Nature vs. Nurture, the What If? edition

[Wade Garrett]

The man of iron on the world of iron. Go for it.

 

 

Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind?

 

Anyway, I'm still thinking about the Imperial Hounds. In canon, the Word Bearers are all about the stars over Colchis and the mystical symbology they have. The Space Wolves think that somewhere above Fenris is where the paradise of "Uppland" is located, which seems like it could be tied into Lorgar's desire to create this giant space station. I can see it now...the people of Fenris huddled around their tiny fire, soaking wet, freezing, listening to the calls of ice devils, thunder wolves, and various other big nasty predators as they circle in the dark, and one of them looks up at the starry sky and says "You know, it HAS to be better up there." And so they're all very happy when the Emperor and the Mechanicum show up and people can start heading off to SPACE! in large numbers.

 

Cormac's idea for the space habitat to be made of stainless steel ball bearings with tubes and tunnels running every which a way connecting them appeals to me, simply because I never quite grew out of my fondness for Tinker Toys, but I still have a use for my "mined out asteroids" idea. I'm now considering having the Legion construct its warships in the interiors of such floating space rocks, with the unworked rock exteriors serving as extra armor. It'd give them a distinctive look, like the canon Word Bearers "Flying Cathedrals" approach to ship design, plus it would be one more reason for Leman Goldenbeard to look at his brother as the equivalent of a shaved monkey in a tuxedo.

 

I mean, for the Emperor's sake, their warships are rocks with engines and shield generators strapped to them! You know who builds ships like that? ORKZ! And this clown is considered the best void tactician in the Imperium? Ye gods that don't exist!

[Conn Eremon]

By all the leviathans of the void, he isn't worth his salt as a Captain let alone an Admiral, a Legion of dogs at his back.

- Attributed to Commodore Goldenbeard, Great Crusade

 

Looking over what we got, we are missing Ferrus Manus and Jaghatai Khan, but only Inwit. Curze has two worlds, nut at the moment that is the only one with alternatives, whether looking at worlds or Primarchs.

 

If I am missing any, let me know.

[Wade Garrett]

Cormac Airt, on 15 Sept 2013 - 14:03, said:

By all the leviathans of the void, he isn't worth his salt as a Captain let alone an Admiral, a Legion of dogs at his back.

- Attributed to Commodore Goldenbeard, Great Crusade

 

Looking over what we got, we are missing Ferrus Manus and Jaghatai Khan, but only Inwit. Curze has two worlds, nut at the moment that is the only one with alternatives, whether looking at worlds or Primarchs.

 

If I am missing any, let me know.

Just going over your list, I note that you have Angron on Chemos. I thought he'd become the Battle King of Maccrage and SPACE HOPLITE! Perturabo was now from that planet.

 

Edit:

 

"If your sins were not so great, the God Emperor would not have created me to punish you."

Konrad Phaeron, Lord Protector of Colchis, Grand Master of the Shadow Templars

 

Of the Emperor's twenty sons, one stood apart from his brothers. Haunted by visions of a future of eternal war and destruction, the pale, driven child scribbled dark prophecies and dire predictions upon the walls of the monastic cell in the great abbey where he was raised, gouging them into the stone with his own teeth and fingernails.

 

It was the abbot Kor Phaeron who helped the half maddened boy interpret his own horrific visions, as well deserved divine punishment doled out for the decadence and corruption of the people of Colchis, providing him an explanation for his suffering besides incipient madness. Konrad was not insane...he was the chosen messenger of the divine, anointed to enact their will upon a sinful world. In gratitude, the child took his foster father's last name and enrolled in the abbey's Templar guard. Although considered a largely ceremonial order, the albino rose quickly through their ranks, reforming their training according to his own instinctive grasp of battle and tactics until they were the force he needed to begin enacting his will.

