Codex: Crimson Slaughter Fluff Summary(Spoilers ahead)

[Kol Saresk]

Okay, so there is quite a bit here.

 

So basically, it starts out with the "When did the Crimson Sabres first show up?" and the answer is "No one knows." The earliest records of them are fighting in a campaign in the 36th Millennium so it is speculated that they are part of the 13th Founding.

 

At first, they are noted for being highly adherent to the Codex Astartes and receive nothing but commendations from those they fight alongside. Then comes an event known as the Almagamation Schism. Basically, their homeworld's(Rhogon) system is something of a magnet for warp hulks. Well, one day a massive hulk called the Almaglamation drops out of the warp. All in all, a force of Blood Angels, Dark Angels and Crimson Sabres all respond in order to wipe out the cultists on board, with the Dark Angels demanding to go alone but shutting up when the Blood Angels say no. While the Angels are posturing, the Crimson Sabres go ahead and launch boarding torpedoes because of the practical approach "The sooner we kill it, the sooner our duty is done". When they realize the newbies are going for the hulk, the Blood Angels and Dark Angels quickly follow by teleporting Deathwing Terminators and launching Thunderhawks.

 

During the boarding action, some Crimson Sabres encounter a Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain interrogating one of the Cultists. Which is apparently against standard Codex doctrine for clearing out Space Hulks. So the Sabres basically call his honor into question and wonder if some Warp malady has possessed him to act so against the Codex. A firefight broke out and the cultist escaped. The Dark Angels were thinking of escalating the fight but then some Inquisitors showed up and they disappeared.

 

Instead of receiving commendations on a job well done, the Crimson Sabres were instead reprimanded by the High Lords of Terra and their Progenitor Chapter(which goes unnamed) for not following the silent rule of letting the First Founding Chapters go first.

 

Following this and feeling unjustly punished, the then Chapter Master decided to lock away the true history of the Crimson Sabres and then censure the public records, removing any mention of their Progenitors, reasoning that since all were equal in the eyes of the Imperium, then they should be on equal terms with even the First Founding Chapters.

 

Following this, they basically became the most nitpicky Chapter imaginable as while they became exemplars of Codex doctrine, they created highly detailed reports that listed any "mistakes" in the strategies of their allies.

 

While they were away from their homeworld on a campaign, a daemonic incursion happened upon their homeworld. The end result was that while the homeworld was the only world attacked, their fortress-monastery was destroyed by the scuttling of the generators, leaving the planet a rad-covered waste and their true history in ashes, never to be remembered.

 

Afterwards, they repair their orbital bases and relocate to Drogsh, which was another planet within the same system perfect for recruits.

 

As time goes on, they piss of more people by being "self-righteous crusaders". Eventually we get to Umidia.

 

As I theorized after reading Crimson Dawn(woohoo! vindication), there was a cult called the Balethu hiding amongst the civilian population. And that the Crimson Sabres had been tricked into slaughtering the civilians by a daemon's illusion, as well as the Balethu. The curse is a result of the more Khornate Balethu praying to Khorne aid. But where they wanted a daemon, the Blood God decided to cause the downfall of a Chapter.

 

Shortly afterward, they are haunted by the voices of those they killed and they cannot gain any kind of rest for everytime they try to close their eyes they are forced to relive the atrocities they committed. Hoping to clear their name by rooting out the rest of the Balethu, they turn around and set course to Umidia's sister planet, theorizing that if they can do this one deed, then maybe they can justify the slaughter at Umidia as "for the greater good". it don't work out as when they enter orbit, they are fully driven mad by the haunting and they descend upon the planet in yet another genocidal campaign, but this time much more efficient than the campaign at Umidia resulting in a much faster massacre. Afterwards, they find the voices silenced, but not for long.

 

It isn't long until the twin massacres of innocent civilians gets out and the Crimson Sabres are almost immediately declared Excommunicate. Kranon sets the entire Chapter fleet on course for the Eye, while sending a message to the homeworld of Drogsh: Get out while you can.

