Editing Dalvan Atrocity (section)

==Background==

Nathaniel Dume's sprawling Pan-Pacific Empire was one of the Emperor's great rivals for mastery of Terra.  For a time, direct conflict was avoided as the Emperor's armies conquered weaker techno-barbarian realms, but eventually hostilities broke out.  The greater part of the fighting was done by Thunder Warriors and the men of the [[Imperial Army (Hektor Heresy)|Imperial Army]], but battling the might of Dume's realm still required the commitment of most of the nascent [[Legiones Astartes (Hektor Heresy)|Space Marine Legions]].  The Legions primarily undertook special missions, such as seizing the strategic Dalvan Redoubt.

Commanding the Dalvan Redoubt was Vuthros Khan, one of Dume's most loyal and devoted henchmen.  Khan's loyalty was guaranteed by the polite imprisonment of his family in the fortified palace of his master, though there is little evidence to suggest that the commander plotted any treachery.  His posting at Dalvan steeled an already daunting fortification.

The Emperor considered sending [[Hektor Cincinnatus]] and [[Heralds of Hektor|First Legion]] to take Dalvan, but [[Gufarnus Altmakar]] lobbied for the Second taking the mission instead.  Altmakar noted that the Dalvan Redoubt likely had a substantial underground complex and suggested the Orend Ymoro's success in [[the Cleansing of Calverna]] made him a natural choice for reducing the fort.