Beneath Terra - Inquisimunda & the XIth Legion

[Vairocanum]

All your miniatures are so characterful! This guy looks so cool, can't wait to see the un-filtered pic.

[Soldier of Dorn]

It's really incredible how quickly the mood of this log has just ramped up. It started off kinda slow and calm, with a (relatively) simple Inquisitorial investigation into a strange Astartes warrior of unknown origin, but with every update it becomes clearer that the first entry was merely the pebble that started an avalanche of drama. This most recent update, I think, feels like the beginning of the final act: everything is coming to an end. It displays the character of the First Sinner, as I understand him, to a greater degree than ever before, as the Conquerer, quick to wrath, unreasonable in his decisions, and absolutely vindictive. You only have two choices when the Sinner's Legion falls upon you: subjugation, or death. Perhaps I've simplified a complex character too far, but I don't think the Sinner is complex: rather, he is simple, straightforward. Most characters, for obvious reasons, can't be simple, rather, like both ogres and onions, they should have layers, but for Morain, the simplicity of his personality works very well.

 

Anyways, I've probably rambled enough. The long and short of it is that the writing's good, the model (though obviously I can't really see it) appears to be good, and I look forward to whatever comes next.

[Brother Pheidias]

Great writing, and the moody modelling has been fantastic so far. Can't wait to see Morain finished and unfiltered!

[Brother Sgt Kartr]

Khan

Corax(?)

Sanguinius

 

Things are certainly heating up! Can't wait for the next installment.

[Skalpynock]

Corax(?)

 

Lion, I believe.

[Soldier of Dorn]

 

Corax(?)

 

Lion, I believe.

Nah, it's from Sanguinius' perspective. Edited August 9, 2016 by The Psycho

[Brother Pheidias]

 

 

Corax(?)

Lion, I believe.

Nah, it's from Sanguinius' perspective.

 

But the second bit was definitely the Lion.

 

There were three perspectives.

[Soldier of Dorn]

But the second bit was definitely the Lion.

 

There were three perspectives.

 

Now that I go back and read it again, you're absolutely right. Makes a lot more sense then how I read it the first time.

[Brother Sgt Kartr]

Ah I forgot that pre-Heresy the DA wore black, so I couldn't quite match up the second perspective.

[MordentHex]

still doing good! keep rocking it dude.

[CaptainStabby]

Had this bookmarked, just got around to reading it. Absolutely amazing! Can't wait for more.

 

Praise the Sun, Brother! \O/

[Kraad Belak]

By the gods, these things are fantastic!

[Dagoth Ur]

Act X: Things Betwixt
 
“From pain cometh misery. From misery cometh determination. From determination cometh strength. From strength cometh pain. ‘Tis the adage of the old blood and ‘tis the adage of the gracious Lord, may his misery pave our path.”
 
                                                               -239^th Fragment of the Book of Lindenburg, Sage of the Flame
 
“He is old, impossibly old. A mutant? Absolutely! For goodness’ sake Laurenz, look at him! He is as tall as two Astartes and thrice as wide. A naturally born mutant however? No, I don’t think so. There clearly was some kind of tampering involved with him. The Biologis might classify him as a stable genetic off-shoot. Who knows what fruits of Old Night are picked each day on Terra alone?”
 
                                                               -Alexei Naudric, private conversation
 
“So calm, like the sea, the ever-whispering and yet silent black, inky, cold, oceanic horizon. Not a single trace of fury knifing in his mind-flesh, no-no, despite the heavenly pain that wracks his body day-in, day-out. Sleep is foreign to this Warden, gracious Lord, just as true belief is. Will you show him a new path, oh most gracious Lord? Or must he wander about in darkness, like the rest of us?”
 
