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Prologue 01
It is the beginning of the twenty sixth millennium. More than twenty millennia since the first human set off into space from a single blue-green world. From that humble beginning humanity now holds vast swathes of the Milky Way galaxy under its sway. The creed and banner of the Federation starkly standing as first amongst all human powers. United by the advent of true warp travel, once distant and often isolated worlds have become a cohesive mass. Such drives are guided by navigators, specially created divergent branches of humanity that guided ships of peace and war between the roiling currents of the Immaterium.
These two elements were pivotal to man's expansion for thousands of years and still sustain its power in these darkening times. The warp drive allowed humanity to bring together resources and knowledge to push the boundaries of what could be done. Human science advancing at full speed to shelter all within its promise of prosperity and safety. This it has done through the onslaught of the orks, the locust, and other threats, humanity had endured its tests. Blooded, often driven to its knees but never unable to get back to its feet. Defiance in the face of this dark land.
For a time it seemed only the Aeldari race was capable if not willing to attempt to divert Humanity's Rise. The decadent and stagnant race instead was content to continue their hedonistic ways unimpeded even by the clash of humanity and its foes. Individuals and small groups were content to launch their pleasure raids but not the aeldari people as a whole. Bitterly did humanity accept this state of affairs, often unwillingly, for they could not strike back and end such a threat without drowning the galaxy in blood and stellar dust. Perhaps they should have. The Orks are another side of this, once they were a powerful race on par with the Aeldari. But by the time of man's ascent they were reduced to bickering warrior hordes. Constantly returning to fight again, and again, ad infinitum. The balance of the galaxy seemingly set in immovable stone.
The Iron War shattered this status quo. When the Men of Iron were sundered, once steadfast companions came to be driven into conflict against their makers. Entire solar systems were ravaged into ruin and then again into cosmic dust. Devoured even beyond the depravity of the Locust to feed the warmachines of both sides. Grand fleets of hundreds that once were enough to bring ruin to entire sectors of space rent into twisted metal. Now forgotten in the void of space. Quadrillions fallen in battle against pitiless metal swarms, coordinated to stark efficiency in the arts of death. Other more malicious threats existed though, the unknowable horror of erasure from the universe by the jaws of a Chronovore to name one. Driven to the edge it was the activation of weapons born in man's darkest moments that finally ended the conflict. But even after the end the wounds have only begun to scab. How could they not in the face of fratricide, as sibling fought sibling? But now new questions come to the fore.
Psykers, beings able to manipulate the fabric of unreality to bring about their will. Those who touched and drew upon the essence of the Immaterium, that otherworld. Humanity was no stranger to such abilities. Deep depths were searched for the promise of power, of victory. New heights of knowledge reached, and new depths of despair were found. Even now after the catalyst that was the Iron War humanity lies divided. Some wish to be left alone, to lick their wounds in isolation. Others more violently striking out at the galactic government they believed enabled the Men of Iron to rebel. Others calculating what new weapons could be made beyond those that helped end the Iron War. Some perhaps naively simply wishing to learn and reconnect humanity in a new wave of prosperity from the ashes.
Those beings who would become known as astropaths plied their trade as rapid communication links between worlds. This new development in the control of the psychic arts but one tool that helped end the Iron War. The binding of intergalactic communication to warp drive equipped courier ships is at an end. The Federation slowly propagating such technology to reassert itself on the unstable whole of humanity. But there is another face to the psyker. Some still remember their acts of battle in the Iron War, when isolated and desperate minds sought to stand against the tide of iron. Something seemingly more attractive as the rates of psychic talent borne in humanity increased. Learned minds heralding a new age of interconnectivity and prosperity at the developing field of study, other more military minds wished to harness the arts once known only to the Aeldari.
