Chapter Summaries

The 5th Legion's First Company attacked the underground Hearth-Fortress, where its Cataphractii Terminators encountered the League of Votann's elite Broken Horn Guard. After forty-one Terminators were lost, Carlo prepared to teleport in with his Saturnine-armored guardsmen.

• The Cataphractii Terminators teleported to the Hearth-Fortress and attacked the Ironkin and Hearthkyn with missiles and Composite Bolters.
• The First Company used the Apprentices' Open Door to flank Hearthkyn ambushers, then breached the fortress walls with Melta Bombs.
• The Cataphractii Terminators met the Broken Horn Guard, whose elite armor and weapons matched their own, and both sides suffered heavy casualties.
• A Tech Sergeant identified the enemy as the Broken Horn Guard and warned the First Company over the company channel.
• Carlo learned that forty-one Cataphractii Terminators had been lost, recognized the Broken Horn Guard, and prepared to teleport with twenty guardsmen.

Carlo and the guardsmen in Saturnine Terminator Prototypes overwhelmed the Broken Horn Guard at the Hearth-Fortress and killed their warband commander. Inside the Ancestor Shrine, the Grimnyr Lords learned the Ancestor still had not responded, and two prepared to join the High Overlord against the enemy.

• The Saturnine Terminator Prototypes teleported onto the battlefield and killed more than thirty Broken Horn Guards with their heavy weapons.
• The Broken Horn Guard concentrated their attacks on the prototype suits, but their grenades and concussive weapons failed to bring them down.
• The guardsmen in prototype armor and the Cataphractii Terminators cut down the charging Broken Horn Guard with guns, chainswords, and power fists.
• Carlo, called "Barbarian," defeated and killed the Broken Horn Guard warband commander with his Power Blade.
• The Chief Lord Grimnyr told Lorenzo to remain at the Ancestor Shrine awaiting a response while the other Grimnyr Lords went to help the High Overlord.

Carlo led the Shadow of Order through the Hearth-Fortress, where the League of Votann’s High Kahl and Grimnyr fought back with psychic powers and a Dark Star Hammer. The High Kahl struck Carlo through his armor, and the Legion watched their lord collapse unconscious.

• Carlo used the Heavy Disruption Cannon to destroy a Squat bastion, then turned to face the High Kahl and the Grimnyr emerging from the central fortress.
• Carlo’s Pyre Serpent Cannon and the Grimnyr’s Force Shield clashed as the Squat squad advanced under psychic propulsion.
• Carlo shattered the enemy’s Psychic Field with the Heavy Disruption Cannon and wounded a Broken Horn Guard with a deflected beam.
• The High Kahl charged Carlo, dodging most of his shots before striking the Saturnine Terminator Prototype with his Dark Star Hammer.
• The Chief Lord Grimnyr used psychic lightning to pierce Carlo’s Thermal Diffraction Field, and the High Kahl’s hammer disabled Carlo’s body, leaving him unconscious.

Nimrod learned that Carlo had been killed in the assault on the Squat Hearth-Fortress and teleported to the battlefield. He killed both Lord Grimnyr and the High Overlord, while Carlo's body was ordered returned for interment in a Dreadnought prototype.

• Arsena Dunn told Nimrod that Carlo had died, and Nimrod ordered Carlo's body brought back for interment in the Dreadnought prototype.
• Nimrod teleported to the Squat Hearth-Fortress and found the High Overlord and his Broken Horn Guard breaking through the 5th Legion's defenses.
• Nimrod killed the second-ranked Lord Grimnyr and preserved his runes.
• The chief Lord Grimnyr arrived to aid the High Overlord, but Nimrod destroyed his Mind Servitors and killed him with the Sword of Vaul.
• The High Overlord attacked Nimrod with the Dark Star Hammer, but Nimrod knocked it away and shattered the High Overlord's head with the Sword of Vaul.

