The 1st Vengeance Crusade (1 gen 33121 anni – 1 gen 33204 anni)

Descrizione:

121.M33 - The SotR arrive on the homeworld (and primary recruitment world) Goodrach to discover it was recently attacked by a warband of Emperor's Children who tormented, raped and tortured the local populace. The (now very old) Kurun vows that every single traitor responsible will die. This begins the hunt, and what the chapter now refer to as the 1st vengeance crusade.

182.M33 - the SotR land on a moon recently pillaged by the enemy. A small number of Emperor's Children (about 50) remain. After an exceptionally short battle, 7th company librarian Zazel psychically interrogates traitors to ascertain the position of the warband. After doing so he delivers a psychic message to the minds of the entire warband, repeating Kurun's vow that they will die. [Despite being the chapter's most gifted psyker, Zazel found this far more difficult than he let on, and, though he did not realize it at the time, this had split a thin crack through both his mind and soul, a crack through which sinister things would later creep in.] After this, all traitors were swiftly executed.

204.M33 - The Sons finally catch up to their foes and a void battle commences. At first, the Sons are on top, however, the chapter's secondary ship (the End'o'Thousands) is rammed, and forced to make landfall on a nearby moon. The fight becomes dire, as the chapter flagship (the Nauta per Caedem) and it's defensive vessels are surrounded and outmaneuvered by smaller ships. Attempting to prevent the enemy from descending upon the crash site, the main fleet engages the enemy ships. They fight valiantly for days, allowing few past. The chapter captains urge Kurun to take the fight to the ground before they incur too many losses and become incapable of a successful defense. Kurun refuses. Amongst the roars of panic and battle, doubtful whispers begin to fill the Nauta, and Kurun's mental faculties are thrown into question. Many wonder if his wisdom has faded to senility over the years.

Meanwhile on the moon the End'o'Thousands remains unfixable. The 1st, 9th and 10th companies prepare defenses for an inevitable assault. Within days the Emperor's children begin to arrive on the moon in larger numbers. The 1st, 9th and 10th become outnumbered.

Kurun is forced to act. Not wanting to split forces, the entire might of the SotR is deployed (for the first time ever) on the moon, and the Nauta per Caedem enters lockdown mode with non-combatant personelle onboard.

The Sons are barely all landed when the traitors attack. The initial assault is brutal, but it is weathered, and the Emperor's Children begin the siege of the End'o'Thousands.

Weeks pass, and the sons are picked off, reduced to around 400 marines. About this time, word is received from the flagship that an unidentified fleet of ships has entered the system. The Emperor's Children (in what is assumed to be a display of overconfidence) launch their final assault. It is bloody, mass casualties on both sides as the Sons fight harder than ever before, clearly sensing the end. Kurun is not immune to this. Accounts tell that each brother heard silence over the vox, and then his voice, old and shrill, yet without trace of fear or doubt "Brothers … I would taste glory once more before I die." The chapter master made his final change, cutting swathes through the enemy on a warpath to their leader. He reached his foe worse for ware, his helmet removed and his aged, bloodied face exposed. The warlord laughed as Kurun struggled on his feet. As the warlord opened his mouth to taunt, Kurun's spear flicked through the air, removing the fingers from the traitors right hand and curving round in one swift movement to cut clean through the left wrist. The spear then shot forward glancing lightly along the heretics neck, before lashing back harshly, letting traitorous blood spray out. To this day, the recording of this battle from Kurun's cybernetic eye is required viewing for all chapter aspirants.

The footage, however, ends immediately after, as Kurun's eye is damaged by sonic weaponry. At this time the honour guard are attempting to push their way to him, but with the enemy successfully pushing the allies back, they became surrounded themselves. Kurun fights, alone and surrounded for a short while, until the enemy tackles him to the ground and he disappears from sight.

At this moment the sky erupts with noise, as howling banshees descent from the heavens. Amongst their number a yellow clad eldar with an astartes force sword. As the roar of battle rang out around them, and Kurun's blood poured out onto the ground below him, Ul'amir crouched at his side. [None knew the tears Ul'amir wept that day for his helmet masked his sorrow, but Kurun's face was bare, for the battered old man's wrinkled chopps grinned at his friend in those final moments.]

The enemies soon attempt to flee, but they are not allowed. Every traitor on the ground that day died there.

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