Post by damnos on Feb 8, 2015 5:52:36 GMT
Narrative Campaign, LONG POST AHEAD!
Storyline advancement will be posted in white until new content is added
Having had a quieter spell of gaming while my gaming buddy waited for the new necron codex, we decided to restart our campaign. I am a Tyranid player and he a necron player, so most of the campaign is based around Tyranids vs Necrons.
Due to the codex change, I will be giving the Necrons a few little buffs, free models etc... what he learns his new rules, so I do not expect to win too many games in the beginning!
So without further ado, ladies, and gentlemen of the Hive, I give to you, part of on the campaign: The Bonescythes of Karne - Vaalbara.
The shadow of the Heretic blotted out the purple sun in the centre of the Magha system, it's cold, grey steel shimmered in response to the change in temperature, an onlooker would first consider that the metal was, itself, alive. However, that same onlooker would not ponder on this for long. The Heretic was a Necron Warship.
Fortunate though for the wellbeing of the Magha System, no human life was reported here, massacre was unlikely. Untouched for millennia by the Imperium of Man, and used temporarily as a homebase for the Eldar, before the jungles of the 6 planets,Cephei, Voge-Vert, Pareti, Vaalbara, Metis and Hades consumed them all. But it was not jungles that drew this Necron warship into Magha, it was the fable of a Scythe of untold power. The Bonescythes of Karne, a twin blade grown deep within the forests of Hades. The Necrons of Karne knew it was their birthright to wield this weapon, and one optimistic Cryptek believed this right was his above all others.
On board the Heretic all was silent, but for the mechanical tapping of the occasional scarab as they went about restoring damage to the hull. The Heretic had seen much combat, but had never failed the Necrons of Karne in battle yet. The silence was almost deafening, but Inaru had grown accustomed to the silence. He almost reveled in it. It turned his mind to darker things, and the Bonescythes were always in the depth of these thoughts.
Inaru was strapped into the command seat of the Warship, his very thoughts and desires was what controlled the bulky war machine. This small necron cryptek had the fate of the entire fleet in his mind, as he navigated the ship between asteroid and debris with nothing but a mere thought. It was not the fleet however that concerned him, but rather the cargo. While the fleet slept by choice, the cargo slept by force.
The cargo was Meri'sarkh, Shard of the Betrayer.
Lights and sound brought Inaru's thoughts back to the surface as he moved his gaze to the alarm panel. The Warship was leaking fuel, perhaps the previous encounter had been more than anticipated at first, the harvested biomatter was leaking into the cold depth of space. No scarab would make it out to the fuel relays soon enough to repair the damage. The Relays needed to be replaced entirely if the mission to locate the Bonescythes was to continue.
Inaru called to the lead ship to release half of their fuel relays out of their cargo door, he would have to retrieve them from the planet surface of Vaalbara.
As the fuel relays burst through the atmosphere of Vaalbara, the mighty warship broke the clouds bringing about a second night-time for the landmass below. Djakor burst into the control room where Inaru was seated,
'Fool of a Cryptek, how do you dare bring down MY warship on this unfettered Planet!? I did not command this!', Inaru did not even glance at the Overlord, but his cold, dead gaze was felt.
The Heretic touched down on the planet, half a click away from a dense forest.
'Run the scanners' Djakor demanded. Inaru had already began this process, undermiming the authority of the Overlord.
'multiple forms detected.....Overlord' the title slurred from Inaru, more like an insult than that demanded of a Necron of Djakor's stature.
'Well then, what is it, Cryptek?' Djakor demanded.
'I.....I don't know. Local fauna perhaps' Inaru enquired,
'Hmmm, looks like more fuel for the ship Inaru, awaken 1st regiment, let us collect the fuel relays and harvest ourselves some new fuel'
As cables and connectors slivered away from Inaru, releasing him from the captivity of the command seat, a deafening roar was heard from outside the ship, it vibrated through the corridors and chambers replicating the sound like 100,000 warriors screaming. Djakor stopped suddenly, Inaru listened intently.
'Looks like our fuel is coming to us, Overlord' Inaru jested
The next sound however dug fear out from the darkest places in both the Cryptek's and the Overlord's hearts (or lack thereof) a scream from the holding chamber, a scream of only two words.
'NOOOOOO!................WAAAAARP!'
The Betrayer had awakened.
Overlord Djakor commanded his fleet to advance on the Fuel Relays, regardless of the Tyranid threat looming ahead. Over confidence was his weak point, however, it has proven to his force's reason for a great many victory against the Imperium. He turned to Cryptek Inaru, 'You shall lead this assault, bring me victory Cryptek', he spoke with a cold voice, riddled will malcontent. Inaru knew that Djakor wanted to test these Tyranids, unsure of their strengths or weaknesses, yet he was willing to potentially send Inaru to his doom.
Inaru stopped momentarily, considering the Overlords approach, with indifference in his rasped voice he spoke 'As you command, Overlord'. Inaru stepped forward, 'Warriors, Immortals, ready your arms!' Inaru's voice was almost shaky, but this was not with fear, it was with anticipation. He was eager.
Inaru stepped towards the loading platform, he hesitated a moment, then hit a large, flat button as he began his descent to the planet beneath the ship, cogs turned and red alert lights flashed, the annihilation barge he activated reached the planets surface at the same time he did, 2 groups of Warriors and Immortals phased in beside him. As the Necrons of Karne began their approach on the cackling horde before them, a deep rushing whoosh sounded passed them, with a sound likened to that of wailing. The Shard of C'tan roared at the Tyranids, before the Necrons fell into formation. Inaru barely had chance to bark his first order before the Betrayer glowed a pale bronze. A barrage of light was expelled from his chest, tearing into a swarm of Tyranid monstrosities, leaving behind nothing but a mist of deep crimson blood 'Fire!!!!' hissed Inaru, 'Leave none standing!'.
