reading.

First a quick recap. Been over a month since I last visited His Divine Hugeness.

“So, may I ask you something, Emperor?” Isha said, sitting in her usual place at the conference table. Most of the High Lords were absent today, preparing for something or other elsewhere, something to do with moving supplies for the reconstruction of the lost hives.
“SURE, WHAT IS IT?” the Emperor roared.
“Whose idea was it to forge this treaty?” Isha asked, glancing over the other people at the table.
“MINE. WHY?”
“Because none of your Senators think it’s a good idea except the ones who stand to profit from it personally,” she said, glaring coolly at the Inquisitor and Commodore Romes specifically.
“WATCH YOUR TONE, PLEASE, ISHA, WE’RE TRYING TO LAY A GROUNDWORK OF RESPECT HERE,” the Emperor roared reprovingly.
“Respect?” Isha stared at the Throne icon incredulously. “Very well. Then, in that spirit, I think we should move on to a topic that so far, we’ve all been assiduously avoiding.”
“THAT BEING?”
Taldeer nodded grimly. “The Exodites.”
“OKAY. WHAT I’M PREPARED TO OFFER IS THAT ANY AND ALL INQUISITORIAL AND MECHANICUS TEAMS WORKING TO COLONIZE OR EVICT MAIDEN AND EXODITE WORLDS WILL ABANDON THE PROJECTS, AS LONG AS THEY ARE GIVEN TIME TO WITHDRAW CLEANLY, WITHOUT SACRIFICING MEN OR EQUIPMENT…BUT THAT IS RECIPROCAL. NO MORE CRAFTWORLD COLONY FLEETS SHOWING UP TO DEMAND HUMANS ABANDON THE ONLY WORLDS THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN, NO MORE CORSAIR RAIDS ON UNDEFENDED COLONY SHIPS, NOTHING.”
“I suppose a cessation of conflict over colony rights would benefit us both,” Taldeer said, “but that would require that we give you the coordinates over every single Maiden world and Exodite world. Can you understand my recalcitrance in that regard?”

“OF COURSE I CAN. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE EXODITES WHO ARE ACTIVELY OPPOSED TO CRAFTWORLD ELDAR. I WOULDN’T HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.”
Isha nodded slowly, casting a glance at Taldeer, who had steepled her fingers and was clearly lost in thought. “Then perhaps we could adjourn, while Farseer Taldeer discusses this with the rest of the Farseers who have convened on Ulthwé?”
“SURE, LET’S TAKE AN HOUR. OH, AND ISHA, IF WE COULD SPEAK FOR A MOMENT?”
“Very well,” Isha said, as the other delegates filed out. As soon as the door closed, the hologram of the Throne icon switched off, and the Emperor spoke directly into her mind.
“ISHA, WHY IS LOFN HERE?”
“Good question,” she thought back. “I suspect that her mother wants her here for her power to play its role.”
“SO SHE KNOWS. AND YOU KNOW.”
“I didn’t when I got here. I suspected. Now I know for sure.”
“AND WHAT ACTIONS WILL YOU TAKE?”
“To what end should actions be taken? She doesn’t even know what her power is. Furthermore, it seems harmless. She passively soothes souls around her, removing hostility.”
“IS THAT WHAT IT IS? REALLY? INTERESTING. I KNOW OF NO SUCH POWER.”
“Nor I. But her mother is a Farseer, and her father has known some of the greatest traumas a human soul can know and function still. I am not surprised.”
“WELL SHE DOESN’T KNOW SHE HAS IT AND SENDING HER AWAY WOULD ANGER HER PARENTS…BUT I DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF A PERSON AT THAT TABLE THAT HAS A POWER THAT CAN CONTROL THE OUTCOME OF ALL THIS.”

“That is not under your command,” Isha supplied.
“WELL, YES. UNDERSTAND THAT I FACED OPPOSITION FROM MY OWN SONS OVER THIS. I DON’T BLAME TALDEER FOR GUESSING THAT THE NOBLES WHO RUN THINGS WHEN I’M AWAY TO BE EVEN MORE HOSTILE. BUT I WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH SUBTERFUGE. I HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ENSURE THAT MY SENATORS DO NOT APPROACH THIS TREATY UNDER FALSE PRETENSE. YOU SHOULD NOT PERMIT LESS OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE.”
Isha didn’t like hearing that, but chose the diplomatic response. “I agree. I will speak with Taldeer.”
“THANK YOU.” The Emperor severed their link and stewed over the information he had been given. “SPEAK WITH HER. RIGHT.” He briefly debated reaching out to Lofn, but decided against it: if she really didn’t know about her power, he didn’t want to frighten her.

9-099-001-M42
Lord Dante sat in the smallest chapel of his ship and thought. The encounter with the Sanguinor had been almost as stirring and terrifying as serving under the Emperor Himself, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of his own behavior.
No man lived to his twelfth century through rash and impulsive behavior. What in space had possessed him to call out to it like that?
“Much has changed, since the last time the Blood Angels were in such peril as to merit the Sanguinor’s presence in combat,” Dante muttered, cradling his head in his hands.
He had spoken at length to the great angel of blood, and begged its attention on Terra. Now, in the time of the greatest tumult since the Harrowing and the Heresy, when the Emperor had ascended and Abbadon crushed, and the Primarchs had arisen once more…surely the Sanguinor would abandon its mysterious ways, come forth, and reveal itself to the Emperor?

0-099-001-M42
“WELL I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN, FARSEER. I DON’T WANT YOU TO COME AWAY FROM THIS THINKING THAT ALL HUMAN CORSAIRS ARE UNDER OUR CONTROL. BUT LAST TIME I CHECKED, MANY ELDAR CORSAIRS ARE IN FACT LOYAL TO THEIR CRAFTWORLDS, AND WILL RETURN TO SUPPORT THEIR NAVIES IF CALLED UPON TO DO SO,” the Emperor said.
“Very true, just as human privateers and raiders will sometimes help harass the vessels of those attacking human planets,” Taldeer shot back.
“YOU CAN HARDLY COMPARE THE TWO. WE KILL HUMAN RAIDERS WHEN WE SEE THEM AND CONFISCATE THEIR LUCRE. ELDAR PIRATES WHO SUCCESSFULLY RAID HUMAN SHIPPING LINES GET A PAT ON THE BACK.”
“As they wash the blood of my men from their hands,” Commodore Romes said bitterly.
Taldeer skewered him with her glare. “And as stated: if this treaty is signed into law, it will stop.
“Good faith will only take you so far-” the Commodore began.
“WHOA!” the Emperor suddenly yelled.
“What?! What is it, my Liege?” Romes asked worriedly.
“NOTHING…NOTHING THAT NEED CONCERN YOU. PLEASE CONTINUE, A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT GUEST HAS JUST ARRIVED.” The Throne icon reverted to the symbol of the Aquila, and the High Lords looked amongst each other worriedly.
The Emperor stared at the Warp Rift opening mere meters from him in complete shock. The Custodes abandoned their vigil and ran for the Rift, all drawing weapons.
“STAND DOWN, MY LOYAL FRIENDS, STAND DOWN…THIS IS NO FOE.”
“My Liege? It is a Warp Rift!” one of them pointed out, glaive leveled and ready to fire. “Who knows what kind of daemon…could…oh…” he trailed off at the sight of the being emerging.

A golden, winged human stepped forth, clad in gleaming armor, with a massive two-handed sword hanging from his belt. The Emperor stared at the apparition, jaw hanging open. “IT CAN’T BE.”
The Rift sewed itself shut behind the angel, as the Custodes uncertainly aimed their weapons.
“I am,” the angel said, his voice thin and muffled.
“HOW? I NEVER SAW YOU, EVEN ONCE, ALL THIS TIME…I WATCHED YOU DIE!”
“Death is a filter, my Liege, separating the strong from the weak. For the weak, it is a barrier that can not be crossed. For the strong, it is a mountain, which can be climbed, overcome, and conquered.”
“…DID DANTE SEND YOU?” the Emperor asked, trying to come to grips with the man facing him.
“Yes.”
“WHY DID YOU COME NOW? IF YOU WERE THE SANGUINOR THIS ENTIRE TIME, WHY DID YOU NOT COME FORTH BEFORE, WHEN THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TIME TO HALT AND REVERSE MY DECAY?”
“What could be done? I am more than the sum of my components, but even I can not reverse time,” the angel said, its voice brimming with regret.
“WHAT WAS DONE TO ME WAS NOT DONE BY TIME. WHAT WAS DONE TO ME – AND YOU – WAS DONE BY TREASON, BETRAYAL, AND FOUL CHAOS.”
“True. But I am here. Now. When things…change so much. I have seen a great crossroads in my visions, yes…but never have we been so close to it,” the angel said earnestly.
“A CROSSROADS…INDEED. WELL…THEN I MUST KNOW, IF I AM TO TRUST THESE VISIONS. IF YOU REMOVE THAT MASK, WHO WILL BE UNDER IT?”

“A face. That face hides two souls. As it must.”
“SUCH SACRIFICE…NOW AND THEN,” the Emperor said, suddenly flooded with a sadness he could not conceal. The angel’s gaze dropped, and the Custodes looked at one another uncertainly. “YOU SHAME ME.”
“Do not be ashamed. We have both made catastrophic mistakes, my Father.” The man unclamped his mask and removed it, revealing a face marred by brutal and vivid scarring.
“WHOSE BODY DO YOU INHABIT, MY SON? HE IS CLEARLY A BLOOD ANGEL.”
“In my original service, he was my greatest warrior. He was Azkaellon. He was my Herald and my Bearer,” the man said, the scars over his mouth twisting the words and muffling them.
“YES…I REMEMBER HIM. HE WAS EVER YOUR FRIEND. HE WAS A GREAT AND GIFTED WARRIOR.”
“He would be honored to hear you say it, Father. When he was dying, his soul met mine, and he gladly gave his broken and ruined body to me, to sustain me in some form,” the angel said, gesturing to massive, red-tinged marks on the gleaming metal of his armor. The damage was long gone, but its remains were clearly visible.
“TWO SOULS IN ONE BODY…I AM AWARE OF THE MADNESS THAT CAN BRING, MY SON. I AM GLAD YOU HAVE OVERCOME IT.”
“Yes, and I am glad that yours does not seem to bear any trace of the THING you now inhabit.” The scarred angel frowned. “Surely you do not need to stay in that body?”
“I ACTUALLY DO, FOR NOW. FEAR NOT. WHEN MY IMPERIUM HAS STABILIZED ENOUGH THAT MY ABSENCE FOR NINE MONTHS WILL NOT DESTROY IT, I WILL DIE AND BE REBORN.”
“That’s reassuring. I don’t know how long I could bear that visage,” the angel said wryly. He smiled through his damaged face. “It’s good to see time has not eroded your humor, Father.”
“NOR YOURS, SANGUINIUS. WELCOME HOME.”

