Unstained Host: Difference between revisions
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His second Great Chaos Incursion would never be realized. He would never see the foundations of Armageddon's hives upturned or Ciban razed to the ground. Putting down a slave insurrection against the Unstained, a stray artillery undershot, landing square at allied lines where he was leading from the front in melee. No grand plot to eliminate him, no epic betrayal worthy of drama or song. Zhardan whom had brought the Traitors from the brink together as one was slain ingloriously as he had begun all those years ago in the Black Augurs. | His second Great Chaos Incursion would never be realized. He would never see the foundations of Armageddon's hives upturned or Ciban razed to the ground. Putting down a slave insurrection against the Unstained, a stray artillery undershot, landing square at allied lines where he was leading from the front in melee. No grand plot to eliminate him, no epic betrayal worthy of drama or song. Zhardan whom had brought the Traitors from the brink together as one was slain ingloriously as he had begun all those years ago in the Black Augurs. | ||
'''Imperial Reckoning and the Second Great Chaos Incursion''' | '''Imperial Reckoning and the Second Great Chaos Incursion''' | ||
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The young '''Arch Strategist Galius''', brought up as the successor to Serbat as his age continues to eat away at his mind, dreams of one day taking the Bastion Breakers to destroying the mightiest obstacle in the way of the forces of Chaos - Cadia. He has made it his life's mission, even constructing whole live-fire exercises that claims thousands of slave-lives with recreations of the Kasr-Cities to practice his skills on breaking them down. He is a staunch perfectionist, never content with a single experiment. | The young '''Arch Strategist Galius''', brought up as the successor to Serbat as his age continues to eat away at his mind, dreams of one day taking the Bastion Breakers to destroying the mightiest obstacle in the way of the forces of Chaos - Cadia. He has made it his life's mission, even constructing whole live-fire exercises that claims thousands of slave-lives with recreations of the Kasr-Cities to practice his skills on breaking them down. He is a staunch perfectionist, never content with a single experiment. | ||
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Though not many Marines will admit it, the Company provides invaluable support as the backbone of their military expeditions. The bulk of the Lost and Damned is rallied behind this behemoth of human force. Rogue Psykers, mad Tech-Priests, mercenary Guardsmen, and crazed Mutants swarm over the enemies of the Host allowing the burgundy clad Marines to seize victory on the backs of these millions of souls who throw themselves zealously into the fray for recognition and glory. Though most only grab onto an early death, thus is the will of the Gods. | Though not many Marines will admit it, the Company provides invaluable support as the backbone of their military expeditions. The bulk of the Lost and Damned is rallied behind this behemoth of human force. Rogue Psykers, mad Tech-Priests, mercenary Guardsmen, and crazed Mutants swarm over the enemies of the Host allowing the burgundy clad Marines to seize victory on the backs of these millions of souls who throw themselves zealously into the fray for recognition and glory. Though most only grab onto an early death, thus is the will of the Gods. | ||
'''Culture''' | '''Culture''' | ||
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Revision as of 04:36, 7 August 2015
"Never has there been a more confounding, fascinating, contradictory, or powerful phenomenon within the Eye. Wouldn't you agree?"
High Genetor Wilmut Sachs, commenting on the Unstained Host to a 'patient'.
| The Unstained Host | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battle Cry | "Strike now, as one!" "Victory to the daring!" | |
| Origin | Various Traitor Legions | |
| Base of Operations | Medica | |
| Strength | Tens of Thousands | |
| Specialty | Shock Assault | |
| Colours | Burgundy, Gold | |
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.
The Unstained Host was founded by Zhardan the Impeccable after his infamous raid upon the Cadia and the surrounding systems. The remnants of the Heralds of Hektor, along with the warbands of the Unrequited Sons, Scions of Perfection, Priests of the Primordial, Dread Banners Company, and the Stellar Reavers. Since uniting these scattered but powerful factions, the Unstained Host established hegemony over nearly all trade inside the Eye of Terror along with enforcing their will upon a significant amount of Traitors who live within. When the Host marches forth, they bring almost all the warriors that Chaos has to offer.
