#Nikaea

[primarchhammer0k]

Magnus is so forgiving after Nikaea :)

[castellankurze]

The Emperor gathering Mortarion, Leman Russ, Magnus, Jaghatai, & Sanguinius at the conclusion of Nikaea:

*reading from a paper* first I want you to remember that I love & support you all and I am very proud of you doing your best and talking your differences out in an adult way

*lowering paper* That said you have truly annoyed the living shit out of me

[robot-roadtrip-rants]

"council of nikaea" are you fucking kidding me. a wholeass galaxy to choose from and you chose the place named nikaea. i see you, i see what you did there. this is dead serious business about the fate of the imperium and you're making millennia-old religion jokes. magnus and russ and mortarion are all screaming at each other, jaghatai's trying to calm everyone down, angron's fantasizing about killing everyone, and you, you're watching all this and sniggering to yourself over a joke maybe a dozen people in the galaxy would get. first a crusade, now this, just fucking rename terra romestantinople already and admit you've created a new religion. "council of nikaea" are you for real. erda and oll's eyes are gonna roll right out of their skull when they hear about this.

[incorrect-primarchs-quotes]

* Warp shit happens because there are two armies of psykers fighting each other*

Shortly after:

[horuslupercal]

.hi can you elaborate on the relationship between Mortarion and Horus in EISW? Tank you

Sadly it's a lot more of a strained relationship than it is in HH :(

EISW Mortarion is best understood by imagining the way a cornered animal lashes out, IMO. He's dying. He's become the thing he hates. The Imperium, which is supposed to be this great hope for humanity, is letting Magnus the Red run around casting spells with a compromised frontal lobe. Lion is literally treating him like some kind of creature that needs to be put down. It's like a nightmare made manifest. Plus he didn't get as much normal human interaction to learn how to um... phrase things better....

And Horus, who's trying his best to keep things running smoothly with his siblings, is only willing to tolerate so much of it before he's suddenly jumping down Mort's throat about how he's a fucking dick. Horus is busy with his fears that the Emperor is finally going to lose it and just start deleting Primarchs and here's Mortarion who can't have a normal interaction with any of their siblings.

Horus seemed pretty reasonable before that and he feels less so afterwards. Mort is actually decently put out about it because he thought Horus understood his worries about all this but, whatever, fine. He saved Barbarus nearly on his own, he'll manage here.

[grapeflavoredc4]

Magnus the red: You know what? FUCK THE COUNCIL OF NIKAEA!! IM GONNA DRINK THE ELDRITCH COOL-AID TO SAVE DAD! (Accepts blessing of Tzeench to break through the psychic wall around the emperors web way and the golden throne) Alright I’m here, TIME TO WARN D-

Emperor: (pissed) MAGNNNUUUSSSSS!!!!!!!

Magnus: Fuck this shit I’m out!

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

The Council of Nikaea by Thibault Ollier

[kathy-rah]

Me: Damn, I can't really render magic environments

Me from now on:

[some-old-psyker]

Current canon (as of this moment) of Ana’s 30k era.

1.) Ana witnessed the Horus Heresy from the perspective of an Imperial household operative and sanctioned psyker on Terra and even took refuge in the Imperial Palace during the Seige.

2.) After the Heresy she left Terra with a band of mercenaries and assumed various different identities and faces throughout a period of a few decades. She hardly used her powers other than to occasionally shift her appearance and sought to planet-hop home.

3.) After an unexpected time jump of a thousand years or so she found herself on her now long abandoned homeworld of Sonora where she re-encountered the entity that awakened her powers (which I’ve called The Sleeper) and was bonded to the spirit of an ancestor.

4.) She later left the planet via a warp gate and has been on the LAM ever since.

[magicalduck21]

Nikaea jokes x2

[msflora-lynn]

The day Magnus turned his back from the Imperium.

This is just IMHO, but people commonly say "Magnus became a traitor when he gave himself to Tzeentch during the Siege of Terra" and while TECHNICALLY this is true, he became a Daemon Prince 100% and therefore is a traitor, some also say "Oh he became a traitor once he broke the Webway barrier and destroyed his father's work by using his psyker powers!" and that is true because he did violate the Edict that way.

BUT, I disagree.

I think, if we dig deeper, Magnus already betrayed the Imperium & his own father when he OPENLY say this during the Nikaea:

The art and science of questioning everything is the source of all knowledge, and to abandon that will doom us to slow decay, an Imperium of darkness and ignorance, where those who dare to pursue knowledge, whatever the cost to themselves, are regarded with suspicion. That is not the Imperium I believe in. That is not the Imperium I wish to be part of.

