vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Dark Mechanicum - A God Incarnate: When the Age of Strife came to an end in the 30th Millennium, the Emperor of Mankind was determined to bring to fruition His future plans for human unity in a very hostile galaxy. He knew the time had come to unite all of Humanity under one banner after the destructive birth of the Chaos God Slaanesh in the 30th Millennium reopened the galaxy to Warp travel and communication.With the use of genetically-modified warriors who presaged the development of the first Space Marines, He quickly rose to dominance on Old Earth, uniting the once-divided nations of Mankind's birthplace during the Unification Wars. He then set His sights on the wider galaxy, and with His newly-created Space Marine Legions at the forefront of His great expeditionary fleets, the Emperor launched His Great Crusade out into the void.When the Emperor had first come to Mars seeking an alliance between His regime and the powerful Cult Mechanicus, the Tech-priests had recognised a kindred spirit; a man of science who valued the power of machines and technological advancement. As word of the "technological divinity" of this strange golden warrior reached the wider populace of Mars after the Emperor's first arrival at the Red Planet atop the mountain of Olympus Mons, some Tech-priests even began to equate the Emperor with the physical embodiment within the universe of their own Machine God -- the Omnissiah.The Emperor forged an alliance in 739.M30 with the ancient Mechanicum through the Treaty of Mars -- an alliance of two empires that marked the true foundation of the Imperium of Man. In return for supplying the needed materiel for His armies and building a mighty warfleet in the orbital shipyards of Mars' Ring of Iron for His crusade to reunite the stars, the Emperor promised to protect the Tech-priests and respect the autonomy of their Forge Worlds and their freedom to continue to practice their faith. This was a protection offered despite the official atheism of the Imperial Truth that the Emperor intended to promulgate across all the other worlds of the newborn Imperium.
Dark Mechanicum - Dissension in the Ranks: For the masses of Mars, the Omnissiah was now a tangible being, a golden figure who had trod the red surface of Mars. But a small minority among the Tech-priests believed that the Emperor was nothing more than a false god who had enslaved the Martian Priesthood to His will with lies. This bitter resentment, harboured over the next two Terran centuries, would fester below the surface, until such time when this rancorous hatred would boil over into a terrible rebellion against the authority of this false god.This small sect of dissenters believed the Emperor purposely came to Mars in the guise of the Omnissiah, albeit a false god who came at the head of an army of conquest. The peace that the Emperor had offered the Mechanicum was illusory, a conceit designed to conceal a darker truth. These dissenters believed that the Emperor offered peace with one hand whilst keeping a dagger behind His back with the other.In reality, the Emperor's offer was an ultimatum, "Join with me or I will simply take what I need from you." Faced with a choice that was no choice at all, the Tech-priests had been forced to bargain away the autonomy of Mars and see the sacred Red Planet become little better than a vassal world of Terra, Mars' ancient rival for leadership among Mankind during the Age of Technology.
Dark Mechanicum - Imminent War: Two Terran centuries passed after the signing of the Treaty of Mars, and the individual known as Kelbor-Hal rose to a position of much prominence within the Mechanicum. He had become the fabricator-general of Mars, the master of the Red Planet's mightiest forge city, Olympus Mons.The fact that such an ambitious and duplicitous individual ever rose to prominence and the eventual leadership of the Mechanicum is one of the great tragedies of Imperial history. It is remarkable to Imperial scholars of today that an individual as extraordinarily gifted as Kelbor-Hal could be so wrong-headed as to bring so mighty and august a body as the Mechanicum over to the service of heresy and rebellion.The fabricator-general knew he should be proud of his accomplishments, for he had uncovered more of the secrets of Humanity's lost technology than any before him and had overseen the longest reign of increasing production quotas in the Mechanicum's history. But pride, like many other emotional responses, had all but vanished as the organic cogitator once housed in his skull had been gradually replaced with synthetic synapses and efficient conduits for logical thought.The climate on Mars was full of discontent during this tumultuous time in the days just before Horus openly declared his rebellion against the Emperor. There were tense relations between the various Mechanicum magi who governed Mars, with sporadic outbreaks of espionage and violence being committed against the various forge cities that represented the primary sociopolitical units of Mars. There were even unconfirmed suspicions that the various Titan Legions of the Collegia Titanica, the most potent military forces available to the Mechanicum, had already secretly chosen sides in case of a potential conflict.
Dark Mechanicum - Schism of Mars: When this repository was reopened, there was all manner of forbidden arcane knowledge and weaponry that had obviously been tainted by the corrupting influence of Chaos stored within. Soon the corruption spread throughout the forge cities and temples to the Machine God across the Red Planet as scrap code -- Chaos-contaminated digital source code that was infected with an arcane computer virus -- which infested the logi-stacks and cogitator (computer) archives of the Mechanicum, causing literal Chaos to emerge in any cogitator system that was networked to one of its infected counterparts.The opening acts of treachery had already occurred, yet Fabricator-General Kelbor-Hal could not openly march to war against the Emperor without the appropriate pretense, providing the excuse to silence his detractors and eliminate his rivals. The fabricator-general and his allies amongst the Renegade Tech-priests who would later be called the "Dark Mechanicum" by their Loyalist foes used the disruption unleashed by the scrap code attack to bide their time and marshal the strength of their forces. Kelbor-Hal and his allies also used the tactics of sabotage and assassination in an attempt to eliminate those who were unwilling to join their cause.But the opportunity to go openly to war eventually presented itself when the Techno-Magi Koriel Zeth, the Mistress of Magma City, declared that she did not believe the Omnissiah actually existed. This open apostasy from the sacred doctrines of the Cult Mechanicus was the excuse the forces of the Dark Mechanicum needed to finally wage open warfare against their enemies, declaring them to be Heretics and apostates to the faith that had been sacred on Mars for millennia.Magma City would soon become a focal point in the struggle for those amongst the Mechanicum who remained loyal to the Emperor. Open warfare eventually erupted across the Red Planet as Martian forces, both civilian and military, fought one another in a deadly and escalating civil war known as the Schism of Mars whose destructiveness mirrored that unfolding in the wider galaxy between Loyalist and Traitor forces.
