Tellus Karien

### Equipment

Artificer Armour, Glassine Force Sword, Archaeotech Pistol, Psychic Hood, Iron Halo

Hierarch Primus **Tellus Karien** was the leader of the Hierarchs in the Riven legion.

## **History**

Tellus Karien grew up in the darkness of Skiirad's deep mining-hives. Even during Morrigar's meritocratic reign, there were mines deep and far enough from the steel of his rule to keep the old ways- use of humans as nothing more than mining equipment, to be replaced when used up, to fight for food and water, to kill for survival. Karien was raised in the depths, little more than another resource for the "old world" miner-baron who ran the mining split. He escaped the mining split by age eight, killing several of the baron's guards before fleeing into the unclaimed depths.

Tales were spread then, of the ragged shadow that preyed on careless guards. Several miner-barons combined there forces to search the deep runs, but after two years and multiple dead guards they retreated from the deeper depths. The rumors of a beast from the deep rose so that Morrigar's army heard it and investigated. Karien was captured, calmly walking towards the soldiers without a fear. Brought before Morrigar, the Primarch studied the young boy. Psychic power resonated from him, crudely controlled true, but powerful in intensity. Impressed, Morrigar took the boy under his wing and taught him to control the power burning inside him. Then the Emperor arrived on Skiirad.

Karien was fortunate, he was young enough to be turned into an Astartes. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Riven's Librarium, becoming a ranking Epistolary and leading many an expeditionary and suppression force. His innate skill seemed to be knowing exactly when an enemy would break, whether on the battlefield or during a conversion. Slowly gathering political power, he proposed the fusion of the Librarians and the Halycon Warden's special Chaplains, creating the unique Heirarch Order which soon dominated the Riven's compliance-chapters. Karien was unanimously voted Heirarch-Primus by the Order's Heirarch-Praetors, and stands at the left hand of his gene-sire in all things.

What has been hidden for years is the tiny whisper at the back of Karien's mind, the thread of destiny that led him to escape the miner-baron, to surrender himself to the army, to meet the Primarch. This voice has never been wrong, steering Karien's fate with the deftness of a master pilot through stormy shoals. The whisper of fate is growing stronger however, ever since the Emperor vanished. More and more it urges the Heirarch-Primus to wade deeper into the chaotic sea of the Warp, to seek ever greater powers and knowledge.

## **Disposition**

Tellus Karien is a quiet man. He seems to fade into the background when not speaking or leading, as he observes his comrades and subordinates. Never one for humor, the Heirarch-Primus is seen as direct and straightforward to those not of the Legion, though inside the Riven he is known as a master of subtle manipulation and deep plans.

While First Captain Chovacs is Morrigar's tactical deputy, Karien is his psychic sword and political sounding board. Tellus is an extremely powerful psyker on his own and is an expert in psychic conversion. Though the Riven do not have as many spies as some legions, those that they do have are controlled by Karien, and have been conditioned for utter loyalty and reliability.

## **Wargear**

* Artificer Armour
* Master-crafted Glassine Force Sword
* Archaeotech Pistol
* Iron Halo
* Psychic Hood