Blight Wardens

The Blight Wardens Legion iconography.

(To be added)

> "*Nations are like bodies. Its people its cells, supply lines as blood, the army its immune system, its organs industry and its government its brain. We, as an invading force are like a disease. We desire to take the body and use it for our own. As such I have shaped my legion like the most powerful of diseases. We watch and look for weaknesses and infect them. Like a sculptor we chisel at the bodies defences until we reach the organs. After that we wait, for without the organs the body can't function the brain will abandon reason and throw everything at us to beat us back and as it does so, destroys itself. It is then when the body collapses around us that we sally forth and end it. Only to then take the body over and add it to the body that is the Imperium.*"
> ― Lu Yueh zhi Zi answering the question of a remembrancer
>
>

The IInd legion embodies its name, holding themselves as the true wardens over disease and toxins. A legion of doctors and chemists, the Blight Wardens are a legion of two faces. One face creates, contains and protects others from the ravages of plague and illness, while the other takes on the aspect of the Destroyer, creating new and deadly pathogens to unleash upon the foes of the Imperium.

The Primarch of the second legion Lu Yueh zhi Zi has mastered the concept of the economy of war. From this came a legion that fights not to slay their foe but to bleed them dry and re-purpose whatever remains afterwards. Avoiding open combat whenever possible. The IInd legion prefers to let its toxins and diseases do the work. Only ever engaging their foe to cut off supply lines to take control of precious factories. The Blight Wardens take worlds slowly and methodically. Causing minimal damage to local infrastructure while leaving almost no life left upon a world. Though they prefer to take their time with their foes, this does not mean that they are unable to fight in large scale battles. When a foe forces the legion to fight them directly the legion will used massed areal bombardment to blind the foe with a thick mist of toxins and charge them under the cover granted by their creations. The time at which they trike may very as with all things the Blight Wardens are patient waiting for the right time to strike. While letting their foes panic as their sight is robbed from them and the fact that their protective suits have become their prisons. The simple fear of dying from even the smallest hole in their armour is often even enough to make the fainthearted rout and leave their allies open to assault. And when the IInd legion does finally strike it is as fast and relentless as the assaults of any other Astartes legion.

Before the IInd legion became the battle hardened legion they now are they were the Venom Stalkers. A legion built from recruits born from the greatest Terran medical and chemical minds. Created as a legion that could fight upon any world and use chemical warfare in greater capacity than any other legion.

Their origin as the children of great minds did bring many flaws with it; the legion saw itself superior to others when it came to non military matters, they became open minded to new ideas within the legion and instead of having one man lead the legion they gave the task to a council of six, each of whom represented a different part of the legion. These traits brought with them both many boons and many downsides. The greatest boons coming from open minded nature and their form of leadership that allowed them to both develop and implement new pathogens, weapons and toxins into the legions standard arsenal. Their hubris lead to most of the downsides; it stopped them from making many allies, caused them to be seen as monsters by the general populace and even caused a few apothecaries to kill themselves with their experimentation. A final downside came after the Third Xenocide where half of the Council lost their lives. With the remaining three being politically opposed and all the replacements for the now empty seats having died in the same conflict. Leaving the legion in a troubling political situation where each council member desired to take completely different actions to the others. Leading to ever increasing tensions in the legion as it was almost split in three over the course of thirty years and as civil war seemed certain, their Primarch was finally found.

The desperation many in the legion felt for their father to finally make the legion whole again has caused many to become fanatically loyal to Lu Yueh. And even those less enthused by the changes their father made would form great bonds of loyalty to him as none wanted to ever come to the brink of civil war again.

Yet all was not well. As shortly after all the Primarchs were found and **[REDACTED]** had been slain Lu Yueh started to become disillusioned with the Emperor and his Imperium. Something That became worse after the farce that was the council of Nikea and the death of **[Redacted]**. Lu Yueh had become sure that after all that had happened that some legion would rise up and rebel. Something for which he started to prepare as he wanted to end whatever rebellion that came up without the death of one of his brothers. What he never expected though was who would betray and that he would side with the betrayer.

## Legion History

###  The Great Crusade

#### The First Xenocide

During the First Xenocide the IInd suffered great losses and through those losses develops its obsession with biology. Seeing many of the losses as the result of their lack of ability when making toxins and disease for their foes and their lack of ability healing the fallen allowing them to survive. It is now that the second develops the beginnings of its nastier traditions. Experimentation on Astartes becomes more accepted as the apothecaries start pushing boundaries more and more to learn more and more faster and faster, so no single war will cause this many losses again. Even if a few brothers die in the process. As long as the advances save more than they kill it is all worth it.

#### The Third Xenocide

A war that shattered the IInd legion and almost sent is spiralling into civil war. At first it looked as though it would be a simple war of extermination. With only a handful of systems still under Rangdan control. The Venom Stalkers and The Wisps of Acheron were sent to annihilate what remained. Things didn't turn out as they should have though as the Eighteenth simply ignored all communications with the second legion and almost just threw themselves at the aliens. This complete lack of communication turned what should have been a quick war into a fourteen year long slog. The war was eventually brought to an end by Charon after he arrived with reinforcements and lead his legion to victory, while sending a great many Venom stalkers straight to their deaths. Eventually leading to almost the entirety of the Second Legion's command structure lying dead. A handful of prominent members of the Second legion even died at the hands of the Wisps or even Charon himself. Sending the IInd into a thirty year power struggle that almost resulted in a legion civil war.

#### Reunion with their father

30 years after the Third Xenocide Shaaa, Primarch of the Star Guardians, found the Primarch of the IInd upon the world of Jining. Both as a result of how close the legion was to falling appart and a simple desire to finally meet their sire the IInd legion rushed to the world as one. Upon their arrival they were met with something they had never expected, a cheering crowd. The often resented Venom Stalkers had never experienced such a thing. As they moved towards the palace their father called home, another surprise awaited them; many would hear their father's thoughts in their heads, they could feel his excitement, his happiness and his pride. When the legion finally arrived at the steps leading to the palace gates they finally laid eyes upon their sire. Clad in armour made by Shaaa himself, he stood before them and spoke words now lost to time. After this day the legion would be one. And it would never again be divided.

