Chapter 2: Khanite heresy dark angels
Index Astartes- The Dark Angels: Champions of Plague
Where once the first legion was noble, now they are disgusting. Ruling over hordes of sickly serfs, they gurgle crys of despair and acceptance. They offer a dark embrace to a sick and dying galaxy. And eternally they hunt the Unforgiven, those Dark Angels who stayed loyal to the throne. These Astartes know that the Imperium cannot forgive them for the betrayal of there legion, and they cannot forgive themselves for there failure. The Unforgiven fight chaos at all turns, and the bloated corrupted Dark Angels seek one of two things from there loyal brothers. Either they will accept Nurgles love and give into the plague, or they will find that even Nurgle's generosity has its limits and perish. And with each Unforgiven that either accepts the plague or dies loyal to Him on Terra the wound of Lion El Jonson closes a little more, bringing him ever closer to his true strength.
Origins
Many who have fought the Dark Angels curse the Knights of Lupus. Had it not been for there discoveries than the Lion would never have learned of the warp entity bound in Caliban. Had he not learned of the Ouroboros bound within his home planet he never would have realized the origin of the Tuchulcha. Had he not realized that the Tuchulcha and Ouroboros originated from the warp he never would have come to the conclusion that the galaxy itself was sick, and thus fallen to the service of Nurgle. Of course, those more realistic in nature realize it doesn't matter. Nurgle would have corrupted them a different way, or there contributions would be rendered null.
Caliban was a forested death world, infested by Beasts that arose from the imprisoned Ouroboros, and were hunted by the Order, a group of knights who protected the people of Caliban. A meritocratic organization, there merits were only based on ability not on bloodlines like most organizations that claim the title of knight. It was inevitable that Lion El Jonson, a Primarch and thus like a demigod in strength, would become the leader of the Order and eventual king of Caliban. The gestation pod containing the infant Primarch landed in the forests, and how the Primarch survived when the impact of the pod alerted every monster with a thousand kilometer radius is unknown. Lion El Jonson never spoke of his early childhood to anyone, and some are quick to use this as evidence that the primarch had fallen to Nurgle as a mere newborn. Of course, this is instantly disproven by the fact that the Emperor did not strike down Lion when they first met. If one of his sons had been corrupted he would have not wasted a moment destroying the monster that would have arose from his own flesh and blood.
The Primarch was found by Luther, a high ranking knight in the Order. He took in the Primarch as his own, despite his comrades insisting that he was a beast in human form. Luther didn't listen, and he adopted the Primarch as his son, replacing the wife and daughter that had died from the claws of a beast. He named the Primarch Lion El Jonson, which means The Lion, Son of the Forest. Much like the Caliban Lions who inspired his name, the Primarch quickly rose to dominance in the Order. He launched a campaign to remove the beasts from Caliban.
The first step to his damnation came when he destroyed the Knights of Lupus, a corrupted sect of knights. In there twisted castle he learned of the Ouroboros, the daemon sealed within Caliban that gave rise to the beasts. He was horrified by the experiments of the Knights of Lupus, and ordered the order put to the sword and the castle burned to the ground. While the position of Lord Cypher was instituted in the Order and later the Dark Angels to ensure the memory of the atrocities committed by the Knights of Lupus would not be forgotten, the incontrovertible proof that the Ouroboros was real and not the figment of madmen haunted the Primarch.
During the ceremonial last hunt of the beasts that the Emperor arrived on Caliban. Lion instantly recognized the Emperor as his father and bowed before him. He gained control of the first legion and renamed them the Dark Angels after a Caliban legend, and those young enough to become Astartes did while those too old became Half-Astartes. Luther became one such beings, and he and the Order watched as Caliban became a technologically advanced world. While some within the Order protested this, Luther silenced all doubters, believing whole-heartedly in his son.
The Great Crusade
The first legion saw the most battles in the unification wars and the Great Crusade, if only because they were the first legion to be made. An all purpose legion, there status as a prototype did nothing to diminish there effectiveness. They were prone to experimental methods of combat, which led to the rise of the Hexagrammaton, otherwise known as the six wings. They were not adopted by the other legions, but were adapted by Lion to merge with the Order. The Six Wings even survived the fall to Chaos, each of them corrupted by Nurgle.
The first legion dominated the battlefield, even taking part in the purge of the Thunder Warriors. When they reunited with there Primarch they took to the ways of Caliban without fuss. Many of the newly named Dark Angels originated from Albion, where the very traditions of knighthood originated. The Dark Angels had the distinction of being the largest of the legions until the Rangdan Xenocides, at which point that title was given to the Ultramarines.
A loner amongst the Primarch Brotherhood, Lion mostly kept to himself. While he was a friend to Horus like all the Primarchs, he was notable in his ardent hatred of Leman Russ. While no one, not even Horus, could honestly say they liked Russ only Lion El Jonson hated him before the council of Nikea. This comes from the join compliance of Dulan, where Russ was insulted by the Tyrant of Dulan. While Lion initiated a carefully planned assault that saw the palace of the heretic destroyed. But the Tyrant took his own life rather than fight two enraged Primarchs. Russ believed that Lion stole his kill and challenged him to a duel. While the Lion was honorable and raised upon a knightly world he also recognized that this duel was one of wounded pride and not worth engaging. Russ started to mock him however, and immediately got his butt kicked. The arrogant king of Fenris repressed the memory, spreading a story of fighting for a day before laughing at how pointless the fight was and getting punched by Lion.
However, dissent began to form within the ranks of the first legion. The source of this friction was Luther himself, for he found himself growing jealous of his adopted son. This came to a head during the Sarosh campaign, where the chaos corrupted delegates attempted to detonate a nuclear weapon, and while Luther did deactivate it, it was only after he nearly allowed it go go off. This outright betrayal caused Lion to banish his foster father and those who followed the ideals of the Order closer than his own will, who totaled in the hundreds, to Caliban. Officially this was to ensure that the Dark Angels would have a stable recruitment base, it was really a punishment.
As Luther steamed at this denial of the chance for glory, he started to realize that he was not acting in a way befitting a knight. He should have been happy for his son, not jealous. As such, he and the other members of the Order would start to recruit, and would for most of the Heresy be embroiled in the Unrest on Caliban. Perhaps ironically, the punishment would spare them the fate of the Dark Angels.
