Tiran Osoros

"Felling enemies is not the same as raising crops. It is not trading with the next tribe. It is neither raising families, building cities, nor dispensing supplies. Making war does not mean we are built to make peace. If we cannot learn to do this, we must make way for those who can."

Tiran Osoros
Title/Honours	The Rider, The Scale Bearer, Warlord of Gand Wanunlen, The Beastmaster
Discovered (world)	Solnhofen
Discovered (period)	c.859.M30
Legion	XVII
Heraldry/Sigil
Unique Weapon	Power Mace "Thagomizer"
Distinguishing Traits	Close to his Legion, skilled with beasts, never forgot his roots
Flaws	Takes losses personally, closer to beasts than his own brothers, misfortunate, slow to process news
Fate	Dead, killed by Rogerius Merrill of the Iron Rangers early in the Heresy

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

History

Youth

It was early morning when the twin-tailed comet landed on Solhofen. Many of the people of the village Gand Wanulen took shelter believing it to be another hunting party. Ayl Osoros knew that this was something different and left to investigate. At the landing sight he found a pod unlike anything he had seen before containing a dark-skinned infant. Ayl knew he had a responsibility, and so he took the infant as his own, naming him Tiran.

Over the years Tiran was raised as a member of the village. He grew, learned, played, and laughed as any other child. His rapid growth sparked numerous debates in the Elders' Circle, but he was still a child and a member of the village. Before long, he was taller than his older siblings. He learned everything taught to him with surprising alacrity and fulfilled all his duties within his household and village happily and dutifully.

All of his accomplishments were performed under the shadow of larger threats. Solnhofen was home to a variety of reptilian beasts known as Sors. The herbivorous breeds would be regularly hunted to feed the tribe. However there were also dangerous carnivorous beasts that often hunted the same grounds and humans were much easier prey. And the continent of Panghee which they lived was treated as a game reserve by a race of xenos who would periodically raid human villages for slaves and hunt man and beast alike for sport. Tiran himself survived a number of these raids.

When he came of age he proposed a radical idea. If they could train the Sors and unite the villages, it might be possible to drive the xenos from their lands. The proposal was summarily rejected. The people of Solnhofen were too far separated to permanently unite. Many had tried to train the Sors, but only a handful had ever been successful. And never in large enough numbers to provide any real assistance. Even if everything worked as he had planned, the xenos technology was too advanced, their weapons too deadly to stand a chance. Tiran was determined to change things for his family and village, and could not be swayed. So he made an agreement with the Circle. If he could prove that he was right about the Sors, the village would reconsider his plan. With an agreement reached, he set out into the wilderness.

Seven years later, almost to the day, one of Gand Wunlen's scouts returned from the field in a panick. He spoke of a massive Sor heading directly for the village, leading a large pack. The people of Gand Wunlen began to panic and prepared themselves. Women and children were hidden while the hunters gathered for an attempt to stay the beasts. As the beast approached the hunters saw it was mounted by a large figure. Murmurs began to spread with this revelation. As it drew nearer, the figure revealed itself to be Tiran, riding triumphant. He effortlessly slid off his mount and stepped before the men, dropping a sack of xenos guns at their feet. “I come bearing good tidings,” he said with a smile. “The beasts can be tamed, and those that hunt us can be killed.” With that, he was welcomed back into the village as though he had never left.

He stayed up the entirety of that night and the night after, listening to all that had happened in his absence. The years had not been kind to Gand Wunlen. Two of his brothers and his father had been killed by hunting parties. Many good hunters had been lost to ambushes by predators. He lamented that he was not there to help, but was assured that what he did in the wild was far more important. He proved that man could do more with his life than hope to survive the next year. The plan he had concocted years ago might be successful.

For the next two years he taught the villagers to tame and ride the Sors. Envoys were dispatched to all known human settlements. Some came immediately, hearing the honesty in the tales and hoping to help make a better world. Others came more slowly, either because it took time for the tale to be heard or because more evidence was needed. Once Gran Wunlen was properly versed, Tiran himself migrated from village to village to prove his legitimacy. At each village he stopped to learn their history and traditions. He included each and every person and discussed his plans and ideas with everyone. This was not a plan to simply gain power. This was a plan to allow the people of Solnhofen to live without fear. After three years, the continent of Panghee was united in his cause.