A great celebration followed the reunion. A whole week in which Lu Yueh spoke with his many sons. Where the first steps of rebuilding and reorganizing the legion were made and where the Primarch would find sons for which he only felt disappointment after he heard what they had done. At the end of the week Lu Yueh spoke once more to his entire legion. Speaking of how he would remake the legion into something greater than it had ever been. He then followed this up with a simple statement towards the apothecaries of the legion. Four simple words with the weight of a Primarch's emotions behind them, "You have disappointed me". He then followed this up by splitting the apothecaries into two groups, one the standard apothecaries of each legion and another that created the toxins of the legion, the Yishi. He then forbade the Yishi from experimenting for the coming years as punishment of their actions, while he looked into the madness that dove many to the point of killing themselves.

Yes the legion was whole once more, but it would have to face many challenges in the coming years before it would truly be worthy of the title of legion.

### The Almire Apostasy

#### Purges before the betrayal

##### Loyalist elements terminated

Though, almost all Blight Wardens were completely loyal to their father, there were a few who were deemed to risky to let live when preparations for the Apostasy began. The complete destruction of two full expeditionary fleets would be orchestrated in the years before the onset of the Apostasy. Their end would come during the compliance of 111-143 where the 111st expeditionary fleet would find itself unable to complete a compliance on it's own. A particularly powerful insectoid Xenos race had made it's home upon the world. Having built massive hives below the crust. 4 additional expeditionary fleets were sent to finish the compliance. The 180th expeditionary fleet would arrive first and find itself in a situation similar to the 111th. The Xenos on the world simply being too powerful for them to handle. The final 3 expeditionary fleets arrived together, with the flagship with Lu Yueh at it's head. When the 111th and 180th hailed the 5th expeditionary fleet Lu Yueh sent but one word back before ordering the attack, "Sorry." The surprise of being attacked by their brothers left the two fleets with no time to react. They were completely destroyed without being able to retaliate and Lu Yueh ordered exterminatus upon 111-143. Nothing would be left behind of the two fleets and those who served upon them. Nothing but a single small lander.

##### Purging the Chaplaincy

Since the founding of the Chaplaincy the Blight Wardens despised them. Most hated them just for how the organisation came to be. Others for the executions performed by them on loyal Astartes who used their powers in times of great need. For decades those is the Chaplaincy, Blight Warden or not, were no longer considered part of the legion. As the Apostacy drew near the second legion had no qualms with terminating them. Yet for most their end came not from their brothers but from Lu Yueh's blade. Lu Yueh gathered all members of the Chaplaincy he could towards a single location during one of the legion's Conferences. After all were gathered all entrances were locked after Lu Yueh finished speaking to his sons one last time. The Primarch then drew his sword and killed all present.

#### A meeting between brothers

On the eve of the Apostacy, Almire gave Lu Yueh the task of killing Khnum-Anhuret; removing another damgerous loyalist from the board. Shortly after, Lu Yueh organised a meeting with his brother aboard his flagship the Zi zhi Baoqi. Unable to outright kill one of his closest brothers Lu Yueh ignores his orders and attempts to convince Khnum to join the traitors by openly telling his bother every reason he has to betray his father. Though shocked and desturbed by all the revelations his brother lays upon him, Khnum does not budge; reafirming his loyalty to the Emperor. Defeated Lu resigns himself to his orders and attempts to take Khnum's life, only to be mentally assaulted by Nurgle during the fight. Khnum eventually gains the upperhand and knocks his brother unconcious. Convinced of his brother's insanity Khnum leaves the ship unhindered and travels to the Warmaster, determined to resolve his brother's madness.

#### Istvaan Massacre

The Battle of the Istvaan System, or the Istvaan Massacre as it would come to be known, was one of the major turning points that occurred early on during the great galactic civil war that engulfed the Imperium of Man in the opening years of 31st Millennium. Here nearly all of the Palatine Wings legion would be erradicated and their primarch killed.

#### Watchers of Akhet ambush

With orders from the Warmaster himself Khnum and his legion march upon the second legion, determined to jail their wayword brothers or kill them if they resist. After arriving Khnum gave their ultimatum, Lu Yueh only streched for time until he could no more. Using what little advantage they had against the larger Watcher fleet the Blight Wardens opened fire with their lances taking as many ships with tehm as they could. Though the Watchers had arrived earlier than expected, they still walked into the trap. For during the savage mellee the Claws of Xipac arrived and struck the pinned watcher fleet in the back. Overall the day would be a victory for the traitors; the Watchers lost half their fleet and legion while sustaining heavy damage, yet the traitors suffered too, the Blight Wardens would see half their legion lost in the battle while the Claws lost a handful of Astartes.

## The world of Jining

An old early stage Mechanicus colony in the galactic north east. Jining is a wold with a Terra like climate, though it has thrice the mass of the cradle of man. A world that had regressed to a feudal state after the onset of the age of strife. Warp storms cutting the world off from all the supplies it needed to keep it's only just completed factories running. People struggled for resources and the world was split between five nations over the course of a millennium. A handful of Mechnicus personnel and their decendents keeping what little they could of the old technology intact. Succeeding only barely in keeping only a single factory from completely falling to the test of time.

For five millennia the world would remain in this state. Until a Primarch landed upon the world, in the garden of a noble family. A Primarch who would grow up to become the leader of his house and unite his home country during a bloody civil war. A Primarch who would be named after a god and bring back the technologies long lost to the world. He who would unite the world and make contact with the Imperium, Lu Yueh zhi Zi.

After the arrival of the Imperium Jining became both the homeworld of the second legion and a world that truly embodies Lu Yueh's view of an ideal Imperial world. A world with a loyal and industrious people. People that put the collective above the individual and would gladly lay down their lives for the betterment of all. It became a bastion of industrial might. making vast quantities of equipment and ships to feed the second legion. While also supplying them with recruits and auxiliary forces.

 Legion Organisation

### Great Crusade and Early Apostasy

After being reunited with his sons Lu Yueh was faced with a legion who's command structure was almost completely in shambles. As such he quickly set to the task of refilling the ranks and reforging his legion back into a proper fighting force deserving of its name. He started by renaming the legion's detachments to something more fitting of their leanings to chemistry and biology, taking large inspiration from the way organisms are designated by biologists. Further Commanding officers would receive new titles befitting the heritage of their new home world.

The largest force belonging to a expeditionary fleet would be called a Genus, containing up to ten thousand Astartes, and would be led by a Lord. Or High Lord in the case of the first Genus. Besides being the leader of its military forces, the Lord of an expeditionary fleet further had additional power within the councils that led the whole of each expeditionary fleet. Receiving three times the votes of the other five members.

