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{{Infobox /tg/-Heresy Primarch
{{Infobox Primarch
|name= Tollund Ötztal
|name= Tollund Ötztal
|bgcolor=black
|bgcolor=black
|fgcolor=white
|fgcolor=white
|image=[[File:Tollund Ötztal.jpg|225px]]
|image=[[File:Tollund Ötztal.jpg|225px]]
|title=The Steel Mastodon, the Liberator, Chosen of the ṣālman, First Son of Tisenjoch
|title=The Skyborn
|alias=
|alias=
|where=Tisenjoch
|where=Tisenjoch
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|weapon=
|weapon=
|trait= Compassionate, Honest
|trait= Compassionate, Honest
|flaw= Naïve, Trusting
|flaw= Guilt-ridden
|heresy= Traitor  
|role= Traitor  
|fate=  
|fate=  
|dominion=
|dominion=
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{{/tg/-Heresy-Head}}
{{/tg/-Heresy-Head}}


Tollund Ötztal was the Primarch of the Mastodontii, one of the Legiones Astartes of the Great Crusade. Open, compassionate and trusting, Ötztal was seen as the most human of the Primarchs, one who believed whole-heartedly in the Great Crusade and the cause of Humanity. But the harsh Galaxy and the methods required to tame it would eventually wear him down, until his faith in Humanity was shattered and he was claimed by the Dark Gods of Chaos.
{{Topquote|Intelligent beings struggle in every moment of their lives. Even in moments of apparent calm, there is always the struggle against one's own self.|Uriel Salazar, ''Confessions''}}


==Personality and Appearance==
'''Tollund Ötztal''' was the [[Primarchs (Hektor Heresy)|Primarch]] of the [[Mastodontii]], the Eighth of the Emperor's [[Legiones Astartes (Hektor Heresy)|Legiones Astartes]].  Although many knew him as a well-meaning soul conscious of the horrors of war, Ötztal's troubled mind would fall to Chaos and become a birthing ground for sadistic terror during the [[Hektor Heresy]].
''The greatest honour ever bestowed upon me was saying that I was a true son, a true brother, and a true man.''


- Tollund Ötztal
==History==


Though a Primarch, Ötztal was an unassuming figure, as if he tried to mask his presence and deny the aura he was created with. He was smaller than most of his brothers, though stocky and broad. Upon each cheek was a tusk-brand from his time with the Mamutoi Peoples on Tisenjoch. His eyes were full of warmth, and his smile was said to light up a room.
According to ''The Secret History of the Mamutoi'', the life of Tollund Ötztal begins with the story of twin brothers, Tollund and Ötztal. These superhuman creatures were born of the Emperor's science and stolen away from Terra by the Ruinous Powers. Far from their birthplace, the twins would be rediscovered on the planet Tisenjoch, then a Feudal class world at the Western edge of Segmentum Solar.


His upbringing as a slave in the fiery heart of one of the sled-cities of Tisenjoch left him with an all-abiding hatred of slavery and oppression as well as a deep love of people and their many quirks and flaws. He willingly put his life on the line for his Marines as well as allied warriors, and he was always willing to lend his name or presence should any wish it. This made him immensely popular with allied Imperial Army Commanders, who appreciated his close ties and the support he gave them, above and beyond that provided by any other Primarch. However he was also open to manipulation, and sometimes blinded to the flaws in his allies.
===Youth===


Of the Primarchs he tried to get on with all of his Brothers and remain close to them. Most appreciated his warmth, honesty and that he legimtately seemed to care for them. Others however saw him as a naïve fool, someone who cared too much for the common people and too little for the course of the Great Crusade. The bad blood between him and Alexandri of Rosskar is well known, but the Voidwatcher is also known to have disliked him, and Gaspard Lumey considered his trusting nature a serious flaw.
Unlike their brothers, the twins had not arrived at their new homeworld as infants but were already small boys whose eyes had beheld the myriad horrors of the Warp.  They huddled together in their capsule as it fell, flaming, to Tisenjoch. There, Tollund and Ötztal were discovered by soldiers dispatched to investigate the "meteor". The soldiers hailed from Umbaraka, a prosperous mining kingdom, and hoped to secure pure meteoric iron for their homeland's forges.  The advanced metals of an incubation capsule from the Emperor's laboratory was a bounty beyond their imagining and they hastened to secure the prize.  Not knowing that the soldiers were men, rather than demons, Ötztal began to wail in terror while Tollund tried to silence him. The cry of a child greatly surprised the men of Umbaraka, but once the twins were brought forth from their capsule the decision was quickly made to bring them before Krodun, the Gesar of Umbaraka.  Krodun was greatly impressed by his men's story of a falling star that had brought human life to his kingdom.  The superstitious monarch had no sons of his own and quickly decided that the Sky-Father had sent his own progeny to rule Umbaraka after Krodun.  Tollund and Ötztal were quickly adopted by the Gesar of Umbaraka and put in the care of professional nannies.


Some say he cared too much and too deeply, and that he was all too easily wounded when his compassion was met with hostility, his good deeds with evil ones and his desires with the cold, harsh reality of the universe around him. His rage was rarely roused, he tried to supress it as much as possible, but when it was he became like a snowstorm, a cold raging torrent that destroyed all before him.
The regime of Krodun's household did not please the twins.  Tollund took to staging pranks on his keepers, but his quiet brother Ötztal invariably took the blame.  As the twins rapidly matured, Ötztal's complaining to Tollund turned into brawling.  The brothers' fearsome battles against one another so terrified their nannies that the Gesar was informed.  Krodun at first dismissed concerns, then replaced staff, but eventually he came to witness the twins' wildness himself.  Aghast at their behaviour, Krodun declared that such madness was less like men than the acts of wild beasts and banished the twins to the wilderness until they had at least learned to act like animals. In truth, Krodun wished only to be free of the Sky-Father's offspring, but he knew better than to directly harm the progeny of a god.


==Youth==
After being escorted to the borders of Umbaraka, the twins wandered for many months.  Even as boys they were capable hunters and had little trouble finding food and water.  As the two grew in stature and their limbs thickened, their trail took them into the cold lands of the nomadic Mamutoi tribes. But if the twins stood as tall as grown men, they still quarreled like children, each blaming the other for their exile.  Such arguments often led to even wilder brawls than those that had seen the twins banished from the court of Krodun.
''My first memory is of the sky, the great dome of blue that covered the world. Though I spent years in the night as a slave to the engines, I would always dream of the sky and the day when I would see it again.''


- Tollund Ötztal
Every midwinter, the smoke-walkers of the Mamutoi go out into the frosts to beseech the Sky-Father for the return of summer.  Young Issitoq was walking the sacred paths on such a journey when he heard a roaring at once like a beast and like a man.  He wondered for a moment if he should flee, but Issitoq summoned his courage and went to investigate.  It was his task as the lodge smoke-walker to seek out the Unknown and bargain with them.  When he reached the clearing where Tollund and Ötztal battled, Issitoq at once knew that he beheld the fulfillment of ancient prochecy - the legendary Skyborn!  He threw himself down into the snow, pleading,


Tisenjoch is a world of great open steppes, and cold glaciers, locked in an eternal ice age. The people there were split into two types. There were those who clung to the lost technology that had allowed Tisenjoch to be colonised in the first place, who lived in great mobile towns adapted from mobile mining platforms. Those people were haughty, considering themselves superior and the true heirs of mankind. They battled with each other for food and resources, and took slaves to work the mighty engines of their mobile towns. Those clans were ruled by a caste of tech-priests who maintained their mobile homes, and some have speciulated this means that Tisenjoch was originally settled by an off-shoot of the Mechanbicum, though the truth of that matter has long been lost to time. Trade and Warfare between the great mobile towns was common, with battles between them akin to the naval battles of old Terra, with small high-speed ground-carts duelling in the shadow of the mobile towns as they pounded away at one another.
:''"Hear me, Skyborn!  I am a faithful servant of your Father Who Dwells in the Heavens, and would serve you as well!  If you are enraged by the faithlessness of other men, know that my lodge and all the tribes of the Mamutoi will follow you and do the bidding of the Sky-Father. Only stop tearing at your own flesh and feeding the snows with your own blood, and we will do all that you ask!"''


However there was another kind of people that lived on the Planet, in the manner of their most distant ancestors during a similar time in Terra’s forgotten history. Nomadic tribes that lived on the hard soil of Tisenjoch instead of in the great creaking sled-towns, in the manner of hunter-gatherers. They followed the great herds of mega-fauna such as the Mastodons that would one day give name to the eighth Legion. Hundreds of such tribes, with names like the Mamutoi, Zedonia, Talut and Crisavec lived from the shores of the Shivering Sea to the great Glaciers both North and South. They rarely fought with each other, but had to contend with the great Sled-Cities moving through their hunting grounds and raiding them for slaves.
Shamed by Issitoq's sincerity, the twins set aside their quarrel and hoisted the smoke-walker from the snow.  Tollund bade Issitoq to lead the way back to his people and was quickly obeyed. Though Mamutoi lodges generally expected their smoke-walkers to spend many hours ensuring the return of summer, all doubts were banished when Issitoq presented the twins.  Tollund and Ötztal were at once recognised as the Skyborn.  Their words were taken as those of the Sky-Father and over the rest of winter the twins claimed the allegiance of the other Mamutoi lodges.  In return, the Skyborn received the ritual scars of a plainsman warrior, forever declaring their kinship with the men of the great plain.


It was into this world that Ötztal was hurled. His pod was discovered by a foraging party from the mobile town of Umbaraka, where as a captive he was sent into the great machine pits beneath the rolling city as another slave to work them.
Yet the other tribes of the great plain had abandoned the Sky-Father.  The Zedonia followed the lion-headed eagle, Andugu, the Talut revered the great tiger Orgolesh, and the Crisavec were followers of the horned giant Huwadu.  Their elders spurned the twins, claiming that their spirits were superior to the Sky-Father.  Tollund called out to punish the other tribes with war, but Ötztal sought an alternative to shedding blood on the snow. Most of the Mamutoi were too fearful to intervene in a quarrel between the twins, but Issitoq bravely suggested that the Skyborn should seek out and slay the patron spirits of the other tribes to demonstrate the power of the Sky-Father.  Tollund was satisfied that this course would show his willingness to shed blood, while Ötztal felt comforted that the violence would be limited to ritual.