 

They plunge into the Eye of Terror, intent on a suicide Crusade where they take as many of the Great Archenemy with them as possible. While there, they begin to mutate. At first, they just keep quiet about as they reason that if it helps them kill the Enemy what does it matter since they will die anyway?

 

Eventually, Kranon and others decide that they don't want to die anymore. So, they call an entire assembly of the Chapter and announce that they are giving up on the Crusade and that they renounce their oaths to the Imperium. A few(actually less than expected) strongly disagree with this but it isn't long before they are killed. Those who refuse to participate but do not stand in the way are instead imprisoned.

 

They find a space hulk named Lost Hope and begin work on making it their new base of operations. During this time period, some individual groups break off to form warbands of their own while the Captain of the 4th Company and the remainder of his troops hide their true loyalties and steal a strike cruiser. They head back to the original homeworld of Rhogon and plan to secretly rebuild the Crimson Sabres. Nothing is heard of them since.

 

Kranon continues to deal with the troubles of being a Renegade and one of his (former)captains challenges him for command. After he wins the duel, Kranon faces no more challenges. He begins launching raids into the Imperium by sending some warbands out on small raids and keeping some working on the Lost Hope and then just rotating, in an effort to suppress the voices as much as possible so they aren't crazed monsters without a single clear thought. While all this is occuring, cultists are rallying to his banner by the flock and the Slaughters begin to weed out any hopefuls as aspirants, gene-seed implantation becomes a problem. And right on cue, Fabius Bile shows up in a ship more massive than the Lost Hope.

 

In trade for forty eight of their imprisoned brethren and the promise of aid if ever called for, Fabius Bile gives the Slaughters some of his gene-seed as well as showing them a faster way to implant. So they begin to regrow the numbers they had lost in the Eye. And so the true raids begin.

 

Over the course of this, they are searching for some way to end the haunting while still slaughtering entire planets to silence the voices. Eventually, they hear wind of the Hellfire stone. While searching for it, the warp-augeries lead them to a moon that is deserted except for two souls. Curious, Kranon goes down to find a robed figure and a black armored Astartes. The two individuals kill most of his Terminator bodyguard, but they capture one of the two while the other twin-pistol wielding character mysteriously vanishes.

 

Hear they find out about the Fallen and the dark legacy of the 1st Legion. In trade for his life, the Fallen admits that he has heard of the Hellfire stone and tells Kranon everything he knows while also revealing the locations of several of his wayward brethren.

 

Kranon uses this to lay a trap for the Dark Angels as vengeance over the Almagalmation Schism due to the Crimson Sabres being reprimanded as well as the instantaneous escommunication after Umidia while the Dark Angels get away scot free with having half of their entire Legion being Traitors.

 

He does this by killing the entire population of a shrineworld, filling the cathedrals with the bodies, dumping one of the Fallen he had captured on top and then telling the Dark Angels about it. And this is ultimately what leads up to the events at Bane's Landing.

 

After Bane's Landing, Kranon realizes the Hellfire stone would have increased the strength of the Haunting rather than removing it and so he begins to question on who had the motivation to bring such an event about. Suspecting his closest advisors, he gathers them for a meeting at the heart of the Lost Hope. on his way back and at the urging of a warband of Khorne Berzerkers that had attached itself to the Renegades, the Crimson Slaughter attacked the Dark Angels' recruiting world of Numarc and looted the gene-seed.

 

While performing routine maintenace and refitting of the hulk, one of the Warpsmiths had accidentally fused himself itno the heart of the Lost Hope, becoming a massive, fleshy Orb that was one with the ship. It was hear that Kranon assembled his lieutenants. During his many discussions with the Orb, Kranon discovered that it had the ability to see and even name the very specters that haunted the Crimson Slaughter. And so, he turned to the orb and asked who it saw assembled before it.

