The Rise of Matrintis

[Kurisu313]

Game 6: A Dangerous Gambit

”Hurry!” Dura’lyl urged from the Venom’s rear. The driver rolled his eyes. How much faster did he think this bloody thing could go? The small craft hurtled along a narrow path of the Webway seeking its goal.

At last they found it. They knew this strand of the webway was brittle, and it was clear why. In ages past, some foolish Eldar had raised a temple to the dark gods. Such fools were a miniscule part of Eldar culture, even during the fall, but they had existed. It was long abandoned, but grass refused to grow upon the blasphemous stones.

The Venom alighted on the temple and the pair leapt out. Dura’lyl carefully unwrapped his cargo.

“Jeez, it’s just a heart, no need to be so dainty,” the driver remarked.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a virgin’s heart in Commoragh?” Dura’lyl snapped back.

“What’s a virgin?”

“I rest my case,” the other Eldar commented wryly. He approached the altar’s summit were a foreboding skull sat. The two Eldar were traitors to Kuras. In order to save themselves, they’d accepted this quest. It was certainly dangerous, but place the heart in the skull’s mouth, and they’d have a few minutes to escape before all hell literally broke loose.

Dura’lyl was not so naïve as to believe he’d be spared, but he was desperate. He placed the heart into the skull. The last dregs of blood activated the ancient device and finished what had started eons ago. The two Eldar died as the Webway began to shatter.

Atop the altar, a purple-feathered daemon emerged, a Prince of its kind. It could hear the lockstep staccato of hundreds of metallic feet.

“Right on time,” it muttered.

Ramaxis led a phalanx through the narrow corridors of the webway. They were following the small vessel that had flitted into their sensor range. What would a craft be doing by itself? Scouting? Delivering a message? Either way, Ramaxis was intrigued and had gone after it.

He could now see the altar and the daemon atop, weaving its foul magic. His optics began to give him information that made no sense, and he realised that the warp was leaking into this reality. A single Doomscythe Bomber followed the formation and he instantly ordered an attack run.

Before it got there, something appeared before it. Ramaxis had no heart, and even in life he was cold and compassionless, but even he could not feel nothing as a Bloodthirster of Khorne entered reality. The bomber fell, a smoking hulk, and exploded. The beast roared amidst the flames.

Ramaxis knew that retreat was not an option. If the tunnel splintered and his goal was beyond…

“Advance! Secure the objective! Adjust target protocols: Moving objects that do not radiate bio-signs!”

Overview

Yo! Today’s game is 2500pts of Necrons against Daemons. The goal: the Necrons must traverse the board and secure the objective…lest reality itself fall apart!

Yeah…that’s about it.

Ramaxis’ Assault Phalanx

Ramaxis – Catacomb Command Barge
Monrath, Destoyer Lord – Sempiternal Weave, Resurrection Orb
20 Warriors – Lord w/ Res Orb
20 Warriors – Lord w/ Res Orb
20 Warriors – Lord w/ Res Orb
10 Immortal
10 Immortals – Lord w/ Res Orb
10 Immortals – Lord w/ Res Orb, Tesla Carbines
5 Canoptek Wraiths – 2 Whip Coils, 2 Particle Casters
Annihilation Barge

Daemonic Legion


Bloodthirster – all upgrades
Lord of Change – all upgrades (looks like a Balrog)
12 Bloodletters – Full Command
10 Daemonettes – Transfixing Gaze
10 Daemonettes – Transfixing Gaze
8 Plaguebearers
6 Horrors – Bolt of Tzeentch
4 Bloodcrushers
4 Fiends – Unholy Might
3 Screamers
3 Flamers
6 Flesh Hounds – Karanak
Pi’Jin Felltalon – Daemon Prince w/ Mark of Tzeentch, Bolt, Breath, Flight

Deployment and Necron Turn 1

A phalanx of Necron soldiers files down the road. Warriors and Immortals alternate procession in the line, with the two Barges in the very centre. Wraiths float at the very front, shielding the rest from assault.

Daemon Turn 1


Pi’Jin solidifies atop the altar, violet plumage fluttering in an ethereal wind. He instantly claims first ‘blood’ as he extends a talon. A bolt of indigo energy snaps out and one Wraith is reduced to dust.

