#immanent war helm

[ask-jaghatai-khan]

Sect of the Revelation Mechanism

// AdMech lore! This started as a desire to make some tech-priest OCs and fluff a Mars-Taranis-Fortidus army concept. I may end up writing some actual story snippets featuring this group in the future.

A secretive, small, yet powerful organization within the Martian Adeptus Mechanicus, the Sect of the Revelation Mechanism has been headed by the Lord-Archmagos Chertovsky Upsilon-28 for nigh-on several thousand years. Though few can discern the true motives of these enigmatic tech-priests, none can dispute the might of the forces that follow their commands. More than just their hosts of rare and loyal war-walkers, from Knights of House Taranis to relics of the ancient Legio Fortidus, the Sect is at the center of a broad range of alliances with shadowy figures throughout the Imperium of Man. Archmagos Upsilon-28 has attracted the ire of many elites within the Mechanicus and the Imperium for his lack of accountability, though none have been able to lock down a specific heresy upon him or his followers. Like a javelin thrown from the void, the unstoppable forces of the Sect – known as the “Red Legion” – will appear on some warzone or another with little warning, assist Imperial forces, and promptly assume command of the situation. Though many have noted that the extreme efficiency and precision of the Sect’s methodology produces commendable results, the tech-priests always retreat back into hiding in the end – often with a new haul of rare technological artifacts pilfered from those locations they choose to visit.

Lord-Archmagos Chertovsky Upsilon-28

Appearance: Archmagos Upsilon-28 is as inhuman as is to be expected from a veteran lord of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Little of his original form remains save for a handful of specific organs, which are themselves augmented and locked away beneath layers of arcane technology. Chertovsky specialized in bionic research in his early days as a tech-priest, and so he spent countless centuries assembling the finest cybernetic enhancements for himself before branching into further fields of study.

Beneath layers of Martian-red robes, Chertovsky does not look too different in silhouette from a human, and his core chassis in many ways still resembles a humanoid form. However from his back and waist emerge a veritable tangle of mechadentrite tentacles, which provide both additional articulation support, as well as enhanced mobility beyond what the Archmagos’ standard bipedal gait could provide under so many equipment harnesses. The Magos’ face is styled to suggest a skull, with many sub-lenses to enhance his standard vision. Most notable in terms of exterior augmentations is his Abeyant, which takes the form of a metal hood extending into an insectoid carapace mounted on his back. More than just a device for additional enhanced mobility and tool-uplinks, the Abeyant is Chertovsky’s most advanced store of artificial organs, mainly to provide increased processing power and memory space to his cyborg brain. If that wasn’t enough, within the Archmagos’ torso unit are additional masterworks of bio-cybernetic engineering, making Chertovsky’s simple if strange outward appearance little more than a mask to the full extent of his prowess as an augmeticist.

Background: Born Germani Chertovsky in the sprawling hives of Mars, the current Lord-Archmagos was far from the pinnacle of guile and might that he has since become. No, he was rather a weak and skittish youth who joined the Adeptus Mechanicus for lack of any other course in life, and a desperation to alleviate some of the weaknesses of his own flesh through just a few spare augmetics. However, when he began studying more and more into the possibilities of the Mechanicum’s arcane technologies, he became obsessed. Rather than focus on more petty devices, Chertovsky went down the path of bio-cybernetic-augmentation, undertaking extensive enhancements to his internal organs and brain before anything else. In this way, he was able to manipulate his own biology to make all his future endeavors far easier, removing his sense of pain, his need for rest, and other hindrances of the flesh.

Chertovsky’s curiosity ended up pushing him away from many of the more orthodox priests on the Red Planet, however, though he still remained a patriot to his order. The Archmagos fell in with more radical sects of the tech-priests, until at one point he dropped from the galactic stage and was not seen for several centuries. When he reemerged, Chertovsky was changed. Now he is among the most enigmatic and reclusive of all Archmagi, and has placed himself at the center of a broad web of inscrutable alliances in service to some unknown end goal. None have been able to brand him as a heretic – more for how hard it is to encounter the Archmagos than the added difficulties of delving his secrets – but few trust him. This does not bother Chertovsky, as what alliances he has are ironclad, and suit his aims just fine.

