| “ | I see fortresses in the stars, a circle of six, but they sleep yet and must be awakened. Seek the Hand of Darkness in the place between salvation and damnation, for with it you shall guide the doom of suns. Take the Eye of Night from the stunted men and see the path laid out for you. With these, the citadels of the aether will be yours to command, their powers yours to unleash. Ride upon the storms of Chaos that will come soon. Gather your rivals about you. Send discord and terror throughout a thousand worlds. But be swift, for destiny does not wait for those who are cautious. That is the way to control your destiny, to set yourself up as a living god to rival the so-called Emperor of Mankind. A chorus of a billion throats will cry your name in fear and hatred, and the stars themselves will run with blood. If you have the stomach for it, Warmaster... | „ |
| ~ The Prophecy of the Blackstone Fortresses, as told by the damned seer Moriana |
Summary
The Blackstone Fortresses are massive, alien-constructed star forts and Warp-based strategic weapons employed by Forces of Chaos during recent conflicts in the 41st Millennium. According to some Imperial savants, the Blackstone Fortresses were constructed and first used during the war between the Old Ones and the Necrons remembered in Eldar legend as the War in Heaven. The Blackstone Fortresses were known to the ancient Eldar as the Talismans of Vaul, and were said to have been built by the Smith God himself as an ultimate weapon against the C'tan.
The six Blackstone Fortresses were discovered early in the Imperium's history, scattered across the void. Seemingly ancient even at that time, the dormant structures were cyclopean in scale and utterly mysterious. No sign could be found of those who constructed them. Despite exhaustive attempts at analysis, none could determine the nature of the super-hardened, onyx-like metals from which they were constructed. The early Imperium ultimately claimed the Blackstone Fortresses for its own. Even dormant, the enormous battle stations made for exceptional deep-space naval bases. Towed into position by pilot craft, and encrusted with secondary Imperial structures, the Blackstone Fortresses became cornerstones of Imperial naval might.
It was during the horrors of the Gothic War—one of Abaddon the Despoiler's notorious Black Crusades—that the Blackstone Fortresses were awoken and their hidden capabilities as weapons of mass destruction made manifest. None know how the Despoiler came by the fell lore required to bring the Blackstone Fortresses' systems to life, but as the Gothic War ground on, it became clear that Abaddon's primary objective was to seize as many of these titanic weapons platforms from the Imperium as he could. By the end of that tumultuous naval conflict, several fortresses were in the hands of the Black Legion, and at least one more had been destroyed.
To capitalise on the Necron and their C'tan masters' vulnerability to Warp-based attacks during the War in Heaven, the fortresses were equipped with a Warp Cannon that could create a devastating rip in the fabric of realspace that would unleash an eruption of psychic energy from the Immaterium powerful enough to destroy entire star systems. This power can be linked with other Fortresses to create an even more powerful beam, as became clear when Abaddon used two of the Fortresses to destroy the planet Fularis II, and three to cause the Tarantis star to go supernova during the Gothic War. The Blackstone Fortresses have since fallen into the hands of both the Imperium and Chaos, and have influenced the outcomes of two of the most recent Black Crusades of Chaos against the Imperium.
Powers and Stats
Tier: Varies from Low 7-B to High 6-C with torpedoes, At least 6-C with lances and macrocannons | At least High 6-C, likely far higher for a Single Warp Cannon, High 6-A for Two Combined Warp Cannons, 4-B for Three Combined Warp Cannons, far higher for Combined Blackstone Fortresses during the War in Heaven
Key: Deactivated | Activated
Name: The Blackstone Fortresses, The Talismans of Vaul
Origin: Warhammer 40,000
Classification: Ancient Space Fortress
Wielders: The Imperium of Man | Abaddon the Despoiler & The Black Legion | Vaul and the Ancient Aeldari
Size: The Engine Core alone is over 100 miles across, and the entire ship is the size of a small moon
Power Source: The Raw, Chaotic Energies of the Warp itself
Material: Blackstone (An ancient, unknowable metal constructed by either the Necrons or the Old Ones during the War in Heaven, which depending on its polarization can either neutralize the Warp around it completely, or amplify its energies tremendously), etc.
