Lingering Abyss

## The Lingering Abyss

The Lingering Abyss armorial with the 'Mark of the Abyss'.

A Lingering Abyss Heretic Astartes.

"*What is the Abyss? Go to the ocean, wade out into the water, dive down as deep as you can until you can't see anything, and ask. It will answer and welcome you into it's dearest embrace.*"
—Anonymous Abyss Speaker
The **Lingering Abyss** are a Traitor Warband of Astartes that originated from the Tidebenders, a Successor Chapter of the Blood Angels. While it is unclear when they were created what is known is that they are mainly comprised of tide-brothers that have disappeared within the 38th Millennium, when the Tidebenders slowly started their expansion on their homeworld of Kalypse in their quest to reunite Island Nations across the Eighth Seas. Their leader is Hevrik Deskis who was slain in battle alongside his entire Crew while battling Abyssal Titans in the midst of this campaign.

While the High Captain was thought dead for many millennia after the event, he revealed himself to be alive to his chapter along with his shocking transformation and thus the reveal of his new warband which proved devastating and heartbreaking for the Tidebenders. For they know they must keep this new heretic faction a secret, for they know that if the Inquisition found out it would mean the end of their chapter and the destruction of Kalypse and its people.

Unique amongst other Heretic Warbands across the galaxy the Lingering Abyss don't appear to be Chaos tainted in anyway, instead they are infected with an unknown parasite which the entire Warband comes to call 'The Abyss'. While it's goals are entirely unknown to the Tidebenders one thing appears to be apparent to those that are touched by the Abyss. They are to break the shackles of the Imperium and set humanity free, for them the Abyss welcomes all in it's sweet embrace.

## History

The Tidebenders are a chapter founded during the 23rd Founding in the 37th century when High Chieftain Hevrik Deskis discovered the Feudal World of Kalypse which harbored its unique human inhabitants that are under constant threat by the monstrous Abyssal Titans. The Tidebenders are a unique chapter within the Imperium of Man, a majority of them are psykers thanks to their genefather's innate abilities and the practice of 'Tidecraft' along with the fact that they are a relatively isolated planet that's of little interest to the Imperium at large due to its relative obscurity and the trusted stewardship of the Blood Angels chapter. This position of trust is a rare honor for Space Marine Chapters, but at the same time it would prove to be their exploitable chunk in their foundation. During the early days of the chapter's founding where they slowly gathered Aspirants from all cooperative Island Nations at the time, their knowledge of the Abyssal Titans were limited and Hevrik would personally led several companies to learn more about the apex predators of the seas. Many would never return from their expeditions, including Hevrik Deskis himself. His successor not wanting to risk more lives to the unknowns of the 8th Seas ordered the withdrawal of all remaining Companies back to Mnesitis and prioritize the defense and recruitment of nearby Island nations.

Though since the aborting of the operation rumors of the former shadows of the deceased Tidespirits wandered the oceans, waiting for any unfortunate soul and take them to the never-ending darkness of the Abyss. Little did Pryce and the Tidebenders knew that those rumors were not only true, but slowly gained traction within the depths of the 8th Seas. Over the next four millennia the Tidebenders slowly grew and lost new members most were lost to the onslaught of the Titans, while others simply vanished within the oceans never to be seen again. Traitors within the Tidebenders are rare, but not unheard of and were usually dealt with swiftly to avoid the eyes of the Inquistion and sightings of these so called 'Astray Tidespirits' were usually chalked up to the activities of Red Corsairs, given that they have raided Kalypse many times in the past. Regardless the rumors persisted and they remained relatively inert within that time frame, that was until the 13th Black Crusade and the Fall of Cadia. With the opening of the Great Rift fracturing the galaxy in two, Kalypse was relatively untouched by the galaxy wide event, but things would slowly change for the Tidebenders.

