EVENT - The Vizenko Prosecution

[bluntblade]

Tweaked our Magos, and on we slog:

 

It was the Emperor’s express wish that proceedings be conducted cooly, on a foundation of respect and logic. Yet, as should already be apparent, this was little more than a hope with such a divisive issue. Often speakers strayed into discourse on the broader study of genetics, and had to be reminded to keep their input relevant to the trial. The longer the trial continued, the more inflamed passions became. Representatives from Knightly Houses Ohrlaac and Atreis nearly came to blows when Sir Alsahr Orhlacc took the opportunity to insult House Atreis as ‘being blinded by their own ignorance’. Sir Auctellar Ballador Servantes took umbrage, and the two sides were on the verge of charging each other before the Custodians forcibly put an end to it.

 

Tensions between the Legions simmered throughout the trial, and when a XIV Legion officer gave his testimony, they burst into confrontation. Watcher Eazir Azdira’h had spoken a scant few words before a challenge sounded from the stands. Marching down toward the Dune Serpent was Prost Wilhelm, the Still-Shepherd, one of Raktra’s sons. The nature of the conflict resided not with the contentious topic of debate, but rather a previous encounter between the two Space Marine officers. Wilhelm - regarded by the Shepherds of Eden demi-Legion as something of an embarrassment - had remained with the Berserkers of Uran when the VII schismed, rather than besmirch his peculiar code of personal honour. Unusual though it was, his pride in upholding it was unshakeable, with all the fervour and aggression that made a space marine.

 

Wilhelm claimed Azdira’h’s testimony was worthless, deeming the Serpent without honour for employing “craven” tactics during the Almutahar campaign. Azdira’h allowed the Still-Shepherd to finish before simply continuing his testimony. This incensed Wilhelm to break the codes governing honour duels, drawing his weapon then and there. Instantly, the Berserker froze beneath the Emperor’s gaze. With a command unseen and unheard, the Emperor summoned two Custodians who dragged Wilhelm away from the stand.

 

On the third day, as the time of the Emperor’s judgement neared, it would be the Drowned who would be recorded to present the last apologia for the cause of genetic mastery. Yet, the Primarch Morro was absent, mired in a campaign against the brutish Orks and had sent two of his sons, Boræo and Hennasohn, to represent him. They repeated their gene-sire’s words, emphasizing the real consequence of such archaic beliefs measured in the lives of fallen Drowned lost to the strange beasts of the galaxy’s oceans.

 

Their plea was answered by none other than the Baron of Mardum himself. Although the Primarch was one of the few to enjoy a friendship with the infamous Raktra, on this matter, his will was clear.

[simison]

I've made my final changes to the general history chapter.

 

Which means the Prosecution is next. Blunt, could you do me a favor and give me a post that have all of the changes you've initiated? 

 

Additionally, are we going to have our own giant red box with the various positions as Inferno does?

[bluntblade]

Do you want me to include the little grammatical changes in that?

[bluntblade]

I'm going to stick up everything, and then go through and bundle together the changes. I still need to do Andezo's testimony.

 

Closing Arguments

Vizenko now stood to defend his actions, and like Kozja, he claimed that no crime had been committed. Inter-Legion secrecy was not mandated by any formal statute, and in any case it was far outweighed by the imperative to delve into the secrets of gene-science. With a clinical tone, sparing no unflattering detail, Vizenko listed the tensions between Legions, and claimed them to be a hindrance not only to the Crusade, but to the governance of the Imperium. A single race of Astartes would symbolise the virtue of Unity, and the process would empower them to transcend their current limitations. Technology would be shared among all Space Marines, strategic doctrine would be unified. They would become, Vizenko claimed, humanity’s natural leaders in all matters military and political, not just those systems with historic ties to a Legion. This too, he saw only in terms of its benefits. Mortal weakness would be stripped out of the Imperium, bringing prosperity and adding yet more to its strength. Daer’dd, tiring of this, noted that Vizenko had not identified any problem on the Warbringers’ part that had caused rancour, and suggested that Vizenko intended only to impose his Legion’s culture over the rest. Vizenko retorted that the Warbringers’ flaw was to be surrounded by those who failed to match their vision and railed against it instead.

 

Next, Pionus took the stand. One of the first Primarchs to be found, he had long been considered foremost among his brothers in gene-science until Kozja and the Jade General were located. Even during his youth on Iona, Pionus had worked to strengthen his people through bio-artificing, and he looked forward to a day when all Mankind might enjoy such gifts. His projects moved slowly, however, and he refrained from delving into the Astartes gene-seed. Some conjectured that Pionus was too conservative to venture as far as them in his studies. Others went further and claimed that he envied those who had outstripped his achievements. Whatever the truth, he gave no indication of wishing to testify through most of the trial, leaving his officers to speak of what they had seen and heard.

 

Vizenko’s speech, it seems, jolted Pionus into speaking. First he disputed the Jade General's claims against psykers, arguing that it was a gross fallacy to try and excise the psyker gene from humanity. He then turned his attention to the wider question of gene-manipulation. Bio-artificing and genetic augmentation, Pionus argued, had their place in securing the strength and happiness of all Mankind. He spoke of humans given the chance to live longer, to thrive in environments that were currently too hostile for them to colonise. But all of this would have to wait, he claimed. Such momentous changes would have to be implemented gradually and right across the spectrum of society. Otherwise they would risk the stratification of humanity itself along genetic lines.

 

Already elements of this process could be seen in the use of counter-aging treatments among the Knight Houses, the Solar Auxilia and indeed the upper echelons of both the Imperium’s generals and governors. To add genetic modification into the mix or make rulers of Astartes right across the Galaxy would create something far more ominous. This genetic aristocracy, as he called it, would come to regard their lessers as their servants and little more. Kozja’s and Vizenko’s aspirations carried precisely those risks. The Astartes straddled that line already, and to alter them further was dangerous, let alone at the speed Kozja intended. The Space Marines were meant to defend Mankind, not to rule them. Kozja was endangering that defence, and the stability of the Imperium itself, with his zealous pursuit of a dubious goal.

 

Despite Pionus' intentions, the Warbringers took umbrage at the insult they perceived in his words. No sooner had the Primarch taken his seat than First Knyaz Perkenas stood to demand a formal honour duel with a representative of the Scions. Second Captain Odyssalas was swiftly nominated by the Synedrion and for half an hour the arena served a quite different purpose to that it was constructed for. Exploiting the greater reach of his glaive and his opponent's anger, Odyssalas eventually won by drawing first blood, but onlookers noted that he showed little satisfaction, despite the prowess and reputation of his opponent. In truth, it was a soured victory for Odyssalas, as he and his brothers knew events would now be misconstrued as a deliberate move by the Scions to see the Warbringers disgraced.

 

Kozja certainly took it as such. In Pionus he saw small-mindedness and jealousy, and he castigated his brother for ennobling lesser men out of sentimentality. Warming to his subject, he declared that Vizenko’s deeds could only be seen as a crime by those who failed to recognise the goal he sought. Moreover, he continued, the proceedings had illustrated precisely the disunity that plagued the Astartes. To the mounting shock of those present, he began to reel off genetic flaws and military setbacks that had troubled many of the Legions, declaring that his work would undo them and that any who opposed it stood for weakness and atrophy. Faint hearts would keep Mankind in thrall to the weaknesses that had almost undone the species. If it was to thrive, it needed to adapt, it needed the finest rulers it could get.