Terrain: Space
Powers and Abilities:
Enhanced Senses (Should possess similar surveyors to Imperial ships which can detect objects within at least three AU of itself[1]), Forcefield Creation (Should possess Void Shields[2]), Energy Manipulation, Plasma Manipulation, Light Manipulation, and Temperature Manipulation (Lances are high-powered energy weapons capable of burning through armored hulls[3] and, as las weapons, are lasers[4]), Power Nullification (Teleportation aboard a ship is negated while its shields are active[5])
Enhanced Senses (Should possess similar surveyors to Imperial ships which can detect objects within at least three AU of itself[1]), Forcefield Creation (Should possess Void Shields[2]), Power Nullification (Teleportation aboard a ship is negated while its shields are active[5]), Flight, Dimensional Travel (Via Warp Jumps/Warp Drives[6]), Durability Negation and Spatial Manipulation (The beams produced by a Blackstone Fortress tear through the fabric of space itself and bypass void shields[7]), Portal Creation (Through Warp-Gates), Self-Repair Systems
Attack Potency: Varies from Small City level (Lesser vessels are equipped with torpedoes with a yield of five megatons[8]) to Large Island level with torpedoes (Hellfire missiles are stated to possess a payload containing 112 sub-munitions, with each of those sub-munitions containing a 5 gigaton warhead[9], meaning a total payload of 560 gigatons. Other weaker vessels possess torpedoes with a yield of a dozen megatons[10]. Lava bombs possess a yield of several gigatons[11]), At least Island level with lances and macrocannons (Utilizes weapons-batteries and lances, with the macrocannons utilized in weapon-batteries being this strong and lances being this strong. Its weapon systems rivalled those of Naval Command stations[12]. Was believed to be impregnable thanks to its vast weapon systems[13]) | At least Large Island level, likely far higher for a Single Warp Cannon (No longer utilizes the previous Mechanicus modifications and weapons implemented while it was deactivated[14]. Nevertheless, the Blackstone Fortress is capable of harnessing the Chaotic energies of the Warp itself, and unleash it in searing blasts of Empyric energy that can scour[15] whole[15] worlds[16]. As such, its Warp Cannon should be far stronger than a Hellfire missile), Multi-Continent level for Two Combined Warp Cannons (Two Blackstone Fortresses were able to completely scour the surface of Fularis II and strip it of its atmosphere[17] which should be this strong), Solar System level for Three Combined Warp Cannons (The combined Empyric Energy Blast of three Blackstone Fortresses was capable of making a star go supernova, annihilating its whole star system with it[14]), far higher for Combined Blackstone Fortresses during the War in Heaven (According to Eldar Mythology, the Blackstone Fortresses were forged by the Smith God Vaul himself with the intent to destroy the complete form of Mag'ladroth the Void Dragon[18], however, they likely failed in this effort as the Necrons later shattered the Void Dragon themselves[19]. Nevertheless, their combined firepower should be more powerful than a blast from three individual Blackstone Fortresses)
Speed: Immobile, Varies from Sub-Relativistic+ (Weapon-batteries are capable of hitting targets from tens of thousands of kilometers away almost instantly[20]) to Speed of Light attack speed (Lances, as las weapons, are consistently stated to be[21] lasers[4] and move at the speed of light[22]) | Up to Relativistic+ via acceleration in space (The Blackstone Fortresses are superior to any ship of the Imperium of Man in every way, and thus should be able to fly at comparable speeds to other vessels that travel at 0.75 percent the speed of light, such as the Phalanx[23] and Cruisers[24]), Unknown attack speed, Varies from Sub-Relativistic to Massively FTL+ via Warp jumps (Warp jumps can take anywhere from two minutes to 1,200 years to travel a few dozen light years)
Ramming Strength: Unknown | Planet level (Should be far superior to Cruisers in terms of their ramming strength and should be roughly comparable to the Phalanx' own ramming strength given both are considered to be the size of small moons[15]. A broken piece of the Blackstone Fortress falling onto Cadia was enough to completely destroy the world[16])
Durability: Planet level, higher with Void Shields (Should be comparable to its own durability while Activated) | Planet level (Should be comparable to its own ramming strength. Endured numerous salvos from the Phalanx's weapon-batteries[15], with the Phalanx possessing "unparalleled weaponry"[15] which includes nova cannons[25] which are this strong), higher with Void Shields (Completely unharmed by the full assault of combined Imperial and Eldar fleets[14]. Endured fire from the Phalanx[15])
Range: At least Interplanetary with surveyors (Should possess similar surveyors to Imperial ships which can detect objects within at least three AU of itself[1]), Interstellar with weaponry (Weapons can reliably hit targets two parsecs away[9]. Battles between ships can happen across entire star systems[26]) | At least Interplanetary with surveyors, Interstellar with weaponry, Outerversal with Warp jumps (Warp jumps allow ships to enter[6] The Warp)
Weaknesses: The ancient sciences and technologies that went into the construction of the Blackstone Fortresses are so advanced that no one knows how to properly pilot and operate it. Can only be piloted by one who possesses the Hand of Darkness and the Eye of Night. Its main Empyric Energy Blast requires time to charge
Others
Notable Victories:
Notable Losses:
Inconclusive Matches:
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shadow Point; Chapter Eleven
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 25
- ↑ Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 20
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (3rd Edition); pg 61
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 35
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader; pg 131
- ↑ Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 127
- ↑ Age of Darkness
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 White Dwarf 113
- ↑ Deliverance Lost; Chapter Three
- ↑ Death of Integrity; Chapter 3
- ↑ Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook; pg 95
- ↑ Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook; pg 145
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 101
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Gathering Storm - Fall of Cadia
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2
- ↑ Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 97
- ↑ Games Workshop Website - Eldar Mythology
- ↑ Codex: Necrons (9th Edition); pg 27
- ↑ Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (1999); pg 18
- ↑ Dark Heresy 2nd Edition Core Rulebook; pg 153
- ↑ Creed: Ashes of Cadia; XLVIII
- ↑ The Flight of the Eisenstein; Chapter Fifteen
- ↑ Sabbat Martyr; Chapter Six
- ↑ Rogal Dorn: The Emperor's Crusader
- ↑ Deus Sanguinius; Chapter Eleven
Discussions
| Discussion threads involving Blackstone Fortress |