The Swarm
The Swarm Lore: Hunger is the all of it, and it is all of hunger. The Cosmodrome quakes under a killing wind: fire sent roaring from entrenched Cabal gunlines across the Mothyards. A Cabal advance threatens to encircle a defensive line held by crimson frames and one lone Light. Shaw Han dips his head beneath a swivel of Machine Gun rounds and dives for the trench line. He slams his back against an earthen wall next to a few shot-to-pieces Redjacks. His eyes focus on the gaping bullet holes perforating their thin plating as he runs a shaky hand over his own chest. At least they were just frames. He had bled out from open wounds before and was in no rush to relive the experience. Shaw peers down to the end of his trench where a detachment of Gladiators crash through their flanks. “Just a little farther…” A Solar explosion vaporizes the leading Gladiator and scatters their charge. A surviving Cabal recoils from the explosion in confusion. He stumbles backward into another of Shaw’s trip mines and obliterates the rest of his comrades in a chain of explosions. Shaw exhales the tension in his chest and makes a mental note of the frames lost in the blast. He could take a verbal lashing from Shaxx if it meant no more blood on his hands. He glances back to the flank. Through the settling dust of a crisis averted, Shaw sees faint silhouettes of a second Cabal charge incoming. “Damn it!” Commander Zavala had tasked him with holding this sector. Had called him by name directly, imbued Shaw with his trust. He couldn’t go back having lost a fertile ground for new Lights. Old Russia was his to protect, and no Cabal conqueror would claim it while he still drew breath. Slugs slap hard into the earthen trench wall at his back, sending reverberations through his ribs. He shifts to plot a safe path to defend the flank. Shaw readies to move as a heavy metal boot slams out of transmat in front of him, followed by a solid Light barricade erected to deflect the incoming metallurgic hail. “Get up, Han. That ditch isn’t going to save you.” Machine Gun fire thunders off the barricade as Lord Saladin grabs him and raises Shaw to his feet. “That’s for your Light to do.” “Saladin?” Shaw closes his mouth and tries again. “Lord Saladin.” “Zavala forwarded your support request.” Saladin ignores Shaw’s surprised expression and eyes the Cabal fortifications. “You’re with me now.” “Sir.” Shaw nods with a steady confidence. “What’s the plan?” Saladin peers through the cracking barricade, slugs crashing finger-lengths from his face. “Holliday is en route to deploy our heavy ordnance, but she needs their attention off the skies.” Saladin looks at him for the first time and smiles. “Take out their flak guns, and give them no choice but to focus those Machine Gun nests on us.” “Oh…” Shaw wasn’t sure if he’d call this a plan—maybe a Titan plan. “You’re fast on your feet, son. You’ll be fine.” Saladin motions the advance; “JACKS, SUPPRESSING FIRE!” Lord Saladin strides into the no-man’s-land surrounded by advancing Redjacks and a billowing aura of searing refraction. He hurls a fusion grenade across the expanse without breaking pace and demolishes one of the dozens of machinegun nests outright. Shaw moves behind him. Flame licks down the Ahamkara spine lashed to his arm until it meets the hammer of his weapon and ignites his Golden Gun. He singles out several enemy flak cannons and skewers them with Solar points, incinerating nearby Cabal. Hot barrels realign on the Guardians as a magnificent flare emblazons Lord Saladin’s armor in Solar Light. From his palms erupts a mighty maul that clinks into his gauntlets. Heavy slugs clang as they shrug off his immolated plate. He does not flinch or falter. Saladin charges the line, heat intensifying and melting slugs into slag droplets that ping and sizzle against him. He slams his maul into the dirt, driving a sweeping inferno toward the Cabal gunline. It hits like a bursting artillery shell, catching oil alight and spreading hot panic through the Cabal ranks. Shaw dodges around incoming fire and reloads his weapon. He snaps off two more golden rays into the remaining enemy flak cannons. Frames push forward alongside them, absorbing slugs for the Guardians and keeping pressure on the gunline. Shaw spots several Gladiator detachments redirecting to confront them. He pushes the bulk of his Light into his weapon, spreads its influence to reach the nearby Redjacks, and reignites his gun before touching the barrel to the ground and firing. The ground bubbles with hot magmatic Light; a warmth envelops the Redjacks as Solar flame imbues and empowers their rifles with golden power. Shaw directs the firestorm of golden Redjack rifles to incinerate every last charging foe. Saladin bears down on the Cabal, almost in their ranks now. He is a wildfire of Light and death. Legionaries flee their nests rather than challenge him. Frantic Cabal radio transmissions crackle across the battleground. All remaining guns turn to stop the Iron Lord’s advance, but only succeed in slowing it. Saladin’s voice bellows above the gunline. “Now, Siegfried!” A Vanguard vulture-class battle carrier shrieks through the sky above, just long enough for a lone Guardian to drop from the clouds, a meteor wreathed in lightning, bringing down havoc from the skies. Discover More Weapons Here
