Disov V

The waterworld Disov V, home of the Sons of Rapture

Disov V is an aquatic planet filled to the brim with hostile predators and ancient aquatic giants. Only a few places will give you respite from the beasts: the Floating islands chained to the ocean floor or the domes deep below. The former was there before the astartes even arrived, large chunks of rock held up by coral like organisms and chained to the ocean floor by ancient ancestors. Giant links of metal the size of baneblades Descend into the abyss before disappearing below the sand, keeping the island in place. But these chains do not hold up the island: The Coral crawlers raise the monolithic chunks of rock to the surface. Creating temporary islands that sink below once the creatures can’t find enough food. The ones beneath fort blackrock are ancient, through years of feeding they have become giants amongst their kind. Even affectionately known as floaties by some marines.

The domes on the other hand are where most of the population of Disov V reside. Large ferrocrete structures that dot the watery landscape. Connected to each other and the surface through winding tunnels that spread under the ocean floor, like ceramite veins feeding the Disov organism.

The imperial citizens are not alone on the planet though. From Baradiles to the eldritch creatures that are nearly mythical, the black depths are a place best not ventured for mortal men. Small encampments of the Anomura are hidden in coral structures and sandhills, trying to survive after the war. Black moray hide in the nooks and crannies of ancient ruins, waiting for unaware explorers and a quick snack while in bluer waters Hammerwhales peacefully make their way, their armoured heads making them practically unassailable by nearly any other creature.

But something lurks in the deepest parts of Disov. A large eldritch being that plucks and twists at the dreams of the inhabitants, speaking to the mad and unstable who do not resist its voice: The null kraken. A Beast which cannot be killed or silenced. No one has ever seen its full body, psykers who tried have gone mad in the process and divers who looked for it were never seen again. It has entered legend amongst the populace, speaking of it in whispered tongues and warning their children of its call. You’ll never know for sure if it had spoken to you, dreams are often a fickle and strange place…but there is one way, a sentence often found scrawled on the walls in the darkest areas of rapture: “would you kindly”.

## Planetary Regions

### Brinestone Caves

usually forming in the poreus black rock of the largests of floating islands, the brinestone caves are located on the centuries old island of fort Blackrock. The material quickly got caked in thick layers of brineleaf, a sponge-like plant that grows in scale like segments. The biome itself is a safeheaven for smaller creatures, using the natural bunkers created by the floated up rock to eat their fill or reproduce.

### Blackvine Rivers

a small area of the greater river stacks. It is grown over by an invasive aquatic vine that thrives in the seam between the fresh and saltwater. The vine itself is rumoured to be sentient, seemingly grasping at the movement of larger animals and beings. It will attempt to restrain its prey and drag them into the salty water, holding them there to drown and be preserved in the high salt content. These preserved meals are then slowly devoured, feeding a large chunk of the surrounding vines.

### Psychic Forest

A beautifull field of glowing and fluorescent trees and flowers hiding some of the most dangerous animals and plants the planet has to offer.

### The Pits

A region hidden by a raised faultline, the pits are a large flat plane pockmarked with extremely deep holes. Each usually inhabited by some strange creature or another.

### The Beast's Teeth

A natural underwater corridor lines by large spikes of volcanic rock. It is the home of the Ferrofish, a creature that filter extremly small organisms from the iron rich soil near the geothermal vents.

## The Hives

### The Underdomes

In the deepest part of the hive domes where water starts leaking through rusty walls and bulkheads, the scum and heretics lurk in the dark. Possesed madmen roam the streets jibbering about asking something politely. Strange merchants and gangers of all types guard small alleys filled with backhanded deals. Here they fear the grey and orange as for them it means certain brutal death. The Sons of rapture see these places as a pit to be burned, A foul stain on their planet. And so purge them as such with a brutality normally only reserved for the enemies of man.

## Species

**The Anomura**

The Anomura where the original inhabitants of Disov V, a once proud and thriving civilization they are now reduced to roving bands of scrappers and scavengers. Their great fortresses nothing but crushed rubble being swept away by the currents, once fully stocked vaults and armouries filled with nothing but murky seawater. They once were a credible threat to the imperial inhabitants of Disov V as their prime stronghold's location had eluded them for years. But at last, the tide turned as a small group of grey marines descended upon the planet and discovered the fortresses’ location at great cost to themselves. The coordinates were bombed to wet shreds with timed macroshells and high-pressure torpedoes followed up with a full-sized assault spearheaded by the remaining marines. This last assault ended with the death of the Anomura royal family and the plundering of their relics.