Several decades after the opening of the Great Rift which sent most of the galaxy spiraling into chaos, several Island Nations would go silent many of them small, but significant trading hubs on Kalypse. These were of little concern to the Tidebenders as they were focusing more on regaining control of nearby planets and engaging in multiple crusades within several years. One of these being the Mordos Crusade which dwindled their numbers heavily and even further after they assisted in repelling a Tyranid invasion on Osidas. Though as more and more island nations of greater significance went silent the Tidebenders started becoming more suspicious. With the arrival of several battle-brothers from the Knights of the Lion who arrived on Kalypse for unrelated reasons the Tidebenders would soon discover their own darkest secret. A new faction of Traitor Space Marines made up of Tidebenders thought dead since their founding, their armor and bodies contorted into deep-sea abominations. This new realization placed the Tidebenders in a very precarious position and they had no other choice, but to hide the truth knowing that the Inquisition would be unforgiving toward such a slight. Fortunately they have the support of the **Knights of the Lion**, a Dark Angels successor chapter that they have recently bonded with during the previously mentioned Mordos Crusade. Their fight against the Lingering Abyss continues and their future remains uncertain.

## Warband Homeworld

The Lingering Abyss is currently contesting it's homeworld of Kalypse against the Tidebenders. Being a Feudal World it is relatively remote within the Ultima Segmentum and the depths of the Eighth Seas made it a perfect place for the Lingering Abyss to hide out of the grasp of the Tidebenders and it's conspiring allies that seek to eliminate the heretical warband. While it is currently unknown where the Lingering Abyss' base of operations is, many High Captains have theorized that they reside within the core of Kalypse itself which would explain how they have remained undetected for multiple millennia. The main obstacle that prevents those to hunt down the Lingering Abyss was their unnatural ability to bypass the strong currents that flow in and out of the planets core itself in the same fashion as the Abyssal Titans themselves.

While the Tidebenders consider the Lingering Abyss an affront to everything they stand for, they seem to value the life of Kalypse just as much as any Tide-brother making sure to only kill any Astartes or non-affected Kalypsian while leaving the flora and wildlife be. While their reasoning for this remains unknown, Keepers present multiple theories. The first is that each corrupted member of the Lingering Abyss retains the more humane part of their psyche and dedication to the protection of their homeworld. While the second and most likely theory is that Kalypse is as much home to the 'Abyss' as it is for the Tidebenders, but does not want to co-exist with humanity.

## Warband Organization

The Lingering Abyss had many similarities with the Tidebenders, though they are much smaller in number and would adapt to this new size gape accordingly. They specialized in amphibious warfare, but additionally they depended on deception and misdirection which allowed them to move through the depths of the eighth seas of Kalypse with absolute ease without the Tidebenders noticing. Their number that retain the most sentience appeared to be granted with psyker powers making them a far more dangerous force applying 'Tide-craft' in a less defensive and in a more offensive and brutal manner, leaving very few witnesses of their excursions as they raided isolated Island Nations and murder unsuspecting Tide-brothers.

Though ever since their reveal to the Tidebenders the warband have proven to be more proactive in their assaults utilizing a fairly large number of Deep Ones to make strategic strikes against several Island Nations and even the Tidebenders' fortress monastery itself. The Lingering Abyss has the advantage of their main Astartes lacking pain receptors of any kind which forced their enemies to utilize heavy ordinance to take down several Outfits of these mindless Astartes.

### Officer Ranks

* **Abyss Lord** - The Abyss Lord is the leader of the Lingering Abyss Warband and currently there is only one known Abyss Lord and that is Hevrik Deskis. The Abyss Lord appears to be the most heavily affected by the Abyss as unlike a majority of corrupted Astartes within the warband their mutation seems to be the most apparent, given that numerous sea life and the tentacles of the Abyss parasite grow in and on the Abyss Lord. As theorized by the Keepers the Abyss Lord seems akin to a hivemind or gestalt intelligence, directing the Lingering Abyss at it's whims. Though it should be noted that they are theories as the Abyss Lord itself has only be encountered once, but given that it never showed itself again it's in all likelihood proven the thesis correct.
* **Abyss Sentinel** - The Abyss Sentinel is for all intents and purposes the Abyss' equivalent to a Chaos Champion and by extension the second in command of the Lingering Abyss acting out on the whims of the Abyss Lord. While they aren't as mutated as the Abyss Lord they are still heavily deformed and corrupted that they become akin to a living ecosystem as dead bodies of Sentinels examined by Keepers in the field show that they are partially hollow, almost as if they are and empty shell puppeteer by the powers of the Abyss.

