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I think I wound up painting 3 different armies last year so having different threads seemed a bit much. Current armies are: Chaos Space Marines, paint and play Chaos Knights, paint and play Dark Angels, paint and ebay (i didnt really like the playstyle) It's been a long time since I've updated anyways, so this will help to keep me disciplined on progress beyond just the annual paint challenge.

Would have posted this in a "Post your" or "Showcase" thread, but there isn't one for fliers. Anyway, I'm really happy with my emperor's children helldrake, so while I don't normally post things here (so intimidating) I thought I would in this case. Still have to do the base, but that can wait until I decide on how to spruce it up a bit. Here's some pics of the two weapon options: The picture above shows some of the things I'm not so sold on about the model - namely its stubby tail and its funny little rear legs. Still, it gives a good view on the wings - if I do another, I think I will give it wider stripes and carry them back onto the rear wings as well. Finally, a "danger view" photo.

+++You know the deal, show us your Knights+++

This is thread I am going to show what I am doing in the hobby, and what I have done. It will be all Chaos related, mostly Iron Warriors which is my main army, but also some Death guard, in an Iron warrior scheme, some depraved daemons, and the odd knight or two. More to come in the future. Cpt.Danjou

I'll work on getting a better/more descriptive intro later, but I started this army about 10 years ago and, after a long break from the hobby, have gotten back into it in the past few months to start clearing out my pile of shame that's collected a fair amount of dust. 38th Company, Sons of Horus Commander: Captain Ismael Lykaddon Latest on the work bench after finishing up my January models is a patchwork collection of heavy and special weapons from the plastic Mk IV kit

Lil big knights! 368698878_10161052381015797_2401397191367279107_n As a bit of an intermission, our group is doing a throwback to our classic apocalypse games with a 30k, 30k game and after a weekend with a horde adjacent Anathema army i really wanted to run something Elite, and aint nothing more elite than Knights with Custodes allies! Both forces having barely seen table time all together, essentially being allies and addons to myriad other forces over the years (Especially the Red King!). It was also a great excuse to pick up a couple of War dogs and marginally de-Chaos them as my faction of House Gevauden is technically a traitor force but the sides needed me to play loyalist, just ignore some of the heraldry ;) 400303054_10161244507290797_8257101360268758453_n I also tried a few new techniques on these, fully switching basing scheme and trying a semi metallic metals scheme on the skeleton and trim from Eons of Battle (Check him out on Youtube!) 400006884_10161244507150797_3023115354319267329_n This is the Talon leader, marked by the Eye of Horus and lack of chains, but still only allowed a Crescent moon rather than full house colours. Oh and a battered Eagle head :D 399880337_10161244507090797_7942327079519253352_n The Leader also has a Claw instead of a chain cleaver because i presumably used it somewhere else, i was working with two Wardogs and a Helevrin but had spares from previous projects that provided the melta guns and one melta lance. 400415867_10161244506935797_5570782737444248837_n On to the next doggo, the basing went a bit wrong on these when you look, i mixed some foamboard in under the basing foil and no amount of filler or glue would make it sit right! Its fine at eye level though. I hope :P 399797527_10161244506625797_8193884184582457400_n Armiger pilots not of noble lineage are chained into their thrones, they arent trusted not to eject too early, this way the hull has to take a few good hits to make that possible... 399790842_10161244506255797_4945938056430139404_n The aged metal effect from Eons of battle really works for knight skeletons, i hate spraying them silver and working down, this comes up from zenithal black/grey with only a sprinkle of silver/gold drybrush, i thing i did too much honestly but im quite happy with how irregular it is :D 400221941_10161244506185797_6771008524261359581_n Their arms are technically poseable a little, if a bit stiff, but saves me a job trying to glue them mid painting! 400575055_10161244506110797_4002206168623378400_n There is logic to all the seemingly random pauldron art, i had a depository of all my AT scale knights designs unfortunately lost in a Harddrive dying (always backup kids!) Some nice battle damage on this angle too! 400209212_10161244505905797_1777089904988940389_n So three more Armigers for House Gevauden, hopefully the new model curse is merciful... Im sure ive spotted a few errors of course looking at the shots, always more work lol Thanks for bearing with me!