The Dark Angels became embroiled in a conflict with a strange fungal xenos that, unbeknownst to them, worshiped the chaos god Nurgle. Indeed, this xenos species had discovered the ancient artifact known as the Plagueheart. Using both there fungal spores and the influence of the Plagueheart, they overcame the defenses of the Emperors genework, wracking the Astartes and even the Lion himself with horrible disease. Even as the last of the Xenos died the Dark Angels were at deaths door, and Lion cried out for help. He did not want to die this way, not in glorious battle but instead coughing and sickening like a serf. That was no way for a knight or an Astarte to die. And then a creature answered him, the malicious creation of Nurgle known as the Destroyer Hive.
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The destroyer hive
One of the mightiest creations of Nurgle, the Destroyer hive is a strange mixture of warp born disease, artifact and Daemon. Unlike most Daemons it merges with a host, taking complete control and giving them strength equal to the greatest of Nurgle's Daemon Princes, but it requires a host that is either destined to bear it or is strong enough to equal the heroes of myth. If the host is not destined, then it will last only a month before rotting away to nothing, requiring the hive to find a new host. The Space Marines are the best hosts for the hive, for by there gene enhanced nature they are all heroes of strength.
For most of the Age of Terra, its host was a knight that caught the Black Plague. It was banished in 2016 by the Emperor himself. It re-emerged during the dark age of technology, its host the prince of an insectoid xenos race. Using the hosts position, the Destroyer Hive threatened the federation. The species was annihilated and the Destroyer Hive once more banished. Later it had a mutant host that was destroyed, and during the Cybernetic Revolt it led a host of men of iron known as the Rusted Brigade, whose atrocities were so wide spread that hostilities were temporality put aside to destroy the brigade. Eventually it would find its place in the Dark Angels legion, corrupting Lion and gaining a permanent stream of Astarte hosts.
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The destroyer hive told Lion of the War in Heaven, of the corruption in the Warp, and of the Lies of the Emperor. The hive promised to ensure that neither his sons or he would ever die by disease if only he accepted the love of Grandfather Nurgle. Delirious with pain and desperate to see his sons survival, he accepted. Merging with one of his sons, the Destroyer Hive metastized the disease in his sons and himself, and making the first spore marines to replace those who died.
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The Spore Marines
Known as the Seventh Wing, the Spore Marines are fungal clones of Astartes naturally armored by fungal plates. The older Spore Marines become like Astartes in terminator armor, while the oldest become massive trees on Bubonious, eternally hacking and coughing up clouds of spores to make new sons.
Given the relative rarity of true Dark Angels, Spore Marines fulfill the role of infantry. These monsters are equal to an Astartes in most ways, even having sickly mockeries of the organs that turn normal males into Space Marines by the Emperor's own gene craft. However, in place of a geneseed is a core of Nurgle's Rot. When a Spore Marine dies this core explodes, dooming all in range to a slow and painful death. At least, if they are lucky. If they are unlucky or unfaithful to the God Emperor they become either Poxwalkers or Plague Marines.
However, it is noted that serfs and desperate fools can actually eat a spore marine without immediate death. Such consumption immediately damns those who do so to Nurgle's service. Before an inquisitor or a Commissar killed the heretics there rightful death they noted that spore marines taste like soy. The exact nature of soy is unknown, but high ranking Genetors have put forth the generally accepted theory that it is some kind of plant based food from the Age of Terra based upon certain STC databases. The exact implications of the taste of spore marines being the same as soy, or that these heretics know what soy tastes like is not known.
Spore Marines are noted to be disturbingly similar to Orks in nature. Just like how any planet attacked by Orks can see new Orks arise so can any world unfortunate enough to feel the tread of Nurgle's legion have a dark sickness lurking dormant until the time comes right.
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It was then that the Khans messenger came, gaining the allegiance of the Dark Angels for the traitors and giving the strange technology of Corax's patron to hide there corruption. Hidden behind technological illusions of such power that the Emperor himself would be unable to discern his true loyalty or the taint within his veins, Lion and the Dark Angels made there way to the Isstvaan system.
The Heresy: Hunt for the Trinity
After the Drop Site Massacre, Lion El'Jonson was met by Corvus Corax. The first of the fallen was grateful for Lion having saved his life during battle, for had Lion not blocked the blade of Silence, the Reaper would have claimed the Raven Lord. So he gave the first primarch two boons, one to be called in at a later date. The first was knowledge of a collection of warp artifacts/entities known as the Trinity.
While Corax's patron was far more alien than the Warp could ever be, it knew even better than the Chaos Gods of the War in Heaven and what was born from the Old Ones desperation. The Trinity was just one example, and may not have even been the most powerful. Comprised of the Plagueheart, the Ouroboros and the Tuchulcha Engine, together they could manipulate the very fabric of time and space. Sadly, this had not been enough to save the Old Ones from the power of the C'tan and there Necron slaves, but Corax believed he could trust Lion with the power of the Trinity. At least, that's what the Raven Lord claimed. As with practically everything concerning the nineteenth legion, Corax's true motivations for revealing the Trinity to Lion are unknown.
First the Dark Angels gathered the Plagueheart, which was the very planetoid upon which they were corrupted. Using archeotech from the Dark Age of Technology they tore apart the world and preserved the core of the Plagueheart, no bigger than a normal heart, in a stasis field. Then the bulk of the legion made its way to the Eastern Fringe, where the Tuchulcha was supposedly located. Token forces were sent to aid the Khan, but ultimately most of the Dark Angels followed there Primarch.
It is unknown how Konrad Curze and Mortarion came to learn of the Lions quest, but they deemed it enough of a threat to send a dedicated force to ensure the Tuchulcha did not fall into traitor hands, led by Malcarion the War Sage. It is doubtful that anyone save the Lion himself, and perhaps Corax, knew of the first primarchs true goal. The fact that the Tuchulcha could provide stable warp travel was enough of a danger. Eventually a three way battle erupted in the Perditus System over the fate of the Tuchulcha engine. The Dark Angels fought against both the loyalists who sought the destruction of the mighty warp artifact, but also against the Iron Hands who sought a method of Faster Than Light travel that did not rely upon Navigators using the Astronomicon as a cosmic lighthouse or the will of mighty entitles.
The power of Nurgles rot forced traitor and loyalist alike to route, as the Death Guard's close up attrition tactics proved disasterous when used against the Spore Marines. The mightiest plague to arise from Nurgles unholy garden rotted the very souls of the pitiless Astartes who brought Exterminatus to countless Xenos. The first of the Plague Marines were born, and most of Mortarions sons went mad as the god who there primarch defied claimed his due. Most lost there minds, having no more free will than the Rubric Marines of the Thousand Sons. Those few who retained there minds were higher ups, and quickly they took command of the hordes. Luckily for the Night Lords all but one of these impromptu commanders engaged the Iron Hands, there minds filled with knowledge of the Great Game and there hearts filled with hatred of Tzeentch. The Night Lords initiated a strategic retreat, and soon enough a single traitor Death Guard remained, and he presented Lion with the Tuchulcha Engine and the services of himself and the remaining Plague Marines. This former Apothecary discarded the name he once had, and would forever be known as Nauseous Rotbone.
