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Howdy dakka this is a fluff thread to my plog. I am hoping some writing will re-inspire me to work on my miniatures again.


Soft smooth arches kissed the roof. Naked female and male statues peppered the gardens with rounded stone bases. Bronze coloured plaques described the heroes in all that they have done. Nilath walked the Garden of Heroes softly stepping on the grass that laid between his toes. "Teacher, why are the heroes naked?" Asked one of Nilath's youngest disciples. Nilath turned warmly with some color in his cheeks as he stood under the bosom of Nilla, wielder of the spear.

He admired his student's ears how correctly they pointed. "Because, Vor, A hero is not made by weapons, armor or anything you can wear. A hero is made inside you. A naked hero is still a hero." Nilath pointed to the statues. How their features were only to be found attractive. Nilath even allowed a touch of the hand with Nilla.

Vor turned to read the plaque aloud, "Nilla, wielder of the spear, daughter of Nilath and the house of Death. Fought in the Fox sector of space saving three dozen Eldar worlds from the Necron dynasty Sok'Tor by bravely sacrificing herself in solo combat against a Necron Lord. She still walks among us today as a wraith lord ever watching the horizon for doom." Vor recited many of the plaques under the bare statues marveling their features. Each one said the dead still lived protecting the world. Vor's face began to grow confused.

"What is wrong Vor?" Nilath asked as Vor stared off into the distance.
"They all died, every single one, but they are still here" Vor looked up at Nilath in confusion. His eyes were deep with no understanding. Nilath simply smiled.
"As Keeper of the Dead, Vor, I understand your confusion more than most. You can only become a hero if you have died. Death is merely a step to be your full potential as a Wraith. If you haven't died you are just a good warrior." Nilath felt the empty words his father told him leave his lips. Those words that claimed his daughters life. It stung to say, but he said it. Vor smiled.
"It is better to be a good warrior than a hero" Vor nodded.

A soft thud shocked the silence. Bright white birds with rainbow colored tails and wing tips left the dense pink flowering trees surrounding the garden. They flew into the sky as the sun beat down on the world. A second thud resounded. Nilath knew what it was, but waited to see what Vor would do, it would be his first meeting with such a hero. Vor lowered his vision down into an aggressive stance. Preparing for a fight. "Get back teacher, it is the Necrons" Nilath laughed at his students statement.

"No Necrons can get us here Vor. You must relax, this is our homeworld after all." A statue sized head appeared behind the statue they stood in front of. The smooth black face with an infinity gate symbol of double squares laid in the middle of the blank face. The faceless expression hinted at hiding and secrecy. It wailed and moaned quietly in mute and strange tones.
"Teacher... is that a hero." Nilath nodded.

Purple energy began to grow around Nilath fuming and evaporating into the air around him. "What do you need Nilla?" Nilath spoke. A towering metal figure stood up at least three times as high as the statue in front of them with. Smooth rounded armor graced the sight of a fearsome monster. The faceless thin construct was pale bone color with black knee caps and head. Decorative gold trim and white symbols touched here and there on the wraith lords body. It whined again in a soft whale like call.

Nilath's eyes grew wide.

It's a pretty cool little piece. As a lone vignette, it would have worked well to end at the lesson, but as a fluff piece it introduces your wraith-lord and Keeper of the Dead nicely.

The grammar could use a bit of a going over to refine it, and some sentences could be re-worded to be easier in the eye, e.g.: "He admired his students ears how correctly the pointed."

I wasn't a big fan of the bit "Get back teacher, it is the Necrons." because the start of the story made me feel like they were in a safe place, one where a Necron wouldn't suddenly appear to attack them. Perhaps he could still get a little defensive, or maybe even awestruck, but without the reference.

I hope that helps, mate!

 Gryamauch wrote:
It's a pretty cool little piece. As a lone vignette, it would have worked well to end at the lesson, but as a fluff piece it introduces your wraith-lord and Keeper of the Dead nicely.

The grammar could use a bit of a going over to refine it, and some sentences could be re-worded to be easier in the eye, e.g.: "He admired his students ears how correctly the pointed."

I wasn't a big fan of the bit "Get back teacher, it is the Necrons." because the start of the story made me feel like they were in a safe place, one where a Necron wouldn't suddenly appear to attack them. Perhaps he could still get a little defensive, or maybe even awestruck, but without the reference.

I hope that helps, mate!

That is very helpful, thank you. Yeah a couple simple grammar mistakes were likely. Not that I ever get upset when someone points something wrong, I love to fix my errors.

About the whole Necron line. It was to show how green horn the student was. I added some more writing to add some emphasis on that. It wasn't over the actual fact that Necrons could get there.

Nilath entered the large round chambers in his pale bone robe. The council sat in a half circle facing Nilath's entrance. Black night ate into the roofs windows revealing a slew of colors of space. Blue stars with a purple cloudy back ground against the deep black with some orange and blue mixed in at a stripe pattern. Black helmets with equal emptiness of the space above look into Nilath's approach.

