Gothic Revolts

The Ullanor regiment engaging in battle against the traitor forces.

Battle of Ullanor

Battle of Eretria

Battle of Cygnus X

The Perseus Skirmishes

Battle of Byss

Battle of the Twilight Gap

Grand Admiral Spire

Marshall Fadia Gladius

Admiral Crassus Lucius

Legion-Captain Caledonïa Krieg

Legion-Captain Abdi Rasyid

John

 **The Illuminati**

Lord Commander Militant Ravensburg

High Marshall Epathus

Ecclesiarch Titus

2 Imperial planets

High Marshall Epathus

Lord Commandant Militant Ravensburg

Ecclesiarch Titus

Grand Admiral Spire

 **Total Casualties**

30—40 billion lives (estimate)

500—1000 ships (estimate)

The **Gothic Revolt** was a large-scale rebellion against Emperor Karl Franz of the Imperium of Andarra by multiple individuals in the Adeptus Terra, who called themselves "the Illuminati". It resulted in the reformation of the Adeptus Terra, the loss of Ullanor and Eretria, and the lives of countless billions.

## Background

### Triumph of Ullanor

The Emperor's triumph in the Orion War raised some concerns on the question of Xeno integration. The integration of the Orion Republic was seen as a detrimental threat to the continued survival of humanity's homogenous empire—a concern that was raised by various members of the Senatorum Imperialis, especially by the Adeptus Administratum and the Ecclesiarchy. Nevertheless, they remained loyal to the Emperor—until he passed the Xenos Act of 849.M21.

### The Xenos Act

When the Emperor passed the Xenos Act without consulting the Adeptus Terra, many in the Senatorum saw this as a clear violation of Imperial jurisdiction. While some members of the Senatorum view the bill as a clear step into a brighter Imperium, others viewed it with contempt.

After the bill was fully implemented at the end of 849.M20 A.D., a group of powerful individuals from the Ecclesiarchy, the Adeptus Administratum, and the Adeptus Militarum rallied on the planet of Ullanor to discuss matters concerning on the future of the Imperium, among which three of the most powerful figures in the Imperium took part: Ecclesiarch Titus, Lord Commander Militant Ravensburg, and High Marshall Epathus. They all agreed that the Emperor's xenophilic policies are detrimental to the integrity of the Imperium, that it is their duty to hold the values enscribed in the Laws of Making and the Imperial Creed. Thus, the Illuminati was born—a secretive organisation that sought to remove the Emperor from power and restore the purity of yore.

### Enforcement of the Imperial Truth

The Illuminati seized the perfect opportunity to strike when the Emperor acceded the Imperial Truth as the Imperium's new state philosophy. Many of the populace, especially those who worship the Mother of Mothers with unprecedented zealousness, saw the philosophy as a blasphemous attempt to secularise the Imperium—a pathetic attempt to bastardise Anathema's grand design. Countless worlds renounced their support for the Emperor; and as the Imperium continued to fracture, malevolent forces in the aether would seal the fate of the Imperium when one of the Emperor's closest friends, Lord Magnus Pompeii, was assassinated by an unknown assailant, sparking a planetwide revolt on Trissia, a paradise world and the capital of the Gothic Sector.

### Suppression of the Trissian Protests

While the cause of the protest was violent in nature, the protests that sprang from the death of the Emperor's siblings were one of mild discontent. The Emperor, in his blind rage, sent an elite contingent of Imperial troops—the Ullanor regiment—to suppress the protests. Peace was maintained for a time, but eventually, the protests grew larger; the sprawling urban centres of Trissia were filled with the cries of religious devotees. The protests would escalate into a full-blown revolt when Vitiate Franz ordered the execution of thousands of protestors in one of the cities on Trissia. When Vitiate left the planet, the Illuminati revealed itself to the public and proclaimed that the Emperor has been corrupted by the unholy taint of the Cardassian Order, that it is up to the devoted followers of the Mother of Mothers to restore order in this new 'Dark Imperium'.