History of the Host
Humble Beginnings: The Unstained
Zhardan was not born under the name that would be spoken of by rising Chaos Lords with both admiration and envy. He was once known as Zarac Hordan, a non-Psykic member of the Black Augurs Traitor Space Marine Legion. Due to the hierarchy of the Augurs being based entirely upon those with sorcerous capability, Zarac was left out of many accomplishments gained in both the Great Crusade and Hektor Heresy. In the mayhem caused by Heresy, and the numerous losses heaped upon the Black Augurs Zarac found himself being promoted to Ship's Master aboard the Insidious Hammer, an Avenger-class Grandcruiser. From this post Zarac was instrumental in doing absolutely nothing at all as the ship preformed rear-guard actions for the invasion of the Sol-System until finally fleeing upon Imperial reinforcement.
The retreat from Terra was hellish for the Traitors. After the Betrayal of Sudden Flame, which the Insidious Hammer was absent from taking part in despite nearly every Black Augur fighting in the battle, Traitors began to turn on one another en masse. The Augurs almost religiously, maliciously took advantage of their comrades from other Legions. Zarac could only watch as his Captain and superior continuously bordered ships, butchered the Marines aboard, and impressed the crew into service. The Hammer over time built an impressive stock of gene-seed, leading to Zarac having a brilliant concept. The various successes made by Sorcerers had not been without loss, and they kept the regular Marines out most of the fighting taking the revel of looting for themselves.
When the next assault took place upon a wounded Eternal Zealot transport fleet, Zarac sprung his plan into action. Due to the depletion of loyal crewmembers thanks to the boarding party sallying out, the Captain was outnumbered 10 to 100. Seizing control of the Insidious Hammer, the enslaved vessels were given a choice - Follow Captain Hordan into the Eye with many other Traitors, or stay out to be prey to the vengeful Void Angel armada. Few decided to remain without the protection of the much larger, powerful warship.
In the eye, Zarac had time to plan and to think. While other warbands fought over constantly depleting resources, he would ration and plot. A new generation of Space Marines was raised up from any children his troop could acquire, but it took time. After what felt like an eternity, the Captain revealed his force to the wider world of the Eye. At first his warband appeared an oddity, intervening in battles that seemed decisive to save one side from being wiped out. Word spread then of a disciplined band of warriors naming themselves the Unstained, led by man named Zhardan. Many joked of their insanity, never taking plunder for themselves and disappearing before any reward could be exacted.
Opinion shifted at a historic event in the history of the Legionary Wars. The Ramparts, the primary successor to the ambitious state of the Bulwark, was facing a dire fate. A giant store of their collected gene-seed had been stolen by the Gnawed-Claws warband. The Crimson Teeth successors had struck with debilitating, and suicidal force, managing to elude their advanced defenses to hit their heart. The Unstained had been invited to the raid by the Gnawed Claws, and during their retreat into orbit a Thunderhawk assault-wing from the Unstained betrayed them. To the Ramparts, it seemed that the arrival of the Unstained was nothing less than near divine intervention.
Indomitus, founder of the Ramparts, named Zhardan 'the Impeccable' for his amazing timing. From then on, the Unstained gained recognition across the Eye and an alliance with one of the more powerful warbands in it. In this lies the true strength of the early Unstained, in the illusion that they had any. Their ships ran on fumes, and memory of promethium. Their bolt shells had dwindled to barely enough to outfit a squad. Half their Marines were without power armour due to no ability to support the rapid growth Zhardan insisted upon. The gamble in the 'rescue' of the Ramparts' geneseed paid off however, when the warband was able to loot everything the Gnawed-Claws owned. This intake of supply gave them the impetus for the next phase of the ambitious plan laid out so many years ago.
