Bloody Hands

Bloody Hands armorial with corrupted iconography.

A Bloody Hand Heretic Astartes

### **Noteworthy Domains**

Several systems in the Caligari, Duros, and Octarius Sector, Daemon World of Arkanis

### **Specialty**

Shock Assault, Close Combat, Ranged Combat, Sorcerous Might, Infiltration

### **Allies**

Thousand Sons
Alpha Legion
Iron Warriors
Night Lords
Death Guard

### **Warband Size**

6,000 Bloody Hands
4,000 Alpha Legion
Unknown number of other warbands.

### **Battle Cry**

"No point in resisting - you're already dead!"

## Pre-Heresy

### **Colours**

Unknown

"*That was your ship? You sure? It was in your fleet before the battle? How odd. Oh well, nothing we can do about that now.*"
— Skaldir the Light-Fingered after stealing a Word Bearer's voidcraft
The **Bloody Hands** are a Chaos Warband dedicated to Chaos Undivided. Originally they were the Ruby Sabres, a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter from the 15th Founding. The Chapter was known for its close adherence to the *Codex Astartes*. They defended the Imperium from the countless enemies of Mankind for centuries. Yet one battle-brother would soon make a grave mistake on the world of Thesulia Prime. Now they fight against the Imperium, against those they once swore to protect. A large number of Alpha Legion have found their way into the warband, which the Bloody Hands have accepted with excitement, for any opportunity to sabotage the Imperium that the Alpha Legion uses, the Bloody Hands are glad to assist in.

Most recently, the Bloody Hands have been more or less taken over by Kho'mzond the Devious, a Lord of Change, a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch. Until then they were led by Khârn the Betrayer, who gladly accepted them into his own warband. However, Kho'mzond saw greater potential in the Bloody Hands and staged a coup, sending Khârn back to Angron, Daemon Primarch of the notorious World Eaters Traitor Legion. Now Kho'mzond leads the warband, along with many cohorts of Daemons and several cults of the Thousand Sons against the Imperium. With the plotting and subterfuge of the Alpha Legion mixed with the cunning and deviousness of the Lord of Change, the Imperium of Man is now faced with a dangerous enemy, one that often turns Imperial forces against the Imperium.

## Warband History

### The Scandal

"*The Ruby Sabres, eh? Ah yes, I remember how they once were. Shame what happened to them. They were great allies, pious and noble. Nonetheless, that is the greatest danger of Chaos - anyone, no matter how loyal, can be affected.*"
— Reclusiarch Volker Aldermann of the Atomic Gladiators
For centuries, the Ruby Sabres had defended the Imperium from their Fortress-Monastery on the Hive World of Darcadia. Darcadia was located within light years of the T'au Empire in the Eastern Fringe. Every so often, the T'au Ethereals would visit the Planetary Governor to negotiate a possible trade network. Whenever this happened, the Deathwatch would arrive and demand the assistance of the Ruby Sabres in repelling the foul xenos from the world.

This routine went on for many centuries. In M38, however, the Deathwatch was busy in assisting the Ultramarines in repelling an Ork WAAAGH!. The T'au soon arrived. Tetricus Cariaso, Chapter Master of the Ruby Sabres decided to do something many would consider scandalous: listen to the xenos without the knowledge of an Inquisitor.

Cariaso met with the T'au Ethereals with his Honor Guard. The Ethereals revealed that the local populace was malnourished, constantly plagued with sickness. The Ethereals had brought medicine and food aplenty. Cariaso, ever the reasonabe Astartes, found no fault and detected no lie. He was willing to work with the T'au.

It was then that a Drukhari raiding force appeared from a nearby Webway portal. The T'au and the Adeptus Astartes immediately counterattacked together, annihilating the xenos force completely for having the audacity to pick on the weak. It was then that they formed an alliance of trade and cooperation.

### Repercussions

The T'au then traded with Darcadia for many years. Yet the arrangement was soon discovered by Inquisitor Anderson of the Ordo Xenos. Following strange reports, he decided to investigate. The Inquisitor had discovered that, without permission from Terra, had been trading with the xenos. The Deathwatch, under the command of Anderson, arrived during a routine visit. Anderson demanded that the Sabres cast the supposed scales from their eyes and fire upon the aliens at once. Cariaso refused, explaining that since the trade opened up, tithes have increased and the death rate has plummeted. Wasn't this peace better than unending war? The Inquisitor immediately condemned the Ruby Sabres for heresy and ordered Cariaso's execution. Two Deathwatch forced the Chapter Master to his knees as Anderson drew his sword.

