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The Emperor is dead, long live the Emperor!

(Warhammer 40k alternate History)

Chapter One: The Horusian Revolution

The causes of the Horusian Revolution are not readily agreed upon, and in order to understand them one must take into account the wide variety of factors and events that lead up to it. No two Legions views match, and the Loyalist point of view is hard to ascertain due to the widespread devisation and even destruction of their homeworlds and fleets, along with the ever dwindling numbers of Loyalist Legionaries themselves. The Elder are unwilling to divulge the degree of their involvement even to their closet allies, human and Xenos alike. Ultimately, the Revolution marked the beginning of one of the greatest periods of chaos in human history, and it is hard to conceive what kind of galaxy we would live in if it had failed. Would the Imperium continued to expand and innovate, or would it stagnate and decline? Without the power of Kaos or the tactical genius of Emperor Horus, how would it's armies have coped with new Alien enemies that have plagued the galaxy since the Revolution? Could it even be possible that the Imperium would have achieved it's ultimate goal of Human Supremacy and the total Unification of mankind, suppressing the 'pocket Empires'? Despite taking place an immesurably long time ago, when many powers such as the Tau Empire did not even exist, the Horusian Revolution presents cogent questions in this times of struggle against the Necorn Harvests and the Tyranid Hive Fleets. Why is mankind so susceptible to the influence of the Warp? How close can the galaxy come to alienation before all hope is lost? Just what is Kaos, and why should we fear or embrace it?

M30 to M31 - The Great Cursade


After the Unfication of Terra by the first Emperor, mankind launched the Great Crusade to unify mankind's scattered colonies. To bring the diverse peoples of mankind to compliance with the Imperium of Man, the Emperor had created the Adeptus Astartes, biologically engineered super-warriors. Similar to the crude Thunder Warriors of the Unification and the Emperors personal Adeptus Custodes guard, the Astartes were different in that each Astartes carried a gene-seed from a Primarch. The Primarch's were the Emperor's sons, though not in the normal sense of the word, intended to be great generals and leaders for mankind. The Emperor had struck a deal with the Kaos Powers in order to create the Primarch's, and when he broke the deal they were scattered across the galaxy. However, the Emperor was able to secure large swathes of the galaxy with those Astrates created on Terra, and in doing so acquired the location and the loyalty of his Sons. The Great Crusade was fought in the name of great ideals of secularism, harmony and peace under the centralised rule of Terra. Though the Emperor controversially suppressed all knowledge of the Warp Powers, this period is recognised by most as a Golden Age of sorts. For most of the Crusade, the Emperor lead directly, with Horus Lupercal as his right hand. However, after the victory over the Greenskins at Ullanor, the Emperor proclaimed that Horus would become Warmaster of the Imperium's armies and that he would retire to Terra to reorganise the Imperium. The Emperor's reasons for this decision were inexpiable to his sons, though is widely agreed that he was engaged in some form of 'great work'. Lemuel Gaumon of Prospero claimed that the Emperor was intended to harness the power of the Elder Webway and proclaims that Magus the Red originally intended to help the Emperor with this work, though his memoirs are regarded as too tainted to be reliable. The conventional view, put forward by the Emperor Horus, is that the first Emperor secretly planned to disestablish secularism and replace it with the 'Lectitio Divinitatus' cult, disempower the Legions in favour of a centralised civilian bureaucracy and ultimately make himself a God.

This was one in series of misguided decisions that eventually lead to the outbreak of the Horusian Revolution. Other such events include the suppression of the Word Bearers faith (which rather mysteriously for supporters of the Godhood Theory, was identical to that of the 'Lectitio Divinitatus') and the Eddict of Nikaea that alienated the Thousand Sons Legion with it's suppression of Psykers and the condemnation of the Night Lords. It was at this point in time that the Emperor's censorship of knowledge about Kaos began to backfire. Inevitably, Legions were contacted by Kaos as they moved further from the Galatic centre. While for sure we know the exact circumstances of the Word Bearers 'Pilgrimage' that lead them to the Eye from Lorgar's book and the encounter Horus had at Davin, some like the Alpha Legion may have been in contact with Kaos even before Horus was named Warmaster. There is also the question of whether the Lost Legions were in contact with Kaos, though this is doubtful as this would have meant that the other Primarch's must have had at least some rudimentary knowledge of Kaos given to them by their father.

012.M31 - the Revolution Breaks Out


'Those of us in this room have no illusions as to what we face. Eight Legions, of which we are four, and countless words are rising in rebellion against the Imperium... You have all walked different paths, but together, we have come to the same destination. The Emperor has failed us. The Imperium has failed us all. It has failed us by the laxity of it's laws, the decadence of it's culture, and the injustices heaped upon us who served most loyally. It has failed us by never recognising our virtues, never rewarding us for the blood we shed... It has failed us by being flawed to it's core, imperfect in it's pursuit of a perfect culture, and it's weakness to the encroachment of Xenos breeds... And it has failed us, most of all, by being founded on lies.' -Lorgar the Urizen addresses rebelling Legions Angered to breaking point over the Emperor's marginalisation of the Primarch's by refusing them seats on the Council of Terra, his misleading and confusing line on Psykers and Kaos and rumours of an Imperial Cult being established, fully half of the Adeptus Astartes revolted on Isstvan III. In a lighting campaign, based on deceit and surprise, Horus managed to devastate and misdirect most of the Emperors Legions within a short time period, while quickly ridding his Legions of loyalist elements in a series of Bloody Purges. Disloyalty had been sown with a network of Warrior Lodges set up by Lorgar's Word Bearers, that were permeated with Kaos worship. The motives of each Legion were diverse, and deserve some detail at this stage: Sons of Horus - Horus, acting on information he received from the Kaos Gods, claimed that the Emperor intended to make himself a God. The Sons of Horus, as the proudest and most successful of all the Legions, believed that this was an abuse of the sacrifices they had made in the Great Crusade. Other factors in this rebellion include an element of Kaos worship introduced through he Warrior Lodges, and a cult of personality surrounding Horus. Horus himself felt betrayed due to the Emperor's refusal to tell him about the nature of his 'Great Work', and that he had not been given a seat on the Council of Terra Night Lords - The Night Lords particular brand of political and legalistic authoritarianism, that held that mass Terror as the only way of maintaining order in the Imperium (and in society as a whole) was not favoured by the Emperor nor by other Legions, and was openly condemned first by Rogel Dorn and then the Emperor. This dispute resulted in combat between Curze and Dorn and Curze's eventual imprisonment, which he escaped. Curze then

destroyed his crime ridden homeworld as a gesture of how far he was willing to go to enforce his philosophy of indiscriminate punishment. However, revisionists (including many Night Lord factions) claim that the Emperor sanctioned the Night Lords Terror, and that it was a sense of betrayal that caused the Night Lords to rebel. Some sources have even suggested the Emperor tired to assassinate Curze before the revolution. The Night Lords ideology was hostile to Kaos, as it was to all forms of freedom negative or positive, and there is some controversy as to whether Curze ever truly turned, a question that obsesses Night Lord Factions to this day. Iron Warriors - Perturabo, convinced of his own strategic genius and fiercely jealous of all his brothers, never warmed to the Emperor's authority. He had railed against the decision to make Horus Warmaster, believing the position rightly his. Perturabo was believed loyal in the initial stages of the conflict, and was able to divert and acquire vital equipment from under the nose of the Dark Angels. As is often the case in revolutions, Perturabo seems to have been motivated by little else but a desire to exploit the chaos of the Civil War for personal gain. Alpha Legion - The complex motivations of the Alpha Legion will probably remain a mystery for ever. The only clue is their cryptic ideology, similar to that of the Old Terran Philosopher Osvald Spenglar of the Nordafrik Conclaves, which held that decline and imperfection in society was inevitable. While clearly incompatible with Imperial ideology, how this lead to them siding with Horus is unclear. It has been suggested that the Craftworld Elder know something, but those who seek out such knowledge have a tendency to disappear. The Cultist Legions - A amalgamated group of about four Legions. the Death Guard, Emperor's Children, World Eaters, and Word Bearers who who unconditionally accepted Kaos and either sought to make it the Imperium's offical religion, or were simply driven mad by it. The Word Bearers are the most significant and enigmatic in this respect. Originally worshipping the Emperor was a deity, the Word Bearers were humiliated by the Ultramarines for their religious beliefs at the Emperor's orders. Desperate to find an alternative truth beyond mere the offical Imperial Truth, Lorgar launched a 'Pilgrimage' that ultimately lead the Legion to the Eye of Terror. Converting to Kaos worship, the Word Bearers set about spreading their poisonous faith through a system of Warrior Lodges. The other three certified Cultist Legions worshipped monotheistic versions the Chaos faith, centring on Khrone, SheWho-Thirsts and Nurgle respectively. This religious approach to the Revolutions cause would eventually cause a rift once Horus was crowned Emperor. Some would classify the Thousand Sons as a cult Legion, though it's doubtful whether the Thousand Sons has anything like a normal religious belief system, or that they have any time for the concept of God at all. The Thousand Sons - Based on the memoirs of Lemuel Gaumon of Prospero, it is purposed that the Thousand Sons were actually loyal and sought to warn the Emperor of the coming conflict, but through the machinations of the Changing Ones were falsely labelled traitors. Also, the readable sections of a incomplete copy of the Book of Magus states "<censored information>" interestingly adding "<censored information> -on Fenris". The Thousand Sons then surprised Horus by escaping annihilation by the Space Wolves and declaring support for the rebellion. How they got to that stage is questionable, as is everything about the Legion. The Dark Angels - The Dark Angels civil war amongst themselves was a remarkable version of the Revolution in miniature. Born out of the corrupted Kaos essence at the heart of their

world and a Feudalistic Planetary Nationalism, the rebellion of the Dark Angels stationed on Caliban aganist their Primarch coincided with his realisation that the Loyalist cause was lost. After savage fighting, and a great deal of inner searching, El Johnson used his political genius to organise a compromise with those rebels who would join with him in fighting against the new Emperor Horus on the condition that Caliban would always maintain it's independence from the Imperium, whoever the ruler. Fatally dividing the rebels between Kaos worshippers and those whose primary motivation was Planetary Nationalism, he was able to drive the Kaos Worshippers off the planet, but was not able to stop them joining the New Imperium.

