Great Crusade Chronology - Early M31: ca. 001.M31 Ark Reach Cluster Campaign - The Ark Reach Cluster had been discovered by the Word Bearers Legion's 47th Expeditionary Fleet; it was a group of binary stars occupied by a number of belligerent planetary empires that rejected the Imperium's offer to become part of the Emperor's growing demesne. This Imperial Compliance action of the Great Crusade was carried out through the combined efforts of the Thousand Sons working in concert with elements from the Space Wolves and the Word Bearers Legions. The first four star systems fell to the Word Bearers and Space Wolves. But the fifth and especially the sixth world, known as Shrike, required the assistance of the Thousand Sons. The return to the XV Legion of the dreaded mutational "Flesh-Change" occurred at the conclusion of this campaign and helped to bring on the eternal enmity between the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons, as the Space Wolves increasingly regarded the Astartes of the XV Legion as "impure" and blasphemous practicioners of psychic sorcery similar to what had destroyed human civilisation during the Age of Strife.ca. 001.M31 Subjugation of the Akum-Sothos Cluster - The Aukum-Sothos Cluster, which had been brought into Imperial Compliance by the Luna Wolves early in the Great Crusade, had rebelled against Imperial rule due to the actions of controlling xenos. Horus had formulated a plan to cast down the so-called Unsighted Kings, the xenos-possessed leaders of the insurrection, in a lightning war that would purge the afflicted population while retaining the cluster's highly developed infrastructure for future re-population by the Imperium. The Warmaster's plan called for the bulk of four Legions -- the Luna Wolves, Space Wolves, Iron Warriors and Raven Guard -- to converge on the heavily fortified lair of the Unsighted Kings before a final, overwhelming assault was launched. Despite his misgivings, Corax complied, and assigned the majority of the Terran-borne Veterans of the old XIX Legion as the assault's vanguard element. At the height of the battle, with the assault companies decimated and the attack faltering in the face of overwhelming fire, Corax himself led the forlorn hope, his battle cry firing the Legion to such efforts that the breach was carried and Gate Forty-Two taken. The honour of slaying the Unsighted Kings was claimed by Horus as Imperial Warmaster and at the moment of their execution, the xenos' psychic hold over the population was dispelled. The Akum-Sothos Cluster was delivered and Horus' prize was reclaimed. The cost was terrible, however, as thousands of Raven Guard, the bulk of them Terran-born, had given their lives before the shattered walls of the final citadel.ca. 001.M31 Cleansing of 28-3 (Laeran) - When the Emperor's Children's 28th Expeditionary Fleet encountered the serpentine xenos race known as the Laer, they saw the potential for a powerful foe. Seizing the initiative, the 28th Expeditionary Fleet attacked their homeworld of Laeran, for Fulgrim saw the blasphemy in allowing a vile alien race to hold the ideal that they were as perfect as the human form. He ordered his Lord Commanders to attack immediately, beginning a war that the Council of Terra predicted would last for solar decades. Fulgrim heard this prediction, and shook his head. In one solar month's time, he promised, the Imperium would rule Laeran. The Laer never surrendered -- their last warriors died fighting in the ruins of their capital city to protect their central temple dedicated to the worship of the Chaos God Slaanesh, where the primarch discovered the mysterious Silver Blade of the Laer. The encounter with the Chaos-worshipping Laer would mark the beginning of Fulgrim's and the entire III Legion's damnation and their turn away from the service of the Emperor.ca. 001.M31 First Kobolt War, Razing of Thuyela - The 40th Expeditionary Fleet encountered a race of unusually humanoid xenos in Kobolt space who were lethal and proud, and had no interest in human affairs. The xenos' base of operations was a great transparent vessel that sparkled as if it was made of glass, and so was nicknamed by the Imperials "Scintilla City". It was in actuality an Aeldari Craftworld, and was called Thuyela in the Aeldari Lexicon. True to their capricious nature, the Aeldari of Thuyela attacked the 40th Expeditionary Fleet without apparent reason or explanation, and managed to fight the Imperial fleet to a standstill. Fleet commanders called for help, which