Lebiodus Urkeil Vorhegan

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**Lebiodus Urkeil Vorhegan** is the current Cardinal-Astra of the *Synodus Uridia*, and the planetary governor of the Cardinal World of Castoro, regional seat of the Ecclesiarchy within the Uridian Isola. Noted as one of the most militant Cardinal-Astra's elected to the position in the last three hundred years, Vorhegan has since his ascension to the position of Cardinal-Astra, been in opposition to the ancient legislature of the Decree Passive, believing it to stymie the martial might of the Imperium.

It was for the latter reason, that Cardinal-Astra Vorhegan came to the attention of the Inquisition's Uridian Conclave following his ascension to Cardinal-Astra in 989.M41.

As of the 42nd Millennium, it is unknown if Vorhegan survived the tumults of the Noctis Aeterna, and the lightning campaigns of the Ruinhost thereafter. Rumour persists however that, beyond the veil of the Noctis Aeterna, Cardinal-Astra Vorhegan has turned his world of Castoro into a fortress, and from it begun to muster regiments of fanatical crusaders, under the auspice of the Imperial Church, styling them in the image of the Frateris Templar of old.

## **History**

Lebiodus Urkeil Vorhegan ascended to the position of Cardinal-Astra following the death of his predecessor, Gelasius XXXIV, in 989.M41. Vorhegan quickly became a polarizing figure among the political powers of the Uridian Isola, particularly for his fanaticism. Following his ascension, Vorhegan undertook a years long pilgrimage throughout the Uridian Isola. Millions gathered to bear witness to their new Cardinal-Astra, and to hear his impassioned sermons.

It was during this time, during the nascent Cardinal-Astra's later infamous pilgrimage across the Uridian Isola, that he would draw the prying eye of the Ordo Hereticus. His sermons, though filled with the typical rhetoric found across the Imperium, erred in one respect; Vorhegan called for a 'call-to-arms' of the faithful, decrying the Decree Passive signed and sanctioned by the Terran Synod and High Twelve millennia ago.

Yet fears of the Ordos Uridian never came to be, with the Cardinal-Astra never truly taking steps toward building a church-backed military by himself. Instead the Cardinal-Astra decided to take a more passive approach, lobby in favour for many of the martial edicts passed through the Uridian Court, and entreating local Astra Militarum commanders.

As the 41st Millennium neared its close, Vorhegan notably became more militant in his approach however. The Castoran Janizars, planetary defence forces of the Cardinal World of Castoro, were doubled in size. Defensive fortifications were established across Castoro's idyllic surface, and a harsh regime of pogroms undertaken by the Cardinal's followers. These changes largely went ignored by the once eagle-eyed Ordos Uridian, who now dealt with a far larger problem; the warning signs of another Black Crusade of Abaddon the Despoiler.

When the axe-blow finally came, and the entire Segmentum Pacificus rose up in the Night of a Thousand Rebellions, Castoro was mercifully spared. The regime of zealous pogroms had proved a difficult obstacle for the seeds of Chaos, and so when a thousand worlds all rose up in rebellion, all at once, Castoro was but a fastness against the storm.

One such pogrom undertaken nearing the close of the 41st Millennium was the purge of the Order of the Lambent Chorus. Long time defenders of Castoro and the faithful of the Uridian Isola, the Adepta Sororitas Order was among the first victims listed for annihilation, and so in numbers never before seen the order was summoned to the halls of the Basilica Castorian by explicit order of the Cardinal-Astra. Once gathered within the greater Hall of Saint Castius, the order was set upon by the loyal warriors of Cardinal Vorhegan, slaughtering nearly 80% of the order in a single night, and beheading the greater part of its command hierarchy, eliminating the last true body that could stand against his designs.

Following the birth of the Great Rift, it remains unknown whether Cardinal-Astra Vorhegan and his bastion of Castoro survived the endemic spread of mutation and psychic phenomena, yet rumour persists that Vorhegan and his army of fanatical followers have managed to hold their own; staving off the worst of the Noctis Aeterna through might of faith and might of arms.