                                                               -Ivanka, Cradled in Logarach’s arm
 
“Logarach, I assume?” To be frank, I was about to evacuate my bowels as I directed this question towards the mutated brute. Simian in shape, even while siting he towered over anyone in our ramshackle group. His armour was a patchwork of red, bone and white, all brought together through silver scratches and dirt. Faint latticework, embedded in arterial red, glimmered in the dirty light of the subterranean archive and made him appear like some portrait of ancient Rebirth-Terra that has come alive.
“Let’s assume, in turn, that I am”, His voice was a deep, mechanical grinding, “What of it?”
Before actually answering, I took a few seconds to contemplate who I was talking to, well supposedly anyways. This monstrosity of muscles and iron was part of a mystical, borderline heretic group I was set on to investigate several decades ago: The Church of the Red Athenaeum. In his right hand, one still of flesh, he held an axe, more a sharpened slab of adamantium really, and in his left, a mechanoid claw, he held a whetstone.
“Well?” He did not avert his gaze from his work “Swallowed your tongue?”
Maybe. I don’t know. I have seen much in my life, but the past few months have confronted me with much I am still struggling to process.
“I was told that you worked for a possibly heretical organisation.” I tried to sound as convincing as I could, but my hands were sweaty and shaking, “Care to say anything about this?”
“The Church of the Red Athenaeum?” Thick fog left his rebreather-mask as he sighed, “Yes, no, maybe, probably, depends on what you wish to hear, I'd say. Though whatever that may be, I'd refrain from calling it heretical by any means, it has proven...detrimental to ones immediate health on more than one occassion. Then again, you are not here to have a theological discussion with me Laurenz, are you? What is it you truly want to know?”
“Why have you left and who do you serve now?” His refusal to meet my eyes made me wary, insecure. For fug’s sake, as if I was a child in the Schola again.
“Who said I left?” There was a faint rumble in his mechanoid throat. A chuckle?
“Well, from what I know, this church of yours is not famed for such civil discourse and much less for denying connections. One bears one's faith on his skin, no?” My throat was dry, my voice cracking slightly.
“You don’t really know much about us, do you?” The whetstone passed the edge of the ax in slow, measured motions, “We don’t work for each other, well not in a way your bureaucratic moloch of a church would understand. It would be pointless to explain to you. So much power at your hands and yet so little wisdom. Sometimes paths split appart, only to meet once again. Two priests can walk two different paths, does not make their faith's different. I was once a protector, a guardian, but we live in an age that requires none. Now I search, but my faith is that of the Emperor. My soul, much like my flesh, is His.”
 “How did you find your way into Lord Naudric’s service then?” The faint singe of anger stung in my stomach, I would not get any understandable answer out of him, not just yet, “Maybe that is something I might understand, yes?”
“Don’t be offended friend. There is no shame in ignorance, only in the unwillingness to change so.” Logarach laughed, if I interpreted the throaty thundering correctly, “I don’t serve Naudric. I am oathed to a friend of his: Lord-Inquisitor Liram Malathrach, son of Terra and member of the Ordo Chronos. As he disappeared following the Kaledian Insurgence in the Ghoul Stars, I chose to protect one of his few friends, until he returns to us.”
Hmmm, I thought, the Kaleds, a familiar name… A very destructive and highly dangerous Xenos race that employed cybernetics and geno-modification to maximize killing potential, if I am not mistaken.
“And what does your church have to say about this? You see Logarach, it makes no sense” I begun, my eyes fixated upon the massive, golden aquilla on his chest, “How can you serve an inquisitor while your church, your very ideals are being prosecuted by all of us. Furthermore, how do you fit into our search? What could the end of this path promise to you?”
“The Inquisition a tool that hunts with unity and in harmony with its many parts? You’d be a fool to think I would believe that. You’re like a squabbling mass of dogs, no direction, only bickering and chaos. Liram sought me out. That’s all I will say for now about him.” Carefully he hid his whetstone in a pouch and inspected his prosthetic claw, “Tell me Laurenz, what is the Lost Sinner to you? Now that you understand a bit more, I mean.”
“A sliver of hope.” I answered without hesitation. If this all was true, then we could potentially repair the Golden Throne, maybe even increase its efficiency. Mankind could usher in a new age of prosperity, of Light. “And to you?”
“Coincidentally, just the same.” I shivered as his eyes focused on me, one a ghastly orb and one a gaping hole. He slowly rose to his feet, like a cyclopean monstrosity of ancient, paleolithic oceans, and mustered me. Now I finally understood what his church wanted, what they desired. For them, hope lay in Darkness, in the words of Doomsayers, the blood of Pilgryms and the souls of sons once cast out.
The earth shook around us as I tried to answer and, if he could, Logarach would have grinned now.
“My brothers and sisters just now follow such a sliver of hope” He cocked his head, “But we both know that there are many paths to take and much to sacrifice Laurenz, don’t we?”
 
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/Mutant204_zpsqwx58piu.jpg
---------------------------------------------

 

So, yeah, long time no see, huh?

 

@Ada: Thanks mate!

