Clever Girl... - Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge

[Greyall]

Well then, my 'tonight' has just dawned, it seems. Anywho, here's my second attempt at MkI Terminator, with great thanks to our B&C brother Jokaero Weaponsmith and the inspiration provided by his MkI Iron Hands thread (been dormant for a while, though :()

 

Roll it, boys:

 

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/101/b/8/mjuron_vvarkhor__the_drowned_by_greyall-d7dznez.jpg

 

 

“Sons of Horus? Where I come from you don’t gloat about being the son of a bastard.”

Mjuron Vvarkhor, The Isstvan III Atrocity

 

He recognized the pup.

‘Sarul, aye?’,
Vvarkhor growled while deflecting the axe. This one was fast, vicious and aching to prove himself. He’d fight with only his teeth, if it came to it. Good, they had something in common.

‘This is a new one, one of Angron’s butchers that talks during combat’, the Son of Horus mocked, ‘Are you going to recall the time we fought together, is it? Make me shed a tear?’

Vvarkhor bark-laughed, a second before the Nails kicked in. His sight went dark red, his thoughts burned inside his brain and in the next moment he was launching himself at the Justaerin with a roar. The traitor shook his head in contempt before bringing his combi-bolter up. He should’ve made the shooting first, but some still took the MKI’s bulk for sluggishness.
Vvarkhor’s right thumbclaw entered right above Sarul’s collarbone, while the other two went around the traitor’s head, severing cables.

The Justaerin gasped both out of pain and half-feigned shock. He came face to face – too literally for his own good – with one of the earliest Lightning Claw designs, one made to wreck bulkheads and heavy vehicle systems. One equipped with palm-mounted Yggdrasil-pattern drills. As the sound of flesh, ceramite and bone being pasted filled his hears, Vvarkhor roared, a horrid distortion of his hearty laughter. He kept roaring as his other claw dismembered and disembowelled Catavak Sarul.
He finally managed to laugh when he started charging the three Heavy Support Squads that took aim at him…

 

It’s a well-known fact that, for some of the World Eaters Legion, the implantation of the Nails changed little of them. Yet there are two sides to this. While for some their inherent aggression and bellicosity was already great and ever-present, for others, like Captain Khârn of the 8^th Company and Mjuron Vvarkhor of the 43^rd, it was the dichotomy of their behaviour on the battlefield and outside of it that changed little with the hellish procedure Angron instituted among his sons. But while Khârn was a more serene soul, Mjuron Vvarkhor turned his frightening aggression into camaraderie, boisterousness and prowess at the table, causing some to say he should’ve been assigned to the Wolves, where his love for drinking and creating his own legend would’ve made him the new Primarch. The Drowned, the Eaters called him,
as much for his appetite for alcohol (especially the dark, bulky Sandman of Caliban) as for the time when an artillery shell threw him into a pit with all the corpses he’d made, to be dug up at the last second, already unconscious, his lungs filled with blood. Recruited from the hunter tribes of northern Europa, the Terran Vvarkhor could never fully come to trust Angron, though he had no qualms with his non-terran brothers. When Isstvan III came, chosen to die with the other loyalists, Mjuron fought with his Legion’s ferocity, but also the wrath that comes with being right in distrusting the one you should trust the most. His laughter, even as Lascannon and Multimelta shots left him a walking, burning carcass, would haunt his killers’ dreams for weeks after that.

 

 

Hope ye like it, lads. Now off to finish me Raven Guard Skinwalker.

[KrautScientist]

This is simply amazing! I couldn't even decide which I like more, the art or the fluff

I especially love the fact that you gave him an Mk I Terminator armour. As it happens, your Imperial Fist in Mk I armour was what inspired my to try and kitbash a model for my World Eaters. Oh, and the faceplate on Vwarkhor just rocks!

Anyway, always a treat to see one of your pieces, especially if it deals with my favourite legion!

[GhostMalone]

And if I were a gay man if love you for that!

 

Holy crap man that is a warhound in it's truest sense

[Isiah]

Wow that Terminator is pretty awesome sauce sir. Great detailing and overall proportion – I'm not a fan of the current 'shrunken arms' aesthetic in 40K art – so glad you haven't fallen into that trap.

 

Cheers

I

[marine7312000]

That guy is simply amazing. So brutal.

[fivepointedstar]

Epic details on this one Greyall. I love the fluff you write, after seeing the character you make the whole drawing come alive with their story.

I like the three claws on each hand, as it makes him look beastly, and not so human-like for a crazed super soilder thats a huge intimatation factor, and it looks beautiful on him. The shoulder armor is wickedly awesome. I wish they made that style to purchase for the table top. The one thing I feel this piece would need is spike tipped boots. The spike accents flow downward in a perfect way but end lacking in the boot region. Keep up the epic work brother. And thanks for gracing us with this new addition. :)

[Aqui]

To paraphrase Tony Stark "I want one!" I really love the fluff piece, as it shows that even the Loyalist portion of the World Eaters are as brutal as their trecherous brethren

Vvarkhor is a Bad Ass!

