The Bio-Pilgrymme, Part I: The Daerwynne Palimpsest & Lost Mechanicvm ( Author and Artist FPOA of First Point of Aries )
The Bio-Pilgrymme…
God Emperor…
Green Man cometh!
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I:I
The Prigorian Divide, scarcely mentioned in Imperial records but commonly known among Rogue Traders in the region simply as ‘The Rift’, is a vast interstellar void of darkness separating the expanses of Imperial colonisation in the Gothic Sector of Segmentum Obscurus from the fading Halo Stars of Crataegus Fragmentum, an old region of stars placed in the outer fringes of the galaxy.
Apart from The Rift, which in itself is a treacherous region of space rumoured among Rogue Traders to hold a wealth of undiscovered natural resources, the Halo Stars that make up Crataegus Fragmentum have been left apparently unexplored for Millennia…
I:II
Recently the Bio-Archaeologist Brostten Haggwers and his team of Bio-Explorers discovered small fragments of what has become known among Imperial chroniclers as The Daerwynne Palimpsest.
The fragile, layered parchment rumoured to be thousands of years old was found hidden on board a thorny space hulk floating empty and eerily adrift in The Rift. The first examinations of the palimpsest suggest that it predates the 30th Millennium. From what could be drawn from its remains it is said to account for the region of Crataegus Fragmentum as the original birthplace of the microscopic life forms and organic building blocks of life that led to the evolution of the flora and fauna on an abundance of worlds in that part of the galaxy, including that of Holy Terra itself. The Golden Throne of Mankind…
I:III
In his highly controversial Abiogenesysse: A Treatise on the Originne of Species Brostten Haggwers, building upon the fragments of The Daerwynne Palimpsest, not only proposes how certain life forms on Terra initially evolved around the stars that today make up the Halo Stars of Crataegus Fragmentum when they burned more brightly during the early days of the galaxy billions of years ago. He also claims that these life forms consequently spread like an interstellar epidemic to other star systems in that part of the then young galaxy, among others the Sol System, in what he describes as ‘The Great Panspermiae’.
Furthermore Haggwers suggests that the region of Crataegus Fragmentum was initially discovered during the Dark Age of Technology by the Mechanicvm, who, again citing the palimpsest, revered the interstellar region for its maternal kinship with the Sol System and as a result transformed many of the moon worlds into ‘living machine shrines of both analogue and organic circuits and devices that run as mechanical supplies through the plants and the moons themselves, resulting in living worlds partly wired from within by mechanical, self-assembling conduits and hissing transistors.’ (Brostten Haggwers, Abiogenesysse: A Treatise on the Originne of Species, M41.965)
I:IV
It is unclear what other discoveries Haggwers did during his explorations of Crataegus Fragmentum and The Rift. But as some Imperial agents within the Inquisition have already deemed his illustrious treatise heretical in nature, Brostten Haggwers and his team of Bio-Explorers have apparently disappeared.
Some rumours say that they have ventured deeper into The Rift to the thorn moons of the Crataegus Fragmentum in search of more fragments of The Daerwynne Palimpsest. Other more staunch rumours say that his Rogue Trader Anaxaegoras was last seen carrying a Millennia-old biomechanical cargo bound for Holy Terra…
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The rumours are true…
Brossten Haggwers and his team of Bio-Explorers are bound for Terra. On board their Rogue Trader Anaxaegoras is a host of Lost Mechanicvm hailing from the living machine shrines that are the thorn moons of Crataegus Fragmentum. Radical Mechanicvm Genetors who colonised the long forgotten region during the Dark Age of Technology with an intention to uncover the ultimate knowledge of the genetics of the Imperium…and now, with the aid of Haggwers and his team, on a pilgrimage for Terra and the broken Golden Throne of Mankind!
Both share the same goal: To acquire key fragments of The Daerwynne Palimpsest rumoured to be hidden in a forgotten, dystopian Botanicarium in the subterranean vaults and cathedrals of Terra.
For Haggwers and his team of Bio-Explorers it is (most likely) a question of personal ambitions and the glory of achieving a potentially huge discovery on the emergence of life on Terra (and thus the Emperor himself!) as hinted at in the first fragment of The Daerwynne Palimpseste, which they discovered deep inside a thorny Space Hulk floating ‘eerily adrift in the Rift’.