Captain Tullar Ferracioli of the 2nd Company stepped between the Inquisitor and his beloved Chapter Master. Be reasonable, he told the Imperial agent. They were doing what was best for the people of Darcadia, no more and no less. But Anderson, blinded by hate and intolerance, ordered the Captain aside. A Deathwatch Astartes forced the Captain aside and Anderson decapitated Cariaso. Afterwards, they disposed of the medicine and food that the T'au had brought.

That night, the Ruby Sabres mourned for their former Chapter Master. It was unjust, unacceptable. Ferracioi prayed to be able to read people's thoughts and emotions, for he suspected that the Imperium was not the same government he had been led to believe it was.

Deep in the Impossible Fortress, Tzeentch grinned.

### Revelations

Ferraciloi was unanimously elected as the new Chapter Master days later. Unimaginable power swirled inside his soul, newfound and curious to him. He was filled with renewed vigor - thought this soon turned to rage. The Administratum had reduced Darcadia to its former, miserable self. The organization heavily increased their tithe numbers, caring little for the thousands that died every month to keep up with the production. It was months later, as the population toiled away for the "sins" of the Ruby Sabres, that Inquisitor Anderson returned.

The Inquisitor held the trial in the governor palace for thousands to see their supposed heresy. Ferracioli arrived with his Honor Guard to stand trial. For hours they were accused to heresy against the Imperium and the Emperor of Mankind Himself. Ferracoili insisted that what they were doing was validated, justified, for they had brought an era of peace that Darcadia had never known before. The civilian populace agreed, casting doubt on the Inquisition's motives.

They would not listen. Millennia of hate, ignorance, and intolerance had blinded them. Peace is not peace, they argued, when bought with interaction of filthy xenos. Ferracoili was furious and told them that the T'au had saved the former Chapter Master's life. As the judges retorted their convictions, a voice whispered in the back of Ferracoili's mind. This was not the Imperium the Emperor had built and died for, it said. He had not sacrificed Himself for His sons to be accused to heresy for something so trivial, so ignorant.

Somehow, Ferracioli knew that it was the truth.

The Inquisitors moved to execute the new Chapter Master. In that moment, the fate of the Ruby Sabres. As the agents moved in, the Honor Guard reacted and slaughtered the Imperial agents. Inquisitorial Stormtroopers moved to fire on the murderers before the populace rose up. The civilians were vengeful for the Imperium's treatment of their beloved masters. Not one Stormtrooper survived long. Inquisitor Anderson himself was killed by Ferracioli, casting his name for Kalk'har instead. His hands stained with the blood of the agent, he announced to the civilians, his Honor Guard, and by extension his Chapter, that if the Imperium was to cast them down for doing what was right, then the Imperium did not deserve their service.

He cast aside their affiliations with the Imperium of Man. They were now the Bloody Hands, for their hands would be forever stained with the blood of those who twisted the Emperor's once holy vision into something bloated, corrupt, and ignorant. If the Bloody Hands were to serve the Imperium, they were going to have to destroy it and rebuild it from the ground up.

### Destruction of Darcadia

Over the following centuries the High Lords of Terra lost all contact with the Ruby Sabres' Chapter Homeworld of Darcadia. This did not raise too much concern; after all, many Chapters can go Terran years without any major outside contact. The next time contact was made, it was on the world of B'allmar. The Ultramarines were carrying out missions against a T'au Hunter Cadre when a warp portal materialized within an ocean. On the coast, several Ultramarine Rhinos were gathering in preparation to launch an assault against the T'au. Soon after, they were themselves assault by several Daemon Engines, including Forgefiends, Maulerfiends, and Death Wheels. Within minutes the Ultramarines were decimated, losing nearly all of their Rhinos and attempting to regroup to counterattack. They never stood a chance as Bloody Hands Havocs annihilated them with Kalibrax-pattern autocannons and Mars-pattern heavy bolters.

