The Eyes of Solomon

## Solomon Drust, The Tyrant

#### Hero Traits

Terrifying - If an enemy unit is within 3" of this model they reduce their Ld by 1.

Divine Protection - +1 to Invulnerable Save up to a max of 3++

Razor Edged - A melee weapon this model has gains 1 additional AP

Direct Fire - When friendly "Night Lords" units within 6" wound with a shooting attack on a 6+; the AP of the weapon is increased by 1.

#### Great Hero Traits

Impetuous - May reroll failed charges

Shredder - A melee weapon this model had may reroll failed wound rolls

## The Night Child

Born on Terra in the prison sinks under Old Merica. Solomon was raised in violence and eternal darkness until he was recruited in to the VIII Legion. A consummate killer and a sound tactician, Solomon rose through the ranks of the Night Children Legion. Until the fated day that their Primarch Konrad Kurze, the Night Haunter was returned to them.

Kurze’s favoritism toward Nostroman born recruits slowed Solomon’s ascension to a near stand still. Determined to prove to his Primarch that he was worthy of position Solomon pushed himself harder and harder. Those under his commanded learned something that was becoming very rare in the Night Lords Legion; absolute discipline. It was because of Solomon's almost obsessive need to keep order among those under his command that he earned his moniker of "The Tyrant."

Solomon earned the favor and recognition of his Lord Primarch and was granted command of the 73rd Company; "The Iron Crows". Solomon served until his death at the hands of a Dark Angels Chaplain during the Thramas Crusade.

### Those Who Walk In Both Worlds

Two millennia after The Horus Heresy, a sorcerer of the Word Bearers gathered the remains of several Atramentar and other Night Lords officers for a ritual to create extremely deadly bodyguards.

This sorcerer’s value of his own abilities far out stripped his actual skill. Of the twenty-two bodies recovered only three were returned to the materium in any meaningful way. Of those 3 only one was made whole as he had been before his death. Solomon was not that Astartes.

When the sorcerer attempted to command these newly returned Astartes; both the angry spirits and the three destroyed him so completely that even his soul was no more.

The Word Bearer succeeded in one regard his ritual had made the three Night Lords truly immortal. Solomon was only brought partly back from beyond the veil; he exists now as a skeletal figure wearing his old Tartarus terminator armor, seething with raw warp energy. His voice is felt rather than heard and this “gift” of being of the warp and yet not of it is a double edged sword. Solomon sees the perfect “path” toward achieving any task or goal he sets his mind to; be it defeating a foe, planning a strategy, converting a loyal Astartes to chaos, etc. But, this myopic vision can leave him blind to things that are not on his mind.

### Currently

Solomon guides his followers by seeking out future threats and boons to chaos. Through his sight he can see a world where one day a child will be born and become a great scion of chaos; or he can see the seed of a threat not yet come to be and if he has his way never will.

## Belus IV

### Chapter 1

The Eyes of Solomon descend upon the Imperium world of Belus IV; unbeknownst to the Night Lords of the Eyes of Solomon warband this world has also fallen under the gaze of other warbands of the Heretic Astartes. A warband of the Emperor's Children called the Crusade of Endless Joy and a warband of the Alpha Legion, the Serpent of Progress.

Solomon was taken a back by the presence of fellow Heretic Astartes, for he had not seen any save for the Word Bearer who brought him partly through the veil and the main force of the Night Lords Legion. Some of the Astartes in both warbands he had known prior to the Horus Heresy. But he was so distracted by "the objective" that had led him to this world that he didn't see that others would come here as well. Solomon was not going to miss an opportunity to coordinate with the other forces of Chaos.

Through Solomon' warp-gifted sight he could see how well entrenched the Serpents of Progress were on the planet. Knowing that he must act fast to establish a base of operations, and secure "the objective" that had lead him here in the first place. Solomon could see that even the events of his allies could alter the series of events and prevent "the objective" from coming to be at all.

#### Battle for Heizgerrik Fortress

In order to keep additional forces of the Imperium from coming to Belus IV, Solomon ordered his warband to take the Arctic stronghold of Heizgerrik Fortress. Situated on the north polar cap, Heizgerrik contained the largest Astropathic Choir on Belus IV; one capable of reaching beyond the warp storms that often surround the Hades Sub-sector.

Solomon was plenty ased to find, that the Deathwatch also saw the importance of the Heizgerrik Choir. Solomon hadn’t had an opportunity to battle Astartes from so many Legions since Istvaan V, and the Deathwatch provide a sampling from all of them. The Deathwatch, as it turned out were as eager for battle as he was. The battle was fought before the entrance of the Fortress.

In a valiant assault the Watch Captain’s jump pack was struck by an Obliterator’s flesh metal gauntlet causing the captain to rocket off and away from the battle. Bereft of their captain the remaining Deathwatch began to falter. Some fled the battlefield completely abandoning a Redemptor Dreadnaught who was tied in combat with Solomon and a squad of Raptors.

