From the Maelstrom: A Word Bearers Project Log

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

The Heralds of Truth

"All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride. I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade. I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done. But all I ever wanted was the truth."

— Opening Lines of the "Book of Lorgar", First Canticle of Chaos.

Welcome brothers of Chaos and lackeys of the False Emperor alike to my Work in Progress Word Bearers Topic. In which I hope to present, in one place, the full force of my Chaos projects as well as my current Works in Progress and a little accompanying fluff that I shall attempt to write for each completed unit.
Gathered for the glory of the Chaos Gods will be my Word Bearers 30th Host (30 as it is the total of the numbers of the four Chaos Gods), their auxiliary force the 'Traitor 13th' and the congregation of Daemons at their disposal.

I hope you'll join me in this, my own path to the 'enlightenment' of the Primordial Truth, and revel in the power of Chaos.

Thanks, all comments are more than welcome


Their names lost to the Warp, their regiment forgotten and their once proud home world in ruins the regiment now known to Imperial Scholars as the ‘Traitor 13th’ had a long and glorious history. Whilst much of this has been erased from the Imperial Archives by Inquisitorial decree, some remains in living memory, and no end of rumours and legends tell of their fall.

Hailing from an obscure and militaristic Ecclesiastical world within the Maelstrom Zone of the Ultima Segmentum region of Imperial Space, the ‘Traitor 13th’ was once the defenders of the Imperial Truth in their system, and was joined by a prosperous Agri-World and a Forge World that supplied the system’s garrison with the necessary food and munitions to combat the Chaotic and Orkish threats of the Maelstrom as well as numerous Pirate raids. Their prowess in defending their home world was well known, as was the religious fervour, bordering on fanaticism with which they did it that. To all in their neighbouring systems, they were the ideal Imperial Soldiers; veterans of a hundred incursions with unshakeable faith in the God-Emperor to guide them as His mailed fist – yet it was their faith that would be their undoing.

Targeting the Ecclesiastical worlds on the frontiers of the Maelstrom, a strike force of the Word Bearers 30th host entered Imperial Warp Space 3 days before all contact was lost with the system. Opening a small Warp Rift’s on the neighbouring Agri-World, the Word Bearers unleashed hell on the system as boiling blood rained from the skies, staining the fertile earth below whilst their crops failed; turning to mulch with too many diseases to combat. The ‘13th’ responded immediately, fighting back the tide of Daemons.

6 hours after the rift had opened, it vanished; the victorious Guardsmen rejoicing in what they believed was divine intervention. However, the first blow had already been struck and the agricultural production of the world had been severely crippled, cutting the system off from its much needed imports. Within 24 hours, hunger had started to set in and riots broke out across the Agri-World in response to the Governor of the system’s command to begin rationing, only to be put down by the ‘13th’.


In the wake of this wave of panic and discontent the Word Bearers opened another rift, this time much larger than the first, above the system’s Forge World. The ‘13th’ once again responded fearlessly but there was no reprieve this time as the rift increased in size, a massive Warp Storm spreading across the system as on the surface of the Forge World a full half of the regiment was stranded and wiped out as the very surface of the planet warped beneath their feet. Three days following their first contact with the Word Bearers, the Warp Storm had grown to such size that all communication was severed between the system and the rest of the Imperium; hope hung by a thread, yet their faith remained.


+++ All Imperial records end here, with the fate of the entire ‘13th’ declared as KIA by Inquisitorial Mandate +++

‘Victory attained through violence is victory indeed. But when the enemy turns on itself – that is the essence of true, lasting victory.’

– Kor Phaeron – Master of the Faith.

Yet the legends never ceased, and many in the planets neighbouring the Maelstrom have begun to suspect that the fate of the '13th' was much darker despite Inquisitorial attempts to silence those they perceive to be 'at risk' of exposing true events.

It is told that when their faith finally abandoned them, much of the populace rose up against the Imperium through fear and hunger. Feeling betrayed by the god they had devoted their lives to when no aid had come to relieve them; they turned against those who had once valiantly protected them. With fully ¾ of the planet fallen to Chaos, the ‘13th’ mounted their last defence in the capital city of the Ecclesiastical World in a bid to buy those citizens that remained a chance of evacuation.

