L-XIV-1182

Marines of Mayhem - Death Guard

L-XIV-1182
Chaplain Salathiel 'Mayhem' Morvexus
Legio	Legio XIV
Legio Name:	The Death Guard Legion
Designation:	L-XIV-1182
Cognomen:	Marines of Mayhem
Allegiance:	Traitor
Owner:	User:JAnderson

History

Salathiel Morvexus was a relatively unknown legionnaire until Istavaan III. Being a stark supporter of Mortarian on Barbarus, Salathiel flocked to the Primarch's side when Mortarian sided with Horus during the Heresy. At Istavaan III he was in the intial wave of traitors who would catch the loyalists by surprise within his own legion. But amongst the fighting, brother against brother, Salathiel found himself alone as the virus bombs descended on the planet. Caught in a complex maze of underground ruins, sealed from the surface, Salathiel was thought to have perished by his allies. But during the search for the remaining loyalists still on Istavaan III, a recon squad from the Death Guard uncovered Salathiel on entering an underground chamber. Salathiel was found covered in blood, surrounded by 77 dead loyalists in the chamber and the many underground passageways leading from it. All bodies were killed in hand to hand rather then from bolter fire. With Salathiel's obvious skill at killing other space marines, Mortarian was quick to promote the legionnaire and with his favour from the dark gods they now followed, Salathiel was promoted to Chaplain. Mortarian presented the newly appointed Chaplain with a Power Scythe as a sign of his position and skill in combat.

Word had spread among the legion of Salathiel's adept at killing other space marines and his reputation continued to grow in the later campaigns. Mortarian selected Salathiel for many kill mission and in his wake mayhem rained. It was due to this that Salathiel Morvexus became known as Mayhem and those marines that followed him, the Marines of Mayhem. The Marines of Mayhem were outside the normal force organisation structure and were force assigned to Mayhem based on the next mission he was assigned. As his reputation grew so did that of the Marines of Mayhem and soon many legionnaires were fighting hard to be allocated to the unit. Mayhem instigated the initiation that he had endured in the ruins of Istavaan III, in that any legionnaire that wished to be assigned to the Marines of Mayhem had first had to complete 77 confirmed kills of loyalist space marines before they could join.

Praetor Axamal Tyranicus, The Deadbringer, was first to be permanently assigned with Mayhem with the two both carving out death and destruction to selected loyalists throughout the galaxy.

Combat Reports for L-XIV-1182

Campaigns

Breaking of Centrumeh Gate
				Prelude to War While a number of Houses and at least one Company are known to have ..→

Second Compliance of Corabie
				The Second Compliance of Corabie With the arrival of the Imperial forces through the Warp ..→

The Second Golloch War
				Prelude to War The Golloch Cluster is a nebulous region of space containing thousands of ..→

The Tomb of Galahad
				Prelude to War Sometime before the Heresy erupted throughout the Imperium, Crusade Fleet ..→

With the fleet approaching the system, it was decided that the Death Guard Marines of Mayhem would assault the planet of Raynes. It was known as a Death World and with a highly toxic atmosphere, the Death Guard were well suited to such conditions. Chaplain Salathiel Morvexus knew this was a good cover, for the world was a knight world and he knew there would be many relics to find and keep for himself. Or, at least keep them away from the Alpha Legion whom he knew he could not trust. The Alpha Legion were not the only ones able to keep their secrets. Whilst his Thousand Sons, Alpha Legion and militia allies would deploy to Westarnes and Sudeen, Morvexus would take command of a detachment of Alpha Legion, as well as his own force.

With the majority of his forces deployed to the surface, Morvexus was left aboard the Accipiter to remain in control of the fleet in orbit while Alaric Kekrymennos of the Alpha Legion led the ground attack on Raynes. Morvexus sent Praetor Axamal Tyranicus in support to ensure the attack on the planet’s main fortress bastion went to plan. Knowing Kekrymennos, who knew what their real motivations and allegiances were? He was sure they had some other scheme planned.

On Raynes, Tyranicus prepared for war and deployed his heavy weapons in order to assault the huge bastion. It had been occupied by a number of Blackshields prior to his arrival, who were dug in quite deep. Their use of siege craft weapons to defend the fortress had elements of the Iron Warriors, thought Tyranicus. Too bad, he could have used their like today.

The assault began furiously and Tyranicus had his heavy weapons deploy a mass firepower against the fortifications and those defending it. However, before Tyrnaicus could deploy any of his assault forces, the augury scanner picked up a second large force moving towards them and the fortress, from the north. It was a second Blackshield force, obviously looking to take the fortress for themselves in the confusion caused by Tyranicus’ assault. Tyranicus found himself caught in the middle of a massive grudge that he had no part in. Surrounded on both sides and with one providing a solid defensive fortress, Tyranicus withdrew from the city, his Deathshroud bodyguard cutting swathes through the Blackshield militia forces in order for Tyrnaicus’ forces to withdraw, and allow the two Blackshield forces to destroy each other. The losses that would be involved taking of the fortress would not be worth it and besides, whilst that may be the Death Guard way of war, their Alpha Legion allies would not take kindly to attrition warfare. They would run and leave the Death Guard on their own, Tyranicus was sure.

