Horus, 16th Legion "Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus"

 

Horus upon his return to Terra after seeing Draco

Horus came to see Draco on Armageddon a few months after Compliance. He was returning from the Eastern Fring to Terra, taking advantage of the newly found warp routes through the Armageddon sector.

As the oldest (or first found) Primarch Horus had always been busy attending to his many duties when and after Draco was recovered. Thus it was they hardly knew each other at all. A good relationship was founded and cemented when Draco helped Horus find his Eye.

It's a sad thing that a man so great can be so weak. But then again, if the Dark Four decide you are their vessel, can even a demi-god deny them? Horus's fate is set: he will rise and he will fall and be utterly obliterated, body, mind, and soul. The Black Legion will try to clone him and bring him back through sorcery but they will succeed only in calling demons.

Horus and Abaddon in wargear

Perturabo, 4th Legion "Iron Warriors"

Perturabo spoke but little in the presence of Alpharius and the lion but requested Draco attend him aboard his flagship, the Gloriana-class Iron Blood. He spoke of the things he had seen, of visions of a place (the Hadex Anomaly) that did not yet exist, and the nature of time. Of his own place in the Imperium - and where they all would fit once the Crusade Ended. Perturabo would rather it didn't. He'd rather make the journey to another galaxy to continue the war if ever the Galaxy of Man was fully pacified.

Perturabo showed Draco his great work - the Temporis Computatrum - a vast cogitator array that could be used to predict the future (but not, sadly, help a human interpret its findings). Draco helped Perturabo see the folly of his ways. No mere machine can accomplish what the psychic mind of a Primarch can.

Perturabo also shared his suspicions about the Rangdan: they were using time itself to escape their fate and return, stronger than before. Draco used this knowledge to fined the Rangdan Core World and stage a surprise attack that ended the war - in this time and all others.

Lion El'Jonson, 1st Legion "Dark Angels"

Draco met the Lion on the northeastern border of the Empire where he was preparing to fight the xenos Rangdan Pact. The First was rather more concerned with who would reap the most honor and glory, and rather less about preventing wasteful loss of Astartes lives. He nevertheless agreed to Draco's proposals - as long as he was in overall command.

In private, the Lion was far more forthcoming, talking of many things with his more recently rediscovered brother. Among other things, he talked about psychics and knowing the forbidden and the unknowable. So Draco showed him many things and the Keepers of the 11th walked among the Librarians of the 1st, teaching them much.

Rogal Dorn, 7th legion "Imperial Fists"

Draco met the great Rogal Dorn on Terra near the end of the 9th Century M30. The Fists' Primarch was tied up in the Sol system overseeing the fortification of the Imperial system. They spoke cordially but there was no particular report between the two brothers - neither animosity nor love of any sort.

Dorn was honest and polite to a fault even when subjected to brother Alpharius's subtle jokes. The part Draco did find a bit annoying. If he were Dron, he would never let the runt of the litter speak to him like that.

Alpharius Omegon, 20th Legion "Alpha Legion"

Draco brought Dorn along to meet Alpharius within the great Imperial city-fortress beneath the Himalazian Mountains. The Alpha Legion Primarch was posing as his twin Omegon, recently recovered, now studying at the Emperor's feet. He'd been given a task: to compile all Imperial knowledge about "the unknowable and the forbidden." Draco helped him see the folly of such a task. it was but one of the Emperor's many tests.

The Dragon and the Hyrda got along quite fabulous for two Primarchs who had only met once before - and briefly at that. Both were great warriors but also scholars. Noble beings forced into serving lesser beings. When Draco admitted to commandeering Omegon's new flagship Alpharius told him to think nothing of it.

Dorn and Alpharius did not go along so well. Alpharius clearly found Dron to have a magnomious ego and did his best to annoy him every chance he got. Dorn nobly refused to rise to the bait, which annoyed Alpharius no end.