 

@Vairocanum: Glad you like him! I'm doing some minor greenstuffing still, but paint is gonna hit him pretty soon. :)

 

@The Psycho: Thanks for the kind words mate! :) You hit it on the spot with your interpretation in terms of his appereance. His acting is deliberately violent, single-minded and vicious, much like Perturabo's for example. His inner working is still complex, or at the very least I hope I will manage to conceive one such, but all of his layers and thoughts are focused on very few, straightforward things: Duty, Strength, Sacrifice. Somewhere between September and November I will be starting another separate thread that focuses solely on the XIth and their history, culture and fall from grace (A little spoiler: I consciously avoid the term Betrayal ;) )

 

@Brother Pheidias: Thanks! To be honest, I can't wait for it myself, gonna be a fun ride!

 

@Kartr: Yep, the lineup of narration is Jaghatai, Lion'el and Sanguinius :)

 

@MordentHex: Thanks mate, giving my best!

 

@Captain Stabby: Thanks buddy, now that I have got more time at my hands, more stuff will be comming! I wish I could be so grossly incandescent!! \ [T] /

 

@Kraad Belak: Thanks man! :)

 

So, what's this? The Church of Red Athenaeum? 'tis some madness? Nope, it's a tribute from me to the Wier brethren for all their work and especially the greatness that Pilgrym has been (What you don't know what that is? To the Iron Sleet then!). This fella was in the pipe for almost two months and paint is now slowly hitting him. Here I would like to express gratitude towards all the Inquisimunda Titans that walk amongst us, first and foremost the Wiers as they have been one of the greatest inspirations for me. Thanks for elevating our hobby into art.

Since I am short on time I can't properly devote what I want to say about the absolute honour that this collaboration of creating a character of the Church was for me, I will have to proceed towards a few other things that need to be said. Fear not however, I am writing a personal, non-academic essay on this topic that I intend to post in this thread, as a thank you of kind.

Now, what's comming? Lemme see... A Truescale Deathwatch Blackshield based on FW Calas Typhon, a Mechanicum Magos of the Alpha Legion, a painted Inquisitor Alexei and an Ordo Chronos Inquisitor based on FW's Hector Rex. Sounds good right?

 

Another thing I wanted to ask of you folks: Is there a faction you'd like me to shine some light on? I am trying to take a stab at as many factions of humanity as I can and I have so much in my binder (Ranging from Custodes to Sororitas) and I simply can't decide, so that''s why I ask. Any factions of the Imperium and Chaos are asked, what little sliver interests you the most? Navigators? Sororitas? Some more obscure assassin temples?

 

As always C&C away and have a nice day!!

[Soldier of Dorn]

This newest chap is fascinating: I can't quite decide whether I like him or not. Whatever the case, you've done a great job of converting the FB Warboss to an Imperial mutant!

 

As for modeling ideas, I really don't have the same type of creative spark as INQ28 modellers. There's a reason I stick exclusively to Space Marines. You've already got the Deathwatch covered, but if you were to do another Space Marine I would have two suggestions: the first one (for obvious reasons) would be an Imperial Fist assigned to a Terran Honor Guard from the Chapter (perhaps based at the Pillar of Bone?) and the second would be a really utterly twisted Chaos Space Marine. I'm not quite sure how you would fit either into the narrative you are crafting but I'm certain they would both look very nice. 

[Andvarr A]

This...this is...this is gold...epic and masterful...I had to tell the missus and the mini me to shush so I could concentrate on this

[Dagoth Ur]

Act XI: Something ends, Something begins

 

"There is lil' love left in 'im. There never was much t' begin with, but the point still stands. He is a tough 'un. Seen much, I s'ppose. Can't say I'm unhappy for not being one of his men really. You heard what he did to poor Vlashka? RUns me feckin' blood cold..."

 

                                                          -Tomislav, Hired Gun

 

"Lord-Inquisitor Alexei Naudric, member of the Ordo Haereticus. Cognomen: Man of the Black Rose. Affiliation: Unknown, possibly mutaphile. Possibly related to several cases of psy-incursions in the infested sub-hives of Terra. Adrachian headhunters were sent out to find him but have since returned. They managed to track him all the way down to the Shardusha Cliff, a place they call the Gate and that is sacrosanct to them. As such, they refused to venture deeper. Possible punishment pending."

