Great Crusade (Hektor 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.

The Great Crusade was an immense campaign of conquest launched by the Emperor of Mankind at the end of the 8th Century of the 30th Millenium. Following the Unification Wars and Treaty of Mars, the Emperor sought to unite the scattered human race and establish its mastery over the Galaxy.

803.M30 to 914.M30: Discovery of the Lost Primarchs

Although Malcador's heroism had saved the infant Hektor Cincinnatus from the dangers of the Warp, the other Primarchs had been scattered across the galaxy. Twenty-five were rediscovered in the course of the Great Crusade:

• Arelex Orannis (803.M30, Whitestone)
• Thomas Gaudin (809.M30, Sturmundrang)
• Kranios the Destroyer (811.M30, Satares)
• Uriel Starikov (817.M30, Perfidiae)
• Darius Cyaxares (822.M30, Simurgh)
• Urehikau Kauaeroa (826.M30, Tikikanga)
• Bohemond (828.M30, Hydegate)
• Roman Albrecht (831.M30, Centauri Primus)
• Kleisthenes (833.M30, Europa)
• The Voidwatcher (836.M30, Ostium)
• Tollund Ötztal (842.M30, Tisenjoch)
• Gaspard Lumey (850.M30, Ciban IV)
• Johannes Vrach (850.M30, Rai)
• Alexandri (855.M30, Rosskar)
• Tiran Osoros (859.M30, Solnhofen)
• Inferox the Burned King (863.M30, Crematoria)
• Rogerius Merrill (870.M30, Profi Tiroedd)
• Nathanog (872.M30, Thorund-Ul)
• Sebastion Rex (877.M30, Arelon)
• Octullus Tyran (890.M30, Illobian)
• Brennus (892.M30, Alessia)
• Golgothos (898.M30, Sepulchra)
• Aubrey The Grey (901.M30, Lazarus)
• Onyx the Indestructible (908.M30, Neolithus)
• Cromwald Walgrun (914.M30, Sommesgard)

829.M30 to 837.M30: The Pulmn System Campaign

The Brothers of Death legion defeats the old and powerful system-wide empire of the Ork warboss Mongo Mork. The Brothers' tenacity matches that of the veteran Orks and a lengthy, costly war of attrition takes place. Though their victory in taking such a strategically important system is regarded highly, the Brothers' lose numerous astartes and a significant portion of their leadership in the war and resultant clean-up. The five heirs of Mongo Mork, each more capable than most warbosses, flee the system with whatever small number of forces remained. The campaign continues six years after the war due to the return of Orkoid populations to planets previously thought clear, and the Brothers learn much of combating the Ork. This is considered to be the primary initiating event of the decades long and sector spanning Mongoid Ork Wars, though this would not be recognized until much later.

853.M30: Pacification of the Chwiorydd Hardd

The Chwiorydd Hardd system was an outpost of a slaving race known as the Amatteir. Gaspard Lumey chose to start his pacification of the Al-Sherar Sector here in order to eliminate a possible threat to the Imperium's new conquests. The operation was successful and blooded the Fifth's Auxilia, having a particularly strong effect on the soldiers from the Markian Pact.

857.M30: Al-Sherar Sector War

Following their success at Chwiorydd Hardd, Fifth Legion faced a severe test. The vengeful Amatteir launched a planetary invasion of Gaspard Lumey's homeworld. A bitter resistance campaign, eventually reinforced by the Legio Cataegis of Ghalhal, threw off the Xenos. Lumey then seized the initiative and launched a brilliant series of counter-attacks, shattering the Amatteir Empire and rediscovering the mighty Forge World Al-Sherar.

860.M30 to 882.M30: The Cordian Annex

Life Bringers astartes, under the guidance of their newly discovered Primarch, bring the Cordian system into compliance with unprecedented swiftness. Loss of life is minimal and most of the Cordians are enthusiastic to join the greater fold of humanity after the legion's relief efforts. Those few planets which resist integration are scoured entirely of life by the chemical bombardments of the XIIth's fleet. The slow, methodical rebuilding of the system shows a steep contrast to the previous strategies employed by the legion, with some detractors deriding them as a legion of doctors rather than warriors.