 

And if lesser bloodlines were denied a chance of greatness? Well, that was just the logical conclusion to how the Imperium was already organised. The hopes of the common people were irrelevant to the needs of the species. How many thousands were broken and discarded in the trials and procedures that made the Legions, he asked. Any objections he denounced as moral squeamishness that ignored the truth of the Imperium, or a failure to comprehend what was needed. But Kozja had undone himself with his fiery rhetoric and zeal for his project. Exposing the true scope of his ambition outraged many of those who had previously been advocates for Vizenko. Each was a warlord who had spent decades moulding his sons in a particular image. The brazen arrogance of Kozja’s demand for a single, superior Legion appalled them as much as the Warbringers’ furtive acquisition of gene-seed. Clamour shook the chamber until, at a signal from one individual, it died away.

 

The Emperor’s Verdict

Now the Emperor stirred from His throne to enact judgement. He began with benevolent praise for both sides of the divide who only desired to strengthen Mankind’s rightful place as masters of the galaxy, to the voices who had argued for their respective sides, and for Kozja’s scientific prowess. Unfortunately, the Emperor declared, while Kozja’s intentions were laudable, he had overstepped himself.

 

It was with purpose that the Emperor had crafted such disparate Legions, and Kozja’s goal of melding them showed that he did not understand his place within the Crusade. The Emperor declared that the matter of genetic manipulation had proven too great of a temptation for His sons’ misplaced ambitions. Therefore, He issued a ban that until He returned from His mission on noble Terra, the entire field of genetic modification was forbidden to the Legiones Astartes, except for the mildest of efforts in medical application. Upon His return, He assured all present that the matter would be reopened for debate.

 

Finally, Vizenko, Kozja, and the whole of the Warbringer legion would be punished for their overzealous experiments. As the one who officially stood in judgement, Vizenko was immediately stripped of his rank and forbidden from his crafts. Never again would he use his expertise in science for either war or peace. The Asklepian Order was to be henceforth disbanded for all of time. Furthermore, the Warbringer’s Apothecarion was to be reduced to a third of its size, its members given the choice to simply return to line duty or to continue in their medical duties, but scattered amongst the other legions. To ensure compliance to the Emperor’s will, the Adeptus Custodes would personally oversee the enforcement of the Emperor’s decree. As for Kozja Darzalas, the Emperor reserved no legal sanction but publicly declared His disappointment in His son, a humiliation that no other Primarch had yet suffered. The last words of the Vizenko Prosecution came from Kozja, who swore he would obey the Emperor’s commandments and restore his and his Legion’s honour forthwith.

 

Drunk with victory, some of the more extreme elements of the Purity faction demanded that the other legions who had defended the Warbringers be investigated as well. Who knew what secrets the Drowned kept or what excesses the Berserkers had committed in their zeal? Despite their volume, the Emperor refused them. His new decree stood, and the Warbringers were now an example of the Emperor’s judgement. He would not begin a witch hunt without credible evidence of wrongdoing, lest He besmirch the honour of the entire Legiones Astartes. Instead, the Chaplain Order that existed in some Legions would be expanded, and its members given the task of ensuring their brothers obeyed the Emperor’s writ. This would be the last public act of the Emperor before His return to the secrecy of Terra.

 

Aftermath

With the Emperor’s departure, the other attendees of Baal gradually went their separate ways, the radioactive world returning to its past existence as a recruitment world after its brief spotlight in history. The Custodians selected for oversight departed immediately and soon squads of the Ten Thousand were settling in to each of the Warbringer fleets. Given the choice to surrender their medicae skills or to be banished from the legion, many Warbringer apothecaries chose banishment, most hoping to redeem their legion’s honour in the eyes of their cousins, while others could not bear to part with a skill that had taken decades to master. Among the other legions, these exiles would meet a variety of receptions. A few legions outright refused their service, such as the Dune Serpents and the Crimson Lions. Others granted them entry, though they would endure suspicion and many attempts at correcting flaws in their thinking, as often occurred in the Scions Hospitaliers, Predators, and the Iron Bears legions. Many who served along the Halcyon Wardens, the Void Eagles, and the Grave Stalkers were treated with respect and allowed to carry on their duties with little oversight. Lastly, the contingents of Warbringers who served alongside the likes of the Berserkers and the Warriors of Peace would find kindred spirits who shared their vexation.

 

As to their parent legion, mere days after the Warbringers were declared of achieving compliance, Kozja announced the legion would invade the Htohtos-Goy Sector. Occupying the sector was a cruel and malevolent xeno race known as the Soladnit. For over a decade, these vile aliens had beaten back three separate Imperial incursions, wielding hideous powers that threatened both mind and body. Located a considerable distance from more important targets and given the hostility of its defenders, it had been deemed a tertiary objective and would meet its final fate some time in the future when the Imperium had the resources to spare. Kozja swore that he would not allow them to endure another decade. The Warbringers would exterminate this virulent threat to humanity and restore their honour. His sons fought with a grim fury as he led them into a campaign that lasted four years and cost the lives of thousands of Warbringers before Kozja slew the last of the Soladnit.

 

The last concern to be accounted for was the infamous Vizenko himself. While acclaimed quietly in many quarters as a martyr to fearful hesitance and unwillingness to accept his genius, officially he was persona non grata even within his own Legion. Along with his closest acolytes, Vizenko acquired a ship a few days after the Prosecution was concluded. With minimal crew, it entered the Warp, its last report purposely mangled when command inquired of its destination. The Custodians angrily demanded to know how this had been allowed to transpire and scoured the Legion’s data-cores, but no evidence was found. A hunt for the Atrifos ensued, but to no avail. The prevailing theory was that he had sought sanctuary on the edges of the Maelstrom, where no Imperial ship could penetrate the turbulent regions of space. Had he indeed embarked upon this course, he and his retinue would most assuredly have perished. All the same, the Legions tightened the watch on their borders as one, and the Crimson Lions made a point of seeking him as they fought their way into the far reaches of the Galaxy.

Edited July 4, 2017 by bluntblade

[bluntblade]

Consequences

In retrospect, Baal emerges as an important stepping-stone on the path to ruin, stoking resentment in those frustrated by the verdict. Others, already nursing reservations about the post-Qarith order, had their concerns calcified by these events. Doubts spread furtively about the Warmaster’s ability to hold the Crusade together, and led to further questioning of the Emperor’s withdrawal to Terra. The sight of an Astartes condemned and a Legion shamed stuck in the craw, even if one agreed that it was just.

 

The brittle pride of the Warbringers was inflamed, and by extension the haughty masters of the Legio Mortis too burned with resentful shame. Moreover, their long-cherished goal was now withheld from them by the Emperor Himself. A bold minority suggested that perhaps the Emperor feared that His creations might exceed His own achievements, and this was the motive behind the prohibition. The hidden hands that worked to orchestrate the betrayal would find the Warbringers all too easy to bend to their purpose.

