Homeworld – Dis

Captain – Brother Captain Gyas

Colours –

Traits –

Background Story

Because of its relatively close location to the central star, Dis has an incredibly hot climate where most life struggles to survive.  When he first visited Dis, Aenaeus wanted nothing to do with the barren
planet, seeing it as a waste of time and resources.  However, upon scanning the world for life Tarchon, Leader of the 5th Cohort, discovered great lakes under the planet’s surface which supported a teeming ecosystem based on algae which took energy from the core of the planet itself.  Settlement began immediately and Tarchon, as it was his discovery, was gifted the planet to govern over.

The planet was a puzzle to the scientists who headed the colonisation, further planets from the sun had had their atmospheres stripped from them by the powerful solar radiation, why had this one escaped such a fate?  Though intrigued by this the scientists had no time to ponder over such things and soon began plan hollowing out a massive volume of the planets crust in order to build Subeopolis, the Undercity.

The scientists began by aligning great plasma drills in a circle miles wide across the desert plain, in the centre was a plateau where the ships could land without risking being lost to the sands. They began
drilling, the intense heat from the plasma drills turned the sands to a black glass, which to this day is much valued by artists for its fine quality and dark, yet translucent colour.  After 2 days the decision was made to turn off the great drills and send teams down the cavernous shafts to check on their progress, according to the scientist's calculations and the architects plans the tunnels should be half way completed and at least 500 meters apart, it was while the scientists were checking that all the drills were aligned correctly and hadn't been damaged by the intense heat that the vox crackled to life;

"Base camp - This is exploration team delta, we have discovered another tunnel that connects to number 24, it seems to lead to the surface.”

After a hushed debate, the lead scientist picked up the transmitter and told them to explore the new tunnel to see where it would lead to.  The team gathered their things in the gloomy half-light of the joined tunnels and prepared to move out.

On the surface, the scientists waited in tense silence for further news from the exploration teams, especially team delta.  One by one, the teams began to arrive back at the central station on the plateau.  Night was coming and no-one wanted to be lost on the sands during dark where, despite being only a few hours long, subzero temperatures were the norm.  The exploration teams, exhausted after their long subterranean treks, retired to their tents.  The scientists left one by one, reluctant to go, just in-case team delta called in, but they went reluctantly, giving in to their need for sleep.

When the call came only one was still there to hear it; a young student sent out on the expedition to get some experience in the field.  The harsh sound of the static shocked him from his slumber.  He was awake instantly and excitedly answered the incoming transmission;

"Where are you, where does the tunnel lead?"

"We aren't sure, our magnetoscope doesn't seem to be working, we'll send up a flare and you send a team to pick us up."

More scientists, who'd been woken by the commotion began to arrive in the communications centre, even a bleary-eyed team co-ordinator was interested enough to see what was going on.

Team Theta were woken and organised to go and retrieve Team Delta from wherever they were.  The order was given for the flare to be launched, the green glow came from the north and so the search teams set off.  Lit by the fiery moon from above and the eerie green glow from the flare the transports sped across the black sand.

Then the trouble began to start.

Over the vox-system Co-ordinator Iando heard terrible screams and gunfire, hearing these sounds he urged his squad on.  Before long they had arrived at the site, an appalling scene of carnage greeted him.  Team Delta’s equipment was scattered around, the sand was melted where lasbolts had struck the ground obviously missing their mark.  While they were making a reconnaissance of the area, they heard the scuttling of feet, and then a chattering of animals, it started off as a whisper on the desert sands, but built to a deafening crescendo.

Co-ordinator Iando heard this and alarmed ordered his squad to return to their transport.  The flare began to dim as he fled back to the transport.  In the dying light he saw his squad members running for the transport, only for the chittering demons to appear behind them and drag them under the black sands.  By the time the flare had died, so had team Theta.  All that remained was Co-ordinator Iando.

In the total darkness he turned on his auspex, trying to decipher the location of the unknown beasts that had slain his comrades, this was to be his undoing.  The auspex threw up a field of light, the entire screen was glowing, pulsing, it was picking up some sort of interference making it completely useless.

Iando despaired, for he was doomed.  The door of the transport was ripped from its frame, he readied his laspistol, prepared to take some of them with him as he fought them to the death, but he was denied this last warriors wish. The floor beneath him screeched and gave way.  He was dragged beneath the black sands, never to be seen again.

No one returned from the pick up mission, at first it was simply thought that they were just taking their time, but as time drew on and the unrelenting sun began to rise, it was agreed that there was something wrong.

Word was soon sent to Tarchon that something had gone wrong during the colonisation. Tarchon, upon hearing the message, returned to the planet with all haste, his second in command, Gyas accompanying him.