 

                                                          -Inquisitorial Report //12988198120981, Line 2297

 

"He is right. He sees the path-that-once-was and the path-that-is-to-come. Foolish he is though. To pull at the tethers of reality is a dangerous act, much more so now, when all is drenched in blood and the tears of man make the skies swell with garish colours. Alexei only wishes to bring us darkness, which in and on itself is not wrong mind you. He simply does not understand the consequences, the meanings, the symbolism and the gravity of such a choice. I have seen what will happen. All shall be broken. LISTEN TO ME! We are all damaged and this will only break us further, but it is what we must do. It is fate and it must be guarded. Laurenz, promise me, nay swear it to me! Swear to me, that when the time comes and no one else is left, you will smite him down. His folly must not persist but hush, I hear a man approaching."

 

                                                          -Ivanka, rare moment of lucidity

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160920_214636_zpsd5jonvdx.jpg

 

"We must prepare Laurenz. We may be safe for now, but the darkness is stirring."

 

With these words he had come to me. The past months have not been kind on him. His face is a craggy cliff, ridden with scars and folds. His behaviour has been growing more and more erratic with each passing day. The Iudex has begun following Alexei around, only resting to sharpen his ax from time to time. It is...weird. We have known each other for the longest parts of our lives, yet he has avoided me all this time like I had the blight.

"Laurenz? Quit daydreaming and listen to me friend." His voice is oddly soft for such a ragged appearence "Please understand, the fate of mankind is to be decided soon!"

"Fool." A wet voice adds. We both turn around and see her. Ivanka. I can barely recognize the beauty she once was. A woman, at least six feet tall, she is covered in burlap and dingy fabrics. Only her mouth pokes out of a hole, bereft of lips and skin. Gummed up blood and spittle glisten on her exposed flesh. Ivanka had skinned herself almost half a year ago and yet still something kept her alive and well. She refused food and water, though no signs of malnutrition or dehydration set in. Must be that horrendous sigil on her flesh

"Did you say something?" Alexei turned to her, cocking his head like a falcon.

"Not the fate of mankind" Ivanka laughed throatily, coughing up coagulated blood and acid up, "Only the Imperium's fate."

"Where lies the difference, poor wretch?" The inquisitor drew closer, his metal claw splaying as if ready to strike, "Are you to insinuate heresy?"

"Empire's die, Alexei. They do. Its their nature to be born and to die." Her masked head turned towards him, "Humanity will survive, be it in light or in dark. Everything else is just a sacrifice, tinder for the fire or a blanket to draw out the dark."

As soon as she turned her head away from us, she started shaking. I could never listen to her prophecies. It just hurt to much. Logarach rose out of the eternal twillight that surrounded us and walked over to the poor wytch. Carefully, he bent down and placed her in one arm.

"You upset her." He firmly stated.

"We're sorry Warden, we truly-" I begun, attempting to descalate the situation.

"No. Not you." He interrupted, pointing his ax at my compatriot. The mist seeping from his mask thickened, "He did."

With these words he left us, whispering calming words to Ivanka. Alexei turned to me and smirked.

"I don't like him."

"Neither does he like you, I'd wager."

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160920_214609_zpsmwdhcqwv.jpg

 

"You will come to understand Laurenz. This is our highest duty." Alexei scuttled across his makeshift library, pulling out scriptures and drawings as he went.

"Why Alexei?" I implored him. I could not bear to see a once proud man so whittled down, "What do you wish to find?"

"Laurenz, you know just as much as I do that the Golden Throne is failing. Without it, the Imperium cannot persist, just as much as the God-Emperor can." He squinted at me, "You doubt me, don't you? After all this time am I to be called a liar?"

"No Alexei. Its just-" Sighing, I frowned and pulled out my diary, "I just want to understand what exactly your aim is. We've found a ten millenia old remnant of one of the Expunged Ones!"

"There are more. There are oh so many more dear Laurenz." Alexei laughed, "Beyond His light, beyond His domain they sail in ships of ancient iron and stone."

"How?" I retorted, "Surely if they were expunged then after annihilation, no?"

"Ah, herein lies the crux, old friend." His scarred face distorted into the mockery of a sincere smile, "I have reason to believe that a sizeable portion of the legion has survived. Not much, barely a fifth maybe, but I have evidence that they chose to retreat into the void beyond the galactic rim. Furthermore, I believe that the First Flame is still with them, as is their father."

"What is your interest in their father?" I shifted uneasily, the primarchs could be a touchy topic, depending on the inquisitor that is, "What do you wish to gain from this, Alexei?"