When the wall was breached, tides of frothing cultists teeming through the Space Port where the last of the evacuations were taking place the ‘13th’, numbering only 100 men now, made their stand, forcing the enemy back after days of intense fighting and great loss; only 15 remained of these veterans of 100 incursions.

Neighbouring worlds tell of the heroic defence mounted by the ‘13th’ when the enemy breached the walls of the last remaining Space Port as they attempted to evacuate all they could, their noble sacrifice as they gave up the last of their shuttles, remaining on the doomed planet to waylay those that sought to destroy them and the last stand made by the ‘13th’ before the Shrine of Saint Crassus. All tell of their eventual demise yet the truth is much darker.

‘A man can be convinced to do anything, no matter how abhorrent, with the right motivation.’

–First Chaplain Erebus.

+++ Here begins an Inquisitorial Documentation pieced together from captured Cultists in service of the Word Bearers 30th Host and members of the revived ‘Traitor 13th’ +++

Hiding amidst the bodies of the fallen before the ruins of the Shrine of St Crassus, their blood stained armour turned grey by the dust that stuck to it and wrapped in their Camo Cloaks, the last of the ‘13th’ waited. As the Cultists returned, they arose from the corpse strewn ground, like vengeful spectres, prayers to the Emperor on their lips. Striking from the shadows they fought until their laspacks ran dry and their combat knives were dull, disappearing as quickly as they struck and before the enemy could strike back. The legends tell of Cultists who threw themselves into fiery infernos and mutated craters in fear of the wrath of the ‘13th’, yet their victory was short lived.

Encircled, and now fighting with what little they could salvage from the rubble, the last of the ‘13th’ barricaded themselves within the desecrated Shrine they so had fought before. It is in this moment, alone and trapped, the enemy closing in on all sides and hammering on the doors and windows the faith of these 15 men finally faltered.

As the Warp Storm cleared, and the baying hordes broke the ruined Shrines doors, salvation came. The last of the ‘13th’ were not met with the vicious horde they were expecting, but by a single man. Towering above all others and enclosed within Crimson armour covered in an unfamiliar script they could not read, the man spoke, his voice booming; powerful and unwavering yet filled with conviction. He spoke of a ‘Primordial Truth’ and the existence of Gods more powerful than they could ever imagine whose sheer power they had witnessed first-hand yet defied to the last. Yet it was their conviction that granted them mercy; all that was asked in exchange for their lives was that they renounce the False Emperor. Unlimited power could be theirs, from Gods that would answer.

Broken and in despair, the last of the ‘13th’ accepted the offer of the Apostle of the Dark Gods. Inducted into the Word Bearers 30th Host, from where their name derives, they formed an Auxiliary force, specialising in urban warfare and terror tactics in service of the Word Bearers and began to rebuild their once glorious regiment. Gifted with heavy armour that emulated their saviour, the most fanatical of the last of the ‘13th’ were given positions of leadership within the regiment whilst the remainder formed as special operations force of veterans who struck from behind enemy lines.

+++ No further information available as most 'subjects' were unusable by this stage of the torture +++

+++ Transcript - Field Report 113: Commander (Redacted) of the Krieg 256th Infantry Regiment. For the attention of Inquisitor (Redacted), Ref: ‘Traitor 13th’ +++

A cell of highly trained and well equipped Human Auxiliaries have been spotted and engaged on Monastery Worlds close to the Maelstrom. They appear to be working in conjunction with Word Bearers forces in the region and attempts to capture and identify have been unsuccessful, however our scouts have inferred that they resemble the rumoured ‘Traitor 13th’ alleged to have once been the (Redacted) Regiment that had previously been considered KIA.

All those involved in the escalation of this rumour have been silenced indefinitely as requested and a report sent to you in the Inquisition for further investigation.

Equipped as heavy infantry, they appear to be highly specialised in covert operations and stealth based warfare. Reports confirm they have been both deployed on the front line as shock troops or from their Valkyrie transport behind enemy lines. It is believed that they are the same cell due to identical markings.

I request immediate intervention from the Inquisition as many of our key supply facilities and positions of strategic importance have been destroyed. Analysis of the damage suggests a preference for Plasma weapons of a much higher quality than previously encountered in traitor regiments in this system and this seems to be the case in all other equipment too.

[...] Unexplained gurgling and strange voices speaking several unknown languages follow before the transmission breaks [...]

