MedHammer 40,000

This page is in need of cleanup. Srsly. It's a fucking mess.

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NOTE: This is a suggestions page. If you want the Grimbright warhammer, please go to the actual page here.

Really Like the Ideas posted in Midhammer, and was sad to see it hasn't been edited in a while. I wanted to share some of my ideas to fill in the spaces for Midhammer. My goal was to add efficient effective institutions while keeping with the Bittersweet, "Grimbright" feel of Midhammer. I posted these originally on the Main Midhammer 40,000 page, but it wound up just cluttering everything. And there is probably too much to just put in the talk section. Please let me know what you think! --Wammnebu (talk)

WORK IN PROGRESS

Other Pages

This page was getting too large and cumbersome, so I have been splitting these up into different more specialized sections.

Religion in MidHammer 40,000

Goes into more detail about the different religions of Midhammer, primarily focused on the Imperium, but some xenos are discussed as well.

Space Marine Chapters

Examples of some of the many different Chapters in Midhammer

Grand Macharios

The Machiaran Crusade was far more important in MidHammer, it represents a seismic shift in world events similar to the fall of Cadia in Vanilla.

Government in MidHammer 40,000

Given so many more primarchs survive in MidHammer, the Government is structured very differently from vanilla

Characters in MidHammer 40,000

Ancillae (Sisters of Battle)

Because the Ecclesiarchy doesn't exist, the Sisters of Battle doesn't either. Instead there are "The Handmaiden's of Tarasha," an organization that fills a similar, but unofficial role to the Vanilla Sororitas.

Inquisition

There is no Imperial Cult, and as such the Inquisition is a very different, much more clandestine organization. It is much closer to Malcador's original vision for the group, and have been waging a secret war with Alpharius.

Ultramar in MidHammer 40,000

The Independent Realm of Ultramar is a dynamic basketcase of Chivalry, Mysticism, and Fanaticism, as the reclaimed land of Gulliman struggles against tyrannids and T'au.

Notable Locations

List of notable Locations in the Imperium and Outside of It.

Rough Timeline of Events

Before the Heresy (up to M30)

Very Little has changed apart from a few events apart from personal events.

• Lord Vect makes a severe Political miscalculation in betraying Harlequins for political gain. Is killed by vengeful Cegorach. Commoragh, falls into chaos as it lacks a leader with the ruthlessness, vision, and capability as vect (thanks in no small part to Asdrubaal Vect's proactive elimination of potential threats.
• Jaghatai Khan is raised by wealthy Obsequiani Tribe on Chorgoris called The Qoqdunluk. Still grows up a nomadic Khan, but also is trained in law, history, philosophy, mathematics, theology and local traditions in addition to warfare and tactics. Conquers Chorgoris in 12 years much quicker through a combination of diplomacy, gifted administration, and conquest. By the time the Golden Ships arrive, Jaghatai had been administrating the Planet several years and had even been making his first forrays into space.
• Commoragh is able to tentatively unite as a sort of "Aristocratic Oligarchy" where the nobility "share" power amongst each other. Many of the excesses of Vect's reign curtailed.
• Alpharius encounters Cabal early. Impressed by the schemer who created such an institution, he vows to learn from the lord behind the Cabal and thus swears his loyalty to Tzeentch.
• Temple of Laer is destroyed before Fulgrim can reach the blade.
• Horus Aximand is stabbed by Anatheme Blade instead of Horus Lupercal.

M30-M35

The Great Treachery and its Aftermath, The Imperium's broken leaders Struggles to rebuild the Imperium in their Father's absence.

M30

The Great Treachery led by Heresiarch Lorgar Pseudaurelian begins

Curze-Corvax War begins

Most of Galactic Southeast conquered by Luther. Galactic North West Conquered by Lorgar.

M31

Desolation of Lorgar Ends after Alpharius destroys Imperial Palace. Most of the Imperium in ruins. Emperor gravely wounded.

Council of Terra Convenes, Imperium Reorganized into Fiefdom, Inquisition commissioned.

Curze, Corax, Dorn, and Russ all still missing in action

Aurelian Cult Establishes Seat on Bergenval, Royum Ultramar declared in exile.

Corax-Curze war rages on, destroying planets and armies in chaos and imperial territory alike.

M32

Sanguinius calls First New Crusade declared, fails to advance against Cadia and the Rock.

Joint Ultramarines Chapters and Aurelian Cult make Gains in Galactic south east, liberate several sectors.

Curze-Corax war comes to an end, Corax disappears into eye of terror, Curze captured and rehabilitated.

M33

Rogal Dorn Returns to take control of Segmentum Tempestus

Luther and Lorgar Split, eventually dooming Luther's Ultramari Kingdom to collapse.

Fulgrim abandons terraforming project upon learning that all of Terra is coated with ork spores seeded by alpharius. Restoring Atmosphere to great a risk.

M34

The Ultramari Crusade, Ultramari army along with Dark Angels, Salamanders, and White Scars continue reconquest of the Galactic Southeast. Luther is captured and brought to The Lion. Remaining Fallen flee to Lorgar's realm.

Royum Ultramar and Aurelian Cult begins effort to recolonize now barren, desolate homelands.

Holy Seat of Espandor declared, then only fourth to Magna Terra, SUEU and Bergenvan.

Ultramari Traders encounter Kroot, offer them protection and planets to colonize in return for helping Ultramar settle Galactic Southeast. Kroot Enclaves Begin.

Kroot find primitive T'au and other xenos, both Kroot and Ultramari begin using T'au as slave labor

Emperor's condition worsens, Required to spend two mellinia in stasis.

M35

Dark Eldar Geneticists experiment and create "Etherial Caste"

War of The Beast. Great wierdboy on Ullanor arises to lead massive Waagh! Should probably have been less of a threat , were it not for unfortunate timing.

Great T'au Revolts Led by an Etherial Fire Caste warriors, the Tau rise up to slaughter Kroot and Ultramari alike. Almost entire Kroot March captured by T'au.

Lorgar takes advantage of Imperial overstretch and calls Black Crusade. Armies ravage Segmentum Obscurus.

Conflicts between inquisition and Mechanicus (ie Alpharius) result in Ork Planetship reaching earth. Fearing the spores on terra, Primarchs emergency medical evac The Weakened Emperor to Fortress on Titan. Chaos ensues as Astronomicon goes out briefly.

Chaos takes heavy losses on attempted seige of Dorn's segmentum tempestus.

Panicking High Lords of Terra Commission "Tau Founding" in effort to provide Undermanned Ultima Segmentum with the forces necessary to fight the T'au.

M36-M40

As the Imperium slowly begins to find its footing in the galaxy (though far from its former strength), The Forces of Chaos begin their millenia long decline, as it faces an Imperium on the offensive. Meanwhile the Imperium is unable to stop its new enemies gaining strength as the Tau and Eldar begin to position themselves against an overstretched imperium.

M36

Age of Apostasy Disastrous reigns of Goge Vandire and Sebastian Thor see the relegation of Magna Terra as a Holy Seat.

"T'au Founding" begins to show problems, many tau founding chapters join chaos or go renegade.

Tau second sphere of expansion sees Attilla and surrounding planets conquered by Tau.

Truce between Imperium and Tau "mediated" by Eldar, threatening to withhold vital technology needed for Emperor's health and webway.

Laphis liberated from Demonic forces.

M37

War of the Raven. Corax Returns now a demon prince of Malal, scourges through Lorgar and Imperium's realm.

Black Crusade called. Ends in stalemate.

Cult of The Walking Eagle founded

M39

Macharian Crusade Macharios reconquers over half of the Segmentum Pacificus, creating Grand Macharia and sending shock waves throughout Galaxy.

Yndarri Cult becomes more active, Craftworlds suffer terrorist attacks

Ancillae Crusade, Ultramar finally frees Maccragge of Demons and demonic taint.

Lorgar briefly supplanted by Bel'akor as champion of Chaos. Only accelerates decline.

M40-M45

A new Paradigm emerges. The forces of chaos are but a pathetic shell of themselves, and the Imperium learns that the 10,000 year fight against chaos was just a prelude to much more devastating, much more costly fights.

M40

Cadia Falls. Perturabo's great fortress of chaos finally succumbs to the Imperium after 2000 year siege

Tau obtain FTL capabilities from Dark Eldar.

Scramble for Ultima. Imperium and T'au begin mellinia long scramble for uncharted realms in the Ultima Segmentum. Imperium ultimately loses, with Tau and Eldari making largest gains.

Hive Fleet Leviathan and Behometh arrive into Milky Way Galaxy onto The Tempestus Segmentum and Luther's Imperium Undivided. Terrified Luther Pleads for Peace with Imperium, refused.

Tyrranic War begins Chaos and Hive Fleet Behometh Fight.

M41

Yndarri Empire Founded. Yvraine begins quest to reclaim Croneworlds for Ynnead. Chaos now trapped between Imperium and

Eldari

Tau Great Expansion Begins Etherials begin War with Ultrimar

Luther's Last Stronghold, Sotha attacked by the Tyrrannid Hive Fleet. Ending his Empire.

Apcalyptic Cults rampant in Ultramar, Aurelian struggles to maintain order.

M42

Mechanicum Civil War. Mars finally tires of Imperium's escalating tithes and declares itself independent of Imperium. War is fought amongst rest of the galaxy, as earth and Mars have enough super weapons pointed at each other to destroy each planet a thousand times over.

The Great Treachery (IE The Lorgar Letdown)

The Great Treachery was one of the greatest tragedies to befall the Imperium of Man. Maddened that his worship of The Emperor was rebuffed, Lorgar turned against his father, falling prey to the Dark Powers. During his act of Treachery, Ultramar and Luna were left forever scarred, the Segmentum Pacificus was ravaged by civil war, and the Emperor himself was wounded by the macinations of his traitorus sons.

Term for Lorgar Letdown

The term for The Lorgar Letdown should be something grandiose like "The Great Heresy," "The Great Treachery" or "The Desolation of Lorgar." The overreaction of the Imperium to it helps set the tone for the Grimbrightness, and helps convey how innocent the Imperium of this world is. Much like how WWI was naively called "The War to End All Wars." We the readers know it could get much, much worse, but for those living in Grimbright future of the 41,000, this is as bad as it gets.

Rough Timeline of The Great Betrayal

Before The Heresy

Though historians would mark the Great Betrayal as beginning with The Word Bearers attack on the Ultramarines at Calth, there were several events that lead up to the war. Most of the Opening moves were made by Lorgar and Alpharius, who set the stage for their actions years before anyone in the Imperium was aware.

1. Lorgar following his Legion's humiliation at the hands of his father, is convinced by Erebus and Kor Phaeron to turn to Chaos.
2. Lorgar and Erebus enlist help of Perturabo, Angron, Luther, Mortarion, and Alpharius following the Council of Nikea
   1. Plan to bring Horus, Fulgrim, Russ, and The Lion into fold.
3. Perturabo begins fortifying Olympia in secret, readying it for the coming storm.
4. Horus is set up by the Chaos gods to be stabbed with Anathame Blade, blade stabs Horus Aximand instead
   1. Chaos recalculates, Lorgar to Remain leader.
5. Fulgrim defeats Laer, however never obtains the corrupted sword as the Temple mysteriously begins to collapse, Fulgrim barely escapes.
6. Alpharius uses legion to infiltrate relevant sectors:
   1. Custodes, Space Wolves, Dark Angels, Sons of Horus, Ultramar local government, and Night Lords all targeted
   2. Infiltration and corruption of several Forge Worlds in the Ultima and Pacificus Segmenti.
   3. Plan
      1. eliminate Ultramarines (Word Bearers/World Eaters), Imperial Fists (Iron Warriors), Thousand Sons (Space Wolves), Emperor's Children (Death Gaurd)
      2. Convert Sons of Horus (Aximand), Raven Gaurd (Death Guard), Dark Angels (Luther), Space Wolves

Beginning of Heresy

1. Word Bearers and Ultramarines commanded by "Horus" to deal with Calth
   1. Plan to use misinformation campaign, warpstorms, and betrayal of calth to creat Ultramar Civil War
2. Word Bearers, World Eaters and Night Lords prepare for Joint exercises in Ultima Segmentum
3. Erebus encouraged to join Dark Angels on observation mission
   1. Plan to use demonic incursion on Maccragge to further push Ultramar from Imperium
4. Russ sent by Horus to pacify Magnus for unregistered use of Psykers
   1. Alpharius' undercover agents with Space wolfs encourage the aggression inherent in this legion and intensify anti psyker sentiments
   2. Russ, looking to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, deploys army outside of Thousand Sons Fortress Monastery
   3. Thousand Sons refuse to allow entrance, Space Wolves begin seiging Fortress Monastery, albeit Russ is reluctant about this.
   4. Magnus sends distress signal recieved by The Lion
5. The Rock hears Russ's distress signal, Luther sees time to act.
   1. Luther mutinies by getting all the Fallen into armor, and killing anyone who gets in their way or does not surrender.
   2. leaves Loyalists and The Lion prisoners on Calliban
   3. Erebus and Luther Desolate Calliban planet offering sacrifice to encourage the beasts to return
   4. Takes fleet to join Heresy
6. Stormseers of White Scars notice rumblings in the warp around Ultramar
   1. Rumblings partially due to Khorne's anger that Russ did not turn
   2. Khan sends psychic message to Roboute Gulliman to pierce warpstorms
   3. Gulliman travels to Macragge in secret, leaves Legion under Command of Thiel
   4. Travels to Ultramar to begin evacuating planet
7. Unplanned Demon incursion forces Ultramarines and Word Bearers to fight and destroy Monarchia
   1. Demon incursion turns out to be Doombreed looking to capture and punish Lorgar
   2. Thiel splits forces, half continue to Calth, better prepared for Demons
   3. Other Half reaches out to Terra but unable to due to warp storms, proceeds to McCragge

The Aftermath of Calth

1. Word Bearers and Antoni arrive at Calth
2. Word Bearers betray Ultramarines using suprise attack and demons
   1. Ultramarines, now familiar with demonic incursions, more successful take half of the Word Bearers with them
   2. Ultramarines ultimately lose, forces are shredded by the Word Bearers and their daemon allies, many captured.
   3. Alpharius disinformation campaign begins,
      1. spreads rumors to Ultramar that Empire betrayed them
      2. spreads rumors to other legions that Gulliman betrayed Imperium.
      3. Uses Alpha Legionnaires in Ultramarian armor to further convince, replaces key members of the communication chain
3. Victorious Word Bearers under Lorgar begin scouring Ultramar of "traitors", taking vengeance for Monarchia.
4. Gulliman and Ultramarines discuss actions on Monarchia,
   1. Betrayal at Calth occurs, Gulliman learns of disinformation campaign
   2. Seeing that Maccragge is about to be caught in the crossfire, he orders remaining Ultramarines to aid and escort Maccragge's citizens offworld to Terra
   3. Ultramarines and Maccragge Refugees (somewhere between 60-80% on overcrowded ships) travel into warp to Terra on low-end Ultramarine fleet and civilian ships).
      1. Naval Fleets emptied of remaining Ultramarines to make room for more refugees, a token force is told in no uncertain terms, that if Maccragge falls, and the rest are killed, this company must carry the legacy of the Ultramarines and Guiliman
5. Gulliman organizes remaining Citizens, PDF,Imperial Army of Maccragge and Ultramarines into last stand defense
   1. Maccragge Palace District Transformed into Fortifications, remaining orbital defenses loaded to capacity with all the ammunition they can spare, ground based defenses hastily protected.
6. World Eaters and Kor Phaeron's Word Bearers arrive at Maccragge, begin bombardment of planet after breaking the orbital forts, but it takes time and inflicts much toll
   1. Maccragge holds, for now, surface to orbit weapons are firing non-stop, several are already gone
   2. being persued by Word Bearer forces, the Migrant fleet makes an emergency jump to Terra
7. On Calliban, The Lion and his captive loyalists are helpless as The Planet falls to the Beasts, locked into their chambers under armed guard, stripped of weapons and armor
8. Jaghatai Khan arrives to the aid of The Thousand Sons, White Scars in tow
   1. Sends troops to aid in the defense of the seige, additional Stormseers enrage the Space Wolves.
   2. Russ contacts Khan, Khan tries to explain his premonitions
9. Luther arrives to "aid" The Thousand Sons
10. Immediately begins firing on Jaghatai Khan's ships after their backs are turned
    1. Space Wolves fleets join in, inflicting massive casualties
    2. Russ Tries to regain control of his forces, but the blood lust and madness had already begun to take hold. Nearly all of the Space Wolves begin to abandon their posts in the seige to sack Prospero itself. Russ forced to fight his own legion, a quarter of a company accompanying him. They are all lost defending Russ as he reaches the Fortress Monastery
11. Despite being outnumbered and ambushed, Jaghatai and his fleets force the Space Wolves and The Fallen to flee, mauling their fleets as they run
    1. Prospero itself begins to be pulled into the warp due to the bloodshed and machinations of Erebus and Alpharius' agents attracting the attention of Khorne and Tzeentch
    2. The Fallen's fleets escape, but Space Wolves do not, trapped in the warp, confused and slaves to their passions, the Space Wolf Fleet too goes feral and falls to the warp.
12. Trapped in a litteral hellscape, as the Ferral Wulfen Marines and Demons run rampant through Prospero, by this point having killed nearly all the planet's inhabitants. The Wulfen and the Demons now continue their siege of the Fortress Monastery.
13. Seeing that they were trapped The Thousand Sons legion bravely hold their ground to ensure their Primarch escapes with the knowledge of Prospero. Magnus swears to bring aid. Aid never comes. The Khan and his fleet travel out of the warp and attempt to reach Horus. Magnus and ten companies are sent out on one ship admist the fleet that can be scrounged up, all sacrificial, to ensure the passage of Magnus, who doesn't like this plan, but he is forced to agree.
14. The World Eaters arrive at Maccragge, and begin seiging planet.
    1. Remaining Ultramarine spaceborne assets aid in helping refugee fleets escape, but the arrival of the World Eaters tips the balance. Many ships are lost. The final fleets are kept back, the civilians wishing to not run from their home, wanting to die on their planet knowing they did not leave it in it's time of need

