Been a while since I've done one of these. Oh well. Also definitely not the second time i'm writing this up, because i definitely didn't delete the stuff I typed up about half way through fml.
Anyways, today we shall be taking a look at the story of the Shadows of Calus. These include:
The Shadow of the Cabal: Valus Nohr
The Shadow of the Psions: Feltroc, The Skull-Piercer
The Shadow of the Eliksni: Sekris, The Baron of Shanks
The Shadow of the Clipse: Rull, The Gun of Kaga-Clipse
The Shadow of the Sindû: Jarus, The Ace-Defiant
The Shadow of the Arkborn: The Fulminator
So what makes an individual, a Shadow of Calus? well they have to offer something great, and prove to be worthy; this could be loyalty, strength, power, weapon prowess etc. And all are chosen by Calus himself.
So. Lets get started with those who have been there since the beginning. The Shadows of the Cabal and Psions, Nohr and Feltroc.
[b]Valus Nohr:[/b]
Valus Nohr is a Phalanx ranked Cabal, and has her loyalty pledged to the emperor. She fought in the battle of Kaga-Clipse, and led them to victory.
Mask of Nohr lore tab reads:
[quote] Valus Nohr wore this last; she who was the greatest Phalanx of her time. On our long journey back from the deep, she fought in the campaign to bring the Clipse into my fold. In the final stretch of that war, the Clipse took her arm. She took their principal city.[/quote]
Calus also displays more affection to her loss compared to the other Shadows;
Plate of Nohr lore tab reads: [quote]I will miss her, and regret that she did not live to see the coming end. So few of us will.[/quote]
[b]Feltroc, The Skull-Piercer:[/b]
Feltroc was a psion who followed under Calus's rule. She was a master rifleman, and according to Calus in the Mask of Feltroc lore tab: [quote]A gun in her hands was a guarantee of victory[/quote]
She was also present for the Battle of Kaga-Clipse presumably aiding Nohr in her assult on the capital. The flavour text for the Mask of Feltroc reads: [quote]"I can solve this. Give me a weapon." —Feltroc, the Skull-Piercer at the Battle of Kaga-Clipse[/quote]
She would also go on to find a mutual respect in Rull, Boots of Feltroc flavour text: [quote]"The Clipse worship guns. That's why Rull and I have an understanding. Even if he's not bright." —Feltroc, the Skull-Piercer[/quote]
Feltroc was gifted a second skin, armour to help her in combat. The Boots of Feltroc lore tab reads: [quote]As with the Fulminator after her, I gifted Feltroc with a second skin—a battle harness that allowed her to stride with the physical dimensions of the average bipedal Loyalist. I had intended it to be an asset to her, a means to faster preparation with her armory of weapons, a place to store additional tools, and allow her to enter combat with the ergonomics of a "standard" soldier.
She told me she preferred it because it gave her enemies a fair shot at her head. I enjoyed her company immensely.
—Calus, Emperor of the Cabal
[/quote]
She also sought a place within Calus's Psion Council, to which Calus refused. The Vest of Feltroc lore tab reads: [quote]As a Psion, Feltroc possessed the uncanny ability to slow her breathing and steady her motion with a layer of telekinetic manipulation. Before her passing, she had long sought a seat on my Psion Council, to help maintain the nightmare realm I reserve for prisoners and punishing wayward Loyalists. But she proved to be too valuable an asset in the field.[/quote]
So now we move on to the first race who hadn't sat aboard the Leviathan. starting with Rull.
[b]Rull, The Gun of Kaga-Clipse:[/b]
Rull is a member of the Clipse. A race of beings we're yet to encounter in the destiny games. Their race trapped in an endless war with their alien infested biosphere. During his initial reign as Cabal emperor, Calus sought to teach the Clipse of high culture, which didn't please the Clipse. After the events of the Midnight Coup, Ghaul returned to secure their loyalty by sending forces to finish the ancient war. The Cabal detachment realised this action to be impossible, thus leaving after a century of further damaging the planet. When Calus returned he was greeted with war. So he sent Valus Nohr and 6000 troops to do battle with the Clipse. Nohr broke them, causing them to launch a final assult on the Leviathan. Many Clipse were slaughtered, except one. Rull. He stood before an impressed Calus, and a deal was made. Rull would join Calus as his shadow to the Clipse, and Calus would ensure the survival of the Clipse species. Rull agreed. Calus provided archologies to Rull's chosen people, and the guns of Kaga-Clipse turned the Clipse homeworld into a global firestorm. And with that, Calus left, with his newly found Shadow. (This basic summary of the events was based on Entry VI of the confessions lore book linked here ----> https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/entry-vi?)
