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Slaughtersong

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This page contains spoilers for: Daemon World (Novel)

The Slaughtersong is an ancient ship that orbited the planet Torvendis in the Maelstrom.

History

This craft is believed to be ancient and dates as far back as the Dark Age of Technology making it a machine constructed by Mankind. The greatest evidence that indicated it a relic of that time is its guiding intelligence and its sophisticated capabilities. Despite this being the case, Amakyre held doubts on this claim and whether it was genuinely the case. Its design is that of a craft made it appear as if it is composed of silver and light. Eventually, through unknown means, it came to orbit the Daemon World of Torvendis where it eventually was claimed by Arguleon Veq. Its presence above this world led it to becoming a legendary ship that was part of the world's immense complex star divinations conducted by Torvendis's sages. Legends would speak of it as his legendary steed and it took the form of a bright silver star that was high in the sky above the planet. The primitive tribes of the planet would have different accounts on the appearance of the Slaughtersong with some saying it was either a steed that was jet black or deathly white that was faster than light and spat fire from its eyes. Its body consisted of a skin or scales or feathers that was said to turn aside thunderbolts.[1]

A detachment of Word Bearers would board the ship and battle with the still living Arguleon Veq.[1]

Background

Its design consisted of both an inner and outer hull with it being filled with maintenance tunnels along its accessways that can lead to the external sensor arrays along with weapon emplacements. These passage ways could lead to any point on the ship though required any travellers to keep their sense of direction. Auspex scanners indicated that the air within the Slaughtersong was breathable despite centuries of being abandoned. In fact, despite its immense age, the craft was remarkably in a good condition with it being both bright and clean that marked it different from Imperial ships that were normally rebuilt in their long existence. It had polished chrome surfaces with lumostrips along with every curved wall smooth as well as unblemished. The floor was bright silver mesh with the walls made of mirror-bright metal. The Slaughtersong's corridors and doorways are circular with blank readout screens located everywhere that were all evenly and harshly lit by lumostrips running along the ceilings.[1]

This craft's bridge was a shining armoured sphere several hundred meters across with several circular hovering platforms that were brightly lit from within. The instruments appeared as ghostly lines of light in the air that were traced out by hidden holoprojectors with scanner readouts being shown on broad flat screens that hung everywhere and followed at command. From them, dozens of scenes could be displayed and were picked out by the Slaughtersongs sensory arrays that were transmitted onto the flat screens that hovered in the centre of the bridge.[1]

The Slaughtersong seemingly responded at verbal commands allowing its controller to activate it and its armoury. Such actions allowed the pilot to summon weapons straight from the armoury that flew with a power of their own that was directed by the ship. Similarly, at command, armour could be sent from the armoury by the starship where it equipped itself to the vessel's master. In fact, the ship's Machine Spirit is able to commune with its master and spoke in a metallic voice in the ears of its controller. The Slaughtersong is all but sentient making it as much as a companion as a starship which allowed it to serve as a counsellor for its master. The core is an arena ringed by towering grey-black memory stacks that are as tall as buildings with each holding a faint ripple of light playing across their surface. This wide circular dark glossy stone arena was full of wispy lights that formed complex shapes with swirling patterns which broke up as well as reformed at the speed of the ship's thoughts.[1]

In the holds of the ship was a vast space that was capable of holding at least a flight of fighter craft. Similar to the armoury, the ship's master is able to command the Slaughtersong at gaining control over the seventy fighters. Weapons emerged from the hull itself and fired solid beams blue-white light at targets.[1]

Sources