 

For the Warmaster, there was no escape from controversy, despite his best efforts. The difference between masterful restraint and tact, and cowardly impotence, became largely a matter of perspective. When Alexandros set off for Terra, shortly after concluding the Maelynos Suppression, it was taken by several Primarchs as a sign of the Warmaster kowtowing to mortal bureaucrats instead of properly fulfilling his role. Kozja’s enmity would only burn hotter as a result. While Alexandros won concessions from the Council of Terra on the taxation of newly compliant worlds and political oversight of the Legions, resentment often served to blot these out.

 

The Jade General grew increasingly troubled that the threat of psykers was not recognised. Abandoning his experiments after the Prosecution, he took to agitating against the use of psykers in the Legions. In this, however, few of his brothers would support him, and the Council of Terra did not deign to address the matter. The Jade General resolved to wait for the sort of crisis he associated with the psyker gene, and while his laboratories were silent, his extensive records were preserved. Discreetly, he compiled vast amounts of data on psyker appearances across the Imperium, seeking patterns to one day use in support of his ambitions. When Icarion came, offering him the freedom to resume his studies, the Jade General readily accepted.

 

Nomus and Koschei looked on in consternation at the division of the Primarchs and the way that the Emperor seemed to enforce it. It may appear strange that Koschei, whose idealism led him in such a different direction to Darzales’ love of hierarchy, was so affected by the plight of a brother with whom he disagreed so greatly. But to Koschei, the Prosecution highlighted many of the apparent hypocrisies in Imperial society; no planetary governor was forbidden from extending his life while his subjects were ground down by a life of hard labour. Moreover, with several Primarchs diminished politically, the Council of Terra was emboldened to act without consulting them, frequently butting heads with the Warmaster.

 

Raktra and Morro accepted the verdict with a surprising lack of rancour, but this was only outward. The Drowned, secretive and taciturn, were conducting experiments in other fields without the knowledge of the Emperor. It seems that the Chaplains were as enthralled to Morro as any of their brothers, despite the precaution of keeping them apart for much of their training. Raktra seethed at the introduction of Chaplains into his Legion, seeing base hypocrisy in the Edict. Only pragmatism kept him obedient, and when the opportunity came to cast off his ties to the Emperor, the execution of the Vth Legion Chaplains was transmitted to Terra as a statement of defiance.

 

All of this, Travier watched, shrouded by his pretence of absolute loyalty. He offered up his own Chaplains to keep watch over other Legions, and so exploited the Edict to drip poison into the ears of his brothers. In their resentment, many were all too willing to listen, even if Travier knew that true corruption was not yet feasible, and he needed Icarion to light the fuse of insurrection. The unseen web grew, soon to ensnare several of the Primarchs.

[bluntblade]

Right, gents. I've tweaked grammar and wording all over the shop, so I'm gonna just highlight major changes on that front along with fluff alterations:

 

The Path of Destiny

After the first few years of transition, a crisis loomed within the Legiones Astartes that threatened to spill into conflict between the Emperor’s sons, and forced the Master of Mankind to emerge from His seclusion to resolve it. Yet the matter was entirely removed from the Warmaster, and had its roots in the early years of the Imperium. From the beginning, the Great Crusade sought to cleanse humanity of the foul mutations that had infected it. The pure human form was to be restored to its rightful place as as the reigning ideal for what was or was not human. Abhumans, with some exceptions, were terminated to preserve the genetic purity that was Mankind’s birthright, and genetic modification was used to bring divergent strands back in line with the genetic mainstream. Yet from such beginnings, a challenge grew against a cornerstone of the Imperium.

 

Soon, elements of the Legiones Astartes began to argue that merely returning to past roots was short-sighted. Why restore when one could improve? Perhaps it was inevitable, when one remembers the elites’ infatuation with juvenat treatments, the Mechanicum’s endless attempts at mechanical immortality, and even the creation of the Space Marines, which showed what power could be coaxed from within humanity’s genome. The loudest and strongest advocates were five of the Primarchs: Kozja Darzalas, Alexos Travier, Raktra Akarro, Sorrowsworn Morro, and the Jade General.

 

While some proclaimed the untapped potential of humanity as the underlying reason for gene-manipulation, the Jade General’s declared goal was to eliminate what he deemed the greatest threat to Mankind’s survival. This menace was the existence of psykers. Citing instances from a dozen disparate worlds, in which such individuals had unleashed disasters on the innocent citizen, the Jade General proposed that it was in the Imperium’s best interest to gradually defeat the psyker gene in a plan that spanned centuries.

 

The key to peace, in his view, was the creation of pariahs. The Jade General wished to create sustainable pariah populations on every planet, nullifying the damage a rogue psyker could inflict. In time, he foresaw all of humanity becoming pariahs, removing the threat of warpcraft for all time, while humanity developed another method of interstellar travel. Order and peace was what motivated the Jade General and his experiments, but to many his rigid pursuit of this goal spoke of obsession at best, and blatant prejudice at worst. Psykers were a matter of contention in the Legion, but Niklaas was the only other Primarch to outright oppose their use, and many served with honour as Librarians. Nonetheless, with the General’s scientific expertise, his support added considerable weight to those in favour of experimentation. Changed this up a bit to tie it into the broader debate.

 

Given the nature of the Drowned’s preferred battlefields, it was perhaps natural for Sorrosworn Morro to seek ways that would enhance his sons’ performance. Because no matter how well a man swims beneath the waves, what technology he employs to compensate, a man is a creature that was never born to be one with the water. Yet it is there that the Drowned had earned their name, fighting in order to cleanse the galaxy’s oceans. So it was that Morro called for genetic manipulation. The public measures he proposed were minor in detail, but many suspected that once given the permission he sought, Morro would corrupt the purity of the human form to truly give his sons an edge in the harshest environs, far from Imperial oversight. Their tendency for secrecy had long been noted, and earned them much suspicion.

 

Alexos Travier's brash calls for more marines had led him to develop unsanctioned procedures to accelerate the growth of his Legion. Always walking the fine line between loyal service and fanaticism, few were surprised to see the master of the Eagle Warriors loudly proclaiming the need for more Space Marines to keep pushing the Great Crusade’s lines ever outward. While careful not to challenge the Emperor’s decrees outright, Travier could often be heard explaining that there were other paths to augment the Imperium’s military forces without waiting for gene-seed implantation. It was a testament to Travier’s status as one of the Emperor’s most zealous sons that many Imperial Army commanders would quietly agree that more Space Marines would be a boon to the Imperium, even if the means were unpalatable. Tried to tone down how Alexos is perceived a little here.

 

Raktra argued along similar lines to Morro, but approached the debate with far more venom. Gifted with the ability to see into almost any creature’s biology and discern their weaknesses, the Ashen King was contemptuous of any frailty. Unlike most people, blinded by the might of the Astartes to any faults they might bear, Raktra saw all their physical flaws laid bare. His demands, therefore, were simple - stronger, faster Astartes, freed from what psychological and emotional constraints they retained. (The original draft had Raktra demanding gifts that, we now know, the Berserkers have anyway. So, given Raktra's advice, I've modified his agenda.)

