I have idea how Iron Warriors could be more efficient.Considering their technology,they could use Marines only as Terminators and Specialists,and replace tactical squads and rangers with normal human veterans in power armours.Thanks to that,they could have more units - maybe even 3 times more.
Warhammer The Iron Empire (Warhammer 40k)
- Thread starter Thunderscourge
- Start date
"Ossus"
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
OSSUS
It was impossible for Tristan to keep track of time as it passed by upon the Eisernen, never having been on nor seen such a vessel before and possessing only the limited framework his primitive world had afforded him to grasp his new surroundings. Further complications concerning time arose from the fact that he only had access to one part of the ship, which he perceived as a fortress of kinds given the appearance of its innards. Jarn kept him confined to his own quarters so he could keep an eye on Tristan during his gradual recovery from starvation, and so besides Jarn's own quarters Tristan only had access to a nearby facility to handle personal grooming and biological matters.
While many boys his age may have grown restless in such conditions Tristan was well acclimated to them by now: he had remained confined in his own home after he sealed himself inside following the deaths of his parents, and he had always possessed an introverted personality that saw him learning his father's craft and working on it while other boys in his village had gone out to play.
This introversion and desire to learn and carry out what he perceived as his duty to his family was the reason why Tristan was the sole survivor of his people and not the boys who spent their days rolling around in the dirt and engaging in jovial physical competitions. Had he been more social and less diligent he would have died right alongside all the others, and so the very reason for his survival allowed him to stand by within this small piece of the Eisernen without complaint.
He was alive, he had someone helping him recover from his near death state, and so he endured the tedium. It helped that while within Jarn's quarters Tristan was able to learn through observation as well as trial and error about various mechanical devices present, and while he did not yet understand them he was able to grasp their general concepts: the device which emitted light was not a torch or similar flaming object, nor was it some kind of sorcery spoken about in his people's books, but rather it drew energy from some unseen device just like some weapons Jarn tinkered with drew their own power from something within them. It was in this way by relating one concept to another that he came to grasp his surroundings fairly quickly, and in doing so unknowingly confirming Jarn's suspicions about his intellect.
As far as Jarn was concerned Tristan would never be the strongest of his Astartes should he even succeed in becoming one, but his mind was sharp and that was a strength in and of itself. That he found a boy possessing a mind that was reminiscent of Perturabo's own ability to understand things intrinsically was not an opportunity to be passed by, not after serving centuries with the Iron Warriors and helping recruit thousands of them into the Legion to replenish their losses. Some lives were best used by spending them like bullets to achieve a goal, but there were individuals that possessed far greater worth: Forrix, Asier, and Jarn himself for example stood above their kin, and now he had two promising recruits to perhaps one day join their ranks.
Time would tell if the boys would truly live up to his expectations.
Given that he was expected to recover before he would begin accompanying Jarn elsewhere on the Eisernen Tristan was provided regular meals which were brought to him by Arien, the Warsmith's animal companion who typically resided in Jarn's personal quarters as well. While initially distrusting of the creature that was around his own height given its small eyes and odd nature Tristan had grown used to its presence, as it was the one bringing him food multiple times a day to consume. The lax creature would even sleep beside him in the bed Jarn had arranged for Tristan, and its soft body would even help the boy rest after waking from the nightmares plaguing him since the death of his family.
Once Tristan was no longer skin and bones Jarn had lead him to another part of the ship, leading Tristan through various corridors that appeared labyrinthine and past other giants in heavy armor much like Jarn himself. The sight of these Iron Warriors was a first to Tristan, who had only been conscious while in the presence of Jarn himself and Arien prior, and so as they passed he found himself awed as these giants all paid respect to the Warsmith. He did not quite understand the full hierarchy or organization he had been recruited into, but he was content to learn and observe in the meantime while for now perceiving them as being like the knights of his homeworld.
It was not long before the hallways brought them to the destination Jarn sought, with Tristan finding himself now inside of a large room with countless instruments and tools that he did not know the purpose of yet could at least gleam basic information from: many of them were like knives meant to cut a variety of objects with varying sizes and precision, while others like the long pointed needles were entirely new to him. While knives and their attached mechanisms at least registered as something familiar, he had never witnessed a medical needle or anything of the sort before and so could only liken it to the thread-needle his mother would use to sew his clothing.
Inside the room was yet another armored figure, with this one possessing quite unique facets to his suit just as Jarn did: instead of having armor that towered even over the other giants Tristan had witnessed, the Astartes in this room had a variety of sharp objects connected to his wrists that were reminiscent of a spear tip yet patterned differently in a twisting spiral. From their appearance Tristan guessed that they could move like the mechanical arm on Jarn's back, but rather than manipulate like an extra limb they appeared to just be able to revolve around a single point, likely to pierce whatever was needed.
With their arrival Jarn outstretched a hand to gesture to the other Astartes in the room while casting his own gaze down to Tristan so as to instruct him as he had about various things in the preceding days.
"Ossus is our Apothecary and in charge of medical operations and our Neophytes. It is he who you will have to prove yourself to in order to join our ranks, as he will oversee your physical and mental conditioning when you come of age."
While unfamiliar with the terms used Tristan could at least follow the general idea of what was being said: this was some form of medical staff who would be observing him to determine if he was worthy of becoming one of them. While an intimidating prospect it was not as terrifying as facing down the minions of Chaos and their Daemonic allies, something Tristan had previously consigned himself to dying from, so while he was still as afraid as a boy his age ought to be he was able to hide it better.
Ossus, the chief apothecary of the Iron Legion, nodded as he looked over Tristan to check on his status using the scanning technology in his helmet, "I see that you are feeling better. Upon your arrival to the Eisernen I saw to replenishing your nutrients and hydration to stabilize your condition. I trust that Arien supplied you the diet I put together for your recovery since."
For the first time since he ran out of food Tristan had awoken without hunger upon the Eisernen, and while he was unsure as to how this Astartes had remedied the issue he was grateful all the same. He had heard in his village that it took only a few weeks for someone to starve to death, and while he may have lost track of the days then and now he was still quite certain he had been brushing up against his own expiration date.
"You have my thanks," Tristan offered along with a respectful bow taught to him by his father to greet nobles and valued customers.
Ossus appeared amused by the respect given to him, though why was lost on Tristan, "You ought save them. The coming procedures will be long and tiresome as I test your body, mind, and spirit for corruption. Other Legions may be more lax in their screening, but our Warsmith is strict and rightly so. We shall not place our lives at risk heedlessly by welcoming in those tainted by the Ruinous Powers."
Standing up fully again, Tristan noticed something else about the room: besides the various tools for seemingly medicinal usage there were paintings and other forms of artistry that completely contradicted the barren hallways he had traversed to come here. While Jarn's own room was fairly sparse outside of its workshop and an altar of sorts, this one was completely furnished with a myriad of objects that Tristan had never laid eyes upon in his peasant life upon his world.
While the boy's attention was transfixed on Ossus' personal belongings lining his workspace the Apothecary spoke with Jarn briefly, "Before we begin, Warsmith, may I ask where Fabius Bile plays into this recruit?"
Jarn shook his head, "This boy will remain with us. Bile can have the captured Astartes and their followers for his experiments, just as agreed, but I will not have this one subjected to his whims. We provide him plentiful resources and that is enough for the time being."
Information gathered by their forces some time ago had led to an alliance with the infamous Fabius Bile that Jarn brokered to, in his words, ensure the survival of their Legion. Only his chief officers such as Ossus, Asier, and others of their prestige knew of the specifics, so rather than neglect the matter Ossus felt he ought to at least ask.
"Very well. I will inform you of our progress as it develops."
"Do those tests that are necessary, but hold those which could prove lethal in his condition for now. We have time on our side given his age."
"Affirmative, Warsmith."
Once their conversation ceased Jarn returned his attention to Tristan, who he found inspecting the device upon Ossus' wrist while maintaining his distance from the threatening object. Chances were the boy was fearful that such a tool would be used on him soon, and while he would be subjected to many of the instruments in Ossus' arsenal he did not need to fear the more deadly of them since they were for different circumstances.
"Do not be afraid. There will be pain, but should you endure it you will be one step closer to felling those who took your home from you," Jarn promised, prompting a quiet nod from Tristan. Both he and Jarn were stoic by nature, and so in the days leading to this much of it had gone without talking at all: just observation of Jarn's work on his personal arsenal.
Once Jarn left and the door to the room shut behind him Tristan felt a shiver up his spine, doing his best to maintain a strong façade even as he inherently feared the dangerous tools surrounding him. At Ossus' indication Tristan climbed atop an examination table in the room, and soon found himself laying down atop it as the Apothecary fastened restraints to keep the boy in place.
"I will prepare anesthetics for you such that you will not feel the worst of it, but this will not be easy. You have my apologies in advance even though this is a necessary procedure."
Unlike Jarn the Apothecary had a more affable nature, but it was mostly wasted upon Tristan at the moment for he was doing his best to prepare himself for what was to come: just as he had repeated a mantra to himself to calm his nerves even as his village was slaughtered around him with the horrific screams of everyone he knew ringing out, he did so now based on what he had heard from Jarn even if he did not yet know its significance or greater meaning.
Iron within.
The repetition of those two words within his head and the desire to one day overcome those who took his family from him were all Tristan had in the proceeding days as his body was subjected to countless agonizing tests. Every inch and pore of his body was examined, his blood drawn for testing by the 'threading-needles' he saw before, small pieces of his flesh removed to be sampled by various blades, and so it went on for what felt like an eternity.
When Tristan awoke days later from his pain and drug induced stupor it was once again in Jarn's personal quarters, though this time he had bandages and various ointments applied to his body to assist in his recovery. Beside him was Arien, who had decided that sleeping beside the warm Human under the covers was nice, and so Tristan rose a weakened hand to the animal's soft forehead.
Seeing as how he was not killed like the 'Beasts' were Tristan was left to figure that he was not corrupted like them, and that he had passed the agonizing tests...
Despite this, the worst had yet to come, for there were many more trials yet to follow that would make those excruciating moments feel as if they had been respite.
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TRAHAEARN OF THE JARN CLAN
The early settlements of Kimara saw its population faced with grim tragedy and a myriad of hardships, but the brutality of the planet also allowed for the strongest among them to rise by proving their worth. It is in this way that Trahaearn's own family came to rise to prominence and nobility, with his father having risen from a common member of the mining staff to the owner and overseer of many of the planet's mining operations. With their influence they would come to rule one of Kimara's fortress cities, and in time it would prosper given the way they invested their personal resources in improving it whenever and however possible.