Dark Mechanicum - Acts of Treachery: To help the Warmaster Horus achieve his goals, Kelbor-Hal oversaw the construction of the mighty battleship Furious Abyss in the orbital shipyard of Thule, a former asteroid, which had been towed by the Mechanicum into orbit of the gas giant of Jupiter in the Sol System, far beyond prying eyes and questions. This formidable warship was unlike any other of its kind. It was so heavily armoured that it could withstand even a concerted assault from a planetary laser defence battery. It was the greatest and largest vessel ever assembled by Mankind, unique in every way and powerful beyond reckoning.Kelbor-Hal had sanctioned the construction of such a vessel because it suited his great purpose, namely the burgeoning desire, or rather intrinsic programming, within the servants of the Machine God to gradually become one with their slumbering deity. The Emperor had sought to place restrictions upon the Mechanicum's ability to explore every avenue of knowledge that might lead to a closer unity with the Machine God.Horus had promised to remove all of those restrictions and perhaps even open new vistas of knowledge for the Mechanicum to explore in the form of his allies amongst the entities of the Warp. Faced with such a choice, the question of Kelbor-Hal's allegiance and that of the Mechanicum factions loyal to him had required mere nanoseconds of computation.The Furious Abyss had been intended to become the new flagship of the traitorous Word Bearers Legion. None could know of the vessel's existence until it was too late. Steps had been taken to ensure that remained the case. The massive battleship had been created with one deliberate mission in mind: the annihilation of an entire Space Marine Legion. The Word Bearers' ultimate aim as part of the Warmaster's larger plan of conquest was to infiltrate the Realm of Ultramar in the Eastern Fringes of the galaxy and attempt to destroy the Ultramarines Legion and their homeworld of Macragge.In a final act of treachery, Kelbor-Hal had the Jovian shipyards destroyed once the Furious Abyss was complete. For the workers at the yards there was no time to flee to safety, and there were no survivors. Every Tech-priest, servitor and menial present at the yards was burned to ash. None would discover the massive voidship that had been fabricated upon the asteroid's surface until it was much, much too late.A great deal of precious technology was lost during Thule's destruction and so it proved to be a steep price for the Traitor elements within the Mechanicum to pay for the absolute and certain secrecy required to bring to fruition the Warmaster's plan to destroy the Ultramarines. But in the end, the fabricator-general's will had been carried out and the Dark Mechanicum played its part in the tragedy that would ultimately unfold on a world called Calth.
Dark Mechanicum - Post-Heresy: At present, the Tech-priests and Dark Magi of what is now called the Dark Mechanicum, who are considered Hereteks amongst their counterparts in the Cult Mechanicus, have pledged their souls to the worship of the Dark Gods of Chaos. Within the Eye of Terror they continue to service and maintain the war machines and wargear of the Traitor Legions, the Traitor Titan Legions and the other forces of Chaos with equal fervour.They plumb the depths of secret and forbidden knowledge kept hidden by the Ruinous Powers. Still dedicated to the acquisition of all knowledge in the universe much like their Loyalist counterparts, the Dark Mechanicum believes their uncorrupted brothers and sisters in the Adeptus Mechanicus are fools, for they will never be able to fully comprehend the divinity that is true knowledge if they cut themselves off from the secrets offered by the Dark Gods.The Tech-adepts of the Dark Mechanicum see the Omnissiah of the Cult Mechanicus as being embodied in the power of Chaos Undivided rather than the Emperor of Mankind. As such, they pledge themselves to the destruction of the God-Emperor, who they believe is a false prophet who has led the rest of their fellows astray.The members of the Adeptus Mechanicus are horrified by what they view as their Chaos counterparts' tech-heresy, and feel that the Dark Mechanicum's knowledge is a blasphemous affront to the Machine God and His Omnissiah, even as they are always curious to learn more about what their dark brethren are up to...
