The Splendor of the Ignis Aeternus’ Upper Decks
While the lower decks of the Ignis Aeternus groan under the weight of rust, labor, and fire, the upper spires and command galleries present a stark, almost overwhelming contrast: a world not of war, but of ornate splendor, where the glory of the Imperium is not merely proclaimed — it is paraded.
The bridge and adjoining sanctums are appointed in the full pomp of High Naval tradition, transformed over centuries into a floating monument of triumphalism and power. Here, amidst the hum of cogitators and the murmur of vox-links, lies an atmosphere not of austerity, but of unapologetic wealth.
- The walls are lined with polished wooden paneling, a forgotten treasure in most corners of the Imperium, imported from extinct worlds and lacquered with sacred oils.
- Heavy silk curtains, dyed in deep crimson and embroidered with golden aquilae and the sigils of victorious campaigns, hang beside armored viewports — serving no practical function but to invoke awe.
- Gilded cherub-servitors drift lazily on anti-grav harnesses, holding scrolls of past declarations or gently fanning ranking officers in complete silence.
- Trophies of conquest — alien skulls, shattered xenos weaponry, and pieces of enemy banners — adorn alcoves and pedestals. Each one is tagged with a purity seal and a kill-record, signed by the ship’s Master of Arms.
- A grand astropathic lectern of obsidian and ivory rests at the rear of the bridge, watched over by robed psykers and golden servo-censers that dispense calming incense laced with neurobinders.
- Inlaid into the decking itself are gilded inscriptions of the ship’s triumphs, each engagement meticulously etched in High Gothic and ritually reconsecrated after every battle.
Even the command throne of the ship’s captain sits beneath a vaulted canopy of iron and velvet, flanked by vox-serfs and banner-bearers who stand motionless for hours, their armor polished to a mirror sheen.
Scattered across adjoining officers’ galleries and war chambers are gifts from Segmentum authorities, conquered planetary governors, and grateful admirals: carved idols, jeweled staves, relic fragments in reliquaries, and even still-living exotic fauna locked in gilded containment spheres.
Every element is designed to reinforce the ship’s legacy — and the legacy of Von Ulm dynasty — as one of honor, wealth, and divine Imperial favor. It is a place where commands are given not in desperation, but with the measured gravitas of those who know they stand in the Emperor’s light.
Ignis Aeternus WH 40K campaign notes 