The remaining Primarchs

 

What the remaining Primarchs are up to:

The Lion: Engaged in a brutal struggle with an advanced alien race known as the Rangdan far to Galactic North. The enemy was believed destroyed but it was only a fraction of the total strength that had been annihilated. The full might of the Dark Angels is being brought to bear.

Perturabo: Moving to support the Lion with half of his Legion. The rest of the Legion is busy elsewhere.

The Khan: The White Scars' primary task is rapid response. The Imperium has grown so large that it needs someone to safeguard its vast territories. A small elite continues to reconnoiter beyond the borders of the Imperium. The Khan is usually with them.

Rogal Dorn: Sol system. The Fists, however, are scattered across a score compliance fleets.

Vulkan: The entirety of the Salamanders is involved in a complex campaign against abhumans in the areas near the Galactic Core.

Horus: Always on the move. The Luna Wolves are split into 3-4 major detachments and several smaller ones. The big ones are conducting major campaigns without other Astartes support, but the smaller ones are usually integrated with other Legions' forces and can be found all over the Galaxy. Horus moves between Terra and his detachments as needed.

Magnus: Prospero with his Thousand Sons. What they're doing there is unknown. Reading. Scrying. Preparing for battle. Who knows.

Alpharius (and Omegon): One of them, Omegon the Late, is rumored to be on Terra. He's in the company of the Emperor, waiting to take command of a large contingent of newly created Alpha Legionnaires. Alpharius is elsewhere as if the rest of the Legion.

---

Ferrus Manus: Swift strikes. Segmentum Obscurus.

Lorgar: Fire and faith 😅 Segmentum Obscurus.

Russ: Segmentum Obscurus.

Sanguinius: Finding new purpose and recruiting from Baal. Segmentum Solar and Tempestus.

Angron: Angry. Segmentum Solar and Pacificus.

Mortarion: Pushing into Segmentum Pacificus.

Corvus Corax: Ghoul Stars.

Fulgrim: Segmentum Tempestus.

Guilliman: Expanding the Imperium's hold around Macragge.

Konrad Kruze: Ensuring loyalty throughout...

Gloriana-class Battleships

 

The Gloriana-class battleship was the largest warship* produced by the Imperium of Man during the Great Crusade. At least twenty were built to serve as flagships for the 20 Astartes Legions (more may have been built: the Alpha Legion was given two, and Lord Militant Segmentum Solar commanded another). Their names are legendary: Macragge's Honor, Nightfall, Endruance, and more. Most, but not all, were destroyed during the Horus Heresy and the Great Scourging that followed.

Each Gloriana was unique in appearance and capabilities, but all shared a common spaceframe and core systems. A Gloriana was more powerful than any other battleship produced, capable of engaging an entire enemy battle-line. It carried vast amounts of fighter craft, landers, drop pods, and boarding torpedoes. It could carry an entire Astartes Chapter with all assets battle-ready.

* Three Abyss-class vessels (of which Verbum is one) were secretly built for Lorgar. These were even bigger but were never officially commissioned by the Imperium. They were also visually rather distinct from the Imperium's warships, almost to the point where you'd think xenos thinking had factored into their design. Whether or not they were more powerful - or merely larger - than the Glorianas is a matter of debate.

The Jupiter Project aimed at building a ship far larger than anything seen before. It was a vessel that dwarfed even the Gloriana and Abyss classes. The prototype was abandoned in an advanced state of construction. It was later [REDACTED]. No trace of the ship was ever found. Assumed to have suffered catastrophic warp drive failure. 

Konrad Kruze, 8th Legion "Night Lords"

After Robute Draco went after Konrad. There was only one window of opportunity in the pattern and it was brief and fleeting. The Night Lords were on the war-path, out to punish a trio of worlds that had sworn allegiance to Terra decades before - and then "forgotten" all about it.

Draco caught Konrad with his shields down and teleported en masse aboard his flagship. This caused no small amount of consternation. But perversely made Konrad far more likely to actually talk to his brother. if approached openly it's likely he would have said very little and been about his business.

