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Breaking Dawn
About
Breaking Dawn
About
About

Prologue

--Transmission intercepted--

Inquisitional Report Case File: Angelus Obscura

Date: Circa 003.M42
Inquisitor: Lord Inquisitor Valerius Torquemada, Ordo Hereticus
Origin: Segmentum Obscurus Sub-sector: Calixis Planetary System: Xylos Panet: Xylos Prime
Subject: Heretical Cult Activity, Potential Chaos Infiltration of planet populous  

Report Summary: 

This report details the ongoing investigation into the ‘Breaking Dawn’ chapter’s homeworld. With those familiar with this investigation I have not deviated from previous conclusions although I have found a promising discrepancy and on this basis I have requisitioned 2 interrogators. Please see attached the relevant release forms with ident codes.

To review what is already established within this investigation’s history the Breaking Dawn chapter originated in the 3rd founding although absent records has lead my predecessors meriting the initial review of the chapters origin. The frequent gene testing of battle line marines of all available ‘ranks’ and service length have revealed they hail from the Dark Angels chapter which could be deduced from their position neighbouring the galactic sub-sector of Caliban.

In truth my current concern lies with the absence of any notable battle honours over their near 10 millennia of service, available sources reveal themselves to be no more than auxiliary support for the Dark Angels successor chapters and the chapter itself going as far to debase themselves as ‘support’ for sieges on worlds ignited by rebellion. Inventory of the last 3 millennia shows no significant irregularities, tithes are produced on time and when missed or failing quota sufficient or excessive tithes are produced. Before any investigation can be properly launched by the Administratum, wrongs are made right suspicion always avoided. Inquisitorial investigation of the chapter planet for  xenos, mutation or heresy reveal nothing of note, low level thugs with a passing interest in tech heresy are eliminated with sufficient expedience, the aristocracy have no hidden affiliation with the ruinous powers. excoriation and death has confirmed this for myself. Mutations on this planet are in acceptable levels, with the planet’s population being most underground dweller, forced into pockets of atmosphere trapped by the local fauna.

The chapter has maintained relationship ties with the neighbouring Mechanicum forge world with mining tithes being directly shipped into their stock holds. Curiously they have requested no preferential treatment in equipment with a devoted contingent providing security for  archeo tec expeditions. My Interrogations of the forge world magos dominous concur, with high praise for the chapter although they know little of them, similar to my predecessors.

However, after reviewing the records of gene testing carried out over the millennia and a cross reference of available chapter organization charts, none of the Officer’s of the chapter discounting the chaplains rank ‘Justice’ have been put forward for testing. With the 1st company submitting no information including: company death records, enlistment protocols, training, patrol patterns, combat doctrine, notable victories, relics inventory, joint chapter engagements. The chapter master has never been seen or heard. Simultaneously the only vox records are data corrupted, hololith transmissions are lost or damaged. None of the chapters non-commissioned officers have had any communication with the 1st or the chapter master, with all information being conveyed by the Chaplains that act as company captains in lou of the official chapter hierarchy remaining with the 1st company.

It is my intention that, along with the two interrogators which you will undoubtedly approve, to bring the Breaking Dawn’s 1st company into the light to reveal this mystery in full. Their efforts of innocence will be uncovered for what they are, even the lack of suspicion carries the scent of heresy.

I am sending this encrypted message from the Chapter world’s capital city.

Respond with haste.

