Apostates of Ash

The Latros Sacrum - the unholy symbol of the sons of Lorgar

Warrior-Brother Bara Iagath of the Eight-Toned Ululation

The **Apostates of Ash** are a fanatical Chaos warband of Word Bearers numbered among the Disciples of Be'lakor. Though they adhere to the mandates of the Dark Council of Sicarus, they are viewed with suspicion by many within the XVIIth.

## Warband History

Following the Great Scouring, the Apostates of Ash retreated to the daemon world of Sicarus in the Eye of Terror with the rest of their legion. It is from here they have launched sporadic raids into realspace following the declaration of The Long War.

In M34, a threat to the unity of the Word Bearers presents itself in the Heralds of the Eye: a splinter warband of the XVIIth led by a Grand Apostle. Noros Merenkar's plan to lead his warriors into membership of the Black Legion is foiled by a coalition of Word Bearers warbands and forces arrayed by the Dark Council itself. The Heralds of the Eye are wiped out, the loyal survivors incorporated back into the legion and Merenkar imprisoned on Sicarus for the rest of time.

In late M37, the Apostates of Ash succeed in settling one of their longest-standing grudges with the Thousand Sons known as the Azure Viziers. Having pursued them following a prior altercation, Ilios the Black corners them on a daemon world where the Thousand Sons are currently assaulting a younger, larger warband. The Word Bearers descend, their focus on destroying the sorcerers is unbreakable. Once the dust settles, the Apostates of Ash gain the mercenary allegiance of the Bloodbound Chorus, though Ilios makes the bond stronger through guile. With such a potent ally in his pocket, Ilios feels he is in a position to slowly start distancing himself from the Dark Council's influence.

At some point in the past, the Apostates of Ash abandoned Sicarus in favour of joining the Disciples of Be'lakor. It is because of this, among other reasons, that they are close to being declared renegade by the legion's council of Dark Apostles.

### Notable Campaigns

* **2nd Black Crusade (597.M32)** - The Apostates of Ash assist Abaddon the Despoiler in placing a destructive curse on the Belis Corona Sector. They take advantage of Black Legion attacks on Imperial shipyards to raid around the Cadian Gate. They slaughter millions of Imperial citizens and enslave millions more. The survivors are brought back to Sicarus in chains to be sacrificed to the Dark Gods.

* **Triumph of the Word (M34)** - The Apostates of Ash deploy under the auspices of the Dark Council to prevent the heretic Grand Apostle Noros Merenkar from leading his Host into the ranks of the Black Legion. Arriving with the main force, the Apostates of Ash engage the faith-breakers both above and on the surface of a daemon world. Their most noted action sees one of their officers claim the head of Merenkar's Coryphaus who was leading the battle on the planet. The Grand Apostle is dragged back to Sicarus in chains to suffer at the hands of his former colleagues on the Council.

* **Sealed in Blood (702.M37)** - Having suffered insults at the hand of a thrallband of the Thousand Sons, Ilios leads the Apostates in a hunt across Eyespace. The Word Bearers catch up to the sons of Magnus on an unnamed daemon world. The Word Bearers fall upon the Azure Viziers like a hurricane, finding common cause with a renegade warband who are themselves the subjects of the Viziers' merciless attentions. Caught between two foes and unable to maneuver, the Azure Viziers are utterly wiped out and the Apostates gain new allies.

* **13th Black Crusade (999.M41)** - The Apostates of Ash spill forth from the Eye of Terror to slaughter around the Cadian Gate. They bring the Primordial Truth to the galaxy, rejoicing in the return of Lorgar from his self-imposed exile. As the Chaos forces' momentum stalls following the destruction of Cadia, the Apostates take their leave for parts unknown. When they re-emerge several years in the Charadon Sector, they are in the train of a new & formidable ally.

* **Fall of Korvosi (Early M42)** - The daemon prince Be'lakor invades the Knight World of Kolossi during the Charadon Campaign. Though the forces of the defending House Raven are depleted by 4/5ths, they are more than a match for the forces of Chaos Undivided. The Dark Master subverts the enemy by supernaturally lengthening the night and filling the dreams of the defenders with visions of madness. The insane knights turn on one another and the followers of Be'lakor take advantage of the mayhem to conquer the planet. The Apostates are at the fore, their Havocs destroying battle-damaged Knights while their Raptors bring others crashing down with well-placed melta bombs.

* **Invasion of Kantus IV** - The Apostates of Ash serve as the vanguard for Be'lakor's assault on the Imperial shrine world of Kantus IV. Here they are met by the newly-formed Order of the Holy Flame who match the warband's unrelenting faith with their own.

## Homeworld

Along with the other Disciples of Be'lakor, the Apostates of Ash base themselves from Korvosi - a Knight World which recently fell to their master.

## Warband Culture

Culturally, the Apostates of Ash are identical to any other Word Bearers warhost. The main difference is they primarily serve a daemon prince rather than the Council of Sicarus.

