The dawn of a new age of supremacy for humanity beckons.
Gleaming citadels of marble and gold celebrate the many victories of the Emperor. Triumphs are raised on a million worlds to record the epic deeds of his most powerful and deadly warriors.
First and foremost amongst these are the primarchs,
superheroic beings who have led the Emperor's armies of
Space Marines in victory after victory. They are unstoppable
and magnificent, the pinnacle of the Emperor's genetic
experimentation. The Space Marines are the mightiest
human warriors the galaxy has ever known, each capable of
besting a hundred normal men or more in combat.
Organised into vast armies of tens of thousands called Legions, the Space Marines and their primarch leaders conquer the galaxy in the name of the Emperor.
Chief amongst the primarchs is Horus, called the Glorious, the Brightest Star, favourite of the Emperor, and like a son unto him. He is the Warmaster, the commander-in-chief of the Emperor's military might, subjugator of a thousand, thousand worlds and conqueror of the galaxy. He is a warrior without peer, a diplomat supreme, and his ambition knows no bounds.
The stage has been set.
~ DRAMATIS PERSONAE ~
The Primarchs
Horus Warmaster and Commander of the Sons of Horus Legion
Rogal Dorn Primarch of the Imperial Fists
Mortarion Primarch of the Death Guard
The Death Guard
Nathaniel Garro Battle-Captain of the 7th Company
Ignatius Grulgor Commander of the 2nd Company
Calas Typhon First Captain
Ullis Temeter Captain of the 4th Company
Andus Hakur Veteran Sergeant, 7th Company
Meric Voyen Apothecary, 7th Company
Tollen Sender 7th Company
Pyr Rahl 7th Company
Solun Decius 7th Company
Kaleb Arin Housecarl to Captain Garro
Other Space Marines
Saul tarvitz First Captain of the Emperor's Children
Iacton Qruze, 'the Half-heard' Captain, 3rd Company, Sons of Horus
Sigismund First Captain, Imperial Fists
Non-Astartes Imperials
Maloghurst 'the Twisted' Equerry to the Warmaster
Amendera Kendel Oblivion Knight, Storm Dagger Witchseeker Squad
Malcador The Sigillite, Regent of Terra
Kyril Sindermann Primary iterator
Mersadie Oliton Remembrancer, documentarist
Euphrati Keeler 'The New Saint'; remembrancer
Baryk Carya Shipmaster of the frigate Eisenstein
Racel Vought Executive officer of the frigate Eisenstein
Tirin Maas Vox officer of the frigate Eisenstein
PART ONE
THE BLINDED STAR
'If the sole trait these Astartes share in common with we mere mortal masses is their bond of brotherhood, then one must dare to ask the question – if that were lost to them, what would they become?'
- attributed to the remembrancer Ignace Karkasy
"We are the voice and the clarion call; We are tyrant's ruin and rival's fall.'
- from the battle mantra of the Dusk Raiders
'As with men so it is with silk; it is difficult to change their colours once they have been set!