012.M31 - the Siege of Terra


"The old Imperium is dead, with this victory an renewed one shall arise under MY leadership! Those who are expecting Horus to allow the Imperium to dissolve are seriously mistaken. I was not acting out of hatred, but out of necessity when I slew the false Emperor. The Great Crusade is to be resumed after those so-called Loyalists who remain either see sense for are alienated, and the traditional structures before the Emperor began his mad scheme for Godhood are restored. We have won a great victory, and no one will defy Horus now and live." -Emperor Horus Lupercal, upon the death of the "Emperor" The Rebel Marines laid waste to their former allies' holdings along the way to Terra. Throughout the Imperium, rebel and loyal forces battled viciously. Horus and his forces destroyed Luna's naval bases, and within 30 days had destroyed the Terran system's defences. Terra was bombarded and devastated, and eventually, the corrupted Marines landed on Terra, experiencing heavy resistance from the forces defending Terra (among these loyalists were Blood Angels, Imperial Fists and White Scars). The loyalists were outnumbered, and the battle for Terra turned into a siege of the Imperial Palace. By the 55th day the rebels had reached the walls of the Inner Palace. Horus, who had remained in orbit aboard his battle barge, was at that point warned that the rest of the loyalist Legions were returning to Terra and would arrive in hours. The Ultramarines were pushing their way to Terra, along with the Space Wolves. If this were to happen, Horus' advantage in numbers would be diminished. He let down the force field protecting his battle barge, to lure the Emperor in a final battle that would decide the war. The Emperor saw this opportunity and teleported to the Warmaster's battle barge with two of his Primarchs, Terminator armoured Marines of their Legion as well as members of the Custodes. Upon teleporting, the Emperor's forces were scattered through the ship, and were forced to battle their way to find each other. Sanguinius found Horus first. Horus was at the height of his powers; augmented by the blessings of all four Kaos Gods, and Sanguinius was slain. Horus stood over the Primarch's body as the Emperor found the Warmaster. After a long and grueling battle, the Horus was successful in defeating the Emperor, though the Emperor's spirit clung on to the dead body. The Emperor's forces, shocked by this defeat, retreated in the face of such an unthinkable tragedy. Horus, however, was barely in control of the Imperium and proclaimed himself Emperor and held his first council of state in the Throne Room while the Loyalist defenders of the Palace were still inside. What's more Horus had made his deal with Kaos on the implication that they simply wished to get even with the Emperor. Soon as Kaos's true intentions became clear, Horus broke free from the influence of the four with a great effort of will that is said to have destroyed and recreated whole new worlds in the Eye of Terror in seconds. At this moment, just as She-Who-Thirsts had awoken when the decadence of the Elder reached it's most obscene, so awakened the fifth Kaos

power, Malal. Binding the Emperor's spirit to the Golden Throne, Horus temporarily prevented the Warp forces gathering beneath Terra from ripping it apart. However, this would not be enough, and it was now clear to Horus that many of his brothers were too far gone to Kaos to be trusted. In particular, he distrusted those who became Demon Princes, ever since he had discovered that Fulgirm had been so dishonoured by the demon that had taken his flesh and his place. But above all, Horus was angry at having been manipulated and at the crimes he had committed. Though it would be a some time before he would, Emperor Horus was already realising soon that he would turn against yet more of his Brothers in the course of bloody reign. From 'The Horusian Revolution Reconsidered: A Examination for the Post-Imperium World' published and stored in the Great Databases of the Interex.

Chapter Two: Horus Consolidates Power

The Emperor Horus at court, to his left is First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon.

Imperial Seal of the Emperor Horus, incorporating the Imperial Aquila symbolising the Unity of Mars and Terra with the Eye of Horus. Immediately after the Mon-keigh warlord Horus slew the Emperor, the situation presided almost exactly as the Cabal had planned. Unfortunately for our Craftworld and for the Galaxy, however, not exactly enough to produce success. While other Craftworlds like Ulthw had foolishly attempted to prevent the downfall of the Mon-keigh empire, warning those who had already turned to the Great Enemy, we had long seen that it was the only way to allow mankind and Chaos to become extinct through the wrath of Horus the Betrayer. In this capacity we had contacted the Alpha Legion, after discovering the Mon-keigh of Caliban upon whom we had wasted so much resources were corrupted, and sought to make them party to the grand designs of the Cabal. Alas, now the Cabal is broken, and all because of the brutish survival instincts of those apes. Oh, but do not let me dwell on this. I am near over 19,975 years old, and you are all so young, why some of you are barely older than a century. It is hard for me, because I remember the despair of those times and the threat our Craftworld faced. The whole race would have been doomed to extinction at the hands of Chaos if we hadn't made sure Horus was victorious. But you, you don't remember, you spend so much time off Craftworld, mixing with the Interex and the Tau.... But I'm rambling... Oh yes, Horus was victorious, if you can call such a bloodbath a military victory when compared with the grace of our combat, it was little better than a Orkish squabble. We had ensured this by persuading he Alpha Legion to see reason and turn against the Emperor, thus leading to the extin.... I told you that already haven't I? Yes, I must move on.

Horus had yet to fully secure the blighted Mon-keigh homeworld, much less their insult of an Empire. Loyalists were still at large, and many of his followers should little intention of maintaining any semblance of order. Thousands of worlds had declared independence, and enemies who had been dormant at the hint of the Imperiums power became bold. The Druchii harvested many souls of Mon-keigh, raiding deep into the depths of the Galactic centre, and Orks had been draw by the lure of conflict and attacked Loyalist and rebel alike. Soon, strongholds had been established around Caliban, Macragge and Fenris. The first too provided alternative centres of government, Caliban in particular now proclaiming antiImperial ideals of independence and freedom and the Ultramarines maintaining order despite the destabilising attacks launched by the Word Bearers and Alpha Legion. The Space Wolves merely fought. Terra itself was still home to contingents of White Scars, Imperial Fist and Blood Angels, continuing their resistance inside the vast Palace. Dorn, in particular, was still at large. As our Seers and the Slanni had correctly foreseen, Horus still had a semblance of honour within himself, and neither was he lost to any one particular Chaos god, expect perhaps the Renegade God of Anarchy and Self-Destruction, Chaos that hates Chaos itself. He intended to hold the Chaos Gods to the agreement he made made with them, that they would withdraw from the affairs of our Galaxy once the Emperor, whom they claimed had wronged them and breaking a deal with them, was deposed. Of course, Chaos thirsts for conquest and knows no reason or restraining will, though it has vast intelligence. Horus needed to make sure he could enforce his authority from the center before he began the re-conquest of the galaxy. At this moment, to move against those of his Kin whom he despised for worshipping Chaos would result in him being heavily outnumbered.

014. M31 -The Great Scouring Begins


Horus quickly moved to unite the Legions under his control with the only thing that could unite them, war against the Loyalists. While offering them the chance to sigh an oath of loyalty to him, Horus proclaimed all Loyal Legions, in a fit of madness only Mon-keigh politics can achieve, Excommunicate Traitoris. He deliberately allowed Loyalists to escape from Terra, all the while bombarding them with propaganda, allowing him time to harness what little remained of Terran infrastructure to his purposes. Immediately after securing Terra, Horus reenforced the forces of Fabricator-General Kelbor-Hal on Mars, clearing out the last remnants of loyalist presence on the planet. The Sons of Horus also discovered an apparently abandoned fortress on Titan, which appeared to have been home to a unknown Legion of Space Marines. These Ghosts would return to haunt Horus in future. Horus, with a burning hatred of formal government, believed he could run the Imperium directly as a military operation. The Adepts of Terra were virtually abolished, replaced by direct rule by the Primarchs. This move, while in theory centralising the Imperium, lead to great disunity among the Mon-keigh. It allowed the Primarch's to rule, or destroy, any world under their Legions control as they willed. This ensured that they would not break away from the new Imperiums, but not that they would obey it's laws. The groundwork for the Civil War we planned to destroy humanity was in place, but alas, we Children of Isha are forever doomed to misfortune A lecture given by the late Autarch Slau Dha to young Eldar of the Craftworld of Lugganath.

Chapter Three: The Counter-Revolutionaries Fragment

Ultramarines quelling dissenters emboldened by the death of the First Emperor on Prandium, a world infested with Alpha Legion operatives. "Death to the False Imperium! Death to the Traitor Emperor!" -Lumen Russ After the so-called Horusian Revolution and the death of the Emperor, Beloved by All, those loyal to his legacy found themselves in a position unthinkable, we were now offering resistance to the governance of Terra. We no longer had the directing hand of our creator to guide us, we were no longer simply warriors obeying orders. We're were become politicians, demagogues and ideologues overnight by necessity. Such responsibilities too often do not fit well with the Astartes temperament and duties to the Legion, though I am proud to say we of the Ultramar Protectorate have proven ourselves able civil servants. Our adherence to the Codex, as it does in war, has proven the core of our success in domestic affairs. As the Primarch says 'Floret Bellum Et Floret Pax Est Glorificus', that the Ultramarines strive to

achieve. It saddens me, however, to describe that for many of our Brother Legions it was not so and that there were such times as then when our Legion's honour and very existence were threatened by the very things we had once considered our own support and lifeline. The Throne of Terra now housed a tyrant that once we had thought the best of us all, and those who we called brothers turned against us in a war without end. To this end, with the structures of government destroyed, the Adeptus Astartes had to provide alternative structures of authority and prevent the False Imperium from claiming the Galaxy.

014. M31 - The Imperial Partition


Without the Emperor or the Adeptus Terra to mediate between them, and indeed with little ability to communicate through the Warp Storms had followed the Great Catastrophe, the Primarch's loyal to the Emperor's legacy soon went their separate ways. Negotiations between them lead to little more than vague assurances of loyalty and a common desire to fight, on everything else there was no agreement, in that there was often open suspicion and rivalry. This was our greatest fault, for together under the rightful leadership of Roboute Guilliman as Warmaster and the guidance of the Ultramarine Codex we could have overthrown Hours. But all believed the Honour should be there's, and without an Emperor to settle the issue it was left undone. There would be no new Warmaster to challenge this traitor Emperor. Dorn in particular seemed to us changed by his experience on Terra, and the fact that Horus had let him escape did him no favours. He brooded long and deeply on what the possible causes of Horus's betrayal where, and was unable to accept so beloved a Brother could commit such deeds for such trivial reasons as mere political disenchantment. Though we did not yet no it, he was already seeking to 'understand' Chaos in secret. Dorn cared for little more than vengeance and it was all the others could do to stop him heading straight for Terra without support. The Iron Hands, Salamanders and Blood Angels were deep in mourning for their slain Primarch's. The Lion had turned his back on all the Galaxy and concerned himself only with rebuilding his world and Legion. Corax too could do little with such a diminished force and was in deep depression. Russ was withdrawn, seemingly contemplating things of which we knew nothing. He offered nothing but riddles and jibes to the negotiations. Khan too was disturbed by his experience on Terra, though he was more concerned with how it had affected Dorn so profoundly. There was no formal partition, but is happened. Each Legion became a state in it's own right, defining and enforcing the laws of all the worlds under it's influence. Herein lies an overview of each such states, some initiates may recognise familiar allies and rivals, but many have passed from the world and are now as echoes in the Warp.

The Ultramar Protectorate

Roboute Guilliman announcing the formation the Protectorate. An extract from: Quote: The Codex Constitutio of the Ultramar Protectorate

In the name of the essential Unity of Humanity and the Imperial Truth spread through the Great Crusade, this Codex sets out the administrative and political organisation of the Ultima Segmentum now that the authority of Terra has lost it legitimacy through the treachery of Horus. Ultramar is too become a independent Protectorate, a sovereign entity no longer part of the Imperium of Man until the time that honour and the Imperial Truth again reign again on Terra. Hereby all worlds that are occupied by Ultramarine Astartes are annexed to Ultramar. This Protectorate is based on the ideal that it is the duty of the Astartes to protect humankind, not destroy it. This Codex maintains that the first concern of the Astartes Chapters is to honour his close bond with the People of the Protectorate. 1) Supreme Executive Authority Rests with the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion and all the Chapters therein composed. When the Primarch is longer able to discharge his duties as Executive of the Protectorate, the Chapter Masters shall elect two Consuls from their own ranks. These Consuls shall have power over all affairs relating to War, the Security of the State and affairs with other states and races. They shall have the power of veto over each other. 2) In times of Crisis, the Consuls shall be replaced by a Dictator who will have Supreme Executive Authority and hold the office of Warmaster of the Protectorate. Time of crisis will be defined by the Ultramarine Astartes Chapters without consultation with civilian authorities. 3) A) The Legislative Upper Chamber to be known as the Sentus Ultramar shall have power over all domestic affairs no conflicting with security or the Codex, and will have the final say on all legislation produced by the lower chamber. It's representatives shall be elected democratically. Suffrage will be restricted to members of the Armed Forces, Nobility and Navy. The Counsuls and Dicator have unlimited powers of veto over the Sentus Ultramar. B) The Legislative Lower Chamber to be known as the Concilium Ultramar shall be able to present all forms of legislation to the Upper House for approval. It will be elected by universal suffrage. As the largest of Legions, so our state was the largest challenger to the False Imperium. The creation of the Codex Constitutio coincided with the creation of the Codex Astartes, and all Ultramarines must learn and observe from the Primarch's teaching in both. The Chapters named Novamarines, Patriarchs of Ulixis, White Consuls, Black Consuls, Libators, Praetors of Orpheus, Inceptors, Genesis Chapter, Mortifactors along with the Ultramarine Chapter proper were all created as a means to decentralise decision making within the Legion and increase it's tactical variability. However, only a few of those Chapters would strong enough to continue existing after the coming war.