The Great Cadian Raid, or the First Great Chaos Incursion
To the Traitors, it had been decades. To the outside world, numerous centuries. The Great Scouring had forced the last remnants of Horus's ill-fated rebellion off into a place from which no life could sustain itself. This is what Zhardan was gambling on. The Legionary Wars had forced the warbands to focus inward, the Imperium appearing to be unstoppable wall of bastion worlds defended by the highly adaptable and fluid Space Marine Chapters. But word had reached the ears of the Traitors of WAAAGH!The Beast, of how it had crippled the once indomitable formations arrayed against them. Only a handful of raiders were taking advantage of the mayhem but their attacks were small time. Searching for slaves and plunder.
Zhardan would build an empire upon the foundations of the old. His first move was to seek if the Ramparts were interested in sponsoring the assault. Giving over troops, supply, and ships was help enough but this was not enough for Zhardan. The Immaculate Phalanx warband led by Leonidas Manisicus, along with the Unrequited Sons commanded by the brilliant Jamaspa were invited to the assault. Not as subordinates, or even partners, but simply to attack at the same time upon a common enemy. Their combined might allowed the Traitor forces to experience the stunning victory over the Imperial forces that is remembered fondly by all servants of the Dark Gods.
Returning with a legendary haul to cement a historic victory, Zhardan used the diplomatic momentum to sign pacts and alliances with various smaller warbands. Bringing them under his protection and allowing to use them to further his reach. At the same time, six of the greatest collections of Chaos warriors was assembled to discuss repeating the success had over the Imperium. This became known as the Council of Medica.
The Resolution of Medica
Medica was important for being of no value. It held no life, it was a small planet without mineral wealth to speak of and weak atmosphere unable to sustain a colonial effort. Not even the presence of daemons persisted on it. Here, Zhardan had made his base from which few figured anyone would take enough of a vested interest in fortifying. But the Fortress-Port of Medica Primus is the heart of all trade within the Eye of Terror. Before rising to prominence, it was known for the agreement reached by the Nine Warlords over how the Post-Heresy Traitors would conduct themselves against the Imperium.
The procession started with death threats, the drawing of weapons, three fatalities, and numerous expletives. The leaders of the eight factions had been called forth by Zhardan using both bribes and promises of future partnership to secure their patronage. Eleven were supposed to arrive, but three crucial forces did not arrive. The Ramparts were interested only being an allied party, nothing more. The Iron Rangers refused to be a part of the talks, as did the Sommesgard Vanguard, one of the largest successor warbands to the Lions Rampant.
This left the following warbands: The Bastion Breakers led by Dreadnought-Adjudicator Serbat, the Dread Banners Company led by Syndic Nicimodeus, the Immaculate Phalanx led by Leonidas Manisicus, Unrequited Sons led by Jamaspa, the Priests of the Primordial led by the Pontiff, the Scions of Perfection led by Kyrian Iohannes the Invincible, the Stellar Reavers led by Tapayaxi, and the Zealous Blades led by Krosmosr 'Shadow Hawk' Cestus.
Zhardan silenced the bickering for a moment to speak of his plan. He had seen what the infighting between the warbands had reduced them to. He knew they would never have the unity they once had under Hektor however flawed it may have been. This did not stop them from facing their one true enemy - the Imperium proper. Another raid the likes of which Zhardan pulled off would not be achievable with the relative ease he and his compatriots enjoyed. Even now, as he continued to explain, all the worlds they took were being spied upon. Weighed, and soon, tested. The grip of the Imperials would tighten, the strength of the Traitors beyond the Eye would wane. If they could not somehow find a way to stop fighting one another to strike back they would have the Eye of Terror be their tomb as the Imperium intended it to be.