The rest of the daemon’s first wave appear at the front of the Necron column, though the Bloodletters lose three as they veer wildly off course and into a forest. The Horrors fire and the Bloodthirster’s whip cracked. Two more Warriors go to the junkheap in the sky.

Necron Turn 2


The war machine that is the Necron phalanx continues to advance. The Horrors vanish in an instant from the first block of Warriors. The Bloodthirster, despite swooping, takes a total of three wounds from the remaining shooting in range. Tesla hurts fliers!

The Wraiths engage the Bloodcrushers in an indecisive melee, each fouled by the other’s toughness.

Daemon Turn 2


Apart from the Fiends, all of the remaining daemons turn up. Daemonettes join the battle line, while Screamers, Flamers and the Lord of Change flank the Necrons. However, the Flamers scatter badly and cannot fire this turn. The Flesh Hounds and Plaguebearers appear at the back to support the altar later.

There is an enormously tactical period of thought as I decide what to charge and in what order. The Bloodletters reach the Immortals just past the first Necron squad. It’s not often that I have Bloodletters make combat and I realise why as the six survivors butcher 1 Immortals and their Lord.

Against the formidable twenty man block, it is the Seekers who initiate the charge, and are immediately wiped out by overwatch fire. But this allows the Daemonettes and Bloodthirster in. In a brutal melee, robot bodies are hurled around, and finally the remainder are swept before the bellowing behemoth.

Necron Turn 3


Bam. Bam. Bam. The sound of the relentless advance. Rifles lower and the Bloodletter’s vanish, as do the Daemonettes.

From his barge, Ramais lowers an arm at the Bloodthirster. It roars in defiance, but a golden spear of energy fires out. The Bloodthirster is annihilated by the tremendous power of the Tachyon Arrow.

The Annihilation Barge kills the Screamers threatening it, and the rear of the phalanx kills the Flamers and wounds the Lord of Change twice.

A Bloodcrusher falls as a Wraith entangles the Juggernaught’s neck with its tail and spears the rider with its talons.

Daemon Turn 3


The Fiends pop into existence near the two barges. Pi’Jin sweeps forward from his perch to land before the now-leading Squad of Necron Warriors, supported by the second Daemonette Squad. The Warriors seem fine, but the Lord of Change lands behind them too, and a roiling cloud of chaos kills three.

The Lord of change leads the charge, losing a wound to gauss fire. The trio of daemon units wreck over half the squad between them. Only a single Necron remains to face the Greater Daemon, but it is enough, striking the last wound in a lucky display. Pi’Jin too, takes a wound, but the weakling Daemonettes suffer none! Still, the Warriors are broken and swept.

The Wraiths find themselves assailed by the hounds of hell. So much damage is caused that the Flesh Hounds drop out of melee, unable to consolidate far enough. The last Wraith now faces two Bloodcrushers by itself.

Necron Turn 4

The Necron line is looking a bit dishevelled now but keeps advancing. Despite the long range, the Warriors successfully slaughter Pi’Jin. The Daemonettes in the open never even had a chance as the Immortals blow them away.

The Annilation Barge does nothing, but the Command Barge gets a lucky shot, dealing three wounds to the Fiends.

The Juggers crush the last Wraith underfoot, bellowing in anger.

Daemon Turn 4


The Barges come under assault by the Fiends and Flesh Hounds. The Annihilation Barge comes out unscathed as one Fiend slays its own brethren under the effects of Mindshackle Scarabs. The Command Barge loses two hull points (damn Flesh Hounds wouldn’t roll a six!) but Ramaxis is unable to stop Karanak as he damages its drive motors.

The two Juggernauts die as they try to assault a Warrior block.

Necron Turn 5


The Necrons advance past the melee shooting at the last Daemons around, the Plaguebearers. The Anihilation Barge leaves assault and helps out. Only one dies at this range.

The Destroyer Lord barrels into Karanak, but the last two Fiends wreck Ramaxis’ Barge. Two hounds die under the strokes of Warscythes.

Daemon Turn 5

The Plaguebearers retreat slightly, occupying the objective.