Their family business would allow Trahaearn to grow up assisting his father across the various landscapes upon Kimara, as even as relatively wealthy as they were there was no place for idle hands among their people. Starting at the age of six, Jarn would work in the mines himself and help protect their convoys when necessary from predators and pirates both. It was thanks to this that he would be capable of lending aid to the Iron Warriors upon their arrival on the planet, and why as a recruit of the Great Crusade he possessed greater stamina and strength than many of his Terran-born counterparts. It was a burden on Jarn's soul to leave behind his mother, father, and even his wife given the incredibly young age Kimarans were expected to marry, but the same sense of duty that had him serve his father's company while only a child also saw him willing to serve an even greater purpose.
Even with his physicality Jarn had to undergo many trials and train relentlessly before he became an Astartes, but when the day came he was proud to receive the Gene Seed of none other than Forrix himself. Forrix had personally recruited him and even at times gave him additional lessons to help his ease into the role of Neophyte, for even fledgling Astartes were still Human and in need of proper guidance. To some it seemed that Forrix was crafting a future right hand man, and after participating in numerous successful campaigns under Forrix's command Jarn did play such a role for some time in the Great Crusade.
This rapid climb in rank was not without merit, for by the time Jarn turned 100 in Terran years he had conquered worlds for the Iron Warriors and fought against both Xenos and rebellious members of Humanity who did not wish to submit themselves to Imperial rule. His massive size and subsequent strength made him suited for breaching enemy fortifications, while his mind and skills honed by Forrix allowed him to properly orchestrate large forces to achieve their objectives with minimal losses. While accepting of the sacrifice of those under his command records would indicate that with time Jarn's tactics would shift to be safer without risking mission efficacy, perhaps indicating his change of heart well before Perturabo's discovery.
If he was to possess a particular flaw it would be his complacency and lack of aspiration, for Jarn was content doing as he was told and his will remained resolute so long as he could think of how his duties helped keep the people of Kimara safe. It is this that saw him willingly be assigned to garrison his home planet by Horus himself, in spite of Forrix's disagreement to the decision and in spite of the Fourth Legion's ranks being spread thinner and thinner as the Great Crusade continued. While at the time he took it as a badge of honor, Jarn would later come to believe that it was a deliberate attempt to remove him from the equation as Horus continued to stretch the Iron Warriors between countless garrisons and battlefronts, ultimately resulting in their snapping years down the line. More than Perturabo, more than the Emperor, he would blame this conscious choice of Horus for the fall of the Fourth Legion.
JARN'S RETURN
Despite his later misgivings at the time of his assignment Jarn was content with himself, having earned the title of Warsmith thanks to his efforts and being allowed to take a handpicked staff of Astartes and menials to return to Kimara to garrison it. He had heard little of its status in the near century since his departure, and so it was his hope that he could contribute to its prosperity now that he was rejoining his kin.
Years prior, with the Iron Warriors' assistance in quelling the local threats, the citizens of Kimara were able to make overtures to a golden age of their society, as for once they had breathing room with which to not just survive but to also begin flourishing. While outright conflict was not allowed between the various fortress cities of Kimara given that such a thing would result in their mutual destruction previously, historically tensions still arose between various regions for reasons ranging from mining rights to perceived economic superiority between traders and laborers. This shift would help bring an end to that, and instead helped bring about mutual economic development.
Before the first arrival of the Iron Warriors the Conomor Clan of Kimara had united the various city states through raw charisma which ran quite contrary to the typical nature of those on Kimara, and it was thanks to their diplomacy and championing various social causes that saw them peacefully rule. While some questioned the fact that the Conomors were relatively new to Kimara and came with great wealth which allowed them to focus on diplomacy rather than toil in the harsh landscape of Kimara, many were pleased to just have someone else taking care of that side of things while they placed their own attention on matters of food and security.
Upon Jarn's return he would be surprised to learn that the Conomor Clan that the Jarn family had supported had fallen from power, instead replaced by Jarn's own family in ruling all of Kimara. The Conomor patriarch had fallen ill at a time he possessed no clear successor, and so it fell to the Jarn Clan to take their place in maintaining present relations. Their working class background had brought them support from all of the cities of Kimara, and when it became known that their heir had joined the ranks of the Iron Warriors who saved Kimara that initial renown was amplified many times over.
Of greater surprise to Jarn was that it was none other than his own flesh and blood descendant was the present planetary governor of his homeworld, as the childhood companion who had been arranged to become his wife had born Jarn a son after his departure. Unfortunately both his wife and son would pass away far before their time, just as his parents would, thanks to illness seemingly born of the planet's relentless winter and brutality. However his son had not died before possessing an heir himself, and so it is in this manner that Jarn met the current leader of not only his family but also the planet he once left.
Despite the generally somber and cold nature of Kimara's population they welcomed the Iron Warriors with open arms and celebration, as it was thanks to the fortifications the Iron Warriors had built for them and the artillery left for their needs that the planet's population had kept safe over the years. Tales of their great strength and indomitable will had been passed down from parents to children, for loyalty to those who did right by them was an important trait in their culture. It is thanks to this that the garrison of a hundred Iron Warriors was given complete authority by Kimara's ruler and people without question, and how Jarn would in the proceeding years work alongside his grandson in further uplifting their people.
THE 'IRON AGE' OF KIMARA
While a period of great prosperity is typically labeled a 'golden age', it is perhaps a reflection of Kimaran culture that they would substitute the word 'iron' for gold in the years following to describe the tenure of Trahaearn Jarn as de facto ruler of their world. Some historians would note the similar sounding nature of 'Iron Age' and 'Iron Cage', with the population perhaps adopting the term in the years after the Horus Heresy to mock the folly of the Imperial Fists, but such ideas are unconfirmed and no Kimaran would outwardly say as much even if it were true.
The Warsmith's planet had already been unified under the growing influence and power of his family, setting an easy stage for him to enact changes as he saw fit without the populace questioning him or his methods. Building upon the improvements Forrix's Astartes had made, Jarn established a refined system of defenses for each fortress city that saw them possess a dome-like shape with shifting armor to reinforce as necessary and to also allow for the artillery within to fire without retaliation able to strike the batteries while reloading. While the thinning of the local wildlife had made life easier on Kimara its dangerous monsters still on occasion posed severe threats, making this 360 degree firing arc with multilayered protection ideal for handling both threats from the land and sky.
For artillery Jarn would station a growing amount of Basilisks and Hydras at each city to handle whatever threats may loom, and space would be made in the fortresses to have up to a hundred Basilisks firing simultaneously with rapid redeployment available as necessary to change firing arcs. The once resilient fortress cities had become nigh impervious to outside threats, with the harsh nature of Kimara threatening outsiders just as much as the artillery itself would. To offer protection between cities sensor arrays were established within outposts that would survive the conditions of Kimara, with each of them capable of providing precise coordinates of threats be they pirates or monsters.
This rapid expansion was assisted by the Mechanicus, who possessed more radical members who sought to use Kimara for their own purposes to develop technology incorporating the planet's mithril. With various fortresses becoming forges for the Mechanicus they were able to greatly increase the planet's production rates, and it is with their aid that Kimara would become able to build its own native artillery rather than needing to requisition it from elsewhere. The good relationship between the Iron Warriors and Mechanicus over the coming years would result in a similarly positive relationship between the Mechanicus and Kimara, and it would remain as such until the outbreak of the Horus Heresy.
To further the prosperity of his homeworld Jarn saw to it that new fortress cities were erected at strategic points, eventually forming a hexagon grid across Kimara's continents where each point would possess a minor city, and the center of numerous of those arranged in a hexagon would possess a greater fortress. The space between these would be enough that they were not redundant in purpose, but which using the sensory arrays and communications could fire upon any threats to the three other fortress cities they drew a line to. This meant that if any one of them was in danger and an enemy was too close for its own artillery to be very effective that the others could fire upon the enemy still and protect them.
While a member of another Legion would say that these defenses were overkill, to Jarn it was simply the only way to properly colonize his world while ensuring that no outside threat could ever endanger them again: he sought to conquer the wilderness of Kimara without directly changing it, all the while gaining access to its vastly unexplored territories for Kimara as a planet had vast untapped resources given its inhospitable nature. Jarn had witnessed many more prosperous worlds in his time serving under Forrix and he wanted for his own people to flourish as those of other worlds were allowed to, so he worked tirelessly for decades alongside his fellow Astartes and mortal kin to bring this idea to reality.
Be it infrastructure or implementing programs to encourage population growth to one day inhabit the newly constructed cities Kimara continued to rapidly develop in those years under the rule of Trahaearn, but progress would slow when he and his men were recalled to join the primary Iron Warriors forces upon the discovery of Perturabo: Jarn would remain with his fellow Astartes in the years to come while only a skeleton crew of them remained upon Kimara.
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A/N: Some more story, some more world building, and a cover, this update's got quite a lot in it and I hope you all enjoyed and will let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
A/N: Some more story, some more world building, and a cover, this update's got quite a lot in it and I hope you all enjoyed and will let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
We had an entire update set 10,000 years after the Horus Heresy's events on Kimara titled "Isolde Kohlenstoff".
So no. It was defeated as evidenced by her update having the Imperium's boot heel pressing down on them, but if the planet was destroyed we physically could not have had that update.
Thanks,my mistake.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Deal with Fabius Bile, now that's one desperate form of russian roulette.
It would be interesting if it turned out that Isolde was Jarn's descendant.
It would be interesting if it turned out that Isolde was Jarn's descendant.
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
Yes and no. Fabius and Jarn share a fair bit in common in how they view Chaos so they are natural allies in some regards, so as long as they are useful to one another Fabius won't screw them over fortunately.
While that would be great, a future update will point to that being unlikely: Jarn's known descendants are no longer the ones in charge after thousands of years, having some decades prior to her segment been ousted from power by a pro-Imperium faction and executed including the children.
So while I cannot say it's impossible, I will say the chances aren't looking good thanks to the purge you guys will learn about.
"Primarch of the Fourth"
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
THE DODEKATHEON
Following his examination from Ossus there were days slated by the Warsmith for Tristan to recover and rebuild his strength, time in which the boy used to learn from a series of tomes collected by Jarn in the Astartes' room. To call them books would perhaps be misleading, for in reality they were more akin to journals chronicling the development of various technologies used by Jarn and others among his forces.
With no adherents to the Mechanicus to instill doctrine upon his ship Jarn had been able to more freely develop whatever ideas he possessed, thus allowing for the technological innovation which created his altered model of the Logos. Like Perturabo before him Jarn possessed a keen mind for such matters, and after studying the Primarch's own works he had come to possess a deep knowledge for the entire creative process. While perhaps uninspired compared to the creations of others, a gun that could shoot more accurately than others of its kind or armor that could better protect its bearer were invaluable for Astartes who knew only war.
