Army Briefing: Provincial Defenders of Wissenland

Provincial Defenders

Of

Wissenland

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Wissenland, 2523 I.C.

During the last months of 2522 I.C., a horrible disaster occurred on the border of Wissenland.  In the Grey Mountains, a dwarf enclave called Khazid Grimaz fell to the machinations of orcs, goblins and fouler creatures of chaos.  The resulting war that began with the destruction of the Khazid and continues with the ingress of beastmen and undead to the Brightflow Gap has erupted into full scale war right on the edge of the province.  Abandoned by the mercenary ogre clans that had already been paid for their service, the people of Wissenland looked to the Countess Emmanuelle of Nuln for an answer.

The doors of Nuln slammed shut, and the Countess’s guard surrounded the city.  She has made it clear that the army of Nuln would defend Nuln, even though that city is the capital of Wissenland.  And even though she is technically bound by oaths to the Emperor to defend the province, she doesn't regard the rather rural and unrefined areas outside the capital to be worth defending.  In her mind, if Nuln survives the next war, then so does Wissenland.  For all the folk of the province that are not fortunate enough to live within the walls of the city-state of Nuln, the future is grim indeed. 

Independent Organization

Yet the people of Wissenland have survived this long with her indifference.  They are long used to the way the nobles and common folk of Nuln treat the people of the wider province.  Long ago they realized that if they did not defend themselves, then no one would.  There are those who keep watch on the Emperor’s lands, even if the Countess herself will not.  She doesn’t bother with the affairs of Wissenlanders, and Wissenlanders don’t concern themselves much with what happens in Nuln.

In the small town of Eppiswald, a chapter of the Knights of Morr rose to prominence during the battles around Khazid Grimaz.  The heroic Grandmaster of the chapter perished in those bloody combats, but the new leadership is determined to defend Wissenland from this looming threat before it comes to fruition and begins to overwhelm the land.  To this effect, the Knight-Commander began to reach out to the local militias, and units of fighting men pledged their service to the defense of the land.  Eventually, this militia began to form a real army from the disparate regiments of troops that answered the call to battle.

The Grey Mountains and the River Reik

The new army, led by Knight-Commander Barnabas Pech of the Black Guard of Morr, quickly swelled in size.  Aided by a company of Imperial pistoliers called the Wissenland Bounders, the small force had great intelligence on its enemies and was able to counter several small scale.  The Knights were also able to reach out all across Wissenland, and communities concerned with what would happen to them if there was a successful invasion, gladly sent men to aid in the defense of the province.

From Eppiswald itself, a regiment of spearmen were raised, and forms the centerpoint of the infantry line.  Halberdiers from Pfielsdorf and swordsmen from Heisenburg make up the rest of the fighting infantry, but not everyone in Nuln is as apathetic to the plight of their countrymen.  A regiment of Gunnery School cadets have brought a great cannon to Pech’s army, and together with a regiment of handgunners from Wittenhausen form a formidable gun line.

The new army needed a base of operations, and the abandoned and haunted Schloss Bestrafe in the Brightflow Gap was a fantastic location for a campaign in the Grey Mountains.  After vanquishing the undead horrors lurking in that place, the army took up residence there.  The haunting would continue, but in a much less dangerous way.  Yet after this victory and occupation of the area, the army gained even more allies.  Dwarf refugees from the Khazid Grimaz made camp not far from the Schloss Bestrafe, and the camp of the mercenary ogres was never far away from Pech’s army until they turned against Imperial forces suddenly and without warning.

A powerful Imperial Battle Wizard named Sagan arrived at Schloss Bestrafe one day, and explained that his sanctum was not far away.  The wizard and the Knight-Commander spoke long into the night, and a mutual defense agreement was made.  In the days and weeks that followed, magisters from every school of Imperial Wizardry made themselves known to the Knight-Commander.  From that point on, the Provincial Defenders had everything they needed.  Soldiers, will to fight, and now – magic.

It was not long after that even stranger events began to occur.  The wizards brokered a meeting with a strange creature from the mountains that resembled a Halfling sized, bipedal lizard.  The creature spoke to the wizards in a strange language, which Pech was told was Elven.  It conveyed a prophecy of dire warning, and provided intelligence on the greatest threats to the land.  After demonstrating it’s good intentions, it provided information relating to a large supply cache that Pech desperately needed.  The wizards assured the Knight-Commander that the creature could be trusted, and the supplies were obtained by the army and deemed safe.

Since then, the Provincial Defenders have fought alongside the lizardmen from beneath the mountains many times.  The alliance has resisted beastmen and undead advances for months.  The lizardmen always disappear into the passes soon after battle, but parley occurs occasionally, reaffirming the mutual pact of aid between the two races.  Yet, ever greater the threat grows…and the alliance is outnumbered.

Army Briefing: Black Skull Raiders

Black Skull Raiders

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Planet Nokk, .M41

Tangrus III is completely annihilated.  Orks rove the plains, hunting horrific tyranid beasts that remain after the invasion of Hive Fleet Mahnunnah a few years previous.  Two massive tribes had always vied for power on this world, which is known by its inhabitants simply as “Nokk”.  The Evil Sunz tribe long held an enclave here, but the great Black Skull Goffs have ruled this part of the sector for thousands of years. Now, something has happened on Nokk that will require the immediate attention of the Imperial war machine.

A great warlord has emerged from the warring tribes of Nokk after the invasion of the tyranids.  When it seemed the six legged monsters would annihilate everything, an Evil Sunz warlord (named, naturally – Nokk) managed to convince the Black Skulls to join his Waaagh!! – and the newly formed horde pushed almost all other creatures off their world.  No humans have lived on Nokk for some time, and since the Tyranid War the necrons and eldar have taken their battle elsewhere.  Tangrus III, now known as Nokk – is ruled by orks. 

Freek Puke

Though Nokk rules the horde, his native Evil Sunz were in the minority compared to the other orks on the planet.  There were many more Black Skulls, but their warlord on Nokk was hemmed into their communities and the tyranid monsters laid siege to them.  The mobile Evil Sunz roaming the ash wastes of Nokk were more maneuverable, and Warlord Nokk of the Evil Sunz was suddenly inspired.  He broke the sieges of the Goff city states, and one by one they pledged to his Waaagh!!