The melee between the Two Necron HQ’s and the daemons is frustratingly inconclusive.

Turns 6 and 7


Karanak and the last Fiend are eventually slain without wounding either Lord.

The Plaguebearers are whittled down over the turns, but the Necrons fail to reach the objective.

Results

Despite being wiped out, the Daemons are the winners as the Necrons failed to secure the breach!

Daemons Win! Woo technicalities!

And no one actually died…

Ramaxis watched in horror as the breach widened. Golden light poured through. It wasn’t holy in way despite its radiance. He ordered a phase out loudly as he watched the advanced elements, including his brother Lord be engulfed. A mortal might go mad, watching reality itself shatter around him.

His attention snapped to. He was back in the makeshift camp the Crypteks had erected in the Webway. He quickly ordered them to erect a Gellar Field around the tunnel that they’d used, but apparently the Crypteks had already started, having been monitoring the battle.

Ramaxis had to admit that he was impressed with the Eldar’s resolve. Purposefully sundering a portion of the Webway as a trap. Not bad. He turned to the form of his brother, Monrath. Apparently the Destroyer Lord’s phase out protocols had activated in time.

But his relief was short lived. His brother could not be roused. He was inert, cold. It was as if something was missing.

”Where am I?”

“Kuku. You are in the warp. If one could register that as a location.”

“…I don’t understand…”

“Such a fragile thing, the Necron soul. I had doubted that enough was left of you in all of those cogitators, but I managed to snatch you at the last moment.”

A purple avian head appeared in his view, if one could describe this as sight. Somehow, it smiled, despite having a beak.

“Interesting. Let’s play for a while!”

”Your gambit failed, Meldon,” Kuras noted. “Only a tiny portion of the Necron forces failed to phase out in time. And they erected a field to prevent utter destruction.”

“Perhaps, but it appears that my scrying is clear again with the Daemon’s destruction,” Meldon replied, stalking up to Kuras’ throne.

“Ah.”

“Yes Kuras, I do foresee the betrayal you cooked up while I was blinded.”

Kuras began a flawless excuse.

“And I agree with those explanations.” Meldon interrupted him. “Proceed with your plan.”

Kuras laughed. “You really are an interesting one. So unlike your brethren.” Kuras left, hurrying to enact his plan.

“I always knew I’d have to watch my back,” Meldon said to the empty room.

[orlando davion]

This game showed how tough the daemons are when multichargingNecron Infantry; if the big Daemons had concentrated at the front of the column rather than the flanks I think the Necrons would have been routed.

Looking forward to the next game.

[Kurisu313]

Game 7: Betrayal

The goal was tantalisingly close now. It had been months of painstaking searching, with the Eldar harrying their heels like terriers. But the mighty Novohk Dynasty was not to be denied its prize. Ramaxis could see the webgate now: Necron Phasecrystals were pushing through from the other side. The amount of degradation needed to allow that was troubling, but it was a minor concern for now.

He felt his old humour returning to see the pitiful defence: a small squadron of Commorite skimmers on the right and a tiny force of Craftworld vehicles on the left. With his allies supporting him, he calculated a three to one favour in his force’s size. They would crush them.

Aurikal had allowed Ramaxis the honour of leading the assault. After all, it is necessary to get behind someone if you are going to stab them in the back. He plucked the tesseract labyrinth from his waist. It had been a lot of effort to get this back, but in a shock twist, the Archon had come to him and simply gifted the C’Tan back to him.

He could remember the crooked leer as the foul lifeform had explained. There was no need to fight, they could be allies! Aurikal had almost smote him on the spot, until the Archon had smoothly asked if he had an exit strategy.

To cooperate with such filthy things as the living was irksome in the extreme, but to cross the Novohk Dynasty…if only he had breath or a throat for it to catch within. This was necessary, prudent. And also dangerous.

He opened the labyrinth.

“Arise, Shard of Mor’gyl, the Beast!”

Ramaxis turned with shock as the mighty creature materialized, a white carapace wrapped within an ebon veil. It screeched hate, angry to be bound to serve again. But joy of joys, there was killing to be done. The back rank of Ramaxis’ force disintegrated as their traitorous allies opened fire.