came in the form of the Space Wolves' 3rd Great Company ("Tra" Company). The Space Wolves decimated Thuyela. It was so completely destroyed that there was nothing left for the Imperial forces to recover or plunder. Horrified by their "allies'" actions, the commanders of the 40th Expeditionary Fleet were disinclined to call upon the Space Wolves for help again, but would do so when they next encountered the race known as the Olamic Quietude.ca. 001.M31 Second Kobolt War, Suppression of the Olamic Quietude - The 40th Expeditionary Fleet was an expeditionary force of the Great Crusade that was shadowed by an Astartes complement made up of the Space Wolves' 3rd Great Company ("Tra" Company). During the Second Kobolt War, the 40th Expeditionary Fleet met up with the Space Wolves near Gogmagog Beta, pressing fruitlessly into the territory of the cybernetic Abhumans called the Olamic Quietude. The Space Wolves assaulted the orbital docks of the Olamic Quietude's homeworld, and through the utilisation of specialised weapons, stealth and brute force, were able to overcome their elite soldiers, known as "Robusts." With their defences deactivated, this allowed for the follow-up planetary assault on the Quietude's ice-covered homeworld and the inevitable destruction of their civilisation.000.M30-007.M31 The Chondax Campaign - Shortly after the Triumph of Ullanor, Jhagatai Khan and his V Legion were next sent to the worlds of the Chondax System. The system was comprised of the planets Epihelikon, Teras, Honderal, Laerteax and Phemus IV, the furthest of the outlying worlds. The culmination of this campaign took place upon the world of Chondax, labeled Chondax Primus EX5, 776 NC-X-S by Imperial cartographers, but named "The White World" by the White Scars due to its salt-like earth. The White World was the crucible of the whole campaign, the heart of those Greenskin forces that had chosen to go to ground in the system. The Khan was ordered by the newly-promoted Warmaster Horus to hunt the remnants of the Ork empire destroyed on Ullanor, the last slivers of the Warlord Urlakk Urruk's Greenskins. The brutal campaign lasted six long standard years as the White Scars hunted the remaining Greenskin forces to extinction. It was while at Chondax that the White Scars would first learn of the outbreak of the Horus Heresy and the betrayal of Horus Lupercal. Delayed by the arrival of the fleet of the Alpha Legion, the White Scars would break-out from the Traitors' cordon and begin the long journey back to Terra in search of answers to why Horus had betrayed the Emperor -- leaving multiple Alpha Legion warships as flaming wreckage in the bargain.001.M31 The Council of Nikaea - There was an increasing concern in the Imperium as the Great Crusade progressed about the use of psychic abilities. More and more often during the progress of the Imperial conquest of the galaxy, the Imperial Army and Space Marines would make planetfall only to find that the populace was in thrall to mysterious powers and unnatural mystics and so-called "sorcerers." These powers were also very akin to those used by the Thousand Sons Legion of the Primarch Magnus the Red. The Thousand Sons had come under criticism for their use of sorcery by some of their fellow Legiones Astartes. The schism grew so great that it threatened the very stability of the fledgling Imperium and so the Emperor Himself had called for an Imperial conclave to resolve the issue once and for all. This conclave was held upon the world of Nikaea, which was intended to determine whether or not the use of psychic sorcery represented a boon or a grave danger to Mankind and the newborn Imperium of Man. The Council of Nikaea was also the trial of Magnus the Red -- for he was accused of sorcery and of introducing sorcerous practices to the Space Marine Legions through the institution of the corps of Librarians. Ultimately the existence of psykers in the Imperium such as astropaths and Navigators was allowed, but tightly restricted under centralised Imperial control, while the potent and unrestricted use of psychic abilities that was defined as sorcery was officially forbidden, as was the use of Librarians by the Space Marine Legions. All existing Librarians were ordered to cease all use of their abilities and return to normal duties as line Astartes following the council. At the same time, Chaplains were established in all of the Legions, using a model provided by Lorgar of the Word Bearers, to ensure compliance with Imperial decrees. Viewing