 

Said will involved storming into the chambers where the Covenant elders sat in session and declaring that they had debated uselessly for too long while the people fell to corruption.not. Konrad had the richly dressed and jewelry bedecked priests dragged into the center of the city, where he and Kor stirred the crowd into a frenzy with ringing oratory, telling the common people how the so called holy ones had grown fat in their palaces while children starved in the filthy streets. Those who were not torn to shreds by the mob were impaled on great spikes by Konrad's Templars. And so the scouring of Colchis began...

[Hyaenidae]

DELETED

[spu00sed]

Loving everything I have read here.

 

Noctus cornix I had the very same idea as you for the new lord of the red sands, except I had Fulgrim as the adopted son of a high born.

 

My other changes to the tale would have been.

 

Fulgrim re adopted the policy of recruiting noble born sons. However demand would outstrip supply so he would have to recruit from commoners. However these common emperor children would never achieve any significant rank and high born emperor children would automatically be given a ranking position.

 

He introduced the nails to the imperial army auxillia and used them as fodder in his campaigns

 

The planets he conquered would have to tithe from their popular to resupply his fodder troops

 

The emperor sanctioned him for his callous use of human life.

 

When the heresy struck the emperors children suffer a civil war between the high born officers and the down trodden line troopers. With the line troopers staying true to the emperor and his ideal whilst the officers wish to be free to craft their own empires (a switch form the usual down trodden rebelling)

 

I was undecided as to Fulgrims side in the heresy.

 

Would he side with the rebels thirsting for more power

 

Or would he see the rebelling of a son as the greatest sin possible and strive to put it down like the slave rebellions he squashed on his homeworld? (possible if it is an uncouth brother who led the rebellion).

[Hrvat]

While I was runing today I got inspiration for either Khan or Mortarion on Macragge (a very similar theme) or Vulkan on Nostramo. I'll sleep on the idea and start writing in the morning.

[Conn Eremon]

I thought it was confirmed that Horus was found on Cthonia, just that in-universe tales made it unclear. I know Horus Rising took his Cthonian heritage for granted, referring to traits he gained while growing up there. He was found earlier in his life than the others, but he still had a basis there.

 

As for Lupercal, that is true. Ultimately, I don't mind who gets it.

[Hyaenidae]

DELETED

[Conn Eremon]

As it is now, with nothing set in stone, anyone can have the Lupercal title/affectionate nickname.

 

When the votes are in and our cast is set, we can discuss who deserves it.

[Hyaenidae]

DELETED

[Wade Garrett]

More stuff on the Imperial Hounds:

 

Lorgar is nowhere near as handsome as his canon self. Unless you consider having the lower half of your face being mostly exposed bone and a few strands of scar tissue a sign of good looks. If I was writing fluff about him, I'd repeatedly mention how he keeps drooling onto his power armor (on account of the whole not having lips thing). By which I mean about as often as ADB tells us Curze is licking his teeth or Angron is bleeding from one of his facial orifices.

 

I'm imagining his warriors would adorn the lower halves of their helms with skull/fanged jaw motifs as both a sign of respect for their Primarch and to intimidate their enemies, something like the Zhufor helmet from Forge World (although on the off chance I choose to model some of these cats I'd have to find a more cost efficient way of adding said decorations that just "Zhufor helmets for EVERYONE!"). Which of course also makes them look more like a pack of violent barbarians to the other Legions.

 

Tactics....since Lorgar wouldn't have grown up with the whole "I am a Viking with an axe AAARRGH!" thing, I'm wondering if his original armies would have followed a more pike and shot (or possibly pike and crossbow, I'm wary of having Lorgar suddenly invent gunpowder) which would carry over into how his Marines handle themselves. After all, the British Royal Navy used pikes in boarding actions, and if one wishes to be a naval genius, one could do much worse than impersonating the Brits.

 

On the subject of their rivalry with Goldenbeard, I'm imagining things came to a head when Leman's legion blew up a refueling station that was servicing an enemy fleet. To Leman, the destruction of the facility means the enemy capacity to wage war will be crippled without having to engage in a straight up battle with their warships, high fives all around!