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Nauseous Rotbone, the Plague Surgeon
Despite the efforts of the Chaplains and the Inquisition, loyal Space Marines fall for the lies of Chaos. These rouges, usually in the form of warbands like the Blood Ravens and the Crimson Slaughter, must escape into the warpstorms where the wrath of the Imperium can not touch them. These rouge bands then typically either carve there own territory out of the galactic hellscapes or join the unholy mockery of a legion known as the Black Templars.
However, for the treasonous sons of Mortarion it is different. For reasons unknown, only Nurgle has been able to corrupt members of the 14th legion, and even then it is only through the use of his soul rotting diseases. Fortunately for the Imperium, the pain suffered as a result of the unholy contagions means that they kill themselves in battle. The few who do survive more than a few hours past there initial infection instinctively head to Bubonious, heeding the call of there master, the master of all corrupted Death Guard Marines. The Plague Surgeon himself, Nauseous Rotbone.
The nameless apothecary who became Rotbone was the first to be infected by Nurgle's Rot, and was the one who kept his mind. All others were broken by Nurgles tough love, losing there minds or becoming consumed by the Great Game above all. It was he who forced the Night Lords to retreat, and this earned him the favor of Nurgle. He became the lord of the corrupted Death Guard, one that all follow by the will of the Plague Father.
Rotbone quickly became a trusted confident of Lion himself, and was one of the few who was told of Lion's plan. In the aftermath of the Destruction of Caliban Rotbone was promoted to personal physician of the newly ascended Daemon Primarch. While he supposedly shares this title with the Arch Heretek Oct, in truth it is Rotbone who is the trusted doctor. After all, Rotbone can disagree with Lion and point out flaws with his plans while the sole time Oct did so resulted in the tech priest being banished to what amounted to janitorial duty until Rotbone put a good word in for him.
Many of the Dark Angels sins can be laid at the feed of Rotbone. It was he who deduced that Lion's wound was tied to the Unforgiven and that there death or conversion would allow the would to heal. With the first of the Unforgiven to die he was proven right. He also leads hordes of Plague Marines and Spore Marines in Black Crusades with the ultimate goal of stealing pure geneseed to twist and corrupt.
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The Tuchulcha Engine was installed into The Truths Razor, while the Plagueheart was within the Paradigm of Hate. Sending away the Destroyer Hive and the hordes of Nurgle Daemons and Possessed Marines to engage the Night Lords, Lion set about to his true goal. Ever since learning of the Trinity's power, he sought to undo the War in Heaven. With the power of the Trinity and the full might of a Space Marine Legion, he would destroy the Necrontyr and the C'tan before they encountered each other. Hoping to undo the Chaos Gods before they even existed. He knew the Daemons would never approve of his plan, he hoped to make a better universe, even if he didn't exist in it.
Making his way to Caliban, he hoped his father and the myriad of new Dark Angel he recruited would follow him. But upon arrival the Dark Angels were met with silence. Worried rather than suspicious, Lion ordered the fleet closer. Once within range of the defenses of there homeworld, the Unforgiven struck against those of there gene line rightfully called the Fallen.
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The Unforgiven
Those Dark Angels who were banished to Caliban before the disastrous campaign against the fungal xenos were of mixed lineages. Some had been of the Order, others recruited during the Unification war and having fought for the Emperor before the Lion had been found, and others were newly recruited from the citizens of Caliban. But not matter there origins, the writhing of the Ouroboros ensured they were united. Feeling the unrest of the galaxy, the Ur-Daemon reached into the minds of the nobles of its prison world as well as those of the cabal of Terran sorcerers that had traveled to Caliban in preparation of the heresy, bending there loyalty to it. It then caused a resurgence of the Great Beasts that had plagued Caliban throughout the Long Night.
These twin threats forced all of the Space Marines to put aside there differences. They were not blind to the events of the wider galaxy, as there astropaths gibbered of the heresy when not aiding the others by ensuring the whispers of the Ouroboros were, if not silenced then at least quieted. The sole reason that the ships of the Night Lords did not come bearing the hammer of Exterminatus was that Magnus had sensed the loyalties of these Dark Angels.
It is not known when they started calling themselves the Unforgiven and there traitorous brothers the Fallen. It is the generally accepted theory that there chaotic opponents ranted that they would never be forgiven for turning against the Lion. They took this as a badge of honor, but also of shame. After all, they believed that the Imperium would never forgive them for the sins of there legion. Even if the Imperium did forgive them, they could never forgive themselves for the sins of there brothers. As for there calling the traitors the Fallen, it doesn't need any more elaboration.
In the aftermath of Zahariel's sacrifice and the destruction of both the Trinity and Caliban the Unforgiven were scattered across time and space. Each of the loyal Dark Angels manifests in a different time and place, and picks up the fight against Chaos and the Enemies of Man as if nothing happened. Due to the sins of there genetic line, they do not receive a warm welcome from the Imperium, and must find sanctuary amongst the Eldar. The dying race welcomes the help of these Astartes, who are just as dedicated to the destruction of Chaos as they are. This dedication means that, like all branches of the Eldar save the Drukhari, and the Farsight Enclaves, even the most Puritan of Inquisitors will give the Unforgiven a stay of execution.
The most notable of the Unforgiven is undoubtedly Cypher. It is unknown who amongst the Lions loyal sons bears the title of Lord Cypher, but his description is known. On his back he carries a sword that he never draws. Instead he wields two guns, one a Bolter and the other a Plasma based weapon. What makes this nameless Astarte truly worthy of distinction is the fact that he cannot die. While he has been killed, such as during the War of the Beast and the Age of Apostacy, he can not stay dead. Whenever he is killed time seems to reverse for him and undo whatever wounds that caused his gene-enhanched body to perish. The Inquisition's generally accepted theory is that he was near the warp rift when it imploded alongside the Trinity, not only sending him the shortest distance away in time and space of all the Unforgiven, but also giving him the abilities of a Perpetual.