A Thousand Sons (HH)

He literally said this in the council, openly declaring that he does not want to be a part of this environment if this is the direction they’re heading—directly opposing his ideals of allowing psykers to freely explore their powers. Keep in mind, he said this right in front of the Emperor himself, expressing that he didn’t want to continue supporting or being part of his father’s mission if his ideals were to be rejected.

In my opinion, this is the moment where Magnus truly betrayed—or at least where the seeds of heresy were planted in his heart. It’s similar to how Fulgrim picked up the blade and started acting strangely or how Horus began power-tripping as Warmaster, craving recognition. Magnus’s statement at the council feels like an open declaration to his own father: “If you’re going to oppose what I believe in, then I don’t want to be a part of this anymore.” (something like that)

Even though, as we see in the books, Magnus and the Thousand Sons held onto their motto of being “loyal to the very end” (even after the burning of Prospero), I think the seeds of heresy were already sown during the council.

Sorry for the ramble, but I don’t really have friends to talk about this stuff with. Q-Q

anyways have this lil guy:

[firstruleofmethclub]

2/3s of the way through A Thousand Sons, and so I've just read the first account of the Council of Nikaea. And obviously I knew what the edict was gonna be, but I've never read into how the council itself went before. I assume we'll get a different perspective at some point, but in this book, it really feels like this "Fair meeting with a goal of unity" went like--

Didn't want to censure psykers:

Thousand Sons

Blood Angels

Emperor's Children

White Scars

Dark Angels

Night Lords

Ultramarines

Salamanders

7 unidentified librarians (may just be from the above chapters)

Basically the entire audience of the auditorium

Did want to censure psykers:

Space Wolves

Death Guard

So naturally the edict was to censure psykers.

[moodymisty]

Hi, since requests are open I saw a post on your blog about Mortarion finding out that his beloved was a psyker/perpetual (during a battle or something) and I would like to see your take on how that scenario would go down. That is if you find that kind of scenario interesting.

And have a good day! Your writing is awesome!!

Author’s note: Poor Mortarion :(

Relationships: Mortarion/Fem!Reader

Warnings: Kind of complex feelings on Mortarion's part, but nothing else

"There is no mistaking it, my lord."

Mortarion looks out the window into the pitch black, listening to the marine behind him. While the marines can't directly face him, they can see Mortarion's irate, conflicted face even behind his mask and limp grey hair.

"The woman is a psyker."

In the silence of the room they can hear Mortarion's haggard breaths, his wheezing; The leather and metal of his gauntlets creaks and groans as his fists flex. The eldest speaks up again.

"Should we be rid of her now?"

Now does Mortarion turn a bit, away from the sickly green and orange haze of Barbarus through the glass. He wishes he could just throw the entire planet into the abyss.

"No. I will decide what we do."

They all noticeably change reaction, looking at each other. It strikes something through them- not fears but perhaps weariness.

"My lord, you... You aren't considering keeping her with us, are you?"

They are somewhat aware of Mortarion's attachment to you- his artist, his beauty, who created rather than destroyed. But they didn't think his fondness- infatuation - spread this deep. That he was willing to defy the most absolute of orders.

"My lord, after Nikaea we cannot risk having an unsanctioned, uncontrolled psyker with us, The Emperor wills-"

Mortarion now fully turns to face them, his voice echoing through the metal of his mask. The change in the air is palpable- like static - at his increasing anger.

"I will make the decision on what we do. None of you." He sighs and partly turns away again, letting out a few coughs from the sudden intensity change of his voice. One hand paws at his neck until he gathers enough control over the spasms in his throat to speak.

"Go."

The three marines hesitate to leave, but end up doing so moments later with nary an farewell. Mortarion can sense the unease in them, and he expects his captains to come clambering to him to reconsider this decision quite soon.

Mortarion sneers at the visage of Barbarus one more time and turns away from the glass, leaving not long after them.

He had you returned to his quarters after they proved without a shadow of a doubt what they saw. That The Endurance had an unsanctioned psyker aboard. Technically even now as they decide your fate, they are violating the Absolute Decree set by The Emperor at Nikaea.

When he opens the door, it takes a few moments for him to spot you. You aren't on the bed, but instead huddled in a corner holding the pillow he uses close to you. The shadows almost completely consume you, body swallowed in your large, moth eaten clothes. You look unkempt, bruises mar your skin. His men weren’t gentle with you.

You look up to him, and Mortarion can see the fear. How lost you look. How tired.

"I, I didn't know..." You swallow heavily. "I suppose that doesn't matter to all of you, does it."

Mortarion had already told you snippets of what happened at Nikaea. He had largely been in support of it; Having psykers running amok uncontrolled would only end in disaster. He remembers how they tore his home planet to shreds.

