"My name is Davian Morgan, and I used to write for the Gothic World Newspaper. I lost my job, and my home. My family doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm putting this to paper only out of sheer luck, or the antipathy of distant gods. For in their infinite and dark wisdoms they have seen it necessary to imprison me in flesh and under earth, in loathsome tunnelways and spawning pools of rats and rodents.

This is not my home out of choice. Rather, I have been chosen to remain here for the better part of what might be the rest of my life. There is someone else down here who has seen it absolutely imperative that I stay down here with him. He is a murderer, and a horrendous vandal. Yet his metal skin hides a networked mainframe that considers me what the outside world does not. He considers me important, though in a way that cannot be adequately understood without extensive knowledge of who - or what - this creature actually is.

And unfortunately, I cannot explain much.

He is a towering example of some alien technology, though claims and has proven to have been made here on American soil. True enough, there exists a plate on the underarm of his thorax that is imprinted with archaic code for "New York", though the authenticity can easily be called into question. The code itself is over eighty years old - dating back to the second World War. He has a photographic memory of many of the events he claims to have been involved in. Various invasions, sieges, skirmishes, and battles throughout the European front, all come to him by heart. Yet it is around the summer of 1945, near the end of the war, that his memory violently diverges.

In his mind, the Nazis created the atomic bomb first and dropped it on London, killing millions in seconds. American bombs were then launched on various cities in Germany and Japan, but that wasn't enough to stop the war. Instead of fearing the atom bomb, the Axis had their own. And they just didnt stop fighting.

The war continued, with a cold period following the atomic devastation. Technologies were being rapidly advanced. More robotic legions marched out in unflinching unison - the new soldiers of a new war. As a veteran of the Last Great War, my captor describes speaking to these newcomers as 'talking to soldiers who were already dead'. In his more levelheaded moments of clarity, he can easily describe the different makes and models by name, and even weave tales of different automatons he grew fond of during this period of conflict. The legion he was assigned to was named the Last Colossi, the last ones to be made before their production plant in Baltimore was shut down.

Factories had to be moved constantly, for fear of making themselves and the nearby cities they inhabited targets. Usually they were just made out in the middle of nowhere, but then the Battle of Atlanta taught Americans that the robots needed to be manufactured closer. He said that by the New Millennium, people weren't worried about a global networking error. They were worried about the dreaded Operation: Long Night.

Intel had come down through to the civilians. Leaked German reports were confident of their new missile systems. In response, the Americans had their own aimed squarely at the German-dominated European continent. At the stroke of midnight, the last fireworks humanity ever saw began flying. And the Long Night began, but not before the Great Fire consumed most civilized life. Such was the devastation that my captor is fully convinced that every normal human he encounters, each one he kills, is actually a synthetic copy sent to kill him and end the American resistance. I can only assume that he has kept me alive for this long because he thinks i am a normal human.

But, his short-term memory is in shambles. He stutters constantly, with no shortage of sparks and malfunctioning facial plates. He is not well. Not at all."

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To become part of a Legion, is to be made more than mortal; it is to take to the Right Side of Doom; it is to become his Unbroken Blade.

Verily were the warriors of Symaarian birth noble and strong. They endured the Dark Age, the predations of the cannibalistic cyborgs, and the genocidal wrath of mutant hordes and necromantic cultists.

Yet even they would not survive the machinations of their new, unstoppable Emperor.

Doom had in his mind the perfect design for a warrior race that would come out of the genetic stock of Symaar. These people who gave completely of themselves to him, he would mold them like clay and in the fires of war forge them into perfection. This was the least he could do.

At last, he created the first Legionaries - the XVIth Legion, his Sons of Doom.

The science that brought them into being could never be replicated except by the genius of Doom himself. Various genetic implants that took thousands of years to adapt into their system, a process expedited to a few months by the godlike power of the Emperor, became but second nature to their DNA.

Even with their genetic stock being as moldable as the running water, the Symaarian biology could not adapt to the implants outside of such a procedure and only by the hand of Doom could it even be considered possible. Rather than simply acclimating to everything in kind, a Symaarian body had to genetically change on a rudimentary level in order to fully accept the biological upgrades being given to it.

Over ninety unique organs were introduced, some on a microscopic level, and a handful were meant specifically to interface with the various armors and weapons unique to the Legionaries. Without such organic compounds, using such weapons would prove impossible.