“Then I suppose that is that. Once the Emperor signs off on the final instruction to formalize the treaty, then you will bring it to the Councils of the various Craftworlds?” the Lord Commander Solar said wearily, rubbing his eyes.
“I shall,” Taldeer said, looking over the data slate in front of her. “Lady Isha, may I ask that you do the same for the Exodites?” Taldeer continued staring at the slate for a moment longer, before looking up at the goddess. “Lady Isha?”
Isha was gripping the armrests of her seat, eyes wide in shock. The High Lords glanced over curiously. “Taldeer…do you not feel that? There is something…terrible in the Throne room.”
“What?” Taldeer closed her eyes and concentrated, sensing Lofn and the psychic High Lord surreptitiously doing the same. She cast her thoughts over the Throne, looking past the obvious, blazing radiance of the Emperor, and found…something.
“That is unusual,” Taldeer murmured. “I presume it to be the ‘guest’ of the Emperor.”
“A daemon, playing the guest to the Emperor in a daemon,” Isha said, an uncharacteristic note of bitterness in her voice.
“It can not be,” the Master of Astropaths whispered, his face slack with shock.
“You know this being?” the Master of Assassins asked.
“We’ve never met, but I have felt it, when I was receiving a message on the Blood Angels’ behalf,” he said shortly, standing. “Inquisitor, you had better get down there.”
The Inquisitorial representative cocked an eyebrow and stood. “The Sanguinor?”
“So it would seem,” the Astropath hissed.

“WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO NOW, MY SON?”
“Well, much as I’d like to, I can’t remain here and would you KINDLY point that elsewhere?” Sanguinor asked, glaring at a Custodes Terminator who had been menacing him with a Triple Assault Cannon from the moment he had arrived.
The Custodian jerked his head back, looking to the Emperor for approval. The Emperor nodded. “STAND AT EASE, MY CUSTODIANS, HE IS NO THREAT TO YOU.”
“As I was saying,” Sanguinor said, nodding,” I can not stay. “Though it would please me to no end to do battle against Abbadon’s filth alongside you and my Angels once more, my…pact with this body is tenuous, as is its grip on this dimension. I can remain only an hour more.”
“THEN I INSIST, MY SON, STAY AS LONG AS YOU CAN, REARM, AND LISTEN TO THE STATE OF THINGS,” the Emperor said, as the Custodes slowly drifted back to their posts.
“Lord Dante was kind enough to explain the bizarre state of the galaxy to me when I spoke to him on Rordek, Father. Incidentally, have you heard of the catastrophe that has befallen him? Fully half the Sanguinary Guard and First Company, downed by a disastrous Hrud ambush.”
“UNFORTUNATE. I’M SURE HE’S EAGER TO RETURN TO BAAL AND REBUILD,” the Emperor said. “AND NO, I HAD NOT HEARD.”

Suddenly, a loud creaking from the hinges of the Eternity Gate announced another visitor. The Inquisitorial representative of the High Lords charged in, running for the Emperor.
“My Liege, be warned! There is a…oh.” He came to a bashful halt. “I…guess you already know. All right then…I’ll take my leave,” he mumbled, turning back to the door. The Emperor watched him go with bemusement.
“WHAT A STERLING AND INSPIRATIONAL EXAMPLE OF THE CEASELESS VIGILANCE OF THE IMPERIUM.”
“Well, in fairness, Father, I AM a daemon, technically,” Sanguinor said, shrugging his massive wings. The Custodes shifted uncomfortably. “The Inquisition has been trying to capture me for millennia.”
“INDEED?”
“They thought it was a sign that the Blood Angels were harboring Khorne-worshippers. Having blood and warfare be the symbols of the chapter didn’t…help disavow them of that belief.”
The Emperor chuckled, an odd sound from such a massive creature. “WELL, MY SON, I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN DO IN THE REGARD OF ALLOWING YOU TO STAY LONGER. HOW LONG BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN TO TERRA AGAIN?”
“The Warp is a tempestuous place, Father, as you well know. A month? A thousand decades? I do not know,” the Sanguinor said regretfully.
“THEN DO STOP BY BAAL NEXT AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF FORMALLY. ACTUALLY, I HAVE TO ASK: WHY DIDN’T YOU DO THAT ALREADY?”
“Because, Father, I confess that I felt a sense of shame. I failed miserably in my duty. Azkaellon felt that he had, in turn, failed me. Returning to Baal…would have been humiliating. Dante was humbling in his request that I come here at all,” Sanguinor admitted.

“DID YOU KNOW HE REINTERPRETED YOUR PROPHESY?” the Emperor asked.
“Yes. I can not speak to the accuracy of his interpretation; certainly mine was wrong.” Sanguinor looked around the room in sudden dismay. “It seems I will not have time to help myself to your armories after all, Father, for my grasp on this dimension wanes.”
“I UNDERSTAND. IT DID MY HEART GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE, MY SON,” the Emperor said ruefully. “DO ME A FAVOR…TELL ME; CAN YOU SEE VESSELS AS THEY TRAVEL THE WARP?”
“Certainly. Why?”
“IF YOU GET THE CHANCE, CAN YOU TELL ME IF VULKAN IS ALL RIGHT? HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO NOCTURNE AND COLLIDED WITH THE CARCASS OF A VOID WHALE.”
“Well…that’s a bit vague, but I can look into it if you wish,” Sanguinor said, thinking it over.
“I’D APPRECIATE IT.” The Sanguinor’s form wavered for a moment, and he nodded.
“I’m afraid my time is up. Farewell.”
“FAREWELL, MY SON. I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT MEETING.”

All right, that's the end of the old stuff. Quick break, then I'll start writing in real time.

WEIGH IN, KIDS

>>17635623

FUUUUUUUUUCKKKKK YOUUUUUUUUUU I NEED SLEEP. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING SINCE THREAD #1 AND YOU DECIDE TO START POSTING WHEN I NEED TO GET UP EARLY?!

Meh. One hour less couldn't hurt.

>>17635674
Bed down, then. Write down the thread number and look it up on Foolz.

>>17635623
I await more tales of our Tarrasque-Emperor of Mankind.

>>17635689

Nah. I can function on 6 hours fine.

>>17635706
Seriously, it could be 2000 EST when i get back.

>>17635726

Right then. I'll open suptg for this then.

See ya.

All right, I exist. The one good thing about the sheer number of fucking characters I have here is that I can abandon a plot thread with one if I get stuck and come back if I unstick myself.

4-100-001-M42
“Well, if you wanted to do so, I assure you that the first thing I would have done is approve,” Leman Russ said, looking over his restored quarters. “Not that I can blame you for holding off.”
“Restoring your quarters in absentia would have given false hope, I think,” Grimnir said, watching the servitors drop off the last of the boxes from cold storage.
“True.” Russ stepped down into the restored room and dropped his meager kitbag on the floor, kicking it in the general direction of his wardrobe. The room was the exact opposite of the rest of the Fang. Every inch of the walls was obscured under a mess of junk; trophies, flattering portraits, books and scrolls, holos of distant places, and, naturally, enough weapons to outfit a full Blood Pack.
Russ smirked as the memories the trophies recalled filtered back…conquest after conquest. He glanced over the colossal, fur-covered bed, and continued his recall, of rather different conquests.
The far window looked over the endless expanse of the Fenris ice fields. The scouring wind was propelling a shard-storm over the plain. That would mince any of the nomads that got caught outside.
Russ hefted the featureless black case next to the nearest pile of weapons, and clicked the simple combination lock open. He reached in and extracted the battle-scarred Power Claymore from within, grinning broadly as it caught the light of the room.
“An old friend, my Lord?” Grimnir asked from the door.
“Indeed, Grimnir, an old friend.” Russ twisted his wrist suddenly, driving the blade down to the floor and back up in an arc. It looked oddly small for the Primarch, Grimnir noted.

“I drove this through an Ork Warboss and out the other side, then left it in there,” Russ said, setting back in the box and closing it. “The Warboss lived through it, and even kept fighting until I kicked is legs out from under him and he fell on it. Bjorn thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen and made a point of retrieving it.”
Grimnir smiled half-heartedly at the mention of their venerable brother. “My Lord…as long as we’re here, I have to ask. What do you think of Bjorn’s complaints thus far?”
Russ pulled a face, thinking over what little he had seen in the two days he had been back. “Well-grounded. If, perhaps, tainted with regret. He doesn’t just see something wrong here, he sees it as having been his fault for preventing it.”
“You could, of course, change things as you saw fit,” Grimnir pointed out, masking his displeasure at the thought.
“Oh, yes, yes I can,” Russ said flatly. “In fact…” he said, turning to face the shorter man with a tight, strained grin. “Bet on it.”
“Well, that’s encouraging,” Grimnir said. Russ went back to rooting through his piles of crap.
“Don’t take it personally. Honestly, I don’t see too much to be wrong here. Just a few…edges need trimming. We’re going to be called upon to take to the field soon again anyway.”
“You’ve heard from the Emperor, then?” Grimnir asked.
“Nope, he’d be damn stupid not to try to capitalize on the gains we made against Abbadon in the Black Crusade.” Russ pulled two wooden doors in the side of the room open to reveal the suit of prototype Mk.7 armor he had worn before beginning his penance. “And we won’t be the only ones.”

I had to try very, very hard to resist making the following video part of the story in some way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcvjoWOwnn4&list=FLY85U3ZqWFv9-FCdlds_5Ww&index=4&feature
=plpp_video

I was going to, then I remembered that the whole galaxy is slowly circling the drain and there's little room for that kind of optimism there. So I improvised.

Also, 33,333 words!

Now I just need to triple the length of the story and I'll have made it longer than Emperasque 1!