"Are you…” You hesitate, unable to say it. “You said the Emperor decreed only Navigator and Astropath psykers can exist… and I…”

You've spent almost two years aboard The Endurance. Most of it at his side, and in his quarters. Mortarion remembers the first day he saw you- the first time he touched your skin without armor in his way. He holds them close like a treasure; Rare moments when he felt as close to a man as he could, before he tumbled back into reality.

Mortarion hates that you're a psyker. He hates what that reminds him of. He wants to hate you. You’re a liar, you’re a thing that will cause nothing but chaos and unrest.

He hates that he's hesitating, because it's you.

“…No.”

It hurts him to say it. For years he has spit vile hatred for psykers, for the destruction they wrought. Now you sit before him as a proven he hates both answers to.

‘Another one?’

Mortarion sighs and lets go of your hand as you tugged away, going for a beautiful wildflower.

‘I like its grey color, it reminds me of your armor.’

Mortarion watched as you plucked a section of it to propagate back aboard The Endurance. The little desk of yours in his quarters is covered in plants, defying the impossible.

Mortarion assumed that not many living things could survive in such close proximity to him. But somehow you’re able to keep not only alive but flourishing; Blooming in even the worst conditions.

Their blossoms remind him of you. How you can withstand the poison in his lungs, the cycle of disease and rot within him. How your lips feel soft as petals as you kiss him, and despite the hideousness of your surroundings, of him, you are still a beautiful flower.

But you haven’t destroyed anything, Mortarion can’t deny it. Everything you touch has bloomed and colored, while he looms over you as a rotting, festering corpse.

“I am going to speak to my men about this.” He needs to inform them that you are staying, and that he needs to ask a favor of one of his brothers. You are a beautiful, ticking time bomb, and one of them might know how to disarm you. At least enough to keep you safe.

He needs to tell his men now they now need to operate with secrecy, as they carry something that could have the entirety of the Imperium waging war on them.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Mortarion takes one look at your desk, absolutely lush with life, before leaving his quarters and locking the door behind him.

[magnymagics-puppy]

the council of nikaea in a nutshell

[incorrect-primarchs-quotes]

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫.

Key points:

Blue text means it's a short story or a novel

The bat 🦇 means Konrad is present

The knife 🔪 means Sevatar is present

Many of these cover a vast timeline: I've put them in this order based on the narrator (example: Vulkan speaking about Nostramo just before Istvaan) or the first chapter (Child of Night starts immediately after Nikaea but ends during the HH)

I ignored books where they appear for 1 line only and do nothing important. I also ignored "Lion: son of the Forest" because that thing is actually a warp-thing and not the real Konny.

𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐞

Sigismund: the eternal crusader , by John French (🔪)

Konrad Curze: A lesson in darkness, by Ian St. Martin (🦇) [AUDIODRAMA]

The Abyssal Edge, by ADB (🦇) (🔪)

The Dark King, by Graham McNeill (🦇)

Child of Night, by John French (🔪)

𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐲

Artefact, by Nick Kyme (🦇 mentioned)

The first heretic, by ADB (🦇 short appearance) (🔪 has like 2 lines tho)

Massacre, by ADB

Vulkan lives, by Nick Kyme (🦇)

Savage weapons, by ADB (🦇) (🔪)

Prince of crows, by ADB (🦇) (🔪)

The Long night, by ADB (🔪)

Unremembered Empire, by Dan Abnett (🦇 short appearance)

The lightning tower, by Dan Abnett (🦇 mentioned)

A safe and Shadowed place, by Guy Haley

Pharos, by Guy Haley (🦇)

Painted count, by Guy Haley

Angels of Caliban, by Gav Thorpe (🦇)

Ruinstorm, by David Annandale (🦇)

The lost and the Damned, by Guy Haley

The End and the Dead Vol. II, by Dan Abnett

Konrad Curze: The night Haunter, by Guy Haley.(🦇) (🔪)

𝟒𝟎𝐤

Lord of the Night, by Simon Spurrier

Red Tithe, by Robbie Macniven

Soul Hunter, by ADB

Throne of lies, by ADB

Blood Reaver, by ADB

Void Stalker, by ADB

Masters, the bidding, by Matthew Farrer

Nightfall, by Peter Fehervari

Morvenn Vahl: Spear of faith, by Jude Reid

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥

Horus Heresy book 2: Massacre (🦇) (🔪)

Horus Heresy book 9: Crusade (🦇) (🔪)

[staticymaticyyourlifeisatravesty]

Decided to rank the other Primarchs (Plus Sevatar) in rank to how close of a relationship Lilith has with them:

Jaghatai Khan: Less Uncle More Mom, has the closest relationship with him. Almost always gets a visit from her soul when she dies. He enjoys seeing how her warp form has grown and has long noticed that her presence still lingers even after she's been reborn into the Matirium once more. Also figured out quickly she was basically a primarch, though he wouldn't learn that she was an infant warp god until later. Also knows that she's still a juvenile by warp god standards. Somehow feels nothing but pride.

