Grimdank

The last members of the advance party exited the Devourer dropship Fire of Faith , the cavernous maw of the transport closing with a sharp report behind them. "Atmosphere appears to be breathable, sir. It's a good thing this landing bay is still powered, or we'd all be sucking vacuum right about now." The commander sighed, delivering a curt strike to the back of private Kowalski's head. How protocol had slipped so far was beyond him, especially amongst so many new recruits. They were barely out of basic training, for Emperor's sake! Turning to his lieutenants beside him, Walicz began issuing orders to reconnoitre the immediate area. It wasn't often that something as extensive as this hulk remained intact, let alone powered. As the sensor teams started to spread out, exploring the myriad tunnels and doorways leading off from the bay, he took stock of the environment. Efficient, sensible Imperial architecture blended seamlessly into misshapen, almo...

The Borderlands   The Damocles Gulf has been a frontier zone between the burgeoning Tau Empire and the Imperium of man for centuries, and more than once wars have flared over the region. However settlement continues, and both it and a number of border zones have become something of a loose mix of Tau and Human control, with many settlements of nebulous loyalties and unclear authority. It is from within this region that many developed worlds reside, enjoying limited autonomy as the great powers seek to counter each other.   To the Imperium it is Sub-Sector Damocles, officially abandoned by Imperial authorities. To the Tau Empire the region is considered to overlap the outskirts of the Sept’s of Ksi’,’yen and Fi’rios. However a handful of worlds in this region maintain independence by playing each side against each other, and maintaining nominal support of the higher authority. In a world where humans live under nominal control of two empires, they have learne...