+++ Voice Recognition identified one language as Old Colchisian. The other was unidentified. The fate of Commander (redacted) and the Krieg 256th is yet unknown, all attempts at further communication has failed. An Inquisitorial investigation force has been dispatched +++

*A big thanks to KrautScientist for the encouragement to start this thread, your own Chaos works are an inspiration.

[KrautScientist]

Hah, great to see I managed to talk you into starting this! Very interested to see this taking shape! Keep up the amazing work! :)

 

Oh, and posting that Knight again wouldn't hurt, you know? Just in case some people haven't seen it yet...

[Montuhotep]

This looks intriguing......

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Thanks mate! I'm glad you did, been considering consolidating all my projects into one place for a while now Yep, the Knight is coming for part 2 (this post).

Intriguing? Hopefully that's good, haha.

Knight of Ghalmek

"The path of the Omnissiah has left humanity dithering in the darkness, incapable of advancing on the paths of knowledge. Embracing the warp reveals technology that the primitives on Mars could never dream of wielding."

— Magos Caine of the Five-Fold Path.

+++ Khur Vharadesh, Knight Paladin of Ghalmek. Serving the Word Bearers 30th Host and their Auxiliary force the 'Traitor 13th'. Believed to currently be active in the Maelstrom region and outlying settlements +++

+++ Mechanicus Identification Number - believed to identify the Heretical Knight as being in the service and production of the Dark Mechanicus of the Daemon World Ghalmek +++

01000111

01101000

01100001

01101100

01101101

01100101

01101011

(G-H-A-L-M-E-K)

+++ Reports are uncertain at the moment but records suggest it was once a member of House (redacted) which were in league with the Mechanicus of Ghalmek before the Heresy +++

+++ Further intelligence is currently unavailable, but it is believed House (redacted) was divided during the Heresy with those that survived the destruction of their world taking up service with the Dark Mechanicus, before being inducted into the Word Bearers Legion upon their occupation of Ghalmek +++

[Hellkrin]

no words to describe how awesome is that work

[MrBear]

Great to see your work here aswell mate, solid stuff.

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Wow! Thank you Hellkrin! I don't really know what else to say to that really but it made me smile when I read your comment :D

 

Cheers mate :) looking forward to the next piece of your NL's stuff.

 

*There will actually be some WIP stuff soon too, just wanted to get the finished stuff I had written fluff for out the way first*

[Montuhotep]

Just have one question about your superb Knight - did the faceplate come with that 'jaw open' look or did you convert it in some way?

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

I converted the faceplate from the standard Mechanicus one in the kit.

I did it by clipping the middle of the grill out leaving a little at the top and bottom. I then turned it into 'teeth' by shaving the remains into a point with a knife.

If you check back shortly I'll edit a photo in of the process.

Thanks

*Ignore the poor attempt at doing this quickly on paint*

Picture one: if you cut the middle out where the red lines are, leaving the sides intact still.

Picture two: the parts that are left are shaved into points.

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Thought you guys might be interested in some of my old projects in relation to this army. They all date from between the release of the new Chaos Codex a couple of years ago to last year before I went to uni. Unfortunately many of them were put to one side when I left in the hope of finding time between my uni work but my Traitor Guard and the ETL took over  leaving them unfinished and in need of touching up (especially with the new techniques I have learnt this past year). 
 
Anyway, they are all unfinished and very much WIP but it's about time I got some power armour in this thread.
 
First up is the first member of a 5 man Word Bearers Terminator Squad I am currently building. Still some tidying up to do on parts but almost ready for undercoating:
 
   
 
Here is my attempt at converting a Helbrute. Made this before I got hold of Dark Vengeance (and before the gorgeous new model) as I was undecided if I would use any of the Chaos stuff in it to begin with. Still a few details to add though.
 

 
And the DV Helbrute I converted to have an Autocannon and Heavy Flamer in it's Power Fist:
 

 
Here are the Aspiring Champions from my Close Combat CSM squad (the Host's First Acolyte), Ranged CSM Squad and Raptor Squad respectively:
 
      
 
Finally, my WIP Terminator Sorcerer:
 

 

Thanks :)

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Power of the Warp

 

"Knowledge is power, but power is nothing without purpose. You may hold in your hand the power to remake all things, but if you do not know what you would change, you hold nothing at all"

 

Akem Manah, Chief Sorcerer of the Word Bearers 30th Host; Diabolist Extremist and the Destroyer of All.
 