Showcase your finished Chaos Knights conversions in this topic (and you can see more in the showcase in the Forge). If you don't mind Knights of the uhh... warped variety, here are my House Makabius Knights (I'm also working on a full House for Titanicus). And there's are the ones I'm currently working on for the ETL. +EDIT+ Note that this topic was split from the showcase for Imperial Knights.

I was thinking of a combined Traitor Knight, Flayed Ones, Chaos Orks and Chaos Genestealer Cults Slaughter-Flesharvesters that worships Khorne AND Slaanesh! Inspired by the Everliving Legion Anthology (the one story that features Flayed Ones) and that one lorebit about a Khornate Traitor Knight covered in flesh that Flayed Ones follow the slaughter champion. Also inspired Two Knight-Houses each led by a brother both succumb to the deprave, addict temptations of endless battles and slaughter due to endless missions to relieved Imperial planets attacked by hords of enemies by themselves Whether by killing so many that so much blood is 'painted' on their knights or by skinning and 'lathering' their mechs and bodies of collected flesh bits they have attracted countless xenos that not only worship them but join the slaughter and brutal wars! -Khornate and Slaanesh themed Traitor Knights act as the Elite and Super-heavy Vehicle Options -Khorne and Slaanesh blessed Flayed Ones act as a shock cavalry-heavy infantry hybrid thanks to their teleportation, high defense and immense damage output -Khornate/Slaaneshi Orks and Genestealer Cults are Cannon Fodder and Support Units The subfaction has TWO UNIQUE Magic Lores: -Lore of Bloody Incitement which boosts Strength, Movement and Morale as well as provide Teleportation. Also can cause enemies to go berserk and may recklessly engage in melee (Available only for the Khornate Brother when he's the Warlord) -Lore of Entrapping Carnage which can prevent enemies from retreating, pull them towards the user or summons Daemons! (Likewise only for the Slaaneshi Brother as Warlord) -Khorne allows them limited magic use You HAVE to choose between one of two Brothers as the Warlord in every fight while the other becomes the Hero -The Slaughterhost has different mechanics based on which Brother is the chosen Warlord! Units have different stats and abilities in both modes! -Losing the Hero weakens the entire army. Losing the Warlord forces the other brother to become Warlord, flipping ALL the mechanics and unit stats!!! -When the Khornate Brother is in charge you get bonuses when killing certain amount of enemies -The Slaaneshi brother Warlord mechanics benefit from dismembering enemies, especially when they are alive! Some individual units can dismember multiple enemies! (Sort of a stun that needs to be dice-rolled every turn it occurs) Very mobile melee-oriented army. Most units are very specialized in countering certain enemy units

https://youtu.be/uu2rMoC0h-E Cheers, Thoth

So, with the Arks of Omen Detachments being a thing now it no longer costs 3 cp to bring in a knight for a healthy bowl of Chaos soup. It got me thinking about that age old question of "how do I hit that sweet -4 LD debuff." While we unfortunately still can't get the house Korvax ability in an Auxilary Superheavy Detachment (sans Be'lakor shenanigans), what you can get is a Knight Abominant. Each psychic phase you get a point and click 18" -1LD debuff on a 5+. And of course, all of the other benefits of having a Knight Abominant to throw up the field. Well, now that Knights don't cost any CP to take has anyone thought of souping one in? I personally refuse to play daemons, but that is purely because I refuse to paint them

“Carnax-7, a world that will soon be forgotten by the ignoble followers of the False Emperor. Lines of feculent trenches fill this muddy world, reinforced by several Astra Militarum regiments. Impressive siege-works and engines speak edicts of fire and flame into the sky and down upon our forces. But we are patient, for we know that all things will end eventually. This is the painful lesson being taught to the false worshippers here now. Their siege-works, their lives; all will decay before us. Brought to ruin upon the tolling of the bells. And I can hear them ringing now.” - Princeps Belzaii of House Khlorys, She Who Tolls For The Dead, the Mayfly Queen of Ner’gahl, the Swarming Sin of Salvir, the Pallbearer of Carnax-7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Howdy y'all! This is gunna be the start of WIP thread for my Chaos Knights that I've started working on to help me focus in on the project. Long time lurker here and witness to many of the classic knight threads here over the years that inspired me to not just collect Knights, but push my skills to make them the best I can! So far, I'm closing out on finishing up a Wardog that is serving as a rough test scheme for the House, and so far, feeling really good about it! I'm gunna look into updating this thread whenever I have something to add with posts regarding kitbashing, modeling, painting, or even basing if people are interested in the trench basing I'm trying to convey. Any comments, critiques, and advice is definitely welcome! :D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For those curious about the quote at the beginning, the thought process behind the force is a Chaos Knight House aligned to Nurgle assisting in the siege of Carnax-7; a fortress world of my own creation within Imperium Nihilus. I have some ideas for perhaps a small accompanying force of Death Guard and maybe even an Astra Militarum regiment for them to face off against, but I've told myself I am going to hold off on that until I have a fully finished and playable list of models (2k points). Thankfully don't need too many when collecting Knights! Up next is a Cerastus Knight Lancer that I'm converting to become a Fly-Prince of House Khlorys, or the Court of Flies as they are known amongst the followers of the Plague Lord. Perhaps the Lancer will even be the Princeps Belzaii herself!

KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN THRONE ++ A TIME OF CHIVALRY AND FEALTY, IN AN AGE OF SACRIFICE ++ "Who could have seen it? What man in their right mind, would have questioned it at the time? Who could have foreseen that the Dragon of Horus was not some Imperial Messenger sent to bring wonder and fortune, but a Tyrant of Iron, who brought only fire, and granted death?" - Freidrich Goetz, "The Iron Hand", Freeblade. What is KOGT? Many moons ago, a noble frater by the name of Noctus Cornix came up with an idea for a Black Crusade RPG game which focussed on the Horus Heresy. This spiralled into a discussion on the Imperial Knight Houses, namely Scions, who might find themselves on different sides, vying for overall control of the House. Part BC and part 'Game Of Thrones', it generated a lot of passionate interest. Now GoT has passed us all by, it has gone off the boil somewhat, but the ghost of both the TV Series and the idea of the game stalk the halls of the RPG Forum. This thread is intended to open the discussion of such a premise being viable, what steps to take to make it work, and how to cater it to both this forum and our frater. Privately, I have conversed briefly with some frater versed in the matter of tabletop stompy robots (Battletech/Mechwarrior to be specific) and they presented several options to me to make a mechanical (pardon the pun) framework upon which to hang an RPG game. This is step away from Fantasy Flight or Cubicle 7 games, providing us with an opportunity to develop an RPG within the Warhammer universe that covers an aspect of the game no other books have outside of individual GM's and their adaptations of already existing materials. So, to move this forward, first things first: What do you all think of the premise, and in order to ascertain how much work is involved, do you consider a ruleset framework to be of value in such a game as this?

Afternoon all. With the ability to add a Dreadblade to our forces without losing detachment benefits, is anyone planning to add a big stompy warmachine to their forces? I'm tempted for more casual games, and as a modelling project. Thousand Sons are the only chaos force I own and I'm not planning another, so it would be a way to add tactical and modelling variety. If anyone already has a knight they are planning to run with their army, show us some pics for inspiration!

I haven't gotten a chance to test anything yet but how have our stompy death machines been doing so far? On paper i have some questions as to obj holding and the efficacy of straight up murdering everything. Seems like wardogs are going to be pretty valuable at least. Anyone care to share any experiences?

