The Silencing

> "*Take me from my home, and I will sail to the stars of your empire. I will serve as a son must serve. But let Colchis stand as I have shaped it: a planet of peace and prosperity.*"
> ― Attributed to the Primarch Lorgar Aurelian, inscribed upon a golden plaque that hung from the immense doors leading into the Spiral Temple of the Covenant in Vharadesh
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## The Silencing

### Attacking Commander

Warmaster Almire Leoric
Charon
Surmah Nyyrik
Jacinto Bolivar (End of the War)

### Strength (Attackers)

The Imperial Justicars
The Wisps of Acheron
The Hounds of Sumrah
Heavy Imperial Army, Mechanicum and Naval Presence
The Gilded Vanguard (Eventually)

### Strength (Defenders)

The Word Bearers
The Colchis Defence Fleet
The Colchis Planetary Defence Force
The Fanatics of Lorgar

### Status

Imperial Victory
Strategic Chaos Victory

### Outcome

Lorgar is slain, and his legion all but annihilated
The few survivors of the Word Bearers who surrendered to the Imperium are taken in by the Wisps of Archeron, their existence a closely guarded secret.
Many of the loyal Primarch's begin to question the Emperor, providing a breach in their defences for Chaos to eventually exploit.
The Gilded Vanguard and the Hounds of Surmah are exiled to the edge of the galaxy.

The event known only as **The Silencing** in those few Imperial Records where it is mentioned at all, or more accuratly, the **Purge of the Word Bearers**, was an event that happened in the closing decades of the Great Crusade, and saw the XVIIth Legion of the Imperium struck down by four of their fellows, their people slain alongside them, and their word consigned to ash. This purge was a direct response to Lorgar and his sons growing worship of the Emperor of Mankind, something they had already been chastised for in the Ashes of Monarchia, their "Perfect City", and yet their punishment had only galvanised them, pushing them further down the path of religious zelotry.

## Dramatis Persona

### The Primarchs

* Warmaster Almire Leoric, The Indominant, Primarch of the Imperial Justicars
* Charon, The Wight Lord, Primarch of the Wisps of Acheron
* Surmah Nyyrik, The Hound of the Moors, Primarch of the Hounds of Surmah
* Jacinto Bolivar, The Alabaster King, Primarch of the Gilded Vanguard
* Lorgar Aurelian, The Urizen, Primarch of the Word Bearers

### The Legions

#### XVI Legion, Imperial Justicars

* Gobalt Asmodeus, First Praetor
* Jean Davoust, Praetor, 6th Chapter
* Fulque Sayre, Forge Master

#### XVIII Legion, Wisps of Acheron

* Achios of Ilnoss, 1st Captain
* Cadmus of Stratos, 5th Captain
* Atreus of Lamios, The Forgotten’s Keeper, 9th Captain
* Mioss of Eileth, The Bearer of Souls, Keeper
* Rhadathys of Eurron, The Bearer of Dread, Keeper

#### XX Legion, Hounds of Surmah

* Tursari Härkönen, Musta Leski, Stalker-Prime
* Rasmus “Hiisi” Hiisivirne, Speaker of the Kalmahitse
* Sakari Takala, Dirge, High Vicar
* Synkkä Vipunen, Arch-Witch
* Jyri Näkki, Second-Stalker
* Egon Geier, Vulture, Third-Stalker
* Valdamar Myrskinen, Iron-Bear
* Ger Stronhiem, Eighth-Stalker
* Reijo Harmataivas, Seventh-Stalker
* Astrithr, Ancient Contemptor Dreadnought

#### XVII Legion, Word Bearers

* Sor Talgron, Warmonger, 1st Captain
* Zardu Layak, Grand Cardinal
* Jarulek, Cardinal
* Maloq Kartho, Cardinal
* Kurtha Sedd, Cardinal
* Quor Vondar, Lord Cleric
* Sorot Tchure, Cleric
* Erebus, Commander
* Foedral Fell, Commander
* Hol Belloth, Commander
* Morphal Cxir, Commander
* Phael Rabor, Commander
* Barthusa Narek, Vigilator
* Eduhkar, Contemptor Dreadnought
* Cyrnair, Contemptor Dreadnought

### Non-Legion Personnel

* Endeimio Trasq, Captain of the *Sielun Murskaaja*
* Talis Vorshk, Captain of the *Wiedergänger*
* Cyrene Valantion, The Blessed Lady
* Aquillon, Occuli Imperator
* Sythran, Custodian

## History

For close to half a century, since the Judgement of Khur at the hands of the Imperial Justicars, the Word Bearers, shamed XVIIth Legion of the Imperium of Mankind, had crusaded alone, few seeing any of their number amongst the stars, and fewer still fighting alongside them. Assigned a contingent of the Emperor’s own Legio Custodes, lead by Aquillion, the Occuli Imperator, the Legion was no longer free from oversight, their every action to be scrutinised and reported back in detail to the Master of Mankind.

