NationStates Jolt Archive

On Zedr IV, there are two gigantic complexes. Everyone in the Imperium knows this. And everyone also knows that one of them is devoted entirely to the Emperor. He lives there, eats there, sleeps there, and will even die there. Some of them have been born there. The other is dedicated to the Ecclesiarchy, the Imperial Cult. The primary faith of the Imperium, the Imperial Cult reveres the Emperor as a living god. And in a way, he is. He acts as a focus point for every faithful citizen's psionic power. The average human uses only a small amount of their brain. Elves, a little more. The Emperor, though, once he has been given a series of agonising treatments, unlocks the rest of his hidden potential. As his Empire wanes, so does his power. As it waxes, he can achieve feats that should be impossible for even a highly trained specialist.

He has a counterpart in the Imperial Cult, the Arch-Priest. The Arch-Priest is the man behind the faith that gives the Emperor his power. But without the Emperor's protection, the Arch Priest would be vulnerable and weak. They rely on each other. And this means that when something, or someone, stirs things up in the Imperial Cult, things can turn very nasty, very quick.

Something is changing in the Imperial Cult. Changing in a very vicious, swift manner... Changing in a way that could be very bad for everyone. Not just the Imperium, but with wider consequences that could very well set the entire galaxy aflame in a war.

The Prophet Muhadin has come, a mysterious figure in the upper echelons of the Imperial Cult. Millions of millions praise his name for his prophecies. Though the expedition to the Milky Way has only several billion people, the entire Imperium contains teeming trillions of trillions in an altogether different galaxy. The travel time between them is too large for an efficient military campaign, but nonetheless, spending twenty years crossing a black, lifeless void is not an unattractive prospect for many. They have time to hone their skills and devote themselves further to their faith. They launch what 20th century humans on Terra call a 'jihad'.

Another holy war has been launched because of the Prophet Muhadin. There is open rebellion inside the Imperium as Elves strike out against humans and nearly every other species. And this plague spreads like an infection. Hundreds of millions of people have launched in their vast transport ships to carry their holy zeal to the rest of the Imperium and spread their Catechism of Hate.

"My words are the words of the True Emperor. The Emperor ruling us has been fooled by filthy xenos. He is unable to act as he should, for instead of seeing with true sight, he is blinded by timidity. Deafened by compassion. Muted by friendship. I alone am able to see with True Eyes. I will be your guide."- The Prophet Muhadin in his address on Tir.

As decreed by millenia old Imperial Law, only an Emperor may declare open movement against the Imperial Cult. And due to the recent turmoil and attempted coup, he is no place to further erode the Empire's strength.

Things can only get better, right?

Behold,
uh...
Murderous
Pies!

"It is most curious..."

"Curious how; you will explain yourself and your astropaths. You speak of signs and omens as though the Universe were about to expire and die! You will tell me what you have seen, Scryer!" Remiel gestures with clawed hand and lightning dances across his fingertips; a howling wave of raw carnal energy flickering across his palm.

"My Lord; the signs are all in alignment; something comes, something new and something ancient all at once; something that shall be a threat to all the ways of Chaos. From beyond the rim, they come..."

"Tyranids? More Cassiopeian fools? What comes!?"

"Truly Lord, we cannot know certainly; the future is dark or late, obscured by the tumultous mists of time. The hand of prophecy and manipulation are veiled in such times. Were it our guess...Something comes that is secret and hidden."

"We shall seek it out. Merely give it time to unfold and we shall doubtlessly know the when and where of this new invaders workings. Merely a matter of time..."

Isn't it funny how when you think things can only get better they get worse?

News reports all across the Empire and associated territories have been reporting about the holy war... But something has changed in the reports. No longer do they refer to it as an event taking place far away.

A terrorist strike on a hive city employed nuclear weapons. Millions of people were wiped out in a single moment as the heat of a thousand suns melted plasteel and ceramite towers. Millions more died a few seconds later as the fireball reached them, and millions more still as the shockwave literally snapped some of the strongest structures on the planet in half like a twig.

Suddenly everything seems to become real when people start to die. Friends and family perish for nothing. People get angry. Riots spread across the Empire... And in turn, the Prophet Muhadin quells each of them, as is his role.

But unknown to nearly everyone, save those with extremely good intelligence or psykers, nearly half the entire Cult has been killed by death squads. The ones who condemned his words of hatred and preached a more tolerant view were found hanging upside down in their homes, brutally tortured to death.

The reporters were having a field day. And still the Emperor made no official statement.

OOC: Well, I can safely say political correctness is not only dead, but creameted and its ashes scattered to the four winds.
IC: On the ships of Third Mobile Fleet, sailors sang slowly as they heaved on machinery.
"We joined the navy...to see the cosmos...and what did we see...we saw the warp!"
And indeed, they were seeing a lot of warp. Two trips between galaxies in so many months. It was getting hard to concentrate on real life.
"...And Cassiopea isn't all its cracked up to be!"

The navigator screamed wildly, and then regained his composure.
"Sir...admiral, I felt something...strange...like a living mind, but so huge, so powerful..."
"Get the co-ordinates to First Mobile, we've got orders. Continue our course back to the Cassiopea galaxy."