Malcador Divines the Star Chart
Malcador's attendant opened the door for him, and the Primarch entered the Astropathic Chamber.
The green tiles inside the vault reflect the bright glow of hundreds of candles, and the shadows cast by the flickering candlelight make the many mysterious patterns on the vault appear to light up and then dim.
Looking up, Nimrod noticed that the specific details depicted in the patterns were not easy to discern—some were constellation symbols, while others were mythical monsters from ancient Terra.
The highest point of the vault was a shadow, an area that the candlelight could not reach.
Many years ago, a face was carved there, but the details are no longer discernible.
Nimrod turned his gaze there, keenly sensing the difference in the pattern. It was as if it were alive, hidden in the darkness, staring expressionlessly down below.
[Originating from a mythical creature? A remnant of its Spirituality? Is that creature High Sequence potion ingredient?]
Based on the special connection between the potion's ingredients and Pathway, it is very likely related to the "dark" Pathway.
"That was merely the afterimage of an ancient creature."
Malcador knew the Primarch was highly perceptive, and he gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Since my master, your father, departed, I have come here to gaze at the stars less and less."
Nimrod withdrew his gaze, noticing that Malcador was unwilling to discuss it. He did not press the matter, but instead turned his attention to the interior of the room, following Malcador's words.
Ancient brass telescopes, Sun globes, and armillary spheres were neatly stacked, and several mahogany cabinets held astrological items of various shapes. The bookshelves were also full of books.
Nimrod saw Spirituality light in several of the items.
[Hmm, Malcador has quite a fortune, and these are all potion ingredients I didn't know about.]
In other words, it must be at least Mid-Sequence potion ingredient.
His gaze then fell upon the black and white checkerboard floor, paved with marble, and the surrounding gilded walls shimmered with a dim, aged light.
Twenty pillars support the vaulted ceiling, with a coat of arms engraved on the capitals of two of the pillars.
One is Black Wolf under the moon, and the other is blurry and indistinct. Only when ordinary people get close can they see that it is a disordered pattern composed of disordered black arcs, wings, spikes and an abstract crown.
Malcador wore a robe made of fine materials but with a simple design. The cane he leaned on, which seemed to be made of simple steel, was exquisitely crafted with an eagle emblem on top.
In Nimrod's supernatural vision, the cane was not made of steel, but of some strange Psionic Energy material. He also noticed that there were obscure runes engraved on the cane.
You've worked hard.
Nimrod said sincerely, "The burden of running the Imperium rests on the shoulders of an old man, and even with his great power, it is a heavy burden."
"I've grown accustomed to it; I anticipated this day from the day I pledged my allegiance to him."
Malcador's tone was deep and somber, as if he were lost in memories.
It took him more than ten seconds to come to his senses, and he said with a self-deprecating laugh.
"I'm sorry, but after I got lost in my memories, you should understand that by any measure, I'm an old man."
Malcador Nimrod nod, Makado changed the subject and spoke.
"Divination requires information. Besides the name Necromunda, I need more information."
Nimrod had anticipated this, and he immediately spoke up.
"I saw Necromunda, and there was an octopus-like creature. I saw fish-men kneeling and worshipping him."
He looked up at the vaulted ceiling and said thoughtfully.
"It gives me a similar feeling to that thing on the roof."
"I think that would be most obvious in the Warp."
"I also saw the spiderwebs entangled in Necromunda and the spiders coiled on them, and at the same time I heard countless whispers of fear."
Upon hearing this, Malcador spoke in a solemn tone.
"Belief..."
After a moment of silence, he realized that he could not deny the existence of something perceived by a perceptive Primarch.
"I believe the Emperor and Horus have already discussed the Imperial Truth with you; there is no need for me to repeat them."
"Your perception is correct. Faith is nothing more than the delusional fantasies of fragile humans. That octopus creature is just a slightly more powerful one, no different from the ones above my head. It is precisely because of their power that they have ignorant believers who worship them."
"When they encounter something more powerful, they will be destroyed, just like the shadow painted on the vault."
After Malcador finished speaking, he walked to the cabinet and took out the items he needed.
"As for that spider, it is utterly illusory; let me reveal its illusion to you."
A moment later, a huge parchment scroll was unfurled, as large as a wall.
"I still prefer the traditional method to Data Slate."
This time, Malcador didn't let himself dwell on his memories for too long; he began to perform divination.
