The Heresy (Backup) - Roleplay Thread

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

The loss of a Great Company wounded Russ greatly, but their work was done, they had earned many a great victory in the crusade and had earned the respect they were long overdue. As reports reached him of Eldar pirates being hunted out of the Fenris system Russ afforded himself a small smile. Things were looking up for his Legion. Construction of the Aett was, as expected, slow to begin with, but it would get there, that was the main thing.

Anther report declared that a Terran Wolf Lord had taken a Fenrisian unit of Hunters who had not earned their pack markings as his retinue for the final battle, apparently to prove that "these Fenrisians can't even come close to a true Astartes, they're just savages". The report indicated that the Hunters had kept pace with him for a spell until he had started to edge ahead on the kill tally, reaping a fearsome kill count until he had become wounded. The Fenrisians with him dragged him to safety, and exceeded his kill count in the process thus earning their pack markings. However they seemed to be denying that they had exceeded his tally, citing targetter malfunctions which caused some of the Lord's kills to be given to each of them. The Lord in question had honoured them by taking them as his personal retinue from now on and even raising one of them to Wolf Guard status. As word spread throughout the Legion it seemed that the term "Grey Hunter" was quickly turning from a slight, to a compliment.

[El ShasOcho]

"I shall go brother, and bring word of Corax to our other brothers. Let us hope that we may find good news upon returning."

With that Perturabo boarded his flagship along with his first chapter and made great haste toward Terra.

[Rarity Declis]

"That is good, Captain Agapito. The Raven Guard are great warriors, and though my brother sleeps now, the Raven Guard haven't finished his fight. Corax was always diligent, he would hate to think his duty is undone whilst he sleeps. The Luna Wolves will not do it in his stead- I will not steal that honour from him, nor the Raven Guard."

"Captain, rally the Raven Guard. We shall finish the fight he started, the Raven Guard and my Luna Wolves, side by side and together. We shall hunt down the cowardly Eldar. And it will be the Raven Guard who finish the fight. And then, once it is done, the Raven Guard shall be in the Vanguard of the next step of the Crusade, and win many worlds in the name of Corax."

Horus smiled, a grim smile, and looked down to his brother who slept. "Do you hear, brother? When you awaken, you will find the Raven Guard have not been idle in your absence. You will awake to find the Raven Guard so full of honours you shall have to climb over them when you leave this bed."

A low groan answered him, and a small tear made a trail through the ash on Horus' face.

[Thantos]

Guilliman glanced sidelong at the Emperor who stood to his left, golden plate armour shining, the Emperor stood patiently, expectantly, eyes fixed on the portal. The Custodes were arranged around the audience chamber - silent and still as ever, but Guilliman knew if something went wrong with this reunion, they would be like leaves in a tornado - it would be down to him to back up the Emperor in this meeting.

It was rumoured a new Primarch had returned! Another brother!

He had vowed to be silent, the finding of a primarch was a sacred moment between son and father, primarch and Emperor. And Rouboute would let events unfold naturally between his new brother and his father.
Although he was excited! Would his brother be a tactician? A seige master? Would be be tall and mighty? Or wide and solid? Whatever his brother be like, he hoped to spend some time with him before returning to the Legion.

Rouboute stood in polished blue and gold armour, blond hair shining, his posture solid but at ease and a smile on his lips. Internally he felt apprehension, many Primarchs had rebelled against the emperor at first, forcing father to prove himself as master of mankind.
The stories go that Vulkan, for example, had hunted giant Drake lizards for 8 weeks in competition with the Emperor, only when he had been bested in this contest had he accepted the Emperor's rule. There were no giant Lizards here, so he was unsure what test would commence if there were to be one...