"Gain from this, I do not know what you mean." He answered quickly, his eyes narrowing into slits. A lie.

"Why do you lie, Alexei?"

"I wish to shape this empire." He uttered with a hateful glint in his eye, "We could finally be unified, strong within and without. A primarch, for Emperor's sake Laurenz, what a weapon!"

I did not have to answer. I did not wish to. Weird, centuries of service had still not taken away the edge of such work. I felt a cold sliver sneak down my spine as I placed a bolt between his eyes. It came too quick for him to even react.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160920_214549_zpsqldjafjf.jpg

 

"I know it hurts Laurenz, but you did your duty. You understood what he didn't." I could feel the taut hand resting on my shoulder, yet I did not flinch. My eyes were fixated on the dead body.

"And what would that be, Iudex?" I muttered, or thought. To be honest, I do not know, but he provided me with an answer still.

"That one must sacrifice" The posthuman whispered. He picked up Alexei's carcass and threw him into our campfire. Quickly, the stench of charred flesh and bubbling fat filled my nostrils and I retched.

"Come Laurenz. Sit. I wish to tell you a tale" He offered me a seat at the fire.

Numbed, I took his offer after holstering my gun. The stone was warm, oddly free of the eternal oxide dust that reigned this place. I must've stood around very long, for now I noticed that only Alexei's bones were left in the firepit. A cracked skull leering at me, mouth wide agape, a body contorted in weird shapes.

"Do tell, Iudex. I could use a good tale." My voice was dry, cracked.

"My people used to tell the tale of the Wickermen" Ah, a folktale it is then, "People who knew of sacrifice's highest forms: The individual offering for the future's betterment. A mother giving her health to provide for her child. A man going to prison for curing his sickly mother with stolen medicine. A brother taking the shot for the other. We call them Wickermen, because we believed that candles and wicker suited them best. A single sliver of fabric, burning up in flames of agony without resistance, nay, even excelling at that task. Yet a candle provides light, allows for us to read and make our way through the dark. It offers itself for others with nothing in return."

The flame shone brightly upon his golden mask, his face oddly warm and friendly.

"This is the greatest altruism, Laurenz. To give, knowing that it will hurt, knowing that it will not award you anything. No thanks, no gratitude. Nothing. Giving all that there is to give and yet still continuing ever on and on. It is the greatest expression of humanity, my friend. To give your lover your last supper. Not sharing, but giving all so that the other may not need to feel hunger. It is the most sincere expression of willful duty. Do you understand?"

I slowly noded, my eyes transfixed upon his, "I believe I have."

"Good." The Iudex stood up, taking his ax and bowing his head slightly. An awkward gesture for such a proud warrior, "Thank you, WIckerman."

----------------------------------

 

Alright folks, long time no see :D

Finally finished Alexei, but i do have to admit that it was a chore and I am finally happy enough with him.

 

@The Psycho: To be honest, I am a bit on the fence myself now that he has had a lick of paint^^ We'll see what time gives us :) Thanks for the suggestions, both have actually born fruits! There will be an Imperial Fist coming shortly, and a mutated chaos marine based upon an Anakatis'kul Slave from FW :D

 

@Andvarr A: Thanks mate, much appreciated! :D

 

So yeah, what have I been doing lately... To be honest, not much, a bit of Deathwatch and a bit of sketching as University has started again. But I am glad to anounce that this thread has made a debut on Between the Bolter and Me :D http://betweenthebolterandme.blogspot.ch/2016/09/guest-article-beneath-terra-act-1.html

Thanks to the Wiers for this amazing chance and the help they have posed in the past few months!

Not much else to report really, some more stuff coming soon and the XIth legion will be getting an own thread as this here will slowly but surely shift more and more towards a general Inquisimunda thread when the last act is played out.

 

Thank you all very much and enjoy! C&C as always is very welcome! :)

[Soldier of Dorn]

Glad to know I can inspire you, in whatever small way. :) Saw the project featured on Between the Bolter and Me a few days ago, congratulations on that.

 

Alexei came out nicely, and his story too: I was somewhat glad to see him die. Have you mentioned the First Flame before? I don't recall... at first I thought it was a reference to the primarch, but then you mention the Legion's father...

[MordentHex]

awesome awesome awesome! :D

[Dagoth Ur]

+++An Interrupt+++

 

+++Please stand by+++

 

+++Data-crystals are being re-spooled+++

 

+++Premature removal or unauthorized resetting may result in nuclear dismantling+++

 

+++May He upon the Throne protect+++

 

/////////////FILE 99893476783992747-XX ACCESSED/////////////PROCEED? Y/N/////////////

 

/////////////RETINAL SCAN, REFRAIN FROM MOVING/////////////

 

.................