The second largest force in an expeditionary fleet is called a Minor Genus, containing up to four thousand Astartes, Led by a Marquis. The existence of Minor Genuses is to divide the workload of leading the larger legion forces as many smaller groups within the legion can have vastly different specialisations and can't always work as well together with other parts if simply put in the same part of the command structure. That is not to say that a Marquis doesn't stand below a lord in the chain of command, but they do receive more autonomy in leading their forces than those below them. The larger a force belonging to an expeditionary fleet the more specialised its Minor Genuses become. In the seventh expeditionary fleet for example, you will find a minor Genus containing almost solely assault marines. Though Minor Genuses don't directly fall under the command of the Lord they are often still deployed alongside the forces of the primary Genus. It is mostly in situations that require specialist forces that a Minor Genus is closest to independent of the Major Genus.

Both Genuses and Minor Genuses are further divided into Strains, containing up to a thousand marines, and led by a Strain Master. The Strain divides the members of a Genus based on what their role is in combat. Thus there are Strains for, tactical marines, assault marines, devastators, apothecaries and Yishi, techmarines, pilots and drivers, terminators, and lastly there is a Strain for scouts. In the case if smaller expeditionary fleets strains are simply a way to divide groups of Astartes with more specific specialisations. As most expeditionary fleets simply don't have enough marines to justify the creation of a Minor Genus for this.

Next Strains are divided into Domains consisting of a hundred marines and led by a captain. These serve as a company equivalent to other legions. The naming for the commanding officer being the same to its equivalent in other legions to make it easy for any allies to immediately understand the rank of whom they are talking to. This was deemed particularly useful for rare cases when talking to the man in the fanciest armour was not an option in regards to finding the highest ranked Astarte.

Lastly Strains are divided into Cells of ten to twenty Astartes led by a Captain. They are simply the equivalent of a squad. The chance in name is simply to signify them as part of a greater whole.

#### Specialist Ranks and Formations

* Fu zhi Sheng or ‘Voice of the Father’ in Gothic are the most elite terminator units of the second legion. Wearing highly decorated terminator armour they directly serve their primarch as his guardians, his voice and his commanders. These Astartes all share a strong psychic link between themselves and their primarch. Being able to psychically communicate with their father from across a planet and with greater clarity than any others in the legion. Often, they can be found taking command over other portions of the legion. Carrying out orders directly from their father and updating him on any devealopments. In other cases they are deployed as personal guards to their father. Further they maintain a constant number of members, equalling 60, 6 of whom are assigned as the personal guards of Lu Yueh at all times. When deployed as commanders in the field Fu zhi Sheng they do so in units of 3 allong with a detatchment of 7 Aspirants, those next in line to take the mantle of their father's voice. When deployed as such the Fi zhi Sheng are equipped with reaper auto cannons or arm mounted mortars allong with advanced portable augur equipment. The six honour gaurd on the other hand do not equip the augar array and depening on the mission may equip a melee weapon of choice instead of the reaper auto cannon.

* Yishi, or Plague Emissary in Gothic, refers to those apothecaries in the legion that have devoted themselves to creating the toxins and diseases used by the legion in their pursuit of war. Spending most of their time in their laboratories away from the rest of the legion. If left alone most of the Yishi would toil endlessly to create more powerful toxins and pathogens. They are even known to eventually fall prey to what is assumed to be a gene seed flaw if left to their own devices for too long. A creeping madness that drives them to perform ever riskier experiments that eventually result in their deaths and the creations of their greatest works. Ever since Lu Yueh took command of the legion this rarely ever happens though. He put strict restrictions on the Yishi in regards to how long they were allowed to work on their own and what they were allowed to experiment with. In a successful attempt to stop the madness from taking more lives.
Though they do not often march into battle, prefering to continue their experiments in the quiet of their laboratories, the Yishi are equipped with chemthrowers. These weapons hold chemicals made by the Yishi in question or one of his brothers. Beyond this a Yishi may take a secondary weapon in his off hand. This can be any one handed weapon the Yishi can carry. Yishi wear standard armour thought it often left unpainted, in part as punishment from Lu Yueh for their earlier transgressions. The Yishi often find themselves completely out of the spotlight and treated as at best a necessary evil. Though the Yishi do not mind, they do dislike the ridicule they sometimes get from some of their more chivalrous brothers.

#### Equipment

Though the legion for the most part uses standard equipment when going to battle. The legion has augmented much of their equipment to better suit their way of perusing war though. Things such as grenades filled with all sorts of chemical agents or pathogens, flamethrowers that release clouds of toxic air instead of flames or transport ships turned into bombers.

The following are the most commonly seen augmented equipment within the legion.

* Gas Grenades - Grenades filled with any form of toxin. Another version of this grenade is used in grenade launchers.  Auxilia forces traveling with the legion for long period of time will also be supplied with grenades such as these, only then smaller.
* Augmented missiles - The Blight Wardens equip its Whirlwinds with two specialized forms of rockets, a rocket that releases toxins where it lands and a rocket that launches shrapnel at very high velocities in every direction. No matter how well your suit protects you from toxins in the air, it won’t do you any good when there are holes in it.
* Chemthrower - A Chemthrower is a weapon that is essentially a flamethrower but instead of flames it releases toxic gas into the air. What the gas actually is depends on many things, but mostly who the legion is currently fighting and what the local apothecaries have cooked up. Chemthrowers are very often seen in the form of a combi weapon, usually as a Chemthrower-Bolter combination. A larger version of the Chemthrower is sometimes used by Dreadnoughts and Land Raiders instead of the usual flamethrower.
* Shoulder mounted mortars - The Blight Wardens have given terminators shoulder mounted mortars. This allows them to assist other units on the battlefield when equipped with only melee weapons. The mortars shoot a variant of the earlier mentioned grenades.
* Bio-corrosive rounds - A gift from an Arch Magos of the Mechanicus after saving a forge world from an orc invasion. These are bolt rounds which have been augmented to, upon detonation, spread a corrosive chemical concoction that melts organic material. These rounds are not particularly common among the legionaries of the second due to the high cost of production and lack of many suitable targets given the already high stopping power of bolter rounds. These rounds still fill a niche role against some of the more massive xenos races that require more than just bolt rounds to take down.
* Chemhawk - A variant of the Fire Raptor used by all legions the Chemhawk is a dedicated bomber with its transport capabilities removed in favour of more missile launchers and room for its viral and toxic ordinance.

War Disposition

#### Notable Bonded Formations

Jining Auxilia

The auxilia forces recruited from Jining serve as the backbone of the second legion’s military operations. Having been created by Lu Yueh zhi Zi himself the Jining Auxilia are heavily focused on either supporting the second legion from range or holding positions until the second can assist. As such the Jining Auxilia make significant use of artillery and motorized infantry.

