Librarium Project: Well sorta...

[Octavulg]

Keep in mind - it's better to have a long article that explains the different possibilities than a short one that nails things down.

 

Include all the contradictory stuff. It's half the fun. B)

[Brother Tyler]

Yes, it's okay as long as we are very clear in identifying those things that are speculation.

 

One thing I really hate is when members make assertions that aren't expressly true according to the official material. I have had to intercede on many occasions in order to clarify when members' statements are their own opinions as opposed to the facts that they imply they are. It's one of the reasons I've been labeled as "pedantic" by one of the repeat offenders. B)

 

Truth in advertising is important, so let's be sure that we don't mislead anyone (through our own fault, that is).

[Octavulg]

Indeed.

[Codex Grey]

What I should have said was ''Yes, there is a reason. It's all speculation'', instead of countering speculation with more speculation. :)

 

I guess I'm just against trying to fill in the blanks with existing Chapters, as that would leave less room for DIY'ers to play with. This is Liber Astartes after all.

For Liber!

 

Nice save, Grey

[Allerka]

Would the Dark Angels count as a Praeses Chapter (assuming that conclusion)? Since they're based on the Rock, which is mobile, I can't imagine they necessarily hang out around the Eye of Terror too much for that to be part of their duties. The Iron Hands, of course, being based on Medusa, could still count for that.

 

I also seem to recall there being a straight-up listing of all of Abaddon's Black Crusades, but I can't entirely remember where. I'll dig through my archives (I have every edition of the Chaos codex, including Realms of Darkness, though I don't know if that's specifically where I saw it).

[Allerka]

Well, looks like it wasn't in the 2nd-4th Chaos books. The 2nd edition one has a detailed account of the first Black Crusade, though, and the 3rd edition one lists the dates of the first twelve (but doesn't give details). Both state the Black Crusades range in size and scale from surgical raids by a few hundred Chaos Marines to full-blown invasions of whole Legions.

 

1: c781.M31. After several centuries of inactivity following the Scouring, Abaddon suddenly erupts back into the Imperium at the head of a "diabolical horde." Since the Cadian Gate wasn't established yet, he's able to easily rampage around Imperial space. During this time, Abaddon assaults the Tower of Silence on Uralan and, in the crypts below it, recovers the daemon sword Drach'nyen (Codex: Eye of Terror says he was led there by "a golden-skinned stranger"). Abaddon is eventually forced to withdraw after "a bitter cost by the combined efforts of Titan Legions and Space Marine Chapters..." (2nd ed. Chaos). After this, the Cadian Gate is fortified, and the Adeptus Praeses program is begun. "The Liber Astartes, compiled in M37, lists twenty Chapters that were founded over the following centuries..." (3rd ed. Chaos).

 

2: 597.M32. Very short, the path of attack only goes about 500-1000 LY away from the Eye.

 

3: 909.M32. Longer campaign, the path goes about 3/4 of the way from the Eye of Terror towards Armageddon.

 

4: c001.M34. This Black Crusade attacks the Imperial world of El'Phanor, which was home to the Citadel of Kromarch. The Citadel only had a single gate, which was made of adamantium and three meters thick, and proved impervious to the Chaos guns. Abaddon led a charge against the gate, and 9/10 of his forces were cut down in the charge, but Abaddon reached the gate and with a single blow from Drach'nyen, the gates were breached, leading to the Citadel falling in less than a day. (2e Chaos, which implies this action occurred during the first BC, but 3e Chaos dates it as the fourth)

 

5: 723.M36. Reaches approximately 15,000 LY from the Eye. Also probably comes close to Fenris.

 

6: 901.M36. Takes a similar path to #5, and comes even closer to Fenris (but not quite directly onto it).

 

7: 811.M37. This one is confusing. The map shows the attack path going almost due east from the Eye, out to as far as 20,000 LY away (and is the furthest from the Eye Abaddon ever goes), yet also includes the battle of Mackan, a world which is south of the Eye (and even shows it on the same map). 2e Chaos mentions that Abaddon led a charge of Khorne Berzerkers into a heavily fortified Blood Angels position and, though only a handful of Berzerkers survived the charge, they overran the position and the Blood Angels were unable to recover the bodies of their comrades (also Mephiston was involved in the fighting). So obviously Abaddon was at Mackan, and perhaps it was another part of the Black Crusade that went east. Like the battle at El'Phanor, 2e Chaos implies the battle of Mackan occurred during the first Black Crusade, but 3e Chaos specifically dates it as 811.M37.

 

8: 999.M37. Only goes about 500 LY south/southwest of the Eye.

 

9: 573.M38. Goes on a roughly similar path to the first BC, but not quite as far into the Imperium.

 

10: 001.M39. This one comes from the NW of the Eye, and only goes a short way, to the approximate locations of Medusa and Caliban. Perhaps a raid against the Iron Hands?

 

11: 301.M39. Heads east of the Eye, but doesn't make it quite as far as BC #7.

 

12: The Gothic War, 139.M41-151.M41. Well chronicled in other sources. Began with the Arx Raid, a world near the Eye.

 

 

So that's what I got so far, it's a start at least. Not sure what we want to do about the contradictions with #7.

 

Also, the Sons of Malice are another Chapter that was stationed near the Eye, and turned Renegade. Perhaps they're the Chapter mentioned in Dark Creed that went Renegade, as we know for certain they haven't been potentially retconned like the Relictors. Speaking of the Relictors, reading through their IA article again, I notice it says they were originally called the Fire Claws (changing to Relictors at some point after 850.M41) and MAY have been one of the Adeptus Praeses Chapters (evidence is given they may not actually be a Praeses Chapter by virtue of them having more than a few battles as far away as the Eastern Fringe, as well as Armageddon). Also their IA article doesn't actually say anything about them being declared Excommunicatis or Renegade, just that they lost feudal rights to their homeworld and that many Imperial commanders are angry at them.

 

Also, looking through Codex: Eye of Terror, it includes a force disposition list. Some of them are marked as probable Praeses Chapters, including:

 

Excoriators (8 Companies)

Marines Exemplar (9 Companies)

Night Watch (11 Companies. The number of Companies is certainly odd, but isn't explained)

Relictors (10 Companies. Their IA stated they had disappeared, but I guess they've come back)

Subjugators (3 Companies)

White Consuls (10 Companies. Possibly inaccurate now after the loses taken as described in Dark Creed, which presumably takes place no earlier than 990.M41)

 

That's all I have for now.

[Lysimachus]

Excellent stuff Allerka, thanks!

[Hrvat]

There was a Black Crusade of Vulkarth. It is mentioned in 3rd ed. C:SM pg. 44

 

Apart from the name nothing is known.