I started going to the Astronomi-con tournament in Toronto in 2015 and I immediately fell in love with it. I would say more than 90% of attendees have lovingly painted armies, care about the fluff and love the narrative aspect of the scenarios. For those of you who don't know their system, a very significant portion of the overall scoring is based on something other than battle scores (paint, army list, army sportsmanship, etc.). I just find that it pushes me to outdo myself hobby-wise and I quite like the end result. I also always have a blast at the event itself. Two years ago, I brought slaneesh chaos space marines with a smattering of slaneesh daemons. Essentially trying to create the feel of a Slaneesh demonkin book. Had a lot of fun with the army and wrote extensive background on the army as well. I was re-reading it to get inspiration for the upcoming Astro (April 2016), so I thought I would share it here too.
Enjoy!
List
CSM CAD
Chaos Lord (80pts) - Mark of Slaanesh (15pts)
Daemon Prince (305pts) - 3x Mastery Level (become Psyker) (75pts), Power Armour (20pts), Slaanesh (10pts), Spell familiar (15pts), Wings (40pts)
2 Units Noise Marines (Troops) (201pts each ) - Noise Marine w/ Blastmaster (47pts), 3x Noise Marine w/ Sonic Blaster (60pts), Doom Siren (15pts)
2 Chaos Rhinos (52pts each) - Dozer Blade (5pts), Havoc Launcher (12pts)
2 Hell Blades (115pts each) - Two Helstorm Autocannons (15pts)
Chaos Relic Sicarian (180pts) - Armoured Ceramite (20pts), Dozer Blades (5pts), Heavy Bolters (20pts)
Chaos Daemons Allied Detachment
Keeper of Secrets (210pts) - 2 Daemonic Reward (40pts)
Daemonettes of Slaanesh (10 strong) (90pts)
the beginning
The Excruciators were a
chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. The origin of the Excruciators is shrouded in
mystery. What little is known about the founding of the Excruciators is that it
must have occurred approximately seven to eight thousand years ago.
The Excruciators’ base of
operations was the world of Trimilar, near the Eastern Fringe. From the
Fortress of Absolution, in the Leighland peaks, the Excruciators enjoyed almost
six thousand years of successful campaigning for the Imperium.
Unlike most Adeptus
Astartes’ home worlds, with the exception of Macragge, Trimilar was densely
populated and extremely wealthy, due to vast adamantium deposits throughout its
core. So rich were its resources, that the priesthood of Mars had, on more than
one occasion, petitioned the High Lords of Terra to have Trimilar re-classified
as a forgeworld. However, the Excruciators were well regarded by the High Lords
and all such requests were promptly denied.
The Excruciators’ main
credo was to achieve a warrior’s perfection through a mixture of extreme
ascetic lifestyle and punishing training regimens. Among a breed of ascetic
warriors, the Excruciators were considered to be paragons of that one virtue.
Perhaps as a result of their ascetic qualities, the Excruciators were able to
rule the Trimilarians with a surprising amount of efficiency. In particular,
the nobility of Trimilar was more than happy to pay hefty tributes to the
Excruciators knowing that all of those tributes went directly to the military
might of the Excruciators, which, in turn, ensured the protection of Trimilar
and the trade routes used by the merchant class.
The wealth was put to
good use by the Excruciators and they had developed a good relationship with
Magos Torpentis, ruler of the forgeworld Kritamix 315. In exchange for refined
adamantium, Magos Torpentis was more than happy to ensure the Excruciators were
one of the better armoured forces in the Imperium and had one of the better
trained contingents of techmarines as well.
The combination of the
proficiency of the Excruciators’ Astartes with the glorious war machines
produced by Magos Torpentis ensured the supremacy of the Excruciators for
thousands of light years in every direction around Trimilar. The Excruciators
had also successfully participated in responding to several of Abaddon’s black
crusades and had earned accolades from many distinguished chapters, including
the Ultramarines and the Imperial Fists.
EXCRUCIATORS
LEADERSHIP AS OF 39M.351
In the year 39M.351, the
Excruciators were led by Chapter Master Dynax. Lord Dynax eschewed a permanent
honour guard, which he regarded as pompous. Rather, Lord Dynax had a few
warriors that he had selected to advise him. These warriors were not selected
based on rank, but rather based on their various abilities that Dynax believed
would make him a better Chapter Master. The rank and file of the Excruciators
referred to this advising body as the shadow council, in good-hearted mockery
of its unofficial nature.
