Aether-Plague Heralds

Faction: Nurgle (Corrupted Duardin)
Designation: Contaminated Sky-Company
Origin: Barak-Torr (dissolved)
Known Range: Upper Soroth Kor, Cloud-Rot Fen, Breathless Vaults
Leader: Sepsis Nine-Tongues (unconfirmed)

The Aether-Plague Heralds are a corrupted Kharadron Overlord sky-company operating within and above the ruined city of Soroth Kor. Originally charted under Barak-Torr, the warband was lost during an extraction run into the breathless vault systems beneath the city. Surviving members display full physical and ideological transformation, consistent with Nurgle contagion.

Corruption centers on exposure to unstable aether-gold deposits. Contact appears to have triggered biological alteration and structural failure within standard duardin protective systems. Survivors now operate under devotional logic, treating the contaminated material as sacred. Equipment is no longer maintained to Kharadron standards. Armor is buckled and split. Flight packs release spores, fumes, or thick chemical vapors. Most helmets have been altered or breached. Respiratory systems emit audible wheezing or guttural vocalizations during movement.

Despite their condition, the Heralds continue to apply technical expertise drawn from their origins. Aethermatic devices have been modified to measure decay rates, spread toxins, or amplify humidity in sealed zones. Standard filtration units now serve as spore crucibles, and pressure valves have been rerouted to time dispersals during overflight. The warband’s approach to contagion is methodical and precise. Infection is not incidental—it is engineered.

The Heralds remain airborne. Their primary ships are no longer recognizable by sky-port classification but retain partial lift. These vessels move through cloud strata and storm corridors with irregular patterns. Recorded sightings often place them above fungal bloom zones or over hollow infrastructure where air has failed. Attempts to intercept have resulted in failed boarding actions and severe exposure events.

Leadership is assumed to reside with Sepsis Nine-Tongues, a former Endrinmaster. Witnesses describe vocal commands issued through a liquid filtration mask. The group includes other named figures—among them Rotgut the Tallykeeper and the Blessed Bellows—who perform distinct ritual and logistical functions. Each carries modified tools originally designed for exploration, now repurposed for disease dispersal and devotional use.

The warband does not occupy fixed positions. Their route through Soroth Kor appears guided by internal prophecy or environmental cues. Spoilage follows their path. Infrastructure softens. Metal weakens. Structures begin to emit fungal growths, even in areas with no direct exposure. No pattern of recruitment has been confirmed, but isolated workers and residents have reportedly joined them after extended exposure.

Efforts to remove the Heralds have failed. Conventional engagement results in rapid environmental collapse or personnel incapacitation. The city’s own ventilation and vault access points often shift after contact, suggesting architectural compliance. Whether this is a result of manipulation or ambient alignment remains under review.

Contact with the Aether-Plague Heralds should be avoided without full seal. Engagement without filtration has led to memory failure, respiratory breakdown, and secondary conversion.