Editing Fallen Angels (section)

==Who knows what?==
At the close of the 41st Millennium, the Changeling managed to worm its way on to the Rock and unleash some prisoners, nearly reaching Luther's own cell before being repelled by one of the [[Watchers in the Dark]], then was later banished by [[Azrael]], [[Ragnar Blackmane]], and [[Arvann Stern]]. Though the prisoners and their specific natures were not seen by the outsiders, parts of the dungeons were, though the Grey Knights knew about them anyway. The fact that several prisoners escaped no doubt set the Dark Angel's Hunt back several centuries at the very least, considering how rare it is to capture one of them.

With the current state of the Imperium, members of the Fallen have been publicly outed by appearing on Terra in the company of a freshly reborn [[Roboute Guilliman]] and would have been viewed ''(marching alongside the Grey Knights no less)'' by the teeming masses of humanity. Though what this means is mostly a matter for conjecture, since very few people ever get to see Space Marines in the flesh and not be destroyed by them; they might have just assumed they were [[Ravenwing|normal Dark Angels]] [[Consecrators|wearing]] [[Angels of Vengeance|black]]. In any case, without specific knowledge of the Fallen ''(or the Grey Knights for that matter)'' the space marines in the company of the first Primarch the Imperium has seen in about eight thousand years would probably have been relegated to a side-show or a curious talking point.

More significant is the fact that said Fallen Angels were arrested by the [[Adeptus Custodes]] on the orders of Guilliman at the arrival to the doors of the throne room, and were placed in a Custodian prison that no-one had ever escaped from, though [[Troll|Cypher escapes in the following sentence]]. These prisoners would undoubtedly have tales to tell, though over a hundred years later, '''nothing seems to have come of it''', and the Dark Angels were reinforced with [[Primaris Marines]] in the [[Ultima Founding]], new Chapters were raised using their Gene-Seed, and they were permitted to keep their [[Deathwing]] and [[Ravenwing]] formations after petitioning Guilliman himself. And then a [[Retcon]] dialed the clock 90 years back and its around 015.M42, so the prisoners have been out for around 16 years.

So the question becomes, who knows what?

So far we know:
*The [[High Lords of Terra]] have long believed that the Dark Angels were guilty of Legion-Building, but are unaware of the reasons (because there is rarely a massive enemy force requiring such an organization). Hence why they were reluctant to utilise their gene-seed in new Foundings despite their relative genetic purity.
*The [[Grey Knights]] knew the Dark Angels were taking prisoners back to the Rock, but were unaware of who they were, but agreed to keep this knowledge from the High Lords as a condition of Azrael accompanying the Grey Knights on the Pandorax campaign. However, the Grey Knights were seemingly unaware of any cooperation between the Unforgiven Chapters and found their close-knit way of speaking about each other odd.
*The [[Black Templars]] captured a prisoner and transferred him over to the Dark Angels at gunpoint. Those Black Templars were never seen again, though that incident may have been retconned.
*Thanks to the Fenris campaign and the four way parlay ''(Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Grey Knights, Inquisition)'' taking place on the Rock, the [[Inquisition]] now has members embedded throughout the fleet of the Dark Angels. Even if they don't have access to the deeper levels, the cells or the libraries, it does mean that they can monitor fleet movements and activities from now on. Y'know, if the Dark Angels magically became stupid and careless and didn't spend ten thousand years mastering secrecy and counter-espionage.
**The Inquisition is also aware that a former Dark Angel: '''Vortigern''' was once a high-ranking member of the [[Black Legion]], though they might only suspect Vortigern was one of the Astartes who individually defected to Horus during the Heresy.
*The [[Adeptus Custodes]] have Guilliman's prisoners under lock-and-key. Although their track record for gauging loyalty is spotty at best ''(they did imprison the Crusader Host and not manage to sort out their loyalties all that quickly, though a Blood Angel and Iron Hand were set free)'' and tend to take a "you're all a threat" approach. Through the magic of Plot Armour Cypher and his fallen escaped the most secure prison in the Imperium, well apart from the even more secure prisons the Custodes have holding horrors of Old Night. They apparently gave up no information.
*Guilliman has had direct contact with [[Cypher]], knows that he carries the Lion's sword, and knows he desires to meet the Emperor face-to-face. Guilliman is also one of the few living beings with first hand knowledge of the Lion and the Dark Angels pre-, mid- and post-heresy, so will already have no reason to believe any Fallen claiming that "the Lion was a traitor". (Hell, one of the Horus Heresy books has Lion kneel and beg to Guilliman for help in granting the Emperor the highest chance of survival; as far as Guilliman is concerned, the Fallen are outright delusional). That being said he doesn't know they exist. He likely thinks of the Fallen he encountered as modern Black Shields or something similar and any anti-Imperium Fallen as [[Alpha Legion]] Psy-Ops to try to fuck with him and the Dark Angels.

It could be said that if they all sat down together, they could probably figure out what was going on. Though the different agencies of the Imperium don't tend to have a habit of sharing information, various individuals might have an idea of what's going on, but not the whole picture. Since the Dark Angels typically don't leave witnesses to their actions there isn't much hard evidence to be laid down at their feet other than some hearsay, rumour and a few wrecked planets where they purged some "heretics" ''wink wink''. This is probably not helped by the fact the [[Cypher]] managed to delete the Imperium's incriminating records on the chapter in mid M38, meaning the Imperium's ability to use hindsight has been massively curtailed. Even more so than usual.

Complicating things further still is the discovery that Luther himself has escaped his cell following an attack by the Fallen Angel turned Daemon Prince Marbas on the Rock. Azrael believes that he is planning to re-create his old Legion and has linked him to rumors of a massive gathering of Fallen somewhere in the Imperium Nihilus.

Painful irony is, as usual, quite common in 40k. In this case the fact a few (relative to a Legion) Astartes turned rogue would be so mundane and stupid a reason for the Dark Angels' behavior that the High Lords might not even believe it. They would not be able to comprehend why an entire ''Legion'' would devote itself to spending ''ten thousand years'' hunting drips and drops of their renegades showing up or why a Legion would even hide the fact it had renegades in the first place since all the Legions did. In other words, '''''they don't really have a reason for the secrecy.''''' As for dishonor, it doesn't matter if you cover it up, a dishonorable act is a dishonorable act. In fact, covering up ''adds to'' the dishonor.

To make things WORSE many Fallen Angels have joined the ranks of the Black Legion. Heck, one of them is a member of Abaddon's inner circle!