After subduing the Dreadnaught, Solomon had claimed not only the prizes of Heizgerrik and the Astropathic Choir but also he had captured a Belisarius Cawl designed Dreadnaught and one of Guilliman’s new Astartes. All be it a damaged one, but one none the less. The Warpsmiths and Sorcerers of the Eyes of Solomon performed unspeakable horrors upon the captured Astartes to find out how it was made. After they gained all the information they could from the damaged Astartes, they used the warrior’s furious soul as bait to lure a daemon from the warp. Using the souls of the astropaths and the metal from the Dreadnaught; Solomon and the Warpsmiths fashioned the immaterial and material into a Helstalker, to serve as a viscous steed for Solomon’s continued campaign on Belus IV.

As Solomon and his fellows crafted the stuff of nightmares within Heizgerrik; Solomon’s men did the same outside the fortress. The bodies of the slain Deathwatch, PDF, and astropaths were mutilated and displayed in grotesque fashion atop the spires and walls of Heizgerrik. A gruesome signal to those warring on Belus IV; that no one is coming to help you.

#### Battle for The Dàkōng Forge

Solomon still needed to establish a firm foothold on Belus IV, with the Astropathic Choir at Heizgerrik Fortress eliminated, Solomon had his flank covered. His plan of action was to secure a steady supply of equipment and resources to continue the battle on the planet.

Lacking the vast infrastructure that his Alpha Legion allies possess, Solomon turned his sights on the Dàkōng Forge complexes to the southeast of Heizgerrik Fortress. Built in the vast and barren northern deserts of the planet, the forge is perfectly located to supply his continued campaign of terror in the Northern Reaches of Belus IV.

Blinkered by his need for supplies, Solomon was unaware of the Grey Knights also heading to the Dàkōng Forge. The two sides met in the outskirts of the complex. Solomon had never fought Astartes like these before and knew very little about how they operated. What little he knew came from the wounded survivors from the joint Chaos ambush against the Imperium forces.

The Grey Knights opened fire on the Eyes of Solomon tearing through the chaff cultists all the while orbital debris from the void fighting above were raining down with greater intensity than during the Battle for Heizgerrik Fortress. The Eyes returned fire slowing the advance of the Strike squads and Terminators.

As Paladins and Grey Knight officers teleported down to the battlefield. Solomon and the Grey Knight Commander met in single combat.

[The following event and conversation has been deemed extremely sensitive and accessible only by the highest ranking members of the Ordo Hereticus and Ordo Malleaus. Due to the involvement of the Grey Knights and a non-daemonic warp entity of human origin.]

Solomon was first to make his move, allowing the Helstalker to charge forward at the Dreadknight. Solomon allowed his vision to shift its purpose; from killing to comprehending. In an instant, Solomon knew all about the Grey Knights and the pilot of the Dreadknight.

“Greetings, Grand Master Aegir; son of Eldir and Fimafeng.” Aegir winced as a voice reverberated through his mind, body, and soul. Closing his mind to the voices of the warp, only for the voice to hit him harder.

“I understand why you refuse to respond, no matter.” Aegir felt waves of psychic force crash into his mind as the voice chuckled. Aegir lashed out attempting to counter this “sorcery” at the same time striking the daemon beast the heretic was riding. The beast deflected some of the strikes; those that landed showed that this new daemon beast was a resilient one.

The voice returned again, “You cannot deny me. I am no psyker. I am Solomon Drust, master of these Astartes who call themselves my Eyes. I think we will have to finish this conversation another time; unless you want to permanently be a part of that ridiculous beginners Dreadnaught.”

The beast had injected something into the right leg of the Dreadknight. Aegir had not payed it any mind believing that it was some venom intended for him. To Aegir horror, the leg of his Dreadknight was mutating at an alarming rate. Aegir ejected from the Dreadknight and popped smoke to cover his escape.

Again the voice said, “We will battle again on this world. I am certain.”

[End]

Night Lord reinforcement had already landed from high orbit and had begun suppressing the Grey Knights fire support. Currently out numbered and lacking the the mobility to effectively counter attack the Paladins withdrew from the forge complex.

Aegir returned to base and sought to uncover anything about a Night Lord named Solomon Drust. The only records dated back to the Horus Heresy, Solomon was a Terran born Captain of the Night Lords Legion. Known as the Tyrant, for his “uncharacteristic”, at least for the 8th Legion, enforcement of order and discipline. Solomon met his end at the hands of an unnamed Dark Angels Chaplain during the Thramas Crusade.

Aegir felt uneasy, either the records were wrong and Solomon did not meet his end during the Horus Heresy; or and this was much worse. That Solomon had indeed died but was somehow alive again and possessed some warp power he did not have in life.

#### The Battle at Iyearia

The capture of the Dàkōng Forge was an enormous boon the Solomon's forces. But what is a forge without material? Cold, worthless metal. Continuing his efforts to secure his foothold on the planet, Solomon moved on the mineral rich region called Iyearia. As was to be expected at this point he was not the only one eyeing the resources at Iyearia. What Solomon did not expect was the nature of the Adeptus Mechanicus who met his forces in battle.

