A blinding burst of golden light had finally clued Luka in on what was happening.
To put it simply, the Emperor, perched on his golden throne for millennia, had been stirred by a cosmic disturbance—a warp-fueled irritation, so to speak. In a rare moment of clarity, he decided to pluck Warhammer enthusiasts from 3rd-millennium Terra and fling them into the grim darkness of the 40th millennium to bolster the Imperium. Luka, it seemed, was one of those chosen.
The Emperor wasn't naive, though. Dropping unprepared souls into the Warhammer universe would be like tossing snacks to the Chaos Gods. So, after some divine deliberation, he crafted the elaborate metal box now sitting in Luka's apartment.
The box's full explanation was a tangle of psychic energy, warp mechanics, and higher-dimensional nonsense, but the gist was clear: it was a gateway to the Warhammer universe. Luka could use it to project himself into that world—not physically, but through a clever possession system.
Rather than risking his own hide, Luka could send Warhammer miniatures into the box as proxies, controlling them remotely or even inhabiting their forms with his consciousness. The box also had a scoring system, limiting how powerful a unit he could deploy. At his current Level I authority, Luka had a cap of 500 points for his forces.
It was a modest budget, but per the rulebook, 500 points could summon a cloned Primarch like Guilliman, the Thirteenth Lord and Second Imperium's War Marshal, alongside a squad of lesser units. These clones, while lacking the warp-infused essence of true Primarchs, still packed their physical prowess. Even a knockoff Guilliman could punch a Black Legion veteran into next week.
For context, Guilliman, the weakest Primarch in combat and a psychic lightweight, cost 300 points. A Primaris Space Marine? Just 20. A standard Terminator? 33. With 500 points, Luka could field a cloned Primarch and a small squad, storming the Warhammer world with a miniature army. The prospect was thrilling.
Luka's confidence surged. His shelves boasted 20,000 points' worth of Warhammer models. If he could raise his authority level, he might even borrow a few 30K Primarchs from his friends and give Abaddon a nasty surprise.
But raising authority meant tackling the task system the Emperor had devised to keep his recruited "Hammermen" motivated. Free power would breed laziness, so the Emperor tied progress to missions. Completing them would unlock higher authority levels and more points, allowing Luka to deploy stronger units.
The system was tiered. At Level I, Luka could only use units from the Astra Militarum, Inquisition, or Sisters of Battle, and only infantry at that. Vehicles like Valkyries or Raptors required Level II. Space Marines? Level III. Primarchs? A lofty Level VII.
Mission rewards were equally enticing: master-crafted power weapons, relic-grade armor forged by Vulkan himself, custom Imperial Knights from the Mechanicus, even an Emperor-class Titan. These weren't mere models—they were functional gear, usable in the Warhammer world or even brought back to Luka's reality.
The Emperor also offered physical enhancements: Space Marine augmentations, psyker abilities, or Imperial Guard training. The priciest reward? A "custom Primarch transformation (with warp essence)." Luka couldn't help but scoff. "Is the Emperor selling his throne for this? That's a fortune's worth of bling."
No Warhammer fan could resist the lure of donning power armor, swinging a crackling power sword, and carving through enemies. Even the most jaded hobbyist would jump at the chance to become a Primarch.
"So, what's my first mission? Let's get to it!" Luka's eyes gleamed as he faced the servo skull, eager for action.
The skull whirred, projecting a block of text into the air.
"Novice guidance complete. Novice mission issued."
Mission: New Governor
Objective: As the first to partake in the Emperor's grand plan, you have been appointed planetary governor of an Imperial world. Familiarize yourself with the responsibilities of governorship and manage this world effectively.
Note: Every decision you make will shape the planet's fate and, potentially, the Imperium's future. Choose wisely.
Additional: The Emperor grants you freedom to invite others to this great endeavor. Be warned—your collective choices will have real consequences. Act with care.
The final warnings glowed red for emphasis, but Luka barely noticed. He was already rummaging through his shelves, hunting for the perfect miniatures to kick off his Warhammer adventure.