EVENT - The Great Crusade

[Chief Captain Redd]

Yeah absolutely Thorn, mayhaps an elite "bodyguard" force for each Primarch. As if we go with they're in betwixt campaigns and re arming and such the won't have full available forces. So we have 4 Primarchs leading 40,000 Astartes or so, the individual muscle of the Primarchs can shown of and a very vital need for the Imperial for them to do so.

 

That being said it could be any number of threats Humans with an insanely modified Space Hulk, Orks riding comets straight for some planet. A "black sails" Eldar craftworld going hog Wilde.

 

And thank you for the input Mik I generally agree with except I see these as two very different stories. The big Qarith victory causes jealousy and the eventually the Insurrection. Where as this more about 4 brothers bonding deeper than ever during a victory that gets little more than a pat on the back.

[MikhalLeNoir]

well, you can bond via an camping trip^^

 

bonds are not always fought through war. the downside is 4 primarchs vs a threat. that is a big threat otherwise they wouldn't send more than max 2. it just makes no sense. It is like the battle of the forge: too much doesn't seem realistic anymore.

 

hmmm, maybe a gathering on terra of all primarchs and somebody came up with a tournament. always 4 per team. and so they forged their bond? or the camping trip^^fishing xenofish^^

[Chief Captain Redd]

I don't really see how it seems unrealistic? I mean think of it this way in cannonverse there were lots of enemies that required multiple legions and multiple Primarchs to be taken down. I think I've provided multiple options where the threat would be big enough to indicate four legions that fit pretty well in. I mean I get what you're saying about two big threats feeling like too much in a story but this is more like a history lesson than a story. World War 1 doesn't invalidate World War 2 just because they're similar. And we have 200+ years of fighting in the campaign there are going to be multiple serious threats.

 

Like for example

A warped Craftworld and fleet with billions of recently corrupt "dark" Eldar tear out of the webway and in a few days decimate an entire system and any survivors are enslaved maybe this craft world was in the eye too long and there are already Eldar fallen to Chaos even.

 

Now that in my mind would require a MASSIVE legion response, and here's why. Unlike a traditional planet a Craftworld is going to be almost impossible to coordinate a mass landing of traditional Imperial army units, let alone things like Titan landers. So instead the Legions would be able to use boarding claws and assault boats to land tens if not hundreds of thousands of Astartes across the living ship supported by lighter armaments like Dreadnoughts, Rapiers, Land Speeders, etcetera.. And if they run into something too big like a Revenant Titan they could call in support from Fire Raptors and Thunderhawks. And there are plenty of ancient Eldar whose talents and speed matches or even surpasses that of the Primarchs.

It's a great challenging fight. It's not Galaxy ending, but if thet don't stop them then billions upon billions will die. And it's a hard position to move more traditional Imperial Army units. And this isn't some 40k ghost town craftworld, no this one was stuck in the eye too long, the very wraithbone it's made from was corrupt. So it'd be a nightmare of a ship an early indicator of Chaos corruption that can be hand waved by the Emperor as despicable xenos activities.

 

See I personally think that's a pretty good scenario, that doesn't step on anyone's toes, feeds a little bit to greater story, but isn't like Triumph because it's not a massive sub sector threat, but it is an immediate serious threat to billions upon billions of imperial lives.

[Slips]

If we do want to tie it with the Qarith Triumph, we could go with the 4 Primarchs and a small Task Force of Each Legion (no more than say, 3k Marines Each), all being called upon directly by the Emperor to deal with a Space Hulk-Like Thing of Qarith origin hurtling towards <Enter Important Strategic Asset Here> and having to deal with it ASAP while the rest of the Legion Forces present on Qarith Prime continue to do their thing.

 

...Like say a Qarith-Infested Craftworld. Since they seem to have a Parasitic Tendency.

 

 

This could possibly tie in to the perceived Jealousy from the other Primarchs since these Four were recalled from the Current Attrition by direct word of the Emperor to deal with something he deems more important than their current struggle.

