Morkai

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

Summary

On the far side of the galaxy, in the Eastern Fringe where blackness begins, live the Morkai and their interstellar empire. Dark towers rise from the surface of their worlds, and spire-vessels fly between planets, sailing through pitch-black tunnels devoid of the warp's unnatural forces. This is the nature of the Morkai; in the shadow of the Imperium is a dark reflection of Man's black soul, one that has manifested through its own efforts as humanity had. For years the Morkai had weathered the forces of the Imperium, bringing mere man and great Astartes to heel with thunder and fire, raining down from high orbit to bring doom and death.

The Morkai Atamans

Only with the mightiest generals among them could the Morkai defend their nascent empire from the Imperium, and only the mightiest generals are fit to lead them. At the head of Morkai society is their esteemed leader, the First Terek of the Morkai, who ruled by virtue of luck and skill. Chosen by lottery from the commanding Atamans of the Morkai hosts, the First Terek commands the entirety of the Morkai empire, counseled by those who once were First Tereks like them, now ministers and fellow Tereks. From head to toe the state exists for war, and its infrastructure is built around the assumption of military action. This is not without good reason, for the Morkai are beset by beasts of Terra, and so must be ever vigilant in their defense.

Similarly, all higher positions are filled by decorated veterans. City wardens and industrial leaders alike were Atamans who led hosts and earned their lives. The only exception are the Atamans of the warp relays, masters of advanced space stations who did not earn their titles in battle but study. Already experts in organization and distribution like proper military leaders, the Atamans of warp relays have won their titles with sheer genius.

The Hosts

Skyfallers

The fighting man of the hosts is the skyfaller. Clad in heat-retardant semi-powered armor, the skyfallers fear neither fire nor void, for they descend directly from spires to the planet's surface, braving the cold vacuum and the burning atmosphere to kill their enemy. Beside them are machines of war

The skyfaller wears a sort of semi-powered armor, that protects him from the heat of reentry and enemy fire. This armor, bone-white when clean but a jet-black and jagged upon reentry, is equipped with data visor and the magnetofield that slows its wearer's descent. For armament, the skyfaller takes the simple beam rifle capable of piercing most armors, but he may be given an arc projector or a beam lance to handle different enemies.

Bioconstructs

Bioconstructs serve their masters in peace and war, but mostly in war. Beside the war machines of the morkai are the biowarriors of fleshy steel. Brawny line-breakers spearhead charges, swift vultures glide silently to attack their prey, and gargantuan biotitans all augment the morkai's war-fighting.

Spires and Leviathans

Grand armies of millions travel through the void in the long spires that comprise the morkai fleet's backbone. These spires are both transport and warships that let loose a flurry of beamfire as troops deploy from its man-cannons. T-shaped escorts flank the spires, and biomechanical star-krakens charge ahead to tear enemy voidships to pieces with their tendrils. Behind the fleets linger landing castles en route to worlds, crashing down onto the surface and deploying forces and fire support directly to ground.

Technology

Warp Relays

Though they play a dangerous game, the Morkai do not risk their fleets. Massive warp relays connect the worlds of the empire, carving long and wide tunnels for the spire-vessels to travel through quickly. Though reliable, sparing Morkai ships from a brunt of the warp's energies, these relays only take ships as far as they can make their tunnels, mere dozens of lightyears.

The warp relays themselves, pinnacles of Morkai engineering, are massive stations on the edge of a system. One system may hold two, or three, or even ten warp relays. The Morkai's home system, for example, contains dozens of warp relays pointed towards many different stars, pulsating frequently as traffic passes through the system. Precious assets they are, directing armadas through the warp, that any threat to them shall be prioritized against almost all else.

The respect for the leaders of warp relays' teams are on par with generals. Considering the importance and complexity of warp relays it is no surprise these leaders hold the rank of Ataman, and thus qualify to become Tereks and lead the empire as if they were great commanders themselves.

Biomachinations

The Morkai are unfettered, shameless even, shaping life to fit their needs. Bioconstructs, a fusion of machine and bioengineered flesh, subservient to their masters in every way. Bioconstructs serve in every form, from juggernauts of war to gears in the industries of the empire, coming in a myriad of shapes and sizes from microscopic nanites to colossal biotitans and even auxiliary voidships.

Magnetofields

The morkai skyfaller relies solely on his personal magnetofield, a mix of deflector shield and grav-chute, to survive his fate-forging fall. The personal magnetofield is a compact but powerful device that interacts with a world's magnetic field to slow their descent through the atmosphere. As it is an energy-intensive gadget, the magnetofield exhausts its share of a skyfaller's power supply by the time the soldier lands, although large bioconstructs and vehicles have a personal power plant capable of sustaining the magnetofield as a shield. As a shield, the magnetofield functions much like a superconductor. Lasers and metal projectiles alike simply go around the vehicle protected by the magnetofield. Only through other means that bypass the magnetofield can it be defeated, such as close combat, explosive shockwaves, non-metallic projectiles, heat, or even sheer power.

Arc Projectors

The morkai bring lightning to bear against their foes with their arc projectors. A powerful electric charge is guided by a laser, electrocuting all targets along the lasers path.

Beam Weapons

Xenos of the /tg/ Heresy
Orks	Da Merc - Kaptain Blackjawzz - Khork WAAAGH! Mongo Mork - WAAAGH! Sarkus
Eldar	Craftworld Eldar - Harakien Empire Webway Lords & Dark Eldar
Compact of Free Galactic Interchange	Ellonoi - Metabasil - Slaugth - Tau - Vespid
Other Dangerous Aliens	Anatik - Cyfecti - Morkai - Strixoros - Yaotl