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lumi-klovstad-games · 2 months ago

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Warhammer 42K: The Age of Reclamation

So, I have been working on a Warhammer 40K alternate timeline (and have been for a little bit) that incorporates my fanon Lost Primarchs and their Legions. AND IT'S FINALLY DONE. ISH. Well, the sandbox is ready for play, at least.

The return of the Lost Second Primarch, Ailani and her Second Legion, the "Imperial Hospitallers", in the waning days of M41 was accompanied by a shriek of psychic jubilation across Human Psykers throughout the galaxy. "The Time of Ending is challenged!", they cried and laughed, "The game begins anew!"

This was followed in the 42nd Millennium with a further psychic event, in which Psykers and Adeptas Sororitas both were overcome by a vision of unparalleled glory: "They have been reclaimed! The Age of Reclamation is imminent!" it was pronounced.

To the great confusion and interest of nearly all galactic powers, loyalist versions of the Traitor Primarchs and their respective Legions, iterations that represent the "Best Possible Version" of each, utterly lacking in the flaws that led the originals to Chaos during the Horus Heresy, subsequently appeared, engaged in battle against the enemies of Mankind. Over a scant 3 decades, they have been reintegrated into the Empire, though not without suspicion.

The presence of these "Reclaimed" Primarchs and Legions promises to move history in a VERY different direction as new versions of those who once fought to destroy the Imperium now rise to become its greatest champions. However, the threat presented by the Chaos Primarchs is not ended: the original Traitors still persist, unchanged, and most assuredly will not take kindly to the news of their uncorrupted and incorruptible doppelgangers.

Each of the Reclaimed Primarchs maintains a memory of what their original selves did up until the end of the Horus Heresy, but, rather than a lived memory, their knowledge and experiences are more like a bad dream they have just woken up from, and it is only as they open their eyes once more and look out at the state of the Galaxy do they realize the horror and the shame of what their original selves had done. None of the Reclaimed felt the guilt more keenly than Horus and Lorgar, who looked at the state of mankind and the Galaxy and wrestled intensely with the knowledge that it is largely their handiwork from another life.

Horus perhaps felt the need to do better most keenly. Casting aside his old name, he embraced the name "Osiris", and soon came to believe he had risen from the dead to embrace his true destiny of redemption. The Sons of Horus restored their name to the Luna Wolves, and reported for duty, embracing the Crusade to come, ready to burn their path to forgiveness and absolution across the stars, even as they were divided up into Codex Compliant Chapters by their Primarch — all the better to never to be in a position to threaten mankind ever again. But though the Luna Wolves now consist of many packs, they know how to assemble and fight as one, if needed, and the day may come sooner than they think whence such a reunion is needed.

Refusing all offers of a position of leadership out of shame, Osiris has sent himself into a grueling never ending Crusade of redemption, pushing himself to his limits to, in some way, atone for sins that are not even fully his. He does not shoulder this burden alone, and his Marines follow him on his endless quest, hoping to one day right the scales, and wipe the name of the Horus Heresy from memory and relevance, determined to atone for the Heresy, even if the quest might devour him wholly in the end. If it takes their very lives to wash away the stain of the Heresy, then they will give them freely. In the end, their aim is to ensure that the name "Horus" becomes a relic of history, supplanted by "Osiris," a symbol of redemption achieved through sacrifice and undying loyalty to the Imperium.

Lorgar has taken it upon himself to seize control of the Ecclesiarchy, and now seeks to undo the cultural damage his prior work, both as Loyalist and Traitor, had done to the Imperium. Adopting the name "Gregorium", he works tirelessly, to say nothing of working carefully yet diligently, seeking to unravel the Gordian Knot of tyranny, paranoia, and repression the Lectitio Divinatus unleashed. The Word Bearers became known as the Truthbringers, which maintained close ties with its successor chapters. All Space Marine Chapters of Truthbringer stock serve effortlessly alongside the Sisters of Battle, each side galvanized by the other's zeal and commitment to the Imperial Truth, even as High Father Gregorium steadily tries to reform and redefine that Truth to become ever closer to the Emperor's original vision.

Unfortunately, such is the ten thousand year rut that the Imperium has existed within that many prefer the backwards beliefs and the regime that is beyond even the concept of cruelty. They refuse to leave the dark hovel that has been the Imperium of Man for generations upon generations, for to risk anything else is to lose all they, and anyone who has ever lived, have ever known. And so Gregorium must move much slower than his sense of duty impels him. Ironically, this has rendered the Truthbringers’ original methods from the Great Crusade more useful than ever: no mere transhuman butchers, but builders of cities and societies, preachers of good news and pious goodness. That which originally vexed the Emperor of Mankind now serves the original plan, and Gregorium is a patient man. Whether it takes ten years or ten thousand, his soul burns bright with the sense of purpose he had always desired; he will work until the work is done, however long it takes.

Magnus assumed command of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, and began working to improve the lot of Psykers around the Imperium. He makes his immense knowledge of the Warp and the threats therein a weapon, one that is wielded by many a branch of the Emperor's Imperium of Man to terrific effect. The Reclaimed Thousand Sons take up the name of "Warpwatchers" and they and their new successors devote themselves wholly to eradicating demonic threats, wherever they may be found. Magnus does not change his name because he, famously, did nothing wrong. He does, however, adopt the title "The Just" to distinguish himself from "The Red".

Unfortunately, while Warpwatchers and their Successors who undergo the Rubicon Primaris or are born as Primaris Marines in the first place see moderately to significantly reduced rates of mutation, their gene seed remains flawed to the point of gradual but inevitable non-viability, forcing these Marines to rely upon their Father and a host of Tech Magi trained in the art of Gene Seed crafting by Belisarius Cawl himself, to provide regular donations of freshly cultured gene seed, lest the Legion and its many sons be eventually swallowed up forever by the insidious twisting of their flesh. Magnus the Just has given some consideration to the thought of taking his Father’s place on the Golden Throne as he now believes the plan had been for his original self, but has so far been dissuaded by Guilliman – there is no guarantee even the Emperor might eventually recover from such decay as his body has undergone thus far; he may simply die if removed from the Throne. Or, as the Cawl Inferior has theorized, the worst case may be that the Emperor DOES recover, but what emerges from the Throne Room may not be what went in 10,000 years ago.

Magnus has spent many hours trying to reach his father’s psyche, beseeching him to tell him what to do, and how best to apply his gifts. So far, he has gone without an answer, and perhaps that is best for his very soul. Whether this absence of communication is due to the Emperor's fading state or some deeper purpose remains unknown. Perhaps the lack of an answer is a trial for Magnus, a test of his patience and judgment, meant to force him to chart his own path and prove the worth of his gifts on his terms. For now, Magnus holds his course, his dedication unshaken, trusting that the path of righteousness and redemption will eventually reveal itself in full.

