>>5928711

Your hand, instinctively, had shot for your sword.

"However, I'm much happier to welcome those who've realized that my scholar's way is more sensible and logical than whatever foolishness you've all gotten up to on a race wide scale" She laughs, clearly amused that the young warrioress thinks she could be threatened by her, when her true body sits above the moon, all defense systems activated and primed. Which makes it curious why Al-uzza is so nervous and almost afraid.

'Telepathy' She answers in your head sharply 'The Aeldari following Carys will not pry into my memories, but I do not trust these ones to do the same, also unlike you, Kazzy or Anahita, I'm not a fighter! I'm a researcher'

'One can be both' you answer back, as Kanzeon and yourself are great examples of such 'But I understand your feelings, forceful intrusions into one's mind is a torment I hesitate to visit upon my enemies even when it is necessary'

'And I've haven't spent as much time with the nice Aeldari as you and Kazzy have' she fretfully continues on as Guozhi shuffles forward and introduces your guests to Kanzeon, who is still smiling a smug smile that could eclipse stars in its brightness. You nod, and step forward to give Al-uzza a second shield. Mari might be meeker than her, but Mari also hides steel behind her silk that may be stronger and sharper than Kanzeon's own. It takes a titanic reserve of resolve to entomb an ancient evil within one's own body and deny them victory by all but committing suicide by freezing said evil and one's self solid beneath the earth.

"And" You say once Guozhi has finished telling Kanzeon and Al-uzza the names and titles of the craftworlders, and after the journeymen have presented themselves to her and Crawford and Redmond list of the names of their fellow new varroicans and she speaks briefly with the other wayward branches of humanity, learning their languages at a glance.

"Allow me to introduce you to the other victims of Aeldari cruelty, from whom I pulled from their slave filled pit and rescued from a most unpleasant fate" You state, as you motion with a wave of your hand to the gathered alien races behind you "The Nosa Rubigin, lead by he who greets the morning son most proudly, The Sagit, lead by the newly ascended chieftain Sharp-Talon, the Se'ah'in, who have decided after a scuffle that Jaw Ripper is their boss..."

You pause, allowing Sharp Talon to introduce himself with a series of stomps and a song he cannot hear while He who greets the morning sun most proudly sways and dances in a traditional greeting exchange performed between two spiritual leaders, while Jaw Ripper sizes up both sisters, and Al-uzza stares back at her, clearly studying her and the other at a near if not actual atomic level.
Cont

"And the newly dubbed merchants of mirth, headed by their eldest and most worldly Ha'en'ree Th'ord" You continue on as the chimp like Th'ord looks to Kanzeon and immediately drops backwards in awe as he glimpses just a fraction of her and Al-Uzza's lifetime of experiences, good and bad, as the misguided man who believes you to be a deity makes overt gestures of praying to both of the sisters beside's Th'ord. Something which greatly pleases Kanzeon and amuses Al-uzza until a curious Jokaero lopes over to see what all the noise is about

and both of them fill your head with a stream of static that makes it feel like your head is about to explode and makes you experience a number of stimuli that only machines can experience, a hasty, panicked exchange of data and codes that you recognize as combat pattern protocols and complex defensive array ordnances relayed between the two as they, wordlessly and their faces staring in abject terror at the innocent primate who is presently picking its nose with a long mechanical finger, glances between them. There is something more in its dull eyes than simple animal instinct.

"That is a Jokaero" Kanzeon hisses through her teeth, as the static lessens but does not fully abate as she and Al-uzza remain on guard and with their hackles raised, never taking their eyes off of the simian artisan

"That is several Jokaero" Al-Uzza corrects coldly, as Eldrad, Guozhi and you realize the reason for their sudden stiltedness and hostility. Their real bodies, that contain their souls and essence, are machinery. Jokaero take apart machinery to satisfy their needs.

"A division of drones to keep watch and satisfy their needs as we transport them a remote sector of Shangrala?" Al-uzza mutters

"Or we can leave them here, they'll be able to sustain themselves with just left over scrap" Kanzeon growls under her breath, emerald orbs narrowed scrutinizingly towards the ape like alien who glances your way, having noticed your own gaze upon its back and seemingly realizing it is being treated like a danger and a threat, adopts a submissive posture, that the others of his kind mimic.

"I don't trust a Jokaero even in my sight" Kanzeon states bluntly, shaking her head "Or recorded by any number of sensor arrays, but if we keep them comfortable and happy, there shouldn't be an issue"

"But we will be releasing them from our care first and as quickly as possible" Al-uzza states hurriedly, with a disarming smile "Since you wish to provide sanctuary to the aliens you saved before carrying on with your and Kazzy's wedding"

"Wedding?" Redmond gasps, understanding enough Long-Jianese to recognize what that word means and punching your lightly in the side "You lucky dog! Guess even giant fellers like you can find brides, say is all the folk on your world gonna be so tall"

"No, only Lieren and Kanzeon and her sisters" Guozhi answers in perfect New Varroican

"Purty name, Kanzeon" Redmon chuckles as she continues staring down the Jokaero
Cont

>>5928716

Discussing it with the leaders of the alien bands, Kanzeon, Al-uzza and Eldrad, you quickly determine the environments where they will be the safest and most comfortable upon Shangrala.

The Nosa Rubigin will be kept in a portion of the former Cui lands, where they will benefit from the ongoing revitalization and environmental repair efforts and cared for by some of the great agricultural minds Long Jia has to offer. That there are few herbivores in the region outside of farmlands, is another reason for this decision and a team of linguistic experts from the ministry of Foreign affairs and the head of the ministry of agriculture and medicine, will be allowed to study them as He who greets the morning son most proudly has permitted it and given their full consent to being researched so as to attain greater understanding between races

And the moment you enter within air space and explain the situation to the eleven of your most trusted sons, they decide it will serve as good training for their fellow astartes who haven't yet fought alongside xenos to be entrusted with guarding the ones under your protection, which they assure you is enough to keep even the most "Jar headed" amongst them from doing anything rash.

The the scholars of the subjugated sect immediately jump at the chance to achieve understanding with inhuman minds, members of the smiling sons and world warden sects also volunteer for the duty, the Honor bound also pledge themselves to the protection of the xenos breeds and the Repentant Vigil swears to punish any of the volunteers who uses their responsibility to harm those under the gene-sires protections. Nikephoros is amongst the first volunteers, and a number of his fellow Honor Bound only join out of solidarity with their senior. Lieutenant Rafaī́l Táphos is the only grave herald to volunteer his name, though several Creti Grave Wardens are to sent with him. Word hasn't spread to the auxiliary forces beyond those few wardens, with the Shuomi ursine guard and Sheowl rangers being left entirely unaware of their presence, though you have a few amongst their number in mind who could be trusted to not act on prejudice, such as Tarmo Lauri of the Shuomi Guard.

This makes things much easier. The Sagit will be sent to the Shuni provinces, where they are not likely to be mistaken for mutated cliff jumpers and where a notable outpost of your wanderers in the fog sect has been established, that specializes in wind whispering, who should be more capable of communicating with them, the merchants of the mirth are also entrusted to your psykerist students as well as the protections of the astartes under your command, though they are scent the Chen Dao Academy, as they will find it more peaceful and to their tastes than the deserts of the Shuni provinces, which resemble greatly the Sagit's native ranges.
Cont

>>5928718

The Se'ah'in, while the Lomb might live lives equivalent to their own, their rowdy nature and enthusiasm to settle any matter with violence and through brawling, makes the Vishnu tribes a better candidate for wardens and caretakers. There is, thankfully, a tribe, the forth, previously lead by the late Manu, is currently settled near a lake far from any civilian centers that is in the right environment for the young Se'ah'in to prosper.

Lai song, also, somehow, learns of this program, and asks to be allowed to join the guard for the Se'ah'in. Your reply is for him to seek permission from Emperor Long-Jia Jinhai.

"Feng has called" Kanzeon says once you've finished settling the matter of your alien guests, which was a far more trying riddle than figuring out where to host and shelter the tribes of humanity that had come along with them "He asked directly what kind of gift you want, and wanted me to remind you that he's about to be a father, and to visit Bai and Xin's widows sometime"

You smile fondly, having felt like it had been months since you've last seen your brother in all but blood even though it had been a handful of days at most, but hearing his name reminds you of your other brothers by blood.

"Tell him to follow his heart" You say off handedly as you rise from your desk to prepare to send a message "I will speak with him later, I need to"

"Invite Magnus, Perturabo, and Angron?" Kanzeon guesses with a playful smirk

"Yes!" You answer cheerfully "What kind of brother would I be if I didn't at least invite them to this most joyous occasion?"

"I'll send out other invitations while you deal with your family" She says happily, before locking eyes with you and frowning "They don't know what I am, do they, besides Angron of course"

"Do you wish for me not to tell them of your true nature?" You ask as her frown deepens and she lets out a deep sigh

"Do what you want. You father already gave me his approval to steal you away, and Angron accepted me for what I am, Magnus has a good head on his shoulders, and I doubt Perturabo will care" She answers casually with a flippant wave of her hand

Do you tell your brothers of Kanzeon, your relationship with her and what she truly is, Lieren?

>Yes, and speak with Magnus first since, knowing he will have the least trouble showing up to your wedding

>Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river

>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on

>No. Now is not a good time, even if you trust them. Kanzeon and her sisters should be the ones to make the choice

>Write in

Was about to write the giving invitation scenes before I realized there should be a vote in between that. Next vote will be planning the wedding.

>>5928719
>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on

>Also Invite or find a way to get Big E here, goddamnit.

>>5928736
>Support

>>5928719
>>5928736

Support, the kind-hearted jokes must continue.

>>5928719
>Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river
>Also invite Big E and Malcador

>>5928719
>Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river
>invite Big E and Malcador

>>5928736
Support, give the guests +1s as I'm curious who they'd bring. I wouldn't want to robe Perty of a surprise, Magnus knows were a playful chap to. Maybe well meet Malcador again....maybe we'll meet a Brother if One has been found?

>>5928736
>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on
>Invite Big E and Malcador
We really need to talk to those human refugees before they start worshiping Lieren and especially BEFORE the Emperor arrives. We don't need a bunch of little Lorgars running around starting cults.

>>5928786
I think Angron would bring Oenomaus, Pert would probably bring Calliphone since she's the only person on Olympia he actually likes and Magnus would likely bring Amon.

>>5928719
>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on

>>5928719
>>Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river

>>5928719
>>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on
trickster time, lets have some fun

>>5928736 #
Support

>Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river
>invite Big E and Malcador

>>5928736
>Support.
>Give the family a +1

https://youtu.be/04Q-dvkIw4c


>Journey's End

Terra was ablaze and the palace falling into ruin it's golden halls and ageless architecture pounded into dust by years of saturated bombardment, it's gardens burnt to ash and grand galleries nought but memories. Two beings clashed before their Father bound to his Golden Throne who kept the darkness from crawling into the fray but in so doing left his last defender alone to face his Foe.

Lieren and the Warmaster clashed in realms physical, mental and spiritual. Swords and spears, bows and shields summoned and dismissed by each to counter one another over and over emptying each of their treasuries and casting the shards of their creations into the ruin about them, their wills collided each running an infinite calculus to defeat the other constantly accounting for variable after variable as their machine like minds sought to overwhelm or trap the other. Their Souls burnt the warp to a clean white, no storm nor rolling tides; only blistering heat where form lost value and only their desires for victory remaining.

But after so long, an aeon or a day. A truth became clear, the War Master was going to win. In a moment both of them knew it and froze in their blows.

“You know what becomes of us now do you not brother” the Warmaster spoke not with hate but finality.

“I see where my Journey ends yes, I cannot defeat you.”

“Good, you understand. Kneel and take a place by my side, there is still a seat for you Chimera.”

“I cannot defeat you...and live-” Lieren's face formed his so familiar feline grin. “-But what if?”

From the edge of the Emperor's light the voices of the great Annihilator screamed in fury and warning but it was to late. Lieren lowered his head and cupped his fist in his palm, he spoke with a voice containing no emotion nor sense of self.

“Containment”

In an instant the two were within a cube of silver web, then another formed, four sides became eight, eight became sixteen, thirty two, sixty four. The Warmaster roared chargin forward and drove his blade through Lieren's chest and threw all his might through the blade to consume the Emperor's Exorcist.

The Monk of Shangrala's face was beginning to freeze over, the cell now binding them within a thousand thousand points,

He spoke once more; “Sundered Void”

Within this place their souls were trapped and Lierens began to spiral in upon itself, within the heart of their containment a black hole appeared pulling them both inward. The Warmaster screamed as all he was began to be pulled into the singularity beside his enemy.

Lieren was almost dust, he was almost dust. Only their souls remaining to contend until a final utterance came from Lieren's flickering ghost which smiled sadly finally showing some emotion.

“Purification Protocol”

Their cell collapsed inward and as all became nothing, as the two became nothing but memory which would someday fade Lieren spoke his last word; Kanzeon.

>>5928736
+1

I wonder whats with that reaction the Jokaero

>>5929814
because they can create some serious weapons that could rival the GAoM era weaponry while also being made out of scrap

>>5929814
They're afraid that the jokaero will start picking them apart for scrap without asking which to be fair the jokaero totally would.

>>5928719

>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on

THE SILLY MUST CONTINUE

Also see if Dad can come, we might lure them here on the pretense of meeting Dad.

A giant pale moon hung in the sky above the world of Anlyth, the breeze blew gently through the canopies of it's heartland washing the forests with blossoms and the fragrance of a thousand aroma's only found in untouched wylds. Yet now just beyond the Exodite village of Ishania blood littered the glades and winding paths, Aeldari blood so bright under the pale moons light.

Dhagkor slumped against the pale tree clutching the hole through his chest, his heart nigh split in two from a dart of purest white which had torn through his ebon carapace like it were a falling leaf. He hacked up blood over himself and only remained among the living thanks to the artificial hemomorphic devices within it granted to him by his station as a leading member of the Stellar Hunt. He'd come to Anlyth to scout the Exodites whom still clung to their primitive ways only to discover maybe for the first time since the fall; innovation.

He and his men found themselves first ensnared in an almost living mist which constantly attempted to coil around them as if it were a serpent... then they started vanishing. One by one his men went quiet leaving no bodies, only flickers of blood. He'd stalked the woods carefully firing his Bright lance into the ethereal gloom at half seen shadows, his scanner was useless and so rather than finding his way back to his ship he'd seek higher ground to escape the fog.

But then what had already been bad got worse, he'd found himself in a risen glade. A single figure sat upon a flat stone Altar...hearts piled high before a shrine to a figure he knew well; Kurnous. The figure seemed in prayer and while he'd taken out his knife to slice the figures throat as he entered the clearing from that vantage point he realised not only was he not alone...he knew he'd walked into a trap. Other Exodite stood lightly hidden by the mist still enough to be statues with a fist in their other palm and heads lowered in supplication.

“Welcome home Wayward brother” the central figure spoke before turning to him. “You have travelled far and brought many in need of judgement, for this we thank you. But your desecration of fair Kurnous' name ends now.”

He tried to back away but he'd truly seen he was surrounded by these new hunters, worse still he saw the gored hanging bodies of all his men about him like wind chimes. They'd shot him faster than he could blink from a bow drawn from who knows where. But this...this was good new and worthy prey! Oh how he'd love to spread word of this he'd-

he felt cool hands around his neck and a small weight fall upon the hole in his chest.

He looked down; a soul stone?

The leader of this commune smiled like death and hand up a collection of similar things all aglow with bound life.

“You will be telling no one my forsaken cousin; but do not fear. We will save you.”

He felt his life finally fade as a blade slide over his throat.

>>5928719
>>Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river

>>5928719
>Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on

Malal how long until one or several surviving Thunder Warriors approach Lieren to reveal the truth and maybe even survive

>>5931874
I think they may already be all dead by now?
We don't get many updates from the big E.

File: 1624085254579.png (155 KB, 600x439)

155 KB PNG

Calling the vote now, sorry for the long wait.

Leave it to be a surprise, and speak with Angron first to devise a means to lure Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without actually telling them what's going on:12

invite your genetic father:12

Yes, and speak with Perturabo first. He's probably already found a power source strong enough to power his own golden dragon river:5

Total votes: 17

So Lieren will speak with Angron first, to preserve the surprise and devise a means to bring Magnus and Perturabo to the occasion without telling them what it is for/ is going on

And will also attempt to add his genetic father to the list of invitees

Writing now

>>5929306
Absolutely beautiful musical choice here, anon. And an incredible vivid scene you painted. Lots of pathos and emotion, made me cry and sent more than one shiver down my spine. Excellent job
>>5931008
Liked this one a lot as well, especially the foreboding sort of horror feel it had, and the use of a soulstone at the end was simply brilliant

Angron Thal'kyr's fist clenched as he sat atop a sand blasted mesa, reflecting upon the troubles of keeping order in a world where all chains had been broken and all men had been made free. Just this week, by his hand alone, a dozen would be tyrants who used freedom as an excuse to express anarchy and press others beneath their heels had been put down, men who would if allowed the chance and influence become the same as the oppressors that had been forced from their cities and dragged through the streets they had once washed with the blood of slaves and better men. He sighed, pushing down the bitterness he felt at how easy his brother had made it seem, conquest and war were easy, it was what came after that posed the greatest challenge to the man many now called the Unchained and masterless King, even though it had been made abundantly clear he held no particular authority beyond the same free will that all men possessed.

'Perhaps being able to measure the quality of any man makes it easier' He wondered as he tried to center himself away from the whirlwind of emotions from the city that once was burned 'or perhaps I am just searching for excuses, Lieren might've experience the same troubles I am, and simply didn't think to mention them. Must be nice, having a mind that can at one moment be as fickle and shifting as the wind and the next be harder and more durable than tested steel'

Sighing through his nose, he stood up and closed his eyes, centering himself. He was getting nowhere voicing complaints to no one, and he had come here both to calm his mind and refine the newest weapon in his arsenal, one far more untested than any other. His brother had once mentioned that revelation and insight of one's troubles could be found through introspective meditation. Angron knew his blood flowed too hot to easily enter the trance like state his brother could enter as easily as striking a match, but he knew refining the formless blade of his "Psykerism" would only bring benefits.

He stepped into the Emperyean mentally, knowing to expect disorientation and a plane of colors that could not exist outside of it, to begin practicing wading through its forces.

He had not, however, expected to see the brother he had been subconsciously comparing himself to, standing across from him upon a cliff that did not exist in the real world, as if he was waiting for him.