It soon became apparent that these Chaos Space Marines were once the loyal Ruby Sabres based on surmounting evidence, the main one being that the attack was led by the Master of the Forge Hebediah Briehl, now a twisted Warpsmith. Upon this discovery, the Ultramarines sent three entire companies to the Alpha Iota system. On approach to Darcadia they were fired upon by surface Defense Lasers. They decided to attempt to attack via Thunderhawk. As the Thunderhawks came in low toward the Defense Lasers, one was shot down by Bloody Hands' Havocs.
The situation soon turned in favor of the defenders. As the Ultramarines attempted to both complete their objective and secure the fallen Thunderhawk, the latter was swarmed within seconds by Possessed and daemons. The Ultramarines at the crashed Thunderhawk were slaughtered to a man, their gene-seed stolen and wargear looted. The remaining Ultramarines forces were hounded by autocannon and heavy bolter fire from more Havocs as Forgefiends soon joined the battle. Only a handful of Ultramarines were able to escape the surface of the planet.

Over the next solar weeks the Ultramarines instead blockaded Darcadia. The Bloody Hands attempted to continue their piratical raids on nearby Imperial shipping lanes only to be countered every time by Ultramarines voidcraft. Over this time Ultramarines' scouts learned that the Bloody Hands had been withholding their gene-seed and ambushing other Chapters to steal theirs to create more and more numbers for their warband. It was estimated that by this time their numbers had reached up to 5,500. Soon the Dark Angels also arrived. The Ultramarines shared their information with their fellow Chapter. It wasn't long before the Dark Angels suggested that the only course of action was to subject Darcadia to *Exterminatus*.

In order to do so, however, they would need to take out the Defense Lasers in order to get close. So the second assault began, only this time with Dark Angels support. Upon landing via Drop Pod and Thunderhawk the landing zones were almost instantly assailed by Forgefiends, Havocs, and Possessed. Ultramarines and Dark Angels Devastator Squads pounded the traitors with relentless heavy weapons fire as Stormtalons strafed the Bloody Hands without mercy. At the same time, Assault Squads landed among the renegade defenders of the Defense Lasers, cutting them down before planting Melta charges.

The two Chapters pulled out their forces. Soon Cyclonic Torpedoes streaked through the atmosphere by the dozens. Yet the Bloody Hands would not be exterminated that easily. Grand Librarian-turned-Sorceror Boreas Kofoot opened a warp portal into the Immaterium and soon all 5,500 Bloody Hands had disappeared from Darcadia as it died. They materialized on the Daemon World of Arkanis, deep in the Immaterium. The planet was already partially ruled by the Bleeding Eye, a Night Lords Chaos Warband. Chaos Lord Castor led his Bloody Hands against the Night Lords, annihilating them all as the Night Lords were outnumbered 400 to 1. Afterwards the Bloody Hands started building the Fort of Misery.

### The Betrayer and the Hydra

Soon after the Fort of Misery was finished the Bloody Hands were approached by Alpha Legion Chaos Lord Kalissar. Kalissar led a contingent of around 5,000 Alpha Legionaries and was looking for another promising warband to ally with. He found that in the Bloody Hands. Castor, now going by the name Jericho Nazkayok, negotiated with the Alpha Legion Lord about joining the two warbands. The negotiations went well and soon the two warbands merged.

Sometime later the Bloody Hands were recruited by Khârn the Betrayer shortly after the 13th Black Crusade. For many Terran decades the Bloody Hands and the Butcherhorde carved the Red Path all throughout Imperial territory, bringing themselves to the Atomic Gladiators Chapter World of Maolia. Caring nothing for the Aeldari Artifact many of the factions on the planet fought for, the Butcherhorde slaughtered the civilian population before the Gladiators arrived in earnest and blunted their massacring. As the Gladiators then attempted to escape the planet, the Bloody Hands and Alpha Legion fought relentlessly to secure the Gladiators' flagship *Atomic Fury*. Yet the Gladiators punched through them and escaped to Toyotis.