## Legion Gene-Seed

### Quirks

Augmented Ossmodula
The first quirk of Blight Warden gene-seed is that they have an augmented Ossmodula. The Ossmodula is the first organ implanted into neophytes of the second legion. This organ normally just secretes growth hormones, but the Ossmodulas of the second legion also augments the immune system of the neophyte.

After the immune system is augmented it can analyse any foreign organisms and toxins at greater speed and accuracy. This allows the immune system to develop antibodies at a faster rate, remove the possibility of misdiagnoses, remember foreign objects for longer periods of time, remember foreign objects with greater accuracy and filter pathogens from the bloodstream with greater ease. A final boon resulting from the augmented Ossmodula is that after the immune system is fully augmented, gene-seed rejection no longer occurs.

Sadly, the augmented Ossmodula also has negative side effects. The first being a relatively high rate of gene-seed rejection as a result of the extensive changes made to the immune system of the Neophyte. This is in part the result of the body seeing the extensive changes as an attack. Which causes the body to start to act as it would when infected with a deadly disease and on the brink of death. Which in turn causes the body to unleash everything it has in order to protect itself from the perceived threat. This often leads to total organ failure. Which in turn can result in the death of the Neophyte.

The chance of rejection can be decreased by weakening the immune system with specific pathogens, limiting the damage the body can do to itself. Sadly, this can also result in the death of the Neophyte if the infection isn’t handled properly. Overall this treatment does lower the chance of the Neophyte dying by 5.165 percentage points. Resulting in the total death rate among neophytes to be 43.869 percent as a result of the changes the Ossmodula makes.

A final effect of the changes is that Neophytes are unable to progress with their training and ascension for some time. The extensive changes often leaving Neophytes bedridden with high fever. This usually lengthens the time in which the neophyte ascends to Astartes battle brother by approximately half a year.

#### Universal interests

All within the legion share a strong interest in biology and chemistry. In particular medicine, epidemiology and biochemistry. This interest has been one of the greatest factors in how the legion's culture and traditions developed over the years. An example of this being that we teach all Aspirants and Neophytes the basics in biology and biochemistry.

#### A familial bond

About ten percent of those in the legion develop strong familial bonds with each other beyond those standard in other legions. These Astartes become more caring for their brothers and more careful with human life in general. Interestingly enough this trait has almost solely been observed within the apothecaries of the legion until the recruits from Jining arrived. About eighty percent of the recruits from Jining have shown this trait. This opens the possibility that the trait is primarily the result of upbringing. But it could also be the result of some genetic mutation among those born on Jining.

#### The Madness

The final gene-seed quirk is a condition dubbed ‘The Madness’. It is a condition that has only effected members of what now are the Yishi. When it occurs, it does so in the form of extreme obsession with one’s work. The condition starts in a way practically unobservable. An Astarte would simply work for longer periods of time and talk with his peers less often. Over time the Astarte will slowly start to isolate himself within his laboratory. Only ever showing himself when collecting food or materials for his research. When he reaches this point a variety of different symptoms will occur.

* Firstly, the Astarte starts to experience in increase in their mental capacity. Resulting in the afflicted gaining the ability to make significant progress with any research project they pursue. This has resulted in the creation of some of our strongest chemical weapons and most sophisticated weaponized pathogens, but the increased mental capacity is only temporary. Over time the mental capacity of the afflicted starts to drop and, if untreated, it will drop below the mental capacity the Astarte in question had before becoming afflicted.
* Secondly, the afflicted will start to experience hallucinations after the mental capacity starts to drop. What these hallucinations are is hard to state with certainty. But we are certain that the afflicted will start to hear voices. In one particular case a brother was found shouting profanities at a wall. When asked why he did this he was quoted as saying. “It insulted my work, but I will show it. Oh yes, I will show it.” Sometimes afflicted seem to also see visual hallucinations. Though we are unsure if the affliction causes these visual hallucinations. The reason for this will become clear in point five.
* Thirdly, the hallucinations seem to assist the afflicted with their experiments somehow. As after a few days in this state the afflicted will start to develop new and innovative toxins once more. At this point the afflicted will actively try to lash out at anyone who does anything that might keep the afflicted away from work for any period of time. At this point it is impossible to recover from the affliction.
* Fourthly, the afflicted will start to experience insomnia after the hallucinations set in. It is hypothesised that the hallucinations either keep him awake and/or edge him on to not stop working.
* Fifthly, to combat the need for sleep and to keep his mental capacity somewhat stable. The afflicted injects himself with all sorts of metal stimulants and other drugs. Most of these drugs will be made by the afflicted himself and will often be much stronger than can be considered safe. Needing a stronger fix every time, both because his mental state keeps deteriorating and because his body quickly develops an immunity to whatever he might inject.
* Sixthly, after the insomnia sets in the afflicted will start to develop all sorts of twitches. In particular bad cases the afflicted will be almost constantly twitching. We believe this is the result of months of time spend awake while constantly being assaulted by hallucinations and the after-effects of extensive drug use.
* Finally, the afflicted goes completely mad. Some do after weeks, others after months. But when it happens, they start to produce what are in some perverted way their greatest works. They will create toxins and diseases that overpower even the immune system of a Blight Warden. In almost every case they will die after their first creation in this state. Testing their creation on themselves and killing themselves in the process.

## Legion Combat Doctrine

### Great Crusade and Early-Apostasy Era

Depending on how a world reacts to the coming of the Blight Wardens the Second legion uses a variety of tactics. If a world tries to postpone integration as much as possible the Second will make use of this by infecting the local populous with a variety of fast spreading diseases with a relatively long incubation time. This way the Blight Wardens can weaken the foe significantly before any military engagements occur. If a world acts in open hostility to the Second legion or if a world is populated by xenos. The Blight Wardens will start the conflict with mass strategic bombardment. Delivering all forms of toxins onto the world in question. This will in most cases result in the formation of thick toxic clouds through which no unmodified being can see. During this bombardment the order is given to begin deploying Astartes to the battlefield. Drop pods falling onto various locations of interest to secure further landing zones.

Following the bombardment, the Blight Wardens deploy the rest of their forces onto the world, using the toxic clouds as cover. At this point the Second Legion begins a war of attrition. Striking at airports, industry and all forms of infrastructure. If possible, the Second won’t destroy these valuable assets but instead use them to further weaken the foe and to serve the imperial colonists that could eventually make use of these assets. In the case of capturing a water filtration plant that supplies an enemy position the Second will use it to spread poisons and disease among the enemy’s forces. Forcing them to either drink the polluted water, find a source of unpolluted water or abandon their positions. This way the Second slowly drains the foe’s ability to fight on with minimal casualties for the Second legion. As a result of the thick toxic clouds spread across most battle zones the Astartes of the Second can often strike at their foes without them ever seeing them coming.