The other clan was not truly receptive of the Evil Sunz ways, but slowly acclimated and ceded that they would not be fighting and winning if it wasn’t for the Speed Freeks.  The roving horde soon had a new vibe – Goff with a dash of Kult of Speed.  They were now the Raiders, and they literally raided hive ships.  As disgusting and unlikely as it sounds, it’s almost certain a great many feasts were held wherein the main course at the orky festival had six legs.

Mekboyz have become prevalent in the horde since the joining of the tribes.  Now, huge fleets of battlewagons, looted Imperial tanks, ork trukks and deffkoptas have been built, and are congregated around the construction site of Warlord Nokk’s most inspired project yet – a great ship that seems to be warp capable on launch.  It took many months of warring and scrounging the wastes and broken cities of Tangrus III, but in the end the Warlord’s vision was accomplished.  The Black Skull Raiders had formed from the ashes of Tangrus III, conquered their world, and built an interstellar transport from the warp cores of salvaged Imperial ships.

The Big Red RokkIt Ship

Building a war fleet has long been Nokk’s agenda.  After corralling all the mekboyz he could find or coerce, he set them to building more and bigger weapons and vehicles for his horde.  However, there were few system ships available to the orkz on Tangrus III, and those were quickly subsumed into Nokk’s horde.  This limited space flight capability allowed the horde to strip several Imperial ships in orbit and use the critical portions of the engines in building The Dumstah, the Warlord’s new flagship.

The great ship was built in the middle of the Dust Plains, where it quickly grew to a size that rivaled the far off mountains.  Free roaming ork bands that wandered the lands around could see the giant edifice from miles around, and made a pilgrimage to the mighty edifice of the ork gods.  In this way, the horde grew to an mind boggling size.  Soon, plans began to emerge of actually leaving the planet on a conquest, and that’s when the comet appeared in the sky above Nokk.

It was a great green ball, and passed very close to the planet.  Strange portents awoke the weirdboyz, and all the greenskins looked upon the green light in the sky and knew that their faith in their Warlord was not misplaced.  For nearly a month, the light of the comet shone at night and the orks took this as a sign of their god’s favor.  The horde labored feverishly, preparing for their foretold conquest of the stars.

Many smaller ships were built for the horde, and every Imperial system ship was refitted to suit their orky delight.  Fighters, bombers and escort craft were built both on the ground and in the Imperial orbital installations the orks had overtaken.  In the end, the flotilla that launched from the Tangrus system numbered nearly forty warp capable ships, and innumerable smaller ones in those holds.

Joined in space by several small Freebooter parties, the ork fleet has grown.  Naograssa subsector is rife with xenos pirates and orks from the greater Black Skull Empire in the neighboring Magnum Sierra subsector.  Some of these bands possessed ships equivalent to a battle-cruiser, and joined the Waaagh! for the same reason many ork bands do – for a fight, for (what passes for) treasure and (the strange ork notion of) glory.

The Black Skull Raiders focus on speed and firepower, and salvage whatever they destroy into more weapons to use in their never ending conquest.  There are a great number of small flying craft accompanying the boyz when they hit the ground, noisily chugging alongside the great battlewagons carrying the horde into battle.  A great Waaagh! has come forth once more from the southeast quadrant – and the Imperial citizens of the Mardannon Sector pray that this will be the only one…

Army Briefing: Crusade Strongpoint

Crusade Strongpoint

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Caelum Subterraneous, .M41

As Imperial Guard regiments and more and more Astartes Chapters commit to the Crusade, more and more soldiers are deployed along the battlezones.  The vast majority of those soldiers are guardsmen, and the majority of those soldiers hail from Novus Fideles.  Known as the Novus Soldati, thousands of these brave souls have pledged their souls to the Emperor and their lives to the Crusade.

Originally fielded in separate regiments, during one of the opening campaigns of the Mardannon Crusade proper, the Novus Soldati were nearly destroyed completely by marauding Obliterator cults of Chaos.  The Soldati were brave to a fault.  Lacking any real regimental armored support or artillery, the Soldati regiments were issued only their field gear – no transports or vox-casters.  The regiment attempted to wage war against Chaos the same way they waged war on their home planet, and met with disaster.  It was the loss of thousands of Novus Soldati in the caves of Caelum Subterraneous that prompted the newly formed Crusade High Command to take action and change the way they fielded the regiments.

Combined Regiment Tactics

The High Command Council is headed by the Black Templars Marshal Erasmus, and he is attended by the highest ranking commanding officers of each regiment, and a command representative of each of the other Astartes chapters.  As the disaster on Subterraneous unfolded, the Marshal suggested a new operating order for the Novus regiments.  There had already been mass carnage on other worlds, and there were other regiments who had already been depleted to below fighting strength.  All these regiments would be combined and new tactical applications developed.

The Novus Soldati would be used as the main infantry force for the Crusade, while elements of other depleted regiments would be used to support them.  Though this practice is common on the battlefields, the Marshal actually appointed all new officers from different regiments to head new divisions.  One of these divisional types was dubbed simply “Strongpoint”.  The majority of the remaining Novus Soldati would remain an infantry assault group, but would be supported by elements of the nearly defunct Travertine Subjugators.  The Subjugators were a large Leman Russ formation consisting of standard pattern battle tanks and the exquisite Executioners, whose ancient plasma cannons reaped thousands of souls for the Emperor.  Yet there were few of them left, so the crews were reassigned to Novus sections designated as “Strongpoint” groups.

The regiments were also supplied with new gear and logistical support.  With Aegis defense lines dropped by friendly aircraft, the Strongpoints are assigned artillery officers to coordinate with divisional support batteries.  Once again, the Novus Soldati once again prepare to head to war.

Endless Waves of Blood and Steel

The commanders of the Imperial regiments being reorganized on the surface of Caelum Subterraneous are supremely confident about how the Crusade’s reorganization of the depleted regiments will perform.  The Novus Soldati have fought with the Lumisi mechanized infantry in the crusade, but now the officers from other regiments are indoctrinating the guardsmen in how to fight with the new heavy equipment.

Many of the common soldiers have had their spirits uplifted by the Black Templar’s personal touch, as the Marshal inspected the troops personally, on the ground, before assigning new officers.  The presence of the Space Marines has alternately terrified and elated the guardsmen serving in the Mardannon Crusade, and the personal touch from the “honored masters” has greatly bolstered morale in the wake of the slaughter by the Chaos Obliterator cults.