Shortly after, the Bloody Hands arrived to lay siege to the planet. The Atomic Gladiators' and Adeptus Mechanicus fleets pulverized the Chaos ships at range, yet still a significant number of them managed to land on the planet in the Jorgani Badlands. The Atomic Gladiators assisted Toyotis' Skitarii Legions against the Chaos Space Marines. Daemon Engines were reduced to scrap, the Daemons bound within were banished to the Warp. Chaos Space Marines were herded into killing zones before being reduced to corpses in droves. Yet still the Chaos Space Marines fought on, inflicting heavy casualties on the Imperial forces as they attempted to take over the forges of the Forge World.

The Knights of House Stark pushed them back into the Jorgani Badlands, where, desperate, the warband deployed dozens of Chaos Knights. The battle was intense and bloody, with Gladiator Devastator Squads providing support from a distance. The Chaos Knights were stubborn, and did not yield their ground. House Stark refused to do the same. Sir Malcom Stark proved himself worthy by catching a Lord of Skulls' axe, attached to a Chaos Knight, in his Thunderstrike Gauntlet before using his Thermal Cannon to melt the Chaotic Knight in half, then tossed the top half at another Chaos Knight, destroying both completely. Then he was destroyed by Chaos Lord Jericho, who was piloting a Knight with a giant two handed Lord of Skulls axe.

Jericho attempted to destroy Lady Selina, in her Castellan, before Sir Cornelius stepped in front of the swipe, blocking it with his Reaper Chainsword. This gave Lady Selina enough time to pulverize Jericho with her Volcano Lance. The warband retreated back into the Eye of Terror, promising revenge.

### A Change Of Hands

With the death of Castor, the Bloody Hands were assumed to be led by Khârn the Betrayer. Yet as they returned to the Fort of Misery, they were met by a Lord of Change named Kho'mzond the Devious. Kho'mzond informed the Bloody Hands that they were a promising force for his plans. Khârn, his Nails causing him pain from being near the psyker, went to attack the daemon with Gorechild, only for Kho'mzond to cast him through the warp back to Angron with the rest of the Butcherhorde.

The Lord of Change continued, saying that he had great plans to bring the downfall of entire sectors of the Imperium for his patron god, Tzeentch, the Architect of Fate. Kal'khar Mehalko, former captain of the Ruby Sabres' 9th Company, stepped forward and stated that Lords of Change were known for their cunning and trickery. Why should they trust the daemon at all?

The Greater Daemon chuckled, explaining that if he planned on killing the Bloody Hands, we would have simply denied them being whisked to safety through the warp as their planet died. He then told Kal'khar that he promised riches and glories beyond their wildest dreams and ambitions. Kal'khar then agreed to have Kho'mzond lead them, but only if the Gladiators would suffer at their hands.

Kho'mzond smiled. He was waiting for him to say that.

### Tarvokia

Darvokia is a Hive World on the southern edge of Segmentum Tempestus, a hub for manufacturing in the region of Sector Ventos. Because of its importance and isolation, massive effort was made to ensure it would not fall. This meant that its moon and two other worlds (of seven) that weren't gas giants were turned into Fortress Worlds under Tarvokia's government. Its regiments are regarded as some of the best troops available in the Segmentum, praised for their resilience against overwhelming foes. In terms of the planet's capability, roughly eight percent of Battlefleet Tempestus is made up of vessels were produced on Tarvokia. The last Imperial tithe reported that a whopping 700 million fighting ready men were taken into the Guard, for that year alone.

A Lord of Change named Kho'mzond convinced a massive force of Chaos warbands, renegades, and daemons to invade Tarvokia. Yet the Tarvokians, already used to near constant raids from Ork and Chaos Space Marine pirates, were quick to organize their defenses as regiments from a dozen worlds were sent by the Departmento Munitorum to assist in its defense as the war zone was expanded.

The Atomic Gladiators, Titans of Legio Vulpes, and Knights of House Stark, as well as the Imperial Scythes, arrived as well. Soon after, despite success in assisting the Imperial Guard, Chapter Master Artemis was killed by Ahriman as he attempted to prevent the Arch-sorcerer of Tzeentch from claiming his prize - a tome said to be written by the Architect of Fate himself. However, instead of letting his death decrease their morale, the Atomic Gladiators only fought harder, especially with the arrival of several more Space Marine Chapters - the Minotaurs, Carcharadons, Red Scorpions, Raptors, and Mantis Warriors.