2-100-001-M42
Two hundred thousand Guardsmen and PDF coming to attention at the same time is not something you hear very often, even when you’re the ruler of a pocket empire. Roboute Guilliman savored it. He had a lot of work to do, and wouldn’t be likely to hear it again.
The assembled troops were arranged by company, with the entire plaza packed nearly solid. The few hundred Ultramarines – including Dreadnoughts – present on Macragge had assembled around the plaza at intervals, save Calgar himself, who was standing on the marble stage at the front of the plaza. The center of the plaza was filled with a metallic statue of himself, Guilliman noted with wry amusement. THAT hadn’t been there when he had seen the place last.
Calgar was leading a ceremony to welcome him back formally. Guilliman noted that the gaping hole in the roof of the temple, wherein he had resided for ten thousand years, was already partially fixed. They certainly hadn’t wasted any time in the month since the Emperor had blasted it open.
He heard his name mentioned for about the fiftieth time since the speech had begun, and grimaced with distaste at the words that had preceded them. “Spiritual Liege.” Damn it, he had known the moment he had said those words, over ten millennia ago, that they would have become the “Peace in our time,” no matter how long it had been since he had said them. Sometimes you just can’t outrun bad decisions.

>>17637439
Nice.

Ah well. Calgar was bowing out, and the time for introspection was over. Guilliman stepped up to the podium, feeling the eyes of over a fifth of a million soldiers on him. That never got old. The PDF Sergeant-at-arms at the edge of the podium puffed himself up. “Ten…HUT! Heyes…front! Chest…out! PRE-sent…HARMS!” The troops present – even the Ultramarines, Guilliman noted – followed the instruction with commendable precision. Guilliman nodded curtly to the Sergeant, who continued his bellowing. “Ultramar…at…EASE.” The ranks of soldiery dropped back into file, those whose hands weren’t occupied clasping them at their backs.
Guilliman slowly exhaled and stepped up to the vox, marshaling his thoughts. It always distantly bothered him when he didn’t have time to practice his speeches. “Thank you, Sergeant,” he said, nodding at the man again. Without waiting for a response – like he would have gotten one! – he cast his gaze out over the crowd. “My friends. Before I say anything else, I feel I must establish…it is very good to be home.” He paused a moment to let the smiles work their way across the faces of the troops assembled below, many of whom were either weeping openly or on their way there. The Primarch let the silence build in potency for a moment before moving on. “I know that the means and timing of my departure a month back were disconcerting at best. I assure you, had I been conscious to witness it, I would have been just as confused as I’m told you were.” A ripple of sycophantic laughter echoed through the assemblage. The buzzing cloud of servo-skulls and pictcaster drones over the crowd wobbled in the faint evening breeze as they broadcast the signal to every living person with access to an antenna or psychic powers within a hundred light-years.

>mfw i stumble across an emperasque thread

“That said, the Emperor sends his best, to the legions of troops who held the line against the predations of the Tyranids. Give yourselves the credit you and your predecessors deserve for that accomplishment.” Guilliman inclined his head a fraction as the few Tyrannic War Veterans present – only four, plus Calgar – nodded to acknowledge the applause. When it ended, Guilliman resumed. “I must say, it pleases me to no end that Macragge is held alongside Terra as one of the beacons of the Imperium. Ten thousand years gone by, and Ultramar stands.” He paused again to let the roar of adulation and approval wash through the plaza. He timed his next words carefully, to cut across the last second or so of sound. “I look forward to, once again, leading the Realm in its protection, expansion, and enrichment of the Imperium. I know that when the time comes, I will be able to count on every single one of you to assist me in that most noble endeavor. I hope that the faith the rest of the Imperium holds in the martial prowess and unshakable economic strength of Ultramar will be justified by our conduct. I look forward to it, in fact. I will call upon you soon, my battle-brothers, to once again purge the Imperium of the heretic, the mutant, and the alien.” He aimed that comment at the entire crowd, not just the Marines, and smiled to himself at the sight of the mortal warriors in the crowd swelling with pride at being included in such heady company.

Guilliman raised his gaze over the crowd to the walls of the city beyond, and the still-damaged temple. “The times the Imperium has faced over the last ten thousand years have been trying, I know now. And I know, not all of the battles we have fought in the Emperor’s name have ended with the triumph we deserve. But now, together, with our Emperor restored to his proper position at the head of Humanity, and with myself and my brothers beside him, we can begin again, and make this Imperium strong.” He placed as much emphasis on the last word as he could, to underscore his trust in the troops, and they responded with another round of applause, as the Ultramarines thumped their gauntlets against their breastplates. “For that, my friends, my fellow warriors of the Imperium of Man, I thank you.” He nodded once and stepped back, gesturing below the podium to the Sergeant. The man took a step forward and addressed the plaza.
“Ten – HUT!” The Guard and PDF snapped back to attention as Guilliman dismounted the back of the stage, not looking back. “DIS…MISSED!” the Sergeant bellowed. The ranks of troops filed out by company, as the Ultramarines either returned to the vehicles that had borne them there or wandered across the plaza towards the temple. As soon as he was off the podium, he angled straight for the awe-struck Calgar, who was waiting for him.

“Well said, my Liege,” Calgar said quietly, as Guilliman disengaged the vox from his armored gorget.
“Thank you, brother Marneus,” Guilliman said, dropping the vox into the waiting hands of a Chapter serf. “And, please, don’t call me that.”
“Liege? My Lord, I mean it only as a sign of respect,” Calgar said in genuine surprise.
“Of course you do. But our Liege has risen from His Throne once more.” Guilliman climbed into the compartment of the Ultramarine Land Speeder parked behind the stage. “I shouldn’t take that from him. Now, come. We have a great deal to discuss.”

___________
Had to split that one. Fucking field limit.

Where's the Ahriman fapfic I was promised?

>>17638220
You were promised no such a bloody thing.

Besides, the writer who does the Ahriman stories is called Ahriman's Aide. Go bug him on 1d4chan.

All right, quick break to reset my humours and I will return.

Back.

I'm running out of ideas again, and do I REALLY want to do the "welcome home" speech for all seven Primarchs? No. No, I don't. So please, throw ideas and feedback at me. Fanarts too would be a great thing.

>>17638982

A description of the diplomatic proceedings from Lofn's points of view? Pretty please?

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/17635403/

Archived.

>>17639008
I...Didn't I already do that?

I guess I could do more.

>>17639096

Did you? I must have missed that bit. The story's kind of all over the place, after all. Is there a link to the others?

>>17639096
We just love Lofn.

>>17639032
Thanks, I updated the wiki with the link.

>>17637982
>"Ten thousand years gone by, and Ultramar stands."

I think the organ and choir kicked in at about that time for me. Well done.

>>17639115
Yes.
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Emprahsque

>>17638982

Don't worry about it. Here's what to do:

1. What's fucked in the 40k Universe (Hint: It rhymes with anything)
2. How can the merging 40k most powerful being and D&D's most powerful non-divine being unfuck that thing? (Hint: By being awesome).
3. Write about said unfucking.

>>17639219

Gentlemen! There's a chance this will work!

>>17639219
Yeah, I know, I know. Problem is, how many times can I Tarrasque ex Machina before it gets boring? The most fun to write piece of this entire story was Vulkan Call of Dutying on Terra, because I love action sequences. Nobody's here for action sequences.

Well, OK. More Lofn.

To be honest, I want to write a bit of a gaiden about how Isha goes to live on one of the Exodite worlds. I may have to wait until I finish this story first.

>>17639253

>Nobody's here for action sequences.

Speak for yourself, I loves them.

Perhaps more eldar, that would be good

>>17639524
Yeah...yeah, I think so. I may take a bit of a break from the main plot and story
>implying I have one
and talk more about them wacky daemons, heretics, mutants, and aliens.

YES.
MOAR!
CAPS. ABUSE!
But goddamn. _Yay_. Yayifications!
I do love me some Emperasque, and WELCOME BACK!

>>17639253
Ok ok, listen mon: the terrific part is that you've captured that even with the Emperasque running around fucking up the proverbial shit things are _still_ complicated and deadly and uncertain. Emps is more like a deconstruction of Deus Ex Machina then actually embodying it. It seems clear to me that He has _limits_ and that those limits really matter.
He's bring around Hope, and that's a DEADLY thing in large doses.
There's plenty of room left for things to go appallingly wrong -the wound is closing, but it's nothing like completely healed.
Go forth unburdened! Your pen is righteous, wield it with respect and you'll do fine.

>>17639569
More Eldar?
Like a Wild West type Exodite World meeting with a Rogue Trader after being told by the Craftworlds no shooting the mon'keigh?

>>17639671
Thanks, Iron Lung.

>>17639703
Actually, yeah, that's what I was planning.

>>17639703

I'm planning a world like this for a Rogue Trader game I'm running soon, only it's a Frontier world populated by humans and Zoat.

That said, making them Eldar gunslingers would also be awesome.

0-100-001-M42
Lofn was getting a little sick of this. She had been brought along to the conference day after day, and nobody ASKED her anything! At least Mom had said that this was going to be the last day. This time, there were only four people at the Imperial end of the table. Three of them were shiny, but one was the scary hollow man from before. One of the shiny men, with the third eye, was complaining. Again.
“I know the Eldar do not use the light of the holy Astronomican for navigation, as I and my kin do.”
“We don’t need it,” Mom said. The Throne icon at the end of the table suddenly flickered as the loud guy started talking.
“IT’S NOT, IF YOU’LL ALLOW SOME CANDOR, LIKE WE CAN STOP YOU FROM USING IT.”
“Right. Then, if we are done?” Mom asked, standing up. Dad and Lady Isha stood too.
“I THINK WE ARE. MIND IF I SEND THE TRANSCRIPT DIRECTLY TO YOUR SHIP?”
“Go ahead, by all means,” Mom said. The shiny man with the huge letter caved into his arms was glaring at Lofn for some reason. She stared back, wondering what she had done this time. As soon as the little recorder in the corner bleeped off, he started talking.
“Farseer, now that we’re done, I think we deserve to know. Why in the world did you insist your daughter come here?” he demanded. “She’s far too young for politics.”
“I didn’t bring her here as a representative,” Taldeer said drily. “Your Emperor, Lady Isha, and I have discussed this.” The bald man got angry.
“What are you not telling me?”
“Are you addressing me, or the Emperor?” Taldeer shot back. The man immediately shut up.

