Carrion Realms

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Carrion Realms were petty Night Lords fiefdoms, most of them located in the southern galactic core, that were created by the Traitor Legion's fractious and vainglorious Warlords during the Horus Heresy.[1]

History

Early warlords and the "cross of bone"

Location of Konrad Curze's domain during the middle stage of the Horus Heresy.[5] Within this domain the first Carrion Realms emerged.[4][6a]

Some Night Lords elements broke away from their Legion at an early point in the Horus Heresy, setting out to achieve their own goals.[3]

In course of the Thramas Crusade, the Legion's fracturing further increased as it took control of much of the galactic northeast. Drunk on power, various Night Lords warlords emerged who usurped control of entire regions of Imperial space. Backed by their loyal troops, these warlord fiefdoms effectively became independent,[6a][6b] ignoring the orders of Horus and Konrad Curze to take "what they deemed their deserved share of the Imperium's wealth".[6a] Warlord-aligned Night Lords began to decorate their armour with the so-called "cross of bone".[6a][6b] Notable examples of Night Lords units adorned with the "cross of bone" were the 9th, 14th,[6a] 18th,[7] 27th, and 43rd Chapters.[6a]

Most of the warlords of the "cross of bone" ultimately fell during the Thramas Crusade, notably Nakrid Thole, Vaeduc, Malithos Kuln and Cel Herec. They were either killed by the Dark Angels or a faction of the Night Lords under First Captain Jago Sevatarion, the latter seeking to restore his Legion's unity and purity of vision.[6b] Yet the reunification of most Night Lords proved short-lived, as the Legion was shattered by the Dark Angels at the Thramas Crusade's conclusion, with both Curze and Sevatarion missing in action.[4][6b]

Post-Thramas warlords

After the Thramas Crusade, the Night Lords fractured even further and devolved into numerous warbands. Many of these set out to conquer isolated planets, becoming the rulers of petty domains built upon fear and the brutal extraction of resources.[4] Southern Ultramar was among the first regions where such small Night Lords domains emerged by 010.M31.[2]

The Carrion Realms became even more prominent in 012.M31, when Night Lords warbands sought to take advantage of the devastation caused by the vengeful Dark Angels and rampaging World Eaters' Butcher Fleets. Worlds that had been left ravaged by either force were then attacked and claimed by Night Lords warbands. These captured worlds were then used to create the Carrion Realms, which the warbands' warlords ruled over. The spoils collected from their fiefdoms then fuelled the warlords' efforts to enslave the surviving populations of Colony Worlds, such as Rhyntax and Khorbal. They would also conscript the sundered remains of their once-proud armies to launch spiteful sorties into systems near their Carrion Realms. All of this spread a pall of darkness and fear throughout the sectors south of the galactic core. However, the Carrion Realms became turbulent domains for the warlords to control and they did not sit easily upon their thrones. Though these Realms were ruled by the Night Lords, they were not united together. Instead, each of their fractious warlords was ever fearful of a hidden dagger in the hands of those they once called Brother.[1]

Known worlds

See also

Sources

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