Gorgers

Gorgers
Battle Cry	"The Hunt Begins!"
Number	XVII
Founding	First Founding
Successors of	N/A
Primarch	Nathanog
Homeworld	Thorond-ul
Strength	Bloody Close-Range Combat
Specialty	The Hunter
Allegiance	Chaos Undivided
Colours	Iron, Blood-Red

Summary of Legion XVIII

Numeration: The XVIIIth Legion

Primogenator: Nathanog (also known as "The Mouth")

Cognomen (Prior): Blood Knights.

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Close Range Combat.

Noteworthy Domains: The Thorond-ul System (Primary), Tithe Rights to Albia Cities on Terra.

Allegiance: Traitoris Perdita

"You may not understand us. You may even hate us, but never do you dare underestimate us. Have we not shown time and time again that our will triumphs over all else? The enemy can outnumber us, can out gun us, but we have yet to meet a foe who can out fight us!"

Master Hunter Atmir, Second Company Captain, M.30

Remarked even in the days of the Great Crusade as The Eternal Hunters, the Gorgers were seen as the pinnacle of war incarnate. Always craving the thrill and energy that comes from melee combat, few can attest to match them in their skill. Before they fought to bring understanding and reason to mankind by ripping apart all who oppose the glorious age that was coming, but after their crushing defeat in the Segmentum Solar the Gorgers are splintered and fractured into hundreds of warbands.

Legion History

After the discovery of their Primarch, the Gorgers were to be used by the Emperor as an Astartes force that would exponentially grow in strength battles after battles through the absorption of their foes and would then provide him with a force that very few could rival. Unfortunately the meddling of Chaos weakened the control the Primarch and the Emperor had on the Hunger of the Legion. Left in a state where only constant hunting could prevent them from going mad or dying, it became more and more difficult for the Gorges to find adequate preys. But then came the offer of Betrayal. A promise that the Gorgers would participate in One Hunt that would provide with an immense amount of preys of the finest quality, their own loyalist brothers. The offer was too good for the Gorges to pass on. They pledged their allegiance to Chaos and embarked on the heresy with their stomachs ready for the feast.

Legion Information

Legion Doctrine

The years spent on Thorund-ul shaped the Primarch and its system of belief. For him, survival was everything, and to survive one had to draw blood to feed. The aggressive mutated beast of his world never gave the Primarch a choice, and with the discovery of his physique he understood that he was to be a predator, never a prey, and a predator could only be strong AND stronger.

As he devoured he grew stronger, and as he grew stronger he craved stronger beasts to challenge. It is this defiance against the beasts that hunted them and isolated them that made the humans that first met Nathanog follow and learn from him.

Legion Tactics

The tactics of the Gorgers revolved around the engagement of the enemy in melee combat. However the Gorgers would not just stupidly hurl themselves at the enemy. They would first make use of their cunning to find ways to surprise or flank the enemy.

But once the melee started, the Gorgers would only resort to their wits and resilience, striking viciously where it hurts, locating the weak points of the enemy in order to inflict gruesome wounds. A bloody combat that could only end with the annihilation of one of the two parties.

Legion Equipment

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Being focused on close combat, the Gorgers favored the use of lightning claws for their power and the terrifying maiming they could inflict on enelies. Otherwise, Gorgers of lower rank who could not be given lightning claws used the iconic Obsidian Chainswords, made from a precious metal from Thorund-ul dubbed "obsidian", those allowed for lighter chainswords and thus served the mobility in close combat of the Gorgers well.

Despite being melee focused, the Gorgers did not despise the use of ranged weapons. Those who were skilled at marksmanship were as prized as those gifted in the use of the sword. Those would be put into Spear Hurlers units, but unfortunately would rarely have access to the more advanced ranged weaponry other legions could have.

Nathanog The Endless Mouth, Primarch of The Gorgers

Appearance

Caucasian with a pale complexion. Dark, long, and untamed hair. Overall a handsome face if it was not for the abhorrent size his mouth can open and the gigantic, inhuman tooth in it.

