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Just the beginning of my Index Daemonicus for the Liber Challenge V. Hope there are some supporters of Hashût out there ^^ ID - Bloodsteam Warmongers "It seems that, since the appearance of the Sons of Hashût, their titular deity has gained a great deal of power. Very little is known about this Chaos God, apart from the fact that he is the master of the Forges of Hell, and that he presides over industry, technology and the art of warmongering. "Some speculate that he was once a Daemon of Khorne, representing the aspect of mortals' invention and creation of new forms of weaponry and warfare, that had rebelled against his erstwhile master; but, as with all things pertaining to the Powers of the Empyrion, there can be no certainty. "What is sure is that the Imperium's first records of Daemons bearing the mark of Hashût date from a few years prior to the Ashen Crusade, from a time when a young techpriest of Sarment-delta was on a pilgrimage (on this matter, see the section dedicated to Ferromancer Talahk)." - From A History of the Sarment Sector, Boromeanites Triptych, Tome I:Dolchschild and the Ashen Crusade, Introduction, by Archivist Ved Quill, Ordo Scriptus This Index Daemonicus (Also known as ID) deals with the Bloodsteam Ironmongers, a warhost of Hashûtian daemons. To fully comprehend their story, we must first explore some of the kinds of Daemons that Hashût creates, for very few people are even aware of the God's existence, let alone his Daemons'. The Following article is an excerpt from a document of the Inquisition, written by Inquisitor Silas Ketch of the Ordo Malleus, who was one of the first agents of the Imperium to encounter them. The Bloodsteam Warmongers are the first Daemon Warband of Hashut recorded in the data-vaults of the Ordo Malleus. Their initial appearance happened on the world of Xirrus, during at the height of the Seventh Phryx War. From there, they formed an alliance with the army known as the Sons of Hashut and have taken part in many battles of the Ashen Crusade ever since. They are known by this name, as the steam leaving their back-funnels is bright crimson, leading some to believe that they function by boiling the blood of fallen foes. Though the science behind this observation is shaky at best, anything is possible in the nightmarish realm of the Warp... Their favoured tactic relies on many Hellwains, dropping Hellmets upon the enemy, giving the time for the slower Steamtroopers to maneuver into position and devastate their targets through volleys of pistol fire, followed by their charge, axe-locks to the fore. During this time, Oxcarts harry the enemy's flanks, ensuring they do not maintain any cohesive formation, meaning an even more crushing defeat under the axe-locks of the Steamtroopers. Warband Leader - Scrapejack Reapash Though some may believe that Scrapejack is a "mere" herald of Hashut, one must not forget that he was the first and, until further notice, the only. A formidable fighter from the back of his great Oxcart, and a dastardly duellist, his Tarch and axe-saw have tasted the blood and sacred oils of many foes.Scrapejack has been known to set whole worlds alight, just for the pleasure of seeing them burn, yet his primary objective remains the continuation of the Ashen Crusade, for the greater glory of his Lord Hashut. He also seems to hold a great grudge against members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, as he seizes every opportunity to attack any of its members, even should this course of action lead to overall defeat of the warband. Notable members of Warband Bael'Ashorn The Greater Daemon Bael'Ashorn was the original leader of the Bloodsteam Warmongers, and the first leader of the Ashen Crusade. Yet, as a Daemon, he was not prepared for the creativity of the human minds leading the defense of the Ashen Crusade. His physical, living-metal body was utterly destroyed by Natheel Dolcschild's denizens, and his "soul" was sent screaming back to Hashut's uncompromising feet. The Greater Daemon has never again been seen, yet many have since confessed to seeing a massive Hellmet, with a copper daemonic death mask, when they have fought the Bloodsteam Warmongers. Bradszhaa the Devout Bradszhaa was once a Phryx High Priest of the "Machine-god's" evil face - which has been surmised by scholars of the Ordos Xenos and Malleus to be Hashut. Never a fighter, always a preacher, Bradszhaa lead the Phryx counter-attack on the STC-temple of Xirrus, allowing his soldiers to be the first mass sacrifice in the name of his god. For this great service - as it allowed Hashut to make his presence widely known in the material realm for the first time - Bradszhaa was granted Daemonhood, rising as a Daemon Prince of Hashut. Bradszhaa has kept his two pairs of arms, and wields two massive axe-locks. He also bears the banner of the Bloodsteam Warmongers, as well as the Phryx's oldest relic of Hashut. {NB: I still have to think of what this relic is, any help would be greatly appreciated} Notable battles or conflicts joined Battle of Xirrus Xirrus had recently been discovered to harbour a small cache of STC templates, that had been lost for many Millenia, and the armies of the Imperium and the Phryx Republic clashed in a great battle. To break the Stalemate, the Lord General of the theatre called for reinforcements from the Glorious Adeptus Astartes, and the Space Marines responded to his call: more than a demi-company of the venerable Iron Hands used the dreaded "drop-pod assault" beloved of the Emperor's Angels of Death to secure the STC fragments. Soon, they were joined by Skitarii elements of Explorator Fleet RB-491.D, under the command of Magos Nemed Fomor, by Inquisitor Dolchschild of the Ordo Machinum, and a Penal Legion of the Imperial Guard. This small yet formidable army remained isolated for three years, as the grinding trench warfare stopped any Imperial charge from reaching the tech-temple. During this time, the Iron-father of the Iron Hands and Magos Fomor formed bonds of friendship as they discovered many similarities in their way of thinking. They also heard many stories the Heretek Talahk's defeat and ultimate imprisonment at the hands of Dolchschild, several years previous to the battle, and found that they were both interested in the secrets he may conceal: they therefore both left the battlefield on the Iron-father's personal Stormbird, accompanied the entire retinue of Iron Hands. Of course, this was the moment the Phryx decided to attack, and Dolchschild was forced to resort to the untested technology contained within the STC to save it:the new walker vehicle, that would evermore be known as the Scorpius (though officially called Dolchschild-Scorpius, Xirrus Pattern), allowed the Penal Legion, requisitioned by Dolchschild, to fight off the vile Xenos. Yet victory was embittered by the next event that would unfold, as Dolchschild discovered that the Phryx' deaths were used as a sacrifice to draw forth the Bloodsteam Warmongers from the Warp, just as the Iron Hands teleported down to the planet once more, after they had obviously been changed by otherworldly influences: they now bore the signs of corruption of the Obliterator Virus, and were determined to use these gifts to wrest the control of the STC from the Imperials for their new god, whose name they chanted "Hashut! Hashut! Hashut!" Dolchschild knew that he could not hope to gain victory, alone against this new foe. He, and the Penal Legion, fled the obective, towards the Phryx lines, hoping to parlay with them. None shall ever know what transpired at that fateful meeting, but both the Humans and Xenos charged the forces of the Archenemy at dawn the following day. Hashut's fledgling army, still disorganised, were crushed, but were able to escape the battlefield, to fight another day. Following the defeat of the Chaos army, a truce between the humans and the Phryx was called, but the planet stayed in Phryx hands, as the armies of humanity prepared for the coming Ashen Crusade.