What followed was a long campaign against the alien menace. The humans were limited in means and technology, so they could not fight their enemies openly and aggressively. Instead they had to rely on luring the aliens into an ambush. Often they would draw their vehicles into a narrow ravine to deny their maneuverability and overpower them with superior numbers. With each successful attack they gained weapons and vehicles, and were able to fight more effectively in the next engagement. For several months they fought like this. Every few months, the xenos would arrive better armed and with greater numbers. Then one day they simply stopped coming.

Six months after the last arrival, the night sky was alive. The stars swam and danced. Stars would appear and disappear. They would streak across the sky in unnatural ways. By morning, they had ceased and as the sun rose, a second sun descended on the plains. As it landed, Tiran knew something new was afoot. He steeled himself and his men for the worst. And as a ramp from the vessel descended, a giant man in ornate golden armor stepped forward. He announced himself as the Emperor of Mankind, and His eyes settled on Tiran. Tiran Osoros dropped to his knee and pledged himself fully to the man before him. He just needed to free his people first. The two of them retreated to discuss matters for some time, before Tiran was rejoined with the people of Solnhofen. He announced to them that they would no longer need to fear the threat from across the oceans. He was leaving with the Emperor's finest warriors to meet out their enemy and destroy them, allowing humans to live wherever they wanted in peace. He told his men that they could join him if they wished, or they could return to their villages to spread the news and wait to hear of their freedom. None left. Over the next week, the people of Solnhofen fought alongside the men of the XVII Legion and the Uniter of Solnhofen until the planet had been declared purified.

The Great Crusade

During the Great Crusade, Tiran adjusted easily to his Legion's role. The philosophy of his home planet's conquest carried over. The XVII Legion were not conquerors. They were there to unite. In some cases, this was achieved by their mere presence. In others, it required Tiran to meet and discuss with planetary leaders. In the remaining few, it required force. And the force of the Scale Bearers was devastating. Tiran led them on attack after attack, swiftly crushing planetary defenses and militias in quick and decisive battles. And as soon as a planet surrendered or accepted compliance, he was moving to the next.

He developed a deep hatred for the Orks. Their infestation of otherwise valuable planets was a thorn in his side, and their refusal to live in compliance with anything, even amongst themselves, created a deep-seated animosity in the Primarch. He would fervently attack any Orkish settlement as soon as he found one, and was known to drop everything to pursue a WAAAGH! in progress.

After the fall of Ullanor and Hektor's promotion to Warmaster, an urgent gathering of the War Council was assembled. In front of the collected Primarchs, a lone diplomat from Terra announced the War Council was to be dissolved. Leadership and major decisions were to be performed by the Council of Terra. The Warmaster was to keep his title and authority, but was still required to carry out the will of the Council. After a moment of stunned silence by the collected Primarchs, many acted out. Several yelled at the diplomat for wasting their time. Others viciously asked the purpose of such an idea. Some stayed quiet. Some argued that it was the Emperor's edict. As his brothers fought and argued, Tiran sat shocked at their reactions and behavior. Eventually he could take no more. The collected Primarchs slowly silenced and turned to him as he pounded his fist into the table in front of him. Many were shocked at the outburst of the normally agreeable Primarch. Once satisfied that his brothers gazed upon him, he stood and made his final statement in the War Council.

"I would like to start by thanking this man before us. He stands before what some may call demigods without armor or weapon to tell us this news. How many of you would do the same if we had to tell our father that he should not be conquering? This is courage. This is what drives man ever outwards. We are not the future. Men like this are. Many of you are confused and upset because you feel that we are being cast aside. I can only hope this is the case. It means our crusade is at an end! We are so close to uniting the last of the stars. When this is over, what will you do? Do you wish to rule? What right to you have to do so? Superior genetics? Strength of arms? How do these things help a man who cannot feed his family? A farmer whose crops die in drought? We are ultimate weapons of humanity, no more. The greatest ever created, and superbly designed, but mere weapons nonetheless. We have no place in peace. Some of you fear for this day. I welcome it. When we are no longer needed, then humanity will truly be king. We will be united. Our race will no longer fear the unknown, the xenos, the horrors of war. Children will never wont for food, and humanity will flourish. Perhaps you all should think on what to do in a world without war. Train your men to farm, to repair, to teach. Do not mistake this event for calamity, it is not. It is PROGRESS! And it shall be a better day when we are set aside. I know some of you still worry, but do not. We may be cast aside when we are successful, but our struggles, our losses, and our pain will NEVER be forgotten. With that, I thank you, and shall uphold the rulings of the Council of Terra."