The Fall of Maccragge

The Fall of MaCcagge is the pivotal moment of the Desolation of Lorgar. Though news of Prospero and Calliban had reached Terra, Maccragge made clear that Imperium was not witnessing minor uprisings, but an existential threat. This singular event set into motion events that forever changed the nature of Ultramar, the Legiones Astartes, and the Imperium at large

1. Roboute Gulliman and his remaining forces bunker into palace district in last stand.
2. The remaining men and women of Maccragge organize themselves as militias.
3. Outer city ripped apart to transform and fortify Palace district, all remaining surface to space guns pulled back, jury rigged void shields ripped from grounded ships used to protect them
4. World Eaters, part of the Night Lords, and Word Bearers prepare for attack.
5. Konrad Curze himself pursues the refugee fleet, also gets trapped in the warp.
6. After a month of seiging, Roboute is able to Parlay with ground forces
   1. Meets with Macer Varren of The World Eaters, Kaspian Hech of The Word Bearers, Zso Shahaal of The Night Lords to attempt to explain situation.
   2. Temporary cease fire declared.
7. The Traitors, Angron and Kor Phaeron, in orbit use this opportunity to attack. Suprise attack on Forces on the ground
   1. Few Loyalist survivors brought into fortress monastery.
8. Angron uses gifts from nurgle to resurrect fallen soldiers on planet, fallen become possessed by Nurgle's demons.
9. Outer Palace falls to possessed horde and unclean demons, remaining defenders forced to retreat to inner sanctum.
10. Gulliman reveals remaining ship kept in secret bunker for emergency (like this one)
    1. last stand forces alternate for one month between holding the line and outfitting ship for escape.
11. Fel Zharost, Kaspian Hech, and Volkhar Wreck, along with Ultramarine Librarius allow Gulliman to form a psychic connection with Migrant fleet through Mother Tanasha Euten. Provides her and fleet with warning regarding the happenings on Maccragge and the Rest of Ultramar.
    1. Macer Varren also connected to link Psychic connection used to allow ship to link up with Migrant fleet without use of Astropath.
12. Using diversion all but Gulliman remain on planet. Ship escapes
    1. Loyalists bring last writings of Gulliman on board with them.
13. Lorgar Arrives to planet after scouring of Ultramar, furious when hearing about ship dedicates the planet of Maccragge to chaos. Hosts of demons emerge.
    1. Gulliman fights demons alone, but ultimately captured.
    2. Tortured by Traitor Night Lords, Angron, Lorgar and Demon Host.
       1. Because of Psychic connectoin, Macer and Tanasha witness and to some extent feel Gullimans torture, their strength and resolve also strengthens gulliman.
    3. Attempt to bond him to demon fails, mentally overwhelms demon, but kills Gulliman.
    4. Psychic blast of his death purifies region around him, obliterates many weaker demons
    5. Wounds Lorgar, forcing him to take a less direct role in remainder of the Heresy.
14. Gellar field on migrant fleet of mccragge begins to fail
    1. Tanasha uses herself as the anchor of faith for the migrant crew, and as such begins the process that ultimately creates a new Chaos God, The Aurelian.
    2. Her ship falls out of the warp to crash land on San Leor
    3. Rest of Crew and Stragglers make it to Terra
    4. His connection to Tanasha and Gulliman overwhelms Macer's Butchers Nails. Becomes the first Living Saint of The Aurelian, The Consumed One.
15. With Gulliman Dead, The Forces of Chaos Claim Ultramar as their own, begin establishing cults to the chaos gods in Ultramar.
    1. Roboute Gulliman's Vigil Opertii goes deep underground, re-establish themselves as "Servants of the Thirteen" Saboteurs and Terrorists under the guise of Slaaneshi Cultists.

Dropsite Massacre and The Aximand Uprising

Sometimes called "The Little Horus Heresy" Horus Aximand, corrupted by the Anathame blade, and filled with insecurity and anger regarding his own identity being subsumed by his father, attempted to mutiny and take the mantle of Champion of Chaos from Lorgar.

1. Terra panics when Thousand Sons, Leman Russ, and White Scars cannot contact.
2. Silence of Ultramar also concerning.
3. Luther Contacts Horus, claiming that The Lion has betrayed the Imperium.
4. Horus, unsure of what to make of the silence, consults Alpharius for intelligence.
5. Alpharius "prepares" Intelligence briefing using "proof" of grand revolt against the imperium.
   1. Using sources provided by unknown means proves that Roboute Gulliman has staged an uprising along with Magnus The Red over the council of Nikea
   2. Magnus and Jaghatai Khan have Killed Leman Russ
   3. Ultramarines, Thousand Sons, White Scars preparing for assault on Imperium
6. The Lion has joined the revolt, and only Luther and the Fallen have remained Loyal to The Imperium
7. Loyalists are Trapped on Calliban and require aid in fighting The Lion.
   1. Horus sends portion of his fleet legion under Garviel Lokken to Calliban to intercept Lion's forces.
   2. Horus Aximand, who had been coordinating with Luther makes his move, Lokken's small force contains most of Lupercal's uncorrupted loyalists.
   3. Luther Provides Archaic Superweapon on Calliban to Perturabo. Perturabo enshrines on olympia.
8. Horus Lupercal Plans decisive victory on Isstivan IV, begins preparations for planet to intercept Ultramarines, White Scars, Thousand Sons.
   1. Coordinates with Word Bearers, World Eaters, and Luther's Dark Angels to Join on Istivaan.
   2. Brings majority of Sisters of Silence to counter the Psykers of Thousand Sons and White Scars
   3. Brings millions of IG auxiliaries
   4. Emperor's Children, Iron Warriors, Raven Guard, Alpha Legion accompany him to Istivaan. Thought to be sufficient given WB, WE, and DA also joining.
   5. Istivaan laid out with kill zones, fortifications built and manned by the Iron Warriors
   6. Iron Hands and Imperial Fists to remain to protect Terra.
9. Isstivan is a bloodbath for the loyalists.
   1. Loyalist Sons of Horus, Alpha Legionaires, and Iron warriors massacred.
   2. Horus loses his arm fighting Lorgar, Lorgar Ascends to Demonhood.
   3. Demonic incursions ravage imperial guard and Loyalists
   4. Sisters of Silence all but exterminated by Traitors
   5. Horus and others forced to return to ships in disgrace, IG left to die.
   6. All loyalist ships trapped in Warp thanks to delays, and issues with the gellar fields.
10. Spoils of Istivan split between Chaos forces.
    1. Lorgar takes some of the bodies and geneseed as offerings to the Dark Gods. Others are resurected and possessed to augment his Black Legion.
    2. Angron and Saporin use captured IG, and bodies of Dead Astartes to prepare new Larvae, and Honey.
11. Horus Aximand and the Corrupted Mournival seizes opportunity mutinies against horus, imprisoning him within his own Flagship.
12. Horus Aximand, now calling himself Horus Optimates, begins his conquest of the Segmentum Obscurus and Pacificus.

Lorgar's Plan in Motion

1. Following Gulliman's Death. Lorgar Returning to the Eye of Terror, with Traitors to coordinate next steps of the plan. Traitors under Luthor, Angron, Noyan Khan, split with Lorgar over tactics.
   1. Luther, Angron, and Noyan Khan wants a conventional war, where the legions will ammass to break the spine of the imperium and march on Terra.
   2. Lorgar, Perturabo instead see their best option as Guerrilla warfare. Where the Imperium's legions are eventually worn down and converted through hit and run attacks, corruption, and pyrrhic sieges.
2. Unwilling to have his movement stillbirthed by internal strife, Lorgar and Luther agree to split the difference.
   1. Lorgar Demands tithes of Space Marines from all Traitor forces for his own purposes. These would be formed into "The Black Legion" and would be loyal to Chaos undivided (and him).
   2. Remaining traitors would use Ultramar as Staging ground for Assault into Imperial Territory, while Lorgar uses black legion to blitzkrieg through the Segmentum Pacificus.
   3. Loyalists would then be forced to face front on both sides of the galaxy.
3. Lorgar Forges the Black Legion.
   1. Main force is word Bearers and Possessed Ultramarines. As well as tithes from other legions.
   2. Eventually swaths of cultists from Segmentum Pacificus made to join ranks.
   3. Horus Aximand, made Commander under Lorgar, Perturabo focuses on preparing planets for Imperial counter attack.
   4. Blitzkrieg operates under a devastating three pronged offensive, whith The Sons of Horus as the spearhead, Lorgar's forces acting as pacifiers and corrupter, and Perturabo fortifying converted planets for inevitable counter offensive.
   5. Imperial legions, wrecked with internal conflict, and communication disruption are caught off guard.
   6. Horus forced to watch as Aximand uses his ships and men to bring Segmentum to chaos.
   7. Conquest takes less than a year between the aid of chaos.
4. Iron Warriors begin creating "Iron Cages" in conjunction with Lorgar for the other loyalist primarchs, hoping to turn their own vanities and issues against them.
   1. Perturabo places archeotech device from Calliban into olympia, prepares special trap for dorn personally.
5. Luther gathers fallen, World Eaters and Possessed Ultramarines on Realm of Conquest across the Ultima Segmentum.
6. Vulkan Prepares defense of Nocturne.
7. Luther establishes Sotha as his new Dark Capitol. Uses the Pharos Beacon of Sotha as a rival Astronomicon (will have reprocussions later).
   1. Warpstorms and overall chaos results in many ships going off track and being intercepted and "Converted." Long term damage to the Imperium's economics.

The Imperium Acts

1. By this point, news of Prospero's disappearance into the warp had become known.
   1. Khan Used Dark Glass to arrive on terra.
2. Konrad Curze, lost in the warp, randomly attacks "traitor" legions throughout the segmentum tempestus. Prepares a campaign of destruction along the Segmentum Tempestus.
3. Including Deliverance.
   1. Corax, Furious, chases Konrad Curze into the warp, in years long cat and mouse game.
4. The Migrant fleet of McCragge arrives on Terra. Explains incidents at MacCragge
5. Due to communications issues, and uncertainty regarding loyalty of other legions. The brothers on Terra (Magnus, Khan, Sanguinius, Russ, Ferrus Manus, Fulgrim) take on a "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later Approach to their Other Brothers.
   1. Khan and Magnus act in conjunction with each other as a relay to the other brothers Using the Dark Glass as an emergency courior.
6. Prepare to engage Luther's Forces in Ultramar.

The Corax-Curze War

While the fight for the Imperium's soul waged on, Konrad Curze's Night Lords and Corvus Corax's Raven Guard were locked in a Centuries long Cat and Mouse battle with each other that continued well after the end of the heresy. Unbenowest to both, was that their true enemy was Chaos itself as both were the unwitting pawns of the warp. The war between The Raven Guard and Night Lords was brutal and vicious with Corax forced to compromise his ideals a little bit more with every battle, and entire systems were left desolate in their fight. Thanks to the time altering powers of the warp and intensity of their battles, the two armies were completely unaware of the length of their Private war. Much like the The Great Treachery itself, the war ended not with a grand Climatic battle, but with bitter sorrow and helplessness against fate. Konrad Curze and Corvus Corax, were intercepted by The Luna Wolves. Corax was distraught when he learned of the horrific news of what happened to the Imperium, to his father, and to his brothers. Blaming himself for his single-minded crusade and embittered by decades of fighting and destruction, he, like Russ left with his entire legion into the Eye of Terror, vowing to bring the Traitor Legions to justice personally.

Ultramari Revanche

The Realm of Ultramar and most of the Ultima Segmentum was the first to fall to the Traitors. First by the Efforts of Lorgar, then by the Conquests of Luther. As the Imperium began to take the offensive, so too did the Ultramari Migrants begin their reconquest of their Homeland. The crusade was cut short by the attack on the Imperial Palace which forced the Imperium to retreat and call a ceasefire with The Forces of Chaos. The Reconquest would not begin again for another several centuries.

Aftermath of The Great Treachery (Lorgar Letdown)

While the The Results of the Great Treachery could have been much much worse, as far as everyone present was concerned, this was the worst thing that could have ever happened. Many of the Primarchs were unsure how the Imperium will continue, and their faith in the project severely shaken.

Toll of The Great Treachery

Despite only lasting for a decade, the Great Treachery nearly undid the decades long work of the Great Crusade. Planets brought into compliance were shattered, armies were irrepairably broken, and the leadership of the Imperium was forever shocked. The entire Imperium bore the physical, mental, and spiritual scars of the treachery.

Effects

Ultima Segmentum

• The 500 worlds of Ultramar went from the apex of development and culture, to a desolated husk.
• MacCragge was transformed into a Deathworld, and would remain one until the 38th Mellinium
• As a consequence of the War, isolation, and misinformation campaigns, Ultramar has now organized itself into a Separate state "The Ultramar Aristocracy"
• The Ultramarines are less than a tenth of their previous strength
• The loss of its leadership, the planet of macragge as well as Tarasha and Roboute Gulliman, has permanently humbled their psyche and culture from one of proud unity to suspicion, fanaticism, and infighting

Segmentum Obscura

• Prospero was massacred to a man, along with the entirity of the Thousand Son's Legion,
  • the planet was brought into the warp and is now the nest of the Khornate Wolves
• Calliban was forced to be destroyed by The Lion
  • The planet had already been overwhelmed by the great demons,
• Over half of The Dark Angels Legion has betrayed The Lion, joining forces with Chaos
• Olympia's loyalist population was destroyed by Perturabo, the Planet itself was destroyed taking a third of the Imperial Fists Legion with it.

Segmentum Tempestus

• Inwit, once the home planet of Rogal Dorn, hase been completely cleansed of all population. Its entire population captured and sold into slavery by Alpharius' Dark Eldar Allies to be used as bait for Perturabo
• The Planet of Chemos was completely slaughtered by Mortarion's Death Gaurd, the planet itself was made into an uninhabited Toxic Wasteland.
• Deliverance was massacred and lain waste by The Death Gaurd before being chased into the Eye of Terror by the Remaining Raven Gaurd. The Raven Gaurd to This Day are nowhere to be found.
• The Planet of Barbaros was transformed into a shrine for the Bloodgod. Those loyal were slaughtered alongside traitors in a monument of carnage to Khorne.

Solar Segmentum

• Earth is now a death world, thanks to the sabotages of the Alpha Legion
  • The Atmosphere of the Planet was ignited, killing all of those on Terra who were not dwelling in a hive city.
  • There is no way to know just how many died in the attack, nor how many more died in the chaos that befell the now isolated hive cities. Untold Trillions are dead.
  • Despite Fulgrim's best efforts and the finest science in the Imperium, the Efforts to recreate an atmosphere on Terra has only finally taken fruit after 10,000 years.
• A large portion of The Imperial Palace was destroyed in a massive explosion that left a continent sized crater.
  • The Webway gate also lays in ruins from this attack.
• The Population of the Bright Side of Luna was massaccred by earth based weapons by Alpharius. Billions dead, with the irreplacable ancient cities of Luna forever destroyed.

Legione Astartes and The Primarchs

• Gulliman was slain by Angron and Lorgar
  • The Ultramarines have been reduced to a fifth of their previous size
• Rogal Dorn is a broken man and abandons his legion
• Leman Russ is a broken man after his legion abandons him to chaos.
• Corvus Corax and his entire legion left into the Eye of Terror, never to return.
• Magnus and Fulgrim are now legionless and without a home planet.
• The Lion and Horus still harbor the scars of their Mutinies, losing almost half of their Legions to the Macinations of Luther, Erebus, and Horus Aximand.
  • Horus in particular, was horribly tortured by Aximand and the Fallen Mournival.
• The Emperor's Children, Raven Gaurd, Thousand Sons, and Space Wolves Legions were completely destroyed.
• The World Eaters, Word Bearers, Iron Warriors, Death Guard and Alpha Legion joined the Forces of Chaos.
• The Few remaining legions (Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Blood Angels, Iron Hands, and Imperial Fists have all sustained severe casualties over the long and grueling campaign.