Lord-Archmagos Chertovsky Upsilon-28 maintains three primary bases – one being on the small but highly industrialized ice-moon of Tyrentis, in orbit around the gas giant of Volans, located in the distant Vol system of the Segmentum Tempestus. This serves as Chertovsky’s sect’s primary base, though he still maintains a pseudo-lab and office in the southern polar region of Mars proper. It is known that Chertovsky can call upon the transport of at least two Ark Mechanicus-class vessels, with the Archmagos’ personal ship being the Immanent Ascendance.

Archmagos Dominus Go Zeta-06

Appearance: Though not so ancient as his superior Archmagos, Go Zeta-06’s outward appearance is far more typical of the eccentricities indulged by the elite of the Adeptus Mechanicus. It was Go Zeta’s dream as a youth to be a commander of one of the mighty God-Machines, or even an Imperial Knight, though he was distraught to find that his base flesh lacked the constitution for such an undertaking. Still, as a current overseer and top engineer for these venerable war-walkers, he’s remade himself to reflect his passions.

Go Zeta’s overall form is rather humanoid, with an upgraded outer dermis meant to almost evoke the armor of the God-Machines he loves. The Archmagos’ head is somewhat atypical of most tech-priests, instead taking on a form akin to a Skitarii Vanguard, though more gilded and regal, resembling the war-helm of an senior Knight-Pilot. From his back emerge several high-grade servo-arms similar to those used by Techmarines, as Go Zeta requires far greater strength than normal for the engineering he specializes in. Most unconventional are Go Zeta’s missing legs – more than just a nest of mechadendrites, the Archmagos Dominus’ lower half has been stripped bare in favor of a selection of specialized cables and appendages allowing him to jack in to one of several advanced harnesses. These “mounts” enable the Archmagos to adapt to different situations, with such variations as an equine mobility-enhancer, or a Dreadnought-esque war rig.

Background: Martian-born and first known as Temur Go, the future Archmagos was the son of a pair of menial servants of the great Knight House Taranis. From an early age Go was afforded glimpses of the mighty machines, and grew infatuated with their majesty. He joined the Adeptus Mechanicus despite his rather humble background and lack of any prominent skills beyond janitorial work, as his impassioned praise for the Imperial Knights was met with approval by his superiors. Go Zeta-06 was trained as a basic mechanic, before rising through the ranks to undertake additional work on the grandest of all Imperial walkers – the Titans. In time, Go’s eccentricity and zeal led him into the company of Archmagos Chertovsky, where he found a fellow admirer of the rare and unorthodox. Go became a sort of field commander beneath Chertovsky and was granted access to the Lord-Archmagos’ web of elusive contacts in exchange for his total loyalty.

Now, Go Zeta-06 is the master of the 2800th Martian War-Division, known colloquially as the Red Legion. This is the personal battle order of Archmagos Chertovsky, and is meant to be both the hammer and the scalpel of the Revelation Mechanism whenever violence is needed to overcome an obstacle. The Red Legion specializes in the deployment of Imperial superheavy walkers, with most of its actual infantry, maintenance, artillery, aerial, and other supplemental forces geared towards supporting these God-Machines. House Taranis has provided dedicated Knight lances towards the Red Legion’s forces, and the Titans which Go is able to deploy are his pride and joy. Through a series of intensive searches and clandestine deals, Archmagos Go acquired several Titans said to have been a part of the extinct Legio Fortidus. After recruiting select Pricipes crews and appealing to some bribed bureaucrats, Go Zeta was able to “resurrect” the Dauntless Legion and fly their heraldry over his maniples. A great victory for a collector as obsessive as Go Zeta.