In the wake of such a rebuke, it would have been easy for the XVIIth to fall from the path of the light, and indeed they nearly did, the insidious voices of Lorgar’s father figure, First Captain Kor Phaeron, and the First Chaplain Erebus whispering of darker things worthy of the legion’s praise. Lorgar however would not be turned, would not be dissuaded from his absolute belief that the Emperor was indeed divine, the destruction of Monarchia simply a brutal test of his own faith. Soon, the XVIIth moved on from the ruined world, their First Captain lying slain by Lorgar’s own hand, their First Chaplain spared from death for the time being, demoted back to a simple line commander. The Legion had been chastised, and in return Lorgar had chastised some of his own sons, but their faith was secure, and soon, the legion began to rise.

Compliance after compliance was reported back to the Imperium at large by those forces following in the wake of the XVIIth, while the Emperor was kept informed of their progress by the Occuli Imperator. For a time it seemed as though the Legion had reached a new peak of glory, to stand amongst the highest of their kind as a perfect example of what an Astartes Legion could and should be. As the legion continued, contact became truly sporadic, a final communication coming from Lorgar’s flagship in the wake of Ullanor, sending a lengthy message of congratulations to the new Warmaster, before all contact was cut. Due to their now exemplary record, many simply believed they had begun a far flung campaign, none believing anything darker was afoot.

That was, until the Emperor received a single worded warning from his Custodes with the XVIIth, six years after the Ullanor Triumph. A single word would once more threaten the reputation of the *Legiones Astartes*, and unwittingly set the stage for a far darker period of history.

‘Betrayal’

The Emperor’s response was instantaneous, orders sent to Warmaster, the Emperor bidding Almire to gather his sons, as well as the sons of Charon and Surmah, and make all speed for Colchis, homeworld of the Word Bearers. Soon, the legions were mustered, bursting into the Colchis system, the Warmaster leading the flotilla towards the central planet. Per the Emperor’s wishes, and Almire’s own personal feelings on the matter, this was not to be an execution, but an arrest, Lorgar was to stand down and allow himself to be taken back to Terra, there to face the Emperor’s judgement once more. This message was transmitted on all frequencies, being met with silence for three days before finally, on the fourth day, Lorgar spoke, bidding his three brothers to convene with him in person.

Warily, the fleet moved closer, the Word Bearers own fleet holding vigil around the world of Colchis. Always possessing one of the largest fleets amongst the legions, the Word Bearers now possessed a veritable armada, Almire estimating that no legion, save the Star Guardians themselves with their new Solar Defence Fleet, could now match the Word Bearers fleet in size, and even with three fleets at his own disposal, victory in the void was not a foregone conclusion.

Unperturbed, the three fleets continued on towards the planet, holding at the worlds moon as the three flagships and a host of escorts continued, achieving high anchor over the capital city of Vharadesh. Three Stormbirds soon exited the flagships, each one bearing the Primarch and his honour guard to the world, landing at the primary spaceport and exiting to the sound of a million mortal voices screaming their praise, the Word bearers themselves arrayed in perfect lines, guiding the Primarchs and their sons deeper into the city. Gone was the flat grey, replaced by warriors of crimson, trimmed in gold, each bearing seals and flowing papers of written script devoting themselves to the Emperor, God of all Mankind. Surmah bristled at the insinuation, but was kept in line by a single look from the indomitable Almire.

Finally, the procession led to a wide courtyard, and there, the Primarch’s laid eyes upon their brother, the trio stopping at the sight of Lorgar. Bedecked in robes of cream, grey and the new crimson of the new legion, while his face was still covered in flowing script. The old colchisian runes were gone however, instead replaced with flowing high gothic, proclaiming the same devotional prayers as the warriors of the Word Bearers wore, while a Aquila brand, clearly fresh and reapplied multiple times, was pressed into his forehead, the skin irritated but healing rapidly.