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Lion ordered the Dark Angels to Caliban in preparation of his plan while he and many spore marines went to Caliban, to either convince his father to join him again or destroy Luther and those Dark Angels who followed him. Wherever the Spore Marines marched Caliban rotted, but the Unforgiven never faltered. Years of fighting traitor and Warpborn monsters alike had hardened Astarte and human alike, and the relentless march of the Spore Marines did nothing to unnerve them. Even as the fungal mockeries of Astartes crushed the bones of the slain Great Beasts the knights of the order and there human allies used long range weaponry. They knew the danger of fighting Nurgle's slaves in close combat, for the cabal of Terran sorcerers had summoned Daemons of all choirs to reinforce there beastly and human allies. All the while the two Glorianas that bore the members of the Trinity moved into position and Lion met his foster father in the greatest of the Orders monasteries, Lion desperately wanting his father to join him but completely prepared to kill him if need be.
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Luther knew what a Daemon looked like. He had banished many of them back to the Warp during the many battles against the Chaotic forces that plagued his home. The thing in front of him, the man he once called son, was obviously on the cusp of ascending to the status of Daemon Prince, or rather Primarch. It's body drew to mind that of a king from the first dark ages. Once it was a body fit for a warrior, but it was rendered corpulent. However, Luther knew that this was not because of a sedentary lifestyle and feasting like those who commanded the knights of old, but instead because of the foul god Nurgle's "love" which took the form of diseases. Lion wore rusted armor and upon his head was twisted crown of thorns. But what was truly disturbing to the lord of the Unforgiven was that Lion's face was the same. No monstrous maw or disgusting fungal bloom, just the face of the one Luther had found in the woods.
The thing that was once his son spoke, and its voice was that of a long dead corpse swollen by decay rising from the bog it was buried in to gurgle forth words of carnage. "Father, please stop fighting against me. I seek to heal the galaxy. Only preventive measures can remove the cancer that is Chaos." Luther scoffed, "How can you possibly prevent Chaos from happening, it already has!" Lion smirked and said, "Look up father."
Luther did so, and as he saw what was in the skies he uttered a surprised, "By the throne." A massive warp rift was forming and Lion spoke once more, "That is the true power of the Trinity. The power to travel through time and space. With it, I will annihilate the C'tan and the Necrons before they even begin. The old ones might have feared there creation, but with the might of my legion I shall prevail!"
Luther knew what Lion could not see and declared to the creature in front of him, "No Lion, you are just a slave to ruin. You cannot undo Chaos even if the Trinity has that power. You are just a slave to ruin now, and that rift will doom Caliban, but I refuse to let it doom Caliban. My knights were right about you all along Lion, you are just a Beast!" Lion sighed and said, "If that's how it will be father. Know that I gave you a chance. And once I am done, you shall be reborn in a better world." Then, with a speed that belied his bloated form, Lion El'Jonson charged.
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Lion fought fiercely, but held back his Warp borne powers. He truly believed that he could undo Chaos, and as such he did not use any of Nurgle's boons, lest he attract the attention of the Chaos Gods. But even so he was still a Primarch, a being the equal of Demigods and forged for war. A mere Astartes was no match for a son of the Emperor, and Luther wasn't even a real Space Marine. Both knew that Luther wouldn't win. But what Lion didn't know was that Luther never intended to win.
Zahariel snuck aboard the Truth's Razor and used his psychic powers to destroy the Tuchulcha Engine, sacrificing his life in the process. Without the engines stabilizing influence the rest of the Trinity, unable to handle the full reality breaking might it wielded, was also destroyed. The rip in time and space became a full on Warpstorm, destroying the Glorianas that bore the Trinity, instantly vaporizing much of the Dark Angels legion. In addition, Caliban was deprived of the support of the manifested Ouroboros, leading to its collapse. But the biggest bane to Nurgles legion, and the biggest boon to all who fight Ruin, is that the Unforgiven were flung into the future by the Warpstorm.
Why exactly the Dark Angels still loyal to the throne were sent to the future instead of the past is not known. The Slaves of Ruin believe that the Warpstorm inverted its direction, either because of the instability that led to its collapse or the dying curse of the Trinity. Those loyal to the Emperor, as well as the Farseers of the detested Craftworlds, have another theory. They believe that the portal was never going to the past, but the future.
The reasoning behind this is simple. Lion, despite his denials, was a servant of Nurgle at this point. Nurgle is the Chaos god most offended by the Emperor's continued survival, given it goes against the principles the Great Corrupter is founded on. The Emperor, by being preserved in a Stasis field, is kept away from the cycle of death and decay that the Fly Lord embodies. Thus using his control over the Trinity, for it was born of the Chaos Gods unquestioned domain, he no doubt planned to send the Dark Angels legion into the aftermath of the Scouring. Unbroken by the flight from Terra and the Imperium weakened by the Siege of Terra, the Dark Angels legion could have struck the blow that destroyed the Imperium. Fortunately for all the galaxy, Lion's mad plan was foiled.
Siege of Terra: Despair and Decay
Lion El'Jonson, ascended during his despair on his crumbling homeworld, retired to his quarters after having been forcibly saved from the collapsing planet. Without the Trinity, Chaos could not be treated. Indeed, nothing could save the sick universe. Thus Lion realized that the only thing to do was to give it a merciful death. And soon after this realization Jagathai Khan gave the order for the traitor legions to coverge on Terra for the final battle. And the Dark Angels answered the call.
With the Daemonic forces of Nurgle right behind them, the Dark Angels came to Terra. Lion soon met with his traitorus brothers and those high enough in the ranks of the Chaos tainted to earn a place on the Traitors Council. Dorn pulled himself away from the Mirror of Narcissus, a trophy taken from the Leptoa that damned him to She-who-thirsts, to break the defenses of Perturabo. Kaspar, a mighty Space Wolf who was made Pack Lord of the Siege by the orders of Leman Russ, ordered the wolves to support the traitor advance any way possible. Gage did the same with his Ultramarines.
Lion was mostly silent during the council. Indeed, Ferrus Manus and Jagathai Khan both expected the Daemon Primarch of Nurgle to attack the devotee of Tzeentch for his sons actions during the hunt for the Trinity. But Lion did not, and in fact rarely left his private quarters, attended to by Rotbone and the Arch-Heretek Oct.
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Oct
Of all of Kelbor-Hal's disciples, Oct was the least influential. This was not due to a lack of genius, for if he was not a genius even by the standards of the cult of mars Kelbor-Hal would have never noticed him. No, his lack of influence was due to his prefered subject matter, for he was a biologist by nature. Even during the halycon days of the Great Crusade the Adeptus Mechanicus had a distaste for the unaugmented human form (to put it lightly). By focusing his efforts on healing and biology he made himself a pariah.