Dark Mechanicum - Hell-Forges: There are those servants of Chaos who live beyond the normal ken of mortals within a realm not entirely of the material universe and not entirely of the Warp: a Daemon World where the laws of nature and reason have been completely usurped by the whims of the Ruinous Powers.Here Daemons roam freely and are constantly nourished by the twisting winds of sorcery as mortals become their playthings with a value only as Chaos Champions or slaves. Daemon Worlds are a sanctuary for the worshippers of Chaos with the means and courage to flee to them. The Inquisition never rests in its efforts to eliminate the devotees of the Dark Gods, but a Daemon World defies even their shadowy reach.A few Daemon Worlds are dominated by the remnants of the Dark Mechanicum that once followed Horus. These Dark Mechanicum Hell-Forge worlds are wholly given over to Daemon-machines and infernal industries, where mills grind flesh and suffering is the currency used to make the insane visions of their nightmarish masters real. Countless millions are enslaved to work in a world-spanning network of labyrinthine forges, churning out an endless supply of weapons and armaments for the Traitor Legions' Long War against the Imperium.The masters of these Dark Mechanicum Hell-Forge worlds, most now half-Daemonic machines themselves, have long since left the shreds of their Humanity behind and are beholden to none -- be they mortal or Chaos God. They sell or barter their unholy inventions and arms to the highest bidder, be they warlord, demagogue, Chaos Sorcerer or Daemon Prince without favour, and their coin of exchange is always the same -- new raw materials -- the flesh and souls of slaves for the Dark Forge World's unquenchable hunger.These fallen Forge Worlds are enclosed in a perpetual blanket of dark grey clouds. Below the clouds is the source: stack after stack of vertical pipes rising even to the lower cloud decks and billowing thick, toxic smoke into the acrid air. No sign of the actual surface can be seen, for all is covered with layered factories, which are burning, creating, and forging night and day (though there are few who can tell the two apart given the atmosphere). Robed figures wander without wasteful delay in their tasks, exposed cloth allowing glimpses of artful mechadendrites or metallic limbs.Closer examination reveals more of the real nature of these dark worlds. Unhidden, clear to even a casual glance, is the mark of the Ruinous Powers. Runes and glyphs of unholy meaning litter walls, declaring patronage to the Dark Gods. Even the Hereteks carry these marks upon their branded flesh, their allegiance to the Machine God burned away from their synapses. The forges themselves burn with the terrible smells of burning blood and scorched flesh, fed by souls as well as promethium and low-grav alloys of steel.The blessed Cog Mechanicum is gone, instead there are leering metal skulls in a circlet of spiked teeth. But the worst thing is that there is no proper, logical structure to the world. Forge cities rise in random fashion, lurching towards the skies and deep into the planetary crust at the whims of their Dark Magi lords.
Dark Mechanicum - Arch-Hereteks: Within the Eye of Terror and many parts of the Halo Stars there exist those who defy the dictates and traditions of the Adeptus Mechanicus, choosing to experiment with technology and try to understand how it works without the sanction of the Cult Mechanicus. Condemned as techno-heretics, or Hereteks, these individuals are hunted for their blasphemous acts, and shown no mercy should they be caught.Many of these individuals flock together for mutual protection and the benefits of their illicit studies. Such groups often find that the employ of pirates and smugglers grants them the freedom and mobility they need to survive, and the opportunity to work with advanced machinery beyond the gaze of the Mechanicus.Over the years, certain Hereteks have arisen in the Koronus Expanse accompanied by tales of infamous actions. Their sinister reputations have generated a collective moniker amongst the low-born populaces from Footfall to Damaris. Now in the Expanse a fallen Tech-priest of sufficient skill and infamy is likely to be labelled an "Arch-Heretek" by the populace.Though there are no set criteria for what makes an Arch-Heretek, they are often a match for true Tech-priests and Explorators in terms of their understanding and proficiency with machines. The greatest of them were once Tech-priests themselves, now turned from the worship of the Omnissiah. Arch-Hereteks are highly valued by void-faring criminals, both for their expertise in all things technical and their unique abilities.
Dark Mechanicum - Dark Tech: Dark Tech is the tool of Hereteks, comprising forbidden techlore and machine-patterns that defile the Omnissiah's gifts, imperil the soul, and taint the sacred form of Mankind. Servants of the Inquisition recognise many forms of Dark Tech: Warpmachines built by outcast Enginseers of the Machine Cult; perversions of cogitation; tech-sorcery that corrupts worlds; the myriad sins of various Heretek Renegades; and others.Yet it is the rare and dedicated Monodominant Inquisitor who is willing to burn errant device-patterns alongside the Hereteks who use them. The Inquisition must understand its enemies, and so the lore of tech-heresy flows into the sealed vaults of the Holy Ordos.There it lurks, a temptation for Radical Inquisitors -- for Dark Tech is imbued with great power. At first it is power enough to reveal vital secrets, divine the right choice in matters of life and death, or utterly destroy enemies of the Imperium. In the end it is power enough to corrupt a Radical's soul, and make of them that which they once hunted.