The Emperor

• Malcador the Sigilite was killed by Alpharius
• Half of The Custodes were killed in the destruction of the Imperial Palace and Assassination attempt
• The Emperor of Mankind was devastatingly wounded and is doomed to spend the next mellenia in stasis and hospital beds while he recovers
• The Webway project was destroyed and needed to be rebuilt
• Alpharius stole the Left Eye, Right Hand, and Heart of The Emperor, and offered it to his master Tzeentch.

Council of Terra

Following the conclusion of the Treachery and the Imperium had been able to stabilize somewhat, Horus convened the Council of Terra, where in the presence of their weakened Father, they debated the fate of their comatose Imperium. It was here that the Imperium was reformed from a Crusading army to a governing force. The Fate of The Crusading Legions, The Imperial Truth, The High Lords of Terra, and The Imperium's position on Chaos were decided.

Primarchs at The Council of Terra

Very few of the Primarchs escaped the Treachery of Lorgar Unscathed. So when the Primarchs arrived at the Council of Terra, none saw themselves the same as when they started.

• Horus (present, favored moderate reform)

Horus's attempts to coordinate military matters during The Great Treachery were severely hampered by an attempted mutiny of Horus Aximand, who was corrupted by The Anatheme Blade. The aftermath of said mutiny was Horus gathering up and executing each and every one of the traitors (including "Little Horus" personally). Horus still bears the physical and emotional scars of this incident, but didn't blame himself as Dorn and Russ did. Instead he blamed his Father, The Emperor, for failing to inform him or his brothers about the dangers of Chaos, resulting in the Legions being completely blindsided by The Treachery. In particular he blamed the death of Horus Aximand and most of the Mournival on the Emperor, believing that he could have saved his wayward son had he known about the corruption festering within him. While still a believer in the Crusade, and his father's dream, he was much more open to the suggestions of his more unorthodox brothers.

• Dorn (absent)

Rogal Dorn took the Injury of his Father very personally. Rogal was not seen again until several Mellinnia later. Instead The First Captain of The Imperial Fists arrived at the Council of Terra to deliver Rogal Dorn's resignation as Praetorian of Terra and announcement of self-imposed exile.

• Magnus (present, favored heavy reforms)

Perhaps the one who suffered the most out of The Great Treachery, losing his homeworld, and most of his legion to The Space Wolves. Magnus sought a complete reversal of the Council of Nikea, as well as several other reforms. While loyal to The Emperor, he saught a dismantling of the Imperial Truth, which he saw as a failed Noble Lie and blamed it for the destruction of Prospero.

• Leman Russ (present, neutral)

The Lone Wolf, now without a Legion. Russ shouldered the blame for the fall of the Space Wolves. Leman still believed in The Emperor, but everything else was shaken. He went into the Council to make ammends for Prospero and planned to support any initiatives brought forth by Magnus. While he did not disparage the Imperial Truth as Magnus and Khan did, he questioned its ability to actually protect the Imperium from the Forces of Chaos.

• Lion El'Johnson (present, leader of status-quo faction)

Entering Terra with Half of his legion missing, The Lion was still a steadfast believer in The Imperial Truth, but also understood the viewpoints of its detractors. Apart from greater initiatives for counter-intelligence, The Lion simply wanted the Imperium back on its feet as quickly as possible so that he could rebuild Calliban and hunt for The Fallen.

• Jaghatai Khan (present, leader of reform faction)

Jaghatai and Magnus were the two Primarchs who entered with an agenda for an overhaul of The Imperium. Like Magnus, Jaghatai had also disparaged the Imperial Truth, and sought to have both it and The Council of Nikea overturned. He also planned to use the death of Roboute Gulliman and tenuous state of Ultramar, the Draft of The Codex Astartes, and its Fledgling Aurelian Cult to his advantage. Khan hoped to see the Imperium transition from a collection of armies led by Terra to a more nomadic court of galaxy faring Tribes similar to his Homeworld of Chorgoris. He saw the Legions divided into bands of quasi-independent tribes led by a Qagan (the Primarch), who would spread across the galaxy providing protection for the subject planets who would provide men, tithes and culture. Much of this vision was instilled into "Roboute Gulliman's" Codex Astartes.

• Konrad Curze (present, neutral)

Perhaps the only man present whose outlook on the current state of the Imperium improved following The Great Treachery. Konrad Curze was still plagued by visions of the worst that could happen to the Imperium, but noticed that his visions had become significantly less horrible, which indicated to him that The Imperium was spared some great tragedy. The sight of The Shadow Raven and "looting" of Nostromo by the Iron Warriors forced the Night Haunter into some introspection. His outlook was similar to Horus in that he felt betrayed by his Father's lies, but took comfort in the fact that this grief was shared (he also enjoyed the death of his brothers' insufferable optimism).

• Corvus Corax (MIA)

No one had seen or heard from Corax, or his Legion. Curze assumed the worst, but those closest to the Raven Lord: Vulkan and Russ refused to believe he had betrayed them. They couldn't help but wonder though, and his absence was yet another death-knell for The Imperial Truth.

• Roboute Gulliman (KIA)

Wasn't able to attend on account of being dead. Instead Khan insisted on bringing Chapter Master Antolli and The Captain of The Maccragge Migrant fleet to speak on their Father and Lord's behalf.

• Sanguinius (chair, favored reform)

Sanguinius simply wanted to have things return to normal, but as it became clear this was no longer possible, Sanguinius tried to balance what he thought would make a strong imperium with the concerns of his brothers.

Descision:The Fate of The Imperium

Given the state of Weakness of their Father, it was decided that the Primarchs would govern the Imperium in their father's stead. The Primarchs determined the best course of action would be to create a quasi decentralized system, where certain primarchs would take command of the outersegmentums, while other primarchs remained on terra to manage the Imperium at Large. The Primarchs would also oversee the fledgling Human Government which would maintain its limited power.

Descisions:

• The Emperor would officially remain the head of the Imperium
  • De Facto governance of the Imperium would be done by "The Regent Consuls"
• The Primarchs would all share equal authority when acting as "The Council of Regents"

Regent Councils

• Sanguinius was chosen to be The "Peacemaster" and Co-Consul of the Imperium.
  • The Regent would act in the Emperor's stead and oversee the overall management of the imperium, as well as serve as head of state for diplomatic dealings.
  • Sanguinius would be "First among Equals" and would act as the Chairman of the Council of Regents.
  • Sanguinius wold oversee the High Lords of Terra as a stand-in for the Emperor
• Horus would remain "Warmaster" and Co-Consul
  • Horus would overrule Sanguinius on all matters pertaining to war.
  • During war councils and coordination of the Legions, Horus would be First Among Equals
  • Half of all Imperial Tithes would be granted to Horus to use as he saw appropriate for The Imperium's Defense.
• The High Lords of Terra
  • The High Lords of Terra would remain as governors of the Day-to-Day Management of the Imperium
  • The Segmentum Solar would remain under their control
  • As of the Council of Terra, Segmentum Tempestus was kept under the control of the Council until Dorn took command of it in M31.
  • Sanguinius, acting in stead of his Father, would oversee the High Lords and could overrule them as he saw fit.
  • The Realm of Ultramar would be granted a seat on the High Lords of Terra
  • Malcador's Inquisition would also be granted a seat on The High Lords of Terra
  • An additional seat would be created "Administratum Fidelarum" this position would be chosen jointly by all of the accepted religions in the Imperium.
    • This was a compromise from Jaghatai Khan's desire that each religion be granted a seat
• At-Large Primarchs:
  • Several of the Most Capable Primarchs would act in service to the greater imperium.
  • Per his request, Leman Russ was relieved of all duties, but he still officially has a seat on the Council
  • These Primarchs included:

Magnus

who would oversee the Golden Throne and oversee all psyker related activities

Konrad Curze

Who would take over Leman Russ' Role as "The Emperor's Executioner,"

Konrad Curze also served as the Council's "liason" to The Imperial Inquisition

Fulgrim

Who was given oversight over all genetic, medical, ecological, and terraforming operations

Ferrus Manus

Who Oversaw engineering and technological projects

Dorn (nominally)

Dorn remained officially the Praetor of the Imperium, until he was later given the Segmentum Tempestus. As of the 41st Mellinium this office was left vacant. Curze, Magnus, and The Custodes all perform the basic functions of this office to protect the Emperor.

Khan

Khan oversaw the Free Chapters of Astartes, effectively making him Liason to Ultramar, Grandmaster of The Grey Knights, and Head of Internal Security.

• Segmentum Primarchs
  • Several of the Most at risk Segmentums were granted to the remaining Primarchs.
  • The Primarchs were permitted to govern these segmentums as they saw fit, and could only be overruled by the Council of Regents.
  • The Lion (Obscura), Vulkan (Pacificus), and Later Dorn (Tempestus) were granted segmentums in which they would rule.

Descision:The Fate of The Legions

Each Legion and Primarch was thoroughly investigated by Constantine Valdor and The High Lords of Terra to determine if The Legion was still capable of serving the Imperium.

I^st Legion

The Dark Angels were under intense scrutiny following the Great Treachery due to the sheer number of traitors who had joined Luther's cause. This was made only worse by the Lion's hostility to both Valdor's Investigation. Partially because of his own distrustful personality, partially because he thought these investigations were a waste of time and impeded his hunt for Luther, and partially out of contempt for the High Lords and Valdor. It took the cajoling of his brothers Horus and Sanguinius to convince him to cooperate. When he finally did, most of the vestigial influence of Luther was removed and it was determined that his Legion was sufficiently Loyal.

III Legion

The Emperor's Children for all intents and purposes, did not exist. However Fulgrim himself had to submit to investigation due to account on the Laer. Fearing this race were devotees of Slaanesh, Fulgrim's life and health had to be thoroughly examined. When the all were satisfied he was cleared of any wrong doing, the Legion was considered to be Dismantled until the issues with his geneseed could be resolved.

IV^th Legion

The Iron Warriors, like the Death Guard, was a legion already rife with division before the war even began. Unlike the Death Guard, Perturabo's Legion was mostly purged of any detractors before the heresy began. With many being sent to the frontlines of his bloody seiges. There was not enough to rebuild a legion, and so the remaining members were permitted to form Chapters.

V^th Legion

Given that White Scars Primarch, Jaghatai Khan, was indirectly responsible for both the Demon incursion on Monarchia and the Death and Apotheosis of Roboute Guilliman, the Judges were very interested in The Khan's activities both during Monarchia as well as his and Magnus' escape from the Warp. Making things more complicated were his loyaties to ancient Terran religions and general sympathy for faith. His legion was found to be thouroughly loyal if perhaps a bit too esoteric, and was permitted to continue.

VI^th Legion

There were many who wished to see the The Space Wolves returned. Magnus and Fulgrim speculated that the problems with the Wulfen mas more the result of Canis Helix on Fenris than the Russ himself, and could be resolved. However it was Leman Russ who pleaded for the dissolution of his legion. The Judges Acquiesced. Those few wolves that remained were organized into penitent chapters, the only loyalist legions required to do so.

VII^th Legion

Very few of The Judges doubted the Loyalty of The Imperial Fists. However they were irritated in Rogal Dorn's decision to abdicate and go on a penitent crusade of one. Once it was determined that this self-imposed exile was out of grief rather than corruption, the Imperial Fists were allowed to remain intact. Sigismund, Champion of the Imperial Fists was made Commander of the Legion until Dorn's return.

VIII^th Legion

The Night Lords

IX^th Legion

The Blood Angels remained relatively intact from the Horus Heresy. However investigations into some of the Battles, and Khornate Deserters required Sanguinius to reveal The Red Thirst to The Judges. Sanguinius was allowed to keep his legion intact, but IXth was forbidden from creating chapters. Sanguinius was required to report his legion to Fulgrim and the ordo biologius for regular investigations until a solution to the Red Thirst was found. The Moratorium on the chapter founding was lifted in M33 with the creation of Regula Celeste.

X^th Legion

The Iron Hands served with distinction and valor through most of the Heresy. The only concern came from Ferrus Manus himself, who expressed his concern about his Legion's growing ties to The Mechanicus.

XII^th Legion

The World Eaters were a curious case. While the accounts of the deserters of the Legion told horror stories of what Angron had done to them: from the butchers nails, to massacre on maccragge, to his fall to Nurgle. Many of The High Lords wanted to renew the Imperial Hounds chapter, but The World Eaters refused. To add further complications, some, such as Kharn insisted on keeping the butcher's nails as part of their tradition, seeing it as no different than The Glove of Rogal Dorn. Eventually concluded that all successor chapters of The World Eaters would not be permitted to use the butchers nails. The Imperial Hounds would be kept as "penitent" legion where those loyalists who refused to have the butcher's nails removed would serve.

XIII^th Legion

The Ultramarines was considered destroyed beyond repair, containing less than a fraction of its former forces. While some were concerned about their newfound religious devotion to their Primarch, and to The Realm of Ultramar the High Lords were pleased with Jaghatai's Codex Proposal and saw the Ultramarines as key to reuniting Ultramar with The Imperium. They were willing to allow the Sons of Gulliman to practice according to their own ways.

XIV^th Legion

The Judges were impressed with the individual loyalty shown in the Death Guard by the sheer magnitude of Deserters. The fact that there were more Deserter Death Guard Astartes than there were Loyalist Dark Angels both Astounded the High Lords and became a point of humiliation to The Lion. The Death Guard were permitted to remain a Legion and form chapters with minimal restrictions. Nathaniel Garro offered the Position of "Honorary Primarch," and was made Commander of The XIV Legion, which was renamed The Sons of Garro.

XV^th Legion

Given the complete and absolute destruction of The Thousand Sons during the Great Treachery, investigations into the Legion were about whether or not the Legion should be recreated. Magnus the Red was forced to disclose his deal with Tzeentch and the mutations of his legion. The Investigators determined that until the mutations in Magnus' Geneseed were resolved, the XV would be dissolved. Magnus would be permitted a small force of astartes that would be carefully observed for defects.

XVI^th Legion

While losing less than The Space Wolves, or even The Dark Angels, Horus Lupercal still had to account for the magnitude of traitors his legion possessed. Especially since such traitors and deserters hobbled the Imperium's effort to strike back against Lorgar and Alpharius. Horus revealed the incident of the Anatheme Blade as well as the Mournival's fall to chaos. Ultimately the High Lords and Valdor determined that the corruption had little to do with horus himself, since the blade corrupted what were otherwise perfectly normal emotions. It was Horus' account that ultimately swayed the High Lords and Constantine Valdor that the Council of Nikea not only needed to be revoked, but that every legion will need some sort of expertise in protecting against the forces of corruption. Following the council Horus requested permission to step down from his position of warmaster for the new role Legiarch who would among other things inspect the Emperor's legions from the infiltration of chaos. The high lords agreed, and the Sons of Horus reverted their name back to The Luna Wolves.

XVII^th Legion

Expecting to find a legion thouroughly corrupted by Chaos, the Judges were suprised to discover just how much Lorgar was despised within his own legion. There were at least 4 chapters worth of the XVIII remaining, most of them a remainder from the old Imperial Hearalds. The judges determined that all of those Word Bearers who were from Colchis were to form Penitent Chapters such as "The Sin Bearers," while those from Terra were allowed to form chapters and rebuild their legion under "The Imperial Heralds."

XVIII^th Legion

The Salamanders

XIX^th Legion

As of the Council of Terra, Neither The Raven Guard nor their Primarch had been seen since the beginning of The Horus Heresy. They had vanished without a trace. While Konrad Curze spoke about visions of an All-consuming Dark Raven, His Brothers (Sanguinius, Vulkan, Russ, and Magnus) all spoke to his good character, and devotion, as they believed it was impossible that he would fall to chaos. The Judges ruled to postpone a ruling on XIX until more information was discovered. As such the Legion was considered to be lost, but not retired, with permission to form chapters. It was not until the war of the Fallen Primarch that Corax's terrible fate was revealed.

XX^th Legion

Despite the not insignificant number of Alpha Legion Loyalists, after investigation and interviews, it was determined that Alpharius/Omegon's influence was impossible to truly remove, and the Legion was too dangerous to be allowed to exist. The XXth Legion was officially disbanded, with the remaining Alpha Legion Astartes to be organized into Penitent Chapters.

Decision: The Fate of The Imperial Truth and Religion

The Council of Terra was an unquestionable victory for the Detractors of the Imperial truth, with even its defenders unwilling to sacrifice anymore of the Imperium for its well-meaning intentions. In its place was a revised Imperial Truth that was made to stand alongside of the religions of man. The Matter of Religion was left open to the individual segmentarchs.

Council of Nikea and Psykers

The Council of Nikea was declared to be null and void. In its place was "The Canon Thaumaturgica."