After many hours, an accord was somehow able to be struck between the wildly varied warbands. They would bring their troops under a singular host, coloring themselves in the standard of the Unstained. However, one pauldron would be colored in the fashion of their old warband or preferred origin Legion. Zhardan was not able to consolidate leadership either, having to abdicate to the rule of the Nine Warlords, whom would chose a Warmaster among them when he become worthy to guide them out of the Eye to strike down the Imperium's armies and lay waste to their worlds. Lastly, he was not able to even make them able to agree not to raid among themselves leaving future generations assuredly to take advantage of one another.
The initial grab of power made by the Unstained was not capable of being challenged. Spreading out across the Eye from Medica, countless warbands were assimilated or added to their Host. Allies, such as the Ramparts and Eternal Zealots were invaluable to their success at launching raids from the Eye. But the Traitors grew content with their power, growing fat off of their victories. The Khornates had battle aplenty, the Nurglites able to spread disease at ease, the Slaaneshi capable of feeding their pleasures with perverse excess, and the Tzeentchians left to plot, plan, study, and hope. While not a period of stagnation, Zhardan was never able to bring all the swords of Chaos into one as he had hoped.
His second Great Chaos Incursion would never be realized. He would never see the foundations of Armageddon's hives upturned or Ciban razed to the ground. Putting down a slave insurrection against the Unstained, a stray artillery undershot, landing square at allied lines where he was leading from the front in melee. No grand plot to eliminate him, no epic betrayal worthy of drama or song. Zhardan whom had brought the Traitors from the brink together as one was slain ingloriously as he had begun all those years ago in the Black Augurs.
Imperial Reckoning and the Second Great Chaos Incursion
The holdings claimed in the First Great Chaos Incursion switched hands between lieutenants inside the Host multiple times. The systems at the entrance to the Eye warred with one another in a near perpetual state of inner conflict. Due to their distance from the core of the Unstained's strength, the relative stability brought on by the rule from Medica was not extended to this region. It was not long before the Imperium rallied behind a leader to strike back. World after world fell, each planet not only being purged of life and rebuilt again but wrought anew into iron shape.
The greatest example of this triumph was the Fortress World of Cadia. A testament to Mankinds ability for total war, the keystone world to the very causeway of the Eye of Terror was made into an impenetrable juggernaut of stellar and terrestrial defensive measures. No world in the whole of the millions held together by the Imperium say for Terra herself could rival the defensive value that had been poured into fortifying Cadia. Exactly as Zhardan had anticipated in his speech all those years ago. Worse for the Host, they did not react immediately. The Warlords could not agree on a Warmaster, and no one alone could challenge the strength of the Imperium.
Constituent Members
Nine Warbands made up the initial Unstained Host after the Council of Medica. These factions comprise the primary strength and political power of the Host. Before the arrival of Elenkor, the nine Warlords who held power and sway over these groups decided upon a Warmaster to lead them to victory. Often times, the Warlords bickered, fought, and attempted to politically outmaneuver one another too often to give decisive leadership. Laws and rulership differed wildly between the members of the Host. For what may be considered a great feat in the territory of one could be a death sentence in another. Whatever the case, when united these warbands formed the mighty Unstained. Alone, powerful, together, nigh unstoppable.
The Bastion Breakers
Not the most numerous, or well known of the Bulwark successors, but a highly vital group to the early Host's successes. The Bastion Breakers jumped onto the Legionary Wars as a mercenary band for higher. Taking in any Marines they could, a dreaded reputation brewed for the group. Nevertheless, the Breakers remained steadfast loyal to their employers which did not give them many successes. Founded by Adjudicator Serbat, interned into a Dreadnought Chassis after the Battle of the Crucible, his iron will even from his diminishing memory kept the small group highly mobile and fair to one another. This was crucial as the Legionary Wars went on, with inner rivalries ripping apart whole empire states in the tumultuous time before the Host's unification.
