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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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Following this, the appointed Imperial Commander of the loyalist force, Ortys of the Red Scorpions, led forces from his own chapter as well as from the Marines Errant and newly arrived [[Novamarines]] to assault the important world of [[Vyaniah]]. The loyalist forces were unexpectedly rebuffed by the defending [[Tyrant's Legion]] forces, although the kill ratio was estimated to be 178-to-1 in favor of the loyalists. A second blow at this time was the arrival of the long-expected Executioners, who proved adept at performing powerful hit-and-run attacks upon Imperial installations. However, the sudden surge of loyalist Astartes into the sector, as well as the return to active duty of the cleared Fire Hawks and Marines Errant, meant that despite their losses, the loyalists had secured a stalemate in the war for the Maelstrom Zone.<sup>1g</sup>
An attempt to break the situation was made when Lugft Huron unexpectedly proposed a parley. Agreeing to his terms, Commander Ortys agreed to meet with Huron and Chapter Master [[Sartaq]] of the Mantis Warriors aboard a run-down way-station in orbit of the planet [[Shadim]] in the [[Grief]] system. This event is known to the Loyalists as [[The Betrayal at Grief|the Betrayal at Grief]]. In circumstances not fully understood, the parley was disrupted by a third party force of apparent Chaotic origin and in the subsequent free-for-all combat both Chapter Masters Ortys and Sartaq were killed.<sup>1g</sup>
The death of Orys, while a tragic event, did not throw the loyalists into disarray as might otherwise have been supposed. The arrival of further reinforcements in the form of the [[Howling Griffons]] and [[Sons of Medusa]] chapters as well as the elevation of the acclaimed [[Carab Culln]] to both mastery of the Red Scorpions and command of the loyalist forces in the Maelstrom Zone ensured morale remained high. Culln completed activation of ''Vengeance Station'', a powerful forward base in the Zone. The Red Scorpions conducted raiding attacks on Astral Claws space lanes, while the Sons of Medusa and Novamarines interdicted the Endymion Cluster and the Sagan system respectively, beginning to pin down Secessionist forces. <sup>1g</sup>
