away the flesh of his face, bathe in boiling water. He needed to purify himself, or the rot would take him as it had many of his friends during his fight. Burn, burn, burn. A voice whispered feverishly in his head. They had to burn, or else the decay would spread. He quieted the voice, his chivalrous nature balking at the act he knew needed to be done.

Murder

It is the only way. The only way to be sure others are not tainted, not corrupted. The Discordant powers would be allowed no entrance to the world of men. But..but they were..

Innocent. They were oppressed. Like the bask were. Like the Long-Jianese. Like the Shuni. Like the nearly extinct vishnu! Like the Zoroast! Like the mysterious nations beyond the great lake! That Bask men fought to free. They...

they worshipped dark gods. They prayed to them for salvation. He knew they did. That was unforgiveable. They were dammed already. Elazar, with heavy heart, knew what he had to do, though it weighed upon his very soul and wrought a terrible turmoil on his mind.

"Yes" He said sadly, bowing his head in grief and shame "Yes, we must remove it. Before our allies bear witness to this filth. We cannot risk this corruption spreading amongst our allies, amongst the fair people of Nuceria. We must...we must"

"You need not speak the order, fair and loyal journeyman" Qiqiang said, turning to the men behind them, men whom had fought beside Elazar since he began his own journey as liberator and hero, and even survived the butcher's temple when Father Gaizka, Benat, Sir Edur, Sir Gotzon.

Elazar lifted his head, eyes aglow with a malefic fire, casting shadow rather than light. Gold at one second, crimson the next. Qiqiang gasped, recalling how Lieren's own eyes would be lit aflame from time to time, in times of great duress or powerful emotion
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>>5554374

"No. This burden is mine, and mine alone. Avert your eyes, and guard the entrance. Father Qiqiang, gather the squires and uninitiated members, who have not taken our orders oaths and been burdened with our knowledge. Tell them a...a plague had befallen this family. And they were dead when we found them" He said with a wavering voice, face wet with tears

"Yes...noble knight" The Gao monk said somberly "Come, the grandmaster has a duty most foul to see to"

"Ave progenitor beneath the rime, forgive this sinner for what must be done" He said to himself, steeling his heart and locking it away.

The family looked up, confused, unaware of the doom coming to them. Elazar hung his head, and set about the butcher's work, feeling more a puppet than a man as he pierced them through. The grey haired father first, the mother next as she stood in quiet horror, unable to comprehend what their savior had down. The son's next, who came at him with knives with all a knight's valor, but none of their skill. The daughters, huddled together hands clasped together in prayer. He moved through the house like a specter of death, fury and rage growing as he saw more and more signs of chaos worship.

He disassociated. It wasn't Elazar doing this. It was someone else. A knight who wore contempt as his black armor, whose rage was his steel. Not Elazar, Elazar couldn't do this. But he must. He had to. His vision blurred with tears as he dragged his heavy feet, past bone altars and moldering sacrifices. One of the daughters of the house, smart enough to flee stood before him, arms held out, with the mask of a lion her expression.

Elazar lifted his rapier, buzzing with the hum of a power field. It'll be quick, he told himself, it'll be quick. His eyes, honed by experience and a fighter's instinct shot to what the girl guarded and...and he retreated into a dark corner of his mind, Unwilling to be audience to what he knew must be done.

Forgive me, he begged, forgive me, he cried into the dark of his mind as his body, puppeteeredd by a golden fire darkened moved forward, and did its duty.

When Elazar came to, he was standing before the now burning cottage, ears ringing and bloodied armored being scrubbed by Qiqiang, who was muttering mantras and prayers. He blinked, unable to recall what had happened, his mind protecting itself by refusing him the memories of his dark deeds.

In his hand, he held a bloodied, straw doll

It was pried from his armored hands by one of his loyal knights, as Elazar wept. The doll joined the fire and Elazar knelt

"Mari...Mari. I've done something terrible" He cried, clasping his hands together in prayer "But I cannot recall what"

"It had to be done. The rotten ones taught us that burning is the only way to ensure those yet pure are spared of their corruption" Another said "I shall pray for your soul"

And one by one, the knights knelt beside their lord, leaving only Qiqiang standing firm.
_
Cont

>>5554377

"What happened here!" Gladiator Brontes bellowed, having spotted smoke as he lead his men in chasing down the High rider dogs, and came up the hill to find an inferno and the foreigners knelt as if in worship around it. Besides one of them, the one who had eyes and a face like Angron's brother

"A....a sickness" He said in clumsy nucerian "All dead inside, contagious. Bad air. Warriors...pray...for their souls"

Brontes narrowed his eyes. The one dressed in the best armor was covered in blood and crying.

"From...enemies" the man said shaking his head, seeing what Brontes feared to imagine.

