The Pact of Dying Stars
From Eternum McEdition
"The Imperium fears what it cannot control. That is why they burn even their own."
— Regent-Lord Syltharis the Avenger
Background
In 913.M41, the Genestealer Cult "The Hollow Choir" infested the agri-world Kaelith Secundus, its psychic beacon threatening to summon Hive Fleet Leviathan.
- Vanari’s Motive: Recover the "Songstone of Morai-Henn", a pre-Fall relic capable of disrupting Tyranid synapse.
- Ynnari’s Interest: The cult’s patriarch carried a shard of Ynnead’s prophecy, a key to awakening the God of the Dead.
- Imperium’s Role: Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Jareth Dalk saw an opportunity to purge all xenos at once.
A fragile alliance was forged—Vanari and Ynnari would cleanse the infestation, while the Deathwatch and Imperial Knights of House Vornhalt secured the perimeter.
The Cleansing
- The Spear of Vanari
- Hyshian Blademasters carved through cultist hordes with rune-edged precision.
- Ynnari Reapers struck from the shadows, their scythes harvesting cultist souls for Ynnead.
- The Death of the Patriarch
- The Ynnari Visarch beheaded the patriarch, claiming its shard.
- Vanari Rune-Master Elyria secured the Songstone, its harmonics purging residual Tyranid spores.
- The Betrayal
- As the last cultist fell, Inquisitor Dalk fired a psionic disruptor into Regent-Lord Varyth’s spine, killing him instantly.
- His broadcast: "Kill the witches. Burn them all."
The War in the Ruins
- Avatar’s Wrath
- Vanari’s "Morai-Henn’s Fury" awoke with a fiery vengeance, shattering two Imperial Knights in a single stroke.
- The Ynnari Melidh the Whisper, a Death Jester, picked off Dalk’s lieutenants with laughing precision.
- The Duel of Broken Stars
- Regent-Lord Syltharis (Varyth’s heir) challenged Deathwatch Captain Torvus Kaine to single combat.
- After a clash of relic blades, Syltharis severed Kaine’s head—but spared his warriors, demanding only Dalk’s surrender.
- The Imperium’s Answer
- Dalk, cornered, called Exterminatus rather than yield.
- Vanari and Ynnari forces retreated together, the Songstone’s fragments scattered in the firestorm.
Quotes
- Regent-Lord Sylvaris the Avenger (in the aftermath of the duel): "This one died with honor. His master will not. Remember that, when you choose who to follow."
- Visarch (to Syltharis): "Your lord died for a relic. Ours died for a god. Which weighs heavier?"
- Inquisitor Dalk: "This is not over, xenos. The Emperor’s fire never dies."
Aftermath
- Vanari & Ynnari: A tenuous respect now binds them, though Vanari still rejects full Ynnari allegiance.
- Imperium’s Shame: Dalk was declared traitor by his own Ordo for wasting Knights and Deathwatch.
- The Songstone’s Echo: Its shards whisper in the warp, sought by Harlequins and Craftworld Ulthwé.
