Storm Heralds

The Storm Heralds are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter created during the Founding from the lineage of the -.

The Livonian Crusade
The Storm heralds fifth company took part in the Livonian crusade. The entire company was mobilised for this campaign. The company has further been inflated with auxilliary units from reserve companies, their marking updated to the 5th company colours.

Prologue
The Livonian System. Before the Great Rift, simply another Imperial System colonised by humanity millennia ago. Three planets circle its small cold star. The closest and by far the largest, Livonian Primus, is the capital planet of the system. A red planet terra-formed thousands of years ago its atmosphere is still harsh and unforgiving. This has been further worsened by the mining and Hive Cities that pock mark its surface and have nearly depleted its rich, natural resources. Rumours abound among that the planet, let alone the system, will no longer be able to honour it's Imperial tithe. Unrest spreads as a cult honouring  'The Father' increases in popularity. Whether this is another cult dedicated to the Emperor or something more insidious none can say.

By contrast, Livonian Secundus is a much smaller agri-world of gentle and temperate weather. That is until the coming of Faceguttah Ghokuzz and his Waaagh. Emerging almost in orbit and quickly making planetfall, his forces rapidly and brutally overran the meager Planetary Defence Force. After much pillaging, he brings his Boyz to heel and enslaves the planetary population but makes no further inroads into the system. Rumours abound on Livonian Prime that his ships were badly damaged making planetfall but it is only matter of time before his Meks repair them. Others whisper that he has made a deal with the System Governor to provide food at an extortionate rate to feed the starving hordes of Livonaian Prime or resist the greater enemy that lies outer system. Either way the people of Livonian Prime have lost all contact with their neighbours and feel it is only matter of time before Ghokuzz makes war on them.

Livonian Tertius is the furthest planet in the system. Separated from its larger brothers by an asteroid field, it is a wet and dismal place. Most of its surface is covered by water dotted with numerous islands that are mostly fen and moor. It is rumoured that the humans who colonised this planet quickly sank into barbarism. More importantly, it is the only one of the three planets which has a moon which is almost as large as the planet itself, the two bodies orbiting each other as they orbit Livonian's distant sun. Then the forces of Chaos came. Two Death Guard Vectoriums and an Iron Warriors Grand Company seized the planet and moon respectively. The people of Livonian Primus believe that it is the asteroid field that has stopped the advance of the Heretics for which they give thanks to the Emperor. Their only hope is that the Heretics and the Ork Waaagh will mutually annihilate each other.

Following the Great Rift, High Marshall Helbrecht of the Black Templars identifies that the Livonian System is closest to a point where the rift is narrowest. After consulting with both the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Navigators, he surmises that if the Livonian system can be liberated, then it can be used to create a ford across this rift by which the Imperium can begin liberating the beleaguered and isolated Northern Systems. Supported by the mechanised Iocanthan Cannibals led by Vai-Colonel Goodluck Natanga following their succesful joint venture dealing with the Iocanthan Separatists, the two warlords begin making their preparations.

Immediately, things begin to awry. As Helbrecht musters his forces the Adeptus Mechanicus immediately make representation claiming that they should lead the Crusade as it is their technology that gives the crusade true purpose. Soon after, Wolf Lord Ragnar arrives followed swiftly by Belial, Grand Master of the Deathwing and First Captain of the Dark Angels. Both claim they should lead the Crusade but focus more on why the other should not. When a joint delegation from the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists arrive led by none other than Chapter Master Karlo Arturus himself, they announce that Roboute Gulliman has decreed they should lead. The Crusade begins to falter before it has even begun.

Matters worsen with news that the T'au Empire that lies to the south west of the Livonian System is expanding in its direction. Worse still, it is believed to be an alliance of a radical Farsight Enclave and the aggressive and xenophobic Ke'lshan Sept jointly led by Farsight himself and his Ke'lshan warlord ally. Worse still, Craftworld Ulthwe has unexpectedly made planetfall on Livonian Secundus supported by mysterious Harlequin allies. Rather than attack the Ork invaders they are simply massing in the deep forest that covers the southern hemisphere of the planet.

