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Army Fluff Xan'icha, City of Silent Steps

Discussion in 'Fluff and Stories' started by Quetzakroakl, Sep 1, 2013.

  1. Quetzakroakl
    Jungle Swarm

    Quetzakroakl New Member

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    Thought I would share the background for my army with the forum and get your feedback and opinions...

    Xan'icha, City of Silent Steps

    The city of Xan'icha was one of the last cities that the Old Ones ordered built and it has a specific role. Built along and into the cliffs on the southern coast of Lustria it made great use of the floating stone structures to extend its borders out over the ocean itself and conform to the designs provided. Some of the floating districts were tethered to Lustria by the roots of great trees, others floated free and moved in a slow lazy ballet of their own. Whilst it was as magnificent as any of the Lizardmen cities in their prime, it was a place where magic relics and artefacts of chaos that endangered the plan were brought to be destroyed. This dark task left it with a reputation for being a sullen and silent city, where the southern winds owned the streets. This reputation was unfounded and the lizards of the city were as vibrant as those of any other but the moniker stuck and it became known as the City of Silent Steps.

    Like many cities it fell during the first great war, not to invaders but to a magical storm born of chaos. The great blocks of stone that comprised the pyramids were hurled into the surrounding jungle by powerful vortices, the floating districts sunk to the sea bed by lightning and its mighty walls knocked flat by unearthly hurricane winds. Worst of all, its forbidden artefacts were scattered and fell into the hands of the forces of destruction. Xan'icha lay silent and ruined for many centuries reclaimed by the jungle until the Slann Quetzakroakl discerned its role in the Old Ones’ plan and marched with an army to reclaim and rebuild it. Upon arrival at the site of the city the skinks and kroxigor set about mapping the city and planning to rebuild it. Driven by some pressing need and acting with a haste not commonly seen amongst his kind Quetzakroakl drew deeply on his powers and, before the eyes of his host, the city rebuilt itself. The jungle retreated and great blocks of stone pulled themselves free from the earth and began to assemble themselves into familiar structures. Water cascaded off floating districts as they rose from the depths covered in great mats of seaweed and algae. In the space of a few short hours a temple city complete with pyramids and avenues stood where before there had only been jungle or open air. With a final wave of his hand three plaques came free from the largest of the temples and hovered before his attendant priests; he issued a simple one word command to them before slipping into a deep meditative trance - Begin.

    The Skink priests studied the plaques and tried to ascertain what they were supposed to 'begin'. Whilst they chattered and debated, life began again in the city of Xan'icha for the first time in centuries. Skinks and kroxigor worked together to re-open wells, fill food stores and to re-consecrate the spawning pools. The towers and walls of the city were once again manned by units of Sauri and, most importantly, a Slann again resided in the central pyramid. In scant weeks it was as if the city had never been abandoned. For the skink priests studying the plaques and contemplating their master's instructions those weeks passed in frenzied debate. It was clear that the plaques spoke of powerful magical artefacts but it was also apparent that these were not artefacts of the old ones but items of chaos to be destroyed. What wasn't clear was where these artefacts could be found, how the Lizardmen were to get to them or how they were to be destroyed. Still the priests had their orders, so they sent out all the scouts and terradon riders; they had to begin the search for these artefacts of destruction.

    The years rolled by and several artefacts were found and recovered from the hands of marauding bands of piratical warm bloods or from the vile rat men. But the reach of Xan'icha was limited and the Skink priests had no way of destroying the items they captured so they simply stored them and waited for Quetzakroakl to awaken. To make matters worse, since the re-consecrated spawning pools had produced large spawnings of Sauri but very few skink spawning, this meant that there were fewer and fewer scouts who could be sent out. So it was when Quetzakroakl emerged from his meditations the city was thriving but its sacred duty lay incomplete. Some of the items recovered were within the Slann's capabilities to destroy, others were not. He destroyed those he could; the others he ordered encased in black stone, bound in gold and then stored in one of the outer pyramids. His next instructions to the Skink Priests were more precise - they were to construct a huge floating district with a pyramid at its centre, the district must be large enough to support an army. He would leave them this task and awaken upon its completion.

    The construction took nearly five decades and for large periods progress was slow as the spawning pools continued to produce few skinks and fewer kroxigor. Whilst the city had an abundance of Sauri, they made poor builders. Still the skink priests persisted (after all they could not simply stop) and eventually the project was complete. As the final stone was laid in place, Quetzakroakl awoke. He levitated his palanquin and, flanked by his temple guard, proceeded through the avenues of Xan'icha until he was in front of the great structure. He surveyed the results of the skinks’ labours and inclined his head to the skink chiefs in appreciation, an honour of staggering proportions. He ordered an army onto the great floating fortress and ascended the central pyramid, bringing his palanquin to rest at the apex. There was a momentary delay and then the whole structure shuddered and lifted away at Quetzakroakl’s command. Since that day the Host of Xan'icha has roamed the world hunting for these artefacts of destruction, returning only to replenish its forces and to entomb those artefacts that Quetzakroakl cannot destroy himself.

    As for the city of Xan'icha itself. It has been the home to many Slann over the intervening centuries, some come to try and destroy those artefacts held there - some have even succeeded; other have tried to solve the puzzle of the spawning pools and ascertain why they produce so few skinks, with varying degrees of success. Given the wealth of dark magic items now contained within its walls several Slann foresee that an attack upon the city is inevitable and seek to reinforce the city.

    Hope you enjoyed that, constructive criticism always welcome.
     
    Scalenex likes this.
  2. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    I like the idea of a Temple City dedicated to being the Old One's hazardous materials site.

    With the all the floating buildings, I would think your army should have more flyers than a typical Lizardmen army.


    Slann is spelled with two "n"s not too "a." I'm not normally a stickler for spelling but we don't want to confuse Slann with the Slaanesh, the Chaos God.
     
  3. Quetzakroakl
    Jungle Swarm

    Quetzakroakl New Member

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    Thanks for the feedback Scalenex I have been through and corrected the spelling of Slann.

    I may well have a lot of flyers in the fullness of time as I agree it fits with the theme. Helps that the models are pretty cool too.
     
  4. spawning of Bob
    Skar-Veteran

    spawning of Bob Well-Known Member

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    If you think Xan'icha's spawnings are inexplicable, come to Los'tmabo'tl sometime.

    Its probably best you don't have all my problems. Bob with a floating pyramid sounds hazardous.

    Love your work.
     
  5. Quetzakroakl
    Jungle Swarm

    Quetzakroakl New Member

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    Thanks Bob, that is high praise indeed. Your threads in this section are one of the highlights that made me make the leap from lurker to member.
     
  6. n810
    Slann

    n810 First Spawning

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    Indeed great fluff man. :)
     

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