Youth

The world of Thorond-ul had fallen back into feudal subsistence during Old Night, with its few inhabitants terrorized by ferocious predators. When one of the Emperor's Primarchs fell to its surface, there were no men to take the child into their family. The infant grew into a feral thing, neither man nor beast. He lived anonymously in the forests, hunting and feeding on the beasts and feared by those few men who caught even a glimpse of him. So it went for years, until Nath, a huntsman from the settlement of Dakh-agh happened upon the Beast-Man of the Endless Jungle slaying a great reptilian beast single-handedly.

What struck the huntsman was not the killing itself, but that the Beast-Man had snared his quarry in a trap. Nath reasoned that a creature who could craft the most basic of machines could also learn the other ways of men. With the utmost caution he approached the Beast-Man with weapons lowered and heart thumping. Establishing contact was difficult, but patient Nath slowly won the Beast-Man's trust. He ended up giving him the name "Nathan"(or Brother of Nath).

At first Nathan was not trusted by the local inhabitants. Some feared he would steal their children and babes to feast on in the night, others worried his natural tendency towards barbarity could lead to acts of violence over simple misunderstandings. Nathan took in stride, not worrying for the petty thoughts of scared fools. He had found a better life alongside Nath, and for that he would stay with him. Eventually the Predators broke down the cavaliers and footmen sworn to keep them at bay, causing great suffering to reign in the villages at the frontier. Using all he had learned from both spheres of the world, from the humid wilds to the stone and knowledge, Nathan was able to turn back the tide by his own will and strength alone.

Nathan's might quickly won over the small community of Dakh-agh. He became their chief and terrible protector, teaching the menfolk to trap and hunt the predators that had once hunted them. But the help of Nathan had a price. He forced his hunters to eat the flesh of the terrible beasts they slew. Many died, but those who survived grew strong. Dakh-agh became a bloody bastion of mankind's strength, drawing other humans to its growing walls and winning allied settlements. As the great beasts grew small, Nathan only had one choice if he wanted his thirst for hunting to be satisfied. He would conquer the surrounding lands, seeking new hunting grounds. The long years of war and hunting left only one master of Thorund-ul: Nathan-Og, the Endless Mouth.

He cared not to manage the affairs of state, only wishing greater prey but understood the necessity of a strong government. He pruned out the selfish and the deceitful, putting in their place the driven and honest. His rule on Thorond-ul was known as the Great Peace of Groghtuk(Advisers), for under the efficient hand of these functionaries the realm was brought into a never before seen golden age that they had never experienced during their feudal wars and battles with the roaming predators. Nathanog was happy to always have a large recruiting base to summon up new warriors for his hunts, as many did die in them and he always required new blood.

The Coming of The Emperor

The peace had left Nathanog bored, as the beasts began to dwindle as he grew to be too great a hunter and his pack too large to be sated. Depopulation of the great enormous megafauna gave the Mouth little to care for as he never had the skills or ambition to be anything more than being a warrior. He kept himself as supreme ruler only in the hopes another challenger would appear, another great beast to vanquish, just one last huge monster would be enough for him so long as he had that final rush of a hunt. It came to him as a golden ship appeared in the sky, larger than any castle yet it flew.

He raced out to meet the warriors descending down the huge ramp, which had a golden figure at its head. Nathanog charged at it, intent on carving out bloody the heart of this yellow demon. His battle lasted several hours, eventually being defeated by the being. It introduced himself as his Father, who's name was the Emperor. Nathanog was confused, but listened just as he had listened ages ago to Nath. This man was another Nath, but a Nath of the stars. He taught him of the Imperium, of all the glory that was to be had. Nathanog loved this idea, and quickly presented his best warriors to be turned into Angels of Death, the Astartes.

He would be able to hunt in the name of his Father, being able to create the greatest pack to bring down the most powerful prey imaginable.

What more could Nathanog want?

The Great Crusade

Nathanog helped shape up his Legion both from example and his own philosophy when it came to combat. He in equal parts inspired them inadvertently and intentionally, showing them the proper way to take down prey and ritualizing their before and after combat practices. Underneath him many worlds fell to the Emperor as they focused on crushing the spirit of those resisting as well as eliminate their mightiest combatants. Nathanog believed any flesh of those willing to battle his Gorgers deserved to be eaten, as they had showed perhaps not strength of body but that of mind. Even Xenos were consumed, which tested the internal organs of the Gorgers at times.