Often the Astartes of the Blight Wardens won't take a single step outside of these clouds. When a campaign has finally come to an end the Second legion will try to undo most, if not all, of the damage done by the toxins they deployed and aid the fallen of both friend and former foe alike. If time permits it at least. Though not all in the legion care enough about citizens to go out of their way to help them. They will always at least help their allies recover from whatever ails them as a result of the campaign.

Lastly, the legion has a special way of dealing with feudal worlds. Due to their lack of medical knowledge the legion can spread diseases to the population without the locals really knowing why there are suddenly people getting sick everywhere. After waiting some time for the disease to spread and really have it take its toll on the world’s population the legion will come to their aid and save them from the disease. They will arrive as saviours and use this to coerce the population to join the imperium, so they can forever be protected against such vile things.

###  The Frontier Wars

Legion combat doctrine changes little over the course of the Frontier Wars. Though the effects of Nurgle worship have strengthened it significantly in many ways. No longer need the legion rely solely on machines to spread their pathogens. Their very presence now spreads it. Now they can create toxins of far greater potency without it damning their own to death.

## Notable Legion Members

### Lu Yueh zhi Zi

The Primarch of the Second, Lu Yueh zhi Zi, is in a way two persons in one. One side of him is the son the Emperor probably wanted to make, intelligent, a father figure to his legion, as charismatic as most of his brothers and a born leader. The other side of him though, the other side of Lu Yueh is cold and unfeeling. This side of him cares only for the acquisition of knowledge and only ever comes out when he has been engrossed in his research for many hours at least. This side of himself is something he knows of and sees in some of his sons only then worse. Due to this Lu Yueh tries to keep his sons from falling to this side of themselves and during the crusade it seems to have succeeded for most. Having put an end to many of the more extreme forms of experimentation some of the legion’s apothecaries partook in. Beyond all this Lu Yueh remains a scientist with only the Emperor surpassing him in the fields of medicine and chemistry.

Lu Yueh is due to his upbringing also a man who cares deeply about family values and has a certain ideal structure for how a family should function. He sees the legions, their Primarchs and the Emperor as a sort of family, though they may not all agree on everything they are still family and should at least be on neutral terms with each other. He has his legion follow his vision of all Astartes and Primarchs being family. He has the Astartes of his legion call him father, the members of other legions cousins, the other Primarchs uncles and he has them refer to the Emperor as grandfather. Due to his views of the Astartes legions as a family he greatly dislikes any form of unnecessary loss of life among the Astartes legions.

Lu Yueh is a rather fervent follower of the Imperial truth, his own interpretation of it to be specific. Lacking much of the anti-religious ideas of the standard set by the Emperor, his vision is solely focused on the pursuit and distribution of knowledge. To this end Lu Yueh has made his legion much more open in regards to them sharing knowledge with other legions and has made great effort to improve the relations between the Second and most other legions.

There are areas where Lu Yueh suffers from his own intellect though. Though a brilliant strategist he finds it relatively difficult to make split Second decisions in the heat of combat. As a result, he often stays in the back lines and leaves much in the hands of his sons in the field. This has also made him prefer longer more attrition focused wars. In these wars he can use his own intellect and understanding of people to their greatest effect. If ever put in a position where he needs to make quick decisions his strategies become rigid and predictable, at least when compared to other Primarchs.

Though most do not know Lu Yueh never joined the great crusade just to gather knowledge. What he truly desires are peace and prosperity for humanity. Knowledge is just the tool which he wants to use to help create this galaxy of peace and prosperity. It is after all the tool that brought his homeworld out of their dark age, brought them into space and allowed them to contact the Imperium.

#### An unknown gift

A rather well kept secret within the IInd legion is Lu Yueh's nature as a psyker. A secret only the Primarch of the Dragon Lords is privy to. Lu Yueh is psychically linked to his sons and can converse with them from over a planet away. An ability that has allowed Lu Yueh to lead his legion with great ease and proved a useful tool in rebuilding and reunifying his legion after his discovery.

### Qíshì

At the age of six, Qíshì lost his mother during the conquest of his nation of birth. At this time, he almost died as a result of the disease spread by Lu Yueh to weaken the nation of Wu. It was around this time that Lu Yueh showed up in his home town to both cement his rule and gain local support by curing the diseased. On that day, the now Emperor of Ning stepped into the young boy’s home to cure him. Be it the result of fever dreams, stories of the Emperor of Ning who came from the stars, the way light came in from just behind Lu Yueh or a combination of the three, Qíshì thought the Emperor a god. A god that had come to save him.

After this day, Qíshì spent all his time trying to better himself so he could prove himself worthy of being saved by the god that now ruled his home. And fortune favoured the young boy as he was sent to one of the orphanages built by the emperor’s order. An orphanage built to find promising children and send them to the capital of Ning to be adopted by Lu Yueh.

It was so that Qíshì’s hard work would be repaid, as at the age of nine he would be selected to go to the capital. He would be one of the lucky twelve that year to be picked by the emperor himself to be adopted and tutored after he found what they excelled at.

Being one of the adopted children of the emperor allowed Qíshì to pursue anything he wished. With minimal oversight, and only a select few mandatory lessons, he was given free reign to pursue whatever disciplines he so chose; this being itself a lesson in individual thinking and self-reliance. In the case of Qíshì, who was selected for his physical abilities combined with some intellect and some inherent leadership skills, this meant that he received tutors for martial arts, training with various weapons, history and military philosophy.

Through his first year it was found that Qíshì excelled in swordsmanship and was from that year onward, taught to fight by Lu Yueh himself. This caused Qíshì to adopt a similar fighting style as his father, a fighting style that made significant use of quick and elegant strikes and jabs. The style depended significantly on physics to significantly increase the force behind every strike and allow a fighter to deflect most of the force behind the attacks of any opponent. Given that the fighting style requires the user to strike and deflect strikes with their blade at the perfect angle for the desired goal, it is a fighting style that to spectators would look very much like a well choreographed dance. After four years, Qíshì would be most of the way towards mastering his father’s fighting style as well as any mortal could.

Beyond great skill with the sword, Qíshì had great interest in history, philosophy and anything related to the military of the nation.

Because of all the traits and interests Qíshì showed, his father groomed him into becoming a general of the Jining military. Upon reaching fourteen years of age, Qíshì even lead a small force during the last war of unification on Jining proving himself as both a competent leader and a fighter beyond any other.