• The Canon Thaumaturgica was composed primarily by Magnus The Red (in Consultation with Khan, The Lion, and Horus).
• The canon provided new guidelines for the regulations of Librarius in Space Marine Legions.
• Additionally it created an Imperial-wide Protocol for Psykers, their treatment, and their expectations.
• The Black Ships were instituted in this, requiring a tithe of Psykers to be brought to Terra.
  • These Psykers were to be trained under an academy established by Ahriman

Magnus also provided his own consultation for the use of Psykers in The Codex Astartes, eventually adding his own section The Regula Prosperae and contributing some of his own rebuilding legion to some space marine chapters

Descison on Religion and the Imperial Creed

Determining that the continued existence of Religion was tabled until The Emperor was well, for the sake of both monitoring religion as well as gaining more support and stability The Primarchs set up avenues for limited practice of religion.

The different religions of the Imperium were permitted a single High Lord, the "Ministorum Fidelarum" who would address the concerns of those who practiced a belief.

In place of the Imperial Truth was The Terran Creed A set of 53 precepts that offered a religious test allowing some religions to survive while Worship of the Ruinous powers or The Emperor was thouroughly. The Precepts should not be considered a "bill of rights" or gaurantee of priviliges. They are better thought of as a a smokescreen that permits the Imperium's governance to tolerate or persecute religion as it sees fit.

Lorgar's Imperial Cult

The Imperial Cult, officially branded The Lorgarism Cult, was declared heretical to "New Imperial Truth." All those who followed it were given a year to register themselves, publicly renounce the teachings, profess the New Imperial Truth, and submit to inspection. Those who refused were hunted down and put to death. The Aurelian, Promethean, and even "Mechanicus Cult" took advantage of the situation, convincing many on the Imperial Cult to switch to their faith. Copies of The Lectitio Divinitatus and other symbols were burned.

Codex Astartes

The Codex Astartes and Codex Chapters

While the Space Marine Legions still exist and are still under the command of the Warmaster, These legions are used primarily as offensive weapons of war, whether fighting against the a Hive Fleet, Ork Waagh!, Crusading against Chaos, or an Eldar Attack. The composition, structure, and purpose of these Legions have changed little since the Heresy. The Codex Chapters serve very different roles than the legions.

Defense

Whether Situated in a Monastery or Fleetbound, The Codex Chapters are often the first line of defense for the Imperium. The Chapters, or group of Chapters can usually handle most threats found in the galaxy, freeing the Legions from becoming overstretched. If the force is too large for the Chapters, then they can hold the line long enough for the Legions to arrive.

Specialist

An Astartes Legion is a massive force that usually reflect the particular tactical vision of the Primarch who leads it. An Astartes Legion must also be prepared for any threat that might befall the imperium from Tao to Tyrannids to Necrons. The Codex-Compliant chapters however have the ability to develop for specific situations and adapt to their particular location in the galaxy. The Codex chapters fulfill many of the roles that would have been performed by The Grey Knights in vanilla, with chapters like The Pleasure Seekers who specialize in fighting a particular chaos god, or Xenos force like the Lotus Hearts or Swarm of Locusts who deal with T'au and Tyrannids respectively.

Politics

The Codex Chapters were a concession to the High Lords of Terra, who were concerned about the amount of military power controlled by the The Primarchs following the Treachery of Lorgar and Others. The Codex Astartes answer to The "Lord Gulliman," the High Lord responsible for the creation, and Regulation of Astartes Chapters. Further complicating matters are the Ultramarines chapters, who as members of the Aurelian Cult, answer to a Spiritual Liege of one of the Thirteen Major seats.

Legione Astartes

Unlike the "Codex Astares" the Legione Astartes are those Space Marines who have remained organized under organization similar to that of The Great Crusade. They are still led by their Primarch, though the burden of Administration often means that actual leadership of the Legion is managed by their First Captain.

All of these legions are considered to be at at least half-strength. Some of these legions may also have donated Space Marines to form Free Chapters. Those Chapters who follow "The Codex Astartes" are not considered to be part of the Legion, though they often maintain close ties.

Legio I - The Dark Angels

Despite losing over half of his numbers by Luther's Treachery, The Lion has begun aggressively rebuilding his legion, returning to pre-great crusade strength by M33. When they are not called by Horus, the 1^st Legion aids their Father in governing the Segmentum Obscura, as such they have become the Frontline in the Imperium's defense against Chaos.

Legio V - The White Scars

Despite donating two-thirds of His Legion to The Codex Astartes following the Great Treachery, Jaghatai Khan has restored his legion back to Great Crusade strength. Such successful buildup has created some controversy among the other Legions since, given that Khan is also "Book-keeper" of The Codex Chapters, Jaghatai Khan effectively governs two legions. Those who defend the Khan usually point out that The Khan's role over the Codex Astartes is supervisory not commanding. In additions, because the Codex is supposed to serve the Imperium's collective defense, its growing strength is not only good, but a necessity as the greater strength of these chapters frees up the Legions for Horus' Crusades.

Legio VIII - The Night Lords

The Night Lords accompany their Primarch in putting down revolts. Though somewhat tempered by recent events, those who mistake Konrad's newfound mercy for weakness will be brutally disappointed.

Legio IX - The Blood Angels

The Emperor has blessed all of his sons with his Angels of Death, the Adeptus Astartes, they are to be his greatest warriors, and the Greatest of Them All are The Blood Angels. Masters of war, masters of peace, extensions of the Emperor's hand in the Galaxy. the Sons of The Great Sanguinius bring the emperor's blessing and his damnation.

In MidHammer the Blood Angels and Ultramarines switched places. From an initial starting point the two legions have much in common. Both Ninth and XIII place a greater emphasis on strategy and tactics unlike some of their more single minded brothers. Both of their Primarchs: Sanguinius and Gulliman were beloved by their legions, and the love was reciprocated. Both Primarchs sought to make their sons into more than just grunts for the emperor's war machine, they were to be masters of the finer arts as well. For Gulliman that was the arts of statesmanship architecture, and governance. For sanguinius that was the fine arts and philosophies. But during the Great Treachery, it was Gulliman who fell, not Sanguinius.

While The Ultramarines are grief-stricken and fragmented, bearing the weight of their fallen beloved primarch, The Sons of Sanguinus serve their father in triumph. They are well known and well beloved througout the imperium, with The Emperor's Fury and his sons at the front lines of every crusade. The mentality of The Blood Angels is pride and perfectionism, often to the point of arrogance.

Legio X - The Iron Hands

The Largest legion besides' Horus, The Iron Hands of Ferrus Manus have been The Warmaster's most valuable asset in any crusade. The Iron Hands has additionally offered several of its sons as Free Chapters under the Codex Astartes, allowing those who disagreed with their Father's emphasis on purity of flesh to persue their diverging opinions.

Legio XIV- Sons of Garro

The only Heresy legion to be reinstated, the 14th legion prowls the Segmentum Tempestus, bringing their famed resilience fortitude to the battles with the Tyrannids. Once XIV was known as The Dusk Raiders. As The Death Guard, it was marred by the treachery of its disgraced Primarch, Mortarion, whose animosity towards Psykers and betrayal moved him to the path of The Blood God. It reached its lowest point of the Heresey when Garro and his loyalists were hunted down by the Death Guard Primarch, before the combined forces of Loyalists, and White Scars forced Mortarion to flee into the Eye of Terror. Since the Heresey, the legion has been reborn as "The Sons of Garro." Their strength has nearly returned to pre-heresy levels.

Legio XVI - The Luna Wolves

Formerly The Sons of Horus, Horus Lupercal reverted back to The Legion's origional name following the Treachery of Horus Aximand, as well as in memory of the countless dead on Luna. Horus' Legion is undoubtedly the legion whose numbers fluctuate the most, as it is usually the Spearhead of any Crusade led by the Warmaster.

Legio XVIII - The Salamanders

Vulkan's Legion is undoubtedly the smallest due to the problems with his geneseed. However, his legion is also the most well equipped of Any Legion, and as such are usually used for any special forces mission.

Retired Legions

These legions have been considered dismantled due to a lack of primarch leadership, or due to The Legion being under Half-Strength. Those space marines that were once part of this legion are now independent Chapters under The Codex Astartes.

Its important to note that both The 3^rd and the 15^th were never officially dismantled. However between the complete depopulation of both legions by The Great Treachery as well as complications with The Geneseed of both Primarchs, The Emperor's Children and The Thousand Sons are each relieved of obligations to contribute to campaigns until they can bring their legions to at least half-strength. Those III and XV astartes that do exist are little more than a personal guard for their primarchs.

Legio III - The Emperor's Children

Left with only a handful of Astartes after Mortarion's Desolation of Chemos, Fulgrim has little more than a handful of Apothecaries and Fulgrim himself. Being the Perfectionist he is, Fulgrim has refused to create a new legion until all issues with his geneseed are resolved.So far he has only been able to create less than 20 Astartes, though Fmr Mechanicus turned Aurelian Mechanicus Liege, Bellisarius Cawl's work seems promising. Until that time, Fulgrim has contented himself with his work on restoring Terra's Ecology, as well as being a "Step-Father" to the Free Chapters of The Iron Hands.

Legio VI - The Space Wolves

Enraged and Ashamed that most of his legion fell to chaos and transformed into horrid beasts, Leman Russ has proclaimed that The VI Legion to be permanently dissolved, and The Number VI to be retired alongside of II and XVIII. Those remaining members of the legion (mostly those who came from Terra), were ordered by Russ to become Free Chapters under the Codex Astartes.

Legio VII - The Imperial Fists

Enraged that so many of his sons deserted him, Rogal Dorn requested the Imperial Fists be disolved. Despite now having almost full legion Strength, Rogal's Loyal Son are called "The Hands of Dorn" and serve in helping to maintain the Segmentum Tempestus' mighty fortresses. THe rest of the Former fists, denied by their father to join the Crusades again, are split into chapters scattered across the Imperium.

Legio XIII - The Ultramarines

"Once the Ultramarines were a proud legion, they were the noble sons following in Roboute Gulliman's, footsteps. As soldiers, as tacticians, as statesmen; they followed the Glorious destiny The Great lord of Ultramar envisioned for them. But that pride, and that destiny died with their betrayed Father on Maccragge. Like once magnificent Ultramar, they persist in faith though the galaxy has left them broken and scattered. Now the Ultramarines are the pallbearers for their Father's Shattered Dreams, in unwavering solemn devotion they carry their Primarch's Memory in procession unending. But their grief is their strength. For none but the Ultramarines dare to look at the misery of the universe without flinching. In a Galaxy of endless despair and death, the Ultramarines have been gifted with the despair of all The Emperor's faithful. They weep with every inconsolable widow, they lament the lonely hiveworlder whose death is swallowed by the multitude of tears, the carry the memory of the dead whose name none saw fit to record, and the persist in the full knowledge that they will live to improve the world and die failing to do so. On the shoulders of every son and daughter of Gulliman are every unpunished sin and unanswered cry for justice. To be an Ultramarine is to shoulder the unbearable misery of the multitude, and say to the uncarring universe, "I can carry more." To be a Thirteenth son is to know all the miseries the world has to offer, and by taking the galaxy's grief upon themselves they leave only hope behind. For this is what it means to be an Ultramarine, and for this they know no fear."

Devastated by The Great Treachery, without a primarch, and with their Homeland now an Independent realm, The XIII Legion has been considered Dismantled, with all remaining Sons of Gulliman either divided into Free Chapters under The Codex Astartes, or as armies under the Aurelian Cult.

While all other the Devastated Legions are entirely depopulated, The Thirteenth Legion is, in some ways, stronger than ever. In the 41st Mellinium there are nearly twice as many Sons of Gulliman than there were during the great Crusade. In fact the Realm of Ultramar, and many of the Ultramarine Astartes were confident they could rebuild the legion, despite such heavy casualties. However, Khan and Horus feared the idea of having a stable space marine legion with loyalties split between Ultramar and The Greater Imperium, not to mention their newfound devotion to Their New Deities. Using the recovered last writings of Roboute Gulliman on Ultramar, Khan and Horus split The Ultramarines according to the Codex Astartes, with each chapter operating independently with oversight from The Khan. The XIII Legion is considered to be formally dissolved, and should the Ultramarines join in the Campaigns of the Warmaster, they will do so as auxilary chapters to the other Legions.

Legio XV - The Thousand Sons

Like his former rival Leman Russ, Magnus the Red has been left without a legion. So far attempts to rebuild it have been a failure due to corruptions in the geneseed. Magnus retains hope that his Legion will one day rebuild, but for now focuses his efforts helping his Father recover.

Non-Astartes Forces

Deprived of several legions, the Imperium turned to their non-transhuman subjects to pick help supply the Warmaster's forces.

Imperium Auxillia

It was decided that since the Imperial Legions would no longer be sufficient for Crusades, The Primarchs decided to take what was previously The defensive-only Imperial Gaurd, and incorporate them into The Military Machine of the Empire. The Imperial Auxillia, as they are now called, are recruted throughout the Imperium and serve The Warmaster to augment the Astartes. While still repurposed for offensive wars, the imperial auxiliaries were never used outside of supporting roles prior to the mcharian crusade. This was due to the Primarchs preference to their own legions which were seen as more loyal effective, and less logistically demanding.

Segmentum Guard

The Segmentum Guard have subsumed the defensive roles previously held by the Imperial Guard. Each Segmentum Guard is commissioned and led by the Primarch who governs that particular segmentum, and as such serves the unique needs of the Region. This has lead to regiments of Segmentum Guard being given much leeway in modifying their kit to better serve their assigned Segmentum.

Segmentum Obscura

Aiding the Lion in his defense of the Segmentum, the Militaries of the Segmentum Obscurus aid in defending the Imperium's frontline against the Eye of Terror. They are extrodinarily well disciplined and see the unspeakable horrors of the warp as little more than Target practice.

The Cadian Auditores

Network of spies on the planet at the front of the Eye of Terror, these Troops aid the Lion in observing the movements of the Ruinous Powers

The Cadian Gaurd

Elite Troops who are used to the unspeakable, the Cadian Gaurd pulls from the Entire segmentum and experts in defensive combat. It's important to point out that Cadia itself was, prior to its conquest in m40, a fortress of Perturabo. As such the Cadian guard were not guarding cadia but instead guarding against it. The cadian guard is always the first line of defense against the forces of chaos and as such a familiar with exorbitantly high casualties. Veterans of the cadian guard are seasoned demon fighters, if not horrifically traumatized and jaded by their experience.

The Vostroyan Levboez

In gratitude for their aid in the Great Treachery, the Lion has made the Vostroyans into his personal gaurd. They travel with the Lion's most elite angels and aid in rapid attacks against the Enemy.

Segmentum Tempestus

Under the Strict hand of Rogal Dorn, the Segmentum Gaurd spends their life defending their fortress homelands.

The Haputkorps of Krieg

Following a bitter revolt against Dorn's Governance, those who remained have dedicated themselves to repay for the treachery of their brothers. Becoming more Masochistic than even Dorn himself, The Haputkorps are usaually the first to die and defend the Many trenches and killzones of The Segmentum Tempestus.

The Tempestus Castellans

Elite Force made to defend the Inner Sanctums of the Fortress Tempestus, these men are the ones who are preparing for whatever could possibly penetrate the formidable outer defenses of The Segmentum. They are also well trained reconissance teams and are used to support the Outerrelam defenses at the end of a scope.

Ultramar Forces

An Autonomous Dominion of The Imperium, the Lords of Ultramar are expected to provide the Imperium with Forces under the Command of The Warmaster.

Ultramari Trillileurs

The "Ultramaree Trillileurs" is the name of the Armies tributed to The Imperium to aid in its missions. It is led by The Maquis, who is "elected" from among the many Noble Lords of Ultramar. Officially a great honnor, The position functions as a system of Ostracism, and usually promising and Ambitious nobles are appointed to Maquis as a way to exile them from Ultramar Politics.

The numbers Ultramar is expected to provide is based upon Census details of the Realm. The Realm then passes the burden onto each planet of the Ultramar system. Each planet being expected to supply either a quota of men. With most of the upper nobility focused on inter Ultramari politics, the armies themselves are usually a mixture of minor nobility combined with rejected Ultramarine scouts, as well as Ultramar Peasantry looking to escape their station. The Trililleurs also have a disproportionate (55-70%) amount of women, as it is well known by many ambitious women of low station that the Ancillae orders regularly recruit from the Trillileurs.

The Trillileurs are good soldiers, excellent squads, and terrible armies. Each Trillileur acts as if Roboute Gulliman is personally watching their every move ( not implausible, given their chief deity was a known micromanager), or at least the Handmaidens are. The soldiers strive to outdo themselves in bravery and discipline. As squads the Ultramari share a bond of shared heritage and religious devotion when stranded in foreign lands. Despite corps coming from different military and cultural backgrounds, the Trillileurs share in a heritage of perfection through fraternity, suffering and endurance shared by every true son of Gulliman.