Ötztal grew to maturity as a slave, his face burned by the heat of the great forges, his skin sometimes kissed by the whips the overseers used to keep their charges in line. However the young Primarch was an optimistic soul, who saw that there was always a solution, a way out. Even in slavery he refused to ever give up. He befriended his fellow slaves, often did extra work to help them, tried to keep their spirits up. He grew to love humans with all their flaws and frailties. Even the Enforcers he pitied more than he hated.
In order to prepare themselves for battle with the spirits of the other tribes, the Skyborn waited for midwinter and went out into the darkest night to consult with the Mamutoi's patron spirit, Sabaka the great mammoth.  Sabaka was kin to Andugu, Orgolesh, and Huwadu, but she remained a faithful servant of the Sky-Father.  Recognising the Skyborn as the offspring of her master, the great mammoth gave her aid freely.  For three days and nights, Tollund and Ötztal walked with Sabaka, drinking her rich milk and learning her secrets.  In the spring, the Skyborn travelled to Mount Anshan, home to the lion-headed eagle Andugu.  Following Sabaka's advice, they crept into Andugu's nest while the spirit hunted and stole his shedded feathers to make flights for their arrows.  They then confronted the lion-headed eagle and drove him into the sky, where the spirit believed no missile could touch him.  But arrows guided by Andugu's own feathers drew the heart blood of the great spirit and the Skyborn claimed the eagle's lion head as their trophy.  In the summer, they traveled to the plains to stalk the great tiger Orgolesh. For seven days and seven nights the twins trailed their quarry, first finding no more than Orgolesh's spoor, then catching sight of the great tiger on a rise, then finally chasing Orgolesh from his kills. Eventually, the spirit did not have the strength to keep ahead of the Skyborn and fell to their arrows. They stripped his skin and made garments from it.  In the fall, the twins went into the dark woods where the horned giant Huwadu lurked. Clad in the hide of Orgolesh, the Skyborn could not be seen by Huwadu and although the giant fought fiercely his great head was taken.


After several years of toil, he decided that they had to escape, though the only place they could go was onto the open steppes, where the rumours said cannibalistic tribes lived, that ate raw meat and wore human skins to keep out the cold. Five times he tried to help his fellow slaves flee captivity, but every time he was recaptured, as he stayed until the last to help his fellows, putting them before himself. The angry city-dwellers had him cuffed, collared, and hung great weights from his limbs, all in an effort to prevent him from ever fleeing. For by now not only was he the most valued slave, but he also had learned about machine maintenance from observing the Tech-Priests and had taken to maintaining the engines himself, and when he saw to them, they worked better and more efficiently than they ever had before.
As the snows began to fall, the trophies of the Skyborn were presented to the tribes of the great plain. Now, none could doubt the power of the Sky-Father and every man of the plain followed his progeny.  But before the Skyborn unleashed the fury of the tribes, the twins decided to reclaim their rightful inheritance and set for Umbaraka.  A band of their most loyal followers waited just outside the patrols of Krodun's soldiers, but faithful Issitoq went with them in case a messenger was needed. When the trio reached Krodun's capital, they found the city bedecked for a great festival.  Tollund asked a local what was being celebrated and learned that Gesar Krodun had decreed a great chariot race to determine the new heir to Umbaraka.  Though the twins were furious at their patrimony being held up as a prize, they swallowed their anger and decided to enter the race.


But he would never give up on his dream of seeing the Sky once again. And finally on his sixth try he escaped, and fled from the rolling city into the steppes.
When Tollund and Ötztal approached Krodun's captain to register for the great competition, the insolent man at first mocked them, asking if they intended to drive a chariot on their own.  The twins drew up to their full stature and glared in response, and the captain's courage drained from him.  Under false names, Tollund and Ötztal entered a race to claim what had been promised them so long ago.  Their victory over the other chariot teams was unsurprising, for the Skyborn were far stronger and quicker to react than even the greatest of mortal men. Yet when they revealed their true identity, Krodun reneged on his promise and refused to will Umbaraka to the Skyborn.  Tollund snarled and started towards the Gesar, but Ötztal checked his twin's violent impulses.  The Skyborn stalked out of Umbaraka.


For several days he trekked the vast open plains, but it was winter and there was no sign of life beneath the blanket of snow. Eventually he fell, fully expecting death to claim him. But he woke up a few days later in a felt tent, and found that he had been saved when a splinter-group of Mamutoi, led by the visions of their Ice-Shaman, had come across his body. Tollund befriended the Shaman’s son, a young Ice-Shaman in training named Issitoq, and through him became accepted by the Tribe. He soon became one of them, learning to hunt and ride, read the winds and the span of the future as writ in the ice. He learned how to survive and thrive on the steppes, and also learned the impact the great sled-cities had on the hunting grounds, how they scattered the great herds of megafauna and decimated them for food.
They were not gone long.  Once the twins had reunited with their followers, messengers were dispatched across the great plain to gather the hosts of the Sky-Father. Within three passings of the sun, the followers of the Skyborn had assembled before the capital of Gesar Krodun. Within one more, the city was in the hands of the plainsmen and Krodun was Gesar no more. Though Tollund wished to slay Krodun for his treachery, Ötztal argued that the twins had been promised Umbaraka only on the old man's natural death.  To slay him would prove that Krodun had been right to swindle them.  Seeing that Ötztal's words caused relief among the advisors of the Skyborn, Tollund unhappily accepted placing Krodun in a comfortable prison to see out his days.


As if reacting to the influence of being freed from the confines of the Sled-City, he began to grow and mature, soon becoming as a giant to his fellows. On his twenty-first, he had the tusk-marks etched upon his cheeks, becoming one with the tribe who were his family.
Yet Umbaraka was only the first of many conquests.  The Skyborn swept forth across the face of Tisenjoch, bringing city after city into the realm of the Sky-Father.  In the wild places between named realms, the twins found hardy men to take the scars and join their legions.  Finally, they had conquered from ocean to ocean in the name of their sire.  With the whole of the known world at their feet, the twins set about building a capital in Umbaraka.  They spurned Krodun's city and instead developed a small fishing village into the great city that would be known as Cyrgyt, jewel of the Shivering Sea.  Tollund and Ötztal determined to build great palaces of their own design as the chief ornaments of their capital.  Each palace represented the character of its creator.  Tollund's home soared heavenward, grasping at the sky with towers of gleaming marble.  By comparison, Ötztal laid out a squat fortress of sturdy granite.  As they had so often before, the twins quarrelled over their differences.  Tollund came to Ötztal's fort and mocked it, even going so far as to leap over the walls to demonstrate their feebleness. As their attendants looked on in horror, Ötztal seized his brother and wrestled with him, finally throwing Tollund into the mud and laughing at the ruin of his wardrobe.  A few courtiers laughed with Ötztal, but were quickly silenced when Tollund fixed his brother with a cold stare and swore that he would have his vengeance.


As the tribe followed a herd of Mastodons, one of the Sled-Cities appeared and sent a raiding party to capture slaves. Though the tribesmen wanted to flee, Ötztal was filled with wrath that the Slavers were once again coming for those he cared most about. Taking up his spear, he swore that not one of them would be taken while he still drew breath. Many of the other tribesmen including young Issitoq, at the time only ten years old also took up their spears and stood with him. Together they overcame the raiding party and sent them fleeing.
The next day, Krodun's broken body was found in his cell.  Even the most casual observer could tell that the old man had been crushed to death by a warrior of tremendous strength, but who could question the Skyborn?  Issitoq, as the twins' oldest companion, was sought out and implored to seek out justice for Krodun. The smoke-walker was not pleased by this duty, but he knew that even the Skyborn must answer to justice.  When Issitoq questioned the Skyborn, Ötztal was shocked but quickly turned to blame his brother.  Tollund laughed at the accusation, saying that he could do whatever he wanted, but Ötztal cut him off with a blow. As Issitoq shrank back from the Skyborn, the twins wrestled on the ground until Tollund was subdued. Ötztal announced that the crimes had gone too far and wrapped his twin in a carpet, commanding that Issitoq bring horses and have them kick Tollund to death. After the steeds had done their duty, Issitoq asked in a quavering voice, "Gesar Ötztal, has justice been served?"


Ötztal now knew what he needed to do. He would storm the cities, free the slaves and end the blight of slavery. He left the tribe, accompanied only by Issitoq, who swore an oath never to leave his side. For a year he travelled between the various tribes, speaking about the great cities and how they preyed on Mastodon and tribesman alike. He tried to break the superstitious fear of those cities held by many tribes, to prove to them they could stand up to them and win. He slowly assembled a great coalition, and promised that he would free the slaves and prevent such sins from ever happening again.
Ötztal replied that he still had to live out his part of the crime. The Skyborn commanded that henceforth he would be known as Tollund Ötztal so that none would forget his part in the death of Krodun. The soaring palace of Tollund was completed but never lived in, serving only as a monument to those who had died in the Skyborn's conquest of Tisenjoch. Tollund Ötztal would dwell in his plain fortress, leaving as much of the business of government as possible to bureaucrats and busying himself with hunting.