Gauss fire echoed in the deadwood, tearing holes through trees and puncturing the chitin of the hoard before them, screams bellowed across the field as corpse fell upon corpse, a mass of bodies piled high. A deep bellowing rumbled across the wood, as tooth and claw emerged upon the pyre of bodies. The necrons called it Deathleaper, Vaalbara's folly.
The Annihilation barge hummed to life as cannons aimed towards the Deathleaper, it shimmered before Inaru's eyes, and cannon fire hit deadspace. Inaru swore that he saw the creature grin, then charge a nearby squad of Warriors in angered flurry I tore limb from limb, and bellowed in the face of another Warrior. The fallen Warriors eyes grew dark, as the Deathleaper roared in triumph. The roar cut short as the eyes burnt once more in a sapphire blue, limbs reassembled, and the Warriors stood once more, piling in on the creature beating at it with the butt of their rifles until it stood no more.
Gauss and tesla fire flew passed the Cryptek as he stood before the remaining hoard, defiant. Inaru looked to his staff and murmed a few short words in the dead language of the Necrontyr, light blasted from the end of his staff, delivering the final blow to a group of scythed Tyranids.
The echo of weaponry faded slowly, as the field dimmed down into a deathly silence. Inaru looked upon his quick triumph and tapped the communicator on his shoulder 'Djakor... the threat has been eliminated' his last word sounded rasped and dark. He took joy in the fact he could assemble such a deadly force to aptly dispose of these creatures. Static. He tapped the communicator once more, 'Djakor' he spoke. Static.
The ground shuck lightly, Inaru barely sensed it. It felt as though the ground was rippling, moving.
Tiny organisms appears from cracks and crevices, from the Gauss holes that pierced the trees, from the very surface on which he stood. Sharp toothed beings, smaller than hand holding the Staff of Light before him. They ripped and tore at the flesh of the fallen creatures, consuming bone, talon and weapon. They were disgusting things. A squad of Immortals opened fire, but hit nothing but dirt. Fast, merciless cannibals that ate their own dead. Within moments the red sea of creatures had devoured everything that fell.
The ground shook more noticeably, felling several trees. The shaking stopped momentarily, and then the ground erupted showering debris and tree roots upon the Necron Armada. A winged monster flew out from the hole it created, swooping, almost as though it knew precisely where the Necrons stood, it swooped towards the fleet, like a shadow, the attention of every Necron was drawn towards it, only Inaru saw the 2 living tanks emerge from the same hole in the ground, he knew not what they were but one name echoed in his mind. 'Carnifex'.
The winged Tyrant fired from guns that appeared to grow from it's arms, bullets that themselves had teeth, ripping into the nearest squad of Immortals, its eyes glowed as Psychic force emanated from it's chitinous crown, the Immortals returned fire, the annihilation barges Tesla cannon groaned as it turned to join in the volley. Necron firepower met the lance of psychic energy, as the blast erupted across the field, flooring the necron force, the Tyrant hit the ground hard, wings enveloping itself as the ground shook once more under the weight of the creature. As the Necron force stood to its feet, the 2 Carnifexes charged roaring with great force as the first smashed into a nearby squad of Tomb Blades. The first shattering into shards of living metal on impact, as crushing claws tore into the second. Boosts malfunctioned and slung the second tomb blade to it's death into the rocks beneath it. Tesla and Gauss fire plowed into the two creatures, removing them of their consiousness.
Inaru raised his Staff of Light once more and aimed it towards the unconscious flying creature. As light began to gather at it's tip, Djakor phased in beside the Cryptek, knocking the staff from his hand and sending the blast wildly into a nearby rock formation, disintegrating it on impact, 'What is the meaning of this treachery!?' screamed Inaru, turning himself face to face with the Overlord 'these creatures mean to unravel our glorious Dynasty!'
'unravel.... or remake?' enquirer Djakor, 'these very creatures, could birth a new saga of Necrontyr!', Djakor's eyes turned a darker shade of blue 'bind them, bring them to the ship' commanded Djakor 'these bodies wll soon be our own!'.
Inaru faltered, surely Djakor was descending to madness, these monsters were surely not the solution to escaping their cage of living metal.
'Gather the relays' Inaru spoke bitterly, 'let us escape this forsaken planet'.
As Inaru stepped toward the Necron warship, a small object caught his eye. It was spherical in shape and glittered in a dim, deep blue. As he moved towards it he heard whispers 'The Trinity awakens, they scratch...scratch at my mind', Inaru paused, this small object was all that remained of the Betrayer, exhausted from battle. He picked up the object and slid it between his breastplate. It hummed, faintly, barely noticable, the world seemed to shift for a moment, colour draining away from it, the sky turned black the cold Magha Sun seemed to burn out from existence. Standing in place, Inaru could feel the planet beneath him moving through space, a wave of motion sickness washed over him, quickly replaced by a feeling of dread, and 3 shadows appeared before him, the spoke without words, Inaru could almost taste what they said, a bitter taste, almost metallic drifted over him words in the language of the Tao entered his mind, and effortlessly shifted to Orkish, and the taste turned sour. He felt words wash over him when suddenly he heard a language he thought dead and lost, an ancient language of the Necrontyr, Karnor, the language of his once thriving dynasty. Within moments of the language shift the 3 silhouettes burst into colour, standing out before the deadwash of greys and blacks behind them. Tendrils waved slowly before their mangled and twisted bodies, sharp tones of red and yellow stood out from their carapaces, with large brains that pulsed exposed from their massive craniums. 'We are the Trinity, we speak for Hive Fleet Hades. Already the madness consumes Djakor. Cease your search for our bonescythes and this universe may yet not be converted. Ignore this warning, and all that you know will cease to exist'.
Reality hit Inaru like a solid wave of concrete, planting him hard against the ground. He looked up to the sky, and saw colour and light, the sphere in his breastplate felt hot enough to burn, but caused him no discomfort. He stood slowly, surveying his surroundings, but saw nothing. Nothing but silence and a sea of dead. He stepped back into the warship, and walked the dark corridors towards the bridge. Once there he strapped into the command seat. Cables and wires snaked their way towards him, entering access points in his armor, he felt a sharp, and familiar pain, before his consciousness moved into the brain of the ship, lifting effortlessly off the ground, and retreating into space.