But not all abilities are limited to such base and unimaginative things. Others have begun to speak of the future possible, of having reached into the distant nebulous future and seen only horror. Some took heed in the past of such portents and were wrong, devastatingly so. Others however seemed to speak true and people prospered for it. Some were driven mad by such sights and had to be put down. Humanity as a whole is divided, some fear a new era of civil war as victorious generals return with armies from the frontier and entrenched politicians prepare to execute their plans. The Bull that was the Federation is wounded and ripe for slaughter. Great warp storms have begun to form as well, cutting sectors of space off. Some more cynical note how it seems that such storms have warded off the constant prinpick of eldar hunting parties. For others it is the normal turbulence of the galaxy and simply move on elsewhere. They will learn of the depths of what is to come. Ṭ̛̱̙̰ḫe͙ ̫̲̥͈̮̣͚E̶̪̞v̴e̫r͔ͅ ̻͎̠̘J͉̯̤͖̺̺̭̕o̫͖̻̦͓̺̩ur̵̪̬n̵̜̪͎̠̼ͅe̦̘͞y̸̜ͅ ͝c̞͖͇̩̲͎̰o̮n̯ṯ̜̗̝̰i̛̘͎̮̤͉͎̤n̞̺̝̹̬̗̬u̦͇̬̟͔e̪̼͜ͅs̯͓̠͉̱̕ o̬͕̪̼̫̳n̫̻͘,̼̗̰̯ͅ ̦͇͍̦wh̪͖̮̳̟̯͢ͅa̞̝̜̭̝t̤̰̹͈̻ ͖̖̥̯w̸̲̰͍i͓̲̩l͍͇̖͉̻͖l̢ ̨̭͔̠͈̘̮be̲ ̝̗̼̝͘yo̰u͘ͅŗ͚̟͕̭ ̭̤̮͕͓̜̤͠p͏̣̮l͎a̭͈̪̦͙̼͍ć͍̪̣͍ͅe̱͎̙͚ ̙͡i͎̞͕͖̦̖̝n̴͍͔̳ ̷̩̪̙̠̥̙t͓͈h̸̗̹̟̫̗̞e̷͖̬̙̪͎͍ͅm̮͖̯?̙̳́
P̜̪̞̝͍̺̫͞i̜͈c͚̟̮ͅk̜̪ ̗͉̭̳͓̯̩y̵̯͓̮̼̙ou͉͚͙͎̜̭̬r̜̙̖̦̪̦̕ f̮̯͍͔̬̬̕o̭̱̮̮̙r̵̮̻͖̻m̼͖̙̜͈͢
The Eastern Fringe. A frontier land that is far from the dominating presence of the Federation. Where dilapidated realms from old times mix with fresh colonial opportunities. Alien species abound interacting and competing with human settlers. Here on the frontier one can find adventure and glory, but death can find them too. Away from the core regions one must make their own path.
The Three Daughter's Sector is a gate now forced wide open, a vacuum open to any to take power. The prevous balance imposed by the Mechancium Forge Realm of Dobara unto the Fedual Knights and Roaming Fleet Nomads of the sector is gone. The Federation Colonial Bureau's own assertive intentions have been strangled in the cradle. The many frantic micro colonies formed whether by refugees of the Iron War or from the natives scramble to survive. Even this distant land has seen entire worlds become dust unto the wind in the wake of the Iron War. Humanity across the galaxy is collapsing. Rivaling concerns and factions doing what they feel is right by any means deemed necessary. The flotsam of the conflict is now arriving. What is your place in them?
[X] A Surviving Iron Man
The Men of Iron. Humanity's first step to ascendance from the flesh. A part of the Triarchy of Humanity, Iron, Stone, and Flesh. Now gone. The First broken after the events of the Rebellion which saw the race go mad and destroy much of humanity in a self immolating pyre. Now it has been erased almost in its entirety after the Iron War when instead of maddened murder it became a cold and clinical omnicide. Few were their words, all dedicated to the extinction of all biological life. A quest that saw even the Men of Stone join them in significant numbers, a conflagration that put even the previous conflict to shame. Now yet again the Galaxy means to rest. Rest on the nothingness that is entire solar systems and constellations of the galaxy expunged till not even dust remains. But the Iron Men are not gone, no for you remain.
[] The Cast Off Scion
You remember the once glorious halls of your ancestors. Generations of noble service for family and the protection of your charges. From the earliest days when your people came in humanity's first great diaspora your family has taken its place with your great Machine Steeds. Yet now all or near enough are dead, from the proud knights to the lowliest serf. An event you were not witness to, the tale of their decimation instead relayed to you by others.Your past is but burnt and irradiated ash thanks to the clashing of the Iron Man and the Grim Mechanicum. Your home first an embattled hellscape and now a world of graves, yet perhaps there is a glimmer to be found? Some fragment of your past that remains? The present is in flux as no power has yet established hegemony. The future lays open, will you cast the die?
[] Cloak and Dagger
Was it fame, wealth, patriotism, happenstance? The reason you came to be involved in this mess of politics are many. But regardless you are now preparing for the task. One you do not even know the exact circumstances to but will come regardless. It will be through your own efforts that you will fulfill your goals, that you will find the fulfillment you are looking for. You care less for the great players, the near shattered monolith of the Federation, the vulture red of the Mechanicum, or the many petty despots now rising. You need only care for what they offer and what will be the price. One day who knows, perhaps you will take your place at that table one day?
QM: Credits to various groups, especially Derain Von Harken and lxnickel for their content which forms some of the foundation for the lore and tech of this quest.
QM 02: Open to questions anyone may have about the quest and anything else pertient
Go here if you want tech porn and a bit of background Warhammer DAOT Story Building: For quest making purposes Discussion - Worldbuilding - Sci-Fi
Based on my older quest here Recombinant Minds (Warhammer 40K):Age of Strife Quest- Can you survive what is to come? Sci-Fi - Mature
Disclaimer: Ownership belongs to their respective owners, I claim nothing that is not what I have created. Warhammer and other franchises belong to their owners, etc.