The tribal confederation force first attacked the mobile-city of Cyrgyt. Making an improvised explosive device, Ötztal immobilised the city as it trundled across the steppes, and then led the Tribesmen as they stormed the city and broke into the engine-block, freeing the slaves. However he did not leave the city-dwellers to die, instead he taught them how to maintain their own engines, and volunteers so all would take turns at fuelling the engines and thus remove the need for slaves. Also he told them about the impact they had on the hunting grounds, and showed areas where they could go without interfering with the nomadic tribes. Thus he won, without causing further misery to the peoples of the cities, who were as blameless as the steppe-tribesmen. For as Ötztal said ‘No sin is justified by another sin.’ This first success would be repeated a dozen times as city after city fell to Ötztal. If the cities had united, they could have easily destroyed Ötztal’s army, but a combination of the old inter-city rivalries and the fact that no city was ever destroyed by his forces meant that he was largely ignored, and alone they stood and alone they fell.
===The Coming of the Emperor===


Finally Ötztal began to seek out his ultimate prise: Umbaraka, where he had been a slave most of his life. The City knew he was coming for it, and had remade itself into a rolling fortress, studded with gun-turrets and fortifications. Using technology looted from the other mobile Cities Ötztal was able to blow a hole in the underside of the City, and thus bypass the defences. After a short but vicious fight, the city fell to him. Surprisingly Ötztal spared all who were taken captive, even the enforcers and the City Leaders. None of those who had been Slaves when he had been there were still alive, but Ötztal did not try to seek revenge for their deaths. With the fall of Umbarka, the other cities freed their slaves rather than risk Ötztal’s wrath. Ötztal judged his oath complete, let his army go back to their homes and returned to the Mamutoi. He refused all honours, refused to become the headman or anyone in the inner circle, content with merely being one of the tribe.
Issitoq ruled Tisenjoch in Tollund Ötztal's name. The smoke-walker was not greedy and lived a simple life, believing that he and his master were but stewards until the day that the Sky-Father arrived. He was not surprised when a hooded stranger of great stature came before him and requested a direct audience with Ötztal. On hearing the commanding tones of the stranger, Issitoq was certain that this mighty being could only be the Sky-Father himself, finally come to commence his rule over Tisenjoch.


==The Coming of The Emperor==
Tollund Ötztal was less easily persuaded. He was accustomed to meeting with his friend Issitoq from time to time, but considered the presence of a third man a breach of protocol. The Primarch challenged the stranger, demanding to know why he believed himself worthy of an audience. From beneath his hood, the stranger smiled and said that he would undertake any task to show his worth. Ötztal was greatly displeased by this boast, and insisted that the stranger show his prowess in three tests.
Not even two years later, a strange figure clad in furs came before the summer meeting of the Mamutoi, asking to speak with the great man who had freed the slaves. The meeting was cool at first, and Ötztal instinctively distrusted this outsider when he spoke about how in some circumstances slavery was a necessary evil and that sparing your foes would often lead to even more conflict and it was better to kill them and make an example of them. Ötztal believed the man was deliberately trying to get a reaction out of him and kept his cool, asking how the stranger would have done it were he in Ötztal’s place.
Through words, the two refought the entire of Ötztal’s campaign. Ötztal was forced to defend his every decision, his every action was torn apart by the stranger who told him what he could have done, and in some cases what he should have done. But in the face of all this Ötztal was firm. He’d made Tisenjoch a batter place for everyone, tribesman and city-dweller alike. He would never sacrifice one group of people for the sake of the other. All had the right to live as they could.
With quiet dignity he told the stranger that he’d done what he felt was right. The stranger could think differently, but it was up to each individual to decide their own destiny. He thanked the stranger for giving him food for thought and bade him farewell. It was now that the stranger shed his garb and revealed himself as the Emperor of Mankind. Even Ötztal was awed by the figure before him, though he resisted the urge to kneel. The Emperor spoke to Ötztal about who he truly was, a warlord of the Emperor’s Crusade, a crusade to liberate humanity from the xenos and monsters of the void. Tollund was taken in by this, a chance to liberate all of Humanity and he was an instant and wholehearted convert. He left Tisenjoch with the Emperor, and would not be back for five years. When he returned, it would be with a Legion at his side.


==The Great Crusade==
The first trial was of tracking.  Ötztal set off from his fortress while Issitoq timed out an hour's passing.  Then the stranger was told to pursue the Primarch.  If he could not trail Ötztal, then he did not deserve to stand with him.  The stranger set out at a run, only glancing at the soil ahead of him from time to time, but he followed Ötztal's path with the keen instinct of a hunting beast.  It was not long before the two stood together and the second trial began.  Ötztal passed a great bow to the stranger and explained that they would wait for the first sight of a deer, then loose one arrow.  If the stranger could not equal Ötztal's shot, he did not deserve to speak to him.  They waited in silence for a time, each warrior's keen senses appraising the other's stance and readiness.  Then, in a flash, they caught a glimpse of movement, raised their bows and fired.  The deer ran from them unharmed and Ötztal looked at the stranger in confusion, for he had never missed a shot while hunting before.  In answer, the stranger only pointed to where Ötztal's bolt had fallen, struck from the sky by the stranger's shot.  Smiling, Ötztal set down his bow and explained that the final test was wrestling.  If the stranger could not prove equal man-to-man, then he would only have his audience as a supplicant and could make no demands.  The two exchanged holds and strained their muscles against one another long into the cloudy night.  But when the heavens parted and the light of the stars shone upon the stranger's face, Ötztal could no longer deny it.  He was not testing his equal.  His creator, the Sky-Father, was showing Ötztal the errors of his pride.


Tollund Ötztal spent five years alongside the Emperor, learning from Him about the ways of the Imperium. Ötztal proved to be highly gifted, learning about the ways of war, history, science and especially engineering. His native wisdom and compassion were only enhanced by all this, as he embraced the many strands of humanity and the cradle-world that had birthed them, and the quest to unite them all as one. During this time he met many of his Brothers, most of which he felt an immediate connection with. When he met Hektor, the First Primarch immediately thanked him for the service of the Steel Wing’s Fourth Chapter, which had served alongside the Warriors of Dawn for most of the Great Crusade. Thus grew a close friendship which would later help draw Ötztal into damnation.
After Ötztal recognised Him, the Emperor of Mankind spoke to his son and corrected the errors of superstition.  He explained the truth of Ötztal's creation and the vastness of the [[Galaxy (Hektor Heresy)|Galaxy]] beyond Tisenjoch. The Emperor also explained the role that Ötztal and his brother Primarchs were to play in the stars above.  Although He was proud of Ötztal's achievements in subduing Tisenjoch, the Emperor was concerned over one matter. He noted that the Primarch took the name Tollund Ötztal and asked if this meant that he had accepted responsibility for the murder of Krodun and the events that had led to it.  Ötztal nodded and knelt before his Father, prepared to receive punishment.  Yet the Emperor's tone remained concerned, never flaring into anger.  He asked what would stop Ötztal from embracing pride once more and rising against the growing Imperium of Mankind in pursuit of reward, rather than duty. Ötztal looked into his creator's eyes and replied that a guilty man deserves no reward. He swore that he only wished to atone for the blood shed on Tisenjoch's snows, to win absolution but not reward.  If at the end of the Emperor's great task, He judged that Ötztal had not redeemed himself, the Primarch would gladly submit to any punishment.


While this was going on the 8t Legion, the Steel Wing was slowly being drawn together for the first time since it had left the Sol System. The scattered elements all converged on Tisenjoch, where on the great plains 100,000 Astartes assembled to meet their gene-father.
The Emperor nodded His agreement, but He did not smile.


A Legion stood united as their gene-father came before him. The Legion knelt immediately, but Ötztal shook his head and asked them to rise, for he was no tyrant, they were his sons and they would not bow to him. Instead, it was he who bowed before them, before personally thanking the last members of the Sacred Band still left for their service and promising that the Legion would fight for mankind, for the bright future that the Emperor promised them. No sacrifice would be too small, no battle too minor in the pursuit of this.
===Great Crusade===


Ötztal did not wish to re-name the Legion at first, for he wished his sons to maintain continuity with their past. But eventually Hektor convinced him that he had to show that it was now his Legion and that he was its master. So he named them aster the great Mastodons of Tisenjoch, mighty beasts that protected their young and sick from the predations of wild beasts. Thus the Steel Wing became the Mastodontii. The first intake of recruits from both the mobile cities and the tribes of Tisenjoch entered the Legion, including the Primarch’s old friend Issitoq. Construction of a Fortress-Monastery began on one of the large islands in the Shivering Sea, so as to keep the plains free for the tribes and cities.
Tollund Ötztal inspected the Eighth Legion and was quick to deem them fit for his purpose.  Even the oldest of the Legion, those born on Terra, had taken scars akin to those of his plainsman warriors.  Yet beyond their feral faces was the noble restraint that the Primarch so valued in a warrior. The Eighth Legion was not something for him to change, only to expand and inspire.  Tollund Ötztal tried to lead more by example than decree, though he was forced to make some changes to the Legion's training regime to better accomodate the men of Tisenjoch.  But in matters of command, the Primarch felt that the men who had directed the campaigns of the Eighth from Terra to the stars were generally fit to carry on their mission. His own role would be to stand at the head of the Legion's hosts, striking the first blows and weathering the greatest hardships. If ties of genetics were not enough, this heroic pose quickly won Tollund Ötztal the love of his gene-sons.


The Legion that now re-joined the Great Crusade, leavened with the Blood of Tisenjoch and the cultural norms of the planet swiftly gained a dual reputation as both mystic savages, and saviours of humanity. Their archaic customs, their introversion and exceptionalism drew notice. They still willingly deployed their forces to support others all across the Crusade, but now they were a closed book, immersed in their own superstitions, prone to lapsing into inscrutability. They were said to talk to their armoured steeds, to their guns, even to the very armour they wore, carving runes of warding and witnessing upon them and decorate them with totems and fetishes. They treated their wargear as more than just tools, as if they had souls of their own, something which brought them into conflict with some sects of the Mechanicum while earning them the loyalty of others.
His relationships with the other Primarchs were more mixed.  [[Hektor Cincinnatus]] was Ötztal's favourite brother and sometime role model, and he had a great admiration for [[Roman Albrecht]].  His ire generally fell on those of the Primarchs who strayed from the battlefield, such as [[the Voidwatcher]], [[Tiran Osoros]], [[Johannes Vrach]], and [[Arelex Orannis]]. But his greatest rival was [[Onyx the Indestructible]].