"From high riders?' He asked, gladius raised, an unspoken threat in his tone

"Yes" The man said without hesitating "From high riders"

"What a shame" he said shaking his head "Maybe if we had been faster, the Fog men could've worked their miracles and save their lives"
_

"What is this! What is this!?" The lord of the Thal'kr screamed in a black rage, as he beheld the body of his son, slain by an unknown army as he marched to find where Angron had snuck off to. the soldiers who stood before him, were ragged and exhausted

"Something else is out there, Lord Thal'kr, they have tanks, they have aircraft, but not of our design" he said "They have titans of steel, they came upon us, as your son pursued a band of escaped slaves we knew to have been owned by a respected merchant in our fair city, before the...the day of fire. We chased them into a desert, where we caught site of gladiators wearing Thal'kr armor and..."

"Which...which city would strike us so cruelly. We may be weakened, but we have not fallen so far to be struck by some petty house" Cercynos snarled

"They weren't high riders" The soldier said "They. Their tech, it wasn't old. At least it didn't look its age. It wasn't like anything I've seen any lord field"

"The reliquary!" Lord Thal'kr screamed "The...the giants. the bull men! They...They're"

"the what?" the solider gasped

"Kill them" the high rider sighed, pinching his nose and feeling rather foolish for the slip of his tongue. Now good men would be wasted to keep the mob content and unafraid"And warn our allies, Loc'ea's troubles are nothing compared to this threat. Bolster our defenses near the mountains! And send word to our Sorcerers to ready the ancient treasures!"
_
"Chaos? Here?" Jinhai said quietly, as a most unsettling message was delivered to him via his radio, he had made certain to seek some place away from Angron and his men when he had recieved a series of calls that in more code spelt out the poem He and Elazar had devised when, through happenstance, the two men found out they both possessed the forbidden, secret knowledge of the true form of mankind's greatest enemy
Cont

>>5554378

"Yes, I regret to inform you of this, Brother in law" Daiyu's brother said in a whisper "Elazar...dealt with the cult personally, and I fear for his mental state, if we, in our hidden war, encounter any more worshippers of the discordant powers. He...he, we found children amongst the worships, performing sacrifice to one of them, I do not know which. He...did what had to be done"

The dragon emperor's jaw ticked

"I..I see" He said after a heavy pause, his stomach dropping as he heard those words and knew what had transpired. He did not think he would've had the will to do what the Bask man had done, nor if he could forgive him for doing it. His three children, his daughters Wenling and Liling and only son Boling filled his thoughts, sitting peacefully in their cradles. He wasn't sure how Elazar could've been able to commit such a dire act. But, he knew, from Lieren's own words, it had been the right thing to do. He had heard the horrors of the Celestial Incarnation palace, whispered, and saw how Lieren's always lively, always sparkling eyes would darken when asked of what transpired the night the Yan dynasty fell "He is working alongside Angron's Brothers, in a guerilla war against our foes. Have...did they find out"

"Thankfully no, I feared they may have suspected his killing of the cult, but they seem convinced they were mere unfortunate plague victims, burned to protect the rest of the village. We..we're working under cover of night to make certain they were the only cultists here, Lord Long-Jia" the monk answered "We fear, their may be more lurking in the midst of these farmers. We..we must be certain, the risk if we are not is too great"

"It is" Jinhai said with steel resolve "If it is possible, if their are more cultists, take the children alive. Lieren might be able to save them and"

"If not, we shall deal with them" the monk said sternly "Elazar's has already given his honor to do so once before. Lieren shall not be forced to sully his, this our burden. We burn the wicked dead"

Jinhai said nothing. He desperately hoped it would not have to come to such a dire ultimatum. Once more, in his mind's eye, he saw his children. He remembered, the charms and wards Lieren put on their cribs, all throughout his palace. To protect them, to protect his family, from the influence of wicked spirits.

"You have my blessing" He said sadly, turning away from the radio and already feeling guilt consuming him "If there is nothing to be done, to save them from their father's mistakes, you shall be entrusted with the grim duty of"

"Of dealing with those already dead" Qiqiang said grimly "The golden eyed savior cannot be tasked with such a thing. It is too terrible a crime"

"It is. One that he may not forgive Elazar for committing" Jinhai warned "Even if it was necessary, Lieren's view of justice is unshakeable. He has killed men he knew to be good, because of their deeds. And he will know what Elazar has done"
Cont

>>5554380

"Elazar knows this, and has already chosen a successor to lead his most courageous of knightly orders in case what has been done is unforgiveable" He said "I will keep you informed"

"And I shall keep my eyes open for signs of our enemy' he said back "Until we next meet"

"Until we next meet"

He turned off his radio, mind swimming with contradictory thoughts as an unpleasant anger settled over him. What a way to start a war. He still wasn't sure if Elazar should be punished or thanked for what he did, and wasn't sure if he'd ever be certain. If only he had eyes like Lieren did.