The Hektor Heresy

As the Heresy broke out, Tiran was located in orbit around the planet Diamat whilst refitting and reassigning his marines. The XX Legion ambushed the fleet with their guard down, creating massive losses in the first salvo of combat. With his troops confused and disoriented, Tiran barely managed to cause them to regroup before fleeing into the warp. The short trip allowed them little leeway, as the enemy Legion found and renewed their attack shortly thereafter.

Tiran Osoros knew his fleet was in far worse shape than the Iron Rangers' fleet. He also knew that he stood a far better chance of defeating Primarch Merrill in ground combat, where he could bring strength, firepower, and Sors to bear, than in void warfare. He deployed to the moon below, ordering Brother Rychad Owain to take the fleet back to Loyalist Forgeworld Tigris and there attempt to repair and regroup. With Tiran was a large contingent Marines, led by his old friend Kratei Shias; a Company of Blackboot Riders with accompanying Sors; and a company of Battle-Bike Marines. They did not have long to wait, however, as the Iron Rangers' fleet arrived shortly and their Primarch, leading his Legion, made planetfall.

What unfolded over the next 12 hours was warfare at its most brutal. The Scale Bearers would ambush; the Iron Rangers would feint retreat and counter-ambush. Dozens of hand-to hand battles raged in the forests of Sorfall, each small group fighting to the last man against his foe. Primarch Tiran led several charges into the teeth of the enemy, taking wounds and losing Marines and Sors in the process. An assassin managed to get close enough to the Primarch to wound him grievously. Realizing the severity of the situation, Tiran led a handful of his most trusted warriors and charged the Iron Rangers' lines. The Traitor Marines fell back in an orderly fashion, opening a hole in their lines and allowing the Primarch to pass through. Primarch Merrill was waiting for him in a small clearing. The two finally faced in single combat. The fighting was so fierce that Marines of both Legions stopped to watch their gene-fathers fight to the death. Finally, Rogerius found an opening and drove the head of his broken spear into Tiran's skull. The elderly, enraged Keradops, seeing his master and oldest friend fall, rushed at the enemy with reckless abandon, felling dozens before finally being consumed in tank fire. The Iron Rangers fought what was left of the Scale Bearers, who, mad with grief and rage, sought to reclaim the body of their Primarch. The Traitor Legion departed Sorfall, leaving the remnants of the fallen Primarch's personal guard alone on the planet.

Post-Heresy

Ever since the Heresy, the Scale Bearers have been highly active in defending the Imperium from a number of threats, first and foremost the unending green tide of the Orks. Whenever the Iron Rangers have been found in realspace, the Scale Bearers and their successors have been known to deploy en masse to get revenge for their fallen Primarch. They have also seen limited deployment against a variety of other Xenos factions (including Eldar), and by the 41st Millenium have gained an intense dread of the all-devouring Tyranids - and not without cause, for the biology of the ever-important Sors could be disastrous in the hands of the Hive Mind.

The Second Founding saw several Successor Chapters formed from what was left of the Scale Bearers, including the Knights Saurian, Violet Serpents, and Ivory Lances.

Personality

He is friendly to all, human, marine, and Primarch alike. His even-tempered mannerisms may be considered weakness by some, but that and his stature belies a great strength and speed.

Appearance

Though Tiran is exceptionally short for a Primarch, standing a mere half-head taller than his marines, he is exceptionally bulky. He is dark-skinned, with his black hair tightly braided against his scalp in rows. He walks with a firm step, and seems perpetually ready to burst into a run or prepared to mount his Sor, Keradops.

Wargear

The Armor of Ankyros is a mighty suit of Power Armor. While perhaps not as ornamented as the armors of other Primarchs, the sturdy additional layer of plates on the back and the thickened ceramite make it extraordinarily difficult to pierce this shell. Preferring close combat where possible, Tiran Osoros wields the formidable Power Mace known as the Thagomizer. The Primarch's one concession to warfare in the 31st Millennium is a relic Plasma Pistol from the Dark Age of Technology. This incredible sidearm fires more powerful blasts than the standard Plasma gun, and is far less prone to overheating. As Tiran Osoros unified his planet he carried with him a stone knife, made by his own hand. Now this primitive blade, more accessory than weapon, sits on his belt as a reminder of who he is and where he comes from.