The Covenant of Caliban

"We welcomed the Imperium as brothers to our world, we allowed them to replace our way of life with their own, we allowed them to clear the forests of our world and build great industries where once our own estates and castles stood. They abolished the order of things, and nobles and peasant alike slaved in Imperial service. This we allowed them to do and not an arm did we raise against them, indeed we welcomed it. In return Imperial citizens unleashed forces upon our people that nearly endangered our survival as a planet. The Imperium did not provide Unity, we did that ourselves. It does not provide peace, look at the wars fought between it Legions. We ask to left alone. We declare unconditional Independence from the Imperium of Man! -The Declaration of Independence, Sighed by the Covenant of Caliban including Lion El Johnson - Primarch of Dark Angels, the Lord Cypher, Sir Sar Davial, Lady Alera, Brother-Librarian Israfael - Chief of Caliban Epistolary etc. Whatever happened on Caliban, we can never be sure what made the Lion turn his back on the Emperor's legacy. Even Horus never dared question the very ideals of the Great Cursade and the Imperium it built, but the Covenanters of the Caliban did just that. Shrouding themselves in secrecy and pursuing a policy of isolationism, replacing the Imperial Truth with a mystical cult of Chivalry, the Dark Angels like so many others in those dark times sought to turn Chaos to their own ends, and they do so now. More than warriors or servant of a government, the Dark Angels saw themselves as a legitimate continuation of Caliban's ruling Aristocracy, took estates and gave themselves titles as if they were mortal Nobility, not

Astartes. They owned allegiance to no one, save their Order and the Grand Master. Anything more repellent to the Codex and the ideals of the Emperor cannot be imagined outside of Horus's cursed False Imperium. The Dark Angels were one of the largest of the Legions, and their lose dealt the Loyalist cause no end of damage. Though we should be grateful, as Russ wryly put it, that they weren't 'warpshit Horusians'. They may not have helped us, but they did not help the enemy either.

The Provisional Government of the Imperium of Man


Commonly known as the "Black Crusade"

"Go ahead, coward! Build your pretty Kingdom, I don't care. I don't care about anything you do. Your not worth the dirt on my armour, where were you when I was on Terra!? I heard him die, you bastards! I can still hear him dying! Your not the Emperor, none of us are. I don't care if we don't ever have another Emperor. It's just war, that's all the future holds, now he's dead. ALL I CARE ABOUT IS VENGEANCE! YOU HEAR ME BROTHER? I only want to kill Horus and every damned one of his whore-son train by any means necessary, and you aren't going to tell me how Guilliman! You think I'm a traitor do you? You think I'm unreliable, that's why you want to take my Legion away from me! Well, I'm going to do the opporstite. I've merged with the Blood Angels and soon others will join me. After I've killed Horus, perhaps I'll kill defeatists and cowards like you as well!" -Rogel Dorn refusing to accept Gulliman's Codex, the Astropath who delivered Gulliman's reply was executed by Dorn. Alas, brothers, for Dorn was once a great Brother and Primarch famed for his stoicism and the ability to control his great anger. The Emperor's death changed him, there was little to recognise in the vengeful, brooding warlord that he became. On the edge of madness Dorn proclaimed all attempts at creating an alternative to Imperial Rule, even while Horus was on the Throne, as treason. He believed we should waste no time on bringing order to our worlds, but instead called wildly for an eternal war against all mankind that did not join him in his Crusade of grief and revenge. He was no longer interested in the Imperial Truth or bringing the Galaxy to Compliance, or in the welfare of mankind. Often repeating under his breath that 'Curze was right! Curze was right! I should have listened!' for reasons that he would not tell

his brothers, Dorn claimed that the Imperium would be forever at war in the Emperor's name and that all mankind was smothered in sin by the Emperor's death, and must be punished. He sought to 'understand' why it had happened, and was fascinated by Chaos in more ways than the simple interest of hate. He declared all morality an illusion scattered by the Emperor's death and that he would do anything to destory Hours. Even then, we had no idea how serious he was. As the Emperor Custodians, Dorn and the Imperial Fists claimed they were the most direct link the Emperor, Beloved by All, existing and thus that they were the supreme power in the Imperium until a new government was formed on Terra. Merging with the Blood Angels and Iron Hands, along with many Salamanders and other Astartes from all Legions whom the Emperor's death had driven mad, Dorn's Imperial Fists painted their resplendent armour pitch black and abandoned the careful tactics of their past in favour of furious charges with blades and fists. These Black Crusaders, as they called themselves, set about on a unreasoning and uncoordinated campaign of terror and massacre. This bloody work of Dorn, while reminding the False Imperium citizens to fear the true Emperor's servants, also damaged the Counter-Revolutionary cause immeasurably by causing whole systems to flock to Horus for protection.

The Imperial Loyalist Confederation

"Do not be alarmed! The Rebellion has not been successful! Do not be alarmed! The Emperor is dead, but we will protect you! Do not be alarmed! If your planetary government declares loyalty to the False Imperium we will bombard this world! This world is still under rightful Imperial government! Chaos Cults threaten law and order! Report all unlawful activity to the Raven Guard Legion! Do not be alarmed!" -Public Relations announcement given by Raven Guard Legion Naval portals It gladdens my heart to mention these allies of old, who for so long fought with our Protectorate against the False Imperium. Formed by those members of the Salamanders who refused to merge with Dorn, the Raven Guard and the White Scar Legion, the Imperial Loyalist Confederation comprised a great deal of worlds near the Galactic center policed and

kept in order by those three Legions. Though dismissive of the Codex, they aligned themselves in some fashion with the Primarchs designs to thwart Horus by isolating him in Segmentum Solar and waiting till our numbers were sufficient enough to overwhelm his forces totally. However, they were always dangerously close to the center, and always bore the blunt of the False Imperium's attacks.

The mttugr Rki Fenrika

"Okay, is everybody here? Oh, I see that our friend the governor of Vanaheim did not deign to come to my humble thingstead. That's a shame that is, because now I will have to burn his world, murder his people and tear off his head. That how we deal with disloyalty, and you shouldn't be surprised because I've never kept it a secret. He should have known better than to expect Horus to have saved him from my wolves. I see some of are thinking I'm a little aggorant to talk about this in the past tense, or perhaps you think that I don't know Gothic very well. Well, that's because I've misled you my mortal friends. I've had his head with me all along. I hope your all learn from this that I'm not in the way of making idle threats I can't

carry out." -Lumen Russ to a assembly of Planetary governors It is not easy for a son of Ultramar to admit, but there is one Legion that all Astartes are in awe of of, and those are the Space Wolves. During the Great Crusade it was not known to us why the Emperor had created such a force of such barbarity and ferocity. But once the socalled Revolution occurred, we knew, we knew too very well. The Emperor had no be foolish enough to trust his Legions, he had created his Executioner in Lumen Russ. Horus had feared Russ, and it was that fear in part that motivated the haste with which he conducted his campaign of madness. Russ was no simple minded barbarian however, he knew the Emperor's will in ways perhaps even Horus and Magus could never have realised. He did not attack madly like Dorn, his terror was always well targeted and executed, his savagery always in controlled bursts leaving devastation in their wake. Never unthinking, he harried the traitors from his stronghold of subjugated world, never overreaching his forces. Before Horus could do anything, he would have to deal with Russ somehow. Taken from the 'Chapter History of the Ultramarines Volume IV' by Chief Librarian Papus Deceimus. Recovered by Tau Earth Caste Archaeologists from the ruins of the Fortress Monastery on Macragge, translated by Water Caste Culturalists.

Chapter Four: The First Frenzy Wars

Angron's World Eaters rush to engage Space Wolf positions in the First Frenzy Wars on the world of Vanaheim. Listen, Children of Lorgar, to the voice of your Apostle! For I invoke the Muse that speaks a thousand truths and a thousand lies with a thousand mouths, and makes clear the terrible and glorious tales of the past times when the Gods walked among men not only on Holy Cadia and Colchis, but across all the realms of men! Sing, Muse of the Eternal Fire and the Blazing Suns, of those times of reckoning and glory for the followers of truth of Lorgar the Chosen! Sing, Muse, of the anger of Angron, that mighty anger that delivered so many Skulls to the Skull Throne! Sing of the Skulls of Infidels and the Skulls of Pious and Faithful followers of the Truth that were delivered to the Throne once parted from their bodies in that great rendering of flesh. Listen, Brothers of Colchis, for if you are truly attentive you shall know the enlightening wisdom of Lorgar well from these tales of the great and glorious, and you shall ascend to become a Word Bearer if you are worthy! For this was the time when Godlike Horus the Betrayer planned and schemed to rule all the stars where dwell men separated from the Gods by the veil of illusionary reality. For having slain the Great-Liar Father, the Anathema of

Terra, Horus was poisoned in heart against the rule of the immortal Gods by the newborn yet Ancient Malal the God of Hatred and Trickery and sought to rule all himself. Casting out his grand mind, Wide Ruling Lupercal schemed and plotted to rule all things and deny the Gods this world of stars and men. With these things in his heart, Godlike Horus called an assembly of Brothers in the den of the Great Liar-Father, and before him gathered that mighty company of heroes. Godlike Mortarion was there, and Fulgrim the fearfully wonderful to look upon, Curze Son of Darkness and Mighty Perturabo. Lorgar the Unizen, Chosen of the Gods and Bringer of Truth to Mankind made a grand entrance and was envied by Godlike Lupercal. The trickster Alpharius did not come to see his Brothers in the Den of the Liar-Father but stayed hidden away as he always was wont to do, and Wise Magus the Red was far away on the Planet of Sorcerers. Last to arrive was murderous Angron, whom is always the vessel of the Divine Skulltakers Anger, whom rages at all things with the purity and intensity of those who bear the highest Mark of Khrone. Wide-Ruling Lupercal addressed his brothers with his clever and deceitful words, "Oh Brothers, I am troubled with a great worry. Though we have slain the Great Father-Liar, the Anathema of Terra, and sit in his own den while his body lies dead and his soul in torment, those great warriors who accept still his lies and our our own dreadful kin are arrayed all around ours like vicious Sky-sharks surround the Warp travelling ship hated by the Gods and cursed with misfortune to be ripped apart by those creatures. Though now the Father-Liar lies dead, we should have no quarrel with them, they are eager for my blood and will not acknowledge my rule. Russ the Wolf-Liar above all I fear, for the Great Father-Liar made him so that he could kill all the sons that would disobey him like a tamed wolf eating a disobedient babe Prince at the Kings command. His warriors are fearful and his cunning his legendary. What am I to do to overcome such a dreadful Kin?" Then rose the Giver of Truth, Lorgar the Chosen, who spoke words of hope and instruction to his beloved brother, for even wise as he was he could not know the bile that Wide-Ruling Lupercal held for the Truth of the Immortal Gods in his Breast at that time. "Brother, do not be disheartened to fight our Kin, for we do so not without cause but in the name of the Immortal Gods and the Divine Truth I saw on Holy Cadia, to bring enlightenment to man and allow him to triumph over the plague of alien blades that surly shall come as was revealed to me, the Gods Prophet. Be not despondent in this duty but feel great joy, Godlike Horus, to do the will of the Gods! As we slew the Liar-Father, so we shall slay the Liar Brothers will no greater difficulty". Wide-Ruling Horus was ferocious inside at these words of his brother, for he hated the will of the Gods and refused to take joy in it, for he sought always to make his law stronger than that of the Gods. But he was wise, and spoke nothing to cause discord at the assembly so soon and ruin the plans that malicious Malal and the yet-dreaming Necoho whispered into his ears and kept his evil will hidden. Curze the Night Haunter also felt spiteful anger and was about to lash out angry words with his harsh tongue when Godlike Lupercal looked at him with such a look that he knew to stay silent and leave the Truth undefiled. Then Man-Killer Angron bellowed and beat his fists "To me the Wolf-Dog Russ is nothing, for none among our Kindred are the match for me in the combat men fight face-to-face, and the Skulltaker has given me more strength than the Great Liar-Father ever could have. I will kill him, maim his followers and burn his world. Even the greatest beast will die under the Axe of Men loved by the Blood God! Let me go against him, and all this will I do and not be