"Gods Amongst Men"

The standard Legionary is about nine to ten feet tall, weighing about five-hundred pounds of thick muscle and protective layering surrounding all their vital organs. Such is the dense packing of this biological structure that human weapons on a normal scale simply do not affect them. Bullets under the .50-caliber range impact their skin and cause little more than ripples and slight bruising afterward. Even the sharpest blades made out of the most unstable materials fail to rend even a centimeter into their flesh with a concentrated cut.

In contrast to this, a Legionary is capable of astounding feats of strength and speed.

Even without their physical-enhancing armor, the typical Legionary can lift over thirty tons with one arm. They're trained in heavy shock assault, allowing them to crash through solid concrete walls using their shoulders as battering rams. Despite this obvious bias towards raw muscular output and impact negation, a Legionary is more than able to keep up with seemingly quicker opponents.

Their minds are augmented on a level similar to their bodies and each neural impulse is accompanied by a storm of information that their senses are adapted to deciphering near-instantly. Bullets racing towards them are identified by sound and smell, and dodged according to direction and drops in wind pressure. This almost never happens while they're wearing the highly formidable layers of power armor, but the concept remains.

The organs of a Legionary are varied and complex. Whilst they still operate under the biological assumption of the normal Homo Draconis (similar to their distant cousins Homo Sapiens), the addition of multiple organs allows for increased battlefield stability and situational preparedness that is unparalleled by their unaugmented kin.

Three lungs, a second heart, multiple layers to the eyeball preventing temporary blindness from flash grenades and bright battlefield illuminations - these are just some of the highly advanced installments to a Legionary.

"The Emperor Forged Them In His Image"

The Legionary is highly adaptable to any form of combat situation.

His anatomy seamlessly integrates with a suit of power armor, which would be impossible to operate or even wear otherwise as the suit would reject the wearer without the proper implants and genetic augmentations.

Even then, if someone were to implant themselves with the necessary mechanisms, without a biological background dedicated to countless centuries of manipulating DNA to that flawless point of cooperation between genetics and technology, the implants themselves would be flawed and reject the body.

And so, Doom divided the time necessary for that biological integration down to twelve years, his mastery of genetics allowing him to provide the importance of DNA modifications while cutting the cost and time required. Otherwise, it would have been over ten-thousand years before the Legions were ready and assembled.

The implants of a Legionary turn a normal man into a vision of what evolution could potentially bring if it were allowed to flourish fully and unabated. The Legionaries are the pinnacle of the humanoid form, something entirely alien and yet so barely familiar that it is recognizable as human in shape. Human, according to the Symaarians belonging to a cousin race - the Homo Draconis, as opposed to Homo Sapiens.

"We are the Spear. We are the Hammer. We will crush them beneath our treads!"

There are several types of vehicles further separated into variants used for specific situations.

Rhino

A Rhino of the Angels of Vengeance

Land Raider Phobos

The Crimson Bulwark rolls onward

Every Land Raider variant is based off the Phobos, its initial design being perfected through the trials of reconquering the Symaarian cluster of worlds.

Its formidable armor is impenetrable to all but the most unrelenting of firepower such as orbital strikes or dedicated anti-armor. Even then, its onboard artificial intelligence is able to survive and protect its crew despite the most harrowing of situations. It features two twin-linked lascannons (one set each mounted in forward-facing sponson positions) and a turret-mounted twin-linked heavy bolter that can be swapped out for a twin-linked assault cannon. A pintle-mounted storm bolter can be changed for a variety of other weapons, such as a multi-melta in some cases.

For disgorging troops directly into battle, it has both a hydraulic-powered assault ramp and side doors . Its ubiquitous design allows for a complete 360 degrees of motion, meaning that even if it is somehow flipped over it can still operate at maximum capacity.

Land Raider Crusader

One in a series of schematics from the Fire Drakes' armory

Eschewing the lascannon array for the Hurricane-pattern bolter configuration, the Crusader is a tireless powerhouse in close-range firefights. It is able to pour unrelenting amounts of firepower into the enemy, releasing often dedicated assault troops from its armored carapace.

Due to its heavy usage at close quarters, the Crusader is often deployed with reinforced armor and cannot be as universally effective as its Phobos cousin.