All of that exemplary conduct vanishes when placed in anything larger than a company because Ultramari Leadership is atrocious. Imperial commanders are hesitant to take on the Trillileurs because they have no certainty on what exactly the army they are getting. Every Maquis takes it upon himself to "optimize" and drastically reform it. Sometimes the army is segregated by army of origin, sometimes the corps are mixed, sometimes the organization is random. Sometimes Ultramar's Xeno vassals like Tarrasque and Wuni are integrated, sometimes they are segregated sometimes they are excluded. Sometimes the commissars are democratically elected, sometimes they are personally appointed by the Maquis. Sometimes the corps is rebuilt in the vision of the Maquis, sometimes they are built to mimic an imperial force en vougue.

Maccragge's Memorial Fleet

Far more useful to the Imperium than the Mercurial Trillileurs, is the Memorial Fleet. In honnor of the Space Marine Fleet that was lost and the Migrant Fleet that fled Maccragge. With Ships provided by the Industrial world of Konor, and marines and pilots are provided by the Macragge nomads. Piloted and manned by voidborn, augmented by faith in The Queen Mother, and supported by the finest ships of Ultramar's industrial world, The Memorial Fleet has become an indispensable aid in the Fight against chaos, with their fleets destroying incursions before they even reach orbit.

Mechanicum Forces

Despite being free from military obligations, The Adeptus Mechanicus has its own forces, which it uses to maintain the aims of the Mechanicus.

Macharian Forces

The most recent independent state, the Military Junta of Grand Macharia makes up for its state's destitute and anarchic region with exemplary armies.

Diezmaños de Macharia

Macharia's 35 generals draw lots amongst themselves for which among them will lead the tithed army. Unlike the individualism of Ultramari troops, macharians are known for obedience and cooperation as a large army. The army acts as a whole and thanks to their superior discipline, are unmatched in facing off against tyranids and chaos.

Tallarni Corsairs

Long ago exiled from their homeland by Rogal Dorn, the Tallarn have changed from a civilization of Desert nomads, to a civilization of Void Nomads. They were the first to support the then Adventurer Macharios Solar in his conquest of The Segmentum Pacificus, with one of their Noble houses, The Macharids, hailing from the union of The Conqueror and Amiralbahar Hedya Roqizeneh.

The Tallarni Corsairs tithe a portion of their own formidable Nomadic Marines to the Imperium for its purposes. While they are capable naval warriors, their greatest strength is in their Corsairs, or Marines. The Tallarni Corsairs are renowned for their bravery and ferocity when boarding enemy ships, forcing even the nightmarish forces of Lotarra to flee. Their modified craft, jump-packs and wingsuits allow them to board enemy ships or enemy planets as grouped individuals, often too small and too fast for enemy defenses to track. The Tallarni are tactical pioneers of Naval Hit and Run combat, taking their Desert Raiding traditions with them to space. They board enemy ships, slaughter as many unsuspecting crew and damaging as much as possible before teleporting or flying away to the next ship.

Because of the Tallarn's small population, tithed Tallarn ships are far less numerous than the Imperium would like, and Naval Officers and Astartes captains will fight to have even a Company of Tallarn on their ships.

Macharian Private Contractors

Much of the Material Wealth and Resources of Macharia is chartered out by the Junta to Rogue Traders and other Mercantile Houses, making them defacto rulers of the Realm. These realms will tithe their extracted resources, but will also tithe some of their own private security for Imperial Use.

Imperium Government post-Treachery

See Page MidHammer 40,000 Government

Fearing a government that works against him, Valdor settled on a government that couldn't do any harm. --Jaghatai Khan on The Council of Terra

In the Aftermath of the Great Treachery the Remaining Loyalist primarchs convened at the Council of Terra to determine the best course of action to enusure the Imperium's continued capacity to Fight, while at the same time ensuring a tragedy such as Lorgar's Uprising could never happen again. At the behest of Constantine Valdor, Jaghatai Khan, and Horus it was determined to split the administration of the Imperium, while leaving the majority of its fighting capacity intact.

In Conjunction with The Captain General of The Adeptus Custodes, The Seven Primarchs of the Regency Council (Magnus, Fulgrim, Ferrus Manus, Curze, Sanguinius, Horus, Khan) all have their own titles and aspects of the Imperium that they are to govern. However, most take a dismal view towards administration, and tend to focus on crusades or their own projects while taking a generally observatory role. In fact of the seven primarchs only Magnus, Khan, and Horus involve themselves in the day-to-day management of the Imperium. Magnus has taken on many of the duties left by his father including the Golden Throne. Jaghatai Khan regularly travels the Imperium supervising and aiding in its governance. Horus Lupercal, despite being demoted, effectively carries out his old job of Warmaster for an increasingly disinterested Sanguinius. The rest leave the governance of the Imperium to their 4 Brothers and the High Lords unless circumstances force them to intervene.

The Imperium utilizes suzerain system in which autonomy is relegated to different governments. Apart from the "Independent" States, The Majority of the Imperium was divided into semi-autonomous Segmentums led by Four Primarchs, who answer to the High Lords. The High Lords in turn answer to The remaining primarchs who act as a supervisory body, supervised by Constantine Valdor. Ultramar and The Mechanicus of Mars would remain independent as Allies and suzerains to The Emperor.

The system was devised as a convoluted system of Checks and Balances, in the hopes that The Primarch's own vanity and egos would be checked by the more temporary governments of Humans, as well as each other. The system works so that the Imperium is able to utilize the resources of its dominion the most effectively with significantly less issues with corruption and revolts as Vanilla. And should revolts occur, Konrad Curze is able to usually crush them quickly and efficiently.

For the Average Citizen of the Imperium, this means that every aspect of their life is under the dominion of some tyrant, with absolute control over them, unless someone else exerts their absolute control over them. The Best situation for your average citizen is to be born on some neglected planet far away from any warzone. And even then an astartes chapter may decide to set up their fortress monastery there and recruit your children.

Every leader of the segmentum and independent territory gets to fashion their territory as they see fit, so long as the men and weapons continue to be supplied to The Imperium.

Segmentum Obscurus

Those in the Segmentum Obscurus will be subject to the suspicion and paranoia of The Lion El'Johnson, forever vigilant of any and all signs of corruption and disloyalty. The Segmentum is also there to take the brunt of any attack from Chaos.

Segmentum Tempestus

The People and Planets of Segmentum Tempestus are all just raw materials for Dorn's maddening constructions. Planets have strict quotas of manpower and supplies, and failure to meet that could result in the planet being dismantled, and its population forced into labor.

Segmentum Solar

Similar to vanilla as it is governed by the High Lords, however Terra is a Deathworld requiring immense tributes of oxygen as well as food and water. The smaller scope also means the High Lords have considerably more capability to micromanage the population of the Segmentum. Immense wealth is here, as is immense destitution.

Grand Macharia

Recaptured from Chaos in m49. The independent nation exists as a collection of petty warlords, Generalissimos, and Rogue Trader plantations, fighting with each other for territory as much as they do with chaos. The entire nation exists to provide for the military and what little public services exist are provided by religious missions in the region.

Royum Ultramari

Recovered from Chaos during the "Luther's Long War" Ultramar has nothing but the Faith in its god, and the strength of its men. It is a basketcase of fanaticism, military orders, and fiefdoms. The Nobility and theocracies of the Aurelian Cult occasionally squabble with each other, but the main threat comes from being beset on almost all sides from the Chaotic Rifts, Tyrannids, and The Tau Empire

Ultima Segmentum

Despite being governed by the Noble Vulkan, life in the Far-flung ultima Segmentum is rarely pleasant as what few resources it obtains in its undeveloped state are immediately sent to terra, or utilized to defend against the encroaching Tau.

Religion in MidHammer 40k

See Religion Page here

Lorgar's writing is aggressively purged by the Emperor and all of the Primarchs, but with it disappeared the primacy of The Imperial Truth. Unwilling to risk further civil war in the name of a Creed many of the Primarchs didn't even like in the first place, The Primarch led Imperium has shifted the Imperium's focus from aggressive atheism to secular toleration. The Ultramar Cult of The Aurelian, The Cult Mechanicus, and Promethean Cult all Step in to take the place of the condemned Imperial cult. The Imperium of Midhammer is a much more Tolerant place, with religious devotion not losing its head to violent fanaticism (mostly). Magna Terra still promotes the Imperial truth, but The Emperor grudgingly tolerates the rise of religion. The Lorgar Letdown convincing both him and the Primarchs that pretending Chaos does not exist, and ignoring mankind's need for things to believe in is probably a bad idea.

Major Faiths in the Imperium

There is no central faith in the Imperium, with instead there being hundreds of different sects and practices being granted limited scope of action within the imperium. The Cult of The Omnissiah still exists obviously, and has even gained influence outside of their forge worlds. In addition to them several of the major religions include.

The Aurelian Cult

The Faith most similar to The Imperial Creed of Vanilla, the Aurelian Cult was founded by Ultramari refugees and the fledgling Sisters of San Leor. They worship the Fallen Roboute Gulliman and Tarasha Euten who have united into a godhead "The Aurelian." The Aurelian Cult is particularly popular in the Galactic SouthEast in the reclaimed lands of Ultramar. The Cult is significantly less centralized than the Cult of The Emperor in Vanilla. Instead of a unified ecclesiastic body, chapters of Ultramarines lead their own sects of the the creed. These Spiritual Lieges are governing smaller cults of themselves each with different doctrinal and disciplinary differences. The Spiritual Liege of Espandor acts as "First Among Equals."

The Promethean Cult

Vulkan's Cult has a sizable following in his home Ultima Segmentum. However, the promethean cult is very selective and demanding of its membership, expecting substantial altruistic work, as well as exceptional personal character. As a result it is not very large, but is very powerful, with many of The Ultima Segmentum in its ranks. It also has a growing presence in Grand Macharia, as many lower officers have found in The Drake Lord solidarity and protection from the intrigue that Plagues the Junta.

Vlka Fenrika

A curious collection combining the ideals of Magnus and Prospero under the Traditions and Language of Leman Russ's homeworld. Russ, disillusioned with his homeworld after the Khornate Wolves, entrusted the Rune Priests of Fenris to The Lord of Psykers for guidance. The result is an elite school of sanctioned psykers who combine Magnus' wisdom with the hardiness of Fenris.

Outside of its school of magic there is a separate cult of the Wolf, which has spread and become popular among the many abhumans of the Imperium. These abhumans have mythologized The Plight of Leman Russ and his Space Wolves as one between their beastial taint, and the strive to their human one.

Religions of Chaos Undivided

Ironically enough, Chaos Undivided divided apart shortly after the end of the Great Treachery. This split came about with major ideological and personal differences between Lorgar and the Non-Primarch leadership of the Treachery.

Ahrimanism

Luther, Fabius, and Ahriman dismissed Lorgar's belief in the Spirit of "Chaos Undivided" seeing the Gods of Chaos as ones to be served but not worshiped. Instead seeking Apotheosis themselves similar to that of Roboute/Tarasha during the events of the Heresy. When Luther went his separate way from Lorgar, founding "Imperium Undivided" in the Galactic Southeast (the former Remains of Ultramar and a sizable chunk of the Ultima Segmentum), Luther established Ahrimanism as the official creed. Seeking to balance the major powers, while also encouraging the worship of minor chaos gods as well. On the official level, all three see their goal as being godhood for themselves. Unlike Lorgar, they see chaos and the warp as inheritly neutral, and that the four ruinous powers are ones

Lorgarism

According to Lorgar's school of Chaos Undivided, the Ruinous Powers, and all other divine forces of the warp are faces or manifestations of the Will of The Warp.

The Eldari Faiths

Cult of Ynnead

As the relations between the Imperium and Craftworld Eldar fray much faster than in vanilla, The Cult of Ynnead is a much more radical and expansionist faith. Angling itself to unite the Eldar Peoples into a new creed. The Cult of Ynnead shuns the name "Children of Isha" or "Asuryan" as they see the two, and all eldar deities as false traitor gods who abandoned the eldar. It is only through full, unyeilding uncompromising submission to Ynnead, that the eldar will be restored and her enemies, both material and immaterial will be vanquished.

Their fanatical monotheistic devotion to a god of death that didn't yet exist was troubling to the eldar to say the least. And as such the its nascent movement was expelled from the craftworlds following the sect's assassination of Eldrad for withholding the knowledge of rebirthing their god Exiled from the Craftworlds, the Ynnari began hunting down and subverting the Exodites, building their power slowly among them. When the 41st Mellenium came, they successfully seized and overthrew craftworld Samm-Henn, setting it as the capital of the New Eldar Impire Greater Yndarria.

In the Ynnari's view Ynnead is a very jealous god, and every act of false worship is belief that detracts from what is rightfully Ynnead's. As such the Ynnari agressively hunt down avatars of Khaine, as well as the Harlequinns of Cegorach. Split loyalties are one loyalty to many for the Ynnari.

Primarchs:

Magnus Ikarnius

All of the Loyal Primarchs are officially in charge of the Imperium, but all save a few keep a hands off approach to its governance. Being content to observe and pursue their own interests should The Imperium seem to be handling itself. Magnus is no such primarch, and he has without fail, maintained his role as protector of the imperium from the unknown and unknowable. The calm and somber Magnus, oversees nearly all aspects of Psyker and warp related activity in the Imperium. He is headmaster of the Psyker colleges, including The Regula Prosperae and Tempestus compliant chapters (those Librarius heavy chapters that fight against the warp), the Vlka Fenrika (a College of Magic rooted in the Rune Priests of Fenris), and keeper of the Black Ships, who supply both students for Terra's sanctioned psyker colleges, and fuel for the golden throne.

Many, Magnus and Russ included, would have been surprised by the idea that Magnus the Red, would be the head of creating rules and rituals for practitioners for psykers. Let alone for his rival, Leman Russ and the Superstition-addled Rune Priests he so despised. However, like Russ and Lupercal, Magnus the Red emerged from the crucible of The Great Treachery a very different man than the one he had entered. Magnus, a man who prized knowledge and unimpeded learning above all things was forced to confront just what unbridled warp use could lead to. There was a time before the Council of Nikea that Khan and Sanguinius had pleaded with Magnus to write a set of rules and limitations for psykers, and he laughed at them. He is no longer laughing, and the destruction of Prospero, fall of the space wolves, Desolation of Ultramar, and injuries inflicted on his father by an entity he naively swore a pact with has soured his enthusiasm for unbridled knowledge. But as Russ has moved closer to Magnus' understanding of knowledge as a weapon of the unknown, Magnus has moved to a greater appreciation of Leman Russ. Before he thought of him as just a superstitious barbarian, but Magnus has since come to a greater appreciation of his Khan and Russ's concerns towards "Maleficarum" having seen what horrors it can produce, and what it has cost them both. The shared experience of Russ and Magnus during the fall of Prospero has brought the two brothers closer, blaming themselves for the fall of prospero and the destruction of their legions. During the Council of Terra, Leman Russ advocated for a retraction of the Council of Nikea, for a vindication of Magnus, and for his own remaining sons to be placed under Magnus' care. Magnus, meanwhile echoed many of Russ' concerns at the Council of Nikea, and agreed to create a system of rules and regulations to protect the Imperium's Psykers and Librarius chapters from the "Maleficari" who were no longer a superstition but five beings whose terror can not be fathomed.

In addition to his work with maintaining the psyker colleges, and researching what greater threats await the Imperium, Magnus is part of the Triumvirate. Along with Fulgrim and the Captain-General of The Adeptus Custodes, Magnus helps to protect the Emperor from any and all threats that could prevent the emperor's recovery. Magnus, in particular focuses on The Emperor's psychic and spiritual health, and has worked to prevent many attacks that Tzeentch can inflict on his father. In addition to serving as a "spiritual doctor" to The Emperor, Magnus has taken his Father's place upon the Golden Throne when he is too weak to do so (which is often). For 10,000 Years, Magnus has protected Terra and The Emperor from those beasts and demons that Threaten Terra. The strain of his many duties has taken its toll on magnus, both emotionally and physically. Of all the primarchs, only Magnus has shown signs of aging over the past 10,000 years. The Golden throne aging the Sorceror Prince to that of a wizened and weathered with age. His Red hair now Bone White, and his skin loosening on his aenemic bones.

Sanguinius

Sanguinius only fought one Battle in the Lorgar Let Down. The in which he did He and his men were consumed with The Red Thirst. It was so barbaric that Sanguinius refused to fight anyone but Lorgar himself. Having also consumed Kor Phaeron, he is now witness to the horrid memories of The Black Cardinal and is fighting this corruption in addition to The Red Thirst. He fears that the next time he develops the Red Thirst, he will fall to Chaos.

Lion El’Johnson

Between Alpharius' Manipulations of Luther, The Destruction of Calliban, and almost getting manipulated by Alpharius into starting a Civil War with the Ultramarines. Lion El'Johnson is obsessed with Counter-intelligence, and information networks. Unlike Vanillahammer The Lion's Dark Angels have made the Existence of The Fallen well known, and alert other legions to its activities. They "stay in the Dark, to help others see the light." The Lion is now also very deliberate and slow moving in his actions. To the point where some have claimed he is "Sleeping" on the Rock. He is not. He is just paranoid about being manipulated again.