Tarantula
Tarantula Lore: No one will escape my web. “You can’t be serious, Arrha. Nothing? You couldn’t even scrape off a little stone to bring me?” Arrha shook his head. “The Spider asked for information,” he answered in Eliksni, “But Cabal have found nothing, and House Salvation is still scattered.” “I know what I asked for. And you know better than to return to me empty-handed. At least I thought you knew.” Spider narrowed his eyes at his trembling Associate. “I do, the Spider. I… I have information, but not about Darkness. I saw the Crow. Tailing the Golem and his crew.” “The Vanguard has him sniffing around Basilius, hm? So we do have something to trade with the empress after all. Not that it’ll do her any good; my little bird is devilishly hard to catch.” Spider leaned forward. “Now HE would’ve gotten me something useful from Europa. You might’ve learned from him.” “Yes, the Spider.” Arrha nodded vigorously. The faint sounds of revelry drifted in from down the hall, where the other Associates were enjoying their week’s earnings. “Avrok already told me about Crow’s new assignment as Vanguard agent. Apparently, he’s placed quite the wager on one of the Cabal’s silly Rites ,” the Spider chuckled. “Avrok should’ve dared him to bet his freedom. Could stand to win my whole trove, he’s that valuable.” “Yes, the Spider,” Arrha repeated. Out of corner of his eye, he could see his share of Ether waiting in the corner. “Oh, take your wages and go. I ought to dock you for bringing me nothing, but I’m feeling generous this week.” Spider’s voice dropped into a growl. “Remember that I am good to you, Arrha.” Arrha nodded as he scrambled to grab his Ether tanks and get out. Finally alone, the Spider sat back in his throne. “It’s Crow, really, that needs the reminder,” he mused aloud. “I wonder how I might give it to him?” Discover More Weapons Here
The Keening
The Keening Lore: “I heard a Ghost die once, in Twilight Gap. Still hear it sometimes, on dark nights…” Discover More Weapons Here – ext Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec ornare placerat interdum. Integer sollicitudin gravida sem quis tempor. In pharetra placerat molestie. Nam sodales finibus est sed gravida. Sed tristique semper mi, sed finibus ex vulputate molestie. Suspendisse mollis quam ut aliquam sodales. Proin elementum, odio in auctor volutpat, arcu arcu consectetur diam, quis porttitor nibh quam a lacus. Donec efficitur vitae erat at auctor. Suspendisse erat mauris, mollis nec justo ac, fringilla ultrices neque. Pellentesque vel facilisis ipsum. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Suspendisse dignissim urna dui, quis posuere magna tincidunt eu. Nam vitae pulvinar dui, a auctor ex. Morbi in aliquet magna. Maecenas luctus dui ac tellus volutpat tempor. Quisque at vehicula lacus, in molestie tellus. Duis consequat odio sit amet posuere pulvinar. Quisque sapien ex, porttitor eget imperdiet eu, varius quis nibh. Praesent id rhoncus dui. Duis nunc ex, accumsan quis fringilla ut, scelerisque eu lectus. Sed tristique non elit sed porttitor. Etiam scelerisque elit mi, et bibendum metus egestas vitae. Proin a purus a ligula eleifend eleifend. Proin nec molestie odio. Proin tincidunt neque congue enim sodales eleifend a et velit. Sed mollis quis dolor ut semper. Phasellus nisi lacus, egestas sed lectus a, finibus lacinia massa. Nulla consectetur nibh quis varius porta. Donec ac dui id ex ultrices lobortis. Pellentesque lacinia erat vel massa ultricies, eget feugiat neque fermentum. Nam vestibulum metus ac est dignissim rutrum. Sed aliquet egestas turpis, ac molestie urna fringilla et. Vivamus ut mauris pretium ante aliquet dapibus. Morbi a pellentesque massa. In nibh leo, tincidunt gravida urna at, suscipit finibus turpis. Duis sed dictum dolor. Etiam tincidunt mauris nec turpis volutpat dictum. Maecenas a varius velit. Aliquam sit amet ex nec nunc viverra sollicitudin non ac nunc. Aliquam in turpis sed justo tempor eleifend at.