## Notable Battles

### **Battle of Trissia**

The first battle of the Gothic Revolt took place on Trissia shortly after the Illuminati's proclamation to end the Emperor's reign of terror in 850.M21 A.D. Located near the outskirts of the Gothic Sector, the Trissia system is one of the Imperium's most important systems as it linked Segmentum Sol with the much-larger Segmentum Borealis. Due to the nature of interstellar communication, word of Trissia's revolt had not been received by the Emperor.

Lord Vitiate, however, was present in a nearby system when the Illuminati declared their statement. He rallied 2 Ammar-class Battleships, 9 Luna-class Destroyers, and 25 Franz-class Corvettes to stop the revolt from spreading to the rest of the sector. The Illuminati, however, were prepared, for they called upon the vast resources of Equinor, a forgeworld located in the Trissia system. The Imperial fleet were met with a resistance consisting of 2 Charon-class Carriers, 4 Ammar-class Battleships, 15 Hurricane-class Battlecruisers, and 28 Franz-class Corvettes. The ensuing battle was a complete massacre as brother fought brother amidst a sea of black, punctuated by the countless streaks of light that penetrated the hulls of every ship. After many hours of combat, Vitiate ordered his remaining ships to disengage from the battlefield, but as the Imperial fleet entered the warp, the traitor fleets pursued them, destroying Vitiate's ships one by one until his own ship was the sole survivor of its fleet. He entered the warp just in time before a wave of nuclear warheads were fired at his general direction.

The Battle of Trissia ended with an Illuminati victory, and it inspired the other planets in the sector to rebel against the Imperium and join the traitor forces in their new crusade.

### **Battle of Sigmar**

While many in the Gothic Sector fell to the hands of the traitor forces, the system of Sigmar stood as a bastion for the Imperium, its mighty fortress worlds ready to face the brunt of the Illuminati's crushing fist. Then, the inevitable happened—a large traitor fleet appeared in orbit of Sigma Octavius. However, as the traitors readied their guns to bombard the planet, a single ship hailing from the Spartan legions of Krieg slammed against the hulls of the traitor's capital ship, splitting it in two. The survivors of the brave Spartan ship landed on the planet, determined to protect the Imperium's hold in the system.

The battle was bloody as the traitors sent their vast armies to defeat the Imperium's finest warriors, but they were no match for the combined forces of the Imperial Guard and the mighty Spartans. For ten consecutive weeks, the planet held back the raging tide of traitors from streaming into the core of the Imperium, slaying millions at a time. On the battlefields of Sigmar, a legend was born—a single spartan named John personally defeated an entire traitor regiment. Despite their best efforts, however, the Imperium was forced to retreat from the planet. But as the remnants of the Imperial army withdrew from the system, they could still hear the raging cries of their brothers fighting on the ruined surface of Sigmar.

The fortress world of Sigmar finally fell to the Illuminati in 855.M21 A.D.

### **Battle of Ullanor**

After the Battles of Trissia and Sigmar, it was evident that the Imperium would not survive against their war with the Illuminati. Many planets fell to the traitors, the loss of each planet a continuous reminder to the Imperium's impending demise. Powerless to stop the tide of traitors, Karl Franz retreated into his chambers, while his brothers were beset on all sides by traitor fleets throughout the Imperium's vast territories. Enraged, Caledonïa Krieg of the Word Bearers legion formulated his last stand against the traitors on the planet of Ullanor—the site of the Imperium's greatest triumphs and a bastion of hope in a dying galaxy. On his way to Ullanor, he rallied every abled soul in the Imperium, from the Lost Legions of the Astra Sparticus to the lowliest of Imperial guardsmen, to join him in his last stand on Ullanor.

In **857.M21 A.D.**, the Imperial Navy arrived in the Ullanor system. It consisted of 2 Charon-class Carriers, 12 Amarr-class Battleships, 23 Hurricane-class Battlecruisers, 15 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 24 Franz-class Corvettes, carrying with them was an army of almost a billion souls, from the lowliest peasant-troops of the Imperium to the mighty warriors of the Astra Sparticus. In Ullanor, they will hold the line. In Ullanor, they will ascend into martyrdom, inspiring trillions across the cosmos to heed the call of the Emperor. In Ullanor, the will of the Imperium shall be tested in the fiery cauldrons of hell. On **13.12.857. M21** A.D., an **Illuminati** fleet consisting of 5 Charon-class Carriers, 20 Ammar-class Battleships, 27 Hurricane-class Battlecruisers, 35 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 45 Franz-class Corvettes. On that day, the Imperium held its breath.

