THE LIBER CLUSTER II

[Teetengee]

Nice!

[Nomus Sardauk]

Thanks brother, I'm glad it's to your liking, although is there anything you think might be worth adding? Given that the Angels Exultant in both incarnations are sort of your brainchild I'd be glad to know your thoughts. :)

[RedDragon]

Is there any preference which faction my Chapter goes to? They're still in the conceptual stage, so could comfortably fit within either, tbh.

[Beren]

The operative's limbs were manacled to the wall, his body held upright. His head alone sagged, neck bent and eyes shut closed. Spittle dripped from his half open mouth. The psyker stood just before him with a single hand outstretched before the captives face. Further back within the shadowed cell, behind the two stormtroopers whose weapons had never strayed from the prisoners body, another figure waited. Her armour alone amongst the rooms five occupants gleamed with the sparse light available. The psyker began, sinking warp fuelled tendrils of thought into the traitor's consciousness. They were embedded just deep enough to give a meagre warning when his mind shifted. All at once the telepath withdrew his hand and the caprice's head snapped forwards with eyes already open. The psyker clutched his remaining fingers in wordless pain. The Stormtroopers tensed, but did not fire. The rearmost figure did not move at all. The prisoner's head remained upright for minutes, not blinking once. A venomous glare fixated upon his interrogators. Then face sunk once more and blood tainted drool dripped to the floor again.

 

The second attempt. This time his head was restrained also. A psyker, a different one, stood ready. Otherwise all was the same as before. The same figure stood in the background. When the operative's eyes shot open the payment flinched but did not withdraw. Even as his mind was invaded the captive's eyes flitted about the room. He was seeking anyway in which he might escape and slay his violator. There was none. The probe continued. The prisoner began to spasm. The telepath began to grimaced, expressions of insightfullness clouded by flashes of hate and rage. He frothed at the mouth. He collapsed.

 

 

"It's been more than a Solar year."

 

"A miracle that it has not taken longer."

The two are in a chamber austere enough to pass for a prison cell were it not for the equipment that littered its confines. One was robed in grey, her face obscured by shadows. The other was clad in gilded armour. The robed speaker continued.

 

"I may have found a match."

 

"May?"

 

"When two scholars must compare two artefacts, one briefly studied and the other buried beneath both history and Inquisitorial proscription, each of which has not been seen nor studied by the other then certainty cannot be present... There is also the matter that you are not cleared for information regarding it."

 

"It took you over a year to acquire information, and now I am to be kept unimformed."

 

"Some things are best left forgotten. The origins of our worst foes for example, and what drove them to their rage fuelled insanity... In any case, what we are dealing with is a heavily modified variant, designed only to trigger upon detecting intrusion within the mind. Mechanical, biological, chemical or psychic. Based upon the files the first stage is a controlled homicidal urge directed at the source of the invasion as perceived by the implant's bearer. The second scrambles the subject entirely. They will lash out at anything in front of them. If the intrusion is still in effect at that stage, well. As your Verispex so succinctly put it, the brain melts. Whatever the mindjacker was intending, the subject if useless. If they're even still alive."

 

The armored figure remained silent, unimpressed.

 

"If I may ask, have you determined the origins of the trio."

 

"No. There have been more. I have 37 thoroughly interrogated corpses on my hands, 37 of those brain implants and not a shred of information from any of them. I lost several field agents to innocuous individuals whom they attempted to 'persuade' or mindscan for minor details. Most perished. One escaped after destroying an entire team."

 

The adept sighed.

 

"Unfortunate."

 

With that she departed. The armoured figure remained seated until the rustling from the adult's departure subsided, then began to pour a glass of amasec.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Ooo, lovely story piece Beren, but what faction is it about? I have my suspicions, but I'm not certain...

 

-----

 

EDIT: On the subject of this theoretical Psychic Crab Xeno race, I think I have a good possible base for the appearance of the brute "slaves", that being the MIrelurks of Fallout 3:

 

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/0/06/Mirelurk.png/revision/latest?cb=20150418180927

Edited August 1, 2018 by SanguiniusReborn

[Beren]

The Penumbra are the most fitting candidate, although I amigine several Chaos Warbands could fit the bill.

 

RedDragon: I presume that you're free to place it into any one of them.

[RedDragon]

So, I'm running with two ideas at the moment and I'm unsure which would fit better with the setting.