"Greetings brother, I hope Nuceria has been flourishing since I left it behind and the new era you've built is everything you hoped it would be" He jubilantly greeted, easy going smile painted across his face while Angron himself took a step back in surprise, manually lowering his guard and relaxing as he approached his brother's projection

"And what brings you across the void of space, brother, did you get lonely without me or did you forget to leave a parting piece of wisdom before you left?" He returned happily, holding out his hand to grasp his brother's own
_
cont

>>5932429

"That's the reason you came? To invite me back to your foggy planet right after I left, for your wedding" Angron chuckles, amused as you are flustered by the pettiness of the request "It takes a lot of power to open that gateway of yours, you know, that could be better used else where, especially since some of those bastard high riders burned out their power grids in a final act of defiance when they saw they were screwed"

"I am aware, and I would of course redirect much of the energy demands to my end of the gateway, but if i did not at least reach out with the offer, I feel our brotherly bond would've been damaged, cracked" You answer sheepishly head bowed "I know you have important, vital work repairing and uplifting your planet and society, creating jade from the ashes of high rider rule, but it would be terribly rude of me to not at least offer"

Angron frowned, looking severe and strict before a smile cracked his scarred features and he chuckled.

"I could probably make enough juice for the portal myself, found a way to keep gladiators who miss the back breaking labor of their training regimes to produce electricity while they burn of their excess energy" He answered "I was checking to see if I could make you feel guilt is all, of course I'll come. Weddings on your world only last a day right? There isn't any esoteric ceremony you have to cleave to that'll make it take a year and a half, right?"

"Depends on the social strata of the bride and groom, but generally no, and even the upper classes have began to prefer their weddings to be more humble and spartan than they were generations prior" You answer cheerfully, lifting up your head "Though it will be a public affair, my emperor and friend and several of his highest officials will not allow me to make it as private and subuded as I'd personally prefer"

"Break a few of his teeth if he's being a pain" Angron chuckled, as he went through the motions of an exercise to acclimate himself to wielding the energies of his soul as readily as he'd turn over his own hand "Though I know he's just doing it for the same reason I gave you a guilt trip, sometimes even friends need a punch to the jaw, and kings always do"

You smirk

"Many things may have changed upon Shangrala since I arrived to it, but slugging the emperor for a good natured jest is still considered most uncouth, even if the one doing the hitting is a folk hero" You laugh, slapping your knee "But I am overjoyed that you will be by my side on the day of my wedding, but I must beg your advise for another matter"

"How to get away with giving an emperor a beating for being a little too cheeky?" He asked, only half joking as his eyes twinkled with a rare mirth, seeing Angron so at ease and happy made your spirits raise and your heart sour.
Cont

>>5932430

"No, how to trick our other brothers into coming to attend my wedding without being aware of what it is they're visiting for" You say, barely able to contain your most mischievous and foxish grin or struggling not to guffaw at the mental image of what Magnus' and perturbao's reactions will be when the ruse is cast aside and the truth was revealed.

"Well how can I refuse your invitation now, when It'll allow me to size up and see if these other primarchs are deserving of being called my brother. Can't get a measure of them unless I'm standing on equal footing with them" Angron answered with a nod "Though what you have told me about both of them, does give me a few ideas, though I'm not as fond of jokes and playing the trickster as you are"

"And are certainly not as adept of a liar as I am" You add, though not derisively "But a blunt approach may be best, being too elaborate might cue them in that something is afoot and they are being tricked before the designated hour"

"I might not've enjoyed my time as a gladiator, but I still remember how to be a showman" Angron snorted "Though you have me beat with your flair for dramatics, let's start with Magnus, since I'm certain he's checked in on me through the Empyrean once or twice since we parted ways..."
_
"Is something troubling you?" Amon asked, noticing the minute differences in his one time pupil's posture as he psionically flicked through half a dozen tomes simultaneously "I was wondering why you would request medical texts so suddenly after your meeting with your brother who stands opposed to the great sea, yet remains wary of its depths, was it something he mentioned? I have had no visions of future plague or dread omens of impending doom, but perhaps those blessed eyes of his allowed him to see beyond what I have beheld"

"Correct, it was something Lieren mentioned in our talks, some curious malady afflicting his own students in the arts of the pysker, apparently benign, but one can never be too careful when dealing with warp born afflictions" Magnus muttered, a furrow of frustration creasing his brow "He asked me for advice on the matter and if I knew a treatment for the illness, even though it appears harmless"

"Though we haven't spoken, your brother is wise to be cautious, even a harmless mote of a spirit may prove to be one's end if they swim carelessly beside it in the depths" Amon remarked, glad to see Magnus taking to heart his lessons of cautious when dealing with the currents of the great sea and its denizens "And I can surmise the cause for your concern, is that you cannot find mention of the sickness or any like it in our recorded history"
Cont

>>5932433

"A soul can be made resistant to the diseases flowing through the stagnant waters of the great sea" Mangus muttered quietly "Perhaps the symptoms experienced by his students are instead the result of their physical and spiritual bodies fending off an otherwise invisible infection of the soul? An infection that our people would be utterly defenseless against"

Amon narrowed his eyes

"What are these symptoms, though you sound concerned, you've mentioned they seem harmless for the time being" He said slowly, wondering if perhaps this wasn't anything more than a childish prank that his friend and former student had taken at face value

"The illusion of weightlessness, brightening and enriching of the colors of the world, a source less heat from within and a sensation of ethereal insects fluttering within one's stomach" He explains as Amon froze and frowned. That sounded like being in love, but Lieren seemed a worldly sort, so to be certain he asked

"And did he request anything else?" He ventured, one brow raised

"Only that if I could not find the affliction in our texts, that I investigate the matter personally" Magnus answered soberly, closing one of the six books rotating around him as Amon began to put together a picture in his mind of what exactly was happening, which was only helped by a touch of precognition showing him two figures joining hands as a flame like glow around them joined to a single golden emerald light.

It was a joke after all, though a harmless one, that Magnus would surely see the humor in.

"Well I should accompany you to see for myself what is going on in this distant world" He began with a wry smile, wondering exactly whose wedding his brother was inviting him to, perhaps one of his students? They had when the stars and currents of the great sea had aligned, had interplanetary lectures teaching each other of their societies unique approach to psionic gifts and sorcery.

"Though, we might be capable of visiting it in the flesh" Magnus muttered "The gateway we designed with Perturabo should be near to completion, after all"
_

"Your emperor has requested my architectural genius for the renovations of his palace?" Perturabo asked, doing well to hide his giddiness of the thought as you watched him toss aside his regalia of war and sit down, face still covered with the filth of battle, as you had encountered him as he, living up to his title as the hammer of Olympia, cracked the walls of a city that opposed Lochos with a genius strategy that involved a layered barrage of canon fire over the march of the forces he commanded for Dammekos, a approach that led to a quick surrender after the defenders of the city were bloodied and crushed beneath the weight of his assault. Dandan would've been proud
Cont

>>5932435

"Of course, he was enamored with your artistic style as soon as I approached him with examples of it" You answer kindly, not lying, as you had given Jinhai, or rather Daiyu, the idea that their newly built palace could use a few additions built by the expert hands of your brother "and as he lacks the gift of pyskerism"

"And has not been formerly introduced to me" Perturabo added with a rap of his knuckles upon the table he sat stiffly besides

"Yes, that was also a factor, he asked me to deliver his request" You answer kindly "He is more than willing to offer generous compensation"

Perturabo frowned, studying your expression

"You aren't lying, but the actual reason you've approached me is far more personal. You do not project your conscious to Olympia for so petty a reason as redecorating a palace, though I must admit the offer is intriguing, The court of Lochos is greatly lacking in aesthetics especially since the latest attempt upon Dammekos' pitiful life had many of the personal touches I had added removed in favor for open sightlines and easy cover that I have not yet had the opportunity to meld into their surroundings, which is a most irritating distraction"

He stands, eyes squinted in the delight of picking apart the mystery before him with mere intuition

"You visit for vital matters, the creation of advance technology that could only be devised between the collaboration of brilliant minds such as ours, theoretical tactics, and other sophisticated subjects, or else for personal reasons, which you are aware enough to know when I am not so busy that a interruption for small talk would incense me" He rattles off, fiddling idly with a toy solider upon the map blanketed table

"Astute as always, Brother" You praise

"I appreciate the effort you make to not impede my toils" he answer earnestly, a glimpse of a smile on his lips "Though since you've come alone and without your wife, I must assume this is a personal matter that has made you wish to..."

His expression hardens as he notices your cheeky smirk

"Ah, so that's it" He laughs "it is a family matter as well as your emperor having the intellect and good taste to realize I far surpass his resident architects, hm?"

"A wedding in fact" You state with a nod "Mostly ceremonial, as Kanzeon and I are already bound by pure love and understanding, but you understand how one must follow traditions"

"And even though you've saved your people from lives of drudgery, they'd think less of you if you do not make overtly display an official ceremony wedding you to your lifepartner" He snorts dismissively, as he turns the toy soldier around in his hand

"Wenyan imposed his will to see my married before he breathes his last, though a wedding is expected for my culture" You answer with a nod, though not entirely agreeing with Perturabo's cynical view of the matter

"Dammekos will ask for assurance I shall not simply abandon his service" he began slowly

Cont

>>5932437

"A bribe then" You answer, knowing what could entice a man of your brother's adoptive father's character

"The payment your emperor offers for my services" Perturabo catches on with a smile "And an escort to ensure their will be no duplicity"

"the invitation does come with a second" You answer, realizing where he is going

"Say a child of his that he greatly undervalues despite her impressive intellect and wit" Perturabo continues sounding truly happy for the chance to bring his sister some place nicer than the paranoia infested courts of Olympia "That he might imagine extending his influence off world, reaching beyond the stars from his single, petty planet"

"Of course any exchange of any kind would go through you" You state plainly

"Of course, he'd fear a failure of the portal network or smuggling if he used it personally or entrusted any of my lesser to the task" He smugly replies "Of course with our recent conquests, providing an energy source for the activation would be a task so simple an illiterate child could accomplish it, or even that drunkard Herakon"

"You've built a golden dragon river?" You ask, shocked

"Do you think so little of me?" He gasps, feigning hurt "Of course I did, once I had the raw materials and facilities, if one knows what needs to be constructed to make the machines to manufacture the ones that can produce the resources necessary to the more complex artifices to create the machines that can begin the production of one set of pylons, it took only a few skilled craftsman to create the gateway upon my world, though I will need to explain to the nobility why they will have to do without electricity for a few weeks, they have grown ever so fond of the commodity. Or I would, if I hadn't foreseen this and created enough back up generators and batteries to sustain their palaces lightning, for at least as long as my first trip across takes if they ration as I instruct them to. They will have to do without after my return trip, how long depends on the exact bulk and nature of the cargo I bring back. But the power grid, primitive as it must be with the tools and resources at my disposal, will survive the strain that will be put upon it, Now....tell me, how does our new brother fight his wars"

"Angron?" You ask

"Yes, unless our timelines have become desynced and you've rescued another of our brothers from a sorry existence" He answers "We are expected to wage war for the stars, I would prefer to acclimate myself to the habits of my kins if I shall be made to fight and conquer besides them"
_

"Another activation of the gateway" Malcador asked "Does the second need further reinforcement, or have you, as I feared, gotten it into your mind to give him the means to create astartes upon his homeworld before we reunited"
Cont

>>5932441

"No so loud malcador, our new friends from mars are curious of the source of our wonderous toys" The emperor of mankind said casually, looking over the healing landscape of his beloved terra, turning a water generating stone in his hand
"And would happily provide the required energy for a single or double activation of the portal to Shangrala, we are well ahead of schedule as it stands, I can be forgiven for a reprieve before we begin our great work in earnest"

"You know what they will ask in exchange for their assistance" Malcador sighed as he leaned against his staff "They were content with examining Lieren's gifts and taking a sum of them into their possession, but when they see the requirements to turn on the portal network, even just long enough for us alone to travel through to and back from another world"

"They will make demands, as is the nature of the adepts of mars, their avarice and hunger for knowledge and technology is well known to me, the treaty is freshly inked and the greediest amongst them will leap upon the chance to carve out loopholes through it, I am prepared for that, but i believe they will merely send one of their own on the journey rather than try to extort further generosity from me after I have been lenient with them" The emperor explain calmly, lifting a hand as one of his companions emerged from the gloom of their roofed Terrance "They after all, bore witness to the effectiveness of our armies upon Luna, and are leery of my "wolves". They will restrain themselves to merely playing witness, knowing they have more to earn with patience than they do with over ambitious demands"

"And you wish to see how your son will react to them" Malcador guessed

"Yes, that to, and I wish for the most suspicious of my honor guard to get a measure of him" He laughed, turning to the flowering field before him, a youthful innocence returned to his eyes as he looked over a field of life that had long ago been stripped from ancient Terra's surface "And what better time to share good news, than an occasion like this. Lets see how he reacts to being pleasantly surprised, shall we, old friend?"

"We will choose the representative of the priesthood of mars, this is a compromise they will accept. And they must, or else they will lose a magos on a distant world, their precious implants rusting as they hang from a tree by the roadside" Malcador warned, knowing it would be a waste of breath and energy to turn his old friend from the path he'd chosen

"I shall prepare for the journey and my meeting with the primarch of the second legion" The custodian present at their side stated, his tone making it all too clear what he already thought of said primarch

"I'm certain even if they sent their most foul natured specimens, the news that one of his lost brothers was found so close to home would distract him long enough for the adept to make an escape from his world" The emperor joked, in clearly good spirits after recent events.

Cont

>>5932442
_

Where do you begin planning your wedding, Lieren.

>The small details first. Music, refreshments, the clothes you and Kanzeon will wear and the like

>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.

>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.

>Give the man Malcador scent to spy on your world a fright, as a parting gift as you're sure he'll return to Terra with his master with nothing to show for his efforts

>Write in

I'd almost forgotten how fun it is to write Perturabo

>>5932442
>"I'm certain even if they sent their most foul natured specimens, the news that one of his lost brothers was found so close to home would distract him long enough for the adept to make an escape from his world" The emperor joked, in clearly good spirits after recent events.

Wait. Is Horus coming for the wedding? Holy shit.

Also we are having an impromptu summit with the Big E and the Eldar E.

>>5932443
Ok delegation time

Have our various sects and such handle security while we ourselves...
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.
Alongside a write in:
Ensure our Aeldari and other Xenos friends are aware whom is coming and ensure they themselves are protected just in case someone gets overly zealous, also make sure our sons are as geared as possible...we can flex a little~.

>>5932465
Nope it's Alpharius cos he landed on Earth~

>>5932443
>Give the man Malcador scent to spy on your world a fright, as a parting gift as you're sure he'll return to Terra with his master with nothing to show for his efforts

>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.

Fucking love how Pert is being Pert.

>>5932443
>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.

>>5932443
>>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.

>>5932443
>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.
I'm hyped for the wedding

>>5932443
Joke's on him we have a tech cult of our own, one that is significantly less retarded than the mechanicum. Nice to see that Big E's managed to reign in the cynicism a bit though.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.

>Give the man Malcador scent to spy on your world a fright, as a parting gift as you're sure he'll return to Terra with his master with nothing to show for his efforts
Give the poor bastard a consolation prize. We should involve the astartes and terran regiments in the arrival of the Emperor and have Dae-Hyun and the terran commanders at our side during the meeting. They deserve a bit of recognition from their Emperor.

>>5932443 #
>>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.

>>5932443
>>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
We also need to prepare a suitable meeting area to conduct talks. This should be the first face to face meeting of The Emperor and Eldrad.

pretty sure emps got a better deal with those cogeboys

>>5932443
>>Give the man Malcador scent to spy on your world a fright, as a parting gift as you're sure he'll return to Terra with his master with nothing to show for his efforts
>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
these two are one in the same

>>5932633
>Support.

>>5932443

>support >>5932467

>>5932443
>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.
So we are going to have 5 primarchs, the Emperor, Malcador, Eldrad, and the mechanicum there? Jesus this wedding is turning into a major galactic event at this rate.
Lots of significant firsts going on too, Perturabo has not yet met either emps or Angron right? Curious to see how they will feel about each other.
We also have our mystery brother meeting 4 of his brothers for the first time. Should be a fun surprise for everyone involved.
And nobody besides Magnus and us has met Eldrad, that could be interesting too. Hopefully Angron keeps his cool...

>I'd almost forgotten how fun it is to write Perturabo
He is very fun to read, I hope we will interact with him and Calliphone at length here. Maybe throw a Jokaero at him, see how he reacts to a monke giving him a run for his money.

>>5932752
>And nobody besides Magnus and us has met Eldrad, that could be interesting too. Hopefully Angron keeps his cool...

Theres all sorts of hints in the Black Library books that Big E and Eldrad used to be friends.

>‘Foolish mon-keigh!’ hissed Lhaerial Rey. Her eyes snapped open. ‘No threat! The Emperor and the farseer are known to each other. Though they long diverged from friendship, they are not yet opposed. Your dead Emperor is the only hope, for us all, man and eldar alike. This current crisis will pass. The roar of the ork will subside, while the real threat grows. You, the one who calls himself Veritus, you know this to be the truth. I know what you have seen.’

So this is gonna be a big event one way or the other.

So can someone get a pic of how exactly kanzeon looks like? Been catching up with everything--but i'm still not exactly sure what she looks like in her avatar. Need some reference if it's not too much of a bother.

>>5932443
>Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.

>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.

>Give the man Malcador scent to spy on your world a fright, as a parting gift as you're sure he'll return to Terra with his master with nothing to show for his efforts

Also some things to tell Big E.
>Inform him that Eldrad is here and we can arrange a meeting for negotiating an alliance
>Tell him about the formation of the Nameless
>Tell him about about the fragment of the Great Plan we were gifted
>Inform him we destroyed Eldar raid base and rescued the enslaved xenos and humans

Also a fun party trick we could do is channel a Jokaero to use its crafting skills.

>>5933394
I don't have an image but imagine the hottest east asian woman to ever exist then make her 10ft tall, give her glowing green eyes and a flowing mane of black hair that reaches down to her ankles. That's pretty much how her avatar's been described.

We should ask eldrad about where lorgar is and how to reach him at the wedding.

Going through the archive he said
>You have proven the concept, now show us the reality, Lieren of Nothing. Prove that you can save your brothers from their destiny, and then, we may see about continuing this assistance beyond this singular intervention"

I believe we have proven the concept, especially since angron will be at the wedding and eldrad can look upon his changed fate with his own eyes

>>5933742
The issue isn’t Eldrad. It’s the rest of the Farseers are dimbasses. He’d be helping us right now if he were allowed to but he’s stuck beating his head against the brick wall that is Eldar arrogance.

>>5933742
Ask Eldrad then give dad the coordinates so the Emperor can pick him up and handle this issue in the crib

yeah, honestly I would like Lieren to focus on his world before going on more space adventures.

>>5934227
We do have a lot we could do.
>learning more about our machine cult
>developing more tech
>creating new martial arts
>gaining more fragments of enlightenment
>studying the Great Plan
>turning the chaos hammer artifact into a blacksmith hammer
>DUNE WORMS
>developing a space fleet (technically a requirement for proper space adventures)

I’m pretty sure there is more we can do and a lot of things could be trivialized by talking to the right people.