Upon the arrival of the Imperium and Qíshì’s subsequent ascension to the ranks of the Astartes, Qíshì quickly proved himself to be one of the most skilled fighters in the legion. Beating the former champion, Julian, who was captain of the fourth company of assault marines and legion master in the years after the Third Xenocide. Within five years Qíshì had risen to the rank of High Lord. Where he would serve his god until the end.

However, during the Tournament of Champions, Qíshì was shown to be the weakest participant of any legion, this being due to his lack of experience. In response, he worked tirelessly to prove himself equal to the Champions of the other Legions, so as to bring no further shame to his father and his legion.

Qíshì got his first opportunity to prove himself during the Ullanor. Achieving victory after victory for his legion and slaying many of the Orc Warbosses, it is said that without his leadership, the Orcs would have overrun the positions of the IInd legion, before Lu Yueh could provide them relief forces.

Over time, Qíshì developed his own fighting style, integrating the techniques of the Venom Stalkers. He abandoned what little chivalry he used in combat and started taking any advantage he could get. Often this would mean that he would simply use the thick toxic clouds the legion often fought in to disappear from the enemies sight, re-engaging the foe seconds later after they had lost him. When dealing with an opponent, Qíshì would do anything to gain the upperhand, if only to never shame his father again as he did during The Feast.

### Tarik and Marius

As the II Legion recruited from all over Terra to find the few people suited to join, the twins from the Merikan subcontinent were some of the first inducted into the legion. Due to growing up in one of the more civilised places on Terra during the Unification Wars, and being the sons of a doctor, the twins Tarik and Marius received some schooling in their youth to follow in his footsteps.

This upbringing was both a blessing and depending on how you look at it a curse. On the one hand their skills made them and their father rather valuable, ensuring that they led ralitively afluant lives. On the other hand, the ability to heal others during a time like the Unification Wars can be rather life shortening. As they were forced to provide medical assistance to the forces of local warlords, often in or near active war zones.

The time the young Tarik and Marius spent healing others gave them much experience in dealing with wounds and infections. They got hardened by the horrors of war and often would see patients they treated the day before return the day after. Sometimes with only a fresh wound, often in a bodybag. But this time of relative affluence and safety came to an end when the Thunder Warriors arrived and slaughtered all they came across.

As a result of both luck and possibly stupidity on the side of the Thunder Warriors they were able to hide away and they survived the slaughter. Their father was not so lucky, as a single bolt round turned most of his body into a fine red mist. Both Tarik and Marius were affected in different ways by the coming of the Thunder Warriors. Tarik had a mental breakdown and became obsessed with healing people. He came to see life as something that you needed to cling to or otherwise it would be snuffed out in an instant. Marius, on the other hand, became lost his empathy for everyone except his brother. He still treated wounds but now he took delight in the pain of his patients. He no longer wanted to heal his patients he wanted to understand what afflicted them and maybe if he could use it against them if they were to ever threaten him and his brother. That his patients usually recovered and then paid him was just a bonus.

As a result of their reputation as great doctors at their young age the recruiters for the second legion eventually found them and deemed them proper recruits. Having seen what the Thunder Warriors could do the twins didn’t resist as they were taken away to be trained by the legion. They were both eleven at the time.

Due to their experience with medicine they both became apothecaries. Marius become what would eventually be called a Yishi, creating toxins and diseases for the legion. Tarik become a regular apothecary and usually was the one to create a cure to his twin’s creations. By the time the legion had finished its fourth compliance they had ascended to the highest rank apothecaries could take both taking a spot on the legion’s council. Together they represented all the apothecaries in the legion.

Both Tarik and Marius now have much less in common then they once did. Tarik came to see the legion as his true family. Healing anyone to the best of his capabilities and ensuring his brothers get along as well as possible. Marius, like many of his brothers slowly fell into madness. His only reason to live becoming to create more toxins and diseases. He started to sometimes burst into laughter when working on his toxins as he thinks of just what they will do to all who think they can oppose the legion. As the crusade dragged on the twins started to bud heads more and more, heated arguments almost turned into fist fights as the legion started to tear itself apart after the third xenocide. During these years they would only have one thing in common. A simmering hatred for the emperor, hidden in their constant work they despise him for the loss of their father, for the loss of their home, for the loss of their everything on Terra. The only thing they would ever thank the Emperor for is their new father. Lu Yueh is much like their father, at some point they even fooled themselves into thinking their real father never died or even existed. Lu Yueh was their father and all members of their legion are their brothers. Why were they so angry again? By the time they were reunited with their father they had forgotten.

### Yuan Shu, the Miracle

Yuan Shu is the Strain Master of the 7th Strain of Assault marines. Hailing from the cold northern lands of Jining, Yuan lived a harsh existence. His village was very poor, constantly dealing with the elements and the difficulties of fishing in the frozen waters of the Huangxi River. This situation was only worsened by the intervention of Jining's PDF who, in the name of unification, “pacified” the tribal villages of the north. He alone survived and fled south, where he was lucky enough to make it to one of the many orphanages in the buffer zone between the north and south. When recruited by the 2nd legion, he proved to be an excellent aspirant. His harsh upbringing had gifted him with a hardiness rarely seen in aspirants. During his trials, he would often receive higher doses of toxins than was typical for one of his age and survive.

After graduating as full fledged Astarte, Yuan Shu participated in many compliances across the galaxy. Over time, he garnered a reputation as someone blessed with preternatural luck. Many times, he would lead his squad into seemingly impossible odds. And every time, he would pull through. It was debated amongst his brothers if he was supremely skilled or supremely lucky. The verdict was always split, with Yuan never saying one way or another.

During one particularly bloody campaign, the command squad of the 17th was devastated by an Ork ambush. The greenskins were vicious the Blight Wardens suffering heavy losses. But Yuan Shu rallied his brethren and they fought tooth and nail to secure victory. In the aftermath, Lu Yueh himself praised his son. From that day, he was known as the Miracle by his brothers and was raised to the rank of Strain Master.

As the Great Crusade continued on, Yuan Shu's luck took a darker turn. Time and again, the Miracle would survive wounds that would have fell even the toughest Astarte. His squads were caught off guard, slaughtered or maimed. And each time, Yuan Shu survived without lasting harm. Battle brothers began to question the truth of the Miracle. Was he an unknowing psyker? Was he simply that lucky? Or was there something else?