The Tisenjochans who soon began to make up a disproportionate number of the Legion became known for treating battle as an art form, for taking great joy in the tasks they had to do, though they never lost a clear-headed concern for practicalities. They were observed to wear their genhancement lightly. A certain kind of self-effacing courtesy seemed to come naturally to them, which made them among the easiest Legions to work with for the Imperial Army, though unlike their previous form as the Steel Wing they remained elusive, closed to outsiders and loath to take orders they saw as foolhardy.
This rivalry began shortly after Onyx was rediscovered.  The Primarch of the [[Stone Men]] was keen to establish himself as the strongest of the brotherhood, and had thrown down Roman Albrecht, Brennus, and even Hektor himself in unarmed contests. Tollund Ötztal was too humble to answer the open challenge on his own behalf, but Hektor pushed the lord of the Mastodontii to show off his skills as a grappler against mighty Onyx.  Reluctantly, Ötztal stepped forward and quickly humbled Onyx by bringing him to earth and locking up his mighty right arm.  Yet where a lesser man might have submitted to save himself from injury or pain, Onyx roared his defiance.  He boasted that his bones could not be broken while Ötztal would soon tire.


The deeply held superstations of Tisenjoch soon began to dominate among the Legion as well. The belief in fate, the pattern of time, the will of heaven and the spirits of the ice. The Ice-Shamen of Tisenjoch became a powerful force within the Legion, though decried as primitive by the Librarians of other Legions for their refusal to dig too deeply into the Warp.
Tollund Ötztal's reply was simple and to the point. He wrenched Onyx's arm, popping the shoulder from its socket.  Hektor and Roman laughed and applauded Ötztal's skills, though the humble Primarch only acknowledged them with a nod, then released his brother and got to his feet. Onyx was up almost as fast and struck Ötztal with a tremendous left hook, knocking him senseless.  Before any further blows could be landed, Hektor and Roman interceded, but both Onyx and Ötztal would hold a grudge against the other from that day on.


===The Lenard Deeps===
However, brotherly meetings were rare.  For most of the Great Crusade, Ötztal would be far from the other Primarchs, leading his 51st [[Expedition Fleets (Hektor Heresy)|Expedition Fleet]].  Though he did not claim as many worlds as some of his peers, the lord of the Mastodontii was proud that his men passed lightly over the galaxy.  His Legion rarely left a newly-Compliant world much worse than they had found it, and they were quick to hand over their conquests to Imperial Governors.  Yet as reports of other Legion actions filtered through to Ötztal, he realised that he was an outlier among the Primarchs.  The [[Life Bringers]] were not averse to utterly destroying a world only to rebuild it in their own image.  The Sons of Fire seemed to almost relish destruction.  The [[Black Augurs]] and Stone Men cared little for collateral damage.
{{Main|The Campaign Of Astral Woe}}


''“My erstwhile Brother has brought nothing to the course of the Great Crusade that is doing any good. He does not have Hektor’s tact, Aubrey’s zeal, Uriel’s charm or even the burning passion of Inferox. His soul is like the winter pole, cold, dead and without any pity or mercy. If he is allowed to continue like this then much will be destroyed that cannot easily be rebuilt and the Imperium will suffer as a result. We are not fighting the Great Crusade so Tyrants like Alexandri can prosper. We are fighting it so his kind can be consigned to the graveyard of History.”''
For some time, Tollund Ötztal brooded on the question, wondering what he could do to curb the tendencies of his warlike brothers. When the Council of Nikaea was convened, Ötztal dispatched his Chief Librarian Erlik to speak on behalf of the Mastodontii. Although the Mastodontii Primarch usually allowed his subordinates to plot their own course, Erlik was given strict instructions to call for restraints on the use of Warp powers. The harsh decision at Nikaea greatly exceeded Ötztal's expectations, but he could accept the loss of the Librarians if it prevented the Black Augurs from laying waste to homes and lives.


'''From the censure request of Tollund Otztal, concerning Alexandri of Rosskar and the burning of Rosean.'''
Somewhat encouraged, Ötztal looked for another opportunity to reduce the destruction of the Great Crusade.  He settled on [[Gaspard Lumey]]'s [[Core Worlds Campaign|destruction of Karazak]].  The master of the [[Void Angels|Fifth Legion]] was ruthless and had no sense of martial honour, but Ötztal knew that Lumey was a devout believer in the rule of law over the rule of force.  If the War Council moved to discipline the Fifth Legion for excessive destruction, it was likely that the punishment would be accepted and an example could be set for the other unruly Primarchs.  However, before Ötztal could bring his case before the Emperor, the War Council was disbanded.  The Imperial government was organised in the Council of Terra, led by Malcador the Sigilite, while the Great Crusade was directed by Hektor Cincinnatus and the Military Council.


The Campaign of Astral Woe was one of the first events that began the slow decline of the Mastodontii Legion into darkness. What was supposed to be a chance for two Legions to serve alongside each other in collaborative effort, and thus bond and strengthen each other, nearly led to bloodshed and disaster, and set doubts into the Legion’s mind as to the righteousness of their cause.
Sensing discontent over the division of powers, Ötztal took his concerns to Hektor rather than Malcador.  He appealed to the Warmaster to use his new powers to usher in an era of conquest with grace, rather than brute destruction. It is likely that Hektor was less taken by Ötztal's moral argument than by the chance to demonstrate his authority - especially against a trouble-maker like Lumey - but for whatever reason the Warmaster agreed to preside over a tribunal.  Ötztal travelled to the Fortress World Ussur to present his case in person.  Many of the attendees suspected that a debate between Gaspard Lumey and the Mastodontii Primarch would be a no contest, but the Fifth Legion's Primarch seemed content to let Ötztal read his statement and confined his response to clarifying factual matters.  After the end of the Ussur Tribunal, Ötztal spoke to Lumey and found that his estimation had been correct.  Gaspard Lumey was content to lead his Legion into exile in order to set a good example to the soldiers of the Imperium.  Before parting, the two Primarchs clasped hands and pledged to work together when they met again.


====Origins: The Souls of the Ice Worlds====
===The Hektor Heresy===


Seeing the need to nurture the Silver Cataphracts Legion as its Primarch integrated Himself into the Imperium and became part of the Crusade, the Emperor asked Tollund Ötztal to mentor Alexandri and his Legion, a chance for the Cataphracts to borrow a little gloss from Ötztal’s glory by association and example by serving alongside them in the pacification of the Lenard Deeps. Though Ötztal’s Legion was scattered across the stars and barely a third was with his Fifty-First Expeditionary Fleet, Ötztal willingly agreed to his Father’s request. He had met and got along well with many of his Brothers, and believed likewise with another son of an ice world. He believed that similarity would encourage understanding, but in his case this sentiment would shatter under the weight of reality. For rarely would there be two beings who on the surface so closely resembled each other, and yet were separated by a greater chasm.
When Hektor's revolt began, Tollund Ötztal and much of the Eighth Legion were at Tisenjoch, refitting after hard campaigning in the Ultima Segmentum.  News of civil war threw the Primarch into melancholy and he forbade his men from joining the war. Yet in the great struggle between the Imperium of Mankind and the Ruinous Powers, there was no middle ground. Onyx and his Stone Men came to Tisenjoch to demand that the Mastodontii take up arms against the traitors, but Tollund Ötztal would not greet them. Infuriated by this insult and seeing the Eighth Legion's "neutrality" as nothing more than a traitor's ruse, Onyx ordered his Legion to attack.


Ötztal and Alexandri of Rosskar met several times to plan out the compliance campaign, and it is believed that it was during this time that the first cracks opened. Alexandri’s ruthlessness in his battle plans was at odds with the leniency Ötztal was prepared to show in order to convince human foes to side with them, believing that a true show of strength was in not simply destroying all before them, and in enlisting human allies to aid them in the struggle. Though these concerns were swept aside, they merely started the slippery slope towards disaster.
Even the impact of a Space Marine Legion assaulting Tisenjoch failed to rouse Ötztal from his bleak state.  When the Praetorians of the Mastodontii confronted their master and begged him to take action, Ötztal only closed his eyes and turned his back on them.  He said nothing to a second plea, but the third was answered by an old voice, once thought lost. Ötztal's twin, Tollund, spoke.  "For so long, you went about your business without me.  You used my name, but you tried to forget I had even existed.  And now comes the crisis, a time that you are too weak to handle on your own."


====Discord and Defiance====
Ötztal's eyes snapped open and he beheld a mirror to his own face.  Tollund laughed over the murmuring of the Mastodontii Praetorians, then continued, "Don't be afraid.  I am not merely taking the chance to mock you.  I will take the field.  I will do the hardest tasks.  I will not shrink from taking brother's blood."


The initial push was highly successful, in large part due to the support of the Sons of Fire, though Ötztal was privately dismayed at the ruthlessness of the Sons of Fire and the pyres they made of the words they assaulted, as well as the pyromania many in that Legion exhibited. However the initial assault drove two of the larger empires in the Deeps, the Technocracy of Rosean and Grand Principality of Devkar to unite against the Imperial forces.  However Ötztal meet with and secured the alliance with a human Confederacy, which he cited as a great triumph, bringing a slew of human worlds into the Imperial Fold.
"But you will pay my price of asking."