Pertuabo stepped, perhaps a bit too effortlessly, into the shoes of the MIA Rogal Dorn as Master of the Defense of the Imperium. Adopting the name "Aegis", he collaborates with Roboute Guilliman in overhauling the defensive lines of the Imperium of Man. Though Aegis is a much improved man compared to the original Pertuabo, he still takes a well earned and perhaps smug satisfaction of not just restoring Dorn's great defensive works and strategies, but also improving on them. His Iron Warriors took the new name of the "Steelforged" to indicate that they have been "reforged" without the impurities that led to their original counterpart's fall to Chaos, and made better and stronger for it. They begrudgingly accepted being divided up into myriad new chapters, acknowledging the value in smaller unit tactics, but like the Imperial Fists, retain protocols to temporarily reassemble, even so far as to full Legion Strength, should it be deemed tactically or strategically necessary. To the great chagrin of the High Lords of Terra, the Steelforged and their many successor Chapters have been significantly more liberal with these “reunions” than the Imperial Fists have been, though typically only a handful of Chapters temporarily join together, united by shared lineage and common cause. As of this time, the Fourth Legion has NOT seen fit to reassemble.

The Steelforged have once more become the tip of the spear in many Astartes operations; unwilling to sit idly by and wait for the call to react. Like the Black Templars, they and their successors are nearly always on Crusade, with each Crusading Chapter many times the regularly proscribed "full strength" of the Codex Astartes, an engine of war certainly and surely working its way from one end of the galaxy to the other towards the Imperium's greatest threats, with massive secondments to the Deathwatch and Solblade initiatives, including whole Chapters enthusiastically volunteering for the latter. Their deep involvement in these organizations stems from their belief that the Imperium must strike at its foes preemptively rather than simply react to attacks. For Aegis, the defense of the Imperium is not just about reinforcing walls and waiting for enemies to come; it’s about pushing out, taking the fight to the galaxy’s greatest threats, and ensuring that every world held in the Emperor's name is worth defending.

The Reclaimed Angron took more time than his brothers to shed himself of the expectations of pain from the Butcher's Nails that no longer afflicted him. Indeed, the memory of those torture devices now seemed like a distant nightmare that he had finally awoken from. Free to think, free to FEEL as he wanted, he shed his name of rage and violence, and took the name "Archeos", after a famed and just warrior prince from Terra's distant past. Even so, even freed to feel the scope of the complete human experience, Archeos knew he was a warrior at heart. But, no longer a rabid dog of war or a devourer of worlds, he could choose for the first time what kind of warrior he wanted to be — and his heart wept upon learning Sanguinius' ultimate fate. And so Archeos stepped up as best he could to fulfill his fallen brother's legacy, to be for the Imperium what Sanguinius had once been. His steps thus far in the role have been uneven and inexperienced, marked by a warrior’s eagerness to act and a lack of experience with statesmanship and empathy. Yet his sincerity is undeniable, and his effort to bring a new kind of honor to the Astartes is genuine.

The Reclaimed World Eaters reformed as the Spartican Brotherhood, taking their name from an oppressed underclass rebellion from ancient Terra, and symbolizing how they now exist to fight for all those who exist in the gutters of the Imperium, the selfsame gutters from which they were once lifted from to glory. The Sparticans in particular show a streak of selfless nobility and empathy towards even the lowest citizens of the Imperium in their operations that rivals even the Salamanders, though they bring with them still the same boisterous love of savage and intense combat that once defined the War Hounds and the World Eaters.

The last thing Konrad Curze remembered was his death. It was as final an end as any might have hoped for. Yet he awoke, and felt life in his lungs. And the nightmares… the nightmare visions that had plagued him from his childhood, were now tempered by visions of beauty and nobility. Somehow, the whole scope of the future now finally lay open to him. Taking the name "Lucian" to distance himself from the monster that had preceded him, he became the Master of the Adeptus Arbites, finding an outlet for his intense drive for justice, as well as an advisor to Guilliman, counseling his brother with the contents of his myriad visions.

Lucian believed strongly in reforming the Arbites and Imperial Justice, so that it might be more just, but this clashed with his strong need to punish the guilty. In the end, a massive overhaul of Imperial Justice was conceived and executed by Lucian and Guilliman, creating the Departmento Justito, in which those of the Imperium who had grown fat and corrupt feasting on the Imperium's soul like a parasite would finally all face justice, one after the other. Due to the scale of corruption and hypocrisy within the Imperium's bloated structure, it's ever maze-like and cavernous endless bureaucracies, and unwillingness to look too closely into the precise dealings of its noble houses and Rogue Trader dynasties, this might prove to be perhaps an impossible task, doomed to last another ten thousand years, but one which feeds Lucian's never-ending craving for justice. The Reclaimed Night Lords, free of their darkest aspects, took the name "Duskbringers", and became once more a force of frightening intimidation, shock and awe, and psychological warfare, much as a lone vigilante might use theatricality and deception to create an effect on a city's criminal population far greater than what he typically could have accomplished alone. The Duskbringers are more than a Space Marine force; they and their successors have become an Icon, an Idea, and one which has taught all those enemies of the Imperium which hide in shadows to fear the dark.

The Reclaimed Fulgrim and the Reborn Emperor's Children were discovered by the 3rd Company of the Redemptor Roses, a loyal Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes forged from the original Fulgrim's gene seed in the late 40th millennium. After much diplomacy, Fulgrim managed to convince his sons of the reality: that Traitor and Primarch were now two VERY different men. Taking the name "Caelum", he guides his Reclaimed Legion, now known as the Exalted Sons, down the difficult road of reintegrating with the Imperial forces, dividing into myriad chapters, and adopting the Codex Astartes into their existing combat doctrines. The Redemptor Roses, led by their Chapter Master, Gautier Boudreaux, have largely taken the lead in managing this integration, giving the Exalted Sons the benefit of their long experience and commitment with being heirs to the legacy of the Great Crusade-era Third Legion while wrestling with the knowledge and the reality of what that legion ultimately became, and their pains and efforts to avoid the same fate.

Caelum himself has taken to lending Roboute Guilliman his expertise as a natural polymath, with the keen intellect that once saved and united Chemos without firing a shot now turns to assisting his brother in reforming the Imperium and helping coordinate its massive war machine, though on campaigns of particular importance, he will depart Holy Terra to join his Sons in battle. Much of Caelum's time on Terra has been spent fussing over the quality of life of the Imperium's Citizenry, and the struggle to convince them to accept better standards than the regime has permitted them to even WANT for ten thousand years. Caelum seeks to introduce art, music, poetry, and the finer things to every level of Imperial Life, though he frequently finds his efforts stymied by the quagmire that is the Adeptus Administorum, the Ecclesiarchy (despite Gregorium's best efforts), and the Inquisition.

The Exalted Sons, meanwhile, have integrated the Redemptor Roses' fierce commitment to banishing the chance of Chaos Corruption, and they and their successors have joined in many campaigns alongside those of the Luna Wolves and the Ultramarines and their kin, and have reminded the galaxy precisely why they were once considered the apex of what it meant to be a Space Marine during the Great Crusade, so long ago. Caelum’s presence on Terra and in the Imperium’s war efforts serve as a constant reminder that redemption is a path of both creation and destruction—destroying the old to create something better. He constantly advocates for the acceptance of beauty as a fundamental aspect of life, not a distraction from it, striving to make the Imperium a place where the human spirit could thrive, even amid endless war. It is a struggle that consumes him as much as the martial demands of leading his sons into battle, but one he pursues with the same fervor he brings to every aspect of his being. In this way, Caelum and the Exalted Sons seek not only to reclaim the legacy of the Emperor's Children but to transcend it, leaving behind a legacy far brighter and nobler than any they had once imagined.