 

In Lorgar's opinion, Leman just blew up a bunch of civilians, useful supplies, and an important strategic facility that would surely have surrendered once the enemy fleet was defeated, and then could have been utilized by the Crusade. Bad pirate king! BAD!

 

Words were exchanged. Then punches. And the rest is heresy.

[High MarshalGR]

Ok, here goes nothing: Ferrus Mannus on Olympia. Hope someone likes it. Also, English is not my native language but I will not use any translator because I like to practice them so try to forgive possible mistakes in orthography or grammatically.

 

==========================================================================================================

 

Stolen away by the Chaos Gods, who sought of nothing less than not allowing the plague of this universe, the Emperor, who sought nothing less than what forsakes their ways, intervented within the material realm and split his children throughout the universe, so that his plan to unify humanity and estabilish order and prosperity never grow into full fruitition. So it was decided by fate for some and luck for others that one of the gestation capsules containing one of the twenty genetically engineered sons of the Emperor landed upon the rugged, mountainous and depriving world of Olympia. It's impact upon the landscape was something less than annihilating, but yet the world was itself torn and devastated by the many conflicts the cities had between them. Taken for a borbardment, something really common on the world of Olympia, the capsule was not examined immidiately by the local authorities. Little did they know of the importance this capsule had in the history to be written.

 

The child boarding the capsule awoke when the capsule made contact with the ground, and went forward to exit. Infant when measured by Terran years, but a teen physically, it examined it's surroundings: Cloudy, dark weather, a chill of war surrounding the atmosphere of those barren wastelands and metal lying around seemed to fascinate the mysterious youth. It's evolved mind allowed him to examine every shell, every bomb, every machine trace and any other consequence war left upon the land he stepped on. He felt an urge to test himself against the so cold and hostile enviroment around him... He could feel all those mountains he saw calling for him as their conqueror, so he went forward to meet the challenge. He went forward to climb the nearest one. As he expected and desired, it was no simple task and took him many days to reach it's top. The physical agony, the strain and the pain caused on his body by the unexpected sharpness of various rocks, the steep curves, the twists and turns here and there fatigued him but his desire to reach the top and prove something to himself or test his limits always gave him the strength to carry on. He eventually did it though. Olympia seemed so small from his viewpoint, almost waiting to be catched in his palm in which all seemed to fit. While ascending he noticed armed troops approaching his capsule and taking away. From where he was now, however, he could see huge buildings made of metal rising between the mountains. Metal seemed so appealing, so his immidiate priority was to examine it. He immidiately began his descent. The call of metal was too strong for him to ignore. His descent lasted almost a month or so. The information given to him back in the Emperor laboratory sufficed for his survival and allowed him to recognise many things.

 

After another month or so, he finally reached the city of metal he witnessed from the mountain. He touched various buildings as if he knew something but couldn't remember what it is, maybe a knowledge of those hidden deep within, which made him willing to reform it. Citizens noticed him in this almost hypnotised state and tried communicating with him but to no effect. Reporting the presence of a stranger among them, they reported to the authorities right away, and the child was transferred to the city hall. So dominating and huge, the building made of a different metal than the rest layed before him as a work of art. It's impressive construction along with it's decoration featuring two crossed hammers and the word "Brulentergos" written under them seemed beautiful to his eyes. The local enforcers posed no threat or challenge to him, so he didn't even bother resisting. They were impressed though by his thick and almost not human physique, his stone-cold face and the frozen glimpse in his eyes. The mayor came and felt a strange connection to the young man. Young by the characteristics of his face, at the least, because his physique seemed equally impressive to him as it did to his guards. He then took him and offered him a home. The young Primarch found the city marvelous and was eager to discover the secrets metal offered them. 

