Indomitus Crusade Fleet Quartus
Indomitus Crusade Fleet Quartus was once one of the Indomitus Crusade's Battlefleets, until a majority of its forces became corrupted by Khorne's Murder-Curse. As a result of this, the Fleet has been declared Excommunicate Traitoris by the Imperium.[1a]
Contents
History
Troubled Beginnings
It was once led by Fleetmaster Trincus Abconcis and was composed of hundreds of warships, which carried billions of warriors. Quartus' original mission was to separate into Battle Groups and push out to both the galactic east and west of the Sol System. These Battle Groups were then to secure and fortify systems already swept clear by other Indomitus Crusade Battlefleets' Battle Groups, while also purging any of the Imperium's foes within the systems' neighbouring regions. Abconcis would take this further, by vowing to secure every Sub-sector his battle groups were dispatched to. However, several of Quartus' Battle Groups suffered a series of devastating setbacks within the Bargheist Stars, Stygion System, Agorad Belt, the Imperial world of Jormangast, the Dhorica Push and the Porphys Nebula, which caused the Fleet to fall behind the gruelling schedule set by Lord Commander Guilliman.[1a]
This shook Abconcis' confidence in his abilities to fulfil Quartus' duties, but this changed after Inquisitor Glori Emagna met with the Fleetmaster. She had discovered a psychic beacon on the world of Malakbael in the Imperium Nihilus. Known as the Choral Engine, it acted as a minor version of Terra's Astronomican.[1d]
Destruction
Such a discovery was a boon for the worlds of that blighted realm and Emagna needed the Fleet Quartus' might to protect it from the Imperium's foes. She also suggested doing so would make up for Abconcis' shortcomings and the Fleetmaster readily agreed to aid her in defending the Engine. Gathering what Battle Groups he was able to, Abconcis led the Fleet's forces to the Malak System and began fortifying with the aid the resources that Inquisitor Emagna pulled into the System.[1a] They were also unexpectedly aided by a Grey Knights strike force, led by Grand Master Drystann Cromm. Meanwhile those Quartus Battle Groups unable to reach Malakbael were left to continue fulfilling the duties they had been charged with. However, despite Fleet Quartus' might, they were unable to stop the Daemon Primarch Angron and his Blood Wave, after the Choral Engine's psychic light led him to destroy it.[1b]
This proved to be disastrous, as the Choral Engine then exploded and caused Malakbael to shatter. This spread widespread devastation throughout the Malak System, which caused severe losses amongst Fleet Quartus' forces. The amount of psychic energy that erupted from the beacon also caused many of Quartus' warships to be pulled into the Warp to places unknown. Worse still, however, was the creation of Khorne's Murder-Curse Warp plague, that caused those infected to become servants of the Blood God. While for reasons unknown some Imperials were able to resist the Murder-Curse, only the Grey Knights and Quartus' Sisters of Silence and Custodians were truly immune to it. Those who fell victim to it were filled with murderous bloodlust and rage and some even mutated, as they began falling upon anyone that was near them. Due to the psychic channels the Fleet's Battle Groups shared, however, the Warp plague was not limited to just the Malak System. Every Quartus Battle Group was struck no matter where they were located and the same cycle of violence continued afterwards. Eighty percent of Battle Groups Alphae, Betaris, Dominus, Forthrax, Irasmus, Jovia and Kilox, were corrupted by the Warp plague and began murderous rampages through recently stabilized regions of the Imperium Sanctus.[1b]
At a stroke, Khorne gained the majority of Quartus' remaining strength and soon the Imperium declared the Fleet to be Excommunicate Traitoris. This was despite millions within the Battle Groups being uncorrupted and still loyal to the Imperium. Regardless of this fact, these luckless members of Quartus now found themselves condemned and their betrayal would go on to have consequences for years to come.[1b]
Known Battles
- Defense of the Bargheist Stars from the Ork Warboss, Grukk Face-rippa[1a]
- Ysmar Sub-sector[1a]
- Agorad Belt[1a]
- Imperial world Jormangast[1a]
- The Dhorica Push[1a]
- Porphys Nebula[1a]
- Garvetha Primus[1b]
- The Amnaris Cleansing
- The liberation of Schvëddor II from the Iron Warriors
- Defense of Malakbael from a Khorne Blood Wave under Angron, that invaded the Malak System. Resulted in the destruction and corruption of the fleet.[1b]
Known Battle Groups
- Battle Group Alphae[1b]
- Battle Group Betaris[1b]
- Battle Group Cerastus[1a]
- Battle Group Dominus[1a]
- Battle Group Forthrax[1a]
- Battle Group Gamma[1a]
- Battle Group Irasmus[2]
- Battle Group Jovia[1b]
- Battle Group Kilox[1a]
- Battle Group Lamdax[1a]
Known Task Forces
Known Personnel
- Fleetmaster Trincus Abconcis[1a]
- Lord General Militant Verne[2]
- Groupmaster Persepha Xeng - Battle Group Jovia[1a]
- Groupmaster Zavadan Mael - Battle Group Dominus[1a]
- Groupmaster Josiah Bolsett III - Battle Group Kilox[1a]
- Groupmaster Ira Threnodar - Task Force X[1a]
- Groupmaster Kelmer[1a]
- Chapter Master Yosharo DuGal of the Void Talons and commander of Battle Group Forthrax[1a]
- Admiral Aquilant Pell - Battle Group Betaris[1b]
- Canoness Verity Kade - Commander of Battle Group Irasmus[1a]
- Canoness Felicita[1b]
- Captain Hibogen Khan[1c]
- Lieutenant Scipion of the Ultramarines[1c]
- Codicier Vorn Dylas of the Imperial Fists[1c]
- Oracle Asclemanda[1a]
Known Warships
- Throne of Terra - Commanded by Fleetmaster Abconcis and the flagship of Quartus[1a]
- Bountiful Hate - Nemesis Class Fleet Carrier and flagship of Groupmaster Persepha Xeng.[1a]
- Resplendent - Battleship and flagship of Groupmaster Ira Threnodar[1a]
- Veracity - Oberon Class Battleship[1c]
- Blade of Aquilant - Battleship[1c]
- Song of Sorrows - Void Talons Battle Barge and flagship of Battle Group Forthrax.[1a]
- Steed of Kumblai - White Scars Battle Barge[1c]
- Prandium - Ultramarines Strike Cruiser[1c]
- Cry of Wrath - Mars Class Battlecruiser and flagship of Admiral Ignacious Pell.[1a]
- Warhawk - Mercury Class Battlecruiser and flagship of Groupmaster Josiah Bolsett III[1a]
- Incendor - Dictator Class Cruiser and flagship of Groupmaster Zavadan Mael.[1a]
- Mercy in Death - Dauntless Class Light Cruiser and flagship of Canoness Verity Kade
Sources
- 1: Arks of Omen: Angron:
- 2: White Dwarf 454, pg. 23 - Index Xenos: Goff Orks - Leaders of the Goff Clan