The journals of his work were paltry compared to the heights of humanity's utmost development prior to its intergalactic collapse millennia past, but the knowledge possessed was valuable all the same for someone like Tristan. He did not understand much of what he read at first glance, but he read all the same now that he had permission to do so. The concepts of things like electricity and once common knowledge about how various metals worked as conductors were fascinating to the boy who had until just recently known nothing beyond the technologically bereft world he was born to, and while it would take many months and years for him to fully grasp the concepts presented by Jarn's writing it would provide a foundation for the seeds of future innovation to grow.
A week passed by, and when Jarn returned to his room as he did each night after managing his warband's day to day matters he was surprised to find Tristan fiddling with some spare wiring and a small light procured from Jarn's surplus supplies in his personal workshop. The fact that the boy was practicing the fundamentals discussed in his journals was not surprising, but that the boy had managed to get the light to function was, and a delightful one at that. It reaffirmed that the autocannon Tristan made, however crude, was not some one off stroke of genius and while making energy flow from a power source through some wires to a light was in no way revolutionary it was still impressive for a boy who weeks ago did not even know of electricity beyond the lightning lashing out in the sky.
In recognition of this accomplishment Jarn would bring Tristan with him to the Eisernen's most advanced workshop and forge, not because he expected the boy to know how to use any of it or contribute to the work of others, but rather because it was his belief that by just exposing him over time to the technologies within that Tristan would one day be one of the Astartes working within.
"This is the Dodekatheon, where our foremost engineers and minds are joined. Here we test our ideas against one another, working to improve our knowledge and understanding of both warfare and technology through trial, discussion, and simulation."
Tristan had still not encountered much of the ship he now found himself within or its inhabitants, but even someone as ignorant to civilized technology as him could appreciate the sight before him: massive, sprawling space where machines were being assembled either through some automated process or by hand, where Astartes stood shoulder to shoulder and worked on testing their creations while others stood around tables with either blueprints or small miniature figures upon them being used to engage in theoretical wargames. Mechanical constructs buzzed and whirred all around as if they possessed minds of their own, and such was their harmony to Tristan's young eyes that it seemed that this entire workplace was but one elegant machine.
"You will observe what is done here. You will do what its members ask of you. You will scrutinize to the best of your ability and study from the work you witness from myself and others. Ask questions where necessary, but do not bother when the answer would be beyond your comprehension. It will take years, but I have faith that you will learn," Jarn explained as he escorted Tristan throughout to give the boy a better look at everything, not a soul within the Dodekatheon's forge being disturbed by their presence since within all were on paper equal and thus the various Astartes assembled there saw no reason to interrupt their work to salute their Warsmith. They knew he cared more about what they were creating than he did trivial salutes and greetings, for all of the Astartes within were veterans like Jarn himself who had served with him for centuries.
The sight of so many mechanical creations that were beyond his present comprehension and understanding was overwhelming for Tristan, but it sparked his curiosity rather than any ire for being unaware. While he possessed an ego befitting of a precocious child, his passion for learning had been stoked and so he followed Jarn with keen interest throughout this forge that Tristan reckoned was larger than his entire village.
In a way it felt familiar despite how different it was, for he had spent his entire life growing up within his family's own version of a forge, with his father's blacksmithing talents being put to use to aid their growing community. The familiarity helped soften the bittersweet memories of watching his father work, and with no knowledge of how to process such thoughts Tristan instead projected them onto his new caretaker. It was easier just to not think of his family and to instead look forward, for his nights were already haunted by what horrors he had witnessed in his village's destruction.
A more recent sight that had become familiar snapped Tristan out of his thoughts to instead realize that he had been led to a far more advanced workstation than the one in Jarn's quarters, but which the boy could tell belonged to the man regardless: Arien was climbing over parts of it with his stubby lizard limbs to put things into various containers without prompting, the Ixolotl content to just work with the shiny objects before him.
"While cumbersome, Ixolotls possess a strong memory for the placement of objects. Keep note of where Arien places objects back so that valuable tools are not lost or put in the place of another."
While he was somewhat aware of the fact that Jarn had a certain affection for his pet, it was at this moment that Tristan realized that in the pecking order of this vessel the simpleminded creature outranked him, an actual Human. He would be learning from an animal how things were done...but so long as he could learn he was willing to do so, even if the source came from a salamander-esque creature that was content to just stare at shiny objects for hours on end with its beady little eyes.
"Understood," Tristan responded tersely, already observing Arien's placement of certain tools back where they belonged to tidy up his owner's workspace. He liked Arien, just as he found himself drawn towards Jarn. He was uncertain about Ossus thus far, but did not dislike the man at least despite the painful tests the Apothecary had put him through...despite not understanding them Tristan at least understood they were necessary, and so he had undergone them without complaint. Not without intense pain, but he was already dulled somewhat to that sensation after spending weeks nearly starving to death.
"When you are not shadowing me this shall be your obligation, though make certain to not get in the way of those here."
Jarn did not bother to introduce Tristan to any of the other Astartes present, as his goal was to show Tristan what he needed to be useful and to learn so as to be even more valuable later on. Interrupting the dedicated work of his comrades to show off a recruit, even one Jarn had hopes for, was pointless to him. Until Tristan became a full fledged Astartes and proved his worth Jarn had no intentions of having others grant him any form of reverence. It was simply not the Iron Warrior way to do so, what mattered was results, of which Tristan could not yet produce.
That was a piece of why Jarn brought him here today though, for he intended to observe if Tristan was ready to join the training squad that was being assembled. If he was still too weak from starvation and then his medical observation then he would just be kept on the side until he was ready, and so seeing Tristan able to keep pace with him was a good sign. Just because the boy had no present worth did not mean he would not in time after all, and breaking him needlessly was something a less careful member of the Fourth Legion would do: not Jarn. Not every tool was a hammer, nor every solution a nail, and while it served the Legion well to act in such a way in the past much had changed in the intervening years.
"What is that?"
Many times the size of Jarn himself was a nearby vehicle which was being worked upon by the various techmarines among Jarn's Iron Warriors, its signature feature being the long 132mm Earthshaker Cannon atop its chassis of seven meters. Such was the size of the Dodekatheon's forge that this mighty vehicle was only one of many being tinkered with, with many others of its ilk visible throughout and even larger craft being worked on deeper within. Tristan had been so overwhelmed by all the new things when he entered that he had not quite noticed it at least not consciously until his tour took a moment to pause by Jarn's station, and now that Tristan had seen it his eyes were aglow.
Whatever part of his nature had made him so fascinated by the autocannon he saw on his homeworld during its invasion that saw him then recreate it in a more limited fashion now once again piqued the boy's curiosity, as he just found that he inherently was drawn to and liked this vehicle. He held little interest in the Vindicator being reconstructed right nearby it, or of the Medusa a little bit further than that.
Tristan liked the Basilisk, so much so that his stoic features were unable to hide his keen fascination with it. While Jarn had expected the boy to be in wonder at all the sights within the Dodekatheon he found it more amusing that out of so much one vehicle struck the boy's fancy. Given this, he wasted no time in answering the child's question, figuring that he perhaps could train Tristan's mechanical knowledge better by assigning him Basilisk related projects in the future. Best to work with something that one has an interest in after all, and the Basilisks under the Fourth's control had compatible parts and thus knowledge with Rhinos, Predators, Vindicators, and Whirlwinds as well.
"This is what is known as a Basilisk, specifically of the Legion variant from the Great Crusade. Consider it a larger version of the weapon you crafted, with an effective range farther than the eye can see. While other Legions needlessly engage in close ranged combat ours rightfully engages the enemy at a distance they cannot retaliate, softening their forces so that when we do engage in direct conflict their remaining forces pose no threat to our own."
The mind of a child could be a wonderous thing at times, so simple and innocent: Jarn could see the gears turning in Tristan's mind as the boy tried to figure out what he could from just looking at the vehicle. Jarn indulged him further by informing him of its technical specifications, though he knew most of it would fly over Tristan's head for now. At least the boy could understand the basics, that this was a tool to defeat your enemy from afar, and that would suffice for now.
When Jarn managed to lure his apprentice away from the vehicle that had captivated him so he brought Tristan over to a more organized part of the Dodekatheon, it resembling a ship's bridge more than it did a workshop even though it was a part of the same overall area. There Iron Warriors stood around monitors going over data and discussing stratagems, some of which their fellow members were testing against one another using a mixture of computer simulations and physical representations upon large tables built for such activity.
Catching Tristan's attention first were the miniature Basilisk models, of which he felt a desire to possess after witnessing the vehicle moments ago, just as he had been interested in shields after seeing his father craft them for local soldiers...of course they had been the first to fall when their village was raided, but it was not because of a lack of craftsmanship on the part of Bertrand the Blacksmith. No, that was because it was difficult to shield your body from every direction as cultists swarmed you, even for those with full body armor.
The second thing that caught his attention was the fact that there was someone other than an Astartes present: he was a few years Tristan's senior, though how much older was difficult to tell given that the boy was inhumanly muscular and possessed forearms substantially thicker than Tristan's own thin abdomen. This other child was engaging some Astartes in the wargames they were testing ideas with, and while it was obvious the superhuman soldiers were using a handicap against him it still spoke to his own relative quick thinking that he won the engagement he was presently in.
Perhaps sensing his opposite in this other boy, Tristan inherently disliked him from the moment he first encountered the other trainee under Jarn's guidance.
"Warsmith," Levente bowed his broad, muscular form as he finished his match and noticed the approaching form of Jarn.
Pleased by what he witnessed moments ago, Jarn gave a nod of approval to Levente, who had been busy casting a glare over in Tristan's direction, "I suppose it is time to test your progress, Levente. Show me what you have learned."
Levente pried his eyes away from what he sensed would be his rival for Jarn's favor ever since the younger boy was brought on board the Eisernen, not wanting to lose face in front of Jarn. Just as Tristan inherently disliked Levente the feeling had been mutual since Levente first noticed the unconscious boy, and while Jarn could sense their silent friction he said nothing to combat it: the Iron Warriors in the past had fostered rivalries to make their foremost minds grow and outperform one another, improving their raw ability through a desire to overcome their rivals. While it had fed into the paranoia which grew in the Legion with time, Jarn saw no harm in two future Astartes not liking one another so long as they knew how to work together in spite of that.
Jarn and Levente set the table for a match of their own in short order, the basis for the game being that each player could choose what pieces they desired to utilize with a point value assigned to them based on their relative cost of real resources to field and their capabilities being a scaled representation of their usage in actual battle. In this way a general battlefield scenario could be played out in a macroscopic sense, while the computers nearby could run such scenarios in real time for more individualistic tactical control and practice.