 

Although he too pursued many of the same goals as his brothers, it was Kozja Darzales who rose above them to become the symbol for their cause. While he hailed the Astartes as the next step in human evolution, Kozja deemed them profoundly flawed. He beheld the diversity of the eighteen Legions - indeed, he was credited with solving gene-seed issues which had plagued several - and saw it as a hindrance to the Emperor’s work. It would be better, Kozja reasoned, if the Space Marines represented a cohesive whole, instead of eighteen shards. To that end, he studied the gene-seeds of his brothers’ Legions and set out to create a Legion that encapsulated the strengths of all eighteen and expunged their weaknesses. He was the one who earned the greatest acclaim, and perhaps inevitably it was he who would face judgement when the Emperor set His sights on this divisive issue. Figured Kozja should get his own paragraph. Added mention of him helping to solve existing gene-seed problems.

 

A Conspiracy Uncovered

 

Yet it was not Kozja who would stand in the dock. That dubious honor went to Chief Apothecary Vizenko, master of the Asklepians. This was a brotherhood of IX^th Legion apothecaries, human gene-wrights, and members of the Ordo Biologis created by the Primarch Kozja to fulfill his vision of the ultimate Legion. As the Atrifos, Vizenko was the highest officer in this consortium and often served as Kozja’s Equerry in Warbringer matters. Possessing a brilliant mind and an unshakable will, Vizenko pushed the Asklepians to accomplish their mission with single-minded zeal. A key requirement was the collection of other Legion's gene-seed to analyse and unlock the secrets within.

 

It was in pursuit of this goal that he would reveal the true extent of the Ninth Legion’s experimentation. He did not do this without caution; no matter how noble the goal was, what Kozja hoped to achieve was contrary to the will of the Emperor and a violation of the other Legions’ security and privacy. The one responsible for exposing him was Alauros Ragnarval, Dryos of Clan Senoni. Like Vizenko, Ragnarval spent much time on his Legion gene-seed and was in the midst of experiments when Vizenko approached him, seeing a kindred spirit. Vizenko had gleaned some knowledge of what the Crimson Lions called the Burden: a blood-madness that plagued their Legion. Freely disclosing his objectives, he tried to convince his opposite number that the Warbringers’ projects held the key to the Lions’ trouble. Alas, Vizenko had made a terrible miscalculation. To Ragnarval, the similarities between the two marines’ research was only superficial, for Ragnarval sought to cure his Legion’s gene-seed of its defects, whereas Vizenko pursued a much greater change. The meeting turned violent - Ragnarval attacked the venerable Warbringer, scarring him. Vizenko’s life was spared when other Crimson Lions saved him from their enraged kinsman. Yet the damage was done. Elaborated on the reveal, trying to give some more context.

 

This revelation sparked heated debate across the Imperium. Was the human race denying itself a necessary step in its own evolution? Or was this the path to damnation, paved with shallow promises? More immediately, the confrontation brought the Warbringers and Crimson Lions into open dispute, and only the swift arrival of Gwalchavad prevented it from turning violent. To restore the peace, Alexandros turned to the Emperor Himself. Emerging from the Imperial Palace, the Master of Mankind declared that He would judge Vizenko personally and summoned the errant Warbringer to account for his actions. With tempers running so high, the Emperor could hardly hold court on Terra and wait for the disputants to reach Him. Instead, the court travelled to the radiation-soaked world of Baal, a planet which had once been infested by mutant tribes before the Crusade had seen them slain. Upon this world the Emperor commanded the building of a vast ampitheatre, designed by Niklaas of the Fire Keepers. Shielded by mighty shield generators, it included extensive apartments for both the disputants and the audience. (Added the Warbringers and Crimson Lions teetering on the edge of conflict, cos I reckon they would be after such an episode. Also explained the choice of Baal a little.)

 

It was here that the matter of gene manipulation would be put to rest. When the decree arrived on the command deck of the Restored Glory, Kozja Darzalas declared that he would represent his son as his legal counsel. While Kozja was pledging to defend Vizenko, one of his brothers would assume the role of prosecutor. Alexandros deemed such a role to be too volatile for himself. Keenly aware of the tensions that his elevation had brought, he wished to stress the limits of his office as Warmaster. In his mind, for him to stand in judgement of a Legion in non-military matters was to risk harming the Crusade itself. Thus he limited his role to urging goodwill between his brothers, and concentrated his energies on a campaign alongside Koschei Kharkovic and Nomus Sardauk. Icarion, meanwhile, was unavailable, embroiled in a costly war beneath the galactic plane. (The Warmaster's absence probably bears explaining.) So the role went to the master of the VI Legion instead. One of the first Primarchs to be found by the Emperor, Daer’dd commanded respect as much for his technological brilliance as his might in war. He sought to uphold his Father’s ideals, and at the same time the controversy stirred strong feelings in him. When Malcador asked him to serve the Imperium as prosecutor in this fateful trial, he accepted without a second thought.

 

Not without criticism did Daer’dd take his place in the coliseum. Some argued that his support for the extensive use of bionics rendered him unfit to influence proceedings. Daer’dd countered that the Huron had long made moderate use of genetic enhancement, and he supported research to benefit the species as a whole. His ire was for the path the Warbringers had taken. Regardless of the arguments, Daer’dd would serve. Nor would he be the only Primarch present. Although ostensibly a trial, a variety of ’witnesses’ would be given the chance to express their own views. Pionus, Azus, the Jade General, Sorrowsworn Morro, and Andezo would all travel to this momentous trial. Joining them were other famed and powerful individuals from every corner of the Imperium. Members of the War Council, Mechanicum Adepts, Imperial commanders, gene-smiths, and countless others took their seats, listening to every word over voxcasters. The Emperor presided above them all from His dais, while Malcador would take his place on the trial floor. From opposing stands, Kozja and Daer’dd faced each other. Given how the Bears and their auxiliary forces have developed lately, their position seemed to want some more nuance.

 

The Trial of a Legionary

 

The actors assembled and the stage set, the Prosecution began with Daer’dd’s opening statements. Taking a hard line on Vizenko’s deeds, the Bear argued that the Warbringers’ apothecaries had stepped far out of line. They had quite brazenly sought the genetic lore of other Legions, coveting secrets which the Emperor had not seen fit to gift them. Daer’dd ominously hinted at dire consequences that might stem from those less gifted than the Emperor meddling with His creations. Kozja took issue with Daer’dd’s tone, calling his claims alarmist. Instead of unleashing a potential disaster, Kozja foresaw a humanity freed from the shackles of biological limitations. Disease, infirmity, and even age would bow before genetic mastery, and Mankind would be gifted with the most brilliant of leaders. Kozja pointed to Pionus Santor’s projects on Iona as proof of what could achieved with mortals. Such leaps would appear insignificant, should the far more important task of enhancing the Legions be "properly" attempted. (The main changes come here. In the initial draft it was simply a lot of statements given on genetic experimentation, rather than a trial.)

