Welcome back, dear readers, to our harrowing journey through the tumultuous annals of Warhammer 40K lore. In today’s installment of our multi-part series, we plunge headfirst into the era of St. Basilius the Elder, a figure whose popularity was as vast as the number of his followers, and whose power was so immense that it commanded its own Army – the Purifier Divisions.
At the zenith of his influence, his army was not just any ragtag group of soldiers. It included several Space Marine chapters - the very epitome of discipline, valor, and unyielding dedication to the Imperium. These forces stood out in their zealous extermination of cultists and other such malignancies that dared to infest the Solar Segmentum.
The Ecclesiarchy, the Inquisition, and the Adeptus Estates united, driven by a common purpose: to cleanse the Imperium of the evil that had taken root within. A wave of repression spread throughout, demanding absolute vigilance from the populace against the insidious threat of Chaos Cults. A mere whisper of suspicion could lead to denunciation, and in the name of this struggle, the people were stripped of their last vestiges of rights and freedoms.
As the iron fist of St. Basilius's regime clenched tighter, the space between arrest and death sentence could be less than a day. Tragically, many investigators chose to err on the side of caution, executing even those on the merest suspicion of Chaos affiliation. Despite the horrific toll on innocent lives, the tactics proved effective. Rebellions in the Solar Segmentum dwindled to near extinction, and the Imperium experienced a brief, blood-soaked peace.
But this peace was shattered by a Warp storm, appropriately named Dianus. Warp rifts tore open across the Imperium, and reports of mutation and psykers quadrupled overnight. Stories began to circulate about Space Marine chapters touched by the storm, witnessing unprecedented mutations and gene-seed flaws.
St. Basilius, ever vigilant, demanded that all affected chapters face judgment. His influence was so vast that within a year, a great trial commenced. Accused chapters had to prove their unwavering dedication to the Emperor’s great cause. While many were acquitted, around 30 chapters were found guilty. To spare them a dishonorable execution, a penitent crusade was proposed, a proposal that St. Basilius found agreeable.
And so, the guilty chapters were sent into the dread Eye of Terror. The campaign was a death sentence, but the condemned accepted their fate. In the year 321 of the 37th Millennium, a solemn procession of these doomed warriors marched through the Cadian Gates and into the Warp storm.
Once inside, they were met by hordes of perverted Chaos ships. Battle ensued, and the resulting cataclysm scattered the Imperial Armada throughout the Eye of Terror. Each chapter faced its own hellish reception. The Iron Drakes, for example, found themselves on the deadly planet Anatra, where giant, coughing mushroom heads spat a deadly toxin at them. When Plague Space Marines joined the fray, even a single bolt hit could lead to agonizing death, transforming the infected loyalists into monstrous fungi.
And so, the fate of the Emperor’s warriors was sealed. Over 30 Space Marine chapters, once the pride of the Imperium, were erased from history, leaving no trace behind. This tale serves as a grim reminder of the price of hubris, the relentless struggle against Chaos, and the tragic fate of those who falter in their faith.
Leave a Reply