Abhuman reserves have been assigned to the Strongpoints as well.  Though the Black Templars hate these creatures as they do psykers, they have allowed the ogryns to serve by protecting the anti-aircraft batteries in these newly created battlegroups.  The ogryns do so faithfully, and they are well received by the Novus Soldati regulars.

Perhaps the most interesting of the units assigned to the Strongpoints are the Executioners.  Their ancient plasma coils are dangerous and mysterious, and cannot be repaired easily.  However, the Crusade is organizing trans-divisional field maintenance to help rearm units across the entire battlezone.  Storm Raven transports are seen flying over, carrying payloads of Techmarines and Techpriests who are united in service to both the Crusade and the Machine God.  In this way, the technologically impaired Novus regiments can receive the supplies they need to maintain all the new equipment.

The Strongpoints are important pieces of the Crusade’s overall strategy.  As other Imperial Guard regiments are organized into “Storm Groups”, the focus of the Adeptus Astartes remains on seizing new ground and assaulting enemy positions.  The Strongpoints will be the static formations that hold that ground against counter-attacks, and who act as beach-head forces who can secure a much greater area than the smaller strike forces.

The Mardannon Crusade begins to organize itself according to the fortunes of battle.  Already Marshal Erasmus and the Crusade High Command have shown themselves to be able to break with long standing Imperial Tradition if doing so is in the best interests of the Crusade at large.  The light of the Emperor will be brought to the enemy by the combined efforts of every man in the Crusade, and it will continue to organize what troops and resources it has to create an invincible army of the Imperium.

Army Briefing: The Tower of Iron Woe

The

Tower

Of

Iron Woe

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Naggaroth, 2522 I.C.

            Dark Elves have always been known to be hateful and cruel in the extreme.  They jockey for the favor of their black lord Malekith, and live in constant fear of their plans and schemes becoming known.  This one danger is what holds many back from attempting to wrest power forcibly from their kin, and they are made to stay their hands for many human lifetimes.  When the fires of revenge and ambition are stoked within those most black of souls for so very long, the resulting vendettas can shake the foundation of the world. 

For the first time in nearly a hundred years, the Sorceress Supreme known as Viorlix, the Lady of Woe, has made a breakthrough discovery that could place her in a new position of power beyond her wildest dreams.  She has unraveled the mysteries of the Old One’s ancient powers of elemental mastery, and her magic has blossomed far beyond what most Dark Elf sorceresses’ ever achieve.  Now, her quest for the keys to this raw elemental power has made her call in every favor ever owed to her to fuel a quest that spans across the world, and may well threaten all who live upon it.

The Lady of Woe and the Iron Lord

            Hailing from the city of Har Ganeth, the Lady of Woe has had her problems with the Dreadlords of that fell place.  Though she has felt the influence of these lords, a precise few of them have stymied Viorlix’s rise to power for centuries.  She attempted to move against them clandestinely in the past, but too many close calls and not enough results led her to look to another plan.

            The elemental seals of the Old One’s can create a magical blast deep under the earth, and can bring the city down where ever she likes.  She will have power in Har Ganeth, by choosing which Dreadlords reign, and which fall in the cataclysm to come.  Any who oppose this plan will be put to death, and the city will change hands as Malekith chooses a new lord for the city. 

Yet, Viorlix will be the true power in the city of Executioners – for she will decree when the very earth will claim the noble sons of the druchii.  Only One Dreadlord is privy to Viorlix’s plan – her consort Kaengaaris the Iron Lord.  He is master of the Black Ark the Tower of Iron Woe, and with his Sorceress has set sail for the new world.

A Black City Upon the Waves

            The Sea of Chaos is known for the many perils of piracy and raiding, but the shadow of the Black Arks hang even over the norsemen and their terrible longships.  Normally they are terrible foes, full of corsairs and dark elf slavers and worse things below the decks.  Known for binding foul sea monsters such as kraken and sea dragons to their will with their hateful practices of beast-training, many otherwise powerful ocean-going vessels meet their match without ever really comprehending the danger.

            The Tower of Iron Woe is wreathed in sorcery wrought by generations of Kaengaaris’ kin.  The vessel is over four hundred and fifty yards in length, and the main deck sits seventy yards above the water line.  The vessel has five large towers, closely spaced together in the center construction.  Slave galleys and pits for monsters line the below decks, and any who enter it are seldom heard from again.

Rare amongst the druchii, many of the Iron Lord’s ancestors were gifted sorcerers, and the corsairs didn’t really see the need to give up these prizes to the likes of the murder cults or even to Malekith himself.  The result is a vessel like none other, and the mind-bending sorcery at work within its labyrinthine construction gives it many straightforward advantages, and many not-so-straightforward.

            The ark is accompanied by a powerful storm at almost all times, unless Kaengaaris wishes it to subsist (which is not often).  The ark itself sits in a mile wide eye of calm within the storm, magically maintained by the sorceresses and a magical device within the ark’s main tower, called the Tower of the Storm.  This feature is used to cloak the ark’s approach and escape, making assaulting the vessel a daunting prospect.

            Within the other towers are various magical defenses and weapons, but none are so valuable as the Lady of Woe’s most prized possession.  The Orb of Reaching is a powerful artifact that the sorceress has studies for nearly two hundred years, and now she is able to use it to create portals through time and space.  It is this artifact that has allowed her to force entire sections of the ark through bends in space, making the individual towers appear on land in the Grey Mountains, Bretonnia and the Empire.  It is through this that these druchii warriors have been so swift in their invasion of the Old World.

            Yet the sorceress Viorlix’s plans have not yet come to fruition.  The Elemental Seal of Chotec was located in a demiplane within the dwarven city of Khazid Grimaz.  After using an arcane fulcrum brewing in the heart of the dormant volcano, she broke the seal’s power and destroyed the ancient city the dwarves were excavating, as well as a good portion of the mountain where they were currently living.  Now, the dark elf warriors and corsairs loyal to the Iron Lord fight for the Lady of Woe in key areas across the Old World.  Beware the Towers, for they appear in the night...

Long Range Recon

Long Range

Recon

By Scrivener Hannan

The Border of Cygnar and Llael, 605 AR.