After the Forces of Chaos were defeated on the ground, a last, desperate orbital battle took place, where the Atomic Gladiators, Imperial Scythes, Grey Knights, and Minotaurs boarded the Desolator-class Battleship *Pirate's Haven* and banished the Greater Daemon responsible for the siege, Kho'mzond the Devious.

With the banishment of their daemon leader, Kal'khar brought his warband, with his close Alpha Legion allies, back into the warp in a retreat. He then decided that enough was enough. The Gladiators had foiled their plans time and again. Tarvokia would be the last time that they did.

### The Fortress

The galaxy is a vast and lonely place. For every sector abuzz with life, there are countless more that are dead zones. Even as wars reach into every corner of the galaxy, great swathes still lie silent, untouched and empty.

It was in one such silent sector in the galactic west that a new, seventh Blackstone Fortress appeared. In the furthest reaches of the Segmentum Pacificus, it sits amid a graveyard of starships that stretches more than a million miles across. This latest Blackstone Fortress is a key tactical asset for any who might suborn it to their will. Even a single one of these star fortresses can turn the tide of the most apocalyptic space battles, armed with weapons of unparalleled power.

The Blackstone Fortress is more than just a weapon, however, it is a cache of archeotech and artefacts from bygone ages. Relics of countless species lie abandoned in its halls -- a technological treasure trove that would prove utterly irresistible for any who seek to collect, study or leverage technology in their wars.

But unlike any of the other Blackstone Fortresses found before, this citadel is not inert, but seems to act, and even react, of its own accord. What this means is one of the most puzzling aspects of this Blackstone Fortress.

More mysterious still are the "hidden vaults." None can say what lies within -- but given the other secrets possessed by the fortress, the treasures inside must be priceless -- and many factions from across the galaxy have already begun to converge on the newest Blackstone in an attempt to seize its secrets.

#### The Hunt For Treasure

"*A Blackstone Fortress, eh? Intriguing. Hmm...the other factions of the galaxy will most likely be converging on it already. Unacceptable. We are the Bloody Hands. Every scrap of valuable tech or treasure on that Fortress belongs to us, and only us! Kalophis, I will join you in this quest! Come, brothers! We shall claim this Blackstone Fortress! For the glory of Chaos!*"
— Berolax the Looter upon hearing news about the new Blackstone Fortress
Exalted Sorceror Kalophis soon convened with the higher ups of the warband; champions from the Bloody Hands, Night Lords, Alpha Legion, and countless others. He told them that he had spoken with Kho'mzond in the warp, who was using every available asset and opportunity to do so. Kho'mzond said that if they were to seize the newest Blackstone Fortress for Chaos, his patron God would allow him to once more traverse the material realm.

Kalophis elected to lead a small contingent of Bloody Hands Legionaries through the Webway to this Blackstone Fortress using part of a map Ahriman had in his possession. Bloody Hands' Exalted Champion Berolax went with him.

Within two solar weeks the contingent exited a Webway portal within the Blackstone Fortress, albeit smaller than before. They were set upon by Spindle Drones that fired pulse lasers. The Bloody Hands reacted swiftly, downing entire swarms with merciless volleys of bolts. The servants of the Dark Gods then assigned themselves in individual search parties. These ranged wildly in size from just five brothers to up to twenty. Berolax himself led the largest of twenty five along with Kalophis.

The Spindle Drones wouldn't be the last type of enemies they would face. Ur-Ghuls stalked them from the darkness, occasionally attacking them. Then they ran into the Servants of the Abyss. The rival warband's beastmen and Guardsmen attacked them in hordes. The Bloody Hands refused to give ground. The Alpha Legionaries and Aspiring Sorcerers among them turned the tide for the expedition. Hordes of beastmen were lured into yawning chasms, sorcery tricking them into believing they were charging over solid ground. Platoons of guardsmen were herded into narrow corridors for the killing zones of Bloody Hands and Alpha Legion Havocs. Rogue Psykers were defeated by Aspiring Sorcerers who scoffed at such attempts to defy them.

The worse part, though, was the Blackstone Fortress itself. The Fortress eventually divided them up over time with constantly-shifting corridors and causeways. They did not let this deter them, however. Berolax and Kalophis, surrounded by some of the best warriors of the warband, continued onward.