Blackness.
Inaru felt himself jolt awake. This was something he had never experienced. He felt as though there was a shadow in his mind, eating away at his memories. He looked down at his chest, the cables and wires from the command console were gone. He looked around his surroundings, they seemed familiar but somehow odd, aged perhaps. He stood and walked to the bridge door, looking down the corridor he saw and heard nothing, not even the patter of scarabs, he listened harder and heard muttering, shallow whispers. He crossed the open walkway and entered into the mess, the muttering was louder but still unrecognisable, the mess looked empty except for a crouched figure in the corner of the room. As he approached the figure become more familiar, it was Djakor. 'Overlord?' spoke Inaru. No response came, just the continued low muttering, 'Overlord' Inaru faltered 'does something trouble you?',
'They were to be our salvation' Djakor whispered.
'The creatures?' enquired Inaru. He looked to Djakor and saw in his hand a vial, filled with a pale yellowish liquid, 'What do you hold, Overlord?'
'Our doom' replied the Overlord 'I didn't know, my hand was forced, I remember nothing of it'. Djakor reached down and lifted a dataplate from the floor, offering it blindly to Inaru. He tapped the plate and it glowed into life, the footage on the plate began to play and Inaru watched as Djakor stood in the centre of the frame, pointing to a group of Deathmarks and muttering soundlessly. He watched as Djakor pressed a command into a console before him, emptying the vials attached to the Deathmarks into their bodies. Djakor turned the side, speaking to something unseen. His eyes do not glow or emit any light. They were dead, as though he was in statis. In the background the Deathmarks convulsed and shuddered, arms and legs shaking uncontrollably, mouths open in soundless screams. Then they stopped, nothing, no one moved. Djakor was staring into empty space, and the Deathmarks lay lifelessly in the chamber. Slowly the Living Metal cages that surrounded them oozed away like liquid, exposing pallid flesh and bone beneath them. Their arms were resting motionless at their sides, but at the same time Inaru saw a second set of arms wrapped around their bodies. Impossible. The Necrontyr did not have these limbs... One of the Deathmarks convulsed and sprung to life, followed by the next, and the next. They swayed their way towards Djakor and stood before him. He barked something soundlessly and the creature ran out from sight.
Inaru looked to Djakor crouching in the corner, and said nothing, enquiring silently towards what he had just see. Djakor looked to Inaur and spoke 'They are called Genestealers' spoke Djakor 'and the Trinity want them back', Djakor was cut short by howling and piercing screams, Inaru ran from the mess and looked out through an observation window to what he thought should be open space. Instead he saw jungle, vines blocked half of his vision, but the ship looked consumed by flora. 'What happened djakor, tell me, where are we' The Cryptek demanded.
'They call it Metis' spoke Djakor
'Who calls it Metis?' asked Inaru,
'They do' muttered Djakor, pointing towards the jungle. Inaru looked out, and saw three figures, mangled bodies floating near an outcrop, staring directly at him. He recognised them from the vision he had. The howling commenced and Inaru saw the monsters of Hive Fleet Hades banging against the hull, 'We must meet them head on Djakor, they must not penetrate our defenses!', Inaru spoke as he looked toward the Overlord, but he didn't see Djakor alone. He was stood tall, defiant and Inaru remembered, surrounded by twisted creatures. Genestealers.
'And I have an army to greet them with' snared Djakor.
Inaru rushed out from the ship into the unbearable heat, to meet the galloping hoard of Tyranids that were chewing through everything in sight, emerging from behind the Cryptek rose 3 Canoptek Spiders glowing light blue and then discharging Particle Beams that torn straight through the bodies of the thousand of ripper swarms advancing on Inaru and his guard. The Lychguard ran down the loading ramp swinging their Warscythes at the approaching Tyranids, their blades peeled through the swarm like butter as then ran towards the looming Trinity. Screams, unhuman screams echoed from behind Inaru, and the Genestealers dived into a nearby group of Raveners and fought in enraged melee against them, claws grasping at talons, the fight ensued and moved into an abandoned building swamped in foliage and moss.
The Canoptek Spiders regurgitated swarms of Scarabs that rushed like water from a broken dam towards the Trinity that glowed to life, their viscous brains pulsing through their craniums, ''GET DOWN!'' yelled Inaru as a bolt of pure energy blasted passed him and into the hull of his ship, the metal of the ship melting away and running down the side of the hull like mercury. The Trinity glowed once more, ready to unleash another blast, but before they could the swarms of Scarabs engulfed them.
A wave of energy was felt across the morass, and the vail shattered to show the truth behind this landscape, it was barren, rock and debris, burning forests and rivers of lava. This is where the heat was coming from. The Scarabs moved on, the Trinity had disappeared before Inaru's eyes, they moved swiftly onto a group of Biovores, who paid little attention to them as they blasted spore after spore at the Necron army. A group of Flayed ones ran out alongside the Spiders to meet a towering monstrosity that stood just in front of the ship, a Carnifex. The Carnifex took one long sweep at the Flayed ones and they disappeared in a cloud of blood and viscal remains, the SPiders, undeterred hit the Carnifex dead on, and threw him backwards, Inaru and the Lychguard gathered themselves and charged out from the ship and into the barren wasteland.
Warscythes were swung with graceful ease, and Inaru aimed his staff towards the Tyranid hoard before him, they charged towards the ruins of a building where the sounds of fighting signalled that the Genestealers were still alive. Inaru had to protect this DNA, or the loss of lives of his men would have been all for nothing. The Carnifex in the meantime had landed with something akin to agility, amazing for such a bulky body, and slammed the blunt of his weapon into the head of one of the Spiders, it shutdown almost immediately. It grasped at the next Spider and bellowed an ear shattering roar into it's face before tearing it clean in two.