**Armorcrabs**

Armor crabs are the devolved branch of the Anomura, individuals that have ventured to long into the abyss and gone feral. Keeping some of their former instincts they scavenge for sunken metal plates to strengthen their natural armor. They also seem to congregate in small packs that can form a danger even for marine patrols as the amour thickness has, on certain occasions, proven impervious to bolter fire.

**Hammerwhales**

Of all the species in the violent waters of Disov only a few can be considered animal royalty, one of those is the Disovian Hammerwhale. Each adult Hammerwhale is a titanic bone armoured specimen easily strong enough to sink armoured vessels. They got their name from the signature hammershape bone growth at their front of their skulls. These creatures are adored by the citizens of Disov as they form an important step in the strong ale the domes produce. Large alebarrels are covered in the blood of squids and send afloat. Hammerwhales will then happily consume these barrels whole leading to a very specific fermentation process in the whale’s stomach. Then after a certain period of time the whale is tracked down and the barrels retrieved resulting in the Disovian ale so favoured by the populace.

**Coral Floaters**

A peculiar creature that lives in the lesser depths of the disovian ocean. Squid-like in nature they will attach themselves to large chunks of rock and attempt to float it upwards. Usually the speciment is too small to accomplish this task so a group of them will often cooperate. The small colonies then feed upon microfauna until supply runs dry. They will then detach and float away with the currents to a new location to restart the process. This cycle creates Disov's peculiar ilands who rise and soon after dissapear. Only a few stay long term, either through artificial means or through an abundance of microfauna.

The ones supporting the islands upon which the astartes have built their fortifications are titans amongst their kind. Each one a witness to the ancients that had built the great chains as the creatures are functionally immortal.

**Baradiles**

Best described as a cross between a crocodile and a very light baracuda. These viscious predators are infamous across the planet and prized as trophies, even used as an officer denotion among the native astartes.

**Swarmfish**

When sailing over the south ... ocean, one might panic when a great shadow appears beneath their vessel. But they should not fret, for these are swarmfish. A type of smaller marine animal that gathers in huge dense "clouds" that migrate together. These creatures eat krill and small fauna but one should beware, as though they are small they embody the old saying "strenght in numbers" to the fullest. When threatened these fish can shred a shark within seconds, each member of the swarm acting like a tiny blade in a house sized blender.

**Glassgulpers**

These predators hunt in the dark depths of the abyssal zones, having adapted a intrigun variation to the old terran angler fish. A translucent inflatable sack with internal bioluminescence, dangles from the ching of the eel like body. When a group of creatures enters it's hunting grounds, the gulper will eat one but store the animal in the transluscent sack. Then hiding itself in one of the many rock formations it inflates and flicker the light within. The other animals, attracted to the lights and one of their own in danger, will hopefully inch closer and subsequently get devoured.

**Hordes**

A small insectoid creatures that got transported to Disov V through merchant transports ships. Lacking any real predators, the creatures spread unchecked and formed large swarms that devour all life from their hunting grounds.

**Stranglevine**

A semi sentient plant native to the blackvine rivers. Attracted to movement, their "arms" will snag around anything it can get their hands on. Once trapped the vines will hold down their prey passed the point of starvation, digesting the creature shortly after.

**Artillerycrabs**

A recently discovered species, artillery crabs are an ambush predator hiding in rocky depths. Burying itself into the sand, while keeping one claw above the ground, it waits until a large enough prey drifts past its hidey hole. Once close enough the creature snaps its claw shut at immense speeds. The shockwave usually pulps the organs of its prey, the resulting cavitation bubble reaching a temperature most imperial plasma weaponry operate at. This creature has become something of a tall tale among the Sons of Rapture astartes, the beasts claw having killed astartes on several occasions.

**Smith-shrimp**

A peculiar creature that makes its home around the volcanic vents breaching from the rock in coral filled areas. Around the size of standard issue lasgun it is nonetheless a nimble and quick creature, often darting away between the tightly pack coral when approached. It's namesake comes from the fact that this animal is one of the few creatures on Disov that can use tools. When it finds a home it will collect the iron ore the geothermal vents spit up. After collecting enough, older/larger shrimp will collect more to suit their size, it will find a suitable, hotter vent and let the iron melt into shape. Using its powerfull "fists" it will beat the metal into the desired form. This will almost always be in the form of a long, crude shard. The Smith-shrimp will then use it's newly created weapon as a sort of spear, capturing its meal in an impaling ambush.