Aboard the Accipiter, Morvexus coordinated the void battle, sending Death Guard and Alpha Legion to assault the enemy ships. Kekrymennos’ pet, Epiphones, who was no doubt there to spy on Morvexus was causing him a headache, questioning every order, so Morvexus made sure that Epiphones was tasked to lead the boarding forces. Morvexus stayed aboard the Accipiter to repel any boarders. Reports coming back from his forces were that the boarding actions were going extremely well with a number of White Scars and Imperial Fist ships crippled. Those White Scars forces were cunning in the ways of void warfare, however, and a number of their troops managed to board the Accipiter, disabling many of its systems. Whilst Morvexus knew he could deal with the threat, their bikes providing them much greater manoeuvrability then the slow Death Guard forces and he recalled his Death Guard to ensure he had sufficient legionnaires in order to box the loyalists in.

Just as Morvexus re-established his ships scanners, he received word that a loyalist escort which was all but destroyed, was making a last-ditch effort to turn the fight and was on course to ram the Accipiter. It was all too late as Morvexus only received the news moments before the collision and the Accipiter erupted in explosions, with systems shutting down throughout the ship. Morvexus tried to establish communications with Epiphones, but it seemed he had ordered his Alpha Legion to teleport from the ships, leaving the Death Guard to deal with both the Imperial Fists and the White Scars on their own without a word. Morvexus cursed the Alpha Legion, knowing he should not have trusted them. With the Accipiter doomed, the Death Guard were ordered to the escape pods and to regroup on Raynes surface – those that escaped the destruction aboard the Accipiter that is.

Whilst he had lost many, Morvexus was pleasantly surprised on communications with Tyranicus. He had found a number of Mechanicum units deployed to defend what scans reported were the remnants of a titan loader carrying a relic of some importance on the planet. Whilst not sure of what was in the loader, Tyranicus knew it had some value given the array of forces there. Reports from Tyranicus also suggested Kekrymennos and Epiphones, having teleported to the planet, were mustering near the Mechanicum location as well. After Epiphones betrayal, Morvexus would be damned to let the Alpha Legion anywhere near the relic. Tyranicus set off with the majority of the Death Guard forces to delay a loyalist militia that was moving to that location and to distract the Alpha Legion while Morvexus conducted the assault on the Mechanicum forces. As they struggled to destroy the machine constructs, Morvexus used his forces to delay whilst he was able to fight his way to an entrance of the huge ship. With his bodyguard and Techmarine Turiel Faxus, they entered the huge craft and Faxus set to task to restore power and find what technologies were being so heavily defended within. Faxus restored power and Morvexus looked upon the eyes of his prize from the dim light within the loader. It was magnificent, albeit not yet operational. Faxus worked relentlessly with his menials to restore function to the titan carrier while the remaining Death Guard forces continued to delay the Mechanicum as best they could. Faxus restored sufficient systems to enable to plasma drive to be engaged and allow the carrier to launch into space. Tyranicus withdrew his forces to Morvexus’ location and they withdrew into orbit, leaving Kekrymennos to make his own escape from the planet.

Though it had taken a battering, and the loss of the Accipiter would hurt, Morvexus knew he had sufficient forces to make war elsewhere. He would leave the planet Raynes to its destruction, hopefully taking the Alpha Legion scum with it. He had taken all he needed from its surface. From the bridge and with Faxus in tow, he simply stated, ‘Now get this Warlord Titan operational, Forgelord.’

Battles

Battle Name	Date	Planet	Battle Outcome	Battle Summary
Breaking of Centrumeh Gate~Ep.1 - ACT of Heresy: Raynes	058.009.M31	Raynes	Secessionist	With the Truce of Nobles invoked for the Hastilude shattered, the war on Raynes escalated faster than either of the two other planets in Centrumeh. Dozens of Knight Houses and their engines ..→
Second Compliance of Corabie~Phase 1				As if by mutual agreement the initial attempts of both the Loyalist and Traitor forces on Corabie to secure territory and resources for their respective host hives concentrated on the Dilari ..→
Second Compliance of Corabie~Phase 2				Withdrawing from the Dilari Wastelands early, foreseeing their defeat in that area, the Loyalists instead regrouped and made an early sprint for an area which had caught their attention; The Sultor ..→
The Second Golloch War~Taking of SEC Idre Anchorage 7	499.009.M31	SEC Idre Anchorage 7	Unresolved	July - Varangian Heresy Its location as a fuel station on one of the stable space lanes through the Golloch Cluster has made SEC Idre Anchorage 7 a haven for rumors and rogue data. Everything ..→
The Tomb of Galahad~ACT of Heresy				As the final salvos from the Traitors fleet crippled the remaining Loyalists cruisers covering the main forces retreat the hooded Watcher began to move. Sliding past the lifeless bodies of hundreds ..→

Pictures

Chaplain Salathiel 'Mayhem' Morvexus Chaplain Salathiel 'Mayhem' Morvexus

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