As the trio stopped, more of the city seemed to come into focus, revealing what was behind the screaming masses. Horror, blood and the screams of the dying, rising to join the screams of the faithful, ripped from the mouths of the tortured forms of what could only be loyal Imperial citizens who had not given into the fervour that Lorgar and the Word Bearers had whipped up.

In this new revelation, Lorgar took on a new light. Standing before such merciless religious fanaticism, he truly looked every part like the Priest-Kings the Emperor had conquered during Unification. Despite the atrocities surrounding him, he wore a warm and welcoming smile on his face, as though the screams of the mutilated and dying were but music to his ears.

Throwing wide his arms, Lorgar spoke as if he were not standing before the corpses of his own people, proclaiming that they were merely heretics who refused to walk the true path and recognise the Emperor as God of Mankind, not simply its master. In reply, Almire stepped forth, disgust plain across his face as he raised his voice, his armour’s built in vox caster kicking in, addressing the XVIIth and the assembled crowd as if he were a marshal of his own Proctor Sectus law enforcement. The demand was simple, carried directly from the Emperor Himself. The Word bearers were to stand down, Lorgar was to return to Terra, under his own volition if he would, or in chains if he would not. The sentiment was taken up by Surmah, the Hound of the Moors nodding in agreement, promising punishment to be enacted on the homeworld. Lorgar simply bowed his head, murmuring that his brothers were merely another test upon the path of the most holy.

Hands tightened around weapons on both sides as the Primarch so brazenly defined the Imperial Truth, all seeming ready to spring into action, Surmah and his sons even taking a single step forward, before Lorgar rose to speak again, Almire raising a hand and keeping his brother at bay.

In a lengthy speech, Lorgar professed he would consider their offer, that he would weigh all options and give his final say. With that, the Urizen turned and strode away, Word Bearers stepping forth, blocking any from following their master. Even for three Primarch’s, to push forward and fight here would have been to die, and with a barking order, Almire gave the order to return to orbit, Surmah and Charon following behind him, their own moods as dark as the void above.

For a week, no word came from the planet, Almire giving orders to the fleet to prepare to escort the Urizen back to Terra, even as Surmah began to plan planetary assault vectors, ensuring he would be ready the moment Almire gave the order, in his mind Lorgar’s surrender would never be offered.

As the first week ended with still no word, a second delegation was sent down to the planet, bearing the colours of the Hounds of Surmah. As it descended, however, it was met by a flurry of las-fire, destroyed in a split second, all hands lost, the order coming from the shamed Captain Sor Talgron, still bitter over his defeat by the Hounds champion during the Great Feast decades earlier.

Immediately, the Hounds began to move, Surmah ordering a full planetary invasion even as his warships turned to combat the Word Bearers fleet. In his mind, Anntarus could not ignore such a brazen strike against his sons, and yet even as he moved, the Warmaster entered the Hounds flagship, Charon by his side, the pair ordering Surmah to stand down. Reprisals would be given, but they would be small in scale, the equal of Surmah’s own loss. Surmah seethed at the verdict, but Almire brokered no argument. He was Warmaster, his word was law, and he would not allow his brothers unchecked rage to turn Colchis into a bloodbath, not until every other avenue had been attempted.

Still smarting from the humiliation of being kept on his leash, the Hounds of Surmah launched a deadly lightning raid on the Word Bearers fleet, teleporting onto an escort vessel, slaying all aboard before setting the ship to detonate, the message sent clear; If Lorgar pushed, Almire would allow for escalation. The system was a tinderbox now, both sides having tasted the blood of the other, relationships fast degrading

Attempting to end the conflict peacefully one final time, Almire and Charon, without Surmah this time, descended to the planet. Almire giving his decree once more, while Charon pleaded with his brother to listen to reason, to follow them to Terra and face their father once more. For an instant, it looked as if Lorgar would relent, before his face hardened, proclaiming that he would allow his brothers to leave this world, but the next time they approached, they would be fired upon.

As they returned to orbit, Almire gave his orders with a heavy heart. The assault was to begin, still confined to legion targets, and still shackelling the Hounds to conventional weapons, insisting that this would still be conducted as an arrest effort, not a purge. Surmah raged against this, but here he was outnumbered, his rage simmering beneath the surface as hostilities erupted throughout the system.

