Prophecy Scroll: Water (Patreon)

In a potential future…

On a train Erichtheo, there existed a Tau. Por'Vre Hul'aan Al B'kak of the Water Caste, or as he was known casually, Al B’kak. He was a diplomat: in his lifetime of thirty one years he had negotiated mercenary contracts with band of Kroot Hunters, had mediated territorial dispute between Demiurg and Eldar, and had even had even once convinced a Gue’la world to defect. And now he was faced with his latest challenge: the Tekket.

The Ambassador paced in his suite, troubled. Aun'O Fi'rios Suun N'Lan had sent the Water Caste to the world after first contact had been made when they intervened in slaying Hive Monarch Typhon before the Tyranic Teraforme could engulf one of their recently acquired worlds, a bread basket whose loss would have been disastrous on its own, let alone by being consumed. SOMEHOW they had repelled the beast, sending it fleeing into the depths of space through some unknown technological application.

If this capability could be replicated by the Tau…Well. It could prove the edge needed to harden their worlds against the great devourer. And it wasn’t even the only piece of advanced technology in the states arsenal: during the immediate days after Typhon had retreated into dark space, the Directorate had shown a variety of highly advanced systems, such as their artificial intelligences and genetic mastery, to say nothing of their weapons they had used during the battle, scarring the beasts hide so thoroughly that by the end its regeneration had finally begun to slow healing the vast canyons sliced through its flesh by the weapons beam.

So the Ethereals had sent Al B’kak to negotiate: attempt to convince the polity to part with at least some of its technology, as well as the creation of an Embassy in Directorate space. He was also to gauge their potential value as a military partner and determine how swifty the Tau could begin moving to influence them into their sphere and their overall receptiveness to the greater good: a very preliminary mission, one that would likely be followed by decades of political effort. When he had first began this assignment, he had thought it would be easy: everything he had seen and heard during the journey had indicated a high level of philosophical overlap. True, they seemed to have a propensity towards religion with their claims of spirits and gods, but that could be solved by a few decades of propaganda.

Then he had arrived in the system to see a gigantic planet-spanning sea that stretched across and surrounded their star and planets, made traversible by a gigantic rail that stretched through this impossible anomaly. His first stop had been Spra’ang, as it was called: the world of shadows, home of the great mausoleum, where ghosts walked.

At the time, he had tried to come up with rational explanations: nonsense about ectoplasm and psuedoscience he had clung to to desperately explain the ghastly wraiths and strange shadowy demons he had met before he had finally left via the Spra’ang Grand Terminal, boarding the Grand Aqua Express with the rest of his entourage.

Now, he was on his suite on the train, trying to process what he had seen in the past few days: he had chosen the Aqua Express because, despite it being far slower than other trains scheduled to make the run to their destination, it supposedly offered a far more interesting tour of the Directorates sea life.

When he had read the brochure, he had assumed it meant planetary. His eyes darted to the wide, ferroglass wall, the oceans passing by, a large, curling cephalopod with long, javelin like tusks floating alongside the train, blinking its eyes at the Tau, before swimming away. Outside, a vast oceanic space passed them by, large clouds of fish and plantlife drifting, with the occasional bioluminescent coral reef stretching across the infinity of the space ocean to form vast byzantine complexes, a strange beating glow in the center of each. In the distance, he could see bright burning blazes: the brochures had called them ‘Second Suns’, machines that helped regulate the oceans heat and light, a contribution by the Elementalists according to what the scrap of tourist paper claimed.

Occasionally, the train would pass through or near various...structures. Bubbles of air, surrounding small moons, strange islands in the infinite sea, some sunny and pleasant, some cold and wintery appearing, and some that were empty except for avians and their nests, nestled near the tops of the bubbles. Others else, strange townships erected along the line or among the coral, and occasionally strange behemoth planetoids that drifted in the sea, their surface aglow with myriad shifting symbols, or, embedded along the rails, strange obelisks and stones and strange fractaline temples aglow with prismatic radiance.