The naval battle above Ullanor was inconsequential when compared with the ground battle on the surface. In the first hours of the Illuminati invasion, a million souls had lost their lives. One could barely tell the difference as both sides were intrinsically the same. Outnumbered, the Imperium fought valiantly against the overwhelming numbers of the Illuminati. Chief amongst the loyalist forces were the Word Bearers—their leader, Caledonïa, charging with holy absolution towards the enemy. For every spartan that fell, millions of traitors would take their place; for every loyal guard that fell, ten traitors would know fear in the fiery depths of hell; for every step taken by the traitors, the Imperium would smash their resolve with the zeal of their faith alone. Ullanor will stand, and it will continue to stand until the dying days of the galaxy. Deeply frustrated, Ravensburg ordered his fleets to enact exterminatus on Ullanor.

In one swift swoop, the Imperial garrison on Ullanor was crushed by a wave of fire. Continents cracked and the earth itself ran red with blood before boiling away as the planet broke. A small portion of the Imperial garrison were able to escape the carnage, having heard of Ravensburg's order from an Illuminati spy they had caught earlier. Caledonïa ordered his troops to evacuate immediately. Many fled to the Imperial ships waiting for them in orbit, but some decide to stay with their commander, for the dream of Ullanor will stand so as long as they continue fighting. The legion-captain, content with his small band of warriors, ordered his legion to accompany the retreating Imperial armada, and though they were deeply concerned with the livelihood of their captain, they understood that they had to follow his every word.

The Battle of Ullanor resulted in an Illuminati pyrrhic victory, their fleet scattered as the remains of Ullanor slammed against their hulls. Two billion lives were lost in total and Ravensburg was killed when his ship, the Unrelenting Force, was blown into pieces when one of the remaining Imperial battleships detonated its warp drives near his ship.

As the remaining Imperial fleet left the system, one could not help but gaze at the hollow shell of Ullanor—a mighty planet turned asunder by war. On that day, a legend was born and its tale is heard across the cosmos by a simple sentence that can shake the foundation of entire empires: **The planet broke before the guard did.**

### **The Long Night**

After the Battle of Ullanor, a resurgent Imperium was able to contain the revolt in the Perseus arm; the vast territories that the Illuminati had conquered were reconquered by the valour efforts of a few key individuals, like Grand Admiral Spire, Marshall Fadia Gladius, and Admiral Crassus Lucius. From **858** to **863.M21 A.D.**, the Imperium engaged in numerous minor battles with the Illuminati. Some of the battles that occurred during this period are:

1. Battle of Cadia - *Imperial victory*
2. Battle of Ultramar - *Imperial victory*
3. Battle of Sicarius - *Illuminati victory*
4. Battle of Terminus - *Illuminati victory*
5. Battle of Shanxi - *Stalemate*
6. Battle of Reach - *Imperial victory*

### Battle of Cygnus X

Enraged by the loss of their legion-captain, the Death Korps of Krieg proclaimed their own crusade against the Illuminati. One such battle was the Battle of Cygnus X, where an entire planet was conquered by a thousand Spartans. The Battle of Cygnus X is also known as the Battle of the Thousand Sons. Cygnus X was an important rallying point for the Illuminati in the Perseus arm—the galactic arm where the Gothic Sector resides in. It was also a holy world as the Empress was rumoured to have personally blessed the planet with its bountiful resources when she colonised the planet for humanity.

The legendary Spartan, John, took part in the battle, and it was said that the touch of Caledonïa emanated from his mere presence alone. By the time Admiral Crassus and his fleet arrived in the system, the Spartans had already eliminated the traitors from the system. After a decade of conquest, Cygnus was theirs once more. On **6.29.863.M21 A.D.**, John was proclaimed the new legion-captain of the Death Korps of Krieg, but he refused the position, relegating the position to his friend, Abridal, instead.

