THE LIBER CLUSTER II

[Fat Necron]

Nooo not a double post but I must for this feels important... So let me begin.

 

For future writing and since Space Marines will need chaff enemies, you all have my blessing to use the Singala Cadre however you see fit. Seriously, I'd just be flattered they're being used. I don't even care if they build a tapestry of defeats.

 

The current actives, from what I see, only have Space Marine Chapters... Besides Ace. Ace obviously has plans and there's a void to be filled. I hope to fulfill the role of generic Chaos villain and actively support others who need that generic villain. And yes, I am absolutely serious.

 

If anyone contributes to the overall faction all I ask is you keep within the warp centric themes. So psykers, mutants, monsters, terror, and overall horror. Feel free to explore the internal hierarchy, command structure, relations, society, whatever you want. I am reserving the overall leader position for a contributor, not myself. I am leaving it open since this is a community based project. If I assign a leader, it feels like I'm saying 'Mine don't touch'. No, I want them thoroughly fondled, god dammit!

 

Now for a good old fashion info dump so people have a basic idea of how they function.

 

Just a briefing on them; their means of transportation is fairly limited. Below will be a list of current means of getting from A to B and then C.

 

Flotilla: Ships lost in transit around the Tempest eventually find their way to Singala, the Daemon world at the storms heart. Mutants, Warp Spawn, Undivided Daemons, and Singala Marines will use these lost ships as a means of travel. Take note that they don't have navigators or dedicated psykers, so their warp travel is done through communal sermon of the ships officers / priests. A mortal servant ( Most likely heavily mutated ) will lead the begin the sermon. If there's a a particular war torn hot spot, famine, a place enduring extensive strife they'll be spat out there.

 

Keep in mind these flotillas are like religious mission trips. They're there to convert the populace by charitable means, and when that fails, stuff them in the hulls. Converts are treated surprisingly well as opposed to other warbands where they're chaff.

 

Flesh Chamber and Dead Zone: Probably the scariest bit about them. To put it plainly, a psyker is twisted into, churned, expanded in a chamber until they themselves are the chamber. Depending on the psykers psychic ability depends on how long the chamber remains active. Other psykers can be sacrificed and bounded with said chamber, increasing its overall size and transportation capacity.

 

The dead zone created around the chamber is several kilometers in diameter. If more psykers are bound inside the existing chamber, and depending on their ability, this can be increased exponentially.

 

A dead zone is an area where the world of Singala materializes into real-space, absorbing the existing landscape and replacing it entirely. Through this transition are Singalans able to enter real space. Only a few dozen inhabitants can materialize at any given time, be it mutant, Marine, monster, or Daemon. Once the chamber is either exhausted or destroy, all Singalans within the dead zone will return home. Those outside, well, they're probably fudged.

 

Oh, the warp corruption during and after the Singalan incursion is a little off the charts. Expect an exponential rate of still births, rampant mutations, madness, and worse for the coming decades.

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Currently those are the only two methods Singalans can enter real space. Feel free to add more. My version makes a point emphasize they have no dedicated battleships except for a few. This curbs a potential discount Black Crusade happening. However, whomever is free to add to this. Again, they're open for anyone.

 

Physiology: Singalans have a stabilized albeit corrupted gene-seed. This gene-seed is mass produced to churn out subpar Space Marines in considerable numbers. As long as the recipient is compatible with said gene-seed, they will undergo the transition. Do to warp exposure and inevitable organ failure from the substandard gene-seed, Neophytes and Marines will opt for crude cybernetic appendage to compensate. If the mutation that follows with age is too extensive, they'll either be entered in the Mourners Tomb (Will be detailed later), flat out die, or admit themselves into the Possessed Cults. Most die before their possession because it takes decades to properly prepare for the symbiosis of man and daemon. During these years in devotional service, organ failure or mutation sees them dead before their Last Communion (Possession).

 

Psyker Aura: (WIP) Short version; within a few meter radius those not of Singalan origin will either feel their rage subside, and / or feel distinctly somber.

 

Raptors: There is no official Assault Marine core within the Singalan combat doctrine, aside from Possessed and Raptors. To become a Raptor, specifically, honored veterans will feed solely on Possessed citizens in ritualistic fashion. A priest / priestess (Psyker) shapes their rapid mutations and an appointed Apothecary (Human / Mutant) is on standby to administer treatment if the mutations are too severe.