 

Months became years and the young Primarch reached adulthood in a really short amount of time, for Terran standards at the least. Equally short was the time he needed to accumulate the knowledge this city had to offer to him and his skills in forging steel, when it came to weapons, everyday tools or really anything made of steel he forged works of art and his skill was considered a God's gift. This city alone had access to steel forges, a metal of supreme value for Olympia. This was the main reason the city of Brulentergos was constantly under attack by enemy forces, and it was then that the young Primarch's talents of war came to the surface. Named Stahl Mann, which meant "Man of steel" by the locals, quickly proved to be the cause of many crushing victories for his city. He never denied a challenge from anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge him, almost provoking challenges which could potentially help him evolve. His life, the daily life on Olympia was challenging: Many tyrants and rulers tried to impose their rule, their lust for power and dominance was never ending and so they brought war all over the planet. Sieges were the norm as the enviroment and the metal fortifications of the various cities didn't usually allow other types of warfare. Stahl Mann had taken siege warfare to a different level through precise application of forces were it was needed and fortifications created partly by him, but completely under his supervision. The greatly known tyrant of Lockos, Dammekos, set his eyes upon the gifts and assets Brulentergos had to offer him after conquering most of Olympia. He thus moved with a force almost triple in size to the one Brulentergos could afford. But Stahl Mann was ready the moment the attack was reported as incoming. The greatest challenge yet was coming at him... And he was about to welcome it with open arms. Guns blazed, siege machinery was employed at points Dammekos estimated as weak, but things aren't always as they seem. Those weak points were calculated to endure a certain ammount of damage and were indeed easier to penetrate, but what Dammenos didn't calculate was that Stahl Mann awaited for this to happen. His experience and natural affinity for war combined allowed him to ready his troops behind those certain "weak spots", and once Dammenos managed to pierce them what he faced was a crushing defeat. Stahl Mann lead from the front and immidiately assaulted the personnel of the siege machines, rendering them useless. In the following combat Stahl Mann took Dammenos life and a few months of peace came upon Bulentergos, which wasn't meant to last.

 

Flames burned the atmosphere and drop pods began falling one after another. Stahl Mann watched as strange aliens disembarked. Wearing power armour and far taller than what he had seen up to then, he saw humans that looked more like him. One of them, an strange old man dressed in torn clothes that seemed to have no place among warriors approached the city alone, almost drawn by Stahl Mann's presence. The weird old man came to the city hall were he politely asked to meet with the major. Stahl Mann was him after the previous major's death while defending the city. The old man had deep, almost inhuman eyes which were burning so intensively they seemed like they could melt steel with just a glimpse. The wierdest thing of all is that they seemed familiar to Stahl Mann. He introduced himself as an ambassador of good will from the imperium of Mankind he represented, and came to propose an alliance. Stahl Mann, for an unkwown reason to himself, challenged the old man to a contest of power. The old man refused, saying he is too old to fight a youngster, but Stahl Mann was so determined, to an extent that the old man agreed in a man to man fight to the point of first blood according to the honorable duel traditions Ancient Olympia held. The fight lasted two days until the old man managed to create a clear cut on Stahl Mann's cheek. Impressed from a challenge he lost, Stahl Mann asked who the old man really is, since no man bested him up to that time. The illusion broke, and underneath it a being eradiating bright white light came to be. With ancient scriptures of an unkown to him language carved onto his golden armour, his light seemed to be reduced and empowered according to his will, as if he alone restrained his power. Now Stahl Mann's memories, lost in his subconsious, came to the surface once more and it all made sense. Pledging himself to the man he recognised as his father, Stahl Mann left his people and traveled to Terra.

[Ace Debonair]

EDIT: Ah, as for the Lupercal title; it was a name given to horus by his sons, not taken for himself. I always assumed it originated from Cthonia, though if it needs to changed or removed, I won't mind.

It might only need changing if my Horus and your Alpharius/Omegon get voted to be in the same alt-verse.