Kuras laughed like a hyena. What amateurs…that wasn’t how a good backstab should be achieved! Still, it was amusing! He had enjoyed bending the Overlord’s metaphorical ear. It had been dangerous, but Kuras had been killed before. To his kind, death was not final if you had enough loyalty in the ranks of the Haemonculi.

“Kuras!” Meldon chirped in his ear. “You remember the plan?”

“Crush the red ones, then betray the white ones?” Kuras replied languidly.

Meldon started an angry reply, then sighed. “Close enough.” The transmission ended.

Overview

An overwhelming force of Necrons has found the gate to their destination. Can the Eldar stop them in time, and will their new allies turn the tide?

6000pts of Novohk Dynasty vs 3000pts of Senusnet Dynasty, 1500pts of Craftworld Eldar & 1500pts of Dark Eldar.

The goal is the four crystals in the centre of the board.

Deployment


The Novohk Dynasty deploy first, unaware of their betrayal. A vast line of Warriors and Immortals and Vehicles with Ramaxis at the centre and Destroyers flanking.

Then the Senusnet Dynsasty deploys behind them, aiming for weak spots. The Dark Eldar deploy on the left flank and the Craftworld Eldar on the right.

Alliance Turn 1


The Eldar forces move inwards, taking potshots. Dark lance after dark lance hits the Monolith until it finally explodes, showing debris on surrounding Necrons. But the true damage comes from behind.

Warriors blast most of a Destroyer wing out of the air and Wraiths pounce on the last, removing them utterly. On the other flank, Immortals put down another two. One Ghost Ark explodes as three Harbingers of Destruction target its rear. Another is pulled down by Scarabs swarming over its hull.

A Triarch Stalker blows one Barge sky-high with point-blank melta rounds. The Annihilation Barge puts a few Immortals down, and long-range splinter fire claims the rest, never to get back up.

But then we get to the oddest thing in the world. Aurikal’s twenty warrior black shoots down some of Ramaxis’ warriors, but most get up. Then Aurikal, the Warriors and the C’Tan charge. The C’Tan loses two wounds to overwatch, and then is annihilated by five hits from the lightning field. It explodes, killing twenty two Warriors in total from both sides.

Aurikal and Ramaxis clash in a challenge (we have a gentleman’s agreement to ignore MSS, as that could get silly) but now wounds are caused. And no Warriors kill anyone. So over twenty people died, but the combat result was zero. Huh. Then Warriors stand back up, just making it a whole weird exercise.

Novohk Dynasty Turn 1


The Eldar get away almost undamaged, save for a single Raider which is brought down by Destroyers. Otherwise, Necron turns upon Necron.

One huge warrior block glances the Triarch Stalker to death. Scarabs swarm the Crypteks and Annihilation Barge, and Immortals put down eight warriors, though six get right back up. Wraith turns upon Wraith, creating a stalemate in which no one is going anywhere fast.

The Senusnet Immortals find themselves facing down an irate Tomb Stalker, but don’t break as they are crushed underfoot.

In the important melee, Lychguard pile in and it is all over in a flash, Aurikal being run down, but not before striking a blow on Ramaxis.

”You fool, daring to oppose me? ME!?” Ramaxis roared, driving his warscythe down through Aurikal’s sternum.

“Bzzt…I will be gone…zzzt…soon. I…bzz…hope you enjoy the rest of your campaign!” Aurikal’s laugh faded with his body.

“Fool,” Ramaxis spat turning to face the battle once more. “This ends here! By the might of the Novohk Kai, the name that blots out the stars, I will have my prize!”

Alliance Turn 2


The Eldar forces continue to head inwards, to join up. That is, save for a single Falcon carrying Fire Dragons fortuned by Farseer Meldon. The incoming Destroyer Lord looks rather smug until all five of his Destroyers go down in an instant, and the Falcon puts a wound on him.

A tonne of fire goes into another Immortal squad from the Ghost Ark and Craftworlders, knowing that ten kills equals no resurrection. In the end, the Immortals are wiped out, but their Lord stands back up. The Ghost Ark also manages to finish a damaged Annihilation Barge with its other broadside.