Mortarion claimed the name "Thanatos" for his own, and the Death Guard were reborn as the "Pale Hawks", the Imperium's first, and best, line of defense against the forces of Chaos and its insidious corruption. Ever watchful over the areas of the Imperium long ago neglected by the Administorum and Departmento Munitorum, the Pale Hawks rove in great Casts across the fringes of the Imperium, bringing hope and protection to long isolated worlds that have not had them in ages. To that end, the Pale Hawks and their Successors find themselves working alongside the forces of the old Second Legion, the Imperial Hospitallers, in a reborn version of the Great Crusade of ancient times - bringing the God Emperor's protection, and his intended standard of living, to even the most distant and forgotten worlds. And where Chaos might be found, the Pale Hawks find themselves working closely if uncomfortably alongside the Warpwatchers and their sons, with the sons of the 15th Legion holding much wisdom and knowledge in the matters of the Warp and its inhabitants, and bring a gift for killing them, not simply banishing them. Thanatos, though not a particularly politically-minded Primarch like some of his brothers, often advises Guilliman and the other politically active Primarchs on matters relating to Chaos incursions, plagues, or other threats that require quick, decisive action. As much of his Son's duty and role has them ministering their talents to the Dark Imperium, he must rely on the Psykers of the Astra Telepathica to communicate his advice to his brothers on Holy Terra, which, even free of his corruptive traits, is a reliance he still would vastly prefer to not have.

He must also work alongside Ailani in dealing with the various Rogue Trader dynasties and fiefdoms of the Dark Imperium, fiefdoms which, while still loyal in the broadest sense, have developed an uncomfortable ease with their own way of doing things in their long isolation and independence that frequently conflicts with Thanatos' own sense of what loyalty ought to look like. Despite the difficulties posed by these challenges, Thanatos and the Pale Hawks remain steadfast in their mission to cleanse the Imperium of Chaos’s taint. They act not only as warriors but also as healers and guardians, seeking to mend the wounds left by ten thousand years of war and neglect. For Thanatos, redemption is not an end in itself, but an ongoing struggle to make the Imperium a better place, a struggle that will continue as long as the galaxy remains a battlefield. In this endeavor, the Pale Hawks would not falter, for they had become more than mere soldiers—they were the shield against the darkness, the bringers of hope to the forsaken, and the harbingers of humanity’s rebirth.

The Reclaimed Twin Primarchs of the 20th Legion, Alpharius and Omegon, took the names of Kaleidos and Janus, though both answer only to Kaleidos for anyone but each other. Together, they are once again the Ghost Who Walks In Many Places, and their Alpha Legion has been reborn as the Lernaean Serpents, a further reference to the Hydra of Myth and Legend. The Twins have taken command of the Solblade Initiative, finding the Tyranid threat both a clear and present danger to the Imperium, but also a shifting, ceaseless foe that is truly worthy of their talents and warfighting intellect; a chance at long last for the 20th Legion to show its quality and earn glory long overdue since the Great Crusade.

While the Lernaean Serpents took to the splintering of their legion into chapters the easiest of all the Reclaimed, nobody who knows their methods is convinced for even a minute that the Chapter has TRULY divided – they are simply doing what they have always done best: breaking up into decentralized warbands, each committed to its task. Among the Solblades, Kaleidos and his Marines impart that same knowledge and wisdom to the constituent forces, teaching even the lowliest Guardsmen and PDF volunteers how to be effective combatants no matter how many "heads" are "sliced off" by such a foe as the Tyranids -- to the Solblades and Imperial Guard units trained by the Primarchs and their Sons, whether their force is 2 million men strong or just 20, they will always have a strategy to be as effective as possible, even in environments where traditional communications or the chain of command collapses entirely. “Every soldier a rifleman, every grunt an officer.” Everyone knows everyone else's job well enough to do it effectively, should the need arise to do it.

The Lernaean Serpents and their myriad warband Chapters also specialize in rapid reorganization and shifting battle plans, essentially becoming the Imperium's foremost experts on warfare against hive-minded opponents. The Twin Primarchs have seen Holy Terra precious little since their return. Their place is not on the benches of politics, but on the battlefield, proving their ingenuity and strategic brilliance time and time again against the largest, keenest mind the Imperium has yet encountered. And what’s more, they appear to be gradually winning, offering hope that, even against the ceaseless onslaught of the Tyranids, newfound ingenuity and resourcefulness can yet prevail. With Kaleidos’ leadership style finally proving its mettle under fire, their leadership is beginning to influence other Imperial forces, encouraging a more flexible and resilient approach to warfare across the galaxy. While their methods do not suit all factions or chapters, the lessons learned from the Lernaean Serpents may yet shape how the Imperium adapts to future threats, proving the wisdom of Ultramarines Chapter Master Marneus Calgar: “Rules should never make a prisoner of intelligence.”

Saorlaith, the Lost Eleventh Primarch, has been the most recent Reclamation alongside her Legion, the Black Eagles. Motivated to return at long last by whispers in the weave of time, overheard in her scrying at the far edge of space. The Sorceress Queen has decided that now is the proper time to return, for it is now, and no other time, in which her people, ten thousand years in exile, finally have a future they might call their own, but such a future demands decisive action on Saorlaith's part. The dread wailing of the Carnefex now drones across hundreds of worlds, the harbinger of the Crow Queen's return.

Arriving, as Ailani did, to an Imperium who has no memory of her very existence, and led not by the Emperor, but by his struggling sons, Saorlaith casts her lot in with her siblings, for she is older and wiser, and recognizes that she can either protect her people's culture and interests from the inside, or be forced to go it alone in exile once more. Unwilling to deny her people the worthy future she had seen in her dreams, she swallowed her pride and prepared to bend the knee to Roboute Guilliman, Lord Commander of the Imperium. To her shock, Guilliman did not accept her subservience, telling her instead that she "would best serve the Imperium as you are: a Primarch, not a puppet", and that her input would always be welcome. Heartened by acceptance she had never had before, Saorlaith became a staunch ally and confidante of Guilliman, and has found that her reincarnated brothers are MUCH easier for her to find common cause with. She also took quiet relief that, at least for the time being, Leman Russ was nowhere to be found, though she does not doubt for a moment that the Great Wolf will one day return on his own, for her sorcery has told her that "the Reclamations are not yet complete."

The Black Eagles follow the Codex Astartes in some form, though it is broadly interpreted and often recontextualized by the savage and mystic warriors, resulting in one of the loosest interpretations of the text to date, but still one fairly in line with the spirit of the thing. Their roving warbands have delighted in the strength of the enemies they now face across the galaxy, a fitting trial for some of the mightiest and most competitive fighters in Imperial History, long may the crows feast on the bodies of their enemies.

As the Age of Reclamation unfolds, the Imperium finds itself on the precipice of hope, a stark contrast to the desolation that followed the Horus Heresy over ten millennia ago. The emergence of these Reclaimed Primarchs and their noble Legions reignites a flicker of optimism among humanity, rekindling faith in a future where unity, redemption, and purpose may yet claim triumph over the chaos that has plagued the galaxy for so long. The specter of the past looms large, yet the actions of these reborn champions suggest a path forward—a path illuminated by the potential for healing and the restoration of the Emperor’s vision. While the mechanisms of the Reclamation of the Traitors is not understood, for the first time in ten thousand years, the Imperium glimpses the possibility of renewal, a chance to reclaim its lost glory and forge a brighter destiny amid the stars. The Age of Reclamation is not merely an era of war, for while in the Grim Darkness of the 43rd Millennium, there is only war, hope now dares bud from beneath the corpses. Perhaps, just perhaps… all is not yet lost.