Dark Mechanicum - Sources: Black Crusade: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 44-46Black Crusade: Tome of Fate (RPG), pp. 36-41, 84-92Dark Heresy: Enemies Without (2nd Edition) (RPG), pp. 12, 21, 25, 32-33, 70-71, 75, 141Dark Heresy: Ascension (RPG), pp. 201-202Dark Heresy: Creatures Anathema (RPG), pp. 16-17, 21-22, 26-28, 32-36Dark Heresy: Disciples of the Dark Gods (RPG), pp. 40-51, 62, 192Dark Heresy: Edge of Darkness (RPG), pg. 28Dark Heresy: Enemies Within (2nd Edition) (RPG), pp. 52, 56Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook (RPG), pg. 38Dark Heresy: The Radical's Handbook (RPG), pp. 44-47, 52-53, 120-122, 162, 175-178, 189-196Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos (RPG), pp. 85-93Deathwatch: The Achilus Assault (RPG), pp. 89-94Deathwatch: The Emperor Protects (RPG), pp. 104-131Horus Heresy: Collected VisionsImperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pg. 163Rogue Trader: The Navis Primer (RPG), pg. 65Rogue Trader: Hostile Acquisitions (RPG), pp. 32-33The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 55, 248The Horus Heresy - Book Two: Massacre (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 42The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 157The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 54-55, 57, 99, 147, 150, 162, 205The Horus Heresy - Book Six: Retribution (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 71, 272-273Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (5th Edition), pg. 125Know No Fear (Novel) by Dan AbnettFulgrim (Novel) by Graham McNeillMechanicum (Novel) by Graham McNeillBattle for the Abyss (Novel) by Ben CounterFirst and Only (Novel) by Dan AbnettStorm of Iron (Novel) by Graham McNeillIron Warrior (Novella) by Graham McNeillThe Chapter's Due (Novel) by Graham McNeillHeroes of the Space Marines (Anthology), "Skull Harvest" by Graham McNeillEye of Vengeance (Audio Book) by Graham McNeillTitanicus (Novel) by Dan AbnettTitandeath (Novel) by Guy Haley, Ch. 9Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus, Heretek DLC - Mission 1 (Video Game)
Dark Muses - Dark Muses: The Dark Muses are a group of infamous Drukhari who now serve as both examples to aspire to and objects of reverence for their foul race. As far as the Drukhari are concerned, the Aeldari gods died in the Fall of the Aeldari and they despise them for it.That the gods had become so weak that they could be consumed by the ascendancy of Slaanesh indicates that they never deserved to exist in the first place.The exceptions are Khaela Mensha Khaine, the Aeldari god of war who is still held in high regard in Commorragh and the lesser powers known as the "Dark Muses" who are the embodiments of selfish vice and whose clandestine worship by the ancient Aeldari pleasure cults contributed to the demise of the Aeldari Empire.The Dark Muses are truly powerful Drukhari from ages past who have essentially become folkloric figures of reverence, much like the Imperial Cult's saints.Worship of these beings started sometime between the 19th and 24th Millenniums by the Imperial Calendar, when the traditional worship of the Aeldari gods began to wane as new sects and societies dedicated to hedonistic excess began to rise in power among the ancient Aeldari.Many epitomise a particular form of vice, whose worship and practice weakened the Aeldari Gods and so helped to bring about the Fall.Favoured by assassins and murderers is the Dark Muse Shaimesh, the Lord of Poisons, the treacherous brother of Saim-Hann the Cosmic Serpent, for whom the craftworld Saim-Hann was named.The courtesan elite of the Cult of Lhamaea pay homage to Lhilitu, the Consort of the Void, whereas powerful Archons are more likely to follow the tenets of Vileth, a being synonymous with the immense arrogance so often displayed by the Drukhari.Before they enter combat, many traditionalist Wych Cults invoke the Red Crone Hekatii, or make sacrifices to Qa'leh, Mistress of Blades.Ynesth is also a Dark Muse, and is especially revered by the Kabal of the Onyx Scar. The agents of the Onyx Scar search obsessively for her ashes, rumoured to be held in a chalice on the Chaos-controlled world of Sacgrave in the Screaming Vortex.It was long believed by many Drukhari that the current supreme overlord of Commorragh, Asdrubael Vect of the Kabal of the Black Heart, might one day join the ranks of the Dark Muses.None foresaw that Vect would claim the title for himself while still alive in a spectacularly sadistic fashion, when he slew all of the Archons who had opposed him -- and most who had served him as well -- in the wake of the birth of the Dathedian.
Dark Muses - Shaimesh, the Lord of Poisons: The Lord of Poisons is the treacherous brother of Saim-Hann the Cosmic Serpent, for whom the Craftworld Saim-Hann was named. Sahaimesh is the patron of all Drukhari assassins and murderers. The Haemonculi Covens of Commorragh consider themselves the practicioners of the Black Arts of Shaimesh.
Dark Muses - Lhilitu, Consort of the Void: The Consort of the Void's worshippers comprise a mysterious sisterhood who are desired by powerful Archons to serve as courtesans in their courts. These Lhamaeans are renowned in Commorragh for being both imaginative lovers and exceptional poisoners. They descend from the Cult of Llamaea, whose courtesan elite also worshipped Lhilitu, and gained their knowledge of poisons from Shaimesh.
Dark Muses - Vileth: Vileth is a being synonymous with the immense arrogance so often displayed by the Drukhari, and is particularly popular as an ideal to which many Drukhari Archons aspire. The "Scions of Vileth" are also known as the best aerial hunters of the Drukhari, piloting aircraft such as Razorwing jetfighters and Voidraven bombers. These Drukhari pilots will sometimes form mercenary aerial squadrons that will work for Kabals, Wych Cults, and the Haemonculi of the Dark City.
Dark Muses - Hekatii, the Red Crone: Many traditionalist Wych Cults always invoke the favour of this legendary Wych before they enter any battle.
Dark Muses - Qa'leh, the Mistress of Blades: Traditionalist Wych Cults also often seek the ritual favour of the Mistress of Blades with a sacrifice for good fortune before combat.
Dark Muses - Ynesth: Ynesth is known to be a Dark Muse particularly revered by the Kabal of the Onyx Scar. It searches for her ashes in the Warp rift known as the Screaming Vortex in the Segmentum Obscurus, where they are rumoured held in a chalice on the pirate-held world of Sacgrave.
