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With the only surviving cognisant members being those incredibly strong in heretical [[psychic powers]], the Thousand Sons are now a legion of ghosts led by the damned.

The Fifteenth Legion was formed on [[Terra]], their [[gene-seed]] being created and implanted in the first legionaires during a brief resurgence of [[Warp|warp-storms]] within the boundaries of the [[Sol]] [[system]] itself. This brief warp-storm was said to have generated psychic flashpoints all across Terra's globe, resulting in outbreaks of madness, suicide and random violence. Whether it had any effect on the legion's gene-seed is doubtful, but upon learning of it years later Magnus himself considered it to be a poor omen.{{Fn|3a}}

===Combat Disposition and Record===

====The Early Crusade====

[[Image:1KSonssquad.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Thousand Sons on crusade]]

Over the next several decades some of the then-discovered primarchs found the notion of psychic mutants being allowed to exist as part of the Emperor's Crusade distasteful at best and downright impossible at worst and began to variously move for their censure or spread rumours and condemnations about them. Chief amongst these detractors were [[Mortarion]], [[Rogal Dorn]] and [[Corax]]. As the years passed, more and more of the Thousand Sons devolved into mutantcy, while those that survived grew stronger and stronger in the use of their powers. Meanwhile, the detractors had managed to raise enough voices to empower a proposal that the Fifteenth Legion be dispanded and expunged from [[Imperial]] records altogether.{{Fn|3a}}

Having been thus deliberately removed from the board by the machinations of Chaos{{Fn|2b}}, the Thousand Sons played no part in the birth of the Horus Heresy. In fact, exactly when and why they chose to ally themselves with Horus and his traitorous rebellion is not clear, although it is believed that their chief motivation was to gain sanctuary and protection from further Imperial attack.{{Fn|6}} Of course, considering how Tzeentch had orchestrated events so far, it is likely that they had little choice in the matter at all.{{Fn|7}}

The Thousand Sons retreated from Terra after the death of [[Horus]] alongside the other Chaos forces,{{Fn|1a}} before using their sorcerous powers to open a warp route that would transport their fleet directly to the Planet of Sorcerers.{{Fn|7}}

===Horus Heresy Aftermath===

====The Rubric of Ahriman====

With the embrace of Chaos, comes mutation. Once the Thousand Sons had retreated back to the Planet of Sorcerers within the Eye of Terror members of the legion began to suffer the flesh-change; horrendous physical mutations, their bodies and minds twisted in ways only Chaos can achieve. Although some dedicated Tzeentch worshippers saw these changes as a sign of their god’s favour, those of higher understanding knew better, and decided that the Thousand Sons' search for enlightenment and knowledge could not end in the dreaded transformations they would inevitably suffer. Ahriman, once [[Chief Librarian]] of the Legion, and second only to Magnus in power, united a conclave of his most trusted [[sorcerers]], and together they cast a spell, known as the [[Rubric of Ahriman]], of tremendous magnitude that would save the legion from the fate of mutation. The results were not what Ahriman expected...but he was satisfied with them none the less. The Thousand Sons were now safe from the taint of chaos, but at a terrible price. Those untouched by the flesh change had their psychic powers greatly strengthened, but those who had already mutated had their physical bodies reduced to dust and their animate spirits damned to live inside their armour forever. Most of the legion were therfore changed into [[Rubric Marines]]; little more than mindless automatons. When Magnus heard about the terrible failure, he banished Ahriman and his group from the Planet of the Sorcerers, and now they wander through the Eye of Terror and beyond, still pursuing magical knowledge and seeking arcane artefacts. Ahriman’s current goal is to enter the [[Black Library of Chaos|Black Library]] of the Eldar, and rumour has it that if he succeeds in his quest, his power will grow beyond imagination.{{Fn|1a}}

*'''???.[[M31]]''' - The [[Battle of Yarant]]

*'''014.[[M31]]''' - The [[Siege of the Emperor's Palace]]. Took part in the Chaos grand assault; defeated.{{Fn|1a}}

====Post Heresy====

*'''???.[[M31]]''' - [[Kha'Sherhan]] warband allies with [[Ezekyle Abaddon]] to [[Battle of Harmony|destroy the clone of Horus]].{{Fn|22c}}

==Organisation==

Magnus placed great emphasis on ensuring that legion officers could operate independently from him, going to lengths to ensure they were taught all that he believed they would need to succeed at command, including otherworldly skills. Before the Heresy the individual Thousand Sons squads were led not by established veteran warriors, but by those who showed the most psychic potential. These junior officers were also effectively apprenticed to more experienced officers for cult training. As a result of the emphasis on leaders having strong psychic ability, senior officers of the legion typically became considerably experienced in both typical battlefield combat and in the use of their powers.{{Fn|1a}}.

Always a numerically small legion, the Thousand Sons rarely ever took to the field in great numbers. They would normally operate in small detachments, whose leader could effectively hold much more independent authority than officers in comparable positions in other Legions. With the events following the Heresy, this habit has become more pronounced.{{Fn|1}}

==Geneseed==

As befits the genic offspring of such a colossal psychic mutant as Magnus, the [[geneseed]] of the Thousand Sons appeared to ensure the development of psychic ability. It also appeared to bring with it an unavoidable fate of physical de-evolution, but it is unknown exactly what influence Tzeentch had on the development of the Thousand Sons and their geneseed and from what point this influence began. The '''Flesh-Change''' as this de-evolution was known, was a major threat to the Legion that manifested when its members used their psychic abilities. When overcome by the Flesh-Change, a member of the Thousand Sons would rapidly mutate into a hideous beast resembling a [[Chaos Spawn]]. Due to its psychic nature, the Flesh-Change was contagious and epidemics of it were a constant terror among the Legion. Magnus and others within the Thousand Sons worked diligently to find a cure for the Flesh-Change, and it is implied that Magnus may have gained the aid of Tzeentch to suppress it. However ultimately, no cure could be found and during the Great Crusade the Thousand Sons suffered a slow death from its gene-seed flaw.{{Fn|3}}

===The Cults of the Thousand Sons===

*{{Main|Cults of the Thousand Sons}}

Every legion venerated their primarch in some regard, but to the Thousand Sons Magnus was their literal saviour. With his arrival they were not only (apparently) saved from the horrors of physical degredation but also presented with the person who could teach them how to master their developing psychic abilities. Drawing from his experiences on Prospero, Magnus instituted his [[Cults of the Thousand Sons|Cult system]] within his legion, five teaching institutions that would allow his warrior-scholars to expand their knowledge, principally from him, at his position as master of all the cults; the rank of ''Magus''. From this position atop a pyramidal teaching structure Magnus was able to direct and control his legion's psychic and philosophical development; as the most knowledgeable, powerful and as their genetic forefather and saviour, all Thousand Sons looked to him for example and guidance.{{Fn|3f}}

==Recruitment==

Like all of the Legiones Astartes the Thousand Sons were initially made up of [[Terran]] marines. In the aftermath of Magnus' deal with Tzeentch to save their lives, only around a thousand of them were left. For the rest of the Crusade, the Thousand Sons recruited from Prospero, a planet of only limited population (although many of them were psychically active). As a result the Thousand Sons were never a large legion.{{Fn|3}}

*{{Endn|32}}: [[White Dwarf 25 (2014)]] - ''The Battle of Valmar"

*{{Endn|33}}: https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-NZ/Thousand-Sons-Achean-pattern-Armour-Upgrade-Set ''(last accessed 10 April 2016)''

[[Category:Space Marine Legions]]