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kit-williams · 11 months ago

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Stealing Clothes

Male Lead(s): Harram, Roland, & Tulio Female Lead(s): Ori, Bäckerin, & Psychi Universe/AU: Warhammer 40k/Yandere Space Marines Canon Status: Perhaps I'm unsure but I won't say no

Harram

His ear twitched at the winding up cry coming from the other room. The sigh from the small woman beside him as he could feel her moving and his own eyes opened up as she slipped out of the room. He could hear Ori coo at Farum, baby talking him as he was most likely crying his large tears. Harram looked at his clock and knew he had a couple more hours of sleep. He gave up an hour of sleep for something far more fun. He closed his eyes just waiting for Ori to crawl back into bed.

"Sorry for waking you up." She muttered tiredly.

He softly gawffed at that sentiment as he waited for her to return to her spot next to him. "I can hear you scoop formula out of the can from here. I've also slept through an artillery strike. I'll live." He said opening his eyes and let out an appreciative coo.

She was in one of his shirts as it went down to her knees and how it laid on her person fully exposed one of her shoulders as she rubbed her eye slipping off the quick to put on prosthetic verses the nice limb he crafted for her. She laid back in the bed ready to drift back off and while he appreciated her being in his shirt... Harram pulled and tugged at the dirty shirt, "Off; you'll be warmer skin to skin." He crooned before going in for a kiss.

Roland

He walks back to his room after a month long assignment on a front. Roland feels aches mainly between his ears as he wants to sleep for a good week before he can return to even thinking about his Bäckerin and loving her properly. He walked into their living space and he was confused for a moment as to where she was but took a look at the clock and it was the middle of her sleeping time.

Roland lumbered to his bed and paused as he looked at the sight right there. His darling Bäckerin wrapped around his pillow... on his side of the bed... and in his shirt. He tilts his head surprised at this though also the fact that the shirt that would probably go to her knees has risen up to her waist. He can't resist himself...

Bäckerin's eyes flutter open as she feels something on her thigh and looks down at the nearly black eyes that dart to meet her own as she feels him pull his lips away from her thigh. "Welcome back Roland." Is all she says before he returns to pressing kisses into her flesh and enjoying the feeling of her soft skin against his face.

Tulio

Psychi laughed as the two of them finally made it to the covering of the villa. She was soaked to the bone again her hair was falling down her back as she shivered at the way the soft fabric clung to her form. She looked over to Tulio and was surprised that he was missing. "Tulio?" She called out heading inside and seeing a blue tunic laid out for her.

Tulio was trying to think of a reason why he would have womens clothes and why it wasn't weird that they were her size as he walked out holding a pair. "Here I-" his voice died in his throat as he had left a shirt on a lounge chair and he could see how his Psychi was wearing it. Of course she had to sinch the waist with a cord to tie it close to her form.

His green eyes looking at her blushing face, "I only realized too late that this wasn't meant for me... I could take it off."

"NO!" He said a bit too loudly watching her jump and he winced as he put the clothes behind his back, "Sorry I just don't have anything for you and rather you not catch a cold." He said putting the clothes further behind him watching her just casually wear his shirt like a tunic. His green eyes darting to her legs as it only goes down to her knees and as she sits he watches it how it rides- Tulio looks away with a blush. "I'll go get you a towel and a warm drink."

"Lord Tu-" Psychi starts but he's already gone by the time she looks over and just sighs... he can be so funny at times.

Fluffuary Tag list: @bispecsual @the-californicationist @egrets-not-regrets @libraryshadow @bleedingichorhearts @liar-anubiass-blog

#warhammer 40k #fluffuary #fluffuary2024 #yandere space marines #space marines #yandere #OC: Roland #OC: Tulio #OC: Harram #x reader #space marine x reader #ultramarine #black templar #iron warrior

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sleepyfan-blog · 5 months ago

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Religious Excerpts

Author's note: this is the first part of the Fem!Guilliman in 40k AU fic! I hope that you enjoy it! Next

tagged: @egrets-not-regrets @the-pure-angel @i-am-a-dragon34 @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan @bleedingichorhearts

warnings: religious writings, deification,

summary: A small collection of snippets from a collection of writings on the demi-goddess of the Imperium, Roberta Guilliman

She had asked for a brief synopsis of how she was most likely to be seen as, by different parts of the Imperium. She had sent out hundreds of intelligence gathers to move stealthily throughout the Imperium, including within Ultramar itself.

Her sons had been eager to follow her every order, the worshipful way in which they interacted with her bothered her tremendously. But she had been handed a dataslate that was a collection of poems, psalms, prayers, and fables written about The Lady Of Ultramar, the Daughter of the Emperor, Roberta Guilliman. If known, the date of creation and the author’s name has been noted down, though many such details have been lost to time.

Ballad of the Risen Primarch - written by Frater Matthew, Militant Apostolic, M42.076

The Lady with her sword aloft

Charges into the fray

To hunt down the vile traitors

And bring them true dismay

From deepest slumber, she arose

And she answered our prayers

While we were lost and desperate

Showing us that she cares

She scoured Chaos from Imperial Worlds

And chased them from our space

The Avenging Daughter protects us

From Chaos and disgrace

From deepest slumber, she arose

And she answered our prayers

While we were lost and desperate

Showing us that she cares

The xenos quail before her gaze

And fall before her might

Orkz, Aeldari, Tau, Tyranids

Failed to survive the fight

From deepest slumber, she arose

And she answered our prayers

While we were lost and desperate

Showing us that she cares

Her divine light shines so brightly

As does her wit and charm

She rules with a just and fair hand

She protects us from harm

From deepest slumber, she arose

And she answered our prayers

While we were lost and desperate

Showing us that she cares

She guards us from internal strife

Corruption, decay, lies

All are placed into cleansing flames

She is Evil's demise

From deepest slumber, she arose

And she answered our prayers

While we were lost and desperate

Showing us that she cares

This was written by Frater Matthew, the current Militant Apostolic working alongside Primarch Guilliman herself. He was inspired to write this poem after spending a number of months in her holy and robust presence.

She could feel a familiar headache starting to build in the back of her mind, and a low, frustrated growl threatened to rumble through her chest. She had picked Frater Matthew as he was an orator of some skill, and able to rally mortals and Astartes alike to his cause. But this... Travesty was annoying to read through.

Mother's Psalm - Author unknown. Suspected to have been written somewhere in the mid-M35s.

The sacred temple lies

The saintly Mother, who's eyes

Watch over her sons’ endless toil

At home and on foreign soil

The stasis field keeps her here

Away from the reaper's spear

Traitor's poison will not take

The fortress’ walls will not break

As Mother does, Maccrage stands

Protected by loving hands

And a sturdy wall of blue

Made of sons, loyal and true

One day, Mother will awake

With her, a new dawn shall break

She'll lead us out of shadows

And send evil to the gallows

This Psalm is found to be commonly sung by serfs of Ultramarines as well as their successor chapters, along with the civilian populations of Ultramar itself. The Psalm is also sung by the Auxilla of Ultramar, though they tend to prefer singing war songs in praise of The Avenging Daughter as she leads them to battle in Righteous fury against foul xenos and traitors alike.