Like all of Kelbor-Hal's disciples he sought forbidden knowledge, and unlike all but Sorta-Nul he dared not question the newly enlightened Fabricator General. When Lukas Chrom spread the taint of Moravec to the priesthood of Mars, Oct and the other disciples save Sorta-Nul were easy prey to the corruption. Using his knowledge of human anatomy Oct wrought a truly massive death count. His signature trick was to poison the air filters of loyal cities with horribles diseases and the feared Rust Blight. Much of the destruction of Mar's delicate Terraforming is the direct result of Oct's tactics, and for this and reintroducing the Rust Blight to the galaxy Oct earned the favor of Nurgle.
He escaped the wraith of the vengeful Imperium and the claws of the Night Lords many times over and settled on Bubonious. He has bedeviled the Imperium ever since, as every instance of the Rust Blight, which has destroyed entire Forge Worlds, can be traced to him. However, one of his most notable actions is without a doubt his involvement in the Panacea Wars. While it was the Dark Eldar Malys that stole the Panacea, the STC was copied over into a cogitator by the High Fabricator the moment the Orks attacked. Indeed, the Panacea was delivered to countless worlds in desperate need of healing. But in the confusion of the three way war between the Imperium, the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue, and a massive Ork WAAGH! Oct snuck in, risking his very existence, and tainted the Panacea. Instead of much needed relief, it spread whatever disease was most damaging to the Imperium at large. Hive worlds and Forge world were struck by Rust Blight, the massive metal structures and technology rusting nigh instantly, servitors and cogitators screaming the words red rust. Meanwhile feral worlds and agriworlds suffered Nurgles rot, hordes of Poxwalkers forcing entire worlds to be burned and even more to starve.
As with all the Arch-Hereteks, Oct has abandoned the humanoid form. Instead his form is a massive and twisted two headed snake, a mockery of the symbol that marks all STC's related to medicine and biology.
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What Lion didn't want his brothers to know, and took great pains and used much of his power to hide, was that his battle with his foster father had left him wounded. A massive glowing cut from his left shoulder to his right hip marked the Daemonic form of the Primarch. While the magic of countless sorcerers of Nurgle kept the wound hidden from those who would exploit it, in the head of battle it could reveal itself. Even a single Lasgun, aimed at the wound, could theoretically banish Lion. Even if it didn't, it would severely hurt the demigod.
Spore Marines marched across the solar system, and cities that had endured the Long Night were put to the torch to ensure the spores did not spread. Similar protocols had to be put into action during the War of the Beast. Not even the Imperial Palace was spared the Flamer, as Spore Marines managed to breach the outer walls. Only Perturabo's grand defenses ensured that nothing vital to the Imperium's functioning was infected by spores of a Chaotic or Xenos nature.
When Jagathai Khan was killed by the Emperor, the White Scars were the first to flee. However, the Dark Angels were not far behind them, the despair of there Primarch reaching its peak at the death of the Warmaster of Chaos and the knowledge that the universe would sicken and die.
Post Heresy: The Fallen and the Unforgiven
As the Dark Angels settled upon Bubonious, the oldest spore marines becoming the first of the Fungal Trees, Rotbone discovered the wound upon Lion was tied to the Unforgiven. Lion, at this point, had accepted that the universe was sick and was now dedicated to forcing all others to learn this simple truth. With a Daemon Primarch at there head, the Dark Angels could spread the love of Nurgle to all. After all, Lion reasoned, the sickness could not be cured, a mercy kill could not be given. The only thing to do was make the last hours of the dying universe comfortable.
But before the hunt for the Unforgiven could begin, indeed before any legion could exploit the unfinished nature of the Iron Cages, a mighty threat emerged. A threat from which the Warpstorms was no protection. Vulkan, the Bloody Dragon, the Daemon Primarch of Khorne, had manifested in the Eye of Terror.
Baptized in the blood of the original champion of Khorne, saved from the Butcher Nails by the inference of the Mad Magos, Vulkan roared in pure rage. All inhabitants of the galactic hells heard the rage of the Daemon Primarch, and the Salamanders flocked to him. The Vulkan of the heresy was unrecognizable as the Primarch of Nocturne, who did not have a mean bone in his body. The Vulkan that arose from the last battle of Angron had only hate for all save his sons and there slaves, there very souls marked as the property of his sons.
Vulkan raged for he had sought to take Terra for himself. the glorious golden Imperial Palace as his Lair. He had wanted to burn the Webway to ash, taking the Dark Eldar with it, and bathe the galaxy in blood. But he could not, for his status as mightiest of the Daemon Primarchs meant that only when hordes of Daemons could march unhindered by realities laws could he manifest. So he decided to take his fury out on those he could touch.
Thus began the first Dragontide. Few worlds could stand against Vulkan and his sons, and he first traveled to the Malestrom and the Screaming Vortex, reducing entire civilizations to ash, and ravaging the Ruinstorm. Only the other Daemon Primarchs could hope to stand against Vulkan, as even the Neverborn burned by Vulkans baleful breath. Not even Khornes own Daemons were spared Vulkans hate, and this boded ill for all of Chaos. While all realms that could stand longer than a month gained a way to deter the Bloody Dragon, no such protections existed before the first Black Crusade.
For many years Vulkan rampaged with his sons following there father, and frequently the Daemon Primarchs had to fight there brother for the very survival of there legions. Even Corax, despite his patrons technology safeguarding his world, fought the Bloody Dragon to ensure certain Daemon Worlds were untouched. Lion grew worried, for he knew his wound would reveal itself and given no Daemon killed by Vulkan had arisen in there god's realm, it was quite obvious he would lose. Desperate to ensure the survival of both his sons and himself, he called in his debt with Corax. And so, in the Fungal Forest, the Daemon Primarchs met.
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The Warp Rift that Lion was looking at was wrong. Now, there was no Warp Rift that could be called right, but all things followed rules, even the Warp. The rules were confusing, self contradictory, and not even the Gods themselves knew and understood them all, but they were there. The rift in front of him did not, and the closest analog was the rift made by the Trinity. But that had traveled through time itself, purposefully instead of the incidental time travel caused by the unstable nature of the Sea of Souls. But this rift his brother had literally torn in the air was so wrong that, while it functioned the same, but was wrong in a way that words could not describe. Lion knew the only reason he himself was not driven mad trying to understand the wrongness in front of him was that he was a Daemon of Nurgle, and as a Daemon he understood more of the truths of existence.