Dragon Legion and Night Lords ended up spending months together, slaughtering the inhabitants for the three wayward worlds in a sickening display of calculated cruelty. Only one in ten of the inhabitants were left alive. They were tasked with rebuilding their worlds within two generations. Then the assessors would come and the tithe would flow once more. Failing that, everyone would be put to the sword.

Draco and Konrad have cordial relations and their Legions respect each other. There was no mention of Kymeria. Konrad would not care anyway.

Robute Guilliman, 13th Legion "Ultramarines"

Shortly after being visited by Fulgrim, Draco received a psy-locked adamantium case from his brother Robute. Carried across 20.000 lightyears by a Color Sergeant of the Ultramarines. "We must talk," was the message inside the box. 

Having no particular reason to hurry - the letter was rather vague - Draco proceeded with the planned campaign. Planning, superior forces - and a dash of psychics - carried the day. After the enemy had been broken, Draco left for Segmentum Tempestus, leaving his subordinates to complete the compliance of the 30 or so worlds on the target list. Another laurel for the 11th (and a small one for the 2nd).

After a lengthy trip aboard the Manu ad Bellum, the Primarch of the 11th arrived at Angelus Furore - the Furious Angel - a battle station of cyclopean dimensions. A prototype Segmentum Fortress designed by Rogal Dorn the Angel would be "impregnable." Not even Perturabo could find a way to penetrate its defenses. It would also take half a hundred years to build and the resources needed to outfit a hundred reclamation fleets.

Constant delays were caused by the enormity of the project and lack of resources, but every year saw it come closer to completion. When the Ullanor orks embarked on their gargantuan Waaagh! in the waning years of M30 the station was almost finished. But orks are nothing if not persistent and cunning. Somehow they found a flaw in the station's incomplete defenses. Heedless of their own losses, they pushed forward and slaughtered the defenders. Afterward, they broke up the station and forged it into a thousand kill-kroozers and a hundred orky battleships - a fleet mighty enough to require Horus and several Legions of Astartes to stop.

Draco and Robute had never been exactly close. Guilliman was discovered relatively early by far-ranging exploratory and by the time of Draco's discovery he was already deep in the Emperor's counsel and one of the architects of the Great Crusade. They met occasionally when the Ultramarines Primarch returned to Terra but that happened but rarely.

Robute sent his message after learning that the 11th had been denied additional Astartes by Luna. This confirmed his suspicions: that Luna had sent 11th Legion stock to the 13th as they had the 2nd. Draco told him to keep the stock - it was not his to claim. Even the Primarchs were but servants, and if this was the will of the Emperor, so be it. Robute claimed to be deeply honored. To mingle blood with the 11th would make his Legion stronger and more numerous than any other.

The Ultramarines, the 13th Legion, from which so many Chapters are descended (possibly as many as half) contains gene materials from both (pre-Kymeria) 2nd legion and the 11th. This could perhaps explain to some degree the Ultramarines' reputation as stalwart, determined, and highly resistant to the corrupting forces of Chaos. Maybe they also became stronger in the body than they were when the 11th Legion bested them in martial games.

It also means that to some degree Draco is the gene-father of a great many Ultramarines and their successor chapters. he should have some sort of bond with them. How many of the "Lost Sons" are out there is unknown. Could be only a few, could be many. Could be entire Chapters, could be only scattered individuals. It could also be all or most of them. It's been 10.000 years and very many generations have passed. The seeds sown could have spread far indeed.

Fulgrim, 3rd Legion "Emperor's Children"

 

Draco was approached by his brother Fulgrim while preparing for Compliance M30.888 A0131Z near the Pacificus/Tempestus border. Fulgrim was talkative and forthcoming. Draco less so - though he played the welcoming host to perfection.

Fulgrim is a tragic figure. Devoted to perfection within and without he's deeply flawed and weak. The proof is in his gene-seed, which is less hardy than those of other Legions making the Emperor's Children utterly dependent on Luna. 

Despite the hidden flaws in their genes, the Astartes of the 3rd Legion are fine warriors indeed. True exemplars of the Imperium. Such is their love for their Primarch that they dive themselves harder than any other Legion. It is a shame that their gene-sire is what's holding them back from true greatness.