Dark Paladins - Dark Paladins: Dark PaladinsLoyalistSpace MarineChapter3rd FoundingxenosNecrons
Dark Paladins - Notable Campaigns: Fall of the Dark Paladins (Unknown Date.M41) - The last report of the Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes known as the Dark Paladins has filled many secret councils of the Imperium with cold silence and furious debate in equal measure. The words, taken from a desperate communication with the Chapter's primary Battle Barge, tell of the Space Marines landing upon the planet Jarrman Primus to investigate the sudden loss of all communication with that manufacturing world. It was not long after the first Thunderhawk set down that the reports of unliving warriors of steel assaulting them from all sides came in with furious speed. The Dark Paladins' Chapter Master made the fateful decision to deploy the entirety of his Chapter's forces against the unknown xenos threat, and within a solar hour Drop Pods were descending from the skies bringing the full might of the Imperium's finest warriors to bear. However, reports from the battlefield soon became confused and uncertain. The Dark Paladins fought what quickly became a valiant rearguard action against the massed ranks of the inhuman creatures, destroying many towering vehicles and bringing down fiendish steel beasts that seemed to slip from their grasp, becoming almost intangible in battle. The most worrying were the final garbled reports of the Dark Paladins' Chapter Master, who explained that whilst the combat raged and his men died, the Dark Paladins' Techmarines stood rigid, their eyes frozen in awe at the mechanical monstrosities they faced. Final uncertain pict-views, sifted from the transmissions of the Dark Paladins' fleet, show the destruction of their great Battle Barge by midnight black, blade-shaped ships that appeared as if from nowhere, their beams of viridian energy tearing the vast Battleship apart in a solar second. Of the Dark Paladins, nought else is known, save not one of them left Jarrman alive.
Dark Paladins - Chapter Colours: The Dark Paladins' Chapter colours are not listed in current Imperial records.
Dark Paladins - Chapter Badge: The Dark Paladins' Chapter badge is not listed in current Imperial records.
Dark Pattern - Dark Pattern: The Dark Pattern is a pattern of Dead Worlds in the Jericho Reach that has long concerned the Deathwatch and their Ordo Xenos masters.This celestial phenomenon may very well have led to the instigation of the Long Watch in the Reach long before the coming of the Achilus Crusade.The phenomenon is variably described as a web of death, of Dead Worlds torn from their celestial procession as if to array themselves in the heavens according to some entirely unnatural configuration.Other sources claim these barren worlds are host to elements that should not exist in such places, or have known the tread of xenos species that existed long before the birth of Humanity and should long ago have faded from the ken of mortals.The Dark Pattern is a key concern of the Dead Cabal of the Inquisition, and this secretive order is by no means of a single mind as to the nature and meaning of this web of intrigue.There have been numerous attempts to scry the identity of the creators of the Dark Pattern, and in this several species have been implicated, as have Humans serving the fell denizens of the Warp. Of those potential non-Human candidates, the Necrons have been implicated in several sources, though never conclusively.One of the sources that links the Necrons quite emphatically to the Dark Pattern is known as the Derleth Lexicon, and if but a fraction of the claims it contains are true, the Jericho Reach is already standing at the very brink of a calamity of truly stellar magnitude.
Dark Pattern - The Final Executable: The fact that the Dead Cabal has gleaned as much information as it has from the Derleth Lexicon is both miraculous and tragic, yet several of its members note disturbing irregularities within the text when compared to events unfolding in the Outer Reach.It is almost as if, some claim, the impossible scheme of the "crippled king" is not proceeding to plan. For one thing, not all of the stars mentioned in the Lexicon are anywhere near the position it states they should be, and the difference cannot be accounted for by the celestial procession that has occurred over the millennia since the tome was written.In particular, a number of systems within a dozen or so light years of the Black Reef are noticeably out of alignment, giving rise to the possibility that the gravitic storms afflicting this region are exerting a far wider and more powerful influence upon nearby stellar bodies than was previously imagined.In addition to these discrepancies, the Dead Cabal has noted the fact that the Necrons themselves do not appear to be acting entirely according to the predictions of the Derleth Lexicon. While some might regard this as beneficial, others point out that the truth might be far darker.These claim that the Necrons are following only part of the plan because whatever guiding intelligence is at work is not itself party to the entire truth. If the so-called crippled king is the phaeron of the Necrons of the Jericho Reach, then perhaps he is not in full command of his dynasty's activities.Perhaps another is in command, but not fully so, they assert. Perhaps then, Humanity has but a small window of opportunity in which to act against the dread alignments of the Dark Pattern. Perhaps the Jericho Reach is at present frozen in a single moment, its fate as yet undecided, its doom held in check by equal and opposing forces of a truly cosmic order.In this matter, the Derleth Lexicon offers one last, obscure warning. Locked in the blasted mind of the slumbering crippled king, the writer warns, is the final executable, the last line of a command order that, when parsed, will break the deadlock and bring into alignment the final elements of the Dark Pattern.When that happens, the Lexicon warns, all hope is truly lost, unless the words of a blind prophet unborn when the Lexicon itself was penned are heeded. That prophet was the venerated Satarrion, who in 744.M33 offered his dire prognostication:"To the east of the Emperor's realms lie damned worlds, a reach of cold stars and domains of death. The fires of war shall light these benighted planets, some ignited with faith, others devoured by darkness. Foes strike from within and without, all ignorant of the Dark Patterns waiting to arise and destroy until nothing remains but oblivion. Only those who stand watch in the depths of night may tip the balance."
