Trial

The Trial is a mysterious Chaos warband dedicated to Khorne known for never uttering a word in battle and preferring to attack other Chaos warbands over imperials or xenos. This odd trait is attributed to their belief that only the strong may fight for Chaos while the weak perish. Thus if a warband shows any sign of weakness such as suffering a humiliating defeat or failing in their objectives, then the Trial will come for them a like predators attracted to the scent of blood. There have been many occassions of the Trial being wiped out, either by a strong warband or by themselves, yet they continue to reappear time and time again. As of the 42nd Milennium, the Trial is in its 64th incarnation.

A Sacred Task
The Trial's first reported sighting was in the 32nd Milennium when an Imperial Patrol fleet captured a damaged transport that was carrying a lone Chaos Space Marine. The marine was swiftly taken into Inquisitorial custody for questioning. During his interrogation the chaos marine demanded he be killed before "they" come. The chaos marine continued his demands throughout his questioning while never directly naming his pursuers. Two days later a space hulk suddenly came over the Inquisitorial base the marine was held in and unleashed a large force of Khorne Berserkers. The entire base was slaughtered and the marine's body was found with his head impaled on a stake next to it. Disturbingly, the Berserkers made no noise in the entire massacre, save for the roar of their chain axes and the bark of their bolt pistols.

100 years later, the warband emerged once again on the war torn planet of Nostod that had recently been taking by an Iron Warrior warband in a costly siege war. Considerably weakened, the Iron Warriors are no match for the Berserkers who silently murder every last one of them. The warband disappears once again, the only evidence of their presence being the piles of slaughtered Iron Warriors and their Warsmith's head impaled on a stake. Over the next centuries, rumours and stories of these silent Berserkers wiping out Chaos warbands. As these stories poured in, a pattern soon became clear; the warband seemed to only target warbands that had recently taken heavy losses, suffered a defeat that could be considered humiliating or had otherwise encountered a circumstance that left them weakened. The warband also fought in total silence, an oddity for devotees of Khorne. Scholars, Imperial or heretic, pored over tomes in an attempt to solve the mystery of this warband.

The answer was found in the Salvos Aptissimum written by a long forgotten madman. Within this tome speaks of an entity, a powerful Bloodthirster of Khorne, known as the "Wrathful Quiet" giving a select band of warriors a sacred task: to weed out the weak so that the strong may fight. These warriors, granted a measure of strength in exchange for their voices and identities, would travel in the Blood God's name and slay those found wanting so only the strongest warriors would fight in his ranks. Inevitably the warriors would be bested by a warband that proves it is still strong and so the warriors turned amongst themselves and tore themselves apart, only for another band of warriors to reform under Khorne's call. Thus the Trial has existed for time uncountable. Of course the Salvos Aptissimum may just be a madman's ranting and the Trial is simply a warband of insane Heretic Astartes who gave themselves this task. Even if this was the case, it does not explain why there have been multiple reports of the Trial emerging, being wiped out and returning over the millennia nor does it explain the sightings of a massive Bloodthirster that's roars are inaudible yet terrifying at the same time.

As if confirming the theory, news came that the warband had attacked a Black Legion warband and lost. In disgrace, the survivors of the warband tore themselves to pieces in what appeared to be a purging of the weak. 80 years later, a report came of a horde of silent berserkers wiping out the same Black Legion warband emerged, at their fore was a Bloodthirster that roared in silence. With this came the confirmation; the Trial was real.

The Cull
The Trial's existence became a point of worry for many a Chaos Lord must now fear what will happen should their warband suffer a disastrous loss, not only must they watch their backs from unhappy underlings but now they must watch the stars for the Space Hulk that brings the Trial to their victims. Warbands can run but they can never hide. Some may find salvation by joining into another warband but they may as well bring their doom with them, for the Trial do not allow such cowardice to exist. Now as the Cicatrix Maledictum tears the Galaxy in two, the Trial's rampage continues as they cull the weak of Chaos so that only the strong may thrive. Not even destruction can stop them, for the Wrathful Quiet's silent call will always be heeded by his chosen. Each time the Trial returns, the new incarnation will always be stronger than the last. As of present time, the Trial is in its 64th incarnation and is the mightiest it has ever been.