 

--End Transmission—

 

--cloak protocol iniated--

Chapter 1 - Grey Tomb

“There are whispers of a Primarch prowling in the darkness that is Imperium Nihilus. That the power of his name could banish the mutant, the heretic and the unclean. Those that heeded these calls never lasted on the front line, for when it mattered most their prayers for salvation took the place of determination, of one final shot, one more thrust of the bayonet or one last charge. The destruction this brings is in the belief of not one person, a few or many, this can lead to whole regiments seduced by that which holds no place on the front lines. The gravest of mistakes, to hesitate in hope that another may act. The concept brings bile to my throat with every cry for it’s favour. Hope is nothing but a distraction when faced with the certainty of duty. – excerpt from a Morale Report, Major. Bernard Reinfeld, 88th Kreig Siege Regiment

The 88th had landed 5 months ago on the planet noctis quintus at the centre of the veil system. Noctis V was a grey planet in every regard, littered with minor volcanoes perforating it’s surface, ash rained down in soft but constant streams when active. During these periods visibility was non-existent, even the keenest auspex was reduced to metres not kilometres and communication to orbiting vessels was rendered to unintelligible static. The 88th were not the first to make planetfall, that bloody honour went to the Vostroyans. Among those that heeded the call to subjugate rebellion they were the closest in proximity. Over the course of 5 weeks they faced significant resistance securing ground assets, setting up orbit resupply operations and establishing artillery batteries. When the 88th entered system the Vostroyans were in dire need of re-supply. A portion of their original strength had been lost when making planet fall. Intelligence highlighting orbital guns being no longer operational were false destroying the first mass convoy of troop, vehicle and logistic deployments totalling 30,000 men, close to half their total strength along with all the armour support accompanying them. After surgical strikes on the power reactors feeding the orbital guns rendered them inoperable full deployment of the remaining force set about the hard work of siege preparation. The 88th made planetfall and aided the Vostroyans with much needed re-supply, a trench work system and a full complement of Basilisk earth shakers bolstering their bombardment output considerably. Fortunately, the opening stages of Noctis’ subjugation took place between ‘seasons’ of volcanic activity and their subsequent ash storms, 1 month into the 88th’s deployment ash storms brought the offensive to a grinding halt, firing solutions for bombardment remained fixed during these periods but with no ability to visually confirm impact the effects would be unknown until the storm’s passing.

Before the onset of the ash storms Major Reinfeld had overseen 3 assaults, three failures that will not go unnoticed by high command. The troop requisition form his aid had submitted was eventually signed off, combining platoons and allowing him to make one more assault. The Major was determined to make this his final assault, whether he lived through it or failed.

“Major Reinfeld, legion command has sent out a stand down order on all assaults perimeter wide” the platoon Vox operator interjected during The Major’s officer briefing of the next assault.

“The cause?” the major knew the next assault after the storms passing had eager support to be carried out at the earliest opportunity and no small event would halt it.

“Battlezone command is currently being transferred, further information to follow. Maintain post with vigilance until further orders Major.”

The major was curious; it was highly unusual for the Death Korps to relinquish command when they constituted the majority of a joint assault force. In a moment of laxity, he had hoped it was not a Vostroyan regiment petitioning for command, a previous engagement alongside the Vostroyan 5th had soured his opinion as a premature withdrawal allowed the defenders to focus fire on his infantry assault.

“Cpt. Graves, Lt. Polik and Lt. Braxs. Issue the stand down order. Ensure a strip down protocol of weapons is carried out after watches are finished. There may be a change in command, but our duty is to be ready no matter who gives the orders”. The Major was met with Salutes from his officers before turning heel and marching out of the bunker, he had lost a lot of his senior officers leading the assaults the combined platoons were now relying on NCOs to fill these rolls. Fortunately, training on Krieg ensured all who survived were ready to meet the task when promotions became available.

Soon activity outside the bunker had increased with orders coming out over raised voices, stepping out into the trench Reinfeld caught a harsh wind press down on him forcing him back into the doorway. Shielding his face and pressing onwards he looked up through the ash choked wind to the view of thunderhawks making planetfall. The emperor sent his angels and in the Major’s experience this meant there was more than rebellion to be fought on this planet.

Chapter 2 a dark presence

The heat was unbearable. The pressure bore down on the Planetary Governor like an unrelenting desert’s sun. “P-p-please we can only do so much against the might of the Militarum and now….with the arrival of.. we never thought..” He was silenced with a migraine cutting through his trail of thought.