A Doomscythe flies on, drawing a line of destruction through a large block of warriors, simply vaporising mechanical shells. The Dark Eldar knock back some of the advancing Necrons, taking out two Wraiths, but the Trueborn miss epically, killing only a single Scarab base.

Knowing that they will lose to the Immortals superior guns, I send my last Warrior block into an inconclusive melee, right next to the Wraiths having their own inconclusive melee. As does the Tomb Stalker on the other side of the board. Necron vs Necron makes for slow assaults.

Novohk Dynasty Turn 2


The Doomscythe tries to evade as a Nightscythe appears on its six, but to no avail. Three friendly Warriors die as it crashes down on top of them. Those Warriors dispassionately turn around and destroy the Ghost Ark as Ramaxis advances into the centre supported by his Warriors and Lychguard.

Destruction rains down upon the Dark Eldar as the Scarab Swarms hit home in terrifying force. Two Raiders are plucked from the sky by the first swarm and the Bloodbrides, who had their Raider shot down by Warriors are charged by the second. Thanks to WS5 they hold on, but they are woefully outnumbered. A squad of Dark Eldar Warriors is crushed by Destroyers and their Lord.

The lone Destroyer Lord charges the Fire Dragons – and promptly fails two unlucky saves. Go go close combat Fire Dragons!

Alliance Turn 3


Squads of Dark Eldar Warriors pulling themselves from wrecked Raiders go to work. One finishes of a Wraith squadron and the other charges in to help out the Bloodbrides . Metallic bodies are trashed by the dozen but still more remain.

Two Banshee Squads alight near the objectives joined by the Incubi. The power weapon wielding Eldar are accompanied by Farseer Meldon, Archon Kuras and Autarch El’Phanor. The Banshees cannot charge while disembarking and the distance is too great for the Incubi.

The last Senusnet Wraith finally falls to the Novohk ones. The Immortals and Warriors are still going at it however, as is the Tomb Stalker. The Fire Dragons target the Nightscythe, but none land hits.

Ramaxis’ Warrior Squad comes under heavy fire, to the point that only a single Warrior is left, and Ramaxis himself is on his last wound. Alas, the resurrection rolls are good and several stand back up. This squad just will not die!

Novohk Dynasty Turn 3


The remaining Destroyers nail the Trueborn’s Venom, but are unable to finish off the survivors in melee. Two Warrior Squads combine their fire and a War Walker comes apart, glanced into oblivion.

Newly freed Wraiths charge in to break the Warrior/Immortal deadlock, but unlikely rolling sees them lose and the Immortals flee! The second Scarab Swarm pile in to help out the first, and Succubus Arianys, the Bloodbrides and Warriors are all killed, flayed apart by the teeth of the mechanical insects.

Ramaxis joins the Lychguard and they assault into Meldon, El’Phanor and their Banshees. Seeing the subject of his anger, Meldon issues a challenge.

Meldon brings his spear around in a graceful arc, sending the mindshackle scarabs away with mental power. No matter what he does, none of his attacks penetrate his opponent’s powerful defence. His scrying reaches out, trying to obtain the most successful future.

A wistful look passes his face and he doesn’t attack. Instead a palm slams into the green crystal next to him, and he exerts a brief psionic pulse before a warscythe descends, cleaving him in twain.

Ramaxis looked down on the corpse of his foe with disdain. But what had he been doing to the crystal, and why had he died with a smile on his lips? He never really heard the voice of Autarch El’Phanor calling for a retreat before the murderous rampage of the Lychguard.

Alliance Turn 4


The last squad of Dark Eldar Warriors kills a straggling unit of two Destroyers. The nearby Dracon not only survives the Destroyer Lord, but kills his consort as well.

In a frustrating manner, I manage to penetrate the Nightscythe three times, but it evades each and every one.

Then Archon Kuras, the Incubi and second Squad of Banshees charge into Ramaxis.

Ramaxis scoffed with disdain as the warrior women engaged to the front, easily overwhelmed by his superior legions. Very suddenly the Lychguard to his right fell, a skull-helmed warrior cleaving its head from its torso. Another Dark Eldar was leaping past, bellowing a challenge.