Eternal Blazon
Eternal Blazon Lore: “But this eternal blazon must not be to ears of flesh and blood.” It was a warm night in the Last City. A gentle breeze rolled through the streets, ruffling treetops and bearing choirs of cicadas. On a night like this, even the most chronic of insomniacs could achieve a sound, dreamless sleep—all they’d need do was lay their head down and breathe deep. Except for Zavala. He preferred to spend a night like this walking through the gardens. “Nothing better than a midnight stroll. Right, Targe ?” he remarked quietly to the Ghost floating over his shoulder. Targe bobbed silently in the breeze. In his opinion, a full eight hours of sleep would’ve been vastly better, especially for the beleaguered commander. But, while some Ghosts felt giving advice was part of their calling, he did not. So he said nothing. His disapproval was felt regardless. “I know, I should rest.” Zavala closed his eyes and inhaled. The night air was fragrant with fresh blooms and petrichor. “But I’d argue this counts.” Targe remembered when this acre was first dug out for planting, back when the City was little more than a sprawl of encampments. They had just returned from a grueling patrol, but as soon as Zavala saw the others digging, he dropped his weapons and picked up a shovel. Saladin gave him a long lecture about the importance of rest and recovery, but he just stubbornly kept on digging. “I’d like to sow some life for once,” he said. Targe could still picture the look on the Iron Lord’s face in that moment, flickering between pride and exasperation. It was in that moment that he, too, picked up a shovel. “We’ve come so far,” Zavala murmured in the present. “Sacrificed so much.” Again, Targe said nothing. They had indeed. As they passed under a tree, the cicadas tucked in its branches went still. For a few seconds, the only noise was the crunch of boots on the gravel path. Once Zavala and Targe were a few yards away, the cicadas resumed their melodic thrumming. “It amazes me sometimes that I’ve survived this long.” Zavala looked up, his pupils reflecting the bone-white orb of the Traveler above. “All thanks to you.” His words came out so soft, and it was hard to tell if they were an accusation or gratitude. Targe tilted up towards the Traveler too. What could he say? It was his duty to resurrect his Guardian. More than that, it was his purpose. Not one he had chosen, but then again, neither had Zavala. A silence fell, deeper than before. Ghost and Guardian stared up at the opaque moon, their thoughts synchronized around the same question: “Are you watching over us? Or are we on our own?” Discover More Weapons Here
The Third Axiom
The Third Axiom Lore: Don’t tell me the odds. Discover More Weapons Here – ext Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec ornare placerat interdum. Integer sollicitudin gravida sem quis tempor. In pharetra placerat molestie. Nam sodales finibus est sed gravida. Sed tristique semper mi, sed finibus ex vulputate molestie. Suspendisse mollis quam ut aliquam sodales. Proin elementum, odio in auctor volutpat, arcu arcu consectetur diam, quis porttitor nibh quam a lacus. Donec efficitur vitae erat at auctor. Suspendisse erat mauris, mollis nec justo ac, fringilla ultrices neque. Pellentesque vel facilisis ipsum. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Suspendisse dignissim urna dui, quis posuere magna tincidunt eu. Nam vitae pulvinar dui, a auctor ex. Morbi in aliquet magna. Maecenas luctus dui ac tellus volutpat tempor. Quisque at vehicula lacus, in molestie tellus. Duis consequat odio sit amet posuere pulvinar. Quisque sapien ex, porttitor eget imperdiet eu, varius quis nibh. Praesent id rhoncus dui. Duis nunc ex, accumsan quis fringilla ut, scelerisque eu lectus. Sed tristique non elit sed porttitor. Etiam scelerisque elit mi, et bibendum metus egestas vitae. Proin a purus a ligula eleifend eleifend. Proin nec molestie odio. Proin tincidunt neque congue enim sodales eleifend a et velit. Sed mollis quis dolor ut semper. Phasellus nisi lacus, egestas sed lectus a, finibus lacinia massa. Nulla consectetur nibh quis varius porta. Donec ac dui id ex ultrices lobortis. Pellentesque lacinia erat vel massa ultricies, eget feugiat neque fermentum. Nam vestibulum metus ac est dignissim rutrum. Sed aliquet egestas turpis, ac molestie urna fringilla et. Vivamus ut mauris pretium ante aliquet dapibus. Morbi a pellentesque massa. In nibh leo, tincidunt gravida urna at, suscipit finibus turpis. Duis sed dictum dolor. Etiam tincidunt mauris nec turpis volutpat dictum. Maecenas a varius velit. Aliquam sit amet ex nec nunc viverra sollicitudin non ac nunc. Aliquam in turpis sed justo tempor eleifend at.
Salvager’s Salvo
Salvager’s Salvo Lore: The only way out is through. // VanNet—SECURE-04 // FORCES_OF_THE_CITY_INVESTIGATOR_LOGBOOK_01.7733// V.Maier // Häkke armory got hit same time as the Tower disturbance. Forensics suggests that three Psions used a kinetic splitter to get through the security barrier and matter displacement anchors to make the concrete wall permeable. Can’t get a straight answer on what Häkke was storing here. Salvage, not manufactures. Looks like ship parts, but I can’t tell from what vessel. No one is giving me clearance to do a full analysis; have to sign it over to the Warlock Vanguard. // VanNet—SECURE-04 // FORCES_OF_THE_CITY_INVESTIGATOR_LOGBOOK_01.7734 // V.Maier // Found a piece of hardware from the Häkke heist at a chop shop in Peregrine District. Busted the ring up and brought the salvage in. Same make and material as what Häkke was holding on to; Psions must have abandoned it when they were fleeing. Reported it to the Tower, but they’re so busy, it could be days before they give a formal response. Meanwhile, I’m handing it over to Engineering to see what they make of it. Looks familiar, but I can’t place it. // VanNet—SECURE-04 // FORCES_OF_THE_CITY_INVESTIGATOR_LOGBOOK_01.7737 // V.Maier // Had to scrub a few logs. Following up on Engineering’s findings. Got myself a day pass out of the City, took a jumpship to the edge of the EDZ. Listened to Vivaldi on the way, helped clear my head. If this turns out to be what I think it is, it could shift the balance of power completely. // VanNet—SECURE-04 // FORCES_OF_THE_CITY_INVESTIGATOR_LOGBOOK_01.7738 // V.Maier // Confirmed. This is unbelievable. Need to get in touch with Lakshmi about this. // VanNet—SECURE-00 // VANGUARD_PERMANENT_RECORD_73.10159 // I.Rey // A City investigator in the Future War Cult’s pocket doesn’t do us any favors. We picked up Investigator Maier at the City-level security checkpoint and impounded his ship. Of course, Lakshmi is feigning ignorance to all of this, and we don’t have enough evidence to dig deeper. Not openly, anyway. My Hidden have secured the remains of the Cage that Häkke managed to scoop up after the Red War. But the damage is already done, and it just confirms my fears. Caiatl’s people are researching the technology Ghaul used to shackle the Traveler and steal the Light. Word of this cannot reach the Lightless. Discover More Weapons Here
Shadow Price (Adept)
Shadow Price (Adept) Lore: A precision Auto Rifle left behind by Toland, the Shattered. It asks so little, and it offers so much. Discover More Weapons Here – ext Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec ornare placerat interdum. Integer sollicitudin gravida sem quis tempor. In pharetra placerat molestie. Nam sodales finibus est sed gravida. Sed tristique semper mi, sed finibus ex vulputate molestie. Suspendisse mollis quam ut aliquam sodales. Proin elementum, odio in auctor volutpat, arcu arcu consectetur diam, quis porttitor nibh quam a lacus. Donec efficitur vitae erat at auctor. Suspendisse erat mauris, mollis nec justo ac, fringilla ultrices neque. Pellentesque vel facilisis ipsum. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Suspendisse dignissim urna dui, quis posuere magna tincidunt eu. Nam vitae pulvinar dui, a auctor ex. Morbi in aliquet magna. Maecenas luctus dui ac tellus volutpat tempor. Quisque at vehicula lacus, in molestie tellus. Duis consequat odio sit amet posuere pulvinar. Quisque sapien ex, porttitor eget imperdiet eu, varius quis nibh. Praesent id rhoncus dui. Duis nunc ex, accumsan quis fringilla ut, scelerisque eu lectus. Sed tristique non elit sed porttitor. Etiam scelerisque elit mi, et bibendum metus egestas vitae. Proin a purus a ligula eleifend eleifend. Proin nec molestie odio. Proin tincidunt neque congue enim sodales eleifend a et velit. Sed mollis quis dolor ut semper. Phasellus nisi lacus, egestas sed lectus a, finibus lacinia massa. Nulla consectetur nibh quis varius porta. Donec ac dui id ex ultrices lobortis. Pellentesque lacinia erat vel massa ultricies, eget feugiat neque fermentum. Nam vestibulum metus ac est dignissim rutrum. Sed aliquet egestas turpis, ac molestie urna fringilla et. Vivamus ut mauris pretium ante aliquet dapibus. Morbi a pellentesque massa. In nibh leo, tincidunt gravida urna at, suscipit finibus turpis. Duis sed dictum dolor. Etiam tincidunt mauris nec turpis volutpat dictum. Maecenas a varius velit. Aliquam sit amet ex nec nunc viverra sollicitudin non ac nunc. Aliquam in turpis sed justo tempor eleifend at.
Shadow Price
Shadow Price Lore: A precision Auto Rifle left behind by Toland, the Shattered. It asks so little, and it offers so much. [RECORDED VIA [REDACTED] SURVEILLANCE NET: TS-04, [REDACTED]] HLS: Come, hatchlings. Hear the story of the Ether-blood Lightbearer. The one who wields Ethraaks’s blades. She wandered a troubled Shore with vengeance in her heart, searching for the one who had wronged her: the devil-turned-spiderling, Driksys. Food and Ether we shared. The House of Light once again found peace with a Guardian, yes? HLS: We know of Driksys. One who always thirsted for power, cursed machines, Dark flows of energy, it made no difference. This time, he sought power through Cabal; Legion-rumors of vile splinters from Europa filled his mind with temptations. HLS: Cabal roamed the Shore, battering against one another in displays of might. Like the Kells of old, they fought for the claim to supremacy… to serve Caiatl of the dead-world fleet. Driksys saw many Kells come and go. Driksys understood fragile loyalties. Understood importance of strength seen. Driksys offered Legion use of his ring for their challenges, and from Cabal blood, he drew profit. HLS: I stood with Driksys before the House of Light. This one saw him weave truthless words to collect promises. Contacts on Europa. Introductions. Shipments. Brought to Spider, entire ring would have died… many Eliksni lose. When the Ether-blood Lightbearer spoke Driksys’s name, we imagined another way forward. She did not wish harm on innocent Eliksni, only the Fallen fiend: Driksys… and so this House granted shimmer-cloak to conceal, and passage to find her prey. HLS: Old friends traded for information, access, codes. Driksys oversaw new ring, made for Cabal battle-trials. Challengers from across the Reef fought to lead the Shore’s Cabal. The Lightbearer withheld her rage and made her way beneath the stands. To the overlook, where Driksys watched a champion preparing for challengers… in the ring below. HLS: Trihn, the Lightbearer, drew blades of Ethraaks and burst into the overlook. To confront Driksys, her heart full with vengeance, her mind set on war. But he was not alone. An emissary of the new empress had come to see the challenges. Receiving this emissary, Cabal Blood Guard. The Lightbearer charged Driksys, and a savage battle ensued. HLS: She was thrown from the overlook, into the ring of