The Hunt continued on to the furthest reaches of the Imperium, but eventually Nathanog was called back to deal with liars and cheats who propagated on worlds conquered like weeds. He was shocked however, to see the civilian populaces targeted by the kill-squads of the Sons of Fire. Non-combatants had no place as losses, as they could not fight and it was a waste of potential for those who would one day be able to be strong enough. The misunderstanding did not cause them to come to blows, but the two Legions, and Infernox himself carried a special raging flame of hatred towards the Gorgers and Nathanog every since their arguments.

The Heresy

As time went on Nathanog saw the depths of the Imperium underhanded nature, and even came to agree with Infernox at the outrage over the Imperial Council once the Emperor was finished with the crusade.

Post-Heresy

After the defeat of Hector during the Siege of Terra, the Gorgers started a feuding in the planetary systems around the Solar System. Numerous Legions came to rid the outskirts of Terra from their assaults. As they have done during much of the Heresy the Gorgers erected numerous Gorges, abyssal holes in the ground filled with the corpses of the strong, those were used in the most blasphemous of rituals and opened the way to Reality for numerous demons of the ruinous powers.

Despite their demonic aides and the frenzy the Gorgers, the cooperation and righteous fury of the united loyalist legions were too much for Nathanog and his marines to withstand. In a moment of lucidity, the Primarch managed to regroup and boost the resolve of his legion with the promise of One Last Hunt the likes of which they have always craved. A Hunt where they would concentrate all their offensive power in one quick brutal charge across the stars. On this day many of the Gorgers decided to join their Primarch in this bloody Last Hunt. Some were denied this honor however, as Nathanog spoke to his trusted Second Captain Atmir. The Legion would not die, but live on. With a weighted down mind, a portion of the fleet with ten thousand Marines and the entirety of the Legion's geneseed pushed off in the direction of the other Legions which had fled from Sol.

The fight that ensued was bloody for both forces. The Gorgers fought like a beast cornered on all fronts, showing even more ferocity than usual. Nathanog himself was at the very forefront of the fight, enduring an impossible amount of wounds and shots. Several ships of the Silver Cataphracts became overwhelmed, as the Legion had never been the masters at melee combat and were facing the epitome of close combat perfection. The Steel Marshals and Void Angels launched themselves into the breach, only clogging up the astral battle lines with ships as the Gorgers set about boarding each one and unleashing their horrible might.

But still the Loyalists eventually stopped their momentum, the Gorgers started to suffer loss after loss. Nathanog became to focus excessively on the relentless assault of the Loyalists. He broke their spearheads, he shattered their phalanxes, he crushed their assaults. He stood with a shard of a powersword stuck in his knee, plasma burns and volkite marks all over his armor and skin. His face was half-burned by a flamer. He was almost feral in these final moments, but the teachings of his homeworld and that of Nath echoed in his mind honing in his primal instincts with decisive insight.

Leading an attack personally on the last few Gorger Terminators surrounding Nathanog, Roman Albrecht strode forth with his own honor guard. The battle was tough, but Nathanog would be an equal match for Albrecht normally but his wounds limited him. The Steel Marshal's Primarch saw a gap in Nathanog's defense and took advantage. With a careful strike of his weapon, he laid low his brother sending his lifeless body shambling down a high terrace into a catwalk below. The loss of their Primarch sent the legion into a surprising realization of their impeding demise. In the hastiest of retreats, the few remaining Gorgers still alive left the battle. In their disarray they couldn't retrieve the corpse of their Primarch, a mistake that would forever haunt the legion and its descendants in the coming millennia.

After the Primarch's death the Brotherhoods scattered, sometimes breaking down into their constituent packs. It would not be until Atmir united the largest of these to join him in his attack in the Imperium would the Legion see some form of cohesion. Still, many Gorgers live out their lives as simple mercenaries working for prey and supplies.