As tough as it's going to be for a good few of us we have to accept a specific fact while Lieren can pretty much do everything he sets his mind to, not everyone can do what he can do; that means we must Priorities those tasks while delegating the others to suitable people which we can from time to time check up on but not directly monitor at all times, we don't have the time.

Orbital Defences and technological development; we leave that to the Sisters, they have the schematics and data from the Golden Era so they know how to set up defence grids and the gradual technological development. We have to leave that to them as much as we WANT to muddle.

Martial Arts and stuff? Again that is fun, truly but we have higher priorities and should leave it to our many students or developing masters. It will also serve a nice effect of letting our friends develop their own ways and some nice surprises for us later.

Now the harder one to outright ignore but we will have to monitor from a distance. We WILL have to purify that Hammer the Kang have hanging up before trouble blooms, however the other matters we need to leave to our Aeldari and the Wanderers in the Fog. They can alongside the Nameless handle chaos purging. We need to start letting people do their jobs themselves because we will be leaving sooner or later.

Finally the things which we will have to do ourselves specifically because only we can do them and they can be carried out while others do the above tasks.

Here are a number of things we specifically need to meditate upon:
1) Do not forget the Four Keys plot hook to free Arianka whom we IC want freed.
2) The Same with Isha, we made a damn clear Oath and we can't just wait around dragging this out not only is it out of character but it's a detriment. We free her and the Aeldari ARE on side. It'll take awhile but we need to atleast start laying plans or taking steps.
3) The Old Ones plans; self explanatory.
4) Along the way personal Enlightenment; maybe bring a few Sons***

>>5934538
>1) Do not forget the Four Keys plot hook to free Arianka whom we IC want freed.
>2) The Same with Isha, we made a damn clear Oath and we can't just wait around dragging this out not only is it out of character but it's a detriment. We free her and the Aeldari ARE on side. It'll take awhile but we need to atleast start laying plans or taking steps.
Neither will be possible for a long time. It’s pretty obvious where the four keys are considering there’s 4.
>sister ship AoT tech
They actually have very few blueprints from the AoT according to Kanzeon and as per our belief it’s far from the best. Perturabo can literally outdo all of Federation by himself, we should be able to come up with stuff sisters haven’t yet.
>leave Martial Arts to other
Nobody is as good as Lieren at making them despite how humble he is. It’s easy to forget that he created techniques to improve the survival of warriors under him against far stronger enemies.
>let the wanders and eldar purify the hammer
ARE YOU STUPID?! THAT’S COMPLETELY UNFORGIVABLE TO EVEN SUGGEST! The wanders are not capable of handling daemons like Lieren is and will suffer many casualties to even attempt. The Eldar are not much better. Furthermore the goal is to reforge the hammer into a tool of creation rather than destruction so Lieren can create better equipment which only Lieren or Magnus can do. Better equipment the wanders and nameless can use in their fights.

>>5934567
>Furthermore the goal is to reforge the hammer into a tool of creation rather than destruction so Lieren can create better equipment
What if we gave it to Perturabo?

No no no no not until we have done the same thing as we did with the sword

>>5932443
>The small details first. Music, refreshments, the clothes you and Kanzeon will wear and the like

Throw Meixu and Liberty near Malcador, he will be their nanny for the duration of the wedding. The wanderers could stay side by side with our eldar journeymen, it would be good. I already imagine Carys, Foliant and Kuam Im (not that Kuam Im !) chatting peacefully here. Wenyan and Guozhi will probably prefer a more peaceful and reserved space, they will no doubt be joined by the fathers of Angron and Magnus. It is strange to have giant pupils/sons in the family.
Place Sandip between the Emperor (not Jinhai) and Eldrad. This is important. His mohican hairstyle, rock and strength passion will eliminate any animosity. Of course the rest of our kids (that is yes all the tigermen cubs of the Chen Dao Academy) will be at our table, we are their father.
What else ? Feng&co, probably want some fried mice like many others from Nothing usually eat. The tyranny of the Yan dynasty was terrible. And speaking of the Yan and their fox features, of course they can be invited. Many of them had no sins and the good general proved that valor still runs through their veins like their blood.
A thought to our fair and fascinating brothers should be spared, some may call this "shameless shipping", but I have no qualms in placing Angron near Anahita, Mari near Perturabo, or Al Uzza near Magnus. I simply do it.
Amatheon I think could sit near Dae-Hyun (momentarily for today not being educator and mentor of Liberty) and Elazar, the three are fervent journey supporters and spreaders.
For that magos kick him o- i am joking of course i would never han- not present him some tea. In truth if he is a good fella and not Mr slave driver 9999, after presentations perhaps he could sit near Shirong and Dan Dan.
The Xue could perhaps be placed alongside the Dai, and we could see about placing the Mao with the Tao. We should place the Lai, near the Shen and Qian family. The Zoroast and the Angra could be placed near the Merchants of Mirth, while the Shuni and Bask should definetly stay together. I am not sure about the Hellas and Lomb. I leave to others where to place the Luo, Huang, Kang and Yin. It is beautiful that the Nosa Rubigin have been placed in the Cui lands, this will further heal that region.
>Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.
more security. About security....

>>5934588
He’d probably struggle to use it. Magic hammer would likely require you to be a psyker and a blacksmith.

>>5934685
Perturabo has some measure of potential as a Psyker, doesn't he? His lifelong awareness of the Eye of Terror implies that, right?

>>5934689
He probably has an extremely low potential, as a psyker, and has shown a general disinterest in psyker stuff beyond purely intellectual interests. It’s like how Magnus despite being the most capable of bringing out it’s full potential, hates blacksmithing and finds it an unpleasant experience. Big E seriously minmaxed the Primarches.
Lieren also has other advantages over other primarches (beyond simply being the only actual psyker blacksmith) such as being able to channel concepts and imbue them with those concepts, natural soulfire which Magnus himself noted is necessary for purifying Chaos polluted substances to make them usable in crafting, truth-seeing eyes that let him see the exact spiritual attributes of whatever he working on, and an allowance to know about Chaos which is kinda important for crafting anti-Chaos tools. While Perturabo while be able to make a better physical hammer and Magnus could optimize the spiritual attributes better, Lieren would better at making it to visual it better.

Speaking of Perturabo and the Eye of Terror, we might want to ask Emps to let us spill the beans to Perturabo regarding the Eye.
We convinced him upon our first meeting that the judgment he felt from the Eye was the subconscious of all of Olympia and not an actual intelligent entity, but since he is about to step foot on another planet for (presumably) the first time, he is going to figure out something isn't adding up.
If we want to avoid triggering his paranoia and getting suspected of trying to deceive him, we are gonna want to clear the air, and that requires convincing Emps to let us tell him.
Unless he gets distracted and just never notices the Eye is still judging him, but with his giga-autism I find that unlikely.

>>5935080
He’ll immediately say no.

I'm actually trying to come up with a logical and emotional speech to give dad to try and let our current Bros know about Chaos and what is up.

>Logical Side
"my Emperor they are the ones whom scattered us and are not going to let go of their prizes, they are going to try to come for us and twist us, you know how insidious they are. Even if only one in twenty fall they may well take others with them. Secondly we are many and those whom know what to be on watch for are few the Galaxy is a big place and you will not be able to watch over everyone some whom are trust worthy need to know so they at the very least can keep an eye on the other Brothers, worse still should the truth e revealed if there are any lingering doubts, even a hint of unease about the future; they will Fall."

>Emotional Side
"Father they are your sons, show some damn trust even if it is only to a few. They are Generals in a war yes but you know damn well what happens when Generals discover their lieges have hidden information from then, what happens when son's discover parental lies. If you do not make them ready you are sowing the seeds of ruin."

>Proposed solution
"Father let those gathered here know, three of us are awoken Psykers whom delve into the warp as you do and they need to know of the dangers that lurk hidden away poised to strike. You know they don't act suddenly but rather gradually twist and corrupt. Perturabo already feels and see the leering of the Eye upon him and is curious to understand what that dread thing is, to understand how his other Brothers have powers and how they work. He will find out and he will feel betray. Father trust us gathered here your four sons with the truth so we may watch our other Brothers whom only upon your blessing may have the truth revealed in time.

>>5935225
I like how you forget how we have literally no ground to stand on. Lieren has no reason to disagree with the Emperor considering how he unleashed a fifth Chaos gods trying to learn more of the Chaos gods to fight them. I see no reason to even consider telling them unless we are shown in story a good reason to do so.

>>5935252
i think that gives lieren more ground to stand upon, he had prior knowledge (prob more than any other primarch) about the chaos gods, and still fucked it up. imagine them going after someone who has no prior knowledge. its far more dangerous

>>5936123
It doesn’t. We have no evidence that telling them about Chaos will fix anything but we do have evidence that knowing about Chaos will cause problems (Lieren). He also downplays them to weaken because what people believe will decide how powerful they will be. He also suppresses thoughts about them to keep people from feeding them even accidentally. The one real gap in his understanding of them is how they get power from certain concepts which the Journey help plug. Beyond that he’s pretty much right, as long as the secret police deal with Chaos’s supporters there should be no problem (shame they didn’t get established early enough in canon).
Of course you still would want to try telling them anyway then your best route is to have Eldrad tell him in canon. While he’ll still downplay them, he’ll probably be more open to telling them some of the more important information.

>>5936198
*have Eldrad tell him about canon

>>5936198
idk, it kind of reminds me of the scene between Thanos and Loki, where Thanos says 'you consider failure experience?' and Loki says back 'i consider experience, experience'.

hey a bit behind but i just wanted to uh check whats the diffo in the journey between Enamys and Foes again?

>>5936819
Opponent is someone you contest again, like a sport or friendly duel
Foe is someone you have to fight against, perhaps even kill but they are there by obligation or happenstance. Like say most soldiers in war are your foes, but their lord who declared against you is your enemy.
Enemy is someone who stands against your beliefs, someone who wishes you harm for the sake of it or because they find you or your cause offensive. So like Gao Liguei, forever shall his name be spat upon; or how the Yan were our enemies, save the old fox's family branch, he was our opponent and later became our ally

>>5936840
He was our foe**

>>5932752
Trayzen gatecrasher arc?

File: 1620979900016.png (710 KB, 1200x878)

710 KB PNG

Calling the vote now, sorry for the really long wait, got hit by writer's block hard. And getting a bug in my head about miniature painting didn't help. Didn't start or buy anything, since I still have a large backlog of gunpla, but I have ideas

Preparing for the arrival of your three brothers and father, and assisting Daiyu in making their welcoming one to remember.:10

Give the man Malcador scent to spy on your world a fright, as a parting gift as you're sure he'll return to Terra with his master with nothing to show for his efforts:5

Security, both mundane and spiritual. No gap will be left in your defenses.:200

Things to tell Big E:1

The small details first. Music, refreshments, the clothes you and Kanzeon will wear and the like:1

Total votes: 14

So Lieren will begin planning with Security and the arrival of his family, assisting Daiyu in making their welcome one to rememeber

Writing now
>>5934651
>Throw Meixu and Liberty near Malcador, he will be their nanny for the duration of the wedding

The mental image of that is hilarious

>>5937243
I've had plans for Trazyn since the first thread, one of the many characters/ things I've been scheming about for literal yearsnow

To begin with, the security for your wedding had to be air tight, impenetrable and impregnable, a bulwark that even the fiercest of xenos raiders, wicked spirits and techno barbaric warriors could not dent with their hordes and their terrible technologies and sorceries. Nothing but the best defenses, the most stalwart and loyal guards, veterans of battle and the task at hand. Luckily, Long-Jia and her allies have a great supply of such valiant and dependable men and women. The battles you had fought previously had created a strong foundation and core in the army of veterans and career soldiers who could stare one of your astarte's dead in their eyes if they were to, say, threaten what they were commanded to hold and guard and bid them to crash against their walls. A number of them will, unfortunately for them, but fortunately for you, be pulling double duty, as the butcher's war and the scourging of the Shuni Caliphs had created and refined within the army beneath Jinhai's commands the exact lessons and hardships that can make one resistant to the lures and corruption of chaos and discord.

The nameless, no matter what their civilian life and craft, will be employed, all five schools, to take on the unseen and spiritual side of the defenses of your wedding and guests. Elazar of course, has volunteered to serve as Kanzeon's personal guard along with the masters of his knightly order, and is presently standing guard at the quarters presently inhabited by Kanzeon and her sister's avatars while their true bodies darken the sky above the new Imperial capital of Long-Jia. And of course, Dae-Hyun and your space marines obey your will and patrol the wilderness of Long-Jia and the city around the imperial palace, lending their impressive and imposing presence to the security measures, they and their terran born comrades in arms.. Guozhi also leads the wanderers in the fog and Carys leads the Journeymen Aeldari while Eldrad manages to convince the farseers in his entourage to further bolster the spiritual defense of the wedding.

The greatest physical danger is the loving masses of your homeland trying to celebrate the day of your wedding early or else seek you out to offer their gifts and well wishes, which, if reports from Luli's radio show and Qian Xia's spy network, is something like a pilgrimage as thousands, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Citizens from the heartlands and provinces travel to the city and surrounding towns for just a chance to glimpse the proceedings of your wedding and the festivities of it. Even Kang banners have been spotted amongst the rainbow of heraldry sprouting from the hill sides and city walls like so many newly sprouted trees and vines.

Establishing and testing the security detail, is easy, especially with the expertise of urban combat your astartes bring and teach to the soldiers commanded to join their practice.

Cont

>>5937433

"Lieren" Empress Daiyu calls out, Bouncing Prince Bojing on her knee while her handmaids care for his sisters Wenling and Linling "I moonlit as a guard before, my husband was a guard by trade, your guard. You've done enough, not even the heavens themselves if they allied with every legion of hell, could pierce the security of your wedding. The Qian clan is getting worried your prepping for a second interplanetary war without how rigorous and frequent the drills you're running are, also, the "Bolt ar" fire is upsetting the Qilin and the courtiers, I know we offered the palace in recognition of your great heroism and our imperial household's persona friendship with you, but having your heavily armored sons run live fire exercises just in our gardens is a little too paranoid"

"Paranoid? No it is the bare minimum" You answer, before cupping your hand and bowing "but I beg forgiveness for the disturbance, I was just making the finishing touches, dotting the eye of the dragon as it were, and putting the final layer of defenses through their last serious test schedule"

"Does it have anything to do with the jade masked sages chanting mantras?" She joked, smiling as Boling stopped crying as you smiled and chuckled.

"It might" You answered avoidantly "There can be not a single gap in the defenses of the festivities, which is..."

"Why Dandan and her hell raisers have commandeered the steel giants and half of the Dai family's tank companies?" She sighed "And why they are currently on guard outside of our palace? Lieren, its your wedding, you shouldn't for once allow yourself a reprieve and relax, be idle and enjoy yourself"

"This is me enjoying myself" You answer true fully "But you have a point, and I cannot refuse an imperial request, I shall shift my focus elsewhere but I shall not reduce the various security and defensive measures I've put into place"

"I wouldn't ask you to, while Jinhai and I are only less beloved than your legendary and storied self, this idle show of force will certainly make any of the other nobles not think of rebellion for at least a few generations" She jests as she allows Liling to pull upon her free flowing locks of hair "And may I be so bold as to offer my own suggestion of what you should occupy yourself doing, instead of making the imperial capital a fortress that I doubt even the Butcher king and all his malformed hordes could besiege?"

"Of course, you are my friend and the empress of this kingdom" You answer softly as you stride over and take Wenling, her first born daughter from her exhausted maid, the little girl immediately reaching up to grab at your braided, iron hued hair
Cont

>>5937434

"Preparing the ceremony and festival to welcome your three giant brothers, Qian Xia is worrying a ulcer into her stomach theorizing how they'll react to four great giants walking amongst them, when they've barely had time to acclimate to your army of lesser giants" she says excitedly "Jinhai and Feng already have many ideas of how to welcome them, but since they got...distracted"

By this she means they decided it'd be fun to join in on your astarte's live fire urban combat drills and exchanging war stories with the various soldiers partaking in said exercises

"The task falls to me, and as you're their brother, you as well. I'd have asked Wenyan, but that poor old man is already occupied being treated like a living saint for raising you by the masses" She explains, handing you Boling, who stares into your eyes and takes exactly eleven seconds to blink and close his own tightly "And this means, it mostly falls onto your soldiers, as I've not met any of your brothers and don't know what to expect from them"

You frown, rubbing your chin as the two children in your arms begin struggling to clamber up your chest to pull at your hair, while Liling wails at being left out of being allowed to explore the familiar jungle gym of her "uncle"

How would you prepare and welcome your brothers and father, Lieren?

>As is expected of a Long-Jian man welcoming family home from a long journey, with a public appearance and meal to introduce them to your people and world properly

>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>By staging their arrival in a way the common folk will understand, to stop any of them from panicking or getting overly excited, and allow them to choose how they are welcomed and what ceremony they are presented with.

>With a friendly spar with each, a fight between two or four primarchs is sure to be remembered long after your names fade to the sands of history

>Write in

>>5937435
>As is expected of a Long-Jian man welcoming family home from a long journey, with a public appearance and meal to introduce them to your people and world properly
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

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>>5937435
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.
I DESPERATELY want to spar with our brothers (and Big E for that matter), but Kanzeon would flip her shit if we got all fucked up right before the wedding.
I'm definitely going to ask The Emperor about a private spare once the festivities are over though.
That and challenge Perturabo to a few rounds of "combat simulations". I hope he has his army all painted and ready to go.

>>5937435
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>>5937435
>Unique for each

Here's a question. Is Shangrala stable enough now? After the wedding should we go to terra to officially reunite with Big E and help in the great crusade?

>>5937435
>She explains, handing you Boling, who stares into your eyes and takes exactly eleven seconds to blink and close his own tightly "
Kid's got potential, most grown men can't manage meeting Lieren's gaze for that long

>>5937435
>As is expected of a Long-Jian man welcoming family home from a long journey, with a public appearance and meal to introduce them to your people and world properly
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.
On the one hand, ensuring there is no panic or uncontrolled excitement seems prudent, but on the other hand I feel like Shangralans are used to this shit by now.
>four... no FIVE other giants are attending?!?
>alright, who had five giants?
>me!
>man, I was sure there would be aliens
>nah, he already brought aliens last week

I would really like to spar too, but it doesn't seem very appropriate for the occasion. We'll have opportunities to do so later.
Besides, I'm pretty sure Magnus would wipe the floor with everyone anyway.

>>5937435
>>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>>5937435
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>>5937435 #
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>>5937435
>>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>>5937435
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

>>5937467
You might have a clue that starts with wedding (no we have made Lieren quite prudent this is normal for what he usually does in terms of security of important events) and finishes with we are healing and growing our world after we did all the wars here, for the first thing right in front of you. For the second, not much reason to do so. We have entire swathes of space around Shangrila that stand unclaimed.