Lion El'Jonson (Post heresy/40k): Was never close before the heresy, but have ended up being rather close in 40k especially after he rescued her from Fabius Bile. Have bonded, and Lion is currently trying to get Lilith to accept affection again. The progress is slow. The Dark Angels are jealous asf.

Rogal Dorn: Bonded over bone carving, stuck fast since. Really wanted to help her when she was sick but didn't know how

Jago Sevatarion: Not a primarch, but gets his place as Uncle due to bonding with Lilith over carved bones. He stole Konrad's place. Very close, and was surprised by the sheer delight Lilith held for the carvings of the Night Lords, and how interested she was in learning about them.

Fulgrim (pre heresy): Bonded over a love of soft fabrics and art. Enjoyed figuring out how design clothes for her, especially while she was growing. Learned quickly that Lilith hated strong smells and refrained from using perfumes around her. Adored her greatly and enjoyed finding out about her new projects even if it was about her trying to find a good soldier to carve the skull of.

Magnus the red: Taught her most of what she knows about biomancy and pyromancy. Still have a descent relationship to this day, for some reason having a calming affect when she visits him in the warp. Saddened by the fact she's become afraid of her blood magic, or the flowers that she's able to bloom. Wants to help her, but understands that in his current state she has a right to be cautious of him. Also stands as the only traitor primarch to still have a relationship with Lilith. Has a small garden filled with her flowers. It's nice to rest there, though he is wary of why Tzeentch allows him to have the flowers.

Corvus Corax: Good friends, and taught Lilith a few of his tricks. Keeps a few raven skulls that were carved by her and still sometimes gets visits from her. Usually this is her soul, and Corvus has learned that her way of telling him to eat is to simply drop prey at his feet. He has also learned that her soul won't leave unless he's eaten. Which is fair enough, he supposes. Often finds her flowers and thorns growing around the place he uses as his home base. They make for a surprisingly good defence.

Vulkan: Also fairly good friends, enjoyed listening to her, also was one of the few to realize that when she first came she was merely overwhelmed and slowly gained her trust. Enjoyed watching her develop her pyromancy skills, though he was never close enough to know the true depths of her nature.

Leman Russ: Used to be fairly close, until the council of Nikaea, in which Lilith lost trust in after speaking against psykers. It was the hypocrisy that did their relationship in, though she understands it was due to his culture. However, her reason for losing trust is a complicated thing that's rooted in fear as well, for in her mind if he is against pyskers, then is he against mutants? She doesn't know, but she still distanced herself because of it.

Roboute Guilliman: Neutral, was never all that close to him, but did have trust in him. In 40k, relationship is slowly getting better, Guilliman is sad to see what the years have done to his niece, and is angry that she was put into exile. Is a bit spooked by how much her aura has grown since the heresy and strongly suspects she has worshippers somewhere despite her denial.

Ferrus Manus: Never close, but were civil with each other and never knew each other all that well. She mourns him as she does everyone else who fell during the heresy and keeps a candle lit for him on Sanguinla just as she does her father and others who fell.

Angron: Again, never close. Angron before he fell to chaos, actually went out of his way to avoid her because he never wanted to hurt his niece. Liked her quite a bit, and wanted to have a relationship with her, but he feared hurting her too much to do it. Sometimes during moments of clarity he wishes he had.

Alpharius/Omegon: She has no idea how to feel about those two, but they did like their niece and generally have never really tried fucking her over. They have, however, made sure a couple of times that she gets a safe rebirth when they come across her flesh egg.

Konrad Curze: Had a strangely descent relationship during his saner moments, and would often offer her fresh humans. Relationship became quite strained once Konrad began to grow increasingly unstable.

Horus: Found him a bit much for her liking and would've had a great relationship, had he not tried so hard to be likable around her. Eventually did learn that she just wanted him to be honest around her, and the relationship started to get better between them. Unfortunately before they could rekindle it properly, the Heresy happened. Did love her a lot, and was sad that she never seem to like him all that much before falling to chaos.

Perturabo: Decided he would not have a relationship with her because she was close with Dorn. Secretly wanted to make things with her too, but his pettiness prevented him. Lilith was under the impression Perturabo hated her, he did not and sometimes he regrets not putting his pettiness aside to get to know her better.

Mortarion: Hated her, absolutely despised her for what she was. Didn't like she was mutant and didn't like she was a witch. Often referred to her as Mutant and spawn, never using her actual name or giving her much person hood. Made the mistake of acting that way in front of Horus and Konrad. This resulted in Mortatrion learning that Konrad actually cared deeply for Lilith the hard way, and Horus being pissed. Has a gnarly scar from Konrad because of his poor choice of words.