the gathering at Nikaea as his personal trial, Magnus the Red retreats to his homeworld of Prospero admonished, but unrepentant. The psychically-powerful Magnus and his Thousand Sons would continue to study such powers in secret on Prospero in defiance of the Edicts of Nikaea, which would ultimately lead to their damnation by the Ruinous Powers during the early days of the Horus Heresy.ca. 001.M31 Compliance of 63-19 - Forced off course by a Warp Storm, the Luna Wolves' 63rd Expeditionary Fleet discovered a star system of nine planets orbiting a yellow sun quite by accident. After entering the system, they were contacted by a technologically-advanced human society based on the third planet. This world was ruled by a self-appointed "Emperor of Mankind" who claimed to be the predestined ruler of all the scattered remnants of humanity across the galaxy. Though initial negotiations appeared to proceed smoothly, soon talks broke down, which resulted in rising hostilities and the death of one of Horus' favourites, Captain Hastur Sejanus. Horus miraculously did not order an immediate retaliatory strike. Instead, he mobilised an Astartes "speartip" unit to stand by and prepare for a planetary assault. Horus then attempted to negotiate a second time by despatching Maloghurst and another contingent of Luna Wolves, but this mission also ended in disaster when Maloghurst's Stormbird was shot down and presumed lost. The massive ground assault spearheaded by the Luna Wolves was led by First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon, as well as a half-dozen Titans which provided ground support while Assault Craft provided close-air support. The Luna Wolves were eventually able to close and penetrate the capital city's defences, and came face-to-face with the so-called "Emperor". 1st Company Captain Kalus Ekaddon, commander of the Catulan Reaver Squad, swiftly killed the man he believed to be the false Emperor. Then the true false Emperor revealed himself, striking with deadly force against those Luna Wolves that were present, and nearly succeeded in neutralising both Captains Garviel Loken, Ekaddon and the other members of the Catulan Squad. He was only stopped by the timely intervention of the Luna Wolves' primarch, as Horus teleported directly into the Throne Room and slew the false Emperor with a single, well-aimed Combi-Bolter shot to the head. The campaign was concluded with the death of the false Emperor as the main resistance on 63-19 collapsed without his leadership.Samus and the Whisperhead Mountains - At the town of Katheri on 63-19, local superstition speaks of a recurring entity or holy phenomenon known as "Samus." The Luna Wolves destroy all traces of religion in the region and bring the world to Imperial Compliance. However, an encounter with the reality of the Samus Warp entity shakes the faith in the Imperial Truth of those who witness it.ca. 001.M31 Compliance of 140-20 (Urisarach / "Murder") - After the victory against the Laer, Lord Commander Eidolon departed the 28th Expeditionary Fleet with the elite 1st Company of the Emperor's Children to take part in the reinforcement of the Blood Angels 140th Expeditionary Fleet's Compliance of the Death World of Urisarach. Unknown to the Imperial forces, this planet was in actuality a prison world for the dangerous sentient xenos species known as the Megarachnids. These large, arachnoid xenos were described as too numerous and formidable to defeat without reinforcements, and caused heavy losses amongst the Imperial forces. This earned Urisarch's informal appellation of "Murder." A company of the Emperor's Children Legion under the command of Lord Commander Eidolon eventually arrived in response to the Blood Angels' distress calls, but soon took heavy casualties themselves. The situation did not improve until the arrival of the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet and a large force of Luna Wolves, tens of thousands of Imperial Army forces and the Titans of the Legio Mortis deployed to the planet's surface to assist the beleaguered Astartes. By the sixth solar month of the campaign it seemed the Megarachnids would soon face extinction when the fleet deployed by the Interex arrived in-system to determine who had assaulted the Megarachnids' reservation world. Finding contact with the highly-advanced humans of the Interex to be a more pressing issue that needed to be dealt with, the Warmaster Horus Lupercal ended the campaign against the xenos of Murder.ca. 001.M31 Diasporex Persecution - During the latter part of the Great Crusade, the Iron Hands Legion's 52nd Expeditionary Fleet encountered a nomadic, fleet-based civilisation composed of both humans and xenos known as the Diasporex. The Iron Hands shared the Imperial Truth of the Emperor of Mankind and offered the human members of the Diasporex the opportunity to separate from their alien allies and to join the newly-forged Imperium, but they declined the Astartes' offer. Their offer rejected, the Iron Hands passed judgement, and in the following solar months the Iron Hands fleet attempted to annihilate the Diasporex, but they proved to be highly-skilled and experienced in the realm of naval warfare. The Emperor's Children of the 28th Expeditionary Fleet were called in as reinforcements, and so, a joint Imperial strike force composed of both the Iron Hands and forces from the Emperor's Children Legion prepared to launch an all-out assault against the willful Diasporex. During the massive naval battle that ensued, Fulgrim's personal gunship, the Firebird, came under heavy attack and soon found itself in trouble. Ferrus Manus and his flagship, the Battle Barge Fist of Iron, rushed to the rescue of his beleaguered brother. Due to the continuing influence of the daemonically-possessed Silver Blade of the Laer still in Fulgrim's possession, the Phoenician's pride was wounded. He felt that his brother Ferrus Manus had slighted him and was convinced that he was acting pridefully and that his actions were rash, instead of seeing them as they truly were -- humble and heroic. This drove a further wedge between the two brothers that would eventually come to a head several standard years later on Isstvan V.ca. 001.M31 Compliance of 154-4 (Ibsen) - This was a joint Compliance action carried out by multiple Legiones Astartes on the verdant world of Ibsen. The population of this world was a rare example of Aeldari / Human coexistence. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that these humans were in fact descendants of the Salamanders' homeworld of Nocturne who had been liberated from Drukhari captivity by their Craftworld kin. During the campaign, the Iron Hands' Primarch, Ferrus Manus, went missing temporarily, as two Aeldari Seers attempted to show him their precognitive visions of the future and warn him of his impending doom. The Gorgon dismissed these visions as a simple trick. With the population fighting the Imperial forces at every turn, and unwilling to accept the Imperial Truth, Vulkan was left with no other choice but to declare Ibsen and its population irredeemably corrupted. He ordered the world cleansed by flame. He renamed the scoured, Nocturne-like Dead World that remained Caldera. The world was now ready to receive new human colonists and to be exploited for the benefit of the Imperium.ca. 001.M31 Compliance of 154-6 (Kharaatan) - Not long after the successful conclusion of the campaign on Caldera, Vulkan and his Salamanders Legion participated in another joint Imperial Compliance action on the world known as Kharaatan. Designated 154-6, the Salamanders fought alongside the Primarch Konrad Curze and his Night Lords Legion as well as the Mechanicum forces of the Legio Ignis Titan Legion and several Imperial Army regiments. During this campaign, Vulkan became infuriated with his brother Primarch and how his Legion conducted themselves with such brutality. During one notable incident, the Night Lords slaughtered the inhabitants of an entire city in order to seed fear amongst the general population. When he confronted Curze about his Legion's actions, a brief fight ensued between the two demi-gods. After the successful conclusion of this campaign, Vulkan reported Curze's conduct to both Warmaster Horus and his brother Primarch Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists Legion. This incident would later sow the seeds of animosity between Vulkan and his brother Curze, causing a rift that would further widen as the Great Crusade wore on. The events on Kharaatan would have far-reaching affects that would later play a role in what happened to Vulkan after the tragic events of Isstvan V played out.002.M31 The Kayvas Belt Expedition - Many tribes of Orks, scattered and leaderless after the hammerblow they had suffered during the Ullanor Crusade, had fled to the points of the etheric compass -- and many had come to rest in the Kayvas Belt, where they carved new outposts out of the drifting, mineral-rich rocks, licked their wounds while they re-armed. The Alpha Legion had