Land Raider Helios

A pict-capture of the Angels of Vengeance in combat

Combining the Land Raider's natural toughness with a mobile artillery platform, the Helios is suited for action far away from the front line. Its transport capacity is typically reserved for Heavy Support squads that can bolster its already formidable firepower.

It should be noted that the turret has been replaced with a long-ranged advanced targeting scanner and the pintle where Legionaries would typically put storm bolters or multi-meltas is gone.

Land Raider Achilles

The Bronze Beasts make liberal use of Achilles-pattern Land Raiders, thus reflecting their brutal nature in combat

In similar fashion to the Helios, the pintle for weapons near the top exit hatch is gone. The turret is also missing, but in its place is a brutally effective quad mortar. The Achilles is a terrifying foe to face, marking the combination of a Helios and a Crusader variant.

No longer would it fear to tread where a Helios would, as it is armed with either twin-linked multi-meltas or volkite culverins where the lascannons would otherwise be. The tradeoff is anti-vehicle versus anti-infantry, but the effects would be devastating either way.

The quad mortar making the Achilles more unique than its counterparts offers truly devastating ordnance support at the cost of range, but the reinforced armor often means the Achilles is leading the charge at the tip of the spear.

Land Raider Redeemer

A Redeemer of the Legio Mortis scorching a path through all who oppose it

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Spartan Assault Tank

The Legio Mortis advances in the shadow of the Spartan

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Typhon Heavy Siege Tank

A pict-capture of a Typhon belonging to The Sons of Doom as it makes a mockery of the fortifications before it

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Sicaran Battle Tank

A Sicaran of the Champions of Steel roaring forward despite its volcanic surroundings

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Mastodon

An unstoppable mobile fortress of the Legio Ferrus

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Vindicator

The Legio Scorpius takes prime firing position in the wake of the implacable advance of the Emperor's Titans

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Fellblade

A pict-capture of the Legio Ferrus pushing deep into enemy territory, reinforced by another of their super-heavy tanks

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Glaive

Again, the Legio Ferrus makes its strength known in the form of two Glaives tearing through an entrenched position

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Thunderhawk

Thunderhawks of the Black Wings Legion exemplify their quick and savage hit-and-run tactics

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Storm Eagle

The Fire Drakes descend into battle

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Dreadnought

A venerable Dreadnought of the Legio Ultra

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Contemptor Dreadnought

The Legio Mortis is renowned for their fearless advance into hellish environs - even in death

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Leviathan Dreadnought

Honored Tybechlon of the Legio Mortis in the heart of the battle, where he is at home

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Drop Pods

The Devourers mercilessly crash into another world

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Kharybdis Assault Claw

The Iron Fists on the long drop to a planet's surface

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Caestus Assault Ram

The Devourers are not only renowned for their brutality in melee, but also for their vicious attempts at getting close enough to rend their opponents limb from limb

Ancient men depicted their gods showering evil with weapons of thunder and lightning. Should we, as Angels of Doom, not do the same?!

At its most basic, an armory of a Legion can be divided into weapons types. Each one has a designated purpose in battle, although all are terrifyingly deadly.

Bolt

"Without Wrath, We Are Nothing."

Standard MKVI Bolter Rifle

Bolt-type weapons are found throughout the Legions, ranging from the handheld bolt pistol to the tank-shredding Kheres-pattern Assault Cannon. They are large-caliber firearms that fire, at their smallest form in pistol type, .50-caliber shells that are designed to drill into a target and then burst with miniaturized grenade-like explosives. This allows even the ubiquitous .75-caliber Bolter Rifle to shred reinforced tank armor.

Once the .998-caliber rounds from a Heavy Bolter come into play, nothing stands in its way. Assault Cannons use the same size ammunition and are often used to clear out enemy trenchworks as well as threaten solid concrete bunkers from the turret of large tanks - as well as to scare away enemy armored vehicles. The high-pitched screaming of an Assault Cannon is more times than not a dangerously effective doctrine of terror.

Bolt Pistol

Storm Bolter

Combi-Bolter

Bolter Rifle

Heavy Bolter

Assault Cannon

Flamer

"Burn them all. Let the Emperor sort them out - He knows His own."