Lorenzo received Votann’s revelation that Nimrod and the Shadow of Order would bring hope, so he surrendered the League of Votann and offered loyalty, trade, and a star. Nimrod accepted, assigned Arsena Dunn to negotiate, and turned his attention to the Ancestor Shrine’s technology as Imperial forces and envoys headed to the Squat System.

• As the last surviving Lord Grimnyr, Lorenzo approached the console that would destroy Votann, but Votann’s runes revealed that Nimrod could bring hope and urged an alliance.
• Lorenzo ordered the League of Votann to surrender to the Imperium, and Nimrod accepted the message.
• Lorenzo met Nimrod and offered the Squats’ loyalty, trade relations, the Iron Oath’s support, and a mineral-rich star.
• Nimrod assigned Arsena Dunn to negotiate trade and ordered her to secure access to the Squats’ minerals and civilian goods.
• Nimrod returned to the Forge-Ship to study Votann technology, while the Legions, Perturabo, Magnus, and Imperial representatives headed toward the Squat System.

Nimrod visited the Dreadnought Hall, where Carlo had become the first warrior entombed in a Saturnine Dreadnought Prototype, and reviewed the ongoing entombments and armor research. He then received the war’s casualty report before preparing to sign an alliance treaty with the League of Votann.

• Nimrod met Carlo in the Dreadnought Hall and told him he would continue serving in the prototype Dreadnought.
• Rosicky reported that three warriors would be entombed in prototype Dreadnoughts and fifty-four others in standard Dreadnoughts, while Malevolus outlined plans to test new armor technologies.
• Nimrod assigned Malena to assist Rosicky with developing armor for Psykers and then flew to the Squat System to sign an alliance treaty.
• Arsena reported that the Legion had lost 273 vessels and the six participating Legions had suffered 18,400 deaths, including 6,540 Shadow of Order from the 5th Legion.
• Arsena told Nimrod that Magnus and Perturabo would arrive in the Squat System in two stellar days.

Nimrod finalized an alliance with the League of Votann, securing supplies, vehicles, and Iron Oath troops for the Legion. Two days later, Magnus and Perturabo arrived in the Squat System aboard gifted Aquila Shuttles, and Perturabo prepared master-crafted Plasma Guns as gifts for his brothers.

• Arsena Dunn reported that the League of Votann would prioritize the Legion for its surplus goods and design Sagitaurs and Hekaton Land Fortresses for its forces.
• Arsena told Nimrod that the League would send ten thousand Iron Oath troops, eventually increasing the force to fifty thousand.
• Nimrod met Lorenzo and signed an alliance with the League of Votann, which had sent prospecting teams to find mineral-rich stars for him.
• Two days later, Magnus and Perturabo arrived in the Squat System aboard their newly gifted Aquila Shuttles, and Frix saw Perturabo smile at his aircraft.
• Perturabo ordered Frix to bring two Plasma Guns he had forged as gifts for his brothers, then boarded the Aquila Shuttle with his guards.

Perturabo visited the League of Votann’s capital world and discovered that the Shadow of Order already used Squat weapon designs before the League had surrendered. He arrived at the ceremonial hall to meet Nimrod and Magnus, who recognized Perturabo’s skill in mastering the weapons’ manufacturing technology.

• Perturabo observed the Squats repairing their starport and noticed the Shadow of Order negotiating to buy mining vehicles from the League of Votann.
• Perturabo recognized that the Shadow of Order carried Eta-Kharn-pattern Plasma Guns and Bedrock-pattern Bolters, then learned their weapons had been changed before the League surrendered.
• Perturabo concluded that Nimrod must have independently mastered the Squats’ technology and continued to the ceremonial hall with Arsena Dunn.
• Nimrod inspected the Plasma Guns carried by Perturabo’s party and realized that Perturabo had dismantled and mastered the Eta-Kharn pattern.
• Nimrod wondered whether Perturabo had brought two specially made Plasma Guns as gifts for him and Magnus.