tracked them to their lair and petitioned the Warmaster Horus for the reinforcements required to prosecute their plan of annihilation, but after the campaign at the world called "Murder" and the disastrous engagement with the civilisation known as the Interex, the Luna Wolves had been reluctant to commit warships to Alpharius' new campaign. In the end, it was the Blood Angels who agreed to assist their cousins in the XX Legion, with Sanguinius himself marshalling a sizable intervention to support the efforts of the 88th Expeditionary Fleet. The mission, Alpharius said, would be five standard years in execution. The Angel rejected that premise and promised it would be over in one, and he committed vessels from every active Blood Angels Expeditionary Fleet to the cause. Sanguinius was proved right -- more or less. Just over thirteen solar months after the commencement of the Kayvas initiative, the Orks were almost totally annihilated.003.M31 - The Luna Wolves are renamed the Sons of Horus - <RECORDS UNAVAILABLE>003.M31 First War of Xenobia - During the Imperium's feud with the Interex, a highly advanced human society allied with several xenos species such as the Kinebrach, the full panopoly of Warp-based technologies available to their alien vessels among the Kinebrach are unleashed, creating localised Warp Storms, diseases capable of felling even Space Marines in solar minutes and other inexplicable esoterica. The fighting begins when the Interex accuse the Imperials of stealing an artefact, the Kinebrach Anathame, from a local museum of technology on Xenobia. The deed is actually done by the Word Bearers First Chaplain Erebus, who ensures that the artefact eventually finds its way into the hands of the Renegade Planetary Governor Eugen Temba on the moon of the world of Davin.004.M31 Davin's Moon Campaign and the Fall of Horus - The Warmaster Horus is grievously wounded by a malefic Chaos blade known as the Kinebrach Anathame while fighting Eugen Temba, rebels and the servants of the Plague God Nurgle on the moon of Davin. He is healed within the ancient Serpent Lodge of Davin's moon by its order of priests through the use of Chaos sorcery, but though his life is saved, his soul is forfeit to the Ruinous Powers, who exploit the sliver of jealousy, selfish desire for power and mistrust within Horus' heart to turn him against his father the Emperor. Fearing the influence of the occult on their master, the newly named Sons of Horus fall into schism over the morality of this course of action. From this day forth, Horus makes plans to bring the Imperium to ruin and topple the Emperor from power, replacing him upon the throne of Terra. Though his treachery and malign intent remain hidden, he begins his far-reaching conspiracy to suborn those of his brothers' Legions and the other forces of the Imperium who will aid him and neutralise the threat of those who will not where possible, while preparing in secret to fight a sudden and ruthless civil war. It is later rumoured that it was on Davin that the XVI Legion was first riven and that the Primarch who entered the Serpent Lodge was not the same as the one who left it.004.M31 Battle of Tarsus - Primarch Fulgrim, leading his 28th Expeditionary Fleet, meets with the renowned Aeldari Farseer Eldrad Ulthran of Craftworld Ulthwé on the Maiden World of Tarsus, where the Farseer attempted to warn Fulgrim of the Warmaster's corruption by Chaos after being wounded by a malefic Chaos blade known as the Kinebrach Anathame, at the hands of the Traitor Eugen Temba upon Davin's Nurgle-corrupted moon. Fulgrim reacted with violent outrage at the Farseer's accusations due to his close kinship with his brother Horus. This outrage was further enhanced by the corrupting influence of Fulgrim's Laer daemonblade, which darkly influenced the Primarch to reject the Aeldari's truth and provoked Fulgrim into launching an unprovoked and furious attack on Eldrad and his retinue alongside his Emperor's Children Captains and his personal Phoenix Guard. In the battle that ensued, the Emperor's Children slew both the revered Aeldari Wraithlord Khiraen Goldhelm and a potent Avatar of Khaine, which forced the Farseer and the other Aeldari troops to sorrowfully withdraw, as they realised that Chaos had already claimed yet another of the "Mon-Keigh's" Primarchs. Yet they succeeded in killing all of Fulgrim's elite personal Phoenix Guard before their departure. Believing the Aeldari had proven themselves a treacherous xenos race that sought to divide and