Index Hereticus: Breakers

[Hasoroth]

Origins:

I

n the latter years of the 38th millennium a minor chapter gasped its last dying breaths, unseen and unheard by the Imperium. Under simultaneous assault from both a greenskin Waagh and Eldar sabotage the Breakers fled their homeworld in battered ships, praying forgiveness from both their primo-genitor Guilliman and the Emperor of Mankind for their failure.

Disgraced, homeless and embittered these orphaned Astartes fought to find new territory, to restart anew. Though many worlds were conquered and pacified, both the growing casualty lists and bitterness spurred the Breakers on in their increasingly suicidal last crusade.

Second Captain Gideon became the de facto commander of the Breakers after elements of the Veteran Company and Honor Guard were eliminated in a disastrous combat drop. With his ascension to command of the ragged three hundred Astartes left, Gideon would make a fateful decision that would irrevocably stain the Breakers and turn them from the Emperor’s light.

Corruption:

I

n his dreams Gideon had been plagued by his Chapter’s shame. Although he fought those insidious whispers valiantly, the visions undermined the core of his very being, sapping at his will and turning a once vibrant and powerful exemplar into a cynical shell. When command of the Breakers fell upon his shoulders his shattered mind knew where to take his brothers.

The Paradox as it is known is a rip in the cloth of reality, an azure tempest of warp screams and void lightning similar to the Eye of Terror and the Maelstorm. It is to this unholy portal that Gideon brought his brothers.

The Breakers thought themselves ready for any confrontation. But when faced with a perfect replica of the homeworld that they had long abandoned, preserved within the tides of the warp their fury vanished, replaced with longing, hope and rapture. Distracted, the souls of the Breakers were easy prey for the same entity that had ensnared Captain Gideon.

Iconoclast:

W

hen the Breakers made landfall upon their home they marveled at how pristine the mountains and valleys were, how perfect and smooth the oceans remained and how silent their planet had become. Gone were any trace of human activity but the wildlife that had made the planet an ideal training ground remained and miraculously the Chapter Keep still stood as defiantly as the day the Breakers had abandoned home. However where rocket impacts and energy blast marks should have marred the fortresses walls there was only smooth unblemished armor plating.

Having discovered no trace of what entity had repaired and protected their homeworld the Breakers entered the fortress chapel to pray in thanks for their Chapter’s deliverance. As the marines worshipped, a strange white and black flame began to emanate from Captain Gideon. In a burst of raw psychic energy the once sour and ascetic warrior transformed before the eyes of his amazed brothers into a statuesque vision, an angelic figured brimming with barely restrained power. As the awe struck Breakers gazed on in wonder, Gideon spoke:

“I am the Iconoclast. And I am your salvation.”

Redemption:

T

here are four widely acknowledged facets to the forces of Chaos, change for the sake of change, violence for the sake of violence, pleasure for the sake of pleasure and stagnation for the sake of stagnation. But in hushed whispers and in secret circles there is talk that theologically, the facets of Chaos cannot be complete without a self-destructive influence. Many names are given to this anti-god, known alternatively as Suicaedere the Ordered Chaos, or as Malice the Iconoclast.

To the Breakers none of this arcane knowledge existed. As far as they could comprehend they had found a saviour far more real than the Emperor had ever been.

For what seemed like months the Breakers were free to wander that which they had yearned for, that they had sought for, for so many years. But oddities began to appear before long, rot and decay set in, spoiling rivers and ruining trees. The very earth began to quake unceasingly as if reality itself had begun to shake apart. Horrified at what seemed like an imminent second destruction of their homeworld, the Breakers returned from their separate pilgrimages back to their Chapter Keep.

Within chapel the Iconoclast still stood, unmoving from where it had first spoken so many weeks earlier. As the marines of the Breakers began to clamour for their saviour’s attention the robed figure began to speak.

“You are unclean. You have brought your self-hate, your disgust and your bitterness with you. Though you have found that which you most desire you know, in your heart of hearts, that you are unworthy of my gift.”

In dismay the assembled Astartes started to shout their disapproval and defiance. Had they not slaughtered countless heretics and aliens? Had they not turned down conquered planet after conquered planet in search of a perfect replacement? Had they not answered the Iconoclast’s calls? Were they not worthy?
The daemon thing that had been Gideon confirmed their queries. Despite their wrath and valour they were still unworthy. But the Iconoclast had not finished yet.

“Brothers. I do not say this as a final humiliation before end. There is still hope, it is why I have drawn you here. You have seen what awaits you here in the Warp, to preserve it you must purge yourself of your emotions. Go forth and wage war upon all who have wronged you, return when you have found peace within yourself. Ascend beyond your humanity my beloved battle-brothers, my warriors in arms. Ascend and return.”

The Deception:

H

eeding the Iconoclast’s words the Breakers spilled forth from the Paradox like some plague of ancient myth, consuming all in their path. Entire sectors burned under the direction of the Iconoclast. Imperial strategists were baffled, this new found threat carried the heraldry of a Chapter two thousand years dead, and were as likely to fall upon other traitors or aliens as they were to attack Imperial worlds.

In a bid to control their rage the Breakers returned to the fold of the Codex Astartes, waging war with precision instead of hate, killing with clarity not rage. As their conquests continued more and more Breakers began to ascend, turning into beings similar to their god. After four decades of continuous warfare the last of the three hundred Breakers had found the serenity that their god demanded of them, and as one they returned home.

It was within the Paradox that the Iconoclast revealed his true nature. Having sundered themselves emotionally the Breaker’s had become the perfect pawns for possession. As the Astartes of the Breakers began to reel in horror at what they had become they were struck a final death blow. They had never found their homeworld made anew. Upon entering the Paradox the Iconoclast had simply invaded their minds with the same dreams it had tortured Gideon with, whispers of their homeworld unblemished by war. Completely shattered the Breakers ceased to exist as howling daemons tore their souls to shreds.

The Present:

T

ales abound of armies in pale robes and ashen armour, stalking across battlefields throughout the galaxy slaying anything that draws breath. At their head is an angelic figure, a smiling; laughing figure that tempts those filled with self-hatred and disgust to join his host and to wage war until the stars themselves run red with blood.

Warcry:

“Ascend and return”

Insignia:

http://imgur.com/m8YAK.jpg
An inverted Chaos Star surrounding the symbol of balance