The same applied be said of Corax. All daemons were a piece of the chaos god who made them, not even those who ascended from mortals were exempt from that. But Corax didn't have the lack of a true soul all daemons had. Despite looking every part a Daemon Primarch, composed of all shadows and having the mien of a raven, a beak and glowing eyes distinguishing his face and claws marking his hands and feet, all who looked upon him could tell something was not right with him even by the standards of a daemon. All Daemon Primarchs and Princes had there soul removed and replaced with a mass of warp stuff. Corax didn't, in fact it seemed his soul was still there, only sharing his body with something else.
As Corax walked he spawned minor Neverborn, which was typical of Daemon Primarchs. Even Lion made his own, little fungal squires that died as all Daemons spawned by the movement of the sons of the Anathema. But Corax's daemons were paradoxical, mixing the aspects of the gods in ways they were never meant to mix. The stagnancy of Nurgle mixed with the changing of Tzeentch, the bloodlust of Khorne mixed with the pleasure of Slannesh. It was practically intentional in how mismatched and tortured the fleeting existences of this daemons was.
In short Corax was wrong in ways that no words existed. No words existed in any language, even the Tongue of Daemons and the ancient dialogue of Enuncia, had any words to describe the thing that stood in front of Lion, the thing that was once his brother. Any words that could be ascribed to the Primarch of the Raven Guard could only be the approximation of an approximation, an allegory of an allegory. Corax was not a Daemon, he was as other to the Daemon as the Daemon was to the Materium. But he operated under enough of the same rules that he could be dealt with, peacefully or not.
Lion was brought back to the matter at had by Corax's laughter. Corax then spoke, "My world's defenses are not yours to use. My Patron defends his prize, and you serve Nurgle. However I will give you aid, for I am not one of my Patron's endless Masks." The paradoxical spawn of Corax echoed what was left unsaid before guttering out like dying embers, "Yet. Yet. Yet. Yet. yet. yet. yet. yet."
Corax motioned to the massive Fungal trees that his spore sons had become. The Nineteenth son spoke, "Use the love of the god thing you serve. Make all your treasures so infected by the muck and mire that not even Khorne's own fire and flame can make it safe for the dragons. There will be losses of life and treasure, but all of the Dragontides survivors will suffer such losses. And hide your Gloriana Lion. Vulkan has lost his, and the Bloody Dragon will not brook any to have a treasure he does not."
Corax moved to the rip and said, "Now my debt you is paid Lion. If you call upon me again, you shall owe me a debt. And you won't like what I will ask of you." And with that Corax and the rift itself was gone, nothing indicating they had ever been there.
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The world of Bubonious prepared for war, and the Invincible Reason vanished from the eye. Eventually the Salamanders descended upon Bubonious and found a slog awaiting them. The muck was knee deep and full of sickness that even the gene-enhancements of the Emperor himself struggled to fight. Vulkan soon grew angry at the lack of treasure and worthy foes, declaring the worlds of the Dark Angels not worth his time, or the time of his sons.
That is not to say Bubonious is untouched by the Salamanders come the Dragontides, for only dread Aucturn is safe from the wrath of Khorne's legion. But few Salamanders are willing slog through the sickly muck when targets more willing to fight and burn are available. Only the desperate, the newly ascended and the slaves attack Bubonious or any world controlled by the Dark Angels.
What started after that was a ten thousand year long war against the Unforgiven. Many a plague crusade has been launched for that sole purpose, and thousands of worlds have been tainted by heresy or destroyed, either by the Imperium's inevitable retribution or by the blades of the Fallen, all to capture or kill a single Unforgiven. The seers of the Thousand Sons and the agents of the Alpha Legion both report a troubling development with the Eye. With each Unforgiven killed or turned to Chaos the wound across Lion's chest grows smaller, and with each Black Pearl congealed from the blood of the Daemon Primarch Lion grows closer to his full strength.
Now the Great Rift clefts the galaxy in twain, the forces of chaos rampage across the galaxy in numbers not seen since the Khan's betrayal. The Iron Warriors have scattered with the shattering of the Iron Cages. The greatest Dragontide ever known heads for Terra, Vulkan seeking to claim the Throneworld as his. The forces of the Ultramarines and the Tau spread the blasphemy of there unholy Codex. And the Raven Guard head to Chemos, there motives as unknowable as ever. And Lion El'Jonson himself leads his legion to the ruined remains of Caliban. The Thousand Sons believe that in the remnants of the Trinity, only now emerged from there own death throes, the Fungal King will find the way to remove Cypher from the mortal coil permanently. And should Cypher fall, the Unforgiven will die and Lion's age old wound will finally seal itself up. Only the Emperor himself knows what vile afflictions the Galaxy will suffer should that happen.
Homeworld
Caliban is long dead, utterly annihilated by the might of the first creatures of the warp breaking the laws of time and space in ways that not even the warp ever could. By the destruction of the Trinity, those weapons made to fight in the War in Heaven itself, so was Caliban shattered by the screams of universal laws breaking. Nothing remains of this ancient planet save floating wreckage.
The remains of Caliban are untouched by all, for the wraith of the dying trinity keeps all who would disturb the remains of the world of the Dark Angels away. The inquisition and the tech priests of mars have discovered that there is a much more active threat than the constant storms and hostile conditions universal to what is now known as the Rocks of the Angels. For the ghosts of Caliban manifest should the harsh terrain and conditions not suffice to keep out intruders.
As every Psyker and those with even a hint of knowledge of the Enemies of Man knows, the Warp is the realm of souls. While the God Emperor safeguards the souls of those loyal to his divine will, there are still echoes of all beings that have any presence in the warp, most commonly called Ghosts. These things are for the most part curiosity's, as any sufficiently strong emotion can leave these echoes. However, like the Legion of the Damned, the ghosts of Caliban are both material and a threat. All beings who died upon Caliban or in its orbit have ghosts that are able to kill even an Grey Knight. No matter what they where in life, Astartes of either side, human or xenos and of course the Beasts arisen from the Ouroboros, they are all united in death. No matter how many are killed, the ghosts quickly remanifest in the materium, and not even a Gellar field will suffice to keep the ghosts out. That, combined with the fact that all ships that were destroyed in Caliban's orbit, which include two glorianas, are also amongst the ghost forces, means that reclaiming Caliban for the Imperium is an impossibility.
In the Eye of Terror, the world of Bubonious now serves as the Dark Angels homeworld. This word is a mockery of Caliban in particular and Fedual worlds in general, with Lion El'Jonson being the high king and the Dark Angels being the various lesser nobles. With the Deathwing and Ravenwing being the highest of dukes, the normal Dark Angels being the gentry and the Spore Marines being the knights, they make a court that is free of all the politicking that is the standard of nobility. Unlike even other Nurglite courts, the Dark Angels do not seek to advance on anything other than there own merit.