[reckoning]

I love everything about it. That face plate is absolutely brutal. And typically Im not a fan of that style of claws but youve made me a believer.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

Simply Awesome.  Pic and write-up both.

[Greyall]

Ran out of likes.

 

Many thanks, brothers. The lightning claws were intended to look more utilitarian, to look like they started as a tool - perhaps in a less 'cutty' version, originaly.

 

I wanted Mjuron to look 'cleanish', to give that false 'Tidy Soldier of the Imperium' feel the early War Hounds and 'Eaters had, all the while being bloodthirsty on the battlefield, so the spikes were kept small and few (though the boots could indeed have used a bit more edging). Unfortunately, Vvarkhor couldn't help himself, ripped a banner from a Fellglaive and combined it with a few skulls of his 'making' and a wooden pole. That's the dichotomy I was aiming for.

 

In his fight with the Son of Horus he refers to a previous joint effort by the two Legions. That's where he got the 'Maw & Eye' honour that's adorning his left pauldron.

 

Again, all the thanks. Glad to be of service ;)

[Messor]

So epic! I love that pose, that face, those hands! Fantastic job, Greyall, on the art and the write up once more!

[Visitor13]

You've done it again! To echo the others, it's not only the drawing but also the writeup which make your characters live a life of their own.

[redhorse]

WOWOWOWOWWWW!

Really awesome and I love the idea of a Terran Eater duking it out with the traitors!

[ChromeZephyr]

Magnificent.  Truly makes the Mk1 terminator armor look worthy of the Space Marines.  I smile every time I see a new subtitle on your thread, because it means I get to see another awesome illustration from you, Greyall.

 

Two niggling things: The War Hound heraldry on the shoulder pauldron looks under-detailed, especially contrasting with the amazing eagle and Legion emblem below it.  This probably just comes down to taste, though.  :)  The second is the skull on the chain directly in front of the eagle head on the banner is light, looks like it wasn't fully outlined.  Doesn't hurt anything, just looks a little odd.

[Brother Heinrich]

Soooooo I may have just been inspired to do a future project. You rock dude.

[Olis]

Holy moly he looks brutal. I... I don't know what else to say. He absolutely deserves a model of him. :tu:

[Greyall]

@Zephyr: It's just the War Hounds symbol, it's not heraldry. And aye, I forgot about that chain, guess that proves your point about needing to be outlined :D

 

Again, many many thanks, everyone.

 

The Skinwalker had to be started anew. I had a drawing of one underway, about halfway done, but it was very different from what I envisioned for the concept right now, so I didn't know where to pick up. Also the pose was a little 'meh'. New one's already picking speed, will try and bring it before Heathens dies of old age ;)

[BassWave]

 

You may want to hurry then :p

 

You need to stop drawing MK 1 terminators, you've made it my favorite terminator suit. This puts me in a rough situation as there is no up to date model for one and converting one is very involved. Why you gotta complicate things?!

 

Seriously though, the loyalist world eater is awesome, as is his fluff :D

[Hyaenidae]

Awesome piece. It's entirely your fault why I adore Mk I Terminator plate, and I love you for it. Totally stoked to see the Skinwalker.

New one's already picking speed, will try and bring it before Heathens dies of old age

You can make it up to me by drawing Dragoon-Captain Phelan Mahdra.

You may want to hurry then

No one asked you. Now get the hell off my lawn, and pull up your pants. :P

[jokaero weaponsmith]

Wow Greyall another fanatastic Mark one.

Thanks for the link to my work I know I've been dormant for a little while now awaiting some bits and pieces and time to finish my Mark One.

Was inspired by your first mark one, but this new mark one of yours is just wow.

Had a similar idea for a dreadnought hand but after seeing this I must see if I can replicate this for next mark one if that's alright with you?

[disease]

the mark one stuff is just fantastic

[Greyall]

@Jokaero: Go ahead, mate, honour me =) Your Iron Hands MkI had that awesome idea for the breastplate, and that overall more layered look that both took some inspiration from MkII Power Armour and made it more dynamic.

 

Of course, a big 'thank you' for each and every one I haven't thanked yet.

 

And Brother Heinrich, I'm holding you to that project, man.

[Greyall]

Here we go, then:

HEY HEATHENS!

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2014/114/4/b/raven_guard_skinwalker_by_greyall-d7frrsk.jpg

‘Saboteur? Alpha scum, perhaps’, Murthen made a point of accentuating the bile when mentioning their sister-Legion, to
the point that it sounded actually worse than the following insult.

‘Not likely’, Relok replied, ‘I know it pays to be prepared, brother, but let’s analyse the more probable possibilities, first. It’s not a breaching squad either, the locator
system passed its maintenance earlier today and would’ve picked multiple invaders.Raven Guard makes the most sense.’

