Nordok, the Last of the Ancients, has seemingly vanished.
In his absence, the Abyssal Imperium, the intergalactic military force that has ravaged countless worlds since time immemorial, has succumbed to infighting and factionalism. Without the absolute power and authority of the Ancient One hanging over their heads, numerous powerful entities from within the Imperium have stepped forward to assume command, indulge in their own interpretation of their erstwhile master’s will, or simply pursue their own ambitions.
Out of this power vacuum, several identifiable factions have emerged:
The Children of the Ancient
The first clear faction to emerge from the chaos of their master’s absence, the Children of the Ancient are composed of the majority of the organic forces of the Imperium. Never one to miss an opportunity to seize power and advance his own agenda, Zedracus the Betrayer has remained true to his moniker and rallied Grizzlon shock troops, Sauroid hunters, Ephemeran commandos, and a scattering of others and united them under a new doctrine: conquest before annihilation. The Children seek to bring the universe under their control, rather than simply purging it of life (although they will absolutely not hesitate to eliminate entire worlds if they fail to submit to their conquerors).
Along with his “daughter,” Draconis, a number of notable Imperium figures have aligned themselves with Zedracus:
Admiral Darkstar, supreme commander of all Zedracus’ battle fleets
Xundar, now supreme commander of all ground forces
Xiandra the Huntress, who has now been placed in command of all Sauroid forces
Kallak the Eviscitor, now commander of the Ephemeran commandos
The current Grizzlon Alpha, who remains leader of all Grizzlon forces, regular and irregular
Primary base of operations: Eristes
The Revenant Imperii
Under the auspices of the Assassinatrix, the Revenant are a wholly technological remnant faction who have remained true to what their programming has determined to be Nordok the Ancient’s ultimate will: the absolute extermination of all biological life in the universe. This horrific force spreads across space in a systematic faction, scouring planets of life down to the last microbe before ravaging the planets themselves to strip them of any and all usable resources.
Although no former Imperium figures have aligned themselves with this faction (largely for reasons of self-preservation), the Assassinatrix now commands the largest contingent of the former Imperium, including the entirety of the massively powerful Reapers and the small but devastating Adamantine Legion.
Base of operations: the Oubliette
The Shadow Imperium
A splinter group under the control of Baerda, “the Daughter of Nordok,” the Shadow is the smallest of the factions to emerge in the Ancient One’s absence, at least in terms of sheer numbers. Attracting some of the least conventional units and individuals from the old Imperium, this group pursues goals known only to themselves, seeming to eschew both Zedracus’ appetite for domination and the Assassinatrix’s focus on annihilation.
Notable individuals and forces within the Shadow Imperium:
Vitus, cosmic vampire and master of the Deathborn Legion
Cy’ian, also known as the Necrommander, who has also brought the Shadow Brethren and the Necrommandos into Baerda’s fold
Centuria, the deadliest assassin in the old Imperium, who frequently operates alone but now will occasionally work with small Necrommando teams
Base of operations: the ruins of Infernus
While many of the “thinking” elements of the former Abyssal Imperium have aligned with a specific remnant faction, all have taken the opportunity to avail themselves of the technology and other resources that Nordok has left behind, such as capital ships and ground vehicles.
Anyone should feel free to utilize this material in their own RPs, including creating locations/NPCs of your own when it suits your purposes. I would only ask that you refrain from using named locations/characters without my permission. As always, please sell.
And most importantly, have fun!
Log in to comment