In 39M.351, the shadow
council was comprised of Captain Zhotal from 2nd company, Chief
Librarian Vardon, Master of the Forge Halanok and Sargeants Inguron and Antalek
from 3rd company. Though Captain Zhotal was not the first captain of
the Excruciators, he was regarded by everyone in the chapter as the best
strategist and a master of void warfare. His primary duties on the shadow
council were to advise Dynax on overall campaign strategies and void
engagements. Chief Librarian Vardon was a psyker of untold powers. Rumours had
it that he could rival Chief Librarian Tigurius of the Ultramarines in power, though
Vardon’s humility would not allow anyone to make such claims in his presence.
Master of the Forge Halanok was primarily responsible for advising Dynax in all
aspects of armoured warfare and he was considered by Magos Torpentis to be the
most gifted techmarine ever trained on Kritamix 315. Sargeants Inguron and
Antalek were the more classic bodyguards expected in a chapter master’s
retinue, but they were also selected by Dynax for their effect on the morale of
rest of the chapter. Indeed, Inguron and Antalek were not only fraternal
brothers, but they were identical twins. In the recorded history of the Adeptus
Astartes, no other example had previously been known of identical twins being
selected to undergo the trials to become 10th company members, being
successfully implanted with a gene-seed and graduating to full battle brothers.
The chemistry was so strong between Inguron and Antalek that they complemented
each other on the battlefield to an almost supernatural level. And such was their
battle prowess that they saved the lives, over their centuries of service, of a
not insignificant proportion of the chapter’s forces. The battle brothers of
the Excruciators therefore considered the twins a bit of a good luck charm on
the battlefield.
THE
IMPRISONMENT
In the second half of 39M.351,
merchant vessels began disappearing from the trade routes under the protection
of the Excruciators. Dynax sent several investigation teams, but no one was
able to explain the disappearances. Matters got worse and the rate of
disappearances was increasing at a frightening pace. Under pressure from Magos
Torpentis and the ruling class of Trimilar, Dynax set out with nine companies
of Excruciators, leaving only the 6th company to hold Trimilar and
the Fortress of Absolution.
The Excruciators battle
fleet lay in wait in the Trigoras asteroid cluster, which bordered on the most
travelled trade route leading to Trimilar. For several months, the fleet lay in
wait, dormant, watching traders go by without issues. Just when Dynax was about
to give up, a convoy bound for Kritamix 315 was attacked. Out of nowhere, a
massive portal opened and a fleet of Dark Eldar corsairs poured out to attack
the trade convoy. Dynax ordered the battle fleet to move out to intercept the
corsairs.
Upon realizing they were
ambushed and outgunned, the corsairs turned and fled, with the Excruciators in
hot pursuit. The corsair fleet tried to use portal technology to lose the
Excruciators, but the fleet was too hot on their heels and were able to follow
through the portals. Only the superior agility of the corsair vessels kept them
in one piece, as the Excruciators maintained a punishing barrage on the Dark
Eldars. The evasive maneuvers, however, meant that the Dark Eldars were unable
to outrun the Excruciators. Eventually, the corsairs gave up trying to outrun
the Excruciators and made for their home base.
After going through one
more portal, the Excruciators fleet came face to face with an immense battle
station the size of a small moon. The battle station opened fire on the
Excruciators just as the corsair fleet made its way into its hangars.
The fleet was taking a
heavy punishment and would not likely be able to make a warp jump before being
annihilated. Captain Zhotal advised Dynax that the only way forward would be to
assault the battle station. Zhotal made a bold assumption that the shields
around the hangar would not have time to close before the fleet alighted.
Dynax, believing that the Excruciators at near chapter strength would be able
to deal with whatever occupied the battle station, agreed with Zhotal and
ordered the fleet forward. More than half the vessels made it to the vast
hangar of the battle station and only one company of Excruciators was lost.
The Excruciators quickly
established dominance in the hangar by killing every single one of the members
of the corsair fleet and destroying all of the Eldar vessels. Only once its
righteous fury abated did Dynax organize his chapter for a broader sweep of the
battle station. At least one hundred corridors led away from the hangar, with
auspex scans revealing a labyrinthine interior. Forces were divided and the
sweep commenced.