Dark Pattern - Research Efforts: Over the millennia, many within the Deathwatch have devoted their time and resources to studying the Dark Pattern. What this strange sequence is and what it represents remains a mystery to this day and is a matter of great speculation and debate.The Dead Cabal has postulated a number of theories to their superiors since their emergence, but whether they are correct or not is yet undetermined.Still, to most involved with the Deathwatch, it is a collection of worlds across the Jericho Reach identified by various Inquisitors and Deathwatch battle-brothers to have remnants of ancient xenos traces on them in some form.The placement of these worlds forms an indecipherable sigil across space and time. Why the worlds of the Dark Pattern were chosen continues to confound all who investigate it. Some of the more widely known theories amongst the Dead Cabal include the following.
Dark Pattern - Theory 1: The Lairs of the Ancients: The theory concerning the Dark Pattern to gain the most attention claims that the worlds on the path are part of an ancient Necron empire.Even though the planets involved have been heavily scanned and explored with nothing found, many believe the advanced sciences of the soulless empire hide their presence.Obviously there cannot be huge repositories of Necron Warriors on all these planets no matter how well they are hidden, so the worlds must serve another purpose to the soulless ones.Knight-Captain Alric of the Dead Cabal insists that the worlds are part of a massive energy matrix that will be activated to fuel the Necrons' awakening. Others amongst the Dead Cabal have discounted his theory, yet the Black Shield doggedly maintains it.
Dark Pattern - Theory 2: The Dark Gateway: A second theory postulates the worlds of the Dark Pattern to be a doorway to another time and place. The Prognosticator Rennin Tri'el believes that his research proves these worlds are an ancient precursor of the mysterious Aeldari Webway.Perhaps the Aeldari used these worlds to test the earliest form of the Webway before perfecting it. He has found traces of long dead devices on these worlds that he believes can access the Webway to this day.If this theory should prove correct, it would provide the Imperium an advantage in its war against the Aeldari unlike anything it has known before.
Dark Pattern - Theory 3: The First Ones: Another theory is put forth by a Dead Cabal Techmarine. Xerill of the Iron Hands claims that the worlds of the Dark Pattern could be massive genetic laboratories that were created by a long-lost alien race that ruled over much of the galaxy aeons ago.According to this possibility, these worlds were linked together as a series of outposts and research stations, which developed new races and species for these ancient ones to use in their wars of conquest across the galaxy.When the empire failed, these worlds were scoured of all traces of technology and life to safeguard their last remaining strongholds.Others amongst the Dead Cabal put very little stock in this theory and claim that traces of other ancient civilisations elsewhere provide proof that these beings were not active in this part of the galaxy.Still, Xerill supports this possibility and searches for any ties to this lost race in their exploration of the Reach.
Dark Pattern - Theory 4: A Growing Stain: After witnessing an outburst of prophecy from the girl who would later become known as Saint Silexia, Watch Captain Mathias has begun to believe that he himself is somehow tied to the events that will lead to an expansion of the Hadex Anomaly, plunging countless planets into chaos, darkness, and despair.What part he is to play in these events, he does not yet know.These are just a few of the ideas that have been put forth by the Dead Cabal. In the past, some theories have risen to prominence only to be completely disproved years later through new discoveries.Each cell of battle-brothers taking the Dead Stations Vigil continues to gather information and test their theories, all hoping to be the group that finally unlocks the great secret of the Dark Pattern.
Dark Reapers - Dark Reapers: The Dark Reapers are the most menacing of the Craftworld Aeldari Aspect Warriors. They exemplify the Aeldari war god Kaela Mensha Khaine in his aspect as the Destroyer, and their skull-masked armour echoes that of their founder and Phoenix Lord, the "Harvester of Souls," Maugan Ra. They specialise in the use of highly-destructive, long-range heavy weaponry.
Dark Reapers - History: When Asurmen taught his brethren the arts of war it was Maugan Ra that fell furthest from the fold. He fashioned baroque weapons of occult nature; not the blades of his brethren but dark and malefic artefacts that could slay his foes from afar.As his craft progressed, Maugan Ra learnt that even the mightiest weapon could be wielded with surgical precision. This led to the creation of the deadly Maugetar, the Harvester, and later to the disciplines of the Dark Reaper Aspect itself.The origins of the Dark Reaper Aspect can be traced to Craftworld Altansar and the Fall of the Aeldari, following the birth of the Chaos God, Slaanesh. Altansar rode out the psychic shock-waves that destroyed the Aeldari Empire but was subsequently caught in the gravity well of the Eye of Terror. Although the Aeldari of Altansar fought valiantly against the encroachment of Chaos, they were unable to escape their inevitable doom, and within 500 Terran years of the Fall their craftworld was swallowed by the Warp.Nothing remained of Altansar except for Maugan Ra, the mightiest Exarch of Altansar's Shrine of the Dark Reapers.The Dark Reapers represent the war god Khaine in his role as the Destroyer. They are perhaps the most sinister and lethal of all the Aspect Warriors and their dark armour is adorned with symbols of death and destruction.
