Battle of Ravendelve
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The Battle of Ravendelve was an engagement during the Horus Heresy.[1]
Overview
Following the Drop Site Massacre, the devastated Raven Guard had been infiltrated by a number of cosmetically modified Alpha Legion marines. Led by Omegon, who was in hiding on Kiavahr, the Alpha Legion planned to recover an extremely important artifact that the Emperor had given to Corax. It eventually became apparent that what Omegon was looking for was a piece of the Primarch Project's Gene-Seed, which allowed the Raven Guard to produce a new generation of super soldiers. Omegon meanwhile fermented dissent on Kiavahr, particularly among the Tech-Priest guild known as the "Order of the Dragon" which greatly resented Imperial rule over their Forges.[1]
After an Alpha Legion legionnaire embedded inside the Raven Guard code-named Alpharius managed to corrupt the new gene-seed with extracted Daemon blood which had the effect of turning the new Raven Guard warriors into abominations. With this new advantage Omegon made his move, and the rebellious Tech-Guilds were directed to attack the gene-labs at Ravendelve. The rogue Tech-Priests had considerable resources at their disposal, including the Imperator Titan Magnus Casei, 3 Warhound Scout Titans, and Skitarii soldiers. However this attack was purely a distraction on the part of Omegon, and the initial wave of rebels were quickly slaughtered by the Raven Guard defensive emplacements. Omegon, supported by both Raven Guard infiltrators and 50 Legionaries from the Battle Barge Beta, intended to destroy the remaining stocks of gene-seed of the Legion and thus end any hope they had of rebuilding themselves. While Omegon directed his infiltrators to wipe out the Raven Guard gene-seed, the Primarch himself stole the same gene-tech Corax had used to create the Raptors. While Omegon was successful in stealing the technology, his infiltration forces slew Chief Apothecary Sixx but were discovered by Agapito who had been apparently onto the spies since before they arrived on-world. Cornered, the Alpha Legionaries were all struck down or committed suicide to prevent from being captured.[1]
Shortly after Omegon departed Ravendelve, Corax organised a general offensive against the now abandoned rebel forces. Loyalist Skitarii and Titans from the Legio Vindictus joined the Raven Guard in securing Ravendelve, then driving into Kiavhar proper. Meanwhile, Horus received the supposed stolen gene-tech from Alpharius, but in truth the Alpha Legion twins had given him a false copy, keeping the real product for themselves.[1]
Kiavahr
Kiavahr was once operated by a technocracy run by trade guides that were overthrown by the uprising led by Corax on Lycaeus and the coming of the Imperium. Though once powerful, the Imperium and the Mechanicum forces took over the planet and disbanded most of those who were connected to the old structure. Omegon and other operatives of the Alpha Legion infiltrated the planet and made contact with renmants of the old tech-guilds and promised them power once again. Omegon operated out of the largest city, Nabrik in the Wellmetal district, and he kept a constant eye on the operations of the planet. His goal was to destabilize the world enough to gain the gene-seed technology that the Cabal informed Alpharius and Omegon would be obtained by Corax. One of the contacts, Iyadine Nethri of the White Iron Guild, informed the primarch that manufactorum thirty-eight, which produced supplies for power armour, was being scaled back, and Omegon had Alpha Legion operative Verson plant an operative to keep an eye on the facility.[1a]
Omegon met with Guildmaster Armand Eloqi to convince him and his followers to turn against the Mechanicum and join with Horus. However, Eloqi was skeptical and fearful of reprisal until Omegon explained the disaster that befell the Raven Guard's forces. Magos Unithrax joined the meeting, initially causing Eloqi distress until Unithrax revealed himself as a member of the "Order of the Dragon" who serves another that wasn't Terra and sought to take control over the Mechanicum forces. Eloqi was still uncertain over what to do until Unithrax mentioned that events were already unfolding and any who stand against them would be crushed. Before Eloqi could leave, Unithrax injected him with a neurotoxin that would kill if Eloqi betrayed them. After Eloqi leaves, Unithrax updated Omegon on the rebellion on Mars.[1b]
Sources
