Corswain
"I left my sword in a Primarch’s Spine.”
 The Hound of Caliban | |
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| Title(s) | The Lion’s Seneschal[3] The Hound of Caliban[14a] Your Grace[1] Cor[1] |
| Homeworld | Caliban, Caliban System |
| Born | c. Late M30, |
| Active Period | M30 — M31 |
| Species | Human |
| Type | Firstborn Astartes |
| Gender | Male |
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| Occupation(s) |
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Corswain, the Hound of Caliban, was a Lord Commander[14a] and the Captain-Paladin of the Dark Angels' 9th Order during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, later commanding half the Legion as The Lion's Seneschal.[3]
Contents
Biography
The Great Crusade
Corswain was born on Caliban but was not inducted into The Order. He was uniquely placed to bridge the divisions within the First Legion during its formation into the Dark Angels under Lion El'Jonson's leadership. He was groomed to serve not any one Host or Order but to command the respect and knowledge of all.[8]
Corswain became the Paladin of the 9th Order under Master Alajos during the Great Crusade. The finest swordsman in the Legion, he was the bearer of the Mantle of the Champion and one of only two Dark Angels ever to best Alajos.[1] In time his reputation grew similar to the likes of Raldoron and Sigismund.[8]
He was among the forces of the 9th Order that stripped Luther of his ships after he disobeyed his orders to remain on Caliban in order to aid Horus at Zaramund in 970.M30.[3]
Horus Heresy
Thramas Crusade
After the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, Corswain fought alongside his Primarch Lion El'Jonson against the Night Lords in the Thramas Crusade. On Tsagualsa, Corswain and Alajos accompanied the Lion when he met with the Primarch of the Night Lords Konrad Curze and his own Honour Guard. After battle broke out between the two sides, Corswain and Alajos battled Sevatar and Shang. Corswain was unable to prevent Captain Alajos from being killed, but impaled Curze as he strangled the Lion - leaving the sword in the primarch's spine.[1]
Two years into the Thramas Crusade, Corswain was made Seneschal[2] and, after the Battle of Perditus, given command of half of the remaining Legion to hunt down and eliminate First Captain Calas Typhon and his Death Guard splinter fleet while the Lion travelled with the other half to Ultramar. Sustaining heavy casualties at the hands of the Death Guard, Corswain sent a small number of volunteers to Caliban with transports to bring reinforcement.[3] However these reinforcements never arrived, angering Corswain. He eventually rendezvoused with Luther and his secretly Fallen warriors at Zaramund, unaware that Luther had just secured the system for himself. Luther had fully committed himself to independence from the Imperium, and was secretly harboring the fleet of Death Guard which Corswain was pursuing. Luther deceived Corswain, stating that they had driven off the Death Guard. Corswain scolded Luther for violating the Lion's edict to not leave Caliban but otherwise fell for the ploy.[11b]
The Siege of Terra
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | The Siege of Terra (Novel Series) |
Corswain next appeared during the Siege of Terra, arriving at the edge of the Sol System to rendezvous with Admiral Niora Su-Kassen and the Phalanx and proclaimed his forces were ready to fight for the Emperor.[7] Hiding at the edges of the Sol System, Corswain convinced Su-Kassen to a plan to have him and his warriors land on Terra to take part in the battle.[12a] Using the Imperator Somnium, Corswain was able to break the traitor blockade and land on the Hollow Mountain.[12b] The Dark Angels found the complex occupied by the forces of Chaos, and he was nearly overcome by the Daemon Vassukella.[12c] Saved by Vassago, Corswain expressed his intent to reactivate the Astronomican.[12d]
In the final hours of the Siege, Corswain was horrified to learn of the murder of Vassago but faced more pressing matters as the Death Guard under Typhus moved in to retake the Astronomican. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Corswain slew a hulking Plague Marine but was wounded. He was steadied by Zahariel El'Zurias, who had taken the mantle of the Lord Cypher.[14b] In the subsequent battle, the Dark Angels were nearly overwhelmed by Typhus and the Death Guard but Corswain was committed to using Cypher's psychic talents to reactivate the Astronomican and guide Guilliman's fleet to Terra.[15]
Alongside Sigismund, Corswain led the defence of the Hollow Mountain, coming into personal conflict with Typhus. All seemed lost until Euphrati Keeler and her followers were able to reactivate the Astronomican, throwing back the traitors and giving the location of Terra to Guilliman's fleet of reinforcements.[16]
Corswain survived the Siege and reunited with Lion El'Jonson on Terra.[17a] He then became The Lion's emissary, working with the similarly appointed Archamus II of the Imperial Fists and Bjorn of the Space Wolves to initiate Rogal Dorn's plan for a new crusade of vengeance against the fleeing Traitors.[17b]
Return to Caliban
Corswain survived the Heresy to return to Caliban. During the Destruction of Caliban, he was among the first to make planetfall and do battle with the Fallen.[4] During the battle, Corswain cornered and duelled the Lord Cypher.[11a]
Legacy
Corswain is a legendary figure to the Dark Angels of the 41st Millennium. The sword he wielded during the fall of Caliban is known as the Blade of Corswain, presented as the bladesman's honour to the finest swordsman in the Ravenwing.[5] He also lends his name to the Lost Mace of Corswain, a relic power maul used by the Deathwing.[6]
Wargear
Images
Corswain miniature[13]
Sources
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- 1: Savage Weapons (Short Story)
- 2: The Lion (Novella), I
- 3: Angels of Caliban (Novel), Fifteen
- 4: Holder of the Keys (Audio Drama)
- 5: Ravenwing (Novel), Honour
- 6: Space Hulk: Deathwing
- 7: Saturnine (Novel), Epilogue
- 8: The Horus Heresy Book Nine - Crusade, pg. 170
- 9: The Horus Heresy: Legions
- 10: Siegeofterra.com: Mortis section (last accessed 3/17/2021)
- 11: Luther: First of the Fallen (Novel):
- 12: Mortis (Novel):
- 13: Warhammer Community: Heresy Thursday – An Illustrious Dark Angel Joins the Civil War (posted 6/10/2022) (last accessed 9/10/2022)
- 14:The End and the Death: Volume I (Novel):
- 15: The End and the Death: Volume II (Novel) - 7:xxxii
- 16: The End and the Death: Volume III (Novel) - 10:xv
- 17: Ashes of the Imperium (Novel)