Rull was tasked with a mission which is detailed in the armour of Rull you collect in the first Leviathan raid:
the Chassis and boots of Rull and the Shadow's Mark together read: [quote]Rull gathered his cloak around him tightly as he pushed his way through the teeming marketplace. All around him, Cabal stumbled and pushed their way towards the celebration. No one seemed to question his identity as a foreign merchant, but his heart still raced.
Rull thought about the mission that Emperor Calus had given him.
"I'm sending you to the Cabal homeworld, Rull. There's a celebration, and you are to be a bearer of my gifts—the finest wines and spirits the universe has to offer."
Rull was disappointed. He wanted to bring down great beasts, not assassinate old Cabal aristocrats.
"Oh, Rull. Don't fret. I promised you a warrior's paradise and you shall have it. The gifts will buy you access to some of my former friends. I haven't spoken to them in some time, and well, I'd like them to know I haven't forgotten."
He arrived at the estate of Iska'al, former friend and confidante of the exiled Emperor Calus. It took surprisingly little to convince the guards to grant him entrance. The Cabal must truly be crazy for the wine he offered up as a gift. It was a day of celebration, after all. Who knows how deep into their cups these guards were?
Once inside, he spotted his mark. Rull wasted no time. He removed the sheath from the end of his staff to reveal a spear-tip. Iska'al fell backwards and attempted to crawl away as his guards were skewered. Rull grabbed a cask of wine and pounced on the terrified old creature, pouring the wine down his throat. Iska'al choked and sputtered and flailed helplessly. Rull delivered his message as promised.
"Emperor Calus has not forgotten you."
Rull didn't stop pouring until he felt Iska'al go limp.
Rull was covered in the sticky black and violet of Cabal blood and wine. He dropped Iska'al's body to the floor with a soft thud. Just then, Moli the Celebrant entered the courtyard. When Rull realized that his second target had carelessly walked alone into a secluded space in the midst of a massive celebration on the Cabal homeworld, he thought, "Perhaps this is the warrior's paradise that Emperor Calus promised."
Rull activated his staff's secondary configuration and fired a harpoon into Moli's exposed flank. The barbs pierced deep, and the giant beast of a Cabal let out a monstrous howl. Blind with pain, he began to run, dragging Rull behind like a harpooned whale dragging a ship.
The honored Celebrant Moli ran through the streets of the Cabal homeworld on celebration day, howling in agony and dragging Rull behind. It was such a spectacle that no one was sure what exactly was happening or what to do about it.
Moli ran all the way to Dominus Ghaul's ceremony and right up the steps before collapsing at his lord's feet. Rull realized that he now faced a choice—try to escape, or finish the job.
Rull yanked out the harpoon before shoving it through Moli's neck. He had just enough time to pull off his helmet and smile in Ghaul's face before he was killed.
Truly, Emperor Calus had delivered a warrior's paradise.[/quote]
Rull had slain two of Calus's conspirators, Moli'i'Moli and Iska'al before being slain by Ghaul himself.
[b]Jarus, The Ace-Defiant:[/b]
Jarus is a member of the Sindû race, and a part of the elite group of pilots the race has. How Jarus met Calus is detailed in the Helm of the Ace-Defiant flavour text and lore tab:
[quote]“The Sindu inhabited gas giants in the spinward marches. They refused my invitation at first. As with all things, they came to see things my way.” —Emperor Calus
When his eyes finally opened, Jarus was staring at a fuzzy silhouette of something giant. The giant spoke. “Welcome home,” it rumbled. Jarus blinked rapidly. The room began to come into focus, shining like a temple. The giant spoke again.