Allister Caine has been a thorn in the side of Cygnar High Command for quite some time.  He's got quite a reputation for being generally uncouth, and has a long record of disciplinary actions.  After a particularly nasty business involving a fifth of Shmashmouf's cheapest cognac and a certain general's daughter, Caine has found himself reassigned to what his last commander considers a "more appropriate use of your talents".

Fighting has been heavy in the Thornwood, and not just against Khadoran forces.  Cryxian raiders, Menite crusaders, employed Mercenaries - even strange talk about pigmen with guns.  The Cygnaran 1st army will need more information from the various salients, and constant intelligence updates if they are to outmaneuver enemies on all fronts.  To that end, the 1st Army has begun to employ long range reconnaissance units to gauge the current situations in Llael, Ord and even Khador itself.  Lt. Caine has found himself in command of one of these "prestigious" units.

The mission is simple:  Continually run a reconnaissance picket in the most dangerous parts of the warzone and engage enemy units that can be destroyed.  Alert Cygnar command to concentrations that cannot.  Through this sort of hit and run warfare, the beast that is Khador will be trimmed of it's claws.

Reconnoitre and Engage

Assigned to Caine's command are Arcane Tempest Gun Mages, though not very many personnel would be assigned to this sort of mission.  Hand picked by Caine, his "friends" are both accomplished Captains of the Arcane Tempest (one respectable enough to be called Adept) and readily accepted this assignment once they lost a certain amount to Caine in a card game.  Though only a handful of soldiers, the Black 13th Strike Team has been seconded to Caine's command for the duration of his stay north of the border.

The reconnaissance force consists mostly of expendable warjacks, instead of living soldiers.  Caine has managed to secure several Hunter warjacks, his current favorite.  The reconnaissance force mostly contains light warjacks as it needs to move quickly, and includes a Lancer.  A Defender has been assigned to Captain Jhaq and his Gun Mages, and has done well as a gun platform and as the only heavy warjack in the recon force.  Since the unit mostly works in wilderness areas and conceals itself with trickery both arcane and mundane, the warjacks need to be tended at all times.

Arlan Strangewayes has volunteered to maintain the warjacks for this mission, which he is thoroughly enjoying.  Seeing his beloved machines put through the ringer, far away from the lines, proves to him that his faith in Cygnaran engineering is well founded.  He is determined to make sure every 'jack makes it back to the border.  For his part, Arlan has become friends with Elton Friske...a journeyman warcaster assigned to Caine. Friske's Charger now bears some tinkering from Strangewayes, and the young man may be picking up more useful information from Arlan than Caine.  Any way it goes from here, one thing is certain: each man is in it for the long haul...

Army Briefing: The Mardannon Crusade

The

Mardannon

Crusade

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

 Mardannon Prime, .M41

Six years ago, a Black Templars crusade fleet arrived in the Mardannon sector, arriving unexpectedly at Mardannon Prime.  The Marshal of the Crusade began to hail the command stations from the immense fleet, and upon achieving contact Sector Command was then simply informed that the Crusade had arrived.  The Black Templars had been dispatched to begin conducting campaigns in the Emperor’s name immediately.  This was the beginning of the Black Templar chapter’s involvement in the Mardannon Sector War, and they began as their chapter begins many things – with uncompromising demands and acts of aggression.

Taken aback at being dressed down by a space marine commander who challenged their honor and loyalty, Sector Command attempted to articulate their desires to the Crusade’s leaders.  Upon receiving information on current conflicts in the sector, the Crusade fleet began to break up.  With as little preamble as they had when they had arrived, the Black Templars shot into the recesses of the sector, intent on wiping out all resistance to the rule of the Emperor.

Ships of the Crusade

A massive amount of Black Templars are active in the sector.  There are two main battlegroups that have begun to amass more forces around them as they sweep from world to world, and the Imperial defenders they liberate then join them on their crusade across Mardannon.  Of those battlegroups, an ancient and immense Astartes Battle Barge dominates one, while an Emperor Class battleship commands the other.  Each is attended by several strike cruisers and escort class ships.

The Battle Barge, named the Hand of Communion, has seen battle for nearly eight thousand years.  Aboard this mighty vessel, Crusade Marshal Erasmus commands the mightiest force of Imperial power seen in the sector since the Cleansing of Medula Praeses. 

The other arm of the crusade is overseen by the Flame of Incendia, an ancient ship that has served in the sector since the Old Crusade.  Now, commandeered by the Black Templars and filled with Imperial Navy and Guard liaisons, the Flame once more carries her firepower to distant stars to wage war in the Emperor’s name.

The Sector At War

As the Crusade’s victories pile upon one another and the war does nothing but continue, the Crusade’s strength waxes greatly.  Every world liberated adds military might to the campaign as units pledge service to the Black Templars.  For Marshal Erasmus and his Castellans, this is an unexpected boon.  They didn’t believe the Imperial spirit would be so strong in so many, but are grateful.  Having so many more ships and troops available means they can wage a much greater war to rid the sector of malign and alien influences.

Not every world has been welcoming of the Crusade, nor has the Crusade spared those seen to be compromised by enemy influences.  The Black Templars have a reputation for savagery that is not undeserved, and in some cases have eradicated Imperial citizenry during its campaigns.  The Templars have also erected permanent bastions on several worlds, seemingly intent on recruiting from such places in the near future.  How this has affected the societies of some worlds is still in question as the war for the sector grinds on.

Hunting down bands of renegade space marines seems to be a priority for the Crusade’s masters, though elements of the Crusade have engaged all manner of aliens so far.  These seem to be incidental, however.  For now, the Crusade seems intent on securing the hearts of the individual subsectors rather than mounting large scale attacks on heavily guarded alien or heretic strongholds.

It is unknown exactly how many Black Templars have entered the sector.  Certain Imperial analysts present at the arrival of the fleet at Mardannon estimate perhaps seven hundred or so based on the ships present.  Many are crewed by bondsmen, and only carry a certain complement of marines, so this number has been cited by members of the Ordo Hereticus as a breach of the Codex Astartes.  Obviously, there are more Black Templars operating in the galaxy than is strictly allowable by the word of the codex…

No matter what the hidden intentions of the Crusade’s commanders might be (if indeed there are any) one thing remains certain.   Since the arrival of the Crusade fleet and its split into two different arms, each of the arms of the fleet has grown to double its starting size.  Now reinforced by elements of several Imperial armies and fleets, the scale of its warfare has increased exponentially.  If they were ever to recombine, as it is suggested that they soon shall, the entire sector would quake at the might of the Crusade.