Rosean was the next target, but it would prove to be a difficult nut to crack. Ötztal however had spoken to Rosean captives taken in the void battles, and believed that a peaceful solution was possible. On his own initiative, he opened a dialogue with the lords of Rosean, and ordered the fleet to refrain from offensive action. However Alexandri ignored this edict and by throwing a moon into the mainly aquatic homeworld of Rosen, destroyed the mighty civilization in an instant. It is known that Ötztal sent an urgent communique to Hektor complaining about Alexandri’s actions and requesting Hektor to speak with the new Primarch, and that Alexandri was furious when he found out, believing that Ötztal  was turning the First Primarch against him.
===Attempt at Rules===
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" align="left"
! || PTS || WS || BS || S || T || W || I || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Tollund Ötztal:''' || 450 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 5 || 10 || 2+/4++
|}<br style="clear: both; height: 0px;" /><br>


After this event, the Imperial Forces moved on to the territory of the Gaggosh, though relations between the two legions were now strained. With this event the Confederacy immediately switched sides, firing upon the Imperial Fleet with their own ships before withdrawing, leaving the Imperial Forces to fight great bloody clashes to take place on the surface of the Gaggoshi worlds.
Unit Type: Infantry(unique), Independant Character


As It turned out the Confederacy were long standing allies of the Gaggosh, who they saw as kindred by this point. In yet another move above the chain of command Alexandri had ships of his own legion level the undefended Confederacy planets, destroying a number of habitable worlds in what Ötztal would later term ‘the greatest waste in the history of the Crusade. Though this event ended the war with the Gaggosh, it only deepened tensions on the Imperial Side, and clashes between Imperial Army forces on both sides, most notably between the Rosskan Strelky and Tisenjoch Jäakäri, became more and more frequent.
Wargear: Sabaka's Might, Endurance of Sabaka, Sabaka's Wisdom
Special Rules: Adamantium Will, Silently Strong, Bulky, Eternal Warrior, Fear, Fearless, Fleet, Independent Character, The Skyborn, It Will Not Die, Master of the Legion


====Legions at their throats====
'''Endurance of Sabaka''': Primarch armor Forged by the Highest Archmagi, just like pretty much every other primarch. Has a mammoth head Decoration on the chest, along with adamantium tusk sticking out the front.
Endurance of Sabaka Confers a 2+ armor save and a 4+ invulnerable. Additionally any enemy model in BtB take D3 S4 AP4 hits.


Heaping misfortune upon discord, the Principality turned on the Imperial forces, and even recently compliant worlds including the Rosean sub-states began to bubble with rebellion. With the campaign now stalled with a desperate need for reinforcements that weren’t available, this led to the Primarch of the Silver Cataphracts to declare that the sector was beyond redemption. Every last world would be crushed, repopulated, and all the history of these places was to be buried and gone. Ötztal, horrified, declared that as commander of the campaign he would condone no such action. Words became arguments, which became actions as the two clashed, with Ötztal breaking Alexandri’s jaw and ordering him ejected from the Campaign, his Legion to leave the Lenard Deeps immediately.
'''Sabaka's Might''': A large Axe, inscribed with Tisenjochi Writing Labelling the many tales of the Skyborn
S+3 AP 2. Shred, Sky venom: every successfull to wound roll of 6 reduces targets toughness by 1d3


Alexandri complied but as his Legion left it fell upon the compliant worlds one by one only to butcher the populace no matter how much they cried for mercy and cleanse them as he had intended. The Mastodontii finally herded the Cataphracts off and the two fleets met over the dead wreckage of Rosean itself, where the two legions would have come to blows were not for the combined delegation of Great-Marshal Alexey, Grand Officer of the Legion Sergei, Spearhead Centurion Nymylan, First Master Kutkh, Overseer of Operations Byk, Captain Nomenir, and Coven Master Galash of the Witchborn. These individuals were able to stay the hand of the Primarchs and prevent their fleets from firing on one another. Kutkh and Nymylan came as they were the closest and most active representatives to the Cataphracts from their Legion, by they did not expect the open and violent threats made by Alexandri's officers, with the exception of Alexey who stayed starkly silent.
'''Sabaka's Wisdom''': R:36", S8 AP2, Assault 2 Every successfull penetrating hit automatically immobilizes vehicles on a 3+


====Blood and Misunderstanding====
'''Silently Strong''': Fear at -1d3Ld, and gives Legiones Astartes: Mastadontii Stubborn and Fear
 
Legion rivalries were common, but very rarely did they come close to such bloodshed and horror as in the Campaign of Astral Woe. What came worst for Ötztal was that the Emperor refused to censure or even discipline Alexandri for his actions. Though Hektor was sympathetic, he could do little (For though first among Primarchs, his power then was little compared to his ascension as Warmaster) and Alexandri escaped punishment. Ötztal never forgot the campaign, having one of his Battle Barges named the ‘Rosean’ (Later to be the lead Legion ship of the Rosskan Invasion Force, serving there until the end of the campaign when it was destroyed by Alexandri’s Flagship and lost with all hands) and recruiting Marines from those worlds his forces had spared. It is now believed that the mental and emotional wounds from that campaign let Chaos seep into Ötztal’s soul, and began his path to damnation.
 
===The Conquest of Alba Maxima===
 
After the disaster of the Lenard Deeps, the 51s Expeditionary Fleet was redeployed towards the northern reaches of Ultima, where a number of human empires and enclaves were resisting compliance. Alba Maxima was one of the largest, a collection of five planetary systems ruled by a united federation of technocrats. With a large industrial base and sizeable population, the region was deemed a vital target for compliance.
The Legion, supported by several battlegroups of Solar Auxilia and other Imperial Army forces descended upon the outermost planet, Alba Proxima. The Legion landed, waited for the enemy armies to move forward to surround the landing zones, then moved forwards, engaged and destroyed the defending army in multiple large scale, set-piece battles with massed armour, artillery and air support operating in close proximity. The Legion slowly advanced across the planet, deliberately avoiding fighting in urban areas, surrounding them and forcing them to surrender for lack of supplies. Food was then distributed to those cities and the Legion made strenuous efforts to help the civilian population in every way possible, winning hearts and minds and trying to turn the people against the leaders who had brought them into battle. Eventually the armies were smashed so thoroughly they could no longer resist, and the planet capitulated, though a low level insurgency kept the Legion present for a further few months.
This would be repeated across the other five planetary systems as the Legion slowly ground its way across Alba Maxima. The conquest had taken the Legion over three years, and the aftermath another two as the Legion rebuilt the planet in order to smooth the transition to Imperial Rule. This was a long period of time for any Legion to linger after a compliance, and though it ensured that Alba Maxima would become a prosperous and vital part of the growing Imperium, it did delay further compliance operations in the area by several years. This would set the trend for the Legion’s operations as an entity in its own right.
 
===The Burning of Keralia XI===
 
Keralia XI is a campaign under a cloud. It was an example of the difficulty the Mastodontii had in simultaneously enforcing compliance and ensuring that the civilian population was spared as much as possible from the effects of the fighting.
Keralia XI was a human world that had fallen under the thrall of a psychic Xeno-Race, which mind-controlled the people there. That race created what to it was the ideal utopia, and the people were willing to die to defend it.
The Legion was faced with incredible difficulties. Mind-Controlled Humans were often used as meat-shields for the Xeno forces, the Legion forced to suffer extra casualties to try and limit the damage caused to them. Also after the first few battles, the enemy armies avoided open battles, withdrawing into the cities to try and force the Legion into costly urban battles. The Legion tried to encircle several cities to starve the foe into open battle, but they refused. Tens of thousands of humans starved to death, but they did not move and the Legion was trapped in a waiting game.
This caution was noted by a representative of the War Council of Terra, one of many itinerant observers who moved from warzone to warzone, observing, assessing, and reporting what they saw to their masters. The observer was named Alvaarex Maun, and he saw was a reluctance to engage against a foe that was entrenched and defiant, what looked like weakness.
Maun’s findings made their way to the War Council, at the time busy with the Ullanor Campaign, and after a short review a pronouncement was sent to the 51st Fleet. The War Council decreed that Keralia was beyond salvage, and that the entire population would be destroyed, humans and Xenos.  Ötztal railed against this decree and ordered his troops to ignore it, instead ordering his tanks into the cities to destroy the Xenos forces and free the civilians.
The battle turned into a bloodbath. Tens of thousands of civilians died, along with equal numbers of enemy soldiers. The Legion slowly had to force its way through the tide of men, incurring heavy casualties along the way.
Alvaarex Maun on his own authority ordered the fleet to bombard several of the cities and air support to launch level bombing attacks, causing severe damage but breaking the deadlock and allowing the Legion to progress. Though Ötztal was infuriated, he had no choice but to go along with this. One by one the Xenos were hunted down and killed and the people freed from their influence.
Though the people were freed, the cities were in ruins and thousands would die from a lack of food, water and medical equipment. The Compliance had taken over two years, two years in which the Legion had gone nowhere and made little progress.
In the aftermath Ötztal complained to the War Council about the waste of lives that had been incurred. Thousands of civilians had died needlessly, and much ill-will had been caused which would take a long time to pass. However Ötztal’s concerns were passed over, and indeed high ranking members of the War Council noted his relative lack of campaign honours, the record of the Primarch’s own 51st Expeditionary fleet compared to those where the Legion was deployed over other commanders.
 
==The Heresy==
 
"Only saints and criminals have the stomach for what must be done. Without you, we will just be a gang of rogues."
 