 

The Primarchs finished, the first of the witnesses was called. A Mechanicum Adept of the Magos Biologis, Zharolz Darrvin, who had served with the Warbringers would be the first to testify. Unsurprisingly he took Vizenko's side, arguing that unless humanity was willing to evolve in this hostile galaxy, they were doomed to eventual extinction. Daer’dd’s cross-examination of the tech-priest posited a counter-argument, however; the Astartes were not the product of evolution. Indeed, their own particular creation rendered them quite without parallel, incomparable to any augmented follower of the Omnissiah. Daer’dd charged Kozja with obfuscation, seeking to muddy the issue rather than defend his apothecary properly. The validity of their research was for the Emperor to decide. On and on it went as witness after witness claimed a chance to voice their opinion. Campaign logs were scrutinised, officers from the Legions and Army called to share their knowledge or suspicions of what had been done. Ragnarval took the stand early on, accusing Vizenko of confronting him with purloined lore of the III Legion’s genetics. Under questioning from Kozja he angrily brushed aside any suggestion that the Atrifos acted solely out of charity. Vizenko, the Crimson Lion declared, feigned concern to hide a dangerous obsession, whose roots lay in hubris. As above. Ragnarval needs a place in the witness box more than anyone else, as far as I'm concerned.

 

It was the Emperor’s intention that proceedings be conducted cooly, on a foundation of respect and logic. Yet, as should already be apparent, this was little more than a hope with such a divisive issue. Often speakers strayed into discourse on the broader study of genetics, and had to be reminded to keep their input relevant to the trial. The longer the trial continued, the more inflamed passions became. Representatives from Knightly Houses Ohrlaac and Atreis nearly came to blows when Sir Alsahr Orhlacc insulted House Atreis for ‘being blinded by their own ignorance’. Sir Auctellar Ballador Servantes took umbrage, and the two sides were on the verge of attacking each other when the Custodians forcibly put an end to it.

 

Tensions between the Legions simmered throughout the trial, and when a XIV Legion officer gave his testimony, they burst into outright confrontation. Watcher Eazir Azdira’h had spoken a scant few words before a challenge sounded from the stands. Marching down toward the Dune Serpent was Prost Wilhelm, the "Still-Shepherd", one of Raktra’s sons. The nature of the conflict resided not with the contentious topic of debate, but rather a previous encounter between the two Space Marine officers. Wilhelm - regarded by the Shepherds of Eden demi-Legion as something of an embarrassment - had remained with the Berserkers of Uran when the VII schismed, rather than besmirch his peculiar code of personal honour. Unusual though it was, his pride in upholding it was unshakeable, with all the fervour and aggression that made a Space Marine. Wilhelm claimed Azdira’h’s testimony was worthless, deeming the Serpent without honour for employing “craven” tactics during the Almutahar campaign. Azdira’h allowed the Still-Shepherd to finish before he continued his testimony. This incensed Wilhelm to break the codes governing honour duels, drawing his weapon then and there. In a moment, the Berserker froze beneath the Emperor’s gaze. With a command unseen and unheard, the Emperor summoned two Custodians who dragged Wilhelm away from the stand. Seeing as an honour duel is later fought, I thought it ought to be explained why Wilhelm's act is unacceptable. Plus with the re-emergence of the Shepherds of Eden as a force in the Crusade, Wilhelm warrants a little more background.

 

On the third day, as the time of the Emperor’s judgement neared, it would be the Drowned who would be recorded presenting the last apologia for the cause of genetic mastery before the defendant said his piece. Yet the Primarch Morro was absent, mired in a campaign against the brutish Orks and had sent two of his senior commanders, Boræo and Hennasohn, to represent him. They repeated their gene-sire’s words, measuring the cost of such archaic beliefs measured in the lives of fallen Drowned lost to the strange beasts of the galaxy’s oceans. Kozja argued that their testimony reflected the realities of the Galaxy, while Daer'dd sought to capitalise on the distrust that so many held for the clandestine XVI^th. The Drowned, he argued, did not represent a truth that others refused to accept, so much as their own estrangement from the species they served. As again, making sure the trial aspect is present.

 

Andezo Sambedi, master of the Predators, had surprised many when he chose to attend. Steeped in tribal warrior custom and the psyker arts, the XX^th were a mystery even to their cousins, and their sympathies here were unknown until Andezo emerged. Although he was one of the few Primarchs to share anything resembling true kinship with the murderous Raktra, he made it clear that he opposed any tampering with the Emperor's work. The blind Primarch spoke in a way that confounded a large part of the audience, arguing that the Emperor's work touched the very souls of his creations, and Kozja would unwittingly tamper with powers that he did not understand. It might be suggested that Andezo's contribution harmed the case against experimentation. He was one of the most enigmatic Primarchs, and to some Mardumian culture reeked of primitivism; Kozja attacked him on those very grounds. But no Primarch's authority should be underestimated, and Andezo's obvious connection to the aether lent credence to his words. Just put this together. Does it work?

 

Closing Arguments

Vizenko now stood to defend his actions, and like Kozja, he claimed that no crime had been committed. Inter-Legion secrecy was not mandated by any formal statute, and in any case it was far outweighed by the imperative to delve into the secrets of gene-science. With a clinical tone, sparing no unflattering detail, Vizenko listed the tensions between Legions, and claimed them to be a hindrance not only to the Crusade, but to the governance of the Imperium. A single race of Astartes would symbolise the virtue of Unity, and the process would empower them to transcend their current limitations. Technology would be shared among all Space Marines, strategic doctrine would be unified. They would become, Vizenko claimed, humanity’s natural leaders in all matters military and political, not just those systems with historic ties to a Legion. This too, he saw only in terms of its benefits. Mortal weakness would be stripped out of the Imperium, bringing prosperity and adding yet more to its strength. Daer’dd, tiring of this, noted that Vizenko had not identified any problem on the Warbringers’ part that had caused rancour, and suggested that Vizenko intended only to impose his Legion’s culture over the rest. Vizenko retorted that the Warbringers’ flaw was to be surrounded by those who failed to match their vision and railed against it instead. It's his day in court, after all. Apart from anything else, I couldn't have Kozja make his big case twice.

 

Next, Pionus Santor took the stand. He had been found just a year after Kozja, and the two often appeared as rivals. Each took an interest in medicine, but while Kozja dedicated himself to genetics, Pionus turned his hand to bio-artificing. Even during his youth on Iona, Pionus had worked to strengthen his people through this science, and he worked toward a day when all Mankind might enjoy such gifts. His projects moved slowly, however, and he refrained from delving into the Astartes gene-seed. Some conjectured that Pionus was too conservative to venture as far as Kozja and the Jade General in his studies, or preferred to work towards enhancing the mortal form. Others went further and claimed that he envied those who had outstripped his achievements. Whatever the truth, he gave no indication of wishing to testify through most of the trial, leaving his officers to speak of what they had seen and heard.

 

Vizenko’s speech, it seems, jolted Pionus into speaking, although others claim that he waited for the opportunity to attack Kozja’s achievements. First he disputed the Jade General's claims against psykers, arguing that it was a gross fallacy to try and excise the psyker gene from humanity. He then turned his attention to the wider question of gene-manipulation. Both bio-artificing and genetic augmentation, Pionus argued, had their place in securing the strength and happiness of all Mankind. He spoke of humans given the chance to live longer, to thrive in environments that were currently too hostile for them to colonise. But all of this would have to wait, he claimed. Such momentous changes would have to be implemented gradually and right across the spectrum of society. Otherwise they would risk the stratification of humanity itself along genetic lines.