House Datafile: House Adraxian Primary Data War Cry"We bring the storm!" (Pre-Heresy) / "We are the storm!" (Post-Heresy) FoundingAge of Technology HomeworldVangrathor AllegianceChaos; Chaos Undivided (Traitoris Perdita) ColoursBlue, Black and Silver (bronze trimwork denotes rank) INTRODUCTION House Adraxian is a Renegade Knight House of Chaos Knights. Declared Iconoclast during the Scouring, these Knights were rediscovered during the Great Crusade by the VIII Legion and Konrad Curze. In an unusual showing, the Knights of House Adraxian swore allegiance to the Imperium and Curze in particular, viewing his sense of justice and punishment much like their own. The butchery done by the Night Lords as the Great Crusade progressed was distasteful to them, but they saw the extreme results of the Night Lords' tactics Their loyalty to the Night Lords was what set them down the path to becoming an Iconoclast household. During the Horus Heresy, the House's leadership openly went along with the acts of savagery and brutality the Night Lords perpetrated. With their Knight armours, the scions of House Adraxian committed horrific acts of butchery as the Heresy raged. Their homeworld of Vangrathor is constantly wracked by powerful storms, with only a few days to weeks in-between these massive storms of lightning and wind. In order to survive, the settlers built massive citadels that could weather these storms. It is from this stormwrought world that the Knights of House Adraxian sally forth from, bringing a storm of death and destruction to their foes. HISTORY Rediscovered during the Great Crusade, House Adraxian's initial encounters with the nascent Imperium of Man was with Konrad Curze and the VIIIth Legion. Arriving on the strum-wreathed world of Vangrathor, It was there that the Night Lords found the Knights of House Adraxian. The Nobles of the household immediately swore allegiance to the Imperium, and Curze in particular, for in the Night Haunter they saw manifested their own tenets of swift justice, and dissuasion by example. Answering his calls to battle without question, the Knights of Vangrathor lead massive assaults to crush all who dared oppose their Lord's will. Even when Curze turned against the Imperium, the Knights of Vangrathor held true to their vows of service. As the Horus Heresy progressed, the changes in the Night Lords also begin to affect House Adraxian, the Knights becoming more belligerent and brutal, destroying their foes in the most brutal of manners possible. Upon the end of the Heresy, the Knights retreated to their storm-wreathed homeworld. During this retreat, the warp rift near Vangrathor expanded dramatically, swallowing the area around the planet's solar system, but leaving the Vangrathor system untouched. It was this event that made the Knight World of Vangrathror untouchable by the Imperium, as to try and assault it was suicide due to the rift for only the Knights of Vangrathor knew the ways through the Empyrean to safely reach home. They would only share this knowledge with one group: The Night Lords What was to be the breaking point for the now morose and withdrawn Knights of House Adraxian was when the Night Lords warband known as the Fangs of the Father, lead by one Jago Terask, was that Konrad Curze was dead, assassinated by the Imperium of Man. Upon hearing of Curze's death at the hands of the Callidus Assassin M'Shen, the Lord of House Adraxian swore an oath of undying enmity against the Emperor and Imperium. It was from this, that the Knights of Vangrathor sallied forth once more side-by-side with the Night Lords, only this time hell-bent on the utter destruction of the Imperium of Man. In the millennia since, House Adraxian has waged apocalyptic wars against the Imperium, with several planets being stricken clean of life by the vengeful Knights. HOMEWORLD Vangrathor is a planet that is rich in natural resources, such as woods and many variety of wildlife. The moon of said planet however is very mineral rich and is exploited by the household for those resources. The world is continually wreathed in raging weather, with powerful eletrical storms and gales that destroy all but the steel-and-adamantine structures of the Nobles of House Adraxian. Nestled in the Vandraras Sector of the Segmentum Ultima, Vangrathor was in close proximity to a warp rift, much like the Eye of Terror or the Maelstrom, but on a smaller scale, nearly the size of a solar system. However, at the end of the Horus Heresy, the Warp Rift near Vangrathor expanded dramatically, surrounding the Knight World's solar system. However, their world's system was not pulled into the warp, but is instead, essentially a realspace island surrounded by the Warp. Only the Night Lords and this house know the coordinates to successfully reach their system, and as such the system has become a garrison for the Night Lords, specifically the Fangs of the Father, when not raiding. The flora and fauna of Vangrathor have adapted to the harsh environment, becoming incredibly hardy and resilient. Massive trees, much like the Redwoods of Old Terra, make up a majority of the major flora of the planet, with ferns and shrubs making up the lesser flora. The fauna of the planet tends towards larger bodies, with some of the animals reaching the size of a Knight suit. These creatures are hunted for sport and food by the populace of Vangrathor. COLOUR AND HERALDRY The Knights of House Adraxian are noted for their dark frames, blackened adamantine, with deep blue-and-black armour and silver trimwork. Higher ranking Knights are denoted by bronze trim, with the Lord Dominus/Dominatrix having entirely bronze trim on their Knight. Of note is the electrical discharge on the Knight's frame. Similar to the Night Lords, these bolts of electricity have always sparked around the Knights of Vangrathor, and since their fall to Chaos, the discharges have become larger and more powerful. Instead of just being decorative, these electrical discharges form a defense around the Knight's framework, electrocuting smaller enemies who try to clamber onto the Knight to assault it's less armoured areas. Even before their fall, the Knights of Vangrathor had grim designs of death on their armour, marking them as harbingers of doom to their enemies. Their house symbol is that of a fanged skull, and since their fall the skull design has become more daemonic since. The heraldry of the Knights of House Adraxian has barely changed, only becoming more daemonic to show their new allegiance, showing these brutal Knights remain much the same, even after their fall to Chaos. NOTABLE KNIGHTS Euroclydon - This Knight Desecrator is piloted by Lord Valzak, who has claimed the keep of Vandar on Vangrathor. Euroclydon is notable for it's unique Laser Destructor, a massive cannon comparable to a titan-grade weapon. Sundowner - Sundowner is the Knight Rampager piloted by the Fallen Noble Andras. Like all Knights of House Adraxian, Sundowner has eletrical energy cascading along its frame. What is notable however, is that Sundowner's frame hosts a particularly violent electrical corona. In the thick of battle, rivulets of lightning continually burst from its vents and spark around its joints, growing more anarchic as the battle increases. NOTABLE PERSONNEL Lord Valzak - With his Knight Desecrator known as Euroclydon, Lord Valzak has earned a fell reputation within House Adraxian. The campaigns he has launched against Imperial worlds are marked by speed and ferocity, lasting only a month at the longest. Often campaigning with the Night Lords, Lord Valzak targets transportation hubs and spaceports first, ensuring that his victims have no means of retreat. Andras - The impetuous Andras and his Knight Despoiler, Sundowner, are often the first of their lance to engage the enemy, scything through hordes of their foes like a farmer through wheat. NOTABLE CAMPAIGNS Battle of Vigrid's Fall (750.M31): The Knights of House Adraxian joined the Fangs of the Father on their assault of the planet of Vigrid's Fall. Assault on Tarxes (850.M32): The Knights of House Adraxian attack the Armoury World of Tarxes, rampaging through the manufactorums and foundries. The House's serfs make off with many arms and armour during the battle while the Knights distract the PDF's attention. It was during this assault that the unique Laser Destructor that would come to be equipped on Euroclydon was found by the Knights of Vangrathor. ++ PLACEHOLDER - WORK IN PROGRESS ++