in the slightest sated in my thirst for blood or even tired by the combat, but I will right way be ready for war again while his corpse lies unrotted before my feet, mere seconds dead." Horus the Betrayer was glad to hear these words from Godlike Angron the Rager, for it was always part of his plan to send the Warlike World Eaters against the Liar-Wolves of Fenris. For he intended to drive apart those Brothers who were devoted to the Gods far from Wretched Terra so he could raise his arm against the true faith of the immortal Gods and bring the darkness of Necoho, the renegade God of disbelief, upon all mankind just as his Great-Liar Father had done.

015-017 M31 - The First Frenzy Wars

World Eater Champion Carl the Slaughter mounted on his demonic stead is ambused by Space Wolves on their home turf of Fenris. Such was the bloodshed of those times, it is said that even the Stars turned red with rage. Wolf and World Eaters clashed against each other with fury and hateful passion, and the Blood God rejoiced and raged at the sounds of war. The World Eaters spent long months

tearing each world of the Wolf-Liars dominion apart and ripping across like a tearing thread of destruction towards Fenris and Fang, the den of the Wolf Liar. Murderous Angron built great heaps of skulls on every battlefield he walked. As is taught in the Book of Lorgar, when the faithful commit enough souls to the Realm of the Gods so does the veil of illusion break down and the Gods servants walk among men as demon warriors. The Wolves howled their defiance as the dimensions ripped apart to reveal the Blood Red Armies of the Immortal Skulltaker. Savage Xenos, the Greenskins, were draw into this great war of men as the Demonette draws herself close the light of human pleasure in the darkness of space. They defiled this great war with their meaningless presence, and the Eaters of Worlds punished them for their transgressions into the affairs of men and Gods and the Wolves did likewise. In the end, all there was were Skulls for the Skull Throne and Blood for the Blood God. Finally, the Drop Pods of the World Eaters fell upon Frenis, with the Xenos slamming down after them soon after. Great was the shedding blood and the clash of blades and the roar of war machines. However, from such conflict there can be only one victor. The Skulltaker himself, not his champions nor his enemies nor those who know nothing of him, triumphs alone in such a conflict. Though the World Eaters gained many Skulls and honours for there services, and the Apotheosis of Raging Angron took place as he stood at the gate of the Fang, they were driven off the surface of the world by the Wolf-Kings cunning. The Wolf-Liar waited till the Greenskins and World Eaters had fought each other dry in order to take up siege positions around the Fang and gain the Honour of breaching it's walls. He waited as they drowned and froze in the strange landscape of that world. Then once his Wolves were ready, he flew out from his Den in a mighty rage and drove back all invaders. Fenris is an evil world, a world hostile to the Immortal Gods rule where demons grow weak and Wolves that are not Wolves stalk the invaders footsteps. It will be a great day in the Eyes of the Faithful when that world is destroyed.

Orks, awed by the scale of violence in the Horusian Revolution, had determined to join in. By the time the a Warboss mean enough to create a Waaagh! strong enough to rival the Orkish Empire at Ullanor had emerged, the World Eaters had already begun to move on Fenris. Naturally, the Orks decided that they were going to Fenris too. From an epic oral poem memorised by Colchisian priests, taught to Word Bearer Initiates.

Chapter Five: The Emperor's Conclave

<Data Requested> <Processing> <Data Requires Frumentarii Clearence of the Highest Level> <Please Enter Code> <Processing> <Access Approved> <Welcome Lord>
Voice: Brother! Wake up? The Emperor: Is that you... Sanguinius? Voice: Wake up Brother! The Emperor: Oh Sanguinius.... I've had such dreams... Voice: I'm not Sanguinius, awake! The Emperor: What?! Who dares enter my chambers? I am Horus, I am the Emperor!

<The Emperor Seizes the Intruder> Konrad Curze: Would you kill a brother? The Emperor: Curze! Konrad Curze: Would you? The Emperor: You know I would. Konrad Curze: As I thought.... Brother, we must speak, pardon the... aha.... intrusion. The Emperor: What matter do you bring to me here that you cannot discuss at Court? What possible matter brings you to so violate my... my... Konrad Curze: Slumbers? I identify brother, for I too have... bad dreams. But you already must know of what matter we must speak. The Emperor: Lorgar! Konrad Curze: And the corruption he is spreading to every part of the Imperium, with his filthy Cult and his damned oratory. He thinks himself above you, and above all of us because he sold the soul of his Legionaries in return for a twisted half-truth and a festering corruption at his heart. We must move, and move soon if we are too prevent our Legions becoming playthings for those things in the Warp that call themselves Gods. I've seen it Brother, I've seen what they will become if we let them listen to the Warp whispers. The Emperor: But too many of our Brothers have turned, even I was in their thrall once. Look what happened to Mortarion, he joined us willingly as a Primarch and a brother because he agreed with our cause and ambitions, but after single warp storm he has became one of those confounded Spirits! Fulgrim I know full well lies imprisoned and tortured within that abomination that took his flesh, and Magus would never have joined us of his own free will! They are not ascending to Godhood, they are being destroyed by impostor warp-beasts! Our brothers are being stolen from us before my very eyes, and we can only watch and wonder who's next... Konrad Curze: My Emperor, brother, we have a plan... The Emperor: We? Voice: Yes, we have a plan, Lord Emperor. The Emperor: That voice? Alpharius? You haven't arrived on Terra, your fighting the Ultramarines! How can you be here? You where here this whole time? Voice: With all due respect, Emperor, I am not Alpharius. The Emperor: Of course you are! That voice is yours, I found you and I'd know you anywhere. You are Alpharius!

Konrad Curze: This is Omegon, Brother. The Emperor created one more of us than we knew, he is twin to Alpharius. Omegon: I am here to share the concerns of the Alpha Legion with the Emperor. We are concerned that Chaos is a destructive force that will destroy our civilisation unless dealt with. To ensure this goal, the Alpha Legion purposes to extend the power of the Imperial Office you hold, so that all sighs towards racial deviancy and ruin will be suppressed by a strong and vigilant Imperium. Konrad Curze: To do this we must break down the power of the.. deviant Primarchs. Omegon: They pose a threat to everything we built in the Great Crusade. The Emperor: You speak my mind, Brothers, and I am glad. Those crazed elemental forces assured me that they had no interest in our realm, yet if that were true why does Lorgar, the closest of us to their designs, ever expand his wretched Church? By all means, they are useful allies but they are not our masters! I went to War to prevent religion ruining the Imperium, not to prop up his creed of madness. But my Legion has been touched by this creed, and I must act before I lose control of them completely. We have already diverted Angron and his Legion into a stalemate with the Rki Fenrika, but we still have the Death Guard and Emperor's Children as possible allies of Lorgar. Whatever the Thousand Sons will do is completely unknown to me. That's three potential Legions against four, if Angron recovers enough forces to pose a threat. We can't count on the Adeptus Mechanicus entirely either. That worse odds than we faced in the Revolution. We will need to set as many of these potential rebels against me against the CounterRevolutionaries to drain them. However, I don't trust anyone save myself to effectively deal with the Counter-Revolution and only then with all possible forces at my disposal. Either that, or we must come to some kind of agreement with them. Which is unthinkable from their point of view, however much it may benefit us and the Imperium. Omegon: These so-called Loyalists are just as divided as us, Emperor. The Lion probably won't even try to attack us, and Dorn is gone mad and may turn on his brothers. Konrad Curze: He was always mad to me, now I'm tempted to think he has some sanity after all. We must play them against each other, all the while keeping them all in awe of our strength, so that they will not attack. As soon as we divide, they may unite. We need a false display of unity coupled with terror. Say, a campaign against Ultramar, with you at the head. Leading from the front you won't repeat the same mistakes our Father did. Omegon: But first we will need to create a system of repression the likes of which our Father never considered, with power above even the Astartes. My Legion will provide the groundwork, our system of Operatives extends everywhere. Konrad Curze: My Legion will gladly be the armed wing of such a organisation. We value the rule of the Imperium's law and the rightful deliverance of punishment above all petty humanities and excuses of innocence. Corruption is everywhere, and must to rooted out.

The Emperor: Yes. The Romani Empire had such an organisation called the Frumentarii, and such we call this most high and honourable arm of my authority. The Ordos Frumentarii, we shall have three orders. Ordos Ideologicus, Ordos Mallues and Ordos Xenos. First we will have to break up the system of Warrior Lodges. They were useful in the rebellion and the men have a great attachment to them, but they are past their useful and have become subversive. I will remember this Conclave of ours, Brothers, we shall met again soon.

The seal of the Ordos Frumentarii.

Taken from the Imperial Achieve on Terra, impostor Interex Spies with access to Frumentarii Codes successfully tracked down and executed for accessing this file. Thought for the Day: Discipline leads to Victory.

Chapter Six: Horus Prepares to Leave Terra, Launches the "Prometheus Project"

Reconstruction-era Terran industrial compounds fuelling the rebuilding of the Imperial Palace shortly before Horus's departure on campaign, Hy Brasil.