While Tristan did not quite know much about the game yet, he did as Jarn told him to and observed so he could learn it: he noticed that while Levente's force was comprised of models entirely focused around close range combat Jarn's were a mixture of various forces including a set of Basilisks. Once both sides had been set their battle commenced, and so began a strategic exchange of simulated battle that lasted for just over an hour before Jarn's forces completely routed Levente's.
Tristan had noticed the trap Jarn was setting for the other boy, but Levente's confidence and bold nature saw him walk straight into it in a display of hubris. Despite that Levente had managed to do considerable damage even through the trap he sprung, but it still decided the outcome of the battle and it was not long before his forces had been completely mopped up despite having torn apart everything directly in their path.
Jarn nodded to Levente, having known the outcome since before the match began but still desiring to measure the mental growth of his student, "An improvement, though your focus on a frontal offensive left your forces open: being led into a kill-zone and surrounded on all sides on disadvantageous terrain will almost always lead to defeat. Seizing the initiative is important lest you allow your opponent to dictate to you the terms of battle, but do not allow it to blind you."
To his credit, despite his pride, Levente bowed humbly to the Warsmith and listened to him sincerely: he had come from a technologically advanced world that had descended into barbarism, much like Terra once had, and so in such a world he had grown up respecting strength above all else. This meant that he had grown fanatically loyal to the Warsmith upon their meeting, and the sight of Jarn's physical prowess in battles afterwards had only built upon this fervor in Levente's spirit. He wanted to one day tower above mortals and Astartes alike just as Jarn did, and to that end he would do whatever was asked of him.
"I will learn from my folly, Warsmith."
Despite their mutual dislike even Tristan recognized the reverence towards their benefactor and savior, so while he intrinsically found the older barbarian child irksome he could find some common ground. Time would only tell how far that would go.
"Do not allow yourself to be caught off-guard by even menial forces as well, for I decapitated the command structure of your army with a mortal squad rather than with any of my Astartes. While we may be their superior in many ways, a gun cares not who fires it and a sufficiently skilled mortal can fell even our kind with a well placed shot," Jarn explained further as Levente listened, doing his best to learn even if his mind was struggling to grasp what exactly he did wrong, "Tristan here surprised me with a hidden autocannon he crafted with his own two hands. Had I been one of our lesser kin who find refuge in the Warp with piecemeal armor withered by time and battle without repair it may have taken my life, which is why this place of technological development and understanding is so vital."
The gesture towards him first made Tristan feel proud, then brought a shiver down his spine when he realized the death glare it earned him from Levente: their shared respect for Jarn also meant that they no doubt would be competing for his attention, and so Levente's eyes were like Power Daggers glaring at him. Tristan did what he could to glare back, but his far more diminuitive form and less expressive facial expression both conspired to make his own attempt seem as threatening as an Ixolotl's blank stare.
Jarn ignored the adolescent rivalry forming and continued his semi-introductions of the boys to one another, "Levente here will be your fellow Neophyte, an apprentice of mine like yourself whom you will work alongside one day should you become Astartes. As your elder feel free to ask of him anything you need assistance with, but be sure not to trouble him or keep him from his training."
At the Warsmith's gesture the boys met to shake hands, with Tristan's slight hand appearing miniscule within Levente's rounded and muscular one: if he had not been used to hurting his hands while working on various things in his father's workshop Tristan would probably have winced at the other boy's grip.
"Don't slow me down, runt, and I'll make sure to not trample you," Levente sneered and chuckled both, possessing a natural charisma that was devoid in Tristan.
While younger Tristan had the quicker wit, and so shot back, "I should be fine, you seem 'slow' enough as it is."
Levente's failure against Jarn was not much of an indication about Levente's own intelligence, but Tristan could not help himself from verbally sparring back. He was confident in his own intelligence, and he had doubts that a muscle-bound kid some years his senior was beyond his own mental ability...or so he hoped at least. It was perhaps the one thing he had over Levente, looking at his own physicality and comparing it to the Neophyte's.
Taking it as a challenge, Levente pointed towards the tabletop simulation that Tristan was judging him over, "Care to test that, runt?"
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PRIMARCH OF THE FOURTH
The discovery of Perturabo would be both an honor and wound upon the Fourth Legion, as their fulfillment at reuniting with their Primarch was in turn met with Perturabo's disapproval. Iron Warriors from across the stars were gathered to hail his return, and as punishment for past errors they were commanded to enact decimation: one in ten would be beaten to death by the other nine by lottery, and it is through this manner which Jarn was introduced to the brutality of his Primarch. While unfortunate enough to draw the short straw and condemned to death Jarn would survive the ordeal by leveraging his superior might compared to the average Astartes, enduring their brutality while returning it in kind.
In spite of this event Jarn would grow to respect their Primarch like many of his kin, impressed by his intellect and might which together were perhaps unsurpassed among the other Primarchs without accounting for other factors. Perturabo possessed unparalleled understanding of almost anything he set his mind to, be it warfare or the creation of grand structures and machines, and his sons would be among the few to properly appreciate them both. Like many Astartes Jarn resembled his Primarch, but due to his particularly large size he would become known among his peers as 'Little Perturabo': never to his face however, as Jarn's humility was such that he would castigate those who said it be it in praise or be it in criticism.
It was this same trait which allowed for those very peers to surpass Jarn in influence throughout the Great Crusade, for while he was not found wanting on the battlefield or off of it his performance perhaps mirrored his Primarch's too closely and was taken for granted without Jarn once asking for recognition. He saw Perturabo as humble as well in those years and so sought to further exemplify such traits himself even if it did result in others like Kroeger and Falk rising above him in overall station as time wore on. It is on this front that texts discussing the history of the Iron Warriors would criticize Jarn in the years to come, as for those not censored by the Imperium it stood out as odd that a competent commander would be content to remain on the sideline until the fall of Olympia, and, while accounts vary, all that is known for certain was Jarn's unwillingness to forge his own path at the time.
THE RAZING OF OLYMPIA
Perturabo had come from the resource barren world of Olympia which had hindered him back for many years prior to the arrival of the Imperium, and there he had been raised by a man who would become known aptly as the 'Tyrant of Olympia'. The Tyrant, Dammekos by birth, would go on to use Perturabo's intellect to conquer all who stood in his way and establish a unified rule of the planet. When the Emperor arrived upon Olympia he was met by Perturabo deposing the Tyrant and handing the planet over to Imperial rule, where it would be transformed into a powerful instrument to supply and replenish the ranks of the Iron Warriors throughout the Great Crusade. It was a testament to Perturabo's skill at administrating and organizing systems by which their war machine could continue forward throughout the Great Crusade without stopping, as the Iron Warriors were constantly tasked with battles which led to inevitably harsh casualties and they used but the one world to primarily recruit from unlike the many worlds of the Ultramarines.
Unfortunately these very systems proved taxing on the people of Olympia, as Perturabo had expected the planet of mortals to do as told without question and suffer through hardship without complaint just as he and his Legion were. In time this expectation proved faulty as the population began to buckle under the constant recruitment of Astartes and menials, for sending countless members of their citizenry to war with few ever returning stressed their social infrastructure. Who would manage the cities, build their facilities and roads, engage in day to day mundane matters if nearly every man was slated to serve the needs of the Iron Warriors rather than themselves? This crucial error in accounting for the Human factor of Olympia would prove costly, as it allowed the Tyrant to recruit to his side many of those dissatisfied with the Imperium. Perturabo had named him Planetary Governor in his absence, placing him in a uniquely dangerous position thanks to his fair talent for statecraft.
Complicating matters was the fact that the Tyrant had no clear heir, as when Dammekos passed away it was well after executing one son for betraying him and the other refused to use Imperial technology to extend their lifespan and thus passed away naturally. This meant that upon his death Dammekos his cabal of anti-Imperial agitators and demagogues were left without the man keeping them upon a leash, and their incendiary rhetoric would soon inflame the cities of Olympia and cause the population to revolt. The timing for this perhaps could not have been worse, as it came at a time when the Iron Warriors themselves were reaching the end of their once inexhaustible willpower. Countless brutal campaigns with constant casualties, no reprieve, and no glory had left the Fourth Legion on edge, and the news that their home planet had rebelled against the Imperium caused their collective spirit to snap along with their Primarch's own.
Upon their return to Olympia the Iron Warriors submitted to Perturabo's demands to brutalize the population for their rebellion, committing a widescale genocide which saw innumerable souls lost be they guilty or innocent. Perturabo himself in his angered furor killed his adoptive sister to whom he had once been quite close, and across the world his soldiers engaged in similar acts of barbary. Some however resisted the orders, believing them wrong for one reason or another, and these members of the Fourth Legion would be quelled along with Olympia's revolutionaries. Those that would refuse to listen to Perturabo's decree and survive would be gathered by Jarn during and after the swift subjugation campaign, having been convinced to take this course of action by a soldier under his command for the sake of all like them who sought a different path for the Iron Warriors.
Forrix would enable these events by turning a blind eye to his former apprentice's actions after assigning him to deal with the insubordinate members within their ranks, with this being the final time the two would meet in person: Forrix would continue to follow their Primarch all the way through the Horus Heresy, while Jarn's newfound vigor would see him branching off from their main forces to engage in their own parallel war. It had been determined by Perturabo and the Iron Warriors that their actions were unforgivable and thus unworthy of being a part of the Imperium, so they soon joined with Warmaster Horus in open rebellion against the Imperium they no longer deserved to serve. Their years of collective misery and suffering under the Imperium saw them content to tear down what they once helped build, and their long standing grudge against the Imperial Fists was finally allowed to be indulged in totality.
The renegade Iron Warriors under Jarn's command had many of their records stricken from Imperial records for reasons unknown, but general accounts would paint them as opposing both the Imperium's Imperial Fists as well as ardent followers of the Ruinous Powers such as members of the World Eaters lost to Khorne or Emperor's Children devoted to Slaanesh. It would appear that while they were fine with rebelling against an Imperium that had used them they also refused to submit to the rule of Chaos, or to allow comrades to inflict its torment upon others: their last known conflict came after the Siege of Terra, and it which saw them engaging members of the Emperor's Children over its actions towards a world's civilian population. The conflict would see the Jarn's forces and those of the offending Emperor's Children fleet lost in the Warp, seemingly resulting in their mutual destruction. Instead it would be thousands of years before Jarn's fleet would emerge from the Warp, the Iron Warriors within having endured and fought their way to freedom only to find a vastly different universe than the one they had left behind.
