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.