Many of the strike cruisers in each battlegroup frequently break from the Crusade to visit various battlefields.  In several cases, other Astartes previously operating in these theatres return to the Crusade when the battle is over.  So far, the following chapters have contributed units to the Crusade:  Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Infinity Watch, Revilers, Imperial Fists, Crimson Fists, White Scars, Fire Giants, Death Wombats and War Turtles.  There hasn’t been a gathering of so many chapters in Mardannon in five thousand years – if ever there was a time of legends as during the Old Crusade, now is that time in the Mardannon Sector.

Warband Briefing: Coven of Darkness

Coven

Of

Darkness

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Mordheim, 1999 I.C.

In the ruins of the City of the Damned, a there are many cults that are feverishly devoted to their masters.  Possessed, Sigmarites and worse roam the streets in that hellish place, searching for wyrdstone amongst the ruin.  However, there are other treasures that can be found in the city – especially if you know what you are looking for.

A powerful vampire named Gabor Sandolescu has finally completed his century long search for a magical artifact of immense power.  He obtained the Scarab of Atekhramen in Khemri, and his necromantic powers have since increased tenfold.  Now, he has returned to the Empire, the place of his birth, after nearly two hundred years of roaming the expanse of the world.  He is intent on taking his place as the dark master of Sylvania, by destroying the other Vampire Counts!

Now, he travels to Mordheim with his followers.  There, they seek another artifact whose location they have divined by dark scrying.  The Eye of Tepoc, a magical ring created by the lizard-mystics of Lustria, can give Sandolescu the edge he needs.  He knows it is in Mordheim, and every night scours the city looking for the mortal who possesses it.  He must hurry, however, and find the ring before it’s taken from the City of the Damned!

The Vampire Sandolescu

            Nothing is known about Sandolescu’s past, save he was born in Sylvania and first learned how to use his vampiric powers by studying under an ancient and wizened Necrarch.  In turn, as Gabor traveled the world he taught necromancers and learned from dark wizards.  The Coven of Darkness is Sandolescu’s network of spellcasters and warriors sworn to his blood and magic.  The Coven’s power has grown with the vampire’s, and ghouls have begun to answer in droves to their magical calls.

           When his quest is completed, and he is possessed of both magical artifacts, Sandolescu plans to hide himself somewhere in Sylvania and devise powerful magics for dealing with his undead kin.  Perhaps with time, he will weaken their hold on Sylvania and raise an army of skeleton warriors to conquer the land.  Whatever the case for the future, it will certainly be more grim if the vampire obtains the Eye of Tepok.           

Gang Briefing: Band of Basterds

Band

Of

Basterds

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Vae Salubrious Subsector, .M41

Deep in the darkest recesses of some of the seediest places in the Imperium, there are those who live permanently beyond the reach of the law.  For some, this is a welcome freedom, and for others it can be a death sentence with no hope of reprieve.  Unsurprisingly, in some of the most lawless reaches, folks take action into their own hands when the time comes for fighting.  Others hire mercenaries.

In the Vae Salubrious subsector, mercenaries roam all over the space lanes.  Recently there has been a surge in the number of available mercenary companies, but these are usually limited to a single world or system.  Alarmingly, at least one company of drifting mercenaries seems to have been spotted all over the subsector, appearing in documentation across no less than seven worlds.  These are the outlaws the Adeptus Arbites are keenly interested in – the Band of Basterds.

Mercenary Vendettas

            The Band consists of several ex-guardsmen who have banded together after their unit was granted settlement rights after it was almost wiped out.  Only a few dozen remained after the carnage of their old battles, which may have been the wars of heresy on Lucruzu Primus.  They possess several weapons, and the skill to use heavier, Munitorum issue arms and explosives.  The skills of the various fugitives combine to make a quite effective team that is entirely for hire, anywhere in the subsector.

            This is the most alarming problem.  It seems the Band of Basterds is able to move about the Vae Salubrious subsector.  They have been pursued by authorities on Abraxia, Attono Vittium, Praesaepes Caementum, Corgarth Contineo, Lucruzu Prime, Velan Thracia and even Vae Salubrious itself.  How this can be is uncertain, but what is certain is the fact that the Inquisition would be highly interested in their activities especially where warp travel is concerned.

            It isn’t entirely known where the Band’s loyalty truly lies.  They have committed crimes against Imperial Law and do not seem to be repentant.  Last known activity for the Band was around Velan Thracia, but it is suspected by the Judges pursuing them that they have made it offworld to parts unknown.  The full extent of this threat has yet to be determined, but in some places the stories of mercenaries being hired to attack Imperial authorities are becoming legend.

Gang Briefing: House Semetov

House Semetov

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

Lucruzu Primus, .M41

           

            In the annals of the Imperium, there are a great many noble houses that have risen to prominence in the Emperor’s service.  Some of those houses are traders, others have more specialized areas of influence.  Still others actually become the regents of their worlds, with their House Master presiding over their world as Imperial Governor.  Such is the case with the merchant House Semetov, rulers of Lucruzu Primus.

            Though there are many Guilder Houses on Lucruzu, only House Semetov enjoys the true power of the nobility.  With many contracts with the chartist vessels and even more than one of the ancient greatholds plying the stars, House Semetov has ruled the planet in an efficient manner for the last several generations.  Though their rule has been generally peaceful, the planetary defense force has had to move against heretic cults more than once.

The Merchant House

           

            From the city of Domagoshch on the main continent, House Semetov runs the day to day business of the planet.  Their agreements with the other nobles on Lucruzu and various contracts throughout the subsector put their world on the map, but that brings a lot of unwelcome attention as well.  Recently, heretic cults following proscribed versions of the Imperial Creed have been a huge issue.  Three times in the last decade alone, armies of these malcontents have had to be put down by the House Guard or by PDF forces.  The Adeptus Arbites have a fortress-bastion in Domagoshch, but it is undermanned and tends to police the Guilders themselves rather than the populace.