= REPORT ON QUESTOR TRAITORIS ACTIVITY IN THE RAGNARUS SECTOR = = ZEPHANIAH ADRIYEN, FABRICATOR-GENERAL, FORGE WORLD RAGNARUS = = BEGIN LOG = I bring dreadful news to the upper echelons of the Ragnarus sector. Another Dreadblade dares to enter our space. I know not the reason or purpose of its involvement in our affairs, though I know it is backing up local Nurglite warbands. This is particularly odd because it bears the markings of the heretical god Tzeentch - Nurgle's antithesis. It is known as Stryskra'al the Unknowable, and is to be considered Alpha Prioris target in all engagements. This menace must be stopped. This Dreadblade has been described in reports as bearing a deep red color for its armor plating, with silver trim. It bears heretical runes across its hull in places, and carries two blue-robed Skitarii aboard its carapace - we believe these Skitarii to hail from Hellforge Xinos, a relatively nearby Hellforge dedicated to Tzeentch. The heretic bears weaponry characteristic of a loyal Knight Crusader - it carries a warp-charged Avenger Gatling Cannon for its left arm, with underbarrel warpflamer, and a warpflame Thermal Cannon for its right. It also seems to carry a twisted semblance of a heavy stubber, its design derived from Proteus-pattern Rotor Cannons utilized by the Traitor Legions - most specifically, its design resembles that of warp-charged Rotor Cannons utilized by the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion. This loathsome creature glows from the seams with warplight, and bears a strange variant on the heretical Star of Chaos on its ion shield. It bears a glowing Star of Chaos on its carapace where any loyal Knight would bear the insignia of the Imperium, or of the Adeptus Mechanicus. For emphasis, for the leaders of Ragnarus who have clearance to read this, but are without the databanks to remember it consistently - destroy this loathsome excuse for a forge-construct at once. It is a greater threat than Knight Leviathan ever was. = END LOG = Pics to come!