### Battle of Eretria

Deep within the Imperial core, in Segmentum Sol, a revolt was brewing on the planet of Eretria. A sprawling ecumenopolis, Eretria has remained loyal to the Imperial Creed for untold millennia. The Emperor had watched the planet with great suspicion, as the planet was known for its revolts in the past, but he turned his gaze elsewhere when the Illuminati destroyed Ullanor. It is unknown to Imperial scholars as to how the Illuminati managed to warp so deep into Imperial territory but on **23.6.864.M21 A.D.**, a large Illuminati fleet was spotted orbiting the planet. The planet's citizens, discontent with the Emperor's rule, opened the traitor forces with open arms, unbeknownst of the fact that they had sealed their death sentence.

As the nearest Imperial officer in the region, Fadia Gadius, and his friend Crassus, led a sizeable fleet of 5 Amarr-class Battleships, 10 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 23 Franz-class Corvettes into the Eretria system. They engaged the much larger Illuminati fleet with unrelenting force, their numbers swelled ever-so-slightly as ship after ship exploded violently against the vacuum of space. Though their fleet consisted of 1 Charon-class Carrier, 10 Amarr-class Battleships, 13 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 12 Franz-class Corvettes, they were outsmarted when Crassus led their fleet into a trap near the system's asteroid belt, detonating a host of minefields that resulted in the loss of a third of their fleet. From thereon, the Imperium slaughtered every traitor they could find until they reached the planet of Eretria itself.

For ten months, Fadia would personally lead the battle on the surface, capturing layer after layer in the name of the Emperor; but it seems that the traitor's corruption had run its course, that the seed of insubordination was planted too deeply in the minds of an Eretrian. Fadia ordered Crassus to enact exterminatus on the planet—a decision that came to haunt Crassus's mind years after the Gothic Revolt. The admiral was initially reluctant, but he resigned his concerns and chose to exercise his faith in the Imperial Truth by executing 14 billion human souls. When the flames subsided, and the smokes cleared, the ruined remains of Eretria were scarred onto the planet's surface, a grim reminder that the Emperor's judgement is swift and efficient. On that day, Crassus had become death's pale horse—and Fadia, death incarnate and the white rose that dance on the grave of his enemies.

Crassus would never trust Gadius ever again; his nightmares are often filled with the harrowing cries of billions of damned souls.

### The Perseus Skirmishes

Known by Imperial scholars as "the Reconquista", the Perseus Skirmishes was an Imperium counter-offensive into the core of Illuminati-controlled space. From 865 to 868.M20 A.D., the Imperium pushed deeper into the heart of the Gothic Sector. Notable battles include:

1. Second Battle of Trissia - Imperial pyrrhic victory
2. Battle of Fenris Prime - Imperial victory
3. Battle of New Judea - Illuminati victory

However, the most famous battle in the Perseus Skirmishes was the Battle of Byss, an Illuminati forgeworld infused with the chaotic energies of the aether.

### Battle of Byss

Ecclesiarch Titus was deeply concerned with the current state of the war and sought to reinvigorate the populace by spreading Her divine word across their new empire. His charisma knows no bounds, as hundreds of worlds declared their support for the Illuminati and their holy crusade for righteousness. His journey ultimately led him to the Mechanicus forgeworld of Byss, an ancient human colony that had been transformed into a sprawling shipyard. It was the command centre for all of the Illuminati's fleets and a hub of industry, manufacturing, and trade—and it lies in the middle of an important warp-lane that connects directly to the Illuminati capital of Port Maw.