Mindshackle scarabs flew out, but Ramaxis recoiled in surprise – this one had immense willpower. Still, his attack was telegraphed and a warscythe cut him in two. The bisected Archon smiled, wobbled and vanished, revealing the true warrior right behind. A clone?

Kuras grinned like a wolf, his Djin Blade lashing out like the leaves in a storm, a thousand cuts…missing as Ramaxis timed his phase shifter perfectly, repaying the deception with his own. Attack spent, Kuras was completely helpless as the scythe swung again and he was decapitated.

Novohk Dynasty Turn 4


Triumphant, multiple squads of Necron Warriors alight upon the objectives. Gauss fire pours out, killing fleeing Banshees and a Wave Serpent. Scarabs charge another Wave Serpent and War Walker, killing both. The other Scarabs charge the fleeing Autarch and he fails to rally, being cut down.

A Tomb Stalker, having crossed the field charges into the last Dark Eldar Warrior squad, but these guys are clearly monster hunters, striking two wounds for no losses.

Ramaxis charges a lone Banshee Exarch who rallies to fight. Ramaxis accepts her challenge and forces her to kill herself under the effects of mindshackle scarabs.

With that act, the day is done.

Results

The Necrons have all four objectives.

But perhaps more importantly, Ramaxis single-handedly slew the leaders of the other three factions in personal challenges. In addition, the lovers Arianys and El’Phanor both kicked the bucket.

Thoughts

That game had some of the weirdest moments. The C’Tan exploding, stalemated combats, a Farseer who can’t make a save with two ****** re-rolls (don’t ask), an evasive flyer, fire dragons overpowering a destroyer lord…

You do get the feeling of the power of the Necron codex, the out-datedness of the Eldar (assault ramps!) and the frailty of the Dark Eldar. I felt like I was helpless before those Scarab Swarms and Warrior blocks.

As I said, we didn’t plan to end the campaign here, but Ramaxis clearly had other plans. Damn him, but he really earned it. I’ll post some epilogues in a couple of days, detailing plot wrap-ups. But for now, Ramaxis has his prize, the sunken Tomb World of Matrintis!

Ramaxis advanced through corridors corroded by exposure to the warp. It would take some work to remove the taint, but non-biological matter was fairly hardy to the foul powers. Matrintis was magnificent, though all tomb worlds had essentially the same tech level. But the alcoves with row upon row of Warriors…the phalanxes of Immortals…the inert Canoptek constructs. This was an army, and it was his.

He made his way to very core of the planet, where an ancient Overlord sat upon his throne like a Viking warrior of old. Ramaxis unceremoniously lifted the inert Necron and threw it to the side. This was his planet now. He sat upon the throne and surveyed the hub of his new kingdom.

Yes, this would do nicely.

Now, the final task was to return it to realspace and begin a war for the glory of the Dynasty. Maybe he’d start with those upstart Senusnet fools. Whatever the final choice, he would bring death the kingdoms of the living.

[Warlord Gnashgrod]

Great campaign, I enjoyed reading all your battle reports.

Do you plan to continue telling the story of Ramaxis to us?(ie, a new campaign?)

[Sexiest_hero]

Ramaxis is the man! I really enjoyed his cutting down of the elder, as I still have nightmares of 4th edition. It seems the eldar didn't bring nearly enough firepower. At 6000 points necrons run out of toys and can lay down tons of warriors who are very sturdy.

[SevenSins]

Yey Ramaxis! So much for betraying him! A fitting end to the story arc, and the personal combats made it even better..... Only wish I could field 6000 points of necrons....

[Sqallum]

Good to see he got his world back. Great pictures, narration and battles. Superb sir.

[Kurisu313]

Epilogue

Matrintis was a glorious place, Ramaxis thought. Exactly the same as any other tomb world. Perfect, precision craftsmanship. What was more glorious than that? From his throne room, he had overseen the restoration attempts. Crypteks awoken from their ancient slumber swore fealty to their new lord.

Generators online, the whole planet once again flowing with power, Ramaxis ordered his first real command.

“Let us return to realspace! Breach the barrier!”