Inaru and the Lychguard ran with true bravery towards the Carnifex, as devourer fire screamed over the tops of their heads, Inaru paused, turning in the direction that the living ammunition had fired, eat fleshy bullet hit it's mark. The Genestealers fell lifelessly to the floor almost instantly. ''NOOOOOO!'' screamed Inaru, turning his staff at the Carnifex, blasting it with light. The creature did not seem to react to the beam of pure energy, and continued it's charge on Inaru and his guard, Djakor was right, these creatures truly were the right specimen for their new bodies, and Inaru could have realised this too late. Their first victory against these creatures came with such ease, it was as though the Tyranids had learnt so very quickly from their mistakes. How could word like that have travelled too this planet so quickly?
The Lychguard rose against the towering Carnifex and fought with honor, not backing down against it, the troop of 8 machines piled their Warscythes so hard into the Carnifex, that the crunch of chitin could be heard for miles, lifeless eyes of the Carnifex stared at Inaru as they fell to the ground, ''Take cover in the ruins!'' commanded Inaru, the Lychguard obeyed without question. Inaru watched as the swarm of red armor bodies poured towards them. This was it, the end of the Karne Dynasty for sure, Djakor had lost his mind, and Inaru, the only other commander was about to be devoured by a never ending hunger.
Light surrounded him, emanating from above, one moment they could smell the death on the breath of the Tyranids about to set teeth into their flesh, the next, they were aboard there ship, that was somehow aloft, whilst the engine made no noise.... Inaru turned immediately to the control room, and their, floating in an orb of pure energy, was Meri'sankh, the Betrayer.
It was time for a tactical retreat.
The Heretic slowly drifted out of the thin atmosphere of the planet Metis, The Shadow of the Betrayer floated in the middle of the Command Deck, an orb of glowing blue light that pulsed each time the ship corrected it's direction, Inaru started to speak, and then faltered, could he communicate with the Betrayer even? 'Meri'Sankh, where are you taking us?' Inaru rasped, his throat still sore for his booming commands in his previous encounter with the Tyranids on Metis,
'We move to the planet Pareti, I sense power there, in the form of 3 crystals, when the Trinity entered your mind, I heard of their power' his voice seemed to come from every direction, it was as though the orb was the host, but Meri'Sankh was not contained within, 'There is no need for your hesitation Inaru, I can be trusted'
Inaru considered this 'A long time ago, I heard that trust should never be given to those who ask for it's surrender'
'You should watch your tongue Inaru, you speak without respect, I could have left you to die in those trees, meat for the grinder' Inaru could feel the dark humour in the Betrayers voice,
'and you will forgive me if I struggle to give my trust to an entity that is dubbed the Betrayer' with this Inaru left the Command Room, no longer required to be strapped into the Command Chair, he took the opportunity to get the rest he needed.
Inaru walked the halls of the Heretic towards the Mess, he passed the point in the hull where the Trinity had melted the armor of the ship away, Scarabs covered it now, protecting the Necrons of Karne from the coldness of space, Inaru looked ahead of his towards the Mess... further in the darkness he saw movement, slow, and fluid. His eyes adjusted to the darkness. Surely his mind was playing tricks on him as he swore to himself that he saw a chitin covered tail pass across him somewhere into the darkness. The silence broke as alarms and sirens blared out, amber lights began to burn and flash in unison with the alarm ATTENTION, ATTENTION, FOREIGN SPECIMEN DETECTED. Inaru heard Gauss Blasters firing ahead of him, as the hallway flashed blue matching the sound of fire.
The Cryptek reach behind himself, and pull the Staff of Light from it's sheath, he pointed it ahead of him, and it began to glow and pulse with an intense light, the sounds of power and static hummed and hung on the air around him, he rushed towards the sound of fire, turned as soon as he got to the doorway and stood, dead, as he stare at the monstrosity ahead of him, how had this creature gotten on board?! Hunched, and curled over itself, guns fired hidden somewhere in front of it's mangled body. Djakor stood before the creature, eyes glowing red... Djakor roared at the creature, and it stood on it's hind legs, the creature stood no less than 10 meters above Djakor, and leathery wings unfolded from it's back, it roared in return. Djakors red eyes shimmered and returned to blue.
The ship suddenly buckled and turned a hard left plummeting downwards, if space even had a down. The gravity control surrendered and released for a moment, giving Djakor and Inaru enough time to escape the room and seal the doors,
'MERI'SANKH! LAND THIS SHIP!' scream Inaru, before he finished his command Inaru felt a familiar pull, the ship had broken through atmosphere. Djakor met Inaru and ran to the Command deck, sounds of metal scraping and loud banging echoed behind them as the creature tried to escape.
Inaru looked out through the observation window, the planet looked hot, more lava and rock, with occasional outcrops of trees and foliage, a strange combination. He could almost taste the sulphur that hung heavy on the air outside. 'You must leave now, and secure the Crystals, they will lead to the Bonescythes' echoed Meri'Sankh's voice.
Djakor pushed Inaru aside, Inaru reached for his weapon and Djakor stared him down. 'Word of your cowardice on Metis has travelled fast Cryptek, you will sit this one out and I will lead out Dynasty to victory here'. Djakor hit the door release, Warriors, Immortals and Deathmarks were already marching towards the loading ramp as Djakor took his first steps off into Pareti.
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Game 3
The Necrons have landed on Pareti, following their escape from Metis. They must secure some Mysterious Crystals hinted by Meri'Sankh to lead to the Bonescythes of Karne.
This will be a 750 point game using 3 objectives.
Necrons deploy 1st and set all the terrain pieces. After deployment of their army and the terrain they must then place 3 objective markers. Tyranids deploy second and take first turn, initiative cannot be seized. Game lasts 6 turns.
Winning conditions: If the Necrons hold 2 or 3 markers by their 6th game turn, they automatically win. If they only hold 1, then victory will depend on kill points.
Special rules:
A Swarm Unending. Everytime a Tyranid model dies, it goes into reserves rather than being removed as a casualty. At the beginning of the next Tyranid turn, they automatically enter the field but must deploy outside of the necron deployment zone, and behind the most forward tyranid model.