 

Typically a few months of this practice will result in a rather vicious combatant. These chosen few are admitted into the Possessed Cults. Ordinary Singalan bred Marines cannot properly tame them as they're far too stoic and passive. This quirk of personality has made capital punishment such as self flagellation, dismemberment, firing lines, and the like non-existent in their command structure. Because they do not administer these responses simply because disobedience is a foreign concept, Possessed Cults absorb them.

 

No Armored Support: As it stands, lore wise, there's currently no existing armored contingents within the Singala Cadre. Theoretically there's a plethora of Daemon Engines ready and roaring to go but for the time being, I'd rather leave that up to interpretation. It's plausible and feel free to do so but again, as it stands I don't think I will write much on it. Anyone else is free to do so.

 

Warp Monstrosities: Where at first glance the lack of armored support appears crippling, their extensive Warp Spawns, genetic abominations, and flocks of Furries suppliments this dilemma... Short-term. Warp Spawn can only be kept at bay for so long and their insatiable desire for gore and mayhem will undoubtedly overcome the docility aura Singalan Marines exude.

 

Flocks of Furries captured and 'tamed' within the confines of Singala are difficult to manage. Once released into a combat zone or populated area, they'll run rampant until either all or most of the food is depleted. They will aptly return where, under the Singalan Psyker aura, are more accomidating to given instructions.

[Ace Debonair]

Welcome back!

Renegades vs Chaos is one of the things I'm very keen to see occur in the Cursed Century.

 

Of course, I'm also hoping to see Renegades and Chaos teaming up with the shared goal of completely thrashing the Imperium - common enemies make for strange alliances, after all.

 

 

Oh, and as a general note, with regards to "Ace obviously has a plan" - no he doesn't.

All of my plans have ended in complete inactivity, so I'm officially done with planning.

 

There's a century of Cluster History there for people to either expand on, edit, add, subtract or flat out make up their own events, so hopefully that sparks some interest.

 

Next time I'm in the mood to write for the Cluster (Might take a little while, ETL will be most of my hobby time for a couple of months) I'll expand on some of the events of the Cursed Century.

[Ace Debonair]

OK, so after some considerable thought on the matter, I'm stepping down as Steward of the Liber Cluster.

 

If I'm entirely honest, I don't know how to lead a community project, and that is probably all too apparent in the way this thread has gone absolutely nowhere since I took over.

 

So, if anyone's still reading and still interested, I leave the question of what happens next in the Liber Cluster in your hands.

[Teetengee]

I don't know if I'll have time, but I can take a stab at it if you want to share your notes.

[Ace Debonair]

Ah. I don't have any notes to share.

 

I pretty much just threw ideas out to see what stuck and then developed the ones that did in-thread.

Probably one of the reasons I didn't really get anywhere, in hindsight.

[calgar101]

Only just discovering this now, what a really interesting project.

[Machine God]

Battle for Plathmar

 

A horde of ships violently translate into real space. At the heart of the fleet a space hulk races quickly to the front, forcing lesser ships to veer away to its flanks. The rushing fleet of cruisers, corvettes, destroyers, frigates and lesser ships thunder off in flanking positions. Ships already in the system are smashed apart and devoured by a lesser fleet that follows.

 

Bridge of the Strength of Iron Space Hulk.

 

A darkened room lit by cogitator arrays, guttering candles and the whirring optics of the behemoth at rest on the Captains Throne at the centre of the bridge.

The seemingly dormant captain stirs, pulling mechandrites from several cogitator banks and the backs of nearby servitors. He twists to his right causing his pauldron to catch the light of an intermittent strip light, the dark pauldron shows a fist crushing a chaos star.  His giant fist a mass of mechandrites and digital lasers grasps a nearby lectern.

 

Pulling it violently towards him he bellows: "What system is this Navigator?"

A rasping voice utters from the lectern: "Ingos system, pirate mandeville point Father!"

Captain: "Good! You may rest now Navigator, you have performed well. Helmsman what is our position and what prey does this system hold?"

 

Slowly other giants stir on the bridge to the left and right of the Captains Throne. As they do so more light is added to the room by their optics and system pulpits powering up. The increased light shows them to be astartes in ancient marks of power and terminator armour.

 

Helmsman: "Slim pickings Father! Two planets of note - Plathmar, a Shrine World and Pocko's World, a Prison Planet, the third and fourth worlds respectively. Other targets minimal - Adeptus Mechanicus orbittal facilities in high orbit of Plathmar, mainly solar arrays and a limited kill-sat network. Also astropathic choirs located on Plathmar and at main mandeville points.

Captain: "Which world is closest at this time?

Helmsman: "The pirate point where we have translated is situated in an area of calm outside the fourth orbit, however Pocko's World is presently on the far side of the sun and it is noted to have a slow rotation due to a high ferric content. Plathmar is closest Father!"