KIMARAN WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE
The rebellion of the Iron Warriors had naturally resulted in their ardent supporters upon Kimara siding against the Imperium as well out of loyalty, with Kimara declaring its independence from the wider Imperium and daring any who wished to question their autonomy to overcome the defenses Jarn had set upon it. Even with only a small garrison of Iron Warriors on the world the population still was well equipped to fend off invaders, and for the entirety of the Heresy and in the years following they would remain an independent entity and hold their sector without Imperial intervention. It was known by the Imperium that it would be costly to invade the planet, and since its strategic value did not outweigh the cost of taking it at the time it was left alone.
This state of affairs would come to an end only after the Imperial Fists came to 'liberate' worlds which had been conquered by the Iron Warriors following Horus' defeat, with Kimara falling under the broad category even though it was an action decided by the population rather than their Astartes allies. As this happened before the Iron Cage, and because Kimara's population was not yet large enough to man every single one of the Fortress Cities prepared by Jarn it would be a losing battle for them: they had to face the entirety of the Imperial Fist armada as a sole planet with only a few dozen Astartes of their own.
Despite initial attempts to resist it was decided by the few Iron Warriors present to take responsibility and face the Imperial Fists themselves, using an otherwise unmanned Fortress City to draw the attention of the Imperial Fist forces. This was done to repay the population for their loyalty and out of the inevitability of death facing the Iron Warriors present: no matter how the conflict ended it would be with their deaths, so they sought to fight their hated foes while lessening the future burden on the civilians who supported them for so many years. There would be another day to fight they reckoned, and this way they could prevent the wider population from being executed by acting as if they had been forced to.
While their intention was to mitigate the loss of life like their onetime commander Jarn would have wished of them some members of Kimara's military decided to fight alongside them, including a descendant of Jarn himself. This male descendant, since censored by Imperial records, was said to have done so to deflect blame from the rest of his family given that he was the top military member not involved in the civilian government. By shouldering this burden the Jarn family could hopefully remain in power and protect their people following the battle, and so along with a loyal retinue of soldiers they helped man the artillery which was used to fight the Imperial Fist subjugation force.
The battle would last for only a day given the sheer difference in manpower and records would indicate the bodies of thousands of Iron Warriors recovered from the remains of the demolished Fortress City: it is believed that those chronicling the event either made an error in counting Mortal bodies as those of their Astartes comrades or that it was a deliberate attempt of the Imperium to save face after the Imperial Fists soon thereafter saw a major defeat at the hands of Perturabo at the Iron Cage. Imperial Fist losses were unable to be properly calculated given that the Iron Cage would follow shortly thereafter, but they were sizeable enough for the Imperial Fists to see fit to establish a foothold in the sector to keep an eye on Kimara. This would later become a Deathwatch facility to fend off Xenos threats, but they would also gain civilian support from Wostyn who had been opposing Kimara since the world's rebellion.
EMBITTERED YET ENDURING
When the dust settled it was determined that the people of Kimara had in fact engaged in rebellion against the Imperium, but that they had been pressured into doing so by the presence of the alleged thousands of Iron Warriors. As such they were granted heavy tithes from the Imperium to pay penance, and while the planet's governance remained intact it was kept under constant observation by Imperial spies in the years to come. Kimara would remain under the rule of the Jarn family until recent years, standing as a symbol to the people of their enduring spirit and unwillingness to submit even as they feigned to do just that. They did not resent the Emperor himself, or what had become of him, only that the Astartes they owed their present survival and success to were so callously thrown away and besmirched in the years after the Heresy.
A political revolt of so-called reformists who sought to make Kimara a more loyal Imperial planet was headed by the claimed descendants of the Conomor Clan, claiming in the process that the Jarns had been hoarding resources and withholding from the Imperium in secret for nearly ten thousand years. They further claimed that the Jarns had conspired to oust their family from power to facilitate the planet's rebellion so many years ago, and with a sympathetic ear among various Imperial officials the Conomors soon saw the Jarns not just driven from power but executed. While the ruling members and adult relatives were slain publicly to demonstrate the fate of believed traitors, their children including the world's prince were instead quietly 'disappeared' to lessen the civilian backlash. This would for a few years spark rumors of their survival, but such whispers would die down when the local Arbites instilled discipline and what little hope remained to their people died when the boy's body was eventually discovered.
These events would demoralize the once stalwart Kimara, with unstated dreams of freedom from the Imperium's tyranny upon their people and insatiable tithes not possible with the Conomors in power. For thousands of years the Jarn family had managed to keep further Imperial encroachment out of their lives which earned them the continued loyalty of their people, and the Imperium had accepted this since their demands for resources had been met in return. Now under Conomor rule Kimaran society would begin to buckle as the Imperium came to ask more and more of them, eventually culminating in a mass conscription organized by the second successive Conomor Planetary Governor who was backed by the Imperium.
This conscription would see the planet's male population almost universally drafted into the Imperial Guard, something the Imperium did not refuse in an effort to battle an encroaching Tyranid swarm. Of those conscripted only a small handful would survive their service, leaving the ruling Conomor to eschew his father's entirely to unite Kimara under the Imperium to instead turn the planet into his own personal fiefdom. Installing soldiers and mercenaries loyal to only him from his time serving alongside soldiers from Wostyn, the Planetary Governor would become little better than a dog on the leash of the Imperium, who turned a blind eye to his growing abuses to his population given how much he granted the Imperium in tithes and given Kimara's lasting reputation.
While externally it would appear that the transition from the sovereign power of the Jarn family to the Conomors was one of a family of tyrants to a family of reformists, the truth was far murkier and would only grow more so as societal conditions further decayed year by year.
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A/N: With this we are roughly caught up on the background to Jarn's Iron Legion, and now we can begin looking forward without worrying about what came before.
I hope that you have enjoyed, and I look forward to your thoughts in the comments below!
A/N: With this we are roughly caught up on the background to Jarn's Iron Legion, and now we can begin looking forward without worrying about what came before.
I hope that you have enjoyed, and I look forward to your thoughts in the comments below!
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Apart from astartes and xenos, we didn't see any common humans on Isernen. Does the ship have only skeleton crew or is Tristan in an isolated part?
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
It has been mentioned that Tristan has only really been in Jarn's personal quarters for the most part. As a result he has almost no contact with anyone, so it's isolation.
Again, we know that is not an issue in the present time, so I don't see the point in such doom and gloom. Being sent to fight Tyranids elsewhere does not mean Tyranids are kicking down your doors and are on your front doorstep. The Imperium is a large place with countless conflicts.
"Twin Pillars of Iron"
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
TWIN PILLARS OF IRON
It was from pride that Tristan accepted the challenge levied at him by Levente, but a desire to prove himself to his present caretaker helped fuel his natural inclination as well. There was still so much he did not know, so much that could change in a moment's notice, and he knew there was no way to return home should things change for the worse.
That's right, Tristan's home was gone. His family, everyone he had known dead and gone, all thanks to forces beyond his comprehension that stood as wicked brethren to the very same people he now relied upon. He had witnessed the carnage of his home, but he had seen the ruin the man they called Warsmith had visited upon those who had ruined it.
If it meant one day possessing that power for himself, of not just surviving but eradicating those who had taken everything from him, Tristan would do whatever he needed to reach that goal. The brutal medical examination that had shaved his head of any hair, removing a remaining trace of his father whose mane it had resembled. Toiling away at tomes he could barely comprehend and with mechanical devices far beyond anything his world had possessed. They were but stepping stones on a path to creating what Jarn spoke of, a 'Utopia' where no-one would suffer the agony the young Tristan had.
Humiliating a more experienced child at a board game was nothing compared to what other trials he had been faced with in the past weeks, and while in a more usual circumstance his mind might be riddled with reservation over his chances at victory that fear had died many days ago when witnessing the grisly fates others had been subjected to by the 'Beasts'. He had seen the animalistic behavior in them, prompting his name for the Chaos possessed Astartes, and he sensed that same primal instinct in the former barbarian child before him. He knew that Levente was not like them, for Jarn never would have taken him in if he was, but an animal was an animal and was to be treated like one in his eyes.
While preparing to play he had some of the basic rules explained to him by Jarn, including how to construct his own force and the objective of the game. To keep things simple for his first match the objective was for the player to eliminate the opposing player's force entirely rather than to capture some objective or hold some area in particular, and this simplicity meshed well with Tristan's preliminary plan for playing the battle simulation.
"Is there a limit on how many 'Basilisks' I may use?" he asked Jarn in a voice low enough that Levente was unlikely to hear, though he was uncertain if the other boy's augments would allow him to regardless.
Jarn appeared amused by the question, offering a shake of the head no as he explained the rules further, "So long as the total does not exceed the point value provided you may take as many as you desire."
There was nothing in a real life scenario saying you could not dedicate your entire force to ranged artillery, and so the game the Dodekatheon tested themselves with had no such restrictions. Victory was what mattered, not arbitrary fairness.
With that settled Tristan dedicated the vast majority of the game's "points" to fielding row after row of Basilisk artillery, placing them behind a wide array of cover and choosing to place them as far as possible away from where Levente's forces would be deployed. Levente's performance against Jarn had led the elder boy to feel that his tactics were on the right track as he had been able to inflict damage on his vastly more intelligent mentor's forces in a game where they fought over an objective, and so he tailored his list very little for his next match with the belief that a rookie would stand no chance against his brutal shock tactics.
This presumption would swiftly cost him the match, for before his warriors could reach Tristan's wall of artillery there was not a single unit left in Levente's army. The Basilisk can fire outside of its own vision, unlike many units, due to its nature as artillery and so by placing them behind cover Tristan had limited the retaliatory ability of Levente. Next, the goal was simply to eliminate the enemy before they eliminate you, and so a force entirely dedicated to hitting the enemy well before they can even engage you would possess the advantage. Building from this, Levente's army had little in the way of ranged combat and was meant to steamroll its opponents in close ranged combat, meaning that so long as the closest members of it were targeted first the ones behind them were still not a threat.
In the end it was a crushing defeat, and while an actual Astartes would have seen the outcome coming a mile away it had caught the still young and relatively inexperienced Levente by surprise.
"Tch, beginner's luck...I didn't take you for such a coward that you would eschew melee combat entirely," Levente would complain as he removed the last of his forces from the mock battlefield, having grown increasingly agitated throughout the match as his entire method of battle was rendered moot by Tristan just literally not caring to play by Levente's terms. He had seen Levente's prior battle, figured that the other boy would adopt a similar tactic, and so played accordingly.
The best swordsmen Tristan had known had been cut down at range by weapons much like the Iron Warriors wielded, and the sight of their mangled corpses was not one Tristan wished to see again. Truth be told he had grown to be repulsed by the stench of blood after being surrounded by it for so long, be it from decapitated heads or be it from a body whose torso had been cleaved through by the metal propelled by the invaders' guns.