challengers… before a great Cabal Gladiator who spoke to her. The Lightbearer, unbeknownst to her, had issued a challenge by entering his ring. If she did not fight, all Cabal would descend upon her. Her victory must be earned with strength and blade alone. No other weapons. No other powers. A proving she accepted to again clear a path to her prey. HLS: The Gladiator bellowed laughter at the small Awoken Lightbearer. Their blades met, and over many clashes her speed proved superior to the Cabal’s might. The blades of Ethraaks are strong—sliced through Cabal armor, left blood and oil in their wake. HLS: She had found victory, but as her Ghost tended to her wounds, Driksys-coward fled to safety through transmat. Though, all was not lost. The Lightbearer’s battle had drawn eyes of the emissary, who lavished praise on her for her prowess, and issued an invitation to speak with Cabal Empress herself. When the Lightbearer returns to us, the House of Light will be ready to assist her in hunting Driksys again. Discover More Weapons Here
Multimach CCX
Multimach CCX Lore: Friends are as companions on a journey who ought to aid each other to persevere. Lord Saladin sat at a small table, examining a holographic display of Cabal troop movements throughout the system. He was crammed into the corner of his once-spacious quarters, made small over the years by shelves full of ancient weaponry, trophies, dated tactical reports, and dusty gear mods. Like all old men, he told himself that the relics might prove useful again one day, but deep down, he recognized the clutter for what it was: fading nostalgia. A firm knock on the door roused his attention. He put his hand on his Sidearm and peered through the viewing port. It was Ikora, holding a brown paper sack. The Iron Lord snorted and opened the door. “Thought you might be hungry.” Ikora held up the sack. “Is Thai okay?” Lord Saladin ushered her in. “It’s all the same to me.” The Warlock breezed into the room and set about clearing space for the food. Though she said nothing, Saladin could sense her alarm at the state of his dwelling. Her eyes lingered in the mildewed corners. Her nostrils flared at the sour smell of his armor’s fur lining. Her fingers traced visible lines in the dust. She handed him a bamboo bowl filled with savory noodles. “How are you, Lord Saladin?” Her head tilted with earnest concern. “I’ll be better once Caiatl is out of the system.” The Iron Lord, who could field-strip any weapon in under a minute, was suddenly made clumsy by a pair of disposable chopsticks. The delicate utensils trembled in his massive, weather-beaten hands. “Zavala seems confident that you can force her withdrawal.” Ikora held her bowl and leaned gracefully against the table, having no place to sit. “Zavala’s optimism is more dangerous than Caiatl’s army,” he said and scowled. “But after peace talks fail, we’ll drive them out the hard way. We always do.” Saladin discarded the chopsticks with a frown and tilted the bowl to his lips, slurping the noodles loudly. “Of course. And after that? What will you do?” Ikora fixed him with a gentle gaze. “A vacation, perhaps?” Saladin gestured to the tactical hologram. “By the time we deal with the Cabal, it’ll be on to the next atrocity. Vex, Hive, Taken, Fallen, who knows. It’s always something.” He eyed Ikora pointedly. “When was the last time you had a vacation?” Ikora raised an eyebrow. “Fair point. But you’ve been at this a lot longer than I have.” “That’s right, I have.” Saladin’s retort was sharper than intended. He paused before continuing, “I’m happier out in the field. Battle keeps me fresh. Keeps me connected. It’s being here at the Tower, staring at these damn reports, listening to all this politicking that makes me tired.” “And what would you do if we won?” Ikora pressed her point. “What if we destroyed the Black Fleet tomorrow, and there were