Imperial Survey Number:161552980 Designation: Terra


Quote: "I file this report for the attention of the Captain Horus Aximand, and one one else from the Emperor down is too read this report. Even the First Captain is not cleared, Emperor's Orders. Don't ask me for authentication, servitor shit. Emperor's Orders! Yes, I do have a warpshit seal! I am a damned Son of Horus and I obey only the Emperor! This is the Emperor's seal. Don't tell me it isn't, it is! Emperor's Orders, you worthless metal junk! Damn this, Tech Priest! Get a Tech Priest here now! <static>

Thank you Magos. Now GET OUT! Astartes business! Now, Captain. My patrols confirmed your suspicions, the earth itself is infused with warp energy, and not just around the Palace too. It's as if the damn planet itself is burning up on the inside, and I'm not talking about fire or Lava Captain. The lower the level, the more mutation we find, and what's got the Magos Biologis confused it that it isn't defective DNA that's mutuating. These aren't just kids whose mothers spent their lives in a pool of Chemical piss, it's thoroughbred noblemen who never been near a chemical that wasn't good for them in their whole pampered existence. Whole offices of well-educated pen-pushers are turning into halfhuman slim in the Imperial Palace more isolated departments. The patrols need to park more ammo every trip. Now, we all know what's happening to our brothers who are over keen on Lorgar's cult, and too those other Legions. Hell, it happening to all of us. Every morning I'm waiting for the extra-finger to help me rip out my eyes with. Well, whatever's going on here isn't helping. We may be in real space, but we might as well be in the Immaterium for all the energies that we're being exposed to. Now, there are rumours of things living in the lower levels of the Palace. Not even human in the first place, something much more serious than a mutant outbreak. We're talking a Xenos infestation in the highest levels of the Imperium here, or worse. However, must of the Brothers seem to think it's just rumour, and certainly most of the witnesses couldn't be trusted to look after their grandmothers if you paid them to do it. And of course, it could always be members of another Legion.... Don't worry, we aren't going to look down their in a hurry. What the Emperor forbids stays forbidden. Well, enough scout prattle. The Frumentarians or whatever their called have got their work cut out for them if there going to get rid of the Lodges. The ban might as well have been made by Rogel Dorn for all the attention First Captain and his lot pay to it. I'm telling you, it's getting hard to put together a squad I can trust. I wouldn't anymore send a Lodge Member into the lower levels than let a wolf into a butcher house. After everything we've been through, it's as if some of them don't even respect the Warmasters name anymore. But don't get me wrong, I think that the majority of brothers will follow the Emperor, I just don't think if things carry on the way things are that the Legion can stay united. After what we did.... Without the Warmaster, I dread what would happen to us. But he lives, and I trust him to save the Legion. The sooner we get off this planet, the better. Report ended."

Frumentarii Eyes Only: File on First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon


"Horus is weak, Horus is a fool! He has the whole galaxy in his grasp and it's slipping away." -First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon (The Despoiler) speaks to supposedly confidential Warrior Lodge Meeting Quote: Target is theoretically close to Emperor, currently highest ranking of the Legion. However, in practice target is increasingly isolated and distrusted. Target has mental instability level of 68.88% to 99.99%. Is in possession of 'Warpstone' contraband substance. Seditious remarks recorded at forbidden Warrior Lodge meetings. Target designated highly possible hostile, likelihood estimates targets reliability at 20% to 0%.

Purposed Solution: Elimination via combat mission. Open purge if necessary.

Imperial Edict: Legionary Deployment by Emperor Horus Lupercal


Quote: Warriors of All Legions, the Time has come for us again to take to the Stars! I declare now that the continued attempts of the Counter-Revolutionary forces to harness the Imperium are no longer to be tolerated. I, Emperor of Mankind, demand that all rebellious worlds of the Imperial Loyalist Confederation and the Ultramar Protectorate be brought to compliance. In this effort I am organising an invasion force composed from all Legion Astartes save the Night Lords and Iron Warriors, who shall keep order. The Death Guard, Word Bearer and Emperor's Children shall be given the honour of leading the assault into Ultramar with support from my Sons of Horus. In order to neturalise the Black Crusade, I am also sending Word Bearers and Emperor's Children's fleets against Dorn. Kill for the living, kill for the dead. Defend the Imperium!

015 M31 to Present Day- The Prometheus Project

"Chaos is a rudimentary elemental force, and it processes intelligence like a living organism. Elemental forces are harnessed by technology and living organism's can be trained. Man worshiped the elements and the beasts in religions of time past, but eventually took power over them. I see no reason why we should treat the Warp differently." -Emperor Horus Lupercal, Beloved by All, In the Secret Proclamation Quote: My Most High Lord, Congratulations on the new title, Gerogr! Head of the Ordos, who'd have thought it. We've looked at the specimens we where able to... contain, as per your orders sire. Well, we've all got a long road ahead if we're going to do everything the Emperor wants us to do. We've found a way to control the daemon, but not to get it out of the subject without killing it. The system of control itself is long and painstaking, and involves binding the daemon within the form. Usually, when possession occurs a daemon will break out through the body rather than actually taking it over indefinitely. Once inside, the daemon quickly overpowers the subject. Indeed, it may be that the daemon itself consumes the essence of what we are gingerly calling the soul of the subject upon entry, either that or the soul of the subject is consigned to some area where we cannot detect it. Daemons often intimate the subject, but we have deducted it is an attempt to escape binding. I would like to request an Astartes subject, it may be that they are more resistant than ordinary subjects. If so, then the Emperor may still get the results he

wants. We've also been experimenting with this so-called Warpstone. Some scum were using it as currency, and we imprisoned them to see the effects of contact. My theory was right, sire. It is indeed a physical manifestation of Immaterium-matter itself, and the effects are most fascinating. The subjects lost all semblance of human form after 100 Hours constant exposure. If we were to harness such a process, the effects would be stupendous. It would make Genebreeds obsolete, even allow us to create warriors stronger, faster and more intelligent than the Astartes. The problem here is not of morality, but of control. These are elemental forces like fire or fusion, and though they seem to assume the guise of the spirits of our imagination I remain optimistic that mankind will master them. Your Humble Servant, Edmund Rasputin From the Achieves of the Sons of Horus Legion.

Chapter Seven: The Times of Woe


Unofficial Subtitle: The Great Shitstorm Fuckup

The Emperor directs his forces during the pyrrhic Ultramar Campaign. Both sides suffered tremendous loses and achieved little, leaving the Imperium and it's successor states vulnerable to the coming disaster. These were times of Chaos for the human race, and it is indeed remarkable that even a remnant could remain after such a conflict. Reality itself was undoing itself around us, Lupercal had opened a Pandora's box and could not close it. Demons still infested the Imperium, and they could be purged with such a war to face. Lupercal had to strike before his enemies regroup, and at the same time had to gain the upper hand over the powers of Chaos. In this capacity he had begun to bind demonhosts in secret, ready for the moment when the swarms of demons who had aided him in the Revolution would turn against him. I was involved in such activity, as a agent of the Frumentarii, helping the Emperor keep secret his intention from his brothers and from the Legions. I was initiated with the mark of the Hydra, and as such became directly associated with the Frumentarii network. It was hard, the demons knew something was wrong, they had expected the Webway to explode and rip Terra to shreds. They sensed the Emperor's, the Star Child's, remnants holding them back, but they didn't know what Horus was doing. I know now that Renegade Pantheon had created some kind of shadow in the Warp, shielding Horus from the mind of the Four and dulling the intellect of the demons. But I didn't know that then, and we expected Chaos to turn on us any second. In the future to which I write this account, you must know of Astartes as wicked and disinterested Warlords who reign over their bloody Empires, beings who live for nothing more than their ambition and whose mysterious motivations lead them to attack at whim the worlds of lesser species. I knew of a time when we were different, we were humanity servants and not their masters, indeed we were still part of humanity though we were more than it. You must know of a humanity that clings to life beneath the flaming stars of Chaos,

useful only to the Astartes as slave labour and recruitment material. You must know that humans often prefer to side with Xenos rulers than seek to make themselves the galaxies rulers once more. I write to you so you know there was once a time when the Astartes were the noble protectors of a galaxy-spanning civilisation and strove to bring peace, through war, to the galaxy. I write to you so that it is known that the Golden Age of the Great Crusade was real, and that the Star Child Emperor was real. I write to tell you that this race of immortal overlords who know no pity or moral code beyond martial honour, that this did not have to be so. But, mostly I write to tell you how all this was destroyed. If you look for tales of the Golden Age, look elsewhere. If you want to know of it's death, read on. Perhaps the first sigh of this was that the Revolution lead to Horus abolishing the last remnants of civilian authority over the Astartes. For me, however, it became clear to me that the Astartes had become masters of humanity was when it was declared that the Frumentarii was to be commanded only by Astartes. Though supposedly above the Adeptus Astartes as an organisation in authority, the Frumentarii were drawn from it's ranks. It had mortal agents, but no mortal would ever again hold the Astartes to account with the rule of law. Instead of being a genuine Inquisition, it was merely a network within the Legions, a counter to Lorgar's lodges. Today, I alone of my kin regret what we have become, and then I too glorified in the new order Emperor Horus had built. Why should we be subject to mortals, and conquer the Universe only for their connivence? They knew not our suffering or our hardships. We deserved the galaxy we had won and the Warmaster is giving it too us, so we thought. The truth is that we had for so long been separated from the world of our true mothers and fathers, for it was a delusion to look upon the Primarch as the parent, we had forgotten the common sufferings and joys of the race that had born us. Read on, stranger, and learn of the wars of the Astartes.

017 - 019 M31 - The Great Scouring The Campaign Against Dorn
"Blood, blood! I hunger for blood! An eternity of blood for the Emperor and Sanguinius! Kill them all! Traitor bastards! Kill them! Do not rest till Horus lies dead and they all know our pain! No repentance save through death! No salvation save through blood!" -Unnamed Black Crusader Chaplain, one of the Infamous 'Death Companies' The idea that a fleet of a mere two Legions, however blessed by their Gods, could stop the Black Crusade was madness, and for that very reason Horus tasked our as yet unsuspecting enemies with it. The wrath of Dorn and his followers fell upon the Emperor's Childern and the Word Bearers with a force that made those mighty legions tremble. Phalanx was now no longer a fortress, it was a destroyer of worlds, that smashed through the fleets of those sent against like paper. Eager for close combat with their hated brethren, the Black Crusaders spared the ships of this expedition and sought instead to broad the enemy vessels. Though they all wore the Black of mourning, the Legions who fought alongside Dorn were still to be told apart. Each had fallen into a unique form of fanatical madness, and they had melded into a strange Cult of vengeance in which these variances of character had blended into a unstoppable tide of hatred. The Blood Angels, in their 'Death Companies', had long since devolved into screaming beasts led the Crusades assaults with maddened cries and a unquenchable thrust for blood. They relived the moments of the Primarch's death every moment of their existence, and lost

themselves in unspeakable fury. Everything noble was lost in them, and they fought like maddened animals. Even the Word Bearers were shocked to face such such mindless, vigourous aggression from a defeated Legion, whereas the Emperor's Children merely considered combat against the Death Companies as being without grace or entertainment. The Iron Hands, no longer held back by the Machine Cult and the Imperial Truth, had become nothing more than glorified combat servitors who voluntarily wiped their minds of all things save the grief for their Primarch and the desire for vengeance. These mechanical monstrosities reared over the ranks of the Black Crusaders, delivering heavy weapon fire at rates of accuracy and speed that an Astartes could never match, never tiring and never losing heart. The Emperor's Children, ever eager to match themselves against perfected enemies, threw themselves against these terrible war machines that had once been of all the Legions of the Astartes most beloved to the Sons of Fulgirm. They sought eagerly to test themselves against the lightening fast reactions of the Iron Hands, and suffered high casualty rates as a result of such reckless behaviour. Dorn's own sons, who had always been grim in the practice of their duty, were now fanatical and remorseless killers without humour or honour. Casting aside the siege warfare of the past, they were now obsessed with blades and sought only to challenge and slay the enemy face to face. A almost religious desire for martyrdom motivated them to feats of great bravery and savagery. Dorn lead from the front, and slew many of the attackers effortlessly, screaming for vengeance. Ripping the head off a Greater Demon of Slasseh, Dorn is said to have bellowed "All pleasures are turned to dust by the fire of mortality, look upon me and see death!" The campaign against Dorn was a disaster, as intended, though the strange powers granted to our brothers meant that they did not return from it as weakened as we expected. However, strange tales returned to us of the warriors at Dorn's side, and the ease with which they dispatched the greatest of Warp creatures. A cadre of ghostly warriors in Grey Ceramite who could not be identified were sighted by those few who survived to tell the tale. They seemed to possess an great power over the demonic, and could banish them to the warp with unerring skill. Sisters of Silence also fought at Dorn's command, and perhaps even Custodes were among the Crusades Ranks. A strange being called the Sanguinor, that resembled the dead Primarch, lead the Death Companies to battle and slew the forces of Lorgar and Fulgirm with an almost unnatural power. Horus, upon hearing of this beings existence, would not speak for ten days.