"Where'd you run off to? We were just about to toast in your honor" One of his generals said happily, as he saw Angron across the camp, grinning ear to ear reading a message delivered by one of Kanzeon's drone bodies

"I was watching the birds" He said, knowing his reputation as an airhead would dash any suspicions to dust "Their flight inspired me"

He didn't want to think of Elazar, or what might happen to him. He couldn't bear to.
_
"Seems my father was right" Angron said joyfully, as the steel face of his sister in laws double stared at him emotionlessly "How wonderful. The high riders have turned their back to us, all but inviting us to bury a knife in their backs. And better yet, they don't even realize it was us who bloodied them! What a success! If only I could've joined him in his slaughter of those dogs"

The doppelganger of silver and gold remained silent. And Angron realized it did not host the intelligence of Kanzeon inside of it and smirked, feeling somewhat foolish.

"Well, I'll tell him that when I meet, I have a feeling he should be reappearing soon enough" Angron said with a sigh "Can't fret over petty things when there's high riders left to kill"
_
"Ah! its been too long since I had the chance to lead a charge!" Lai song laughed, as he stood atop his chosen steed, a heavily customized Skipping cloud as Tao Dandan stood at his side, looking through a set of binoculars "Think the black general and old turtle have found success in their pursuit of that Shit riders son?"

"Probably. He's the best general we have, since Yan Zihao died" She said apathetically "My my, they've sent quite the army. Wonder how much will get through my opening song?"

"Don't hog all the glory, girl! You're ten years too early to be stealing my fun!" Lai song sneered lifting up his head "If only we had Vishnu screamers, then this would be a real party! Shame what happened to them, they're good warriors and better friends"

"Feng is probably going to repopulate them himself, with his little bird" Dandan said with a smirk "And so long as they don't get themselves killed fighting the battles for those nations beyond the Zoroast, the screamers you love will remain, even if they're reduced"
Cont

>>5554381

"That's good. I've heard upsetting news over the radio, how scholars were theorizing they only had a generation or two left" Lai song said, sounding greatly relieve, fiddling his thumbs "You gonna start blasting them?"

"Our emperor told me to listen to that old fart over there" She said bitterly "so I have to wait until he gives the order. Bastard was supposed to be excited to get to fighting, but he's more cautious than any general I've served under"

"Going through withdrawals?" the lord of cavalry asked

"Itching to blow shit up" She said with a jackal's smile
_

"We cannot allow these device to see the light of day again" You said in disgust as you stood beside Kanzeon, looking over the screen that revealed to you the nature of the plunder you had taken from the high riders

"Most of it, yes. Didn't think the high riders would be smart enough to lock up dangerous technology" She said, happily surprised "Seems even they could realize how disastrous of tools these could've been, and the destruction they could've spread. This is exactly why I was so hesitant to share my tech"

"I know. Some powers simply can't be controlled by mankind, and must be hidden if they cannot be destroyed" You say with a sagely nod "But to think there weapons that made the butcher's tools seem merciful"

"Humanities' past is stained by blood. This is nothing" Kanzeon said venomously "There's worst out there, and I can only hope its been destroyed"

Curiosity struck you

"Such as?" You ask

"Well its not a human creation, but I have historical recorded of an alien species created a form of artificial immortality, but implanted the users with cannibalistic urges" She said grimly

"Heavens..." You say in hushed horror

"Well, those are probably history!' She said brashly, to try and lighten the mood "The area of space they were in was inhospitable at the best of times, and they were probably a myth to begin with"

"Still, even if it is a story does not mean it isn't true, legends often have basis in reality" You say, shaking your head "We'll find a place to store these...wretched tools on Shangrala, perhaps alongside the keeper of rust's skull

"Or we could launch them into a sun" Kanzeon blithely suggested, hanging her arms over your shoulder

What do you do now, Lieren?

>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace

>Ask more about these immortality granting devices, so you may know them if you ever come across them. The fear of death is a potent motivator amongst mankind...

>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence

>Continue your lightning assaults against the high riders, striking their temple next

>Write in

Really enjoyed writing this Update, especially Elazar's part

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
I wonder if Elezar's dissociation was just regular mania, or a certain overzelaous, vengeful, fire related god of law had something to do with it

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence

>>5554383
>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace
she can do this without us.

>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
no quarter given.

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
Chaos filth.
An old cult, a new demonic force? Whatever it is we will cleanse them and make them regret the day they have touched this small villages. The stentch of their cruel deeds should give us a path to them. Their objectives are likely multiple here be genocide, summoning demons in archeotech machines or trying to get the bounty. Even showing themselves for cause terror.
Best to make a visit to Elezar first, he is a friend of us and i don't want him down. We need him.
>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace
A brief scan, mostly so we know the weak points of similar machines the high riders might still have. A shame their materials can t be salvaged. Best like this if they are so rotten, to be call horrors. A fertile soil for chaos that can be denied.