Three legions clashed against the power of the Word Bearers swollen fleet, Almire expertly commanding the forces at his disposal like they were an extension of his body, showing time and time again why he had been named Warmaster. In short order, the loyalists had punched through the Word Bearers orbital defences with enough strength to land a sizeable force on the world's surface. If Almire had been hoping for the orbital dominance secured at Baal years earlier however, he would be sorely disappointed, the Word Bearers fleet rallying and forcing the loyalists back, cutting off the troops on the ground as the quick action began to descend into a blood and slow paced siege action.

Surmah continually petitioned Almire to fully unfetter him and his sons, to bring the world to bloody compliance, Charon siding with Surmah for the first time in this, promising victory if he were allowed to target the civilian populace of Colchis, but Almire remained steadfast as ever, any who fought were targets, but if they did not, or they threw down their weapons in surrender, they were to be treated as prisoners of war, handled by the mortal auxilia forces Almire had brought with him.

The progress was slow, but it was inexorable, their victory a matter of when, not if, the bloodshed kept as small as possible on both sides. No timescale had been demanded by the Emperor when he had bid Almire to carry out this action, and so Almire was unmoving, the siege continuing.

Then finally, as the first month of open conflict elapsed and began to sprawl into a second, the warp yawned wide, vomiting forward another fleet, seemingly preceded by a storm as Jacinto, the Alabaster King of the Gilded Vanguard, transmitted his intention to board the *Wrath of Judgement*, Almire’s flagship. It was not a request.

Alongside this great fleet was another ship, bearing a different allegiance, and tiny in comparison to the war fleet of the Gilded Vanguard it had travelled with. This vessel was not here to fight the war however, instead merely marking its passing, bearing the ringed symbol of the IVth Legion, the Praetorian own Star Guardians. Shaaa had reportedly petitioned the Emperor to allow him to travel to Colchis, to help end the conflict and spare his brother from himself, but had been denied, only allowed to send a handful of his Hydradyne elite, their mission to simply watch from afar, so that they may report back to their master.

Furious at being summoned by a brother but meeting him nonetheless, Almire allowed the Tempest Lord to land on his flagship, listening as Jacinto brought forth new orders from the Master of Mankind. The Emperor was displeased with Almire, expecting the matter to be closed by now. At this, Almire rallied, snapping that he was given no timeframe and was given autonomy to continue the action as he saw fit. Jacinto just laughed at this, before speaking the words that Surmah had wished to hear since the conflict began.

The Word Bearers had expended the Emperor’s mercy and were to be put to the sword, wiped out, root and stem for their transgressions, while Lorgar was to be brought back to Terra in chains to face sentencing. Though he did not say the words, none doubted what this would mean. With this, Jacinto turned, returning to his own fleet, and with a heavy heart, Almire gave new orders. The scope of the battle had changed, their mission parameters no longer capture and capture alone. A general order to all Imperial forces was given, all gloves were to come off, all fetters removed. It was what Surmah had been waiting for all along.

Surging forward, the fleets of the Gilded Vanguard and Hounds of Surmah smashed into the Word Bearers fleet, the XXth striking with renewed ferocity alongside the fresh Gilded Vanguard. Against such a foe, even the mighty fleet of the Word Bearers could not survive, the *Fidelitas Lex* falling to the combined wrath of the Gilded Vanguard's flagship and the Hounds of Surmah’s battleship, *Wiedergänger*.

With the fleet gone, the loyalists were free to rain fire down upon the world, the Hounds unleashing chemical, radiological and phospex weapons against the world, salting its surface for all time with their ancient and terrible destroyer weapons. Civilians deaths rose into the millions in the first few minutes of the bombardment, the Gilded Vanguard plunging to the surface with the Hounds at the outskirts of the city, engaging the bulk of the Word Bearers Legion, while the *Last Judgement* and *Crossing* took up positions above Vharadesh once more, opening two more fronts.

Casualties rose at a phenomenal rate, amongst both sides of the conflict and the civilian populace, far faster than even the highest estimates from Almire’s initial plan. The Hounds of Surmah unleashed their full fury against the Word Bearers and Colchisians, the Kulleretari units and Khmali super-heavy tanks saturating the ground with so much radiation that it forced both sides to abandon it, save the Hounds themselves, armoured against their own weapons, and allowing Surmah and his Ajattaraenen to head directly for Lorgar’s central cathedral.

