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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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The Shadowlight was discovered by agents of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] and the [[Ordo Xenos]], who established a secret Mechanicus Shrine in the Valley to study its properties. One of the Tech-Priests, [[Metheius]], believed that the Ordo Xenos were blind to the Shadowlight's real potential, and shared its existence with [[Inquisitor]] [[Ernst Stavros Killian|Killian]] of the [[Ordo Hereticus]]. Killian believed that with the artifact, he could create an army of [[psykers]], powerful enough to finally overthrow and destroy the forces of [[Chaos]]<sup>2</sup>.
During the [[First Siege of Perlia]], under the cover of the [[Ork]] invasion of the planet, Killian and Methius stormed the Shrine, killed the researchers and stole the Shadowlight, with the unwitting help of a squad of over-zealous battle-sisters from the [[Adepta Sororitas]]<sup>2</sup>. [[Commissar]] [[Ciaphas Cain]], leading an army of refugees across the Valley, discovered their handiwork, though he did not know until later who was responsible<sup>1</sup>.
Killian and Methius continued to study the Shadowlight in secret inside a Sororitas convent on [[Periremunda]], recruiting members of a local [[cultist|Chaos cult]] to serve as "test subjects." When Cain and Inquisitor [[Amberley Vail]] confronted Killian, he attempted to escape with it, only to inadvertently handle it without protection, killing him<sup>2</sup>.