A soft sigh left her as she finished reading the psalm. At least this was less overtly religious in tone, though the fact that this was marked as a psalm did not improve her mood in the least. She was starting to realize just how wide and deep the Adeptus Ministorum had a stranglehold on the Imperium of Man as a whole... This was going to be a misery and a half to slowly and carefully untangle... If she could.

Prayer for Information This prayer was written sometime in the early M37s, by a Historitor whose name has been expunged from all records by the Ordo Hereticus.

Oh great Lady of Insight and wisdom, Maiden Mother of fair Ultramar, I come to you, humbly, on bended knees and clasped hands.

To you, I confess that I have not been sending my daily morning prayers to Him on Terra as I should be. Instead, I have been researching what I can of the history of our Great Imperium. I know it is a sin to try and learn of the past beyond what is taught in school… But my curiosity pushes me onwards nonetheless. Surely this knowledge will not cause harm?

You have my deepest thanks. For I and many others upon the world of [REDACTED] owe you our lives. Because if your auxilla and Astartes had not come to our rescue against the [REDACTED] we would have all been killed and our souls consumed by the forces of [REDACTED].

I humbly ask you to grant me entry into the library within the Temple of Corrections, where I would be able to continue my research and studies. I feel that if properly understood, our past could teach us many things. I patiently await your response.

Your humble servant,

[REDACTED]

There was quite a bit of fierce debate as to whether or not to include this particular prayer to Lady Guilliman, as it has heretical elements in the prayer. Ultimately, this shows that even otherwise stalwart and obedient citizens can be heretical, and that one must always be vigilant.

... Since when was knowing the history of the Imperium illegal? Father damn them all. Those who did not learn from history were doomed to repeat it. She buried her face in her hands for a moment, unable to read on as she swore viciously in every tongue she knew. Considering what the Inquisition was like... She could guess that this poor Historitor's fate was a gruesome and miserable one indeed. She also hated that this letter had been phrased as an Emperor-damned prayer.

Psalm of praise - written shortly after Lady Guilliman’s interment into the stasis chamber, perhaps three hundred years past that event.

I will extoll the Lady at all times; her praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in HER; let all who hear rejoice. Glorify the Lady of Ultramar with me; let us exalt her name together. I sought the lady, and she answered me. She delivered me from all my woes.

This Psalm is frequently murmured by serfs and similarly ranked civilians who often work under Astartes. Particularly while the Astartes are preparing for a particularly vicious and bloody battle.

After reading the first psalm, she decided to skip the rest of the section, the blood boiling in her veins as the grip on the dataslate caused the device to creak in protest. She would rather not have to request a new one with this information on it, because she had broken this one in her fury.

A Lesson in Obedience- This fable was written sometime in the early M34s, and presented without the artwork to shrink the file size.

The world that The Soldier was going to be deployed to protect was one of hundreds if not thousands like it. A small yellow gem of a world with over ninety percent of the available aland devoted to growing a singular crop that fed the loyal and true citizens of the Imperium. It was this soldier’s first deployment, and excitement thrummed just below the surface of his skin as he walked over to where his mother was busily working.

His mother with her honey-blond hair and clever ice-blue eyes was carefully working at her desk a dataslate in one hand, a stylus in the other as she swiftly worked. She looked up and smiled warmly as her son walked over to her. She set down the dataslate and hugged him tightly, murmuring “Good morning, my wonderful son. How goes your training?”

“It goes very well! Mother, I have good news to share with you!” The eager, blue-clad young man explained, happily hugging his mother back as he beamed with joy.

“What news do you bring to me my son?” His mother asked, reaching up and ruffling his dark, curly hair with one hand, still hugging her precious son.

“Like my older siblings before me, I am benign deployed to fight foul xenos! I am being sent to fight Orkz who threaten one of the worlds that grow crops, mother.” The soldier explained, still beaming up at his mother “I will be the one to kill the most of the vicious brutes of my entire battalion! I will decapitate the Ork Warboss and rip his tusks from his mouth. I will carve them into combs for your hair, mother. As a trophy!”

A soft sigh left the Mother as she hugged her over-eager son, pressing her forehead to his, before looking into his dark eyes, hoping that her words reached his heart and resonated within his mind “I don’t need an ork-tooth comb my son. As with your older siblings, all I want is for you to serve our great Imperium with honor and grace. Fight and win the battles set before you, but do not seek glory for it’s own sake. Rushing to grab glory with your own hands will only get you killed first, my son.”

“That won’t happen, mother~ I am too strong and too swift for the Orkz to be able to kill me.” The young soldier protested, shaking his head a little “My armor is too sturdy for their shoddy and broken weapons to damage.” His armor was indeed well-polished. Shining a brilliant blue and bright gold.

“Orkz are -” The soldier’s mother tried to warn him, but the young man stepped out of her embrace as his vox began to buzz loudly.

“That’s The Captain, mother! I have been taught how to fight Orkz and other filthy xenos. I will come home victorious and with a chest full of accolades before you can start to miss me!” The young Soldier boasted as he ran out of his mother’s office, ready to take on any threats, big or small. “I must answer the call to war! Goodbye for now, mother!”

Years of training and months of waiting and sparring had led to this moment for the young Soldier as he stared over the incoming horde of Orkz. They were a disorganized tidal wave of hooting and hollering green, and he double checked his bolter before he started to level his weapon at them, taking in a breath and letting it out as he prepared to fire.

“Hold your fire.” The Captain ordered. “I need you four to help complete the evacuation of the civilians from this world.” He pointed to the young soldier and three of his fellow warriors.

“But… But sir, the Orkz are almost upon us! Shouldn’t we start to fire?” The young soldier asked, a confused expression appearing on his face.

“Are you questioning my orders, soldier?” The captain asked, his words underlined by the roar of artillery fire as they steadily flung shell after shell at the oncoming Orkish horde. “They are too far for you to hit reliably. Get going, soldier!”

The young soldier grumbled to himself as he dutifully got up and followed his squadmates over to the landing pads where several other groups of soldiers were -

She put down the dataslate, unable to force herself to continue to read the fable. She could guess as to where the story was heading, and the likely ways in which it would end. It was not worth the space it would occupy in her brain to continue to read through it. She hid her face in her hands and let out a low scream, trying not to alert the guards outside her office as to her distress.

There was a brief knock on the door before one of her brasher Captains barreled into the room, sword in hand as he did a visual sweep of the room. He didn't see any threats, so he removed his helmet and approached her, a look of mild concern on his face "I heard your yell, Mother. Is something bothering you?"

Roberta couldn't help but smile a little at his concern. Cato was rough around the edges and brash, but his boldness meant that he was the least anxious of her officer-sons to interact with her directly. "I was reading through the collection of legends that have sprung up about me, in my absence."

"Ah." Cato rumbled, briefly glancing at the dataslate on her desk, before looking back up at her "You are widely revered and held in great awe, as are all of the Holy Primarchs."

"Mm, but who we truly are has been lost to time. If Sanguinius found out how the masses - and perhaps his own sons believe him to be now..." Roberta sighed. The majority of the Imperium had come to believe that Sanguinius was a tragic, gentle-spoken martyr, whose death at the hands of the Vile Arch-Traitor was the final proof of the utter depravity that Horus had sank to. They seem to have forgotten, or been made to forget, from whom the Black Rage that afflicted most if not all sons of Sanguinius stemmed from. “His reaction would have been… Spectacular.” Throne on Terra, she missed her siblings.