“You already KNOW how I deal with excusesssss, just ask what was left of the corpse that is your predecessorrrr”. The voice came from shadow, always emanating from behind him no matter how fast he swivelled his head. The natural shadows in the room grew every time it talked and receded in it’s silence. The Governor knew there were things moving in the darkness, eyes intent on drinking his suffering. As conversations with this terror drew on he could make out claws, wriggly appendages and eyes at the edges of his vision. The wrongness of it all felt like the centre most part of his brain was rotting away.

“W-we have located the atomics it’s just internal resistance from the Mechanicus where they are held that has halted us. I-I-I’ve been assured by my military command that they will be crushed within the day. Once w-w-we have them we’ll turn the ground forces, as well as their fleet in orbit, to glass. P-p-please just one more day I beg you.”

A chuckle emanated, a staccato sharp like gunfire. “Very well then, I’ll arrive in PRECISLEY  24 hours. If I’m not met by this… offering of glass. My displeasure will be carved into not just your flesh but your very soul.” Shadows in the room almost liquid in consistency started to recede into their natural place in the world, the migraines they generated slowly ebbing from his mind.

 

Planetary governor Baelon was a plump figure based in sweat behind an ornate desk, the eloquent wood of which came from a tree long extinct. A symbol for the early Imperium’s aristocracy to donate power but to provide such lavish furniture resulted in over logging in the regions where it grew. Efforts were made to bring these back from seed stores but knowledge for the conditions of their growth were long lost to time. All current efforts failing after initial germination, the seeds instead produced toxins stripping away all neighbouring biological matter into it’s constituent parts. Rumour was said that in silence you could hear a melodic hum course through your bones when you held a palm against the dead wood. Nothing was ever silent anymore. The incessant bombing against the city’s shields disturbed all efforts at solitude.

Baelon had regretted his ascension almost immediately after his crowning ceremony months ago. The previous governor had fallen to madness, unbeknownst to the aristocracy, his children, then nephews and wider family had slowly disappeared. The regular social events that kept the city’s upper most class functioning began to notice their absence. It was only towards his, in hindsight inevitable, end that it was revealed he had been sacrificing his kin to some unknown idol in his private chambers. The previous Governor was finally found with skin perfectly flayed creating ornate clothing pieces that twisted around his body pushing the limits of what some could consider high fashion. His guts were expertly exposed somehow maintaining their functions and pinned upwards into the ceiling mimicking the rictus grin that mirrored his own skinless face. To the horror of those who found him he was still conscious, the efforts to remove him from this intricate display killed him as guts tore free and exposed blood vessels ruptured. After extensive archival investigation Baelon was found to have the strongest blood claim to the planet’s governorship.

It was Baelon’s crowning ceremony when the hooded figures that had been stalking him for weeks revealed themselves and. A debt was owed from the previous governor and a task required to be completed. The owners of the debt were more than happy to show their displeasure of failure. Baelon picked up his ornately crafted Vox caster “Gereth attend me”. Baelon hastly dabbed the sweat off his face as his aid Gereth entered the room “how my be of service, my lord” Gereth was a tall, slender and pale figure, a head elongated to the point of suspicion. For most people he was an abhorrent mutant fortunately favoured by authority. It was only this protection afforded to him by the governing family that kept him alive.

“Have we news on our, comrades, regarding their efforts?” Baelon voice was slowly gaining his insufferable melodic tone.

“Sadly not my lord I have, however, received many communicaes from our generals that require your approval. Certain requisitions and most notably forced conscription of the underhive.”

“I thought we had already approved this request weeks ago?”

“This is for the remainder of the citizens, my lord.”

“The children and the elderly?? ”exhausted, Baelon couldn’t hide his horror at the thought, but the alternatives to failure were far more motivating.

“yes, yes to them all. Whatever it takes to keep these dammed imperials at bay and break the obstinate cog worshippers.”