 

(For those who are interested, the inspiration for this name is of Ancient Middle Eastern Origin and comes from the Zoroastrian religion/philosophy. It translates to “manah (meaning mind) made evil” and symbolises “evil mind/purpose/thinking/or intention”. Furthermore, manah could be taken as the energy used to cast sorcery commonly used in fantasy RPG’s – often spelt mana. Either way, it represents the nature of the Word Bearers and Chaos Sorcerers)

 

+++ Level 3 Chaos Sorcerer with Sigil of Corruption, Gift of Mutation, Spell Familiar and Veterans of the Long War. May also be equipped with the Dimensional Key. 165/190 Points. +++

 

 

Lightning split the sky, each fork red as blood, heightening the deep orange glow of a city ablaze. Screams still echoed from the dark streets; the screams of women, children and those left who would fight to defend them. A particularly shrill scream disturbed Akem Manah from his incantations, a smirk forming on his lips. He had missed the sounds of terror, the screams of the ‘innocent’; drowned out in the steady patter of Bolter fire and the war cries of the 13^th Host as the raging Warp Storm engulfed the dying world.
“There are no innocents in this Long War”, he thought to himself, “even those who come to accept the truth by force are guilty of their own weakness, their shortcomings of faith; all others are condemned by their ignorance”. Banishing such base pleasures from his mind, Akem Manah returns his thoughts to the ritual at hand; hymnal chants drawing his attention to the centre of the room.
 
“Faith binds us, Hate fuels us, Vengeance drives us, Truth guides us…”
 
A congregation of Cultists had formed a circle before the defiled alter of the shrine of the Aquila, chanting in unison. In the centre, the star of Chaos had been painted in blood across the tile stone floor. Candles littered the room, and a continuous faint glow cast light on the gleaming blood of daemonic sigils that despoiled every surface of the building. Shadows leapt from the unnatural darkness that consumed the threshold, impenetrable by the flickering light of the candles as the storm swept through the collapsed roof of the shrine; not every shape cast with an identifiable owner.
 
“Faith binds us, Hate fuels us, Vengeance drives us, Truth guides us…”
 
Emerging from the shadows, the Sorcerer began to pace the room, every heavy boot fall of his ornate, rune engraved power armour echoing throughout the sanctum. Releasing the book from its chains at his side, Akem Manah began to read:
"Faith is the soul of any army; be it vested in primitive religion or enlightened truth. It makes even the least soldier mighty, the craven is remade worthy and through its balm any hardship may be endured. Faith ennobles all of the worlds the soldier undertakes be they so base or vile, and imports to them the golden spark of transcendent purpose."
 
“Faith binds us, Hate fuels us, Vengeance drives us, Truth guides us…”
 
The flickering candlelight illuminated his shaven head; it was gaunt, aged, his skin pale even by comparison to his fellow chosen of Lorgar. The Sorcerers black, soulless eyes revealed a man who had seen the horrors of the Warp and yet there was no fear; he rejoiced in its power, venerated it. It was his to control and his faith protected him. The shadows followed him from the darkness, roiling in the candlelight, the runes on his armour appearing to shift and reform as he continued to read from the Book of Lorgar:
"From the fires of Betrayal unto the blood of revenge we bring the name of Lorgar, the Bearer of the Word, the favoured Son of Chaos, all praise be given to him. From those that would not heed we offer praise to those who do, that they might turn their gaze our way and gift us with the Boon of Pain, to turn the Galaxy red with blood, and feed the hunger of the Gods."
 
“Faith binds us, Hate fuels us, Vengeance drives us, Truth guides us…” The ceaseless chanting continued as Akem Manah strode towards the circle only to fall deathly silent as he passed through them. The Sorcerer took his place in the eye of the circle, where all eight points of the Chaos star met; the shadows that stalked him falling away as he crossed the threshold. Circling the group the shadows weaved in and out of the Cultists as they became like statures surrounding the hulking, crimson clad figure in the centre.
 
Returning the book to its bindings at his side, Akem Manah prepared to utter the final words of the ritual, words he knew all too well now from countless summoning’s. Raising his arms towards the blood red sky he spoke, his voice booming, echoing through the ruined Shrine as though he had the very weight of the gods behind it.
“Lords of the Warp! Fathers of entropy, bloodshed, lust and change, I call upon thee! Grant us a portion of thy godliness, that we might reforge this day in your name!”
 
