Scene: The Council of Nikaea Location: The Grand Amphitheatre of Nikaea, a marble-clad coliseum beneath the shadow of snowcapped mountains on the planet of Nikaea.
Date: Circa 002.M31, late in the Great Crusade.
Atmosphere: Tense, solemn, expectant. The assembled crowd is a staggering testament to the Imperium's reach—Astartes from nearly every Legion in full ceremonial armor, robed Remembrancers, representatives of the Imperial Army, high-ranking Administratum officials, and a smattering of Mechanicum emissaries. At the heart of it all, seated upon a throne of white-gold and obsidian, is the Emperor of Mankind, radiant in psychic presence.
Opening Statement – The Emperor
The Emperor stood, his golden form gleaming under the twin suns of Nikaea. When he spoke, all fell silent, as though reality itself waited upon his words.
The Emperor: "You are gathered here not for a trial, but for a reckoning of truth. The Warp is a tool, yet it is a storm. Its energies have granted us victory... and yet threatened our purpose. You, my sons and my lords, shall speak, and through discourse, we shall decide the future of the Imperium."
He turned to a figure clad in crimson and gold.
The Emperor (to Magnus the Red): "Magnus. You who see beyond the veil. Speak, and let us hear your truth."
Magnus the Red’s Defense of Psykers
Magnus stepped forward, his cyclopean eye alight with arcane fire. Behind him stood Librarians of various Legions, their expressions solemn.
Magnus the Red: "Father. Brothers. The Warp is not to be feared—it is to be understood. We are not blind savages fumbling at shadows; we are the Emperor’s chosen, forged in reason and science. What is the Librarius, if not an extension of our potential? To shackle the mind is to limit the future."
He raised his hand, conjuring a controlled orb of psychic fire, letting it flicker between his fingers.
Magnus: "With discipline, we tame it. With knowledge, we master it. I beseech this Council—do not turn away from the gift that can elevate Mankind beyond the stars."
Opposition – Leman Russ and Mortarion Leman Russ rose with a growl, the air around him bristling with raw, territorial fury. His words were not those of rhetoric, but of war.
Leman Russ: "Magic is for witches. And witches burn."
Gasps rippled across the amphitheatre, but Russ pressed on.
Russ: "You speak of taming storms, Magnus, but I have seen what lies beyond that veil—daemons that wear the flesh of men, whole worlds swallowed by madness. You seek to unleash that on us?"
From the shadows, Mortarion, Lord of the Death Guard, added his voice.
Mortarion: "I walked through chem-fog and horror to earn my place among men. I did not barter with things that whisper in the dark. The Librarius must be abolished. Or we risk losing everything."
Interjection – Malcador the Sigillite
Malcador, ever composed, rose and spoke with quiet gravitas.
Malcador the Sigillite: "It is not fear that guides caution. It is wisdom. The Warp is a blade with no hilt, and many who wield it are cut by their own hand."
He turned to the Emperor.
Malcador: "If the Imperium is to endure, it must be rooted in stability. Let knowledge flourish, yes—but not without restraint."
The Emperor’s Decree
The Emperor stood once more. His voice was both final and mournful.
The Emperor: "I have heard your words. Magnus, your vision is noble. But the risks outweigh the gains. From this day forth, the use of psychic powers among the Legiones Astartes is prohibited. The Librarius shall be disbanded. All sanctioned psykers shall fall under the direct authority of the Council of Terra and the Astra Telepathica."
Magnus's face darkened, not in rage, but in sorrow. The air thickened, as though fate itself held its breath.
The Emperor: "Let this be remembered: this is not condemnation. It is preservation. For the storm gathers, and we must stand united, or not at all."