>>17639768
Glee. <3
Alas, I have to go work, so Sage for non-contribution.
Glorious to have Emps and company back, and indeed we do love Lofn.
Have fun SE, and thanks as always for enriching /tg/.

>>17639821
No problem, man. It's nice to have honest feedback.

>>17635403
Wait, I've missed Primarch's Daughters threads?
...god dammit.

>>17639768
Hooray, Lofn!

>>17640054
I had two threads. In the first one I was specifically asked to write a story about Lyra and Remilia, so I wrote an Afternoon with WD; a little side-story about Lyra's Watcher in the Dark buddy.
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Warhammer_High#An_Afternoon_With_WD

The one after that was an additional...maybe ten thousand words on the end of Venus' Burn. People complained that there wasn't enough sex *cough*James Joyce*cough*.
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Venus%27_Burn

Lofn sighed aloud, then regretted it. Everyone in the room looked at her. The empty man smiled at her, and looked like he might have actually meant it. “Something to add, Lofn?”
Well, there wouldn’t have been anything to say, but after several days of this, she was out of patience. “I’m just…” she didn’t say ‘bored.’ She really wanted to. “I don’t know why I’m here either.” Dad closed his eyes for a moment, and Lofn felt his frustration. Mom smiled, though.
“Well, now that we’re done, I can tell you when we get home, OK?”
Lofn shrugged under the uncomfortable formal dress she was wearing. “All right.”
The golden security guard opened the door, and Lady Isha walked out without a word. Mom took Lofn’s hand and walked her out of the room, with Dad behind her. On their way back to the suites they had been assigned, Dad walked up next to her and leaned over.
“Sorry this has been so boring, Lofn.”
“It’s…pretty boring, yeah,” Lofn allowed. Lady Isha tilted her head to the side as somebody soul-talked to her, then shook her head. “I wanna know why so many of the humans here hate us.”
“Oh, Lofn,” Mom said sadly. She shook her head too, staring at the floor. “We have so many reasons. I don’t want to tell you about them yet.”

>>17640152
Oh man, thank you for the links!
The Venus' Burn one is my favorite!

“I WONDER HOW TALDEER’S GOING TO EXPLAIN TO HER DAUGHTER THAT THE ONLY REASON SHE’S HERE IS TO ACT AS A PACIFIER?” the Emperor said in Isha’s head.
“Tactfully,” Isha said shortly. It irked her to no end that he had used those words. “What do you want?”
“WELL, YOU SAID EARLIER YOU MIGHT BE VISITING AN EXODITE WORLD. DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE?”
“Not by any name you’d recognize, no. I need to visit Ulthwé first, also,” Isha pointed out. “Why do you care? Our negotiations have concluded.”
“YEAH, BUT OUR ROGUE TRADERS SOMETIMES GO DECADES WITHOUT CONTACTING THE IMPERIUM. YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER ONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENED HERE.”
“Oh? And what would I tell them?” Isha asked tartly. “What message would I give that would carry your authority?”
“EASY: INVOKE THE WRIT OF TRADE THAT THEY CARRY. HELL, SOME OF THEM I SIGNED, PERSONALLY, WHEN I STARTED THE CRUSADE. JUST SAY THAT I’VE INSTRUCTED THAT THE WRIT BE EXTENDED TO EXCLUDE TERRITORIAL CLAIMS OVER EXODITES AND THEY SHOULD LEAVE YOU ALONE. IF NOT, LET ME KNOW. I CAN TAKE CARE OF IT.”

>>17640189
fuck yes! continue the win!
Also, I personally love what you've done with the Wolves so moar of them if you can. What about the Dark Angels too? What with Johnson and Luther/Lothair (i forget which one is right) and dem Watchers

I have no idea what is happening, as usual since the first time I saw and read an Emperasque thread months ago, but I enjoyed it anyways.

Proceed

More Emperasque. The day is saved.
Please, proceed!
...also requesting more eldar action. Exodites, Lofn, it's all good.

Oh yeah, I meant to ask... (hope this is not taboo for writefags or something)
Do you have a paypal account?
I feel I got enough enjoyment out of your stories to warrant some sort of tip.

>>17640457
This Anon is right. Dealing with the fallout between the Lion and Luther could be interesting. Also, you mentioned in the last thread no Alpharius. That said, what about the Alpha Legion in general?

Very interested in what will happen next.

>>17638258
>>17638220

Should I be honoured?

Never remember promising to write any fapfiction, wouldn't do a good job of it at all. Leave it to the experts.

Someone Else, one thing I think you should cover is the reaction of the traitor Primarchs to the news that 'daddy' is alive and well. It might make Lorgar finally come down out of that room he's shut himself in for the last 10,000 years, and make Magnus, Mortarion and Peturabo actually get of theirlazy arses and do something. A pre-emptive drive on Terra before the Emprasque gets too powerful?

(cue the war room scene on board the Planet Killer)
I couldn't write fapfics even if I tried. However I do have that story about the field trip to the Eye of Terror to work on.

Someone Else, one thing you should cover is the reaction of the traitor Primarchs to the news that daddy is alive and well. It might make Lorgar finally leave that room he has been holed up in for 10,000 years, or Magnus, Mortarion or Peturabo actually get up and do something. A new drive on Terra, before the Emprasque can consolidate his hold, a preemptive strike?

It's Midnight here, and maybe now I can sleep at last.

Note to self, posting on your iPod at midnight NZ time is a bad idea.

Well, we've already seen what Fulgrim's reaction was; he thought it was hilarious that someone who hated daemons as much as the Emperor would stoop to such a level. I think it would be interesting to see what the reaction of the others are now that Fulgrim proved that it's possible to attack Terra directly after all.

All right, I sort of exist, but I won't be back for a few hours. Here's a bump to keep the thread alive.

I like Someone Else's work...but where are all the other contributors from the past Warhammer related stories that we all enjoyed?

Did Someone Else kill them all in his rise to power?

>>17645093
Emperasque is all me, but there's lots of other Warhams writefaggotry out there. Heretical Love is going on right now, for instance. There are about five WHH writers, including me, still around. We have chapter creation threads too, lots of small contributions there.

>>17645093
You didn't know? We held vicious deathmatches where writefag killed writefag to decide who should get to write. Someone else was the strongest.

>>17645117
Well, I don't like to brag...

All right, I'm out of ideas. I'll be back later in the afternoon. Sorry to string you guys along like this.

>>17645777
Out of ideas, eh?
Maybe we need a new set of deathmatches to see if you really are worthy of writing. Some of those new writefags seem awfuly sharp.

To Epic to Die. Bump!

don't 404 on me!

I still sort of exist, guys, thanks. I just have NO idea what to do next.

Do the War Room Scene!

4-100-001-M42
Vulkan paced his cabin on the Swift, thinking the last few eventful days over. The Unbound Flame was safe in his hands once more. Ir’Shal had promised him that the ship would be capable of making the jump home, now that they knew where they were. The Gellar field was holding. So why did he feel a sense of unease?
Certainly the ship was in poor shape. Fully a tenth of the crew was dead or insane, thanks to their brief inundation with the Warp. Now, even as they were on the way to Nocturne, they were far from out of trouble. The absence of a Navigator meant slow going, especially with the absence of the Emperor’s wake to speed their journey. Perhaps, then, it was the journey that caused him his discomfort?
No. He knew. Vulkan sighed and ran his hands over his eyes, trying to figure out what to say when he got home. It was Nocturne. Would he find something to be proud of? Or would he find himself ashamed? Certainly Tu’Shan was confident that whatever he found would live up to Vulkan’s standards.

Yay ur back. Im on my phone so I wont post much srry

That's fine, I'm still out of ideas. And I'll be dining soon.

All right, I've decided to throw common sense out the window.

You know what time it is? I think you know what time it is. For our teleporting Emperor.

>>17648774
Hell yes.

i approve

All right, back from dinner. Sort of writing. Gotta decide which world/alien we should visit first.

http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Saharduin these guys pls

>>17649724
Man, between you and Colossal Fagot my night is SET.

Keep fighting the good fight man!

>>17649724
clearly, Chaos

>>17649821
colossal faggot?

>>17649867
>>17647683

no, Colossal Fagot.

what/who is this colossal faggot?

>>17650104
>>17647683
Colossal Fagot.

i dont get this at all

>>17650160

i feel like that kid in class who didnt know what the nazis did in WW2

>>17650245
http://mr-culexus.deviantart.com/
C.F.^
S'alright, under-informed Anon. Go forth and discover.

0-101-001-M42
“WELL, THAT WAS PRODUCTIVE,” the Emperor said drily. The Senate of the High Lords had all but disbanded for the day, leaving only the Lord Commander Militant and Captain-General of the Custodes present in the Throne room. “I TRUST, LORD COMMANDER, THAT YOU CAN SEE TO THE CORRECT DISPERSAL OF INSTRUCTIONS TO THE GUARD AND NAVY?”
“Yes, my Liege,” the man said, wondering how best to phrase these peculiar orders. The Cadian regiments would take it best, he suspected. Perhaps the Tallarns, and the planets they’d settled, would be receptive.
“IN THE MEANTIME, GENTLEMEN, I THINK IT BEST IF I TAKE MY LEAVE, FOR A TIME,” the Emperor announced pensively, throwing the two much smaller men a shock.
“What? Ah, my Liege, but you just returned to us!” the Lord Commander said.
“YEAH, BUT WITH FULGRIM DEFEATED, I HONESTLY DON’T THINK I’M NEEDED HERE IN PERSON. HONESTLY, I THINK I’M NEEDED ELSEWHERE RIGHT NOW.” The Emperor looked into the distance, as if seeing his destination in his mind. “SPECIFICALLY, THE ROCK. THERE’S SOMETHING OF VITAL IMPORTANCE I NEED TO DISCUSS WITH LION.”
“As is your prerogative, my Liege,” the Captain-General said. He was taking far better than the Lord Commander was, at any rate.

HE LIVES!

>>17650472
I'm totally saving that.

