So this is what I'm currently working on, the background for my Loyalist Iron Warriors, there will be pictures soon in my blog of some of the characters, though you've seen Thaddea in there already he wasn't quite finished. Anyway, I'll post one chapter at a time as I finish them.

Dramatis Personae

Iron Warriors:

Perturabo – Primarch of the Iron Warriors
Midas Rastigan - Perturabo’s Equerry

1st Company
Damian Forrix - Captain of the Iron Warriors 1st Company

6th Company
Arsen Thaddea - Captain of the Iron Warriors 6th Company
Vasilios Eusebio - Chaplain of the 6th Company
Artus Salout - Sergeant of Command Squad Pretoria
Maris Pratus - Warsmith of the 6th Company
Lucas Vahn’sar - Sergeant of squad INFRAGILIS
Zarem Castus - Sergeant of squad CUSTODIS
Menis Tzar - Sergeant of squad MILITIS
Kasim Liargo - Sergeant of squad PLUVIUS

8th Company
Hercule Berossus - Captain of the Iron Warriors 8th Company

9th Company
Galen Toramino - Captain of the Iron Warriors 9th Company


Emperors Children:

Cato Lequatis - Captain of the Emperors Children 9th Company

World Eaters:

Ilias Dagonet - Captain of the World Eaters 19th Company

Thousand Sons:

Ishtar Zahur - Captain of the Thousand Sons 12th Company

Legio Pectorium (The Blazing Hearts):

Jenavieve De’Leoceur - Princeps Senioris


Prologue
Lost Son

The command deck of the Hyperion was shrouded in shadow, the atmosphere oppressive. Upon a grand throne of Meteoric Iron Perturabo, primarch of the Iron Warriors, sat brooding in the darkness, staring out into the blackness of space though the viewport. Arrayed before the Hyperion the three ships about to depart from the fleet hung before the growing warp gate, the Mnemosyne, by far the largest of the three ships was flanked by the smaller, sleeker forms of the Iapetus and the Athenea.

As they passed through the gate and it began to close behind them, casting the last of its mad light into the universe before all returned to darkness, Perturabo reflected on the events that had led to this point. Horus, his brother and beloved Warmaster, had confided in him of his secession from the Imperium and his intention to make war on their father, stoking the lord of the Iron Warriors already bitter resentment of how his men had been treated.

Then word arrived that Olympia, Perturabo’s own homeworld, had revolted and descended into anarchy, declining help from his brother Sanguinius the Iron Warriors had travelled to their homeworld immediately and in a brutal assault had wiped out a swathe of the population in a single nights fighting. The attack had sat ill with many of his captains but all had participated and followed their orders, it was only after the dust had settled and the Iron Warriors took stock of the devastation they had wrought that the true magnitude of what they had done began to sink in.

Once again he had won round his captains one by one, even though the events on Olympia had also sat ill with himself, now only one remained, Arsen Thaddea, obstinate captain of the 6th Grand Company, had continuously and openly voiced his opinion on the deployment and had repeatedly refused pleas from Rastigan, and eventually Perturabo himself, to keep his own council to prevent damage to morale.

Now, in order to silence Thaddea he was forced to remove him and his company altogether to ensure that the Iron Warriors would be behind Horus when the time came. It was likely Thaddea already knew that something was wrong, being deployed with two of the Primarch’s most loyal captains he would at the very least think he was under scrutiny. The truth of the matter was, in fact, that Thaddea and the 6th Grand Company, and its attached Imperial Army and Titan support units, would not be returning.

Pretty good so far, Mortarion!

Chapter One
Frozen

The Athenea hung alone in orbit above the northern hemisphere of Hyperborea IV, its sister ships the Mnemosyne and the Iapetus deployed over other regions of the ice encrusted planet. Each of the ships was positioned above one of the planets monolithic fortress cities, primed and ready to rain death onto the cities below.

On the bridge Captain Thaddea of the 6th company stood hunched over a holo-slate depicting the fortress city Issedones, he traced lines along the cities defences plotting the best places to site trenches and the most likely locations his warriors could create a breach in the wall. Behind him Chaplain Eusebio and Veteran Sergeant Salout exchanged furtive glances as their captain immersed himself in the coming campaign.

After a long moment’s pause Salout stepped forward remaining a respectable distance from the captain but making it impossible for Thaddea to ignore him. “Have you something to add to my preparations Artus?” he growled, his eyes still fixed on the holo-slate. Now acknowledge Salout moved slowly round the table, tracing his finger around the outer walls of the city, before finally he stopped and faced his captain.

“With respect captain, do you not feel something wrong with this deployment?” he took great pains to keep his voice calm and even, hoping not to anger the irate captain. For the first time since the Sergeant had entered the room Thaddea lifted his eyes from the holo-slate, its green glow giving him a corpselike palor. “I don’t need to be a psyker to feel something is wrong here, but what would you have me do, defy a direct order from Perturabo himself? In full view of two of the legions most venerable captains?” Thaddea’s voice was a low rumble, like distant thunder, calm and measured but with the underlying threat of his words left in no doubt.

Artus Salout nodded slowly, Thaddea was referring to the time the Sergeant had spent training with the Librarium before the council at Nikaea. “Then allow me to read the Tarot, it is only a mild use of my powers and safe enough if done right, let me find out what is happening.” Thaddea turned slightly to glace at Eusebio who remained in the shadows, a shallow nod of his skull face helmet showing his ascent, Thaddea let out a great sigh and rested his hands on the slate. “Very well, have your hood released from the armoury and meet in my quarters in one hour.” He glanced at Eusebio once more. “If you wouldn’t mind Vasilios, I would like you to be present as well.” The Chaplain inclined his head. “As you wish Captain.”

Salout sketched a quick salute before turning on his heel and leaving the bridge. As the doors slid shut behind the Sergeant, Thaddea shut off the Holo-slate and rubbed his eyes, he had been staring at the holo-image of the city for the last eight hours and though his Astartes eyes were quick to adjust to the differing light he still found himself making such decisively human gestures.

He moved to one of the command consoles signalling that the serf crew could return to their stations before activating the forward viewport. With a hiss of hydraulics the viewport slowly slid open, the cold white light of the planet below spilling into the bridge and bathing everything in its ethereal glow. Thaddea stood for a moment, looking down on the sprawling ice flows and towering glacial peaks of Hyperborea, longing to taste the crisp air of the planet once more. The Sixth company had been part of the taskforce that had brought Hyperborea IV to compliance initially and it galled him to think of the world rebelling, just as it had with Olympia. Allowing his focus to slip he stared for a moment into his own reflection, staring back accusingly from the viewport. His silver hair tied in brass ringlets hung around his shoulders glittering in the light of the planet, his storm grey eyes almost shone in the pale light giving him an almost otherworldy appearance. “Tell me chaplain” He mused “Who is a man to trust when his own father betrays everything he believes in?”

The chaplain stepped from the shadows, the glacial light bleaching his black armour of all colour, a small tattered book hung from his belt, the symbol of the Aquila glinting coldly. “Trust in the Emperor my captain. His light will guide you in your darkest times...”


Chapter Two
Poker Face
To Follow...