I agree with above. We have the chance to start the crusade from here and later link up meet up with emps part of it, more effective and allows us to cover more ground.

considering we haven't the faintest idea where we are in the galaxy, it's probably best to start from our part of the galaxy and work our way inward until we meet up with emps

>>5938562
We're located somewhere in Segmentum Obscurus, close to the Eye of Terror and north of Ulthwe. There's a brief mention that Carys had stopped in Kher-ys on her way to Shangrala and was heading "further into this cursed territory", I think Shangrala is either located along the northern edges of the Eye or a little further north of it. Now that I think about it I wonder if some of those humans we rescued from the deldar were from Caliban, the ones who looked like nobility. I really wish we'd spoken to the human refugees when we had the chance.

https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2021/5008985/#p5024474

>>5938806
Ferrus and leman are also the physically closest Primarchs to us as stated by qm in our drunken dream from earlier. We could probably use those to triangulate?

>>5939098
On this map we would probably be somewhere near the border between segmentum obscures and terra, between fenris and Medusa

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>>5939101
>>5939098
Dropped my pic

I wonder if Cegorach slipped some information about Lieren’s feats to Pan An. I also wonder if Pan An will have a play ready for the Emperor. May we live in interesting times.

>>5937435
>Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.

Had a stressful day today, so the wait for the update will be longer, sorry. But while we wait, which Shangralan(s) do you want to meet which primarch of Perturabo, Magnus and Angron the most?

I want Liberty to meet the Emperor.

I also want the heads of the Nameless to meet Melcador or Emps too, keeping the Nameless a secret from them only becomes a greater and greater danger the longer they don't know, as their organizational style is ironically Secret Cult-like and could eventually lead to an unwitting clash with Malcador's own chaos-hunters, not to mention the inevitable backlash. We should bite the bullet now.

Tiger cubs must meet everyone. M: members from the clan and the children from the school. P: one of our sons and Mari A: our nameless assistant and Eldrad. BIG E: as he said above, just introduce him to our adopted children and the aliens we rescued

>>5940910
>which Shangralan(s) do you want to meet which primarch of Perturabo, Magnus and Angron the most?
I'm curious what Perturabo would think of Jinhai, given that we serve him, on paper. Kinda curious what he might say about Qian Xia too. Maybe Yin Lei too.
The various members of the Wanderers in the Fog are obvious choices, but I kinda want to toss Meixu in particular at Magnus to see where that goes. Though Malcador would admittedly be funnier, maybe we can do both. I also want him to meet Wenyan, I feel like there is potential for some good banter there.
Angron has already met many of our friends, so I don't have a lot of ideas. I can't recall, has he met Luli? That could be interesting. Somewhat curious how he might feel about the Kang Yongrui, if he meets him. I don't believe the Kang went to liberate Nuceria, right?
Oh, and we need to toss Mari and Al-Uzza at Perturabo and Magnus. You know, just to check.

>>5940910
I just want Perto to meet our assistant, he would flip and try to requisition him from us

>>5940910
I want to see how the magos would react to Luli, the sisters, and all of our technology.
I would also like to unleash all of our nephews on to Emperor and Malcador

>>5941269
those tigers kids are so cute. I wonder how they're doing. How much time has passed? Are any adults now?

So Emps and Angron won't be able to stick around for long since they have shit to do but Magnus and Perturabo could actually stay on Shangrala longer, couldn't they? Well I guess Pert actually has to stay on Shangrala for a bit to renovate the Long-Jian palace, hopefully being so close to the Eye doesn't fuck with him too much.

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Source of my stress has been stemmed, so calling the vote now, sorry for the really long wait.

As is expected of a Long-Jian man welcoming family home from a long journey, with a public appearance and meal to introduce them to your people and world properly:2

Unique for each of your brothers, Magnus will be welcomed with the music and culture of all of the people's of Shangrala, Perturabo will be met with a parade of the imperial army, Angron will as the only one to visit previously be greeted with the respect he deserves as his victories are listed off to the people of shangrala, and your gene-father will be welcomed into the palace as a fellow monarch.:11

total votes:11

So the welcomes for each of Lieren's family members will be unique and personalized to the individual

writing now

I just realised something; we've not told any brother or our dad that the others are going t be here... This will be Pert's first Contact, This will be the first time so many of the Imperial Household have been in one place, this will be dads first meeting us all together. Then if it's Alpharius whom has come along that's five of us! Six including Dad.

Then theres all the Aeldari and such here! This is effectively the most dangerous gathering of individuals in a thousand years!

If we show Perty one of our mechs could he turn them into Armored Core style mechs?

>>5942205
Lieren is a trickster worthy of loki and chegorath

>>5942205
I just checked and apparently the Triumph of Ulanor was the single greatest gathering of primarchs at one time + Big Emps. The Triumph only had 9 of the primarchs present. Istvan V I believe had about 9 to 11 present. This wedding will likely be talked about in legend alongside major gatherings of Primarchs such as Istvan V and Ulanor.

Magnus is the first to arrive, in the shadows cast by the statues of the dead standing as tall and proud as the living men they memorialize in the fields of flowers beneath Chen Dao Academy. He is fretful, frantic, having completely fallen for the the story of a seemingly harmless contagion and has arrived with only himself and the wise Amon at his side to seek a cure for the mysterious ailment, going so far as bringing valuable texts that are wholly unique, treasures passed down from teacher to student in an unbroken chain for countless years before. In the flesh, he appears much as he does in the Empyrean, and even in the material, he radiates a complex and overwhelming psionic aura, every molecule in the air all but shouting of the power he wields and his expertise in bending it his will and commanding powers beyond the ken of mortal men. To your eyes, it as if all the colors in the world swirl and radiate from within him, as he stands as they eye of great spiritual storm, that is only calmed and tamed by the constant application of measured pressure and control.

That is not surprising, what is surprising is that he, is the first man you have to crane your head up to look into his eyes. He is taller than you! A shock that is welcomed, for it is a fresh and new experience, though the difference in height isn't that great or noticeable but it is apparent. Kanzeon seems awe struck by this revelation. Most of her sisters are as well. Anahita clearly deciding that this is a tower of a man she won't throw herself at to tackle to the ground and wrestle, while Al-Uzza blinks rapidly in disbelief. And whether it is from his presence or stature alone, the usually loud, outspoken and brash Liberty is hiding behind Mari and throwing furtive glances towards your brother as he rambles on and on about his theories while Amon, his once mentor throws you a knowing and conspiratorial look. He has discovered the answer to the riddle of your harmless ruse.

"Brother" You state, warmth and love radiating in every syllable that passes your lips as Magnus pauses to breathe, blinking as he realizes he is looking upon you with his own two eyes, and takes a step back to full absorb and comprehend that the two of you are standing before one another, friends and brothers who have only met through visions and dreams.

"Brother" he states, voice cracking and tilting in an odd way as he is overcome with emotion, his eyes, all the color of the warp shimmering with joyous tears as yours too are wetted by the surge of brotherly affection. Al-uzza daps at her eyes demurely as Kanzeon and Anahita exchange glances and adopt a sturdy, defensive stance behind you

"BROTHER!" The two of your voices become the thunder that shakes the mountains, clearing the mist around you, as forgetting the fake troubles that summoned him here, you and Magnus rush to embrace each other.
Cont

>>5942217

Amon stands diligent and as stiff as a shoot of bamboo, entirely unafraid of being so near the clashing of two bodies so titanic and powerful.

The ground shakes as the two of your meet and wrap your arms around another. His brilliant red mane of hair and your iron hued hair lifting as the fires in your heart stoke the fires of both of your spirit, fueled further by the weakening of the veil as odd colors and textures fill the air around the two of you, the grasses waving and dancing without wind as clouds of dust becomes ignited with witch light and is flash transmuted into crystalline and metallic dust as the two of you laugh and release all of the pent up and restrained emotions you've held back since one became aware of the other.

"Hah! You are quite the marvel! Magnus!" Guozhi calls out, as the two of you brothers laugh and howl with joy, your joy rushing through the mountains and valleys like floodwaters along amber hued winds as the two of you hug tightly together, as if making certain the other is truly present and no mere figment of the imagination or a psionic projection.

"Guozhi, you are much smaller than your astral form would suggest" Magnus chuckles, releasing you and patting you on the shoulder as you let go, breathless and in truly high spirits as you part from whim, a brilliant smile upon your face

"Age bows all backs, youngster" The old master laughs, stroking his beard before the silent Amon catches his attention "And you must be his teacher, a marvelous work you have accomplished, lord Amon"

"Just Amon" Amon replies coolly, head bowed as he cupped his fist, Guozhi returning the gesture with a merry smirk "And I once was, but I find being his friend is a far more fulfilling role for me to fill"

It was then Magnus noted the presence of the other giants present. Giantesses. Curiosity was the first emotion to be writ across his face and fill his brilliant eyes, followed by a subduing suspicion. His eyes glanced over the bold faces of Kanzeon and Anahita, the still stunned look on Al-uzza's face and Mari's composed and well mannered smile and Liberty trying to look threatening by gnashing and baring her teeth. His attentions shifted to you, as the other members of the wanderers in the fog who had been called to welcome Magnus arrive, to begin the ceremony of welcoming him in. Magnus' brow creases, as he looks you in the eye, and matches your gaze without sign of being affected by the piercing qualities of your stare. Slowly, his bronzed lips are tugged into a amused smirk.

"Ah, I do not recall our father mentioning sisters" he mocks astonishment, chuckling as you smile turns into a truly audacious grin as Kanzeon hurries to your side and grabs onto your arm "Though, thinking about the symptoms of the odd, warp born ailment afflicting a handful of your students, I think I now recognize them"
Cont

>>5942218

"Love, isn't it" Amon laughs, eyes squinted in amusement as he throws a knowing and approving glance the way of you and Kanzeon, who returns it with a smug grin as she tightens her hold on you "It was obvious, especially having experienced the mischievousness of your brother"

"Hah, you haven't seen him at his worst" Guozhi chuckles as Magnus' face shifts between many emotions and features as he beholds the two of you, taking collection and composing his feelings and thoughts of this unexpected reveal as he also grapples with how easily he was fooled by you and the embarrassment of making so many preparations for what proved to be an innocent joke.

"Does our father know" is what he says, calm and collected, only a ripple of worry to his tone as he lowers his head slightly

"Of course" You answer simply

"I've gotten his approval, don't worry, your brother is not so wild natured and ill tempered to elope with me" Kanzeon teases sardonically, rolling her eyes "I am Kanzeon, and I am his bethrothed"

"Brother" Mangus scolds, shaking his head "how could you not tell me about her even once in all the days we have known eachother? for shame"

"Yet he introduced me to Perturabo the first day they met" Kanzeon snickers with a treacherous sneer as you gasp, feigning betrayal as Anahita tilts her head to the side and frowns

"Brother!" Magnus shouts, feigning outrage and disbelief as you throw up your hands and the rest of the wanderers in the fog and the academy students who came to see what all the fuss was about marvel at the sheer size of Magnus the red of Prospero. Including the Tiger Cubs, whose gawking and staring is more noticeable than the rest of the crowd.

"I could never find the proper moment, the atmosphere was never right, the discussions we had were never fitting..." You rattle off a number of excuses as Magnus looks over the abhuman children and lifts up his chin. But there is no tension, you know the content's of your brother's gentle hearts.

"I see some I need to introduced to, and some who are familiar to me by their presence alone" he says calmly, smiling your way and winking "First, let us start with Kanzeon, you are of similar stature to us, but I can sense that your being isn't standing before me. This is a puppet I am speaking to no?"

"Correct" Kanzeon answers with a nod "Though we can save such discussion for a more private setting, brother in law"

"Future brother in law, our father may have given you his blessing, but I have not" He says dully, though in a way that makes it clear he is joking "May I be so bold as to request an introduction to you presumed sisters, Kanzeon?"

"No need to pull out an etiquette manual, just ask our names, mine is Anahita big guy" Anahita says with a grin, jabbing her thumb at her self "The most cheerful, bombastic and fun to be around"
cont

>>5942221

"My desig..name is Al-Uzza, and seeing as Anahita threatened to twist my arm if I do not play along, I suppose I can be categorized as the most academically minded of our surviving sisters, and the most..."

"High strung?" Anahita offers

"Cautious" Al-uzza decides with a stern glare thrown her siblings way "Behind me is Mari, the gentlest and most nurturing of us...usually"

"Hi" Mari says meekly, with a wave "And clinging to my legs is Liberty, our youngest and most er...energetic sister"

"You ain't scaring me you big bastard!" Is how Liberty introduces herself, to the shock of Magnus and Amon, and the despair of Al-Uzza and Mari, Guozhi and Anahita just laugh.

"I..I see" magnus chuckles, uncertain how to react to the little girl shaking his fist at him "And how would you describe yourself, compared to your sister, Kanzeon"

"Level headed, motherly, stern" She stars

"Hard ass" Liberty mutters, and gets an ear pulling for it from Al-uzza, whose lessons on manners have not even chipped away at the churlishness that Dae-hyun had raised into the young soul.

"I can't really argue against that" Kanzeon giggles "But its hard to describe's one's self accurately, and my sisters and Lieren, especially him, would be biased about me, why not learn who we are yourself"

"I intend to, if your to be family" He says kindly, bowing his head before he shakes the hands of every psykerist that came down from the mountain, leaving the awed tiger children for later. Your sons are preparing the road to be used for his welcoming ceremony, and various officials are readying the musicians and artists who will show to him the art of Shangrala's many peoples. Zixin, the twin elders Bohai and Peizhi and the elder Kuan Im greet him joyously though without much event or pomp.

"Ah, little Meixiu!" He shouts happily as he meets the girl, whom he has tutored through astral projection more than once "I see you've grown since we've last met, both in stature and power"

A glint flashes in the girl's eyes, as her more troublesome side rears its head and she decides to test his claim in the most directly manner.

"Hells!" Amon shouts, as he is nearly thrown from the ground by the directionless telekinetic wave Meixiu channels and throws against Magnus as any other child would a playful punch, reminding you painfully of how much power is contained in her small body and how terrible a villain she could become if she was of wicked and evil nature. Luckily, she is a good child and despite being somewhat spoiled at times, wouldn't harm someone unless it was necessary to, even if she could twist, bend and shred limbs with barely a flutter of her eyes.

Magnus smirks, standing against all of her mustered power, that she directed carefully so it would only hit him with only the outermost "Current" washing against you and Amon, who had chosen a truly unfortunate position to stand.

Cont

>>5942222

The ground around magnus is...evaporated, leaving a great channel through the field as she focuses her eyes and stares down her nose at him. As he stands on a patch of flowers, hands having never left his sides, meet all of her cataclysmic power as if it were a gentle spring breeze. The same power that she used, before her training, to break the bodies of an entire bandit gang like they were straw dolls. And Magnus shrugs it off, as was expected.

"Stronger, yes, but still far to go to rival me" He states calmly, with a wave of his hand, dismissing and sealing her spirit's touch "But enough of this game, you're hurting yourself and may lose control"

You nod and calmly put a hand on Meixiu's shoulder

"There is nothing to prove" You declare and she bows her head, trying to hide the trickle of blood from her nose with a subtle, casual wipe at her face "You'll only injure yourself trying to match my brother, the king of the psykers"

"Lieren" Said brother bashfully replies as he scratches the back of his head, while all the gather wanderers and students get a true understanding of just how far above them he stands as a psyker "You flatter me, and, who are these exotic looking youths"

"My adoptive sons and daughters, Avinash, Ananya, Sandip, please, introduce yourselves to your uncle and tell him the names of your sib..." You start, attention mainly on the swaying Meixiu, who is unsteady on her feet, having summoned all of her titanic psionic power at the detriment of her body, Guozhi is also helping tend to her as is Amon, despite him having nearly been blown away from the edge of her spirit's touch's wave.

And immediately, the moment you say uncle, all two hundred and eighty five, except the more mature amongst them, including Avinash and Ananya, rush Magnus and gather around him, some trying to clamber up his immense legs as he stares down at them fondly, with a true gentleness in their eyes

"Greetings uncle! We've already met one of our other uncles, you smell less like death than he did, more like ink and old books"
"Is uncle a warrior like our father? You have to be with a body like that. is your skin red because you've fought many foemen?"
"Hey! How big of a rock can you lift! Meixiu can lift a huge boulder, but she cheats! I, the mighty sandip! Can probably lift a bigger rock than you"
"No you cannot! He just stood against the princess of whirlwinds like her witchy powers we nothing!"
"Oh! is uncle a pyskerist like our father and some of our friends! Can you show us one of your magic tricks"

"I suppose, even looking as odd as they do, children will be children. The younger acolytes are the same" Amon remarks as he lifts his head to admire Magnus and his newest crowds of admirers "He's always been wonderful with children, suppose that is a family trait"
Cont

>>5942223

"I do adore children, their innocence and smiling faces are a true delight" You say as you wipe the blood dribbling from Meixiu's nose, having given her a stern warning about knowing and respecting her limits even if they are vast and further away than most of her peers

"I'm just happy he's taken all of this in stride, especially the cubs" Kanzeon sighs "though it is nice he didn't make a big deal about"

"Our nature?" Al-uzza finishes as she and Mari watch Magnus be used as a climbing tree by a dozen or more tiger children

"Your relationship with the big guy?" Anahita giggles teasingly.

"That he was lured here, believing there was a true and real danger, only for it to be one of Lieren's light hearted gags?" Mari sighs saying more than she has all morning

"Take your pick" Kanzeon answers with a shrug "But Uzi, Mari, what do you think of him?"

Neither of them seem to catch on why Kanzeon is asking, even though they wouldn't need to read her thoughts to understand it, and so both of them are baffled, with Al-uzza deflecting that she hasn't known him long enough to have an inkling of his personality and Mari stammering that he seems like a nice person while you shake your head.

Before one of the officials working with daiyu and your father arrives, escorted by two of your astartes, who fall to their knees the moment they catch sight of another primarch, even if said primarch is currently half burried by excitable children, as the tiger cubs are reinforced by their schoolmates and friends in their "assault" upon "Mount Magnus". Their reverance clashes with the hilarity of the situation. And your stubbornly unnamed assistance is with him.

"Grand architect, the cultural exhibition prepared for your honored brother is nearly ready" he says calmly, leafing through various pages on his clipboard for agenda and schedule of the day "The musical companies have all practiced and prepared their instruments, the ribbon dancers are ready, the food stalls featuring every regional cuisine from all of Long-Jia and her provinces are stocked and prepared for even the mightiest of appetites, the bask knights have a lancing demonstration readied, and Pan An's company has prepared for a number of plays, and at your discretion, will perform one for the entertainment of our most respectable and honored guest from the world in the distant heavens"

"Which plays are they prepared to perform?" You ask curiously

"A number, they handed me a brochure" He mumbles as he rifles through his edict and mandate filled pockets.
Cont

>>5942224

What play do you choose to be performed for Magnus during his welcome ceremony, Lieren?