"Winning isn't cowardly," Tristan shot back, not even bothering to look at Levente as his eyes were instead drawn to the miniature Basilisks atop the table. He liked them, and they had served him well, so he was admiring their detailed craftsmanship and painting. His father would have built him things like this had he asked, but he had never been one to impose on his family: that would require not just being selfish but also the act of talking, and he had never been particularly comfortable with that.
The only thing which drew Tristan's attention from his chosen Basilisks from the nearby shelves of displayed units was him noticing that their brief match had drawn some viewers from among the ranks of the Dodekatheon, mostly just glances from those working on various projects but also having one Astartes in particular join Jarn in observing. With unremarkable grey armor bearing no particular heraldry it appeared plain and unadorned next to the magnificent and intricate armor of the Warsmith, its simplicity allowing Tristan to see himself in the soldier's place. Could that be him one day, standing at the Warsmith's side shoulder to shoulder while bearing the armor of the Iron Warriors?
It had not been what he expected from nor wanted from life mere weeks ago, but now the thought was a reassuring one. One which gave him a steady path forward even in the chaotic turmoil that had become his life. While it was unlikely the member of the Iron Legion knew that they were helping inspire him, Tristan appreciated the sight of the Space Marine regardless since it gave him hope that he too could one day achieve the same.
Whereas Tristan's attention was captured by Jarn's subordinate, Levente was oblivious to there being another Astartes at all. Levente instead was entirely focused on Jarn himself once the Warsmith weighed in on the match.
"Do not think ill of your loss, Levente. Consider it another learning experience and use it to improve your own methods moving forward. We all have our talents, and if Tristan's mind was less capable of adapting and learning he would not be here."
Levente's humble deference to Jarn cropped up once again with him bowing in respect, something which Tristan mirrored directly after so as to not appear rude. After all the Warsmith had just complimented him, and it was one that made the boy feel something approaching warmth for the first time in recent memory. While Jarn was not particularly gregarious or charismatic he possessed a firm nature that still commanded respect in its own way, as the words he said were always his true thoughts and direct.
"Ossus is awaiting you two for your official induction into your new training squad. Levente will show the way, for from today onward you two shall be brothers of the Iron Warriors, or at least aspirants thereof. Always remember that."
Budding rivalry aside, both Tristan and Levente could accept what Jarn said: if he willed it they would work together, for their own distaste was a paltry matter when compared to the decree of a man they each owed their life to.
The mention of training came close to sending a shiver down Tristan's spine, however, as when standing beside Levente he was all too aware of the fact that he was in no way the other boy's physical equal.
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Begrudgingly Levente had brought Tristan to where Ossus was having them meet within the depths of the Eisernen, Jarn instead busy with his own duties and thus unable to lead them there himself. Levente knew the way however as this was not his first time training, nor the second, nor even the hundredth: it was everyday life for him at this point, and he relished the opportunity to improve his might each day.
He was being reassigned to a special squad that would include Tristan within it as well, leaving Levente with eager anticipation of testing his might against a new batch of recruits. The last had been unable to properly keep up with him, for even aspiring Neophytes struggled against him the same way they had against Jarn many years prior.
The room which Levente led Tristan to was fairly open, possessing little in the way of amenities and instead being designed to provide its inhabitants with space to undergo a myriad of drills ranging from hand-to-hand combat all the way to conditioning and strengthening. Whatever equipment was needed would be supplied from a nearby room where it was kept, while the space itself could see dozens of Astartes training with room to spare.
Unfortunately for Jarn's Grand Company they did not yet possess enough recruits to properly fill such a location, as there were many such rooms and by splitting trainees among them to provide the most one to one training possible it left the rooms feeling sparse. In this instance Tristan found himself joined by eight other boys ranging from his own age to seeming more like Levente's thus making ten in total. Ossus was present as well and standing before the other trainees, as if they had been waiting for the arrival of their last two members until now.
"Fall in line," Ossus spoke with authority, prompting Levente to do just that and Tristan to mirror his behavior. They joined the line of young men with each of their positions chosen with some minor consideration on the part of both Levente and Tristan: Levente placed himself at the beginning of the line that faced Ossus as if to stand out as the first among them, while Tristan chose a place which made him fourth in the rough line. From what he had gathered the Iron Warriors were the fourth 'Legion' whatever that was in reference to, and he saw a lot of references to the number four throughout his studies thus far. He liked four, just as he liked Basilisks now. Four was a good number, and so he wanted to be fourth in line.
Some Astartes of certain Legions might have spoken to their gathered recruits in a soft manner that spoke of the history of their Legion and tried to inspire them: instead Ossus cut to the point the moment the ten trainees were ready, not sugarcoating their present situation in the slightest.
"As recruits your names are irrelevant. In the grand scheme of things if you were to be tasked with battle you would perform little different from one another, a negligible smudge on a foe's boot when the battle came to an end. There is an artistry to war, but it all begins with the fundamentals: numbers, equipment, supplies. How many Astartes do you have firing at the enemy, and with what weapons? What is the expected damage output? How will their progress or lack thereof effect their comrades elsewhere on the battlefront? The names of each individual member of each squad matter not when there are thousands, and while a truly outstanding Astartes such as our Warsmith may equal many others this is the exception, not the rule."
The Apothecary seemed to be passing judgment on the crudeness of war all the while accepting its reality, and so he continued even as the children gathered there realized they were about to have their names stripped from them for the purposes of training with Ossus. Levente seemed used to it, while the fresher members such as Tristan were surprised but hid it as best as they could lest they seem weak.
"For this reason you are to be known by your numbers when training here with one another. You will earn your right to a name when you are more than a rounding error to our forces, so Alpha Squad, count off and speak your names to me."
Levente proudly spoke up with his booming voice that helped make him such an imposing presence among the trainees, "One!"
Tristan dared not look to either side of himself to gauge the other trainees, lest he take his attention away from Ossus and appear disrespectful. He had seen a man drill soldiers in his town to prepare for outside threats, the only reason they had been able to hold out at all against the tide of cultists that would one day flood them, and so he was familiar with the general concept of a military officer whipping others into shape.
"Two!"
"Three!"
Now it was just his turn, and so Tristan spoke up as confidently as he could while maintaining a proper stance with rigid attention to how he carried his shoulders.
"Four!"
Four was not a particularly meaningful name, but it would be what Tristan was called by his fellow trainees so he supposed he would have to get used to it. At least it was Four and not Three, Five, or some other inferior number. He would likely grow to resent that.
"Five!"
"Six!"
"Seven!"
"Eight!"
"Nine!"
"Ten!"
When their new 'names' were finished being called out one by one Ossus nodded, showing approval for their quick adherence to his decree.
"Good. There are others like you in similar training groups, but they do not matter to you: the nine others in this squad are those you will bleed and struggle beside for the years to come. Foster whatever friendships or rivalries suit you, but know that if one of you fails then all of you do. Each of you may possess some skill or talent the others do not, but so long as you are in Alpha squad your talent shall be theirs. Assist one another, rise up together, and learn from your relative successes and failures so that one day you may be worthy of being named Astartes."
Tristan glanced over towards Levente's direction, unable to properly see him through the two other boys in the way but all the while getting the feeling that Levente was doing the same right now. They would either succeed together or fail together, and so despite their initial misgivings towards one another they would be forced to cooperate regardless.
"Whereas other groups were determined based on relative age and development, the members of your squad were instead chosen as the most promising among your peers. Do not think this makes you special: if anything you will face greater hardship because of your differences in ages and implantation. Whereas a Neophyte such as One here is already on his way to becoming an Astartes, others of you have yet to receive a single implant of your forebearers' Gene Seed."
Tristan was quite certain he was one of those spoken of who had received no implants, as from what he had learned he was too young at the moment not to mention too weak to reliably survive their implantation...meanwhile Levente had received some and they helped account for his superior physical capabilities.
"Today's exercise shall be a simple one I have modeled after a day of importance to our Warsmith, while also perhaps granting you insight for what is in store for you all should you progress as Neophytes."
Levente grinned to himself knowingly while Tristan was uncertain what the significant event referenced meant, with Levente's certainty soon proven right as Ossus looked at 'Two' and then over to 'Ten' while glancing past all those between them.
"Two through Ten, you shall fight One in hand to hand combat. No severe injuries are allowed, nor is death, but I expect you to otherwise give it your all and fight until the last one of you is standing. Am I understood?"
The fact that Ossus was making this a nine versus one event did not instill Tristan with the confidence it may have otherwise, because he had just witnessed the Astartes purposefully handicapping themselves to offer a fairer contest against Levente in the Dodekatheon...if Ossus believed that this drill was best done by having nine face against one then it meant Levente could take them. The Iron Warriors Tristan had met were calculating and analytical, something he was growing to be as well, and that did not bode well in this situation.
"Yes sir!" Tristan called out a beat after his fellow trainees began to say the same thing in compliance, Levente taking the place of Ossus before them now while Ossus himself stepped aside so that he was close enough to intervene if necessary but also not in the way of the coming brawl.
"Good. Now begin."
With a physique that put even the strongest of the other boys present to shame Levente beckoned them forward, obviously enjoying himself as he taunted the other nine, "It's time for decimation, you rats!"
As swiftly as Tristan had found victory in a tactical scenario against Levente this conflict decisively ended in Levente's favor, for while Tristan hung back initially to see what he was facing he soon had number Five hurled at him as a projectile with a one-handed throw by Levente. The sheer strength difference was astounding, for while Levente had been brought in for his impressive might and aggressive nature gaining the power of an Astartes day by day had turned him into a force of nature best avoided in combat for others who would typically be his peers.
Tristan was not quick enough on his feet to avoid being hit by the other trainee thrown at him, but he did manage to duck to the side enough so that he could free himself from their beaten form...by which time he noticed that four of his fellow aspiring Astartes were laid flat on the ground as well, some struggling to breathe after receiving gut punches and similar blows to their bodies by Levente's large fists.
Knowing that if he just gave up he would be looked poorly upon by Ossus and thus by Jarn it was little wonder why Tristan ran in to sling a fist at Levente anyways, finding himself doubled over in pain not a second after when Levente first swung Three at him and then followed up the hit with a fist right into the center of Tristan's rib cage. The flailing attempts of the other trainees, all of whom were much stronger than Tristan, continued and were met with similar failure even as they tried to attack him all at once. Tristan meanwhile was fighting the urge to throw up the meal Arien brought to him earlier, and by the time he recovered enough to stand up fully he found himself alone against Levente.
A quick glance revealed that all the other aspirants had been beaten enough that they could no longer fight back, and so Tristan now had Levente's undivided attention. To his credit he would last another minute even after, refusing to just stay down whenever a particularly heavy blow had been landed against him and knocked him off his feet. While Levente's raw strength was impressive, so was the speed at which he propelled his body and fists, making each strike far more powerful than if he had been less agile.