The Exhumation Necroclade, commanded by a trio of Dominii called the Mortarii. Solomon found himself fascinated by these Mechanicus because they were skeletal; operating with ramshackle and jury rigged equipment. But they functioned with the efficiency and effectiveness he had come to expect of the Mechanicus. He felt a strage kinship with the half living masters of technology. He was himself, a Warsmith, originally trained on Mars and had served as such before being promoted by his Lord Primarch to Captain of the 73rd Company. Kinship or no, Solomon was not going to allow for anyone to take his prize.

Information gathered from stolen vox casts, informed Solomon that the Mortarii were as interested in him as he was of them and that they intended to capture him for study. This pleased Solomon and he eagerly charged his Helstalker forward running through one of the Armiger Warglaives as he charged for the Mortarii. Another Warglaive pushed into his back line and was slowed as cultists through themselves forward to their deaths. The Mortarii their Skitarii forces forward to intercept Solomon's advance. It was then the trap was sprung, having used himself as bait by drawing the Necroclade forces forward Solomon has one of his Raptor Hosts strike from the rear. Pinning the Mortarii between deranged Warp Talons and Solomon himself.

Solomon slew two of the three Mortarii, but did not manage to strike down their leader Leizrem the Calibrated; who escaped after Skitarii Vanguard units held their ground and rebuffed the Warp Talon assault. The Necroclade forces did not respond as others did to the Night Lords terror tactics. Their brains either altered by circuitry or damaged in their ill-used state, but the Necroclade did not run. It was this that ignited Solomon's interest in them further; he would have to study them find out why they do no fear as they should and correct that problem.

With that, the battle was won. Solomon collected what he could of the Exhumation Necroclade remnants for study and began to plan for the next phase of the war.

#### *Battle for the Derelict Space Hulk*

As the battles raged on down on Belus IV, a Space Hulk entered orbit around the system. Solomon, was not interested in the collection of junk that not occupied a space in the sky, but a Sorcerer of the Black Wind named Olekk the Grin offered to capture it in Solomon's name.

Olekk was granted a small force to attempt to capture the Space Hulk. All of the Black Wind are worshipers of Nurgle, and Olekk's true plan was to plant a Feculent Gnarlmaw on board the ship to allow for Nurgle's Garden to expand into realspace. Olekk it seemed was more boast than substance. Not only did he not get the Hulk before other forces, his breaching point left his forces trapped in a secluded section of the mess of ships. Caught in kill boxes controlled by the Deathwatch, Olekk's forces were picked apart until Olekk was slain by the Deathwatch.

Back on the planet, Solomon worked and schemed on the real campaign. Solomon summoned the Master of the Black Wind, Urkrathac the Desiccated to answer for Olekk's failure. Solomon cut a Glascow Smile into Urkrathac's face a punishment not for Olekk's failure, but for attempted betrayal. Solomon could see through the smile that Olekk had made vows of fealty to Daemons. For allowing a seed of disloyalty to fester in the Black Wind; Urkrathac was punished.

Urkrathac vowed that he would root out disloyalty in the Black Wind and would prove that the Raptors of the Black Wind were worthy.

### Urkrathac the Desiccated

Reactive Tactics: This model, and friendly Night Lords units within 6' of them, can charge even if they Fell Back that turn.

Ferocious Combatant: +1 attack

Artificer Weapon: +1 dmg to one of Urkrathac's Plasma Pistols

Deadly Marksman: +1 dmg to all ranged weapons

## The Cults Within

### The Nine Mirrors - Tzeentch

The Nine Mirrors represent Tzeentch in Solomon’s army; they are commanded by High Magister Basteq Kallisar. Unlike the other cults within the Eyes of Solomon, Basteq sought out Solomon to offer his service. Basteq brought with him a cabal of sorcerers and a retinue of Rubric Marines and a message for Solomon. Only Basteq and Solomon know who that message was from; speculation among the Eyes of Solomon place the sender as Magnus the Red, Ahriman, or even Tzeentch himself.

Because of The Nine Mirrors offer of service, they are more privileged to pick and choose conflicts to take part in. If Solomon has need of them they wont hesitate to answer, but in most cases they are allowed to choose their own battles. In return they are to provide the tools of their sorcerous arts; diving enemy plans, creating warp storms to sever communications, create and maintain the Rubric Marines, and seek out and train psychic recruits.

### The Opera Aeternum - Slaanesh

The Opera Aeternum represents Slaanesh within the Eyes of Solomon; they are lead by a former Dark Angel’s Interrogator Chaplain named Phanael. The Opera Aeternum is the largest of the cults as Interrogator Phanael is a zealous convert to the wonders of Slaanesh; eager to share this knowledge with as many as possible.

The Opera Aeternum believe that all of their acts and indulgences are offerings to Slaanesh, and each of them in turn is a player upon a stage for the Profligate One to enjoy. They view Solomon as a divine composer, able to hear the hidden music of the warp, because of this their loyalty is fanatical.