The ground beyond the congregation began to tremble and crack, leaving a perfect circle in the centre of the Shrine. One by one the candles began to flicker and fade away, their existence snuffed out in a moment and with every failing flame a ‘statue’ fell lifeless to the floor. With every sacrifice swelling their number, the speed at which the shadows danced intensified; entwining together, blending in and out of the growing darkness. A faint, eerie glow appeared from beneath the Sorcerers feet, emanating from the star of chaos that had begun to radiate green. Unbound from whatever had previously held them back, the shadows darted towards the glowing sigil, basking in its radiating glow.
 
His arms still raised triumphantly, the Sorcerer made one last proclamation to the heavens:
“This once proud world, a bastion of deceit and ignorance, has been brought to its knees in your names! The blood of its people spilt in sacrifice! We have shown them their faith is weak, misplaced. Come now! Heed my call! Send forth your legions to cleanse this world of their filth!” A smile crossed the Sorcerers face once again, “Show them the true power of the Warp!”
 
The glowing sigil burnt brighter than ever, penetrating even the pall of darkness that engulfed it as the shadows faded away. Then everything went black, plunging the Sorcerer into darkness. It was quite in the Shrine as the dust settled about Akem Manah, he had succeeded. Outside, the sky was riven by flashes of light and the crackle of energy as Daemons began to tear through the fabric of reality itself. The city’s fountains began to spurt blood as what remained of its vegetation withered ad died. Strangely seductive songs called out from the shadows, luring those unable to resist into the waiting jaws of nameless horrors within as the city itself began to warp and change. Doors appeared and disappeared, some never to be seen again, those who travelled though lost forever in an ever changing maze. 
 
Above the shrine, the beat of leathery wings caught the Sorcerers attention as a bullish roar split the night sky.
“BLOOD!!! For the Blood God!”

         

He was also listed as having a Familiar as part of his Wargear so I painted this up to accompany him:

 
 Mammon the Faceless, formerly Azariah Mammon of the Word Bearers Legion; Bearer of the Masque of Vor’Te.
                         
+++ Level 3 Sorcerer with Terminator Armour, and the Balestar of Mannon – Mammon is represented by the Crimson Slaughter Codex for the Divination powers and the Fear Special Rule which represent effects of his Masque. He is one of the few Characters in the army to not have Veterans of the Long War as the conflicting souls within his body have made him forget much of his past. 135 Points. +++
 

Power Forged from Betrayal

 

Azariah Mammon was an Epistolary in the Word Bearers Legion during the Great Crusade, until the sanctions of the Edict of Nikaea outlawed the position of Librarian and forbade the use of Sorcery among the legions. Fiercely loyal to his Primarch, Mammon was one of the first to return to the Old Faith of Colchis and willingly took up arms against the Emperor in the Horus Heresy; having already branded himself a traitor by his continued use and study of sorcery following Nikaea.
After the defeat of Horus at the Siege of Terra, Mammon spent the next millennia scouring the Eye of Terror in search of sorcerous knowledge before he was re-called by the Dark Council to serve under fellow Sorcerer Akem Manah in assisting the 30^th Host during their expansion in the Maelstrom and the treaty with the Dark Mechanicus of Ghalmek. Having gained much power during his thousand year quest, Mammon has since established a fierce rivalry with Akem Manah, most trusted aide of the Host’s Dark Apostle, whom he seeks to supplant as Chief Sorcerer.
 

Sorcerer Lord of the Maelstrom

 

Oraios’Kore was a Daemon Prince, and former Astartes of the Thousand Sons legion. Blessed by Tzeentch with gifts of great sorcery, he soon became tired of the servitude enforced upon him as a Lieutenant in the armies of Tzeentch’s Lords of Change. Oraios’Kore believed himself to be their equal in mind and power despite his mortal origin, and sought to forge his own empire in a region of the galaxy where realspace and the Warp overlapped.  Fleeing the Realm of Chaos, Oraios’Kore settled on an ancient Crone World, now abandoned and enveloped in Warp Storms. Re-naming it Vor’Te, he began to shape the world anew, and filled it with his own lesser Daemons and innumerous mortal servants whom he had tricked into servitude. The ambition of the Daemon Prince was yet to be his undoing though.
 