>>5554383
>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace

Guessing she is referencing the halo devices from dark heresy/rogue trader? Seems to niche to worth looking into unless we are very close to that area of space.

Also wondering if those cults are new or were always there, Khorne must be seriously seething right now and is more then willing to flip the table.
We should really ask Eldrad how many of the primarchs he knows of and have him tell Lieren which ones are in the most danger in the present moment even if the Eldar think they will walk out of it fine in the short/mid term. Mortarion is on a pseudo daemon world and if Nurgle doesn't want to risk Lieren getting to him first he might send a daemonic incursion to steal his favorite action figure early.

I am loving that we are already establishing a proto inquisition before the great crusade has even started. We are developing sects devoted to eradicating the taint of chaos, cataloging and burying lore and tech to dangerous for mankind, sharing knowledge of the enemy with those mentally strong enough and in the position to be on guard against it, and instilling the inquisitorial mindset bloodying their hands for the good of humanity and not allowing even the slightest hint of chaos or mercy to exist. Hopefully getting in at the ground floor will help keep the inquisition from falling to infighting and stupidity.

>>5554826
No I think you misunderstand the nature of Khorne and his relationship with Angron. Khorne already had enough berzerkers. Khorne wanted someone like Sanguinis or Kharn. Khorne might even like this version of Angron more since hes likely going to become a better fighter and is arguably more like Sanguinis now. As for his psyker abilities lets not forget that Sanguineous was a prodigious psykers and his legion had the most librarians in it out of any legion barring the Thousand Sons.

>>5554900
Ah, so Crom's Gambit then? Ya know, where his ideal champion is the full package, not just some raving murder-man (which are a dime a dozen in this universe)

>>5554913
Contrary to popular opinion Khorne can be patient and cunning. When the Rift opened he was prepared and unleashed his legions across Terra. He unleashed Kabanda with the goal of weaking Sanguinis for his fight with Horus knowing Kabanda could not win. He is capable of directly communicating with his champions as he did with Kharn when he fought Sigismund.

Also, how has it not been brought up yet that there was a God of Witchhunters in Warhammer Fantasy?

>>5555018
I did mention Sokhan, just indirectly, right here
>>5554397
And in previous threads too, together with Aluminas

Well I have not reread in quite sometime. And that indirect reference was what sent me to the wiki.
>>5555022

>>5555022
Actually, here's the posts in the archive where they where mentioned by anons. Only some of these are mine
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4854357/#p4904938
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4906959/#p4941341
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4906959/#p4946526
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4957715/#p4959468
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4957715/#p4962221
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4957715/#p4964234
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4957715/#p4967601
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/4957715/#p4967627
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/5008985/#p5028091
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/5008985/#p5028114
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/5008985/#p5028168
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/5008985/#p5028603
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5211138/#p5249513
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5211138/#p5249540
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5211138/#p5255730 (Malal said he had plans for them)
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5388225/#p5405778

>>5555049
It's ok, I have been waiting for this for a while so I'm a bit too excited.

>>5554383
>Ask more about these immortality granting devices, so you may know them if you ever come across them. The fear of death is a potent motivator amongst mankind...

>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence


>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace

>>5554383
>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence
we're gonna have to tell Angron eventually, but until we get a feel for the scope of this it's probably best to keep it under wraps. Besides he has a kind of empathy based psykerism that we lack, or don't care to develop. He might be able to 'feel' out chaos in a way that we can't.

I also don't like the idea of launching this shit into the sun, I know that Malal isn't going to Laer Blade us, but it still seems imprudent. Maybe if we find a black hole or something that might be a better idea, but I don't want to set off a billion megaton explosion in the local star.

>>5554383
>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence.
Daaaaadddddd


>Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace

>>5554383
Without knowing what exactly this tech is, I'd rather have it locked in a vault than destroyed.
>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence.
I wonder why Elazar didn't think to hold the children captive if he was so hesitant to condemn them to death. Lieren had spared the children of worshippers of chaos before, why not hold them and see if he would deem these to be worthy of the same mercy?

>>5555347
>tly this tech is, I'd rather have it locked in a vault than destroyed.
I think it's Malals (god) influence, he blacked out Elazar to mercilessly destroy a temple to Khorne.

>>5555385
quoted the wrong thing

>>5554383
>>>Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is in this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or anyone else of its existence

changing vote

>>5554493

Seconding this, Kanzeon can dispose of the tech on her own while we focus on the great enemy

>>5555385
Would be so like him. And he doesn't even need to corrupt people to do it.

Oh god. I can see how insidious his sphere must be. He strikes down chaos... But does so in a way to destroy both chaos and the warriors standing against it by pushing them to perform acts of ULTRAVIOLENCE.

