On Terra, when the cold winds start to blow in the Northern hemisphere and the sun begins its relentless summer cycle in the South, folklore among the people of the Imperium tell of the Emperor’s birth. There are a great many conflicting stories about whether or not it is his actual date of birth or even whether he has simply been around since the dawn of time. Others whisper that, rather than the day of the Emperor’s birth, it is the day of his rebirth; a time yet to come. Regardless, this is a time of great jubilation for many loyal to the Emperor of Mankind…
Every standard year, the Saint chooses a single world to personally bless on Emperor’s Day. He arrives like clockwork several hours before festivities begin. The Lunar Class Cruiser assigned to the Emperor’s Day Division, The Harbinger of Celebration, is one of the most accurate and fastest Voidships in the Galaxy. It’s painted bright red, white, and gold, which makes it very appealing to Ork raiding parties, but she’s always been able to repel any attackers…
Obviously, great adulation greets the Saint whenever he arrives on the chosen world. Gifts are one thing, but purging the world of all heretical influence, even for a short time, is seen as a massive blessing. This isn’t merely true from a spiritual perspective, but from an economic one. When the galactic neighbors of a world blessed by the Saint get word of his visit they’ll want to do more business with that world. The idea is that the world it is much safer and more trustworthy. Also, regional powers such as the Adepta Sororitas and the Adeptus Astartes will pay a bit less attention to the world due to its spiritual cleanliness. This creates breathing room for a lot more black market trade which also, to some degree, improves the world’s economy…
his tradition has survived for centuries. Saint Nikolas never fails to arrive, bringing happiness, peace, and justice wherever he goes. That is, until last year. In 995.998 M41, a shadowy figure appeared on the world of Tristain just days before the Saint. When the bright red Harbinger of Celebration appeared in orbit above Tristain, they found the world in ruins. The shadowy form had corrupted every soul on that humble world. The people refused to work, demanded tribute from the Saint, and denied the very existence of the God Emperor of Mankind…
This event is meant to be a fun and laid-back set of missions designed for two or more people to play holiday-themed games of 40k. It is not necessarily intended to be necessarily adherent to the lore, nor is it meant to be played with a strong competitive mindset. It’s all about getting together for the holidays and having a great time. Note that The War on Emperor’s Day is presented with thanks to Mark Gurtler formerly of Dirty Goblin Games who conceived of the original Emperor’s Day event.
Check out to the associated Podcast episode, as well as additional content, here.
Check out the Masters of the Forge Rules Supplements & Materials page for additional, homebrew narrative rules you can use in your campaign or event!