It is only the arrival of Saint Celestine herself with a bodyguard of Grey Knights, that brings order to the proceedings. She reminds all present that they are all loyal servants of the Emperor of Mankind. Celestine then unexpectedly announces three things following direct communion with the Golden Throne. Firstly, she informs all that Livonian Primus must be secured immediately. Secondly, Celestine announces that the Warp around the Livonian system is in incredible flux and hints that enemies from both beyond this galaxy and with the Warp itself have set their many eyes on the Livonian system. Thirdly she declares that the Emperor himself has decided that Helbrecht will lead the Crusade and has declared him Warmaster, a title heavy with pathos. Amid outcry and infighting, Helbrecht calmly begins committing his forces for the Livonian Crusade. Citizens and soldiers alike have named it the King's Crusade because of the number of warlords present within it despite his title. And as the Kings argue and scheme with each other, their enemies dig in and await the coming storm whilst out in the darkness, monsters both ancient and evil begin to gather. ..

ACT 1
After much careful deliberation, Helbrecht conservatively deploys his forces across the Livonian System, generally acquiescing to the wishes of his scheming Warlords.

The Horatian 38th supported by the Storm Heralds 5th land on Livonian Prime and secure the capital hive city amid general unrest. Against their advice the Planetary Governor attempts to address the mob but is shot dead by an unseen assailant. As his new bodyguard attempt to secure his body, a group of armed miners from the People's Revolutionary Commune attempt to do the same.

On Livonian Secundus, Ragnar Blackmane immediately sends a small force of his followers to engage the forward Ork position of Waaagh Ghokuzz on the borders of the production fields which Ghokuzz currently dominates. Saint Celestine breaks off in search of Craftworld Ulthwe but is quickly engaged by them, ending any hope she had of an alliance. The Dark Angels are not sighted by either of their Imperial allies but reports of a skirmish deep within the main forest that circumferences the planet are received.

On Livonian Tertius, the Imperium make planetfall without resistance and within striking distance of what appears to be the main Death Guard stronghold. The Icthonian Cannibals send an armoured column around this position to strike from the North whilst the Fists of Fury strike from the South. Both are met well before nearing their main target by Death Guard Vectoriums identified as the Apostles of Contaigon in the north and the less seen Crucible of Blight in the south. As the Icthonian Cannibals close the distance, the Apostles calmly summon a substantial force of Daemons on their eastern flank. Waiting for such a moment, the Grey Knight Insertion Force teleports down to engage their hated foes and battle ensues.

In stark contrast, Helbrecht succesfully makes planetfall amidst withering fire from the Iron Moon covered by the equally devastating guns from his own fleet ships hanging in orbit. Having established his beachhead, he sends a small force of his Black Templars to engage the first redoubt of the Last Grand Company.

Meanwhile, the Ultramarines 3rd Company and their Adeptus Mechanicus allies land on one of the Tyranid hiveships. Whilst the Ultramarines establish a beachhead as an extraction point, a small Adeptus Mecahnicus expedition force penetrates the ship further to obtain multiple specimens for analysis of this, possibly the greatest threat to the Livonian System.

Finally, Commander Farsight sends a small expedition force to retrieve the decapitated body of the Etheral from his slaughtered allies of the Ke'lshan Sept following the unsuspected and devastating attack from the World Eaters. Never missing an opportunity to collect skulls for the blood god, the World Eaters leave a rearguard to engage the Farsight T'au whilst the rest of the army closes in on Livonian Tertius.

Chapter Homeworld
From a planet with two suns, the planet experiences perpetual illumination. The Chapter takes its namesake from this phenomena. They specialise in hard hitting tactics, smashing into the front line of the enemy with overwhelming firepower into the critical points, rendering their foe ineffective.

The storms of the planet herald a time of great violence as lightning and thunder crash above, while torrential downpours of rain create flash floods. But this violence is followed by a time of peace, as the light of the suns is obscured by dark storm clouds, allowing the inhabitants a time of respite from the hot glaring suns. This period is heralded by brilliant orange twin-sunrise.

The landscape has been shaped by this, with deep canyons and mighty plateaus of scorched rock.

The inhabitants build at the top of these bastions, while farming in the cool dark and moist shade in the canyons and caves, the only place where vegetation can grow.

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