War in the Emperor's Webway

[Sheesh Mode]

In the Horus Heresy, Collected Visions, a sizeable portion of the book is dedicated to describing the events following Magnus's use of sorcery and his destruction of the psychic barrier protecting the human-built portion of the Webway leading onto Terra.  The forces of chaos, board and looking for chuckles, decide to crash the Emperors party and attack the largely unprotected construction site, 'killing thousands' before they meet organized resistance from the Adeptus Custodes stationed nearby. 

 

As the heresy progresses and Horus continues to rise in power, so to do the attacks on the webway escalate. The Demonic hordes remain innumerable, yet over time are supported by Chaos Space Marines and Traitor Titans further pushing the thin gold line back towards the Imperial warp-gate and the Palace beyond.

 

I knew the Custodes were defending the warp-gate from the forces of chaos since the end of the Heresy, though I had never known why beyond "Magnus did it." nor the extent to which the Empire had developed and subsequently lost. Which brings me to the point of this topic: What exactly did happen inside the webway? When did the fighting first start? Was it in the minutes after Magnus's arrival within the Throne Room via sorcery? Or did it occur awhile later? 

 

How did the Custodes and Sisters operate? Did the mechanicum provide support beyond logistics such as Titans? When did the traitor astartes and Dark Mechanicum first appear? What major demons were involved in the fighting, if any? 

 

The reason I ask this is because I have volunteered to help in creating alternate heresy on another site, but have come later to the party. This piece of fluff is the least explored (to my knowledge) and therefore the most interesting as it provides room for basic foundation building which will then lead to more specific development of characters within that sub-setting. 

 

So, B&C what have you heard?

[Sheesh Mode]

Woah. 103 views and not a single soul may tell of the assault on the Human Webway. Amazing. 

[*Furyou Miko]

Nobody knows, I think.

[Cactus]

If you've read Collected Visions you know as much as the rest of us.

[spu00sed]

There are some snippets in the sigillite.

 

The main characters notices battle worn custodes running around.

 

They also mention that they can feel the dread if the battle from a fair distance.

[Sheesh Mode]

There are some snippets in the sigillite.

 

The main characters notices battle worn custodes running around.

 

They also mention that they can feel the dread if the battle from a fair distance.

 

So the combat is so great that, even through the palace, people could still feel the ambient energy?

[dusara217]

I had actually thought that the Emperor himself was holding back the Daemons all by his self with his awesome warp powers.

[Sheesh Mode]

I had actually thought that the Emperor himself was holding back the Daemons all by his self with his awesome warp powers.

He was preventing the collapse of the webway and his forces being overwhelmed by chaos. But all in all there were still physical entities that entered the way. 

[drooling blood]

 

I had actually thought that the Emperor himself was holding back the Daemons all by his self with his awesome warp powers.

He was preventing the collapse of the webway and his forces being overwhelmed by chaos. But all in all there were still physical entities that entered the way.

Only makes sense if the web way was a one shot deal somehow, perhaps golden olden ones tech. Just let the gate collapse, then your just with a chaos gate. Even the Emp as dumb as he is sometimes, could have closed it.

[dusara217]

 

 

I had actually thought that the Emperor himself was holding back the Daemons all by his self with his awesome warp powers.

 

He was preventing the collapse of the webway and his forces being overwhelmed by chaos. But all in all there were still physical entities that entered the way.

Only makes sense if the web way was a one shot deal somehow, perhaps golden olden ones tech. Just let the gate collapse, then your just with a chaos gate. Even the Emp as dumb as he is sometimes, could have closed it.

The Imperial Web way Project was being built off of the Eldar Webay, I think.

[Sheesh Mode]

 

Only makes sense if the web way was a one shot deal somehow, perhaps golden olden ones tech. Just let the gate collapse, then your just with a chaos gate. Even the Emp as dumb as he is sometimes, could have closed it.

 

I am not sure he could close it. 

 

 

 

The Imperial Web way Project was being built off of the Eldar Webay, I think.

 

It was. The Emperor found a portal beneath the Himalayas, which is one of the reasons he built his palace there. 

[Relict]

Way I see it, the Emperor's immense psychic might acts as a dam against the tide of daemons and warp-spawn crashing against the breach. The Custodians and Silent Sisters are more or less the maintenance crew - mopping up the few leftovers and such. 

 

So yeah, the Emperor is the only thing preventing a daemonic murder-kegger from starting on Terra itself. 

[Raulmichile]

Something I don't know is if there is anybody outside the custodes and the Emprah who knows of this situation in the 41st millenium. I mean the Inquisition, the High Lords or people like that.

[Sheesh Mode]

From what I know of 'modern' fluff. The Inquisition is well aware of the webway portal which is why they haven't tried 'resuscitating' Big E because although he can reincarnate himself Terra will explode.  That doesn't stop certain indviduals from trying it anyways.

[Jarl Kjaran Coldheart]

from what I am aware, NOBODY in 40k is aware of the Emperor's work below the Palace.

 

WLK

[Wolf Lord Loki]

It's said in the heresy era virtually no one knows what the big E's secret project was!

Not even Horus (who threw a biiig strop over not being told!).

In fact the loyal primarch on Terra were astounded that with something as massive as Horus and 9 legions going rogue Dad still had "more important stuff" to be doing!

[Sheesh Mode]

There is certainly a precedent for it. Considering the Emperors actions during the beginning of the heresy, and what would appear to have been drastic incompetence on his part, it makes more sense that he was actively quelling a much more immediate threat. 

[Operative]

So the Emperors condemned himself to forever sitting on the golden throne was because he didn't want to lose the equipment he had inside the webway to make instant travel around the Galaxy.

 

Is that right? If it is isn't that quite stupid...

[Sheesh Mode]

The Emperor was crippled by Horus during their battle on the Arch Traitor's flagship. He had originally intended that Magnus sit upon the golden throne and power the Astronomicon, but Magnus did not know of the project or trust his father and unwittingly compromised its shields. From that point on Big Mac Daddy E, Master of Reality, and King of the Grand Slam, EMP'S was forced to divert most of his power to stabilizing the Astronomicon and holding back the forces of Chaos. 

 

From what I know, the webway portal was already there. The Emperor simply built his palace around it and furthermore there's a strong chance he did not have the power to close the portal because he was too busy fighting the Big Four. 

 

When the Emperor finally defeated Horus he was brought before the Throne to keep him alive, and to maintain the Astronimcon. He knew the Imperium's life depended on his psychic light house, thus he was entombed. Furthermore, it simplified the process of feeding him a thousand psykers a day when they were fit to the Big E's chair. 

 

I look forward to the day Black Library starts fleshing out the Emperor's perspective and his very real fear of a Primarch falling to chaos. It is the only good reason he has for keeping his sons in the dark while working on the webway. It is understandable as well that he would keep it secret for so long as the webway's completion would mean the Imperium can make Faster than Light travel without relying on the warp or the Astronomicon houses. It was one of the the reasons the Crusade had been formed in the first place, to establish a grid work through the webway by locating portals throughout the galaxy.