            From time to time, a unit of House Semetov Guard will make a pilgrimage to some sacred place or another.  Refugium, in the Urbanus Totalus system, is the most dangerous and long journey one could hope to make.  There, the soldiers will visit the Temple of the High Lords, and the shrine to Warmaster Mardannon.  If they should return, they will have an honored place amongst the House Guard and will most likely train the next generation of soldiers to protect the interests of the House.

The pilgrim that has returned to Lucruzu Primus is quite rare, but some actually manage to make it back.  Many simply visit the neighboring Velan Thracia, but those who are truly heroic will strive to reach Refugium…most die or are lost in the process... 

Army Briefing: The Infinity Watch

The

Infinity

Watch

by Scriveners Hannan and Swearingen

Jade Ryu System, .M41

The Jade Ryu system, located in the Naograssa subsector of Mardannon, has two inhabited worlds that have long been claimed by the Imperium of Man.  One is called Oyobi, and is the site of famous archeotech sites that have drawn both traders and Mechanicus to the system for various purposes throughout the long centuries.  On the other world, called Jade Primus, is a bustling civilized world full of trade and Imperial fervor.  It is upon this world that the Infinity Watch Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes have their fortress monastery, and preside over Jade Ryu and the surrounding space.

These space marines have stood guard over Mardannon for more than five thousand years, since the coming of the Old Crusade and the colonization of Jade Ryu.  Though they have a noble history since, the mystery of their founding and other practices have put strain on the relationships with other Imperial agencies, notably the Ordo Hereticus.  However, when scrutinized by the Inquisition, the Infinity Watch have held up to the strictest standards of both the Codex Astartes and the Adeptus Mechanicus.

It is assumed the Infinity Watch was created during the 2nd Founding, presumably from the Ultramarines gene-seed.  They have been tested by the Inquisition many times, but they have never been sanctioned or had a notable action taken against them by any agency of the Imperium - their record for at least the last five thousand years (since the Old Crusade) has been one of spotless loyalty.

Secret Lore of the Infinity Watch

Time has not been kind to the Infinity Watch.  Since their founding, they have had an illustrious string of battles, but it is unclear when exactly they arrived in Naograssa.  The Old Crusade's records do not show them, and Jade Primus itself was colonized during that period.  These Astartes, like many others, keep a tight hold on their secrets.

The archeotech sites of Oyobi are heavily guarded, but the space marines maintain facilities at the sites rather than the Mechanicus.  Indeed, some of the sites nearly rival the great fortress of the Infinity Watch on Primus in terms of impregnability - and firepower.  Whispers of tech-heresy abound in the Mechanicus whom are not allowed to visit.  Nothing exceedingly strange has emerged from the tech-sites, but the chapter does maintain a  large armory full of plasma core weapons and other technological marvels, such as teleporter arrays and the dreaded Terminator armor.

Certain Inquisitors have noted a predilection for the Infinity Watch to maneuver forces in favor of contact with Xenos Eldar.  It is not known why, but Eldar activity seems to draw the chapter's interests.  Indeed, if it weren't for close ties in the Inquisition itself, the chapter may well find itself under stronger scrutiny from the Ordo Hereticus.  As it is, two influential Inquisitors in the Ordo Xenos Mardannon - Mobius and Gulyayeva - have been found working with the chapter quite a lot recently.

The Butcher's Bill

During the invasion of the neighboring Tangrus system by Ork forces moving outward from the Forbidden Zone (Magnum Sierra), the Infinity Watch acquitted itself well, defending the fighting withdrawal to the last possible moment.  However, the orks have taken those worlds, and will soon threaten nearby systems.  The chapter had been preparing for a counter-offensive when the fighting broke out at Ordavis.

The fighting over this world in the Carpithica system was deemed to be too close to Mardannon Prime, and as such was considered high-priority for all militaries involved in that conflict.  Alongside brother marines from the Mardannon Crusade and forces of the Imperial Navy, the Infinity Watch fought valiantly, though nothing could save Ordavis from a horrible fate.  The Infinity Watch defended the hive city of Ordavis Prime almost to the last man - few survived the final battles.

As wave upon wave of orks raced across the countryside, two other invasion forces revealed themselves: Alpha Legion warriors had already been planetside, and attacked behind enemy lines.  A second traitor marine offensive came from the sky, when a small Chaos fleet managed to launch hundreds of drop pods and landers on the ork held lands. The result was carnage beyond imagining, as orks and marines both loyal and traitor fought to the death in the dark and desolate fields between hives and in the stinking bowers beneath them.

What few marines are left in the chapter are veterans, having experience against orks, eldar and chaos space marines.  The chapter is currently rebuilding it's strength from the populace of the Jade Ryu system.  The tests to become a member of the Infinity Watch are demanding - they stress problem solving and are quite mentally demanding.  It will take many years for the chapter to attain full strength, if it is ever whole again.  Until then, however - the Infinity Watch stand as the foremost defenders of the Mardannon Sector against aliens and daemons alike!

Warband Briefing: The Pharoah's Mace

The

Pharoah's

Mace

By Scriveners Hannan and Potter

Land of the Dead, 2522 I.C.

Awakened by a call of unknown origin, Atekh-ra-amon, the most High King of Numas, rose from his thousand year slumber.  Impelled by a renewed desire to fill his coffers and assert the might of Nehekhara upon mortals, he called for his priests to assemble his army at once.  The High Priests set to work, and after much labor raised a great army that pleased their master, Atekh-ra-amon.  The King of Numas would once again feel the thrill of battle and feel the glory of victory.

Mighty Atekh-ra-amon summoned his eldest son, Prince Armaeus.  He spoke at length with him, and called forth the Liche-Priest Zaphnath-Paaneah.  They were dispatched with an important mission, to the lands far from their home in Numas.  The Prince and the Liche-Priest departed from Numas to parts unknown, searching for strange treasures and arcane secrets.  For many years they traveled, and recently have come upon a place called Khazid Grimaz.

The Doomforge

Armaeus and his undead warriors have found gold and treasure, even warpstone.  However, the rumors of something called the Doomforge has captured their attention.  It is said that the dwarfs of the Khazid Grimaz possess the ability to channel the power of the Realm of Chaos using this magical item.  Zaphnath-Paaneah is certain he can understand the magics of this strange contraption, and use it for the High King.  Armaeus himself only wishes to please his father, for that would greatly increase his power and standing.