Cato nodded, looking uncertain. “Is there anything you wish of me, mother?”

A small smile appeared on her face “Only your company, if your duties permit it. I am… Finding it difficult to adjust to this new time I have woken up in. Please tell me of the battles you’ve participated in.”

Cato’s eyes lit up as he begun to talk about his past exploits, gesturing occasionally for emphasis.

#cw religious writings #cw deification #my writing #cato sicarius #roberta guilliman

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cursed-40k-thoughts · 1 year ago

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I think it would be funny to throw Dragon Ball characters into 40k for a bit. Here you go, Freeza! Have fun conquering this galaxy or whatever good luck buddy

The “main” Dragon Ball characters would walk over basically everything in 40k. Like… these are people who who can blow up planets just because they feel like it and regularly spar with divine beings and move at physics-breaking speeds.

Dragon Ball a funny fighting show with endless power creep and big cool explosions. It doesn’t give a single fuck. There was an entire narrative arc where Goku had to fight an Evil Gay British Goku who had risen to power by killing every god in his universe.

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minweber · 9 months ago

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Musings on Custodes: Automatons vs Poets

So the first thing to talk about is the tension at the core of how Custodes are currently written: conformity vs individuality, loyalty vs independence.

I'd say that, in storytelling sense, Custodes as a faction are supposed to have three defining characteristics:

One - "superhumanity". A big deal is made throughout all the sources on Custodes lore of how in their skillset they are not just warriors, but also administrators, diplomats, philosophers and so on. Much like one of the proto-iterations of Superman, their fighting ability is not so much a result of mega-uber training and weaponry, but rather a prominent aspect of their overall advanced evolutionary state. "Being superhuman allows you to punch good, but also elevates all other aspects of your being" kind of deal. Everything about them is supposedly heightened - bodies, minds and souls.

But by itself this is nothing unique for a setting somewhat preoccupied with various forms of trans- and post-humanism. A sentence "They have advanced so far beyond humanity that could they even be called humans anymore?" applies to, like, a half a dozen factions throughout the setting. To make them distinct from the rest, Custodes' lore focuses heavily on individual achievement, going to great lengths to hype up the faction as a whole through the descriptions of how cool and accomplished individual custodians are, and it plays up their non-combat skills and abilities as something integral to their identity.

This does succeed in helping them carve out their own unique corner in 40k universe, I believe. It shapes them into not an army, but a lodge of mythic heroes and unique champions, who would each be a protagonist of their own story in a universe of a less epic scale - the Argonauts, the Knights of the Round Table, the Avengers. Such a focus on individuality naturally invites us to imagine them as not just supersoldiers and bodyguards, but indeed as these hyper-personalities, risen and evolved beings, who share all the core human qualities with us, but have them heightened to an incredible degree. Not just warriors, but poets also.

Two - loyalty. An even bigger deal is made of how unflinchingly loyal and wholly devoted to the Emperor custodians are. And, well, no shit - this literally is their purpose as a faction, the very first association that comes to mind once you hear the basic pitch of "emperor's personal guard". And the lore commits fully to this, going on and on about how tireless and focused custodians are in pursuit of their once-failed duty. They are the very epitome of the royal guard, loyal and devoted to such an extent as to become practically an extension of a monarch's own body, an integral symbol of their power over their subjects - the Immortals, the Varangian Guard, the Janissaries.

And Three is the obvious contradiction between the first two: a unique and complex individual, whose entire personality and purpose are built around someone else, a hero with no ambition but service, a philosopher forever beholden to a passed-down ideology. The tension between superhuman individuality and dehumanizing aspects of servitude lies at the very core of the idea of Custodian Guard.

(On a sidenote - the origin of this contradiction seems very interesting to me, because, while all the information that sets it up is present in the modern codexes, it feels to me like it owes a lot of its existence to pre-codex and pre-HH novels versions of the faction. I may recall something incorrectly, but as far as I remember, ever since the black-helmet-and-tits-out rogue trader version the main thing that was known about them was that custodians are so devoted to the Emperor, that they act essentially like automatons in their single minded devotion to him. For example - standing guard completely motionless for literal hundreds of years - clearly the basis for the vigil of Companions of the modern version. I wonder in what part the conception of their current dichotomy came from writers' desire to not retcon the old lore entirely? After all, retcons in 40k do usually aim for a degree of softness, trying to keep the "old" lore as true at least "from a certain point of view")

This brings us to the fun part - how is this contradiction resolved? How does being this particular brand of "more and less than human" actually work? Well, I'd say that in current lore it is mostly just sidestepped, leaving the one true arbiter of 40k lore - you, reading this - to figure it out for yourself.

There is, of course, the satiric version, one that would be most in line with the roots of 40k - that the "poet" aspect of the custodians is just propaganda, tales woven up by impressionable pilgrims and what not. That custodians are essentially just (even more) roided' up space marines, soldiers and bodyguards first and foremost, their higher aspirations beginning and ending with regurgitation of things that the Emperor had once said.

There is the version, perhaps, most true to real life - one that points out that there is no real contradiction between being intellectually hyper-developed and being a loyal and unquestioning servant of a tyrant. Its tempting to believe that things we so appreciate about human nature - wisdom, creativity, capacity for critical thinking - are tools that will always lead those who bear them to some sort of state of universal goodness, but this just isn't so. One can be an example of both the best and the worst that humanity can offer. Human nature contains multitudes, and not all of it is good. When dialed up to 11... well, that's one of the central themes of the whole setting, isn't it?

But, personally, I am a sentimental person, all too easily drawn in by the high drama that 40k offers, and so I tend to latch on explanations of its kind. I really like the idea of custodians being neither unquestioning, nor blindly loyal to the Emperor - and yet still ending up eternally devoted to him. While the nature and the extent of custodes' connection to the Emperor remains murky in the lore, the idea that it is something akin to that of primarchs and their legions is not an uncommon one. And it means that in some way they inherit his personality, that, whether they want it or not they become like him. And thus their loyalty comes not from a place of devotion to a person, but from a place of agreement with his ideals. They are fully capable of what we would call independent thought, fully capable of questioning the Emperor and his designs... It's just that in a bout of tragic determinism they will always arrive to the same conclusions that he once did, make the same decisions if given a chance. Custodians are, in fact, individuals and larger-than-life heroic personalities... It's just that they are mostly the same one.

Anyway, I mostly want to talk about various specific worldbuilding details of AC lore and the storytelling potential that they have, but this somewhat more abstract dichotomy is too central for pretty much all their stuff to be left unacknowledged.

#that's the big one done #there is obviously so much more to talk about in there #especially if we were to veer off into discussions the character of the Emperor himself #but I'll leave it to people more eloquent and patient than I #I really want to talk about things more specific and in-univers-y #just felt that this was sort of the elephant in the room #musings on custodes #adeptus custodes #warhammer 40000

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robot-roadtrip-rants · 1 year ago

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Dark Angels react to Dad coming home with the Risen, M42, colorized:

#warhammer 40k #lion el'jonson #dark angels #the risen

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hell-much · 5 months ago

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My Stories

You can find my stories under the Pseud MsCFH on AO3. Below a full listing, including an Angst Scale for each story.

MULTI-CHAPTERED STORIES

Risen From The Ashes Canon-Divergence / Rating E / 477k words

The ultimate Margaery-survived story. It has it all really. Intrigue, war against the dead, slow-burn, smut, gut-wrenching angst, family fluff and much, much more.

