Ambush at Storl IV

The Ambush at Storl IV was an Imperial defensive campaign that was forced to be fought by the Penitent Knights when the Order of the Winterbound was led into an ambush by their hated foes, the Crow's Children Chaos Warband, and forced to crash land on the uninhabited world of Storl IV. Despite the odds arrayed against them, the Penitents Knights fought against their foes and eventually emerged victorious, though the cost of victory would come at a steep price, paid in blood.

Background
On direct orders from Lord Crusader Graythorne, the Order of the Winterbound under Lord Executioner Calavain Hilderic, which was still bolstered by large portions of Primaris Knights, was commanded to investigate strange reports of the Great Enemy that was seeking to lay claim to the faltering Storl System. The famed relentless Order arrived at the borders of the planetary system posthaste, and immediately were beset by a surprise assault made by Chaos Marines of frustrating familiarity, a Crow's Children Warband under the command of a Champion of Khorne, Halakhar.

Undoubtedly guided into the ambush by Peredrath the Ruiner, the ruthless traitors assailed Lord Calavain's Strike Cruiser, Asterion's Ram, forcing the craft to land upon Storl IV, an uninhabited world. The marines of Calavain's entourage had little respite before the Crow's Children then came at them from the ground, Chainswords and bolt pistols sounding wrath, with Halakhar himself charging at the fore of his brethren. Calavain, while being a master swordsman, was gravely wounded by the Blood Champion's double-bladed Chain-Axe, he was spared death by the intervention of two Marines - Justicar Alissar and the Winterbound's champion, Galadeus Foeflayer. Alissar, still ashamed of his sins during the Defense of Vaeturn, fought off Halakhar before also falling to the blood-crazed Champion. Galadeus, who had charged to the Lord Executioner's side to protect him, defended his wounded Knight-Captain with his famed Power Axe before carrying him and a few other brothers back onto Asterion's Ram and taking command of the vessel, even after the ship returned to the rest of the separated void force, uniting it under the banner of vengeance for Calavain, for Lor'dra, thus fully securing Storl after a week.

The Knight-Champion's heroics were recognized as essential to the Order's objective and proved himself a capable leader in the act. The Lord Executioner's injuries, however, were unfortunately so severe that he was committed to the fate of a Dreadnought, but before entering the sarcophagus, he declared that should the Lord Crusader find it acceptable, the Foeflayer would be a fine replacement for him. Unexpectedly, the Penitent Knights' Chapter Master agreed with his friend, and Galadeus was given the high of honor of ascending to the Council of Lords as Executioner, tasked with hunting down those that martyred Calavain Hilderic and send their souls to the God-Emperor for judgement.