#### Servants of the Abyss

"*That bastard thinks that because the Fortress somehow swallowed him that it belongs to him. No matter. We shall show him the error of this thinking.*"
—Berolax talking about Obsidius Mallex
The Bloody Hands eventually ran into the Black Legion Astartes of the Servants of the Abyss. Immediately it became a bloody short-ranged firefight. Berolax met Obsidius Mallex in single combat but was almost instantly smashed to the ground by the latter's Thunder Hammer. Although not killed, he was severely wounded. The firefight had no winner as both sides withdrew away from the other. Berolax seethed with hatred against this Black Legion Chaos Lord and swore to take his head as well as his Thunder Hammer and Plasma Pistol.

However, they soon found the bridge of the *Impaler*, Obsidious' flagship. Upon entering they discovered the place was a mess. Obsidious had been killed, as well as a large chunk of his forces. His Thunder Hammer was also missing. In a fit of rage, Berolax turned the bridge into slag through the application of melta bombs. The quest was over. The Bloody Hands took as much archotech as possible before exiting via the Webway.

### Vigilus

The Bloody Hands soon got a surprise when the *Vengeful Spirit* arrived in orbit above Arkanis. Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of Chaos, teleported onto the planet inside the Fortress of Misery with a cadre of Terminator bodyguards. Kalk'har expected the worse yet received a complete surprise. Abaddon had come for reinforcements; the war on Vigilus was heavily in the favor of the Imperium. He wanted the Bloody Hands to reinforce them. Kalh'kar agreed on one condition: all loot they encountered was theirs.

Abaddon guaranteed that his condition would be met.

#### Planetfall

" *Brothers! The Wolves have come to the slaughter! Let's show them what happens when you display disgusting overconfidence!*"
— Chaos Lord Kalk'har
The Bloody Hands landed on the eastern point of Dirken Hivesprawl. Landing in ancient Legion Kharybdis Assault Claws, they smashed their way into the hivesprawl with little resistance. Then the Imperium came in force in the form of the Space Wolves.

Kalk'har led his counterattack against the dogs of the Imperium. The Space Wolves were reinforced with Thunderwolf Cavalry and Wulfen. Despite this, however, the Bloody Hands slammed into the Space Wolf lines with hordes of daemons. The Wolves were assailed by these daemonic entities that slay them with smiting, warpflame, and plaguesword. If that wasn't enough, soon landers came in with Daemon Engines that turned the Space Wolf vehicles into slag and scrap metal. The Space Wolves had expected a raiding party; not a decent invasion force. Therefore, they were forced to withdraw in disastrous defeat as the Bloody Hands reinforced their landing zones.

#### The Fall Of A Hero

" *Do not worry, Son of Dorn. Your brothers will die a painless death - as long as they do not stand in the way of the Warmaster.*"
—Kal'khar to Captain Danithor
To secure a better landing zone, the Bloody Hands moved through Dirken Hivesprawl to completely conquer the most eastern end. Standing in their way was a contingent of Imperial Fists under the command of Captain Nereus Danithor. The Bloody Hands, with the help of their Death Guard friends the Band of Despair, they closed in on the last Sons of Dorn in the hivesprawl. Only a few squads, mostly Scouts, defended their position against the onslaught of Heretic Astartes and supporting Daemon Engines.

They only needed to hold out until reinforcements arrived. However, a cadre of Alpha Legionaries had flanked them and, using waves of Daemons, decimated the reinforcements. Only the Venerable Dreadnought Jago made it past the ambush.

Forgefiends used Hades Autocannons and Ectoplasm Cannons to slaughter the Fists at range despite their reputation of using cover to their absolute advantage. Soon it was only Lieutenant Tor and Captain Danithor remained as a furious storm from the Vhulian Swirl closed in. A brutal last stand occurred as they closed in. The Fists fought on with bolter, blade, and grenade. Lieutenant Tor was finally slain by a Bloody Hands Aspiring Champion, Maxor. Danithor killed Maxor with a headshot with his Heavy Bolt Pistol.

It was then that he was spun around by a heavy hand on his shoulder before a Necron Voidscythe was stabbed through his lower abdomen. Kalk'har had won the Voidscythe from slaying a Necron Overlord in single combat. The Voidscythe sliced through ceramite and plasteel like a hot knife through butter. Danithor doubled over, his organs sliding out and his life fading fast. Kalk'har whispered the last thing Danithor would ever hear, then withdrew the Voidscythe, allowing all of Danithor's blood to cascade out of his body. With the Captain dead, the company decimated, the eastern spur was conquered in the name of the Ruinous Powers.