Oraios’Kore’s lust for knowledge led him on an eternal quest to unlock, discover and horde the sorcerous secrets of the Galaxy in the vaults and libraries that made up the Daemon World of Vor’Te. Many an Aspiring Sorcerer sought to bargain with the Sorcerer Lord of the Maelstrom as he began to be known, in search of knowledge or tutelage in the arcane arts. Yet every one of them was deceived; their souls torn out by the Daemon who gorged on their power, their bodies reanimated, in thrall to him. This angered Tzeench for the Changer of Ways had grown tired of the souls of his followers falling from his grasp, and soon a bargain was struck to bring an end to Oraios’Kore.
 

Daemonic Pact

 

It is not uncommon for the Dark Apostles of the Word Bearers Legion to seek the favour of all four of the Chaos Gods in equal measure; collecting each of their Marks as tokens of personal achievement and faith in the dark pantheon . While this righteous path is a long and arduous one; to stray but a little risks failure and Spawndom before the eyes of the Gods, its rewards are great for the faithful. Daemonhood awaits those who particularly please one of the Gods; there however remains a price for this ultimate reward - to favour one god before all others is shunned by the Word Bearers, who believe all four gods should be venerated equally.
 
Whilst allowed to continue to serve the Legion as a mark of respect for his success, the Dark Apostle must relinquish command of the Host to his First Acolyte who may better serve the pantheon as a whole, taking up a secondary position of equal to that of the Host’s Coryphaus whilst leading the hordes of Daemons summoned by the Word Bearers in battle.
For those few who make it to journeys end, the Mark of Chaos Ascendant awaits; blessed with the favour of Khorne, Slaanesh, Nurgle and Tzeentch, the Dark Apostle becomes a living embodiment of the dark creed he preaches. Thus the Dark Apostle of the 30^th Host began his quest for ascendancy in a pact with Tzeentch.
All that was asked in return for his favour was the recovery of an artefact that had come into the possession of Oraios’Kore. A simple masque by appearance, rusted with age and sprouting a pair of Daemonic horns, the artefact now known as the Masque of Vor’Te had been created by Tzeentch as a gift for the Tribal Lord of a Feral World deep in the Maelstrom.  After a vision of his defeat to a rival in personal combat, the Warlord beseeched the Changer of Ways to change his fate in return for his eternal worship and that of his Warband. Tzeench granted his favour, gifting him the Masque that would unlock his dormant psychic affinity, and swell his sorcerous powers.
 
How the Masque came to Oraios’Kore is unknown, but it is believed he used his own dark power to warp the Masque to his own end. Many a Sorcerer came to Vor’Te, seeking the Masque and its fabled powers, for the Daemon offered it as a reward to any who may pass his tests. Yet it was a game with only one winner, for Oraios’Kore had enchanted the Masque to steal the soul of those who wear it, transferring their power to himself. Whilst the ‘test’ was merely a means of him gauging the power of the soul he was about to steal. Angered by his once loyal follower’s defilement of his artefact, Tzeentch set his plots in motion…
 

The Labyrinthine Tower

 

Unable to leave his position as leader of the Host, the Dark Apostle dispatched Azariah Mammon, with the few instructions Tzeench had given – that he must return with the Masque and that the only way to claim it was to complete Oraios’Kore’s tests to be rewarded with it. But above all else, he must put the Masque on when instructed to do so.
Accompanied by but a handful of the most devout Chosen of the 30^th Host, Mammon sought out the Sorcerer Lord of the Maelstrom, tracking him down to a planet hidden beneath an ever raging Warp Storm. Descending to the surface with only his trusted Familiar to guide him, Mammon stalked the landscape of Vor’Te, his Terminator Armour protecting him from the unbound Sorcery that fluctuated across the whole of the planet.

After what seemed like many long hours, and with no sign of life, Mammon finally caught sight of a tall, thin tower in the distance. Feeling oddly drawn to it, he made that his destination.
 