Following the Battle of Ullanor, the Emperor had returned from his self-imposed exile, more determined than ever to end the Gothic Revolt and unite humanity once more under his Imperial banner. He sent the forth one of the largest fleets in recent history, consisting of 1 Gaia-class Dreadnaught, 2 Terra-class Titans, 5 Charon-class Carriers, 18 Amarr-class Battleships, 25 Hurricane-class Battlecruisers, 44 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 100 Franz-class Corvettes, to crush the Adeptus Terra's rebellion once and for all. Accompanied by the combined legions of the Astra Sparticus, from the Iron Lord Legion of Abdi Rasyid to the Word Bearers of Abridal Lucario, Vitiate's army was bolstered with faith. **Ullanor stands**, and they too will stand with the fallen martyrs of Ullanor. The fleet warped into the Byss system, catching the enemy by surprise as their fleets were being rearmed in the vast shipyard ring that circumvented the planet. One by one, the shipyard fell into ruin as its sections were ripped from the megastructure. The Illuminati tried to resist, but their weakened ships were no match for the united might of the Imperium. The space battle was won in mere hours, but the battle was not over.

On the ground, the battle raged on. Powered by the eldritch powers of the aether, the titans of the Illuminati cast their rage upon the mortal souls of the Imperium's forces. Psychic energy pulsated across the battlefield, procuring strange beasts and spells unknown to the mortal eye. The Ecclesiarchy once frowned upon the use of the aether, but now that defeat seemed imminent, they were desperate to use any means necessary to keep the war going. Ecclesiarch Titus was ready to leave the planet when Abridal caught sight of the Ecclesiarch's shuttle. He charged towards the ship and smashed its hull with his armour, destroying its engines and everyone onboard—safe for the Ecclesiarch. He grabbed the man with his fist and raised him high in the air for everyone to see, and within a blink of an eye, the man known as Titus was no more, his head lopped from his body.

The Battle of Byss was considered as the Imperium's most decisive victory throughout the entirety of the war. Despite losing half a billion soldiers, the Imperium lumbers forward to claim its rightful position as the undisputed master of humanity.

### The Battle of the Twilight Gap

The Illuminati is on the brink of collapse, its worlds lost to the monolithic tide of the Imperium. However, in those waning days of the war, countless mysterious have arisen—and one such mystery was found in the Elysium system, otherwise known as the Twilight Gap. The path to the system is one wrought with warp anomalies, black-holes, and Lovecraftian nightmares; but legends spoke of a great weapon, unlike anything the galaxy has seen before—a device built by the Precursors for reasons unknown to the mortal mind. Those who venture into the system never returned, until, in **864.M21** A.D., when the Illuminati sent an exploratory fleet to scour the system of its systems. When they returned, they confirmed the device's existence—the Star Forge, a device so powerful, it is capable of producing ships at an unprecedented rate and, if rumour has it, could potentially solve the malfunctions that have plagued the warp relays for millennia. After the fall of their former capital, Trissia, the Illuminati established Port Maw in **869.M21 A.D.** using the power of the Star Forge. Yet, for all of its majesty, the Star Forge can only produce mass produce ships at certain intervals. Accepting that the war had come to its natural conclusion, the remaining members of the Illuminati, led by High Marshall Epathus, recalled all of their fleets to regroup at Elysium for one last battle against the decadent forces of the Imperium.

When the Imperium received word of this new device from an Illuminati defector, Grand Admiral Spire and Vitiate Franz embarked on a final offensive towards Port Maw, accompanied by the newly-formed "Battlefleet Solace", consisting of 4 Gaia-class Dreadnaughts, 3 Terra-class Titans, 6 Charon-class Carriers, 23 Amarr-class Battleships, 30 Hurricane-class Battlecruisers, 42 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 80 Franz-class Corvettes. They would be accompanied by Battlefleet Sol, led by Admiral Crassus, though his fleet will come later during the battle due to warp delays.

In **870.M21 A.D.**, the first wave of Imperial ships arrived in the Elysium system. When they arrived, they were met with a hail of turbolasers—the traitors knew they were coming. Within a moments notice, the Imperial fleet unleashed its load upon the Illuminati fleet, which appeared to be increasing with every moment passed. The fleet the Imperium faced was formidable—5 Gaia-class Dreadnaughts, 27 Amarr-class Battleships, 33 Hurricane-class Battlecruisers, 44 Avatar-class Light Cruisers, and 87 Franz-class Corvettes, but they were no match for the combined wit of Grand Admiral Spire and Vitiate Franz. Although outnumbered, the Imperial navy bled the Illuminati fleet dry as it made use of its upgraded weaponry. By the second day of the battle, it seemed that Imperial victory was assured.