The best way to prove this merit is by bringing the Unforgiven to Bubonious. By bringing a throne loyal son of Lion to Bubonious for torture and eventual death or repentance at the hands of the Interrogator-Chaplains causes the wound upon Lion's chest to close slightly, and forming a Black Pearl from the energies unleashed by the Primarch healing himself. In a grand ceremony attended by thousands of serfs and hundreds of Dark Angels, the Black Pearl is given to the Dark Angel who brought the Unforgiven to Bubonious, followed by a grand parade led by the newly promoted Dark Angel who proudly displays all Black Pearls they have. This parade also has the newly corrupted or dead Unforgiven in a grand throne.
Bubonious has a great many forests of massive fungi, each of which is an ancient Spore Marine. There constant coughing births many Spore Marines, numbering billions in total. The true strength of the Dark Angels legion, should it ever be massed, could rival the Ultramarines themselves in pure numbers. However Lion has ordered it split into many Warbands in order to better hunt down the Unforgiven and fulfill the various goals of Lion El'Jonson. These include the Angels of Vengeance, the Angels of Redemption, the Disciples of Caliban, the Angels of Absolution and the Guardians of the Covenant amongst others. In addition, the low survival rate of the Spore Marines and the attacks of the Salamanders during the various Dragontides mean that there is always space for the cities, fields and castles of the Dark Angels.
Organization
The Dark Angels are, quite possibly, the only unbroken traitor legion. Even the Ultramarines, united by there faith in the Dark Gods and there obedience to the Codex Astartes, are still riven by grudges and doctrinal disputes between Chapters. Meanwhile, the Dark Angels will never fight one another and are united by there hunt for the Unforgiven and there obedience to there Primarch. Any other differences are settled by discussion and, in the most heated of disagreements, honor duels.
Unlike most of the Traitor Legions, the old ranks of there days as loyalists still remain. While the Libarius has become the Sorcerers and the Techmarines have become Warpsmiths, they still exist relatively unchanged. The Apothecaries remain, but are especially rare. This is due to most of them, alongside Daemons of Nurgle and Heretks, study the wound of Lion El'Jonson and seek ways to cure it. This sends the Apothecaries to all corners of the Galaxy, with those that fight alongside other Dark Angels being the few that either are between leads or those who have failed enough times to be put to the work of harvesting the Geneseed of the dead until either Rotbone or Oct decide a new perspective is required. Then a single Apothecary is brought back to Bubonious while one of the failed Apothecaries take there place in whatever warband there brother was with.
Combat Doctrine
The Dark Angels are a very stable legion, still holding to the Principia Belicosa, admittedly with the addition of the Spore Marines and the influence of Nurgle. They are known to spread Nurgle's Love to enemy forces and be reinforced by there combat serfs, who are the equals to the Imperial Guards. The Dark Angels are known to be very honorable and willing to work with any. Indeed, Salamanders, Iron Hands and Space Wolves have all had the aid of the Dark Angels in the past, provided the Salamanders and Iron Hands can get past there hatred of the Dark Angels, due to the hate of the Salamanders and the natural rivalry between the patron gods of the tenth and first legions. The Space Wolves leader must prove themselves strong by dueling the highest ranking Dark Angel and winning, and even then the Space Wolves overwhelming ego causes constant tension on the Nurglite Astartes and if the Space Wolves suffer no casualties from the knights of Caliban then the alliance is considered good. Indeed, Tartugai Yesugi had only to ask the Dark Angels to gain there aid for each Black Crusade.
However, the Dark Angels prioritize the hunt for the Unforgiven and the orders of there primarch above all others. Should an Unforgiven be found or Lion give an order then the Dark Angels will immediately leave behind whatever force they are aiding or enemy they are engaging in order to pursue there highest priority. However, to the chaotic forces left by the Dark Angels, they always give recompense equal to whatever was lost by the retreat of the knights of Caliban, plus extras to ensure the Dark Angels honor is not damaged. This ensures the Dark Angels are still trusted.
Beliefs
The beliefs of the Dark Angels are the beliefs of their Primarch, Lion El'Jonson. They believe that Chaos is a sickness of the universe, a cancer upon reality that will kill the entire universe one day. There ancient hunt for the Trinity was motivated by this, as they knew that the only way to destroy such a malignant tumor was preventative. They needed to find the Trinity and destroy the C'tan and the Necrontyr before they started the War in Heaven.
With the destruction of both the Trinity and Caliban, that possibility is gone. And with the Khan's death at the hands of the Emperor of Mankind, the possibility of a quick and merciful death to the universe was gone. As such, the only thing to do is to is make the little time the universe has left comfortable. This translates to spreading Nurgle's love to all.
Indeed, the Hunt for the Unforgiven is not motivated by hate, but by compassion. They hope to show those who defy the Lion the error of there ways, at least in there own heretical eyes. If the Unforgiven remains loyal to him on Terra, then he must be given a merciful death. This mercy is nothing of the sort from the point of view of any save another devotee of Nurgle, usually taking the form of the very infection that damned the Dark Angels over ten thousand years ago. The fact that this heals there Primarch, who once at full strength would lead his legion to spread the love of Nurgle to all, only motivates them further.
Geneseed and Recruitment
The combination of the Eye of Terrors mutating effects and the rotting influence of Nurgle has not been kind to the geneseed of the first legion. Indeed, the main reason that the Dark Angels have not raided both the Imperium or the other Traitor Legions like the other Heretic Astartes is the fact that the majority of there members are Spore Marines. Given these false Astartes require no Geneseed to make, the Dark Angels are able to conserve there Geneseed in mighty vaults deep beneath Bubonious.
That is not to say the Geneseed is pure, as the fungal infection that damned the Dark Angels still effects the Progenoid glands. Only the constant upkeep of the many beings who research the Lion's wound and tend to him keeps these glands from rotting away. Thus, when the creation of a new Dark Angel is necessary, the serf who has proven worthy of ascension, becoming a Squire (the equivalent of the loyalist scouts) must be knighted by Lion to stabilize the geneseed lest the ancient fungal infection that drove the first legion to the service of Nurgle claim the life of the Squire.
While this renders the geneseed useless, those of the Unforgiven who break and become servants of Nurgle replenish the Progenoid glands enough to be a sustainable legion.
Warcry
The typical Dark Angel warcry is "The galaxy is sick, we offer comfort!", while against the Unforgiven they cry, "You can be forgiven!". The Unforgiven meanwhile usually cry, "For the Emperor" or "For Caliban!"