Reaching the foot of the tower, Mammon was surprised to see the door already open, inviting him in. The inner workings of the tower were beyond comprehension of any mortal mind; maze like, it defied the laws of science, warping and changing with every step he took. On one level, the only way forward were stairs going back down the tower, and yet once he reached the bottom of them, Mammon found himself to be nearer the top - it was only with the use of his Sorcery and the guidance of his Familiar that he made to the top. It was at the top of the tower where the Daemon finally revealed himself. Mammon had passed his test and his reward was revealed. In the centre of the room stood a plinth, the Masque suspended above it engulfed in Sorcerous flames, he just had to reach out a take it.
 

The Final Test

 

As Mammon reached into the flames the gauntlets of his Terminator Armour almost instantly began to melt away, his now exposed hands warping; fingers extending, mutating in the flames before he could snatch the Masque away. Holding back a snarl of pain, Mammon clutched his prize, withdrawing from the fiery embrace that held it. Looking down at his withered, elongated hands, and the rusted Masque nestled in them, the Sorcerer felt a strange power cursing through his body, joints seizing up, rooting him to the spot. A deep, sinister laugh brought his attention back to the room and the Daemon lurking within.
 
“Stuck?” The Daemon laughed again, almost mockingly. “Yes little one, it was expected. You must wear the Masque; let its power meld with your own…”
 
Azariah Mammon was now faced with a choice; he had but a few simple instructions to guide him in his quest and yet something told him not to, and his Familiar echoed such doubts yet he was not prepared to betray his leader. The Dark Apostle had put his faith in Mammon and to fail this task would be to evoke the wrath of Tzeentch and cost the Host its leader.
Banished such heretical thoughts from his mind, Mammon placed the Masque on his face…

 
Birth of the Faceless

 

The moment the cold metal touched his face, Mammon began to scream with agony, collapsing to his knees, an unnatural glow emanating from beneath the Masque as the metal fused with his flesh. Eventually the glow stopped, the Sorcerers screams coming to an end as his body fell still, slumped on his knees on the floor.
 
Oraios’Kore strode triumphantly into the centre of the room; he would remove the Masque from the lifeless husk that remained and claim another soul…Yet Tzeentch, the Great Deceiver had tricked them all for it was not the Masque he had really wanted, merely the opportunity it presented.
As he touched the Masque time seemed to slow around him as his feet became rooted to the spot; the Daemon could feel the power draining from his body as though his enchantment had been reversed. Stumbling away from the fallen Sorcerer, Oraios’Kore had lost not only the power he had stolen but a vast proportion of his own. The dark pits that were the eyes of the Masque began to glow as slowly, Mammon got back up to his feet, green flames writhing about his hands. Towering over the now humbled Daemon as if guided by an unknown hand; his glowing, emotionless eyes piercing the soul, Mammon engulfed Oraios’Kore in flames, banishing the Daemon as his body withered away from the material world. Tzeentch’s retribution had been enacted and his favour gifted to the Dark Apostle of the 30^th Host, yet it had come at great cost. Azariah Mammon was lost within the Labyrinthine Tower and Mammon the Faceless was born; a cold shell animated by the fallen souls of Tzeentch’s faithful, plagued by visions of the future and his memories lost amongst those of the souls that inhabit his body, yet blessed with Sorcerous knowledge beyond his years that would rival even the great Akem Manah.
 
      

[deathspectersgt7]

Very Cool WB. Lets see this guy finished it is my favorite.

[Son of Barbarus]

Did you have much trouble with the Dark Apostle?

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Thanks DeathSpectre! I have just finished him today, he is a second Sorcerer.

What you do now is up to you.

 

*Spoiler* Below is a link to the finished model if you would like to see him straight away, alternatively, I am about 2/3 of the way through his accompanying fluff and will edit the lot along with proper photos in with my previous post of the first Sorcerer either tonight or tomorrow morning.

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/122948524@N05/14750012300/

 

@Son of Barbarus - it wasn't too bad actually. For a finecast model, the sculpt was perfect so no issues there.

As for painting, the parchment got in the way a bit (and broke off as I was trying to assemble it although you couldn't tell now as fixing was no trouble) but it wasn't a big deal. How I see it, anything they prevented me from detailing properly won't be seen so no one will know.

Other than that, it was enjoyable to paint. I would just say though, the finish on finecast models doesn't seem to be as good (look as nice?) as plastic which is a shame but not that different.

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

So, just a quick update, if you scroll up a little you'll see a second Sorcerer has now been added as well as his fluff - sorry this took a while, been surprisingly busy and it needed a bit of re-working.