After the Council of Medica, the Bastion Breakers were hard pressed to lend their services to the various members making up the Unstainted. With freshly refurbished equipmen, Serbat was leading them to victory breaking apart all those who refused to give up tribute or recognize the power wielded by the new dominant power inside of the Eye. Using an inverted strategy pioneered by the visionary Hidden Rex, the Breakers used their innate memory of fortifications and defense strategy to rip apart lesser fortresses with ease. The blasting cry of their explosives heralded the fall of many a castle in the genesis of the Unstained Host.
Upon the broken foundations of a hundred warbands, the Breakers lived up to their namesake. In return for their services, Serbat retired to them to the turbulent world of Strakoxs. Filled to the brim with a maddened populace, daemons, and young warbands looking for plunder it has some of the greatest fortresses known in the Eye. From Mount Slacte the Bastion Breakers train new recruits, amass equipment, and set out to destroy all opponents on the planet to keep their warband keen on the ways of war without worrying about Host politics. When the Unstained calls upon them, they set out to make war and break down any fortifications in their path.
The young Arch Strategist Galius, brought up as the successor to Serbat as his age continues to eat away at his mind, dreams of one day taking the Bastion Breakers to destroying the mightiest obstacle in the way of the forces of Chaos - Cadia. He has made it his life's mission, even constructing whole live-fire exercises that claims thousands of slave-lives with recreations of the Kasr-Cities to practice his skills on breaking them down. He is a staunch perfectionist, never content with a single experiment.
Culture
Living far more monastic lifestyles than their counterparts, the Breakers focus exclusively on advancing the strategies of their forefather in any measure possible. Watchmen of the Breakers reflect upon the writings of Sebastion Rex every morning before their first meal. It is usually a modest meal of hydrocarbons mixed in with basic protein supplement. After this, they commence practice upon the slopes of Mount Slacte before descending down to do battle with the barbarians of the planes or attacking the Autocrats of the southern plateaus attacking their defenses and assessing their weaknesses. This is part of the daily routine of a Breaker, as every facet of their lives obsesses over the deconstruction of defense tactics and fortifications.
Neophytes are taught from dusk till dawn on mathematics, chemistry, and physics. These are to help hone their minds on measurements and explosives. How to implement them in battle or a siege. After these scientific studies are completed they move onto combat training and practical fortification dismantlement. This instills the core tenants of the Bastion Breakers, to end a siege before they enemy can prolong a fight. To break apart their defenses, to overwhelm them with force. The goal is not to take an enemy on their own, but open up opportunities for others to do so. Once a Neophyte understands how to do this, they are implanted with gene-seed and uplifted to the status of Astartes.
A subset of the standard Watchmen are the Khornate disciplines of the Lancer-Tower Brigade. These odd three hundred Marines attach themselves to any warband they can who are on an offensive side. After completing their mission, which is to break apart a fortress to the foundation, they return to give tribute to their leader Serbat before immediately setting out to do so again. If their assigned warband takes too long to attack, it is not uncommon for them to use excessive explosives to butcher them before stealing their equipment and attacking a battlement on their own.
The Dread Banners Company
An anomaly in the politics of the Eye, the Dread Banners Company is a union of certain members of the Dark Mechanicus and the Traitor Armymen of the Lost and Damned. Their founder, the ageless and mysterious Nicimodeus has calculated optimal strategies for the Banners' success in a unstable, twisting landscape. Their strength in the Legionary Wars was precisely for their peculiarity in existing. With all the vendettas and inter-rivalries between the Legionnaires allowed for their human subjects a chance to grow out in relative obscurity. Initially, the Dread Banners started as the guard to a confederacy of a dozen systems within the Eye protecting owned by Xenos and Humans alike, some having worshiped the Chaos Gods before the first Astartes. Eventually, these planets became so dependent on the highly organized and responsive defense of the Company that they could not resist their unfortunate, inevitable takeover.