Previously,
+++ Guilliman to Horus ++++
By all means brother, utilise the Ultramarines as you would your own. Im sure they will also learn much from your Wolves with tales to tell when the return.
I hope to return to the Legion shortly, although there is a last pressing matter to deal with on Terra. I hope to update you on events shortly.
Good hunting
Rouboute ++++



Captain Hex paced the corridors to the Lunar Wolves battle barge. The ship felt wrong to him, it was so similar to the Ultramarines ships, but so different at the same time. So he was restless. He had befriended many Lunar Wolves, learnt much from them in the training ring, and taught some lessons with his sword in return. He was pleased to be under Horus's command for the time being, he sensed similarities to his own Primarch in Hours - the tactical mind, the ambition - although sometimes things he would see or hear would unsettle him. Like now.

Captain Abaddon was being escorted by a trio of Lunar Wolves, stumbling and stripped of his armour, down the corridor. He was badly bruised and bleeding. Captain Abaddon who he had trained with many times! What had wounded him so?

They passed, and the Captain's eyes met Abaddon's for a second. Shame, sadness, anger - he saw it all. Hex placed a hand out to stop one of the Lunar Wolf guards and spoke to him.
"What happened to Captain Abaddon?" Hex asked as the captain was escorted away by the remaining guard.
"He failed Lupercal, and shamed the Legion, Ultramarine" replied the Lunar Wolf, matter-of-factly.
"How? What wounded him such? He needs the Apothacariam!" The Lunar Wolf guard pulled away and started down the corridor again, turning back, he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world,
"It was Horus, of course."

An hour later, Captain Hex knocked on the door to Captain Abaddon's quarters, three heavy thuds, and waited.

[Infinity_Drive]

Agapito marshalled the fleet around the Luna Wolves, and prepared for departure. The flagship, grand cruiser Imperator Ascendant lay at the heart of the fleet, and at its own heart, in the apothacarion, lay Corax, still in his fevered dream state.

It was time to crush the eldar, and win glory for the Raven Guard.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

As they sailed throught the warp, Magnus could not help but turn his mind to what might happen if they actually made it to Terra. He was a mutant himself, but nothing to the degree of Fulgrim. Would he ever be accepted? No matter who rejected or tried to oppose him, Magnus would stand behind his brother, perhaps between them they could find away to stabilise the mutations of both their chapters.

[El ShasOcho]

Perturabo arrived back at Terra and immediately sought out his father, whom he found with Guilliman. "Father, I bring sorrowful new. Brother Corax has been seriously injured. He is still recovering, and may not see action for some time.

"Also, I felt something, and I sensed it coming from here. I immediately returned to see what it was. What has happened?"

[silverfuge]

Curze read the message and reread it checking for signs of betrayal, they seemed to be none. His captains debated back and forth about the need for brothers, which in turn was tempered by the recent betrayals suffered at the hands of they once highed regarded brothers the Lunar wolves. The answer as always was delivered by Curze himself. How can I call myself better than horus if I would refuse my brother the chance of glory and my sons the chance to learn new techniques and a chance to expand? No I will allow Angron to join us and wheather or not he knows it he will shoulder the burden of all our brothers. If he gives a good account of himself we will join with more of our brothers but if he shows poorly then it will take my father himself to make us work together with any of our kin"

The captains stopped, all realised the importance of Angrons request even if he didn't. Isolation is no small task but all gathered knew it to be the right option. Angron and indeed all of the warhounds had become Avatars for their brothers.

+++ Konrad Curze to Angron +++

Your request Humbles me as I was almost begining to believe we had been forgotten out here, you and your men are of course welcome and togetehr I hope we can expand the boarders and learn from each other.

Your brother in arms

Curze

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Wargamer]

The Medicae stations assigned to the Eagle Legion were filled with the dead and the dying, and far too many had fallen from wounds no Ork had inflicted.

Captain Phoran of the 3rd Chapter, 4th Company, sat with his helmet in his hands. He had intended to meet with the Luna Wolves, but things had turned ugly between the Legions, and within his own.

He had failed them. His was one of the Companies expected to support the Fifth Chapter of Luna Wolves and help them secure victory. Instead, his men had stalled. Mistakes in logistics had meant the assault craft had overshot, or undershot, and so the Legion came in piecemeal. 3/8 Company never came in at all; what befell them was too painful to speak of.