Nimrod praised Perturabo’s Plasma Guns and asked him to improve the Aquila Shuttle, lifting Perturabo’s spirits and prompting him to promise technical advice. Nimrod then shared knowledge about the Leagues of Votann with Magnus and Perturabo, and their five-day discussion ended when representatives from the Adeptus Mechanicus and Malcador arrived in the Squat System.

• Nimrod praised Perturabo’s handmade Plasma Guns, and Perturabo offered one to Nimrod and the other to Magnus.
• Magnus praised the Aquila Shuttle, and Perturabo promised improvements for its ordinary and specialized versions.
• Perturabo questioned Nimrod about his knowledge of Squat weapons, and Nimrod claimed he had grasped every detail of their technology.
• Nimrod shared knowledge about the Leagues of Votann with Magnus, while Perturabo and Magnus asked questions and committed the information to memory.
• The three Primarchs continued their discussion for five days until representatives from the Adeptus Mechanicus and Malcador arrived in the Squat System.

Imperial representative Andrea met with Magnus and the other Primarchs to discuss negotiations with the Squats, while Magnus later convened the Thousand Sons' Primarch's Council. The council gathered in a sealed chamber, with Hathor recognized as its foremost member beneath Magnus.

• Andrea arrived with an elaborate Aquila Shuttle formation and paid homage to Nimrod, Magnus, and Perturabo.
• Nimrod assigned Andrea to represent the Imperium in negotiations with the Squats, and Magnus chose to attend because he wanted to learn about their culture.
• Magnus listened to Andrea and a Mechanicus envoy explain the Imperium's competing demands before returning to his flagship with Hathor, Amon, and the others.
• Magnus convened his Primarch's Council, where the positions of its members reflected their standing within the Thousand Sons and Hathor stood at the summit beneath Magnus.
• Magnus used the Sothmes Sigil to seal the council chamber from technological and psychic detection.
• Hathor opened the council, named the absent Phosis T'kar and Apophis, and Amon confirmed that no one else was present.

Hathor Maat presented Magnus with discoveries about the Leagues of Votann, including Clone Tapestry Technology and an unfamiliar psychic rune. Magnus named Hathor Temple Master of the Pavoni and captain of the Third Fellowship, while his ambition to become Chief Librarian left him watching for a choice between himself and Ahriman.

• Magnus invited Hathor to present what he had learned about the Squats, whom Hathor identified as the Leagues of Votann, and their Ancestor Core.
• Hathor shared data about Clone Tapestry Technology, and Magnus praised the Leagues’ distinctive knowledge.
• Hathor revealed a rune that gathered psychic power, and Magnus recognized it as part of an unknown psychic system.
• Magnus appointed Hathor Temple Master of the Pavoni Cult and captain of the Third Fellowship, but Hathor had hoped to become Chief Librarian.
• Hathor noticed Ahriman’s grave attention and wondered whether Magnus would choose between them for the Legion’s Librarian position.

Magnus broke the Sothmes Sigil’s barrier and taught the Thousand Sons a Warp-drawing rune that Hathor had learned from Nimrod. After Hathor reported the council to Nimrod, he opened his mind so Nimrod could study Magnus drawing the Sothmes Sigil.

• Magnus broke the Sothmes Sigil and taught the Thousand Sons a rune that drew on the Warp’s tides.
• Magnus told Hathor to seek more runes from Nimrod under the guise of continuing negotiations.
• Hathor told Nimrod he had become Pavoni Temple Master and Third Company Captain, then recounted the Primarch’s Council.
• Hathor explained that only Magnus could complete the Sothmes Sigil, and Nimrod asked him to open his mind.
• Nimrod entered Hathor’s mind and watched memories of Magnus drawing the Sothmes Sigil.

