Title: “A Dance with Decay: The Plague Wars in Ultramar”
In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. But within this endless conflict, a saga of pestilence and brotherly rivalry unfolds, set in the once idyllic realm of Ultramar. This is the narrative of the Plague Wars, an episode of horror and devastation that saw the realm’s worlds reduced to breeding grounds for the grotesque children of Nurgle, the Nurglings.
The campaign, led by the Prince of Decay himself, Mortarion, was a meticulously planned assault on Ultramar that unfolded in seven horrifying stages, each leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The opening act, aptly named the “War of Flies”, saw the usually peaceful agrarian worlds of Ultramar bombarded with viral onslaughts, turning these verdant lands into a breeding ground of unimaginable horrors.
The defenders of the Imperium, the proud Ultramar Auxilia, were left isolated and plagued by new warp storms. The tide of the war changed dramatically when the Primarch of the Ultramarines, Roboute Guilliman, made his grand entrance. His tactical prowess and brilliant counterattacks brought a semblance of stability to the war-torn fronts, marking a significant turning point in the war.
However, the war was far from over. It dragged on for years, with victories and losses experienced on both sides. The crescendo of the Plague Wars was a dramatic duel between the two Primarchs, Mortarion and Guilliman. In a shocking turn of events, Mortarion managed to poison Guilliman with a venom so potent that it would have slain any being in direct contact with it.
But Guilliman, imbued with the Emperor’s essence, overcame the venom and rose again. This miraculous recovery shook Mortarion to his core. He saw in Guilliman’s revival the evidence of the Emperor’s living power, a force he had once belittled.
Struck by the enormity of his actions, Mortarion, in a moment of profound remorse, sought forgiveness from the very god he had displeased. Yet, his pleas fell on deaf ears. Despite his betrayal and destruction, the Emperor, through Guilliman, offered a glimmer of hope for Mortarion’s redemption.
However, Mortarion’s fate had already been sealed. Despite his protests and tears, an unknown force pulled him back into the gloomy mansion of Nurgle, the god he had once chosen. In the final moments before his banishment, the Primarch of the Death Guard experienced a paralyzing fear, a realization of his trapped existence within the displeasure of his chosen god.
As we delve deeper into this saga in the forthcoming series, we shall explore the aftermath of the Plague Wars and the lingering effects of Mortarion’s actions on the universe of Warhammer 40,000. Stay tuned as we continue to unravel the complex tapestry of this grimdark future.
Leave a Reply