Unbeknownst to the
Excruciators, the battle station was incredibly old, pre-dating the Emperor and
representing the glorious peak of the Age of Technology. The corsairs had not
been able to unlock the full potential of the battle station, but they had been
able to unlock one of its most insidious defensive mechanism.
Archon Sytrix, leader of
the Kabal of the Sibilant Sun, chuckled as he activated the defensive
mechanism. Doorways throughout the battle station became invisible, teleporting
portals. Each warrior of the Excruciators that went through a doorway was
immediately teleported to an extradimensional holding cell. The Excruciators quickly
realized something was wrong, but they were too deep into the battle station to
avoid going through the thousands of individual portals. Slowly but surely,
every Astarte became entombed in one of those cells.
Archon Sytrix did not
give a second thought to the Excruciators after this day. He was not entirely
sure what happened to the warriors as a result of the defense system - only
that a certain crystal in a vast chamber in the battle station was connected to
the mechanism of imprisonment. Sytrix had used the mechanism only once before,
to imprison an ork tribe that had attacked the battle station. Confident in the
knowledge that the Excruciators would not bother him anymore, he sealed the
hangar containing the Excruciators’ vessels and went about his business.
What Sytrix did not know,
was that the crystal itself was the prison. Each extradimensional cell was held
within the crystal. Each of those cells was essentially a small cube, with no
light or sound whatsoever existing inside the cell. The cells had been designed
as a most insidious means of sensory deprivation torture. Time within the cells
flowed differently, such that prisoners experienced one year inside the cells
for every day of normal time in material space all the while preserving their
bodies. The purpose of the cells were quite literally to preserve the bodies of
their victims while driving them mad by the absence of any external stimulus.
THE
RELEASE
To the Excruciators,
approximately five hundred years went by in the crystal prison. Their release
was entirely unplanned by Archon Sytrix and was the result of what would have
been an aborted coup.
The Haemonculus coven
serving Sytrix had grown discontent with his leadership. The flow of slaves for
their experiments had diminished to an unacceptable level. They therefore
unleashed their personal army in the battle station to try to slay Sytrix.
Through a strange twist
of fate, the final battle occurred in the crystal chamber. While Archon Sytrix
was successful in slaying his enemies, the dying throes of a Talos engine
knocked the crystal to the ground.
Once the crystal shattered,
all of its prisoners were disgorged into the vast crystal chamber, including
the Excruciators. What ensued was a melee that cannot even begin to be
described as ork war bands, tyranid monsters, demons and all manner of warp
creatures poured forth from the crystal.
A quick battle cry issued
from Dynax’ lips upon his release and roughly eight hundred Excruciators
organized themselves quickly to slay each and every creature in the chamber.
The sights, sounds and
smells of the battle were terrible in the extreme, but after what had felt like
five hundred years of sensory deprivation, such sensations were a balm to the
Excruciators. And so they slayed and laughed and cried as they soaked in the
terrible madness that was the battle of the crystal chamber. Such was the
extent of the slaughter that the psychic screams of the dying resulted in a
small warp storm engulfing the battle station. Once the slaughter was complete,
a quick count revealed that only about one hundred Excruciators were lost,
leaving a full seven companies of Excruciators the sole survivors of that
battle.
Immediately after the
battle was over, each and every one of the Excruciators began to fear and
loathe the diminution in sensations. Their minds had been deprived of
sensations for so long that they needed to keep being fed. Dynax felt it too, through
to his bones. He could not, and would not, allow the quiet to remain. He gave a
rousing speech to his brothers, while surrounded by the shadow council, and
made a plea for the continued sweep of the battle station, still completely
unaware that the battle station was now existing fully within the warp.
THE
FALL
It took the Excruciators
the better part of a month to cleanse the external portions of the battle
station. As the resistance started to thin, it became clear to Dynax that his
chapter would never be the same. Warriors started to mutter to themselves in
the quiet periods or would start self-inflicting wounds to try to recreate the
rush of emotions they all felt at the battle of the crystal chamber. More
worrisome to Dynax, he started to dream about a strange purple demon every time
he tried to rest. The demon called itself Angareth and kept promising that it
could help feed the sensation void. Dynax originally rejected such thoughts,
but the lack of sensations soon became unbearable.
Dynax confided in his shadow
council and each member confirmed to Dynax that the also deeply felt the need
to fill the void. They also confirmed that they were dreaming of Angareth too.
