Orikan the Diviner is a Necron Cryptek who reads the future in the movement of stars. He’s one of the oldest and strangest minds in the 41st millennium, and his running feud with Trazyn the Infinite is one of the best stories in Necron lore.
Who is Orikan the Diviner?
Orikan is a Necron Cryptek astromancer. That means he practices a form of divination: he calculates what’s going to happen by studying the patterns of stars and celestial bodies. He’s more than a fortune teller, he’s a mathematician of destiny.
He was born a Necrontyr on Mandragora around 65 million years ago, long before the War in Heaven reshaped the galaxy. His family wanted him to become a warrior, but he was too frail for the Immortals. So he turned to mysticism instead, and that choice made him one of the most dangerous minds the Necrons ever produced.
What makes him so dangerous?
Orikan’s predictions are famously accurate. He supposedly foresaw the Fall of the Eldar, the rise of the Imperium, the Horus Heresy, and the coming of the Tyranids, all thousands of years before they happened. That kind of foresight makes him invaluable, even to Necron Overlords who can’t stand him.
And they really can’t stand him. Orikan treats nobility with open scorn and mockery, from Crypteks all the way up to Overlords. Most of them tolerate it because his skills are too useful to waste. He also knows their plans before they do, so trying to outmaneuver him is basically pointless.
- Predicts large-scale events like wars and the rise and fall of empires
- Can also divine smaller things, like individual destinies or fleet movements
- His arrogance is legendary, but so is his accuracy
- He keeps his most advanced abilities secret from his peers
When prophecy fails: time travel
Orikan’s predictions aren’t perfect. The Warp is the big problem. Its chaotic nature defies any calculation, so when Warp travel throws his forecasts off, he has to fix things manually.
That’s where his chronomancy comes in. Orikan can travel backwards in time to make sure his original prophecy still comes true. One example: when the Silver Skulls Space Marines saved an Imperial dockyard from Waaagh! Skullkrak, ruining his prediction, Orikan went back in time and ambushed the Marines himself, just to keep his reputation intact. He guards this time-travel ability carefully, because it’s the ultimate trump card.
Orikan and Trazyn: the odd couple
Orikan’s most famous relationship is with Trazyn the Infinite, the Necron overlord who collects everything. They’ve been rivals and reluctant allies for millions of years. Their dynamic is part bitter feud, part comedy duo, and it’s given us some of the best Necron fiction Black Library has published.
Originally, Orikan served the Sautekh Dynasty. More recently, he’s been working under the Silent King, Szarekh. That shift says a lot about how serious the Necrons’ current situation is, if even Orikan is falling in line.
Key facts
- Orikan the Diviner is a Necron Cryptek astromancer who predicts the future from star patterns
- He was born a Necrontyr on Mandragora around 65 million years ago
- He foresaw the Fall of the Eldar, the rise of the Imperium, the Horus Heresy, and the Tyranids
- He can travel backwards in time to correct failed predictions, a secret he guards closely
- He’s famous for his bitter rivalry with Trazyn the Infinite
- He originally served the Sautekh Dynasty but now works under the Silent King
FAQ
Is Orikan the Diviner a C’tan?
No, but he’s connected to them. He was one of the only Necrontyr to speak out against working with the C’tan, and he refused biotransference until he was forced into the bio-furnaces in chains. Some sources describe him taking a C’tan-like light form, but he’s not a star god.
What dynasty does Orikan serve?
He originally served the Sautekh Dynasty, but he’s recently started working under the Silent King, Szarekh. He’s a Cryptek, so his loyalty has always been more to his own plans than to any one dynasty.
Can Orikan actually travel through time?
Yes, but he keeps it quiet. When his predictions go wrong because of Warp interference, he uses chronomancy to go back and correct events so his original prophecy comes true. He goes to great lengths to hide this from other Necrons.