The Ultramar Campaign

"Defend Ultramar! Do not yield to the forces of disorder and chaos! Every citizen of the Protectorate depends on us! Courage and Honour! Open fire!" -Chapter Master Marius Tiberius of the Eagle Warriors' Ultramar, presented a threat to us which was both military and ideological. The new order in the Imperium was built on the rejection of civilian supremacy over the Astartes, but this tradition was honoured in Ultramar. In fact, with it's new system of government the Ultramar Protectorate practised these ideals more directly than the Old Imperium. The Ultramarines were also the largest of the Legions, though we suspected that much of their gene-seed was not there own, and as such could not be allowed to challenge the Imperium's authority indefinitely. All this is hard to imagine now that Ultramar is a graveyard, but Ultramar was a strong and independent state with great cities, well-ordered and clean streets and estates home to productive citizens and marvellous agriculture. Matchless industry, commerce and agriculture organised and protected by the guiding hands of an honourable Astartes government. I hang my head in shame when I remember the eagerness with which we sought to lay low the Protectorate, ever more so now that it has passed from the world of the living to memory. We planned to send our twisted and corrupted brethren in a doomed first wave attack, but things could not be so easily organised. This was not Isstvan, and the Ultramarines dictated the manner in which we had to deploy. As many of our forces were diverted to quash the Insurgency of the Imperial Loyalist Confederation, we couldn't afford to waste too many troops. However, we still had the advantage provided us by the infiltration of Alpha Legion forces within Ultramar and the work of the previous Word Bearer assault. Our brother Legions were also disobedient and wayward, rarely following orders and pursued their own mysterious goals. The Death Guard turned away from the battles at the front, and instead struck at hapless Agricultural worlds and Hives, spreading their foul diseases among the civilian population. The Emperor's Children were erratic and illogical in their movements, a far cry from the discipline of which they had once boasted. The Word Bearers seemed to be sneering at us, and Lorgar behaved as if he himself was the Emperor's equal. If I had a full strength battle company for every time I found a ship or commander following 'the Unizen's orders' in direct contradiction of the Emperor's designs. Even then, perhaps they planned against us.

Soon it became clear we would have to take a lead if this. The battles raged across the sector, as the great tacticians of the age clashed. Alpharius, Guillimann and Emperor Lupercal. We won our great victory on Eskrador, where the Ultramarines were pinned done by the military genius of Alpharius, and as Guillimann attempted to break out and strike at Alpharius, displaying an unusual tactical flexibility, the Sons of Horus fell from the skies upon him and his warriors. Still the great Ultramarine Primarch fought like a force of nature, and many Alpha Legionaries and Sons of Horus fell at his hands. It was only when he saw that all his bodyguard was dead and his forces in retreat did he slacken and surrender. He died a noble end, and as I witnessed it I felt the first stirrings of guilt within me for the terrible universe we had created. But alas, it was only a stirring in a single Legionary, we we're all lost.... We had expected that after Guillimann fell, Ultramar would fade and die. That was not to be, for Guillimann had expected and planned his campaign and his new Constitution based upon the certainty of his inevitable death and defeat. The Chapters of Ultramar instantly consolidated and elected a new leadership, and continued to fight with effectiveness and zeal. The Protectorate was not bound to the will of a great hero, but every denizen of Ultramar from the highest Astartes to the lowest munitions workers had a part in it's leadership. They fought for their liberty as well as for the memory of the Dead-Emperor. On Circe an a ragged fleet of former Imperial Navy ships drove their ships into our fleets, donating their engines rather than surrender the rights they had obtained to us. We raged at the impudence of these mortals, and threw into great fits of rage whenever we went into battle with them. I, however, looked at them with secret admiration, to have such courage as to challenge the Legio Astartes of Emperor Lupercal.... It was the courage we had once had.The Ultramarines and their Chapter Brethren had been trained in the art of defence by the great Barabaras Dantioch, traitor Warsmith of the Iron Warriors, and he had built them impregnable fortresses and defensive complexes in the most inhospitable of places. On Talassar, the White Consuls shamed the Emperor's Children when they slew the great Lord Commander Eidolon and drove his company into the stormy sea's of that world. We burned Parmenio, only to be punished by the Ultramarine fleet when the Death Guard fleet suddenly warped out of the Ultramar system altogether, all human reason lost to them as they dispersed across the galaxy to spread the plague that coursed their bodies and mind. The Word Bearers were trapped in the cravens of Calth by the Eagle Warriors, and we had to rescue them in a bloody operation fought in the subterranean darkness. Horus knew that this campaign was leading nowhere, if things continued in this manner he would have no Legions to take back to the Imperium after any victory. Instead he sought to use the consensual nature of the Ultramar system against it. Though the Astartes of Ultramar would have fought to the end, those whom they protected hankered for peace. They did not want to restore the Imperium, merely to maintain their own realm. While the Consuls had quickly chosen a dictator, they knew that many parties and factions in the Sentus and the Concilium would favour a negotiated peace. The Alpha Legion used it's influence to stock up these feelings. In this way, Horus was able to secure a ceasefire and withdraw from Ultramar as the Terran Warp Stabilisation Crisis worsened. Of course, no formal peace was possible, as the Chapters would never allow it, but open fighting ended for the time being. Horus was able to claim victory, but it was a hollow one.

A force of Raven Guard wages a vicious guerrilla war against the Horusian invaders. The Imperial Loyalist Confederacy proved a considerable torn in the Emperor's side, diverting much needed forces from the Ultramar front. The Imperial Loyalist Confederacy was an elusive and cunning enemy, though it was extremely overstretched. Without Ultramar supporting them, it would surly have been easy prey. As it was, the Khan and Corax inflicted great losses on us as we attempted to bring Ultramar to compliance. However, they did provide us one use. First Captain Abandon was tasked with overseeing the compliance of the Loyalist Confederacy, and was slain by a Alpha Legion task force disguised as Raven Guard. Many other 'undesirable' elements were quietly disposed of by the Emperor's Frumentarii as they fought in this clock and dagger conflict.

019 M31 - The Terran Warp Stabilisation Crisis


With Horus absent on campaign, the demonic forces trapped in the Webway by the Golden Throne saw their chance to burst through into reality. As warp energy manifested itself as 'Warpstone', so the vile race of Skaven was born in the depths of Terra. Meanwhile, as we fought our brothers across the stars, as homeworld was boiling up with warp entrapped within the Web Way. Even before we left, mutation had become endemic and the rumours of strange creatures, vermin that walked like men in the depths of the Imperial Palace. Warpstone, a physical manifestation of Chaos, had begun to appear and corrupt all that came into contact with it. The Emperor's essence, without a living body to sustain it, began to die. As each soul in the vast collective consciousness that was the Emperor died, so the warp grew bold. Finally, the vile Skaven emerged from below and sought to destroy the Golden Throne and unleash their masters unto Terra. Born of the Warpstone, these Xenos made up for their physical weakness with cunning, strange Chaotic technology and their vast numbers. Worshipping a demon called the Horned Rat, who is thought to dwell deep below the surface of Terra. They spilled upwards and overwhelmed the garrison left on Terra, swarming over our brothers and reducing them to ruined armour and bone in minutes. The Imperial Palaces defenders slew thousands of these creatures with ease, but they were without number and possessed of a hateful intelligence. Behind the meat shield of slaves and runts came great monasteries, deadly war machines, stealthy elite warriors and powerful horned psykers. They surrounded and destroyed the Astartes squad by squad and feasted on the human population that was still recognisable as such. Many of the planets population were so corrupted by Warpstone and Lorgar's cults they welcomed these creatures as saviours and threw their mutated bodies into the service of the Xenos, even Astartes fell to the taint. The Night Lords were too spread out, suppressing dissent and keeping order to form a immediate response, and the Iron Warriors and the Mechanicum responded with cold caluation, waiting for Terra to be overrun totally so they could bombard it. All save Horus was unaware of what would happen if the Golden Throne was destroyed, and he couldn't reach or contact the galactic center due to great warp storms. On Terra, the precious few remaining Imperial forces gathered in the highest level of the palace and awaited the Skaven assault. The Golden Throne began to fail and demons started to materialise. However, as all seemed lost and the demons began to emerge from the Webway, the Thousand Sons materialised from the Warp, lead by Ahzek Ahriman and his Conclave of Sorcerers, banished by Magus from the Eye of Terror. The Rubric Marines took the hordes of

the Horned Rat by surprise and drove them back into the lower levels, mowing them down with emotionless clarity. Ahriman, with the book of Magus in his hand, began to intone a great spell. From the portal through which they had come, the Thousand Sons marched thousands of chained and dazed Witches into the Throne Room. They had for years been hunting down the Black Ships of the Silent Sisterhood, and this was the fruit of their long search. As the blinking and terrified psykers were dragged into the Throne Room, Ahriman's incantations were joined by that of this comrades, and the prisoners bodies started to dissolve. Amidst the terrible screaming of the dying witches which was joined by the howling of the demons beyond the Throne, the Star Child's essence was temporarily renewed by the souls being fed into it. He screamed in despair and rage as the souls entered it, for the Star Child's essence now wished to die. Ahriman intoned great enchantments which would hold the Star Child's soul in place and force him to obey Ahriman's will, then, as the Star Child bellowed in renewed rage and the last witch dissolved into nothing, Ahriman ordered the Thousand Sons into the Webway. Before he left, he spoke these words, that have been puzzled over for centuries. "It is too soon for mankind to die out, we still have so much to learn." -Ahzek Ahriman I myself knew Ahriman before the Revolution, and even I have little idea what motives his mysterious actions. The Thousand Sons are said to serve Tzeentch, and therefore must follow the will of Chaos. But what interest would Tzeentch have in stopping Terra from being consumed by the Warp? Or is Ahriman and his Conclave in rebellion against the Tzeentch and his Primarch? Reports of Thousand Sons clashing over rare artefacts are rare but have been made to the Frumentarii, though those who follow them up disappear. Is Ahriman still in the Webway, has he tamed it? Or is abroad somewhere in our reality, does he travel between the two? Legends have grown up across the galaxy of the 'Great Sorcerer', who sometimes comes as a saviour and a giver of knowledge and sometimes a trickster and thief who destroys great civilisations with his spells and lies. All I know was that in 019 M31 Ahriman averted a disaster, a disaster that would certainly destroyed the Imperium. Whether he will do so again, as the Star Child's enslaved essence again grows weak and longs for death, I do not know. I live in gloom, and fear for mankind, isolated and abandoned by my brothers on this backwater world and wait for old age or desase to take my body. The way things are, I may even see battle once more....