 

Or something.

 

 

Otherwise, its been noted in other places on the Board that its not out of the realm of possibility that, during the GC, the Imperium has come into contact with small quantities of Necrons, either a Single Tombworld or Smaller and, due to their relatively low numbers and low-priority threat they present, never bothered to catalog them until M36 where "BAM SUDDENLY NECRONS" happens.

 

A Chaos Craftworld of Eldar doesn't make much sense since Slaanesh would eat their Souls ASAP. Dark Eldar doing Dark Eldar Things though, does.

[Chief Captain Redd]

In one of the slightly older rulebooks or dexes it's mentioned that there are Harlequin Eldar who've fallen to Khorne and Tzeench and are amongst the gods greatest "mortal" champions, that's why I threw that in there.

 

But that is an interesting suggestion, I'd been avoiding Qarith related stuff because Daer'dd and the Bears aren't supposed to be involved at all with the Qarith.

[Sigismund229]

I like the idea of the 4 of them needing to fight a small necron tomb. Possibly they get led there by the Eldar?

[Doctor Perils]

I think Mikhal's misgivings come more from the reasoning behing involving four legions and Primarch's. It's a valid point: why would the Emperor send four of his sons into a risky warzone ? Making it an ever more menacing threat doesn't answer that question, because they would pile in more Legionnaires from only one Legion, surely ?

[Chief Captain Redd]

What if it started off as an envoy? Like the four brothers and maybe Malcador are sent in the Emperor's place as he is busy with something. And this is a small 100ish human empire that has laid down arms to start a conversation about joining the Imperium. And since he's busy with the webway or something he sends the Cadre of his sons and his top advisor as a show of faith and each of the son have brought their most elite and their flagships and support fleet for a show of strength.

And that's when all hell breaks loose.

[Demus Ragnok]

The earlier in the crusade the more likely it would be for more primarchs to be together.

 

Primarchs often spent time fighting beside a brother legion when they where first introduced to their legions.

 

Also the earlier in the crusade the smaller the legions will be.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Demus Ragnok

[MikhalLeNoir]

Yeah. But 4? Icarion and Alexandros at the emperors side is understandable as they are his first two sons. But 4?

Really not comforted with the whole thing but: that is my opinion. Maybe you could pull something of. That is realtic, epic and awesome. Then i would be reeeeeeeeeally joyful

Edited September 14, 2015 by MikhalLeNoir

[Demus Ragnok]

Yeah. But 4? Icarion and Alexandros at the emperors side is understandable as they are his first two sons. But 4?

Really not comforted with the whole thing but: that is my opinion. Maybe you could pull something of. That is realtic, epic and awesome

Alexandros and Daer'dd were found earlier than Pionus and Hectarian.

 

Maybe Pionus is "training" with Alexandros and Hectarian with Daer'dd.

 

Maybe one or both of the trainees haven't been introduced to their legions yet.

 

One pair and a legion find a threat and call for aid and the other pair respond.

[MikhalLeNoir]

So two legions amd 4 primarchs. With two still training. Thst would make sense. Bwhat does simison as lore master think of it?

[simison]

It's workable. I do see your side as well, Mik, but I remember how 3 Primarchs accompanied the Emperor to pick up Curze and how Curze was fighting with Fulgrim and Dorn before he had his breakdown.

 

The diplomatic envoy with two pairs of training Primarchs sounds solid.

[Chief Captain Redd]

Fantastic! Does anyone want to take a shot at it? If not this is something I'd be more than happy to and could write a novella on.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Getting a primarch is some special occassion. But the primarch in training justifies it so no more on it from me. Well not until we turn this in dbz 40k;)

[Slips]

Ok time to write a story where the only dialog is screaming as the "power up"

 

;)

[simison]

I will stab you!

[Hesh Kadesh]

Ok time to write a story where the only dialog is screaming as the "power up"

 

I'd say do a story over 3 episodes where nothing actually happens, but Black Library have already beaten you to it.