4-101-001-M42
Azrael stared at the document on the table before him, letting its implications sink in. He knew he had to sign it. Still, it felt like he was abdicating more than his position. It felt like he was abandoning his responsibility.
Lion El’Jonson had been specific in his careful appraisal of the chapter’s status after he returned from Terra. While he had been impressed both that the chapter had overcome so many obstacles in its path, and the fact that nearly two thirds of the Fallen were accounted for, he had been astonished and enraged by Azrael’s conduct during the opening weeks of the 13th Black Crusade and Gothic war. Both times he had been asked to help by the Imperial commanders leading the counteroffensives, and both times he had refused only until it was mentioned that Abbadon had Fallen among his ranks. El’Jonson had informed him in no uncertain terms that outright refusing calls for help when it was desperately needed was contrary to the standards to which he wanted his officers held; certainly when his refusal of the second request had stemmed solely from a desire to avoid the presence of Logan Grimnir.
That said, he had understood that Azrael was simply living up to the standards and procedures of his predecessors going back to before the end of the Heresy. As such, he had done no more than “request” that Azrael acede his position as Chapter master and Keeper of the Truth back to its rightful Primarch.

>>17651058
Was Cypher introduced to the Emperasque-a-verse? Has it been revealed who's side he's actually on?

>>17650519
I'm totally flattered.

Incedentally, been reading since thread 1, and there is one thing we haven't seen yet:
Khorne.

Seriously, Nurgle and Slaanesh have both been in this story, in the flesh, and Tzneech got a good cackle-over-a-crystal-ball moment (I think, it could have just been some of his followers), but Khorne, the warp god who supposedly spawned the demonic body the emperor resides in, still a no-show.

>>17651456
Also: nothing has seriously threatened our Emperasque yet... Partially because "Lol Psychic", but I'd like to see something maybe hurt him... like a super-carnifex or something?

Finally, The emperor is in the body of the tarrasque, I wonder if the tarrasque's body is exerting any kind of strain on our Emperor... is he hungry? Tired? Has he slept since he rose from the throne?

>>17651448
No.
>>17651456
Well, that's true.
>>17651580
He was in very genuine danger when he was fighting Slaanesh. And no, biological needs aren't really a factor for him.

>>17651580
Emps didn't hang around to fuck with Nurgle while he was springing Isha.
Good principle: the greater the deed, the greater the backlash.
Free a Primarch? Battle Fulgrim in a partially-tainted Terra.
Try to set an old rivalry to rights? Insurrection, pushback from the crazier units, and trouble amongst some Astartes.
Balance in all things because, Fuck War, Blood is the currency of _PEACE_ in 40K.

Also: suggestion for Lofn bits. She could be the emotive-psychic equivalent of a Candid Camera, a chance to really see what others are feeling, and how that affects their thinking. A potential source of foreshadowing and trouble to come, etc etc.
Also, d'aww moments like a Cannoness ruffling her head when she thinks no one is looking.

>>17651456
ANGRON TIME

There's a motherfucker who could leave Emps asking about a Tarrasque-sized replacement limb.

Yeah, Emps beat Slaanesh because Slaanesh was COMPLETELY off-guard. He beat Nurgle because Nurgle was distracted and, um, falling into his own cauldron. If he ever tried to take Khorne or even Tzeentch on one-on-one, he would get trounced.

>>17651764
for reference.

also good to see you writing again SE, keep up the good work old boy

>>17651764
Well, maybe what anon wants is a close matchup for the Emp. It's tough to guage what would be dangerous for him, without being impossible.

Chaos god->Too strong. Abbaddon->too weak.

Maybe a Tomb world?

Thanks, Lemon.

All right. I have sort of an idea for thing here.

What I'm thinking is that I'm going to have Emps go to the Rock and instruct El'Jonson to start building up the Chapters for an attrition war against the 'Nids and 'Crons (remember with the Primarchs back they can manufacture fresh geneseed again), then go ferry Vulkan to Nocturne to help get ready for some sort of a campaign against the Dark Eldar. Then, we skip over to Mundus Planus and pick up the Scars and go begin...PLOT!!!!!!!
And there the story ends. I'll write the gaiden stories I want to write, instead of sticking to a story i should have ended ten thousand words ago.

>>17652018
How about Commorragh?

ALL OF IT

>>17652047
S'all good.
My taste is for the Eldar sided of things, nice to see them get a little love, BUT you do as you want. And it's cool, this has certainly become your Interwebs Magnum Opus, so steer as you see fit. The actual implementation of Emp's ambition could easily be The Two Towers all by itself.

>>17652071

>>17652076
>And it's cool, this has certainly become your Interwebs Magnum Opus, so steer as you see fit
God I hope not, I want to get paid for this shit some day. I'd hate to think my Magnum Opus is something I gave away for free.

>>17652085
Have you submitted anything for publication before?

>>17652085
No, I want a real job before I try my hand at freelancing as an author.

>>17652047
Your not actually going to stop writing the Emperasque, ive been following it since thread one and id hate to see it go :(

>>17652238
Of course I'm going to stop, eventually, I just have no idea when or how.

>>17652248
Oh of course it HAS to end. But I could just see a lot of things you could explore. Tyranid hive fleets are still swarming in, Black Crusade with the daemon primarches actually comming with. C'tan if your using oldcrons, or zany shit with newcrons.

Way back when this shit began, there was no Wardcron garbage. Canonically, for me, the Medusa V Campaign and the SoB WD Codex and Newcrons never happened.

That said, Emps bothering the Tyranid overmind is sort of great.

A bump before bedtime to keep the thread alive.

This is your four hour "live damn you, live!" Bump... Someone Else will return, after this oddish goes through rehab.

awake.

Hooray!

Lion had probably not meant outright censure him, but that didn’t take the barb out of the order. Still, what choice did he have? With a heavy sigh, he penned his name at the bottom of the document, formally resigning his position as head of the Dark Angels.
El’Jonson himself was not present to witness his officer’s dilemma. He was busy staring into the depths of the cell at the bottom of the unsealed portions of the Rock. Lying on the cot inside was a withered husk of a man, chained to about a dozen different medical machines, which were clearly the only things keeping him sane and alive. It was all he could do to look at the former Astartes. They were once among the best of friends. He was Luther, formerly the second in command of the entire Legion, and the only living Space Marine to have survived the entire history of the Imperium without internment in a Dreadnought.
Luther craned his head up a fraction to stare at El’Jonson, hovering outside the cell door. After blearily focusing on the Primarch outside, he sank back onto the pillow with a whimper. “It’s…about…time…”
“It has been a while, Luther,” El’Jonson said faintly, gazing down at the prisoner through the cell door. He turned the key in the lock and slowly swung the massive metal slab inwards.

I'ld like to repeat my request for a paypal adress.
If it's not to much trouble,
also, takeallmymoney.jpg.

>>17657483
This might not be a bad idea.
SE would surely want to review transfer protocols and such, but AFAIK Internet hearsay to the contrary someone can't just crack open your Paypal account just because they know it's name.
I've done ~100 transactions over Ebay and Craigslist using PP and I've yet to have a problem that didn't amount to the buyer not depositing the money they promised.

Well, I'd like to, but an asshole lawyer could interpret it as being paid to write unauthorized material about a Games Workshop intellectual property. I'd get sued. Sorry.

>>17658157
Well the right to parody is pretty set in stone. Might be worth looking into, if you go that far.

All right, back. This would be easier if three different codices didn't have contradicting stories about Luther.

“I knew…my patience…would be…recognized…” Luther managed.
“’Recognized?’” El’Jonson asked. “What exactly did you think I was going to do here?”
“Not sure…now,” Luther croaked, a little life returning to his pallid skin as he tried to move. “You…came back…before…”
“Yes, for a few days.” El’Jonson walked in, leaning on the wall and staring at his bed-ridden friend. “Things were rather hectic.”
“Excuses,” Luther managed.
“I have to wonder, old friend, what you hoped to gain. Why did you think your betrayal would be rewarded?” El’Jonson asked.
“Rewards?...no…improvements, Lion,” Luther rasped. “Chaos offers much…”
“Was it worth it?” Lion asked coldly.
“Of course…not, Lion…”Luther said. He struggled to lift one atrophied hand, pointing out, beyond the walls of the Rock. “But it…was not I…who shattered…our home…”
“It was you who made it necessary,” Lion said, condemnation dripping from his voice. “Was it guilt over that act that brought you to live over ten thousand years? Hmm?”
“I sought…only…an end…” Luther said painfully.
“Lies,” Lion said. “You could have killed yourself long ago if an end and an end alone is what you sought.” He leaned forward, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “You fear what awaits you on the other side of death, should it come for you in the absence of my forgiveness.”
“Fear…death? You mistake me…Lion,” Luther said, anger coloring his reedy voice.
“Do not lie to me again, Luther.” Lion walked over to the medical machines, staring at the readouts.
“You lied…to the Emperor,” Luther said bitterly. El’Jonson cocked his eyebrow.
“Did I?”
“You waited…with your ships…to see if Horus would win…before committing…at Terra,” Luther accused, his eyes burning.

0 shit

>>17658989
Shit just got real

“Foolishness.” El’Jonson ran his hands over the life-support equipment.
“Why else…brother?” Luther snarled, the task of speaking so much clearly taking its toll.
El’Jonson paused his inspection, appearing to think over the question. “A reasonable question.” He turned to the withered old man, measuring his words with greater care. “I knew…Horus and Father would meet. It was unavoidable. Completely unavoidable. Horus would have hacked and cut his way through ten thousand Custodes and a million Army men to reach father. And Dorn and I both understood that Terra was the fated place of their meeting, and no fortification on his part would prevent that.” For a moment, his eyes turned down, in recrimination or anger. “Sanguinius, for all his foresight, did not. He was determined to prove that that arrogant fool Horus was salvageable.”
El’Jonson walked back to the door and closed it, still lost in thought. “But I knew. I think Jaghatai didn’t see it. Dorn did. Ferrus would have.” Lion turned to Luther and pierced him with his stare. “I could have arrived sooner. But what if I had? What if Leman, Vulkan, Corax, Roboute, and I had all arrived, with the fullest strength of our armies and our ships and our killing machines? What then, Luther? How would it have ended?”
“You tell me…brother,” Luther said coldly.