 

One, the Carrion, are a group of Space Marines - Probably Raven Guard-descendants - Who hail from a mortuary world. They're grim fellows, with strange customs and strange views - Whilst they are loyal, they believe that in order for the Emperor to be reborn, he must first die. I imagine their favoured tactics are terror and lightning strikes, they're bone-collectors and head-takers who dwell in grand ossuaries and mausoleums. 

 

The second, the Huscarls, hail from Dorn's line. They're defenders rather than attackers, who fortify lines and protect pilgrims - Kinda based on the Knightly Orders of the Crusades. Their Chapter Master always takes the name Archamus, upon ascendency, and takes up the thunder-hammer Oathword - Which may or may not be the original, depending on who you ask. 

[Ace Debonair]

So, I'm running with two ideas at the moment and I'm unsure which would fit better with the setting.

The Carrion get my vote, for what it's worth - unorthodox Chapters make for fun interactions.

 

Also, welcome to the Liber Cluster!

 

*awesome story*

Intriguing... so many possibilities there.

 

Possibly even more than you realise...  but I'll get to that when the time is right.

 

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

Bursts of creativity always get me fired up, so here's the preliminary outline for our new xeno enemies: The Ra'koa

 

 

-=-=-=-=

 

Humanity, in its' arrogance, might believe itself the rightful heirs of the Liber Cluster, but there are creatures dwelling amongst the stars that would challenge that right.

 

Foremost amongst them are the Ra'koa, an ancient race of powerful, ambitious and cunning creatures. Older by far than the upstart humans that dare to trespass on sacred ground, the Ra'koa seek to erase all humans from the Cluster, and may well be powerful enough to do it. 

 

The Ra'koa worship the Allmind, a staggeringly powerful hive-mind made of the near-endless generations of Ra'koan ancestors, into which every Sorcerer aspires to enter. The Allmind is far from a single, united deity, however. It is made of infinite fractured thoughts, clashing wills and ideologies. The Ra'koa are often divided over which aspects of the Allmind they worship, meaning the Ra'koa operate more as a confederacy of allied nations than as a single, united race.

 

The Allmind also acts as a communication network for the Ra'koa, allowing their Sorcerers to 'speak' almost instantly over impossibly long distances. However, the Allmind is notoriously schizophrenic, and will twist or distort words to suit the agenda of whichever ancestor is delivering the message.

 

For all that, the Ra'koa are formidable enemies. The race itself comes in several castes, and has been known to forcibly evolve new castes when faced with particularly dangerous threats.

 

Before the war with the Imperium began, the Ra'koa had three distinct soldier castes:

 

The At'ma caste is the most common soldier. Larger, broader and much stronger than an average human, the At'ma resemble giant bipedal crabs. Armoured from head to foot, with their two arms ending in massively powerful claws. At'ma have been known to occasionally outmuscle even Ogryn and Space Marines in a melee, although both Ogryns and Space Marines will typically have an agility advantage over these armoured brutes. The carapace of the At'ma is remarkably durable. Several Ra'koa armies rely on the At'ma's superb natural weapons and armour to win the day, but the more militant cults will equip their best At'ma with arm-mounted weaponry, ranging from scavenged and modified Imperial las-rifles to a kind of acid-spraying gun the Imperials call a 'Corroder'.

 

The Brakma caste is the next most common of the Ra'koa military forces. Slimmer and sleeker than the At'ma, the Brakma are identified most easily by their lack of clawed arms, and the long, segmented tails. Brakma are often used as recon or outflanking forces, having greater natural agility than most Ra'koa. Their humanoid hands allow them to wield a wide variety of weapons, from paired Shimmerblades that can phase through a target's armour as though it wasn't there, to gatling-lasers, to the infamous Spikeguns - a type of shotgun that fires a cluster of  vicious, serrated, caltrops-like pointed projectiles at high-speed. Their distinctive firing sound (said by Imperials to sound like 'plak plak plak') is enough to cause advances to stumble by all but the most ardent of warriors.

 

The next caste - and the most important caste to the Ra'koa - is the Kar'ga caste. These are the sorcerers and leaders of the Ra'koa, the best, smartest and strongest of whom will be integrated into the Allmind through the use of ancient rituals when they die.

 

The Kar'ga are without question the most dangerous Ra'koa. In physical structure they show the most variance of any caste of Ra'koa - some are visually indistinct from At'ma or Brakma, others are wildly different - some with wings, for example, or with their backs covered in spines.