### Specialist Ranks

* **Abyss Speaker** - The Abyss Speakers are formerly Keepers of the Tidebenders that disappeared under mysterious circumstances, but many say they were slain by the hands of Abyssal Titans. They are much more powerful in the practice of Tide-craft or a darker perversion of it then most of their kin, but unbounded by the ‘Pact of the Tide’ they have free reign over the deadlier utilization of Kalypse’s ancient art.
* **Abyss Tinkerer** - The Abyss Tinkerers are fallen Tide-Smiths of the Tidebenders that maintain the armor, weapons, and vehicles of the Lingering Abyss warband though they dabble in a mysterious and enigmatic method which they call “Graft-Mending" which gave them the ability to heal their corrupted brothers in arms. Through this they served as a hybrid between Tech Marines and Apocatheries.
* **Abyss Cultivator** - The Abyss Cultivators are the fallen Chroniclers of the Tidebenders that serve as spiritual leaders within the warband, though are the most rare within the warband with a confirmed five being identified including Zhai Ligonar himself. Much like their untainted counterparts the Abyss Cultivators are responsible for keeping the practices of the warband as well as their collective knowledge of Kalypsian history and, theorized by Chroniclers within the Tidebenders, the secrets of the Abyss itself.
* **Blood Whisperer** - The Blood Whisperers are the disciples of Ephite’s teachings of the forbidden path of 'Bloodcraft' once practiced by long extinct wytches of Kalypse’s past. Much like their Abyss Speaker and Chaos Sorcerer counterparts they are extremely powerful psykers who instead of utilizing water as an extension of themselves they apply it to another level via other liquids, in this case it is through mankind's own bodily fluids.

### Line Ranks

* **Deep Ones** - The Deep Ones are the former Tide-brothers of the Tidebenders that now comprise the main fighting force of the Lingering Abyss, though they are lesser in number compared to the Tidebenders they are still formidable warriors on their own. This is bolstered by the fact that they are seemingly mindless, unlike the rest of the Lingering Abyss they showed no semblance of their former selves acting almost like servitors carrying out the orders of their commanding mind. Due to this, Deep Ones can take multiple rounds and explosions that would kill even the most durable of Astartes and keep fighting. Though their effectiveness is dictated by the effectiveness of the commanding mind present, and should they be incapacitated or killed then all nearby Deep Ones fall limp, returning to their previous empty shells.

### Specialist Units & Formations

* **The Unredeemed** - One of the more disturbing aspects of the Lingering Abyss was its utilization of the Death Company of the Tidebenders. As according to Tidebenders tradition, those that have succumbed to the ‘Black Rage’ would be sent against the Abyssal Titans for an honorable death. Though some of those very same Death Companies would be found under the thrall of the Lingering  Abyss, their minds seemingly bent to single mindedness where they would kill anything in their way, traitor and brother alike. An effective demoralization tactic for any Tide-brother that encounters them in the field, but they are just as dangerous as any Space Marine with the single minded blood lust of Sanguinius’ rage.
* **The Nightmarchers** - The Nightmarchers are the pinnacle of an Venerable Abyss Speaker's dedication to the darker arts of Tide-Craft long forgotten and sealed away by the Tidebenders. Inspired by tales of the lost souls of the seas told as a bedtime story to children, the Nightmarcher are an amalgamation of coral and sacrifices of a group of human cultists grafted together to make an entirely new being that served on the whims of the Abyss and their followers. Standing at 10 feet tall the Nightmarchers are seen as the Lingering Abyss' answer to the Dreadnought, though instead of destructive weapons of war they instead of a hulking mass of flesh and bone held together by the additional weight of hardened exoskeleton of the coral that makes up their body structure. While powerful the Nightmarchers are a weapon of last resort and are incredibly rare, only used in the most crucial of circumstances or when the enemies of the Lingering Abyss are creeping closer and closer to the pocket dimension their dark master resides in.