Dark Reapers - Role: The Dark Reapers' Aspect Armour is the colour of midnight, and incorporates a complex set of interlocking plates. Although the Dark Reapers are comparatively slow-moving compared to other Asuryani warriors as a result of their heavy armour, this is of little consequence, for their role on the battlefield is to serve as long-ranged heavy weapons fire support for the more mobile Craftworld Aeldari units. The Phoenix Lord of the Dark Reapers, Maugan Ra, teaches that the kiss of death can be delivered from afar. It is this credo that is central to the way of the Reaper.Their sacred weapon is the Reaper Launcher, a long-barrelled missile weapon that can create a blistering firestorm of small missiles with a single salvo. The small, armour-piercing missiles the Reaper Launcher fires are powerful enough to take down all but the most heavily protected of foes.The Dark Reapers pride themselves on their accuracy. To absorb the recoil of firing the Reaper Launcher and maintain a steady firing position, their powered limb supports include lower leg armour and boots fitted with stabilisers and clamps to secure the Dark Reaper to the ground. Their helmet incorporates specialised rangefinding sensor vanes which extends out of the helmet of their Aspect Armour and allows a Dark Reaper to achieve target lock on even fast-moving vehicles.This also creates a mind-link with the Dark Reaper's weapon, allowing them to "see" out of the muzzle of the launcher. The resulting increase in their already deadly accuracy means it is almost impossible for a Dark Reaper to miss their target. Their superb aim enables them to dominate the battlefield, pinning down enemy forces and destroying their chosen targets at will.The downside to all of their extra equipment, along with the weight of their heavy weapon, is that Dark Reapers are slower and less mobile compared to other Aspect Warriors. However, as their primary tactical role is to provide long-range fire support, this is not seen as significantly detracting from the Aspect's combat effectiveness.Operating in squads of three to five Dark Reapers, one of which may be an Exarch, these units are usually positioned in cover behind the main Asuryani battle line, where they can best support the advance of friendly troops and target the enemy's heavy assets. For added mobility the squad can also be mounted in a Wave Serpent transport.
Dark Reapers - Notable Dark Reapers Shrines: Shrine of The Jade Scythe - Dark Reapers of the Jade Scythe have perfected the art of obliterating as many foes as possible in a single application of overwhelming firepower. Where their warriors take to battle, the ranks of the enemy fall in droves in the face of their sinister economy of force.Shrine of the Three Deaths - The Shrine of the Three Deaths seeks to eradicate its foes from all planes of existence; to slay the foe in realspace is to them merely one step on the true path of destruction. Even the Drukhari with whom they often associate hold a certain respect for the Three Deaths Dark Reapers' commitment to total annihilation.
Dark Reapers - Dark Reaper Exarchs: Every Aspect Shrine of the Craftworld Aeldari is led by an Exarch, an Aeldari who has been called permanently to the Path of the Warrior. An Exarch has travelled so far down the Path of the Warrior that he or she can no longer leave it and so dedicates him or herself fully as a high priest of Khaine in service to the aspect of the war god that he or she represents.Exarchs wear more elaborate and ornate versions of Aspect Armour which incorporates the souls of their past wearers, granting an Exarch not only wisdom and knowledge stretching across the millennia but a raw pool of potent psychic energy that can be used in combat.This permanent acceptance of the Asuryani's "war mask" provides Exarchs with enhanced skill and dedication to their craft and entitles them to access their Aspect Shrine's oldest and most advanced wargear. As a result, an Exarch of the Dark Reapers wears a more formidable form of Dark Reaper Aspect Armour and instead of a Reaper Launcher, can wield a number of different special weapons, including an Aeldari Missile Launcher, a Tempest Launcher and a Shuriken Cannon.The skills and wargear of a Dark Reaper Exarch exemplify the already deadly firepower and accuracy that defines their Aspect. A Dark Reaper Exarch's inhuman combat abilities surpass even the talents of regular Dark Reapers, as a Dark Reaper Exarch is perfectly capable of laying down a lethal hail of fire more rapidly without loss of accuracy from any weapon they wield, and of landing pinpoint shots so accurate they can bypass cover and hit targets who thought themselves fully protected.
Dark Reapers - Phoenix Lord: The Phoenix Lord and founder of the Dark Reaper warrior Aspect is Maugan Ra, the "Harvester of Souls." Maugan Ra came from the once-lost Asuryani craftworld of Altansar, one of the many craftworlds, both large and small, that survived the Fall of the Aeldari, following the birth of the Chaos God Slaanesh.Altansar rode out the psychic shock-waves that destroyed the realms of the Aeldari Empire but was subsequently caught in the gravity well of the Eye of Terror. Although the Craftworld Aeldari of Altansar fought valiantly against the encroachment of Chaos, they were unable to escape their inevitable doom, and within five hundred Terran years of the Fall their craftworld was swallowed by the Warp. Nothing remained of Altansar except for Maugan Ra, the mightiest Exarch of Altansar's Shrine of the Dark Reapers.
Dark Reapers - Sources: Codex: Eldar (2nd Edition), pg. 10Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition), pg. 16Codex: Eldar (4th Edition), pp. 34, 66Codex: Eldar (6th Edition), pg. 36Codex: Eldar (7th Edition), pp. 108-110White Dwarf 127 (US), "Eldar" by Rick Priestley, Jes Goodwin, William King & Lindsey D. Le Doux Paton, pp. 13-52White Dwarf 138 (US), "Alaitoc Craftworld Eldar Army - Dark Reaper Exarch," pp. 20-29White Dwarf 172 (US), "The Eldar: The Path of the Warrior - Dark Reapers," pp. 5-16Games Workshop Online Store - Eldar Dark Reapers
Dark Sons - Dark Sons: Dark SonsLoyalistSpace MarineChapterFoundingUltramarinesChapterAlong with the Angels of Fury, the Dark Sons had the honour of being under the tutelage of the venerable Novamarines Chapter following their inception.The Dark Sons' homeworld is the planet Darkhold in the Segmentum Obscurus.A certain spectre of pridefulness and egotism clings to these warriors and has soured their dealings with other Imperial organisations in the past, but their arrogance is not undeserved.The Dark Sons fight with remarkable efficiency and skill, and have won countless battles against remarkable odds.