And this…this was somehow the least irrational of the sights he had seen. He heard a gentle rap tap tapping at his door. “Ambassador?” Came the voice of his guide. “I’m just coming to check on you: we’re about an hour out from the Ocean Temple.”

B’kak breathed out through his nose-slit, then walked to the door, pressing the access button, causing it to slide open, revealing in a green uniform an orange, gangly, and extremely skinny Be’gel.

Hobgrot, he reminded himself, trying to keep in mind the informational package he had found in Grottish ethnicities as the stretched thin creature, slightly taller than the average hobbgrot, gave a salute. Raising his hand and giving a serene smile, B’kak did his best to remain composed. “At ease, Corporal,” He told the Erichthean Grott. “I was merely reviewing the dossier your government provided.”

Corporal Globglott nodded. “Apologies for the interruption, sir,” They apologized. “Still, if you wish to meet with the the Great Vita, you’ll need to start making your way to the pilgrims car.”

Ah, yes. The Great Vita. Keeping his plastered smile on his face, B’kak gave a nod. “Very well: lead the way then,” He responded with false cheer, to which Globglott gave a nod and thumbs up, before spinning on his heels. Following, B’kak exited onto the corridor, a railed balcony passing numerous suites, illuminated by a titanic chandelier hanging from the cars roof, illuminating all ten floors of the train car as well as the bustling village located upon its floor and various shops and vendors floating in the air. As the pair walked, they passed all manner of being: Grott, Tekket, Eldar, even creatures that looked somewhat like the infiltrator organisms of the Tyranids, before finally coming upon the transit tube.

Before him, he watched the Be’gel step onto the raised platform before being lifted, shooting down the tube, before the Tau followed him, a weightless feeling filling the aliens stomach as they were lifted by the various gravimitic manipulators embedded in the machinery running along the otherwise clear ferrocrystal structures side. Passing through it, B’kak began to use the brief moment they would be in the tubes to think.

The Great Vita. The collection of nature dieties the Directorate worshiped. When B’kak had heard about them, he had assumed that the Tekkets animistic beliefs were mere superstition, a holdover of their more primitive ancestors attempt at explaining wholly natural phenomena by etherealizing it and attributing it agency. But now that he knew that the spirits were real…

There were supposedly Four, Seven, and Three sets of Great Vita: Three of the Sky, Seven of the Land, and Four of the Sea. Each of them both great and mighty spirits grown to demigodhood, but also simultaneously avatars of greater, more fundamental forces that in turn were mere aspects of some greater entity.

When he had worked to prepare for this diplomatic mission, he had made the choice to schedule a visit by several locations of cultural and religious significance, thinking he would merely be studying sermons and researching theology like he would in a Gue’La world.

They passed briefly through a section between cars, exposing their tubes to the void, allowing the tau to briefly see the outside of their vessel: a dozen or so ‘cars’, vast rectangular structures that served as compartments of sorts, linked by a series of heavy magnetic chains and gargantuan tractor beam-gravity tethers, being shot forward along a single rail line occasionally supplemented by a gatelike ring the vessel would pass through, causing it to rapidly accelerate. At the front, a vast magneto engine with a heavy metal prow churned, providing a steadily level of thrust in order to maintain speed. Each compartment appeared different: one was overgrown with coral, a strange ecosystem in and of itself that used the inertial properties of the vessel to remain unbothered by its speed. Another was entirely clear, a glassy aquarium car that B’kak saw, as they passed, contained several Directorate Gue’la in divers suits doing coordinated swim routines alongside a variety of oddly well coordinated fish. And all along the top of these boxy almost-ships were a variety of spire like structures that resembled the coiled shells of certain mollusks that released massive, flowing jets of water that ensured the structure was always, even while it passed through the atmospheric bubbles, coated in a layer of heavy moisture.

Eventually, they passed once more into the cars, their journey lasting another twenty minutes before they finally arrived at their destination, the Tau coming to a stop as his guide was deposited onto a platform underneath him, B’kak only following after Globbglot had stepped off, the diplomat stepping out onto the Pilgrims Car.