 

/////////////ACCESS GRANTED TO: INQUISITOR-PARUN DOSJETKA/////////////

 

.................

 

The Incident of Miskaton-Primus

 

---The following incident, as reported and thrice-signed in blood by Captain Reovod(Cross-reference: The Ashen Blades), the Drahun regiment and Arch-Magos Adynur, is one of dubious nature, as there are no mayor references to Miskaton-Primus, indeed none to the Yaddith-cluster itself, within the inquisitorial libraries of the Ordo Haereticus. One must also be wary of taking this document for face value as you, the reader, are confronted with two further issues. On one hand, the main account belongs to Captain-Castellan Reovod, an Astartes of the Ashen Blades chapter, a chapter with unknown history that appeared on the eastern galactic fringe somewhen around M38. Much like the Charcharodon Astra, they are of a solitary nature and meet most requests of investigations with cold indifference. Furthermore, their provenance is unknown, none of the nine original chapters lay claim to siring this chapter and the partially retrieved geneseed seems to not match any known samples.

On the other hand, the Alpha Legion has shown interest and involvment with this Cluster on a rarely seen scale. Our forces have seen themselves confronted with several thousand Astartes, hundreds of dozens of cells and massive instigations of rebellion and even controlled genestealer infestation. What is more worrying, the Heretics appear to be in possession of a humongous arsenal ranging from ancient battle-tanks to rare dreadnought patterns. As always, whenever the XXth are involved, nothing can be taken as true.---

---Guard your mind, my ally.---

 

+++D: 197, Y: 39'829. Miskaton-Primus, City of Innsmouth, Ballington Road+++

 

+++Recording begins in what appears to be an inn. A man places his helm-mounted camera infront of himself. He is drenched and appears distressed.+++

 

My name is Nenad Ivanovic, medicus of the 27th Drahun and advisor to Corporal Sefik. If you have managed to find this recording it is already to late. They know that we are here. They have always known. They have led us here. It is all a trap. This damned world is one gigantic trap, ready to snap shut and kill us all. I do not know who to trust. It is as if they are everywhere. Snakes, gators, caimans. Hydras. We were ordered to muster up at the Osha fields just below the city. It was raining, well it always does on this world. It is locked in a perpetual cycle of mist, slight drizzle and heavy pouring. It isn't even that bad, the water. It keeps you cool. It's this aura of sickness permeating from the inhabitants and the buildings. Everything is crooked and malformed. Almost everyone I have seen sports some minor mutations. Disgusting. Inbreed fishmen, all of them.

Anyways, I fear I digress. As we all mustered up, I knew something was amiss. We were ordered to organize not by company, but by some abstruse system based upon our log-numbers. As soon as we were finished, hell broke loose. Almost half of my regiment opened fire on itself and three quarter of the present Astartes shifted their colours. The wet black and deep red shifted, like oil in the sun, and became a stark blue and green. Cameleoline I presume. Massacre. I fled into the city. I am hiding at the Leng Inn, but I fear that I won't have much time. I must record all I have noticed in the past few weeks.

 

+++Nenad audibly inhales, then exhales. He repeats this process several times.+++

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160925_010433_zpslpzwnrki.jpg

 

+++Nenad gazes into the distance. Signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?+++

I still remember how we came here. It was a surprisingly easy cross through the nether. No nightmares, no turbulences. Not a single incident of warp-induced madness. Not one hiccup in the Geller-field. Only the dreams of a deep sea. Weirdly enough, we all dreamed the same. Now, this may sometimes be the case with gene-bred regiments that share a common genetic template, like the Chilliad regiments I have read about. Ours was not of such nature. Augmented, yes, but not selectively bred.

We all dreamed of a deep sea, inky blue and cold, yet appealing. The closer we came to the cluster, the more vivid the dreams grew. I began to see things beneath the water. Huge cephalopods and humanoid molluscs, all strangely silent and unmoving as if asleep. Once in a while, one of them stirred, disturbed by some sound I was oblivious to perhaps. I stopped sleeping well. One of us apparently woke up with a stone idol in his hand, no bigger than a cherry, and had it immediately reported and analysed. I saw the thing once. A slimy, olive colored stone sprinkled with golden flecks and shaped like a closed eye. Our techies could not tell what material it was. Something unknown, alien even. Not xenos, but alien. Even wraithbone could be rendered down and analyzed on a molecular level I was told. This thing, however, couldn't. It refused all violence and yielded nothing.