And if that happens I'd be more inclined to change Horus to either the Skolvarg name I bashed together earlier or just say 'sod it' and call him Horus anyway.

Loving the other stories here. Curze has so much awesome to draw on no matter which planet he lands on, it seems!

-=-=-=-=-=

The Tenth Primarch spent his youth on the cold world of Inwit. He was adopted by an ice-caste native of the Ice Hives, and considered the old man his grandfather. The old man named him Braich-Dur, for his tremendous natural strength. Braich was taught both the ways of diplomacy and the arts of combat and tactics by his adoptive grandparent, and when the time came the Tenth Primarch succeeded the elder as the leader of his hive. From there he negotiated, cajoled and, where necessary, threatened the other hives until they united under his banner.

Braich-Dur harboured a love for technology, and used his considerable influence and knowledge on the subject to help transform Inwit from a crude hive world to a bustling world of commerce and enterprise. Of particular note was the Phalanx project, where Braich and over a thousand of the most skilled artisans toiled to create a vast interplanetary warship capable of defending the world of Inwit.

When the Emperor came to Inwit, flanked by the ships of Fulgrim Dragonslayer and Lorgar Cleftjaw, they were hailed in orbit from the deck of the recently constructed Phalanx. A true citadel of the stars, the Phalanx was as much a glorious palace as a warship. Though initially Braich-Dur was hostile to the visitors, The Emperor spoke to his son with such warmth and compassion that Braich was reminded of his adoptive grandfather. Happy to have discovered his heritage and feeling the Emperor was truly worth honouring, Braich made a gift of both the Inwit system and the Phalanx to his father. The Emperor, however, returned the magnificent fortress to his son, conferring upon him the leadership of his own Space Marine Legion. Braich-Dur, remembering his grandfather, conferred upon his legion the name Steel Fists, in the hope of imparting in turn as much strength as he had received.

Braich-Dur and the Steel Fists were a worthy addition to the Great Crusade. They would rely on heavy firepower and straightforward, brutal yet effective tactics rather than the complex military doctrines employed by the Cerberus or Effrit Legion. Thousands of planets fell before the Steel Fists, who would encourage the defeated to purge themselves of weakness and grow strong under the Emperor's rule.

Braich would later, in the company of Fulgrim Dragonslayer and Perturabo, make extensive overhauls to the Imperial Palace, strengthening it and increasing it's magnificence several times over. Indeed, there existed a friendly rivalry between the three in who could make the most defensible position.

-=-=-=-=

EDIT:

Ninja'd by High Marshal GR, with a really cool take on Ferrus!

Braich Dur is (probably mangled) Welsh for Steel Arm, if anyone wonders.

[Conn Eremon]

"I was there the day Horus slew the Emperor."

 

The Lightning Bearers of Medusa approached the sector their ancient maps told was home to a series of highly fortified colonies with hope in their hearts. The furthest worlds from the sector's core had human life but they were nothing like what the centuries old reports depicted. Worlds covered in extensive hive networks were shattered, their people living in small numbers at the bottom of the ruins, fearful to rise above lest the Arch-Betrayer notice them once more. Moving on, other worlds were found. Most were in no better condition as the fringe worlds, but some were bustling with militant activity and the approach of the Imperial Legion triggered many threatening hails, coupled with demands to know their allegiance. These worlds were some of the toughest worlds the Lightning Bearers had ever cracked, refusing to relent and surrender down to the last man, repeating to their dying breaths the name of their liege, the same name the already shattered worlds whispered as the great evil whose shadow cast them down.