Archmagos Go’s primary home and main base of operations is the Ark Mechanicus Worth of the Slain, which acts as the flagship of the Red Legion, and is outfitted with not just advanced engineering and combat capabilities, but a robust suite of intelligence-gathering and communications arrays.

Fleet

Ark Mechanicus Immanent Ascendance

The personal ship of the Lord-Archmagos, Immanent Ascendance is as much a masterwork as would be expected from a vessel of its station. Always accompanied by a fleet of servitor-craft, this Ark Mechanicus is outfitted as a mobile base of operations for Chertovsky. Prominent features include broad-based automation – a rarity closely guarded by the Adeptus Mechanicus – along with permanent astropathic communications to both the Mars and Tyrentis strongholds. Massive hangar bays service those war-walkers kept closest to the Archmagos, along with laboratories brimming with other rare artifacts. As with most ships in service to the Sect, the Immanent Ascendance also boasts a massive sensor array focused on information gathering in any local and nearby systems, reflecting Chertovsky’s compulsive need to remain aware of every last shred of data that could be of use to him.

Ark Mechanicus Worth of the Slain

There is at least one other Ark Mechanicus that the Sect can call on, and the Worth of the Slain could be said to be the more fearsome of the two, at least by conventional standards. Functioning as the personal chariot of Archmagos Dominus Go Zeta-06, the Worth of the Slain is also the flagship of the Red Legion. With similar systems and suites as the Immanent Ascendance, this Ark Mechanicus is nonetheless a warship first and foremost. Its duty is to clear all obstacles that lay in the path of the Sect’s goals and oversee the deployment of the mightiest Titans the Red Legion can boast possession of. Despite this awesome power, the Worth of the Slain is rare to deploy Exterminatus measures. Archmagos Go prides himself on providing a swift and decisive end to any conflict he deigns to enter, so that the most post-conflict value can be extracted from the relevant warzones.

Order of Battle

Though the beleaguered Imperial forces who are fortunate enough to receive assistance from the Red Legion might show gratitude, the truth is that the Revelation Mechanism does not intercede in any battles they do not believe they could win. Or, more importantly, profit from. The vast intelligence network that Chertovsky considers more powerful than any conventional weapon is the means by which he may track down lucrative opportunities to obtain artifacts, resources, or even just additional allies and informants. Once these goals have been identified, the Red Legion is the unstoppable spearhead that may claim these treasures in as swift a manner as possible.

Go Zeta is not a novice tactician, but he is still an eccentric obsessive. Though he has numerous spies, infiltrators, support troops and supplemental war engines, these are all considered just facilitators for his mainline – the Knights and Titans. Zeta-06’s preference is to weaken entrenched targets through clandestine means so that absolutely nothing might stand in the way of these superheavy walkers, inflicting maximum damage to morale and cementing the image of the Red Legion as Omnissiah-blessed liberators to their allies. The majority of the Red Legion’s actual strength in not in their own troops, but in the resources they are able to call in, such as specialized cult-assassins, mercenary insurgents, prototype archaeotech projects, and other oddities. These auxiliaries allow the mechanics and pilots of the Sect’s treasured Titans to operate with maximum focus and freedom.

The two most notable and glorified groups of war-walkers within Chertovsky’s arsenal are the Titans and the “B-class” Knights. Every Titan is valued not just for its incredible power, but for the fact that Go Zeta was able to arrange maintenance lines and Imperial filing in such a way as to “resurrect” the heraldry of the ancient Legio Fortidus. Once the pride of Mars, the Dauntless Legion suffered massive casualties in the Schism under Kelbor-Hal and was forced to be shut down. Now, a fragment of that venerable Legio remains under the control of the Sect, like vengeful ghosts of the distant past. The B-class Knights are an unofficial categorization of those off-pattern Taranis Kights that have been collected and maintained by Chertovsky’s engineers. Such legendary suits include mechs like the King-Slayer or the Martyr’s Shroud, whose core chassis reflect that fact that they were once Renegade engines which were reclaimed and purified through the most painstaking ministrations of the Mechanicus adepts. The rarity of these suits means that none but the most loyal and skilled pilots may operate them; and they provide a distinct advantage of surprise over any foes who might otherwise know the best ways to engage Knight walkers.