Storyline advancement will be posted in white until new content is added
Having had a quieter spell of gaming while my gaming buddy waited for the new necron codex, we decided to restart our campaign. I am a Tyranid player and he a necron player, so most of the campaign is based around Tyranids vs Necrons.
Due to the codex change, I will be giving the Necrons a few little buffs, free models etc... what he learns his new rules, so I do not expect to win too many games in the beginning!
So without further ado, ladies, and gentlemen of the Hive, I give to you, part of on the campaign: The Bonescythes of Karne - Vaalbara.
The shadow of the Heretic blotted out the purple sun in the centre of the Magha system, it's cold, grey steel shimmered in response to the change in temperature, an onlooker would first consider that the metal was, itself, alive. However, that same onlooker would not ponder on this for long. The Heretic was a Necron Warship.
Fortunate though for the wellbeing of the Magha System, no human life was reported here, massacre was unlikely. Untouched for millennia by the Imperium of Man, and used temporarily as a homebase for the Eldar, before the jungles of the 6 planets,Cephei, Voge-Vert, Pareti, Vaalbara, Metis and Hades consumed them all. But it was not jungles that drew this Necron warship into Magha, it was the fable of a Scythe of untold power. The Bonescythes of Karne, a twin blade grown deep within the forests of Hades. The Necrons of Karne knew it was their birthright to wield this weapon, and one optimistic Cryptek believed this right was his above all others.
On board the Heretic all was silent, but for the mechanical tapping of the occasional scarab as they went about restoring damage to the hull. The Heretic had seen much combat, but had never failed the Necrons of Karne in battle yet. The silence was almost deafening, but Inaru had grown accustomed to the silence. He almost reveled in it. It turned his mind to darker things, and the Bonescythes were always in the depth of these thoughts.
Inaru was strapped into the command seat of the Warship, his very thoughts and desires was what controlled the bulky war machine. This small necron cryptek had the fate of the entire fleet in his mind, as he navigated the ship between asteroid and debris with nothing but a mere thought. It was not the fleet however that concerned him, but rather the cargo. While the fleet slept by choice, the cargo slept by force.
The cargo was Meri'sarkh, Shard of the Betrayer.
Lights and sound brought Inaru's thoughts back to the surface as he moved his gaze to the alarm panel. The Warship was leaking fuel, perhaps the previous encounter had been more than anticipated at first, the harvested biomatter was leaking into the cold depth of space. No scarab would make it out to the fuel relays soon enough to repair the damage. The Relays needed to be replaced entirely if the mission to locate the Bonescythes was to continue.
Inaru called to the lead ship to release half of their fuel relays out of their cargo door, he would have to retrieve them from the planet surface of Vaalbara.
As the fuel relays burst through the atmosphere of Vaalbara, the mighty warship broke the clouds bringing about a second night-time for the landmass below. Djakor burst into the control room where Inaru was seated,
'Fool of a Cryptek, how do you dare bring down MY warship on this unfettered Planet!? I did not command this!', Inaru did not even glance at the Overlord, but his cold, dead gaze was felt.
The Heretic touched down on the planet, half a click away from a dense forest.
'Run the scanners' Djakor demanded. Inaru had already began this process, undermiming the authority of the Overlord.
'multiple forms detected.....Overlord' the title slurred from Inaru, more like an insult than that demanded of a Necron of Djakor's stature.
'Well then, what is it, Cryptek?' Djakor demanded.
'I.....I don't know. Local fauna perhaps' Inaru enquired,
'Hmmm, looks like more fuel for the ship Inaru, awaken 1st regiment, let us collect the fuel relays and harvest ourselves some new fuel'
As cables and connectors slivered away from Inaru, releasing him from the captivity of the command seat, a deafening roar was heard from outside the ship, it vibrated through the corridors and chambers replicating the sound like 100,000 warriors screaming. Djakor stopped suddenly, Inaru listened intently.
'Looks like our fuel is coming to us, Overlord' Inaru jested
The next sound however dug fear out from the darkest places in both the Cryptek's and the Overlord's hearts (or lack thereof) a scream from the holding chamber, a scream of only two words.
'NOOOOOO!................WAAAAARP!'
The Betrayer had awakened.
Overlord Djakor commanded his fleet to advance on the Fuel Relays, regardless of the Tyranid threat looming ahead. Over confidence was his weak point, however, it has proven to his force's reason for a great many victory against the Imperium. He turned to Cryptek Inaru, 'You shall lead this assault, bring me victory Cryptek', he spoke with a cold voice, riddled will malcontent. Inaru knew that Djakor wanted to test these Tyranids, unsure of their strengths or weaknesses, yet he was willing to potentially send Inaru to his doom.
Inaru stopped momentarily, considering the Overlords approach, with indifference in his rasped voice he spoke 'As you command, Overlord'. Inaru stepped forward, 'Warriors, Immortals, ready your arms!' Inaru's voice was almost shaky, but this was not with fear, it was with anticipation. He was eager.
Inaru stepped towards the loading platform, he hesitated a moment, then hit a large, flat button as he began his descent to the planet beneath the ship, cogs turned and red alert lights flashed, the annihilation barge he activated reached the planets surface at the same time he did, 2 groups of Warriors and Immortals phased in beside him. As the Necrons of Karne began their approach on the cackling horde before them, a deep rushing whoosh sounded passed them, with a sound likened to that of wailing. The Shard of C'tan roared at the Tyranids, before the Necrons fell into formation. Inaru barely had chance to bark his first order before the Betrayer glowed a pale bronze. A barrage of light was expelled from his chest, tearing into a swarm of Tyranid monstrosities, leaving behind nothing but a mist of deep crimson blood 'Fire!!!!' hissed Inaru, 'Leave none standing!'.
Gauss fire echoed in the deadwood, tearing holes through trees and puncturing the chitin of the hoard before them, screams bellowed across the field as corpse fell upon corpse, a mass of bodies piled high. A deep bellowing rumbled across the wood, as tooth and claw emerged upon the pyre of bodies. The necrons called it Deathleaper, Vaalbara's folly.