 

Deeper into the sector, the worlds became more clustered and the signs of previous wars far more visible upon them. Too many Marines were being lost in taking the worlds, in spite of local hearsay declaring that their primary armies remained at their core, locked in combat with each other. Additional Expeditions were called in to bolster the Lightning Bearers, at the behest of their Primarch, Fulgur Signifer. More and more Clans of the Lightning Bearers joined the Avernii already present, the conquest of this sector in rebellion began to move at the rapid, mechanical pace favored by the Legion. Quickly, their banners were soaring over many worlds, many of which had claimed allegiance to this rebel king. These Legion standards, depicting a man upon a mountaintop, holding aloft upon a great spear some serpentine creature, as jagged lightning strikes them both, flew atop the crenellated spires of worlds clearly important to any war effort, and yet still these grand armies spoken of were absent, caring only for the core worlds deeper still.

 

Over three score worlds were conquered in the space of as many weeks before the Clans reached these armies. Some bore the gold of the sector's nobility, others the black and white of the rebellion. Once more the speed favored by the Legion was blunted against armies that were billions strong. Though the gold armored forces had the training and equipment that would have seen them ascendant in the Imperial Army, equal to the likes of the Lucifer Blacks, the self-declared templars fought with the ferocity and zeal of one who knows that the crusade was of greater value than their own lives, the kind of fervor that can only be fostered in the following of a being of supreme charisma. Though the Clans were frustrated at being bogged down by mortal troops, even if they were superior to any other mortal world they had ever once conquered, their Primarch Fulgur marvelled at how steadfast these men and women were in their loyalties to their leaders, set against each other in a match to the death. Why these great men were not reacting to his forces eluded him. Clearly they fought for the right to rule this sector, and yet they were unaware that a third party had arrived to take it from them.

 

It became clear to him the reasons when they reached the throneworld. Here the armies were locked in a perpetual combat, though it was clear to Fulgur that the rebels in black had nearly taken the frozen spires that signified the ruling palace. Thinking to take the heads of both warlords, decapitating the armies and declaring themselves the true rulers of this minor empire, the Lightning Bearer Clans assaulted the frozen keeps, already under siege by the rebels and defended by the golden armored custodian guard. Fulgur Signifer led the assault at the head of the Eloi, the heavily armed and armored veterans who took the Legion's dictum of striking first, fast and hard to its fullest potential.

 

When the Lightning Bearers breached the throne room, they found it filled with the dead in yellow and black. Upon the raised dais, a figure in gold wrapped in a majestic white pelt sat upon the throne, while a giant in blackened steel and ivory stood before him. As Fulgur entered the room, the Lightning Bearers fanning out with bolters raised upon the lone figures, the black giant wrenched his sword blade from the body of the golden figure and with a casual backhand struck him from the throne. Silenced reigned within the throne room for but a moment, as the booming steps of the Lightning Bearer Primarch strode up the steps alone. With infinite patience, the black figure seated himself upon the throne and looked down upon the approaching lord of war with eyes that shone with absolute self-certainty.

 

"Now then, with that unpleasant business settled. To what do I the honor of such guests into my empire?"

- Pict-record, first words spoken by Horus, Primarch of the Black Templars, upon his discovery on Inwit

[Wade Garrett]

So, who was Horus up against in that battle?

 

It's hard to imagine anyone except another Primarch being able to hold Lupercal to a stalemate in a solar system spanning war...also, the Eloi? Medusa Fulgrim named his Terminator elite the ELOI? Veteran killers culled from the ranks in a thousand battles, clad in Tactical Dreadnaught Armor, and they're named for the biggest bunch of useless hippies in all of fiction?

[Ace Debonair]

So High Marshal GR ninja'd my Ferrus with his Ferrus, and I ninja'd your Inwit with my Inwit.

What are the odds of that?

I'm not gonna lie Cormac, and it might just be because It's late and I'm tired, but I honestly have no clue what's going on in your last story, save for the opening line and the closing one.

Has there already been a heresy in the story you posted? If not then I don't know what to think about there being mention of an arch-betrayer. Are the Lightning Bearers loyal or traitorous? Which Primarch is Fulgur Signifer?

[Conn Eremon]

Actually, it is the Khan.

