Cornelius Heresy and the Decline of Cobylon

## Cornelius Heresy

### Performers

Genghis Cob and his loyalist legions, Warmaster Cornelius and his traitor legions, General Magnus Eridin. Tower Knight 'Axis Mundi', Ancient Vanguard Bjorn the Fell-Handed.

### Date

~6 years before the conclusion of the End War.

### Location

The Fortress City of Cobylon, other Cobic territories

The Cornelius Heresy, the chaos that erupted from the end war the consumed the Imperium even after the war was over. A plan by warmaster Cornelius to overthrow Genghis Cob using his vast connections to influence legions of knights to come to his side. It began as a plot against Genghis Cob due to his negligence to supply Cornelius's troops during several skirmishes with barbarians. Cornelius was furious and vowed to remove Genghis Cob from power for letting so many of his men die. Cornelius gathered his supporters and marched onto the palace of the God King Genghis Cob. It was a massacre. The outnumbered Loyalists were then surrounded and brutally butchered. Refusing to surrender, the remaining guard and legion knights stubbornly defended themselves, trying to hold off the inevitable slaughter for as long as possible. Though they suffered an atrocious number of casualties, the Loyalists managed to hold their own, until the warlord  of the VII legion joined the fray. Bolstered by the support of the great Tower Knight, Axis Mundi, the Traitors killed tens of thousands of Loyalist knights. At the height of the massacre the Warmaster Cornelius entered the fray, at the head of the elite Sons of Cornelius Lord Knights known as the Immortalis, slaughtering the Loyalists in wrathful anger. It was then the light of Genghis Cob shone upon the battlefield, leaping from his balcony into the fray, along with reinforcements climbing the walls. The traitor forces mounted an unsuccessful defense and were soon overrun. Fleeing back into the countryside to regroup and attempt another siege of the Palace. 6 years later the traitor armies marched upon the palace once more. However the defenses were bolstered and ready for the battle.

**Final Siege of the Palace**

The siege of the palace lasted for 55 days. Both sides knew that the defeat of the Imperium of Cob was near after the defense of the Holy Gate. Sensing this, and knowing that he must complete the siege before the arrival of Loyalist reinforcements from the other legions that were already on their way, Cornelius prepared to lead his forces in person. Before this could happen, his officers informed him that scouts had sighted vast armies approaching, flying the banner of Genghis Cob. At that moment, Cornelius despaired; his gamble had failed, weeks of further conflict would be needed to break the defenders and Genghis Cob's reinforcements would arrive in mere hours. Cornelius called out to Genghis Cob to face him. Hearing this call, he rose from his throne for the first time since the first siege. He lead his elite personal guard to the battlefield to confront Cornelius. Making his way through the fray inside the palace. To the grand hall, where Cornelius stood, Genghis Cobs personal guard attacked warmaster Cornelius. However the great strength of Cornelius overpowered them all. Leaving only Genghis Cob and Cornelius surrounded by their fallen brothers.

> *"Whom gods destroy, they first drive mad. Mere toys we are for their pleasure, and those it amuses them to raise up, they soon tire of and strike down for their sport." - Genghis Cob, confronting Cornelius.*
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**Final confrontation between Cornelius and Genghis Cob.**

Genghis Cob and Cornelius engaged one another in the great hall of the palace. Though Genghis Cob's martial skills were unequaled, He found Himself unwilling to summon His full strength against His beloved son. Genghis Cob suffered grievous wounds at Cornelius' hands, and after a score of thrusts, parries and counter-thrusts between Genghis Cob's Greatsword. Cornelius sliced open Genghis Cob's chest armour, then opened his jugular and severed the tendons in his right wrist, disarming Genghis Cob. A mounted flamethrower seared the flesh from Genghis Cob's face, destroying one of Genghis Cob's eyes. After tearing Genghis Cobs right arm from its socket, Cornelius raised his father's broken body high over his head, and broke his back over his knee. At that moment, a lone warrior entered the room. Cornelius showed the bodyguard Genghis Cob's broken form and laughed at the warrior. The valiant warrior roared and charged the Warmaster. He was flayed alive by Cornelius' flamethrower. In other accounts of this final battle in some Imperial sources, a legionary knight of the VII legion attacked Cornelius; in still other versions, the doomed man is a simple farmer. The casual brutality of the Warmaster's act galvanized Genghis Cob as he realized what awaited his empire under the rule of Cornelius. Realizing at last that His favoured son was truly lost to hate and anger, Genghis Cob finally gathered his full and awesome strength. Genghis Cob rose from the floor  and charged Cornelius, tackling him to the floor, they engaged in brutal unarmed combat until Genghis Cob took upon Cornelius' own weapon, a longsword, rumored to be crafted by the gods themselves. Genghis Cob roared and furiously sliced at Cornelius, ripping his armor off his body exposing his flesh. It was then, Genghis Cob thrust the blade deep into Cornelius' chest, piercing his corrupted heart. Just before Cornelius died, he looked his father in the eye, shedding a single tear, begging his father to forgive him for his betrayal. Genghis Cob saw regret in his dying son's eyes. He also knew that the power of hate could possess his son once more, and that he would not be there to stop his son again if they did. Driving all of the near-infinite reserves of compassion from his mind to those he had served and loved all the years of his long life, Genghis Cob drew the sword out from Cornelius and with one powerful strike, halved Cornelius, his only son with his own blade.

The heresy is over, but at what cost. millions of lives, entire cities burned. millions lay dead on both sides. But it was over, Genghis Cob collapsed, finally falling to his injuries as his servants took him to his throne to but put in stasis. That day, the palace ran red with the blood of traitors, loyalists, sons and fathers.

**Decline of Cobylon**

 Once Genghis Cob was placed into stasis to recover from his wounds. The rule of Cobylon was left to His most trusted General, Magnus Eridin. However, he was not as wise and knowing as Genghis Cob. When Eridin left the throne to be put into stasis beside Genghis Cob. After him, proceeded a line of weak leaders, who slowly disbanded the colossal military Genghis Cob built as peace became their goal. However the entire reason for Genghis Cob's aggressive expansion was to quickly make room for an ever booming population. But now, nowhere to expand into, the population slowly declined and scattered, with no reason to stay inside the walls of Cobylon, as peace was everywhere, The great Vanguards of Cobylon set off into the world to forge their own destiny, as they no longer had a purpose. As for the tower knights, who their order so long guarded the gates of Cobylon, they chose to be entombed within the bowels of the Palace of the God Emperor. Awakening when they will be needed next, whenever that day may come. Genghis Cob, entombed behind the Obsidian Gate. The two greatest Tower Knights stand guard, an eternal vigil they will have, until the day comes. Along the grand hallway to the Gate, scores of banners line the way, carried in battle by the Empire's greatest heroes from its very founding. At the end of this hallway of heroes the gate itself stands, massive and unbreakable, forged of tempered diamonds, layered with obsidian. Its outer face is sheathed in gold, and masked with an image of Genghis Cob standing triumphant over his broken enemies. Eventually, the now ancient city of Cobylon was a fortress no more, its gates stood open and abandoned. Yet the palace remained under ever vigil watch. Any who may stray too close to the gates of the catacombs beneath the palace are crushed beneath an iron boot by ever watchful Tower Knights. Soon, scavengers picked the city dry of all its possessions. Stains of blood still remain on the doors to the catacombs, no man dares to approach the gates. The city became a myth, its ancient glory and people long forgotten, its wars, its victories, its losses, its glories, its tragedies, its message, its purpose.

Until the day Genghis Cob awoke.