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===C'tan Incarnate===

These beings continued their benign existence with little conception of the universe until the intervention of the [[Necrontyr]]. Since the earliest times the Necrontyr had studied the stars to understand their baleful energies, seeking some power to unleash upon their bitter enemies, the [[Old Ones]], during the [[War in Heaven]].{{Fn|1}} The Necrontyr, having been defeated by the Old Ones and scattered to the halo stars{{Fn|1}} had fallen into civil war, the second such [[War of Secession]].{{Fn|25a}} It was during this period that the Necrontyr under their [[Silent King]] [[Szarekh]]{{Fn|25a}} had perceived anomalies in the oldest dying stars. They had discovered a sentience more ancient than any corporeal lifeform in creation; beings of pure energy in the complex skeins of etheric energy. These beings found feeding upon the solar flares and magnetic storms of bloated red giants were perceived as the progeny of the Necrontyr death-god, who would act as weapons of retribution to cast down the Old Ones. These beings would come to be known as the C'tan, '''Star Gods''' in the Necrontyr language.{{Fn|1}}

There are various conflicting accounts about the circumstances of the discovery of the C'tan. The archives of [[Solemnace]] claim their discovery was accidental, a chance discovery made by a stellar probe during the investigation of a dying star. The [[Aeldari]] account within the [[Book of Mournful Night]] claims that the raw hatred the Necrontyr felt for the Old Ones sang out across space and served as a beacon for the C'tan.{{Fn|25a}} Regardless of the circumstances prior to the first contact, contact was first established with a C'tan known the '''[[Aza'gorod]] the Nightbringer''', which was born upon the very star which the Necrontyr first lived their brief, morbid lives. Upon manifesting across the incorperial starlight bridge, the Nightbringer was incarnated within a body of living metal (''[[necrodermis]]'') and brought with it the curse of death. Having fed upon the flavourless power of a star, the Nightbringer found delight in the Necrontyr's awe and fear, and had begun slaughtering those which had brought it into being, feeding upon their terror and suffering.{{Fn|1}}

*{{Endn|46}}: [https://archive.ph/RVkwm Warhammer Community: The Rumour Engine – 25th of March] ''(Saved archive page, dated 25 March 2025, last accessed 25 March 2025, original link: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/wqieekjp/the-rumour-engine-25th-of-march/)''

*{{Endn|47}}: [[Nightfall on Stygies (Short Story)]]

{{Deities}}