As long as he's around then inquisitors and purges all fall under his domain and are thus at risk.

Like poor Elazar here.
That's scary.

>>5554383
>Jinhai has messaged you

Need to deal with chaos. And I'm sad for the noble knight, but he shouldn't have killed the children. They could have been saved.

>>5555629
>>5555385
>>5555347
I think I have a solution.
https://youtu.be/RU24VItAmWk

>>5555719
I don't think Lieren's ready to tangle with the Ogre just yet.

>NATIVITAS PROTOCOL
A simple methodology, all Imperial worlds shall adopt a medical practice of using micro lasers to engrave Null Charms upon the very skulls of newborns so that the skin heals and no outwardly visible marks are noteworthy, this shall be done alongside a personal ID [Standardised DoB/Planet/Region]. This is to be done to allow for familiarity with the shapes to become common place so that it is not questioned when observed later in life. It will also act as a minor defence against the Primal Enemy from birth. Naturally it will take time for this practice to spread but gradually it will. This will have the added bonus of forming a critical mass in populated areas keeping the enemy at bay.

>DOCTRINA PROTOCOL
As an addendum to the Authorised Truth, those planets fully inducted shall receive an education branch warning of the dangers of the warp and what shall be defined as Anarchistic Forces, to resist them at every turn. History lessons shall be paramount presenting the Emperor given reasoning for the Age of Strife and Long Night, that the evil few of mankind are to blame and that Psykerism is not to be feared only those with evil intent.

>OBLIVISCI PROTOCOL
In the event devotees of Anachistic Anomalies are detected they are to be subjected to immediate; Memory Screening by trained Psykers to gather information on cultural relevance and sect numbers. Subjects will then be confronted with the folly of their worship as presented by the Authorised Truth, those repentant shall be released and observed in a new location to prevent cultural recontamination. Memories of their old ways shall be removed but not of their acceptance of the offer so they can know it was their will. Subjects released in this manner will have a Null Charms engraved upon their skulls via microlaser.

>ILLUSIO PROTOCOL
Numerous subjects exposed to Greater Warp anomaly or incarnated ones through observation shall have memories purged and a faux situation placed within the suggestive mind state.

>FINIS PROTOCOL
Should a culture be completely contaminated by the Great Enemy, population and cultural centres will be identified by embeded assets, said assets will be extracted alongside those deemed possible to save in as greater numbers as possible. Then the whole Cultural domain shall be wiped from existence and memory of the survivors whom shall be relocated.

----
Some ideas I had thinking how to handle this. Things are getting outta hand, i also propose we engrave on everyone's skulls Asap, Nullification Crowns for everyone!

>>5556595

All sounds like the not yet created inquisition's wet dream, question is how do we put together the sheer amount of trained psykers together to pull off a task like this? Even across just one sub sector

>>5557422
We could dress up the laser engraving of newborn skulls as post-birth checkups. I don't think the average Imperial citizen would be able to tell the difference between a sufficiently small micro-laser and a common place scanning module.

File: 1200px-Glyph_of_Faith.jpg (141 KB, 1200x800)

141 KB JPG

>>5556595
What do you think would happen if we carved null charms onto planets? Would it even work?

>>5557431
>mfw Lieren alters the orbits of several planets within a solar system, causing their trajectories to resemble gigantic null charms

Mist...dense and unnatural for this time of year, the moment it had began to fill the hab blocks sub levels the 'Children of the Song' knew they were doomed. Things had been going so well, the cult had thrived upon this world and the blessings of the Songstress had brought them joy, revelation a few even true rapture but now a single careless step somewhere had brother doom to their door. Those whom had weapons drew them and began to look for cover or vantage points, for their executioner would soon come and it was not going to be a servant of any rival cult whom though differing in faith knew the Primordial Truth! No, their doom would come at the hands of a Panther. The large hall had balconies and while in the centre an Altar was raised, a silver sigil standing proud yet the cultists felt their faith shake, like the link divine benefactor was being blurred by the ghostly miasma.

None could say when the killing truly began for there was no sound, no bodies only stains of blood left behind the mist having taken all the rest, the Second Legion had dispatched a member of their Brotherhood of Panthers to the planet but a year ago and one by one the faithful of the four winds were all going silent...they were the last and now it seemed their time had come.

---

Lau Sun stalked his pray at a steady pace, not one of leisure but not one of haste, the corrupted were but prey for him but he knew how to disassemble a cult...

First the head; he Prophet of the Song had his neck and spine crushed before being disintegrated by a pulse from his Volkite Gauntlet.

As expected panic sets in, their shepard gone anarchy spreads and so he would contain the flock; those whom ran were caught in trip mine blasts pushing this herd back into the kill box.

Sub commanders next; broken neck, slit throat, suffocation, friendly fire, trip mine and finally a bisection.