Corvus Corax, 19th legion "Raven Guard"

 

Draco found his brother Corax by not finding him. Not even the pattern could tell how to reach him - it could only tell where he was not. Only a master seer like Draco could figure that one out without spending eternity as a gibbering maniac.

The Raven Guard was conduction a secret campaign against the warp-tainted Ghoul Lords in the dread region later known as the Ghoul Stars. Powerful psychic entities were using a foul amalgamation of technology and sorcery to enslave entire worlds and create legions of fanatical warriors who knew no fear. Such was the nature of this enemy that even Astartes were told only as much as they needed to know to kill their foe. Any mortals unlucky enough to come into contact with the enemy were to be terminated. The Emperor's Mercy.

Draco and Corax spent many moons together, talking and waging war. Where there before had been hardly any relation the two parted ways as friends. Corax was willing to speak up for Kymeria, but not as eager as Mortarion to offer his aid in case of civil war (not that Draco asked for it). The 19th learned much about gene-seeds and the blood of heroes. The 11t was granted knowledge of the stealth systems used by the Ravens. 

Mortarion, 14th Legion "Dusk Raider/Death Guard"

 

Draco found his brother Mortarion relentlessly pushing the border of the Imperium to the Galactic West, deep into what would one day be Segmentum Pacificus. When last it met it was at Mars, 20 years prior, as Mortarion took command of his flagship Endurance. Mortarion seemed well pleased to see his sibling and they talked at length about many things.

The Death Guard never rested, never relented. They did not conquer as much as destroy. The cost in engines of war was high, the death toll among the Astartes staggering. Yet despite the Death Guard's high casualty rate, the legion swelled with every passing year. For each Astartes hero fallen, two greater heroes would rise in his stead.

Mortarion professed to have no great love for their father, the Emperor, whom he felt had wronged him by denying his final victory over the High Overlord of Barbarus. He then went on to reveal that he had seen and heard things pertaining to the things the Emperor had forbidden all talk of. And that he suspected the High Overlord might have been deep in the counsel of darker things.

Mortarion admitted to caring nothing for the Imperium they were helping to build. He and his sons were bringers of death, not conquerors or protectors. He went as far as to promise his Legion would stand by the 11th if it came to that. That's paramount to high treason.

Amazonia

 

Amazonia is a feudal world, located in the heart of the Jericho Sector. Or is it? It doesn't appear on any star charts, it's location a well-kept secret known only to Barotta and a few select navigators. It could be anywhere, really. Well, not anywhere, but somewhere close but not necessarily in the sector.

The planet is as verdant as it is rich in minerals, not quite the paradise that Carmyn is, but well within the parameter of the garden world. The planet is ruled by fierce tribes of female warriors who compete with the dangerous fauna (see the Gene-which entry) and each other at every turn. The greatest warriors are invited to dine with the gods in their hallowed halls and often return pregnant. 

From the ranks of these demi-god children rise the finest champions Amazonia has to offer. If they show promise, they will be invited while still in adolescence, not to dine with the gods, but to dwell among them, to wage war in their name, out between the stars.

In addition to the 2nd Legion's recruiting grounds, there are several hidden complexes, located in remote and inaccessible places, where the Gene-witch and others labor for the Legion. The tribes know nothing of these places.

Amazonia has long had three small moons. Recently, a fourth moon, the Dragon Moon, started circling the planet. Since its arrival, the gods have walked in mortal lands on several occasions, and the number of girls putting on the mantle of the star-warriors has increased ten-fold.

Pulsers

 

Ion-Pulse weapons (Pulsers for short) are the most recent iteration of energy weapons to come out of Credence's forges. Pulsers range in size from personal sidearms, via heavy weapons, all the way up to the massive Ion-Pulse lance batteries mounted on the latest generation of warships to come out of the Jericho Sector.

