Compendium Tratoris: Extinction Agenda
The Shadow Kings
This post is just me setting up the layout (wanted to get it actually done before I get distracted again), so I'll be adding to this post over the next couple of days with what I have so far.
Massively WIP, and if you know my previous "works" you'll know I like to blend rules with fluff so these are my count-as Chaos Space Marines (all factions) guys. It's a multi-warband project with the guys pictured at the top (The Shadow Kings) being the guys in charge but I will include details on the other major player warbands.
- Origin -
Imperial records list the origins of the Shadow Kings as unknown, with first possible sighting being a grainy pic-image of a traitor wearing a similar symbol at the Siege of the Emperor's Palace during the Horus Heresy. Due to the quality of the image being so poor it is heavily disputed as to whether the symbol seen at Terra is in fact that of the Shadow Kings (which may suggest they were a faction within one of the traitor legions) or just an Alpha Legionnaire with a variation of the Hydra symbol.
One theory postulated by radical and now excommunicate Inquisitor Julian Lore formerly from the Ordo Xenos, suggests that the Shadow Kings might in fact be one of the Lost Legions who somehow ended up trapped in the shadow realm of the Drukhari Mandrakes. Although Inquisitor Lore had presented evidence to support his theory, his excommunication has called the validity of his theory into question and leads many to suspect his evidence was fabricated in an attempt at spreading disinformation.
Most in the Inquisition instead believe that the Shadow Kings are simply just another Chapter gone renegade or splinter warband from the Chaos Legions.
- Beliefs -
The Shadow Kings do not serve the Chaos Gods, instead their service is given up to the Gods they call the Stygian Pantheon, Thirteen Gods of which the Shadow God who goes by many names but is most often referred to as Malacar was the first and creator of the pantheon. It is claimed that before the material universe came into being there nothingness, and that Malacar was that nothingness. The creation of the universe is said to have brought him great pain and his servants seek to return the universe to its original state. When the Warp became manifest in the material universe Malacar used its energy to create the other twelve Gods of the pantheon. So whilst he and his shadow children (his equivalent of daemons) may not be a God of the Warp, the rest of the pantheon and their children are.
- The Stygian Pantheon -
Malacar - God of Shadow
Anamon - God of Dominance
Axis - God of Destruction
Gallotier - God of War
Kor'natha - God of Bloodshed
Nakria - Goddess of Predation
Raagnaria - Goddess of Sorcery
Yata Ui - God of Corruption
Thragnessa - God of Death
Xialgar - God of Oblivion
Devica - Goddess of Torment
Galrinak - God of Fire
Silica - God of Disease
Author's note: I realise some of these gods share aspects of the Four, but they are not related to them. Example Silica is not just another name for Nurgle, and worshipping Silica does not make you a worshipper of Nurgle and vice-versa.
- Demons -
Each God has his own demons (going with the standard non-40k spelling so not as to confuse with those of Chaos), they come for the most part in three categories. Emperor Demons who equate to Chaos Greater Demons, Chosen Demons who equate to the likes of Plagebearers, Bloodletters etc, then there are the Lesser Demons that equate to the likes of Tzeentch Screamers, Khorne Bloodhounds etc. Each God has only thirteen Emperor Demons.
The Stygian Pantheon also creates daemon princes from their greatest mortal followers.
God / Element / Emperor Demon / Chosen Demon / Lesser Demon
Thragnessa / Death / Deathbringer / Reaper / Death Scribe
Kor'natha / Bloodshed / Blooddrinker / Flesheater / Red Mist
Malacar / Shadow / Shadowlord / Shadow / Lesser Shadow
Devica / Torment / Grand Torturer / Paindancer / Skinlasher
Yata Ui / Corruption / Arch Devil / Devil / Lesser Devil
Silica / Disease / Scourge / Swarmhost / Spawnling
Raagnaria / Sorcery / Spellmistress / Spellflayer / Spellsprite
Gallotier / War / Battlemaster / Warbeast / Warfury
Axis / Destruction / Destroyer / Axe Wielder / Damager
Xialgar / Oblivion / Harbinger / Oblivion Soldier / Extinction Seeker
Nakria / Predation / Eternal Hunter / Stalker / Predator
Galrinak / Fire / Flamelord / Hellbeast / Firesprite
Anamon / Dominance / Dominator / Conquistadors / Leveler Fiend
- The Horsemen -
Aside from their mortal and demonic warriors each God has a single Horseman, for all intents and purposes demi-gods / avatars who lead their forces in the material universe. Chief amongst them is the Shadowborn who commands the Shadow Kings, the undisputed commander-in-chief of all forces that serve the Stygian Panetheon. The origin of the Horsemen is unknown but speculation leans towards them being the first Champions of the Stygian Gods, raised up as extremely powerful Daemon Princes.