 

And way bigger than a solar system. At least forty, fifty worlds. The Emperor would be whoever replaces Rogal Dorn, a mortal Emperor. And no, nobody could. But Horus leading mortal forces against a bigger, better mortal force across that many worlds in the span of a year, maybe two? That seems reasonable to me, but the eventual votes will have their say.

 

Edit: Just saw Kol's post, so alright, I'll explain myself because I was apparently being too vague (hey, never said I was good at this. :p ).

 

Inwit was some sort of empire, since Dorn was its Emperor. However, I don't recall anything saying he conquered it, so it was an already present Empire. If Horus landed there, but wasn't taken as part of this royal family, would he declare himself the rightful one and take it? Then I thought it might be cool if Horus origins mirrored his canon Heresy and ran with it.

[Aqui]

Well, this topic has seriously advanced since I last saw it! It's been quite refreshing reading everything so far, and if possible would love to submit something that came to me whilst driving back to my parents home today.

If such a submission is welcomed, I would love to write about Alpharius and Omegon and Olympia

[Ace Debonair]

Cormac: Ok, now I get it.

I think the issue was muddled a little by writing about the Lightning Bearers as well. Speaking of which, do them next.

Aquilanus: Go to it, man! Stop wasting your time reading my inane babbling and start writing it up!

[Conn Eremon]

I made up their name on the spot, but I would be lying if I said they didn't become more interesting to me as I wrote.

 

I thought the name Eloi fitting considering canon Khan's championing of the primitive tribes over the industrial civilizations, which the Eloi and Morlocks were representing. Alternatively, I had considered the Cyclops, based off of the Cyclops who forged Zeus' grand bolts of lightning, but that was treading too close to my Storm Bearers, a Salamander successor DIY.

[no I'm alpharius]

 found this thread by sheer chance and it inspired me to register. It's a great idea, perfectly executed.

 

I have two suggestions - Jaghatai Khan suits the Corax in Nuceria story much better, the high-riders are mounted cavalry, the idea of combat as a game suits the laughing killer much more. Second, is for post heresy kick off, so that can wait. 

 

Yway, here's my snippet.

 

In the years following the Great Scouring, scholars and priests sought the answers to the toughest, most heart breaking question. Why? For some, it was obvious, a lifetime of slaughter spilled over once too often. Others had ambition curtailed. The tragedy of The Fallen Angel, as Sanguinus became known, told of how a creature of beauty, grace and power placed himself a God only to fall furthest. 
 

But Ferrus?

 

Inwit was an ice world, stable and rich. Ferrus was brought into one clan and proved an able student, athlete and eventually warrior. But his most amazing gift was his technological insight. From small clockwork toys he soon progressed to independent cybernetic organisms, that could aid and assist his clan. He fought alongside his clan-father as they unified the planet, bringing wealth, knowledge and riches to those that joined, bringing the iron blade to those that fought.

 

Ferrus was a devoted son and brother. The differences between him and his family  were cosmetic, surely? His family  were bound by blood. Such things mattered on the frozen wastes, where human flesh chilled and personal weakness was exposed by freezing winds. The tragedy was that he was immortal, his family was not.

 

The cancer had spread too far when his father fell ill. Nothing could be done. As the body was left to the ice, Ferrus resolved to find a way of improving, no, perfecting his kin. Grief drove him to the solution. Cybernetic implants became common. After all, the flesh could feel the cold, but iron did not. 

 

The emperor founnd Inwit in due course, Ferrus knelt in fealty, accompanied by an honour guard of his kin, lifespan extended by a perfect symbiosis of man and machine. The Legion were already technological masters, experts at melding military strength with cutting edge technology. Conversion, improvement, the gifts of their Primarch were readily accepted and the Great Crusade was rejoined with new efficiency. But stories and rumours began to emerge of populations being forced to accept the iron, of ever more perverse meldings of man and machine. When the first shots were fired, Ferrus no longer stood for humanity. The perfect future was not that envisioned by the Emperor but he own vision, where no human need suffer, need feel pain or sadness or the biting chill of a cold wind on unprotected skin.