The Lion's experience with the treachery of his adoptive Father and his own legion has made him paranoid and distrustful of even his own sons. Curiously this distrust has led to the Lion utilizing his human auxiliaries more than his brothers. The aid and bravery of the Vostoryans in rescuing him from Calliban had taught him early on in the potential of the Imperium's subjects. Leaders of The Auditores, Cadians, and Levboaz are accepted into El'Johnson's inner circle, sometimes at the expense of his own Dark Angels. In fact The Lion's aid in welcoming, informing, and supplying the Macharian army was pivotal to the success of The Macharian Crusade.

Lupercal

" The Lord of The XVI^th goes by many names, The Lord of Luna, The Legion Master, the Faceless Lord, the Herald of Sanguinius, the Favored Son, the Great Wolf, and The Mournival. During the Great Crusade, he was appointed Warmaster, by the Emperor himself. Loved by many and respected by all, He rechristened his Legion after himself, in a name that now exists to haunt him. When Lorgar, the Heresiarch, led his great rebellion against the Emperor, Lupercal was tricked by Alpharius, by Lorgar, and by his own sons into massacring his Legion on Isstivan V. Taken prisoner by Horus Aximand, now a champion of the dark gods, Horus was physically and spiritually tortured for months. His face was cut off, only to grow back and be cut off once again as corrupted masks for his traitorous children. And perhaps worst of all, he watched as his own ship, and his own forces massacred, desecrated and destroyed the planets and populations he had spent so many decades uniting for his father. He was able to escape, only to learn that he was too late to save his father from alpharius' schemes.

Disgraced and humiliated, Lupercal, defaced himself, and donning a faceless mask, he surrendered the role of Warmaster to his brother, Sanguinius. Since then, he serves as the Legion Master for Sanguinius, ensuring that the Imperial forces are capable of carrying out Sanguinius's plans. The Faceless Lord, will not speak of his sons, nor will he repeat their names. But there are days when the memories of his life aboard the Vengeful Spirit become too much, and in deep inside the cavernous hold of "Luna's Fallen" one can still hear the anguished shouts of the Man who destroyed him. "Horus!""

– Index Astartes Luna Wolves

The Former Warmaster, has discarded much of the embellishment that marked his arrogance in the great crusade, now his armor is marked with the symbols of those Legions he failed to protect, and allowed to be destroyed by forces he was powerless to fight against. Replacing the wolf, is a great symbol of the Warmaster, the Droplet and wings of the Warmaster.

The Warmaster continues his duties, and struggles to maintain his father's imperium. Apart from a few deserters, horus and his legions took little damage apart from the mental and spiritual. Though such damage has done untold damage to his soul, and The Great Treachery has shaken his belief in The Imperial Truth. During the Treachery he learned that his son Abbadon, who in saving Horus from the Anatheme Blade, fell to Chaos himself. During Horus' defense of Terra, Aximand gathered several companies of Horus and deserted the legion. Looting and pilaging the Solar System. Horus abandoned Terra to fight his wayward sons and was ultimately forced to kill Aximand. Gathering up the remaining deserters under the leadership of Amurael, he returned to Terra only to discover that Alpharius had nearly killed his father. Furious and devastated, he refused to allow his legions to kill their former brothers and insisted on executing each and every traitorous son himself.

The Many Faces of Lupercal

Amongst the many casualties of Lorgar's Treachery, one casualty that often goes unspoken is the mind of The Former Warmaster. Prior to the great Heresy, the Primarch of the XVIth was capable, charismatic, proud -even brash or arrogant. But that changed with the many defeats at the hands of Lorgar, a man he dismissed as an incompetent warrior, and treated with pity and condescension. Isstivan changed that, Lorgar showed that he understood Horus' stratagem better than Horus did, and fought him in battlefields he didn't even conceive.

When his son, Horus Aximand mutinied against him, Horus was a helpless pawn of his own sons and could only watch as his name and likeness was used to commit unspeakable horrors. When he escaped and killed the mournival, he learned the truth of the Anatheme blade and was forced himself to into his destiny face to face, gaze into his own eyes and kill his sons.

And perhaps the final coup d'grace was that Alpharius, the Brother he found, trained, and trusted for information had betrayed the Emperor. Wounding him, and forever crippling the imperium. Lupercal could no longer trust himself, his ideas, or his strategy. Instead Lupercal of the Luna Wolves takes comfort in distancing "Horus" from himself so that he is a complete alien being, and instead finding refuge in the identity of others. Lacking a face himself, for it was stolen from him, Lupercal will wear a variety of masks. These masks often serve to demonstrate under what capacity Lupercal is currently serving.

The Mask of Sanguinius

When acting as Legiarch, or Legion Master, the Primarch Lupercal will often don a silver mask of Sanguinius, The Warmaster, as a reminder to others of his authority, and who he is representing. Mentally broken from the events of the greatLupercal takes his position as aid to the stragic genius of The Warmaster very seriously.

The Mask of The Emperor

Often worn when fighting alongside of Imperial Guard and Auxiliaries, Lupercal will don a golden mask of The Emperor of Mankind. With his father no longer able to lead his Imperium thanks to his failures, Lupercal will act in The Emperor's stead as punishment for his past arrogance.

The Mask of Abbaddon

"Horus was weak, Horus was a fool"

– Lupercal

Worn amidst the The Luna Wolves, Horus wears the Mask of his most loyal son, who died attempting to lead the loyalist Sons of Horus in their Father's absence. Though most believe this is simply Lupercal's way to honnor the Mournival leader, there are many who speculate that the Mask is a sign of Lupercal's survivor's guilt, and that in his mind, it should have be he who died and Abbadon who leads the legion.

Jaghatai Khan, the Nomad Prince

Jaghatai is based less on Ghengis Khan, and more Timur/Babur the Great. In general his White Scars and Chorgoris bear more resemblance to the Central Asian Steppe Peoples like the Old Uyghurs, Uzbeks and Chagatai of Timur (Convenient, eh?). Less "ruthless barbarian" trope and more "noble savage" trope. Make no mistake, he will still raise a mighty horde and will slaughter your army down to the last man, but afterwards he will stop to write a poem about the only flower left standing on the ruined battlefield.

The Khan takes on a more Noble appearance, less plain leather and more colorful silken garments, hauberk mail, and Qalpak hats. His legion and ships have also taken on a distinctly more medieval central asian look, with his battleships embellished with the elaborate Gold and Turquoise of the Registon Maydoni. And his Stormseers spinning in their psyker chants like Whirling Dervishes. His armies being a diverse array of Medieval Asiatic warriors from Nomadic Warriors to Gurkhas

In keeping with the shift from Karakorum to Samarkand, Jaghatai in this universe is a greater administrator than he is in Grimdark. What sets him apart from other administrative focused Primarchs (Fulgrim, Gulliman, Lorgar), is his suspicion for settled governments, and a preference for nomadic. Khan sees a little of The Palatine in every Settlement he meets, and is convinced that the best form of government is one where the government is mobile. His meeting with his father, experience with space travel has only solidified this opinion. Khan thinks that just as it is best for the Hordes to govern cities, it should be the Fleets that direct planets, not Planets that direct fleets. His effort to convince his father and brothers of this, and that the capitol of Terra should be dismantled for a nomadic government was unsuccessful, but many have come to respect his views.

During the Great Crusade, Jaghatai had strong connection of Brotherhood with Roboute Gulliman, similar to that of Fulgrim and Ferrus. Manus. Jaghatai and Rouboute represent the ideal form of opposing ways of life. They have a friendly rivalry, and regularly trade opinions and debates on the ideal administration, philosophy, theology, and military strategy. Khan admires the logistical prowess of Gulliman's "Settler system" while Gulliman is impressed with the Flexibility and adaptability of Khan's "nomadic system." Ultimately it was because of this unlikely friendship that after the events of The Great Treachery, it was Khan who took it upon himself to preserve Gulliman's legacy in The Codex Astartes.

After the Events of the Great Treachery, Khan spends his time in the frontier regions of the Imperium, travelling aiding and governing the forgotten planets. He also oversees the Ultramar/Imperium alliance, as well as an advisory role for the "Codex Astartes" Chapters

Rogal Dorn, The Mad Castellan of Tempestus

Disgraced as the Emperor's Praetor, Humiliated by Alpharius and Perturabo, and Abandoned by his own Legion, Rogal Dorn, Former Praetor of Terra, and Great Architect of The Imperial Palace has retreated to his home in the Inwit sector, and there he is building. Those few Imperial Fists (now called The Hands of Dorn) who have remained loyal are his master builders, serving to transform the Entire Inwit Segmentum into a Citadel. Few of his brothers know why, or what he is building for, and most have assumed their brother mad, for surely nothing exists to be as terrible to need a fortress this strong?

During The Lorgar Letdown

Perturabo is able to goad Dorn and his fists into a Trap on Olympia, which Perturabo has transformed into a massive fortification he calls the Iron Cage.The LL Iron Cage is less Grimdark than its Vanilla hammer version, its more like a standard seige (Though Perturabo now also employs warp magic into his fortifications, making it a trippy seige as well). Its significantly less devastating than on the Imperial Fists, however it does take a really long time to seige. Long enough for Dorn to be away at his post on Terra for Alpharius to sneak in, destroy half the Imperial Palace (and about half of the Custodes, and a good chunk of what was Asia and the Pacific) on Terra with an Archeotech Bomb, Kill Malcador the Sigilite, Mortally Wound the Emperor and Steal the Emperor's Right Hand and Heart as a Tribute to Tzeentch. Once he finally cracked Perturabo's Seige Perturabo was no where to be found. Perturabo then Blew up the planet of Olympia as an offering to The Prince of Pleasure for Demonhood.

The Imperial Fists, already exhausted from the endless months of intense seiging and warfare from multiple fronts, suddenly had less that a few hours to regroup, salvage their equipment, and make it to the transport ships (they were unable to teleport). Dorn and his legion barely escaped. And of the 30% of his legion he lost to the Seige of the Iron Cage, nearly two thirds came from those who were unable to escape, their souls now captives to the Prince of Pleasure as a gift from his favorite champion.

After The Lorgar Letdown

His legion was mostly intact, but he took the injuries his Father and Terra sustained very personally. The fact that his father was only wounded, and that there was only a continent sized crater on Earth did little to lift up his spirits. Dorn resigned from his Position as The Emperor's Praetorian, and wandered the galaxy. At some point in his self-imposed exile of he stumbled upon rumors of Hive Fleet Tiamet. He and his men followed through and in M33 he encountered Ziaphoria's Tower. Ordering an excavation of the tower. Through this Dorn has learned the awful truth of what is coming, and that Humanity is not prepared. Perturabo's words ringed in his soul and he suddenly realized his true calling. He saw an entity who, like him, had no concept of surrender, no notion of the cost of war, no instinct except endurence and adaptability. Discovering new found purpose he returned to Terra and formally requested that the Segmentum Tempestus be handed over to him. The Sector, which was divided among the already overworked brothers, were more than happy to have their brother back and active in Imperial affairs again. They readily granted it to him. Now in control of the Segmentum, He immediately set to work. All local leaders who opposed his rule or designs were expelled (this now includes the nomadic fleet Tallarn, who opposed the engineering of their home system). All resources in the Segmentum, be it human, material or spiritual, exists for the fortifications of the Segmentum. Planets, drained of their mantle for Ore, stars have gone dark from Dyson spheres, asteroid fields lay vacant, gas giants Syphoned to their core. At the Center of it all lay Inwit, once an ice world now a Fortress world three times the size of its old planet, surrounded by rings and floating fortresses.

Abandonment by his Legion

While Russ lost his legion to the madness of chaos, Dorn lost his to his own all consuming obsession. Sigismund, representing those Fists who wished the Legion Returned to their founding purpose of Great Crusades and glorious conquests confronted Dorn. Dorn, while furious, let them go. The Few that remained (about 4 chapters worth) renamed themselves the Hands of Dorn. Because of his Legion Deserting him, Dorn has come to rely more on the Men and Women of The Segmentum, in particular the "Crenellations of Krieg," who are his steadfast fortress defenders. The Entire Segmentum is hammered into the image of Dorn. Stoic, utilitarian, obstinate, and ever resilient. And when The Hive Fleets dig begin to arrive in the Segmentum. Dorn and his Troops stood ready.

Roboute Gulliman

Gulliman is dead. Not "in stasis" dead. Just Dead. Sanguinius/Ferrus Manus dead. The death of Rouboute Gulliman serves as this universe's focal point for all of the spiritual shenanigans that Vanillahammer 40k has like the Living Saints, Sanguinor (The Aurelian), The Sisters of Battle (Daughters of Euten), The Ecclesiarchy (With Maneus Calgar as "The Spiritual Liege" Space Pope). The Ultramarines also now have a Grimbright version of The Black Rage called "The Golden Zeal," where the Heroic last Stand of Rouboute Gulliman Inspires them to fight demons and heretics. Istavaan IV and The Drop Site Massacre is instead Calth and the demonic destruction of MacCragge (see dropsite massacre suggestion), in which Rouboute gives his life to help ensure the evacuation of the Macragge through hundreds of evacuation ships (important later), as well as the writings that would eventually become the Codex Astartes. Because of his sacrifice, and the faith of his mother and the Maccragge refugees, Gulliman achieved Apotheosis after his death.

The "Aurelian Cult" alongside Vulkan's Promethean Cult and Cult Mechanicus are the three accepted religions in the Imperium. The Aurellian Cult in particular serves as the substitute for The Imperial Cult of Vanillahammer, (perhaps instead of being Grimdark evil Goge Vandire is just Space Luther and creates a different sect?). The Religion functions similar to how The Koran thinks Christianity works, with The Emperor (The Father), Gulliman (The Son), and Tarasha Euten (The Holy Spirit/Blessed Mother) forming the Holy Triad of Dieties, with the Father being Supreme over the Son and Mother. The Return of the Avenging Son is considered a sign of the End Times, when it is prophesied that The Avenging Son will return to Earth to Slay Lorgar and -Reuniting with his father and brothers- shall slay the Ruinous Powers.

Chaos

Unlike in Vanilla hammer where the stories of The Imperium are Grimdark, and the Chaos stories vary between Grimbright, Nobledark, and Noblebright. Chaos will be Grimdark while the Imperium is Grimbright. The gods of Chaos are too bickering and incompetent to truly mount an effective assault into the Imperium. And while the Horus Heresey was a Chaos undivided "defeat," and Nobledark Imperium is a Khorn "victory," the dominant god of this universe is Tzeentch. Tzeentch hijacked the Great Treachery from Lorgar through his Champion Alpharius. Making him the current uncontested victor of the great game. This is a devastating victory for chaos because Tzeentch is ultimately a self defeating god: A lord of change can not enjoy permanent victory.

Perturabo

Given that Perturabo has a whole "Hellenic/Italian Renaissance" Theme, His Slaaneshi demon form looks like the Vitruvian man with extra arms and legs emerging from a single point. His contribution to the Lorgar Letdown was keeping Rogal Dorn and his entire Legion occupied in a Grimbright version of the "Iron Cage (which is now Olympia)." Dorn's Absence from Terra allowed the Alpha Legion to sneak in and cause a ruckas on Terra.

Curze

Konrad Curze was briefly on the side of the Traitors. Believing Lorgar and Alpharius' misinformation campaign, he participated in the scourning of Ultramar, as well as the Seige of Maccragge. He followed the Migrant Fleet of Maccragge. He still refuses to set foot in Ultramar out of guilt.

Following the Lorgar

Corvus Corax

Once one of The Emperor's most noble sons, Corvus Corax disappeared into the Eye of Terror and came back a different being. In his vengeful hunt for Alpharius, The Ravenlord traveled deep into the eye of terror, using his powers of stealth to track the Servant of the Lord of Change. Bolstered by his faith in the Imperial Truth, he knew he could not waver in his duty to bring justice and vengence against these warp demons.

He and his legion exists in hiding. Always tracking the movements of the Chaos gods. Never leaving the warp except occasionally to gather new recruits, but even then, they could instead raid the Planets of those serving the ruinous powers. Or perhaps even trade with them. After all Slaanesh, Nurgle, and Khorne each have a grudge with the Lord of Change, and if their goals aligned with Corax, then it is a necessary evil. He is safe because he knows that these beings of the warp won't exist because they shouldn't exist. He knows that he was made by the emperor to be a creature of the warp made to defeat it. To serve the Imperial Truth, to be a loyal son of the Emperor in this immaterial hellscape is to be a being of pure malice. And if those warp entities exist that can defeat the warp, then their embrace is to be welcomed.

There are reports in the warp of black ravens who stalk the eye of terror.

Angron

In both Vanillahammer, and in most alternate heresies, Nurgle is usually the odd man out. He never has any genuine adherents. Only Captive Followers. I think Angron could be willingly convinced to join Nurgle, especially given how they have changed Angron in the recent lore. The Lord of Death can give Angron everything he wants: a chance to be with his comrades, peace, salvation from the butcher's nails, a father who actually cares for him (in his own disgusting way). Plus it would fit well with their name, the World Eaters.