Notable Battles

 * First Sighting (Unknown Date.M32)
 * Unintended Salvation (250.M32) - Licking their wounds from a failed assault on a Fortress World, a Night Lords warband take out their anger on a frontier world that's lacking in defences. However, before they could inflict any significant damage, a warband of Khorne Berserkers descended on the world and attacked the Night Lords while ignoring the Imperial defenders. Already weakened from their loss at the Fortress World, the Night Lords were swiftly butchered and their skulls taken for Khorne. The Berserkers then took their leave, much to the confusion of the Imperials.
 * A Dismal Performance (600.M34) - When the Debauched Mistress of the Perfect Gem pirate fleet was defeated, she did a theatrical swoon and declared it to be the most humiliating defeat in history. A year later, the fleet was torn apart by the Trial and the Mistress' head was torn off by the 12th Slayer's own hands.
 * The Wrathful Quiet's Rage (Unknown Date.M35) - The Trial assaulted a daemon world held by a Black Legion Warband. Despite the Black Legion warband having taken heavy losses in a earlier battle, they were still extremely strong and the Trial soon began to be overwhelmed. Soon it was just the 49th Slayer left, however the Slayer suddenly exploded in a storm of blood and unleashed the Wrathful Quiet and its horde of daemons. The Wrathful Quiet destroyed the Black Legion before leaving back to the warp, seeking new warriors to rebuild the Trial for the 50th time.
 * Gifts Denied (Unknown Date.M38) - The Nurglite Chuckling Flies Warband hear of the Trial and seek them out in order to sway them to Nurgle. Their ships are discovered sometime later, every single plague marine a charred corpse.
 * Inescapable Fate (Unknown Date.M39) - Ramzys, Exalted Sorcerer of the Thousand Sons, sees into the future and learns he will be slain at the hands of the Trial. Seeking to avert fate, he formulates a plan that will ensure the Trial will never find him. At first the plan seems to work, until a teleportation goes awry and Ramzys and his coven find themselves right in the center of the Harbinger of Wrath, the Trial's Space Hulk. He is hunted down over the course of a few days.
 * Murder of the Murder Lords (643.M40) - When a report of two Chaos warbands fighting each other on Sorolas, the Mordekaisers 2nd Kompanie is deployed to put them down. When they arrive one warband, identified as the Trial, had already wiped out the other warband. Though the Mordekaisers struck hard, the Trial overwhelmed them and inflicted heavy casualties. After the 60th Slayer kills the Kompanie Hauptmann, the Mordekaisers retreat.
 * Between a Rock and a Hard Place (900.M41) - The Iron Warrior held fortress is besieged by a Tyranid Splinter Fleet. To make matters worse, the Trial arrives and starts attacking the Iron Warriors and Tyranids. The planet quickly devolves into a free for all war that ends in total destruction for all sides.
 * Judgement of Khorne (999.M41) - The 62nd Slayer voices the discovery that the forces of Chaos have been weakened due to a lack of strength on the Imperium's part. Judging that Chaos needs a strong foe in order to be strong, the Trial goes a rampage that sees worlds, Regiments and even a couple of Astartes Chapters slain before the warband is finally stopped and wiped out.
 * The Silent Scream (Unknown Date.M42) - The Trial enters its 64th incarnation when the warp spills out into reality in the form of the Great Rift. Entire worlds and armies are destroyed or corrupted by Chaos, greatly strengthening it. Through the Slayer, the Wrathful Quiet declares that the Trial must travel amongst these new converts in order to weed out the weak so that only the strong may fight for Chaos. So the Trial commences its rampage anew, carving a bloody path that is seemingly taking them towards a planet known as Vigilus.
 * War of Nightmares (1.192.VCM - 25.141.VCM) - As their rampage unfolds the Trial unexpectedly find themselves amidst the fleet of Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of Chaos. Though his strength is undeniable to the warband, Abaddon proves it by killing the Slayer in one blow. Without any further discussion, the Trial joins with the Black Legion and fight on Vigilus where several Imperial forces, and many Chaos warbands, feel the bite of their chain axes.

Organisation
There is considerable debate on whether the Trial are Daemonkin or not as there has been no indication of the warband being supplanted by a daemonic legion. At the same time, khornate daemons, possessed marines and a Bloodthirster are amongst the Trial's ranks thus indicating they are favoured by Khorne. Cultists are an uncommon sight amongst the warband save for enslaved menials taken from destroyed warbands. Like all Khornate Warbands the Trial's organisation is incredibly nonexistent, akin to a massed horde rather than an organised army. The chain of command is simple: the Wrathful Quiet commands the warband either personally or through an individual known as the Slayer, the apparent term for the chaos lord. There seem to be no other commanders present thus it can be judged that the Trial is one big horde.

The presence of daemon engines and vehicles is relatively persistent as there frequent sightings of Defilers, Maulerfriends and Helbrutes. Raptors, Warp Talons and terminators are also present.

The Trial make their base on the Harbinger of Wrath, a massive Space Hulk that has been transformed into a Khornate temple. The Space Hulk is also infested with Orks and Tyranid bio forms that the Trial use as fighting practice. Oddly, it would seem that only a minority of the warband are actually active when not in battle as most of the Heretic Astartes go into a dormant state, choosing a corner and simply lying there until it is time to attack.