 

It listed everyone, the specters and then it named the true name of the Lord of Change Txan'lantar, who had been possessing the chief Librarian-turned-Sorcerer Mannon. Immediately, the Crimson Slaughter turned their guns upon the daemon but it disappeared before it could be slain. Trusting in the prescience of Draznight's third eye, Kranon and the Crimson Slaughter hunted the daemon down to the world of Myrmidrax. There, they found the daemon and entire host of Horrors and Flamers. With the very specters that haunted them providing protection from the daemons' warp flames, the Crimson Slaughter relentlessly march forward after Txan'lantar. Once again they would fight him and once again he would escape, albeit with one less arm.

 

Shortly after this, they would be approached by Abaddon and the Planetkiller, to be requested to join the 13th Crusade. Knowing that to refuse would be unwise, Kranon pledges his warband with the condition that he be allowed to kill Txan'lantar if he were ever to meet him. Surprised at the temerity of such a young upstart and nostalgiac of seeing such a tightly and efficiently run warband, Abaddon laughs and accepts the condition. And so, the Crimson Slaughter join the front ranks of the 13th Black Crusade, launching an attack against the world of Regallus, well behind Imperial lines in an effort to disrupt reinforcements that would inevitably head for the Cadian Gate.

[totgeboren]

Damn, they actually sound pretty cool. Though I dislike the 'fall to chaos because chaos did it' approach to fallen marines (like Fulgrim not really turning to chaos, but just becoming possessed), in this case it sorta works. :)

[Son of Carnelian]

So Kranon yet lives. 

 

Huh.

[Kol Saresk]

So Kranon yet lives. 

 

Huh.

Well, technically he never died. Bane's Landing happens in 999.M41, just before the Black Crusade. At the end of Dark Vengeance, a Dark Angels Librarian predicts that Balthasar and Kranon will meet up some three years later and Kranon will die. However, because it is a prediction and "it has not happened yet, if it happens at all", Kranon is alive.

[Wayniac]

Nice summary! Glad to see that the fluff meshes well, and is pretty nice to boot. Plus, the alliances and such gives me the fluff reasoning I was looking for if I wanted to take daemon engines

In other news: Dark Angels suck.

[RolandTHTG]

 

He does this by killing the entire population of a shrineworld,

filling the cathedrals with the bodies, dumping one of the Fallen he had

captured on top and then telling the Dark Angels about it. And this is

ultimately what leads up to the events at Bane's Landing.

 

I love this section, how he basically trolls the DA (I think that his message is sent on an open channel, so you just know how the DA will react to that)

 

@totgeboren I don't think it a complete "fall to chaos b/c chaos did it" but more that Chaos took advantage of existing things to drive them to turning

 

1) Their standoffishness and general being a prick meant that when they fell for the first trick (assuming all citizens were cultists), the rest of the Imperium immediately took it the wrong way. Hence the immediate excommunication.

2) Even when they went into the Eye, they actually cut a swath through the chaos forces they encounter. I'm away from the book, so correct me if I'm wrong Kol, but don't they take out something like 4 CSM warbands and double that number of cultist groups before they finally decide that they are tired?

3) In addition, Kol skips over this part, but the reason they give up their death-crusade is because of one last trick Chaos plays on them. The whole time they were killing the warbands and cults, they've been sending back transmissions and message capsules, in the Hope that even if they are doomed, the Imperium will know that they died well and honor their legacy. Kranon, trying to remember when something from one of the early battles, goes to review the copies of the messages and battle records, and finds them just gibberish, including the physical records. All those messages that they thought that were sending back to plead their case, instead would have only confirmed to the Imperium that they had gone to Chaos. THAT is what makes him finally give up on honor, and just start looking for a way to survive. He no longer has anything to die for, so he might as well look for a way to live.

 

Chaos gave them a couple good pushes, but the final step was by their own free will, the decision to turn back around and seek revenge.