“I will.” Lion turned back to the machines, carefully examining each one in turn. “You see, Horus, for all his Chaos-fuelled rage, was not without strategic foresight. He knew what the full strength of our legions arriving would have meant. That, I understand, is why he lowered his shields to allow Father, Dorn, and Sanguinius aboard. He knew he had a material advantage. But…with Fulgrim exercising his depravities below, Perturabo off trading blows with Dorn, and Magnus out of commission, he couldn’t really exercise it. He had to end it. Then and there. Kill the Emperor or die trying.”
“All the…more reason…for you to…speed your way…there, liar!” Luther said vindictively.
“Still prattling about how I am the traitor, here, eh?” Lion said. He stared at the blank stone floor for a moment. “If I had arrived early, before the Emperor had a chance to kill Horus, then both sides would have lost less…but Horus would have lived. And ultimately, the resources it would have taken to kill him would have depleted the Imperium to such an extent that Lorgar and Perturabo would have simply conquered it whole. As it is, they have done nothing…NOTHING…for ten thousand years. Abbadon’s Crusades accomplish little save scarring the face of Cadia. Omegon’s twisted little schemes have hur the Imperium, to be sure, but without his brother’s wisdom, he’s half of a whole.”
“That’s IT?!” Luther managed, face colored with rage. “I waited…ten thousand years…for that? Excuses and ass-covering? Our…Emperor rots on…his Throne…because you…you wanted to see…them kill each other?” El’Jonson stared at the machines, refusing to look Luther in the eye. “It was…all of this…was just as you wanted? Just…as planned?”

Do recall: Curze, Alpharius (NOT Omegon), Horus, Fulgrim, Dorn, and Manus are genuinely dead, not coming back. Luther doesn't know about Fulgrim and Alphaius being dead, nor does he know about Dorn dying after the Heresy or Emps getting back on his feet.

>>17659273
>>17659489

This is awesome

Just as planned.

“OF COURSE NOT!” El’Jonson roared, his quiet rage boiling over completely. Luther recoiled at the sudden change in his former apprentice’s demeanor. “Do you think I WANT the Imperium to be a crumbling monolith of inefficiency? Do you think I WANT Dorn and Sanguinius to be dead? Do you think I planned YOU putting me in a bloody coma? Do you think I foresaw a betrayal BY MY OWN FORCES?!”
“Why not?” Luther managed, his own anger lending him strength. “You forgot us here! You left us…to claim the glory…of the Crusade for yourself!”
“I forgot NO ONE,” El’Jonson said, his voice dripping ice where fire had been. “And if you had not turned to Chaos and nearly slain me, the Imperium may well have weathered the madness of the Heresy unscathed. Or did you not think that perhaps several thousand of the oldest Dark Angels suddenly turning to Chaos, would have had ill effect? Your actions betray your claims.”
“I did what I had to do…to punish your betrayal, or so I thought,” Luther said, his anger fading to bitterness and remorse.
El’Jonson stared at him furiously. “Azrael tells me that you have pled for mercy and forgiveness – by my hand – for ten thousand years, Luther. Tell me, what part of your little diatribe there was supposed to lend itself to my favor?”

*cough*

>>17658683
Three different codices *plus* a novel.

So if Cypher isn't Luther OR Lion, Watdo?

>>17658157
To bad. If you ever get the chance to check if this is indeed covered by parody... well, I'll find out one way or another. :)
For now I'll be content just stating that I tremendously enjoy reading your stories. :D

>>17659754
Cypher was never Luther or Lion. He was always Luther's third in command. He's making his way towards Terra to do...something.

>>17659829
Ohhh okay, its been so long since I read that bit that I confused his sword being Luther's/Lion's with Cypher actually being one of them. Blehhhh.

So AFAIK...

- Curze: Assassinated by the Imperium post-heresy
- Horus: Dead
- Fulgrim: Soul trapped in a painting somewhere in Slaanesh's crib
- Manus: Killed by Fulgrim on Istvaan IV

What is the canon explanation for how Dorn and Alpharius died? I vaguely recall something about Dorn's hands getting cut off.

>>17659890
Dorn got his hand cut off and his head split open by an unnamed World Eater after the Heresy during a botched boarding action.

Alpharius set a trap for Guilliman on a planet, with all sorts of ambushes that someone who followed the Codex precisely would fall into. He was caught off-guard when Guilliman improvised instead, Deep Striking directly into Alpharius's base camp. Guilliman lopped his head off and ran like a little bitch, not knowing that Omegon lived through the battle.

Luther glared at his student, their argument hanging in the air between them. Finally, he sagged down on the bed, his temper failing him. “I waited ten thousand years for your verdict. Deliver it.”
“Very well.” Lion stood over the ailing Luther, looking levelly into his eyes. “I think you’ve suffered enough for one life.” Luther’s hazy eyes went wide. “I assure you, ten thousand years ago, I would have cleaved you in half for your foolishness, conspiracies, and weakness. But…” El’Jonson looked remorseful for a long moment. “Well…I was asleep the whole time, you know. In the Rock, below us. I had no idea what was going on out here. Ten thousand years of rest…compared to what Jaghatai, Corax, Russ, and Vulkan went through, that’s a vacation.”
“Time taught you mercy…Lion?” Luther wheezed.
“Oh no, no,” Lion said. “not at all. But…they suffered for ten thousand years, Luther. So did Father. I wouldn’t, even retroactively, wish that on my worst enemy. You.”
“Mercy tempered with vitriol,” Luther croaked.
“Something like that.” El’Jonson extracted a few small pieces of metal and glass, setting them down carefully on the medical equipment. Luther looked on with confusion. “Vulkan was sucked onto a daemon world and tortured for ten thousand years. It never quenched his flames, his love of life. Russ fought a losing battle in the Eye itself. It never broke him. Corax was forced into Fulgrim’s amusements. It didn’t shatter his mind. And Jaghatai…he was prey for the most wicked depredations of the Webway chronovortices for ten millennia. It never weakened him.” Lion slid the glass vials into the metal tube and screwed in another metal piece as a wicked-looking syringe began to form.

syringe? Oh Oh

“I was asleep. Embraced in repose of slumber. While my brothers and friends killed each other by the armful above. While the Imperium eroded…perhaps for my absence. If I ever needed a reason to deny you your forgiveness, there it is. But like I said…” he noted, finishing his assembly, “you’ve suffered enough…in this life.” El’Jonson paused for a moment, then glanced over his shoulder at his former friend. “I don’t know what happens to those who repent their willingness to embrace Chaos after they die. But for what it’s worth…I think it would be right for me to forgive you.”
“You do.” Luther said flatly.
“Yes. Luther…I forgive you your transgression.” He tapped the tiny glass vial and ran the acceptor of the needle into it, flooding the chamber of the syringe with a sickly orange fluid.
Luther sagged back into the bed, reeling. “I thought I’d feel better after hearing that…”
“Let me help.” El’Jonson rammed the syringe into the catheter that bled its alchemical mixes into Luther’s shriveled arm. The mix of potent painkillers and narcotics in the vial was used to put Dreadnought occupants into comas that lasted up to a thousand years. For Luther, it was enough to kill him fifty times over. “Now go find out what the Chaos gods do to those who abandon their services…brother.” Luther’s eyes opened wide in shock, before slipping closed in impossible relaxation and pleasure, then his muscles went completely slack.
El’Jonson watched dispassionately. “If only this stuff wasn’t so potent, it might have been possible to salvage your geneseed, Luther.” He shrugged callously, disassembling the syringe and dropping it into his pocket. “Oh well.” He turned off the medical equipment and lights in the room, leaving the door open. The Watchers who had maintained his body for ten thousand years would disassemble it and repurpose the room, with none save Azrael the wiser.

OK, time to do dishes.

CRTIQUE ME ONII-CHAN UGUU ♫♫

Feel sad for Luthor, thought he would have a happier ending.

poor Luthor. Ah well, he had a good run

Damn good. It's definitely Lion's style.

>>17660283
Can't read this now, let alone criticize.
Must read a text for my seminar.
Will leave this bitch open and strike in the morrow, though.
Wait for me on the other side, my AMAI IMOUTO!!!

>>17660238
This kind of thing makes me feel like Russ and Johnson will come into conflict again. Looking forward to it.

>>17660379
Back for a bit then dinner.

Moar Plz

In the Great Hall, the air parted and folded, with a rush of purple mist. The Emperor’s massive form appeared, stepping out nonchalantly. “AZRAEL. GOOD TO SEE YOU. IS LION ABOUT?” he asked the kneeling Dark Angel.
“He is, my Liege…and as per his request, I have acceded my title of Chapter master back to him,” Azrael said, hoping the Emperor wouldn’t hear his displeasure with that change.
He did. “I SEE. WELL, THEN. TO WHICH POSITION HAVE YOU MOVED?”
“Lord of the Deathwing, my Liege,” Azrael said.
“AN HONORABLE ROLE. I’M SURE YOU…AH. LION. GOOD TO SEE YOU AS WELL.”
“Father,” Lion said, nodding his head respectfully. “What brings you here again?” He closed the door of the Hall behind him, making his way over to the Emperor.
“BUSINESS, I’M AFRAID. OUR TREATY WITH THE ELDAR IS SIGNED. ASSUMING ELDRAD BUYS IN. WHICH HE WILL. I’M HERE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LEAD OUR COUNTEROFFENSIVE AGAINST THE CHAOS FORCES THAT HAVE SWOOPED IN TO FILL THE GAP LEFT BY ABBADON.”
Lion concealed his surprise well. “I would be honored. Our little excursions to Zargh and Terra were fine exercise. Tackling the Black Legion would be a fitting challenge.”
“GOOD. ROBOUTE IS ALREADY BEGINNING THE ECONOMIC AND LOGISTICAL GROUNDWORK, AND THE FORCES WE DEPLOY WILL STAGE FROM NOCTURNE. VULKAN’S BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR, THANKFULLY.”
“Oh. That’s…quite a relief, actually,” Lion said gratefully. “Did you manage to augur their Astropath?”
“NO, SANGUINIUS DID.”
Lion stared at the Emperor. “What?”
“LONG STORY SHORT: HE FOUND A WAY BACK THANKS TO A MEMBER OF HIS GUARD WHO SACRIFICED HIMSELF AND SORCERY IT WOULD BE HYPOCRITICAL OF ME TO BITCH ABOUT.”