“My child, there is nothing to fear. I have rescued you. Welcome to my empire.” The feeling returned to Jarus' limbs. He was restrained. And this creature now towered over him. He was staring into the face of death. “Fear not, my warrior-to-be.”
Jarus blinked slowly. What about the other pilots? His battalion? Did they escape?
“You, the last star-pilot of the Sindû, will be my Ace-Defiant.”
It was not a choice.[/quote]
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1 ReplyLike with many of the Shadows, Calus bestowed a gift to Jarus. the Grips of the Ace-Defiant lore tab read: [quote]With a flourish, Emperor Calus lifted a hand. “My Star, a gift for you.” The theater had begun. The hangar door opened slowly, and behind it a row of purple banners dropped, one after another. As each banner snapped into place, a Psion fell to hands and knees, head bowed low. Jarus's shoulder disappeared in the emperor's hand. “Come, let us open your gift.” The two walked past the kneeling warriors. “I have named it for you,” Calus crooned. “I call it God's Will.” Jarus's chest fluttered. The ship was beautiful. A drum sounded. A Cabal emerged, delicately carrying armor, holding it as if it would break. Piece by piece it was placed on the floor in front of Jarus. The weight on his shoulder lifted. “This is yours. When you take it, you are mine.” Calus left. His procession followed. Only God's Will and Jarus remained.[/quote] Whilst on a space flight Jarus would go on to take out another member of the Midnight Coup. The Vest and Boots of The Ace-Defiant together read: [quote]“Jarus, you simply are wrong.” “We will agree to disagree, my lord.” “Your palate simply lacks the sophistication to detect the notes in your world's drink!” “I am Sindû. It was crafted for my palate, my lord.” “But you simply do not taste all of this. It's impossible.” “I do not currently taste anything, my lord.” “Well, we must fix that.” In the silence of space, a nearby explosion rocked God's Will. Jarus narrowed his eyes. “My lord, I have an issue to tend to.” “I shall save your drink for you.” The cockpit monitor flickered from Calus's face to a radar. Small red triangles blinked onscreen as an alarm took up its shrill cry. Jarus pulled a visor down in front of him and fired the ship's thrusters. Shayotet's ship lay smashed and burning on the ground. A few meters away, Shayotet himself crawled from a pod. Jarus jumped lightly from his own ship, sent it rocketing back into low orbit with a tap to his nav-gauntlet. God's Will had done its part. Now Jarus must finish him. Jarus raised a pistol, another of Calus's gifts, and emptied its clip. Shayotet heaved and jerked as black pressure gel spouted from his armor, but he did not fall. He roared—blood and saliva spattered the ground—and charged. Jarus holstered the pistols. He waited until Shayotet was nearly on top of him before activating the energy blade. A gargling roar, a spray of pressure gel, and it was over. Jarus' fingers trembled as he summoned God's Will again. In the cockpit, Calus' face appeared. “My heart swells with pride. This drink is in your honor.”[/quote] [b]Sekris, The Baron of Shanks:[/b] Now Sekris is maybe the Shadow we know the least about, but we have some basic details on hi, as a Shadow, and what he was doing before Calus (which shall be provided in picture/screenshot format because i won't have enough room to type it all out). We know three definitive facts about the Shadow of the Eliksni: 1) He has an extreme hatred for humanity and guardians. The Wraps of Sekris lore tab read: [quote]Desperate. My lovely Baron of Shanks was the most desperate Shadow I ever recruited. He questioned every order I gave, to the point that Valus Nohr required my personal appeasement to prevent the severing of his head. Every second Humankind was left alive in this system he saw as an affront he demanded I rectify. Had I known how delightful encountering Guardians would be, I would have abided immediately. But those were the days before my dear Dominus had embraced the Light. At that time, what was Humanity to me? Nothing. —Calus, Emperor of the Cabal [/quote] 2) He set a precedent for many Eliksni to come. Mask of Sekris lore tab reads: [quote]Sekris, the Baron of Shanks, wore this last. He was the most venerated warrior-priest of his era; Taniks, the Scarred and a whole generation of mercenaries to come patterned their brutality after his early, worlds-burning deeds. But I reached out, and he disappeared from history when he ventured into the deep black, following an offer he could not ignore. —Calus, Emperor of the Cabal[/quote] 3) He was one of the few beings able to see through Calus' disguise. Robes of Sekris lore tab reads:[quote]In later days, my disguise could no longer fool him as it fooled others. His skill in designing and modifying mechanized life-forms was unparalleled and he made it clear he knew I was not what I appeared to be. I made it clear that, either way, he would continue to serve. But I think he guessed that my form and my strength are inextricably linked.