- Hektor, speaking to Tollund, 003.M31
 
After the Ullanor Campaign, questions began to be aired about the reliability of Primarch Ötztal and his men in the wake of Keralia XI. Their battle-roll of honours for the Primarch’s own force was notably short. Even Primarch Golgothos and his 666th Expeditionary Fleet had achieved more successful compliance campaigns then the 51st. The prevailing attitude within the ranks of the War Council was that the Legion was more suited as a support element then a force in its own right, and the Primarch was not reliable enough to prosecute campaigns successfully. Worse came when rumours began to circulate that the Legion was slack in enforcing the Imperial Truth on newly compliant populations. Whispers of this reached the Primarch’s ears, which caused him no small amount of grief.
Before the Emperor left for Terra, he met with many of his sons on Ullanor at the great Triumph there. Ötztal was one of them, and the Emperor met with him personally about his lack of progress. He personally reproached his Primarch, informing Ötztal that wasting precious time and resources saving people was not the cause of the Crusade. Some people could not be saved, and saving those who were too weak to save themselves would not help humanity in any way. The Emperor warned Ötztal that he had to make up for his failings, or else he would be removed from command of his Legion.
Ötztal was shocked. He had told the Emperor what he was fighting for when they had first met, and now he was being reprimanded for it? Worse was to come when he heard of the Core Worlds Campaign. Hundreds of thousands killed in what seemed like punitive measures, a brutal example of everything Ötztal had sworn to fight against. The Primarch went into seclusion, refusing to speak to any of his lieutenants aside from Issitoq, High Shaman of the Legion.
He emerged when a further piece of news came to light. Alexandri had been made the Emperor’s Praetorian and requested to return to Terra to garrison it for an undisclosed period of time. This was a mixed blessing. For one, the Primarch would not be loose in the void, where his brutality had lain a bloody trail across the stars. However with him on Terra, at the heart of events Ötztal feared that Alexandri would use his influence against him, for the bad blood caused by the Lenard Deeps had only grown stronger as Ötztal tried again and again to have Alexandri censured for his actions in various compliance actions.
The 51st fought several short and brutal wars on Sunkin, Misiano and Cahn, but Ötztal‘s heart was not into it. He deplored the casualty lists and the destruction caused, which he had to leave behind for others to repair. Worse came when the pronouncement of Nikaea came forth. Ötztal had sent Issitoq to be the voice of the Legion, but that had failed to sway the Emperor. Ötztal felt more and more disconnected from the cause he had once believed in. It was after the victory on Cahn when Warmaster Hektor came to speak with Ötztal privately. There Hektor told him that his sources on Terra had found out that Alexandri had requested a motion of censure be put forward, condemning Ötztal for his lack of zeal in pursuing the Great Crusade and officially requesting that he be removed from command of his Legion, for not living up to the potential the Emperor had for him. Ötztal responded with doubt, but as Hektor revealed more and more of what he had, Ötztal knew it was true. To his accusation that the Emperor would never allow it, Hektor pointed to Nikaea, which had shackled the Ice-Shamen of the Legion and to Aubrey’s own censure which Ötztal had spoken against. Would Ötztal allow Tisenjoch to be treated the same as Lazarus?
It was into this that Hektor spoke of the disbanding of the War Council, of the crippling taxes being levied by the new Council of Terra that would cause great hardship across newly complaint systems, and the Emperor abandoning his sons and the Great Crusade to work in his dungeons on Terra. Ötztal could not help but agree that these meant bad things for the Legions, and that something had to be done. Though horrified when Hektor suggested removing the Council of Terra by force, Hektor won him over. He said that for Hektor’s plan to work, he needed a human face, one who would look out for the common people and keep them in mind in all things. With this, Ötztal’s choice was made, and he would stand with Hektor when he moved against Terra.
 
===Rise of the Mantikhor===
 
After the battle of Cahn, the 51st was ordered to support the Eternal Zealots of the 71st Expeditionary Fleet in the subjugation of an Empire of abominable intelligences left over from Old Night. This was a relief for Ötztal, for he and and Aubrey had always gotten along well, and Ötztal had tried to reach out to Aubrey after the destruction of Lazarus. He could temporarily forget the storm that was about to come, and bond with one of his future comrades-in-arms.
The Two Primarchs set to work with gusto, as Zealot infantry assaults supported by Mastodontii armour broke the back of the Machine Empire in less than three weeks.
In the aftermath the two Primarchs met to toast the victory and secretly discuss their plans for when Hektor made his move. Aubrey however was distracted, and Ötztal asked him why. Aubrey then spoke of a revelation, of a new way of learning taught to him. Ötztal, intrigued, inquired about them and convinced Aubrey to tell him of his new teachings. He listened to Aubrey’s teachings and was enthralled. On Tisenjoch they had always spoken of spirits, and to have Aubrey confirm their existence despite all the Emperor’s pronouncements.
Aubrey gave Ötztal a book of the teachings of the Cyfecti, so he could learn this new way for himself. Over the next few weeks Ötztal drank in all this new knowledge and began to practise it for himself, as well as sharing it with those closest to him within the Legion. From them it began to spread downwards, though in secret. So this new way, known within the Legion as the Mantikhor Cult after a myth spoken of in the book began to set in to the Legion, though none within the Legion knew what it truly was and what it truly meant. Thus the Mastodontii became the second Legion to tread the path of Chaos, and when the rebellion broke out the Mantikhor Cult became official and began to spread throughout the Legion.
 
==Post-Heresy==
 
==Tollund Ötztal, the Steel Mastodon, Chosen of the ṣālman, First Son of Tisenjoch, Primarch of the Mastodonti==
WS7
BS5
S6
T6
W6
I6
A3
LD10
SV3+/3++
 
 
Unit Composition
•1 (Unique)
 
 
Unit Type
•Infantry (Character)
 
 
Wargear
•The Mammoth’s Hide
•Tizheruk
•Glaciarax
 
 
Special Rules
•Primarch
•Speaker of the Machine
•Sire of the Mastadontii
•Very Bulky
•Vidutana
 
 
Options
•May replace Tizheruk with Icebreaker for +25pts
 
 
'''Sire of the Mastadontii'''
 
Ötztal is revered by his sons as the warm heart of a Legion born of ice, who spurs his sons on to victory at every turn.
 
'''Speaker of the Machine'''
 
Ötztal has an affinity for the Machine Spirits of his Legion, and can communicate with them. All models with Power of the Machine Spirit gain IWND, and in addition models with the Battlesmith rule may re-roll when repairing vehicles in a force containing Ötztal.
 
'''The Mammoth’s Hide'''
 
Adorned with totems of warding and relics of the great hunts he has done, the Mammoth’s Hide is a mighty warsuit fit for the Lord of the Mastadontii.
The Mammoth’s Hide confers a 3+/3++ save, and in addition he may re-roll his Deny the Witch Rolls and has the Monster-Hunter special Rule.
 
'''Tizheruk'''
 
This Ancient Spear, remade from Ötztal’s broken original by the Emperor is a deadly weapon, fast and brutal and perfect for killing great beasts.
 
Tizheruk (Combat)
Range: Melee
Strength: 9
Ap: 2
Type: Melee, Two Handed, First Strike, Heartrend
Heartrend: Every unsaved would caused by Tizheruk in a challenge or against a Monstrous Creature is multiplied into D3 wounds.
 
'''Icebreaker'''
 
This Dark Maul, forged with the powers of the Warp Unchained, was given to Tollund by the Primarch Aubrey as mark of brotherly fidelity.
 
Icebreaker
Range: Melee
Strength: 10
Ap: 1
Type: Melee, Two Handed, Unwieldy, Armourbane, Sunder
 
'''Glaciarax'''
An ancient weapon that projects a stream of liquid nitrogen to freeze solid any foe.
 
Glaciarax
Range: Template
Strength: 6
Ap: 3
Type: Assault 1, Sheer Cold
 
Sheer Cold: for each unsaved wound taken from Glaciarax, the target has to pass a Strength test or be removed from play.
 
 
'''Vidutana''': In 3000+ point games, Ötztal can take this special transport for 500 points. Vidutana is a Legion Stormblade with a void shield, a transport capacity of 15, the Command Tank upgrade, and a rear access point. In addition it doesn't take up a Lord of War slot.


'''The Skyborn''': An inspiring Presence to the Regiments of Tisenjoch, Tollund Ötztal provides Re-rolls on morale to <Tisenjoch's IG Regiment>, as well as +1d3Ld.
{{/tg/-Heresy-Primarchs}}
{{/tg/-Heresy-Primarchs}}

Latest revision as of 10:08, 23 June 2023

Tollund Ötztal
Title/Honours

The Skyborn

Discovered (world)

Tisenjoch

Discovered (period)

c.842.M30

Legion

Eighth

Heraldry/Sigil

Distinguishing Traits

Compassionate, Honest

Flaws

Guilt-ridden

Role

Traitor

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

"Intelligent beings struggle in every moment of their lives. Even in moments of apparent calm, there is always the struggle against one's own self."

– Uriel Salazar, Confessions

Tollund Ötztal was the Primarch of the Mastodontii, the Eighth of the Emperor's Legiones Astartes. Although many knew him as a well-meaning soul conscious of the horrors of war, Ötztal's troubled mind would fall to Chaos and become a birthing ground for sadistic terror during the Hektor Heresy.

History[edit]

According to The Secret History of the Mamutoi, the life of Tollund Ötztal begins with the story of twin brothers, Tollund and Ötztal. These superhuman creatures were born of the Emperor's science and stolen away from Terra by the Ruinous Powers. Far from their birthplace, the twins would be rediscovered on the planet Tisenjoch, then a Feudal class world at the Western edge of Segmentum Solar.

Youth[edit]

Unlike their brothers, the twins had not arrived at their new homeworld as infants but were already small boys whose eyes had beheld the myriad horrors of the Warp. They huddled together in their capsule as it fell, flaming, to Tisenjoch. There, Tollund and Ötztal were discovered by soldiers dispatched to investigate the "meteor". The soldiers hailed from Umbaraka, a prosperous mining kingdom, and hoped to secure pure meteoric iron for their homeland's forges. The advanced metals of an incubation capsule from the Emperor's laboratory was a bounty beyond their imagining and they hastened to secure the prize. Not knowing that the soldiers were men, rather than demons, Ötztal began to wail in terror while Tollund tried to silence him. The cry of a child greatly surprised the men of Umbaraka, but once the twins were brought forth from their capsule the decision was quickly made to bring them before Krodun, the Gesar of Umbaraka. Krodun was greatly impressed by his men's story of a falling star that had brought human life to his kingdom. The superstitious monarch had no sons of his own and quickly decided that the Sky-Father had sent his own progeny to rule Umbaraka after Krodun. Tollund and Ötztal were quickly adopted by the Gesar of Umbaraka and put in the care of professional nannies.

The regime of Krodun's household did not please the twins. Tollund took to staging pranks on his keepers, but his quiet brother Ötztal invariably took the blame. As the twins rapidly matured, Ötztal's complaining to Tollund turned into brawling. The brothers' fearsome battles against one another so terrified their nannies that the Gesar was informed. Krodun at first dismissed concerns, then replaced staff, but eventually he came to witness the twins' wildness himself. Aghast at their behaviour, Krodun declared that such madness was less like men than the acts of wild beasts and banished the twins to the wilderness until they had at least learned to act like animals. In truth, Krodun wished only to be free of the Sky-Father's offspring, but he knew better than to directly harm the progeny of a god.

After being escorted to the borders of Umbaraka, the twins wandered for many months. Even as boys they were capable hunters and had little trouble finding food and water. As the two grew in stature and their limbs thickened, their trail took them into the cold lands of the nomadic Mamutoi tribes. But if the twins stood as tall as grown men, they still quarreled like children, each blaming the other for their exile. Such arguments often led to even wilder brawls than those that had seen the twins banished from the court of Krodun.