In the case of Angron, perhaps Nurgle makes an offer to Angron to finally escape his hellish life, to be free from the pain of the Butcher's Nails. So Angron becomes a willing servant of Nurgle, with a giant disgusting bloated flesh cyst where the butchers nails used to be. He's also been reunited with his old comrades from Nuceria. Nurgle is such a good grandpa he fetched their souls out of the warp and put them into Zombied bodies.

Mortarion

Following the macinations of Alpharius, Nurgle rejects Typhon's bid for a reluctant Mortarion for the willing service of Angron. Following this During the Heresy, Mortarion goes from rejected pawn of Nurgle, to the unwitting pawn of Alpharius.

Mortarion serves Khorne. His hatred of Psykers and Magic and the rage of feeling betrayed by Legions on both sides eventually drives him down the path of the Blood God. Mortarion serves the silent bitter rage of the Blood God, rather than berserk rage and bloodlust.

Mortarion and his rogue Death Gaurd saw the opportunity for Vengence against his Hated Brother Fulgrim, Annihilated the entire Emperor's Children Legion and transforming Chemos into a death world.

Alpharius and Omegon

Lorgar only thought he was in charge. Really Alpharius was masterminding the whole thing (the whole Lorgar Letdown wasn't really an assault on the Imperium of Man, it was just Tzeentch's move in the Great Game). Alpharius utilized the elements of the Lorgar Letdown.

• Death of Gulliman by Mortarion and the Fall of MacCragge
• Warp Storms around Ultrimar
• Chaos on Calliban
• The Space Wolves' Sack of Prospero
• Betrayal at Calth, and attempts to frame the Ultramarines as Traitors
• Angron's Nurglite attack on Chemos
• Dorn's Battle at Olympia
• "Omegons" Fleet "Rebelling"
• The Mechanicum Civil War (which didn't take place on mars) was a Dark Mechanicum invasion and succession of Forgeworlds in the Segmentum and Pacificus

To have the entire Imperium (and the other 3 Ruinous Powers) focused on the idea that the Imperium was about to Split down the Middle. Instead, Alpharius took advantage of all of the chaos to have his "Loyal" legion come to Terra. There he performed his Coup de Grace

• Death of Malcador
• Bomb that destroys half of the Imperial Palace (As well as most of Asia) destroying most of the Custodes, the Sisters of Silence, as well as dozens of Hive Citties in what was once the Continent of Asia.
• Terran Based Defense Guns were pointed at the moon and were used to bomb the "Bright Side of the Moon" At least half of the Population of the Moon is dead.
• Tzeentchian Demon incursions looting the treasures of old earth.
• Alpharius stealing the Right hand and Heart of The Emperor of Mankind and consecrates them to Tzeentch. Before disappearing into the Web way.
• Disabling the Golden throne for at least a week. Causing untold numbers of lost ships to the warp.

So not really as devastating as The Horus Hersey was, it was still pretty bad. The remaining Custodes were there to save the Emperor, and Losing a heart in the 31st millennium isn't the debilitating injury it is in the 2nd. Alpharius didn't give the Emperor a "Soul-wound" or whatever. This is also the reason that Chaos has been less active for the past 10 millennia. The other Chaos gods are still smarting from Tzeentch's devastating play in The Great Game, that most are either completely unwilling to work with each other, or work with each other against Tzeentch. Giving the Imperium more breathing room.

Demon Prince of Tzeentch

Alpharius and Omegon have merged into a massive two headed peacock, with heads similar to the Hydra of their Pauldron. Each "Eye" of the Peacock's plumage is a functioning eye, through which Alpharius sees into the possible futures.

Luther

A Demon Prince of Chaos undivided and Lorgar's rival for the throne of Heresiarch. Once the Lion's Foster Father and Faithful ally, Luther betrayed The Lion during the Great Treachery Luther taking with him many of the Dark Angels and imprisoning The Lion on Calliban. Luther and Angron then spent the Heresey Subjugating the former Kingdom of Ultramar and galactic southwest, and forging it into "Imperium Undivided," a force that would rival not only the Imperium of man, but perhaps even Lorgar's title as Heresiarch and champion of Chaos Undivided. Luther however, seemed to have overestimated his strategic and administrative prowess. His Imperium Undivided was anything but, and what seemed to be a Great conquest was, like most of the "success" of the Great Treachery, the first in a set of many Pyrhic Victories. His inevitable rise was not a testament to his martial skill but a fluke, owing more to Alpharius' brilliance and information manipulation, and the Imperium's ill-preparedness for a war against chaos. The next 10000 years only continued to prove this, as his empire waned and fragmented. Undermined from without by revanchist Ultramari exiles backed by a recovering Imperium, and within by Gulliman's Vigil Opertii, The Inquisition, The Awakening Necron Tomb Worlds, and his own forces. When The T'au and Tyrannids finally arrived on the Galactic stage, his "Imperium" was a pathetic rump of its former self, hugging the fringes of his former empire.

Horus Aximand

Once "Little Horus" Horus Aximand took a blade for his Father, and inadvertantly stole his destiny. This Blade on Davin, called the Anatheme Blade, corrupted him, feeding his resentment and insecurity about his identity being swallowed by Horus Lupercal his father. Resentment fermented into contempt, and contempt bred into outright hatred. Horus Aximand conspired along with the Other Traitors and swore allegiance to the dark gods in exchange for replacing his Father. It was Horus Aximand who undermined Horus Lupercal's great battle at Istivaan, transforming what should have been a strategic masterstroke into a massacre. Horus and the Mournival he brought down with him, captured Horus and for a time did replace him. It wasn't until the battle over The Rock, where Sanguinius, though nearly defeating horus, agreed to a ceasefire in exchange for his brother Horus.

"Horus Optimates," when he is not participating in the Black Legion of Lorgar, leads his sons of Horus as a war-band, ravaging the Ultima and Obscura segmentums, and rebuilding his legion.

Xenos

Eldar

The Imperium's greater success against the Forces of Chaos has come at a great cost. Not merely the countless lives spent in fighting these dark forces, but also in the fraying in a relationship and truce the Emperor forged with the Eldar.

There are still some Eldar, who view the primitive Mon'Keigh as mostly harmless, and a potential ally against the forces that surround them. However, this has begun to change in the mellenia following The Desolation of Lorgar. Rather than decaying into fiefdoms and squabbles as brief as their lifespans, the petty impulses of man have been checked by the Emperor's immortal sons. As the Imperium slowly but surely climbs the uphill battle against the Forces of Chaos, many eldar have begun to wonder if it is only a matter of time before the Imperium will turn its attention to the craftworlds.

The Eldar, unable to face the Imperium at full strength, for now, still maintains the masquerade of its truce with the Imperium while doing anything and everything short of supporting chaos to undermine it. However that facade is quickly crumbling, and as of the 41st millennium it seems as if it will only be a matter of time before open war between the Eldar and Imperium engulfs the galaxy.

The WebWay

The Webway gate was heavily damaged in Alpharius' archeotech bomb that destroyed most of the Imperial Palace. Efforts to rebuild it have been sluggish at best. In part because an already overwhelmed Magnus the Red only has so much time to work on the project between sitting on the golden throne, recovering from sitting on the golden throne, overseeing all psyker activities in the imperium, caring for his father, and protecting the imperium from warp-based threats. The other reason for the sluggishness of the Webway is that the Eldar, fearing that the imbecillic mon'keigh "scientists" will compromise the webway or worse, somehow cause it to unravel, harrass the Imperium's every effort to repair the gate. Efforts to convince the eldar in aiding or sharing knowledge of the webway often comes at a heavy cost. Imperial Inquisitors and Mechanicus scrounge the black markets of Commoragh for technology and knowledge that will aid in the completion of the webway. Commoragh, knowing this, exploits the imperiums despiration with junk sold as "vital webway technology." This lack of aid from the Eldar has forced the imperium to turn to other sources of aid, in particular, Sanguinius' relatively amicable relationship with The Silent King. A dangerous action that only further repulses not only the Eldar, but The Mechanicus.

Meanwhile the other Regency Councilmembers have become more disillusioned with the webway project, if not outright concerned. As Relations between the Eldar and Humans continue to unravel, Sanguinius, the warmaster, has requested a moratorium on the construction of the Webway gate out of concerns that its completion would benefit an Eldar incursion of Terra more than it would benefit the Imperium.

Ultimately the Webway gate will never fully be repaired until the Emperor himself is capable of doing so.

The Rise of The Yndarri

As the Craftworld eldar tend to their fraying truce, or resort to underhanded tactics, a new generation of Eldar has rallied behind calls for a restoration of the Eldar empire. These Eldar have observed the Imperium's success against the Forces of Chaos as proof not only of the potential victory for Eldar against chaos, but also as proof of the ineffectiveness and failing leadership of The Craftworld Eldar. While in Vanilla the quest for Ynnead is welcomed by many of the Craftworld, here the movement is openly hostile to the other Craftworlds and its leadership. The Yndarri are far more fanatical and ruthless than they are in the Vanilla Warhammer. Nor do they have any love for humanity or for even their fellow eldar. To them the Craftworlds are standing in the way of what could be a Great Eldar resurgence, and should a few more join slaanesh, they would not be missed. Craftworlds are always on the lookout for Yndarri assassins and theives, killing major leaders, and stealing relics and soulstones. Under Yvraine, chosen champion of Ynnead, they hope to overthrow the corrupt quibbling and decadent leadership of the Eldari and Drukhari and replace their craftworlds with Ynnead-appointed leadership. So that all living and dead eldars can welcome the comming of the Great Death God's Return.

Dark Eldar

They don’t really know what to do to save their souls from Slaanesh. They are trying to figure that out. The Dark Eldar are trying all sorts of different things, soulstones, apotheosis, technologically aided immortality. So far nothing is working. The Dark Eldar are so ruthless and amoral because they will stop at nothing to find away to escape Slaanesh. While The Dark Eldar still have a reputation among the Eldar, they are perhaps the one eldar faction that the Imperium has the strongest working relationship with. While many of the Craftworld Eldar look remember the horrific things done by the Dark Eldar under Asdurbaal Vect, the Imperium has a much shorter memory regarding these things. As far as the Imperium of Man is concerned, what the Eldar do to Other Eldar is none of their concern, and regarding the treatment of Humans, the Dark Eldar's actions are hardly any different than those of CraftWorld Sams-Hein, or The Exodites, and are certainly better than the Crazed Death Cultist Fanatics of the Yndarri.

The Imperium has gained much from working with the Dark Eldar, because their mercenary opportunism makes them understandable. Sometimes the price is too high, or too demanding, but the fact that there always is one makes them easier to understand and balence against. Unlike the Aloof, Condescending, and self-celebratory Craftworld Eldar, who see the Imperium's blusterings as a danger to their way of life that has to be observed and curtailed, the Dark Eldar care only for personal gain and profit. Additionally, unlike the Craftworld Eldar where every "Gift" or "Assistance" is part of some grander scheme that the Imperium only suffers from in the end. Everything the Dark Eldar do has a price; whether it is access to the webway, aid in repairing the golden throne, advanced technology, soulstones, military aid, information, or protection from the Dark Eldar. There is always at least one Dark Eldar Aristocrat, Oligarch, Warlord, or Raider who is willing to strike a bargain. The reciprocal relationship with the Imperium and Drukhari horrifies the Craftworld Eldar, Harlequins, and Yndarri, futher convincing them of their need to eliminate the Revolting Mon'Keigh.

Perhaps the greatest example of this is the rise of The T'au. The Infamous Tau revolt was a consequence of Dark Eldar Geneticists creating the Etherial Caste who eventually led the great slave revolt. After negotiating with the Dark Eldar and a few conflicts, the geneticists sold the information of their patrons (Alpharius) to the Inquisition, who then promptly used this information to to root out and kill Hundreds of Alpha Legion Agents. The Dark Eldar even sold the Imperium information on the etherials to help them defeat the T'au they created. Now that the T'au are allied with the Craftworld Eldar, no such deals can be struck, there are no bargains to be made or information to be purchased. The Eldar see the Tau as their greatest asset and will use them to strangle the Imperium in the galactic East.

Ceruleans (Tau)

Ambitious and Enterprising, they were origionally a subject peoples of the Imperium, but staged a massive revolt under the Ethereal Revolt. The Imperium, and those few loyal Ceruleans looks upon their former subjects with suspicion and contempt, the then Stone age have advanced considerably since their independence.

Pre-Etherial T'au

Discovered, as most species are discovered, by Rogue traders. The T'au were discovered to be a Stone age people. They were granted to the Kroot as a protectorate who grew them to settlements as slaves to make up for their own small numbers. The Imperium, not interested in telling xenos how to oppress xenos, didn't care so long as the Kroot still supplied their tithes

The T'au tribes were converted to Nations with each nation expected to tithe a certain amount of labor and or resources to the Kroot. What each nation tithed to the Kroot was based on the comparative advantage of the different nations.

• Fio
  • were made up of the very primitive hunter gatherer peoples scattered throughout the Temperate regions of the Tau planet,
  • having little to export or tithe, the Fio exported themselves to the Kroot.
  • The Fio were used as labor by the kroot, and as such were often the most exported peoples

• Shas
  • The Shas people were hardy durable tribes from the more inhospitable regions of the polar regions.
  • Because of their hardiness and rough environment, the Shas made for the best warriors.
  • The term Shas "fire" comes from all of these arctic tribes having some sort of reverence to the heat of fire

• Kor
  • Tall and Slender, these people were found in the jungles and equatorial regions of T'au
  • because of their proximity to the equator, the Kor would supply the local Kroot Star Ladders with equipment and aircraft
• Por
  • Formed from the wealthiest and most "civilized" regions of the T'au (ie they were in the bronze and copper age while the rest of the T'au were neolithic), the Por Sea peoples adapted the most easily to their new found servitude. They served as "houseslaves," often acting as intermediaries between the T'au Slaves and Kroot overlords.

Ironically when the T'au rose up against their Kroot oppressors they not only kept these racial distinctions, they amplified them, severely forbidding of caste intermingling and ossifying old Kroot Economic and Organizational Hierarchies into permanent Racial and Cultural Distinctions.

T'au Va Imperium

Calling themselves an Imperium, after their former Masters, the T'au Va were originally part of the Subject state of the Imperium called the "Cerulean Socii." That changed when The Eldar, concerned about the Imperium's growing strength and success, saw an opportunity to create an ally that could counteract the Imperium without further altering the warp. Thus the Ethereal Caste was created through advanced genetic modification as a way to indirectly control the Tau'va. Taking advantage of a Black Crusade distracting the Imperium, the Tau'Va revolted against the Imperium slaughtering their overlords and kroot immediaries. Before the Imperium could lead a proper counter offensive, the Eldar "chose to ally" with the Tau'Va and announced that the Free Tau Va were under their protection. Unwilling to fight a war with the Eldar Craftworlds in the middle of a Chaos insurgency, The Imperium begrudgingly agreed to a ceasefire.

Despite the T'au Empires small size, they are meticulously well organized with the four former T'au nations transformed into castes. The T'au have highly advanced weapons but rely on their Eldar "allies" for aid in travelling vast distances.

Wuni

Formed from both Imperium Loyalists (usually merchants and government admins who benefited from the Imperium's governance) as well as refugees from the Former Por and Fio nations (now known the Water and Earth Castes respectively) during The Ethereal's brutal "reforms" of the former T'au Nations into Castes. The Imperium, still sore from being outplayed by the Eldar, eagerly admitted this tiny rebellion enclave in the Ultima Segmentum the Suzerain status formerly granted to the Kroot. Disparagingly called the Wuni (mud-caste) by the T'au, among much crueler names, the Wuni Enclaves make up for their diminished size in Enthusiastic hatred of the T'au way of Life. The Wuni reflect a peculier cultural fusion in part representing the idealism of its Egalitarian Por founders and ancient pre-etherial T'au culture, mixed with the culture of their former Kroot overlords. The Wuni also display influences from the Astra Militarum and Ultramari cultures.

Kroot

A species marred by tragedy, but at the same time the only xenos to ever gain anything resembling respect and parity. The Kroot were found by a rogue trader Near Ultramar on the Verge of Extinction. Ultramar impressed with their technological capabilities and strength offered them the ability to create their own suzerainty in exchange for aid in the Tyrannic wars against Hive Fleet Behometh. At their height they had formed a small empire, had seceded to become a suzerain of the Imperium on par with Ultramar, and were the veterans of hundreds of campaigns against the Tyrannids and forces of Chaos.

This all changed when the Second Kroot Sovereignty, built on the back of subject races, saw most of their race slaughtered by during the Eldar backed Ethereal Revolt. Humbled and depopulated down to a mere 25 kindred, the Kroot are scattered across the Imperium. Now they cannot even claim to be a unified species, as their own genetic heritage has turned against them, permanently separated the Kroot into separate subspecies.