"Yield."
That demand was repeated many a time before Tristan could no longer actually physically stand back up, at which point Ossus called the match in the now exhausted Levente's favor.
"Well done, Levente. Now help them to my workplace so I may undo the damage you have inflicted."
Despite Tristan's refusal of help standing up Levente still grabbed the younger Neophyte by the shirt and hoisted him over his shoulder, carrying him as easily as an adult might a toddler.
"As you wish."
Brutish as he might be, Tristan had to admit that his rival to Jarn's attention and respect was a natural warrior...Tristan himself might have been slight but the other trainees had all been fairly fit and muscular, making Levente's complete annihilation of their combined efforts all that much more impressive.
Defeated and humiliated, Tristan passed out on the way to Ossus' medical room, begrudgingly accepting as he slipped out of consciousness that he was going to be feeling this pain a whole lot more often soon enough.
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A/N: Here we get a glimpse at the respective talents of our two primary trainees, as well as how they differ. Hope you enjoyed, and that I'll get to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
A/N: Here we get a glimpse at the respective talents of our two primary trainees, as well as how they differ. Hope you enjoyed, and that I'll get to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Good, he mastered one of the most important training lessons early on
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
Iron Warriors care about results first, other things second, so Tristan thinking guns > melee makes him a natural in their books.
And,to be honest,range weapons should be prefered by any sane commander,becouse no matter how good your power armour is,it must be hit many times before you have chance for melee/unless in trench or building/
Sadly,WH40 was created as tabletop game where everybody must look cool and fight in melee - and later hired authors must try to explain why dudes with swords could win with dudes with lasers.
SuperHeavy
Well-known member
Welcome aspirant to Ranged Weapons and You, a helpful training tool that makes sure you know the right actions at the right time to insure your battlefield success. In this section we cover the proper actions to take in a melee duel.
*A heroically backlit Ultramarine Champion with glowing powersword and gently flapping cape mounts a rise and sees a lone Iron Warrior in the distance. Sword raised he dashes for his new foe*
"No distance will save you from righteous retribution Iron Warrior, face me and die you traitor!"
*Brother Sergent Fredrick briefly turns his head in his direction before continuing to fire the squad's lascannon*
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH"
*Brother Sergent Fredrick takes a moment to fine tune the focusing array to account for rapid firing in line with standard operating procedure CG-22J*
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH"
*Brother Sergent Fredrick detonates the fuel tank of an oncoming Leman Russ, correctly using his weapon to disable heavier targets while his squadmates focus heavy bolter fire onto the infantry*
"AAAAAHHHHHH"
*Brother Sergent Fredrick makes sure to call out his targets into the squad tactical net to avoid unwanted fire concentration*
"AAHHHHH"
*At 5 meters Brother Sergent Fredrick turns the lascannon and vaporizes the charging Ultramarine's unhelmed head before once again turning the weapon back on the enemy force*
As you can see the proper way to win a melee duel is to shoot the enemy in the head before melee combat begins. Remember the words of our stalwart Primarch, "Why are you carrying swords? You have guns you idiots just shoot them! I'll kill yo-" In the next section we cover the basics of artillery operations and how high explosives can solve any problem.
"The Revanchist"
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
THE REVANCHIST
The training Ossus put his prospective Iron Warriors through was designed to expand their capabilities across the board with the Apothecary subjecting them to rigorous conditioning, building every set of their muscles, and during periods of rest subjecting them to comprehensive lessons about the history of the Iron Warriors, the Imperium of Man, and the various Legions which once built and protected it. Each exercise either physical or mental was repeated until they all passed a minimum threshold before it would become more enhanced, building them up as a group while also allowing those ahead of others to excel since while their fellow trainees were catching up the leaders of the pack were obligated to continue as well.
If one of them finished running a kilometer a minute before the others he would be expected to continue running that extra minute with all his strength, while those who repeatedly missed the targets set were given additional training after the day's brutal regimen had ended. Ossus monitoring every aspect of their health and progress was what allowed this to be done as he could prevent or mend injury on the times it did occur, all the while changing what parts of their bodies were to be trained should some section be exhausted.
Levente would often times be the victor of any physical competition and would always lead the group during their physical training, but there remained one area which the younger Tristan managed to keep up: endurance. While Levente could run a set distance much faster, could propel himself forward with great strength and rush past others, it was Tristan who could run as far as him. The younger boy was one of the slowest, but regardless of the exercise he was able to continue doing it as long as Levente. If Levente were to lift weights for ten repetitions then so would Tristan, though of course the amount lifted greatly differed. It was thanks to this that Ossus identified early on that Tristan possessed a stalwart body despite how slight he appeared, and would tailor the boy's instruction to further enhance this quality. Even if he was the worst of his group at the other physical tasks if Tristan could train more then them he could at least keep up overall.
In their lessons things were quite the opposite, with Tristan despite his age memorizing and figuring things out faster than his peers, though none of them were found wanting in such matters either. Even the brutish Levente possessed a keen mind, and during lessons would display a talent for rapidly finding solutions that while not ideal were acceptable nonetheless. Tristan would eventually arrive at a perfect answer to a question posed while Levente could get a less accurate one in far less time, something that would deepen their rivalry just as much as Tristan's powering through exercises to at least do as many as Levente. Each one sought to outdo the other, and so in spite of their enmity they would flourish within the same group.
Time not spent training or studying for Ossus' lessons was instead spent at the Dodekatheon for Tristan and Levente both, with Tristan using the time to bit by bit learn the craft of the master smiths around him while Levente instead focused on testing the equipment present to further his understanding of the arms at their disposal. The Iron Warriors present in the Dodekatheon paid them little mind, and despite spending months there Tristan would begrudgingly admit to Jarn on an occasion that he did not know the names of the Astartes present there. This was not to say that the Iron Warriors did not talk or discuss tactics or ideas, for there were many discussions which Tristan sat in on there, but he noted that their calculating natures and their focus on numbers and raw data meant that they did not often address one another by their names. Rather, the only thing that mattered was the effectiveness of an idea or construct.
On some occasions Tristan was able to accompany Jarn to the bridge of the Eisernen, where he would be left in awe at his first sight of the vast expanse of space. For a boy previously unaware about almost anything beyond his small village upon a backwards world it was a shock to witness the absolute void beyond the ship he found himself upon with only the dots of distant stars sprinkled throughout the darkness to show there was anything else at all beyond. It made him feel miniscule, smaller than even standing beside Jarn and the various Astartes aboard the vessel made him feel, for even though he was growing day by day Tristan was still but a speck compared to what he was now exposed to.
Seeing schematics of the ship he was on and reading of space travel had not prepared him to actually witness it, for while the bridge was covered in reinforced metal to prevent its inhabitants from experiencing a grisly demise in battle there were plenty of monitoring devices set to grant the ship visibility in every direction. A lack of real viewports was a holdover from Iron Warrior vessels from years past, for it had been their preference and that of their Primarch to choose security over seeing outer space with their own eyes. If sensors and cameras could relay the same information then why take the risk? Perturabo would come to change his opinion in time, but Jarn had never saw fit to alter the ships of his own fleet even though Ossus would on occasion speak to possible morale boosting effects of allowing the crew members to see something other than the cold metal of their vessel.
Training, studying, observing, shadowing Jarn, these would become the daily life of Tristan with almost nothing to break the constant cycle until one day he found himself with a visitor at Jarn's workstation in the Dodekatheon. Tristan had since learned what went where thanks to watching Arien's movements and so had taken to experimenting his growing knowledge using the tools present there when able even though Jarn was not always there to supervise him. He had permission and that was all that mattered, and given the nature of the Dodekatheon's residents no-one interrupted his work except for Arien occasionally bringing a tray of food. The food was not particularly great, but it was what his growing body needed to properly do so and to grow stronger for the trials yet ahead. It surely was nothing compared to the cooking of his mother, but it was beginning to become difficult to remember just how her meals tasted.
His visitor was an Iron Warrior in simple grey armor, its dull coloration being all that set it aside from the armor of his brethren. Tristan recognized him faintly, having noticed him on occasion speaking to Jarn and only being able to truly tell the Astartes apart from the others aboard the Eisernen thanks to this one's height. They were all tall to Tristan, with the shortest being above seven feet he was sure, but Jarn stood above them and this Astartes at least was not particularly small next to the Warsmith. If not for that sole detail Tristan would have no way of properly differentiating this one from the others he had met but not learned the names of.
The boy and the Astartes stared at one another for some time, each seemingly observing what they could about the other in silence. Tristan did not feel threatened by their sudden appearance and quiet observation, as it seemed to him that this was a trusted ally of Jarn if the Warsmith consulted with him. While Tristan had only seen this Astartes a handful of times thus far it still felt safe to entrust his safety to someone Jarn worked closely with, and if it wasn't there was not a whole lot Tristan could do to stop an Astartes from killing him outright. So he stared back, observed the Astartes with as much calm as he could, and found himself curiously staring into the lens of the man's helmet.
After a few moments of this the Astartes was approached by Arien, who seemed familiar with the newcomer and placed down a wrench he had been admiring to instead try and climb up their Power Armor. To Tristan's surprise the Astartes relented, appearing just as familiar with the strange animal and allowing it to rest halfway over his shoulder where Arien seemed to find himself contented.
"I am here to teach you," the Iron Warrior said at last once the Ixolotl was comfortable hoisted upon him.
Tristan nodded, uncertain as to whom he was speaking with but accepting it regardless. Jarn had already told him what his purpose was for the coming years and he would obey. If someone was offering to aid his learning then he was to accept it.
A question did arise within the boy's mind however, one which he would voice with respect to one offering him knowledge.
"What would you have me learn, my Lord?"
"Help me help you. What is it that you believe you should be taught?" the Astartes replied, his plain helm obscuring any insight Tristan might gain into the man's expression. The lens Tristan stared up into betrayed no emotion or answer to be used to formulate a response.
All Tristan had was what Jarn had told and taught him thus far, and so he spoke as he believed the Warsmith would wish of him. If this was a test then the best answer he could give was the one Jarn had given him.
"Everything. I am to observe and learn, understanding whatever I am capable of," Tristan replied. While it had not been too long since his arrival upon the Eisernen he had still managed to go through various texts in Jarn's room, granting him a greater albeit incomplete understanding of the setting he now found himself within so far away from home.
There was countless more to absorb and come to an understanding about as his eyes were opened day by day to the vast expanse Humanity's long-spanning history offered, to the technological insight provided by Jarn's notes, and of so much more. The more Tristan learned the more he realized he did not know, and so it was with humility that he was willing to continue expanding his horizons and gaining insight into things he never before could have imagined.