Secrets of the Revelation Mechanism

Ultimately, the secret of Archmagos Chertovsky and his order, as reflected in the whispered name of their Sect, is that they prescribe to the Revelationist school of radical theology. This philosophy contains a strange mixture of apocalyptic and fringe dogma, and is condemned by many within the Imperial elite. Revelationism holds that the Time of Ending is upon the galaxy, but that a great ascension is forthcoming with the return of the Emperor and the Divines. Rather than sinking into typical doomsayer dogma, however, the Revelationists believe that all endeavors of the galaxy should be geared towards preparing for this final confrontation between the Light and the Darkness, regardless of any other ethical concerns. They believe that those who sacrifice themselves in the battle against the forces of darkness will be blessed and reborn in the final battle, and in the end a new era will arise filled with divine beings like the Emperor in abundance who will be able to destroy the powers of Chaos once and for all. Therefor, while Revelationist groups are known for their suicidal zeal, they are also known for supporting any movement that will bring about greater cohesion in the name of supporting the Imperial war effort. Governors who otherwise would have been considered ideal by the High Lords have been deposed by Revelationist uprisings, only for the resulting government to be even more pious and productive than its predecessor.

As such, the Red Legion reflects their hidden religious leanings by focusing all their efforts on obtaining rare and powerful technologies, and striking key blows against the “servants of Darkness” in service to this higher plan. Numerous series of inscrutable decisions, allegiances, and wars may confuse critics of Chertovsky’s order, though within the Archmagos’ mind they are all part of one massive algorithm meant to ensure that the Imperium is preparing itself for that glorious Final Battle and subsequent ascension.

[saucymorps]

Birthright 2

Robb hadnt wanted this time to end. He had grown used to doing certain things in the morning before he had his alone time with Elena. There wasnt a space in that small cabin that hadnt been used both for formalities and for other activities. Out side of this place things were about to become very complicated he mildly accepted some of the stress but not yet not fully. War was coming that was immanent a clash between the Lannisters and the North was starting and Robb had to be at the helm of it. For now he didnt worry with it even as they were riding to the Wall. Here they were still far away from it all and here they would try and ask for men. Robb knew what the answer was going to be but to appease the other lords he had to ask. He rode in the front along with Elena. Where Morgiana had gone to he didnt know, he knew how reluctant she was to come to see Jon again but he had faith it would work out. Wall appeared on the horizon the fridged snow making it hard to see at first so they quickened their pace. Most of the men stayed back on the ship now were just Bannermen from all the houses and very few servants, most of these men could handle things themselves was mainly for the women. They were let into the gates and Robb smiled dismounting and warmly embracing his half brother. “I see the wall suits you...if that last raven was correct Lord Commander now?” Robb said aloud for the party to hear.

Morgiana dreaded this months ride. The ship was fine, she found herself busied with helping to navigate and maintain the large vessel it was easy to avoid the love birds. Part of her was still pissed they were in her captain’s quarters but.....these ships was about the only private place....at least they had kept their night activities in there. The further North they went the colder it got so her usual spending hours up in the lookouts nest soon became too much it was too cold. Now on horseback they were carrying along at a fast pace. She was happy for the furs her father had gifted her a year ago as the dark colored fox fur kept her face and neck warm from this brutal cold. They entered the wall’s base the sheer size of it impressive as it went on for miles into the heavens. Morgiana had secretly put her self towards the back but in the middle and was fully expecting to not see sight of Jon till Robb said aloud who was now in charge. Her hood up it was hard to make out who was under the elegant cloak as her heart couldnt help but hurt a little at seeing him. Everyone dismounted greeting the lord commander...all but her. There were soo many people here one person not doing that wouldnt be very obvious.