[simison]

The Phireen Extermination

 

As the Great Crusade entered into it's one-hundredth anniversary, a new adversary was discovered in Segmentum Obscurus. Hidden in the Xspiravite Nebula, a race of xenos began launching raids on nearby Imperium shipping lanes. Possessing the power to project their 'voices' into the Warp, human crews were lured by an irresistible 'song'. Translating from the warp, many ships ventured into the nebula never to return. It was long suspected that these ships were simply lost to the warp. It was only when a traveling Warden diplomat, who had booked passage on a Rogue Trader vessel, resisted the call and single-handedly assumed control of the ship and forced it past the point of hearing it.  

 

Now alert to the danger, the 209th Expeditionary Fleet was given the mission to purge the xenos. Commanded by the legendary Vraben Mahtva, his fleet possessed a large body of Caryana psykers would be critical for victory. As the fleet approached, the 'song' began its call and many of the human crew, though forewarned, fell prey to it. Pooling their efforts, the Caryana countered the 'song' as they entered the Imperial minds and rendered a temporary immunity as they protected the fleet from the warp power. 

 

The second obstacle was to locate the foul xenos. A series of buoys were found that caused the 'song' to echo and prevent the telepaths from tracking the song to its source. Here, the diviners of the fleet put their powers to use. Consulting the future, they located the Phireen havens. With much of his forces focused on simple resistance, Mahtva opted to bombard the havens into rubble. One by one, the havens fell, diminishing the strength of their 'song'. 

 

Finally, the 209th discovered their true home: a rogue planet located deep within the nebula. Surrounding it were not only various xenos ships but the stolen Imperial vessels, now turned against their former owners. Now with his psyker support no longer stretched thin, Mahtva ordered a full attack. As the two fleets engaged, stormbirds and drop pods landed on the Phireen homeworld. There, they saw the true forms of the xenos: floating blobs of fleshy bubbles with five tentacles for environmental manipulation and three mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth. Faced with slow but strong opponents, Mahtva lead the purge, armored in fire. In a single day, the Phireen threat was ended. Of the lost vessels, not one human, alive or dead, was found. 

[Chief Captain Redd]

That's a pretty fantastic run down of events Simison, and I really liked that they're not an a typical humanoid old one creation, but something actually bizarrely alien.

 

Also have we decided on an enemy for the Envoy? I'm still partial on a rogue tomb world or two waking up. But whatever works for me. I'd just like to build an outline and start writing.

[simison]

I'm not too opposed to the Necrons having a guest appearance 10K years early.

[simison]

The Febian Defence

 

One of the few times the Order of the Shield was deployed with most of its members was to save the Febia system. A series of agri-worlds, the Imperium's arrival was met with little fanfare and did little to change the lives of the average Febian as the system agreed to Imperium rule. That peace was disrupted, not by xeno raiders, but by their fellow man. In the neighboring system of Mynwowan, their introduction to the Imperium was far bloodier. While the Febians had been liberated by the War Bringers, the Mynwowans had suffered at the hands of the Dune Serpents. Festering from the scars caused by Compliance, their frustration had boiled into hate. The Imperial governor, Fyodar Gulenbard, feared for his life. For before Compliance, a sophisticated warrior system had been kept alive by tradition called The Path to Serenity. Since the Dune Serpents' operation hadn't exterminated the populace, some of the Serene warriors had survived and, in the following decade, raised a new batch of Serenes. 

 

When rebellion erupted, Gulenbard surrendered and joined forces with the Mynwowans. Blinded by their quick victory, they strove to defeat the Imperium, beginning with the Febia system. To their misfortune, less than a few weeks' travel away was a grand meeting of the Order of the Shield. At the time, Alexandros was fighting alongside Icarion and the Lightning Beaers with an army comprising mostly of the Third Cohort. Called by Pyrrhicles, the grand conclave was to briefly unite the shield-marines in a week of celebration of accomplishments and tests of skill among their members. It was on the conclave's second day that word came of the rebellion. With considerable haste, Pyrrhicles immediately organized his brethren into a functioning war host and made way to Febia.