The Legions War

The uneasy alliance of Hector did not survive his death for long. The numerous rivalries and tensions hurled many of the legions at each other throats. Among those legions who had an incommensurate hatred for each other were the Gorgers and the Sons of Fire.

In what was the most apocalyptic of battles, the Sons of Fire and the Gorgers met on a Daemon World and unleashed their limitless fury at each other. The battle lasted for years, each legions refusing to give in and let the other win. Recruits would be sent right away into the battle with no regards for the future of both legions. The amount of fire and blood spilled during that conflict a delicacy for the Ruinous Powers who indulged in the spectacle.

It took the coming of a new Warmaster, rising from the defeat of Hector, to stop the bloodshed between those two legions. With a new purpose in mind and hatred in their hearts, the Gorgers and their warbands would sporadically re-unite under the banners of the Black Crusades, to once again cull the strong from the Imperium of Man.

Culture

The Philosophy of the Hunt

Before the Hunt

The Legion has ceremonies before each battle where the Master Hunters would raise gigantic pyres around which duels, competitions, and revelries would be organized to increase the resolve of the marines and make them long for the coming battle.

Marines of high ranks would tell of the deeds they were going to perform in the following battle, of the amount of braves they shall cut and kill, of the numerous corpses that awaited them tomorrow. Each of those words would be remembered by their fellows, who would come to those who acted on their words and exalt them.

After the Hunt

The Feast would end all battles won. In a moment of self-indulgence, the Gorgers would select the finest corpses and regroup arrange wherever was convenient in order to eat and absorb their strength.

The Gorges

In the cases of major battles , once victory was achieved, the Gorgers would start the preparations for the Ceremory of the Gorge.

The Gorgers were most of the time sent to worlds that q very strong resistance against the Imperial forces. They specialized in helping the Imperial regiments of humans who were stuck against an enemy that would not give in.

The Gorgers would come in a terrifying, non-stop display of violence would eliminate the resistance. The civilians would be mostly sparred but in order to gain their absolute loyalty and show them the cost of defying the Great Crusade and the Imperium, the Gorgers would create Gorges.

Those were gigantic holes, surrounded with the iconography and symbols of the legion, where the corpses of those the Gorgers just crushed would be amassed. The Gorgers would then make the civilians come near the Gorge and they would make them watch as they devoured their fallen in a frenzy.

Those who witnessed that ritual learned the lesson quickly, the Gorgers would then be free to leave the planet or system to the Imperial regiments, hurrying toward new battles.

Attire

Gorgers would sometimes decorate their armors and weapons with feathers of great hunting birds. Gorgers of high ranks would instead use scales or eyes from dangerous animals, tying them to their armors. The more different the colors of those ornaments, the more prestige it gave to their wearers.

Legion Organisation

The Gorgers were not given to formal organisation even before their fall to Chaos. Their basic unit was the Pack, which could number from 5 to 25 Astartes, ranging from raw Scouts up to Veterans. Typically the most assertive and fiercest Gorger would command as Pack Leader. A body of Packs who had fought alongside one another would recognize their history as a Brotherhood under the nominal authority of a Master Hunter.

The Brotherhood were the largest formations in the legion. The Master Hunters who commanded those formations were selected through a hunt between the aspiring commandant and the Primarch of the Gorgers, Nathanog himself. Everyone in the legion was free to challenge the Primarch whenever they wanted, Nathanog would never turn down such challenges. The Primarch would first hunt the aspirant for a day, if the aspirant somehow survived he would have one more day to draw blood on the Primarch or die trying. This testing trial assured that only the most cunning and proven in battle Gorgers could ever rise to the rank of Master Hunter.

Larger formations were assembled ad-hoc according to the needs of the Legion. Typically, the Primarch would have a large body of men about him, but nothing else was fixed.

Specialist Ranks

Each Brotherhood's Deathspeaker served as ritemaster, and judged aspiring Neophytes and assigned them to Packs. After the Chaplain Edict, Nathanog claimed that the Deathspeakers would fill a similar role in his Legion.

The Gorgers Apothecaries were known as Lifebinders.

While the Primarch lived, Nathanog recognized a handful of Master Hunters. These superb warriors had proven their abilities against their founder and carried great prestige in the Legion.