Liberalia Martiale: The Dark Mechanicus of Ghalmek 01001001 Apostle of the 30th Host, 01110110 01101111 01110111 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01100011 01110010 01100101 01100001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01100001 00100000 01000100 01100001 01110010 01101011 00100000 01001101 01100101 01100011 01101000 01100001 01101110 01101001 01100011 01110101 01110011 00100000 01000011 01100001 01100010 01100001 01101100 00100000 01101001 01101110 00100000 01101000 01101111 01101110 01101111 01110101 01110010 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01000100 01100001 01110010 01101011 00100000 01000111 01101111 01100100 01110011 00100001 00100000 01100010 01111001 00100000 00110110 01110000 01101101 00100000 01000111 01001101 01010100 00101011 00110001 00100000 01101111 01101110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 00110001 00110111 01110100 01101000 00100000 01001101 01100001 01111001 00101110 Mechanicum Classification – (Expedition Force XXX) 01000101 01111000 01110000 01100101 01100100 01101001 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01000110 01101111 01110010 01100011 01100101 01011000 01011000 01011000 As dictated by the Treaty of Ghalmek, all Hosts of the Word Bearers Legion operating within the Maelstrom must be accompanied by a Dark Mechanicum Expedition Force in order to facilitate the acquisition of Dark Age Technology, Xenos relics or any other artefact of interest to the Magi of Ghalmek, if such artefacts are believed to be encountered. Of particular interest is data relevant to the Standard Template Construct. +++ The Classification Number refers to the Host to which the Expedition Force is attached +++ Ghalmek Ghalmek is a Daemon World located in the Maelstrom. It is under the control of the Word Bearers Legion and serves as their primary base in that area to launch Black Crusades against the Imperium. The planet was once an Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World; having originally been conquered and settled by the Word Bearers Legion during the Great Crusade, who turned the planet over to their accompanying Exploratory Fleet to set up a supply base for their forces within the area. At the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, the Mechanicum of Ghalmek turned on their loyalist compatriots and sided with the Word Bearers, who had supplied them with many artefacts from the crusade in return for their support and the maintenance of their equipment. This was later ratified by the Treaty of Ghalmek following the Scouring. Consumed by the warp/realspace overlap of the Maelstrom, Ghalmek was permanently occupied by the Word Bearers forces in the Maelstrom Zone as a primary base for their heretical activities in the area and to ensure the maintenance of their alliance with the Dark Mechanicum. It was not long before the planet was transformed into a Daemon World, swelling the power of the Hell Forges of the Dark Mechanicum. Origins of Expedition Force XXX The Dark Mechanicum force classified as Expedition Force XXX is a relatively new subsect of the Dark Mechanicus of Ghalmek. It was created as an attaché to the re-formed Word Bearers 30th Host (who had been relocated from Sicarus, in the Eye of Terror, to the Maelstrom) in compliance with the Treaty of Ghalmek. +++ Notes on the 30th Host +++ The Word Bearers 30th Host is reported to have been wiped out on the surface of Boros Prime following the arrival of an enormous Necron force in the system. Contradictory information has since been received from a series of worlds on the fringes of the Maelstrom which have identified the 30th Host as being very much active and at significant strength. Further information on the matter is pending Inquisitorial investigation… Colours and Identifiable Markings Reports identify the Dark Mechanicum Expedition Force XXX as being garbed in the standard wargear of an Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarius, however their exposure to the powers of the warp have muted the red of their robes and many areas of their once pristine war plate have become dulled and corroded. It is said that the Dark Mechanicum of Ghalmek retained the symbol of their previous allegiance, the Crux Mechanicus, on their armour, welcoming the corrupting energies of the warp there most as a further blasphemy to the holy Omnissiah. Squads are identifiable by a symbol on the front right of their robes, whilst many also choose to decorate their robes with various Chaos Sigils and a mix of text in Binary and High Gothic. Dark Technology +++ The following list describes the known Tech Heresies and Dark Technology in the service of the Dark Mechanicus Expedition Force XXX. It was compiled by various Inquisitorial reports and supplemented by data from the Adeptus Mechanicus +++ Goleph: ‘The Golephic Heresy was discovered by the Ordos Calixis in 419.M41 when the forces of Inquisitor Embuleos, prosecuting Mechanicus renegades, were ravaged by faceless machine assassins built in the form of men. Inhumanly clever, fast, and silent, the machines stalked their victims by sound and heat-radiance before slaughtering them with ancient powerblades. Though at great cost, Embuleos was ultimately triumphant and discovered enough in the heretek ruins to put a name to these echoes of the Dark Age of Technology: Golephs…A