Vadinax Update, Week 15: May 10, 2023

The Vadinax Campaign is Goonhammer’s Global Crusade Campaign for Warhammer 40,000. Each week we’ll explore the major events taking place in the sector and talk about how players are shaping the ongoing story.

If you missed the most recent update before this, you can find it here.

Lady Astra Enters the Joust

As the battles in the Joust commenced, Lady Azule Astra issued a proclamation for all of its contestants, both those with legitimate claim and those with stolen invitations.

+++ Missive from Princess-Knight Commierta Azule-Astra, First of Her House, to All Remaining Challengers +++

There is nothing this House will tolerate less than desperate, obvious, uncouth, unchivalrous cheating, and as the first of my House, I speak for it! You’ve ruined the honor of my father, my older brother and my older sister! You’ve threatened the honor of my House itself! You fools! You charlatans!

The better part of valor isn’t discretion, it’s violence. The thing next to godliness isn’t cleanliness, it’s victory. But you all know that already, don’t you? The Joust continues. You will be there. I have to accept that. So this is my proposal to you idiot knaves: House Azule-Astra will run this thing to the letter. We enter the demarcated arena. We fight. We live, or we die. And there’s no support ships, no pit stops, no stoppage rules, no timeouts, nothing. NOTHING! I promise you a swift death. And I promise you that if it goes the other way, idiot, I’m not going to beg. You’re not going to pull me from the wreckage. You’re not going to put my House in a cage and make it your pet. If you’re gonna Joust me, you better aim to kill me. You better make it count. You better end it on the first strike. Because that’s what’s coming back your way. And it’s coming fast. Ask the last guy. Ahhhh. Hahaha.

I am Princess-Knight Commierta Azule-Astra, and when you fight me, you have to forget about the rest of the universe. They’re heading to Keplon. They’re heading to Hope’s Clarion Call. They’re heading wherever they want in Vadinax. You’re here. And if you face me, idiot, you face the end. Squire up and launch.

Riddles in the Dark

In the early days of the Vadinax campaign the forces of Chaos had once received an uninvited visit from a Harlequin guest attempting to spur them in a direction. This message, couched in riddle, proved wholly inscrutable to the more violence-minded traitor astartes. Thus it fell on them to perform certain rituals, working in concert with other sorcerous cabals in the invading Chaos fleets to commune with Tzeentch and obtain an answer.

Sitting in the circle surrounded by the sacrifices of the cult's devoted, the physical world around Dustspinner falls away as the infinite expanse of the empyrean evenlops them. Flickering flames of gold, blue, pink, and purple stretch out into the void, lighting myriad pathways to tread. One of these leads to Astarix, where an outstretched, mechanical hand holds an ancient key. Another leads to Steadfast Repentence; there, a lock.

Further paths wind and overlap, showing possible futures. In one the Ark of Omen Ten Thousand Lies burns, breaking apart as Imperial ships descend on it. In another Hope's Clarion Call is shattered, completely broken by the impact of its own moon. Another shows the forces of Chaos smashed entirely as Eldar and Necron ships war in the debris field left in their wake. Aa third shows the system's star itself snuffed out as Hive fleets swarm the freezing planets now drifting in the void.

Dustspinner emerged from this trance with a renewed purpose and orders for the Chaos fleets: Find the key, find the lock, and activate the Hazzat Engine - whatever that may be.

+++STATUS REPORT: PARASBINE SECUNDUS+++

+++0349023M03+++

After their protracted, Necron-infested pit stop at Haxan, the Imperial forces from Kephistrone have arrived at the Auger of Truth and engaged the forces of the Trans-Hyperion Alliance. Having already seen off the Astartes of Strike Force Gladius and the Genestealer Cultists of the Departmento Laborum, the Votann dig in one last time to defend their ticket off of this ancestors-forsaken planet.

A few hundred kilometers away in Miltner’s Docks, Malioch Soulbinder has had his daemonic hands full with ritual preparations and fending off the meddling Sun’chur Dynasty. Some elements of his enslaved foundry workforce took the opportunity to attempt to escape Malioch’s clutches, but the Soulbinder’s minions quickly reestablished control and made examples of the would-be escapees.

Next Week: Battles in the Dark

That wraps up our look this week at the results of the Vadinax campaign but check back next week we'll look at how Chaos and Imperial forces are faring in the desperate battle for Hope's Clarion Call. And in the meantime if you have any questions or feedback, drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com.

Tags: 40k | Warhammer 40k | Narrative Play | Crusade | Vadinax