[Conn Eremon]

Suspected of being founded in M36? That millennium had nine to eleven different Foundings. A full third of the total number of Foundings were in that millennium.

[Son of Carnelian]

Man, I think this seals it. I'm getting this codex. I think GW pulled off the transformation from loyalist to Chaos in a new way and combining this with the rules I have seen posted, I think my Alpha Legion are taking a Castrol Super Clean bath in the near future. 

[RolandTHTG]

Man, I think this seals it. I'm getting this codex. I think GW pulled off the transformation from loyalist to Chaos in a new way and combining this with the rules I have seen posted, I think my Alpha Legion are taking a Castrol Super Clean bath in the near future.

Man, your AL look good! Rather than repaint, why not just say that they're an AL warband that has embraced the warp (like your fluff says ) and just use the rules?

[Cap'm Heckus]

Says that they are believed to be part of the 13th founding which was also called the "Dark Founding" (or something like that).  This founding was noted as being particularly mysterious as none of the chapters founded had a donor chapter listed on their birth certificate.  My theory:  Some bureaucrat decided "hey, why don't we use this old gene-batter we have lying around in this vault labeled "TAINTED-DO NOT USE"".  Theyre going to borrow a page from the Blood Ravens (aka 1kson leftovers) and make them seed of the traitor legions. 

 

Crimson Slaughter = Word Bearer great great great -a bunch more great- grand clones.

 

They were noted by other chapters as being particularly overzealous and preachy.

[Kol Saresk]

1.)Well they were literally tricked into seeing the civilians as cultists by the daemon Txan'lantar, but you only find this out in the ebook Crimson Dawn.

 

2.)There were only like four named and then "and countless others who have been forgotten by time." And a mention of them having a run-in with Hakanor's Reavers.

 

@Cormac: It says speculation leads to the 13th Founding so, that's what it says. But the large amount of Foundings is probably why it is unknown.

[Kol Saresk]

Cap'm Heckus: Maybe. But given their penchant for rapid assaults and how quickly they piked up terror tactics and not to mention the prescience, one could argue Night lords. Personally, I leave it blank due to the sheer amount of "They have daemons! They're secretly Codex: Word Bearers! Ergh! Buttclench!" That's floating around.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for using this to represent other forces. But I'm going to do it because I want to do it, not because I secretly believe this is my Legion Supplement in disguise.

[Cap'm Heckus]

Cap'm Heckus: Maybe. But given their penchant for rapid assaults and how quickly they piked up terror tactics and not to mention the prescience, one could argue Night lords. Personally, I leave it blank due to the sheer amount of "They have daemons! They're secretly Codex: Word Bearers! Ergh! Buttclench!" That's floating around.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for using this to represent other forces. But I'm going to do it because I want to do it, not because I secretly believe this is my Legion Supplement in disguise.

I was being a bit silly.  Reading through the book it does look like they know who they came from.  There's a short bit about the 13th founding in their time-line that made it sound like seeds for a fun mystery but reading further makes them sound more like Ultramarines due to their super adherance to the rules of the Codex Astartes prior to the Dark Angels getting them in trouble (yes, I blame the Dark Angels).

[RolandTHTG]

 

Cap'm Heckus: Maybe. But given their penchant for rapid assaults and how quickly they piked up terror tactics and not to mention the prescience, one could argue Night lords. Personally, I leave it blank due to the sheer amount of "They have daemons! They're secretly Codex: Word Bearers! Ergh! Buttclench!" That's floating around.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for using this to represent other forces. But I'm going to do it because I want to do it, not because I secretly believe this is my Legion Supplement in disguise.

I was being a bit silly.  Reading through the book it does look like they know who they came from.  There's a short bit about the 13th founding in their time-line that made it sound like seeds for a fun mystery but reading further makes them sound more like Ultramarines due to their super adherance to the rules of the Codex Astartes prior to the Dark Angels getting them in trouble (yes, I blame the Dark Angels).