Pulsers combine Tau plasma tech with archeotech energy handling techniques to create compact weapons with good range and penetrating power. They can be fired in rapid-fire or maximum power configurations. Though nowhere near as powerful as Imperial plasma weapons, they have none of the drawbacks and can be mass-produced with little difficulty.

Coilguns

 

4-barreled heavy coilgun

Coilguns are projectile weapons that resemble both autoguns and bolters. Instead of chemical propellants, they use gravimetric coils to projectiles at astounding speeds. These grav coils have been developed from heretical Tau tech fused with lostech lore, then assembled in the tech-pits of Argoth.

In size they range from personal sidearms and automatic rifles that fire 5mm solid-core round, via Astartes weapon with explosive warhead, to starship batteries. Compared to lesser weapons, the coilgun has somewhat better range, accuracy and penetration, all due to its high velocity. In the case of Astartes weapons, it's got another advantage: increased ammo capacity, 2-3 times that of the most common bolter patterns.

Sanguinius, 9th Legion "Blood Angels"

 

Draco met Sanguinius on the surface of Bhaal, a harsh world kept barbarous to fuel the Blood Angles with fierce, death-seeking recruits. Not haven seen his brother in many years, Draco was somewhat surprised to be asked to shear off Sanguinius's wings. The Primarch saw himself as a mutant, and aberration, claiming his wings betrayed his inner darkness.

They then turned to talk of the future, to dreams and omens. It was clear then, as it had been in the past, they Draco and Sanguinius were true kin, able to reach each other well without much need for words. The Angel had indeed also seen omens of dark things to come. His own death included, but that was the least of what he had seen.

He was not willing to stand with Kymeria, claiming this was the start of much evil, but if Draco was ever in trouble, he would move heaven and earth to stand with him, even going as far as lifting his hand against his other brothers.

Angron, 12th Legion "War Hounds/World Eaters"

After a lengthy trip, Draco stood before his brother, Angron. As expected, there wasn't too much to be gained. Angron openly stated his disdain for both the Emperor and the Imperium, claiming to care nothing for Unity or the Crusade. 

He could care even less for his sister - about as little as he cared for any of his brothers. He did seem to enjoy the idea that he could side with her to annoy his siblings though, and if it would anger the Emperor in any way, he was all for it.

Lorgar, 17th legion "Imperial Heralds/Word Bearers"

 

Meeting Lorgar was a momentous occasion for Draco, but perhaps less so for Lorgar. He seemed merely pleased to see a brother he respected and cared for. Indeed, at the time, he seemed very enthusiastic for most, if not all of his siblings, and couldn't praise the Emperor highly enough, nor did he seem able to see their father's failings.

Erebus was rightly chastised for trying to establish lodges within the 11th. The man was ahead of his times, truly the first heretic. 

Lorgar promised to support Kymeria's case with love and faith, though Draco doubts he'll have the spine to speak out if the Emperor as much as looks at her funny. He also promised to take inn one Castor of the 11th's Granite Guard. As history will show, he honored his word in this case, making Castor one of his own favored children - the guy basically adopted him bc he loved his brother Draco so much. 

Leman Russ, 7th Legion "Space Wolves"

 

Leman Russ greeted his brother cordially, but not warmly. He seemed somewhat annoyed by the arrival of his brother, but could not turn away such close kin. And definitely not when he knew he'd already called upon Lorgar, who can hardly be called the Wolf Lord's favorite brother.

He seemed disinterested in any potential conflict between the brothers over something as unimportant as Kymeria, though he seemed to find her escape amusing. He would not guarantee supporting her in any way, but wouldn't move against her either - unless given order to by the Emperor, of course.

He was, however, very interesting in learning more about runes and their power to tell the future. So impressed was he with what Draco showed him, that he gave his spear in return, claiming he never used it and have never liked the thing in the first place.

Ferrus Manus, 10th Legion "Iron Hands"

 

After regaining his true form, again vested as befits a Primarch, Draco took his flagship Manu ad Bellum back through time to before he was cast out. To that time when the great Crusad was only beginning to gain momentum. To before the was a Warmaster and the Chaos Gods were but dark whispers, a menace barely felt, and ill understood.