The Kroot Nation

Now subject to the High Lords of Terra, the migratory Kroot Nation traverses the Imperium in their remaining sphereships, paying the tithes owed to the Imperium through their service.

Dornites

Formed by a tribe of Kroot employed by The Mad Castellan himself, these Kroots are veterans of hundreds of Tyranid campaigns, and through their endless consumption of Genestealers and tyrannids, have evolved into Tyrranid killers. This evolution has come at the cost however, as they have now changed so much that they are bordering on unrecognizable to the Other Kroot. They themselves have split into two races:

Genodoulics

from rooting out and consuming genestealer cults, these Kroot have Ironically turned more human-like in appearance.

Tyranics

They have stared at the genetic abyss, and the genetic abyss has stared back. Having consumed so much of the tyrranid genetic material, they have become hulking brutes. The one's who become ferral having to be culled by their own.

Tarrasque

The few that have remained loyal to Ultramar, these Kroot are recognized vassals of Ultramar. They are unique among the Kroot for not only their wings (a product of consuming the Vespid to near-extinction), but also their own accepted variant of the Aurelian cult "The Feathered Eagle" cult.

Excerpts (Writefaggotry)

Codex Astartes

Preface to Index Aurelian

This Passage was part of Roboute's Collected writings called "Reflections on the Great Crusade." In which Roboute provides commentaries on the actions of himself and his brothers during The Emperor's Great Crusade as a preface to his own death and Lorgar's treachery. Gulliman remains hopeful in the Emperor's project, but he does warn that The Primarchs need to stop thinking of themselves as conquerors, and instead as rulers.

We should not be so arrogant to assume that all sins fall on Lorgar and his ilk. As if it is us not them who have nothing to atone for. All of us have committed great crimes in the name of a Higher Truth. Perhaps I can say that my legions never stooped to the brutality of Angron and his world eaters, yet the home of Nuceria was part of my kingdom. The men who tortured and mutilated the soul of my brother continued their evil with their deeds unpunished. Even if I am not a monster by my deeds I have been their husbandman through my omissions. All of us have committed our crimes and when we do, we place hope in our immortality, thinking that the memories of our nefarious deeds will die with our ephemeral brethren. They do not. Instead the stories echo and amplify in whispers and hearths and children's bedsides. Eventually all of the galaxy will know of us not as the heroes we paint ans sculpt ourselves to be, but mythical monsters who steal their children and punish the wicked. And as they grow fearful, we grow cold. And as aloofness becomes callousness, callousness becomes contempt. And after contempt? What then? Then perhaps it would be better if Lorgar and the traitors did succeed, for at least such maniacal evil has the virtue of honesty, and that's one more virtue than possessed by the hypocrite. No, if the citizens of this Imperium are to serve us, then we must serve them as well. Our Astartes should grow and bond not merely with us and their ships, but the planets they serve, attend to their needs, take on their way, right their wrongs and nurture their growth. If we take the best of their sons for our own ranks, should we not return something as well?

Selected Quotes

On Taking Cover:

Do not allow your adrenaline to override your tactical sense. For an Adeptus Astartes, Cover has more uses than protection from bullets. Consider for instance, that appropriately sized barriers will protect your silhouette from enemy fire. For a few precious seconds you are little more than a formless specter of your former self. Every bullet he spends trying to pinpoint your silhouette is a round that can no longer go into you or your comrades. So use that time that your opponent spends deducting your precise location is time scouts and diversions gan gain mastery of the battlefield. The armor of a space marine offers sufficient protection from most threats, and therefore cover is more suitable protection against enemy eyes than it is enemy fire.

--Roboute Gulliman, Codex Velladucti

Boldness is brashness. Ensure that your most vulnerable members are protected. Your Librarius and apothecary should always be protected by a shield of materia, of bolter fire, or their own brothers. This is just as much for your protection as it is theirs, for what barrier could compare to the psychic protection of a librarius with time to concentrate?

--Magnus the Red, Index Prosperae

A sturdy wall is a meatshield that does not cost human life. Use it.

--Rogal Dorn, Index Praetorian

Our hands are the Emperor's fury, our armor is the Emperor's ingenuity, our brothers are the Emperor's protection. If an Astartes is so foolish as to forsake this and place its protection in a wall that could not support its own roof, then both he and that wall deserve to collapse together.

--Sigismund of The Emperor's Champions thoughts on Index Praetoran (and Rogal Dorn).

I've considered the Situation Gulliman presents, "A man needs to take cover because he is under fire." I will tell you this now my children, if you are in this situation, you have already failed me four times. Firstly because you did not prepare for his arrival, secondly the enemy is not dead before seeing you, thirdly because you allowed him to fire first, and finally because your presence failed to instill him with the fear to stand up to you at all.

--Konrad Curze, Regula Noctis

To be a Salamander is to be a bright flame of hope on a dark dismal battlefield. An astartes was built to fight like a warrior of the emperor not like a gaurdsmen. Think of your auxiliaries! What does will the put upon soldier think when he sees the Emperor's angels and the sons of Vulkan lying prone before a shattered column? I will not tolerate such pathetic displays and insults to my craftsenship. You must act as an inspiration and example at all times. You must show your men how to fight with inspiration, and should you die, teach them to die with glory.

--Vulkan, Via Draconis

Always listen for the Rhythm of the Battlefield. All soldiers in a fight take their turns to play their peace. We Astartes are the masters of the instruments of war, and can adjust to the tempo of the battle while continuing to play our piece. When taking cover, or stop for any reason you may think you are adjusting the tempo. You are not, instead you are forfeiting your role, and allowing the opponent to play his part instead.

--Jaghatai Khan, Index Skythae

Religion and The Warp

Sacred Texts Excerpts

The Psalter of The Matron
The Psalter of the Matron, are a collection of hymns and songs recorded by the Pilgrim fleets of Maccragge. According to tradition, these songs were composed by Tanasha Euten and her closest companions during the "Pilgrimage of Terra" where the Refugee fleets of Maccragge were harrassed by the demonic forces of the warp. These songs are the oldest of the Religious texts of the Aurelian Cult, and as such they are considered the bedrock on which most religious doctrines must be fount. This particular passage serves as the basis for Imperium Secundus: The Afterlife in which Gulliman gathers the heroes of the Imperium to serve him and his father after death. Illyria, is seen as a metaphor for The Warp, but is also used by the faithful as a poetic expression for trials placed upon them in life. The Hymn has been appropriated into battle chants by many ecclesiarchic organizations, and is often used as a funerary hymn by the Devout in Ultramar.

For though we are lost in Illyria,

Beset by all our foes,

We trust in you The Ultramarine,

For In Illyria you are Building a Kingdom

For In Illyria you are paving the path

For in Illyria the wild beasts obey you

For in Illyria the brutes and monsters scatter

For in Illyria the Loyal will gather to you

For in Illyria a New Kingdom will be made.

The Aurelian says to Forest of Illyria

"Be Trimmed and Pruned" And The Forest will Grove itself

The Aurelian says to the Cliffs of Illyria,

"Be Sturdy and Sloped" And The Cliffs will make themselves Foundations

The Aurelian says to Oceans of Illyria

"Be Calm and be Clean" and The Oceans will harbor themselves

The Aurelian will say to the Beasts of Illyria

"Be docile and fertile" and the beasts will husband themselves.

The Aurelian will say to Illyria "Be a Kingdom fit for my Father"

And Illyria will bow and become Imperium."

Hymmn 54

Apotheosis of Tanasha Euten

The Last Vox Broadcast of "The Maiden of Espandor"

The Maiden of Espandor was the de facto lead ship of the Refugee fleet of Maccragge, containing Tanasha Euten and several of the Senators of Maccragge. It fell out of the warp and landed on the Planet Ophelia. There were no bodies found on the ship. Instead a silver scroll called "The Manifest of The Faithful" which contains the list of those on board who "Were not found wanting." This is one of the few recordings salvaged from the Ship. The Ship is currently maintained as a site of Pilgramage by the Ecclesiarch of Ophelia

"Perhaps you are falling into despair, and you believe The Emperor has abandoned Ultramar in its darkest day. But Know This! That as my son gave his dying breath fighting these very demons he did not lose his faith in the Emperor. And because of this I know That The Lord of Ultramar stands alongside us, I see him like a great wave of sparkling clean water driving down the Floatsam and mud of the warp. He did not lose his faith, and so I swear to you on this accursed demon-ridden ship, nor will I. So if you weary to place your faith in the Emperor and too tired to carry your prayers to Terra, then fear not! Your hopes and prayers will not be lost in the hell, for as The Queen Mother of Ultramar I command you to look upon me and to place your faith in my faith and the faith of Rouboute. For we have not forgotten him -and with our last words, passing spirit, and dying gasps- My son and I will carry your names and your prayers to the Golden Throne." Courage and Honnor, my Children! The Emperor Protects!"

Lorgar Letdown

Slave To Rage

I marched with my father for the last time as we boarded The Red Tear. I passed through the Exquisite corridors I saw the beauty and care the Winged Primarch offered to his children. He was a beacon to them, and they honnored him not only with their deaths, but with their lives. And Their primarch accepted it not with ambivalence but with gratitude. My father would masquerade now as some imitation of Sanguinius but it was hollow, he would never accept the sacrifice of his sons because he saw all our offerings as worthless. Our boots marching The Red Tear still had the hypnotic percussive drumbeat of Ceremite boots against metallic and stone floors. A far cry from the soft organic crunch made from the waxen and earthen floors of The Conqueror. My brothers and I held our positions, the butchers nails burned through my body but i had been with them for too long to allow them to controll me now. I took solace it the shared misery of my brothers as they in mine. As we entered a large narthanx of the ship i permitted my self a glance around the craft of Sanguinius, our battlefield. If I had any lingering doubts of what i must do, they were gone now. This was the hall of a true leader of men. I could not weep, but i allowed my self a muffled scream in envy of The Blood Angels. Even if we slaughter the sons of Sanguinius, and slaughter them brutally, they die in the comfort of their beloved father. Surrounded by the memory not merely of him but of fallen brothers. A soldier who dies here is not murdered, he is not put down, he is martyred. His death witnessed by his fallen battle-brothers enshrined in Glass, pigment, cloth, and Rockcrete. I could not but think back to my brothers, Marcien and his loyalists, left to die amidst the ruins of Maccragge giving their last breath in mud and powdered marble as unspeakable horrors ravage their weakened body and this accursed nails laying waste their mind. So many brothers of the Twelfth left hollow open graves without so much as a solemn reflection. My men and I gathered broke off from the corrupted ranks to make our way into position. Some of my brothers openly weeping bitter tears amidst this shrine of solidarity and loyalty we could never see.

The Battle Began as the Blood Angles descended from the upper floors of the Narthanx. Hundreds of Jumppacked warriors escorted by their winged father with a mechanical hum that was synchronized so as to by melodic. This melody of the jumppacks and bolters garbled by the Grotesque hum of Lotarra's drones. Her massive insectoid sons whose humanity was lost save for the eyes rose up from the pits of the ship to meet these Angels. A great war erupted in the sky illuminated by stain glassed windows while below the Angels and World Eaters fought with bolter and axe and chainsword. My men and I, remained in the shadows of the columns attempting to get ourselves into Angron's flank.

Angron and his warriors, were slowly advancing on the Angels, blessed with Nurgles putrid endurance. Corpses of Sanguine Astartes, and wasps and demons fell from the sky crushing World Eater and Angel alike. While the war above raged on, The Red Angel descended from the battle above to confront Angron. Sanguinius fought with skill and grace, but Angron's putrid lover Lotarra and the Gladiators fought with unholy power. They didn't even bother to block, but allowed the sword of angron to penetrate their fungus and bark covered bodies, costing Sanguinius precious seconds and strength as he had to pull his weapon from their pulpy flesh. This was our moment. With a cry I charged Angron, letting out these empty words. "For the Emperor, Death To Traitors!" The Axes of my companions charged against the Nucrerian Gladiators, hacking pieces of their body away until limbs began to fall off, and they were forced to flee or parry. Many more of my brothers heard and repeated the cry, "We are The Imperial Hounds, Death to The Emperor's Foes!" Turning against their corrupted brethren. Angron's army was trapped between the berzerkers he created and disposed of and the Blood Angels. They struggled to regroup and were forced to retreat, losing many drones and corrupted world eaters along their fight back to the boarding ships. Angron's perpetual rot induce smile faded for the first time since his transformation. As my axes met his I saw rage rise in him for the first time. There was no archeotech to bring him to frothing madness, for once his rage and anger was truly his.

I remember his curse, as we drove him from the bays of the ship. He howled at us that we were dogs. "Do you think you are Hounds again? They will never treat you as a son, they will never even treat you as a soldier! They will never even treat you like a dog! You will never be anything to them, you are their cur. They will chain you to some forgotten miserable realm, far from anything they hold dear, and you will bare your teeth and bark at the whatever beasts come near their scrap. You will have no sons, because they will castrate you, they will leave you hungry, they will leave you abandoned. And when in your weakness and infirmity you are no longer worth the scraps they feed you, they will put you down like the Mongrels you are. This is your fate, Betrayer, this is the grave you have dug for my sons! You will pray for the mercy i gave to the other hounds, your greatest failure was that you did not die with your brothers on nucreria. For now you will die without a father, without sons, and without brothers, only the void will stand watch over your grave."

Kharn, A Slave To Rage

Iron Cage

Perturabo's Speech to Dorn

"Do you Remember, Rogal, when you were asked if there was any Fortress you could build that I could not siege?"

"Yes" said Dorn, "and the answer remains the same."

"As curt as ever." Said The Seigemaster of Olympia, ignoring the swarms of Fists searching the other rooms leading to the throne room.
"Now what about the inverse? Does the Great Architect of Terra believe he could crack any Fortress I built?"

"This is evident now" Dorn replied, to the muffled laughs of the Imperial Fists.

"Indeed," Perturabo nodded, while brushing away the perceived insult. "Father, never really granted me the same opportunities as my new patron does. Did you kno - I was so angered by your hubris that day, that in my more foolish mortal life, I would spend weeks at a time, agonizing over your plans and my own, your battle records. Convinced that, given the opportunity, I could outshine you with a fortress that you could never crack. But now that my patron has given me the tools to fulfill my desire, I see the truth. I was not your rival, I never existed. In your mind, I was a projection of your own sins. You once accused me of recklessly throwing legionaries at walls, and yet..." The Primarch Waved his hands around his ruined Citadel, "here we are at the site of my ruined walls. Leveled only by the Fine Skulls of your Legionaries. That ruthless obstinence is not my failure, it’s yours. Do you know what I have realized, My dear Brother Rogal? For so long, my mind was obsessed over designs for "the perfect fortress" it was my obsession, my dream, i would build the best Fortress. Then I realized my folly. There is no best fortress, whether we build them with sticks like our ancestors, or Rockcrete and Adamantium, they are all built with the same purpose. Do you know what that purpose is?"

"A Strong Fortress is one the enemy can't break" said Rogal flatly, throughout the Labyrinth, The Imperial Fists were finishing off the few remaining demons, and attempting to find where Perturabo's transmission was coming from. Dorn awaited their response

"NO" Roared Perturabo with a bellowed, triumphant laugh."I knew you would say that, I used to say that as well, after all."
"All fortresses are pregnable, Rogal, with enough time and resources. Ancient Troy fell through trickery. Qunstinable Fell through treason, Jibralter fell through Technology, and Nova Yorik fell through the unruliness of its own citizens. Just as Terra falls now due to the negligence of its Defenders. It is the duty of any fortification not to be impregnable, but to make the cost of breaking it so high the enemy is either deterred or exhausted. To be so costly, that it is not worth the treasure inside. And if that is true, the ultimate fortress, my brother, is not one that can't be besieged, it is one not worth seiging at all."

"And That, my ever-obstinate brother, is your greatest failure. Perhaps you are right, maybe there is some design of yours I could never break. But I never needed to, perhaps, like Illium of Old I just used my Ulysses to open the Gates. All i needed was its great Hector, Rogal Dorn, tied away long enough for the defenses to falter. Terra has fallen without my involvement. Now Im content enough to not care, but I know you do, just as I know in your heart you think you could siege any fortress I built. No matter how meticulous my design, you would find a way to tear it down, whatever the cost. You have to, that's why you projected onto me, your pathetic shadow. So obsessed are you with your ability to build and siege, that, like me, you could never comprehend, never even conceive of the idea that a fortress would cost too much to crack. That it is not worth the treasure inside. Well here it is, Rogal. Here is the heart of my Fortress. An Ancient Planet-destroying Bomb from the Dark Age of Technology, much like the one that has detonated on Terra in your absence. I set it to detonate in 100 days, but that was the day before you came here, about ...99 days, 16 hours and 55 minutes ago. I do hope you remember the way out Rogal and your legion is ready for a lively sprint, as I am afraid I am not here to show you the door. Good Luck dear Brother."

Holographic Projection of Perturabo at the heart of the Labyrinthine, Continent-Spanning Fortress of Olympia. During the Events of the Great Treachery