conquer the Imperium by spreading such lies about its leaders, Fulgrim, again under the increasing influence of the daemonblade, ordered the destruction of several other beautiful Aeldari Maiden Worlds using hideous Virus Bombs.ca. 004.M31 Battle of Deep Orbital DS191 - Following his delegation to the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet, Fulgrim announced to his senior commanders that he would lead a small force to join Ferrus Manus and his Iron Hands at Callinedes IV in the Callinedes System under the pretense of clearing it of an Ork infestation. The Primarch spearheaded the assault during the pacification of Deep Orbital DS191, leading the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Companies. During the assault, Captain Solomon Demeter, commander of the Emperor's Children's 2nd Company, found himself unsupported by the 1st and 3rd Companies as the battle-plan had laid out. Overextended and in real danger of being cut off and destroyed, the 2nd Company was only saved from certain destruction by the unplanned and timely arrival of the 10th and 13th Companies under the commands of Captains Saul Tarvitz and Lucius, two junior officers that Demeter had found himself associating with more and more as he was systematically frozen out by the III Legion's high command. A dark shroud hung over Lord Commander Vespasian after witnessing these dishonourable actions. He felt obliged to act after he observed Solomon Demeter's 2nd Company being intentionally abandoned by both Captain Kaesoron's and Vairosean's companies. It was a decision that would cost the honourable Astartes his life when he was murdered by the Chaos-corrupted Fulgrim himself, who realised that Vespasian would never follow him into betrayal.004.M31 Vulpa Straits Hrud Migration - Commanding the 51st Expeditionary Fleet, the Warsmith Barabas Dantioch led a large Iron Warriors contingent against a massive xenos incursion known as the Vulpa Straits Hrud Migration. Upon the Fortress World of Gholgis, the Hrud infiltrated and destroyed the Iron Warriors garrison. The intense entropic fields generated by the migratory Hrud swarms caused stone to age and brought flesh to ruin, turning the Astartes warriors into so much dust and bones, rusting their armour and jamming their Bolters as the Iron Warriors' fortress crumbled all about them. Only then did the rachidian beasts creep out of every nook and crevice to attack, stabbing and slicing with their venomous claws. This left Warsmith Dantioch prematurely aged and crippled. Very few survivors made it out alive as Stormbirds extracted the survivors from the remains of Gholgis. Many of the Astartes died from premature aging or were left in aged, superhuman bodies. In the Hrud Migration's aftermath, the worlds of Krak Fiorina, Stratopolae and Gholghis were lost. The Warsmith questioned Primarch Perturabo's prosecution of the Hrud extermination campaign, which left half a Grand Company dead. Dantioch soon found himself relieved from command of the 51st Expeditionary Fleet and permanently garrisoned to the world of Lesser Damantyne for his presumption.ca. 004.M31 Cleansing of Arigatta - This was an Imperial Compliance action that was carried out jointly by the Sons of Horus, the Ultramarines and the World Eaters Legions against the world of Ariggata. When Imperial envoys arrived bearing word of the Emperor and the Imperial Truth, they were executed in a bloody gesture of independence. Most of the planet was quickly conquered, except for the massive fortress within which most of the leaders of the planet cowered. Eager to be on his way, Horus commanded Angron, Primarch of the World Eaters, to take the citadel and kill only the leaders. Eagerly, Angron led the assault. However, the fortress was heavily defended and the casualties were horrendous, a dozen World Eaters falling for every metre of land taken. Eventually, a ramp of corpses led up to a single breach in the wall, and the Astartes of the World Eaters Legion plunged in and slaughtered all remaining survivors, transforming the fortress into an abattoir of blood. Before Guilliman was able to confront his brother Primarchs regarding the massacre on Ariggata, the Horus Heresy erupted, both Horus and Angron spitting on their oaths of loyalty to the Emperor, and Guilliman's worst fears were confirmed.004-005.M31 Start of the War in the Webway - Learning of Horus' treachery and agreement with the Chaos Gods to initiate a rebellion against the Emperor through the use of forbidden sorcery, Magnus