Editing Nobledark Imperium Drafts (section)

====169.M35, The Malalian Heresy====
A group of Crone Eldar discover the true nature of Malal as a fifth (technically second), independent Chaos god. Such a fact was not exactly uncommon knowledge among the Crone Eldar, however, the fact that the Crones in this case responded to this information by renouncing their allegiance to all other gods and worshipping Malal exclusively was quite unusual. It is thought that the eldar in this case were nihilistic “true” Nurglite Crone Eldar, which meant this discovery resonated with their worldview and they were already in the right mindset to act on this information rather than just dismiss it as most other Crones would. These Crone Eldar painted their faces white and black, preaching that Malal was the one true god (or at least, the god to be placed before all other gods) and that he was their savior through their destruction. The movement gained popularity, with billions flocking to their banner.

This notion was quite franky regarded as the highest levels of blasphemy to most levels of Crone society, albeit for different reasons behind the different sects. Khornates considered it blasphemy to place Khorne’s vizier above Khorne, Tzeentchians inherited their patron’s animus for the anti-god that had existed since the dawn of recorded history, and Chaos Undivided eldar considered it heretical to claim that any gods worthy of worship existed beyond the main four. Even Slaaneshi and Nurglite eldar joined in, Slaaneshis likely because [[That Guy|they relished in the opportunity to bring anyone spite]] and Nurglites possibly because Nurgle feared retribution from a reformed Malal for what happened at the end of the War in Heaven (as well as the fact that Nimina and the Conservators were very vocal about how heretical the notion of worshipping someone other than Nurgle was compared to what would be expected of a Nurglite) As a result, persecution of this heresy garnered an abnormal amount of cooperation from followers of the big four.

The full force of the Crone Worlds and Shaa-Dome was brought down on the movement, but the fighting was not as easy as would be anticipated. Although greatly outnumbered, the individual Malal cultists seemed to have the strength of ten eldar, not to mention the assistance of the Malalic daemon prince Apep. At one point even Skarbrand was summoned and depopulated a continent-sized region of a layer of Shaa-Dome before being banished. In the end, it was the orthodoxy’s sheer numbers along with the summoning of daemons that turned the tide, Malal had not regained enough strength to form daemons yet whereas that daemons of the big four were so angered by the rebellion of the outcast god the Crones could summon them for a song. Hundreds of billions are killed in the resulting conflict before the surviving heretics are defeated and put to the sword.