The Slayer
The Slayer is the Lord of the Trial and the mouthpiece of the Wrathful Quiet. He is the mightiest warrior of the warband, chosen by the Wrathful Quiet to be its voice and its champion. The Slayer is the only member of the warband permitted to speak for he is required to convey the will of the Wrathful Quiet and, when needed, speak with other warbands for whatever reason. In battle, the Slayer stalks through the battlefield in search for enemy champions to provide personal retribution for their failures in service to Chaos. The Slayer's empowerment from the Wrathful Quiet and his own centuries of experience make him a lethal foe and often the enemy champion will end up as a skull offered to the Bloodthirster's shrine. As the warband goes through it's many incarnations the Slayer's role remains and is taken by the mightiest of warriors, each one mightier than the last. The current Slayer is said to be the strongest yet and has already claimed a massive number of skulls.

Hunters
Hunters are Khorne Berserkers mounted on bikes. They are used to hunt down enemies who dare flee from the battle. Hunters are extremely dedicated and will hunt down prey over thousands of miles, if not across the stars.

The Wrathful Quiet
The Wrathful Quiet is a gigantic Bloodthirster of Khorne that is worshiped by the Trial. It is supposedly one of the oldest Bloodthirsters in existence as stories of it date back to thousands of years ago. When it is in the warp it communicates with the Slayer to guide the Warband to its next target, but when it is unleashed into realspace all hell breaks loose. Stories speak of a gargantuan Bloodthirster roaring silently before laying waste to entire armies are rare but devastating when it happens.

Combat Doctrine
Like any Khornate Warband, the Trial favour full on assaults and close combat. The difference is they fight in complete silence, even summoned daemons and possessed marines are silent. This has a most unnerving effect on the foes they face. Teleportation strikes and dreadclaw assaults are particularly favoured for the ease of falling upon the enemy without having to slog through heavy fire.

Notably, the coming of the Trial is heralded by a black mist that shrouds the battlefield. Then warriors of the Trial may be seen slowly stalking towards the enemy before suddenly breaking into a charge without a word. The shroud provides protection against enemy fire and possibly evokes fear into their foes' hearts.

Warband Culture
The Trial's culture is truly an oddity amongst Khornate Warbands. Rather than be in a state of constant bloodshed, most of the warband spends their time in a state of inactivity for years at a time until the call to arms comes. The Astartes find themselves a corner, chair or just a spot in a hallway to slump down in and enter this state. In this state, some Astartes are completely unaware of their surroundings while others wake up at the mere hint of movement. Those who have important roles remain awake. Many of the Berserkers who remain awake battle the orks and tyranids that infest the Harbinger of Wrath so Khorne is not displeased by a lack of bloodshed.

When the Wrathful Quiet is not present, it guides the Slayer, the Trial's Chaos Lord, by telling him of warbands that have become weak and unfit to continue the Long War. The Slayer sits on a throne of brass that is situated before a statue of the Bloodthirster in meditation as he heeds the voice of the Wrathful Quiet. When he hears of a warband that has been found wanting, he will look in the direction of said warband and will simply nod his head. The Harbinger of Wrath will then shift it's course towards the location, bringing doom to the targeted warband. When the Wrathful Quiet is present, the Trial fight with extreme intensity in an effort to impress their master.

Incarnations
Many warbands have been bushed to the brink of extinction and bounced back over the years. Khorne Daemonkin warbands go over a cycle of slowly being replaced their respective daemonic legion. The Trial, however, go through what has been termed "incarnations". The Trial has been wiped out completely and yet has returned time and time again over its existence. This is due to the Wrathful Quiet simply choosing new warriors to take the place of the original warband as a new incarnation. Any warrior that remains from the prior incarnation is elevated as an exalted Chosen, the strongest of the warband, unless they are judged unworthy by the Wrathful Quiet and are thus wiped out by the newest incarnation. It is noted that every 8th incarnation of the Trial is particularly powerful.

Warband Appearance
The Trial follow a black and red colour scheme The main body is black while the head and power pack is coloured red. There is no way of identification of different ranks, as they do not exist. The adornment of skulls and other gory trophies are commonplace in the warband. The skulls of worthy foes are prized and any warrior who bears one is bound to be favoured.

Warband Icon
The Trial's icon is an orange skull with the Mark of Khorne on it's forehead.

Warband Relations
The Trial make few allies and only Chaos Lords who have proven their strength may call them to arms. The Trial respect only strength, and should their allied warband prove weak then they will slaughter it without hesitation.

By the Warband
-Feel free to add your own- "Had Khorne wished you to live, he would not have sent me."

- The 33rd Slayer

About the Warband
-Feel free to add your own- "If we are ever defeated then I hope we are utterly destroyed in that battle. I dread to survive it and encounter who will come for us"

- Unknown Chaos Lord