## Warband Beliefs

Secretive and illusive the Lingering Abyss' exact beliefs are still unknown to anyone outside of their warband though some of their affiliated human cultists can offer some possible clues to their practices and culture, if it can even be called as such. The Lingering Abyss' biggest advantage is the dark penumbra that covers its operations across the eighth seas, numerous reports from the more obscure Kalypsian tribes recall of tall dark figures covered in barnacles, coral, and many other kinds of sea life prowling the outskirts of their settlement. These would bred tales of the 'Lost Spirits", stories told to children to not stay out past curfew in fear that they incur the wraith of these spirits.

Though over the millennia as the tales grew, it breeds a following eventually the first of many cults was created. The most infamous is the Vassals of the Lost which proudly brandished the 'Mark of the Abyss'. These Cults would soon attract the attention of the 'Lost Spirits' who found them to be useful tools and extensions of the will of the Abyss. The influence of these cults were all ensnaring where even some high echelons of the Eurpistia Sea were influenced enough to discreetly supply weapons and soldiers that were eventually converted under the 'Mark of the Abyss'. By the opening of the Great Rift the Vassals of the Lost were so well equipped and armed, they were able to match the strength of an average Planetary Defense Force in terms of ground troops.

Despite this the Lingering Abyss merely see these cultists as cannon fodder, merely a useful distraction for the Tidebenders while they accepted the offerings of deceased Astartes that the mortal cultists were able to slay, as rare as it might be. Though for the rare few that pleased the Warband, they would be sacrificed to become one of their many Abominations to serve the will of the Abyss in a better manner then they would as weak flesh and blood. Each member of the Lingering Abyss seem to share a collective hivemind, almost similar to the Tyranids in a way. Though higher members seem to retain their independence only to a degree for their skills and ability would better serve the Abyss and to expand it's will and grip upon the Eighth Seas of Kalypse.

## Warband Recruitment

How the Lingering Abyss recruit other Astartes members isn't widely known to the Tidebenders, though there is plenty of evidence that a majority of recruitment wasn't accepted willingly. Many Astartes of the warband were members that have been lost to the Eighth Seas either from an engagement with an Abyssal Titan or via unknown circumstances, though most likely incurred by the Abyss itself. Though there are plenty of former Tidebenders that have willingly joined the Lingering Abyss with very little influence from the Abyss, but it is very rare.

There are theories that the Lingering Abyss may have collected the bodies of the numerous dead Tidebenders offworld via unknown means, the implications of such a notion has dangerous effects given that they could have fought another unsuspecting Chapter. Though such theories have remained uncollaborated, this has spurred the Tidebenders into creating a new ritual by cremating the bodies and armors of their deceased Tide-brothers to ensure the heretic warband can't convert them into their number.

## Warband Combat Doctrine

Much like the Tidebenders the Lingering Abyss primarily engage in amphibious combat, but unlike them they are a lot more subtle with their tactics considering their smaller numbers in comparison with their loyalist brethren being more prone for hit and run raids on weakly defended Island Nations. Though when they are adequately prepared for an assault their Outfits of Deep Ones prove to be an unrelenting bastion in battle, requiring heavy arms fire to even make a dent in their ranks. Each individual Speaker and/or Sentinel are more then capable of commanding entire columns of Deep Ones adapting to their tactics and strategies as needed and countering any assault the enemy my muster with a mere thought.