Captain: "Good we'll hit the prison on the way out then! Instruct the tech-witches to pump out maximum psychic white noise whilst we are in system, we'll placate the Navigator later with some fresh souls. How long until we hit high orbit of Plathmar?"

Helmsman: "At full burn we can be there in a day although the lesser Iron-Fathers advise that the sport ordnance could take sixty hours to awaken safely."

Captain: "Head for Plathmar orbital arrays, full smash speed! Subjugation of the weak will be initiated when the ordnance has awoken!"

Helmsman: "Aye sir, all ahead full. Maximum terror to the foe!"

 

24 hours later - Plathmar

 

The peoples of Plathmar are treated to a high orbit light show and then planet wide brown-outs as the Blackened Fists Fleet arrives above the Shrine World.

Destroyers and Raptor Assault Craft smash through the solar arrays. Nova beams slice through kill-sats and defence arrays, the wreckage rains down on Plathmar burning meteoritic trails through the atmosphere. Apart from the falling space junk Pathmar isn't subjected to direct attack, yet.

All hails sent to the invading fleet are ignored however it is noted by engine-seers on Plathmar that the hails are being received. The Psychic Choirs go insane from the white noise jamming. After the attack there seems to be a lull, no landings happen although all attempts to leave Plathmar are interdicted and shot down.

The peoples of Plathmar increase their prayers to the Emperor at the shrines and cathedrals. The Adepta Sororitas put down the rioting psychic choir and numerous riots are suppressed by the Adeptus Arbites, however Heretics and Cultists begin to sow unrest.

 

36 hours later - Strength of Iron Space Hulk geo-stationary southern orbit.

 

Once again the bridge is a darkened place even though there is much activity. Smoke hangs in the air and sparks erupt from overheating cogitator banks, clouds of incence are pumped around the bridge by servitors to mollify machine spirits.

A sparkling green hologram floats in the middle of the room showing the rotating globe of Plathmar, the Captain and Helmsman pointing to various points .

 

Captain: "Master of My Forge, how goes the process of awakening?"

Iron-Father: "Five missiles fully awakened Father! There is also one more reaching optimum alertness, however the others are being recalcitrant and belicose. The Modalis is an ancient beast form."

Captain: "Five is enough for the sport! Send them to the co-ordinates that I have marked on the Hologram!"

 

The Strength of Iron pivots into an orbit so that it rotates in synchronicity with Plathmar. Five missiles then are launched at Plathmar from the Strength of Iron, they enter the atmosphere and then when they have attained positions equidistant aound the southern hemisphere of Plathmar they impact and detonate.

 

The Blackened Fists Fleet hold positions around Plathmar whilst the Strength of Iron moves to a low orbital position above the planetary capital in the northern hemisphere.

 

1 hour later - Strength of Iron.

 

Father: "Peoples of Plathmar we are the Blackened Fists! You are weaklings and we bring your doom. Whilst we don't care what happens to you we are in need of initiates! The peoples of your southern hemisphere are now burning in the fires of Phosphex and they will bring it northwards to try and futilely escape its clutches! You will all die in myriad ways you cannot all escape, but there is a chance of salvation. We need a thousand male youths from Plathmar. Forged in the fields of slaughter they will be melded into more by defeating all opponents on their way to the High Cathedral in your capital. We will be watching the sport and will send a Stormbird to extract our tithe. I am the Father and I say let the games begin!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 10 by Machine God
Typo

[Brother Lunkhead]

An excellent start..... very nice fast paced narrative.

 

Just one question. How does the fleet destroy the planetary defense array without opposition (that's my impression)?

 

Looking forward to seeing more from the Blackened Fists.

[Machine God]

An excellent start..... very nice fast paced narrative.

 

Just one question. How does the fleet destroy the planetary defense array without opposition (that's my impression)?

 

Looking forward to seeing more from the Blackened Fists.

 

@Brother Lunkhead - Thank you. In answer to your question.

 

The vast fleet of the Blackened Fists destroyed the planetary defence array in the same way that they destroyed the solar arrays - suicidal ramming attacks and the application of overwhelming firepower. Sure they probably took some losses but not enough to trouble them. The destroyers and frigates used were piloted by khornate and slaaneshi captains, as such expendable assets.

[Lord Marshal Ragnrok]

Wow, I did not even know this thread existed cuz iv been away for so long!  If you like, I see the Karrneshla is still fanon here.  I could make a few raids for you all.  But my main focus atm is my Knight Wardens chissmarinez chapter.