 

The two opposing warrior orders would clash on the fourth planet known as Svirnta. 

 

While the rebel fleet contained more ships, the Imperial fleet held more capital ships. Pausing long enough to deploy the Shield-Wardens, the Imperial fleet engaged their opponents and quickly nullified them from threatening the ground forces. Planetside, Pyrrihcles established a defense, forming three lines of infantry several miles long. In the first rank were seasoned members of the Order, the Bastions, most who had earned the right to wield boarding shields. In the second rank were the masters, the Myrmidons and those who wore the tower shield, known as the Citadels. In the final rank were the junior members, many armed only with combat shields, the Gates. While the Bastions were to absorb the initial attack, the Citadels were to plug any initial breaches, while providing long range fire from batteries of missile launchers. To the Gates, they were to provide a mobile reserve and, more importantly, the counter-attack that would deal the final blow. 

Augmenting the Wardens were the PDF survivors, which included a few armor companies. The armored companies were set to protect the flanks and to funnel the enemy forces into the center.

 

For the final piece, Pyrrhicles personally voxed the enemy Serene commander. Known by the title of Student of Water, the man was given one last chance to surrender, which he promptly laughed off. Following the rejection, Pyrrhicles sent one last message insinuating that the Student often had relations with serpents. Before Compliance, the serpents of Mynwowan were viewed with near-religious reverence due to their role in past mythology. What Pyrrhicles accomplished was to make the ultimate insult to the enemy commander. The Student vowed personal retribution before launching an all-out attack against the Order. 

 

Over four million warriors launched themselves against the defense lines of twenty thousand Wardens. Although possessing armored units and long-range ballistics, it was the Serene way for warriors to seek glory in close combat, seeking to pit themselves against individuals. The Wardens rarely offered them the opportunity as they fought together, shields interlocked to create impromptu walls that the Mynwowans would try to breach. Within the first hour, a fourth wall was inadvertently being created by the Mynwowan dead. It was only as bolters ran dry when the Bastions were pushed back. Even then, the ground was soaked with blood as Bastions fought with fist and whatever weapon was on hand, some bashing heads with their shields as they became isolated. 

 

Breaches happened, but only after great cost. Worse, for the Mynwowans, for every breach they created, only minutes passed before the Serenes came face-to-face with the Myrmidon. These adamantium giants repelled these rebels and closed the gaps by filling in the void with themselves. Gradually, the wall grew not weaker but stronger as terminator armor replaced power armor. At the fifth hour, Wardens in the first rank could see the distant end of the Mynwowan army. It was then that Pyrrhicles unleashed the Gates. Fresh and mobile, the Gate line broke in half as they raced around the flanks of the Warden line. In less than an hour, they attacked the Mynwowan sides, slowly squeezing them between vice. As the Gates squeezed, Pyrrhicles ordered the rest of the army to advance. Now, the Serenes were on the defensive. 

 

Any hope of escape closed as Warden aircraft deployed the PDF infantry units behind the Mynwowan army. Revenge was theirs as first they fought and executed the panicking enemy forces. With no hope of escape, the Serene masters and adepts fought with renewed fury, while the common Mynwowan warrior surrendered to despair. The battle ended when Pyrrhicles struck down the Student, the last of the Mynwowans. 

Edited September 26, 2015 by simison

[Praefectus Invictus]

Don't mean to be picky, but that story has references to the death guard and the blood angels. Good read though, the Serenes reminded me of the Shelsists in shield of baal: tempestus.

[MikhalLeNoir]

As long as it is only a reference and not a ripoff, I don't see any problem. I mean, in some way nearly all our stories contain references

[Praefectus Invictus]

It just names them explicitly, even though this is an alt. heresy project. Not complaining though, it was a good read