Zhotal was the first to suggest heeding the call of Angareth. His argument was that
Angareth was only proposing to continue with the purge of the battle station
for now, which the Excruciators were doing anyway. Plus, Zhotal argued, this
could be an opportunity to trick the demon and slay it. After much debate, the
shadow council decided to push onwards. Immediately after making that decision,
each member of the shadow council became more at ease, as though part of the
emotional void had been temporarily filled. Dynax also noticed that his troops
looked more calm and serene. At every rest period, Dynax dreamed of Angareth
and after every dream, Dynax felt refreshed. It turns out Angareth was visiting
every member of the Excruciators in their dreams, promising to fill the void.
And so the Excruciators
pushed on until they reached the center of the battle station, which was the
seat of power of the Haemonculus coven. It was designed as a mass torture chamber,
where all kinds of torments were inflicted upon victims to feed the now mostly
defunct Kabal of the Sibilant Sun. Upon reached the chamber, every Excruciator
felt a wave of elation at the sensation assaulting their senses. The smell of
blood, the cries of pain, the sights of mutilated bodies and the permeating
sense of fear and hopelessness filled the hearts and minds of the Excruciators
to the point where they could almost forget about their fears of sensory
deprivation. The experience clearly affected every single Excruciator, so Dynax
ordered a halt to hold a meeting of the chapter.
Dynax admitted his
newfound need for sensation and his dreams of Angareth to the rest of the
chapter. The members of the shadow council came forth and also confirmed the
same to the troops. Dynax then invited others to share their views and every
single battle brother confirmed the same.
Dynax asked his brothers
what they wanted to do – continue as normal until driven mad by their need for
sensations, or accept Angareth’s help, knowing full well that doing so would
make them traitors to the Imperium. So scared were the Excruciators of the
emotional void they all felt while imprisoned, that every single one of them
voted to accept Angareth’s help.
Dynax then proposed that
they rest to see what Angareth would suggest next. That night, Angareth showed
the Excruciators a way to summon it and its minions. Angareth promised that
they would slay the remaining Dark Eldars and that the Excruciators would feel
emotionally fulfilled for months afterwards from the terror the Dark Eldars
would release upon being slain by the servants of the Dark Prince.
The next morning, the
Excruciators performed the ritual and Angareth and a legion of daemonettes
appeared in the chamber. They immediately charged toward the Haemonculus
positions, followed by the Excruciators. Angareth had not lied; the
Excruciators felt such an elation at seeing the daemons tear the Dark Eldars
apart that they immediately pledged themselves to the Dark Prince following the
battle.
THE
HOST OF ETERNAL TORMENT
Following their fall, the
Excruciators spent several months learning from Angareth the proper ways to
worship Slaneesh and to feed their emotional needs. They became consummate
torturers, using the Haemonculus torture chamber as their news means of
sustenance. The started raiding systems neighbouring the battle station, which
had been renamed the Flensing Blade, for slaves to bring to the torment pits. A
few years went by and the Excruciators started receiving gifts from Slaneesh. A
number of them mutated and fused with their weapons, which started emitting
high frequency sonic bursts instead of bolter shells. Others received mutations
that were more decorative than practical. Many grew bone horns and others grew
the ability to be implanted with doom sirens.
About three years after
the fall, the Excruciators received a visit from a delegation of Dark
Mechanicum adepts let by Warpsmith Gorteal. Gorteal met with the shadow
council, which now numbered Angareth as one of its members, and explained what
his business arrangement was with the Kabal of the Sibilant Sun: slaves for
technology. The shadow council retired to debate the proposition in detail.
Zhotal, seconded by Angareth, suggested making the relationship with Gorteal
much grander in scope. Zhotal suggested that they raid Trimilar, enslave its
population, slay the remaining Excruciators at the Fortress of Absolution and
recover the gene seed stock and all of the Fortress’ remaining armour. The
slaves would go to Gorteal and the Excruciators would gift him the emptied
Fortress of Absolution as well as a world rich in adamantium. In exchange, Gorteal
would leave a contingent of Warpsmiths at the Flensing Blade to help Halanok
unlock the secrets of the battle station. Gorteal would also commit to furnish
to the Excruciators war machines the way Magos Torpentis used to. Everyone
agreed with Zhotal’s proposal, which was promptly communicated to Gorteal.
Gorteal accepted on the spot.