"You are to observe, understand, and to then improve upon," the Astartes corrected him, "Your potential would be wasted if you do not continue forward from what you learn."
With this said the Astartes placed Arien back down on the ground so that the man could take a seat at a table within Jarn's workstation, one which had atop it a board with miniature pieces different from those used to simulate battle elsewhere in the Dodekatheon. Given the visitor's general familiarity with Arien and the comfortable manner in which he sat down Tristan guessed that the game there was one he would play with Jarn, as the pieces seemed quite well used and not many Astartes paid Jarn personal visits while he was here.
He continued speaking once seated, "The Primarch Perturabo took what he could and improved it by every objective metric was measured, be it technology or governance. The Warsmith has taken the lessons imparted by him and expanded them, allowing for innovation to once again flourish in an era of decay. With the Warsmith's obligations diverting his attention fully from our future, you must do so in his stead."
What he was saying made sense to Tristan, though he was still curious what it was the Astartes was hoping to teach him. Seeing Astartes as Knights left Tristan with a general reverence of them which saw him bowing his head to the Astartes in acceptance of their words, even if he did not yet fully grasp their intent.
The Astartes tapped the board, prompting Tristan to look up once again, "Come, sit opposite me. I presume you have already familiarized yourself with the rules of this game?"
Tristan had in fact out of curiosity built from seeing the odd game pieces in this space he spent so much time in, but they had never been put his knowledge of the game into practice. Instructions were included with the box the pieces came in, and despite their seemingly ancient nature they were perfectly legible as if they had never been taken out of their box. Despite this he had not yet mustered the courage to ask the Warsmith to play it with him when the man was busy resting or working on one of his mechanical devices, nor did Tristan wish to distract other Iron Warriors from their own projects, and so that had left Tristan with only one other member of the Dodekatheon to play with.
Perhaps as one might expect, Arien had proven a less than ideal opponent.
Tristan would not repeat that mistake again given the fascination the Ixolotl possessed with the shining game pieces that took time to coax away from the animal.
"I have. Regicede," Tristan confirmed as he sat down, his game knowledge being entirely from what he read and thus not knowing how to properly pronounce the name since he had never heard it said.
"Regicide. Simple to learn, but difficult to master," the Astartes explained without derision. They were now within a meter of each other, but even though the armored Astartes towered over Tristan in size it did not cause him terror. Jarn was similarly large, but was far broader and so this Space Marine was actually less intimidating physically compared to the Warsmith whose company was almost all Tristan kept outside of his training with Ossus.
This did not evaporate all traces of fear in the boy though, as he still did not know much about this visitor or even the man's name. It appeared to be a recurring theme with the Iron Warriors he had encountered except Jarn and Ossus, as right now Tristan's status was so low that properly greeting him was a waste of time when they could be working out stratagems or improving upon a machine under their care.
The two played in silence.
Within a few turns the Astartes won a crushing victory, though he did not disparage Tristan over his loss upon the game's conclusion.
"You have a grasp for the pieces. Now you must learn that each has their role, and how to best utilize them. Let us try again."
Tristan nodded, accepting that he would lose to someone with much more experience than himself but still irked by losing at all. Before doing so however he questioned just who he was playing against, to which the Astartes answered thoughtfully.
"There are those whose place it is to stand out in the open, and there are those whose place it is to remain in the shadow cast by others. While the Iron Warriors do not specialize in subterfuge and information gathering every Legion has a place for it, lest they be caught blind by those who wish them ill. Someone must be the sword and shield in the darkness of our cruel world, and so I do what I must to preserve what we have built and what we have yet to create. I am Asier Terminus, and I will help the Warsmith reclaim the future and utopia denied to Humanity," Asier stated with confidence as he helped Tristan replace the pieces upon the board.
So he was a special agent of the Warsmith, that much Tristan could ascertain from the man's words. While Jarn handled the actual leadership and warfare Asier dealt with things beneath the surface, and in doing so allowed Jarn to continue forward.
"You will never command the level of charm and charisma a boy such as Levente does. One day though you may be able to command respect all the same from others," Asier continued, shifting the conversation to now be about Tristan's own role in the grand scheme of things, "Or you may not. To win this game you must rely upon your mind rather than brute force, as the resources available to both players are equal and a mirror of one another at the beginning. You must hide your intentions from your opponent – draw them into traps, make sacrifices to advance your plans, cause them to overextend themselves, or leave themselves vulnerable in some manner. Where brute force cannot serve you a keen mind and guile is what will bring you victory."
With the board ready once more Asier spoke a command that Tristan had expected, and which he would hear many times more that day.
"Again."
It was evident by watching him play that Tristan was not the most imaginative of individuals, something shared by many actual Iron Warriors as a general trait, for while he grasped the rules of the game he struggled at first to grasp how to convey that knowledge into actual methods to obtain victory in it. He knew the conditions for victory, but actually reaching them in a way which would not be countered by his opponent was difficult.
What he was able to do was try what he had done so the game prior, but improve upon it. As one might expect Asier swiftly defeated him once again, but it took more effort to do so.
"Again."
So they played, with Tristan learning not just from his own actions but those of his opponent. He might not be able to come up with the ideas of how to play better on his own, but he could learn what did and didn't work through his own successes and failures as well as those he witnessed from his opponent who always seemed to be well ahead of him. The more they played the more Tristan realized that Asier was an expert, as it appeared not a single thing Tristan could do would surprise him and victory appeared impossible even if Tristan was gradually learning how to make it more difficult.
After repeating this for a fair amount of time Asier decided to change the pace of things, speaking again and breaking the relative silence of their games.
"This time your objective is to lose while losing as few pieces as possible. Not every battle is one you fight to win, and understanding that is important for achieving victory even in the fangs of defeat."
By shifting the condition for victory Tristan was forced to completely rethink his strategies, and while he managed to mount a fair defensive effort he was once more swiftly defeated by Asier who bled him of every piece he had before winning as if to prove a point.
"Again."
Rethinking things once again, Tristan compared his matches with Asier to what his new terms of victory were...and so came to a solution that would see his first 'victory' that day as soon as they began.
"I forfeit."
The rules allowed for a player to do so, and in doing so Tristan managed to lose with losing only a single piece instead of his entire board. It had not been a way of Asier testing his raw skill at the game, but rather a test to see if Tristan could apply his knowledge to achieve a desired end.
Seemingly content and pleased, Asier nodded as he tapped the board once more.
"Again."
Tristan would play many, many more matches of Regicide with Asier in the coming years on the rare occasion the Astartes would make an appearance. While Tristan's interest in the game itself would wane in time compared to the more complex competitions of the simulated battles the Dodekatheon ran he would still play all the same, as it provided him a way to expand his own mindset and grow how he dealt with problems where his straightforward nature would otherwise leave him blind. In time they would be supplemented by puzzles that Tristan would find left for him to work through, be they a manner in which to win Regicide scenarios in a certain number of moves or actual puzzle devices such as an ancient cube with colored sides that one had to twist and turn until the colors all matched one another on each side.
For that puzzle Tristan's first 'successful' outcome was when he disassembled the cube and manually pieced it back together so that the sides were as he wished, something which seemed to amuse Jarn when he witnessed it. After that he would begin deciphering formulas of how to twist and turn it to achieve the same outcome in a more cerebral manner, as while his preferred method was the most straightforward as he did the first time around he understood that not every puzzle in life could be solved like that. His mindset was mundane but practical, and so whenever he found a solution it was often effective if perhaps lacking in greater nuance.
On one occasion Levente would inquire why Tristan was fiddling with some useless cube, to which Tristan would explain that it was a test from Asier. In response Levente would feign as if he knew what Tristan was speaking about, but it was evident to the younger boy that the elder trainee had no idea who Asier even was.
Tristan considered briefly explaining what he knew of the Iron Warriors' sword and shield in the dark, but soon came to rule against doing such a thing since if Asier had not introduced himself to Levente then Tristan figured that was how things ought to be. After all, Tristan figured that the only reason Asier had bothered to occasionally throw pieces of wisdom his way was because Tristan had actually noticed Asier, so if Levente wanted Asier's help he ought to recognize that the Astartes exists.
Levente would use the moment to mock Tristan over apparently believing Arien had given him a puzzle, believing Tristan to have misspoke, and so Tristan let his rival believe what he wanted to. He knew that Levente was receiving additional training from various veteran Iron Warriors so this ought to even the score in his mind, as while Levente was being taught how to best brutalize a foe Tristan was learning how to outwit them before a battle would even begin.
It would take time, a lot at that, but that was something the young boy had more than anything else.
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A/N: Briefly introduced in the first story segment, here is a better look at Jarn's right hand man Asier. As one might expect of his role he will not be appearing as a constant figure like Jarn or even Ossus, but he's important to their day to day operations all the same so figured he could use a bit of spotlight.
Hope you enjoyed and that you will lend me your thoughts in the comments below!
A/N: Briefly introduced in the first story segment, here is a better look at Jarn's right hand man Asier. As one might expect of his role he will not be appearing as a constant figure like Jarn or even Ossus, but he's important to their day to day operations all the same so figured he could use a bit of spotlight.
Hope you enjoyed and that you will lend me your thoughts in the comments below!
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Alpha Legion Astartes are known to taller on average than Astertes of other legions and skills of Alpha Legion would be much needed by Jarn.
Yeah disassembling and reassembling was also my first instinct when encountering the Rubic cube, but reassembly is not exactly my strong side...
Thunderscourge
Emulating Kill em All Tomino in all Games
Certainly a possibility, especially given that Jarn is already known to work with Dark Angels (Fallen) and World Eaters (War Hounds) with the unifying principle being "Fuck Chaos". An Alpha Legion member who holds similar sentiments would be quite valuable to Jarn, if that is what Asier is.
It certainly is the simplest solution, which is how Tristan's mind works. Find the best, most efficient solution and implement it.
He can learn the more complex stuff bit by bit, but the willingness and mind to cut the knot instead of bothering to figure out how to untie it is why he has command potential Asier is training. Tristan will learn the rest with experience, but he's built for coming up with optimal solutions just by looking at a problem. If he wasn't he never would have been able to construct an autocannon (albeit a primitive one) with medieval tools.
Always be more effective - i like their attitude.And they would die without it,becouse,unless IoM and Chaos,they do not have unlimited sources of cannon fodder.They mast innovate,or they would die.
P.S Pity,tat they could not contact Farssight tau enclave.Probably only other place ruled by normal people in WH40.
P.S Pity,tat they could not contact Farssight tau enclave.Probably only other place ruled by normal people in WH40.
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