The Shadowborn - Malacar
War - Gallotier
Death - Thragnessa
Pestilence - Silica
Conquest - Anamon
Ruin - Axis
Extinction - Xialgar
Torment - Devica
Corruption - Yata Ui
Slaughter - Kornatha
Predation - Nakria
Ash - Galrinak
Malediction - Raagnaria
- Organization -
The Shadow Kings consist of many warbands led by their own champions that via for power much like those in the Chaos Legions. The only absolute is that no champion can ever hope take over the position of a Horsemen, nor do they try.
- Affliated Warbands -
The Bloodborn
A World Eater warband who has forsaken Khorne and taken up Kor'natha as their new patron.
Void Stalkers
A warband of unknown origin, the Void Stalkers as a whole serve no patron God in particular. Black flames writhe across their armour. Many amongst the Void Stalkers are known to have enhanced abilities during battle.
Dream Eaters
A Emperor's Children warband who has forsaken their Legion, their Primarch and Slaanesh, to take up Devica as their patron. They do not feel pleasure or pain themselves, so take to inflicting torment on others to show their worship.
Black Sabre
Not a warband in of itself, but instead a sort of Special Forces that's members are seconded from other warbands and the Shadow Kings.
Author's note: Sort of a traitor version of the Death Watch. Count-as Fallen.
Wolves of Horus
Former Sons of Horus who refused to join Abaddon's Black Legion. Originally they sought shelter from the Shadow Kings to evade Abaddon, but now they are true believers of the Stygian Pantheon.
The Blight
A former Death Guard warband who neither aligned themselves with Mortarion nor Typhus. They have forsaken Nurgle to take up worship of Silica.
The Fallen Lords
A group of seven Sorcerers who raise the undead instead of leading Traitor Astartes. Their leader is Balor the Leveller who has bound the power of the others to him. They serve Anamon God of Dominance.
Balor the Leveller
Bahl'al the Watcher
Soulblighter
Myrdred the Deciever
Shiver
Juggernaut
Gilndeer the Tormentor
Black Oracles
A Thousand Sons warband who abandoned Magnus and the Legion shortly after Ahriman's Rubric. In pursuit of further sorcerous knowledge they have forsaken Tzeentch and taken up Raagnaria as their patron.
Wicked Gods
The largest warband not of the Shadow Kings to serve them. Originally a Space Marine Chapter whose name has long been forgotten, they have recruited numerous renegades to their force. Interestingly although they serve the Shadow Kings, they do not worship the Stygian Pantheon, instead worshipping a group of lesser warpgods embodying the seven deadly sins.
Mammon - God of Greed
Rahab - God of Envy
Doema - God of Sloth
Kanash - God of Gluttony
Lilith - Goddess of Lust
Abraxas - God of Wrath
Moloch - God of Pride
- Notable characters -
The Shadowborn: Leader of the Shadow Kings and the Horseman of Shadow. He wields the axe Tasga a weapon reputed to have been forged from the corpse of one of the first Gods, said to be able to destroy anything completely even the denizens of the Warp. In battle the Shadowborn while powerful seems lesser than the other Horsemen but this is merely because he conceals his true capabilities.
Count-as: Abaddon
Barak the Blasphemer: Leader of the Bloodborn, so named by others within the World Eaters still loyal to Khorne. He is the one who turned many a World Eater to Kor'natha's worship to form his warband.