However, the aether works in mysterious ways. As the Imperial fleet pushed deeper into the system, Vitiate felt the presence of a great danger lurking in the shadows. Suddenly, a massive blast of green energy surged from the Star Forge, destroying any ships that came into contact with the beam. Six ships were destroyed, including 2 of the Battlefleet's Gaia-class Dreadnaughts. The Illuminati's abrupt attack demoralised the weakened Imperial forces, who were pushed back closer and closer to the sun. When all hope seemed lost, a moment of reprieve was received when Admiral Crassus's fleet arrived into the system, eliminating much of the Illuminati fleet that had pushed Spire's forces to the edge of the sun.

The battle continued in full force, with the newly-reinforced Imperial fleet pushing a counter-offensive towards Port Maw. However, when victory was all but assured, the Star Forge rived with activity once more. A massive beam was fired towards the sun but unlike its previous attack, the beam stayed for much longer. It became apparent to everyone in the system that the Illuminati was planning on destroying the system, assuring their destruction, as well as all of the forces present in the system. With every passing minute, the system risked certain collapse. As the massive Imperial fleet desperately attempts to destroy the Star Forge, Spire knew what had to be done. He ordered the complete withdrawal of all Imperial forces in the system, excluding his own ship. Vitiate hesitated, but Spire assured him that this was the only way: He would have to overload his warp engines and enter the warp on an unknown course, consuming any objects within a 50 million kilometers radius.

As the Imperial fleet withdrew from the system, the brave admiral made his assault. He ordered his crew to proceed with the plan. The ship drew closer to the Star Forge, so much so that its vision was completely covered by the grey, metallic hulls of the megastructure. The Illuminati unleashed a barrage of nova cannons, nuclear missiles, and turbolasers at the Flame of Purity, but it was all for naught. Guided by his fate in the Mother of Mothers and his loyalty to the emperor and the Imperium at large, he overloaded his warp engines, consuming the Star Forge, Port Maw, and any remaining Illuminati fleet caught within the warp portal's gravity well. However, a warp portal can only sustain so much mass, and as hundreds of ships are consumed in its wake, the portal collapses, exploding in a brilliant flash of light. The Illuminati were no more.

## Aftermath

### **Reformation of the Adeptus Terra**

When the emperor declared the end of the Gothic Revolts to the Imperium, he quickly went to work on reforming the various Adepta that rebelled against his rule. The conflict was mainly started over differences between the Imperial Truth and the Imperial Creed. Thus, so as to avoid any conflicts with the Adeptus Ministorum in the future, he adjusted the clause on Xeno conversion, stating that, in order to be considered human, one must devote their lives to the Mother of Mothers. Additionally, he limited the Ecclesiarchy's powers in regard to military matters, essentially reducing their authority over the Adeptus Militarum. Finally, he removed the law that stipulates the enforcement of the Imperial Truth as the Imperium's statewide philosophy.

With the death of many of its senior members, there were many vacant seats in the Senatorum Imperialis. Fadia Gladius was personally promoted to the rank of High Marshall by the emperor. For his actions in the Gothic Revolt, Crassus Lucius was promoted to Grand Admiral. Finally, the emperor assigned Kater Felrian as the new High Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum. This proved to be a pivotal moment in Imperial history as, for the first time in the history of the Imperium of Andarra, a non-human was put in a position of power.

### **Reputation**

The Imperium has many enemies outside of its borders—the largest of which was the New Republic, a successor state to the Galactic Republic of yore. After the violent suppression of the protests on Trissia, and the subsequent civil war, the Galactic Republic used this opportunity to denounce the Imperium, referring its state as a decadent nation that would bring about its own destruction.

After the Gothic Revolt, Imperial politics became divided into two groups—those who sympathised with the plight of the Illuminati and those who seek greater reforms in all aspects of life, including readjusting Imperial law to fit the clauses stipulated in the Imperial Truth.