He found his Brother Manus the Iron-handed in the Xyxal system, where Draco had hope to find chapters of the 11th. But Draco had been three years delayed, and the 10th had long since helped the 11th clear the system.

When Draco spoke to his brother of the difficulties he had seen ahead, and the foul thing that would be done to their sister, Manus confessed to caring little for her. What was 1 girl to the unity of 19 brothers? And if the Father willed it, who were his sons to go against his wishes?

Nevertheless, he agreed to speak up and stand with Draco if push came to shove, and at least voice his support. The friendship of the 10th and the 11th were further cemented by Draco's fine gifts of technology.

The Doomsday Clock & the Mechanism

 

Found in the time-vault on Cypher after the Hadex Anomaly had been tamed, hidden away by Inquisitor Hybris centuries ago, before the death of the God-Emperor, the Doomsday Clock is a strange and fearsome artifact.

Whoever controls it has power over time. Power, but no control, unless they happen to be a powerful psyker, versed in temporal matters and in possession of Hybris's "manual." Barotta happened to fit both requirements.

The manual speaks of a "mechanism" that is the power behind the clock, and offers a great many theories as to what that might be. In the end, however, Hybris concludes than the nature of the mechanism cannot be known or understood by a mortal mind - only madness and corruption wait for those who try. He's tried, and now realizes it's too late to turn back.

The book hints that Hybris may have designed the clock, or perhaps he merely improved upon an existing design. It can also be inferred that this Inquisitor, although a powerful psyker and a great mind, cannot possibly have come up with the design himself.

The clock itself is a massive piece of what seems to be wood, but is, in fact, warp matter frozen in time chaos made solid if you will. There are several time faces, dials, levers, and control items (manual required). Inside the clock can see glimpsed an infinitely intricated set of cogwheels, bars, and pendulums, glowing faintly in otherworld colors as the clock is manipulated.

When correctly set, the clock can transport a person, a room (like the contents of the time-vault), or an entire ship back and forward in time, with great accuracy. It can also move the subject through space, for time and space are one. Unlike the mad journeys through the time rift at Vanity, the clock seems impossibly precise and safe to use. But other than a cooldown period, which can be many years long if great leaps of time and space were undertaken with a large subject, there seems to be no ill effects associated with the clock.

Why then did Hybris lock it away, dispose of everyone who knew where and what it was, then sealed it away behind impenetrable wards?

Draco & the Draconic Knights

 

The 11th Legion was initially entered into the scrolls as the "Granite Guards." After the rediscover of their Primarch, who was often called "Draco" on account of his peculiar eye mutation, they referred to themselves as "Knights of the Dragon" or "Draconic Knights." 

The name of the Legion was never officially changed, but it didn't take long for the name to stick (it's pretty catchy) and as the Great Crusade started gaining momentum, only the firstborn 1000 of the 11th retained the name as their Chapter name. Many other Legions did similar things, taking names more in line with their true natures than those given by Terran pencil-pushers.

Little is known about the 11th Primarch. Where he was found, if he had a given name, and so forth. Like all his brothers (and sister) he was a cunning warrior of great prowess, but it was his prophetic powers that set him apart. He wasn't a sorcerer like Magnus or a spirit-talker like Lorgar. He was perhaps closest in nature to Sanguinius, who was also mutated and possessed foresight.

The Gene-Witch

The Gene-Witch is a clone/mind-copy of Dr. Lydia Xammeroon. She accompanied Barotta's back-in-time expedition to establish a presence on Amazonia, where she set up her secret labs, gene-forges, and birthing chambers.

She worked on the remnants of the 2nd Legion, bringing it up to acceptable strength. She also worked her gene-magic on the 11th Legion, bringing about a new era of cloned super-soldiers not naturally born of Aurum.

She's probably also responsible for the exotic alien beasts that roam Amazona. Some of these creatures are so deadly and exotic they can hardly have evolved naturally - and definitely not on the same world.