“Regarding that sir the few of the cult still loyal to us have deciphered the last few messages sent from the underhive vaults where they are holding up.” Gereth pauses in awkward silence.

“well… go on damn it!”

“It is binaric code that insinuates our manufacturer, that was responsible for the smooth running of our waste desposal, is not very good at their job. An insult I believe.”

“What the throne” dumb founded baelon almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the Martian culture’s attempts at word play.

“You tell them that I will have each and every augmetic removed and crushed before their eyes that is if they still have their original ones!” Baelon gestured sternly for Gereth to leave.

“understood my lord, It will be done” Gereth saluted and with military precision turned heel and marched out of the governor’s quarters.

 “Zog this” Baelon scurried across the rooms floor hefting up his elaborate robe to a small alcove in the wall, an access a hidden compartment. Serenity, a underhive drug of poor quality, was a significant problem to the hive cities of Noctis V. Presumed to be made in underground labs situated in the wastes between cities and smuggled in the drug induced a state which chemically prevented the brain from experiencing anxiety. There were significant drawbacks as each batch was different, chemicals that were hard to source were replaced with crude and often incorrect substitutes meaning side affects varied from loss of balance to the worst recorded side effects being a complete breakdown of the barrier between the conscious and unconscious mind. This induced insanity came naturally with suicidal ideation that saw victims engage in mass homicidal rampages carving everyone and themselves to death. These batches were poetically dubbed ‘ages of woe’ as the unrelenting conditions of the underhives made the drug a near day to day requirement.

The previous governor had sequestered in secret that the drug to be refined removing almost all risk and induce pleasure as well as the removal of anxiety. Although Baelon was sure this was what caused, in part, the decent into madness they eventually found themselves in. The pressures applied to baelon and the sweet promise the drug offered meant that not too long after his coronation he relented to it’s seduction. As the wirr of the compressor pressed the injector into the side of the neck where he held it pupils dialated and his profuse sweating started to abate. He let out a groan of relief stumbling back to the seat behind his desk.

“feeling better then?” a hooded figure in the corner of the room stepped out of the dark, a wry grin all that was seen within it’s shadows.

“Oh for thrones sake can I get one minute of blasted peace in this emperor forsaken cess pit of a world” Baelon casually exclaimed, fully in the thrawl of the drug coursing through him.

“you wound me oh high lord governor.” A mocking bow followed with a giggling jest. “I’m only here to ensure your apotheosis and final victory over this pretender of an empire or would you rather I leave you to this ever so earned peace that you desire?”

“Fine fine FINE, please continue.. erm… oh which one are you again you all sound so awfully similar” Baelon heavy lidded eyes pearing over his slouched posture.

“my name matters not but my news does however”

“my aid told me of the stalemate we found ourselves in, it seems an addition of children and decrepid elderly is our current solution.” Baelon laughs at the ridiculousness of it all.

“I bring a far more realistic solution to our shared goal” Baelons hand waved them on to continue almost entirely disinterested in a conversation that could literally hold his very life in the balance. “our searches into the resources accrued by the criminal element of the cities we currently control  has revealed illegal tech of xenos origin. Tech which we believe can aid us definitively in our efforts against the fortified mechanicus position.”

“ and why are you bothering me with this instead of carrying on with the job at hand” baelon’s eyes were closed now reaching the point between wakefulness and dreams.

“we are unsure of how effective it will be, whether we break down the defenses or possibly blow half the planet off  with us very much at the centre of it.”

Baelon drifting off into sleep “I’m resolute in your ability to overcome this slight hurdle in our plans, let me know when you’ve successfully carried out your task” baelon yawned as he rolled over to sleep.

“your will be done.. oh high one” the robed figure slinked off into he shadows of the room. The governor leaned back into his chair, the constant bass of bombardment lulling him to the oblivion of sleep ‘tomorrow, tomorrow it will all be over’ he thought before unconsciousness took him.