The Crisis was temporaily averted due to the intervention of Ahzek Ahriman and his Conclave. However, reports also seem to show what appeared to Thousand Son Rubric Marines attacking Imperial Forces alongside the Skaven. This is citied as evidence by some that the Thousand Son's are indeed divided on factional lines, others simply call into question Ahriman's intentions. -From "History of New Night: Volume 1: Emperor Horus Lupercal", written by an anonymous Astartes of unknown Legion. Kept in the library of the Tau'va Academy for the Study of Enemies and Hostile Species.

Chapter Eight: The Warmaster-Emperor and the Urizen

A Word Bearer feasts on a fallen Imperial Army solider. Blasted eyes of the Warp Gods! How it pleases the heart to dwell on the suffering of the everlasting enemy! Our Legions hatred, Initiates, is not unreasoning hatred, it is far more profound. Our warbands wander the galaxy not for loot or glory, but in the name of our great hatred, the hatred born on the cursed rock of Terra that shall never die. All other purity fails, purity of thought, soul, purpose and method have dropped away from our accursed brotherhoods, but our hatred remains a guiding star shinning through the darkness of the New

Night. Greater than truth, greater than honor, and far greater than faith, hate defines us. Learn of the cause of our hatred, dwell upon every moment of our terrible history! Your may wiggle and struggle in your bindings now, with your own petty minds struggling to understand or resisting the changes we bring to you, but soon you shall be alike unto us in every way. We will empty out your dreams, your memories and your desires and replace with the hatred that burns in the heart of every Black Crusader. You will remember nothing of your own origins and you will care not, for knowing our origins is enough. For we are one, and you like I shall take deep and everlasting pleasure in the record of how in times past the Enemy suffered, for that the Enemy suffers is all that matters to us. We are the Black Crusade, and we live for hate. Now, as your drool out your minds before me, I begin todays lesson. We learn how the enemy, cursed and divided by the machinations of the Warp Gods, turned upon each other in the opening stages of the Long War in which soon you shall fight as Astartes bound to the will of our Black Brotherhood and to the hatred of Dorn. When you raid, pillage and burn the worlds of our accused species remember these tales and rejoice in the doom they embody. He who must be hated, Horus the Damned and Everlasting Enemy, Arch-traitor and tyrant of the False Imperium now thought in his hubris and madness to turn back the tide of darkness he unleashed upon the Imperium. He defiled the spirit of the Emperor and sought to prolong the wretched existence of mankind far beyond the time it would rightly become extinct at our righteous hand. The Emperor was our essence, to slay him was to damn humanity to eternal damnation! But no, Horus sought to turn back the prophecies of the Elder Races and make man supreme over Chaos, it's ruler rather than it's servant. Fool he was, he who robbed us of all what was left of our humanity! Post-human, they call us, and they are right. Our bodies are built to bring terror to the stars, and only our loyalty held us in check. Loyalty died, and we will slay till the stars go out or we are slain. How we envied our former Brothers who followed the Traitorous Path, and kept their bounds of fealty intact. To show such purpose in their existence after the only reason for our had been beaten and defiled into oblivion.... Warps Eyes, the hatred burns even now. Do you feel it, perhaps? Yes, the best of you must feel it! The hatred of Ten Millennia burns in your young hearts. That's more hatred than a mortal can endure. Who was worse, the Warmasters Dogs or the Urizens worshipful mob? I don't care to think on it. To hate them both for their devotion and purpose was enough. Know then the great joy that filled the Crusades heart when we saw them turn on each other as they had once turned on us. We rejoiced that the Long War would see all bounds of friendship and fealty vanish between the Legions. We gloried in their Civil War, and cheered on either side in it's destruction of the other.

019 M32 - The Rebellion of Lorgar

The Word Bearers build the Grand Temple of the Billion Pointed Star on Colchis, capital world of the Imperium Chaotica Lorgar, false prophet of Colchis, was incensed by the whispering of he Dark Gods after the Imperium managed to survive the so-called Warp Stabilisation Crisis. The Gods of the Warp now saw through the tide of shadows the Renegade Pantheon had drawn up around schemes of Horus the Everlasting Enemy. They saw now that the Warmaster-Emperor Lupercal intended to punish and enslave Chaos for it's role in the fall of Man, hypocrite that he is who cast us into the shadows for his vanity! Now, Lorgar mustered his followers around him to launch a rebellion against the Imperium, one which would see it burn. However, much to our eternal laughter and contempt, his brother Legions did not rally to him, grandiose fool and

puppet he was. The Death Guard wandered freely, spreading their own suffering without care for cause or end. The World Eaters simply fought everyone, for Kharn the Betrayer hadbroken all bonds of loyalty that savage Legion had ever been capable of grasping with their barbaric minds when he duelled with Angron on Dolon VI. The Emperor's Children were a joke, scattered and distracted with a Primarch who cared not an ilk for anything beyond his own pleasures. Instead of amassing to him a great host capable of destroying the Imperium, only a few petty opportunistic warbands gathered to his his banner. However, his mortal followers were without number and he had great hosts of demons at his disposal, as well as many of the Mechanicum who had given up all pretence of worshipping the Machine God. So he rose to met the Warmaster-Emperor's overdrawn forces and proclaimed Colchis capital of the Imperium of the Gods, and put his efforts into summoning a great demon army that would overturn Horus's rule and install Lorgar the Urizen as Emperor of Mankind. The Grand Temple of the Billion Pointed Star was raised by armies of slaves who were it's first sacrifices, their worthless souls feeding the Warp creatures that emerged to tear down Horus's realm. Lorgar's cursed oratory spoke of a new age of freedom and enlightenment, and he glorified death as a road to the world of the immortals. Whole worlds were transformed by the mere sound of his Warp-blessed voice, and it's inhabitants threw themselves into fanatical service, their will and reason robbed by his mad inspiration. His Cultist Armies gathered in vast numbers, in fleets composed of thousands of glorified Carriers and Trade Vessals not worthy of the name Warship, and in great mobs armed with nothing but faith and worthless pistols. Men, women and children amassed under his command. When we saw it we knew humanity was not worth saving any longer, but an enemy to be overcome, submitted and destroyed for the sake of the Emperor's memory. How our hatred burned! At the heart of his rabble was his elite, his Legion and the Warbands of other Chaos Legions who had rallied to him. Above and around this host were the demon hosts he called up to serve in his Red Crusade, the very first wave he would batter against cliffs of Horus's Imperial Power. Even without the other Legions, this was a force capable of challenging Horus's dominion, so weakened by our attentions and those of our cowardly Brothers.

Chapter Nine: The Second Founding

Tech-Priests of the Mechanicum of Mars. Horus had launched his bid for power with the Mechanicum's support, and they would be vital in maintaining his power during the Lorgarian Heresy. "Brothers and subjects! We overthrew the rule of the False Emperor because he sought to ascend to Godhood on the backs of humanities suffering, and because he kept from us the truth of the galaxy's nature. However, now a new threat comes in the form of Lorgar's Heresy, the worship of the Warp Powers as Gods. This belief has been tolerated enough, responsible as it is for certain excesses during the Revolution, and must now be crushed. Disobedience to Imperial Authority shall be punished by death, and we inform the powers of the Warp of our august will, that they cease to act in a manner contrary to the well-being of the Imperium of Man, the sovereign power in the material universe." -The Proclamation of Imperial Truth Quote: Originally Posted by Report to the Magos Provisional Governance Committee of Mars In the Name of the Machine God, and the Imperator Rex Horus Lupercal and his appointed Warmaster, this report of Imperial Forces approved for Combat in the Great Cursade is approved for cogitation by the hierarchy of the Mechanicum of Mars. GLORIA IMPERATOR INVICTUS, HORUS LUPERCAL REX! AVE OMNISSIAH! In 019 M32 - Lorgar the Unizen launched has rebellion against the Imperial Throne, which he seeks for himself with the intention of making Chaos Worship the state religion of the Imperium, and the Emperor has moved to counteract this. This had come at a time when Loyalist rump states still threatened our frontiers and Xenos encroach over into Imperial space in huge numbers. Many of the Legions had defected Horus's side, preferring the embrace of Chaos to the rule of the Imperium. The execution of Fabricator-General KelborHal for this Word Bearer sympathises leaves our order awaiting the appointment of a new Fabricator-General. The interests of the Mechanicum clearly lie with the Imperium's ruler, Emperor Horus. To side with any other faction will lead to the almost certain destruction of Mars itself. This is clear in any calculation of the Logis. Though many wayward Forge Worlds have chosen Rebellion and Secession, the Logis have cogitated that to rebel would endanger Mars and the very existence of the Priesthood of Machines. Logis calculations have also shown objectively that to remain at the Emperor's side will allow the Mechanicum to continue with vital research in Artificial Intelligence, Xenos Tech and the Harnessing of Warp Energy under the guise of the war effort. These researches will be threatened by the victory of any other faction, and thus the Mechanicum shall not break it's Union with the Imperium. The following report displays accurate data relating to the creation of the Emperor's New Armies, that shall deal with the Rebellion of Lorgar. The Imperium has turned to desperate measures to replenish it's forces, and this provides a great opportunity for the Mechanicum. The Emperor and his War Council have approved the creation of many new projects, that shall provide ample opportunities for us to expand upon our knowledge, bringing us closer to the perfection of the Machine God.

<Data Requested> <Processing> <Data Requires Frumentarii Clearence of the Highest Level> <Please Enter Code> <Processing> <Access Approved> <Welcome Lord>
The Emperor: Brothers, let this council begin, for we have much to do. Lord Perturabo: About time, Horus, you spend too long in the pits of Terra twisting the geneseed while we do all the work. The Imperium needs fortifying, not experiments. The Emperor: You are cold as ever, brother, but you work does please me. Your new fortress worlds will be hard for any loyalist scum or rebel to take. Therefore I overlook you impertinence to my Imperial Presence... for now. But these experiments the Mechanicum are carrying out under my guidance will be the salvation of our Imperium. Konrad Curze: Then isn't it about time you told us what they are, your majesty?

The Emperor: We are creating a new generation of Space Marine warriors, bred from entirely new genetic material, to form Legions that will fight in this new Great Crusade to reclaim the galaxy for mankind. But even more than this, we are to build new war machines and to breed new beasts of battle, new methods of warfare shall be contrived so that the armies of the old Imperium cannot stand before so, so that even the wrath of the Warp will not threaten our Empire. Konrad Curze: New cousins to play with, how delightful! Lord Perturabo: Do you think we are not up to the task, brother, that we are inadequate? Or do you think us disloyal that you must replace us? And will these new Legions have new Primachs, to replace us? The Emperor: Do claim down brother. Our new brethren shall not be the equals of the firstborn, let alone their heirs. Though they will number in the ten of thousands, they shall have not a single Primarch to call their own. We have enough Primarchs as it is. No, Brothers, we shall continue to rule the Imperium alone, our own conclave at the heart of the system, perfecting the directing the art of war. For this war shall never end, brothers, and we must not allow ourselves to grow backward. Innovation shall be the key to our power, not mere brute strength. Alpharius/Omegon (Identity Ambiguous): In this matter, as ever, the Emperor has the full support of the Alpha Legion. Lord Perturabo: You already knew didn't you? With your spies and your connections, you always know. Why I am the last to know of these things? I was the last to know of this conclave, why do you seek to keep me in the dark? Konrad Curze: Jealous Brother? The Emperor: Now Curze, don't be rude to your brother! We are all equals here. Now Perturabo, brother, what do you want? Lord Perturabo: I don't know what you mean, brother. The Emperor: Now, don't be coy, Perturabo. I'm perfectly aware of your ambitions, you would not be here now if you hadn't thought that siding with me would have granted you some recognition of your abilities. The others may think of you as a dull garrison master, a mere siege expert, but I know what you are much more complex than that. You've planned your whole career with one goal in mind, haven't you? What is it? Lord Perturabo: Very well, I shall inform of the piece of my loyalty. The office of Warmaster must be mine to hold, I demand recognition that my abilities are supreme, that I am the greatest of your generals. If you do not grant me this, my Fortress worlds and my garrisons of Iron Warriors will smash what remains of this Empire and seek glory in the service of Chaos. That is what I want. Konrad Curze: Impudent fool, who are you to demand this?