A Hand Flamer of the Blood Acolytes Legion

Not far from Earthen flamethrower technologies, those belonging to the Legions instead use liquid Prometheum. This material burns on contact with a spark, but is characteristically viscous and sticky. It infiltrates cracks in armor, searing away hoses and tubing until it finds the core of a warrior's defense: his own skin. From here, it spreads as much as it can down every conceivable angle, igniting anything it touches in a boiling neverending inferno.

It should be noted that Prometheum burns even when completely submerged in water, and the only way to snuff it out is to smother it.

Hand Flamer

Flamer

Heavy Flamer

Flamestorm Cannon

Melta

"Take from them their vehicles and tanks, their armored columns and fortifications; show them no mercy."

Melta weapons are used to punch holes in heavy armor, though they are just as effective against infantry. Their range, however, keeps their widespread usage in small squads dedicated as tank hunters.

Throwing white-hot slag from a molecular mixer within the weapon itself, a Melta can turn reinforced vehicle shells into boiling swamps of burning ash and cinder. As such, it only usually takes one or two dedicated blasts to turn any target into little more than atomic sludge.

Infernus Pistol

Melta

Multi-Melta

Melta Cannon

Magna-Melta

Plasma

"Sear Flesh From Bone."

Master-crafted MKVII Plasma Gun of the Soul Keepers Legion

As the name implies, Plasma tech is naturally dangerous. A highly-destructive form of energy, its sole purpose is to tear away to the core of a target regardless of armor value.

This does not apply to vehicles unless the plasma weapon in question is of such high caliber as to completely erase the opposing force into glowing molecular residue.

Plasma weapons are amongst the most powerful as well as dangerous technologies available to the Legions, as their condensed star-cores are just as likely to explode as they are to actually fire successfully. As such, teams of Plasma Gunners are a common sight on the battlefields of the Great Crusade. Harrowing salvos meant to stagger the cooldown times on these deadly weapons literally shatter entire formations in a well-timed concert of searing white-hot death.

Plasma Grenade

Plasma Pistol

Plasma Rifle

Plasma Cannon

Plasma Annihilator

Rad

"Melt their civilizations - one atom at a time."

The effects of a Rad storm barrage as the Champions of Steel close in

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Rad Grenade

Rad Rocket

Rad Storm Barrage

Apocalypse Rad Warhead

Volkite

"Burn their flesh within their armor. Cook their cells."

A Champion of Steel emerges from a burning Spartan Assault Tank firing a Volkite Caliver (red laser)

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Volkite Serpenta

Volkite Charger

Volkite Caliver

Volkite Culverin

Volkite Carronade

Missile

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Las

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Digital Weapons

Lascannon

Neutron Laser Battery

Volcano Cannon

Turbo-Laser Destructor

Power

A master-crafted Power Fist of the Iron Fists Legion

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Power Fist

Power Sword/Axe/Glaive

Thunder Hammer

Chainfist

Grav

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Grav-pistol

Grav-gun

Grav-cannon

A definitive list of Doom's warriors, each Legion consists of at least 100,000 Legionaries at any given time.

They are each genetically designed and trained relentlessly to regularly besiege and conquer whole worlds with task forces of only 300 Legionaries.

To witness the full military might of even a single Legion is a rare and terrifying thing.

Crudelis Lancea Imperalis

Legion designation XVI; Specializing in lightning warfare

Long ago, the brutal tribes of Symaar Primus fought for resources against the cyborg inhumans and mutant beasts who raided them. The clans who held out in the basin of the Iron Sea were known as Kathraki - the Bloody Hunters.

They belonged to a leaderless cult of warriors who believed in sorting out the weak from the strong in order to appease their god. Those who did not live up to the standards set by their tribal captains were culled. And so the genetic stock of the Kathraki remained relatively pure compared to the outside tribes, most of whom succumbed to either cybernetic or radioactive influence on a molecular level or fell into a downward spiral of paranoia within the towering spires.

The Kathraki embodied the edict of the Earthen blitzkrieg, and were responsible for some of the most daring raids into the old territories of Mundus Gargand - a monstrous cyborg whom no weapons could even touch. Time and time again, they would push deeper into the Steppes, defying the angelic heralds of the Thunder Gods and burning outlying encampments as they went.

Yet this lifestyle was not to last.