The cattle were in chaos now the fog so dense it defied reason, the towering figure in obsidian armour a soundless wraith amid a growing graveyard. He would not waste shot upon these denizens of the foulest enemy, his blade drinking deep instead until finally one remained... the unknowing informant.

This last man whom had been tracked, caught, interrogated and then had his memory of the event wiped. From there it was a simple case of release and track to the compound.

He took no joy in his duty but there was a sense of satisfaction and he allowed himself a smirk as he felt his Warding Crown thrum...a voice of the warp trying to whisper to him but finding it's target insulated from its efforts.

---

Planetary Governer Hillram the third was nervous, the Second Legion asset had been on his world a year and in that time there were thousands dead ranging from his trusted stuff to slumborn. He knew not what duty the Nightcald marine was carrying out behind the fog that followed him but he knew to deny the snarling Panther that had looked down on him was but to invite death to himself and all he knew.

>>5557928
Now I just want to develop a scaled down mist generator that Lieren can just wear on his belt.
Just a wall of fog that's 50 feet in diameter, centered on ya boi.

Calling the vote now sorry for the long wait.

Jinhai has messaged you. Chaos is on this world. Meet with him and Elazar to discuss how to deal with this, without alerting Angron or any one else of its existence:15

Take kanzeons advice and launch the archeotech horrors into Nuceria's sun, and take the chance to map the stars above it, so you can figure out where it is in realspace:7

Ask more about these immortality granting devices, so you may know them if you ever come across them. The fear of death is a potent motivator amongst mankind:1

Total votes:15
|
So Lieren, receiving an urgent message from Jinhai concerning the presence of chaos upon Nuceria, will meet him and Elazar. And will also take Kanzeon's advice to launch the technological horrors of the past into the planets sun and take the chance to map out the stars, so as to coordinate the planets location in the material plane.

Writing now


>>5556595
Interesting...

>>5557928
This was really well written. Really enjoy the idea of the Brothers of the Panther becoming an elite group in the 2nd legion, kind of like the white scars master of the hunt. But ya know, not being made solely for salty run backs.

You contemplate the suggestion, knowing it to be made in jest, but after a moment of thought realize that while it might be a crude and simplistic solution to the dangers presented by the nightmare devices, but it might be the most effective means to deal with the threat they pose. Of course, it couldn't be used to do away with chaotic artifacts, considering the foul sorcery within them might be potent enough to fortify them against even the unparalleled heat of a star at the peak of its growth and life, but it would work to melt away the strange, enchanted alloys interwoven with the stuff of the soul and empyrean's wind alike that many Archeotech are constructed out of, and of course the sturdiest of the more "Mundane" materials will be unable to last long in the heart of a sun, if any of the magic tools of the distant golden age and the long night that followed it can be called or looked upon mundane in any fashion.

"I was only half joking" Kanzeon said with a roll of her eyes as she crossed her arms and looked disdainfully at the rows of carefully organized relics before her "Locking it away, will just be push the problem into a future generation's lap. I'm sure some ambitious wannabe god-emperor would delight in finding the prison we'd otherwise inter these. But, no tears would be shed if they simply became vapor in the void. After all, didn't someone write once that "Nothing lasts forever?"

"I believe I may have known whoever did" You chuckle, feeling bashful at the playful remark she made "and the detour to dispose of these treacherous treasures would allow us a chance to map the stars above this world to pinpoint its location on a galactic map"

"There's that to" Kanzeon agreed, nodding her head "Really, I just want to get these fucking things out of me. I don't like having them onboard"

"Like filth upon one's open palm or mud clinging to their feet" You muse, making Kanzeon smirk despite herself

"It's good analogy" She admits happily "Besides, considering the chemicals within this garbage, Nuceria might get one hell of a lightshow for a night or two"

That could be useful.

"How quickly you learn to weaponize even the most harmless of spectacles would be concerning if I didn't want to see the bastards dead myself. These high riders could've made a wantless, strifeless society with the tech they hoarded" She said with a dark glower, eyes set on the archeotech laid out before her as the lights in the chamber dimmed and turned a threatening shade of amber red "Instead they made their best imitation of hell on earth. Beginning to wonder if that is an instinctual urge men get, when given so much power over others. I certainly never felt the urge to declare myself a goddess or imagine myself to be one"
cont

>>5558590

"Perhaps the temptation is wrought from their, relative to your own long life, brief time amongst the living? Most men struggle to grasp the world that will come after their own passing, let alone the passing of their grandchildren" You suggest with a wave of your hand as the room lightened with the sound of a great sigh as all of Kanzeon's titanic body relaxed as she closed her eyes and took in a deep, ponderous breath

"I suppose, then, you're a rarity my scholar. Since you think both in short and long term" She says, poking your unscarred cheek, eliciting a gentle smile, before her own smirk turned crooked

"Message" She says, rolling her eyes in distaste a moment before your personal radio picked up the transmission she was speaking off. You moved to answer it, before noticing a furious light in her emerald eyes and paused. The call ended, and then another came. Morse code. A message. One not meant to be overheard.