The *Book of Lorgar* is still held in the highest regard and the most fervent warriors cover their armour and skin in excerpts from the text.

## Warband Beliefs

The Apostates of Ash revere Be'lakor as the favoured servant of Chaos Undivided - moreso than Abaddon. They still revere the Chaos Gods in keeping with the *Book of Lorgar* but they have established new cults dedicated to Be'lakor - both among mortals and within their own ranks.

The Apostates view themselves as the pre-eminent servants of Chaos - destined for greatness for their service to the First Daemon Prince.

## Recruitment

The Apostates of Ash recruit by kidnapping boys from worlds they visit and subjecting them to horrific indoctrination, regimen and rituals to ensure they are physically and mentally strong enough to become Astartes and to serve the Dark Gods with fervour.

## Warband Gene-Seed

The Heretic Astartes of this warband are all gene-sons of the daemon Primarch Lorgar.

## Warband Organization

### Command Ranks

* Dark Apostle
* Coryphaus

### Specialist Ranks

* Master of Possessions
* Sorcerer

### Specialist Units

**Chaos Raptors** - The warband is accompanied wherever it goes by unnatural darkness. From that darkness descends the *Grekesh Dafu'jir* - the warband's Raptor Cult. These jump pack-clad Be'lakor-worshipping hunters fall upon their prey and either tear them to bloody shreds or lift them into the shadows clutched in ceramite talons, never to be seen again. They are 'The Ones Concealed in Writhing Shadows' and their sudden appearance is enough to make most enemies panic.

### Headquarters

Though their official homeworld would be the fallen Knight World of Korvosi, in truth the Apostates' base is the corrupted battle-barge *Cruel Lamentation*. This ancient vessel can deploy up to three companies' worth of Heretic Astartes to an engagement.

## Warband Combat Doctrine

Like their brethren, the Apostates of Ash make prolific use of Chaos Cults. Such groups, when properly seeded, can leave a target world open to invasion and if they are large enough, provide plenty of expendable flesh for the warband. The Apostates will use such mortals to distract the enemy and absorb gunfire.

They also make prolific use of daemons as they are summoners par excellence; though the daemons they summon are often used to fight in their place rather than alongside them.

Unlike their brethren, however, the Apostates are more reserved in battle than others of the XVIIth Legion. They prefer to mingle with the Dark Master's shadows and strike where they are least expected. They use cult mobs to bait ambushes; they use diversions and misdirection to confuse their targets before striking. This is something their Raptors are particularly good at. These tactics are frowned upon by other Word Bearers.

## Notable Warband Members

* **Ilios the Black** - A Dark Apostle, he has through unknown means fallen under the sway of Be'lakor, first daemon prince of Chaos. Ilios has sworn his warband to the service of the daemon. His recent failures on Kantus IV have caused his favour with his master to suffer.

* **Hurine 'Hellclaimer'** - A potent sorcerer and arguably the second most influential figure among the Apostates despite not being at the Siege of Terra. Hurine was last seen disappearing into a warp rift he was attempting to open after being struck by a melta blast. His fate is unknown.

## Warband Fleet

* *Cruel Lamentation*, **(battle barge)** - An ancient vessel of the XVIIth Legiones Astartes, this vessel has served as Ilios' flagship since the days of the Horus Heresy.

## Relics & Artifacts

* **The Ashen Axe** - The Ashen Axe dates back to the Great Crusade, a vicious weapon that was often used on the citizens of worlds that rejected compliance. As the Legion descended into darkness, Daemons of the Warp were drawn in, feeding off the anguish and misery that its chained blades created. The Ashen Axe has become a malefic nexus for the creatures of the immaterium. Enemies of the Word Bearers find themselves unable to flee from the axe's blows, as claws and talons grasp at their limbs and root them to the spot. In truth, their minds are assailed by the entities of the aether, circling impatiently for the soul feast the Ashen Axe will deliver.

## Warband Appearance

### Warband Colours

The Apostates of Ash bear the same scab-red (also known as 'traitor's red') and gunmetal trim as the rest of the XVIIth Legion.

### Warband Badge

The Latros Sacrum represents the unifying belief of the sons of Lorgar.

## Relations

### Enemies

 Ultramarines and their Successors
 Order of the Holy Flame
 Keil-Xin |      | This Craftworld has deployed an army to halt the Apostates' advance on Kantus IV. They have already blunted a number of attacks on Imperial positions with mercilessly swift counterattacks.

## Quotes

### About:

"*They say these Apostates are Word Bearers but I think you are of the Twentieth. You skulk and hide in the shadows like cowards. Where is your pride as Astartes? Where is the surety of your faith? You are false sons of Lorgar!*"
— A Word Bearers legionary picking a fight with an Apostate

 Tzeentch Warbands
 Nurgle Warbands
 Slaanesh Warbands
 Chaos Undivided Warbands
 Malice Warbands
 Minor Chaos God-Aligned Warbands

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