Wednesday, 5 September 2012

[Fluff] Manutia - The Return

I was roaming through the blog this morning to check out some older posts and found a bit of fluff I wrote about the planet of Manutia HERE. I originally wrote this back in May 2010, and since 2 and a bit years have passed since then I thought I'd give a bit of an update...





[INCOMING VOX TRANSMISSION #MANUTIA] 

                ++ WARPSTORM INCOMING. REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. ++
                ++ REPEAT. WARPSTORM INCOMING. REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. ++

[OUTGOING VOX TRANSMISSION #HIGHCOMMAND]

                ++ A NEARBY DARK ANGELS FLEET HAS BEEN HAILED MANUTIA. ++ 
                ++ EN-ROUTE TO YOU. ++
                ++ MANUTIA. CONFIRM RESPONSE. ++
                ++ MANUTIA. DO YOU READ. CONFIRM RESPONSE. ++

[SIGNAL LOST]

A year passed without contact from Manutia. The Dark Angels fleet reached the galactic coordinates and found nothing, but a lingering un-natural glow where the planet once was. High command left a small task force of Dark Angels stationed on the nearby planet of Citiya, preparing for a large scale Chaos or Daemonic incursion due to the presence of the reported Warp Storm.

[INCOMING VOX TRANSMISSION #UNKNOWN]
                ++ HIGH COMMAND. THIS IS MANUTIA. ++
                ++ CONFIRM DARK ANGELS FLEET REQUEST. ++

[OUTGOING VOX TRANSMISSION #HIGHCOMMAND]
                ++ MANUTIA? LAST CONTACT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO.  ++
                ++ CONFIRM SECURITY CODE. ++

[INCOMING VOX TRANSMISSION #MANUTIA]
                ++ SECURITY CODE 26/05-1999-20/10-2-1. ++

[OUTGOING VOX TRANSMISSION #HIGHCOMMAND]
                ++ SECURITY CODE CONFIRMED. REPORT STATUS IMMEDIATELY ++

[INCOMING VOX TRANSMISSION #MANUTIA]
                ++ STATUS REPORT INCOMING. ++

Minutes later, Manutia returned into Real-Space, as observed from nearby planets and Imperial Fleets. The Manutian command gave a full report. The Warpstorm was triggered after the attack on Portsmotia by Tyranid fleets. Chaos cultists active in the area triggered an ancient artefact with a dark ritual, in an attempt to summon Daemons of Khorne to help their defence. Instead, the artefact triggered a Warpstorm holding the planet in a stasis-like state for over a year. As far as the Manutians were concerned, only minutes had passed since their last transmission was beamed to High Command.

The Warpstorm however caused several events to occur in the years afterwards...

++ DARK ELDAR SIGHTED ++

Firstly, the Warpstorm artefact acted as a beacon to the Dark Eldar Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue. Their Archon, Lady Malys, is known for her trophies and dark artefacts. Once activated, the artefact called out to her, drawing her and her Kabal towards Manutia. Her Kabal, accompanied by a throng of Haemonculi, Grotesques and Wracks, intend to raid the planet for other artefacts and trophies spread across the regions. 

Shortly after the planet emerged from the Warpstorm, various Dark Eldar craft were spotted making daring surface raids while the planet was in a state of panic. They drew pleasure from the torture of panicked Manutians, striking whilst Imperial forces were in a state of disarray and vanishing back into the Webway from where they came. However, Lady Malys and her Kabal have yet to even scratch the surface of Manutia's hidden treasures.

++ FURTHER WEBWAY ACTIVITY ++

The raid upon Manutia not only alerted Imperial forces to the presence of the Dark Eldar, their use of the Webway brought the attention of an unknown Eldar Craftworld force. They have been spotted regularly around Manutian space, but have yet to set foot onto the planet surface. Each time the Craftworld appears, it vanishes again before a response order can be issued. They have yet to engage Imperial forces in combat, but have refused communication channels for diplomatic talks. Manutian command is in disagreement whether these are silent guardians to the planet or lurking predators waiting to strike when Manutia is at its weakest.

++ CHAOS RISING ++

During the seemingly brief time in the Warp, Chaos activity has seemed to explode on the surface of Manutia. Where once, Chaos worshipping cultists were confined to low numbered, underground group they now roam the surfaces empowered by the Warp taint left upon the planet, openly attacking Imperial stations, raiding and pillaging as they travel. What they lack in numbers, they make up for in sheer ferocity and fearlessness.

Rumours speak of further Chaos forces, long lost in the Warp, taking command of the Manutian Cults forcing them ever onwards to try and take the planet for their own dark machinations. One  region of Manutia reported sightings of Chaos Space Marines, however, communications were lost  before the sightings could be confirmed. When search parties reached District 13 they found nothing but a slaughtered Outpost with no sign of any attackers left behind.

++ THE FIRST LEGION ++

Since the Warpstorm has passed, Dark Angel Space Marines have made planet fall and secured key areas. Large contingents of Deathwing were dispatched to death with any lingering remnants of the Warp, along with Ravenwing contingents to scout large areas in a short time. The Captain of the Deathwing, Captain Tyrion, has summoned further reinforcements to the cause - keen to prevent another Warpstorm and to cleanse Manutia once and for all. 

Further supply of Tactical Marines, Terminator squads and Ravenwing squadrons have all be summoned, alongside a request for Librarians to combat the Warp-taint left on the planet.

++ ABHUMAN ALLIES ++

As with Imperial forces, the Brotherhood of the Forge has been keen to prevent further Warp incursion on the planet and requisitioned their master craftsmen to prepare the Brotherhood for new means of warfare. Jumppack equipped "Thunderer" squads have been sighted, alongside "Iron Guard" melee units. 

The Warp effect left on the planet has caused the Brotherhood to enter a zealous frenzy against their enemies, sometimes causing an uneasy alliance with these still mysterious abhumans and the Imperial forces.

The Brotherhood seem to be driven on into battle by their Eldest and most venerable warriors commanding the lines. Hundreds of years of battle experience, combined with decades of hatred to their enemies ensure even the youngest member of the Brotherhood is whipped into a battle  frenzy.

++ FURTHER XENOS ACTIVITY ++

Unconfirmed reports of various other Xeno races have been investigated and found to either be hoaxes or previously unseen Ork creations.

The only other mysterious sighting has been large amounts of lightning and darkness around a localised area of Wastelands, close to where the last confirmed sighting of Necrons forces.  Manutian command assumed they had returned back into stasis in the catacombs under the wasteland, but severe weather activity in that area has prompted investigation.

++ END REPORT ++

[OUTGOING VOX TRANSMISSION #HIGHCOMMAND]
                ++ REPORT RECIEVED MANUTIA. EMPEROR PROTECT. ++

[INCOMING VOX TRANSMISSION #UNKNOWN]
                ++ THE EMPEROR IS BUT A FALSE IDOL ENTHRONED ON LIES. ++
                ++ THE FORCES OF THE TRUE GODS WILL DESCEND. ++
                ++ MANUTIA WILL BURN. ++

[TRACE LOCATION: 12823.8633.82 - LOCATION: MANUTIA]


--------------
So yeah, probably some glaringly obvious errors there, but I've tried to tie it up with the Warpstorm being the catalyst for a lot of new activity on and around Manutia, as well as the events that have gone on in the year whilst Manutia was gone, and the year since it's been back.

It incorporates pretty much all the hobby activity I've had in the last 2 years, but also I handily included references to Chaos Cultists in my original fluff, so purchasing Dark Vengeance ties in pretty well with that!

Cheers,
SB

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