"Seems we can't escape those parasites no matter where we go" Kanzeon drawled angrily "I'll take care of the burnable trash here, go see what Jinhai has found"

"And Elazar" You say, noting the continuation of the code poem mentioning the "Fierce glare of the Icelander"

"Good thing Mari isn't here. She's been getting a little scary whenever the topic of you know what comes up" Kanzeon said, fiddling with a lock of her ankle length hair "Keep in touch, I know both of us know what we're dealing with but...can't help but to worry"

"I understand, and keep me informed as well. I know your duty is as dangerous as throwing out broken plates, but...can't help but to worry" You say, returning her concern and care in kind, and placing a lingering kiss on the back of her hand before you left her side with some reluctance.

The meeting place Jinhai has given you, is remote. Far from any of the numerous fronts of the war, or the attention of any of its participants. A peak in the frigid northern peaks, a wasteland where little grows and little lives. How Jinhai managed to slip away from his entourage of bodyguards, is something of a mystery. Elazar breaking from his junior knights, less so. The bask, after all, delight in chivalrous tales and folk stories of knightly quests. His protégés would've accepted his departure from their presence with an explanation as flimsy as pursuing a monster who had kidnapped some unfortunate maiden heiress.

Immediately, you can tell the situation is dire, by the pressure surrounding the two. The ambience of the air is tense and hard, like centuries old ice or uncarved stone. And the expressions of both your friends, the man you made emperor and the man whom is amongst the few you would name Noble. A class of men that becomes slimmer and more rarefied which each battle they wage by your command or plea.
Cont

>>5558591

You had not seen Elazar so close, since he joined you in the unearthing of Al-uzza. You had almost forgotten the severity of the wounds he bore from that last, fateful battle of the butcher's war. When Nitya Sinha flayed the skin and flesh from half of his face, an injury he, like Feng, refused to mend. Though in his case, it was purely cosmetic unlike the near crippling scars Feng chose to bear in penance for his once towering pride.

It does not take you a second of study, in how the two men sit by each other, drinking tea outside of the transport craft that bore them to this heaven's reaching peak, to realize the true reason for their urgency. Jinhai is uncomfortable, uncertain, concerned and fearful. These emotions are all directed to Elazar, who sits as if pressed by a stone many times his own weight. Guilt is what crouches on his back. A guilt whose form you can divine by gazing upon him, peering through him to behold his heart.

An unjust killing. Murder. His position at the table, back to the singular wind beaten tree atop the mountain tells you all you need to know. He'd accept any punishment given for this misstep in his otherwise noble life, even to quietly suggest that given to murderers of all classes in the realms of Long-Jia. Hanging.

"Brother" Jinhai greeted, stilted with etiquette, bidding you to join them at the table. You approached, head bowed, imagining the circumstances of Elazar's sin with what you could discern from simply looking upon. As, queerly enough, he didn't appear to be certain of the circumstances himself, there were gaps in his memory, you could tell. His guilt was all the heavier for it. He was unaware of the truth scope of his crime and the depths he has fallen.

You sit without a word, across from Elazar, and lift your eyes as you sense a third presence.

"Gao Qiqiang" You say, not bothering to hide your surprise "I thought you'd remain home, spreading the tenants of the journey and performing charity work"

"My first disciple needed me here" He answered, bowing and cupping his fist

"Before we speak of the most dire matter" Jinhai said, raising his hand "I will allow them to inform you of what you must already be aware of. The liberation of a minor, agrarian city and the bloodshed that was perpetrated against its inhabitants and its occupiers"

And so they do, revealing unto you the true horror of what Elazar has done and the crime that he has committed, or at least his hands have performed.

"A religious trance" You say coldly "or a yet unseen form of possession. It would seem, from your account, Brother Gao, that Elazar entered a fugue state and cannot entirely recall his actions that day, though you know them"

"They were not the actions of a knight" Elazar stated grimly
Cont

"I felt a puppet, what little I recall of the experience. But I will not blame the misdeeds on some specter or devil infiltrating my mind. They were my own. Driven by a hatred black than darkness we found beneath the ice or within the burrows of the butcher's temple"

Elazar meets your gaze. He was also one of few able to endure your direct and focused attention and "Study", and one of few able to meet your eyes for any length of time without being forced to turn away or shut their eyes from the sheer mental strain.

"I am aware. I have personal experience with the power contempt can hold over a mind" You say, tone unchanging, never harshening or softening "Still, the manner in which you describe your descent to madness is...peculiar. I was not suggesting you claim the actions to be of some nebulous other, I was simply pondering if there was not some form of outside influence rather than control"

There are two men you trust more than most, respect more than most, men you considered close allies, whom you fear could fall under the sway of the Lord of Anarchy. From the wounds they bear and their personalities and innermost nature.