One day I woke up with a similar stone. Emperor knows where it came from. I noticed then, that faint murmurs escaped it. A riddle or poem.

 

+++Audio grows erratic. Clear interferences+++

 

I can see what you see not—

Vision milky, then eyes rot.

When you turn, they will be gone,

Whispering their hidden song.

 

Then you see what cannot be—

Shadows move where light should be.

Out of darkness, out of mind,

Cast down into the Halls of the Blind

 

+++Audio stabilizes again. Nenad is weeping blood.+++

 

It's happening again, isn't it? Why did I not report my find? Simple: Visions and hallucinations of this kind usually get one treatment, a silver bullet. In retrospect, I damn wish I took the bullet.

 

+++Nenad is smilling. He appears to be in heavy emotional distress.+++

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160925_010341_zps8xuz4jau.jpg
 

+++Nenad tries to wipe away the blood. The stream continues.+++

The planet itself was oddly calming. A huge marshland, filled with bogs and swamps. About half a dozen hivecities existed there, but they were all covered in rust and verdigris. Clearly the humidity had taken its toll. The inhabitants were not very welcoming, most of them ignored us, but a rare few tried stealing or even inciting brawls. There were a few casualties. I tried talking to some of them, interested as I am in foreign cultures, but there was not much I could discover. They seem to be a matriarchal society orchestrated around worshiping the seas of this world. They spoke with reverence and fear of these vast waters. The humanoids, and I pick this word intentionally, appear as if they actually live in the water. Many have webbed fingers and small, subcutaneous patches of scales. A few children were apparently born with primitive gills, but suffocated, as they were unsuited for either water or air.

We quartered at the Ulthar-Manor, a decrepit building of oily wood and bronze. The bronze was pockmarked with verdigris, but the wood had withstood the tooth of time for surprisingly long time. It is within this building that I noticed the change. Our men grew restless, insomnia on a vast scale set in. I simply didn't have enough medication with me to treat about ten thousand men's sleeplessness. Some grew irate, even unreliable. Many didn't. Many remained perfectly calm. In hindsight, that should've alarmed me.

 

+++Nenad is silent for the next thirty standard minutes. His jaws are clenching visibly and blood spurts from his nose.+++

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160925_010358_zpsmvbvtcde.jpg

 

+++Suddenly, Nenad focuses on the viewer. He appears more grounded.+++

The calm ones were unusually so. You must understand, we are loud people. Our culture is one of drinking, bantering and familiarity. Even in the trenches we cracked our gallow-jokes and shared our rations of scrumpy. I could use a drink right now, but no. First I must finish this.

The men were silent, refused to joke and drank their booze in grim silence. Some of them observed their compatriots. Nothing unusual per sé, but the way they did it was disturbing. As if they were looking for something, a sign or something. Now I know that they did. They were looking for operatives like themselves and shared secret signs and information. They even spied on the ten Astartes that had joined us. It scares me to admit that some of the Astartes did the same.

I can hear them at the door.

Trust no one.

Abandon this place.

Goodbye.

 

+++Nenad turns around as the door is kicked in. A huge shape blocks the dim twillight from outside. An Astartes.+++

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/_20160925_010415_zpsjczsk03d.jpg

 

+++The Astartes lifts his bolter, an unknown pattern, and shoots Nenad without muttering a sound. He turns to the camera, red lenses focused on it. The purr of servos and the thrumming of the compact, mono-core atomantic reactor is audible.+++

 

For the Emperor.

 

+++The Astartes leaves the room. The camera is left to run. After 29 days the battery runs out. After 173 days it is retrieved by loyal forces.+++

 

/////////////END OF FILE/////////////

 

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/////////////Y/N?/////////////

 

/////////////USER INPUT: Y/////////////

 

/////////////FAREWELL: INQUISITOR-PARUN DOSJETKA/////////////

 

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Alright folks, newstime. This figure here, as unseeming as it may appear, is something quite dear to me. I would easily consider it my best work. I am surprised how smoothly everything went together. I didn't even plan on building an Alpha Legionary, much less write this little doodle for it. I found this Praetor body in my drawer and just went about it and well....There he was. He instantly screamed XX to me. You know this moment when you set out to create something and the figure/painting/writing/ritualoftheoldgods/cake or whatever just develops on its own? Exactly that happened. Don't worry, the story of the Eleventh will be continued, but I just needed a break. The story of Beneath Terra will be finished soon, but this thread will continue to deliver more and more Inquisimunda stuff. That I swear!