The planet began to ‘move’, though perhaps such a word is wrong within the confines of warp mechanics. As it went, tendrils of the webway began to shatter and snap, allowing the warp to leech into the Eldar paths.

But it was not a one-sided thing. Matrintis groaned and shuddered as its surface was gouged and torn. Alarms blared and icons flashed. This was seriously dangerous. Not only might the damage they wrought destroy Commoragh, but their world as well.

“My Lord, we have a beacon!” A cryptek informed.

“What? Bring it up!” Ramaxis’ vision shifted as his ocular feed was overwritten. There was something before Matrintis, tiny, like an insect. It shimmered like the spectrum, leading them on.

“My Lord, calculations suggest that their path will cause us least damage. Suggest we follow.”

“Agreed.” Ramaxis swept his hand, giving the order. Locking on to the small craft’s path, they followed.

===][===

In the void of realspace, there was a tiny blip as the Phoenix entered reality. Its shimmering hull clearly marked it as the property of the followers of Cegorach, the laughing god. Their goal had been simple: with the loss of their fellow brethren of the Craftworlds and Commoragh, they had to mitigate the damage done.

They could not stop Matrintis’ resurrection, but they could save an enormous chunk of the Webway. By acting as their guide, they led the planet through the path of least destruction, protecting both. A small mercy, but a necessary one.

Of course, there is no sound in space, but still there was an enormous crash as Matrintis returned to reality. Ramaxis rose from his throne, feeling an invigoration he had not felt since his body had been flesh and blood.

“Get me the astrographers! Find our exact location! It is time to wage war in the name of the Novohk Dynasty!”

===][===

“My Lord, we must return to our home now,” Lord Uragal said, bowing low.

Overlord Aurikal gazed down at his vassal with emerald green lenses. Everything had fallen down around him. He had regained the C’Tan, his main goal. But in return, his force had been massively damaged and he had incurred the wrath of the Novohk Dynasty.

If he returned home, he would have to explain his failings, their inevitable destruction. The Senusnet were a small dynasty. They simply could not stand against the Novohk Kai.

“Here is my decree: Self Exile!” Aurikal bellowed.

“What?” Uragal snapped, head rising.

“The Senusnet will be blotted from the stars. Our only chance of survival is to cast ourselves into the darkness of space, where the Novohk cannot find us. We will rebuild anew.” His optics flashed at a sudden realization. “I will be Overlord of this new dynasty! Me, no one else!”

“You cannot…”

“My Decree is absolute! I am the highest tier present! Who dares to challenge me?” Aurikal challenged the shadows around his throne room, the eyes of minor Lords and Crypteks watching.

“Your will be done,” hissed Uragal, already plotting.

===][===

Kuras paced impatiently in his throne room. What was taking so long? Finally, there was that familiar feeling, the deepening of the silences that heralded the arrival of his minion. Nightstalker A’ranssar materialized from the floor, wreathed in the darkness of shadows.

“Master,” the whispery voice said. “Your prize.”

Into Kuras’s hand the Mandrake deposited a small red crystal, the spiritstone of Farseer Meldon. Kuras’ face split into an evil grin. Poor craftworlders! Not everyone had the fortune of a regeneration pact with the Haemonculi!

“Well well, old friend.” He began. “It wasn’t as you hoped, but it seems that the webway was spared. A petty tyrant has his new throne, but is that a big loss? The universe is vast and the Eldar are few. I’m sure they will occupy themselves with the Human and Ork long before us.”

To someone so emotionally attuned as an Eldar, it was simple for Kuras to feel the hate emanating from the stone.

“Ah, failure does sting so, does it not? I am sorry for your passing, but I have some good news for you! I have a large trophy room for you to inhabit, and you are not the first of my friends to be trapped in a trinket!” Kuras laughed, high and grating. “I think you and Elias will get on well!”

[Sexiest_hero]

Kuras is awesome! So awesome I hate to see his story end! Ramaxis has to be my favorite necron ever as well. Sadly i have to do without fluffly battle reports till you start another story.

[Rondin119]

Very very good. I enjoyed reading it and it gave me ideas for a campaign I am writing. thank you.

[SevenSins]

Well written as usual, and an interesting ending (for now?)