In the plaza of the Governor's Palace.
Paul slowly ascended the central dais to face the gathered players. He reached up and removed his golden helmet, revealing his resolute features. His dark golden eyes swept over every single person present.
"Brothers," Paul began, his voice echoing across the vast plaza. "Over these last twenty-three years, I did not fail your hopes. Your past efforts, your blood and sweat... none of it was in vain. Over the last two decades, through the united efforts of the entire Aurelian populace, we have achieved the following transformations upon Aurelian IV..."
He raised his hand. A projector embedded in the dais flared to life, casting a massive holographic image into the air.
It was a complete planetary map of Aurelian IV.
But it looked absolutely nothing like the sickly, yellow-gray mining rock the players remembered...
Now, the continents of Aurelian IV were blanketed in sweeping expanses of lush green. Forests, grasslands, massive agricultural tracts... viewed from orbit, at least forty percent of the planet's surface was covered in vibrant vegetation. Crystal-clear lakes, unpolluted rivers...
And then, there were the surface cities. Actual cities.
Neatly planned street grids, low-density architectural layouts, sprawling green parks, and high-speed transit networks connecting the urban hubs...
"Holy hell..." [Have You Been Loyal Today?] muttered under his breath. "Is this really our barren little mining rock? How are there so many trees? And those cities... with that kind of footprint, each one could easily house millions of people, right?"
The hologram zoomed in, highlighting one of the surface metropolises.
Wide avenues, six-to-seven-story residential blocks, schools, hospitals, libraries, grand theaters, massive stadiums... every conceivable public amenity was accounted for. The outskirts of the city gave way to organized farmlands and industrial zones, which then blended into pristine nature reserves and thick forests.
The feed switched, showcasing a second city. Then a third, a fourth...
"Aurelian IV currently has a population of twenty-nine billion, nine hundred thirty-four million, seven hundred and eighty thousand," Helovia's voice rang out, calm but ringing with undisguised pride.
"All of whom reside in our surface cities. We have completely reconstructed the biosphere, purified the soil and water sources, and established fully integrated agricultural and industrial systems. The Hives continue to operate strictly as industrial centers, but they are no longer used for permanent habitation. We enforce rotational shifts, guaranteed transit, and an eight-hour workday. We have our own standing army... the Dawn Defense Force, with a total troop strength of 3.2 million, equipped on par with standard Imperial Auxilia. We have our own naval power... the Light of Dawn Fleet, currently boasting four Lunar-class cruisers, fifteen Sword-class frigates, and a massive flotilla of auxiliary and support vessels. We have our own research and development branch... the Dawn Mechanicus Institute, which has made significant breakthroughs in power armor miniaturization, directed energy weapon optimization, and ecological restoration tech. We have our own education system... providing nine years of completely free, mandatory education for all citizens, from primary to secondary school. And we have our own healthcare infrastructure... subsidized at fifty percent for all citizens, raising the average life expectancy from twenty-nine years old back then, to fifty-five years old today."
With every single milestone Helovia listed, the players' sheer disbelief deepened.
By the time she finished, the entire plaza was dead silent.
The only sounds were the whistling breeze, the gentle bubbling of nearby fountains, and the distant, muffled hum of the thriving city.
Every single player from the Crimson Dawn faction was utterly dumbfounded.
Tax Bro swallowed hard, forcing his words out. "So... what you're telling me is that we don't just own a planet anymore... We own a fully modernized, self-sufficient nation-state? With tens of billions of people, a complete industrial base, a powerful military, and an independent governmental system?"
Paul cut the holographic projection, his gaze sweeping over the crowd once more. "That is the first thing I needed to tell you. The Crimson Dawn is no longer the scrappy little insurgency struggling to survive in the cracks of the Underhive. Today, we are the absolute, legitimate rulers of Aurelian IV, and by extension, the Aurelian System. We are the undisputed leaders of nearly thirty billion Imperial citizens."
He paused, then added, "Of course, all strictly within the legal framework of the Imperium of Man. We still pay our Tithe to the Administratum in full. We acknowledge the authority of the Emperor, and we use the standard Imperial calendar... on the surface, at least."
Blood Angel zeroed in on the most critical question. "Does the Imperium know what's really going on here?"
"As of right now, no." Paul shook his head. "Due to recent Warp Storms, Guilliman and Sanguinius have not returned to Aurelian IV. We've also heavily bribed the Sector Governor of the Korianis Sector... According to official Imperial Sector records, Aurelian IV is simply a well-managed, highly compliant model Mining World with stable tax revenues and steady population growth. As for the nitty-gritty details of our governance..."
Paul smiled faintly. "The bureaucrats at the Sector Governor's office only care about whether the Tithe is paid on time. As long as the quotas are met in full, they don't ask questions."
Cogboy's augmetic eye whirred and flashed. "So we've essentially built an independent kingdom... right under the Imperium's nose?"
"To be precise, it's a highly autonomous model world," Paul corrected him. "At least until the Imperium eventually fractures, that official designation serves as our ultimate shield."
Paul's gaze intensified as he looked out at every player present.
"Brothers, welcome back to the Warhammer universe. The current timeline is 000.M31. We are exactly five years away from Horus being wounded on Davin. We've spent the last twenty-three years transforming a fringe mining rock into what you see today. And now, the greatest cataclysm in galactic history—the Horus Heresy—is rapidly approaching. When this storm inevitably sweeps across the galaxy, our sole objective is to protect this Crimson Dawn that we built with our own hands. We must do everything in our power to grow stronger, to preserve this sanctuary for humanity. You've all seen the system announcements. There is a new wave of Players in the galaxy. They have thrown their lot in with the Imperium, and they have sided with Chaos. Those who chose the Crimson Dawn are heavily outnumbered. To protect their accounts and secure their place in this game, these new players will do absolutely everything in their power to ensure their respective factions claim ultimate victory. Just like us, they possess the potential for limitless evolution. They will become formidable roadblocks on our path—potentially even more dangerous and unpredictable than the Primarchs or the Daemons of this universe. Therefore, gentlemen. For the Crimson Dawn. For Aurelian. We must be ready to face down challenges from any and all sides."
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Goal = 300 Powerstones.
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