[/quote] Now, the links that follow are an expansion of various flavour texts off the Eater of Worlds armour, found within the second grimoire anthology: [spoiler]page 1: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625090466500706304/638371546884341772/image0.jpg page 2/3: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625090466500706304/638371677033463808/image0.jpg page 4/5: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625090466500706304/638371845229379607/image0.jpg[/spoiler] [b]The Fulminator:[/b] From the interstellar conduits, came the Arkborn. A being of pure energy. She was given form aboard the Leviathan and was forced to become a Shadow on the basis that Calus leaves her race alone. Mask of the Fulminator lore tab reads: [quote]Calus gestured towards the crackling Arc storm before him. The energy mass shivered, tethered to a golden spindle in the center of the chamber. “You are marvelous,” he said to the Arkborn. His eyes drank in the flickering light, reflecting nothing. “You will cast a glorious Shadow.” A panel on the wall lit up in Cabal: THIS SHIP IS TINY. The emperor threw his head back and guffawed. “Compared to the interstellar conduits of your people anything would seem small. The Leviathan is formidable in its own right, I assure you.” LEAVE MY PEOPLE BE. I WILL SERVE. “Of course. You are all I need. Your very presence eviscerates flesh.” He gestured, and a metallic shell lowered from the darkness above. Now the Fulminator was free to walk the decks of her new flagship[/quote] The Wraps and Robes of the Fulminator lore tabs details a mission she was deployed upon to destroy more enemies of the emperor: [quote]Statesman Tha'uul ran, and the Fulminator followed him. He was a minor diplomat who had played a part in the coup against the emperor. She wasn't certain of the details. The social dynamics of organics were difficult to grasp and she found them consistently irrelevant. He had no idea she was still there. He thought he had outrun her, but the Arkborn knew that bipeds rarely look up. She hovered far above her target, specific limiters on her armor disabled so that Arc could flow freely and lift her to the heavens. Below, the statesman had chosen a brightly lit street that led to a dead end on the left turn in front of him. She descended. The charred husk that was Statesman Tha'uul had revealed several things before he expired. He had mistaken her for a “warrior of the Light,” one of their “storm bringers” who apparently bore a resemblance to the Fulminator. She wished to see one of them. No biped was ever anything like her. She felt something like regret when Tha'uul said his people were mobilizing to annihilate them. She made other reports to Calus, pertaining to the locations of Red Legion armories and fleet movements. He only cared about one. Now that the military was in power, in Calus's absence, military parades on Cabal worlds were commonplace. Ghaul's flagship would take part in one such celebration, on Resignation Day, in the fringes of the Sol system, in honor of a mythic Praetor. That was where the Shadows would kill the Dominus.[/quote] (continued below)
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Bmp for later.
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... EXCUUUUUSE ME SIR! THIS SUBFORUM IS ONLY FOR FAN FICTION! I WAS EXPECTING A CALUS X SHADOWS GANG BANG!.. [spoiler]not included in the DLC[/spoiler]
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i really wish we met the fulminator
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Great post! I've already done a deep dive into the shadows in the past but the story is a fun one so I'll give it another read.
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1 ReplyOh wow! This is amazing! I’ve always wondered about the Shadows but never enough to dig through lore to learn about them. Thanks for putting this together, I enjoyed it! 👏👏
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1 ReplyBeautiful
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1 ReplyWell damn chubby, this might be the biggest lore post I’ve seen for a looooong time.
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Edited by superskybro: 10/28/2019 4:53:55 PMChubby what have you done?! A single post can't handle this much lore! YOU'VE GONE TO FAR!!