Nimrod noticed that Malcador slightly raised his cane, and a brilliant beam of Psionic Energy light shone directly into the shadow at the highest point of the vault.
Invisible ripples spread, and the constellations and mythical creatures on the vaulted ceiling shone with dazzling light, making the entire Astropathic Chamber seem to merge into the waves of Warp.
The perception of the Primarch gene, combined with the Flao's Aether knowledge, is rapidly Analysis in the brain.
[Psionic Energy Array]
The stars that power it are stones from many stars, which have been refined with Psionic Energy in the Warp.
The mythical creatures depicted in those paintings also provided Malcador with materials for setting up his Psionic Energy arrays, including at least blood.
That's quite a grand undertaking! There are only a handful of people in the entire Imperium with the capability and resources to set up such a Psionic Energy array.
The Primarch's astonishment flashed across his face, then he looked at Malcador, his eyes instantly turning deep and unfathomable. He looked up at the dome, his gaze piercing through the barriers of the physical world.
The entire space seemed to enter some kind of wondrous state. After an unknown amount of time, he withdrew his gaze and began to sketch shapes on the parchment.
As his brush moved, a star map slowly took shape.
Nimrod noticed that Malcador's expression was normal, and the light flashing in his "Warp Insight" did not change at all, indicating that he had not expended much energy on this divination.
After a moment, Malcador remained silent, gathering his surging power before shutting down his Psionic Energy.
He looked at Nimrod, "The star map you requested is ready."
"I also saw the octopus and spider you mentioned."
"The octopus creature is currently dormant; its faith exists only among fish-men and a small number of humans. You do not need to deal with it."
Malcador paused for a moment before continuing.
"I don't doubt your abilities, but it lies dormant underground. Once it awakens, it will be a catastrophe for the entire Necromunda. The earth will crack open, and countless people will be swallowed up."
Nimrod slightly; he did not share Malcador's concerns about the fighting spirit and competitiveness he might have felt.
[In my memory, the giant octopus remained dormant until the Great Rift opened, so there was no rush to deal with him.]
Fighting it now would be a catastrophe for Necromunda.
When we have the strength to crush him, we can deal with it then. Even if it's not a potion ingredient, we can still use it to make something else.
"As for the spider you perceived, as I said, it is nothing but the illusory belief of the Necromunda people."
"It's like a small fish in the ocean; a single wave can easily scatter it."
"Though it is an illusion, after you reclaim Necromunda, you should also dispel the illusory faith and let those ignorant people be inspired by the Imperium."
Malcador emphasized the words to draw the attention of the Primarch.
"I felt fear and death from that spider. A faith rooted in that will only create ignorant believers, who will be a constant destabilizing factor in that world."
Nimrod looked at Malcador with admiration. As expected of the wise man that the Old Man in Yellow relied on, Malcador actually deduced the hidden danger in Necromunda based on the partial information he had foreseen.
Necromunda, a place known for its "outstanding people and beautiful scenery," has a major destabilizing factor: the "Corpse Grinder Cult" and the belief in Bloodthirster, the Lord of Flesh, which is closely related to the local culture.
Spiders are a symbol of all the fears of the Necromunda, including hunger.
If they die of starvation, they will become food for spiders.
To overcome the fear of hunger, countless laborers in the Lower Hive and Underhive began to eat people, thus giving rise to the "Corpse Grinder Cult," who began to worship the Lord of Flesh.
"I understand, I will get to it."
Hearing Nimrod's confidence, Malcador did not press the matter further.
"I've heard you have a keen interest in all sorts of unusual things; I also have some private collections."
"You've taken on the responsibility of resupplying me this time, which has solved a lot of trouble for me. I don't have much more to give you, but you can choose one item from my collection; it's a personal gift from me."
Malcador had no doubt that the Primarch's intelligence could see through his previous public maneuvering and that now was the time to mend the relationship.
Divination was nothing more than a simple matter for him. Since Nimrod had this hobby, he wanted to use it to build rapport and create a friendly atmosphere for finalizing the supply range later.
Nimrod hadn't expected such an unexpected gain, so naturally he wouldn't refuse.
Malcador's treasury may not be as valuable as the Emperor's, but it should still contain High Sequence potion ingredients.
With anticipation in his heart, a smile involuntarily appeared on the face of the Primarch.
"Then thank you to the Sigillite."