And so do the Crimson Slaughter!

[Nusquam]

I really like what I'm seeing about the CS. A lot.

 

Man, I think this seals it. I'm getting this codex. I think GW pulled off the transformation from loyalist to Chaos in a new way and combining this with the rules I have seen posted, I think my Alpha Legion are taking a Castrol Super Clean bath in the near future.

 
I'm tempted to repaint mine Alpha Legion just so I can use any chaos supplement haha. I just might get it as well ha. Cool rules and fluff.

[Son of Carnelian]

I really like what I'm seeing about the CS. A lot.

 

Man, I think this seals it. I'm getting this codex. I think GW pulled off the transformation from loyalist to Chaos in a new way and combining this with the rules I have seen posted, I think my Alpha Legion are taking a Castrol Super Clean bath in the near future.

 

I'm tempted to repaint mine Alpha Legion just so I can use any chaos supplement haha. I just might get it as well ha. Cool rules and fluff.

 

I bought it. Totally gorgeous, with some great rules. Little disappointed that I cannot take VotLW, but it makes sense with the background. 

[Plague Angel]

 

 

 

Following this and feeling unjustly punished, the then Chapter Master decided to lock away the true history of the Crimson Sabres and then censure the public records, removing any mention of their Progenitors, reasoning that since all were equal in the eyes of the Imperium, then they should be on equal terms with even the First Founding Chapters.

 

Following this, they basically became the most nitpicky Chapter imaginable as while they became exemplars of Codex doctrine, they created highly detailed reports that listed any "mistakes" in the strategies of their allies.

 

 

Oh that's delicious.

[Minsc]

Thanks for the summary Kol, I feel even more interrested in CS now, especially after the part PA quoted above. 

[Slayer le Boucher]

 

I really like what I'm seeing about the CS. A lot.

 

Man, I think this seals it. I'm getting this codex. I think GW pulled off the transformation from loyalist to Chaos in a new way and combining this with the rules I have seen posted, I think my Alpha Legion are taking a Castrol Super Clean bath in the near future.

 

I'm tempted to repaint mine Alpha Legion just so I can use any chaos supplement haha. I just might get it as well ha. Cool rules and fluff.

 

I bought it. Totally gorgeous, with some great rules. Little disappointed that I cannot take VotLW, but it makes sense with the background. 

 

 

Simply take the kind of units you want to give VotLW has allies, it still works.

[Foolio_Displasius]

Personally, I leave it blank due to the sheer amount of "They have daemons! They're secretly Codex: Word Bearers! Ergh! Buttclench!" That's floating around.

Oh, but this is so totally what it is. Red marines with possessed as troops and a buff to Dark Apostles?

The 2+ armor and Divination and (if allying with itself) a 4th Heavy slot is going to make C:CSM a lot more usable. Sure, I could ally-in some other army, but don't want to spend that much just to get C:CSM closer to what it should be. (I'd prefer not to have to buy another book either, but at least you don't have to scrape moldlines or paint it.)

[Kol Saresk]

 

 

Personally, I leave it blank due to the sheer amount of "They have daemons! They're secretly Codex: Word Bearers! Ergh! Buttclench!" That's floating around.

Oh, but this is so totally what it is. Red marines with possessed as troops and a buff to Dark Apostles?

And this is where begging for scraps takes you.

[Gratan]

I really need to get this book. I am so glad I went Crimson Slaughter when I did. The fact that I also play Dark Angels is really awesome. I love love love the Dark Vengeance set. Best 40k starter to date!<br /><br />

[Kol Saresk]

I have to say, by far my favorite quote is this:

 

“We understand Sevastus, but know this: all these decisions are yours and yours alone. If you cannot confront the truth, then by all means continue to imagine there are voices in your head.”

[Urauloth]

What's the art like?

[daboarder]

the art is a bit of a let down, its mostly re-used from earlier publications, but there are some bitchin bits here and there