Nimrod helped Hathor Maat master the Sothmes Sigil and advance to Psychiatrist, then gave him runes to support his bid to become Chief Librarian. Nimrod visited the Main Foundry Deck to observe Malena Scala's armor experiment and asked about its progress.

• Nimrod used Concept Substitution to reproduce the Sothmes Sigil, and Hathor confirmed it severed his connection to the warp.
• Hathor told Nimrod that Magnus might choose him or Ahzek Ahriman as Chief Librarian, and Nimrod urged him to fight for the position.
• Nimrod gave Hathor several runes and used a potion to help him advance to Psychiatrist.
• Hathor left with the runes, intending to make Magnus believe he had worked hard to obtain them.
• Nimrod went to the Main Foundry Deck, where Malena Scala tested her armor by destroying experimental targets and striking a crystal ball.
• Nimrod approached the control console and asked Malevolus and Rosicky Czech about the experiment's progress.

Rosicky Cech presented the completed Psyker Hunt-Master Suit, whose adaptive systems improved Malena Scala’s biomancy and precognition while integrating plants with its life-support systems. Nimrod approved adapting armor designs for different Royal Court Friars, gave Rosicky Cech a vehicle STC, and returned to communicate with Votann.

• Malevolus reported that the Psyker Hunt-Master Suit increased biomancy power by an average of ten percent, with recent tests reaching eleven percent.
• Malevolus explained how Rosicky Cech resolved conflicts between the suit’s systems and the Grimnyr Magos Warp Circuit, then integrated Malena Scala’s plants into its sealed life-support system.
• Malena Scala said the suit let her sustain battle by recycling nutrients and improved her precognitive ability, while Malevolus praised Rosicky Cech’s craftsmanship.
• Rosicky Cech warned that the Hunt-Master Suit offered less protection than Terminator armor, consumed more resources, and took too long to customize.
• Nimrod approved using Terminator armor as a foundation for some Royal Court Friars and combining Hunt-Master Suit technology with other armor for the rest.
• Nimrod gave Rosicky Cech the Sagittarius Multi-Function Vehicle STC, then returned to the Ancestor Shrine to communicate with Votann.

Arsena reported the League of Votann’s agreement with the Imperium and Mars, while Nimrod arranged a garrison and heard Miguel’s findings about an anti-psychic device in the Jormungandr Star Monolith. The Shadow of Order fleet departed with a Votann force, leaving the League behind.

• Arsena showed Nimrod his rune-etched armor and reported that the League of Votann had agreed to join the Imperium and provide four percent of its production capacity.
• Nimrod learned that the League had assembled an Iron Oath of twenty thousand Hearthkyn and that Mars had secured permission to visit some factories.
• Nimrod ordered the First Chapter to leave an adjutant at the Ramillies-class Star Fortress as a trading site.
• Miguel reported that his team had deciphered part of the Jormungandr Star Monolith, finding an anti-psychic field method and a Blackstone device, and Nimrod warned him not to activate the control runes.
• Miguel said he believed he had become a Know-it-all, then returned to the Jormungandr Star Monolith three days later to continue excavating.
• The Shadow of Order fleet departed with fourteen heavy warships and a force of Hearthkyn, Ironkin, miners, and Artisans.

Nimrod agreed to visit the Navigator families on Uranus, while William Wood fled his worker-caste life on Gardinal and awakened a Psychic Field while fighting a mutant hyena. The Shadow of the Throne emerged from the Gate of Bliss, where Nimrod discovered the mysterious Siren Dust.

• Eden Visscher told Nimrod that other Navigator families wanted to cooperate with the Legion and invited him to Uranus, and Nimrod accepted.
• Nine-year-old William Wood fled across Gardinal's chemical-waste grounds, determined to escape the fate of the worker caste.
• A mud-coated hyena attacked William, who stabbed its eyes and survived when an unknown Psychic Field repelled its claws.
• William killed the hyena and searched its corpse for meat.
• In October 852, the Shadow of the Throne emerged from the Gate of Bliss, and Nimrod observed the psychic-lit Siren Dust drifting around it.