882.M30 to 929.M30: The Mogoid Ork Wars

The discovery of the wreckage of lost sacred band member Vanheim Paracel's fleet leads to a conflict between Life Bringers astartes and the Ork warbosses Little Mork and Grak in the Renyl system. Though not comprising one sole event, the Mongoid Wars occur over the course of several decades as the Orkoid descendents of Mongo Mork, coordinated largely by Little Mork, continuously evade destruction at the hands of the legion. Johannes Vrach's efforts to rebuild each system as it is retaken only complicate the problem, as many of the more militaristic of his men flock to support of commander Theophrastus Salk, though the primarch's medical advances are a large part of the legion's successes. Eventually, the Orks are beaten back to the Nuroux system, and the longest and bloodiest war occurs. The Life Bringers lost many veterans during the Nuroux War, but the self-styled pirate king Little Mork and his cadre of Eldar corsairs, Nurouxi human pirates, and freebooters is eventually defeated at the close of the campaign thanks to Salk's Sacrifice. The entirety of the Mongoid sector is brought into compliance and the now largely unopposed Vrach sets about engaging in medical work.

964.M30: First encounter with the Harakien Empire

Imperial Army forces are soundly beaten by the armed might of the Harakien Eldar Empire and only the arrival of a force of Winged Victory Space Marines stems the rout. A series of raids and counter-raids ensues.

966.M30 to 968.M30: The Lenard Depths Campaign

The Primarch Tollund Ötztal leads a force of his Legion to assist the bulk of the Silver Cataphracts on their first major campaign in the Great Crusade. The intention was to foster good relations with the recently discovered Primarch Alexandri, bringing him closer to the Imperium and his fellow brother. Initially supported by the Sons of Fire, and quite successful, the Lenard Depths Campaign ends with both Legions being at odds for the entirety of the Great Crusade. The Cataphracts' inherent apathy for life combined with the double crossing nature of the humans inhabiting the sector caused a great deal of friction between them and the Mastodontii.

973.M30 to 976.M30: Pacification of the Harakien Sector

The Fifth Legion launches a massive offensive against the Harakien Eldar Empire. Although the Eldar inflict significant casualties on Gaspard Lumey's crusade forces, they are driven back into the Webway.

988.M30: The Censure of the Eternal Zealots

Once the truth was revealed, it was only a matter of time before the Emperor would be moved to censure the Eternal Zealots. The links of cause and effect are poorly recorded, but it seems that the Emperor waited for some time after the initial reports of Xenos Trafficking and support reached his court. That He sent missions to assess many more worlds conquered by the Zealots is known. We can only speculate as to why: perhaps He did not want to believe it of His son, perhaps He wanted to be sure, perhaps He was simply gathering information before acting.

994.M30 to 000.M31: The Ullanor War

When the Eyes of the Emperor first reported that they had encountered unusually strong Ork resistance in the Ullates Sector, little was said of it in the busy planning rooms of the Great Crusade. However, follow-up reports explaining that the Eyes had been held up by the Orks for several months and that they had found Orks under the same banner in the neighboring Endia and Bhusan sectors drew the attention of the Emperor himself. Reports from Rogue Traders and Explorators in neighboring sectors were carefully scrutinized. As the Imperium became aware of the full scale of Khork's dominion, Octullus Tyran was summoned to the world of Komencante, to meet with the Emperor and the Primarchs Hektor and Kleisthenes. No reprimand of the Eyes of the Emperor was made. Instead the four settled down to plan a great campaign to destroy Ullanor.

998.M30: Core Worlds campaign

After talks break down, the largest human realm outside the Imperium is brutally conquered.

003.M31: Council of Nikaea

After Darius Cyaxares brought news to the Emperor of the Black Augurs apparently using of horrific sorcery, the legitimacy of the Librarium was called into question. Notables of the Imperium were gathered on the world of Nikaea to determine whether sorcery could be used at all without presenting a dire threat to mankind. The Council also served as a de facto trial of Darius and The Voidwatcher.

Many of the Primarchs spoke on the matter, but the final decision was the Emperor's. The Librariums were disbanded and their members sent into ordinary squads, under strict instructions not to make use of their powers. Malcador the Sigilite ordered that each Legion follow the example of Fifth Legion and establish an order of Iterators within their ranks, to police the Emperor's decision.

004.M31: Exile of the Fifth Legion

In the bitter atmosphere following the Council of Nikaea, Gaspard Lumey and his Fifth Legion are censured by the Military Council for "use of regrettable methods" and exiled to the Galactic Fringe. It in this period that the Fifth abandon their old moniker "Winged Victory" and begin to refer to themselves as the Void Angels.