Dynax and a vast host of
Excruciators and daemonettes then set sail for Trimilar in the Excruciators’
vessels that survived the original barrage from the battle station. On approach
to Trimilar, the fleet was hailed by the Fortress of Absolution and cries of
joy went up from those Excruciators on the surface. It turns out the 6th
company had not thrived very much in the few years since the disappearance of
the fleet and they were overjoyed at the return of the rest of the chapter.
Dynax ordered the 6th
to assemble in the courtyard of the fortress and to await their arrival. The
entirety of the remaining forces at the Fortress of Absolution did as ordered,
so great was their wish to believe that the chapter would be finally re-united.
Even more damning for them, they assembled unarmoured and unarmed. Dynax’
forces charged into them right out of their shuttles and massacred them to a
man in a matter of minutes. At the climax of the massacre, Dynax ascended to daemonhood
and became a daemon prince. It spoke to the extent of the fall of the
Excruciators that they all cheered such a result. Dynax stood over the bodies
of his former brothers, surrounded by the shadow council and Angareth and
ordered his forces to bring Trimilar to heel and start filling Gorteal’s slave
ships. Dynax, the shadow council and the remnants of 1st company
then set themselves to plunder the fortress.
Holds filled to the brim
with war machines, gene-seed and relics, Dynax’ forces returned to the Flensing
Blade, to find it much changed. Indeed, since the Flensing Blade existed within
the warp, a much longer period of time had elapsed for those in the battle
station than for the Trimilar execution force. Halanok and the warpsmiths had
succeeded in unlocking most of the battle station mechanisms such that the
Flensing Blade was now capable of warp travel and was also capable of
withstanding almost any kind of void warfare. More interestingly though, Halanok
had continued to develop the worship of Slaneesh in Dynax absence. The Flensing
Blade was now equipped with torment pits, pleasure dens, drug dens and chambers
capable of fulfilling whatever form of sensation one could possibly want to
experience.
Dynax was very pleased
with the work done and promoted Halanok to be the spiritual leader of the war
band in addition to being its chief Warpsmith. Dynax also proclaimed that the
Excruciators were dead and that the mixtures of Astartes and daemons comprising
his forces would now be known as the Host of Eternal Torment.
In the thousand years
since the fall of Trimilar, the Host of Eternal Torment has grown into a force
that rivals the red corsairs and that is eclipsed only by the Black Legion. Due
to its association with Gorteal, the Host is one of the better equipped forces
of Chaos, often fielding ancient relics such as a Sicaran battle tank as well
as newer models such as the hell blade fighters. The Host attracts a vast array
of supplicants and followers of Slaneesh, with the Flensing Blade being known
as one of the better places in the galaxy to be to worship Slaneesh and partake
in every sensation imaginable.
This influx of recruits
and top of the line war machines in turn allows the Host to be extremely efficient
slavers. The Host’s favourite tactic is to come out of the warp in high orbit
around an imperial world, destroy the orbital defenses with the destructive
power of the Flensing Blade’s armaments, and invade the world. Such is their
reputation that most worlds only put up a token resistance to the arrival of
the Flensing Blade since the Host has a habit of keeping recalcitrant subjects
for their own torment pits while cooperating populations are merely sold into
slavery. Many prefer the sale blocks of the Flensing Blade to its torment and
pleasure pits.
The Host has thus become
a premier slave provider and everyone from the Dark Mechanicum to the Black
Legion itself tries to remain in Dynax’ favour to have access to the most
desirable slaves. The Host also specializes in custom orders. Abaddon itself
once commissioned the Host to sell him an ork war band. Dynax could not fathom
why Abaddon wanted the orks for, but the Host set sail to an ork infested world
and filled its slave holds to the brim with green skins.
The Host has settled into
a rhythm in which they fill their ever expanding emotional needs in the pits of
the Flensing Blade and attack whichever world or forces they need to in order to
fulfill their latest slave orders. They are clearly in the highest favour with
Slaneesh as the daemon contingent of the Host, led by Angareth, continues to
grow while the Dark Prince continues to bless the Host’s war machines and
warriors with blessed mutations. Indeed, the Host’s warriors mutate more
frequently into Noise Marines than would normally be expected. Additionally,
the members of the Host are constantly surrounded by a thin, purple mist,
making the Host sometimes appear a bit hazy. Rumours abound that the mist is
what allows the Host to capture slaves so efficiently, plunging the populace
into a despair-induced torpor. Dynax does not know whether it is true or
whether it is the Host’s reputation that achieves the results. He, however,
does not care one way or the other and enjoys the mist as another sign of his
Lord’s favour.