Who can find all the references?

 

@The Psycho: Thanks mate, can't still quite believe it Now, how do I answer your question...They are not the same and yet integral to one another. Yeah, that should do

 

@MordentHex: Thanks Thanks Thanks!

Edited September 25, 2016 by The Observer

[Soldier of Dorn]

That model reminds me of the cover of Legion. It's very nice. :)

 

As for the references, I'm certain I missed some (possibly Nenad's name, his commander's and the regiments?) but I'm certain caught a good number of the Cthulhu mythos and other Lovecraft references: Miskaton(ic), Yaddith, Innsmouth, Ulthar, the fishmen (Deep Ones?) and Leng, of course. Those were easy. And of course the reference to our dear Moderati Dosjetka was not missed either. But that's just what was obvious to me at first glance. I'm certain other people will notice things I would never see.

[Dagoth Ur]

Alright, not much fluff today but one WiP directly related to what is to come and one not so much
 
So, I've started working on the XIth Legion livery. Take a peak.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/DSC_0091_zps4bermau8.jpg

Just basecoated the primary colours. The red is Khorne Red and Abbadon Black (3:1), the black is Abbadon Black drybrushed up to Mechanicus Standard grey with a soft bristle brush.The red will be highlighted up to Mephiston Red and then set-off a bit with some purple and red washes. The metals will mostly be a deep, rich gold with a bit of silver and steel scattered throughout.

Main Body is black, while shoulders and knees will be red. The emblem of the legion will be a down-pointing sword in a field of white flames, I'll be posting some sketches shortly. I haven't thought much about other ornamentations besides flames on shoulders and shins (Akin to the Legion of the Damned, but in white on black) and some thunderbolts (Unifications honorifics). Still debating on the eye-lenses, I'm undecided between green and yellow, but that can wait.

 

So, the unrelated thingy...

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/DSC_0092_zps5tp9bnyv.jpg

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/hodoalmir/DSC_0093_zpsh0bnpxlh.jpg

 

A horse-skull headed mechanicus priest armed with a twinbladed buzzsaw, a shoulder mounted gun and one hell of an attitude. The base for this guy is the AoS Slaughterpriest with the two-handed axe. The Skull I have no idea where I got it from, it just turned up on my table. The Saw is from the new Genestealer Cult boxes and the gun is from the limited release Imperial Space Marine. The Backpack is a sawed off backpack from the meltagunner in FW's Cadian Hostile Environment Command Squad. The shoulders are plastic cataphractii ones.

 

@The Psycho: Thanks man, you caught almost(!) all of them!

 

So, hope you like this rather meagre update, but more is comming!

[Soldier of Dorn]

 

@The Psycho: Thanks man, you caught almost(!) all of them!

 

Almost? Damn. 'course, I have no idea what I missed, anyways... eh. Not too big a deal. :D

 

Lovely color scheme on the XI Legionnaire, it works very well. For eye lenses, I'd probably go with green over yellow for contrast's sake, but both would work. I'm eager to see both heraldry and a finished model. :tu:

 

Interesting work on the Techpriest... I rather like him.

[Nomus Sardauk]

I vote for a fiery yellow-orange for the eyes, it'd look really cool and yellow/orange are really unusual colours for eye lenses, so it'll feel more unique.

[Soric]

I second SanguiniusReborns' opinion one the use of yellow eye lenses for your XIth legion marine. Would definitely contrast more with the red and black armour plates. I'm so glad you weren't in the Slaughter Priest painting competition for my local GW, your Conversion would have put mine to shame something fierce. Some awesome work here :)

[Nomus Sardauk]

By the way Observer, have you decided on the XIth's heraldry yet? Given you had the Emperor name them the Infernal Blades in reference to his own sword and the whole Dark Souls theme why not have the Legion symbol be a Bonfire? I reckon you could easily make one based off the style of the Marauders chapter symbol, just spin the sword so the point faces straight down, add a little ash-pile base for the sword tip to stick in and move the flames around so it emanates from the ash-pile up the sword, and voila! Instant bonfire. 

Edited October 8, 2016 by SanguiniusReborn