Gods of The Caligo expanse

the Caligo expanse. A vast near perfectly spherical region of space known for dense nebulas difficult and shifting warp currents, and bizarre arrangements of planetary bodies. Despite containing hundreds of stars, it is rare to see more than a handful within 80LY of each other. Yet despite this lack of stars, the expense is littered with rogue planets at a startling density. The result is a vast region of space intensely difficult to navigate and extremely easy to hide in. The nature of the region making both wide-scale extermination campaigns, and the formation of large empires worth the effort near impossible. As such even at its height The Imperium's presence in the region waxed and waned over the centuries. When times were calm they would push the pirates from the edge inward, slowly establishing colonies, once times where frantic they would be unable to hold the colonies from the constant raids by opportunistic pirate clans and hidden Xeno empires and enclaves, Eventually abandoning them to death or worse.

Over time the reputation of the expanse as a place beyond the light of the Imperium drew a number of inhabitants. Many tattered fleets of rebels and Xenos fled into its stygian depths, seeking shelter and succor. While many of these fleets died at the hands of pirates, many more found themselves welcomed in one form or another\*. These refugees were a key part of what enabled the expanses native empires to flourish, providing a steady stream of technology and population to bolster their hidden worlds.

The practice of assimilating refugees served them well in the fall of the Imperium, as they were well positioned to take advantage of a great many refugees who fled the chaos\*\*. For a time it seemed as if the hidden empires where on the cusp of a golden age, the petty empires did not possess the resources for a campaign of conquest an extinction, then the Abomination came. The followers of the Abomination cared not for the cost in lives and resources, they cared only that there where Xenos they could exterminate for few scraps of divine favor. Crusade after crusade slammed into the region, burning world after world even as supply lines stretched and broke leaving the Crusaders to wither and die. Yet the attack did not cease, and to the horror of the inhabitants, they found the worlds not only razed but tainted.

In time the intensity lessened as other forces took advantage of the distraction. But it was too late, too many worlds had been ruined and tainted. The expanse was no longer a place of safety as the abomination began a slow and steady campaign of settlement to further enable the purging of the region.

Such is the isolated nature of the region that it influenced even the warp, allowing small pockets where demons seldom visit. In old days this allowed the formation of a handful of minor gods and pantheons, who in turn shielded further divine seeds seeking safety in numbers. This system ceased with the coming of the abominations golden crusade. It’s mortall slaves slaughtering the vast majority of the population even as its Angyls cut down the gods without mercy. What Bulwark was like before this is not known, as his only surviving worships where an extremist sect devoted to the creation of hidden fortress worlds in fear of the universe. When the crusades ebbed Bulwark was a god fortification and survival.

In the warp, he set about creating a fastness that the forces of the universe would shatter upon, even as he whispered guidance into the architects and planners of his mortal follower. But such a measure if folly for so minor a god, his fortress stood for a time, until such a mighty fortress drew the mild interest of Khorne. It was only through the intervention of the Doomed one that Bulwark was able to escape. Forced from his protective shelter the god wandered lost, unsure of where to rebuild, and unsure if to do so would be wise, but unable to resist his nature. It was then that bulwark encountered his first strike of fortune in some time. Coming across the God Rurik.

Rurik’s story is much the same as Bulwark. A god of the frontier and it’s exploitation, his most devout followers lived in roaming fleets setting up bases and colonies on rogue planetoids for the good of the expanse. Leaving them to hidden and scattered for the abomonites to hunt. Since the crusades his followers had been desperately setting up settlements and supply depots, hoping to build up bases faster than they could be found. In the warp he had been frantically running from bolt hole to bolt hole, barely a step ahead of the demons on his heels, much as his followers where but mere months ahead of the extermination fleets.

The two orphaned gods formed a near instant and deep partnership. Ruriks domains left him perfectly suited to quickly and easily claim ground, but not hold it. Whereas bulwark could hold ground but not claim it. Together they could create a network of safe houses and fallback points enabling them to escape forces that would have been the end of either of them alone. Almost as if imitating their gods, their followers adopted a similar strategy. The founding fleets of Rurik merged with the skill of the fortress artisans of Bulwark. The extermination fleets soon found themselves attacking not hastily constructed resourcing operations or undersupplied outposts, but mighty fortress cities. Each buying the migrant fleets decades to scout ahead and construct the next line of fortress colonies.

For a time it seemed their fortunes where turning. The forces of the abomination seemed to wane, bleeding more and taking less. Ruick even going to so far as to purify some tainted worlds, For a time it seemed as if the expanse may be on a slow road to recovery, and then another threat arrived. Drawn by the slow death by inches that had become common to the region, a major nurgleite empire began its own push into the expanse. Far more enduring, and far more willing to accept long slow grinds the plague worshipers where far harder to displace. Like a disease striking an already ailing man, the plague worlds began to spread. While the untainted among the expanse do what they can to pit the invades against each other, the two distance between the entry points has made this difficult, and once more Ruick and bulwark find themselves the last gods of a dwindling people.

Both gods are followed by a wide array of Xeno species, as their following is made of the last tattered remnants of the many Xeno empires that once thrived in the expanse. In addition to Xeno's humans make up a notable minority of their worshipers. Which race among their followers was the first to worship either god has been deliberately obscured to foster unity, though it is extremely unlikely either were born from human worship. Followers who receive blessings from bulwark tend to become gifted architects and defensive commanders, however, rare champions will receive great fortitude or even on rare occasion an adamantine hide that provides extreme protection. Those who earn such boons often suffer from paranoia or agoraphobia. Fearing an attack from outside may come at any moment, and often find themselves taking far more defensive approaches to most threats. Rurik blesses those he favors with a keen eye for resources and skill at overseeing their extraction, though such blessings often come with extreme wanderlust. Some few followers who receive blessings from both will find the blessing combining. Such holy individuals are known as foundation layers, are renowned for their ability to set up fortresses with unparalleled speed, though are compelled to do so constantly, never to settle in the fortress worlds they found.

During the raid on Nurgle’s realm, the duo provided staging ground for the initial assault, and Ruriks ability to seize and extract resources proved vital to rapidly securing taken ground. When Ugruer sought to hold his second conference among the minor gods, it was Bulwark who constructed the walls of the meeting ground. Creating ground safe enough for even the flightiest of deities to be willing to linger to trade.

In the aftermath of the raid, they have become something of an early success story. Both gods possess rare talents in much demand, enabling them to purchase a great deal of aid from other gods. Now marauding bands of Zaeeds mercenaries loot and burn corrupted colonies, Bel-Caerel technology strengthens their people, and Sophant has been sending forth its fleets and gifting their followers with its puzzle artifacts. Their present short-term goal is convincing Sophant to establish a terminal world in the expanse. In the long term, they hope to return the expanse to its glory days, where no power could spare the forces needed to drive out its many inhabitants. However, their rather open presence in the expense has made them an obvious focal point for Nurgle's wraith. Should the plague father seek retribution, it is likely that the Caligo expanse could become the site of the nascent alliances first true war.

\*while outright enslavement was fairly uncommon, most would find themselves second-class citizens of some stripe or another. The local politics seemed to have made an art out of doing just enough to inspire gratitude while squeezing everything they could out of their new citizens.
\*\* slavery became a good deal more common during this period.