>The hero of prospero, his skin as red as the vermilions of sunset
, chases away the devil wasp menace and frees the people,

>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark

>Lieren of nothing, from the stars sent, brings prosperity to the land and doom to the tyrants of Gao.

>The heroic battle of the blood stained temple of Nitya Sinha, the butcher king, and the valorous last stands of the great heroes who died that day

>Write in

place your bets who will be the second to arrive now, if you wish

>>5942228
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark
He DID say he wanted to get to know Kanzeon better...
Also
>place your bets who will be the second to arrive now, if you wish
The second to set foot on the planet or the second to do arrive and be welcomed formally?

>>5942228
>The hero of prospero

Give him a familiar tale to contrast his own storytelling ethics and language.

>>5942228
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark


Betting its gonna be Angron.

>>5942228
>The hero of prospero, his skin as red as the vermilions of sunset, chases away the devil wasp menace and frees the people.
Making a play about a story Magnus is intimately familiar with is an excellent way to demonstrate the exact essence of Shangralan theatre. It's also a nice gesture, I think.
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark
It IS our wedding, I can't think of a more appropriate one.

>place your bets who will be the second to arrive now, if you wish
Perturabo, probably? Based purely on who would struggle least to make & power the golden river.
Short of the emperor, of course, but I imagine he has to arrive stylishly late, given that he has the most guests with him.

>>5942228 #
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark
He DID say he wanted

>>5942265
+1

>>5942228
>The heroic battle of the blood stained temple of Nitya Sinha, the butcher king, and the valorous last stands of the great heroes who died that day

>>5942228
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark

>>5942228
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark
This is a funny way to reveal Kanzeon's true nature to Mango.

>>5942228
>>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark

File: whiteglint.gif (1.93 MB, 360x202)

1.93 MB GIF

>>5942209
Just slap some boosters on the fucking things so they can zoom around and fly and you've basically got an AC minus the modularity. Our mech pilots are even psychic just like Lynxes.

>>5942652
Designing a mech to move around like an AC wouldn’t be that easy.

>>5942228
>>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark
I think Its gonna be angron

>>5942228
>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark
It will give him a run down in a way

>>5942228
>The hero of prospero, his skin as red as the vermilions of sunset, chases away the devil wasp menace and frees the people

Hope it's perty

I imagine Pertyis next, then angron before dad rocks up last to arrive in sheer flare. Or dad arrives with Angron as a flex

>>5942228
>The hero of prospero, his skin as red as the vermilions of sunset, chases away the devil wasp menace and frees the people

>>5942228
>>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark

>>5942228
>The Goddess caged
>>5942209
If only, though he might have a gripe on how non standardized they are, wonder if we could convince him on the value of experienced soldiers/pilots and how tailored equipment becomes more efficient after a certain treshold of expertise

>>5944978
Technically there is a degree of standardization but that comes down to the parts rather than the whole.

>>5942228
>>The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark

I'm sure it has been mentioned but what is our primarch gift, the eyes were a corruption, our psyker stuff was self made. What is our Emoeror forged gift and where does it stand compared to others? Perti has omni technology sight, the khan has a speed blitz, fulgrim has godly regen, morty has an entropy field...there's a many but what is our deal?

The way our brain works, we were meant to have logical thinking and suppressed emotions. The way I understand it from seeing from Emp's side, is that we would have been an organic AI capable of inventing new things and improving the technology we already have.

>>5946401
I seem to remember something about us being a natural technician and logician?

>>5946340
It has been said in quest since we discovered it from our pod, we where designated has an engineer with not many emotions.

>>5946340
We were supposed to handle the logistics of the imperium, that's why we are so good at making roads and infrastructure.

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Calling the vote now, sorry for the really long wait. Wasn't feeling well all week. Tooth pain, mostly

The Hero of Prospero:5

The Goddess Caged beneath the mountains:13

The heroic battle of the blood stained temple:1

Total votes:17

So Lieren will have Pan An put on a performance of the "The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark" For his brother Magnus

writing now

>>5946441
>>5946415
>>5946405
>>5946401
>>5946340
Lieren was intended to be more a general purpose primarch than really specializing in anything.

>>5946486
I thought his specialization was logistics.

"The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark" You answer without hesitation, having flipped through the brochure in the span of a breath, only pausing to admire the improved costumes and effects displayed within by photographs taken from previous performances of the ever popular and much lauded Pan An

"A wonderful choice, sir" Your assistant says, nodding once as you hand him back the brochure, as Malcador's man watches on from within his own stable of helping hands and underlings, eyes nearly bursting from his skull as he beholds Magnus as he is coached on what will be expected of him throughout the ceremony, not that he needs the lecture as he is well informed of Long-Jianese etiquette and social protocol. The welcoming he is given, begins with him being introduced to your fallen comrades and dearly departed friends, being told of them and given their names and epithets as you, their families and a certain percentage of the gathered onlookers kneel before their memorials amongst the flowers that mark their gravesites.

He is told, by Old Chen, Little Chen and his mother Lanfen, of Small Chen's valorous life and noble sacrifice, of his deeds great and small, of his beginnings and his end. He is told of Bai and Xin, by their Wives, Bai's Vishnu lady singing a war hymn of her departed warriors greatest battles, his victories up until his defiant last stand and of his troubles in life, while Xin's dancer, with their son in her arms, performs a moving tale of Xin and Bai's childhood before the two come together to speak of their unbreakable bond of friendship. Liang and Jiang's story is imparted to your brother by their grandparents, who weep as they tell him of their rise from errant youths and lively boys to proud and noble men who despite their differences in character and numerous fights, died side by side, one unable and wholly unwilling to leave the other to their enemies, many of your sons declare Liang's protection of his brother's corpse having marked him as having had the potential to be a great Astarte in another life. And perhaps, they will be proven right someday.

Red Face Wei's life story is relayed by his wife, family, Shaved head Wei, Half Jaw Hu and Fat Chen, who after retiring from service, has turned his ironic nickname into a plain description.

Rong and Zian are spoken of by the soliders who served under them, from Gao's palace, the Jinhai's officer when he worked as a general, to their time as the honored guard of the emperor until their deaths in the butcher's temple. Some of your sons and the terran soldiers as well, speak highly of them. The tribesmen of the fallen chieftians, roar to the sky of the final battle waged by the great heroes of their time and the glory of their final, bloody day.
Cont

>>5946493

and Magnus bears witness to a rare sight, one that you have only witnessed once or twice yourself, that of hardened Vishnu Screamers shedding tears for lost Kamakashi, Manu, and Rudra.

The deaths of Elder Cai and Xueqin are told to Magnus by Guozhi and the surviving elder cultivators from the wanderers in the fog, and Magnus shares his own memories of the two heroic psykers who valiantly gave their lives to oppose the tyranny of the butcher king, recalling Cai's kindly nature and Xueqin's internal turmoil.

Michah's tale is a yarn spun by not only his fellow fighting new varroicans, like Clayton the steel giant pilot, but also those whom you rescued recently, who seem to have heard of him back on their own world as well or else were told tall tales of his time on Shangrala by their countrymen. Much of it is fantasy, and what is true has been stretched and spun into the fantastical, and you know Michah wouldn't have wanted it any other way. You give a few parting words to each of your friends, as Magnus and Amon honor them with Funerary rites from Prospero, and he is given permission by each of the families of the fallen to collect a single bloom from before their memorials, to take with him to preserve their memory.

With tears still drying on your faces, and your Astarted finishing the mourning ceremony with a live fire salute carefully aimed so their bolter shells won't impact anywhere near populated areas, you lead your brother by his shoulder to the village small chen grew up in, as Old Chen continues speaking fondly of his late son, crying to see he is still loved and mourned even so long after his departure from this world of illusion.

The following events in the broadcasted and televised arrival of Magnus to Shangrala, are much less sorrowful affairs and far more joyful and enlivening, with reporters such as Luli gathering to hear his thoughts and hear of life on Prospero, which he and Amon are happy to answer, while common folk and farmers gaze up and gawk at his size and odd skin tone, though none are rude enough to mention its similarity to the red hides of the cloned armies of Nitya Sinha.

Magnus especially enjoys the cultural displays he is ushered towards and allowed to indulge in, he spends hours asking of the history of each instrument and the traditions behind each song and method of playing them, and even accepts the offered lessons to learn to play a few, preferring the Guqin and the Dizi to all others. You join your own sound with his exploration into Long-Jianese song, by beating the same Tanggu drum you beat when you marched on the last stronghold of the Mao family. And much to the amusement of the crowd, some of your space marines who dabble in the musical arts themselves, pick up instruments and create an orchestra of giants. Kanzeon refuses to join in the festivities, even as her sisters badger her about her lovely singing voice, which brings a beautifully lustrous blush to her fair cheeks.
Cont

>>5946494

Seeing him play music and mingle and show such innocent curiosity of the instruments he plays, the crowd quickly warms to Magnus, more than they already had from simply being told that he was your brother


Once he has had his fill with music, Magnus relishes in the symbolism and elegance of traditional Shangralan dances, amazing their performers by correctly guessing the meaning of each one and the theorized origins of each dance, and this leads to a lengthy discussion of the ceremonial and folk purposes of each dance and their societal and spiritual meanings. And how they can broaden a message when combined with poetry, song and storytelling. Already in truly high spirits, thrilled to find out what piece of your culture he'll be offered next, Magnus attends the food stalls with much gusto, though Amon must be convinced in the wholesomeness and safety of certain dishes, and must be told that the numbing he feels isn't a toxin in the food but an effect of crushed pepper.

Magnus you learn, enjoys heavily spiced food straight from the cooking pan, though he also shows a sweet teeth with the honey preserved and sugar coated fruit he is offered on wooden skewers. Amon, prefers more subtle and spartan affair, and avoids anything with the more "Exotic" spices and ingredients offered on Long-Jianese cooking, and refuses outright to try the fermented game meat enjoyed by the Bask. Shuni and Zoroast cuisine is familiar to them, and what has been preserved of traditional Vishnu fair, is too spiced for Amon's palate. The Hellias dishes on offer, are deemed by Magnus "Unexciting but hearty" compared to the the regional cuisines, but Amon declares them wonderful and shows an interest in learning their recipes. And Lomb cuisine is the only one that makes Magnus show anything approaching hesitation, as the off shoot of humanity offered him raw cuts of fish, which Kanzeon devours happily and not just to convince your brother to try the dish himself.

And, to your own surprise, the New Varro women offer your party and the officials allowed to sit at the same table as your family and close friends, their homebrewed firewater and "Pan scrambles". Your brother soon finds common ground with them and their love for coffee, and he and Amon nearly re-taste everything they ate when you slip undiluted and unflavored dragon spit alongside the lighter and less offensive liquors, spirits and wines they are offered as a tasting flight by some of the finest brewers and artisanal growers Long-Jia has to offer.

Having covertly handed Magnus some money to place bets on the Bask jousting and telling him which knight you believe will emerge the victor, having kept such information from his friend Amon, you and Kanzeon sneak off to check on the preperations of Pan An's company's performance of the "The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark"
Cont

>>5946497

And it is at their mobile theater that you find Daiyu and Wenyan, who is very interested to meet another brother of yours and tell him of your youth. And you tell him exactly where to find him, the old man escorted to the jousting arena by an honor guard lead by Nikephoros and other veterans of your astartes.

"I've heard things are going well, proceeding as planned" Empress Daiyu says, fretting with a lock of her hair as her handmaidens kneel at her sides "Jinhai is traveling by steel bird to meet him, and he's bringing Feng and Akanksha as well"

"Unexpected but welcome guests" You declare happily, before frowning "Daiyu, you're going to grey your fine hair with stress, allow me to take over here, go meet my brother for yourself, his company will surely comfort you and put your worries at ease"

"Perfection cannot be reached, but it can be pursued" She answers regally, nodding her head "Very well, you may take over this duty, grand architect. The welcome is already going better than could be expected"

"The nation watches your brother with fascination, great hero" One of her handmaids chimes, voice wavering from the amazement of standing before a living figure of legend such as yourself "They adore him!"

You smile and move to reply, before a joyous Pan An gasps and rushes over to you as Daiyu takes her leave and whisks away her starstruck handmaid.

"Lieren! Of it has been too long my friend! You are looking as heroic as ever, even just standing your strike a figure worthy of song! I was overjoyed when I heard I'd be given a chance to put on a performance for you and your family once again, after so long" He shouts happily, wearing a thin mustache and a wide brimmed had that is fashionable in Bask, with a long, Phoenix feather drooping from it, that had been gifted to him by one of the caretakers of the population Kanzeon created not too long ago, when it had molted and fallen off

"Pan An" You return just as jubilantly, kneeling down to be at level with the beaming playright "It is ever a joy to be in your company, perhaps we may share drinks after the play, and I may introduce you to my brother"

"I've heard from the other artists that he is quite the man of culture, I believe him and I will get along famously" he says merrily before turning to Kanzeon and bowing deeply "And my a thousand apologies, lady Kanzeon, that I have not yet been able to congratulate you and Lieren on your betrothal! I am ashamed that I have not been able to truly captured your transcendent beauty on the stage, it is my greatest shame as a artist that I am only able to bring to life a meager reflection of your true grace"

"There's no need to apologize, Pan An" Kanzeon chuckles, amused and somewhat haughty "If you can't replicate my good looks, no one can, but I'm curious, what is your second greatest shame"
Cont

>>5946498

"That I cannot find an actor who could stand in for your husband to be and make the crowd believe they are seeing the golden eyed giant himself!" he laughs loudly, clapping his hands and rising to his feet "Come, come, let me introduce you to your lesser reflections, they are big fans of both of you and will be overjoyed to be given the chance to meet the characters they stand in for, Oh, the whole company will be over the moon just having you listen into their final line readings!"

"How can we refuse" Kanzeon chuckles as you smirk

"I'd be happy to meet my own actor face to face" You laugh joyously as you and her follow the playright to be given introductions to his talented troupers, many of whom are famous names in their own right
_

As the photographers of his recent performances promised, the costumes have only grown more detailed and finely made, and the means of which Pan An uses to create effects have improved as more technology has been made available to his creative mind though he hasn't abandoned the orchestra he had attracted as his fame grew and spread or the traditional tools he used for the effects that made his plays as popular as they were to begin with. The "outdated" tools are simply joined with the state of the art and most advance, he even somehow got a few of holographic projectors set up and tuned to his exact specifications.

Magnus, Amon, Wenyan, Kanzeon, Anahita, Mari, Al-Uzza, and yourself at sat at the front row, and so is Pan An, who trust his actors enough to not have a presence on the stage himself, leaving them to go through the play without direction or commands. Though he does briefly take the stage to introduce his actors and set the stage for the play they will be performing.

"This, honored audience, is a story of chaste love that transcends the ever flowing river of time" Pan An begins humbly, head bowed and hands held out in a pleading gesture "A love purer than untrodden snow, than the finest jade, a love enduring and true"

He smirks, looking your and Kanzeon's way, and winking, a few of the other members of the audience giggling as Magnus strokes his chin in thought, listening intently to the playwright's everyword

"But it does not begin at the meeting, this tale starts with tragedy in eras past, though I do not know the truth of the matter, all me to entertain you with a possibility, what my poetic soul believes happened long before the sun rose upon the Long-Jian dynasty" he continues on with a playful spring in his step, on fist held to the sky and the other hand pressed firmly to his breast "A fantasy, of two lovers separated by time who by fateful encounter met against all odds and obstacles in their way, allow me to have the privilege of presenting you the latest edition of one of our most popular performances "The goddess caged beneath the mountains at the bone devouring forest, and how she was freed from her lonely vigil in the dark"!
Cont

>>5946500

"How poetic and showy, as expected of Pan An, the man's father must've been a peacock" Wenyan chuckles as Pan An leaps from the stage and re-takes his seat as the actors, one by one, bow and leave the stage as the curtains are pulled and closed.

What do you do, Lieren?

>Watch the play in silence, and introduce Pan An to Magnus afterwards, before he meets Jinhai

>Act the part of the lovebirds with Kanzeon, to see how much tolerance your brother has for such shenanigans

>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering

>Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results

>Write in

Next arrival will occur next update

>>5946501
>Act the part of lovebirds.
>Quietly and respectfully point out the inaccuracies.

We can permit them being creative differences, but you gotta set the record straight on most things.
Except that we fished Jinhai out of the sea. That must remain forever.

>>5946501
>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering

>Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results

>>5946501
>Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results
It's Magnus' first time seeing the play, he doesn't need the commentary track going. If he has questions he's free to ask.
Besides, when's the next time we're gonna get the chance to speak with Amon at length?

>>5946501
>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering
I’d also like to point out to Magnus that we didn’t have access to psyker powers until right before the infiltration of the Yan capital and until we had a proper handle on them were forced weaponize the Journey to get an edge against Chaos.

>>5946501 #
>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering

>Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results

>>5946501


>Watch the play in silence, and introduce Pan An to Magnus afterwards, before he meets Jinhai

>>5946501
>Act the part of the lovebirds with Kanzeon, to see how much tolerance your brother has for such shenanigans
>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering

>>5946501
>>Act the part of the lovebirds with Kanzeon, to see how much tolerance your brother has for such shenanigans
>Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results

>>5946501
>Watch the play in silence, and introduce Pan An to Magnus afterwards, before he meets Jinhai

>>5946500
I’d like to add to my vote >>5946531
>Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results

>>5946501
>Act the part of the lovebirds with Kanzeon, to see how much tolerance your brother has for such shenanigans

>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering

>>5946501
>Act the part of the lovebirds with Kanzeon, to see how much tolerance your brother has for such shenanigans

>>5946501
>>Watch the play in silence, and introduce Pan An to Magnus afterwards, before he meets Jinhai
>Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering

>>5946501
>>Watch the play in silence, and introduce Pan An to Magnus afterwards, before he meets Jinhai
Lovely part

By the by, anyone have a clue of the timelapse between events in the quest?

Remind me but liberity still has access to like all the weapons tech and data that came with her stuff right? and even if she doesn't her twin still has hers?

>>5949097
You mean between each update ? Usually a few days or hours, the story has a natural progression. The greatest has been the initial rebuilding after the war against Nitya Sinha, that was months if i remember correctly. The updates also often says how much time passed, when something is being done.

It can be considered a marathon in comparison to other quests rhythm. If you mean the actual entire story so far a few years have passed from the start, Lieren is still quite young same for the rest of the Primarchs. Should be between 6 to 10 years i think at this point.

>>5949202
Liberty was made from Kuam Im pieces and other parts. She is a full colony ship of her own yes.