It is unknown as yet whether the Doomforge can be found, or if it will even be useful.  At least there is a treasure to be had, and many enemies to garner glory from in tireless battle.  Only time and prowess will tell if the Pharoah's Mace will successfully return to their home in the Land of the Dead, laden with riches and gifts for their deathless King.

Warband Briefing: Adherents of the Repeated Mean

The

Adherents

of the

Repeated Mean

By Scriveners Hannan and Swearingen

Altdorf, 2493-2522 I.C.

Pythagorus was a moneychanger who made a fair bit of coin plying his trade in Altdorf, until one day he was offered a rare tome by a client who could not pay.  He accepted the expensive looking tome, and began his research into it's contents - a radical new theorem of mind-bottling mathematics.  As he applied  it's teachings to his trade, he was able to achieve a vast amount of wealth in a short time.

In addition to it's practical elements, the tome, Theoretical Algorithms for the Applied Abrogation of Limitations, was full of proposed theories that bordered on the insane - and worse, the heretical.  As he would intone the litanies and scrawled the profane diagrams and symbols contained therein, Pythagorus was mildly surprised when he began to sprout mutations.  As his acceptance of the Chaos contagion grew, so did his physical markings, which included his easily recognizable third and fourth arms.

A Lord of Change

As Pythagorus was forced to flee Altdorf due to his inability to conceal the growing taint within himself, the daemon of the book began to speak with him.  Zimiz, a daemon who had been trapped within the book to calculate the exact number of pi for all eternity for a transgression against his master, had finally found a human  to carry on his work in his stead.  Pythagorus had calculated the mythical number to the ten thousandth decimal (per the book's instruction) and Zimiz grew strong.

The daemon made contact with his nearly-gibbering devotee, and charged him with a new task that was crucial to his plan to escape.  The mutant mathematician would be set to scour the world for sets of identical infant children.  Pythagorus, under the auspices of his new master, set about creating a cult.  Nearly thirty years later, the children that were stolen by the mutant in the night would grow strong and demented in their devotion to their daemon master.

The cult's ultimate goal is to summon their master to the mortal world, and destroy the prison that binds his master.  They search far and wide for money and wyrdstone to fuel this mighty endeavor, for it is no trifle of a ritual to do this.  Pythagorus has been promised many gifts for his servitude, which he hopes might include the favor of his fickle and capricious god.

The truth is often different for the servants of such entities, but when Pythagorus has calculated the ten millionth decimal of pi, time will tell which of his hopes and fears prove to be true.

Warband Briefing: Despoilers of the Blight

Despoilers of the Blight

By Scriveners Hannan and Hayes

The Grey Mountains, 2522 I.C.

It is unknown whence the foul renegade known only as the Blight Deacon originated.  What can be told, in the whispers of those who've borne witness to the destruction he has wrought, isn't heartening to the folk of the Empire who would stand against the coming of the Chaos Gods.  One can trace the stream of corruption and death all the way from the Reikland to southwestern Wissenland across the Grey Mountains and surmise that this cult is spreading in an insidious fashion, but the truth is much more simple.  The Blight Deacon is an itinerant demagogue, gathering worshipers of foul powers to him as he moves across the old world in service of his gods.

To date, the small band consists of the dregs and outcasts of society whom have fallen in with the Deacon, as well as numerous mutants and beastmen whom he's impressed with his power and strength.  As their legend grows and the Despoilers are favored with the attentions of the Ruinous Powers, even fouler things such as deformed possessed have been seen amidst the congregations as they lay waste to villages and farms, sparing no one the terror of the Ruinous Powers.

Eternal Quest, Eternal Darkness

As time has worn on, the Despoilers of the Blight have even threated the outlying communities of Dwarfs in the Grey Mountains.  This can easily be attributed to the favor of the Ruinous Powers that the Despoilers enjoy, as their leader communes with daemon-spirits that guide them to new prey.  Each time the Blight Deacon completes one of these tasks, the Despoilers have been granted a boon.  The Chaos powers have guided them to lost Darksouls who have sworn themselves to the Deacon's will,  sent daemons into the bodies of worshipers to better ensure their success, and gifted the cult with lore and spells of great power.

As for the daemon patrons of the Despoilers, even less can be said.  The fickle daemons of the Realm of Chaos are capricious indeed, and the Blight Deacon has been canny enough to avoid being marked by any one of the fell powers.  Each of the Gods have set their blessings upon the warband, and for the true believers in the cult, that is quite enough to spur them to acts of fiendish bravery.

For soon, the time of man shall be at an end.  The time of the Blight shall begin.

Army Briefing: The Bloo Moonz Tribe

The

Bloo Moonz

Tribe

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

The Grey Mountains, 2522 I.C.

North of Khazid Grimaz, the Grey Mountains are riddled with goblin tribes. In the high forests near the Empire, forest goblin tribes howl from hidden hovels deep within the wood. Night goblins from beneath the foothills venture forth to terrorize man, elf and dwarf in equal fashion. All of this was bad, before the coming of the black orcs.

Recently, a group of orcs from the badlands have made a base camp in the mountains to the north of the Khazid, near the border with Athel Loren. An old dwarf keep has been claimed by the orcs, and they have started to amass a larger tribe by assimilating smaller greenskin clans they have encountered and subsequently conquered. It is swiftly becoming a real threat, as the orcs are joined by the eager and ever more numerous goblin tribes from the surrounding lands.

Any travel in the area is highly dangerous at this point in time. Goblins and worse crawl thick in the forests and high mountains, having found a great many ancient dwarf tunnels and towers. Encounters occur with great frequency, and even travel to the Empire has been made so hazardous that it’s almost not in the Guilder’s interests to invest in ventures with the dwarfs…almost.

The Bloo Moonz Tribe

A great many Night Goblin tribes have been obedient and willing to help the black orcs, but the new Bloo Moon banner flies not just above these creatures. Trolls from beneath the mountains, orcs from the lowlands and spider riders from the forests all bow to the new Bloo Moon chieftain, Grand Warboss Nurdsnik of the Black Mountain.

Nurdsnik has many ‘Bad Bosses’ to carry out his plans, and each of these powerful black orcs has a mean streak a mile long and a cunning plan to make sure he gets to be mean. From several outposts they maintain their crude empire, making war on dwarfs, men and elves near the Grey Mountains.