Angst Factor: 7/10 (in specific chapters more a 24/10 but the length of it waters it down)

you always smile (but in your eyes your sorrow shows) Modern AU / Rating M / 18k words

There was only one bed. I'll let you figure out the rest yourself. Also part of Winter Writing Prompts series but deserved a own spot in the multi-chapters due to length and complexity.

Angst Factor: 7/10

More Than Friends Modern AU / Rating T / 128k words

The Friends AU -written together with the wonderful @cerseiwondered (princessofthorns on AO3) that turned out a good deal angstier than we originally thought it would be.

Angst Factor: 6/10

Once In A Lifetime Modern AU / Rating E / 184k words

A Bridges of Madison County AU that plays in the 1970s Westeros and my personal favourite among the mulit-chapters.

Angst Factor: 7/10

Insidious Intent Modern AU / Rating E / WIP (211k words to date)

The prompt fill that reelly got out of hand. We have charming murderess Sansa, pushy journalist Margaery and my first attempt at fictional journalism.

Angst Factor: 7/10

...

SERIES

Corporate AU Modern AU / Different Ratings / 183k words

The story of Margaery and Sansa, their ambitious careers in the corporate word, and their all-consuming love for each other. Full disclosure: This series starts out as a collection of smutty one-shots and about halfway through will rip out your heart and piece it back together.

Fun fact about this one. It is now set in chronological order on AO3, but my writing it was anything but that. Original order if you want to torture yourself with some ambigituities is the following:

Kind Regards / Get Together / Rainy Days / Old Acquaintances / A Vision In White / A Year Ago Today / Meet The Starks / Hope This Finds You Well / Postscript / Recreational Holiday

Angst Factor: 5/10 (Again: A good deal higher in specific parts but the smutty PWP parts water it down.)

Covid AU Modern AU / Rating M / 40k words

Going from fluffy one shot in the first part to majorly angsty medical drama in the second part.

An Appropriate Distance / Here With Me

Angst Factor: 6/10

Parent Trap AU Modern AU / Different Ratings / 37k words

The story of a blended family falling apart, finding their way back together and expanding. Mostly very fluffy family fluff.

My Love, My Life / I've Been Waiting For You

Angst Factor: 3/10

Winter Writing Prompts Modern AU / Different Ratings / 52k words

A collection of winter-themed one-shot prompt fills.

"Your car slid into a snowbank and I’m the mechanic that comes to tow you." / "We just had a one-night-stand but a massive storm hit so now we’re snowed in, hello awkward."

"I’m having a snowball fight with my friend in the park and I hit you instead."

"the b&b we’re staying at asked if we wouldn’t mind sharing a room since we know each other and this snow storm has brought in some unexpected guests … one bed … three nights"

"You jokingly suggest we send out holiday cards together as friends so we do, and now everyone is congratulating us for finally getting together."

"You knock on my door at 2 in the morning because your very white cat got out and you need help trying to find them in the three feet of snow we have."

"I get your name during Secret Santa at work and use the same wrapping paper for my gift to my friend, so...sorry about all the sex toys."

"Sansa tells Margaery's child Santa isn't real and then has to make amends before Christmas."

Angst Factor: 2/10

...

ONE SHOTS

Over The Edge Modern AU / Rating M / 4k words

PWP. My first Sansaery attempt at smut.

Angst Factor: 1/10

we make your dreams come true Modern AU / Rating E / 11k words

PWP. Snarky Olenna, hot flight attendant Sansa, and Margaery about to join the mile high club.

Angst Factor: 1/10

Satisfaction Modern AU / Rating E / 9k words

This was supposed to be PWP but ended up with more of a backstory than some of my other multi-chapters. Weak spot for this one because of the sheer messiness of it.

Angst Factor: 8/10

...

FICLETS ON TUMBLR

Winter Hat Canon-Divergence / Rating G / 343 words

That winter outfit from the Tudors and Sansa has comments.

Angst Factor: 1/10

#sansaery #my writing #getting organised here

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allwaswell16 · 1 year ago

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A fic rec of angsty omegaverse One Direction fics as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave the writers kudos and comments! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

— Louis/Harry —

💔 Light, Spark and Fire (series) by green_feelings / @greenfeelings

(M, E, 239k, Louis/Harry, Zayn/Liam) Louis and Zayn run a music label, Liam is Britain’s up-and-coming pop star, Harry’s working on taking Louis’ walls down until he builds his own up, and Niall holds them all together without realising he does.

💔 Saving Symphony Hall by @helloamhere

(E, 124k, hurt/comfort) “That’s the attitude,” said Louis, “I’ll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, I need to do some research. Zayn, give me your number. I’m gonna save our symphony.”

💔 Strawberries & Cigarettes by dimpled_halo / @comebackassholes

(E, 76k, exes) Two stories, eleven years, and the two boys that never stopped loving each other.

💔 These High Walls by LarryAlways28

(E, 68k, musician Louis) Harry was raised exactly as a Styles heir should be: sharp as a tack, witty, charming, and powerful. He was the ideal son - until he presented as an Omega.

💔 Maybe You’ll Like the Way I Am by @lululawrence

(NR, 55k, accidental bonding) When Louis’ alpha neighbor asks him to pretend to be his omega for a week, Louis immediately says no.

💔 Your Gift is Wasted On Me by therogueskimo / @bravetemptation

(NR, 54k, neighbors) Omega Louis has severe touch deprivation and is averse to touch. But he’s fine. Really.

💔 Bear with me by 28sunflowers / @vintageumbroshirt

(E, 46k, omega/omega) But try as they might, the one fact that remains true is that children don’t save broken relationships. Sometimes things just aren’t meant to be.

💔 Wild Hearts Run Free by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom

(E, 42k, secrets) When fate and Mother Nature conspire to trap the two strangers together, will Harry’s worst fears be proven, or will Louis find a way to break down his walls and lead him into the light?

💔 Canyon Moon by delsicle / @eeveedel

(E, 40k, Lion King au) For as long as Louis has remembered, he has been promised to be mated to Harry, his best friend and the future pack alpha. But Louis’s heart belonged to the forest and to the hunt more than he could ever imagine it belonging to Harry.

💔 Follow Your Arrow by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(T, 36k, canon) They said Louis playing alpha wouldn’t affect anything. It was the best thing for the band, so he doesn’t really regret it except deep in the dead of night, when he bites down on his knuckles to swap the echoing ache of depri for a sting of pain.

💔 Too Young To Know by @2tiedships2

(M, 35k, exes to lovers) the one where Harry doesn’t present as an alpha… until he does.

💔 Compass to my Soul by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 31k, canon) Louis Tomlinson, omega, is 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time hoping his bandmates don’t notice him.

💔 where the lights are beautiful by twoshipsdrifting / @polkadotlou

(E, 31k, accidental bonding) If that had been his life, his goal, Louis would feel pretty good about himself now. As it is…Louis feels like shit.

💔 Sisterwives by @jaerie

(E, 32k, omega/omega) Louis thinks he's getting everything he's ever dreamed of. Harry helps him find what makes him truly happy.

💔 Compete Against the Stars by amomentoflove / @daggerandrose

(M, 30k, uni) An A/B/O au where Louis finds out he's claimed to another Alpha. Angst ensues.