>>5949202
Probably but I don't remember the chaos Vishnu having anything that the Long-Jian didn't also have aside from daemon engines and their grotesque cybernetics.

>>5949723
Liberty was born when Kanzeon and Mari killed Vara. As far as I know, the fox whore's original body is still a fully functional but soulless husk.

>>5949755
>Probably but I don't remember the chaos Vishnu having anything that the Long-Jian didn't also have aside from daemon engines and their grotesque cybernetics.

She was the military ship in general from what I remember. That was her specaility.

Cario and his brothers moved slowly through ruins older than humanity itself, the pale stone like material shimmering beneath ghostly moonlight. They'd been send upon this mission by the Pheonix himself! Their mission? To claim some manner of xenos relic at the heart of this ancient place. It hadn't taken long for them to encounter the wardens of this place; Aeldari. It had taken the lives of a a dozen of the Emperor's Children to chase the shadows back into the dead worlds misty canyons or simply slay them. But one had stayed, Cario slew the fool himself but not before it activated some manner of transponder of the Auspex is to be believed... it seemed no one came; a pity he' wanted to further hone his blade.

Ramos the fabled 'Bull of the eighth' was using his own enviable strength to unceremoniously batter down the entrance door the structure to fragile for a Melta Charge but not quite enough for an Astartes to barging through to be a bother. The door cracked, then broke and from within a scream howled; almost human? Almost like the binary screeches of the Mechanicum but more...alive? A flash of gold in the dark... no enemy came. Slowly the six brothers moved forward Auspex scans the only sound in the dark but for their own steps, its clinical pings their only company.

“How much further” Dalion asked hefting his heavy bolter,

“We are close” Cario responded curtly at the complaint; how unbecoming.

The Auspex squawked, contact moving up from behind rapidly, without even needing to speak the Purple armoured Astartes formed two rows of two; the first rank kneeling while the other two aimed over their shoulders the final two watching the new rear...nothing? But still the Auspex screamed. Dalion opened fire into the dark the flashes illuminating the aeldari ruins chamber...a tomb? The alarm ceased, for a moment they were still once more spend casings rolling over ancient stone. They began to raise; then the alarm went again behind them once more? The firing line flipped positions; they all opened fire for the enemy was closer when suddenly it was gone again? Still no foe presented itself?

“Make a break for the chamber, you two watch our back move in rolling pairs GO!” Cario gave the order and all obeyed seamlessly, they moved like water, smooth and unrelenting loosing bursts into the dark whenever the contact came near until finally they arrived at the final door blocking their objective.

He was about to signal for the door to be breached when he heard the Auspex again; but before an order was given Daekon their youngest member stepped towards the dark and called out in frustration his chain sword revving;

“FACE US COWARD!” he roared into the dark pounding his chest,

1/2

>>5950603

The dark seemed to grow denser before it answered him; “As you wish”. A black clad gauntlet appeared in the dark right before him and fulled him into it's depths... it wasn't Aeldari. Daekon was gone? His location was unknown, his neural signals flared...then died.

“Open the damn door Ramos” bellowed Dalion as he raised the heavy bolter once more awaiting a target even as the misty gloom closed in. The hulking Astartes moved for the door only for a spear to suddenly emerge from the dark nailing the marine to the every door he sought to breach, he screamed in agony but was soon drowned out by Dalion simply opening fire. A long few minutes passed as the Emperors children turned the ruin into a shooting gallery sometimes seeing a shadow darting from cover to cover or simply vanishing in flakes of gold?

Then a dreaded sound to any solder; clink.

The Heavy Bolter was empty, everyone looked to the Devestator, he looked to them...they could feel his panic. It was then their foe came into the light on Dalions flank. It was an Astartes whom loomed over them in armour like obsidian, adorned in engraved sigils...and golden eyes.

Dalion was dead before he could register it; a needle ended sceptre stabbing through his eye in a heartbeat. The remaining Sons of Fulgrim turned to open fire but their brothers body became a human shield as the enemy advanced upon them.

Cario knew what this was and he challenged the beast by calling it's name.

“CHIMERAI!” he drew his power sword and moved to face the Son of Lieren, this traitor siding with Xenos over Humanity?!”

Yet the Veteran of the Second legion would not grant him his duel, not immediately. Dancing between blows and firing lines to tore into his kin killing each with that same strange thing which produced ominous looking growths after each kill. Like it was taking their souls? Soon only he and the still door bound Ramos remained.

“Why are you here?” The Chimerai spoke dispassionately,

“it not your concern traitor, I should ask you why you side with Xeno filth!” he retorted,

“Simply honouring oaths sworn and friendships forged... and my sire asked me to gather information.”

“You will get nothing from me”

“Oh cousin, but I will” The Chimerai adopted a posture closer to a brawler than the dance from before... almost like.. no he was imagining it....

Soon, the tomb was silent once more and a Gardener left with a full harvest.

2/2

---
I like the idea of using the memory stealing more, really get the Chimera thing going

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Calling the vote now, sorry for the very long wait. Machine spirits were being feisty again.

Act the part of the lovebirds with Kanzeon, to see how much tolerance your brother has for such shenanigans:5

Quietly and respectfully point out the discrepancies and straying from reality to Magnus, and explain the truth without being rude and interrupting the performance, via wind whispering:7

Get to know Amon better, and sympathize with his disastrous loss gambling on the jousting results:5

Watch the play in silence, and introduce Pan An to Magnus afterwards, before he meets Jinhai:4

Total votes: 13

So Lieren will telepathically point out the inaccuracies of the play to Magnus while you watch it

Writing now

>>5950603
>>5950604
Excellent writing, especially the action and foreboding you built up. Great work Anon

The effects and stage decoration can only be described as phenomenal. Pan An would be one of the wealthiest men upon Shrangrala if he was not so prone to charity with the little wealth he retained after reinvesting the majority of it back into his traveling, nomadic theater. The hardware he is using would not be out of place in the emperor's palace or the battlefield, but the holographic projectors, atmospheric adjusters and sensile manipulators he incorporates into just the baseline of his theater's repertoire of special effects are used to great effect to entertain and astound the audience. If he had shown even a portion of this technological entertainment array a few years prior, he'd have been declared a sorcerer most foul and an dangerous illusionsit. But now, in the much more enlightened and accepting society you helped built, he is properly applauded as the artist mastermind that he is, a rare poet and true master of the theatrical arts.

The first showing of his imaginative mind and prowess of the operators of the dozens of highly advance technologies providing the effects for the show, is to bring the audience back into what he envisions to be the prehistory of Shangrala, beginning with a wave of sweltering heat and sweat drawing mist blown from beneath the stage and the lighting slowly turned to an eerie yellowish green.

"Long agoooo" The narrator, Pan An himself begins as you glance to your brother, who is sitting upright with proper posture and rapt attention "Before the kingdoms of old were forged, or a single crown troubled the brow of any men, or anything lived, The humble mist shrouded world of Shangrala was visited goddess from the blackened stars"

'This is, of course, Pan An's best guess at the origins of Kanzeon and her sisters' you explain via wind whispering 'Doubtlessly, you sensed immediately the composite nature of their brilliant and expansive souls'

'Existences akin to our father, though the construction of their souls was notably different, artificial. Though I figured it rude to question them' Magnus answers, more focused on the play, as robed figures dressed like ancient prisoners emerge from the now blackened fog and swirling, sparkling mist as false star light lights up the stage to a chorus of oohs and ah's 'I presume, as all tales have a fragment of truth, they were intended to be artificial deities of a sort'

'replacements for abominable intelligence, created from a crucible of a thousand souls' you answer sadly 'and you were correct, it remains a sore topic for them, the atrocity implicit to their origins, Kanzeon in particular. She wept when she revealed the truth to me'

'For what purpose?' Magnus questions, enraged by the thought as the actress pretending to be primordeal goddess inspired by myths that rose from the mere existence of the sister ships stride across a desolate and wholely illusionary landscape in despair. 'would ancient man'
Cont

>>5950731

'To command their advance, arcane technology, you sensed their vessels were mere avatars, their consciences and souls inhabit gargantuan stellar craft capable of great wonders of creations and terrible acts of destruction' you explain as the goddess inspire by kanzeon falls to her knees and weeps at the empty brutality surrounding her and her fellow divinities 'For the vessels that hide the sun, a massive soul is required to inhabit them for them to operate at full efficiency and make use of the entire capacity of their cyclopean technologies'

'Colony ships' Magnus surmises correctly as the play continues onto how the "goddess" seeded life across Shangrala, a myth that Pan An took literally as them tilling fields and sowing seeds they watered with their gentle and loving tears 'meant to preserve human cultures and seed the stars, capable of terraforming truly lifeless worlds and replicating men from artificial wombs'

'And preserve memories flawlessly' you add to his scarily accurate guess, nodding as you recall the thought and memory draining Lotus scepter and its integral use in the construction of their bodies as well as the use of similar technology to create them through the act of mass sacrifice.

'The horrors of our ancestors are truly unfathomable, massed sacrifice to create a soul trapped within a mechanical shell to serve their uses and presumably be discarded once their duty had been done' Magnus muses ruefully as the boring and wholly fabricated portions of the story begins and you cease you discussion with Magnus beyond merely stating that what is being presented on stage at the moment are pure fiction

'He isn't deaf, dumb and blind, Lieren' Kanzeon snarks as Al-uzza looks visibly in pain watching the performance of the goddess of the Shuni, her stand in, who is....a very unfavorable stereotype of the extinct Shuni sorcerer priests, and Liberty watches on the edge of her seat, only not shouting and interrupting the show because Anahita has her on her lap and Mari is bribing her with traditional bask candies.

'I was about to ask about how Al-uzza turned from a cackling mad woman to the demure beauty she is today, but I was more stunned that Mari wore the fur of a beast she killed herself' Magnus jokes as Amon wipes tears from his eyes, wholly engrossed in the inaccurate by tragic story Pan An dreamed up 'I would have never imagined she'd have such a hobby, or that Anahita was so...prolific"

'They need to show the audience which culture each "Goddess" birthed, never under estimate the blind ignorance of an audience brother' You snort, amused by Al-uzza attempts to hide away and shrink on herself and avoid being seen lest anyone draws a connection between her and the imaginary deity of the Shuni Caliphate

'I don't know where they got they idea I had so many kids, I hit my head and slept through the eons like Al" Anahita snickers while Mari smiles "Besides that's more like..."
Cont

>>5950732

Mari silences and stops her from finishing that thought with a glare and a flash of unusually harsh and cold emotions her way. Magnus politely and wisely does not press her for answers as the play progresses swiftly through Pan An's imagined historical record, so far separated from the truth that there is no reason for you to explain the differences with Magnus or push Kanzeon or one of her sisters to discuss the actual events. Certainly Kanzeon or any goddess in her image did not rule over the land in an era of peace and prosperity following a code oddly similar to the Journey you penned, though once it begins to align with the actual historical events, with an evil sorcerer who refused to die imprisoning her...

'I was damaged in my fall, just like most of my sisters, though I was lucky it wasn't a fatal injury' Kanzeon 'speaks' before you're able to 'my dear scholar tells me there was a desiccated sorcerer squatting above my landing site, but the actual problem came when a warp parasite used the Empyrean energies spilling from my "broken heart" the manifest and...take control of the descendants of my crew and passengers'

'He must've presented himself as a kindly advisor or savior' Magnus guess, a sensation of coldest fury radiating from him

'He didn't need to corrupt them' She sadly replies, grabbing hold of your arm and wrapping hers around your neck for comfort 'I locked myself away to keep them from misusing my gifts, the parasite arrived later'

'I see, that must've been a hard decision, I could not imagine being forced to make it myself, keeping to my ideals or preserving my works and the descendants of my closest companions, it must've been a true agony to have your hand forced in such a manner and then to languish in such isolation ' Magnus empathizes

'Luckily I was found by a strapping young hero with a strong sense of justice who saw me for what...who I am' Kanzeon happily replies, relaxing and resting her head on your shoulder, as you stroke her head and run your fingers through her hair'and wouldn't abuse the technology inside me'

Magnus nods, Amon smirking as your brother tries to give you privacy, before he is distracted by Liberty deciding to assault him with a stream of combat codes transmitted directly in his thoughts because the play is boring her and admittedly, it has reached a slow portion, though an important one, emotional driven and filled with pathos. You can see why this act is considered a master class of tragedy

'If you think that is tragic, I shouldn't tell you of what I endure' Mari says sweetly as the long soliloquy of Not-Kanzeon begins, and the actress has clearly been given the finest education and acting teachers, her tearfully, rage driven speech is truly believable and heart wrenching.
Cont

>>5950734

'What is that you're wearing, traditional garb and armor?' Magnus excitedly exclaims as your counterpart finally enters the scene, astride an actual Cui Warmonger that Pan An has somehow managed to tame enough to safely have on stage, as pitiable commoners, proud soldiers, generals in ceremonial garb and the folk hero versions of your childhood friends march beside the silent Lieren, lauding your deeds and praising you for heroics both real and from commonly told folktales and myths

'Yes, that was the garb I wore before I had access to' You begin to explain

'My superior manufacturing capabilities and material composites' Kanzeon preens before Anahita smirks

'You want to have a contest of our manufactorums?" She teases 'you know you can't match my production output, Kazzy'

'Quality over quantity, sister' Kazzy snorts in her mind, emotions rising. You, Magnus, Mari, Al-Uzza and Amon exchange glances and quickly shield your minds before the two can start arguing in your minds, though you catch Anahita rebuttal

'Yet i outmatch you in both, lil Kaz!' She heckled as you and your brother turned back to watch the mock Lieren be paraded across the stage in something that resembles very closely a Nucerian triumph.

'Plum and Azure...lots of symbolism behind those colors' Magnus admires, rubbing his chin in thought 'Though every color has meaning, it is curious how even across the galaxy, many colors hold similar meanings even in the subconscious minds of men'

'My use of the colors before and during my rebellion changed their meaning in Long-Jia' You explain with a proud smile as Kanzeon tightens her grip on your arm while Anahita childishly sticks her tongue out at her, earning a peal of laughter from their younger sister.

'I wonder how Pan An got accounts of the monsters i faced in the bone devouring forest' you idly wonder as a surprisingly accurate account of your meeting and befriending of the Vishnu tribe plays out, though the old generation of Tiger Folk are presented as more pitiable than they were. Though they were enslaved and ensorcelled, the genetic parents and older kin of your adoptive children were still murderous cannibals at the end. And Kanzeo was never chained to a wall, she was the wall and cavern, though the sorcerer lasted longer on the stage than he and his master did in reality when you first met them, but artistic license allow for such subtle straying from the foundation of the story.

'You didn't awaken as a psyker when you fought that monstrosity?" Amon asks when he notices from how the actor taking on your role "Fights"

'It was my first encounter with the great sea, and its corruptive potential, the gemstones lining the wall and the thrallmaster using them to control the minds of the tiger folk, it, as you see, enraged and disgusted me' You answer as Amon looks at you in amazement
Cont

>>5950735

'Such caution is wise' He states, arms crossed 'if their real methods of channeling the sea were at all similar to what was presented here, that man was a disaster waiting to be unleashed'

'Power without control or restraint or knowledge, he was doomed to die even if my brother didn't stomp into his sanctum and punch through his skull' Magnus muses as the story continues and, you can't hear much of the latter half of it, as Kanzeon starts loudly complaining about a particular inaccuracy, that, while it also irritates you, enrages her. And that is that your love bloomed at first sight, and not as organically, honestly and purely as it did over mutual understanding and extended companionship over the time you both spent working together and spreading prosperity, sharing your shared love for mankind as well that which bonded you and her together.

Fortunately for the rest of the audience, who are rather taken by the cliche and tooth achingly sweet romance story Pan An dreamed up alongside a few more outrageous and unlikely action scenes including a brawl between you and your companions that you still aren't certain why it took place in the scope of the story, Kanzeon keeps her complaints telepathic.

'It was carefully cultivated and kept, and took time for us to admit it existed' She snarls, face a mask of serene beauty as internally she fumes over the misrepresentation of your relationship, even though it isn't supposed to be a one to one recreation, as Pan An is adapting folk stories and legends, rather than reality and facts. But on your wedding day, you won't dare to point that out, as it might make her angrier.

The ending of the play is open ended, since Pan An likes to have any story he writes with you in it be loosely connected to the others containing your personage.

And before you can applaud Pan An and calm or at least stop Kanzeon from marching off to verbally abuse and force him to re-write the play to her wishes, you get a transmission that a second activation of the golden dragon's river gateway has begun.

Perturabo has arrived upon Shangrala, ahead of schedule.

What do you do, Lieren?

>Explain the situation to Magnus, apologize for your leave and absence when he meets Long-Jia Jinhai, and leave to welcome Perturabo with a military parade

>Change your plans and welcome Perturabo with Magnus at your side

>Extend Magnus welcome ceremony by asking Pan An for a second performance, deciding it'll be best to introduce your brothers to Jinhai together, and then go to welcome Perturabo

>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

>write in

>>5950736
>>Change your plans and welcome Perturabo with Magnus at your side
>>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

>>5950736
>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works
UNNAMED ASSISTANT! FETCH ME MY MINIATURES!

>>5950736
>explain the situation.
>Have our assistant get the plans

Pert should get equal one on one time to Magnus

>>5950738
>>5950736
I'll support this, Magnus needs to be there otherwise Perty might feel slighted, also to blunt his attention from the poor hopefuls that will show him their works.. he's going to make a lot of them cry from criticism.

rereading the old threads, something we should look into doing is training up more Brothers of the panther. Or just training up more mortals in general. They despite being baseline humans were peers to some of the eldar's greatest across all factions.

>>5950736
>Extend Magnus welcome ceremony by asking Pan An for a second performance, deciding it'll be best to introduce your brothers to Jinhai together, and then go to welcome Perturabo
>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works
I don't wanna miss Magnus meeting Jinhai, but I also want to meet Perturabo solo at first.

>>5950738
changing this to
>>>5950736
>>Extend Magnus welcome ceremony by asking Pan An for a second performance, deciding it'll be best to introduce your brothers to Jinhai together, and then go to welcome Perturabo
>>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

This

>>5950736
>Extend Magnus welcome ceremony by asking Pan An for a second performance, deciding it'll be best to introduce your brothers to Jinhai together, and then go to welcome Perturabo
Have Pan An perform Mango's origin story.
>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

>>5950736

>>5950901
+1

>>5950750
kek

>>5950736
>Change your plans and welcome Perturabo with Magnus at your side
>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

Does anyone remember what happened to lieren's blank friend? Did he die in the vishnu war?

And found his name. Hey Malal, what ever happened to Dong? He just stopped showing up in the narrative past a certain point.

>>5951040
He was on Angron’s world.

