Second Campaign of Damnation

"Yes, the ultimate power is mine!!! I am the tyrant now, I am your master! Obey me my Sons of Damnation, and we shall be unstoppable!"

- Tyrant Kel'thuzad of the Sons of Damnation

The Second Campaigns of Damnation, or 'The Dark Purge, was an Imperial eradication campaign of retribution against the renegade Sanctors of Lightrim, now renamed the Sons of Damnation, carried out by a triumvirate of mighty Space Marine Chapters, including: the Astral Claws, Bone Reapers and Void Ravens.

History
During this campaign, the Sanctors of Lightrim would finally face the Imperium's wrath for their transgressions, but this time they would not be facing heretic forces, but fellow Space Marine Chapters. The Sanctors did not care for their old loyalty to the Emperor, for they were wholly corrupted and ready to kill in the name of the Dark Gods. The Inquisition ordered three Space Marine Chapters to take part in the eradication of the heretic Sons of Damnation - the Bone Reapers, Astral Claws and Void Ravens Chapters. This campaign would take place upon Lightrim, the Chapter homeworld of the Sons themselves.

When the three Chapters landed on the surface, they first encountered what appeared to be Frateris Militia - masses of the Imperial Cult's most zealous faithful who often gathered to fight wars of faith against the enemies of the God-Emperor. But in reality, they were actually Chaos Cultists, wholly given over to the Ruinous Powers. There were many tainted psykers within their ranks who had been given fell power by the Sons of Damnation, making them formidable opponents and powerful with the malefic magics of the Dark Gods. The ranks of these ill-trained rabble numbered in the tens of thousands, but they proved no match for the transhuman Astartes that assaulted their ranks. In order to make their way towards the Sons' fortress-monastery, they had to fight their way through the capital city of Gloryrim.

They purged the Chaos corrupted city with bolter, blade and cleansing flame of its foul denizens. This event would come to be called 'The Dark Purging'. Before the Loyalist Astartes were able to reach the fallen temples at the base of the mountain where the fortress-monastery was perched at its peak, the Sons of Damnation were able to reach it first, which would prove to be a bloody blow to all Chapters of the loyalist forces. Pre-positioned and dug in, the Sons set up deadly kill zones in anticipation of the loyalist assault. When the loyalists arrived, the Sons reaped a fearful tally, all but halting their advance. Captain Kel'Thuzad held the loyalist forces for about four hours. However, they were not able to control it for long, as the Loyalists eventually broke through the Sons' lines.

Kel'thuzad was ordered to hold off the loyalist forces, to enable Chapter Master Colmev'um to reach his apotheosis as a Daemon Prince, however, Kel'thuzad had different plans, which would end the fighting quickly. Kel'thuzad took his men to the Master's Domain, were the Chapter Master was enacting a dark ritual, as the loyalists opened fire on their fortress-monastery. Kel'thuzad was done being controlled by bands of slavery - he wanted true power as well as the favor of the Dark Gods. Both Tzeentch and Slaanesh twisted the mind of Kel'thuzad to betray his master and take his role as the newly appointed Chapter Master. Kel'thuzad willingly obeyed the will of the Dark God and slew Colmev'um. He was then granted their favour and was given Colmev'um's dark powers, and quickly instilled himself as a self-serving tyrant. He gathered his remaining warriors and fled to orbit, were they would make good their escape and search the galaxy for yet more dark powers to attain for themselves.