Battle of the Stygius Gilt
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The Battle of the Stygius Gilt was a battle of the Indomitus Crusade.[1a]
Overview
The battle has its origins in the aftermath of the Battle of Garrovire, where thanks to the efforts of the Ultramarines under Ferren Areios, Inquisitor Rostov, and a group of Leagues of Votann Squats of the Omrigar Kindred discovered that the shadowy Black Legion organisation dubbed the Hand of Abaddon was based in a Blackstone Fortress located in the Stygius Gilt. The Squats agreed to help the Imperials with the promise they could salvage the Blackstone Fortress after the battle.[1a]
Thanks to their alliance with the Squats, the small Imperial flotilla was able to rapidly reach the Stygius Gilt. The flotilla immediately closed on the Blackstone Fortress, seeking to reach it immediately before it could fire its main weapon. Squat warships proved more apt at attacking the Blackstone Fortress than their Imperial counterparts. Running a gauntlet of fire, the Ultramarines ship Honour of Iax was able to disgorge its compliment of 6th Company troops to board the Blackstone Fortress by using unmanned Boarding Torpedoes to draw away anti-aircraft defenses. Imperial Guard forces quickly followed in their wake to land on the Fortress and the Imperials began their long fight into the Fortress' interior.[1b]
The Imperials faced not only the forces of the Khornate Hand member dubbed the Butcher King and his warriors, but also the Fortress itself as it attempted to repel the invaders. Imperial forces were attacked by sudden spikes that emitted from the walls, while other forces became separated from each other as the walls rearranged. During a vicious struggle, Lieutenant Areios managed to kill the Butcher King while the Mordian Sergeant Magda Kesh miraculously ascended into a Living Saint and slew the Hand member Scion of Plagues. Using her newfound powers, Kesh was able to banish the shadows plaguing the Fortress and lead the Imperials directly to the Hand's central command chamber.[1b]
Meanwhile, the Hand of Abaddon agent Tharador Yheng was guided by Hand member Augury to the core of the Blackstone Fortress after supplanting her master Tenebrus. There, she was confronted by a member of the Red Corsairs Graeyl Herek who had within him each of the eight shards of the Athame. Augury instructed Yheng to sacrifice the Chaos Space Marine and let the Fortress die, as it could not fall into Imperial hands. Promised with apotheosis, Yheng did as she was bid and left the station with Augury as the Blackstone Fortress went dark and started to break apart.[1b]
In the aftermath of the battle, five of the eight members of the Hand had escaped along with the Shards of Erebus but the Kin of the Leagues of Votann were given the remains of the Fortress to salvage. Meanwhile, Yheng and Augury had sacrificed Herek and managed to reforge the Anathame into a new weapon dubbed Culler.[1c]