>>5950736
>>Explain the situation to Magnus, apologize for your leave and absence when he meets Long-Jia Jinhai, and leave to welcome Perturabo with a military parade

>>5950736
>>Explain the situation to Magnus, apologize for your leave and absence when he meets Long-Jia Jinhai, and leave to welcome Perturabo with a military parade
i don't know if we should expose the artisans to him. they might kill themselves after his criticism.

>>5950736 #
>>Change your plans and welcome Perturabo with Magnus at your side
>>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

>>5950738
+1

>>5950736
Ahh, Peter Turbo arrives on stage!

>Change your plans and welcome Perturabo with Magnus at your side
>Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works

>>5951185
We better say a word beforehand and maybe put aside a bit of time to talk to those who take it the worst.

Something about his being the pinnacle of human artisanship with a character to match and how his harshness is not out of hatred but love for the craft.

Then we hope the presence of Magnus distracts him from outright decimating the crowd if somebody talks back.

>>5951185
>>5952228

I feel that Lieren would have briefed the architects and artisans of Perturabo's demeanor when coming up with this idea in the first place. I mean we designed this exchange specifically for him to criticize.

>"Yes, yes, I see the lotus relief and overarching design in these orbital batteries... in the second dimension but if you continue the design, like so, into the third dimension you continue the theme and any increase in engineering cost is offset with a 17 percent increase in range."
>"And, honestly, while we are on the subject these batteries as well as other orbital defense structures are surprisingly vulnerable to subsurface attacks. One would not be surprised to find extra-atmospheric attackers to move past artillery defense by sapping fortifications, no different than you would while attacking castles from the ground when you consider it. It's simply faster. Why gently land and then excavate from a forward operating base when you could skip that step altogether? That assumes, of course, one has troops capable of surviving the incursion."
>"That is what separates the considerations of offense versus defense. When strategizing an attack you must consider your known capabilities, as you cannot attack beyond your ability. For defense, however, you must design beyond your capabilities, for your enemy may not share your limits."

Hopefully this doesn't kill anyone. Dai Niu only has so many sons.

File: 1612728264212.png (363 KB, 1024x1024)

363 KB PNG

Calling the vote now, sorry for the long wait.

Change your plans and welcome Perturabo with Magnus at your side:6

Send your assistant to gather your architects and artisans, in preparation of Perturabo to scrutinize their works:11

Explain the situation to Magnus, apologize for your leave and absence when he meets Long-Jia Jinhai, and leave to welcome Perturabo with a military parade:3

Extend Magnus welcome ceremony by asking Pan An for a second performance, deciding it'll be best to introduce your brothers to Jinhai together, and then go to welcome Perturabo:4

Total votes: 12

So Lieren will Change his carefully laid plans, welcome Perturabo with Magnus and send his most loyal assistant to gather the other high ranked members of the ministry of development for Perturabo to look over and scrutinize their works.

Writing now

>>5951041
>>5951089
Oh, he was meant to go to Nuceria, but as mentioned in one update when the full, unrestrained force of prosperity touched down, it was decided he'd stay on Shangrala, since his existence as a blank would've complicated things with the aeldari.

And since the gateways require not just a lot of electricity to be powered, but psionic energies as well, he also isn't hanging around them

He's off doing Dong things

>>5952387
Fewer after the meat grinder that was the Butcher's war.

This early arrival creates several problems, that while minor are rather irksome and which create even more troublesome yet minor snarls in the carefully laid and ceremonious plans you had set in order to welcome your brothers to Shangrala, abiding by both the traditions of the nation and their expectations while also showing to the masses their interests and characters whilst also indulging them in the same manner, to make the expenses required to take this brief journey across the stars more palatable and the time spent in toil to create the resources expended to simply start it seem a worthwhile price. Just this unexpected early arrival will make shambles of your and Daiyu's plan to foster interplanetary relations between the worlds of your brothers and the domination nation of Shangrala, Long-Jia.

You had anticipated having more than enough time to allow Magnus to be delighted in all the wonders of the varied and colorful nations and peoples of your beautiful, mist shrouded world, and to be able to introduce him to Jinhai personally before Perturabo would have arrived with the sister he has spoken so highly of. Allowing you time to assist the generals in running drills to make the various regiments of the imperial army granted to you to parade around for perturabo's pleasure and inspection their most refined and in a state of combat readiness, appeasing to both the aesthetic and organizational eye. His earlier arrival, has also reached Daiyu, who you can see seated in a place of honor not far from your own privileged seating, has interrupted the preparations of the parade regiments. And it is only due to the trust and veneration the populace bears towards these veteran soldiers, and the prudent gentleman they have as officers taking steps to not make their hurried march appear to be an actual defensive formation being hurried employed to a previously unknown threat.

Breathing in deeply, and sighing ponderously, you rise and place a hand on Magnus shoulder, having already reconfigured, rearranged and rescheduled your plans for the day to fit in this unexpected early arrival.

"Empress, it would appear one of my star lost brothers has arrived earlier than anticipated!" You declare loudly, to set the few worried people in the audiences' mind at ease as through the unused part of the streets, soldiers and artillery platforms move "My most austerely minded and scholarly brother, Magnus of Prospero and I, shall greet him and welcome him to this ground as his brothers, true and fair. Do not grey your hairs with worry, stand by your husband's side, my brother Perturabo of Olympia will wish to see if the quality of his imperial army meet his demanding standards"

Which she knows means "Explain to Jinhai why things are going off schedule, without causing a panic"
cont

>>5953635

Kanzeon smirks and stands up, somewhat appeased and calmed from her insult born anger, due to her fondness of Perturabo from their agreements in the short conversation they had concerning the lack of intelligence and foresight displayed by the Aeldari of ages past. Anahita, Mari, Al-Uzz and Liberty, who have not yet made his acquaintance, look to her and seeing she is happier with his arrival, stand up as well to meet him.

Amon lifts his eyes to Magnus, and they have a brief telepathic exchange that you do not pry into

"Allow me" Amon says in flawless Long-Jianese "To accompany the dragon empress to her Carp King, to stand in for my leader and friend and explain the reason for his present absence from his expected audience"

Magnus smirks and after a quick order to her guards, Daiyu and Amon take their leave from the audience, at the same time as you and your kin by blood and marriage depart. Though as you travel back through the street of cultural displays and artisans of all kinds, you send your assistant to collect and gather the high ranking members of your ministry of development, primarily the architects, engineers and artisans, so Perturabo may scrutinize their works which is something of a hobby of his.

"Meeting two of my fellow primarchs in the material flesh in one day, how exciting!" Magnus exclaims, throwing an arm around your shoulder "Though I've spoken at length with Perturabo and our discussions have been most enlightening, our budding brotherly bond in now ways reduces the thrill of being at last able to look into his eyes with my own, face to face, rather than through astral projection"

"I to can't wait to meet him in person" Kanzeon sneers "He is a rare breed, and while I've only spoken with him once, I think he and I have much in common"

"Not as much as you and Lieren, both of your souls are beacons of loving light and comforting warmth" Magnus chuckles, incandescent eyes gleaming

"Anahita, do not greet him as you greeted Angron " You say sternly, lifting up a calming hand as she rolls her eyes "Al-uzza, speak if Liberty tries to say something outrageous or rude. Mari...Just be yourself"

"No orders for your sweet heart?" Anahita teases, pushing her elbow into your side playfully

"I've met Perturabo, I know how to act around him" Kanzeon says as Magnus nods in agreement

"His personality has a few troublesome qualities" You admit "But all men do, his is by no means a villainous character. His diligence and brilliance are admirable, I doubt even the great poets of Long-Jia could capture them in inked words alone"

And as you approach the site of his arrival by the graves of your fallen friends, the tension in the air becomes palatable. Alongside his adoptive and much beloved sister, Perturabo has also brought soldiers.
Cont

>>5953636

The escort sent by the paranoid Tyrant Dammekos to ensure the payment rendered onto him through the services your brother has offered to a foreign ruler will be delivered in full and without deception or duplicity.

His early arrival, meant that those who were informed of these circumstances were still preparing for their parade march and the guards of the gateway who would be swapped out with those trusted veterans were still on duty.

Fortunately, the men of Dammekos and the imperial soldiers on guard duty, were both discerning and professional and did not fire without permission. It helped that the guards were at least aware of the pending arrival of your family, and the soldiers from Olympia knew what to expect should they displease Perturabo or endanger Calliphone.

The soldiers dressed in armor clearly of your brother's design and arms fashioned to his demanding standards froze were they stood. They and the imperial guards were both in a line, giving each enough breathing room to not make mistakes in the panic of unknown soldiers speaking in foreign tongues. They turned, and so the men standing opposite of them turned, to see a group of giants crest the flowering hill.

Perturabo stood between the two parties, his back to you, arms clasped behind it as he admired the memorial you built, the fog surrounding them banished through harsh, dazzling lights that burned through the mists. Which might be why the guards on this side of the portal were on edge. The fog and gloom adapted eyes of Shangralans were easily irritated by bright lights. The ones he had set up sent lances of brilliance through the dense fog and revealed the landscape to those unused to peering through heavy fog and dense mists, and these cones of light traveled so far as to reveal the outline of Chendao academy.

At Perturabo's side, was a raven haired young girl, dressed in fashion strikingly similar to the casual attire you often met him in, while he wore the garb of an Olympian general, with a sword sheathed at his hip.

"By the watchful gods! Those two are even taller than Lord Perturabo!" One of the soldiers escorting your brother shouts, voice trembling with fear and disbelief "And look at that one's eyes! And that one's skins"

Immediately, Perturabo turns, eyes enflamed with outrage

"You speak of my brothers, cur!" He shouts, baring his teeth in a vicious snarl while his sister, Calliphone, stands by his side, nonplussed by his outburst, though his fierce expression softens as he sees you and Magnus "Do you see, brothers, the low quality that is so standard amongst the legions of my "father". While their loyalty to their orders did almost impress me, that they were incapable of grasping that these soldiers, while well equipped and clearly professional, were of no threat to me, and as I stand no threat to Calliphone. The utter simpletons"
Cont

>>5953637

Sighing, he pinches the bridge of his nose with an armored glove.

"Bo" Calliphone says sweetly "They're doing their best, this is an uncharted land, and a rather frightening one"

You cross your arms as Perturabo's face softens more than you thought it was possible with how difficult it is to pry his habitual scowl from it even momentarily.

"Their best is not good enough, it would have taken but one panicked twitch to endanger you and make this meeting a disaster" He answers plainly "And this world is not frightening, it is fascinating, the atmospheric moisture levels are much higher than olympia's own and the societal and cultural adaptations to such a climate are telling, see the rock My brother used? It is resistant to weather through humid weather, meant to endure these fogs and yet meld with them through its color"

"And the...holographic projectors all it to be seen even in this gloom" Calliphone adds happily as the soldiers who are protecting her shuffle closer to the gateway, greatly relieved that Perturabo's anger towards them has abated for the moment.

"You can understand them" One of the soldiers asks in awe as you stand by and wait for Perturabo to invite you closer to him and his sister

"Their eyesight is adapted to these conditions, the projector is made to cut on material costs in an elegant fashion and more prominently display the deeds of the fallen, that cannot be worn away by wind or rain" Perturabo explains patiently "To preserve their memory longer, I am correct, am I not, Lieren"

That is the cue you were waiting for, you walk forward with Magnus, Kanzeon and the rest.

"Perceptive as ever, Perturabo, you stand atop the graves of my fallen companions, noble and true. They gave their lives to see my world free of tyranny" You answer in Olympia, answering the soldiers question through action as you wipe a tear from your eye seeing the stone similacrum of Small Chen's face "This is Small Chen, he was the first to be lost to me"

"How did he die?" Calliphone asks with innocent curiosity, though clearly Perturabo was wondering that as well

"He leapt in front of an attack, saving a general's life in exchange for losing his own, during an action I commanded, yet the general was the one to lose face and gain a reputation of honorless behavior" You answer politely as you stand at Perturabo's side, glancing down at her from the corner of your eyes so as not to look directly at her "He lingered from the wound for days, and I was unable to be at his side in his final hour, a shame that still hangs like a dark cloud over my head"

"Hmm. A quality soldier. I would've been pleased to have but one man of similar quality under my employ. Loyalty is a rare resource on Olympia" Perturabo states, head held high and back stiffened "True loyalty, that is, it would be inconceivable for one of the dead weights shackled to my ankles to do the same for me"
Cont

>>5953638

"You wouldn't need to be saved, brother" You chuckle, as he rolls his eyes, a ghost of a smirk tugging on his lips

"it is the spirit of the thing, Lieren" he says drolly "Surely, Magnus, you agree with me. Loyalty and obedience are the best aptitudes to cultivate within a fighting force"

"That depends heavily on the purpose of said force" Magnus answers, also in Olympian "Honor guards, a defensive army intended to hold territory or quell descent, but there are other qualities more useful in other fields or purposes"

"Hmm" he hums in thought "Yes, though those qualities can be imparted through employing excellent generals or rigorous training, a loyal soldier is best. They will not betray you, or question orders"

"I was a loyal soldier once" You smugly state, grinning predatorially

"You had no true loyalty to the tyrant you served" Perturabo sneers "If you had, you would've been a much more valuable soldier, rather than the cause of his downfall. Take those men who were guarding the gateway, they are of higher quality than the escort sent with me, clearly not the best, but they stepped back and only became defensive when the low quality troops beneath me began to falter"

"They couldn't see the other soldiers until you turned on the lights" Calliphone titters

"That is a personal failing on their part" your brother confidently answers "I will make certain our father knows of their inadequacies, but for now, allow me to introduce you to my rare equals and my true brothers"

"Bo" Calliphone says softly yet scoldingly

"Lieren, is an enlightened philosopher and poet, who has greatly improved the quality of life upon this world" He exclaims with an almost manic energy, clearly thrilled to present you and Magnus to her like works of art "Magnus, a scholar of the truest meaning and as high cultured as Lieren and myself, who also improved the society he was brought into, as you can see, they are clearly more my brothers and more worthy of being yours than any of the rest of the spawn of Dammekos"

"You've told me at length how they both bettered their people" She says with a nod "They are both worthy of praise and truly admirable"

"Uplifted" Perturabo corrects kindly, holding up a single finger "And..."

He pauses, eyes narrowed as he finally notices that you and Magnus are not the only ones who are standing beside him and Caliphone. Upon noticing Kanzeon and her sisters, his brow creases and his expression solidifies as he ponders their presence with a mathematical precision.

"Kanzeon" he says, shocked, before a look of scrutiny flashes across his squinting eyes "A bio technological platform. Cybernetic in nature, though primarily organic, acting as an intermediary representative rather than a true vessel. Slight delays in reaction, hidden well, origin of the transmission must be close to keep them so minor, which means"
Cont

>>5953639

Magnus stares, openly stunned as you hide your own emotions with a genial and calm mask.

"The vessels in the sky, are where your true consciousness lies" He surmises as Calliphone blinks, slowly comprehending what her brother just said

"They're artificial women? I thought they were just like you and your...real brothers" Calliphone says haltingly

"Differences in our design and engineering, though clearly, they have taken pointers from our framework to design their public faces" He explains triumphantly

'Bo really has an eye for finer detail' Anahita telepathically transmits, biting her tongue so he cannot hear her using what is clearly a personal nickname between siblings

"Am I correct, Kanzeon" He continues on smugly, eyes nearly glittering with delight

"Entirely, impressive deduction worth, Perturabo" Kanzeon says, praisingly "You even figured out from a glance that this body was partially templated from the genetic designs present within Lieren's own"

"Oh anyone could've guessed it with the information presented to them" he deflects as he looks over Mari, Anahita, Al-Uzza and Liberty, who is staring intently at Calliphone, like she's trying to figure out what kind of lifeform she is

"That isn't true, I had to tell Lieren what I actually was, and he can practically see the genetic makeup of anything he stares at for longer than a passing moment" Kanzeon argues, all but forcing praise down Perturabo's throat "You figured it out, after looking at me once. That's impressive"

"Oh well, I suppose it is" He says with a truly self satisfied expression "something I can be proud of, though admittedly, I do not know, what, exactly you are"

"Human" She answers with a nod "Just of a different sort"

"Or design" Al-uzza chimes in nervously

"Like you, Bo" Calliphone cheerfully adds, bringing a true smile to Perturabo's face

"Exactly" he states proudly, patting her on the back with extreme gingerness and care not to harm her "Now, let us be on our way, there is work to be done"

"And introductions are in order, for Kanzeon's sisters" Magnus adds before you can, putting a friendly hand on Perturabo's shoulder as he frowns for a moment

"Of course, it would be rather unbecoming for me to not know their names as we proceed" He says himself "

"I've spoken, so I shall go first, I am Al-Uzza" Al-Uzza says in a professional and level cadence

"Yo, Anahita!" Anahita cheerfully exclaims, waving her hand

"Mari" Mair says a moment later as Perturabo's bafflement grows as he notices the linguistic difference between their names, like he did when you told him your name and Magnus'

"LIBERTY!" Liberty roars, pounding a fist in her chest

"I...see" Perturabo says slowly, wondering why of all the sisters, one of them chose to look like a child "Well, Magnus, we've been acquainted, now nothing is in the way of my work, which must be done in time for our brother's...special day"
Cont

>>5953640

"I am aware he is getting married, brother, he played a prank luring me here with false pretenses" Magnus says dully, though with an amused tilt to his voice "Describing love as if it were a sickness, and I...fell for it"

And the booming sound of Perturabo's laughter rings through the hills

What do you do, Lieren?

>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony

>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.

>Knowing that he will enjoy philosophy, introduce him to the Journey while entertaining calliphone with the same cultural festival that was made for Magnus.

>Explain with Kanzeon what exactly she and her sisters are, while showing him some of the technological wonders they've brought to Long-Jia

>Write in

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony.
Write in: Inform him before he leaves we'll show him the power armour used by our father and the somewhat refined model we have crafted alongside a chat with our sons. (Let him get a glimpse on the sort of things he shall be working with in future.)

>Explain with Kanzeon what exactly she and her sisters are, while showing him some of the technological wonders they've brought to Long-Jia
Give him a little time to tinker in a foundry if one of the Sisters is so willing to allow it... can't be Kanzeon since it's here wedding coming up.

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.

>>5953641
I support >>5953651

We spent a lot of time and money to make this work, you will APPRECIATE IT!

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.

>>5953641
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.
These men have been drilling their asses off all day. They are owed at least one good showing to their expected spectator. After that...
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
I'm genuinely interested in picking his brain on this. This era has only just begun, so any insights he has as to architecture and infrastructure could be readily applied to future projects.

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony

>Explain with Kanzeon what exactly she and her sisters are, while showing him some of the technological wonders they've brought to Long-Jia

Pert laughing, God damn. That must sound like war drums.