no more battles to fight. What would you do then?” Saladin scoffed at the Warlock’s nonsense. “Well, in that case… I suppose I’d take a vacation.” The two warriors eyed each other in stony silence, before breaking out in relieved chuckles. The moment of levity briefly softened the Iron Lord. “Don’t worry, Ikora. I’m fine.” The Warlock’s eyebrow arched as she surveyed the surrounding mess. Saladin held firm under her scrutiny for a moment, before relenting with an exasperated sigh. “If it’ll make you feel better,” he grumbled, “I’ll get some eager New Lights in here to clean up a bit.” “It would, thank you.” Ikora’s eyebrows knitted in concern. “You know, with Zavala stretched so thin, and without a Hunter Vanguard, I worry about our readiness. You know what’s coming. We need the Iron Lords now more than ever.” Saladin’s eyes drifted back to the tactical display. “I know it, young pup. I’ll always be here when you need me.” Discover More Weapons Here
Extraordinary Rendition
Extraordinary Rendition Lore: “My warriors fight not for themselves, or even me, but for each other.” -Empress Caiatl [Report by VanNet encrypted router] My friend and first, I know Her Royal Tuskiness is not my assignment, but I couldn’t help but catch the following exchange on my latest trip to you-know-where. If anything, it’s good for a laugh. Don’t let our favorite Praxic wear you down to a nub. If she gives you grief, you give her a swift kick from me. -C.Y. [Attached transcript.] RECORD: 30.10.15.C.Y.Report IDENTITIES: Advisor Taurun [A.T.], Empress Caiatl [E.C.], The Spider [T.S.] FILE//HID_CLASSIFIED//AUDIO [A.T.] The connection is made. Let the imperial record show that, on this day, the great Empress Caiatl, ascendant of Calus, slayer of Umun’arath, convened via radio message with the Spider of the Tangled Shore, formerly of the House of- [E.C.] Enough, Taurun. The scribes can add whatever flourishes they wish after the fact. [T.S.] Yes, let’s not waste time. I know you have more important matters to attend to. Matters that I would be happy to help with… in my own small way. [E.C.] I would no sooner seek aid from you than a war beast would from a bog-tick. Do you know how many thieves I’ve had to excise from my ranks? They debased themselves. Crawling about our proving grounds. Refashioning battle-trash into weapons. All because you tempted them with a flash of Glimmer. [T.S.] Ha! Me? Tempt them? It’s all I can do to keep them from flooding the market. [E.C.] This is not my first time dealing with war profiteers, insect. Though, if I squash you thoroughly enough, it may be my last. [T.S.] And here I thought I was doing you a charity, promoting Cabal entrepreneurship. I was told the empire was low on funds. [E.C.] Is that so? [T.S.] Your Majesty, I don’t know what advice you’ve been getting from your imperial hangers-on, but- [A.T.] How dare you- [E.C.] Quiet. [T.S.] But things are different here in the Sol system. Smash and conquer-like so many traditions of old Torobatl-won’t get you far. Ghaul found that out the hard way. The remnants of his Red Legion have learned to adapt. [T.S.] Let me know if you’d like to do the same. I’d even go against my own custom and consider a payment plan. [E.C.] How generous. But it seems I have no need. As you’ve revealed, I have untapped resources at my disposal. [T.S.] Whichever ones have survived your purge, yes. But weapons are not my most valuable wares, not by a long shot. If you’re anything like your father, you’ll be far more interested in the information I have to offer. [E.C.] Send your coordinates. We can discuss face-to-face. But tread lightly. I’ve yet to decide whether you’re worth my mercy. [T.S.] Oh, I’m honored to host Her Imperial Highness on my humble Shore. It’s no palatial estate, but we insects are just happy to have a place to call home. [End transmission.] Discover More Weapons Here