 

Their use of magic and their ability to psychically transmit their orders to other Ra'koa mean forces led by a Kar'ga can react at the speed of thought. The strongest Kar'ga will personally psychically control of up to dozens of other Ra'koa and push them to their very limits, unhindered by such things as pain or fear as they hurl themselves at the enemy. The Ra'koa possessed in this manner will most likely die, fighting relentlessly until they are struck a mortal blow, but to sacrifice oneself to the will of the Allmind is considered a hero's death.

 

Beyond their impressive psychic and magical power, the Kar'ga are responsible for the art of metalshaping - using magic to shape and reshape a particular metal alloy called Khidan, or life-metal. Khidan makes most of the Ra'koa's weapons and worn armour, and while in the presence of a Kar'ga the metal is nigh-impossible to truly destroy, as the Kar'ga wills the metal to simply flow back to its' original shape, like water, before re-hardening.

 

Since the war with the Imperium began, the Ra'koa have evolved hundreds of new castes as they search for a weapon capable of erasing humanity. Warriors, sorcerers, abombinations - there is no path the Ra'koa will not consider to advance the will of the Allmind.

 

 

There are even rumours of a secret caste - one unknown to all but the most powerful and devout Kar'ga. Some rumours say these creatures are giants, as tall as mountains, with the power to make and unmake entire worlds at will. Some say they are crafted vessels for the Allmind itself, others that they are the true leaders of the Ra'koa, others still that these mysterious beings are themselves Gods, beyond even the Allmind.

 

Most Ra'koa are uncertain of their existence, and it is considered extreme ill fortune to even speak of them, let alone encounter them...

 

-=-=-=-=

 

So here's the Xeno threat that will be surfacing in the First Campaign!

...What do you think? Any good?

 

The Ra'koa might have been present on Caecus. Finding out for certain would be a costly venture.

 

 

 

What is for certain, though, is that they are inhabiting the heck out of worlds all over the Cluster, and don't care much for the humans who just moved in.

 

I've left plenty of room for variations, new castes and personal twists on the Ra'koa - I'd be thrilled to see others add to them or use them for battles in the Cluster as we go on!

[Beren]

The Xenos are brilliant. Just brilliant. A couple more things that I'd like to know about them but that I presume will come later.

 

As for RedDragon's chapters, I'd like to see the Carrion. I really want to see how the Wyvernspawn end up reacting to them and if the two end up developing something of an Iron Warriors-Imperial Fists style feud.

[Teetengee]

I'd be interested in how the Black Judges and the Carrion interact.

[Nomus Sardauk]

I'd be interested in how the Black Judges and the Carrion interact.

Not well I'd imagine.... I can't wait to see it!

[Ace Debonair]

The Xenos are brilliant. Just brilliant. A couple more things that I'd like to know about them but that I presume will come later.

What would you like to know?

I don't really have any more details planned out for the Ra'koa at the moment.

[Teetengee]

 

I'd be interested in how the Black Judges and the Carrion interact.

Not well I'd imagine.... I can't wait to see it!

 

I don't know, they might get along splendidly, which is the really concerning part.

[Beren]

 

The Xenos are brilliant. Just brilliant. A couple more things that I'd like to know about them but that I presume will come later.

 

What would you like to know?

I don't really have any more details planned out for the Ra'koa at the moment. :sweat:

What type of navy and ships they have and why they haven't been noticed till now.

[Teetengee]

And after giving the Ra'koa a proper read, now I want to stat them, curse you.

[Ace Debonair]

What type of navy and ships they have and why they haven't been noticed till now.

Ships... let me think.

Okay, that'll do:

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

The interplanetary vessels of the Ra'koa are unusual, in that at a distance they resemble little more than shimmering orbs. Close to, it can be seen the ships are large, circular vessels, covered in a flowing sheath of the unnatural metal, Khidan. The ships are most commonly built around a central engine and power core. Those few Imperials that have survived boarding a Ra'koa vessel have described it as the stuff of nightmares - a labyrinth of twisting metal passages, shimmering as Khidan flows back and forth across the walls and ceiling. The floors are plated with carved and engraved shells of former At'ma - the closest the soldier caste can get to the immortality of the Allmind.

 

These ships are powered, as are most things in Ra'koa society, by a blend of sorcerery and technology, with a non-combat class of psyker called the Veyaka responsible for control of the ship. Like the more militant Kar'ga, the Veyaka is skilled in metalshifting and psychically dispenses orers to those under its' command.