### Julian Thorp

Born as the son of a Kand warlord on Terra. Julian was one of the first to be picked up by the Emperor to join the second legion of Astartes. The reasons for this were unknown at first as the boy didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the recruits, of whom most originated from more civilised lands. His purpose in the legion became clear quite quickly though. As Jusian quickly took the position of most capable fighter in the legion, taking the role of fourth captain and leading the legion’s Assault Marines into battle. His strength, resilience, ferocity and tactical acumen in the chaos of a melee fight making him more suited than any other for the role.

Over the course of the Great Crusade Julian would find himself accruing more and more respect with the legion's rank and file as he and those under him brought the legino a great many victories. Something that eventually lead to him getting a seat on the Council.

For all his strengths and tactical abilities he was not well respected by all in the legion. As his more down to earth attitude would often bud heads with both the chief apothecaries Tarik and Marius. Leading to heated debates and sometimes almost leading to Julian striking one of his brothers. He would often need to be railed back and calmed down by then first captain, and then Legion Master, Osmandiel before simple debates turned to violence. Many of the apothecaries and tech marines in the legion began to see him as a barbarian who was undeserving of his rank. Yet with all the support he had from the rank and file along with the fact that he always brought results there was little they could do.

Over the years a certain balance of power was established and the council started to become more and more stable with Julian becoming calmer as he grew older. Things seemed to calm down among the leadership of the second legion even as a century has passed since the legion was formed and their Primarch was still left unfound.

Yet this stability was not meant to last, as the legion was called to fight in the Third and last Xenocide. A war that would cost the legion most of its leadership and leave the legion’s fragile power balance in tatters. Leaving only Jullian, Tarik and Marius as Council members. This quickly brought old tensions back to the forefront leading to heated debates and significant use of political power by Julian to keep the other two council members as much in line as possible. Julian still had the respect of most of the legion after all, something that Marius lacked and Tarik lacked the resolve to use.

Over the next thirty three the legion destabilized to the point where only Julian’s constant watch kept it together making him the defecto legion master as he used everything he had to keep his opposition from causing trouble. Stability in the legion wasn’t  helped by Marius and his subordinates as they slowly started going insane and even caused fatalities among their brothers with their experimentation. Though just as it seemed that the legion would tear itself apart they got world from the Star Guardians, their sire was found.

After this the legion finally stabilized once more as Lu Yueh reorganized the legion and took command over from Julian. Though the now Strain Master retained his seat 1st council he was but an advisor. Though for a time, for a time, he would be his father’s primary military adviser he would later be replaced by when Qíshì was selected to fill the role of High Lord. Putting Jullian back in the place he started, on the 1st council but second to the High Lord and his father in power. Just as he liked it.

### Wen Huo

A grandchild of Lu Yueh. Wen Huo was the black sheep of the family. He was but an average child among a family that boasted the greatest minds and warriors on the planet. Excelling at nothing and always performing worse than his brothers, sisters and cousinses. He found himself the shame of his parents and effective shut out of the family. His existence was even hidden from Lu Yueh when he had returned to the world to meet with his family. Though the primarch had heard of his mother’s pregnancy the family told him it had been a miscaridge. His parents using their shame in birthing him to make it seem as though they mourned his death. He cried a lot that day, locked in his room.

This all left but one path for Wen where he could show that he was worthy of recognition. He would attempt to join the second legion, something not many even in Lu Yueh’s family qualified for. He only barely managed to convince his parents to allow him to join. Though moments later he overheard how overjoyed they were to possibly be rid of him. With the high chance of death after Geneseed implantation there was no chance a failure like him could survive. Let alone the trails that preceded that.

Yet survive Wen did. Even if he barely passed the trails that allowed him to be gifted with his grandfather’s Geneseed. He survived the first stages of Geneseed implantation and the month of high fever that followed it. Wen would go on to pass every trail that followed and would even be selected to join the Yishi as an apprentice for his above average performance in chemistry and biology classes. The now full blooded astartes would join the 749th expeditionary fleet with the rest of the new recruits.

The day he and his new brothers made their final preparations to leave the families of his brothers came to see their sons off. Some came just to show their pride, some came with gifts, yet others came with just tears in their eyes and hugged their sons one last time before they left with their new brothers to conquer the galaxy. Yet none came for Wen, not a single one of his brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts or cousins. Not even his caretaker came to say farewell. Instead he just stood there waiting with his astartes brothers who were picked out of orphanages. Waiting until those with mortal family had said their goodbyes. Some chatting silently, some watching with slight jealousy and a handful who, like Wen, were just coldly waiting until they left.

When they all left for the fleet the real work began.  As an apprentice Yishi, Wen was to learn how to produce and use toxins and pathogens for his legion. Usually this apprenticeship would last for four years. But after a single year his mentor died and, due to a shortage of Yishi, Wen was prematurely raised from the rank of apprentice to that of a proper Yishi.  Leaving him with both his original tasks of producing regular toxins and the task to experiment to create new toxins and pathogens.

For seven years he was confronted with failure after failure. His lack of experience with experimentation due to his shortened apprenticeship leaving him unable to meet the expectations of his legion. Pressure from his peers as well as memories of his youth caused Wen to start performing more and more dangerous experiments with more volatile chemicals and pathogens with high mutation rates, in the hopes of finally producing results. And through success he hoped to finally gain some form of recognition.

This drive for recognition eventually drove Wen to experiment on an extensively modified and weaker yet highly mutagenic version of the Worldeater Virus. This is when the worst happened.  The virus mutated and ate through the quarantine box used to contain it for the experiments. Exposing Wen to the virus, causing excruciating pain as the virus started to feast on his organic matter. Alarms started blaring as sensors noticed the virus in the air and set the lab on full lockdown. Lockin Wen in his laboratory and condemning him to certain death. Yet Wen would not accept this to be the end. He couldn’t let himself die a failure, a useless fool who never accomplished anything. Wen felt himself scream in his mind. ‘This is not the end, It can’t be! This is not how I die! I will not prove them all right!’  Yet the pain didn’t stop as Wen’s body slowly liquified. Even as he tried to move to grab any drugs in his lab that might help and injected them into himself. Even if he knew there was nothing that would save him. He still kept going if only out of spite. After this last desperate attempt Wen’s legs gave out and he fell. It was over. Yet as his vision faded, Wen saw something. Green eyes looking at him. A crooked smile of rotten teeth. A kind smile. A foreign yet somehow fatherly smile. It said something. Yet when could not hear it through the pain, though he felt his lips respond. The thing seemed to laugh, before darkness claimed Wen.

