Short story idea a day for 2018.

[interrogatorchaplain]

358. A member of the Eyes of the Emperor, the retired members of the Adeptus Custodes, learns through intense research and sleuthing that an ancient evil that escaped the Dark Cells under Terra during the formation of the Great Rift. It has taken a Xenos form and was captured by members of the Deathwatch. Now, in stolen, black painted Mk X. Power Armour, his most daring act of subterfuge begins to protect the Deathwatch from a danger they can't begin to comprehend.

[interrogatorchaplain]

359. The head of the Navigator House Gibran, Novator Lomenov, discretely requests help from the members of the Ecclesiarchy's most shadowy sect, the Black Priests, after an extremely talented member of their House becomes possessed by a Daemon whilst navigating the Warp.

[interrogatorchaplain]

360. Reaching the cardinal world of Basphoria, a group of merchant ship officers make for a known underground cantina to do 'shore-leave things'. Unfortunately, their distressed state later in the evening sees them running afoul of the Ecclesiarchy-backed law enforcement.

[interrogatorchaplain]

361. A Fire Lords Chapter Fleet has made its rendevous with an Imperial Fleet that's preparing to make its last two jumps to reinforce the beleaguered planet of Vigilus, when suddenly an immense Space Hulk rips out of the Warp, commanded by an old foe. The Chaos warband The Purge hail the fleet and announce that the all or nothing assault will see only one side fly away alive.

[interrogatorchaplain]

362. A Necron Fleet takes to the stars as their ancient charts find an old inactive Dolmen Gate upon a moon that is now occupied by a minor Mechanicus forge.

[interrogatorchaplain]

363. On Valhalla, as life in Imperium Nihlilus grinds forward, a group of priests in the cave city of Vestimvok arm and prepare their souls to go and minister to the faithful in the Khevem district, which has become a source of heresy and utter despair, and a place where they can face their own crises of faith.

[interrogatorchaplain]

364. Fabius Bile, on the hunt to corner and capture Primaris Marines for experimentation, gets an intriguing lead on his most fascinating subjects, the Sons of the Phoenix Primaris Chapter. Gathering owed favours, he sets out to confirm some suspicions.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Stay on target... stay on target...

[interrogatorchaplain]

365. Following operations in the Gothic Sector, the Blood Angels fleet and Lord Regent Dante resupply at Cypra Mundi on the Eve of the Feast of the Emperor's Ascension. As Dante prepares a speech for the Segmentum Fortress to boost morale, a reply to an earlier Astropathic message, in which Dante relayed to Lord Commander Guilliman that three more Chapters and a host of worlds had been lost, is returned. The message from Guilliman is grim, and for the first time, Lord Dante learns of the possibility that Imperium Nihilus may be abandonned so as the Imperium may consolidate its defences.

[interrogatorchaplain]

And here we are, another turn of the sun and this fun little experiment has come to a close. You know, it's funny, there wasn't a single instance where I ever felt worried that I wouldn't have an idea to fill a day. I was always consistently at least 3 weeks ahead of my last idea written down. It's an absolute testament to the incredible world building that the good folks at Games Workshop, Black Library and Forge World have created, that there are tiny, teeny tiny nooks that can spawn an idea for a deeper narrative. Build a story just inside Trayzn's Vault? I think so. A ragtag group of likeminded individual trying to end the practice of creating servitors? That's compelling. The Arbites trying to prevent a bloody, Hive wide witch-hunt? That'd be wild.

I am probably in love with this awful, terrible universe. The stories are near infinite, and sure some of my ideas may have been a bit simple, I know a couple could be cribbed to fit in almost any Sci-Fi situation in any other universe. But some, not to blown my own horn, were pretty great, in fact there are a few that I kept to myself, because next year, I'm gonna take a crack at writing one of them. (I've already got the plot pretty well solid for one of them, with alternate plot points just in case.) There's something about the relentless struggle, the desperate urge to keep going but also, that if you took a step back to look at what you've become and ask: "Is it even worth the struggle?" Are you too far gone? Then to look and find that one spark that says, maybe, if we survive the night we can be better.

I created this list, partly for myself, because I want to see these stories written but don't have the skill to tell them all, and partly for everyone else. Because if you find something here that you find fascinating, or exciting, or compelling, then take that idea, run with it, make something with it, because I absolutely want to read it. The 40k universe is alive and every new idea, story or epic keeps it living, which I hope it will for decades to come. So while this little experiment is at an end, it helped spark one of my own ideas which will see the light of day, most likely here in this humble Bolthole or dare I hope, maybe on a physical page.

You have my explicit permission to borrow any of these ideas for anything you may wish to write if they find your fancy.

Thanks for having a look.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Well done that man.