Mundus Gargand had long waged war against the Thunder Gods in order to occupy his time. He would have crushed them wholly if the Kathraki had not captured his attention. Without a second look back, he turned his attention towards the tribes of the Iron Sea and lashed out with a vengeance. Thousands died in the initial battles, and the Kathraki gathered together for one final stand in the heart of their territory. However, one night the shamans read in the portents that a savior would come in the form of a bolt of lightning.

Confident in their survival now, the Kathraki waited and watched the skies. Eventually, the prophesied moment came. Even Mundus Gargand gave pause to the storm that passed over the Iron Sea that day - the day when Doom descended from the sky.

Following Doom's physical ascension to the form of Emperor, the Kathraki were the first to endure his genetic modifications. In the months that ensued his genius that once humbled the nomadic tribes into building a mighty fortress changed them forever into the first legion that he would use to conquer the world - and then the galaxy at large. These, fittingly, he named his Sons, as they were indeed his children. The Sons of Doom played a key part in breaking the 5,000 years of ignorance and bloodshed that became known as the Dark Age, as well as the Emperor's hunt for aUnified Purpose.

The death of Mundus Gargand only confirmed their newfound strength.

For twelve long years, the Sons of Doom were always at the forefront of the fighting. They formed Doom's vanguard, became his vicious enforcers, and embodied the art of war as only the Brutal Spear could. True, it even became their epithet, their way of battle and of life in the new and brutal existence they willingly chose when Doom remade them. The pointed tip of Doom's blade, evolved past fear and remorse as it cut deeper into their enemies, driven by the weight of their fury and unrelenting primal affinity for killing that became instinct in the hearts and minds of their ancestors - that was the development of the Kathraki.

No longer were they mere hunters. They were the weapons that slew gods and drowned the starways in the blood of countless foes.

It would be an unfathomable honor, then, that the Legion would be chosen to bear witness to Doom's first step into the Unshattered Dominion. A biological heir to the Emperor himself was rumored to be amongst them...

Though this would unravel given time, to be shown the merest glimpse of such a glory meant that the Sons of Doom never harbored a doubt in their minds about their loyalties. Though the humility of some and the arrogance of others established the Legion's overall personality, the allegiance never once wavered. The Kathraki looked back on their old ways with fondness, not dispondance. As despoilers of worlds, they had achieved what none of their ancestors could ever dream of.

As the Brutal Spear of the Emperor, his Crudelis Lancea Imperalis, the XVIth Legion followed his word without hesitation.

And that is why they were chosen for the defense of Gothic City - or rather, the savage counterattack to its inevitable siege.

Emperor Doom had allies yet on Earth, despite his ever increasing distance from the mortal coil; and his Sons would be there to ensure their continued survival.

Krell

Classification: fortress/shipping/forge/industrial world

Technology Level: exceedingly high

Size: comparable to Saturn

Population: ~646,000,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Krell "Roughnecks" Regiments (combat experts in defensive arenas as well as in street, trench, and urban warfare)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Iron Champions (siege warfare and artillery specialists)

All supplies must run through Krell at some time or another. Here is where the massive munitions supplies necessary for the Imperium's many wars are given final inspection and, if necessary, finer tuning. Symaarians from Krell take pride in their dirty, crude, and rough way of life. Most of their planet is made up of metal, and their personality often reflects it.

Iron Champions

Physically the strongest and largest of the various active Warmasters, Argul has a penchant for smashing everything in his path through a combination of unrelenting siege tactics as well as his thunder hammer 'Godbreaker'. As such, Argul is notorious for being the foremost siege master in all the Imperium. It is a proven fact that not even the mightiest Imperial bastion could outwit Argul if he was given enough time to besiege it. He is called the Titan of Krell for a reason. His Iron Champions have stood beside him unflinchingly throughout his thousands of years of service to the Imperium as they, too, refine their mastery of siege warfare as handed down by the Warmasters of the past. It is a brave fool indeed who stands defiant in the way of Argul's siege tactics.

Scion

Classification: fortress moon

Technology Level: exceedingly high

Size: similar to Earth's moon

Population: ~10,000 (enough to support a full Space Marine Legion)

Notable Guard Regiment(s): none

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Blood Acolytes (dedicated close combat Legion)

Orbiting Infernus is a moon fashioned much in the style of how the Ferravian Ring was designed to protect Symaar Primus. Scion is home to the Isle of Blood, the massive fortress-monastery of the Blood Acolytes.

