Gilden's Star System
The Gilden's Star System is an Imperial system of seven worlds, which lies in the Ultima Segmentum close to the Baal System.[1]
History
It was named in honour of Dominion Gilden of the Blood Angels, whose forces had brought the system into Compliance during the Great Crusade. At that time, Gilden's Star population had already been thriving on the wealth of their industry which had survived the horrors of Old Night. The System's worlds contained sprawling manufactories, that produced vast quantities of shells and other munitions that fed the Imperium's conquest of the Galaxy. This all came to an end during the Horus Heresy's fifth year, however, when the Word Bearers Dark Apostle Zaxos sought to claim the Gilden's Star System's vast resources and large population.[1]
Before he struck, the Dark Apostle sent forth his cultist infiltrators, fanatics and Demagogues to embed themselves within the system's warlike military aristocracy. Their honeyed words worked upon Nobles who had come to resent the constant demands the Imperium requested of their worlds. By the time Zaxos arrived with his Word Bearers, the rulers of the Gilden's Stars' worlds willingly handed them over to him. Soon the Dark Apostle began sacrificing some of the system's population to the Chaos Gods, while also fully corrupting others to serve the Word Bearers. However, a Loyalist garrison on the Capital World Gilden Prime was able to send out a warning of what had occurred, before all contact with the system was lost.[1]
The first Imperials to receive the warning were a nearby Blood Angels strike force led by Archein Alcetas Castael. He became incensed upon learning of the Gilden Stars' fall to Heresy, as it was his Legion that had brought its worlds into Compliance during the Great Crusade. He decided to reconquer the Gilden Star, not only to bring retribution for its betrayal, but also to show the Blood Angels were not dead, as had been suspected at that time during the Horus Heresy. The system's resources and proximity would also give Castael an ideal staging ground to relive the siege that was currently surrounding his homeworld, Baal. Though the Word Bearers had prepared for the Imperium's attempt to reclaim Gilden's Star, the Blood Angels ultimately prevailed in their initial invasion of Gilden Prime. Though the Traitor Legion's leaders fled soon afterwards, their remaining forces and the corrupted population of Gilden's Star were left to fend for themselves. The vengeful Blood Angels showed them no mercy and brought its worlds to ruins, as they massacred billions in order to cleanse the system of its corruption. Though Castael died during the battles on Gilden Tertius, the Blood Angels prevailed and left after devastating Gilden's Star. It would not be until the later years of the Scouring that the Imperium would later return and reclaim the ruined system for the Emperor.[1]
Known Worlds
- Gilden Prime - Capital World, during the Horus Heresy[1]
- Gilden Secundus[1]
- Gilden Tertius - Hive World, during the Horus Heresy[1]
- Gilden Quintus[1]