Dark Sons - Notable Campaigns: Achilus Crusade (777.M41) - The Dark Sons contributed a contingent of Space Marines to the Achilus Crusade to retake the Jericho Reach for the Imperium. Its commander, Captain Taurinus Demos, competed with Lorgath Mac Lir of the Storm Wardens Chapter for overall command of the Space Marines contingent. Though Demos won an honour duel between them, he was so impressed by Mac Lir's honour and prowess that he surrendered the command to the Storm Warden.First Punisher War (825.M41) - The infamous Chaos Space Marine warband known as the Punishers led a massive Chaos invasion of the Kargad System. The Dark Hunters Chapter led the defence of its homeworld, but was woefully outnumbered by the Forces of Chaos. The Punishers landed a quarter of a million Chaos Cultists in the first wave upon Phobian, with mighty Emperor-class Battleships to back them up. It took the help of six other Chapters, including the Dark Sons, Brazen Fists, Doomsayers, Shadowhawks and two other Chapters, to finally extirpate the Punishers from this system. Without their help, the Dark Hunters would have faced certain annihilation.Second Punisher War (982.M41) - Jonah Kerne, Captain of the Dark Hunters 3rd Company led his Space Marines to the world of Ras Hanem during the Second Punisher War against the warband of Heretic Astartes known as the Punishers. Kerne was able to hold off the Forces of Chaos while being assisted by the local forces of the Astra Militarum and the Planetary Defence Forces. The Dark Hunters went so far as to form a temporary alliance with the Aeldari of the Kaelor Craftworld, helping those xenos to find an ancient artefact in exchange for their aid in defeating the Forces of Chaos. Despite the deceptions and cunning of the Aeldari, Kerne stayed true to his word and gave the artefact to their Farseer, thus committing an act of heresy. The remaining Imperial and Aeldari forces were able to hold the Punishers long enough for the remainder of the Dark Hunters Chapter to arrive with Astartes allies drawn from other Chapters, including once again the Dark Sons. When the war on Ras Hanem had concluded in the Emperor's favour, Jonah was taken by his Chapter back to their homeworld of Phobian. There, he was taken into custody by the Inquisition to answer for his crime.
Dark Sons - Notable Dark Sons: Captain Taurinus Demos - Demos is the Captain of the Dark Sons' 2nd Company. A decorated and experienced Battle-Brother, he had achieved victory in countless battles against the xenos that threatened Mankind. Demos had been considered more than once for promotion to Chapter Master of the Dark Sons. However, his towering hubris and recklessness had held him back, for Demos was a supremely prideful man. During the outset of the Achilus Crusade in the Jericho Reach in 777.M41, a great council of the senior Space Marine commanders of several dozen Chapters came to contribute forces to the Crusade. The only matter of business that remained was the election of an overall commander. Lorgath Mac Lir of the Storm Wardens Chapter was voted, near unanimously, to lead the council of war in their decisions regarding the Crusade. Demos was gravely insulted by this decision, believing that only he was truly capable of success in such a grand undertaking in the name of the Emperor. To prove himself to the other commanders, he challenged Maclir to an honour duel. Several of the gathered observers noted afterwards that a duel of such martial finesse and power was rare outside the Feast of Blades. Maclir irrefutably had the upper hand for solar hours, his meticulous study of Combat Shield techniques gave Demos no opportunity for a decisive blow. Yet Demos relentlessly assailed the Chapter Master with powerful blows, hammering Maclir with such force that the stone floor began to crack beneath the Storm Warden. In the end, it was Maclir who finally made a crucial error, and Demos landed the final blow. Defeated, Maclir knelt before Demos and officially declared him commander of the Adeptus Astartes council in the Achilus Crusade. Taurinus Demos bowed his head and reflected upon the matter for many tense heartbeats. Finally, he beckoned Maclir to stand. Demos had never fought such a worthy opponent, and even through his own pride, he realised that the Storm Warden Chapter Master understood the burden of command. Thus, Demos declared that Lorgath Maclir should lead the Space Marines into the Jericho Reach. Demos returned to his Strike Cruiser content in the knowledge that the Space Marines of the Achilus Crusade possessed an exemplary commander.Deathwatch Watch Captain Bron - Brother Bron was sequestered to the Jericho Reach and served as a Watch Captain in the elite xenos-hunting Deathwatch, the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos. When Bron was mortally wounded during a confrontation with a Slaugth Overseer in the Black Reef, he recommended that the Marines Errant Battle-Brother Kail Vibius be promoted to the rank of Watch Captain in his stead, a role he has held ever since.
Dark Sons - Chapter Colours: The Dark Sons' power armour is quartered dark green and white. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest plate is golden.The yellow squad tactical specialty icon -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command -- is indicated on the right shoulder plate.A green High Gothic numeral centred on the squad specialty symbol indicates squad number.The colour of the right knee plate indicates company number in accordance with the Codex Astartes -- i.e. white (1st Company), yellow (2nd Company), red (3rd Company), etc.