Nimrod investigated the Siren Dust near the Gate of Bliss, while Arsena proposed that a C'tan Shard had affected the Star Gate. Nimrod ordered Ramsey to lead a team to collect the substance and perform a ritual sacrifice to the Black Emperor.

• Nimrod used his second-level Thelema Mindset to examine the Siren Dust and concluded that it posed little danger to those with advanced Mindset training.
• Arsena told Nimrod the legends of Vampires among the stars and the Iron Men, then deduced that a C'tan Shard had fought humanity near the Gate of Bliss.
• Nimrod agreed that a C'tan Shard may have influenced the Star Gate and caused the Siren Dust, while noting it might have been a Transcendent C'tan.
• Nimrod summoned Ramsey and ordered him to gather Siren Dust, allowing only those with the third-level Mindset to touch it directly.
• Ramsey assembled five Librarians and 142 Honor Guard members, then led them aboard a Transport Ship into the void.

Ramsey, the Praying Seeker, gathered Siren Dust and heard a voice that seemed to reveal hidden information about a possible C'tan Shard. He began the Black Emperor’s offering ritual in the Librarium altar and ended the chapter praying as the ritual took hold.

• Ramsey led the Shadows of Order into the Siren Dust and heard mysterious words that differed from the voices heard by his squad.
• Ramsey filled five crystal bottles with Siren Dust, concluded that his role as the Praying Seeker let him perceive hidden information, and decided to report the discovery after making an offering.
• Thomas opened the Librarium’s restricted area and explained its ritual spaces to Ramsey.
• Ramsey arranged the Siren Dust and ritual candles on the altar, bathed, changed into a ritual robe, and meditated.
• Ramsey sanctified the Ritual Blade, raised spiritual barriers, and began reciting the prayer to the Black Emperor.

Nimrod studied the Sothmes Sigil and met with Ramsey, who reported hearing a voice from a bound C'tan Shard. Nimrod guided Ramsey through becoming a Listener and sent him back with the new potion, which Ramsey drank despite the dangerous whispers it unleashed.

• Nimrod deconstructed the Sothmes Sigil and linked the Fourth Layer Space with a dark-red sphere of light and Ramsey.
• Ramsey told Nimrod that a voice claiming to be the God of the Material World had urged him to free the C'tan Shard bound near the Gate of Bliss.
• Nimrod recognized that Ramsey had digested the Praying Seeker potion and instructed him to become a Listener, warning him to retreat if his will was invaded.
• Nimrod had the Space Ape prepare the Listener potion and sent it to Ramsey aboard the Shadow of the Throne.
• Ramsey drank the potion, heard voices describing a secret war at the Gate of Bliss, and resisted their temptation through his willpower training.

Ramsey’s team continued mining Siren Dust while the Listener gained a dangerous ability from a whispering C’tan. Nimrod strengthened his alliance with the Othello Family, advised Ramsey to keep listening, and ordered Tierney to end the Treasure Hoarders’ Terra operations; fifteen days later, the C’tan began to identify itself to Ramsey.

• Ramsey’s team mined Siren Dust, and the Listener heard a C’tan promise power and grant an ability that trapped those who heard his ravings in their deepest desires.
• Nimrod reached an alliance agreement with the Othello Family and flew back toward the Shadow of the Throne aboard his upgraded Aquila Shuttle.
• Nimrod heard Ramsey’s report in the Kingdom of Disorder and told him that the C’tan’s ability was advance payment meant to win his service, ordering him to keep listening.
• Nimrod summoned Tierney, learned that the Treasure Hoarders’ Terra operations had been exposed, and ordered him to withdraw to the Shadow of the Throne.
• Ramsey continued collecting Siren Dust and listening; after fifteen days he learned the full ability, and on the sixteenth day the C’tan began, “I am...”