A collection of holoteknik pathways stretched before them, formed from hard light, and all throughout the car the Diplomat could see more, forming and reforming to help shepherd innumerable visitors to the various shrines and temple complexes in the facility. “Two for the Ocean Temple,” Globbglot said, and a pathway opened up, and the pair continued their walk, illuminated by false starlight and an illusory moon up above them.

B’kak vaguely wondered how no one fell off the platforms, but decided to ignore the thought as they were brought to a large, flat, square floating hard light platform, one with no visible barriers or rails. Upon it were a collection of other pilgrims: fifteen in total. Some were the Muses, the strange almost-robots that, supposedly, were the spirits of great works of art given form and agency. Others were the genestealer-looking creatures, drabbed in white, platelike armor with large, dark gems embedded in their chests and back. One, to B’kak’s alarm, he was fairly certain was a slaugth.

His alarm immediately spiked as the thing approached him, its squirming, multitudinous body garbed in a strange, searing yellow cloak. “Ah, a Tau. I did not know your species had made it this far,” The worm that walked gurgled. “I admit, I’m especially surprised to see you make pilgrimage to the Deep Gods.”

The Tau continued to smile, but it became slightly tight at the edges. “The Tau Empire is always interested in furthering cultural ties with all groups: our foundation is built upon the stone of inclusivity,” He said, causing the creature to let out a rising and falling rasping noise that almost sounded like a laugh.

“Excellent adherence to the party line,” The creature complimented. “I am Yaghzahr, Hieroflesh of the Corpse Mother,” It said, a hint of pride in its voice as it named one of the races various worm gods.

. “Por'Vre Hul'aan Al B'kak,” B’kak replied tersely. “I’ve said why I’m visiting, but I must admit curiosity for why one of your own stature is making a visit.”

The creature paused for a moment. “Cerebropineal fluid,” It wheezed. “Supposedly, a collection of my wayward kin that decided to immigrate have found a way to manufacture the substance synthetically in a configuration that is not completely poisonous to us.”

Ah. A new food source it was coming to collect the methods on how to manufacture. “No,” It said, gurgling in annoyance. “They have…refused to provide it to us, not without negotiation. Despite our shared flesh, our shared origin, they seem to have decided our lifestyle…regrettable,” It hissed. “The Corpse Mother has decided to entertain them: she wishes amicability,” It spat. “And so we are sent in order to negotiate with the apostates and their newly adopted god, the Shul’dakkotian Wilds while the Directorate acts as mediators,” It growled.

Well. That was interesting. And very satisfying to learn, B’kak decided, taking slight enjoyment from the annoyance of the cerebrovore.”It is both mine and the Tau empires sincerest hope that you can come to an accord that satisfies all parties,” He lied, causing the slaugth to scoff even as the platform began to move, the ceiling above them parting to reveal a wall of water.

As the platform rose, a bubble began forming in the water, surrounding them as they entered the ocean. Above them lie the Ocean Temple, resembling a sort of pyramidal structure as the base, upon which lie a series of pagoda structures. In the distance, B’kak saw in the water a vast, almost moon size THING that almost resembled a titanic, crablike mass of coral and stone and barnacles, armored not in chitin but in stretches of reef that held within them overabundant masses of sea-life, its mandibles and pedipalps spinning together titanic masses of matter to create mega-asteroid after mega asteroid, which would after forming be hauled off by a series of smaller (yet still large enough to dwarf the average space ship) coral-crabs, ones with odd, pearlescent domed shells marked with glowing sigils. Anthrozoathoth, the Living Moon. Vita of Coral, Manifested Reef, Aspect of Flora, and its Courier Crabs: he recognized it from the brochure.

