Warhammer 40K Lore: The Perils of Ultramar and the Plague Wars
In the grim darkness of the Warhammer 40K universe, the galaxy burns and heroes and villains vie for control in epic battles. Today, I want to delve into one such conflict that rocked the prosperous realm of Ultramar. This is the tale of the Plague Wars, a terrifying campaign led by the God of Decay, Nurgle.
The Plague Wars began with an ominous prophecy: the invasion of Baal, the birthplace of Sanguinia, by the terrifying Tyranids. This forced the steadfast Primarch Guilliman to abandon his campaign and rush to his Ultramar to protect his dominion from Nurgle’s corruption.
Ultramar, known for its prosperous and serene planet systems, were like radiant pearls in the chaos of the burning galaxy. Their beauty, however, attracted the attention of Nurgle. Covetous of these jewels, the Lord of Decay wished to claim these worlds for his own and transform them into part of his rotting garden.
With a sinister strategy, Nurgle first sent seeds of spoilage to the chosen planets. These seeds caused countless diseases, decimating millions of Ultramar’s inhabitants. From the corpses of the fallen, his demons manifested, while among the survivors, corruption spread as cults of spoilage began to proliferate, summoning even more formidable servants of Nurgle.
In the northern part of Ultramar, three worlds completely succumbed to Chaos and were ominously rechristened the Scourge Stars. These worlds, under the command of Nurgle’s most adept commanders, morphed into enemy bases, preparing for a full-scale invasion.
The military onslaught was led by the Death Guard under the guidance of the fallen primarch Mortarion. His elaborate plan spelled disaster for Ultramar, starting with the War of Flies. This war saw viral bombings annihilate worlds, while the survivors were hunted down by the cursed Legion.
The damage, slow yet unrelenting, spread. Warp storms severed the planets’ communication with the Imperium, leaving them isolated and without reinforcements. The defenders of Ultramar held their ground, fighting valiantly in hundreds of locations, until the day when Guilliman returned to his homeland.
With the arrival of Guilliman, the traitors lost their tactical edge. The forces of Chaos found their attacks successfully repelled. However, the war was far from over. Two other military commanders of Nurgle, Ku’gath Plaguefather and Typhus, the 1st Captain of the Death Guard, entered the fray. Their attacks became more frequent and widespread, making them nearly impossible to contain.
It was only after reinforcements arrived from the ForgeWorlds and several orders of Ultramarine successors that the tide of the war began to shift. Guilliman battled his demonic brother Mortarion, forcing him to retreat with his Death Guard.
In the midst of the war, a remarkable event took place. A priest of the Ecclesiarchy, chosen by the Primarch, had a vision in which the Emperor of Mankind ordered him to find a certain girl who held the key to defeating Nurgle’s forces. Despite the girl’s evident psychic strength, Guilliman feared she might be a puppet of Magnus, Mortarion’s adversary, rather than a vessel of the Emperor’s will.
This skepticism, however, did not deter the faithful. The Sisters of Battle, convinced they were fulfilling the Emperor’s will, smuggled the girl onto the battlefield. Her appearance caused a ripple among both imperial warriors and demons, forcing the treacherous army to retreat. But this was not enough to convince Guilliman of the Emperor’s divinity.
Stay tuned to our multi-part series for the thrilling continuation of the Plague Wars, the fate of the mysterious girl, and Guilliman’s struggle to save Ultramar from the insidious corruption of Nurgle.
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