Costalis
Costalis was the Planetary Governor of the Ultramar world Iax, during the last years of the Plague Wars and he ruled from its capital city First Landing.[1a]
Biography
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | Dark Imperium: Godblight (Novel) |
His world suffered greatly at the Death Guard's hands and it began to be rotted out by the diseases of the Chaos God Nurgle. Like many of Iax's population, Costalis became sickened and became so physically weak, that he was forced to be moved around in a wheelchair. When Lord Commander Guilliman later arrived with his forces, to defeat the Death Guard's Daemon Primarch Mortarion and free Iax, the Planetary Governor stood from his wheelchair to greet the Primarch. As Guilliman approached him, Costalis got to one knee and said it was an honour to meet the Lord Commander. He would go on to offer his apologies for the poor state that Iax was in, despite it being considered the most beautiful of Ultramar's worlds. Guilliman told him to rise in response, but the Lord Commander had to help the Governor as Costalis struggled to get up. After seeing Costalis' deteriorated condition, Guilliman helped him into the wheelchair and ordered Governor to go be treated at a medicae. Costalis agreed and Guilliman told him to rest afterwards, until the Lord Commander was ready to unveil how they would defeat the Death Guard. As the Planetary Governor was wheeled away, however, the Adeptus Custodes Colquan, who had accompanied Guilliman, remarked that Costalis was fatally sick and had seen his last days.[1a]
Guilliman later revealed his battle plans, during the meeting and explained that First Landing' would be used as his forces' base of operation. Costalis, though, was quick to explain that while the Death Guard held most of Iax, there were other areas still held by his population. They would also need the Lord Commander's protection if they were to survive the coming battle. Guilliman assured the Planetary Governor, that he would deploy a portion of his forces to protect these areas as well. However, the Death Guard would likely target First Landing and its people would not survive if that occurred. To the shock of many of the city's defenders, the Lord Commander stated that, regardless of their rank, the city's population would be evacuated to his fleet in Iax's orbit.[1b] While Guilliman was later successful in defeating the Death Guard, Iax was left heavily corrupted by their invasion. In order to save as much of the world as he could, the Lord Commander then ordered Iax's tainted areas to be cleansed by atomic weaponry. Because of this, it is not known if Costalis will live long enough to be able to safely return to Iax.[1c]