Elsewhere, Jacinto and his sons hit the surface like a thunderhead, leveling hab-block after hab-block, their massed armor and terminator assaults annihilating everything around them with a brutality the Colchisians had never thought possible, the Krakens completely destroying everything and anything that stood before them, cutting a bloody path towards Lorgar’s cathedral, determined to reach the Primarch’s holdfast before any other.

Almire and the Imperial Justicars began their slow advance through the capital, opening up another advance towards the cathedral, securing one hab-block after another, slaying any who raised arms against them, but sparing any who stood aside, taking numerous prisoners from the mortal armed forces, though it was the Wisps who took the greatest prize, a large contingent of Word Bearers surrendering their arms and armour to the XVIIIth. Though the advance of the XVIth legion was far slower than that of the VIIIth or XXth, they took time to secure the ground they took, using it to stage further ground assaults, as well as providing fall back points and defences in the event of overwhelming Word Bearer counter assault.

And finally, the Wisps of Acheron burnt their way through the city, ignoring or avoiding as much direct confrontation as possible while they brought their flame weapons to bear against the profane religious symbols that the mortal masses rallied around, sending humans fleeing in terror from the black and bone clad warriors. Charon however did not lead his sons, instead remaining in orbit, sending a continuous vox-hail to Lorgar, begging him to surrender and let his brothers save him from this destruction. For hours this was met with silence, before finally, Lorgar transmitted coordinates for a single site-to-site teleport, Charon and his personal guard leaping at the opportunity, materialising inside Lorgar’s personal chamber, finding the Urizen in prayer, clad in the Armour of the Word, the mace Illuminarum before him, being blessed with holy oils by the only other occupant of the room; the Blessed Lady of Monarchia, Cyrene.

Charon begged for Lorgar to turn from this path, to see sense and surrender, sparing what was left of his legion and his sons, but Lorgar would not be dissuaded, telling Charon of his visions of the future unfolding in the now, one far too horrifying to be allowed to come to pass, no matter the cost to himself or his sons. Brother fighting brother, legion turned on legion, tearing each other apart as uncaring and unseen gods laughed and drunk deep from the suffering of mankind, growing strong enough to challenge even the Emperor. The visions were granted to Lorgar by the God Emperor himself, the current war the final test of his newfound faith. If he was to but stay true, that future would be averted, and he would stand beside the Emperor as his father took his final ascension, triumphant over the abominations of the warp.

Before any more could be discussed, the Hound of the Moors appeared, passing through the chambers wall as if it were simply not their, snatching up the feeble form of Cyrene in a claw, the woman wailing in pain as the radiation around Surmah began to boil her flesh and blood. Charon and Lorgar took a step forward, the Wight Lord to stop Surmah and Lorgar to snatch up Illuminarum, but Surmah halted them both with a word, chastising Charon for not finishing the fight, something he would not do.

Before he had the chance to however, another shape blurred into the room, larger than any other as it slammed into Lorgar. Jacinto had arrived, and with a roar, let his axe fly at the Bearer of the Word, looking at Surmah and Charon in between his strikes, forbidding them from interfering, naming Surmah little more than a scavenger playing with its food, not the hunter that Jacinto proclaimed he was. Neither loyalist Primarch moved, simply watching the fight unfold, Lorgar hopelessly outclassed.

For what felt like an age, but was in truth mere minutes, Jacinto broke Lorgar’s defence, soon having him utterly at his mercy. Here, Charon assumed the Tempest Lord would cease, to follow the Emperor’s orders and capture Lorgar for transport back to Terra, but Jacinto had no intention of stopping now. His eyes shot wide as he realised this, Charon started to move, but it was far too late, Jacinto’s great halberd Marrowbane cleaving through Lorgar’s head, slicing it apart and finally bringing an end to the Bearer of the Word.

For a moment, nothing moved, Lorgar’s body remaining upright for a moment longer, before Jacinto let out a bellowing warcry of triumph, the body falling to the floor, blood spilling from the mortal wound done to it.

This triumph however was short lived, as Charon barrelled into Jacinto, catching the larger Primarch by surprise as he knocked him to the floor. The Wight Lord let out a scream of his own, his claws finding Jacinto’s helmet and ripping it free, Charon pummelling his brothers face into a bloody ruin, tearing chunks of Jacinto’s armour free before finally being dragged off by Surmah. A moment later, Almire strode into the room, Charon and Surmah now away from the still prone Jacinto. The Warmaster surveyed the carnage that greeted him with unfettered, cold fury, slowly advancing on Jacinto and standing over him, looking between the Tempest Lord and the fallen Urizen, his Glaive raised, seemingly ready to strike.