Every midwinter, the smoke-walkers of the Mamutoi go out into the frosts to beseech the Sky-Father for the return of summer. Young Issitoq was walking the sacred paths on such a journey when he heard a roaring at once like a beast and like a man. He wondered for a moment if he should flee, but Issitoq summoned his courage and went to investigate. It was his task as the lodge smoke-walker to seek out the Unknown and bargain with them. When he reached the clearing where Tollund and Ötztal battled, Issitoq at once knew that he beheld the fulfillment of ancient prochecy - the legendary Skyborn! He threw himself down into the snow, pleading,

"Hear me, Skyborn! I am a faithful servant of your Father Who Dwells in the Heavens, and would serve you as well! If you are enraged by the faithlessness of other men, know that my lodge and all the tribes of the Mamutoi will follow you and do the bidding of the Sky-Father. Only stop tearing at your own flesh and feeding the snows with your own blood, and we will do all that you ask!"

Shamed by Issitoq's sincerity, the twins set aside their quarrel and hoisted the smoke-walker from the snow. Tollund bade Issitoq to lead the way back to his people and was quickly obeyed. Though Mamutoi lodges generally expected their smoke-walkers to spend many hours ensuring the return of summer, all doubts were banished when Issitoq presented the twins. Tollund and Ötztal were at once recognised as the Skyborn. Their words were taken as those of the Sky-Father and over the rest of winter the twins claimed the allegiance of the other Mamutoi lodges. In return, the Skyborn received the ritual scars of a plainsman warrior, forever declaring their kinship with the men of the great plain.

Yet the other tribes of the great plain had abandoned the Sky-Father. The Zedonia followed the lion-headed eagle, Andugu, the Talut revered the great tiger Orgolesh, and the Crisavec were followers of the horned giant Huwadu. Their elders spurned the twins, claiming that their spirits were superior to the Sky-Father. Tollund called out to punish the other tribes with war, but Ötztal sought an alternative to shedding blood on the snow. Most of the Mamutoi were too fearful to intervene in a quarrel between the twins, but Issitoq bravely suggested that the Skyborn should seek out and slay the patron spirits of the other tribes to demonstrate the power of the Sky-Father. Tollund was satisfied that this course would show his willingness to shed blood, while Ötztal felt comforted that the violence would be limited to ritual.

In order to prepare themselves for battle with the spirits of the other tribes, the Skyborn waited for midwinter and went out into the darkest night to consult with the Mamutoi's patron spirit, Sabaka the great mammoth. Sabaka was kin to Andugu, Orgolesh, and Huwadu, but she remained a faithful servant of the Sky-Father. Recognising the Skyborn as the offspring of her master, the great mammoth gave her aid freely. For three days and nights, Tollund and Ötztal walked with Sabaka, drinking her rich milk and learning her secrets. In the spring, the Skyborn travelled to Mount Anshan, home to the lion-headed eagle Andugu. Following Sabaka's advice, they crept into Andugu's nest while the spirit hunted and stole his shedded feathers to make flights for their arrows. They then confronted the lion-headed eagle and drove him into the sky, where the spirit believed no missile could touch him. But arrows guided by Andugu's own feathers drew the heart blood of the great spirit and the Skyborn claimed the eagle's lion head as their trophy. In the summer, they traveled to the plains to stalk the great tiger Orgolesh. For seven days and seven nights the twins trailed their quarry, first finding no more than Orgolesh's spoor, then catching sight of the great tiger on a rise, then finally chasing Orgolesh from his kills. Eventually, the spirit did not have the strength to keep ahead of the Skyborn and fell to their arrows. They stripped his skin and made garments from it. In the fall, the twins went into the dark woods where the horned giant Huwadu lurked. Clad in the hide of Orgolesh, the Skyborn could not be seen by Huwadu and although the giant fought fiercely his great head was taken.

As the snows began to fall, the trophies of the Skyborn were presented to the tribes of the great plain. Now, none could doubt the power of the Sky-Father and every man of the plain followed his progeny. But before the Skyborn unleashed the fury of the tribes, the twins decided to reclaim their rightful inheritance and set for Umbaraka. A band of their most loyal followers waited just outside the patrols of Krodun's soldiers, but faithful Issitoq went with them in case a messenger was needed. When the trio reached Krodun's capital, they found the city bedecked for a great festival. Tollund asked a local what was being celebrated and learned that Gesar Krodun had decreed a great chariot race to determine the new heir to Umbaraka. Though the twins were furious at their patrimony being held up as a prize, they swallowed their anger and decided to enter the race.

When Tollund and Ötztal approached Krodun's captain to register for the great competition, the insolent man at first mocked them, asking if they intended to drive a chariot on their own. The twins drew up to their full stature and glared in response, and the captain's courage drained from him. Under false names, Tollund and Ötztal entered a race to claim what had been promised them so long ago. Their victory over the other chariot teams was unsurprising, for the Skyborn were far stronger and quicker to react than even the greatest of mortal men. Yet when they revealed their true identity, Krodun reneged on his promise and refused to will Umbaraka to the Skyborn. Tollund snarled and started towards the Gesar, but Ötztal checked his twin's violent impulses. The Skyborn stalked out of Umbaraka.

They were not gone long. Once the twins had reunited with their followers, messengers were dispatched across the great plain to gather the hosts of the Sky-Father. Within three passings of the sun, the followers of the Skyborn had assembled before the capital of Gesar Krodun. Within one more, the city was in the hands of the plainsmen and Krodun was Gesar no more. Though Tollund wished to slay Krodun for his treachery, Ötztal argued that the twins had been promised Umbaraka only on the old man's natural death. To slay him would prove that Krodun had been right to swindle them. Seeing that Ötztal's words caused relief among the advisors of the Skyborn, Tollund unhappily accepted placing Krodun in a comfortable prison to see out his days.

Yet Umbaraka was only the first of many conquests. The Skyborn swept forth across the face of Tisenjoch, bringing city after city into the realm of the Sky-Father. In the wild places between named realms, the twins found hardy men to take the scars and join their legions. Finally, they had conquered from ocean to ocean in the name of their sire. With the whole of the known world at their feet, the twins set about building a capital in Umbaraka. They spurned Krodun's city and instead developed a small fishing village into the great city that would be known as Cyrgyt, jewel of the Shivering Sea. Tollund and Ötztal determined to build great palaces of their own design as the chief ornaments of their capital. Each palace represented the character of its creator. Tollund's home soared heavenward, grasping at the sky with towers of gleaming marble. By comparison, Ötztal laid out a squat fortress of sturdy granite. As they had so often before, the twins quarrelled over their differences. Tollund came to Ötztal's fort and mocked it, even going so far as to leap over the walls to demonstrate their feebleness. As their attendants looked on in horror, Ötztal seized his brother and wrestled with him, finally throwing Tollund into the mud and laughing at the ruin of his wardrobe. A few courtiers laughed with Ötztal, but were quickly silenced when Tollund fixed his brother with a cold stare and swore that he would have his vengeance.

The next day, Krodun's broken body was found in his cell. Even the most casual observer could tell that the old man had been crushed to death by a warrior of tremendous strength, but who could question the Skyborn? Issitoq, as the twins' oldest companion, was sought out and implored to seek out justice for Krodun. The smoke-walker was not pleased by this duty, but he knew that even the Skyborn must answer to justice. When Issitoq questioned the Skyborn, Ötztal was shocked but quickly turned to blame his brother. Tollund laughed at the accusation, saying that he could do whatever he wanted, but Ötztal cut him off with a blow. As Issitoq shrank back from the Skyborn, the twins wrestled on the ground until Tollund was subdued. Ötztal announced that the crimes had gone too far and wrapped his twin in a carpet, commanding that Issitoq bring horses and have them kick Tollund to death. After the steeds had done their duty, Issitoq asked in a quavering voice, "Gesar Ötztal, has justice been served?"

Ötztal replied that he still had to live out his part of the crime. The Skyborn commanded that henceforth he would be known as Tollund Ötztal so that none would forget his part in the death of Krodun. The soaring palace of Tollund was completed but never lived in, serving only as a monument to those who had died in the Skyborn's conquest of Tisenjoch. Tollund Ötztal would dwell in his plain fortress, leaving as much of the business of government as possible to bureaucrats and busying himself with hunting.

The Coming of the Emperor[edit]

Issitoq ruled Tisenjoch in Tollund Ötztal's name. The smoke-walker was not greedy and lived a simple life, believing that he and his master were but stewards until the day that the Sky-Father arrived. He was not surprised when a hooded stranger of great stature came before him and requested a direct audience with Ötztal. On hearing the commanding tones of the stranger, Issitoq was certain that this mighty being could only be the Sky-Father himself, finally come to commence his rule over Tisenjoch.

Tollund Ötztal was less easily persuaded. He was accustomed to meeting with his friend Issitoq from time to time, but considered the presence of a third man a breach of protocol. The Primarch challenged the stranger, demanding to know why he believed himself worthy of an audience. From beneath his hood, the stranger smiled and said that he would undertake any task to show his worth. Ötztal was greatly displeased by this boast, and insisted that the stranger show his prowess in three tests.

The first trial was of tracking. Ötztal set off from his fortress while Issitoq timed out an hour's passing. Then the stranger was told to pursue the Primarch. If he could not trail Ötztal, then he did not deserve to stand with him. The stranger set out at a run, only glancing at the soil ahead of him from time to time, but he followed Ötztal's path with the keen instinct of a hunting beast. It was not long before the two stood together and the second trial began. Ötztal passed a great bow to the stranger and explained that they would wait for the first sight of a deer, then loose one arrow. If the stranger could not equal Ötztal's shot, he did not deserve to speak to him. They waited in silence for a time, each warrior's keen senses appraising the other's stance and readiness. Then, in a flash, they caught a glimpse of movement, raised their bows and fired. The deer ran from them unharmed and Ötztal looked at the stranger in confusion, for he had never missed a shot while hunting before. In answer, the stranger only pointed to where Ötztal's bolt had fallen, struck from the sky by the stranger's shot. Smiling, Ötztal set down his bow and explained that the final test was wrestling. If the stranger could not prove equal man-to-man, then he would only have his audience as a supplicant and could make no demands. The two exchanged holds and strained their muscles against one another long into the cloudy night. But when the heavens parted and the light of the stars shone upon the stranger's face, Ötztal could no longer deny it. He was not testing his equal. His creator, the Sky-Father, was showing Ötztal the errors of his pride.

