Ark of Omen

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Targetdrone.gif Arks of Omen redirects here. For other uses of the term, see Arks of Omen (disambiguation).
An Ark of Omen[2]

The Arks of Omen are colossal space vessels designed by the Daemon Vashtorr that are built around the cavernous bodies of Space Hulks the Traitor Legion claimed from the Warp.[1]

Overview

Construction of the Arks of Omen began when the Daemon Vashtorr entered into an alliance with Abaddon the Despoiler and his Black Legion. Many months were spent clearing various Space Hulks of foes and preparing them for transformation by Vashtorr into something greater at a Dark Mechanicus fleet station deep within Imperium Nihilus. Each hulk became transformed by the powers of Chaos, heavily weaponised and augmented with the means to steer them through the stars through Daemons known as Ferrymen. Though no two are alike, each is heavily corrupted by the Warp and monstrously powerful. Many are easily the size of small planetoids and required entire military campaigns to clear of various Xenos and warp-horrors in order to secure them for use by Abaddon.[4a] Although the exact number of Arks built is unknown, at the outset of the campaign involving their use, Abaddon mentioned 'dozens' of them.[4d]

Despite their varying appearances and size, each Ark of Omen is built around a similar operational template. Components include:[4b]

  • Wardings - Used to prevent rebellion by the corrupted control systems and Machine Spirits. Some manifested as vast runic sigils scorched into the outer hull or meticulously carved into the endless corridors and reinforced bulkheads deep within. Others appeared as towering chains of glyphs, profane altars and shrines scattered throughout the vessel — or even cruel cages containing sightless, shackled psykers, their powers forcibly bound to the dark purpose at hand.[4e]
  • Fleshmetal Gangliaxos - Swarms of silvery cybernematodes created by Vashtorr that burrow deep into the Hulk, exuding warp-silicae strands and creating a synapse-like fleshmetal cabling. As these autocognitive pathways spread through the hulk they connected and enslaved any mechanical system still viable, creating a control nexus within the Ark.[4e]
  • Warp Portal - Each Ark includes a captive Warp Portal for a purpose known only to a select few outside of Vashtorr and Abaddon. Some took the form of vast ritual circles, etched into the deckplates of yawning hangars or summoned within cavernous cargo bays deep inside the Ark’s hull. Others manifested as writhing vortexes of blasphemous energy, or as nightmarish, fanged masses of sinew and flesh coalescing in the void behind or beneath the vessel; these horrors were sustained by immense iron pylons or rune-etched menhirs that hovered and sparked with corruptive power. Of their ultimate function, only Abaddon and Vashtorr possessed true knowledge when the Arks began their dark voyage.[4e]
  • Obelyskane - Another design of Vashtorr, it is an empyric beacon powered by a warp-furnace fed with the souls of Psykers in dark mockery of the Astronomican. These short-ranged devices transform each Ark into a highly viable waypoint, allowing fleets of escorting ships to navigate the Great Rift by its presence.[4f]
  • Ferryman - Created by the Arks Gangliaxos, which converged to create a daemonic pilot-entity. This mutated monstrosity serves as both the ship's bridge and crew, allowing for these obscenely large vessels to operate. They are bound to obey the commands issued by their master, though in truth their ultimate loyalty is to Vashtorr.[4f]
  • Slave-Psyker Covens - Augmented with insectile Daemon-helms that allow them to lock onto Key Fragments across time and space.
  • Additional exotic systems that include temporal and probability-based weapons, neutron shielding, quantum communications, counter-ballistic teleportation batteries, and many more. While formidable many are unreliable, and are further augmented by the Dark Mechanicum with Weapons Batteries, shield generators, vox arrays, hangar bays, and engines wherever they could be attached. Many of these installations we are self-contained, generating their own air and power and in no way conjoined with the greater Arks own systems.[4f]

Accompanying each Ark is a flotilla of conventional Chaos Space Marine vessels in a dark mirror of the fleets of the Indomitus Crusade. Collectively, they are known as Balefleets. Some of the Arks also carry Possessor Tech-Daemons in order to protect themselves.[4c]

During the Battle of Idolatros, Vashtorr finally activated The Key and the objective of the Arks was completed. It is unknown what became of the remaining Arks thereafter, though Vashtorr seems to have taken to the Wyrmwood and abandoned them.[7b]

Known Arks

See also

Sources

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