The blow never fell, Almire hissing that Jacinto had overstepped, Surmah initially coming to the aid of his brother, before an icy glare from Almire stopped him in his tracks. As the rest of the world was brought to compliance, an impromptu trial was held for the shamed Jacinto, Surmah standing beside his actions, stating that the Emperor had clearly wished this, else he would have sent the likes of Bartosz and Gaius, diplomats, rather than the legion specialised in extermination and the Tempest Lords own sons, their disgust for Lorgar’s ilk well known.

In response to this, Charon spoke, vilifying Jacinto for overstepping his mark, pointing out that by his own words, the Emperor’s orders had been to bring Lorgar to Terra, something they could have easily accomplished, had Jacinto been able to restrain his base instincts, Charon spitting his final words like a wad of bile, naming Jacinto as ‘Kin-Slayer’.

At this, Jacinto rose to his own defence, claiming his actions had been sanctioned by the Emperor and Malcador when he had been sent to clear up the failure of the censorship, laying the blame solely at Almire’s feet, claiming the Warmaster had been the one who failed, not him.

Finally, Almire rose, all falling silent before his impossibly furious gaze. Speaking with the full authority of his office, Almire declared that Jacinto had acted without orders from the Emperor, against Almire’s direct orders, and without any mandate for the actions he had taken. Both Jacinto and Surmah railed at this, but Almire silenced them both before continuing. Jacinto and his sons would be exiled, just as the Word Bearers themselves once had been, to crusade alone on the fringes of Imperial space, only to return when the Warmaster himself had judged their punishment served. For a legion so linked to their homeworld, returning their en-masse more often than any other, this was a harsh punishment. Before Jacinto or Surmah could speak once more, Almire fixed the Hound of the Moors with a stare that was plain in its meaning, daring Surmah to speak as well and see punishment heaped upon his legion.

For a moment, Surmah held the Warmaster’s gaze, before relenting and bowing his head, Jacinto’s rage now moving from just the Warmaster to Surmah as well, cursing his cowardice before striding from the room, his legion withdrawing soon after, disappearing into the warp as they returned home one last time.

Shortly afterwards, the others moved to leave the world, the fighting now ended, those left alive who were faithful to Lorgar now in hiding. Soon, the dead were stripped, the armouries of the world salvaged, and the legions withdrawing to orbit. Armour and vehicles would be reconsecrated, their machine spirits placated before being repainted and placed into the service of those legions who had been present, but of Lorgar’s personal effects, only three items remained, the rest being purged by fire from the Wisps, or perishing in the Exterminatus unleashed by the Hounds of Surmah.

Illuminarum, Lorgar’s great Crozius Arcanum had fallen beside the Primarch’s body, Surmah ensuring the mace was taken by his sons, ferried to orbit under his orders. This was not to remain in the armoury of the XXth however, Surmah calling the Hydradyne of the Star Guardians to his flagship as the legions withdrew. There, the Hound of the Moors presented the weapon to the assembled astartes, Tyban Gharz taking it with reverence as Surmah bid them to return it to their father, stating that such a weapon should be returned to its creator, not lost in the fires of censorship.

Charon also took hold of an item, a single leather-bound tome from Lorgar’s personal chambers, before bringing forth a flamer to cleanse the religions iconography within. None knew he took the book, and Charon never spoke of it, keeping it amongst his most private of possessions, hidden, just like those of the Word Bearers who had surrendered to his sons were now hidden amongst his ranks.

And finally, Almire remained behind longer than any of his brothers, ensuring that the great golden plaque that hung from the immense doors leading into the Spiral Temple of the Covenant in Vharadesh and bore Lorgar’s own words was removed and placed aboard Almire’s flagship. The plaque would be returned to terra and presented to the Emperor of Mankind, as proof of the worlds destruction.

> *"Take me from my home, and I will sail to the stars of your empire. I will serve as a son must serve. But let Colchis stand as I have shaped it: a planet of peace and prosperity."*
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Thus was the Word Silenced and the Second Son felled, the consequences of the action shaking the Imperium to its very core, unknowingly laying the seeds for a far greater conflict, Lorgar’s vision of the future standing firm, soon to be proved terribly, but entirely, correct.