The Annihilation barge hummed to life as cannons aimed towards the Deathleaper, it shimmered before Inaru's eyes, and cannon fire hit deadspace. Inaru swore that he saw the creature grin, then charge a nearby squad of Warriors in angered flurry I tore limb from limb, and bellowed in the face of another Warrior. The fallen Warriors eyes grew dark, as the Deathleaper roared in triumph. The roar cut short as the eyes burnt once more in a sapphire blue, limbs reassembled, and the Warriors stood once more, piling in on the creature beating at it with the butt of their rifles until it stood no more.
Gauss and tesla fire flew passed the Cryptek as he stood before the remaining hoard, defiant. Inaru looked to his staff and murmed a few short words in the dead language of the Necrontyr, light blasted from the end of his staff, delivering the final blow to a group of scythed Tyranids.
The echo of weaponry faded slowly, as the field dimmed down into a deathly silence. Inaru looked upon his quick triumph and tapped the communicator on his shoulder 'Djakor... the threat has been eliminated' his last word sounded rasped and dark. He took joy in the fact he could assemble such a deadly force to aptly dispose of these creatures. Static. He tapped the communicator once more, 'Djakor' he spoke. Static.
The ground shuck lightly, Inaru barely sensed it. It felt as though the ground was rippling, moving.
Tiny organisms appears from cracks and crevices, from the Gauss holes that pierced the trees, from the very surface on which he stood. Sharp toothed beings, smaller than hand holding the Staff of Light before him. They ripped and tore at the flesh of the fallen creatures, consuming bone, talon and weapon. They were disgusting things. A squad of Immortals opened fire, but hit nothing but dirt. Fast, merciless cannibals that ate their own dead. Within moments the red sea of creatures had devoured everything that fell.
The ground shook more noticeably, felling several trees. The shaking stopped momentarily, and then the ground erupted showering debris and tree roots upon the Necron Armada. A winged monster flew out from the hole it created, swooping, almost as though it knew precisely where the Necrons stood, it swooped towards the fleet, like a shadow, the attention of every Necron was drawn towards it, only Inaru saw the 2 living tanks emerge from the same hole in the ground, he knew not what they were but one name echoed in his mind. 'Carnifex'.
The winged Tyrant fired from guns that appeared to grow from it's arms, bullets that themselves had teeth, ripping into the nearest squad of Immortals, its eyes glowed as Psychic force emanated from it's chitinous crown, the Immortals returned fire, the annihilation barges Tesla cannon groaned as it turned to join in the volley. Necron firepower met the lance of psychic energy, as the blast erupted across the field, flooring the necron force, the Tyrant hit the ground hard, wings enveloping itself as the ground shook once more under the weight of the creature. As the Necron force stood to its feet, the 2 Carnifexes charged roaring with great force as the first smashed into a nearby squad of Tomb Blades. The first shattering into shards of living metal on impact, as crushing claws tore into the second. Boosts malfunctioned and slung the second tomb blade to it's death into the rocks beneath it. Tesla and Gauss fire plowed into the two creatures, removing them of their consiousness.
Inaru raised his Staff of Light once more and aimed it towards the unconscious flying creature. As light began to gather at it's tip, Djakor phased in beside the Cryptek, knocking the staff from his hand and sending the blast wildly into a nearby rock formation, disintegrating it on impact, 'What is the meaning of this treachery!?' screamed Inaru, turning himself face to face with the Overlord 'these creatures mean to unravel our glorious Dynasty!'
'unravel.... or remake?' enquirer Djakor, 'these very creatures, could birth a new saga of Necrontyr!', Djakor's eyes turned a darker shade of blue 'bind them, bring them to the ship' commanded Djakor 'these bodies wll soon be our own!'.
Inaru faltered, surely Djakor was descending to madness, these monsters were surely not the solution to escaping their cage of living metal.
'Gather the relays' Inaru spoke bitterly, 'let us escape this forsaken planet'.
As Inaru stepped toward the Necron warship, a small object caught his eye. It was spherical in shape and glittered in a dim, deep blue. As he moved towards it he heard whispers 'The Trinity awakens, they scratch...scratch at my mind', Inaru paused, this small object was all that remained of the Betrayer, exhausted from battle. He picked up the object and slid it between his breastplate. It hummed, faintly, barely noticable, the world seemed to shift for a moment, colour draining away from it, the sky turned black the cold Magha Sun seemed to burn out from existence. Standing in place, Inaru could feel the planet beneath him moving through space, a wave of motion sickness washed over him, quickly replaced by a feeling of dread, and 3 shadows appeared before him, the spoke without words, Inaru could almost taste what they said, a bitter taste, almost metallic drifted over him words in the language of the Tao entered his mind, and effortlessly shifted to Orkish, and the taste turned sour. He felt words wash over him when suddenly he heard a language he thought dead and lost, an ancient language of the Necrontyr, Karnor, the language of his once thriving dynasty. Within moments of the language shift the 3 silhouettes burst into colour, standing out before the deadwash of greys and blacks behind them. Tendrils waved slowly before their mangled and twisted bodies, sharp tones of red and yellow stood out from their carapaces, with large brains that pulsed exposed from their massive craniums. 'We are the Trinity, we speak for Hive Fleet Hades. Already the madness consumes Djakor. Cease your search for our bonescythes and this universe may yet not be converted. Ignore this warning, and all that you know will cease to exist'.
Reality hit Inaru like a solid wave of concrete, planting him hard against the ground. He looked up to the sky, and saw colour and light, the sphere in his breastplate felt hot enough to burn, but caused him no discomfort. He stood slowly, surveying his surroundings, but saw nothing. Nothing but silence and a sea of dead. He stepped back into the warship, and walked the dark corridors towards the bridge. Once there he strapped into the command seat. Cables and wires snaked their way towards him, entering access points in his armor, he felt a sharp, and familiar pain, before his consciousness moved into the brain of the ship, lifting effortlessly off the ground, and retreating into space.