## Notable Warband Members

* **Abyss Lord Hevrik Deskis "The Drowned Warden"** - Formerly the first High Chieftain of the Tidebenders now Abyss Lord of the Lingering Abyss.  During the first hundred years after the formation of the Tidebenders, Hevrik led the Tidebenders across the yet unknown eighth seas of Kalypse working to unite all the Island Nations under a common goal. Though during those years his Chapter would be ravaged by numerous Abyssal Titan incursions with one disastrous event being the Battle of Lakuta Minor or more commonly referred to by the Tidebenders as Hevrik’s Last Stand were overrun with swarms of Brutling Titans leaving no survivors of the Crews he personally led, only recounted by escaping civilians of Lakuta Minor that witnessed the ferocity and bravery Hevrik and his Tide-brothers showed in the face of impossible odds. The death of the High Chieftain would be a massive blow to the fresh Blood Angel Successors setting their planetary campaign back several decades, despite their actions saving the lives of an entire Island Nation. The Tidebenders would etch Hevrik Deskis and his Tide-brother's names into the central shrine of Mnesitis to honor their sacrifice. Though fate is a cruel mistress, for it wasn’t until four millennia later that the Tidebenders would learn of Hevrik’s true fate. In the aftermath of the opening of the Great Rift, small Island Nations of Kalypse would go silent not only that but Mnesitis would receive a distress signal from an ancient, but familiar vox signal from the long abandoned island of Lakuta Minor. Taking personal interest in the signal, current High Chieftain Pryce Dukka along with the High Chronicler and several members of the “Devil Whales” 1st Crew went to the island to investigate. What they would find would shake the foundations of the Tidebenders to its very core. Hevrik Deskis stood before one of his many successors alive, but forever changed in both body and mind. The proud and strong Astartes was now a deformed mess of coral formations and tendrils comprising his abomination of a body. Armed with a mighty trident-like weapon formed of coral and human remains, the former High Chieftain dueled with Pryce Dukka marking the first debut of the Lingering Abyss to their Loyalist counterparts. Pryce blinded by the sudden reappearance and betrayal of one of his predecessors would’ve been slain right then were it not for the timely intervention in the form of reinforcements from the 9th Crew and the 2nd Host of Knights of the Lion which was enough to drive Hevrik and the traitors back to the depths. This fateful encounter would not only answer the persistent rumors of the High Chieftain's survival, but also the fact that such corruption had grown underneath the Tidebenders' very noses for the past four millennia. Ever since the encounter, the entirety of the Tidebenders chapter would hold great shame in their hearts knowing that their fallen brothers have risen from the depths led by the traitorous 'Drowned Warden of the Abyss'.
* **High Blood Whisperer Ephite "The Blood Crafter"**
* **High Abyss Cultivator Zhai Ligonar "The Forsaken One"**

## Warband Appearance

### Warband Colours

The Lingering Abyss being from the Tidebenders keep a semblance of their former colours though more corroded once touched by the Abyss. The main colors of the Lingering Abyss is a dark blue and green with a bronze trim, though it is very rare for any individual Astartes to have armor that is in one piece for they become homes for all forms of sea life with the most common type being the Kalypsian barnacle.

### Warband Badge

The Lingering Abyss to show their abandonment of the Tidebenders cast away their former iconography of harmony with the seas and instead embraced a iconography which is come to be known as the 'Mark of the Abyss'. It is a human skull surrounded by several tentacles and with a primordial eye within the gapping mouth to symbolize their embrace with the Abyss.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Lingering Abyss

"*During that fateful last stand I was within the grasp of one of those loathsome Brutlings, crushed to near death from its elephantine might. I was thrown into the nearby waters, to perish. It wasn’t until I was touched by the tendrils of the abyss that I reached clarity. Why were we built to maintain the will of a dying Imperium on the whims of the decaying corpse of an Emperor? Was that all we were to become? We are nothing, but clandestine tools, shackled dogs willingly restraining our true potential. The Abyss, it has set me and my brothers free. Since then many that have fallen have joined our cause. Join me Pryce, the Abyss welcomes all within its fervent hands for we both know how the Inquisition reacts to those that allow such heretical ideas to blossom beneath their very noses.*"
—Abyss Lord Hevrik Deskis during his first duel with High Chieftain Pryce Dukka
### About the Lingering Abyss

"*I still remember waking up that fateful night. Awakened by the screams, followed soon after by bolter rounds. Then silence. They struck without warning, without mercy. Like the soulless traitors we now know them to be. I knew there was nothing I could've done to stop the massacre. I am fortunate that I survived, if my mother hadn't thrown her life away for mine. I feel no fear now, only rage toward the heretics. But that night. I knew nothing expect fear.*"
—Ju'ras Vagarious of the Knights of the Lion recounting his childhood trauma
## Gallery

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

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