>>5953641 #
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
Any architect that gets a "...not bad, I suppose" from Perturabo will be remembered as a peerless genius and honoured by their family for generations.
Humour aside, with the wild technological leap that took place in barely a decade or two (?) there are bound to be some whack combinations between old techniques and traditions and modern technology that, even if not efficient at all, should be very interesting for Perturabo to see. And that is not even talking about all the cultures (including New-Varro and Aeldari) that are mingling.
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.
We went so far as the nearly freak out half the country by gathering the military, we might as well at least show off, see what he thinks.

>>5953742
>Pert laughing, God damn. That must sound like war drums.
In my head, it sounds more like artillery firing. I can only imagine what Dandan would think of it.

>>5953742
+1

>>5953742
>>5953746

>Excerpt from Saturnine
>Circa M31.014
>Personal observations of Captain Ezykyle Abaddon on primarch Perturabo.

>He was fierce-eyed, vital, and eager to show them the complex beauty and ingenuity of his grand stratagem. He tilted some of the throne’s screens so that he could describe certain patterns and tactical nuances. I’ve never seen him so... happy, That is what it is, isn’t it? That’s the Lord of Iron happy?... Like a grox in shit. This is what he was born for.’ And it was beautiful. The summary Perturabo gave the casual yet absolute knowledge of the data and the subtle expression of field strategy. Abaddon’s regard for Lord Perturabo’s gifts reached new levels of awed respect. He was the right man for this greatest of undertakings. No one could come close to doing it better. Great lord, he said, pointing... You just mentioned it in passing. It seems a valuable opportunity. Will you not implement it? The Lord of Iron looked at him and almost smiled. His eyes were like black pits and like distant suns.

>Excerpt from Fallen Angels
>Perturabo talks with Lionel Jonson

>You have performed a master stroke, brother. Truly. Rather than confront Horus directly, you’ve defeated him with only a handful of troops. He smiled slyly. I begin to think that the title of Warmaster was placed upon the wrong brow. Jonson smiled at the compliment. From you, brother, that means something. Thank you... In fact, I think it best if no one outside you, I and the other primarchs ever knew I was here. I wouldn’t want the Emperor to believe I did any of this with an ulterior motive in mind. The primarch considered this at length, and nodded. A prudent choice, and a very humble one. Jonson leaned forward in his chair. Well, naturally, he said. His expression grew serious. I don’t do this for the accolades, brother, nor for the power. Not really. I do this for the good of the Imperium. ... Had I been the first one he’d found, I would be Warmaster today. No offense.The primarch smiled. None taken. So I can count upon your support when the time comes? I feel that the Emperor will need to choose a new Warmaster?
That goes without saying,’ the primarch agreed. ‘Then we’ve reached an understanding?’ The primarch bowed his head solemnly. ‘The arrangement stands to benefit us both. Excellent,’ Jonson said. ‘In that case, you’re welcome to take possession of the Ordinatus siege guns at your convenience. On one condition, of course.’The primarch raised a thin eyebrow. Oh? Jonson gave his guest a sly grin. ‘You must promise me they will be put to good use on Istvaan. Perturabo, primarch of the Iron Warriors smiled, his eyes gleaming like polished iron. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said. ‘Of that you may be assured.'

Perturabo is at his happiest when he gets to be who he is, gets to show off his unparalleled skills, and knows he's about to get one over on someone, especially if they underestimate him.

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.
>Knowing that he will enjoy philosophy, introduce him to the Journey while entertaining calliphone with the same cultural festival that was made for Magnus.
>If we show him a play, show him the liberation of Bask
I think Perturabo would like a story about how a philosophy drove a nation to free itself from tyrants, even if it’s ironic considering he’s the adoptive son of a tyrant

>>5953641
>Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony
>Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.

What out of the parade do you think Perturabo would enjoy the most? I think he would love the Titans.

>>5954694
they are closer to Knights than Titans.

File: 1625446596242.png (894 KB, 960x895)

894 KB PNG

Calling the vote now. Sorry for the longish wait. Wasn't feeling well

Show Perturabo the plans and your architects, since he is clearly more interested in getting to work than being wowed by ceremony:11
-Inform him before he leaves we'll show him the power armour used by our father and the somewhat refined model we have crafted alongside a chat with our sons.: 1

Explain with Kanzeon what exactly she and her sisters are, while showing him some of the technological wonders they've brought to Long-Jia:3

Insist that he observe the military parade and ask him what he thinks of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it.:8

Knowing that he will enjoy philosophy, introduce him to the Journey while entertaining calliphone with the same cultural festival that was made for Magnus.:1

If we show him a play, show him the liberation of Bask:1

Total votes:11

So Lieren will Insist that perturabo observe the military parade and ask his opinion of the soldiers and war-machines taking part in it, before showing him the palace plans and architects behind it, knowing that is of greater interest to him.

Writing now

Soon, though unheard by most who were present, your brother's thunderous laughter was joined by Calliphone's youth peal of giggling as Magnus graciously accepted the light hearted mockery of himself. However, before Perturabo could get carried away and harry your architects and engineers before they were fully prepared to face the gauntlet to earn so much as a sliver of his approval, you approached him and placed a gentle yet firm hand upon his shoulder.

"Ah, but brother, you are getting carried away yourself by your own thrill. There is, as you know, a ceremony planned, a parade in your honor" You spoke gregariously, making certain to emphasize that the parade was to honor him and his accomplishments on a distant world, rather than, as any Olympian might expect as a show of force on a yet uncharted intergalactic board were the rivals were planets rather than nations. Perturbao turned to you with a withering, exasperated glower, his eyes already midroll as you met his annoyance with blithe cheer. He knew all to well you were trying to manipulate him into delaying his assessment of the officials of the ministry of development, and you knew despite the expression he wore, that it was a mask. You didn't need the peculiar property of the eyes gifted to you by your truest enemy to know this. You could see it in his eyes, the scholarly curiosity roaring like a blazing furnace, the passion of an artist whose hands were more often made to craft weapons of war than great arts, the sculptor of battlefields could not resist the opportunity presented to him, even if it would delay the gratification he initially craved.

"In my honor" He repeated, skeptically

"In your honor" You parroted back with a half nod "You are a brilliant strategist, Long-Jia honors generals of worth, even if they are not her own, though the places and figures within them mean nothing to them, the emperor has heard of your military exploits as well as your architectural genius. He"

"You" Perturabo corrects pointedly, brow heavy

"We, wish to give unto you the commendation and respect your tyrant father may have refused to give" You continue on manneredly, smiling only growing as you speak "And are you not curious, of the weaponry we have used to win our planet back from the grip of the tyrants that so long abused it?"

"You'll spook the fodder, speaking like that" He smirked with grim amusement while, indeed, his attached bodyguards looked a little more fretful as the most terrifying and powerful asset of their liege spoke to a larger giant who spoke of deeds that they were not even allowed to dream to be possible "But you are as ever perceptive brother, nearly unerringly so. A study of your world's military mindset will prove fruitful, in the future"

A string of words that would be considered by some scholars to be the greatest understatement spoken upon Shangrala in living memory.
Cont

>>5956951

"I cannot wait to hear your judgement of our soldiers and the tools they wield" You reply happily.

"I to am curious of what manner of weapon and war machines won this world" Magnus chimes in, hands clasped firmly behind his back "And it would be most disrespectful if I was not present at a parade held in honor of the Genius of Olympia's great accomplishments"

"Insufferable" Perturabo muttered, with a subtle upward twitch of his lips showing his true feelings of the matter "Let us not delay, unfortunately my escort must be present as well. Do not fear, I shall...prevent them from spreading secrets"

"I invite your father to attempt to use any knowledge he gleams against the Long-Jia dynasty, and see how readily a tyrant can be toppled" You say completely seriously, though Perturabo treats it like a jest.

"I do not know which of us frighten those men more" Magnus muses "Me, with the hue of my skin, Perturabo with his reputation, or you, with your barely withheld disdain for the structure of their society"

"It is Perturabo" Calliphone states as though it is a point of pride

"It should be Lieren" Kanzeon off handedly remarks, flicking her wrist to get a lock of hair out of her eyes "Though they haven't heard of how he efficiently he deals with tyrants"

"Magnus" Mari says simply "They do not know the dangers of psykers. Though I of course mean no offense, Magnus"

"None taken, though untrained wielders are more a danger to themselves than others" Magnus replies immediately, waving his hand to show that no offense was had

"Big L is a psyker to" Anahita snorts "And he also knows how to stop a man's heart by jabbing them with his fingers"

"Magnus is the stronger psyker between the two" Al-uzza pushes her way into the discussion as you and Magnus step on either side of Perturabo, forming a triumvirate shield for Calliphone that far outmatches the men sent to watch her brother, men who follow a fair distance behind you three primarchs and the better equipped Long-Jianese imperial soldiers who had been guarding the gate way.

Perturabo lifts up his chest and holds his head high as he strides down the two rows of soldiers standing at attention, dressed in the scaled armor of the imperial household guard, long tassels hanging from their helmets like the mane of dragons or the tail of carps, each of them held a spear and each of them held a rifle though the exact make varied between units, some were solid projectile, some were las or plasma or Aeldari darklight, and a few were adapted to fire yet more peculiar ammunition. One could tell the difference by the design etched into the metal of the frame of the rifle.

Though your brother wore a mask of disinterest, his eyes flitted from rifle to rifle, to armor to armor, narrowing at times as something caught his interest and he reduced his walking speed by a fractional percentage to allow himself a better look.
Cont

>>5956952

Female soldiers, the different ethnicities present in one unit, the cosmetic battle damage upon both rifle and armor worn with pride, the different manufacturing techniques to keep a similar frame between rifles. Of particular interest to him, was the latest mark of the Heaven Flame laser rifle, marked with the paired dragon and carp with spear of the new imperial dynasty, whose scope was a refinement and improvement of the previous version's, due to the weaponsmiths greater experience working with the flexible glass that Kanzeon taught master's such as Shan to reproduce without her or her sister's manufacturing technologies.

Though he stopped in his march when he spotted a power Dao, and held out his hand in a silent demand to inspect it. The soldier paused, half way to giving up what was effectively a badge of his office before he thought to look for confirmation to follow his orders through. He turned to the nearest figure of authority, yourself. You nodded and Perturabo looked over the blade, powering it on moments after giving it a brief once over inspection and testing its weight with a few test swings, before once again powering it off, running his hand down the length of the blade, testing its edge and admiring the decoration present upon its guard, which was in this particular Dao, personalized to resemble a lily pad.

"A fine make. You've maintained it well" He spoke in halting Long-Jianese, and the guard stared up at him in bafflement, unaware he had received of just how high the praises the stranger spoke to him were as Perturabo turned and continue his march to the transport for the parade.

"Do not be afraid sister" He spoke softly, eyes flicking towards the sky "Do you remember the flying machines I spoke to you of once before?"

Calliphone nodded, curiousity sparking in her young eyes as Perturabo smirked as if he had just been proven right in an argument you were not privy to.

"Look up" He said softly, kneeling down to guide her sight with a lifted hand, as, exactly on time, a flight of Steel Birds soared through the heavens, clearing the fog, performing daring aerial maneuvers as they flew like hawks battling song birds, twisting and corkscrewing and showing off the expertise of the Aces of the butcher war. Each fighter was piloted by a hero of that conflict, whose deeds in aerial battle were worthy of legend.

Calliphone's eyes widened in awe as they left trails of steam through the mist, drawing short poems in the sky as the soldiers who were supposed to be protecting her and Perturabo threw themselves to the floor to the amusement of their Long-Jianese counter parts. Perturabo scowled back at them, before rising, and being made to stand in awe a moment later, as he caught his first glimpse of Skipping Clouds, as leaping like carps from a river, Lai Riders and Vishnu Screamers leapt over the rows of soldiers, soaring and skipping much closer over head. Perturabo's jaw slackened
Cont

>>5956953

"Anti gravity technology miniaturized for use in personal transportation. And the dragonfly inspired design brings beauty to what is surely a lethal weapon of war" he remarked in amazement, as he lifted Calliphone up onto his shoulders "I can guess their use in battle, but humor me, Lieren"

Perturabo proceeded to correct guess the general use of Skipping Clouds and the Lai Sky riders in warfare as well as some more specialized maneuvers, some of which would impress the Lord of Cavalry himself, Lai Song, though he was most excited about their use in by passing walls to launching lightning raids or assault strikes upon entrenched cities. That the carriage designed to hold several primarchs was also lifted by anti gravtial generators, also pleased Perturabo, and while the rest of the Parade was readied, he spoke of the civilian and domestic applications of such technology.

And you explained how such technology was used throughout Long-Jia, proving several of his concepts not only applicable but truly worthwhile. Which put him in high spirits for the rest of the Parade, though Calliphone listened to your discussion of matters of city planning and the material cost to civil utilization for longer than most girls her age could be expected to, she soon had to be kept from boredom as the talk turned ever more complex as Perturabo tested your abilities as the Grand Architect and head of the ministry of development of Long-Jia. Fortunately, Magnus was there to provide stories to her as your other brother presented challenge after challenge.

Until the Parade began with a traditional Long-Jianese marching song, as you had managed to convince Empress Daiyu to not play one of the folksongs written in your glory.

Regiments of renown march first before the carriage, holding the banners of the houses and families they serve or hail from high and proud, the heraldry of each being of particular interest to Perturabo and you are happy to provide the name and specialization of each clan and regiment. Dai Iron Turtles roar across the emptied streets and hills, each one holding aloft the personal banner of a deceased son of their lord, lead at the front by his Heir Dai Gang himself, who stands atop the leader with a roaring chainsword lifted to the sky as he sings a mourning song of each of his lost kinsmen. Perturabo looks almost lustful at the armored war machines, hands clenching tightly the guards of the levitating carriage as he lifts himself from his cushioned seat to admire them.

"Those are siege breakers" He says almost breathlessly, looking down to you as you recline in your seat and Calliphone, who you had been busy explaining the history of the Dai family to moments ago "Those plasma throwers could melt any wall upon Olympia, And they couldn't be stopped with armor as thick as that or movement that rapid!"
Cont

>>5956954

"That speed is due impart to the daring and expertise of the operators" You point out, with a single finger raised

"Damn Kazzy, you made those?" Anahita teases good naturedly as Al-Uzza adjust her glasses "I knew you gave them tanks but not of that level of quality! I knew you looked up to me!"

Al-Uzza adjusts her glasses "They suffered numerous causalities, entire crews were lost in each battke in the war they were first employed in. Though there kill ratios were...staggering, and the destroyed tanks are recorded as scoring higher tallies in their last moments, by whole percentages"

"No weapon is invincible" You answer, voice tinged with sadness "And neither is any man, but when backed into a corner, they will prefer death to flight"

"And few men in Long-Jia fear death, after you banished the fear surrounding it" Magnus remarks, watching the flight of the tanks across the valley

"What were the exact percentages of increased lethality in the final moments of those crews?" Perturabo asked, looking to Al-uzza, who nearly dropped her glasses as she stammered, having not expected to questioned, but Kanzeon encourages her with a light kick to her ankle.

Perturabo is engrossed in uncovering exactly how better doomed tank crews perform in the heat of battle, even in crippled machines, that he is almost caught unaware by Tao Dandan's contribution to the parade. Almost. Though that is due in part to her announcing her arrival over loudspeaker before beginning her orchestra that shakes the earth, the tao yellow banners of her house whipping in the whirlwinds her barrages across a piece of land marked off to be flatted and prepared for future development and growth of the town beneath Chen Dao academy.

And you had thought the tanks had excited your brother, he almost looked like the firestorm herself when he saw her handiwork.

"What I wouldn't give for the commander of that force, even if I wasn't able to supply them with the same batteries, that precision of fire and those tight coordinates would be remarkable in of themselves, but they realize that not every gun needs to be fired simultaneously, and have created concentrated and ceaseless fire" He actually praises

"She has...complicated reputation" Kanzeon warns "And can be really annoying"

"She" Perturabo says, gayly amused

"Tao Dandan. The pioneer of artillery warfare upon Shangrala. She is without peer in the field, a expert amongst experts. She is called the Firestorm for the devastation she left in her wake during the rebellion against the Yan Tyrants" You explain as Perturabo takes a certain low satisfaction knowing Dandan is a woman, as if that proves another argument you were not part of in his favor a second time "She is considered something of a delinquent officer due to her...enthusiasm with the art of artillery and has earned another Moniker due to it. The Bride of Barrages"
Cont

>>5956955

"Can Calliphone and I meet her?" He asks as the barrage continues

"If we can catch her" You answer with a shrug "She rarely stays in one place for long, and peacetime makes her movements more erratic"

Magnus meanwhile, is working on soothing the terrified Olympian soldiers, as the sight of Dandan's trademark firestorm has them believing hell itself has been unleashed before their eyes. And that is before she gets to the crescendo of her latest "Song".

"If it was not a waste of ammunition, I'd ask for a second display" Perturabo remarks

"They should have enough on hand to provide one" Al-Uzza adds "By my calculations"

"I don't think the landscape can take much more of a beating" Anahita laughs "Might upset the plate tectonics if they repeat that show"

"She isn't exaggerating" Mari says softly

"Don't let Dandan get carried away" You warn shaking your head "There is a reason her name has gained a second meaning connected to the sound of impacting artillery"

"That, if nothing else, is a sign of how greatly she excels in her chosen field" Magnus muses

And then arrive the thirteen steel giants, standing on the horizon, shrouded in the fog, appearing only as towering shadows in the mist.

Perturabo jaw drops and he is truly amazed, more so than when he bore witness the anti gravity capabilities of Long-Jian society.

"Brother" he says faintly, rising once more to his feet "What are those?"

How do you explain the Steel Giants to Perturabo, Lieren?

>Remain silent, and allow him to witness them in all their grandeur first hand and to draw his own, unbiased conclusions.

>Explain how they began as heavy construction, farm and terraforming vehicles, but you and Kanzeon turned them into striding weapons platforms.

>Tell him about each individual giant, who they are styled on, and their pilots as well as their intended function and specialization in battle

>Respond with a poem.

>write in

Sorry, ran out of gas before I could reach Perturabo's meeting with your architects, it will come next update, as will Perty's first encounter with SPACE MARINES

>>5956956
>Explain how they began as heavy construction, farm and terraforming vehicles, but you and Kanzeon turned them into striding weapons platforms.
We could even present him the original STC.
>Tell him about each individual giant, who they are styled on, and their pilots as well as their intended function and specialization in battle
I think this is the part he would appreciate the most. They are as much a collection of monuments as they are weapons.

>5956964
>Support

>>5956956
"Weapons and Monuments both. Platforms designed for heavy labour which required a measure of dexterity mingled with Aeldari designs to craft wardens to watch over the people, to inspire awe and respect, to sow fear into Tyrants and to end wars swiftly."

>>5956956
>Explain how they began as heavy construction, farm and terraforming vehicles, but you and Kanzeon turned them into striding weapons platforms.

>Tell him about each individual giant, who they are styled on, and their pilots as well as their intended function and specialization in battle
Damn, Perty's having the time of his life.