#### A Deep Secret

The truth was there was another reason why Kalk'har agreed to help Abaddon in his crusade in his crusade against Vigilus. Decades before, their beloved Greater Daemon master was banished into the warp by the Atomic Gladiators, Grey Knights, and Imperial Scythes. Khom'zond the Wise, a Lord of Change of Tzeentch, had been cast back into Tzeentch's realm in humiliation for a thousand years. Kalk'har, the Exalted Sorcerer Kalophis, and the other lords of the Bloody Hands would not stand for it.

Kalk'har had received a vision from Kalophis about a certain tome on Vigilus, deep in the clutches of the Genestealer Cults. This tome contained several of Tzeentch's former shards, the same that the Blue Scribes sought after. If Kalk'har could retrieve the tome and hand it to the Architect of Fate, Tzeentch would return Khom'zond to them.

And so, the real quest began.

## Warband Gene-Seed

The gene-seed of the Bloody Hands was once pure, free of taint and corruption. After they embraced Chaos the gene-seed slowly degraded as corruption took over. The Chapter's gene-seed had felt the touch of the Warp. They now show signs of physical mutation and are shunned by certain Traitor Legions, or embraced by others. Normally this would be cause for concern in a regular Loyalist Chapter. However, the Bloody Hands embraced this change and took no action to correct it. The Apothecarion slowly changed into the Clinic, and the Apothecaries War Clerics. The main purpose of these Clerics is to capture gene-seed from fallen Astartes, regardless of p faction, twist it into the standards and liking of the Bloody Hands, and then insert the gene-seed into new aspirants.

Due to the taint of Chaos in their gene-seed, the Bloody Hands "suffer" from a hyper-stimulated Omophagea. Having tasted the flesh of the foe once, the Warband's warriors developed an addiction to the processes allowed by the Omophagea. Now upon winning a battle these warriors can be observed tearing flesh from the fallen with their new fangs thanks to mutation.

### Mutation

" *Oh such joy! Chaos has gifted upon me with a mutation! The one of first, brothers! Ooooh...hnnnngh...I can feel it coursing through my veins...JOIN ME, BROTHERS, IN THE ROUTE TO MUTATION, AND WE WILL CRUSH OUR ENEMIES LIKE NEVER BEFORE!*"
—Zamiel the Dauntless
The Chaos Gods are generous but erratic with their favours. Most Gifts of Chaos take the form of some physical mutation. The more of these gifts a champion receives, the more potentially disastrous their cumulative effects can be - even the body of a Chaos Space Marine can only withstand so many mutations before he passes the point of no return.

For the Bloody Hands mutations have run rampant ever since they landed on Arkanis. This takes form in two ways - bestial appearance and daemonic voices. The Warband's warriors are rapidly growing claws, fangs, pincers, wings and other strange parts that belong on beasts rather than men, but it doesn't have to be seen as all bad. The most useful are fangs or anything to do with the jaw that allows the warband to feast upon the flesh of the fallen, as stated above. In addition, the Chaos Marines of this Warband may speak in strange tones like two voices at once or grinding tones like a machine, or in strange languages that nobody but them can understand.

## Warband Organization

The Bloody Hands are, first and foremost, pirates. Although possessing of a Daemon World they are incredibly mobile, able to launch raids across multiple sectors at once. The Bloody Hands are also huge rivals with the Red Corsairs, who vie with them for plunder. This goes in hand with the warband's scorched earth policy; many times they've destroyed valuable prizes such as battleships and cruisers by overloading their reactors just so that the Red Corsairs could not take advantage of them.

Most of the warband consists of Bloody Hands Heretic Astartes. Based on their preferred combat style some choose to become Havocs or close assault squads. As time goes on many are twisted and mutated into Obliterators or Mutilators, respectively. Many instead choose to remain regular Chaos Space Marine units led by Aspiring Champions. Some will instead choose the path of Raptors, while others still become War Clerics, Bikers, or Warpsmiths.