Several warbands, including the Unrequited Sons attempted to claim territory away from the Company only to be repulsed each time. The Dread Banners sold their own humanity bit by bit to achieve victory, augmenting themselves with daemonic energies or corrupted bionics. Nicimodeus experimented and plotted on repeated success to create blanket improvements to the troops of the Company. Largely human, but partly not, the soldiers of the Dread Banners fought on to hold their independence. Mutants assisted their fighting strength and were thus given full rights within their territory. This coupled along with the abolishing of slavery endeared many of the oppressed masses to their cause creating a surge in population. During the last years of the Legionary Wars, a few decades before the Unstained Host's arrival, their success had not gone unnoticed within the Eye. More raids into their territory increased, and any hopes of expanding were stifled each time.
The Elder Cranog Moore of the Pale Sword Tribe, a successor of the Iron Rangers, arrived wishing to sign a pact with them. Breaking off from his home Legion more than two centuries ago towards the middle of the Heresy, the Pale Sword Astartes lusted for plunder and prestige. Cranog saw an opportunity in the collection of worlds held together by the elite and twisted mortal men before him. Giving over much needed ships and Space Marine support, the raids proved too costly for their potential gains for most abandoning any assault into Banner territory after a time. Cranog also represented the Company alongside the Syndic Nicimodeus at the Council of Medica discussing their part to play in the Unstained.
Though not many Marines will admit it, the Company provides invaluable support as the backbone of their military expeditions. The bulk of the Lost and Damned is rallied behind this behemoth of human force. Rogue Psykers, mad Tech-Priests, mercenary Guardsmen, and crazed Mutants swarm over the enemies of the Host allowing the burgundy clad Marines to seize victory on the backs of these millions of souls who throw themselves zealously into the fray for recognition and glory. Though most only grab onto an early death, thus is the will of the Gods.
Culture
Across their worlds they have been unified behind the will of the Three Syndics. Each Syndic represents a facet of their highly regimented people, and they lead the will of the Company's citizens. The Guilds are the workers, the builders, and the producers. Everything used in the Dread Banners comes from them. They also oversee the use of plunder from raids and the extraction of resources. Thanks to the Guilds, there is food aplenty to feed the denizens of the Eye. Guild members are predominantly women, but there are exceptions. The Cogs are a minority, but a powerful voice. They are the overseers, the engineers, and the minds behind the success of the Dread Banners. Syndic Nicimodeus has been the only Syndic for the Cogs, and he personally chooses the Syndisc for the other factions. The Warriors are all of those who serve under arms, which is the majority of the population. These men follow a standardized set of training that is similar to how a Feral-level world culture may interpret the doctrine of the Imperial Guard. Highly ritualized, these discipline fighters have the final say in any discussion within the Company. However, Nicimodeus always finds an agreeable leader for them or he simply cuts off his forges and activates his servitor-sentinels until a new one is found.
To the Company, children are prized above all else. Babes are considered a blessing and it is common to give gifts to a couple upon the birth of their first child. Orphans of war from either side of a conflict are adopted by the Cold-Mothers, female Dark Mechanicus Priests who raise the infants to productive members of the industrial-militarized society of the Dread Banners. This reflects the attitude to outsiders held in the popular conscience of the Banners. Any mortal is a potential member, all that must be done is to swear loyalty to the Company. Often times during the Great Chaos Incursions there has been observed multiple defections of prisoners to the Company as they are extremely welcoming with many freedoms compared to the utilitarian Imperium.
Territory and Holdings
Culture of the Host
Though the members comprising the Host have their own unique subcultures, the attempts of Zhardan to create a singular entity for Chaos to rally behind to wield their varied powers towards destroying the Imperium echo even after Elenkor's takeover. The ideal of a singular Legion, with no equal, as one force devoted to the glory of not one Chaos God but all same as the Eternal Zealots. In fact, Zhardan was quite a admirer of Zealot and Herald culture attempting to emulate both in his efforts to create the Unstained.