 

Ra'koa military ships are large, heavily shielded thanks to the Khidan on their surface, that can be shifted to intercept most incoming attacks, and fitted with several powerful sorcerous weapons.

 

The only easily distinguishable class of ship to Imperials is the Ka'dona, or 'Life Eater', which is rectangular in shape rather than circular, and fitted on its' underside with powerful orbital bombardment cannons. These cannons are less destructive than Imperial Bombardment cannons, but leave lingering radiation and sorcerous effects that can cause long-term damage to a planet.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

As for why they've not been noticed until now:

 

They have been noticed. But until recently they've just been one of several hostile aliens that have been largely overwhelmed by the arrival of the Imperial Guard.

 

It took several centuries for the Ra'koa to start pushing back, but the Imperium knows how to step things up a notch; and here we are.

 

Space Marines vs the Ra'koa. It's going to happen, and hopefully it's going to be glorious.

 

 

And after giving the Ra'koa a proper read, now I want to stat them, curse you.

Brother, I'm fighting the urge to try and model the darn things.

Which I can't do because I don't have anything like any suitable bits, and my greenstuff skills are... well, non-existent.

 

Also I have enough dirty xeno projects on my plate - my model backlog at the moment is near-exclusively Dark Eldar.

Edited August 2, 2018 by Ace Debonair

[Machine God]

Hello Ace Debonair - Whilst I like the concept of the Ra'koa I don't like the name.

 

I will tell you why. The name Ra'koa sounds to much like the words used by the Cacharodon Astra.

[Ace Debonair]

Hello Ace Debonair - Whilst I like the concept of the Ra'koa I don't like the name.

 

I will tell you why. The name Ra'koa sounds to much like the words used by the Cacharodon Astra.

 

Ah. I will admit to having to look that up just now.

I think I've just been drawing on the same languages, truth be told.

 

If it's an issue, I can meditate on a new name for the Crab Ogres.

 

EDIT:

 

Actually, better still would be if anyone else has a suitably cool alternate name for the Crab Ogres - this is a community project after all and I'm more than happy to accept input from others.

Edited August 2, 2018 by Ace Debonair

[Kelborn]

Sa'Brak

 

Sa = sapient; brak = brachyura (Latin name for the intraorder)

 

Could be Szaa'brahakk in their tongue due to their mandibles, etc.

[Teetengee]

Do they weaponize the metal shaping?

[Nomus Sardauk]

Do they weaponize the metal shaping?

I would imagine so, perhaps the Ra'koa ships are armed with weapons similiar to the Reapers from Mass Effect, magnetically (or however is appropriate for the Ra'koa's tech) accelerating a stream of liquid Khidan to a fraction of Lightspeed like the Thanix Cannon: http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Thanix

[Ace Debonair]

Sa'Brak

 

Sa = sapient; brak = brachyura (Latin name for the intraorder)

 

Could be Szaa'brahakk in their tongue due to their mandibles, etc.

 

...I think I want to avoid 'brak' in the species name since it's an anagram of 'krab'.

 

But maybe only a small change is needed - how does Sa'koa (or Sza'koa, that's fine too) sound instead? 

 

 

Do they weaponize the metal shaping?

I would imagine so, perhaps the Ra'koa ships are armed with weapons similiar to the Reapers from Mass Effect, magnetically (or however is appropriate for the Ra'koa's tech) accelerating a stream of liquid Khidan to a fraction of Lightspeed like the Thanix Cannon: http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Thanix

 

Heck yeah they weaponize it.

 

Imagine fighting a sorcerer whose shiny metal armour can suddenly generate protruding blades aimed at your vitals. It's like someone made a suit of armour out of the T-1000. It'd be horrifying to fight against!

 

And the Thanix Cannon idea is absolutely getting used for their ships in one form or another.

It'd be like the scariest harpoon gun ever developed - it can punch a hole into your ship, then force it wide open, and maybe even be pulled back for another shot if the Kar'ga guiding it is powerful enough.

[Machine God]

Yeah Sza'koa is good.

[Kelborn]

Sza'koa reminds me of the Hawaiian warriors, the Koa.

 

Besides that, I'm fine with it, as well. :)

[Ace Debonair]

Yeah Sza'koa is good.

 

Sza'koa reminds me of the Hawaiian warriors, the Koa.

 

Besides that, I'm fine with it, as well.

WE HAVE REACHED A CONSENSUS

 

Excellent!

 

In that case I'll re-work their introductory article to include the name change and the details on their ships, and then it'll be on with the mini-campaigns.