If you are in need of
slaves or just want to worship Slaneesh whole-heartedly, feel free to seek the
Flensing Blade and be confident in the knowledge that the Host will accord you
all the protection and benefits of a valued customer. If you wish ill on the
Host or if you are a follower of the Blood God, then stay clear of the Flensing
Blade lest you become fodder for the torment pits. If you are potential
merchandise for the Host, quiet surrender is your only viable option – otherwise,
you will be subjected to abject, eternal torment…
DYNAX
– HIGH LORD OF THE HOST OF ETERNAL TORMENT
Dynax is now a
powerful daemon prince of Slaneesh and the uncontested ruler of the Host. He
continues to be blessed by Slaneesh and has recently been granted vast psychic
powers by the Dark Prince. Slaneesh also sent an imp to Dynax to serve as a
spell familiar and Dynax does not go anywhere without it. Dynax relishes
personal combat and often opts for psychic powers that directly increase his
might. However, he is not above killing foes from the air if it makes good
strategic sense. When Dynax’ actions truly please the Dark Prince, Dynax’s
sword becomes imbued, on the eve of battle, with a portion of Slaneesh’s will.
This allows Dynax to shoot forth a torrent of billowing, corrosive purple vapor
that is strong enough to melt ceramite armour. Dynax continues to be advised by
the shadow council and counts its members as friends.
ZHOTAL
– LORD OF THE STRATEGIUM
Lord Zhotal, as he is
now known, is truly the second in command in the Host. Equipped with the blade
of torments, a fickle blade that can sometime become a power sword if Slaneesh
is particularly pleased with Zhotal, Lord Zhotal likes to lead from the rear.
His most important trait is his strategic acumen and Dynax prefers to deploy
Zhotal with the rear-guard, usually with a squad of Noise Marines. From there,
Zhotal directs the mighty firepower of the Host’s long range weaponry, calls in
air strikes and reinforcements and ensures that the Host does not become
flanked or cut off from its extraction point. This is a role that Zhotal is
more than happy with and he particularly relishes the opportunity to watch
Dynax, Angareth and the various daemons of Slaneesh rush the enemy and tear
them apart while he puts his mind to surgical long range extermination.
Typically, Zhotal will deploy with the Onyx Blades. Zhotal’s most recent
honourable kill is that of Capitan Orfec of the 3rd company of the
Sons of Orus. Captain Orfec fought in a challenge with Zhotal and was
decapitated by the blade of torments. Captain Orfec’s head was added to the
spikes of the Rhino “Flayed Bones”. Perceived as a sign of favour from
Slaneesh, Captain Orfec’s head is not decomposing and continues to bleed to
this day.
ANGARETH
– KEEPER OF SECRETS AND MEMBER OF THE SHADOW COUNCIL
Angareth was a keeper
of secrets of modest power in Slaneesh’s court. It had been watching the Kabal
of the Sibilant Sun closely for a way to deliver their souls to Slaneesh as a
means of garnering more favour from the Dark Prince. Angareth jumped on the
opportunity to deliver to Slaneesh an entire chapter of Adeptus Astartes when
the Excruciators invaded the Flensing Blade. Angareth manipulated the dreams of
the Haemonculus coven to incite the rebellion and drove the Talos engine that
broke the crystal before dying. Successfully converting the Excruciators to the
worship of Slaneesh so completely and so quickly has showered Angareth with the
Dark Prince’s favour. On most days, Slaneesh grants enhanced psychic powers to
Angareth as well as several rewards that allow Angareth to do what it likes
most – flay mortals alive in close combat. Only Angareth knows its true agenda
for the Host, but, for the moment, it is happy participating in the Host’s
activities and being a member of the shadow council. As the Dark Prince allows
more and more of its daemons to join the Host, Angareth’s power and prestige
within the Host grow commensurately as it is seen by the Astartes as the
commander of the daemonic legions.