Goleph's limbs are smooth and long, the human-sized body sleek and the head featureless; its outer shell betrays no sign or noise of the mechanisms within. Even Golephic hereteks have little knowledge of the origins of their forbidden lore. They toil in ignorance upon Goleph mind-pattern devices, seeking secrets of the Man-Machine within this dangerous archeotech. A Goleph machine is cast in the pattern of a man, is cunning as a man, and can hate as only a man can -- an active Goleph is an unrestrained murderer. To establish control, early hereteks crafted Golephic Keys, devices designed to communicate crude sigils of instruction and castigate disobedience by disruption of mind-pathways. A punished Goleph gives every appearance of torment—thrashing and writhing in silence, and then moved to sullen obedience or careful misinterpretation of sigils. A Goleph newly raised from safe storage in a stasis field is malevolent in aspect, pausing to weigh obedience to sigil-instructions against an attempt to slaughter its masters and destroy its Key’ Murder Gholam: 'A Gholam is an artificial construct made primarily of flesh and synthetic tissue by the arts of a gene-sculptor. Although a widespread technology within the Adeptus Mechanicus, many branches of this lore are considered heretical and forbidden. These, in particular, include so-called "Murder Gholams" -- horrific organic fabrications solely intended for violence. According to sacred legend, such fleshworks were forbidden by the word of the Emperor during the days of the Great Crusade in response to the horrors that he and his superhuman warriors encountered in the Unification Wars on Terra to end the Age of Strife' Members of Note Arch-Heretek Luthor The Arch-Heretek Luthor (formally Archmagos Prime Lexus Luthor), is a high ranking Magos amongst the ranks of the Dark Magi of Ghalmek and Field Commander of Expedition Force XXX. As a former Archmagos Prime of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Luthor is a master of strategy and has access to some of the finest armaments and defences. For the majority of operations, he commands his forces from the safety of the Word Bearers fleet in orbit, however, in major engagements or when overseeing the recovery of volatile artefacts, he will take to the field in person. Khur’Vharadesh, Knight Paladin of Ghalmek Mechanicus Identification Number: 01000111 01101000 01100001 01101100 01101101 01100101 01101011 (Translates to G-H-A-L-M-E-K) +++ Identifies the Heretical Knight as being in the service of the Dark Mechanicus Forgeworld of Ghalmek +++ Imperial records suggest Khur’Vharadesh was once a member of Knight House (redacted) which was in league with the Mechanicus of Ghalmek before the Heresy. 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 and union with the Hereteks residing there. +++ All further details concerning the origins of the ‘Knights of Ghalmek’ have been expunged from Imperial Records by Inquisitorial Decree +++ +++ Note on naming conventions +++ It has been suggested that many of the ‘Knights of Ghalmek’ changed their names following the Horus Heresy to reflect their new allegiance. The name Khur’Vharadesh refers to the world Khur, pride of the Word Bearers efforts in the Great Crusade and origins of their betrayal and Vharadesh, the capital city of Colchis Significant Engagements M41 - Expedition Force XXX accompanied the Word Bearers 30th Host in their assault on the three inhabited planets of the Crixes System at the fringes of the Maelstrom. The Word Bearers 30th Host was targeting the system for its capital, Crixes Prime, an Ecclesiastical World, and beacon of hope for the surrounding systems. XXX was dispatched as the Magi of Ghalmek believed the world had once been inhabited by the Eldar before the great crusade and an ancient Eldritch artefact of great power was rumoured to have been buried beneath the vaults of the world’s Cathedral Imperialis. Furthermore, Arch-Heretek Luthor wished to field test his newest creation, the Goleph; they would later be formed into Golephic Assassination Squads due to their success in eliminating various noteworthy Imperial Officials during the campaign. Threat Level Whilst the fall of any Adeptus Mechanicus technology into the hands of Chaos is a significant risk to the safety of the Imperium, the Inquisition has deemed Expedition Force XXX to be of only a moderate threat level. This is in part due to the fact that the Dark Magi of Ghalmek appear to be more interested in their hunt for STC templates and other sources of ancient technology; only committing resources equivalent to the value of the artefacts they seek to recover. As a result, they are only a direct threat when such an agenda is in conflict with the forces of the Imperium or the safety of an Imperial World. Their relationship with the Word Bearers is a much greater concern however as much of their recovered technology is of great benefit in their attempts to destroy the Imperium. We can rest assured however as although mutually beneficial, their relationship is also fractious and many attempts to operate in cohesion are subverted by conflicting agendas. The fanatical doctrine of the Word Bearers is incomprehensible to the cold logic of the Dark Magi whilst the Word Bearers mistrust any who do not share their faith whist viewing any non-Astartes as a lesser being.