Blackness.
Inaru felt himself jolt awake. This was something he had never experienced. He felt as though there was a shadow in his mind, eating away at his memories. He looked down at his chest, the cables and wires from the command console were gone. He looked around his surroundings, they seemed familiar but somehow odd, aged perhaps. He stood and walked to the bridge door, looking down the corridor he saw and heard nothing, not even the patter of scarabs, he listened harder and heard muttering, shallow whispers. He crossed the open walkway and entered into the mess, the muttering was louder but still unrecognisable, the mess looked empty except for a crouched figure in the corner of the room. As he approached the figure become more familiar, it was Djakor. 'Overlord?' spoke Inaru. No response came, just the continued low muttering, 'Overlord' Inaru faltered 'does something trouble you?',
'They were to be our salvation' Djakor whispered.
'The creatures?' enquired Inaru. He looked to Djakor and saw in his hand a vial, filled with a pale yellowish liquid, 'What do you hold, Overlord?'
'Our doom' replied the Overlord 'I didn't know, my hand was forced, I remember nothing of it'. Djakor reached down and lifted a dataplate from the floor, offering it blindly to Inaru. He tapped the plate and it glowed into life, the footage on the plate began to play and Inaru watched as Djakor stood in the centre of the frame, pointing to a group of Deathmarks and muttering soundlessly. He watched as Djakor pressed a command into a console before him, emptying the vials attached to the Deathmarks into their bodies. Djakor turned the side, speaking to something unseen. His eyes do not glow or emit any light. They were dead, as though he was in statis. In the background the Deathmarks convulsed and shuddered, arms and legs shaking uncontrollably, mouths open in soundless screams. Then they stopped, nothing, no one moved. Djakor was staring into empty space, and the Deathmarks lay lifelessly in the chamber. Slowly the Living Metal cages that surrounded them oozed away like liquid, exposing pallid flesh and bone beneath them. Their arms were resting motionless at their sides, but at the same time Inaru saw a second set of arms wrapped around their bodies. Impossible. The Necrontyr did not have these limbs... One of the Deathmarks convulsed and sprung to life, followed by the next, and the next. They swayed their way towards Djakor and stood before him. He barked something soundlessly and the creature ran out from sight.
Inaru looked to Djakor crouching in the corner, and said nothing, enquiring silently towards what he had just see. Djakor looked to Inaur and spoke 'They are called Genestealers' spoke Djakor 'and the Trinity want them back', Djakor was cut short by howling and piercing screams, Inaru ran from the mess and looked out through an observation window to what he thought should be open space. Instead he saw jungle, vines blocked half of his vision, but the ship looked consumed by flora. 'What happened djakor, tell me, where are we' The Cryptek demanded.
'They call it Metis' spoke Djakor
'Who calls it Metis?' asked Inaru,
'They do' muttered Djakor, pointing towards the jungle. Inaru looked out, and saw three figures, mangled bodies floating near an outcrop, staring directly at him. He recognised them from the vision he had. The howling commenced and Inaru saw the monsters of Hive Fleet Hades banging against the hull, 'We must meet them head on Djakor, they must not penetrate our defenses!', Inaru spoke as he looked toward the Overlord, but he didn't see Djakor alone. He was stood tall, defiant and Inaru remembered, surrounded by twisted creatures. Genestealers.
'And I have an army to greet them with' snared Djakor.
Inaru rushed out from the ship into the unbearable heat, to meet the galloping hoard of Tyranids that were chewing through everything in sight, emerging from behind the Cryptek rose 3 Canoptek Spiders glowing light blue and then discharging Particle Beams that torn straight through the bodies of the thousand of ripper swarms advancing on Inaru and his guard. The Lychguard ran down the loading ramp swinging their Warscythes at the approaching Tyranids, their blades peeled through the swarm like butter as then ran towards the looming Trinity. Screams, unhuman screams echoed from behind Inaru, and the Genestealers dived into a nearby group of Raveners and fought in enraged melee against them, claws grasping at talons, the fight ensued and moved into an abandoned building swamped in foliage and moss.
The Canoptek Spiders regurgitated swarms of Scarabs that rushed like water from a broken dam towards the Trinity that glowed to life, their viscous brains pulsing through their craniums, ''GET DOWN!'' yelled Inaru as a bolt of pure energy blasted passed him and into the hull of his ship, the metal of the ship melting away and running down the side of the hull like mercury. The Trinity glowed once more, ready to unleash another blast, but before they could the swarms of Scarabs engulfed them.
A wave of energy was felt across the morass, and the vail shattered to show the truth behind this landscape, it was barren, rock and debris, burning forests and rivers of lava. This is where the heat was coming from. The Scarabs moved on, the Trinity had disappeared before Inaru's eyes, they moved swiftly onto a group of Biovores, who paid little attention to them as they blasted spore after spore at the Necron army. A group of Flayed ones ran out alongside the Spiders to meet a towering monstrosity that stood just in front of the ship, a Carnifex. The Carnifex took one long sweep at the Flayed ones and they disappeared in a cloud of blood and viscal remains, the SPiders, undeterred hit the Carnifex dead on, and threw him backwards, Inaru and the Lychguard gathered themselves and charged out from the ship and into the barren wasteland.
Warscythes were swung with graceful ease, and Inaru aimed his staff towards the Tyranid hoard before him, they charged towards the ruins of a building where the sounds of fighting signalled that the Genestealers were still alive. Inaru had to protect this DNA, or the loss of lives of his men would have been all for nothing. The Carnifex in the meantime had landed with something akin to agility, amazing for such a bulky body, and slammed the blunt of his weapon into the head of one of the Spiders, it shutdown almost immediately. It grasped at the next Spider and bellowed an ear shattering roar into it's face before tearing it clean in two.