It wasn’t the only Vita he could see: some distance in the opposite direction across the horizon, he saw an equally massive forest of greenery, filled with innumerable pinpricks of light from the vastitude of the second suns required to sustain the organic superstructure. It its wake, its trailed vast tails of kelp, algae, vines, and stranger plants, occasionally brushing a piece of debris and causing it to become overgrown. Occasionally, he saw it let out a pulse of light, forcing the Tau to avert their eyes as the thing that could only be the Shul’dakkotian Wilds, Manifest Life, another Aspect of Flora. Supposedly, it was vastly larger on the inside than the outside: many used it as a means to escape from civilization, learning the rites and bringing the technology required to survive underwater and simply…swimming into its depths, as far as they could go, until they were beyond even the Directorates ability to contact, many only returning every few decades to stock up on supplies and to check on news beyond the mangrove megaforest.

That was two. That left only two more: the Infinite Academy and the Great Sea Wytch Urzala.

As they neared the temple, their platform shifted and twisted, depositing them on the grounds, also encased in a bubble: the space between the several mile high pagodas was large enough that it served as a forest in its own right, one connected by a series of thin tunnels of air stretching across it like a series of veins, outside a vast fleet of fish, schools circling strange metallic pillars. Some of the fish seemed normal, up until they released a flare of strange energy to strike these pillars, while other fish seemed to be not quite solid, and at times not quite a single fish, shifting between appearing as tightly packed overlapping schools of pelagic life and more singular examples whose scales seemed to be comprised of translucent crystal. Others instead appeared strangely mechanical, both large ones that slowly floated along and smaller swarms of various robotic oceanic animals. Occasionally, strange portals would open, allowing the fish to pass through or else producing fish from wherever they went. The Infinite Academy, Manifest School, Aspect of Beast: a vast congress of several million psychic fish, a gestalt whose branches touched over a hundred planets and growing.

“Right, follow me: I’m sorry for how long the transits been,” His guide said apologetically. “Still, one heck of a view, huh?” They said, looking admiringly at a titanic space whale that passed above them as they continued their walk.

“Indeed. I’m…most curious as to how the Directorate achieved…this,” B’kak said, remaining calmly neutral. His guide only shrugged at that.

“Well, it took a few generations of work: f’rm what I understand, th’ Great Void Rail happenin’ to coincide wif the mass proliferations let a lotta dem waterboyz,” The Grot said, voice slipping back into their old accent, “start embedden’ th’ rails wif just…row afta row afta row o’ Aqua-Core. Combined with a few generations of work an’ expansion, an’ wif some pitchin’ in by some otha groups like da volkanoboyz, an’ the inevitable march o’ progress in the field of applied arcane arts and improvements t’ the totem network, an’, well…” They shrugged, as if their answer answered anything.

“I see,” B’kak lied. “Is there a reason they decided to make a giant…void…ocean…”

The grot shrugged. “I’unno. Decided it’d go wif the train maybe? They really wanted more fish to eat? Decision was made long before I was born, mate: all I know is that most expansion projects these days are mostly politics. The Infinite College and Urzala both like havin’ more sea to swim in, and th’ Directorate likes keepin’ the fella in charge a’ most of th’ fish farms an’ the witch what can turn people int’ squogs niiiiiiiice and happy.” Idly, B’kak noted they were descending into the pyramid.

“I had assumed we were going into the Pagodas,” He commented as they descended the winding path that, he noted, slowly descended into a vast pit located at the center, one so dark he could barely see within.

“No sir,” The Grot replied, accent receding as they returned to their role as the prim and proper Directorate diplomat. “The Pagodas are part of the local spiritual neural architecture: they allow lesser vita to piggyback on the Infinite College in order to allow their subconscious to more rapidly solve problems and generate ideas: Urzala is waiting for us in the heart of the pyramid. She has a theme.”

“Ah. Yes, well then, lead the way.” B’kak acceded, and the pair began to walk the steps to the center of the pyramid, the zigzagging steps shifting as they walked to ensure a rapid passage down the steep slope, the sky growing more and more distant as it became darker and darker.