 

Already elements of this process could be seen in the use of counter-aging treatments among the Knight Houses, the Solar Auxilia and indeed the upper echelons of both the Imperium’s generals and governors. To add genetic modification into the mix or make rulers of Astartes right across the Galaxy would create something far more ominous. This genetic aristocracy, as he called it, would come to regard their lessers as their servants and little more. Kozja’s and Vizenko’s aspirations carried precisely those risks. The Astartes straddled that line already, and to alter them further was dangerous, let alone at the speed Kozja intended. The Space Marines were meant to defend Mankind, not to rule them. Kozja was endangering that defence, and the stability of the Imperium itself, with his zealous pursuit of a dubious goal. Despite Pionus' intentions, the Warbringers took umbrage at the insult they perceived in his words. No sooner had the Primarch taken his seat than First Knyaz Perkenas stood to demand a formal honour duel with a representative of the Scions. Second Captain Odyssalas was swiftly nominated by the Synedrion and for half an hour the arena served a quite different purpose to that it was constructed for. Exploiting the greater reach of his glaive and his opponent's anger, Odyssalas eventually won by drawing first blood, but onlookers noted that he showed little satisfaction, despite the prowess and reputation of his opponent. In truth, it was a soured victory for Odyssalas, as he and his brothers knew events would now be misconstrued as a deliberate move by the Scions to see the Warbringers disgraced. (As above. Plus, I wanted the trial to climax with a big You Can't Take The Truth sort of moment.)

 

Kozja certainly took it as such. In Pionus he saw small-mindedness and jealousy, and he castigated his brother for ennobling lesser men out of sentimentality. Warming to his subject, he declared that Vizenko’s deeds could only be seen as a crime by those who failed to recognise the goal he sought. Moreover, he continued, the proceedings had illustrated precisely the disunity that plagued the Astartes. To the mounting shock of those present, he began to reel off genetic flaws and military setbacks that had troubled many of the Legions, declaring that his work would undo them and that any who opposed it stood for weakness and atrophy. Faint hearts would keep Mankind in thrall to the weaknesses that had almost undone the species. If it was to thrive, it needed to adapt, it needed the finest rulers it could get. And if lesser bloodlines were denied a chance of greatness? Well, that was just the logical conclusion to how the Imperium was already organised. The hopes of the common people were irrelevant to the needs of the species. How many thousands were broken and discarded in the trials and procedures that made the Legions, he asked. Any objections he denounced as moral squeamishness that ignored the truth of the Imperium, or a failure to comprehend what was needed. But Kozja had undone himself with his fiery rhetoric and zeal for his project. Exposing the true scope of his ambition outraged many of those who had previously been advocates for Vizenko. Each Primarch was a warlord who had spent decades moulding his sons in a particular image. The brazen arrogance of Kozja’s demand for a single, superior Legion appalled them as much as the Warbringers’ furtive acquisition of gene-seed. Clamour shook the chamber until, at a signal from one individual, it died away. Again, a big one. Kozja's scheme is so massive that it ought to cause a big blowup when it's properly revealed.

 

The Emperor’s Verdict

Now the Emperor stirred from His throne to enact judgement. He began with benevolent praise for both sides of the divide who only desired to strengthen Mankind’s rightful place as masters of the galaxy, to the voices who had argued for their respective sides, and for Kozja’s scientific prowess. Unfortunately, the Emperor declared, while Kozja’s intentions were laudable, he had overstepped himself. It was with purpose that the Emperor had crafted such disparate Legions, and Kozja’s goal of melding them showed that he did not understand his place within the Crusade. The Emperor declared that the matter of genetic manipulation had proven too great of a temptation for His sons’ misplaced ambitions. Therefore, He issued a ban that until He returned from His mission on noble Terra, the entire field of genetic modification was forbidden to the Legiones Astartes, except for the mildest of efforts in curative application. Upon His return, He assured all present that the matter would be reopened for debate.

 

Finally, Vizenko, Kozja, and the whole of the Warbringer legion would be punished for their overzealous experiments. As the one who officially stood in judgement, Vizenko was immediately stripped of his rank and forbidden from his crafts. Never again would he use his expertise in science for either war or peace. The Asklepian Order was to be henceforth disbanded for all of time. Furthermore, the Warbringer’s Apothecarion was to be reduced to a third of its size, its members given the choice to simply return to line duty or to continue in their medical duties, but scattered amongst the other legions. To ensure compliance to the Emperor’s will, the Adeptus Custodes would oversee the enforcement of the Emperor’s decree. As for Kozja Darzalas, the Emperor reserved no legal sanction but publicly declared His disappointment in His son, a humiliation that no other Primarch had yet suffered. The last words of the Vizenko Prosecution came from Kozja, who swore he would obey the Emperor’s commandments and restore his and his Legion’s honour forthwith.

 

Drunk with victory, some of the more extreme elements of the Purity faction demanded that the other legions who had defended the Warbringers be investigated as well. Who knew what secrets the Drowned kept or what excesses the Berserkers had committed in their zeal? Despite their volume, the Emperor refused them. His new decree stood, and the Warbringers were now an example of the Emperor’s judgement. He would not begin a witch hunt without credible evidence of wrongdoing, lest He besmirch the honour of the entire Legiones Astartes. Instead, the Chaplain Order that existed in some Legions would be expanded across the entire Legiones Astartes, and its members given the task of ensuring their brothers obeyed the Emperor’s writ. This would be the last public act of the Emperor before His return to the secrecy of Terra. All minor changes here, except for the Chaplain Order being tied in.

 

Aftermath

With the Emperor’s departure, the other attendees of Baal gradually went their separate ways, the radioactive world returning to its past existence as a recruitment world after its brief spotlight in history. The Custodians selected for oversight departed immediately and soon squads of the Ten Thousand were settling in to each of the Warbringer fleets. Given the choice to surrender their medicae skills or to be banished from the IX^th Legion, many Warbringer apothecaries chose exile. Most hoped to redeem their legion’s honour in the eyes of their cousins, while others could not bear to part with a skill that had taken decades to master. Among their cousins, these exiles would meet a variety of receptions. A few Legions outright refused their service, such as the Dune Serpents and the Crimson Lions. Others granted them entry, though they would endure suspicion and many attempts at correcting flaws in their thinking, as often occurred in the Scions Hospitaliers, Predators, and the Iron Bears. Many who served along the Halcyon Wardens, the Void Eagles, and the Grave Stalkers were treated with respect and allowed to carry on their duties with little oversight. Lastly, the contingents of Warbringers who served alongside the likes of the Berserkers and the Warriors of Peace would find kindred spirits who shared their vexation.

 

As to their parent legion, mere days after the Warbringers were declared of achieving compliance, Kozja announced the legion would invade the Htohtos-Goy Sector. Occupying the sector was a cruel and malevolent xeno race known as the Soladnit. For over a decade, these vile aliens had beaten back three separate Imperial incursions, wielding hideous powers that threatened both mind and body. Located a considerable distance from more important targets and given the hostility of its defenders, it had been deemed a tertiary objective and would meet its final fate some time in the future when the Imperium had the resources to spare. Kozja swore that he would not allow them to endure another decade. The Warbringers would exterminate this virulent threat to humanity and restore their honour. His sons fought with a grim fury as he led them into a campaign that lasted four years and cost the lives of thousands of Warbringers before Kozja slew the last of the Soladnit.