THE
ONYX BLADES
The Onyx Blades are a
squad of Noise Marines led by Inguron. The Onyx Blades are so named because of
the blade Inguron carries in battle. While trying to enslave the Khorne demon
world of Trialix, Inguron and Antalek fought a demon prince of Khorne armed with
twin blades, one made of Onyx and the other made of bone. Inguron and Antalek
teamed up to bring down the prince and claimed a blade each as a trophy. The
blades have been fitted with a power source by Hanalok and should on most days
function as power swords. However, the blades are fickle and sometimes the
power field refuses to activate. Inguron and Antalek just view such occurrences
as tests sent by Slaneesh and they relish the opportunity to slay in the Dark
Prince’s name the old fashioned way. Both Inguron and Antalek have also been
fitted with doom sirens and they relish the ability to melt armoured foes with
it. The Onyx Blades’ most recent accomplishment was the slaying of the honour
guard of Captain Orfec, of the third company of the Sons of Orus. Inguron
personally defeated Albius, the 3rd company champion and is
currently wearing Albius’ flayed face and torso on his armour. The Onyx Blades
take great pride on the fact that Lord Zhotal usually deploys with them and
that Captain Orfec’s head is impaled on a spike on their Rhino, the “Flayed
Bones”.
THE
BONE SWORDS
The Bone Swords are a
squad of Noise Marines led by Antalek. The Bone Swords are so named because of
the blade Antalek carries in battle. While trying to enslave the Khorne demon
world of Trialix, Inguron and Antalek fought a demon prince of Khorne armed with
twin blades, one made of Onyx and the other made of bone. Inguron and Antalek
teamed up to bring down the prince and claimed a blade each as a trophy. The
blades have been fitted with a power source by Hanalok and should on most days
function as power swords. However, the blades are fickle and sometimes the
power field refuses to activate. Inguron and Antalek just view such occurrences
as tests sent by Slaneesh and they relish the opportunity to slay in the Dark
Prince’s name the old fashioned way. Both Inguron and Antalek have also been
fitted with doom sirens and they relish the ability to melt armoured foes with
it. The Bone Swords most recent accomplishment was the slaying of the entourage
of the ork boss Gratuk. Antalek personally defeated Gratuk and is currently
wearing Gratuk’s flayed face and torso on his armour. The Bone Swords usually
deploy into battle on board their Rhino, the “Seed of Damnation”.
HELL
BLADES – THE TWIN REAPERS
The two hell blades
called the twin reapers were originally normal hell blades provided by Gorteal to
the Host in exchange for slaves. Their pilots were talented and the Twin Reapers
provided aerial superiority to the Host on more than one engagement. Following
a period of inactivity, Halanok noticed that no one had seen the Twin Reapers’
pilots in months. Upon inspection, the Twin Reapers were found to have suffered
mutations and the pilots appeared to have become entombed and/or morphed with
the aircrafts. Originally, Halanok had concerns that the Twin Reapers would no
longer be able to perform, but they always follow order and respond to calls
for airstrikes. If anything, the Twin Reapers are more murderous and more agile
than they ever were. In the face of such performance, Halanok has stopped
asking questions and just accepts the fate of the Twin Reapers as a sign of
favour from Slaneesh.
WARPSMITH
HALANOK AND THE TITAN HUNTER
Warpsmith Halanok is
a revered member of the shadow council and the spiritual leader of the Host.
Following the raid on Trimilar, Halanok recovered his most precious war
machine, the Sicaran battle tank previously known as the Emperor’s Fury. This
relic had been with the Excruciators since its founding and it was beloved as a
means to destroy heavy armour and infantry alike. During the raid on forgeworld
Aritax 212, the Emperor’s Fury was disabled and its conductor slain. Halanok
performed some field repairs and took it upon himself to drive the tank into
battle. During the final battle, Halanok slayed three Imperial Knights with the
tank and decided to rename it the Titan Hunter. Halanok has been adamant ever
since that no one but him should drive the Titan Hunter into battle and the
Halanok/Titan Hunter combo has been instrumental to many raids launched by the
Host. Recently, the Titan Hunter has been blessed with more and more mutations
and Halanok spends less and less time outside of the tank. Dynax and Zhotal are
a little worried that Halanok and the Titan Hunter are becoming one entity, but
have so far refrained from raising their concerns with Halanok.
DAEMONETTES
OF SLANEESH
The Host is blessed
with a large contingent of daemonettes, which is accepted by all as a sign of
Slaneesh’s favour. The daemonette hordes are commanded by Angareth and are
typically deployed as deep striking skirmishers tasked with disturbing the
enemies’ back fields and long range fire power. The daemonettes are utterly
loyal to Angareth and will do anything, including being banished back to the
warp, rather than face Angareth’s wrath.