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As the victorious Belial left the palace to parade the dead body of Marbas through the fields and castles of Bubonious, Lion El'Jonson sat back in his throne. With the death of Marbas only one Unforgiven remained. The one who had been his most ardent foe. How fitting that the son who still defied him was in fact his father, Luther. In penance he had taken the name of Lord Cypher. How he had become a true Astarte still puzzled Lion, but his best guess was the Watchers in the Dark were involved somehow. And whatever the Trinity had done had given him immortality.
Then, as the 13th black crusade had split the galaxy asunder, Lion realized how he could slay his wayward father. The secrets of Caliban would have the way to undo the immortality of Cypher. Mentally calling for his legion to come to Caliban in full force, he made his way to where the Invincible Reason was buried. The roar of Vulkan made Lion even more willing to unearth the Gloriana, for all knew that Vulkan would made way to Terra.
Then he heard it, "Waiting. Waiting for the rising." He felt the dread of the world fall upon him, thinking of the what ifs and might have beens. He shook it off, and unearthed the Invincible Reason, and made his way to Caliban.
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Author notes
First, I want to say I was reluctant to start work on this chapter. This is because, as of writing this, we are living in a pandemic. So Nurgle in general is certainly a touchy subject. Luckily, my desire to make original twists on the legions means I am not really touching on disease. My space wolves in the volcanic heresy focus on mental aspects of sickness, the dark angels here are focused on fungus (thanks to the spore marines from the sanguinary schism), the tau focus on the twisted fertility of Nurgle's garden and the Nurgle ultramarines focus on pollution.
Alright, random story observations go
At first, I was gonna have Lion El'Jonson's would being slowly closed by the death of the loyal dark angels be him slowly giving up his hatred and embracing the love of Nurgle. Then I got my hands on the 8ed Chaos Daemons codex and I learned something. Nurgle's generosity is not limitless. The seers of Lugganath learned that the hard way. So now I have it being Nurgle approving of Lion's quest, instead of the primarch slowly coming around to Nurgle's way.
Second, the loyalist dark angels call themselves the Unforgiven instead of the fallen. This is because they know the Imperium won't forgive them for their legion's betrayal (this is a canon style Imperium after all). But more importantly, they won't forgive themselves for their failure. They failed to protect their home, and they failed to keep their legion loyal. It doesn't matter if they couldn't have, it's that they failed to do so, by any means necessary. As such, they will never be forgiven. At least, not without being tortured and accepting Nurgle's love. Indeed, the Nurgle dark angels are dedicated to helping their "wayward" brothers. If they die under the rehabilitation sessions (which involve horrible diseases and torture) then they still serve Nurgle, as fertilizer. They consider the rehabilitation and hunt for the Unforgiven to be tough love.
The version of the Destroyer Hive I use is based off of two super sentai villains. The main inspiration is Dogold from my favorite super sentai series, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger. Dogold was a suit of armor who possessed the gold ranger and requires a very strong permanent host. He can make do with a strong minion, but they degrade after a month. This translates to the Destroyer Hive needing an Astartes every month to be a host but has destined hosts that would last forever (or until freed). The other villain is Brajira of the Messiah from Tensou Sentai Goseiger. The parts taken from him are the bugs the Destroyer Hive produces being able to control others (in the series they were the way to grow the monster) and his three forms in between the knight host (inspired by Dogolds first host) and when he meets Lion El'Jonson. I decided to make the destroyer hive a Daemon because I want to use the famous Nurgle Daemon Rotigus in the Tau chapter.
Spore marines come from the sanguinary schism. I modified them, but the idea is from that alternate heresy. The fact that they taste like soy comes from the zomboids and zoybean pod plant from plants vs zombies 2. The Imperium of the Khanite Heresy is closer to the canon imperium, so they don't know what soy is exactly, but the generally accepted theory is correct. I am not saying soy is Nurgle based, but the imperium certainly thinks so.
Serfs exist because every time the dark angels fall they have armies of brainwashed and broken minions.
The Trinity's power is canon, when together they can create a time rift. There origin is unknown, but it sounds like they would be born in the War in Heaven, which I see as like Doctor Who's Last Great Time War.
Of the nine disciples there is very little info, so I am making it up. So I don't get confused I shall list which legion gets which Arch-Heretek
Dark Angels = Oct
White Scars = Cain Pent and the Kaban Machine
Space Wolves = Duos
Imperial Fists = Tessera
Iron Hands = Adrim Protos
Ultramarines = Lukas Chrom
Salamanders = Axmar Tre
Raven Guard = Illvia Epta
Nauseous Rotbone is Mortarion's doctor in canon, and plague surgeons are former death guard apothecaries. But its an epic enough name to be a title of a singular villain.
Bubonious is a reference to the bubonic plague, better known as the black plague. This is the most famous disease to exist (at least that I know of) and it ravaged the middle ages. That was the time of knights, so I thought why not play on that. Also, I had no clue the Death Guard homeworld in canon was called Bubonicus, until I looked up Plaguebearers.
I refer to the Ouroboros as the Ur-Daemon because it was the first daemon, born of the Old Ones desperation and made into a weapon. It was sealed away once the Old Ones realized they couldn't control it.
I switched the titles of the two Dark Angels groups, IE loyalists are unforgiven and traitors are fallen, because it felt appropriate.
I changed Dorn's fall a bit, because I remembered Harry Potters Mirror of erased so I decided to make the Mirror of Narcissus, a relic of the Leptoa with which is bound the Slanneshi Daemon Prince Narcissus, cause honestly how could Narcissus not be a Daemon of Slannesh.
I know Kaspar isn't a space wolf, but he's the only notable space wolf on TV tropes that is there during the Horus Heresy, so I am making him pack lord during the Siege of Terra.
I am gonna have the word bearers be the iron hands of this universe. Namely in that they do the exact opposite of what there primarch would have wanted. In this universe, they are followers of the Imperial Cult. They think the Emperor was once a man, the greatest man to ever live, but he ascended to godhood on the golden throne.
Rust blight comes from lost in space, with elements of Transformers cosmic rust mixed in.
Oct, like all Arch-Hereteks, has a distinctly inhuman form. His form is a mockery of Caduceus, an instantly recognizable symbol of medicine. As for why he doesn't have raven heads, I felt that was a bit overdone. But I do plan to have a khanite heresy tts short where Oct gets accosted by a raven guard and then Kairos, both of which are miffed by his twin heads having raven faces.
Ok, I am gonna stop now.