Elazar And Yin Lei. The bask knight seemed the spitting image of Chun Qiang's sigil, his horrific scar hidden behind a porcelain mask in Long-Jian style, painted to match the features of the unflayed half of his face, including the torture scars that forced him to smile a constant, jubilant grin. And Yin Lei, lost an eye in the same battle that cost Elazar his good looks and all of his stalwart companions lives.

Your eyes scour and search for any trace of chaos, subconsciously, such is the depth of your hatred for Evil and Wicked spirits. Yet, you sense not even a trace of their presence in Elazar, body, mind or soul.

Just a golden flame. The light of your soul's golden sea and the web of vessels it pours itself into and is in turn filled from. Though, Elazar's noble flesh also plays host to a sliver of silver moonlight. Fitting, considering that Qi was a gift to you from Arianka, and both she and Mari are or were maidens imprisoned in ice. Two theories speak themselves, unbidden, in your thoughts. Neither are pleasant.

Either your own contempt resonated with Elazar's own disgust for the servants of the discordant powers. Or a beneficent spirit like Arianka interfered and drove his hands to commit an act he otherwise would be unable to will himself to perform. Gao Qiqiang spoke of his eyes becoming sconces of ethereal flame and you do not believe Elazar could do such a thing, even under duress or great distress. But perhaps he could. Your own black fury has nearly driven your hands to lash out against the undeserving or in times when aggression would be unwise. It could be that he simply, in a moment of desperation, unconsciously "Mantled" your seething contempt without your compassion. He has used, entirely by his own power, your Spirit Subjugating blade before

But, perhaps the simplest answer is the correct one

>>5558597

What do you decided to do with Elazar, concerning his killing of children, Lieren?

>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions

>Accept it was Elazar and Elazar alone whom committed the deed, but, knowing that while the children could've been spared, what he did was a mercy, offer him redemption of a kind, more to assuage his own guilt and self loathing, by giving him a quest to save high rider children

>There are more important matters. Elazar can stand trial at the wars end. At the present, you and he will need to work side by side to root out the corruption that inspired him to commit such villainous acts to begin with

>With heavy heart, deprive the world of one of its greatest mortal champions and hang Elazar, passing judgement and penning a passage in the journey in the hopes of preventing it from occurring in the future.

>write in

>>5558598
>>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions

>>5558598
>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions

>>5558598
>>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions

>>5558598
>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions
>Take Elazar to a secluded location under the guise of hunting a great beast. Once there, assist him in entering a meditative trance before non-invasively probing his memories asking him to attempt to channel this "Black Hatred" once again.

>>5558628
>>5558598

>>5558598
>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions
>Show him memory of words being used to fight the abominations of chaos

>>5558598
>Write [First and formost]
First order of business hug the poor Knight a good old bear hug from his friend.
“Don't worry we'll find the truth of this together, brace yourself.”
Probe into his mind like we did with the Aeldari, we'll experience the emotions he did alongside seeing what he did. We'll be able to figure out what happened as the starting point.
“This suffering was my fault, you experienced a piece of the rage I feel and keep restrained, I must ask you for forgiveness my dear friend”

We have now know of this danger thanks to our Knight's sacrifice, offer him a path to redemption like we have offered to those whom can be saved before as the Journey teaches. He will live, he will live and master what he felt.

>Write in [Grim Duty]
If it was our rage, a fraction of it that caused this then the contagion of our will has already spread over whole damned armies, its to late to contain only refine and control...plus it's not all bad.

The Wanderers in the Fog keep vigil always but they are in need of a militant arm for when the corruption does infact emerge, when it is beyond containment. Elazar will be the first Master of this now militant sect, recruiting only the most strong of will and pure heart...they whom will have to bathe their blades in much blood, to cull those which can't be redeemed or salvaged. Such exterminations will only be allowed if the Grand Master of the Wanderers, the Emperor of Long-jai and the Master Militant are in agreement...to prevent over the top stuff.

But then we implement the stuff posted here: >>5556595

Things are dire and we must build early or be caught unawares later. It will take time to put into place and we can iron out details as we go.

>>5558742
>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions
Adding this sorry missed it

>>5558598
>>Grill him to ask if he has ever experienced such a thing before or encountered spirits besides the rotting ones, trying to narrow down possible explanations for his actions
>>Accept it was Elazar and Elazar alone whom committed the deed, but, knowing that while the children could've been spared, what he did was a mercy, offer him redemption of a kind, more to assuage his own guilt and self loathing, by giving him a quest to save high rider children

>>5558598
All hail wall of text anon, supporting
>>5558742
>>5558744