Parasiticus Hereticus

For millennia the Blight Drones of Nurgle have terrorised the cities of the Imperium as well as other alien races. They spread no end of contagion wherever they hover across and fire on anything that holds no allegiance to Papa Nurgle. Not much, however, is known about their creation Processes. A legend exists that tells of the ‘Queen Drone’ that all other Blight Drones are formed from, It is said that she rarely makes the journey through the Immaterium to lay waste to adversaries of Nurgle and build up sustainance for her sickly brood. Every 777 years is thought to be the number by which she decides to make the immense trek to the land of mortals. During the “Assault on Vanna’ Diel” is one such time that she propelled herself through the warp to begin her maternal feast.

Vanna’ Diel is a much sought after Fortress on the outskirts of the Eye of Terror. Having had thousands of years of bloodshed, battle and all manner of daemonic manifestation it is now truely within the grasp of the Ruinous Powers. Making it much easier for followers of Chaos to possess, be possessed and summon Daemons forward from the warp. Many years ago a Gargantuan assault took place by the combined forces of the Ordo Malleus, Sisters of Battle and Ultramarines. After months of none stop combat Chaos was driven from the planet and the Imperial Armies had finally claimed space for themselves in the Eye of Terror. The Daemon Hunters and their retinue began ‘untainting’ the planet and moreover the Chaotic fortress of Vanna’ Diel. 3 weeks passed without retaliation from Chaos. Then without warning the clouds blackened and bursting through ebony clouds rammed a large plague fleet of Nurgle. It was only the inquisitors at that point who could tell what was happening. They had seen this happen many times. They were not clouds, they were swarms of flies gathering at the atmosphere to meet the rotting fleet and follow the oncoming feast of flesh.

A Titanic battle ensued between the forces of Nurgle and the Astartes Arbites many perished but the Ordo Malleus seemed to be fending off the Nurglesque slaughterers. The Sisters of Battle and Ultramarines had long since retreated from the planet’s surface, fearing a futile battle but the Grey Knights of the 23rd company persisted with the battle. When hope, ironically for the God of hopelessness, had failed the Plague Fleet began to retreat back to their ships, a huge metallic clang began to knell from nowhere. Swarms of flies clouded a specific point in between the fleeing Chaos Marines and the Daemon-hunters. From the depths of the fly swarm exploded an unholy mechanical/biological Filth Zeppelin. The stench that followed with this massive maggot-machine was unbearable driving some of the hardened Inquisitors to vomit profusely. The manifestation was about the size of a Rhino tank but about 15-20 feet tall and floated about 7 feet above the ground. It was one horrendous sight. From the bottom the ‘Parasiticus Hereticus’ as it was dubbed was maggot shaped with metallic carapaces covering most of its body and an array of crude, rusted, but still functional weaponry that fired all manner of pus-soaked bolts and strengthened nails fired straight through the blessed power armour and spread the multitude of infections that inhabited the Daemon Engine. On its underbelly were two rows of spined tentacle-like appendages and a huge serrated toothed maw that constantly seeped corrosive, poisoning saliva, despoiling every inch of ground that it touched. Every time that the Daemon Engine hovered above a fallen enemy, the Parasiticus Hereticus would scoop up the corpse and ingest it completely through its gaping mouth. Above this part was the most intriguing part of the Engine. A huge Rhino-sized maggot that seemed to be the source of its elevation, visible arteries, veins and internal organs suggested that the creature was thin and capable of floating in the atmosphere. The maggot-like creature seemed to be linked directly to the under part of the Engine via sharp claws piercing the armour, sucking valuable fluids to keep it alive. To this end the maggot-like beast was parasitic to the host underneath it but the maggot part and machine/armed part both need each other. The armed part needed the maggot part for movement and the maggot part in turn needed the armed part for sustainance and protection. The two individual parts had been very vulgarly but tightly attached to one another with weathered, tarnished chains by the toilers of the Plague-Forge.

The Parasiticus Hereticus was followed through the warp hole by many smaller versions of itself but in place of the maggot-like monster were two oxidized rotors. These Daemon Engines were later to be named the ‘Blight Drones’ and it seemed that the Parasiticus Hereticus was looked upon as their mother. This was proved to be correct when from the rear end of the larger Daemon Engine emerged a two foot long maggot that continued to squirm towards the enemy. It is argued that these small fiends are raised in the Plague Forge and have the carapaces, guns and all other armaments added during the growth process by the Plague Mechanicus until they are fully fledged Blight Drones.