"You dare use my own daughter to summon me?!" Nilath yelled. The dome chambers echoed with his challenge. "Where is Yeliath?! She is the only dead speaker that would work for the likes of you Zek'nial. My only family member who would betray me."

The center council member with a large wraith vine protruding from his back to represent the love for the dead raised his hand. The white face plate bore expressionlessly into Nilath, no eyes on the helmet it was blank like a wraiths head. Nilath grew silent.
"Nilath I am here. She is the only one you would have listened too." Yeliath spoke as she rounded from behind the head council member. The faceless helmet turned to face her showing off its prestigious smooth and symmetrical antlers.

Nilath turned in a rage. He built up a fire in his chest and throat. Ready to release he opened his mouth to let loose.
"sciiiiiilllllllleeeeennnnccccceeeee!" Came from everywhere and no where at once. Zek'nail rose in his faceless mask. He was covered in wraith bone armor on top of his robes. "I have foreseen our peoples end. We must leave at once. You are to recall the heroes into the craft ship. We are leaving this world."

Nilath turned about to accept his orders. "Where will we go?" Nilath demanded in an angry tone.
"An exodite world has requested for aid against the Necron Dynasty Sok'Tor. We travel to their aid." Nilath left the chambers. Yeliath joined him down the rounded corridor.

"Brother, it wasn't to betray you" Yeliath exclaimed, " It was to protect you and her."
"How is summoning Nilla from slumber to protect her?" Nilath retorted under his breath as they walked passed the winged helmeted honor guard.
"She would be near you, and the bone singers." Yeliath said softly. Nilath grew more frustrated and began to fume mentally. Nilath knew Yeliath knew more about what was going to happen. She always kept him on the classic "need to know basis" and she didn't want him to know.

Back in the garden Nilath saw Vor and smiled. Hiding his frustration.
"Madam Yeliath! It is an honor to meet you in person" Vor happily said as he bowed. Yeliath nodded to him and returned the gesture.
"And who might this be Nilath, another one of your pupils?" Yeliath asked graciously.
"My name is Vor'ak Niga Tolith, son of Vor'ak Decis Tolith High autarch of naval command" Vor spoke as he preformed a second bowing gesture.
"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Your father is adapt and dedicated warrior." Yeliath said as she turned and left off into the distance.

"What is going on teacher Nilath? Your sister seems splendid" Vor spoke looking up to Nilath. Nilath watched Yeliath walk away fire still inside him. Nilath turned with a smile to face Vor.
"How about some sparing?" Nilath asked cheerfully. Vor raised his arms in excitement.
"Yeah!" Vor yelled.

Nilath and Vor walked off towards the aspect square.

Vor and Nilath both walked to the warrior square. It took half an hour to reach the square. Rounded oval shapes of grass and plant beds of wildly coloured plants decorated the raising scape. The towers themselves looked to be a blossoming rose of rooms and windows. Huge winged structural supports held the rooms off the center shaft of the structures.

Flaming birds decorated the walls here and there. Some of the murals were large and decorative spanning the entire giant square. Already present was the aspects training. As Nilath reached the top of the sparing arena inside the square soft thuds resounded in deep echoing marches. The land shook softly, and the rolling drum strikes pulled the attention away from training for everyone.

As the sun was setting thousands of thin smooth bone coloured constructs marched. "The dead march again, all heros" Nilath spoke. One construct turned to look at Vor.

"Nilath, what is it you see? Do you see the robots or more?" Vor asked. Nilath smiled, choking almost on the question.

"Vor..." Nilath placed his hand on Vor "... I see who the dead were, their faces, their bodies. I see them nothing to hide who they are. That Wraith there looking at you, in your houses colors with the decorative phoenix emblems of our world, do you see it?"

Vor looked over the perfect ranks, and saw the one Wraith out of perfect formation. It wielded a large black cannon looking weapon. Its black head and lion cloth bore the symbols of his house. "I see it Teacher..." Vor looked up at Nilath expectantly.

"That is your grand father, two thousand years old, he sees your spirit. He sees that it radiates with light, and he can connect to you through your blood. He says he loves you, and is proud of his family, proud of you." The Wraith wailed soft deep tones that had a rumbling base.

Vor felt a warmth appear from inside him, it touched him when the wraith made a deep blank stair into his soul. For an instant Vor felt ice cold, the cold snap drowned out all color of the world. Purple flames erupted over the Wraith construct. It was burning, going to die Vor thought. Vor looked closer and for the shimmering second Vor could see his grandfathers body, his face, his smiling proud face. It had a robust smooth chin, and narrow eyes of a hunter, a large chest and defined muscular body.

Color returned, and the Wraith was gone, walking forward turning its head back into formation.

"I hope you saw how proud he was Vor...." Nilath retracted his hand. It glowed with a soft radiant purple fire that covered Vor's grand father.

"Thank you for letting me see, teacher" Nilath simply nodded and turned to watch the march. The Wraith army seemed endless as thousands walked by heading straight into the capital.

The Wraith marched and marched, until the sun set on the smooth city. Everyone watched, to make sure they paid their respects.

Ooo interesting.

Very very good, count me as an follower of this Eldar tale