The appraisers at the auction house attached to the Brass Fortress arena had a unique method of appraisal.
For the followers of Khorne, an item's value depended largely on how well it could fight.
These appraisers were vital. They ensured that every gladiator competing in the arena was matched against an opponent slightly stronger than himself.
Khorne did not acknowledge the skulls of enemies weaker than the combatant, nor was he foolish enough to make gladiators challenge vastly superior foes.
The appraisers received Captain Frank with delight. This shipment was excellent. Every beast was capable of fighting an unarmoured Chaos Warrior.
Except one.
An enormous giant snapping turtle.
This giant snapping turtle looked no different from an ordinary one, though perhaps a little larger? It was the size of a truck.
Its combat readings went off the charts, but the creature was not much use. It moved extremely slowly.
Giant snapping turtles generally stayed still, and their attack range extended only a few metres in front of them, depending on the length of their necks.
Its bite could pierce ceramite Power Armor, but its limited range meant it could not serve as a war beast.
Like all turtles, it was slow, heavily armoured, highly defensive, and extremely hard to kill.
The auction house liked creatures like this, but for its treasury, not its arena.
It made an excellent trap.
Secure it firmly underground, and the giant snapping turtle would remain completely motionless. Even an Astartes would struggle to detect it. On an Auspex, it was just a large rock.
But once you entered its attack range, it would thrust out its head and bite, crushing ordinary Power Armour.
Moreover, even if its bite missed, the horns and spikes on its head meant a collision would still leave you badly injured.