Bloo Moonz Territory

The Bloo Moonz hold sway over the northern end of the Grey Mountains, in an area that encompasses outposts near Nuln, Khazid Grimaz, the borders of Athel Loren and even Parravon in Bretonnia. This is the most massive and dangerous greenskin horde to collect in this area for some time, and everyone must take heed.

Near Nuln, Forest Goblins bearing the Bloo Moonz icon have attacked river and road caravans, demolishing everything and looting the rest. The Empire has sent state troops to the outlying villages to try and fend off the greenskin raiders, but is generally unresponsive to these punitive attacks.

In the Grey Mountains, near Khazid Grimaz, the Bloo Moonz and the Grey Dwarfs have been fighting for some time already. Night Goblins and Trolls from beneath the Khazid have taken outlying towers and strongholds once claimed by dwarfs in the ancient age.

As for the Wood Elves, they have not attacked the orcs yet, as the Bloo Moons stay away from the haunted forest of Athel Loren as much as their non-superstitious black orc masters will let them. That will most likely soon change, as the Orcs grow more numerous and overcome their trepidations.

In Bretonnia, orc migrations have stepped up as mobs of orc boyz march toward the Black Mountain to Warboss Nurdsnik. Many have heard of Nurdsnik’s flying beast, and the Bretonnians have felt the attacks of the larger orcs under the Bad Bosses for quite some time.

Travelers seeking to brave these dangers for whatever reason should take heed of these warnings. It is very dangerous in this area, and open and proper war is brewing. It is tough to say how many greenskins have flocked to the banner of Nurdsnik so far, but the Bloo Moonz army may test the might of dwarfs, elves and men in the near future.

Army Briefing: The Brotherhood of the Most Hated

The Brotherhood

of the

Most Hated

By the Wargate Staff Scriveners

Silencia System, .M41

In the horrid warp-shadow that exudes for thousands of light years beyond the Eye of Terror, there are many things that cannot be explained easily. Some places are cursed by dark powers, and some other places are cursed more than others. Such is the case with the piratical Chaos reavers known as the Brotherhood of the Most Hated, and their mysterious parallel world.

Little is known about the Brotherhood's organization, but it is likely that the pirate force consists primarily of dejected Astartes who have been lost to the Emperor's Light. That such a thing exists within the Mardannon Sector is a terrible omen, but now the suspicion of the Inquisition has settled on the space marine chapters of Mardannon - mainly the Infinity Watch whose homeworld is in the sector. However, many other space marines have gone missing in this sector. The list of chapters maintained by the Inquisition for investigating the Brotherhood is extensive, and includes but is not limited to the Infinity Watch, the Dark Angels, the Blood Angels, the Space Wolves, the Ultramarines, and most recently the Black Templars.

The Beastworld

Within the Silencia system is a strange phenomenon relating to the daemon-world that can be found there. While the Umbral Stalkers cabal control Silencia, there is a hidden warp passage to a parallel world to Silencia Majoris, which is called Discordia, or the Beastworld, by the Chaos sorcerers and pirates privy to it's secrets. Not much is known about this place other than the scattered bits of mad rantings brought back by cultists, soldiers or privateers that have had the misfortune to run across the hidden daemon-world. What is known is that the Chaos master of the Brotherhood directs his pirate army from this dread reach, striking out to bloody the forces of the Imperium whenever the opportunity arises.

It is known that the Umbral Stalkers cabal (also based in the Silencia system) and the Brotherhood clash in catastrophic conflicts that lay waste to entire worlds at regular intervals - however this doesn't seem to diminish their camaraderie or ability to work together to harass Imperial interests. The two forces have been seen to assist one another as much as they have been seen to attack one another without provocation, leaving Imperial Inquisitors with more questions than answers.

Warmaster Laserwulfe, Paterfamilias of the Brotherhood, has recently declared a new Black Crusade within Mardannon. The Brotherhood has taken the initiative on this new "crusade", which at this time consists of about dozen small warships and only a few capital ships across the sector. This small band has seriously damaged the infrastructure of several worlds and been responsible for the utter pillaging of at least two, including Ordavis (most recently). However, the influence of the Umbral Stalkers also comes into question...will the cabal's reach be used to gather new resources for Laserwulfe? The answer is just as grim and disturbing as you would expect.

Laserwulfe's Desires

Warmaster Laserwulfe sighed loudly. Seldom did he sleep through warp travel, but he still grew bored on the long hauls through the voids. He continued counting the countless crates and round drums stacked in plenty in the monsterous belly of the beast he named befittingly "Monstro", the Brotherhood's largest and fastest running space hulk.

He continued to count the cargo unit by unit, his mind encasing the numbers and commiting them to his endless memory. He remembered much, but scarely ever felt the need to recall the past. The past isnt quite as profitable as the happenings of now. The Emperor was long dead, his devoted zealots and dwindling influenced ragtag of martyrs preserving his rotting husk on a throne long since devoid of power. With so little influence and a hand full of fools hope, the stars have no Justice, no court, no law, only Chaos.

The warmaster continued to take inventory, the tomb like cargo hold seemed to go on forever, its shadowey bulk omitting any noise from the mechanical forces that drove the ship, as well the clamour and horrific festivals of blood, over indulgance, and defilation that were constantly carried out on voyages to and from raids.

The Brotherhood of the Most Hated, collected from stragglers, scallywags, criminals, and mercenary marines resembled a pirate enterprise more so than a chapter. But without a head, the beast dies. Laserwulfe is this head. Only through his own ferocity and exhaulted prescence of power his rank and leadership is kept secure.

Laserwulfe has been alive for centuries, but his fall from grace is not recorded. He himself cares not to waste time on the story, but his quick rise to ill repute has been observed by all. Appearing out of the wild and unruley affected planet of Dischordia, his raid for plunder launched a wave of terror felt through all sectors. His perpencaity for war and robbing is only met by his love for Lascannons and all Laser weapondry used towards and for his conquest.

The true god of this army is Greed. The lust for wealth and power overweighing the normal chaos god obsessions of the other chapters, this terrible force has no scurples or honor. Only a large hold to store the wealth and treasures of the fallen and destroyed.

And the Warmaster counted on...

"I WANT MONEY!!!"

"I WANT YOUR MONEY!!!"

"I WANT CRUDE OIL!!!"