Praag Ost

Classification: hive world

Technology Level: exceedingly high

Size: comparable to Symaar Primus

Population: ~85,000,000,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Praag Guard (notably stubborn and reckless regiments, also handy in siege warfare)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Iron Fists (siege breakers without compare)

Called Symaar Primus' sister world, Praag Ost hides a criminal underworld unlike any seen on other worlds. Many Rogue Traders frequent Praag Ost simply for its highly prized black market.

Iron Fists

Vladimir was born a poor peasant boy on Praag Ost, the brutal hive world capital of the Praag System. He was quiet as a child and was frequently abused for it, often called stupid or illiterate in the process. That all changed when he funneled his pent-up rage at the annual Gathering of Initiates for the local Space Marine Legion - the Iron Fists. He managed to win over the judges due to his ferocity in battle and he became one of the brotherhood's Neophytes. He grew into the Warmaster of the Iron Fists after centuries on proving himself on the battlefield. Though regarded as crude and intolerably stubborn, Vladimir is as loyal as a dog and as fierce as a cyclone.

Rasmus

Classification: death/forge world

Technology Level: exceedingly high

Size: smaller than Venus

Population: ~126,000,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Rasmian "Chem Suckers" Regiments (experts at fighting in hostile environments where vision is often obscured)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Seers of Vindictus (large percentage of psykers, often makes use of powerful magic storms to crush their foes)

Cloaked in radioactivity, Rasmus was once the site of a legendary battle between Jormunder and the Necron tomb world that used to be located under its surface. Jormunder purged the Xenos and destroyed their catacombs. Yet even now, after many thousands of years, Rasmus still feels the cold touch of the Necrons as its surface continually emits a thick mist of deadly green fog that stretched into the atmosphere. Symaarians living on Rasmus are therefore born and bred in large protective suits and wear re-breathers for most of their day-to-day activities.

Seers of Vindictus

The mysterious Scarab Stars hold untold amounts of treasures from the days of the Great Crusade, vast tomes of genetic and scientific breakthroughs that have led to the creation of the Space Marines. Indeed, it is here that the most precious secrets of the Imperium are stored and guarded. The Seers of Vindictus hold the duty of holding this immeasurably important sector of the Imperium. Their Warmaster, Alzrahem Orion, combines the magnificent powers of a sorcerer as well as the charisma of a prophet as he crusades across the Necron tomb worlds awakening in and around the Scarab Stars.

Repentance

Classification: shrine world

Technology Level: exceedingly high

Size: comparable to Mars

Population: ~286,000,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Repentant Regiments (former criminals and religious zealots herded under the priesthood for battle)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Soul Keepers (infamously zealous and stubborn fighters)

Pilgrimage to Repentance is considered by many to be the greatest spiritual experience of a lifetime. Outside of its immediate population, Repentance sees billions of travelers loyal to the Navigator each and every day. Repentance is also the final stop for criminals and former heretics, now shepherded into organized Guardsmen regiments under the local Castigators who act as a combination of field commander and, if necessary, Commissar.

Soul Keepers

The Soul Keepers are the most mysterious of the Legions, as they are the ones most afflicted by Chaos. Long ago, during the Tartaran Heresy that split the Imperium apart, the Soul Keepers waged a bloody civil war against itself once its Warmaster [name expunged] declared himself to be one of the masterminds of the Heresy. Rent apart by heresy and confusion, the Soul Keepers were left out of most of the fighting on Symaar Primus as well as much of the actual Heresy itself. Ashamed, the remaining Soul Keepers dedicated their lives to hunting down those who had sided with the traitor Warmaster. After eight-thousand years, they are still only at marginal strength, but Navigator help the fool who provokes them. Drell Durkir is described as one of the mightiest warriors in the Imperium. His stoic expression unnerves even his allies and his uncompromising demeanor is only matched by his desire to keep his Legion intact.