💔 The Risen (series) by @creamcoffeelou

(E, 28k, cult au) In search of the next breaking story, Harry goes off to do something no one else has been able to do: get the scoop on Louis Tomlinson and his devoted group of followers.

💔 tread lightly on my ground by fairytalelights / @lookslikefairytale

(E, 20k, mpreg) the one where Harry is having Louis’ baby, but Louis doesn’t know it’s his

💔 Keep Me Closer by zanni_scaramouche / @zanniscaramouche

(T, 18k, uni) Louis expects Harry to react poorly, maybe even file a formal complaint and that’s gonna suck ass but Louis won’t say shit cause he knows he deserves it, so he prepares an apology before Harry’s even turned around.

💔 No Easy Love (Could Make Me Feel This Way) by @allwaswell16

(E, 17k, exes) an Alpha Louis/Alpha Harry au where they get a second chance to make things right with the love of their life.

💔 With love comes strange currencies by mediaville

(E, 16k, canon) They're Accidentally Mated and Dealing With It Rather Badly.

💔 Him & I by @notasawrap

(NR, 8k, mpreg) Louis thinks Harry has a lover and he's willing to let's Harry go to be happy with someone else even if it hurts the three of them.

💔 A Silver Lining In A Storm (You Were Lightning, I Was Born) by @fallinglikethis

(E, 6k, arranged marriage) Omega Prince Harry had always known that he was going to have an arranged marriage. But after the death of his first fiancé, a man who turned out far worse than Harry thought possible, his subsequent marriage to the man's brother leaves Harry finding it difficult to trust that everything will work out.

💔 lucky once, could be lucky again by @jaerie

(E, 2k, famous/not famous) Louis has been letting the rich and famous knot him for cash since he found himself walking out on the lavish lifestyle of his rockstar future mate.

— Rare Pairs —

💔 Pride by iwanttowriteyouafic

(E, 86k, Zayn/Liam) the one where Zayn and Liam strike a deal to help each other through their dirtiest nights, but Zayn's perception of alphas may be preventing him from something purer

#ficrec #omegaverse #1dficvillage #hltracks #trackinghappily #trackinghome

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divineerdrick · 21 days ago

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Warhammer 40,000 Balance Changes for December 11, 2024: Core Changes

Okay, I won't lie. This shouldn't have taken this long. But between my health, PoE2, and Grotmas, it just took a while to put this together. And while I haven't been consuming any 40K content besides Grotmas, and I've been steadily logging my honest and unfiltered reactions as I've worked, I'll go ahead and put this in "Not So Live Blog."

I already addressed the article in my Grotmas Livestream, so we're heading straight into the thick of things today. Let's start with a summary of the current state of balance in 40K.

As with most of this year, balance in 40K is probably the best it's ever been. While some will argue that previous metas in previous editions were more interesting, it's difficult to argue that balance has been tighter. More than ever before it is possible to win with any faction. More than ever before, there are more play-styles available to faction specialists. The game is in a great spot!

But that doesn't mean there isn't anything to fix.

As others and I worried, GSC has risen to become a faction bogeyman again. Though to be fair, I never thought it would be this bad. The GSC player base is skilled and dedicated. Presented with the changes to Cult Ambush and a slew of cuts to their unit costs, faction specialists have had a field day. And competitive players with the resources to jump in have also had success. While it does require skill to pilot, the faction is definitely too strong as is.

The main problem is the aforementioned Cult Ambush. Depending on your die rolls, this rule does anything from nothing, to forcing your opponent to play against a seemingly endless horde. And now that Cult Ambush units can deploy out of Deepstrike, skilled players can take those returning forces and terrorize other armies. The result is a niche faction suddenly pulling in an incredible amount of tournament wins while being incredibly overrepresented at top tables.

In the mean time, another army many predicted would be strong is also performing extremely well. Even before Aquilions dropped in from orbit, Guard suddenly found themselves with some incredible boosts to their faction. I honestly thought that Tank Commanders would be fine with nerf they got. They are so not fine. And since many long time competitive players have Guard armies . . .

And nipping on their heals is another faction that refuses to break before planets do. While Sisters have only brought home a third the wins Guard has since the last MFM, they're still heavily overrepresented at top tables. Some of this is almost certainly skilled specialists boosting their numbers while the influx to Guard is probably bringing there's down a bit. But Sisters are still a faction to be feared.

On the other end of the spectrum is Space Marines. Dark Angels did, in fact, really suffer after the nerfs to Codex Marines. Blood Angels and Space Wolves also went down a peg, though they're both mostly fine right now. And core Codex Marines are still hurting. Interestingly, their cousins on Titan have been hurting even more. Despite buffs, they've been held back some by changes to the Core Rules and haven't risen as their foes have fallen. Their Index also just isn't that deep and they're suffering from stagnation.

Finally there's Imperial Agents. While some skilled players have taken them up as a challenge, or just wanted to have some fun with them, they're still just not a real army. They need an army rule. They need detachment rules that aren't so incredibly limited to a small number of units. They just need a lot if GW intends for them to be a real faction.

I also can't leave out the Deathwatch. They'll be returning to the faction list proper now. Here's hoping their improved Index and shiny new Kill Team breathes some life back into the faction.

But again! I can't emphasize enough just how good the game is right now! My favorite thing I'm seeing are the “mad ladz”. Crazy players that seem to be picking detachments no one is taking and saying, “Imma win with that.” Then they do it. The most famous is probably Jon Camacho who took home a GT with the Null Maiden Vigil, which many were claiming was the worst Detachment GW has written so far. But this just keeps happening, and I'm so here for it.

Core Rules Updates

At the top of our new document, they preview that there are further changes to Fire Overwatch! Let's take a look!

This is small but not unimportant nerf to the Stratagem. In the Charge phase, you can now only use Fire Overwatch! when the Charge is declared. So you have to decide whether to use it before you see your opponent's Charge Roll. This was how it worked in previous editions. Fire Overwatch! has been the source of a lot of grief since 8th Edition, so it's one of those rules that needs to be carefully tuned.

And that's really all there is! There isn't even any new FAQs. Looks like the Core Rules are reaching a place where Stu and the gang are happy with them.

Pariah Nexus Tournament Companion

I forgot this one last time. It's also still a little hard to work with since I still can't find my own copy of the deck. But let's take a look!

Huh! Looks like I might have missed a version. Still, I'll be looking for changes since the October release.

Looks like the update is in the FAQ. GW has confirmed you can use Fire Overwatch! on a unit trying to complete an Action without causing it to fail. See what I mean about that rule causing issues? And that also appears to be the only change. Looks like GW was saving the majority of their effort for the factions themselves. So let's look at the Dataslate!

Balance Dataslate

Right off the bat we're hit with the two changes we were warned about in the WarCom article. You can no longer use a Stratagem to setup on the table within 6” of an enemy unit. As long as the source of the rule is a Stratagem, you have to be outside of 6”. As for the Armour of Contempts out there, these effects now end when the attacking unit finishes making said attacks. Space Marines had better be getting some nice buffs . . .

And with that, we're on to each faction! I'm going to do a mix of things this time around. I'm gonna write a post for each of the Super Factions like I did last time. But then I'll follow that with separate posts for the factions with the largest changes.

Spoilers, but if you want to looks specifically for those articles, they're Adepta Sororitas, Adeptus Custodes, Genestealer Cults, Necrons, and Space Marines.

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