 

Now then I thought I would open it up to you guys to decide what you would like to see next. You have a choice of:

 

My Chaos Terminator squad:

 

 

 

My Coryphaus (he needs re-painting):

 

 

A Decimator Daemon Engine (no photo as of yet)

 

Or my Counts As Abaddon/Grand Apostle:

 

 

Appreciate your opinions of what to paint next or any suggestions or things you would like to see on these models (they are all WIP so open to a few minor visual edits). Waiting on a bulk order of purity seals to defile and cover these guys in.

 

Thanks :)

[deathspectersgt7]

Looking Good,The One looks Great.

[MrBear]

Can't chose to be honest, they all look promising.

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Thanks guys :D got the Decimator built today too. Would put a photo up but it's nothing special thus far, only at a stage where I can paint it so some parts are still loose.

[K0rtmer]

I'd love to see the terminators painted. I like the two with power mauls best.

I'm also extremely curious to see what you're making of the Decimator. It's a fantastic model, although allegedly somewhat difficult to build ... How did you find it?

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Awesome! Thanks man!! I have to say, I was very pleased with how they turned out and particularly like this guy - he was the first one I built and I'm so happy with his pose and feel he is suitable different from the standard builds.
 

 
This is what I have constructed so far of the Decimator:
 

 
I myself love the model, it is one of my favourite FW Chaos sculpts. Not bought weapons for it yet (the Decimator was actually a present from my girlfriend) as I was deciding how best to arm it but I'm thinking it will probably be dual Siege Claws so will have to pick those up some time. Obviously it is hard to tell how it will look finished at this stage but it is as built as I can get it without making painting awkward. Plus there is a bit of conversion work I was hoping to do on its head and shoulders.
 
As for the legs, I had heard the same doing a quick google search one time and I had tried to find some tips and images to help me plan mine but to no avail.
However, when I got the kit it was surprisingly simple to build. I'm not going to lie, the legs were by far the hardest thing to pose but not as impossible as some of the reviews i have read online suggest - I seriously read one form this guy who resort to boxing it up and hiding it in a cupboard as he had so much trouble with it.
 
Anyway, the only tips/issues I would give anyone considering the Decimator of would be:
 
1 - Using Superglue makes this hard! I got it all over my fingers and it makes posing the model hard as once the glue is on you have to find the right pose rather quickly or else it will be impossible to pry it apart to re adjust.
 
2 - However (and this is written all over the instructions) it makes it 10x easier if you dry fit and pose everything beforehand. most of the joins clip in and hold without glue so you can pose the legs until you get it looking right before sticking. 
 
3 - Doing this is very fiddly!! But the most worthwhile thing you can possibly do to make sure you get the pose right as it can look bad/unnatural if not.
 
How I did it was I had a rough idea of how I wanted it to look beforehand and stuck the thighs to the pelvis section. I then dry fit the legs and feet (very fiddly as the feet need to be held in place) until I was happy with the pose and one by one stuck the joints to fix them in place while making sure the ball and socket join for the hips was upright so the body wasn't horrifically angled. I then balanced the body on to make sure it is not top heavy how I wanted it and stuck.

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

Got a few updates for my Lord and Decimator:
 
      

[Knight of the Raven]

The coryphaus' bolter intrigued me, but I was more interested in your Abaddon's count-as. That said, they all look good. My favorites, though, are the humble veterans at the beginning.

[Dark_Apostle_XVII]

His bolter is made from the Combi-Plasma from the Space Marine Commander with the rounds from an ordinary CSM boltgun.

In game he is equipped with the murder sword and a combi plasma.

 

Glad you like my Abaddon too - he has a lot more left to do but I'm happy with the direction.

 

Cheers mate :D they are one of my favourites too and actually have me the inspiration to start this thread and write fluff for all my units - they won me the first Daemonic pact event and so for that alone they are set apart. Thanks for the kind words though.

 

As always, hearing these comments really motivates me and if anyone wants to know more about anything feel free to ask - be it questions on my painting, modelling, fluff or anything else you may find interesting. I'm happy to hear your thoughts :)

[Midnightmare]

Got a lot of love for your Lord, and counts as Abaddon is looking to be a belter.

....but that Knight is something else! Great stuff

PS your fluff is a good read, I always like to see an army with fluff

[deathspectersgt7]

Your lord looks really GOOD!!!