I’m a big fan of Arcane Odyssey. I’m also fascinated by Ciaphas Cain (from WH40k) as a character. So why not slam the two together with all the elegance and grace of a newly minted Promethean Flame Curse-bearer plunging down from orbit and face-planting on Dawn Island?
Summary
An amnesiac unsanctioned psyker with a case of DID. A rash and fiery unsanctioned psyker with a temper as hot as the fireballs she throws around on the regular. A moody and distant grief-wracked man who also happens to be an unsanctioned psyker. And yours truly, one Hero of the Imperium turned into–-you guessed it—another unsanctioned psyker. All adrift in war-wracked seas on a planet inundated in enough Wyrds and Witches to make the Planet of Sorcerers seem unworthy of its title. Oh, and have I mentioned the overwhelmingly powerful chaos cult on said planet that wants us dead?
Wish me luck; by the Emperor’s Bowels, I’m gonna need it if I want to come out the other side of this mess alive.
Notes On Characters
Ciaphas Cain - Yes, this is the same Ciaphas Cain from the Sandy Mitchell novels. And how did he end up with the Promethean Flame curse from Arcane Adventures? Well, said curse slammed into a passing Imperial Voidship, Cain and the Valhallan 597th happened to be on board, and he ended up colliding with and subsequently absorbing the Sea Curse, before falling billions of miles down to the planet’s surface and crash-landing into Dawn Island, surviving thanks to his newly-acquired Sea Curse. And right when he was making plans to leave regimental service… on the plus side, his outfit, chainsword, and laspistol somehow managed to survive the trip mostly unscathed.
Naturally, Cain can wield Promethean Flame, and thus starts out as a supremely powerful Mage. So much so that before he learns to better control his magic, any spell he casts sends him flying in the opposite direction like a human pinball. Thus, he continues to use his pistol and chainsword, and quickly develops a reputation for using unexpected and unorthodox methods to prevail without relying on the Curse and the powers it grants him. Stats-wise, he’s a Savant whose main focus is Magic and Weapons, but who also invests in Strength and Vitality so he can use equipment tied to those stats.
Alyssa Silver - This fic’s version of the main character. Outside of combat, she’s empathetic, caring, and a little… eccentric. She’s also a mild kleptomaniac, and an amnesiac, reflecting the original game Player and the way that they’re constantly looting chests wherever they go. When she enters combat, however, she inexplicably becomes a silent, ruthless, and frighteningly competent killing machine; hence the reference to her having Dissociative Identity Disorder in the summary. It’s implied the change in personality is due to what she suffered through at the Order of Aesir’s hands.
Unlike Cain, she’s a pure Light Mage, with a loadout of spells optimized for high mobility and quick casting speeds.
Morden and Iris - The personalities of these two are unchanged from canon. At first, they’re both mages, but Morden eventually gets his hands on a pair of swords and becomes a Conjurer, and Iris picks up Thermo Fist on Ravenna and becomes a Warlock.
Jurgen and the 597th - These guys won’t show up for a while. Don’t worry; they haven’t forgotten about Cain.
Order of Aesir
Yep, the Order of Aesir is a chaos cult this time around. They worship the concept of Chaos Undivided, but their ranks lean slightly more toward Tzeentch and Slaanesh than the other two gods, reflecting their desire to progress and perfect the power of magic no matter the cost.
