Grimoire Heralds

**This article, Grimoire Heralds, was written by Phoenix Arcanum. It may be linked to any page without asking for the author's permission.**

## Grimoire Heralds

Grimoire Heralds armorial with corrupted iconography.

Rubricae of the Grimoire Heralds.

## Chaos Warband

### **Specialty**

Psychic Warfare, Coordinated Assaults, Covert Operations, Raiding, Conventional and Unconventional Tactics

### **Allies**

Thousand Sons
Alpha Legion

### **Warband Size**

1 Daemon Prince, 9 Exalted Sorcerers, 81 Lesser Sorcerers, 27 Scarab Occult Sorcerers, 54 Aspiring Sorcerers, 486 Rubricae, 243 Scarab Occult Terminators, numerous Cultists and Daemons

## Pre-Heresy

### **Home World**

Prospero
(*Perditas*)

### **Colours**

Red and Gold

The **Grimoire Heralds** are a semi-independent Sect of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion originating from an unknown Cult. Though they remain ostensibly loyal to their Primarch Magnus the Red, the Grimoire Heralds are often found away from the Planet of Sorcerers, roaming the galaxy obsessed with bringing about some unknowable "Grand Plan" by creating upheaval, gathering knowledge, and collecting artifacts. The Grimoire Heralds have become infamous for launching a vast number of Black Crusades in the name of Tzeentch. The Cult from which the Grimoire Heralds originate is unknown

## History

The history of the Grimoire Heralds is complex self contradicting. What is known is that some time after the Horus Heresy a Thousand Sons Sorcerer under the name of Lucifuge claimed to have had a revelation supposedly inspired by Tzeentch himself. Lucifuge claims that his Sect was charged by the Grand Conspirator himself to enact Black Crusades in order to further some "Grand Plan". As to what this "Grand Plan" truly is, only the Grimoire Heralds themselves know.

The first part of this "Grand Plan" was the acquisition of an ancient vessel known as the *Satanicus*. After this Grimoire Heralds departed aboard *Satanicus* on the first of many Black Crusades in the name of Tzeentch.

Each Black Crusade of the Grimoire Heralds begins of course with the departure of the *Satanicus* from Sortiarius. Upon reaching their destination the Grimoire Heralds begin their first "Grand Campaign", the various Thrallbands split off to achieve a set of assigned objective. Some objectives require several Thrallbands to work together, other objectives require Thrallbands to split into Warcovens (each with it's own goal), other objectives still are only pursued by individual Squads. As objectives are completed, the Grimoire Heralds will go to and from the *Satanicus.* After the conclusion of one grand campaign the *Satanicus* will move to a new location as the Grimoire Heralds launch another Grand Campaign. Once all the Grand Campaigns are completed and the Black Crusade comes to a close the *Satanicus* and the Grimoire Heralds return to Sortiarius. One such Black Crusade resulted in Archmagister Lucifuge ascending to the greatly desired office of Daemon Prince of Tzeentch.

There have been some instances where individual Thrallbands leave Sortiarius on their own accord to enact their own campaign.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Feinnwe Crusade (157,M33):** For reasons known only to the Grimoire Heralds themselves, the Thousand Sons warband sought to thin the Eldar population of Craftworld Feinnwe. To achieve this end, the Grimoire Heralds instigated a war between the Craftworld and Imperial forces of the Arcana Sector. By providing covert assistance to the Imperium, the Grimoire Heralds insured the decimation of Craftworld Feinnwe just as they planned
* **4-D War (M35):** In the 35th Millennium, the Grimoire Heralds were engaged in a conflict against the Temporal Lords. In the end, the Temporal Lords celebrated their "defeat" of the sons of Magnus, the Grimoire Heralds claimed that everything had gone just as planned.

## Culture

The Grimoire Heralds have taken an interest in "Old Earth Occultism" and the "Daemonology" of ancient Human religions during the Age of Terra. This is reflected in the fact that the Archmagister and Magisters of the Grimoire Heralds have taken up the names of Daemons found within ancient tomes. The Grimoire Heralds also seem to utilize various occult markings known as "magick circles".

## Organisation

At the head of the Grimoire Heralds is Archmagister Lucifuge, Daemon Prince of Tzeentch and his retinue of Familiars, Acolytes, and Bodyguards. Second-in-Command of the Grimoire Heralds falls into the hands of the Exalted Sorcerer Rofocale, who holds the title of "Lord Chamberlain". The Grimoire Heralds are divided into nine Thrallbands each lead by a Magister who is an Exalted Sorcerer. Beneath the Magisters are nine Lesser Sorcerers, three of which command a unit known as a Warcoven. Each Thrallband contains two "Rubric Warcovens" and one "Scarab Occult Warcovens". A single Warcoven is divided into three Squads comprised of nine Rubric Marines or Occult Scarab Terminators and lead by an Aspiring Sorcerer or a Scarab Occult Sorcerer.

The forces of the Grimoire Heralds are bolstered by a host of Cultists, Daemons, Helbrutes, Daemon Engines, Battle Tanks, Transport Vehicles, Tzaangors, and Chaos Spawn. The fleet of the Grimoire Herals consists of the *Satanicus*, nine Silver Towers of Tzeentch, various Escorts, and numerous Planetary Assult Craft/Dropships.

### Magisters of the Grimoire Heralds

* **Samael:** Magister of the First Thrallband
* **Azazel:** Magister of the Second Thrallband
* **Iblis:** Magister of the Third Thrallband
* **Asmodeus:** Magister of the Fourth Thrallband
* **Astaroth:** Magister of the Fifth Thrallband
* **Amaimon:** Magister of the Sixth Thrallband
* **Beelzebub:** Magister of the Seventh Thrallband
* **Alastor:** Magister of the Eighth Thrallband
* **Dagon:** Magister of the Ninth Thrallband

## Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrine utilized by the Grimoire Heralds warband manifests as a combination of those utilized by the Thousand Sons (their parent legion) and the Alpha Legion. As Astartes born from the gene-seed of Magnus the Red, most members of the Grimoire Heralds manifest some form of Warp powers. Battle spells are largely favored by the warband's Sorcerer Lords when they are present on the battlefield.

Occasionally, the Grimoire Heralds will engage in a campaign without ever facing the enemy personally. Perhaps the most famous examples of this was the Grimoire Heralds' campaign against the Eldar of Craftworld Feinnwe. Instead of fighting the Craftworld themselves, the Grimoire Herald instead manipulated the Imperial forces of the Arcana Sector to (unknowingly) fight the Eldar on their behalf.

## Relations

### Allies

**Thousand Sons:** Despite their autonomous nature and their pursuit of their own goals, the Grimoire Heralds are still (ostensibly) loyal to their Primarch Magnus the Red and the Thousand Sons Legion.

**Alpha Legion:** The Alpha Legion and the Grimoire Heralds share much in the way of common tactics. Although the Grimoire Heralds typically make use of conventional warfare (albeit significantly bolstered with psychic powers), they also make use of *unconventional* warfare not unlike the style of war conducted by the Sons of Alpharius. For this reason, the Grimoire Heralds often work with various warbands of the Alpha Legion, or at the very least the two of them work in parallel to achieve a common (and unknowable) goal.

### Enemies

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

[Source]