 

The last concern to be accounted for was the infamous Vizenko himself. While acclaimed quietly in many quarters as a martyr to fearful hesitance and unwillingness to accept his genius, officially he was persona non grata even within his own Legion. Along with his closest acolytes, Vizenko acquired a ship a few days after the Prosecution was concluded. With minimal crew, it entered the Warp, its last report purposely mangled when command inquired of its destination. The Custodians angrily demanded to know how this had been allowed to transpire and scoured the Legion’s data-cores, but no evidence was found. A hunt for the Atrifos ensued, but to no avail. The prevailing theory was that he had sought sanctuary on the edges of the Maelstrom, where no Imperial ship could penetrate the turbulent regions of space. Had he indeed embarked upon this course, he and his retinue would most assuredly have perished. All the same, the Legions tightened the watch on their borders as one, and the Crimson Lions made a point of seeking him as they fought their way into the far reaches of the Galaxy. Added a bit of detail to his disappearance. A disgraced Astartes vanishing would be serious business after all.

 

Consequences This last bit is all stuff I added

In retrospect, Baal emerges as an important stepping-stone on the path to ruin, stoking resentment in those frustrated by the verdict. Others, already nursing reservations about the post-Qarith order, had their concerns calcified by these events. Doubts spread furtively about the Warmaster’s ability to hold the Crusade together, and led to further questioning of the Emperor’s withdrawal to Terra. The sight of an Astartes condemned and a Legion shamed stuck in the craw, even if one agreed that it was just.

 

The brittle pride of the Warbringers was inflamed, and by extension the haughty masters of the Legio Mortis too burned with resentful shame. Moreover, their long-cherished goal was now withheld from them by the Emperor Himself. A bold minority suggested that perhaps the Emperor feared that His creations might exceed His own achievements, and this was the motive behind the prohibition. The hidden hands that worked to orchestrate the betrayal would find the Warbringers all too easy to bend to their purpose.

 

For the Warmaster, there was no escape from controversy, despite his best efforts. The difference between masterful restraint and tact, and cowardly impotence, became largely a matter of perspective. When Alexandros set off for Terra, shortly after concluding the Maelynos Suppression, it was taken by several Primarchs as a sign of the Warmaster kowtowing to mortal bureaucrats instead of properly fulfilling his role. Kozja’s enmity would only burn hotter as a result. While Alexandros won concessions from the Council of Terra on the taxation of newly compliant worlds and political oversight of the Legions, resentment often served to blot these out.

 

The Jade General grew increasingly troubled that the threat of psykers was not recognised. Abandoning his experiments after the Prosecution, he took to agitating against the use of psykers in the Legions. In this, however, few of his brothers would support him, and the Council of Terra did not deign to address the matter. The Jade General resolved to wait for the sort of crisis he associated with the psyker gene, and while his laboratories were silent, his extensive records were preserved. Discreetly, he compiled vast amounts of data on psyker appearances across the Imperium, seeking patterns to one day use in support of his ambitions. When Icarion came, offering him the freedom to resume his studies, the Jade General readily accepted.

 

Nomus and Koschei looked on in consternation at the division of the Primarchs and the way that the Emperor seemed to enforce it. It may appear strange that Koschei, whose idealism led him in such a different direction to Darzales’ love of hierarchy, was so affected by the plight of a brother with whom he disagreed so greatly. But to Koschei, the Prosecution highlighted many of the apparent hypocrisies in Imperial society; no planetary governor was forbidden from extending his life while his subjects were ground down by a life of hard labour. Moreover, with several Primarchs diminished politically, the Council of Terra was emboldened to act without consulting them, frequently butting heads with the Warmaster.

 

Raktra and Morro accepted the verdict with a surprising lack of rancour, but this was only outward. The Drowned, secretive and taciturn, were already conducting experiments in other fields without the knowledge of the Emperor. It seems that the Chaplains were as enthralled to Morro as any of their brothers, despite the precaution of keeping them apart for much of their training. Raktra seethed at the introduction of Chaplains into his Legion, seeing base hypocrisy in the Edict. Only pragmatism kept him obedient, and when the opportunity came to cast off his ties to the Emperor, the execution of the VII^th Legion Chaplains was transmitted to Terra as a statement of defiance.

 

All of this, Travier watched, shrouded by his pretence of absolute loyalty. He offered up his own Chaplains to keep watch over other Legions, and so exploited the Edict to drip poison into the ears of his brothers. In their resentment, many were all too willing to listen, even if Travier knew that true corruption was not yet feasible, and he needed Icarion to light the fuse of insurrection. The unseen web grew, soon to ensnare several of the Primarchs.

Edited July 6, 2017 by bluntblade

[simison]

So, how well known would the Burden become after the Insurrection?

 

I don't see the Tech-Priest's name in his paragraph.

 

"...fervour and aggression that made a pace [M]arine."

 

"...implemented gradually [and right] across the spectrum of society." I think these two words muddy the sentence and should be removed.

 

I'm sorry. The correct phrase is 'You-Can't-Handle-The-Truth!'

 

 

Aw, you took out vignituplets after I spent so much time trying to figure out that word. 

 

" Among the other [L]egions..." To be fair, this was my mistake that I've now caught.

 

"...thousands of Warbringers[,] before Kozja slew..." Comma unnecessary.

 

Since Vizenko's final fate has changed, the revisions to his 'end' make more sense now.

 

"...execution of the Vth Legion Chaplains..." 5th Legion Chaplains?