attempts to warn the Emperor on Terra via psychic projection. In the process, he breaches the wards around the Great Work -- a conduit built by the Emperor and the Mechanicum from the dungeons of the Imperial Palace into an extradimensional xenos network once governed by the Aeldari called the Webway. The Daemons of Chaos flood into the Imperial extension into the Webway from the Warp, forcing the Legio Custodes and Sisters of Silence into a solar-decade-long war to protect the heart of Terra itself.004-014.M31 The Burning of Prospero - Following his violation of the Edicts of Nikaea in a vain attempt to psychically warn the Emperor of Horus' corruption and planned treachery, Leman Russ is sent at the head of a great censure host comprised of the Space Wolves, the Legio Custodes and the Sisters of Silence to Prospero to bring Magnus the Red back to Terra in chains to face the Emperor's judgement. The Thousand Sons refused to surrender, and their world and works are brought to ruin in a cataclysmic battle which rents the very stuff of space and time. Magnus the Red and the surviving Thousand Sons escape into the Warp where they will soon become the servants of a dark power.004-007.M31 Purgation of Arkenath - An Ultramarines contingent comprised of five-hundred Legionaries participated in a three-standard-year-long campaign against the Vektate xenos overmind, to free the Human population of Arkenath from psychic slavery.004-006.M31 Battle of Signus Prime - The bulk of the Blood Angels Legion was despatched to the distant Signus Cluster by the Warmaster Horus to put down a local uprising. Knowing the IX Legion will never join his cause and fearing their Primarch as an impediment to his plans, or worse, a rival for the affection of the Ruinous Powers, Horus sets his trap at Signus Prime, where in 005.M31 the Blood Angels are beset by a foe none have ever faced before, the daemonic legions of the Ruinous Powers, and assailed by terrifying psychic assaults and distortions of reality. Reality bends and the fabric of the universe is torn open by the powers unleashed by the Warmaster.005.M31 Jorgall Execution - The Jorgall campaign was carried out during the Great Crusade against a race of humanoid aliens known as the Jorgall. Many of these xenos featured extensive cybernetic physical enhancements to improve their physical forms and enhance their fighting abilities. Elements of the Sisters of Silence, alongside the 1st, 2nd and 7th Great Companies of the Death Guard with Mortarion as the commander, launched an assault into the main Jorgall cylinder world in the Iota Horologii System. The Astartes penetrated the drive cluster and destroyed the xenos' control of the cylinder world's motive power centre. Battle-Captain Nathaniel Garro, alongside an elite cadre from the Sisters of Silence, neutralised the construct's hatcheries. Following their hard-fought victory, there were dissenting voices from the Mechanicum contingent who petitioned Mortarion for a few days in which to loot the alien craft of technology. The Primarch, as was his prerogative, refused the request, as the letter of Malcador the Sigillite's orders -- and therefore, by extension, those of the Emperor Himself -- was that the Jorgall incursion into the sector was to be exterminated and nothing more.005.M31 Battle of Isstvan Extremis - The elite 1st Company of the Emperor's Children Legion fought in concert with the Death Guard Legion's 7th Battle-Company, under the command of Battle-Captain Nathaniel Garro, against traitorous forces on Isstvan Extremis, the outermost planet within the Isstvan System. Whilst fighting against a powerful Slaaneshi psyker known as a Warsinger, Garro sustained serious injuries; crushing damage to his torso and arm as well as the loss of his right leg from the mid-thigh down. He was only saved from certain death by the timely ministrations of the Emperor's Children's Chief Apothecary Fabius. Taking stock of the desperate situation, the Emperor's Children Lord Commander Eidolon made use of a hitherto unknown ability -- a modified tracheal implant bonded with the lord commander's vocal chords, that allowed him to produce a nerve-paralysing shriek similar to that employed by certain warrior breeds of the reptilian xenos Laer. This powerful ability killed the Warsinger and helped the Astartes carry the day, but was indicative of the Chaos corruption already rapidly consuming the III Legion in the days just before the outbreak of the Horus Heresy at the Isstvan III Atrocity.