‘So soon after they were culled at Isstvan?’ There was glee in Murthen’s words, now. ‘You think Corax has gone insane and sent his chicks in suicide missions?’

‘At least them I can see fooling the best cogitator’

Crassio Relok was proud to say he was usually right in his assessments. It wasn’t that hard, really – Perturabo’s teachings of practicality were usually right. Even in a galaxy full of xenos horrors and seemingly unexplainable phenomena, the simplest explanation was often the most correct, and the most practical solutions often the best. Still, he would’ve preferred a different sign that he was right about the Raven Guard other than Murthen’s blood suddenly spilling onto the screen in front of them.

He spun immediately with a chop, his other hand going for the meteor hammer’s activation mechanism, but the attacker was already on the other side of the room – impossibly, for someone with no ranged weapon in sight.

Usually, it would’ve taken him 0.5 seconds less to have his weapon activated and ready, but this…Legionnaire…was something different from all he had seen.

The Raven symbols were everywhere, but his helm was a bone-white raven mask with no visible optics other than two small point of white light deep inside his eye-pits. In his right hand there was a long blade, seemingly made out of rock rather than metal, its upper surface a dark green, the blade itself a perfectly polished – if jagged – silver. And he wore…feathers…

The meteor hammer smashed into the machines were the Raven was perched, but it was as if the invader had never been there. Relok adapted, spinning the hammer closer to him to deny the short-range advantage of the blade wielder, but his adversary didn’t attack. He simply stood, head cocked like that of a curious bird. The ridiculousness only angered the Iron Warrior even more.

Relok aimed for the head, lightning-fast. When the Raven ducked the strike, as anticipated, he altered the trajectory with a twist and went for the abdomen. The Raven evaded that too, but now he attacked. His left claw ripped Relok’s helm as if it was paper, his flesh splitting even faster, his right eye exploding from the heat of the disruption field instantaneously. The Iron Warrior growled…there was no visible circuitry on his vambrace to indicate it was a power weapon...still, he should’ve seen that coming from the sharp looks of it.

Crassio Relok, then, died in frustration. He was trying to bring his hammer up again when the Skinwalker spoke. Not with sound, but directly to his mind. Not with words, but with images of dread, of Iron Warriors dying under a burning sky, a hideous hybrid of man and bird feeding on their entrails. The look of the thing was a pain in itself, added to that of the gruesome, jagged cut the Raven’s blade left in his neck. As he bled onto the station’s deck, Relok felt both blood and soul leaving his body...to make room for the dreadfulness of an agonizing death.

________________________

For all of Corax’s adherence to his father’s vision of an illuminated mankind, he wasn’t above adopting totems and symbols, their curtness in conveying a message, both to his sons and their enemies, pleasing to the Raven Lord. Still, there is reason to assume the creation (or awakening, as whispered amongst the XIXth Legion) of the Skinwalkers wouldn’t have been possible before the grief of Isstvan V and its effects on the shadowy Primarch. In them he put the Legions' animalistic side, its viciousness and cruelty immense, yet focused, as ever with the Lord of Deliverance. For the Skinwalkers, or Sons of Ruyn as some called them, were directed - and indeed spent over the course of the Heresy - at the most vile of traitors, those whose faces Corax recalled from the Massacre.

An old legend told to the children of Kiavahr’s slavers tells of Ruyn, born both of man and raven, specifically the giant species that inhabits the planet’s storm-struck peaks. The story tells how both of them wished fervently to know each other’s world, something impossible, and resolved to do so through the eyes, ears, taste and touch of a son, an extension of them. Their offspring, though, was a hideous creature, shunned both by humans and avians, and who never came to know anything but a damned existence, his looks causing dread to all who looked at him.

The legend, written to teach the nobility’s children not to mix with slaves, was, as he always did with adversities, taken by Corax and forged into a weapon. The Skinwalkers, numbered little above a dozen, were taken from those most rage-filled survivors of the Isstvan Massacre, though it is rumoured that wasn’t the only criteria. They embodied – both in armour and mind - the dread of those betrayed by their own, and were exceptionally cold and known for dispatching their targets in two or less
lighting strikes. Wielding unique lightning claws - usually concealed under feathered adornements - and blades of powered Kiavahnium, a mineral known both for its sharpness and hallucinogenic effects once it enters the blood stream, the Skinwalkers left blood-dried victims, usually a single great wound in their bodies and, some rumoured, still gibbering in muted voice long after they expired, something the Kiavahnium alone couldn’t have caused.

Note: The fact that he shares a pose with FW's Khârn is purely coincidental, I assure you

[GrandMagnus]

That is *bleeeping* awesome! Now thats a Raven Guard I like, brutal and tribal.

[MagicMan]

Awesome! Kinda aztec-y.