# A Dark Time



## dark angel (Jun 11, 2008)

This is based within the universe of LordLucan, which can be viewed from here http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51806 please check it out. All credit is to go to him for his excellent work, I just used his setting. 


Mur-Dhra had once been a prospering world teeming with billions of inhabitants. Now it was a land of dust and silence, the wind howled between half collapsed buildings and every now and again a crude humming of bugs could be heard in the distance. A ruling house still remained in orbit aboard a mushroom shaped station that hovered gently like a metallic moon, however these were not the nobles that once remained. Now these inhabitants were corrupt and fat from a hundred years of laziness they often traded with the ever darkening Space Marines. 

A dozen men in red and green robes with strange rifles pulled across their chests and crested helms upon their heads stood in two rows of six upon the expansive hanger of the Hub. A hundred ornate shuttles lined the way before them, each one a misshaped husk that had once been a livid image of honour and pride.

At the end of the small procession upon a floating chair was a extremely over weight man, large grease stains upon his once delicate silk robes with a goblet of red wine in one hand and a bowl of ripe fruit in the other. A single shuttle hummed forwards through the Void Shields, it’s ancient hull was darkened through a eon of fighting, pitted and rent a single turret stood at it’s prow like a spiked eye. 

It landed with a husk of air, the troopers present began to sweat profusely, their fingers stretching towards triggers while their leader advanced forwards. The hover chair threatened to give way as a black fluid spluttered from it’s underside, spraying the polished decking and almost causing one of the guards present to fall onto his face. 

The chair veered dangerously to the side and a pair of robed arms-men leapt forwards, grabbing hold of the chair. The piggish man snorted and pulled his robes, staring at the red liquid oozing into it with half closed eyes and saying “That will be all Protectors I have regained control now” with that both men stepped back into place and stamped to attention. 

The Protectors were the bread and butter elite of the Hub, servants to the aptly named House Noble who ruled over the more common scum that scuttled in the lower decks. The Hub had been forged several thousand years before, used for several centuries as a defence ship it had became home to those fleeing the planet below when it was Virus Bombed by a malicious tyrant. 

However their ancient technology was spreading far and wide as infighting broke out between the members of House Noble, each one vying for control of the Hub for a array of different reasons. A hiss of hot air was released from the underside of the ship, roiling upwards a elevator descended from it’s belly and a single crouched over figure stood there. 

It’s skin was deathly pale, blotchy pink splashes marked some places while it’s clawed fingers clutched a long wooden pole ended with a grinning skull. The creature hobbled forwards, it’s glossy white eyes staring at the Noble with seemingly ancient pupils. It stopped a metre or so away and outstretched it’s free hand muttering “I am Aegyptus, Emissary of the Mortifactors” at this a pair of giant armoured figures in brown robes appeared either side of him, Bolters at the hip. 

The member of House Noble seemed to veer back in fear at the sight of such giants, both stood at two heads taller than any Protectors present and wore skulls of feral beasts over their dirty helms while cloaks of flesh billowed out in the reproduced breeze behind them. Jewelry made from bone hanged around their necks and wrists, fingers and teeth was a favorite evidently. 

He took the hand of Aegyptus with his fat fingers and shook it vigorously, a crumb covered smile etched across his seemingly layered face. More Astartes, fifteen in total were now deploying from the shuttle behind the advanced party, weapons scanning the ships around their ship for any sign of a ambush. 

Aegyptus turned to his escorts and began to move back to his transport ordering in his serpentine voice “Kill them all. By Grand Sicarium leave none alive”.


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## LordLucan (Dec 9, 2009)

dark angel said:


> This is based within the universe of LordLucan, which can be viewed from here http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51806 please check it out. All credit is to go to him for his excellent work, I just used his setting.
> 
> 
> Mur-Dhra had once been a prospering world teeming with billions of inhabitants. Now it was a land of dust and silence, the wind howled between half collapsed buildings and every now and again a crude humming of bugs could be heard in the distance. A ruling house still remained in orbit aboard a mushroom shaped station that hovered gently like a metallic moon, however these were not the nobles that once remained. Now these inhabitants were corrupt and fat from a hundred years of laziness they often traded with the ever darkening Space Marines.
> ...



This is great. Nice image of the bleak and monstrous setting I intended. Just one thing: it isn't called 'the Grand Sicarium', merely 'Grand Sicarium'. Ultramar was renamed Grand Sicarium when Sicarius seized power from Calgar. Sicarius is a bit of a deluded loon in my universe.

However, overall I loved this 50K vignette. You write rather well. Very descriptive and it flows well. 

The leade rof house noble is gloriously debauched!


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## dark angel (Jun 11, 2008)

Thanks for the post LordLucan, ah sorry for the mixup about Grand Sicarium wasn't to sure on that one. Gargh I have the urge to write more now! Damn you!  But once again thanks for the comments


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## deathbringer (Feb 19, 2009)

Sweet work da the increased description really benefits your work...sometimes its rather shallow and all about action which though entertaining doesnt always give the correct picture... this is the opposite and has grabbed my attention

I look forward to more


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