Phoran sighed, and rose to seek out the Luna Wolves. Matter had to be put right; their failure had to be amitted, no matter how painful. He passed other members of his Legion, all of them afflicted in ever growing ways by the Flesh Curse. He saw in their eyes a lingering hope, a silent prayer that their Primarch might yet return, as the rumours said he would, and restore them to glory. Phoran did not share their faith; he believed they were beyond saving.

[Wargamer]

Turn 4:
It was a homecoming... but one of little joy.

As Mortarion acquainted himself with his Legion, a second Lost Primarch reached Terra, one who clung to life by the meagerest of threads.
"I found him on Cadia," Magnus explained. "I fear he is not long for this world..."

There was no joy to be had. Fulgrim was rushed into the Emperor's sanctuary with an army of Apothecaries and genesmiths in tow. For days the Emperor was locked away to all, even the son he had yet to formally welcome, or the other Primarchs who gathered.

At last, the vigil ended. The Emperor returned to his sons with a heart on the verge of breaking.
"Fulgrim is gone," he said. "We can save the Emperor's Children; he lived long enough to ensure that.
He looks to each Primarch in turn, and each sees the anquish in his eyes. Magnus is the last he reaches, and he places a golden hand upon the Crimson King's shoulder. "You brought him home, Magnus. This is not a failure... good will come of this, I swear it."

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Magnus looked into the eyes of the Emperor, saddened by what had occoured.

"Father I. . .I wish to help the Emperors Children as much as I can. Allow me to assist in creating a cure, and after that. . if they wish it. . .I offer them a home on Prospero. I offer them my leadership. I cannot replace Fulgrim in their hearts but I can ensure that they are never wasted."

[Wargamer]

The Emperor considered this for some time. "I believe... yes, I think perhaps they would accept that. I shall place you in command of their surviving Chapters. Have them recalled to Terra so that we may begin saving what we can of their forces."

[The Man They Call Jayne]

"Thankyou father, you do me much honour."

Magnus bowed slighty to the Emperor and walked to the nearest communications room.

+++Magnus the Red to all Chaperts of the Emperors Children+++

My brothers, your time has come and your restoration is to begin. The Emperor orders all Chapters to return to Holy Terra at once. You are to come under my command from this moment on and alongside the Thousand Sons we shall spread the Emperors name across the galaxy. I am honoured to accept this position as your Primarch and I shall to it that the Emperors Children are never forgotten.

Magnus the Red

+++

[Railgun Convention]

His... informants... ever the speediest, Jaghati Khan picked up on the happenings on Terra shortly before Jubal Khan, leader of the 1st chapter, came bearing the news.

"A primarch returns and is lost within days of his arrival... This is certainly unfortunate. Regardless, that means the Eagle Warriors are stable at last, as are we. We should send welcome to the other brother, however. In fact, I should go meet my brothers in person for once."

Jubal Khan looked hopeful as he enquired, "Does this mean we can resume crusading now?"

Jaghati smiled. "Of course. What better way to get to know a man than a good Crusade?"



+++For the attention of the Astartes High Command+++
Father, Brothers, I have been absent from the crusades for too long. With our home system under wraps and genetic fluctuations rectified, I see no reason to hold back further. The White Scars will return to the battlefields.

I am sorry to hear of the fate of our lost brother Fulgrim, but with Mortarion back, we should look to what he can help us achieve.



+++Jaghati Khan to Leman Russ+++
Brother, it has been too long since we last fought together. I hope you haven't grown battleweary in my absence.

[El ShasOcho]

Perturabo returned to Horus with a melancholy look on his face. "I have both good news and bad news, brothers. The Good news is one of our brothers was found, Fulgrim of the Emperor's children. However, upon arriving to Terra he quickly passed away from the mutation. Fortunately, before he died a cure to the gene flaw was found, and his legion will be saved.

"I will leave a bulk of my forces under your command, Horus, so we may build a mighty fortress. I personally shall be reaching out to our brother Curze, to see if I can connect with him and make an ally."