[Wade Garrett]

"He is killing us...he's killing so many of us..."

Mortis Anrathi held up a single pale finger, silencing the weeping man standing before his enormous black desk. For moment the only sound in the chamber was the rasping gurgle of the Primarch's respirator mask, a constant reminder of the play for keeps nature of politics on his shadowy homeworld.

 

"The interex come to me now, when I am beset with so many other troubles, even after they spurned my friendship?" The robed ambassador snuffled plaintively at that, but kept a respectful silence as the Crownless King continued to ramble, as if lost in thought.

 

"No...your realm was a paradise. You had beaten back the xenos threats, you were protected by brave soldiers...you had no need of my help, and you feared to be in my debt. But now..."

 

"PLEASE!" The interex diplomat feel to his knees. "Appoint a govenor over us! We'll pay double...TRIPLE the tithe you demanded.."

 

"Rise, rise. None need kneel in my presence. I am just a simple soldier, with some influence in my father's kingdom." A enormous hand caught him by the shoulder, and pulled him to his feet. "Forsaking your dignity and culture like that...what have I ever done to you, that you insult me so?"

 

"Will you and your Legion...be our friends?" the ambassador blubbered, trying to regain his composure.

 

"There now. Was that so difficult?" The Primarch turned his head. "Captain Sahaal. Inform the fleet that we will be making a slight diversion of course. It seems my brother Ferrous is setting fire to some of our worlds."

[Brother-Sergeant Bohemond]

I think I might try my hand at another Jonson entry, will be looking at Nocturne and see how we go.

[no I'm alpharius]

Thus I really like...

Konrad Curze on Baal

Angron on Macgragge

Lorgar on Fenris

Dorn on Nocturne
Sanguinus on Colchis

Alpharius/Omegon on Cthonia

 

Please keep those

[Wade Garrett]

"Brother. This must cease."

His fellow Primarch's tone is warm. Friendly even. Not even his sophisticated audio scanners can pick up a hint of stress in Mortis's voice. Thermal scans reveal the lie, though. His pale gene kin's core temperature is rising, indicative of irritation. The Nails in his own mind begin to sing in response.

Usually he welcomes it..the one thing he can be certain is not a trick of his xenos tainted flesh seeking to twist him. But not now. Now he needs control.

"The people of this system had accepted the alien into their breast." He growls through his vox implant. "They had no place in our Imperium."

"The people would have paid taxes, manned the factories, been recruited into father's armies. Their technology could have strengthened..."

"Have a care." Scythelike blades extrude from metallic gauntlets...honest Terran technology, not the glittering abominations that once covered his arms. "Does the Emperor even know you're here, or is this another system you've added to your little shadow empire without telling anyone else?" His brother's internal temperature rises again, confirming his accusation. "And what else have you been dealing with, out there in the dark?" With a rumble of protest, he spins his torso on its ball and socket joint, bringing his forward facing weapons array in line with the other Primarch.

 

"You paranoid LUNATIC." Anrathi spits at him, his hands twitching towards the stubby barreled heavy bolter chained to his side. His brother may enjoy playing the role of a statesman, but he's reaped quite a harvest of life with that weapon and its powerblade bayonet. "This pointless, SENSELESS, USELESS butchery....It stops NOW, Ferrous."

 

If the Iron Devourer still had a mouth, he'd smile. The Nails song is so beautiful now, whispering to him of treacheries and shadowy conspiracies, all centered around the elegantly armored figure in front of him.

 

"I may be paranoid, Mortis." his machine voice thunders across the ruined city. "But that doesn't mean YOU aren't xenos tainted filth." Ferrous Mordax's claws spark with killing lightning, and suddenly the city is roaring with the sound of battle once more, as two Legions go to war in the rubble.