Count-as: Khârn
Namtar Master of Flesh: Chief Apothecary of some Chapter lost to the annals of time and now the leader of the Void Stalkers, Namtar has dedicated himself to unravelling the mysteries of fleshcraft. In doing so, before he came to lead the Void Stalkers he apprenticed under the Flesh Smiths of the Harvesters, the Drukhari Haemonculi and for a time Fabius Bile.
Count-as: Fabius Bile
Kyros Silverblade: Current leader of the Dream Eaters. He slew the former leader in a duel.
Count-as: Lucius
Slade Tavor: Former member of the Alpha Legion, the brains behind the creation of and permanent leader of Black Sabre.
Count-as: Cypher
Anhakar the Foul: Leader of The Blight, his dispassion with Mortarion's leadership of the Death Guard and outright hatred for Tyhpus' manipulation of the Legion bringing it to Nurgle's service is why he sought new patronage for his warband.
Count-as: Typhus
Zaar Bloodsong: Leader of the Black Oracles and considered to be the most powerful mortal sorcerer in service to the Shadow Kings. He is a former Space Wolves rune-priest dragged along by Magnus' spell at the Battle of Prospero because at the time he was in psychic duel with a Thousand Sons Sorceror. Suffering torture at the hands of the Thousand Sons on the Planet of Sorcerers he eventually turned.
Count-as: Ahriman
Moagim the Faceless Terror: Former Chapter Master of the Chapter that would form the basis of the Wicked Gods.
Count-as: Huron Blackheart
Malediction: Horseman of Sorcery.
Count-as: Magnus
Pestilence: Horseman of Disease.
Count-as: Mortarion
Torment: Horseman of Torment.
Count-as: Fulgrim
Slaughter: Horseman of Bloodshed.
Count-as: Angron
Ruin: Horseman of Destruction.
Count-as: Perturabo
Corruption: Horseman of Corruption.
Count-as: Lorgar
Author's note: Obviously Fulgrim and Angron don't have 8th Edition rules, but I think it's safe to say when Codices Emperor's Children and World Eaters arrive GW will include those two if we follow their pattern with Codices Thousand Sons and Death Guard.
- The Hunters -
Numerous Chapters and organizations have been tasked on and off over the millennia with the destruction of the Shadow Kings and their allies, and recent history has proven no different. Five Primaris Chapters from the Ultima Founding have been tasked almost exclusively with the pursuit of this mission.
Silver Scorpions
Ultramarines Geneseed
Starbreakers
Ultramarines Geneseed
Reavers
White Scars Geneseed
Atomic Knights
Imperial Fists Geneseed
Phantom Hounds
Raven Guard Geneseed
Author's note: Had a couple of Chapters I haven't really done much with that looked pretty good on the Primaris template so I thought I'd give them a mission now that I'm trying to properly expand upon the Shadow Kings. The inspiration came from the Dark Hunters and the six other Chapters tasked with destroying the Punishers warband.
- Notable Actions -
Destruction of the Lemora Star Cluster:
Shortly before the 7th Founding the Shadow Kings were involved in the systematic destruction of worlds in the Lemora Star Cluster and the human clans that resided there. The Cullach Clan formally the dominant Clan in the cluster recently shamed by their defeat at the hands of the Kestalla Clan*, looked to outside help to get their revenge. The Shadow Kings answered their call and brought world shattering weapons with them. With the assistance of the Cullach Clan the Shadow Kings destroyed the worlds of each of the Clans before finally turning their weapons on the Cullach Clan. The survivors from the Lemoran Clans would later form the recruiting pool for the Iron Raptors Chapter.
* = At the time lead by Battle-Captain Sorus of the Imperial Monarchs, on a quest given by a vision from the Emperor for an STC template.
A Chapter cursed:
The Shadow Kings would invade the world of Ventria, Chapter homeworld of the Immortals. The goal of the Shadow Kings was not destruction but instead corruption. Conducting a grand ritual the Shadow Kings managed to curse the Immortals with unending rage that would eventually drive the brothers of the Chapter to become mindless killing machines. Maybe tanks to their Imperial Fist geneseed or maybe that they were founded from the Executioners, the Immortals have not completely fallen to the curse. Although all members of the Chapter must fight the rage and will over time succumb to it, the Chapter still operates to this day.
Edited by Heru, 05 January 2018 - 11:50 AM.