After Ötztal recognised Him, the Emperor of Mankind spoke to his son and corrected the errors of superstition. He explained the truth of Ötztal's creation and the vastness of the Galaxy beyond Tisenjoch. The Emperor also explained the role that Ötztal and his brother Primarchs were to play in the stars above. Although He was proud of Ötztal's achievements in subduing Tisenjoch, the Emperor was concerned over one matter. He noted that the Primarch took the name Tollund Ötztal and asked if this meant that he had accepted responsibility for the murder of Krodun and the events that had led to it. Ötztal nodded and knelt before his Father, prepared to receive punishment. Yet the Emperor's tone remained concerned, never flaring into anger. He asked what would stop Ötztal from embracing pride once more and rising against the growing Imperium of Mankind in pursuit of reward, rather than duty. Ötztal looked into his creator's eyes and replied that a guilty man deserves no reward. He swore that he only wished to atone for the blood shed on Tisenjoch's snows, to win absolution but not reward. If at the end of the Emperor's great task, He judged that Ötztal had not redeemed himself, the Primarch would gladly submit to any punishment.

The Emperor nodded His agreement, but He did not smile.

Great Crusade[edit]

Tollund Ötztal inspected the Eighth Legion and was quick to deem them fit for his purpose. Even the oldest of the Legion, those born on Terra, had taken scars akin to those of his plainsman warriors. Yet beyond their feral faces was the noble restraint that the Primarch so valued in a warrior. The Eighth Legion was not something for him to change, only to expand and inspire. Tollund Ötztal tried to lead more by example than decree, though he was forced to make some changes to the Legion's training regime to better accomodate the men of Tisenjoch. But in matters of command, the Primarch felt that the men who had directed the campaigns of the Eighth from Terra to the stars were generally fit to carry on their mission. His own role would be to stand at the head of the Legion's hosts, striking the first blows and weathering the greatest hardships. If ties of genetics were not enough, this heroic pose quickly won Tollund Ötztal the love of his gene-sons.

His relationships with the other Primarchs were more mixed. Hektor Cincinnatus was Ötztal's favourite brother and sometime role model, and he had a great admiration for Roman Albrecht. His ire generally fell on those of the Primarchs who strayed from the battlefield, such as the Voidwatcher, Tiran Osoros, Johannes Vrach, and Arelex Orannis. But his greatest rival was Onyx the Indestructible.

This rivalry began shortly after Onyx was rediscovered. The Primarch of the Stone Men was keen to establish himself as the strongest of the brotherhood, and had thrown down Roman Albrecht, Brennus, and even Hektor himself in unarmed contests. Tollund Ötztal was too humble to answer the open challenge on his own behalf, but Hektor pushed the lord of the Mastodontii to show off his skills as a grappler against mighty Onyx. Reluctantly, Ötztal stepped forward and quickly humbled Onyx by bringing him to earth and locking up his mighty right arm. Yet where a lesser man might have submitted to save himself from injury or pain, Onyx roared his defiance. He boasted that his bones could not be broken while Ötztal would soon tire.

Tollund Ötztal's reply was simple and to the point. He wrenched Onyx's arm, popping the shoulder from its socket. Hektor and Roman laughed and applauded Ötztal's skills, though the humble Primarch only acknowledged them with a nod, then released his brother and got to his feet. Onyx was up almost as fast and struck Ötztal with a tremendous left hook, knocking him senseless. Before any further blows could be landed, Hektor and Roman interceded, but both Onyx and Ötztal would hold a grudge against the other from that day on.

However, brotherly meetings were rare. For most of the Great Crusade, Ötztal would be far from the other Primarchs, leading his 51st Expedition Fleet. Though he did not claim as many worlds as some of his peers, the lord of the Mastodontii was proud that his men passed lightly over the galaxy. His Legion rarely left a newly-Compliant world much worse than they had found it, and they were quick to hand over their conquests to Imperial Governors. Yet as reports of other Legion actions filtered through to Ötztal, he realised that he was an outlier among the Primarchs. The Life Bringers were not averse to utterly destroying a world only to rebuild it in their own image. The Sons of Fire seemed to almost relish destruction. The Black Augurs and Stone Men cared little for collateral damage.

For some time, Tollund Ötztal brooded on the question, wondering what he could do to curb the tendencies of his warlike brothers. When the Council of Nikaea was convened, Ötztal dispatched his Chief Librarian Erlik to speak on behalf of the Mastodontii. Although the Mastodontii Primarch usually allowed his subordinates to plot their own course, Erlik was given strict instructions to call for restraints on the use of Warp powers. The harsh decision at Nikaea greatly exceeded Ötztal's expectations, but he could accept the loss of the Librarians if it prevented the Black Augurs from laying waste to homes and lives.

Somewhat encouraged, Ötztal looked for another opportunity to reduce the destruction of the Great Crusade. He settled on Gaspard Lumey's destruction of Karazak. The master of the Fifth Legion was ruthless and had no sense of martial honour, but Ötztal knew that Lumey was a devout believer in the rule of law over the rule of force. If the War Council moved to discipline the Fifth Legion for excessive destruction, it was likely that the punishment would be accepted and an example could be set for the other unruly Primarchs. However, before Ötztal could bring his case before the Emperor, the War Council was disbanded. The Imperial government was organised in the Council of Terra, led by Malcador the Sigilite, while the Great Crusade was directed by Hektor Cincinnatus and the Military Council.

Sensing discontent over the division of powers, Ötztal took his concerns to Hektor rather than Malcador. He appealed to the Warmaster to use his new powers to usher in an era of conquest with grace, rather than brute destruction. It is likely that Hektor was less taken by Ötztal's moral argument than by the chance to demonstrate his authority - especially against a trouble-maker like Lumey - but for whatever reason the Warmaster agreed to preside over a tribunal. Ötztal travelled to the Fortress World Ussur to present his case in person. Many of the attendees suspected that a debate between Gaspard Lumey and the Mastodontii Primarch would be a no contest, but the Fifth Legion's Primarch seemed content to let Ötztal read his statement and confined his response to clarifying factual matters. After the end of the Ussur Tribunal, Ötztal spoke to Lumey and found that his estimation had been correct. Gaspard Lumey was content to lead his Legion into exile in order to set a good example to the soldiers of the Imperium. Before parting, the two Primarchs clasped hands and pledged to work together when they met again.

The Hektor Heresy[edit]

When Hektor's revolt began, Tollund Ötztal and much of the Eighth Legion were at Tisenjoch, refitting after hard campaigning in the Ultima Segmentum. News of civil war threw the Primarch into melancholy and he forbade his men from joining the war. Yet in the great struggle between the Imperium of Mankind and the Ruinous Powers, there was no middle ground. Onyx and his Stone Men came to Tisenjoch to demand that the Mastodontii take up arms against the traitors, but Tollund Ötztal would not greet them. Infuriated by this insult and seeing the Eighth Legion's "neutrality" as nothing more than a traitor's ruse, Onyx ordered his Legion to attack.

Even the impact of a Space Marine Legion assaulting Tisenjoch failed to rouse Ötztal from his bleak state. When the Praetorians of the Mastodontii confronted their master and begged him to take action, Ötztal only closed his eyes and turned his back on them. He said nothing to a second plea, but the third was answered by an old voice, once thought lost. Ötztal's twin, Tollund, spoke. "For so long, you went about your business without me. You used my name, but you tried to forget I had even existed. And now comes the crisis, a time that you are too weak to handle on your own."

Ötztal's eyes snapped open and he beheld a mirror to his own face. Tollund laughed over the murmuring of the Mastodontii Praetorians, then continued, "Don't be afraid. I am not merely taking the chance to mock you. I will take the field. I will do the hardest tasks. I will not shrink from taking brother's blood."

"But you will pay my price of asking."

Attempt at Rules[edit]

PTS WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
Tollund Ötztal: 450 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 10 2+/4++



Unit Type: Infantry(unique), Independant Character

Wargear: Sabaka's Might, Endurance of Sabaka, Sabaka's Wisdom Special Rules: Adamantium Will, Silently Strong, Bulky, Eternal Warrior, Fear, Fearless, Fleet, Independent Character, The Skyborn, It Will Not Die, Master of the Legion

Endurance of Sabaka: Primarch armor Forged by the Highest Archmagi, just like pretty much every other primarch. Has a mammoth head Decoration on the chest, along with adamantium tusk sticking out the front. Endurance of Sabaka Confers a 2+ armor save and a 4+ invulnerable. Additionally any enemy model in BtB take D3 S4 AP4 hits.

Sabaka's Might: A large Axe, inscribed with Tisenjochi Writing Labelling the many tales of the Skyborn S+3 AP 2. Shred, Sky venom: every successfull to wound roll of 6 reduces targets toughness by 1d3

Sabaka's Wisdom: R:36", S8 AP2, Assault 2 Every successfull penetrating hit automatically immobilizes vehicles on a 3+

Silently Strong: Fear at -1d3Ld, and gives Legiones Astartes: Mastadontii Stubborn and Fear

The Skyborn: An inspiring Presence to the Regiments of Tisenjoch, Tollund Ötztal provides Re-rolls on morale to <Tisenjoch's IG Regiment>, as well as +1d3Ld.

The Primarchs of the /tg/ Heresy
Loyalist: Alexandri of Rosskar - Arelex Orannis - Brennus - Gaspard Lumey - Golgothos
Onyx the Indestructible - Roman Albrecht - Shakya Vardhana - Tiran Osoros
Traitor: Aubrey The Grey - Cromwald Walgrun - Hektor Cincinnatus - Inferox - Johannes Vrach
Rogerius Merrill - The Voidwatcher - Tollund Ötztal - Uriel Salazar
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