With the recent addition of the Thousand Sons thanks to being led by Kho'mzond the Devious, the Bloody Hands have included a large number of Rubric Marines, Scarab Occult Terminators, and Tzaangors. Due to the nature of the Rubric Marines the Bloody Hands don't usually mind them, especially as they bring Inferno Boltguns to battle.

Another large portion of the warband includes Alpha Legionaries. These legionaries bring cultists, renegades, mutants, and beastmen into the warband thanks to their specialty in infiltration, subterfuge, and manipulation. The Alpha Legion assist the Bloody Hands using their special tactics. The Alpha Legion was well known for their use of subterfuge and the innate ability of its Astartes and other operatives to blend-in with any environment. The Legion's agents mimicked those that they infiltrated to gather intelligence, perform sabotage, or plant disinformation.

## Warband Demeanors

The Bloody Hands have a few demeanors they use in combat. The first is exploit and conquer. The Warband views all others as mere pawns, assisting them when it helps their own goals and tossing them aside once they are no longer needed. These Marines are selfish and untrustworthy, at least to those immediately outside of their warband. Many other Chaotic or renegade warbands have disappeared from history for making the mistake of siding with the Bloody Hands before being cut down or assimilated once their goals were met.

The second is scorched earth. The battle-brothers of the warband commonly destroy anything they do not need so the enemy cannot use it. Even valuable things, such as captured fortresses and ships, are considered expendable if the foe can use it to their advantage. Many times this has happened at the end of sieges of failed raids. Imperial reinforcements arriving to end a siege have observed the Bloody Hands knocking orbital shipyards or even the ships docked at them into the atmosphere when forced with the prospect of abandoning them.

The third - and last - is desecrate and defile. The Marines of this warband bear hatred towards icons and relics of the enemy, and will try to destroy or corrupt them whenever the chance arises. Temples burn and works of art are twisted by their hands.

## Warband Fleet

As a highly mobile warband the Bloody Hands possess a vast fleet of voidcraft. However, due to their pirating and mobile nature, the Imperium possesses little knowledge of the exact number or types of ships in their fleet save one.

* ***Pirate's Haven*** - Desolator-class Battleship. Flagship of the Bloody Hands. Heavily modified with extensive arrays of harpoon launchers, larger cargo holds, and extra boarding torpedo launchers.

## Warband Appearance

### Warband Colors

The main colors of the Bloody Hands are red armor with black trim. The boots and gauntlets, as well as the backpack exhausts, are colored bright orange. As the Bloody Hands also include the Alpha Legion, Night Lords, and many other warbands, they have many other secondary colors depending on the subsidiary warband in question.

### Warband Badge

As stated above, the Bloody Hands include many other smaller warbands with them and thus have many subsidiary icons, such as the hydra of the Alpha Legion, the Eye of Horus of the Black Legion and the great red fanged maw poised to crush a life-bearing world of the World Eaters. The main icon, however, is quite simple and fitting: a single bloody handprint, blood trailing down from it.

## Relations

### Allies

* **Ahzek Ahriman** - The Arch-Sorcerer of Tzeentch is a major ally of the Bloody Hands, especially with the inclusion of the Thousand Sons in their ranks. Ahriman has guided the Hands on many successful missions and raids with his tactical prowess and unmatched psychic skill. More recently Ahriman has led the Bloody Hands in victory against the Space Wolves on Santiago, securing unique gene-seed and wargear from the Sons of Russ.

### Enemies

* **Atomic Gladiators** - The Bloody Hands have hated the Atomic Gladiators since the Maolia Campaign in the early 42nd Millennium, where the Space Marines managed to cripple or destroy many of the Bloody Hands' ships. They met again shortly after where they killed their Chaos Lord, Jericho Nazkayok. Later, as Kho'mzond launched a campaign against Tarvokia, the Atomic Gladiators once more shattered their plans and the plans of the Architect of Fate. Additionally, as a fleet-based Chapter, the Atomic Gladiators have often interrupted or repelled many raids of the warband.

 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Raven Guard Successors
 Unknown Lineage

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 Tzeentch Warbands
 Nurgle Warbands
 Slaanesh Warbands
 Chaos Undivided Warbands
 Malice Warbands
 Minor Chaos God-Aligned Warbands

[Source]