Mortis

Classification: grave world

Technology Level: nonexistent

Size: several times that of Saturn

Population: ~900,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Mortian Guard "Death Walkers" (grim fighters accustomed to fighting in dark, rotten environments)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Knights of Terror (night and surprise attack specialists who make extensive use of terror tactics)

Mortis is unique among all the planets of the Imperium in that it is shrouded in eternal night by its ash-clogged atmosphere and the fact that it orbits a slowly-dying star that is unable to penetrate the haze. It is the final resting place for many Imperial citizens, anyone from simple Guardsmen to the most illustrious Warmaster. In death, all are united in the Allfather's presence.

Knights of Terror

The Knights of Terror are feared for their reliance on disheartening their foe before a brutal surprise attack staged primarily at night. They make common use of vox casts recorded from the tortured screams of their foes, sent out to the frequencies of unfriendly radio systems, in order to plant the seed of discontent in the commanders and (more importantly) the common rabble. They also make heavy use of artillery and fast-moving assault squads equipped with jump packs. Such is the reputation of the Knights of Terror that entire planets often surrender at the mere thought of facing them in battle. Konrad Noct is the latest in a long line of Warmasters belonging to the Knights of Terror, seeing as how their Legion dates back as far as the Lords of Ruin do. He insists on destroying heretical bastions wherever they may be found. As a tactical commander, he is rather old-fashioned by the standards set by his forebears, but he emphasizes close combat and is often seen wearing the extensively modified Soul Shredder lighting claws. Unlike most other Warmasters, Konrad prefers leading small squads into battle at a time rather than a full sweeping advance of the Navigator's Finest. This way, he believes, causes a fair amount of confusion in the enemy and lets them become better targets for the artillery barrages creeping steadily closer.

Darkstar

Classification: hive world

Technology Level: moderate

Size: three times the size of Earth

Population: ~360,000,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Darkstar "Black Hawk" Regiments (night fighters extraordinaire)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Black Wings (aerial and fast attack specialists)

A densely populated world, Darkstar's surface is barren and deserted with its people crammed into towering hive cities.

Black Wings

The Black Wings are stationed in the foreboding Darkstar Sector of the Imperium, a brutal and isolated part of its southeastern provinces. They are entirely independent when compared to the other Space Marine Legions and work best alone, acting in concert with each other rather than other Legions. They have even adopted a system of government similar to the Omega Company, where the Sector answers to the Warmaster of its local Legion. As such, the Warmasters of the Black Wings are famously well-versed in the finer art of managing what they have conquered rather than subjecting the worlds to singular members of their Honor Guard or those who hold captaincy within the Legion. Albion Corr is no different from the Warmasters of his past other than the fact that he keeps a tight schedule of visiting the dozens of worlds within the Darkstar Sector personally in order to keep up morale. He has not embarked on any notable crusade in several decades, but many speculate that he is more concerned about teaching his subjects how to defend themselves properly in the event of his inevitable absence - for a Space Marine's heart is never pacified until it has reached a zenith of zealotry.

Khine

Classification: fortress/death world

Technology Level: moderate

Size: comparable to Earth

Population: ~276,000,000,000

Notable Guard Regiment(s): Khine "Bastards" Regiments (close combat and armored warfare specialists)

Notable Space Marine Legion(s): Foe Renders (almost exclusively melee-oriented Legion)

Khine itself is a world steeped in blood and tradition, going back as far as the first Symaarian colonists holding gladiatorial games in the honor of their distant and omnipotent Allfather. The people are superstitious in the extreme, believing that might makes right and that the strong should hold sway over the weak.

Foe Renders

The bloody stars of the Khine Sector hold sway to dozens of worlds that are choked with atmospheric debris and have been subject to everything from uncompromising artillery strikes to orbital virus bombings. Ahzgrim Rageheart is the latest Warmaster of the Foe Renders Legion, a Legion steeped in traditions dating back to the earliest days of the Great Crusade. The Khine Sector rests between not only the Imperium and three swollen Ork empires, but also a notoriously large (and growing) rift in real space called the Scar of Jholstis from which a thousand armies of the Dark Gods are said to spill from each and every day. As such, the Khine Sector witnesses unimaginable horrors and atrocities almost every time the sun shines upon its tortured worlds. However, Ahzgrim would not be happy anywhere else. With such a constant struggle for survival coupled with the fact that Ahzgrim has managed to keep his sector from falling to the insidious powers of Chaos is testament to his skill as both a military commander and an inspiring presence to Symaarians everywhere.