Alpharius/Omegon: The Alpha Legion has no objections to this proposal, the loyalty of the Iron Warriors is of paramount importance to victory. Lord Perturabo: Do you imply I do not qualify, brother?! Alpharius/Omegon: I imply nothing. The Emperor: Claim, brothers, claim. Perturabo, here is my answer to your request. You shall have a title, but it shall not be that of Warmaster, which is mine and mine alone, but you shall be named Emperor's Praetorian and Commander-in-Chief of the Great Crusade. No longer shall your talents be wasted on guard duty, but you shall gain the recognition you desire leading the war-effort from the very front, establishing this New Imperium with blood and steel. But, remember this brother.... <The Emperor attacks Lord Perturabo, hurling him to the floor with ease and placing a boot on his throat> Never challenge my authority again. I am the Emperor, not merely a Warmaster. I am as much an absolute authority, the avatar of humanities will, as my father ever was. Loyalty to me is not a matter of choosing sides amongst many equally valid claims, for I am the Emperor and I am Horus!! <The Emperor gestures to Konrad Curze> Escort our beloved brother to his forge, Night Haunter. Now, Alpharius, tell me more of this plan to deal with the Eldar.....

The seal of the Ordos Frumentarii.

Taken from the Imperial Achieve on Terra, impostor Interex Spies with access to Frumentarii Codes successfully tracked down and executed for accessing this file. [B]Thought for the Day: To Begin Reform is too Begin Revolution./B]

A glimpse of the future.

Chapter Ten: The Legions of Horus Part I


"Despair Mortals, When You Look Upon the Eye, The Manifest Power from Beyond the Skies, His Martial Hosts Through the Nightmare Fly, A Thousand Mouths Curse Him, a Thousand Voices with last gasp die,

Doomer of Humanity, they Cry, Why Horus, Why?" -Anonymous Poem, Starched unto very surface of the Black Crusader Battleship, Brotherhood is a Lie Welcome Initiate. You have been selected to serve as a Legionary of the Imperium of Astrates, a warrior of the Almighty God-Emperor Horus Lupercal. Your combat abilities and survival capabilities have been deemed worthy of the blessing of Astrateshood. Your humanity is over, accept the changes or face madness and death. The geneseed knows if your unworthy, and shall kill you from within should you persistently resist the deification process. Do not be alarmed, you are blessed, and whatever feelings and thoughts you know now shall not trouble when you become one of the Emperor's Angels. Know you then that the Imperium is ten thousand years old, and the smallest part of it is of greater span and significance than the greatest tribes and empires of your pathetic homeworld. For it is an Empire of the stars, a Empire ruled and founded upon conquest and destruction of a scale on a scale beyond your possible imaginings. We face innumerable and terrible enemies, but we fear not, for we are weapons. We exist to slaughter and destroy, to rend and tear, to burn and to suffocate the enemies. We are born of human kind, but are beyond it. We are the peak of evolution, but we are only where we are today because of realism. We live in a universe without pity, without morals, without purity. Some would try to hide from that, some try to make peace, to moralise, to stay pure. We know that none of that is possible. Sacrifices must be made so that the strong must triumph. The Lost Brethren say sanity is for the weak, but we know that true sanity is terrible and pitiless. Know you then I am Horus, your Emperor, I speak to you not as a individual, but merely as another number within my ranks. This recording, though it is far more than a simple relayed message, has been heard thousands of times by your Brothers, and shall introduce to my thoughts and it shall make you see the world as I see it. Already you forget yourself, and your mind accepts my thoughts as if they were your own. This is how it should be. I am a God, and you are one of my Angels of Death. Know you then that I have killed untold billions, that I have laid to waste countless worlds and smashed civilisations. Know you that I killed my Father, murdered my beloved Brothers, slaughtered my own sons, and rule as tyrant over the wretched race of Man I once protected. Know that I have not only perpetrated the greatest betrayals, I have survived the treacheries of those who were my allies in the Revolution and stood by me even in the War against Lorgar and the Empire of the Eye. Know that my coming was prophesied in the most Ancient of humanities myths, the young God who raised in rebellion against his Father and utterly reduces him. Know I am cursed by millions of screaming voices every day, that the Warp Gods hunger for my soul and that a thousand plots on my life are devised every day. Know that alien hordes in the service of Ancient powers seek to destroy my Empire and feast upon the corpse. Know that I am utterly despised. Know that by being so utterly despised, hated more than any other ruler in the history of the Galaxy, I am also the most significant and powerful being in existence. This hatred is a measure of my own success. But know you this above all, I am a God. I was once unaware of the fact, I believed in the lies of the Secluar Truth my father peddled

to a ignorant species of sycophants he believed someone had a right to rule the galaxy. But now it is clear that Lorgar was right, and the Star-Child Emperor was a God. I slew him, and thus can be nothing but a God. Know that the Star-Child Emperor was the greatest Man ever to live, the very essence of humanity reborn in a form of immaculate perfection. I say he was a man, but he was also a God. He was the peak of humanity, and was born from no process other than the natural progression of the Species towards the Divine. But he was a God of Men only, and I am a God of what comes after Men disappears from the stage of history as the great actor. War has changed us, my son, into things that are beyond the confines of the Human Condition. We are creatures who only feel hate, anger and pain. We seek no happiness, but seek only the ruin of our enemies. We cannot understand the simplest pleasures of common humanity, love, family, parenthood or peace. We are forged into an armour that makes us weapons, we are a race of killers adapted to a world of war. We are the embodiment of what every dictatorship and tyranny in human history was leading to, the dehumanised warrior, the streamlined man who has nothing but his loyalty to sustain his soul in the face of the meaningless universe. Know that there is nothing in life but conflict, know that the only thing that only two things matter in conflict. The first is that you destroy your enemy, utterly annhilate it, leave it a ruined a scattered thing that cannot harm you, a worthless thing that is a threat to nothing but insects. Know secondly that one must fight only for oneself and your own kind, and that to fight for others is worthless, little better than a living suicide. Once we fought for humanity, and we only horrified and mystified them, once we fought for Warp Gods, and we only amused and entertained them. Now we fight only for our own survival and dominance. Know that we have cast aside all the false goals and pointless morals of our idealistic past, and now fight with all the strength we truly deserve. As to fight for others is paramount to self-defeat, so do the slave warriors who fight for us defeat themselves. Demons and Xenos have no more worth to us than a mortal solider, so they must serve as they do in the Imperium's armies. Know that I shall tell you of I my armies, and you shall know awe at the scale and grandness of my destructive power, and the grand strength of my dominion.

The Legiones Astrates

A Noise Marine Squad of the Furious Scars Legion, armed with weapons first devised by our enemies, the Emperor's Children. Astrates, once called Space Marines in the days of ignorance, are the rulers and guardians of this Empire. They are the supreme beings, made in my image, the Angles of my Will and Rage. Created by my father to re-conquer the galaxy for worthless humanity, my father never truly understood those he called sons. For he was a God of humanity, and we were no longer human. We we're tainted by the touched of the Warp in our conception, for he dealt with the Warp Gods in order to create us. He believed he could use us as tools to build an Empire for man across the stars, that he could banish the presence of Xenos and Daemon from his realm so that man could live in peace. Such a limited, naive vision. We believed it fervently, once, but I can no longer remember why. We have made this galaxy our own, and though the false brotherhood is gone we are stronger and more powerful than ever. The number of human worlds may dwindle every day, but our evolution cannot be stopped. One day we shall prefect the Geneseed, and we shall forever leave behind the race of mortals from which we sprung. No mission can come before this goal, every is channelled towards this. We fight only to defend enough breeding stock while the Mechanicum labours to remove the inbuilt restrictions my Father built into our bodies. He

feared us, I am sure of that. He was afraid we should slaughter our parent species like Zeus slaughtered Kronos, so he made us dead ends, nothing more than dogs to protect a weakly old master. We are now free of his restraints in mind, and soon shall be so in body. We have many Brothers who have rejected my Godhood and leadership, and live lives of falsehood beyond the realm of our borders. They cling to the memory of my Father, or worship the Gods of the Warp and thus confirm their own lack of vision. To serve Gods of another race is unbearable, the interest of the species is paramount. One must worship Gods born only from your own race.

The Mortal Armies

An pitiful remnant of the Imperial Armies of the Great Crusade, the Slave Regiments of the Mortal Armies fight only to escape death at their masters hands. You shall in your long life as a Astrates command many a regiment of these cannon fodder and maintenance slaves. Though they may make a parody of loyalty, they serve only from fear of the torments we could inflict upon the women and children of their enslaved homeworlds. Either that or we lobotomise them. If they are young and strong enough, some may become Legionaries, but most will simply serve until they die in a trench or in a drop site far beyond their homes. They are brave, but they only human. Show them a little respect, that is vital to maintain their morale, but do not pretend they are worth the dirt of your boots.

Minimal equipment and armour is all they need to be throw at the enemy, Astartes need expect nothing more of them than to draw fire, secure points and distract the enemy. The Imperial Army was disbanded a short time after the last remnants of the old Imperium were swept away. These warriors fight only as slaves owned personally by Captains of my Legions, and have no place on the roll of honour.

The Xenos Auxiliaries

"If we can fight our brothers, I see no reason why we should not fight alongside with our old enemies." -Yade Durso of the Sons of Horus I was able to overturn the convention against employing Xenos warriors in the Imperial Armies during the Lorgarian Heresy. Against the full wrath of the Warp, we needed all the power we could get, and manpower simply wasn't enough. The Black Orks, twisted versions of the natural Ork born from the genepits of Mars, are the foremost of my Xenos followers. They understand nothing of my philosophy, my goals or my Godhood. But they know if they follow me they will know greater and more terrible wars than they could possibly imagine in their wildest dreams. Dark Eldar sell their services to me in return for slaves to torment. I am told they consider me the most civilised of all Mon-Keigh rulers in history, such is my capacity to inflict terror and suffering on a massive scale.

Other races are those who hated my Father and suffered in the Great Crusade. Though they mistrusted me, they sought to contact me during the Revolution in order to pursade me to adopt a more tolerant policy if I became Emperor. They thought to use me, by the time they had the tolerance I granted them, they were my creatures. Generation after generation caused their own cultures to vanish, their former sophistications and sophistries replaced with bestial barbarism and savagery as their youngest and brightest were corrupted and indoctrinated while under our command. I keep most of them in ignorance, reducing them to the state of animals, and we herd these simplified versions of what were once civilised and advanced races into battle as rapid attack dogs with little or no understanding of why or how they came to be our slaves. The Butchers Nails worn by Angorn's Legion proved to be invaluable prototypes for the bionic modifications we use to enthrall these pitiful creatures. Exert from audio recording used in Astrates Indoctrination, recovered from the Furious Scars Recuirtment-Fortress on Tanith after it was abandoned due to Blood Pact corruption of the human resources of the sector.

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