Inaru and the Lychguard ran with true bravery towards the Carnifex, as devourer fire screamed over the tops of their heads, Inaru paused, turning in the direction that the living ammunition had fired, eat fleshy bullet hit it's mark. The Genestealers fell lifelessly to the floor almost instantly. ''NOOOOOO!'' screamed Inaru, turning his staff at the Carnifex, blasting it with light. The creature did not seem to react to the beam of pure energy, and continued it's charge on Inaru and his guard, Djakor was right, these creatures truly were the right specimen for their new bodies, and Inaru could have realised this too late. Their first victory against these creatures came with such ease, it was as though the Tyranids had learnt so very quickly from their mistakes. How could word like that have travelled too this planet so quickly?
The Lychguard rose against the towering Carnifex and fought with honor, not backing down against it, the troop of 8 machines piled their Warscythes so hard into the Carnifex, that the crunch of chitin could be heard for miles, lifeless eyes of the Carnifex stared at Inaru as they fell to the ground, ''Take cover in the ruins!'' commanded Inaru, the Lychguard obeyed without question. Inaru watched as the swarm of red armor bodies poured towards them. This was it, the end of the Karne Dynasty for sure, Djakor had lost his mind, and Inaru, the only other commander was about to be devoured by a never ending hunger.
Light surrounded him, emanating from above, one moment they could smell the death on the breath of the Tyranids about to set teeth into their flesh, the next, they were aboard there ship, that was somehow aloft, whilst the engine made no noise.... Inaru turned immediately to the control room, and their, floating in an orb of pure energy, was Meri'sankh, the Betrayer.
It was time for a tactical retreat.
The Heretic slowly drifted out of the thin atmosphere of the planet Metis, The Shadow of the Betrayer floated in the middle of the Command Deck, an orb of glowing blue light that pulsed each time the ship corrected it's direction, Inaru started to speak, and then faltered, could he communicate with the Betrayer even? 'Meri'Sankh, where are you taking us?' Inaru rasped, his throat still sore for his booming commands in his previous encounter with the Tyranids on Metis,
'We move to the planet Pareti, I sense power there, in the form of 3 crystals, when the Trinity entered your mind, I heard of their power' his voice seemed to come from every direction, it was as though the orb was the host, but Meri'Sankh was not contained within, 'There is no need for your hesitation Inaru, I can be trusted'
Inaru considered this 'A long time ago, I heard that trust should never be given to those who ask for it's surrender'
'You should watch your tongue Inaru, you speak without respect, I could have left you to die in those trees, meat for the grinder' Inaru could feel the dark humour in the Betrayers voice,
'and you will forgive me if I struggle to give my trust to an entity that is dubbed the Betrayer' with this Inaru left the Command Room, no longer required to be strapped into the Command Chair, he took the opportunity to get the rest he needed.
Inaru walked the halls of the Heretic towards the Mess, he passed the point in the hull where the Trinity had melted the armor of the ship away, Scarabs covered it now, protecting the Necrons of Karne from the coldness of space, Inaru looked ahead of his towards the Mess... further in the darkness he saw movement, slow, and fluid. His eyes adjusted to the darkness. Surely his mind was playing tricks on him as he swore to himself that he saw a chitin covered tail pass across him somewhere into the darkness. The silence broke as alarms and sirens blared out, amber lights began to burn and flash in unison with the alarm ATTENTION, ATTENTION, FOREIGN SPECIMEN DETECTED. Inaru heard Gauss Blasters firing ahead of him, as the hallway flashed blue matching the sound of fire.
The Cryptek reach behind himself, and pull the Staff of Light from it's sheath, he pointed it ahead of him, and it began to glow and pulse with an intense light, the sounds of power and static hummed and hung on the air around him, he rushed towards the sound of fire, turned as soon as he got to the doorway and stood, dead, as he stare at the monstrosity ahead of him, how had this creature gotten on board?! Hunched, and curled over itself, guns fired hidden somewhere in front of it's mangled body. Djakor stood before the creature, eyes glowing red... Djakor roared at the creature, and it stood on it's hind legs, the creature stood no less than 10 meters above Djakor, and leathery wings unfolded from it's back, it roared in return. Djakors red eyes shimmered and returned to blue.
The ship suddenly buckled and turned a hard left plummeting downwards, if space even had a down. The gravity control surrendered and released for a moment, giving Djakor and Inaru enough time to escape the room and seal the doors,
'MERI'SANKH! LAND THIS SHIP!' scream Inaru, before he finished his command Inaru felt a familiar pull, the ship had broken through atmosphere. Djakor met Inaru and ran to the Command deck, sounds of metal scraping and loud banging echoed behind them as the creature tried to escape.
Inaru looked out through the observation window, the planet looked hot, more lava and rock, with occasional outcrops of trees and foliage, a strange combination. He could almost taste the sulphur that hung heavy on the air outside. 'You must leave now, and secure the Crystals, they will lead to the Bonescythes' echoed Meri'Sankh's voice.
Djakor pushed Inaru aside, Inaru reached for his weapon and Djakor stared him down. 'Word of your cowardice on Metis has travelled fast Cryptek, you will sit this one out and I will lead out Dynasty to victory here'. Djakor hit the door release, Warriors, Immortals and Deathmarks were already marching towards the loading ramp as Djakor took his first steps off into Pareti.
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Game 3
The Necrons have landed on Pareti, following their escape from Metis. They must secure some Mysterious Crystals hinted by Meri'Sankh to lead to the Bonescythes of Karne.
This will be a 750 point game using 3 objectives.
Necrons deploy 1st and set all the terrain pieces. After deployment of their army and the terrain they must then place 3 objective markers. Tyranids deploy second and take first turn, initiative cannot be seized. Game lasts 6 turns.
Winning conditions: If the Necrons hold 2 or 3 markers by their 6th game turn, they automatically win. If they only hold 1, then victory will depend on kill points.
Special rules:
A Swarm Unending. Everytime a Tyranid model dies, it goes into reserves rather than being removed as a casualty. At the beginning of the next Tyranid turn, they automatically enter the field but must deploy outside of the necron deployment zone, and behind the most forward tyranid model.
). I have a few twists and turns in mind for where the story can go, and so long as at least one person keeps reading and enjoys this, I will happily keep going.