Eventually, it became so dark that for a moment B’kak genuinely couldn’t see, something that terrified the Tau: the only thing that stopped his fear was a strange singing noise, an ethereal hymn.

Dazed, the Tau continued walking, one step at a time, their eyes adjusting slowly as more and more soft glows filled their vision. They were in some sort of…cavern? At the center was a a pitch black void, something B’kak could only see from the way light and space distorted around it, the sole exception being a single vast cord lined with mechanical diagnostic lights stretching into the thing, the cable attached to a leviathan spire jutting from another part of the spherical hollow.

All around them, the pathway had given way to fields of jagged, shadowy razor-stone patches, through which strange things slithered. Slowly regaining his senses, the Tau realized he had lost time: he couldn’t remember how long he had been in that strange transitory darkness.

“Is…is that normal?” He asked, facade cracking. “That can’t be normal to you people, yes?”

“...Yeah, that was weird,” His guide admitted. “Probably Urzala deciding to pay you special attention,” He said, frowning. “I’d, uh, advise being very careful. The Depths attention isn’t always a good thing. See the, uh, squog comment.”

….Oh. That wasn’t…that wasn’t good. “Did they at least-”

“Eighty six percent.” B’kak didn’t know whether that made it better or worse: on the one hand, if he accidentally inspired the wrath of the almost-certainly-real sea witch, at least he would not be entirely stuck as a fungal amphibian.

On the other hand, that still left fourteen percent squoggification.

Greater good. Greater Good. Greater Good. The words he repeated like a mantra, doing his best to get himself together. You are a diplomat. You’ve negotiated ransoms with Gue’la Inquisitors, brokered mercenary contracts with ork waaaaghs, and more besides. Any one of those could have killed you: this one is, at worst, liable to give you what amounts to an embarrassing medical condition.

And, beyond that, think of the potential utility the Tau Empire could get if they managed to achieve good relations also with the sea witch. Funnily enough, the latter thought did more to steel his nerves than the ones before it.

“Alright,” B’kak said, finally breaking the silence. “My apologies, I just needed a moment to compose myself,” He said brisky, continuing his walk. “Let’s hurry, shall we? This space is rather…unsettling.”

They continued their trek, eventually approaching a strange circle floored with stone surrounded by glowing coral on all sides, a small bubble of air in that submerged space. From all around them, a court of strange beings sat, gazing upon them: will-o-wisps that ate at the light around them instead of casting it, cephalapodic spirits whose cranium consisted of exposed neural tissue, strange volcanic golems that almost resembled crustaceans, and beings that appeared almost like Gue’la, Tekket, and even ‘Muse’, were it not for their translucent ephemeral forms.

And at the heart of this makeshift throne room in that vast undersea cavern lie the Sea Wytch, Manifest Current, Aspect Elemental. One of the great patrons of Wyld Occultism. When the Tau’s gaze found this great vita, this demigoddess, for a moment his brain was unable to comprehend it: he saw something so terrible, so cold that his mind refused to absorb it. Then, a moment later, left unknowing of what he had seen other than its wrongness, B’kak found himself gazing instead upon something that looked…ALMOST like a Tau, the Depths attempt to select a form less alarming to them.

“Ambassador Por'Vre Hul'aan Al B'kak,” The Great Vita said with needle like teeth giving a ghastly grin. “I’ve been looking forward to your arrival. I believe your empire and I have so very much to offer,” They spoke, and B’kak shuddered.

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Commissioned by @Kirbstomp, who wanted a look at what the ocean vita could become if ya'll focused hard on them. I'm not gonna tell you how to achieve this. I also included a few references to other future things I'm planning. Obviously, by the time we reach this point in the timeline I expect all my plans to be totally derailed, of course. 

Anyways, when this goes up publicly I'm opening the project auction again a bit early, with a bit of a twist. To make a long story short, my birthday is in a few days. To that end, I'm going to be accepting the top three bids instead of the top 1, in order to be able to afford to buy myself a nice dinner and small gift.