Mytikas Peak

Schematic of Mytikas Peak

**Mytikas Peak** is the mighty Fortress-Monastery of the Nemean Lions Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, serving as their safe bastion and base of operations. Built atop the plateau that overlooks the ancestral home of the 300 tribes of Caelus, it is a place of great cultural significance to the mortal peoples of the world. Heavily damaged but unbroken by a Tyranid invasion in early M42, Mytikas Peak is currently being rebuild, amidst a wider Imperial effort to restore the world.

## History

In the dawning years of the 38th millennium, the Nemean Lions Chapter was founded and assigned to the world of Caelus Prime in the Aeaean Cluster of Segmentum Ultima. As is customary, construction parties were dispatched to begin construction of the Fortress-Monastery. As both a strategic location and a place of enormous cultural significance, Mytikas Plateau was selected. This Plateau overlooks the Thriasian plains, ancestral home to the 300 tribes of Caelus and is the focus of many of the tales which form the Caelusian historical record. The Monastery it was decided would be called Mytikas Peak, and construction began in earnest.

### Early History

The Nemean Lions had considerable input in the Fortress's construction, demanding multiple changes to the "standard" design they had been presented with. Initially the Chapter had wanted to dramatically downsize the fortress, paring it back to just the vaults and maintenance facilities. The Astartes argued that they had no desire to sleep under stone roofs deep underground, wishing to sleep under the stars as they had before their transformation. Many arguments and debates were held, before the Lions conceded that they had to make sacrifices in the name of security, and practicality. eventually a broadly typical fortress took shape, albeit with a few significant changes. The most noteworthy of these was the addition of a vast bunker deep underground, a gift from the adepts of Tvastar, containing an extensive array of holo projectors and atmospheric processors to simulate the appearance of the plains that lay outside the many layers of stone, metal and shielding. Hundreds of tents, identical to those used by the tribes of the plains (though substantially larger), dot the artificial plain, allowing the Lions to continue to exist as they did prior to becoming Astartes and maintain the traditions that are deeply ingrained into their core while still being as well protected and safe as any other Chapter.

### First Battle of Mytikas Peak

During the Waaagh of Warboss Darrioz, Caelus Prime found itself assailed by a tide of greenskins, as part of a ploy by the Nemean Lions to lure the Warboss into a trap and break his forces. The mighty fortifications shredded countless Ork dropships and craft before the greenskins made landfall, and thousands more fell against the intricate, multi-layered defences. After a hard fought battle, Strategos Shaka slew Darrioz and shattered the Ork assault, leaving the survivors disorganised and fighting amongst themselves. The mighty fortress was only lightly damaged in this assault, a testament to its strength.

### Second Battle of Mytikas Peak

In the dawning years of M42, Hive Fleet Ereshkigal began a devastating invasion of the Aeaean Cluster, ravaging dozens of worlds within the Sector. Drawn by the signal of a Genestealer Cult, the fleet carved a path through the Cluster, a path that would lead them past the Caelus system. The Nemean Lions present prepared their defences as best they could, mustering the PDF to dig in around the fortress and pressing rifles into the hands of every Chapter Serf that could wield one. Once more the mighty guns of the fortress roared their defiance, cutting down swarms of Bioforms as they poured into the atmosphere. Wave upon wave of ravening xenos broke against the bolter and las fire, corpses littering the plateau and Thriasian plains.
Alas as is their way, the Tyranids began to adapt. The fire became less and less effective and casualties began to mount on the Imperial side as well.
Steadily the defenders were driven back, retreating to the inner bastions and then underground, fighting hand to hand within the bowels of the fortress.

After a bitter struggle however, the void war turned against the Tyranids, weakening and finally severing the psychic link to the Tyranids on the ground. Now uncoordinated and reduced to feral beasts, the remnants of the defenders were able to regain the upper hand and begin the arduous task of steadily driving out the xenos. It was a lengthy and painful process, for the corridors and chambers of the fortress were choked with the dead and dying, and full of places a dumb but still dangerous Tyranid could hide.

### Present Day

Mytikas Peak has begun the slow process of reconstruction, as has the wider planet. It is now almost entirely xenos free, though armed teams conduct regular purgation patrols as the occasional attack or corpse makes clear that there are still at least a few of the beasts loose in the stronghold. The Chapter is currently far away on the other side of the Great Rift, operating from their mighty flagship instead while the repairs are completed.

## Location

*Main article: Caelus Prime*
Mytikas Peak is located on the world of Caelus Prime, a planet home to huge sprawling savanna plains that once held a wide variety of animal species which either closely resembled Terran specimens or were deliberately seeded from Terra long ago for reasons unknown. A predominantly flat world, Mytikas Peak sits atop one of the few mountain ranges, overlooking the Thriasian Plains. The ancestral birthplace of the 300 tribes, and still home to the most powerful of these, the plains are the most significant area on the planet.

## Layout

In many ways Mytikas Peak is a typical Fortress-Monastery, boasting all of the usually found features of these Astartes strongholds. While a considerable surface facility exists, complete with formidable void shield generators to shrug off all but the most powerful bombardments, the majority of the structure is deep underground, a veritable warren of bunkers and armoured hangars, chambers and cavernous storehouses.

### Surface

A series of bastions bristling with anti-aircraft batteries and Defence Lasers, along with the armoured covers for silos loaded with missiles intended for dealing with enemy void ships, litter the surface. Landing pads capable of supporting the largest cargo landers are also situated on the surface, along with armoured entrances to underground hangars. A perimeter wall encircles these structures, and several subdividing walls form distinct fortresses, making overrunning the whole of the surface even more difficult.

### Interior

The interior is where the stronghold begins to differ from the Astartes norm. Deep within the heart lies an enormous underground structure, a vast bunker that the Lions call home. It contains an extensive array of holo projectors and atmospheric processors to simulate the appearance of the plains that lie outside the many layers of stone, metal and shielding. Hundreds of tents, identical to those used by the tribes of the plains (though substantially larger), dot the artificial plain, allowing the Lions to continue to exist as they did prior to becoming Astartes and maintain the traditions that are deeply ingrained into their core while still being as well protected and safe as any other Chapter when it returns home to rest and rebuild after campaigns.