An hour later the quarantine was lifted and a cleaning team entered the lab, expecting to find nothing more than a puddle of organic sludge, remnants of the virus that made it and empty damaged power armor. Yet what they found surprised them. They found Wen, his body intact. A thin cloud of unidentifiable gas slightly obscuring him. One of the members of the cleaning team scanned his brother for life signs, and was surprised that not only was he not just organic sludge but his brother was alive. Not knowing what to do, they just set about their job and cleaned everything up before bringing Wen to the apothecaries. Who were equally stumped as to what had happened to their brother and why he was not dead.

All standard checks were used and brought no answers. So they did the last thing they could think of and called upon the librarians with the 749th expeditionary fleet. They quickly discovered that their brother was a latent psyker. They theorised that his powers awakened as a result of the extreme pain he had gone through. They also requested that the moment their brother awoke that he report to them to train his abilities. What he had shown to be able to do was be invaluable to the legion.

So it was that Wen Huo was inducted into the librarius. Where once more he had to put in his all to try and ensure he didn’t fail again. And for the first time in his life his effort bore actual fruit. He found himself classified as an Alpha class psyker. The most powerful psyker in the fleet, and the same as the current chief librarian. His abilities allowing him to control vast amounts of airborne pathogens, allowing him to make visible clouds of deadly viruses and bacteria, while also allowing him to mutate them as he saw fit. He could create clouds that could stop bolterrounds, eat through ceremite and could stop any pathogen from harming those it had infected.

For years Wen would hone his abilities and discover more and more of what he was truly capable of. He could create things no other librarian ever could. Creating pathogens that could travel upon radio waves or fade into the warp, targeting anything with a specific warp presence. Wen had finally found something he excelled at. And he would be damned if he wouldn’t use it.

Over the coming decades Wen proved himself for his legion time and again. Using his powers to bring the legion victory after victory. Eventually culminating in his deployment among the Elites of the legion during the Ulanor campaign. Where he would for the first time see his grandfather, Lu Yueh zhi Zi. Where for the first time he would hear his primarch's voice in his mind. And where for the first time he got the recognition he had always sought. Finding himself promoted to chief librarian after the former died when an Orc psyker exploded taking both the former chief librarian and an entire company out with him.

After the conclusion of the Ulanor campaign he finally truly met his grandfather, now upon the primarch’s insistence his father, and found him the kind man his true father never was. Though with how Lu Yueh reacted upon learning who exactly Wen was he could see hatred in his father he had never before seen in any other being. Yet he knew that this hate was not for him, and that when they once more returned to Jining the Ning royal family would feel retribution for their actions.

Wen now found himself in a life where nothing could be better. He had his family in the legion and his father, a goal in fighting the foes of his legion and the power to pursue this goal. Truly his life was perfect. And thus it all had to come crashing down with the council of Nikea.

### Blight Warden Demi-Astartes

These are the adopted children of Lu Yueh who were selected to fill the empty leadership roles within the legion. The two of the 24 who survived the process at least. Each would also see themselves deployed away from their father at first as he feared that only those directly around him in the 7th expeditionary fleet would obey his first edicts.

#### Kuai Hong

Former general in the Jining military. Though old his leadership skills were desperately needed by the legion. He would not live to see the Apostasy but he would be instrumental in restoring order to the nearly shattered legion while Lu Yueh was still on Terra.

He would later find himself back in the 7th expeditionary fleet when he joined the Fu zhi Sheng after it was found that he had an abnormally strong psychic connection to his father. Even if his physical strength was less than that of his brothers. He would still find great success leading his brothers into battle and by being the eyes and ears of his father even half a world away.

#### Ao Rong

Commander of over a dozen mobile infantry divisions within the Jining Military his swift mind has often granted him an edge in battle. In the legion he would lead his brothers into battle as an assault marine. He would eventually meet his end on Terra during the siege.

## Legion Fleet

### Notable Vessels

* Zi zhi Baoqi (The Son's Wrath) - Gloriana-class Battleship - The mightiest ship belonging to the IInd legion. It has served the legion all the way through the great crusade, the Apostasy and beyond. With it being the Flagship of Lu Yueh until the end of the Apostasy. It has survived a great many battles, most notably a Watchers of Akhet ambush, the First Solar War and the Siege of Jining. Ending each battle bruised and beaten yet always repairable.
* Lament of Luna - Warsprite-class Battle Barge - It was the flagship of the 180th expeditionary fleet. Up until it's destruction at the start of the Apostasy. This ship housed most of the Blight Wardens who were expected to be loyal more to the Emperor than their father. It would fail to protect all but one survivor.

## Legion Relics

#### Tome of 19 Plagues

A book once upon a time a gift given by Camelous so Lu Yueh could learn to master his psychic abilities. It covers many basics and more complex techiniques to master the warp. It is now in the hands of Wen Huo who uses it to teach over more psykers the ways of sorcery and corrupted it into the foul tomb of Nurglyte power it is now.

* Many librarians have tried to copy or make their own versions of this book and though their efforts the legion now holds dozens of inferior yet still valuable copies of the Tome of 19 Plagues. Over time some of these copies have even found their way into the hands of other traitor legions and loyalists, either as a result of a trade deal or more likely through capture during battle. Though these are copies the books are stiled valued as holy relics from Camelous himself and venerated as such. Some warbands would even sacrifice many of their members just to get their hands on even a few pages.

## Legion Appearance

### Legion Colours

The colours of the legion have in part been chosen is service of their ways of war. First sporting greenish whites and darker greens as the venom stalkers up until the legion was reorganized under Lu Yueh's order. These colours allowed them to blend in amidst the poisons they would release upon the battlefield. Yet even after the restructuring of the legion, practicality remained of importance when new colours were chosen by Lu Yueh himself. Jade, black and gold were chosen. Giving the legion a more regal compared to the colours they sported before.

Among the legion there are but two parts that do not conform with the new colour scheme. The apothecaries and the Yishi. With apothecaries having their armour a pure white and the Yishi taking dark green and black over the jade and gold.

The legion's colours whould only change one more time when they fell to Nurgle. Not out of any intentional desire for a chance in colour but simply because their virulent nature added tinges of brown onto the jade. Leading to a look of rusted jade.

### Legion Badge

The badge the legion now bears is in part a a reminder of the change that happened when Lu Yueh was found. As the Venom stalkers wielded their chemical weapons with little restraint or interest in cleaning up after the battle was done. The sword would represent the restraint the legion was to show from that point forth. They wouldn't be barbarians stalking through waistlands of their own creation. Hated by all the Imperium. They would be warriors, worthy of praise.