>>17661660
"Hypocritical to bitch about"
Why I love love Emparesque

“Such times, these,” Azrael muttered.
“NO KIDDING. I EXPECT ANGRON HIMSELF TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE ASSAULT. FULGRIM’S LITTLE STUNT PROVED THAT TERRA WAS STILL VULNERABLE, EVEN WITH MY RETURN, AND HE’LL BE QUICK TO ONE-UP THE BROTHER HE ALWAYS HATED.”
“Probably,” Lion said. “I have to wonder what Jaghatai and Leman will be doing.”
“JAGHATAI’S BUSY REBUILDING THE RATHER SEVERE LOSSES THE SCARS SUFFERED AT ARMAGEDDON. RUSS IS BACK ON FENRIS, PREPARING THE WOLF BROTHERS FOR AN ALL-OUT SORTIE. I FEEL AWFUL ASKING HIM TO HEAD RIGHT BACK INTO THE EYE AFTER HE SPENT TEN THOUSAND YEARS THERE, THOUGH, SO I THINK HE’LL JUST BE SECOND WAVE.”
“We’re hitting the Eye directly?” Lion asked in genuine surprise.
“NO NO, SORRY, THAT WAS MISLEADING. YOU AREN’T GOING ANY-DAMN-WHERE NEAR IT. YOU’RE TAKING ON THE DARK MECHANICUS FORCES ABBADON LEFT BEHIND TO SPREAD THE OBLITERATOR VIRUS. THE ONLY ONE GOING NEAR THE EYE IS ME. ALSO I KIND OF PROMISED ISHA I’D HAVE TO KEEP ONE EAR OPEN FOR ROGUE TRADERS PUSHING THE EXODITES IN THE REGION AROUND TOO MUCH.”

>>17662186
I really want the Emperasque to either meet or found the Reasonable Marines now. Just to see how they'd deal with each other..

>>17662255
Non-canonically, they did.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15148501/#15160126

Lion nodded, digesting that. “If I may, Father, I have another idea that may benefit the Imperium.”
“DO TELL.”
“If I understood Dante’s report correctly, there is another force in this galaxy that very seriously threatens the human race, in a way that Chaos doesn’t.”
“OH, THE NECRONS? YES, IT’S A VERY SERIOUS THREAT, BUT SADLY I CAN’T DETECT THE SOULLESS VERMIN UNDERGROUND ANY BETTER NOW THAN I COULD BEFORE.”
“No, Sire, not Necrons. The Tyranids. If we fail to stop them, all the victories we could ever wish for over Chaos will be meaningless,” Lion said carefully.
“TRUE. WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE?”
“Well, though it pains me to say it, Roboute and his Ultramarines would probably be best for battling them. Apparently they did a good job of it before.”
“YEAH, THEY DID. ARE YOU SAYING I SHOULD GO HANDLE IT MYSELF?”
“The only thing stopping the Guard and Astartes from beating them now is a simple lack of territory. The xenos occupy and strip every single planet they encounter, yes?”
“RIGHT. WE’RE LOSING AVAILABLE BATTLEFIELDS FASTER THAN SOLDIERS.”
“Right. If you were to go and, say, provide your personal leadership and power to the Guard forces fighting them now, you could tip the scales.”
“ESPECIALLY WITHY SAIN-HANN AND BIEL-TAN STOPPING THAT SCORCHED EARTH GARBAGE.” The Emperor thought it over. “GOOD CALL, LION. ALL RIGHT THEN. AS PER MY AUTHORITY, YOU ARE HEREBY BREVETED TO WARMASTER OF THE COUNTER-DARK MECHANICUS TASK GROUP IN MY ABSENCE. I WILL RETURN WHEN NEEDED.”

>>17662346
Huh. Somehow I completely missed that thread

bumb

I mean for today anyway. I might write more if it's here tomorrow. It's just inconveniencing some of moot's electrons.

Late night bump

And again.

bump

Keeping it afloat.

Anything to keep ur internet up.

Hmm. I have an idea for HUGE HERESY. It may be, in fact...too huge. ZYBERHUGE.

What would y'all say if...and I stress the IF...I were to, perhaps...make mention of everyone's favorite cowardly commissar?

>>17670451
I absolutely approve of Ciaphas Cain, HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!!!!

>>17670451
Sounds like fun.
Maybe not as fun as a match of good old Stackenblochen, but still.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqAdxN1IWQQ

Have Cain and Amberly be a thing and Amberly say inappropriate things a inappropriate times. Shits and giggles ensue.

>>17670502
Uh...no. No, not...really, no.

All right, here's what I'm thinking. I've wanted to try writing a Cain short story for a long time. A really long time, like since I read For the Emperor. Thing is, I don't really know how long I could keep up the premise in the Emperasque. I'll come up with something.

Actually, I think maybe I'll just have Emps drop in on the campaign against Leviathan that Cain was a part of in Defender of the Imperium.

>>17670578
Aww

>>17670614
Gimme what you got. My mind and body is ready.

The Partridges made the Emperasque.

ALL GLORY TO THE PARTRIDGES!

>>17670666
What?

Trips yo

>>17670732
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Galactic_Partridges

The greatest chapter of Space Marines

>>17670838
Did you ever mention Ollanius Pius(Partridge) in any of the stories?

4-107-001-M42
Lord General Lokris of the Segmentum Ultima was a busy man. More than just battling the foes of the Emperor, he had to cut his way through the mountains of paper that seemed to be all that constituted the thinking the Departmento Munitorum did these days.
So when one of his oldest living friends, Commissar Caiaphas Cain, and that guy who followed him around, arrived at Segmentum Command, fresh from their victory over Warmaster Varan, and informed him that he had felt “the need to return to duty” (which was a code for ‘the Inquisition’s making me do it’ of Lokris ever heard one), the last thing he felt like doing was objecting.
Indeed, the timing was perfect. Lokris had just caught wind of some extraordinary happenings on Terra, including what sounded like a thwarted invasion by the legions of Slaanesh. Rumor had it the plan had failed because of the personal intervention of the Emperor Himself. Personally, Lokris didn’t hold any beliefs in that sort of nonsense. The Emperor would never stoop to appearing in daemons.

>>17671053
Ooooh, what would Jurgen's presence do to the Emperasque? How horrified would our dear Commissar be of the Emperor himself knowing his true thoughts? How delicious the thought of Emps referring to some Ecclesiarchy as 'Emperor-botherers.'

I just finished reading Defender of the Imperium myself, and this turn of events makes me happy.

>>17671180
Yeah, I was thinking about that. I'm trying to find a way to get them in different rooms at the same time without contrivance.

>>17671210
Thought you might want to look at this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005FZNRTG/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

/tg/ hates this yet he profits from illegal activity.

Also his story is terrible. So why haven't you applied for a GW license yet? We know how good you are with the fluff.

Sitting in the holo-conference room of the Just Accounts, the command vessel of the Segmentum Tempestus fleet on loan to the Ultima Command for fighting Leviathan, Lokris’ worldviews were changing rapidly. He watched the holomessage from Terra, regarding the Emperor’s…peculiar resurrection, his mind reeling. Were things so desperate that a move like that was truly necessary?
As the General was having his mind blown, Cain himself was relaxing in one of the battleship’s lounge floors, his own experience allowing him to digest the news perhaps a bit faster than the General’s. Certainly, he reasoned, he had encountered his fair share – or more – of inexplicable things in his life. And they had all turned out to his favor, albeit with some prodding and luck.
The lounge was all but deserted as the troops on board were scheduled for midday meals. Only a few officers and ships’ senior staff were present, all of them gabbling about the news as well. The noise was quite bearable, however, thanks to the almost literal bubble of free space around Cain, afforded him by the presence of his aide Ferik Jurgen, whose combination of Blank status and lack of hygene repulsed most healthy humans around him.

Boy, writing Cain third-person is harder than I thought.

>>17671564
It's because everything you read about him, from first person, unabashedly lets you know *exactly* what his means and motivations are. Blind, greedy self-preservation. From 3rd person, you'd have to portray him as the illusion he projects to the world, of a brash, imposing, intelligent unfallable commissar.

The ship was at anchor in orbit above the planet of Colburne, awaiting its clearance to deploy. The fleet’s deployment orders to kill of Tyranid bioships on their way to Octarius had been postponed, as the news of the Emperor’s return filtered through the Imperium. Clearly the message was supposed to be a signifier of hope, that the Emperor had risen from His Throne to guide His children once more. In reality, of course, it wasn’t that simple. Nobody liked the idea of the Emperor taking up residence inside a daemon, least of all the faithful.
Cain was more pragmatic about it. If he kept his head down and showed due devotion when called upon to do so, he’d live through it all, just as he had been doing for ninety years: by staying as far from actual combat as possible.
The commbead in his ear buzzed for his attention. He hastily set down his drink and responded to the hail. “Cain here.”
“Commissar, the representative of the Astartes contingent has docked. All regimental Commissars’ and Psykers’ presences are required immediately.” Cain frowned into the teacup. The presence of so many psykers effectively precluded Jurgen’s presence.
“Acknowledged. I’ll be along presently. Please begin in my absence if I’m tardy.” He had found that saying such things enhanced his reputation considerably; Cain the Hero was never immodest or unpunctual. Without another word, he tossed off the last of his tanna and glanced over at Jurgen, who had been discreetly listening in.
Jurgen coughed deferentially. “I’ve remembered some pressing documents from the other Commissars aboard I really should see to, sir.”
“Then please do, Jurgen. I’ll swing by when this meeting is over.”

>>17635539
not gonna lie thought you were going maximum troll and it was gonna be alpharus omegon in there

And by INFREQUENT I meant IMMEDIATE.