 

~~~~

 

Finished with the negative. Now, for the positive.

 

The line about witnesses sliding off-topic feels amusingly meta.

 

The Andezo paragraph works, thank you for writing it.

 

I loved the extra details and context you've written into the chapter. The Custodians, Alauros, Vizenko, Pionus, etc all now feel like they've gotten their proper due. 

 

Bringing the Prosecution chapter back to its status as a legal case was important and handled masterfully.

 

But my favorite addition is the Consequence section. It's obvious to us, but to new readers, they need to understand how the Prosecution equals Nikaea and how damaging the event was to the Great Crusade. On a personal note, I love how you've now given a firm timeline for Alex's first days as the Warmaster, bouncing from the Maelynos Suppression to his first visit to Terra, where he establishes himself a much more political Warmaster compared to Horus. I think it makes sense that it's during this first return to Terra that Alex manages to establish the Hands. Not sure if you want to add it in or not.

 

Let me know when you've made the necessary changes and then please post the whole thing, if you don't mind. It's so much superior to the original chapter that I intend to simply submit your version to Grifft. 

 

That leaves the Pariah and the Legions redbox. Given the roll call list of Nikaea, I'm thinking about replacing that redbox with a similar list for us. However, I don't want to delete Pariah and the Legions since that is one of Hesh's best written pieces. I'm thinking that redbox should be saved for the Suzerainty book since it's Jade's big vision. 

The Andezo paragraph works, thank you for writing it.

[Skalpynock]

Problem with that part about Pionus is that he is found after Kozja, the following year.

[bluntblade]

I'd always thought he was found before. I'll revise that, as it means Pionus would always be in Kozja's shadow. Subtly changes their dynamic.

 

Vth should've been VIIth.

[Nomus Sardauk]

I'd always thought he was found before. I'll revise that, as it means Pionus would always be in Kozja's shadow. Subtly changes their dynamic.

 

That's debatable, academically Pionus might be behind Kozja but I imagine him being far more respected by more people than Kozja for the manner and goals to which he applies his skills, Pionus shares his genetic boons freely with others and wants to help improve everyone's lives, whilst Kozja hoards his knowledge and seeks only to improve the Astartes.

 

That said Kozja would probably view Pionus as being in his shadow and interpret his opposition to the Warbringers at the Prosecution through that lense, perhaps Kozja and his sons feel that the Scions are deliberately going against them out of jealousy?

[bluntblade]

that was pretty much the intention

[bluntblade]

Simple corrections made

 

Edit: Pionus edits have been made

Edited July 6, 2017 by bluntblade

[simison]

Grifft now has the finished chapter. I reread the Council of Nikaea redbox. I'm not sure what to think about a Prosecution equal. The Nikaea red box is a page long and covers the event itself along with the various stances of the Emperor, Malcador, the Primarchs and a few other offices. 

 

Since we have an entire chapter, all of the background text would be unnecessary, instead focusing purely on who fell on what side. I think it might be neat to bring in some of the lesser known offices, including the Paternova to fully outline the sides. But is it fine to have a red box of just the names? 

[bluntblade]

I think a redbox for the Legions would suffice

[simison]

I think a redbox for the Legions would suffice

 

I'm confused. Are you advocated for a completely new redbox or a Prosecution redbox that only lists the Primarch positions? If it's the latter, I think that's a mistake. The Nikaea list mentions the Fabricator-General, Occulex-Magister, and two Lord Militants. Since we don't need the background text, we could make our list longer and include a few more members that are important to BotL like Mortera.

[Talonair]

Since you've mentioned Mortera, would she be expected to give testimony? And should I note what her stance is?

[simison]

Since you've mentioned Mortera, would she be expected to give testimony? And should I note what her stance is?

 

To the former, no. To the latter, yes if we go through with this redbox.

[bluntblade]

I was thinking the latter. Hadn't considered outside positions. I wonder which outsiders would be in favour

[simison]

In the Council box, we have a Grand Admiral and two Lord Militants. So, maybe we can pick out noteworthy figures of the Insurrection, like a Suzerainty mortal Lord, a Traitor Admiral, and so on. Maybe 4 names at most and then Mortera. 

 

EDIT - Found Skal's list that he made in Secundus and made the necessary tweaks: 

 

Those present at the prosecution of Baal's known stance on the experimentation on Gene-Seed in the Legiones Astartes

The Emperor: Even in these latter years, it is frowned upon to speculate at the Emperor's hidden plans, and it is impossible to accurately guess His intentions for the conclave.

Malcador the Sigillite, High Proconsul Imperialis: Unknown

Kelbor-Hal, Fabricator-General of Mars: Proponent of experimentation

Constantin Valdor of the Custodian Guard: Favoured neither side

 

Mortera, Fabricator-General of Nox: Proponent of experimentation

 

Amertigona Vespusshi, Paternova of the Novis Nobilite: Vehemently Against

 

Lord Militant Jaacos Nürada, Muster of the Imperialis Auxilia: Proponent of experimentation

Kozja Darzalas, Lord of the IX^th Legion**: Adamantly in favour

The Jade General, Lord of the XVII^th Legion**: Proponent of experimentation

Raktra Akarro, Lord of the VII^th Legion*: Proponent of experimentation

Azus Bahamut, Lord of the XIV^th Legion: Vehemently against

Daer'dd Niimkiikaa, Lord of the VI^th Legion: Favoured Darzalas' censure

Pionus Santor, Lord of the XIX^th Legion: Vehemently against

 

Andezo Sambedi, Lord of the XX^th Legion*: Vehemently against

Those Primarchs not personally present at the prosecution of Baal's known stance on the experimentation on Gene-Seed in the Legiones Astartes

Icarion Anasem, Lord of the I^st Legion: Favoured neither side

 

Hectarion Mycenor, Lord of the III^rd Legion: Vehemently against

Yucahu Sumakutaa, Lord of the IV^th Legion: Openly favoured neither side, but known to favour Darzalas' censure

 

Alexandros Darshan VonSalim, Warmaster of the Imperium: Although on record as being against experimentation, emphasized unity and respect for the Emperor's decision

Koschei Kharkovic, Lord of the VIII^th Legion*: Favoured neither side

 

Niklaas, Lord of the X^th Legion: Did not favor experimentation

 

Gwalchavad, Lord of the XII^th Legion: Favoured neither side

Alexos Travier, Lord of the XIII^th Legion*: Supported experimentation

 

K'awil Pakal, Lord of the XV^th Legion*: Favoured neither side

Sorrowsworn Morro, Lord of the XVI^th Legion*: Supported experimentation

Nomus Sardauk, Lord of the XVIII^th Legion**: Less vocal proponent of experimentation
 

*These leaders later threw their support behind the Stormlord during the darker days of the Icarion Insurrection

**These leaders later threw their support behind the False Empire of the Suzerainty

 

 

[still need the stances of Niklaas, Gwal, Mortera, and K'awil. I've put in Icarion's stance, figuring his aura would confuse most people who asked him about the stance, leading everyone to assume that he was neutral. I still want the Paternova's input since genetic experimentation would concern the Navigators more than the Astra Telepathica.]

Edited July 14, 2017 by simison

[Demus Ragnok]

Niklaas is against experimentation.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Gwal favours neither side although he thinks that human progress is inevitable but you should give nature his time so than humanity os adoloscent enough to handle the power given to them. He is a primarch, scientifically engineered by the emperor and he is not sure if he was/is worthy for the power given to him.

[simison]

I've added in Gwal's position with another tweak. That leaves Mortera, the Paternova, and K'awil. I might have to hunt down Thorn and Grifft.  

 

I'm also taking suggestions for other actors. I want at least one Lord Militant and one Lord Admiral. 

 

 

Niklaas is against experimentation.

 

I haven't added in Niklaas because I was about to do so, but a thought occurred to me. I'm not sure which list to add Niklaas in. We know he constructed the arena, but did he stay and watch the proceedings? 

[Talonair]

Mortera would support experimentation

[simison]

Mortera would support experimentation

 

Added.

[Demus Ragnok]

I've added in Gwal's position with another tweak. That leaves Mortera, the Paternova, and K'awil. I might have to hunt down Thorn and Grifft.  

 

I'm also taking suggestions for other actors. I want at least one Lord Militant and one Lord Admiral. 

 

 

 

Niklaas is against experimentation.

 

 

I haven't added in Niklaas because I was about to do so, but a thought occurred to me. I'm not sure which list to add Niklaas in. We know he constructed the arena, but did he stay and watch the proceedings?

He, for reasons he shared with no one, departed before the proceedings began. He has a small contingent of the 2nd Company (who carried out the construction) remain in his place.