For the Mechanicvm it is a question of ultimate knowledge with the intention to see that the broken Golden Throne is repaired in such a way that it becomes ‘a living machine shrine’ like the thorn moons of Crataegus Fragmentum. This will ensure the natural evolvement of life in the galaxy and the coming (continued change) of the Emperor as (into) The Green Man. Ultimate Machine-Nature reincarnated…
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First up is the Lost Mechanicvm Arch-Magos Biologis Sverre Arrheniusse and four of his Sicarian Thorn Guards hailing from the thorny cathedrals of Crataegus Fragmentum…radical Mechanicvum Genetors bound for Terra!
IRON SLEET 
Very original and exciting – mi pilgrym Varangian council will be equipped with a pair of secuteurs now ……
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Thanks a bunch! Had to look secuteurs up…a good one 🙂
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Fantastic! I love the tangle of cables/vines hanging down from his robe. His silhouette looks just like a tree!
Is the cane going to be lengthened?
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Thank you Remnante…the walking cane will be lengthened to fit is height. Some minor additions still missing too.
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Cool, I’ll be keeping an eye out for the finished article. On another note, I’ve had a look through your blog an your painting is gorgeous!
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Wow! Couldn’t get any more atmospheric! These models really capture the soul of the paintings and illustrations!. Captured my imagination!
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High praise from a master…thank you. I aimed for the sense of light streaking through high windows in the immense forest cathedrals of Crataegus.
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Just wonderful.
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Crazy, wonderful stuff.
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Oh boy, 2016 is off to a flyer on Ironsleet… awesome!!
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Eerily good!! Can’t wait to see more.
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I like eerie…thanks!
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This is one fantastic concept; I love the palimpsest idea, it is something I am surprised is not explored more in 40k currently. I also think it is neat that you are delving into more of the biology side of the universe and by extension the Golden Throne. It too is something that is often neglected, particularly when compared to the Machine God aspect of the Mechanicum.
The models are also looking great; they are tall and spindly, perfect reflections of old tortured trees. The spidery branches sprouting from the “nightbringer’s” back also capture the slight horror of unknown biologies.
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Thank you Eric!
This work is really the combination of a lot of different inspirations. Especially my daily work, forest myths, John Blanches incredible artwork (Voodoo Forest!), an amazing sketch by Jakob Rune and Johans Skadiir…
What really triggered my imagination was the idea of panspermia (an a very special personae coming up)…and how life in the galaxy spreads and continues regardless. I want to tap into that idea with the narrative of Crataegus Mechanicvm and the link to Terra and the Golden Throne. The idea of the Daerwynne Palimpsest grew from that.
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Amazing work! Such atmosphere and I absolutely love that last shot from beneath the canopy. Very inspiring!
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Gothic, eerily empty, dust-filled, creaky forest-cathedrals…
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What a wonderfully crazy concept. The miniatures are just beautiful, love the last picture especially.
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Stunning work FPOA!!! This is exactly what this whole project stands for. Your personal interests, skills and peculiarities meeting with the Dystopian 40K Imagery to create something truly original and captivating. Such a pleasure to see and so excited to work of the Botanicarum.
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Thank you mate! It is such a pleasure to work on…I really can not wait to see that Botanicarum and golden terrain unfold.
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Fantastic stuff!
Very original – both in terms of the models themselves and the extremely erudite background. Good show sir!
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Coming from mr. original, that is high praise 🙂 I just gather stuff together from all you other crazy peoples ideas…the Skadiir Thorn Moons for instance!
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Fantastic stuff!
Very original – both in terms of the models themselves and the extremely erudite background. Good show sir!
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As I just said to you alter ego, high praise man 😉
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Very interesting and original.
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This is excellent (but then you knew that right?). Wonderfully atmospheric pictures, fantastic background fiction, brilliant models. Think I prefer the big guy without the little shield (as in the upper image) but that’s a minor quibble. The Thorn Guard are spot on as well – superbly original kitbashes.
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Just to make absolutely sure everyone gets it, these were built by FPOA 🙂
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Thank you Wudu! I will consider removing that shoulder shield…working on some minor additions and changes. Much appreciated. The Skitari set is incredibly dynamic and versatile…one of my own favorites.
Migs: 🙂
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Fantastic stuff. Amazing tale unfolds and those figs are gorgeous. The thorn element woven into the mech is a superb idea and execution. Watching and waiting with held breath!
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Thank you! A new pair of Lost Mechanicvm coming up soon.
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I think it was mentioned in the comments in one of the other threads but I think that the grandiose plans coupled with delivery that per now supersedes even those we’ll see a host of work inspired from this. Knowing already that more is lined up I’m a very happy man 🙂
FPOA. As I follow your own blog I was a tad prepared but the actual miniatures and the fleshed out fluff are just freaking awesome. I can’t say I’ve seen anything similar and I’m now eagerly awaiting how these will look with paint 🙂
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Thanks Big Boss!