____________________________________

As Cain made his way down to the docking bay, the Astartes delegate stepped forth from his Thunderhawk to greet Lokris’ staff. A small group of the Space Marines had elected to join the expedition commander personally, to keep them appraised of the Astartes’ parallel actions, and to advise. Leading them was Chaplain Elysius of the Salamanders, freshly returned from Armageddon. The ship’s Captain bowed reverently before the towering black-armored Marine. “I am honored by your presence, Lord Astartes. Welcome to the Just Account.”
“It is good to be here,” Elysius rumbled. The accoutrements of his office clanked against his armor and the glimmering black-and-gold Power Fist he had fitted over the stump of his left arm. The Sigil of Vulkan, a relic of Vulkan’s first foray into the galaxy hung from his belt, alongside his Crozius and Recompensor.
“If I may, Lord Astartes, many of our men are curious to know…what is YOUR reaction to the rumor and speculation regarding the Emperor’s…ah…apotheosis?” the Captain asked, leading the small Salamander delegation forwards.
“My reaction?” Elysius asked. “My reaction is that the Emperor understands better than any man ever could the meaning of what it is to sacrifice. If that is what he had to do, then he was right to do it. The return of our own Primarch is of much greater concern.”
“So the rumor is true? Lord Primarch Vulkan himself has arisen?” the Captain asked in awe.
“Not ‘arisen.’ He never fell. He has simply returned to us,” Elysius said with grim satisfaction. “I had a feeling I might live to see it.”
“Then…I would understand if you wished to return to your homeworld and greet him in person,” the Captain said.

Elysius was touched by the gesture. “No, thank you, Captain. The trip from here to Nocturne is over four months. By the time I arrive, he would probably have already left to rejoin our brothers in the field. My place is here, assisting your own men in overcoming the xenos filth,” he said, placing quiet loathing emphasis on the last word. The Captain nodded respectfully.
“I am honored once more.” Before they arrived at the exit, however, the door opened, and the various Regimental advisors of the four Guard units stationed aboard came through. The Captain slowed his pace and stuck a hand out to introduce them individually. “May I present the leaders and advisors of the Guard regiments stationed with us?”
“Indeed,” Elysius replied, inclining his head slightly to them. The Captain dutifully rattled off their names and designations, stopping on Cain, who was last to arrive.
“…and Commissar Cain, currently attached to the General’s staff.” To the surprise of all, Cain stuck his hand out for the Marine to shake. Elysius blinked under his mask, but took it in stride, returning the gesture.
“I look forward to serving alongside you, Chaplain. Though I fear my role here is an advisory one,” Cain added with all the wistfulness he could fake.

“Understandable,” the Chaplain replied. He addressed the Captain with his next question. “Captain, have you collected all of the forces to be aligned with us on our assignment?”
“We have, my Lord Astartes. However, the General thought that the news from Terra might have been severe enough to warrant a delay,” the Captain said, carefully hiding his disgust. It was HIS bloody ship, after all.
“I concur,” Elysius said blithely. “The entire expedition could well be called off.”
“Let us hope our journeys were not wasted,” the Captain said. He made to reopen the pressure doors into the interior of the ship, when a sudden blast of air nearly bowled him over. The light around him tinged purple as something massive and orange suddenly appeared on the deck behind them.
Elysius spun on his heel, Power Fist charging up, but the sight he beheld was completely unexpected. A colossal daemon had emerged from thin air, a wall of fading purple mist surrounding it like a halo. The huge creature stared around the bay as if searching for something, until its beady eyes settled on the Salamander contingent.
“OH WOW,HOW DID YOU GUYS BEAT ME HERE?”

Elysius pulled the Crozius from his belt and ignited it, charging at the daemon without another word. The daemon seemed to sigh and slammed one massive hand into the deck plating, sending the black-armored Salamander sprawling. “YEAH, YEAH, KNOCK IT OFF, I’VE BEEN THROUGH THIS ALREADY WITH HELBRECHT.” Elysius rolled to his feet, scooping up his weapon, and made to resume his charge, when he suddenly hesitated. He glanced at the Crozius in his hand, completely agape. It hadn’t extinguished when he dropped it. He stared up at the still-immobile daemon as the Guard advisors drew their own weapons.
“Your…Holiness?” Elysius managed. The various Guard personnel slowed their charge as the massive daemon chuckled.
“TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH.” The Crozius extinguished in Elysius’ hand. The Chaplain lowered his weapons, staring up at the Emperor’s new form.
“My…my Liege…he dropped to a reverent knee as the moment overwhelmed him. The psykers amongst the Guard group – the sane ones, anyway – followed suit, as the Commissars, for the most, looked confused, unable to read the Warp as the others could.
“OH GET UP. I’M HERE BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE WORK TO DO.” Elysius stood, his human hand shaking.
“I…we are at your service, my Liege.”
“GRAND. HEY, WHERE’S GENERAL LOKRIS?”
“Reviewing the holomessage that described your…ah…transformation, my Lord God,” the Captain said, the subtext of the conversation dawning on him at last. At the holy title being spoken aloud, the others seemed to catch on to what was happening.

>>17674199
Dammit, stop satisfying physiological necessities so that you can instead supply me with more free stories on the internet. How am I supposed to procrastinate without them? (/0th world problem.)

“ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN, I CAN TELL YOU ALL NOW. I’M HERE BECAUSE I’M ASSUMING COMMAND OF THIS EXPEDITION.” The entire contingent erupted in consternation, alternating between the shock and revulsion most were feeling at the Emperor’s new form, and the joy his announcement caused. “OF COURSE I’VE NEVER ACTUALLY FOUGHT TYRANIDS BEFORE, CERTAINLY NOT IN SPACE. THEREFORE, I WILL STILL NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE.”
“And I will be honored beyond belief to provide it, my Liege,” Elysius said, slamming his Power First against his pauldron. “However, I must point out that I am not the only veteran of the Tyrannic Wars present. I am sure the counsel of the General’s other advisors would be of great benefit.”
Cain, already agape at the spectacle before him, glanced at the Chaplain in sudden, horrified realization. Before he could say a word, however, the Emperor asked the obvious question. “OH? GOOD TO HEAR. WHOM DO YOU HAVE IN MIND, ASTARTES?”
Elysius gestured at the group of Guard advisors, singling none out. “I did not. I simply wish to state that we are all at your disposal in this effort, my Liege.”
The Emperor’s eyes raked across the group, lingering on Cain for a terrible moment. After the longest second of all time, he looked away, and Cain nearly passed out. “I’M SURE.”

im sure Cain will do a greeeeeaaatt job with this.

“CAPTAIN, WHEN ALL YOUR SHIPS ARE ASSEMBLED, LET ME KNOW. I HAVE…OH, NICE OF YOU TO JOIN US, GENERAL.” Lokris came charging in, skidding to a halt when he saw the massive Emperor.
“Y…what the HELL is…” Lokris managed, staring at the daemon in front of him. He looked wildly from side to side, trying to find a single soldier shooting at it, before the Captain cleared his throat.
“Lokris. You’re a bit late.”
“This…why is there a daemon on the ship?!” Lokris yelled.
“That would be the Immortal God-Emperor of Mankind,” the Captain said. Lokris’ eyes went wide as dinner plates, staring up at the Emperor, who managed to restrain his impulse to wave. The General regained his composure remarkably fast.
“…All right, then.” He bowed formally, before rising and repeating Elysius’ offer of assistance. “How may I serve?”
“EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO BEFORE, BUT I WILL BE DIRECTING YOUR FORCES IN PERSON. THE TYRANIDS ARE SIMPLY NOT PERMITTED TO OVERWHELM THE IMPERIUM ANY MORE THAN THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE.”

>>17677327
I loved that. Panic, followed by confusion, and then quiet acceptance because, yes, this is reality, and as confounding as it is, it doesn't seem to be going away. Laughed out loud, my good writefriend. Pray continue.

>>17677327
>staring up at the Emperor, who managed to restrain his impulse to wave
...I did not manage.
The picture of it was simply too sweet to not wave back.

I really like how the tone changes utterly depending on the character.
Lion who reminds me of Japanese RPGs and Northern European drama; Vulkan who has this certain air of 70s-80s action films, all cool and larger than life; Lofn being just as cute as it gets; Leman who comes off so awkward with his new situation and the desertion of his oldest brother in arms; Guilliman who seems so accustomed to power and just very fucking good at it; The Emperasque being so hilariously out of place and generally a swell dude.

I really see you progressing in this. In the first part there was a lot of stuff that sounded rather awkward and like you had no real idea what you were doing. Now it all seems much more fitting and thought-out. It surely is nice to see you growing in skill while you go. And the attention given to a more diverse wording of the Emp's arrival did not go unnoticed, either.
Hope I found the characters as intended.
If you wanted to present them otherwise, please elaborate, should I have a "wrong" impression.

Badabump!

>>17681211
*Bing!* One more hour to go!

All right, I'll be writing intermittently throughout the afternoon, though I do have to do some other shit too.

>>17682981

>>17680027
Huh. Awkward Russ? Not really what I was shooting for. He's probably the one most at ease with the shit going on.

>>17683875
Might have been just me projecting my disapproval of all the wolfing going on.
Pic semi-related.

>>17682525
>no garlic/scampi butter
Oh Emprasque, you so pleb

“Our standing orders are to engage the bioships heading for the brewing conflict in the Ork empire, my Liege,” Elysius said carefully.
“THAT’S GOOD. WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT I WILL BE LENDING PERSONAL ASSISTANCE. ON THE GROUND. I CAN’T HELP YOU WIN THE SPACE BATTLE.”
“I see. I speak for all our warriors when I say that we are honored,” Elysius said, bowing again.
The Emperor’s eyes darted back to Cain for a moment. “I KNOW.” His eyes returned to the Captain. “SIR, IF YOU WOULD TAKE US OUT AS SOON AS ALL SHIPS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR? I WILL…MEET YOU THERE.”
“Honored, my Liege,” the Captain said, beaming. He tapped the commbead in his ear and issued orders, whispering urgently. The Emperor vanished with a CRACK of displaced air; again, nearly bowling the assemblage over.
As soon as he was gone, most of the Guard officers gave in to their failing knees, with several leaning on bulkheads for support.

fuck
i've been doing this for days
need break
might be back before thread dies, maybe not
good run either way

>>17684834
Good run Else, good run. Besides. You started writing Five days ago. If you wish to rest, may angels ferry you to your dreams.

Dark angels.

Or blood angels, maybe.

Take as long as you need bro! We can keep bumping it every hour just in case.

>>17686258
Oh, no, four hours would be excessive.

Your creation is good and you should feel good.

Badabump.

Let it die. I am so far past giving a fuck.

bumping for /a/

Bumps for the bump throne, writing for the writefaggod.

>>17693944
This thread is the oldest one on /tg/ right now.

We won't let it die until it start autosaging.

After all, would the imperium just let the Emperor die?

>>17694459

Indeed not!

FOR THE BUMPEROR!

All right, let it die, thanks. I only bumped it to show someone on /a/.