Working on narratives has always been such a big part of the hobby for me, so I am glad to hear that it makes sense. Especially with the Lost Mechanicvm and the soon-to-appear Bio-Explorers…back to painting 😉
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THAT looks really awesome. more plx.
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Thumbs up Jens! New stuff on its way soon!
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Just sublime, FPOA! Can’t wait to see these painted… and in flesh when the time comes.
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Wow, what imagination. Will be following this intently!
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I came across the Greene Mechanicvm fairly early in my Pilgrymme reading and this is, like every other post, a joy to read. I try (unsolicited, but so far un- pelted and un- gagged so I must be less annoying on the Internet than in the flesh!) to write down my thoughts on the excellent pictures and miniatures — four to do here (three (!!!) Blanche paintings and three wonderful photos) … there is some repetition with a discussion I was having with FPOA, Here’s the first… (shamelessly hoping for a replie as it’s always nice to see if you’re on the right tracke — yes I do sit down and write these for funne…
Brossten Haggwers
The Thorne Moons of the Crataegus Fragmentum…The living forest-cathedrales of the Bio-Mechanicvmme…the Cradle of Lyfe itself… Greene Manne Cometh!
Brosten is Danish for cobblestones, I have had no luck with Haggwers.
The painting shows the Bio-Pilgrymme, the author of Abiogenisysse and rediscoverer of the Daerwynne Palimpseste contemplating one of the machine-trees of the Fragmentum… the first thing we notice is that the skull-headed Explorator is dressed in the full panoply of a Victorian gentleman scientist… frock-coat, waistcoat, breeches and canes… it might almost be Daerwynne or Hooker standing in Kew Gardens contemplating some great bole and envisaging dimly millions of years of evolution and innumerable chemical processes… the period is quite deliberate, recalling the time in which the first theories of evolution and abiogenesis were drawn up. His armoured or bionic legs are almost baroque, elaborate and silvered, recalling the fine craftsmanship of the Victorian age (look up a Watson ‘Van Heurck’ microscope, these were art as much as scientific instruments) and placing him at once in the Mechanicvm and for the observer in our world in the tradition of Victorian, physiological-taxonomic (as opposed to the, to my mind less fascinating, stress on the molecular) field science… The delicate silvery augmetic arms protruding from his shoulder look to me like micrometers and fine manipulators…The careful observer will note that he is standing on cobblestones… an allusion to the name???
The tree itselfe almost fleshy… cables and tubes melded with living boles, thick tube-roots reaching into the soil, fine wire-branches reaching into the air, strange mechanical cylinders expelling a mist of machine-fumes just as the stomata of a purely living tree expel water-vapour… it bears no leaves, but the machine- or water vapour confirm it is alive… the mist reminds us of the Amazonian rainforests, vigorous with life, but this is a machine-life, sap and oil mingling, pumped through the living tree, much as the living body of the Emperor is sustained by a synthetic ichor, a union of living tissue and machine.
Wired to this tree-machine are many skulls, which I imagine as regulating with their living brains the supply of oil through the tree, receiving perhaps some glucose from its living systems as a form of symbiosisse… a selfe-sustaining system, a true perfectionne of fleshe and machine. They also recall the Greene Manne of pagan tymes as a symbol not only of life but of death and spring renewal – Haggwers and the bio-pilgrymmage wish to renew the emperor in a spring of living machine-flesh…
It’s possible to tie several old pagan fertility-ideas together in the bio-pilgrymmage… the wounded king whose realm decays because, as he is physically incapable of being a father, he can no longer represent a father (rather more loosely here — as the emperor fails so does the Imperium) …the sacrificial king whose suffering is needed to sustain his realme… the Greene Manne representing the cycle of vegetation, having to die or come near to deathe to be born again… as the Emperor must come so near to deathe, in the winter of his Imperium, before the bio-pilgrymmage sets off to restore him. A devout adept of the Bio-Mechanicvm would doubtless say that the departure of the Hoste and the appearance of the Pilgrymme at this time are no accidents – the Imperium is reaching the depths of its winter, besieged on alle sides, but the stirrings of springe have just begun – if the Emperor Omnissiah is both fertility and machine God then his Imperium follows the cycle of the seasons. Green Man Cometh!
Part of the Daerwynne Palimpseste is said to be in the Botanicarium and again look carefully at the tree, the shape imitates that of the tree in the Botanicariumme – a visual clue of a similarity between the two places.
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