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'''Stratos''' is a world of the [[Imperium]], one of a chain of [[Mining World]]s located in a region of the [[Reductus Sector]] called the [[Hadron Belt]]. The planet is considered valuable to the Imperium, both for the oceanic minerals extracted from beneath its seas and for its [[Imperial Guard Regiment]]s, known as the [[Stratosan Aircorps]].{{Fn|1}} 

At one point the planet suffered an uprising by a [[Chaos Cult]] known as the [[Cult of Truth]]. Despite an initially strong [[Astra Militarum]] response, the Cult led a surprisingly-coordinated, devastating series of actions across the three major [[Loft-city|loft-cities]], forcing the surviving Imperial Guard and [[PDF]] forces to retreat. Mysteriously, however, the Cult then withdrew to the planet's capital loft-city, [[Cirrion]], allowing the Guard to retake a significant portion of the territory they had been forced to retreat from earlier.{{Fn|1}}

By this point, [[Governor]] [[Varkoff]] had sent an [[astropath]]ic call for assistance. The [[3rd Company (Salamanders)|3rd Company]] of the [[Salamanders]] [[Chapter]] responded, arriving in-system aboard the [[Strike Cruiser]] ''[[Vulkan's Wrath (Strike Cruiser)|Vulkan's Wrath]]'' and deploying via [[Thunderhawk]]. At this point, the Guard had retaken the major cities of [[Nimbaros]] and [[Cumulon]], following the Cult's unexplained retreat, but were still unable to make any progress assaulting Cirrion.{{Fn|1}}

The 3rd Company's commanding officer, [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]] [[Ko'tan Kadai]], agreed to lead the next assault on Cirrion, with their primary objective to eliminate the Cult's leader, a demagogue known as the [[Speaker]]. At first the Salamanders deployed to the interior of Cirrion in an armoured assault but, despite meeting no resistance at first, they were forced to proceed on foot and split up due to rubble blocking off most of the roads. Eventually they finally encountered the Cultists, who launched a series of expertly-planned ambushes that caught the [[Space Marines]] off-guard. Worse still for the Marines, the Cult had released a gaseous hydrogen amalgam into Cirrion's atmosphere that prevented the Salamanders using their [[Flame weapon|flame-]] and [[Melta weapon|melta-weapons]] without them backfiring catastrophically. Several Marines were lost in the ambushes, including [[Apothecary]] [[Fugis]].{{Fn|1}}

The Salamanders were forced back to Cirrion's central square, but the Marines rallied there, successfully defending themselves and pushing the Cultists back. As After regrouping, the surviving Salamanders tried to launch an attack on the CompanyCultists's strongpoint in the [[Aura Hieron]] temple district but were unable to penetrate the Cultists' extensive defence network. They unexpectedly received a signal from Fugis, who had survived the ambush and found a group of survivors. One of the civilians, an engineer named [[TechmarineBanen]]had suggested a plan to Fugis to clear the hydrogen amalgam from the city's reinforced atmosphere and deal a significant blow to the cult: if the Marinescould escort Banen out of the city, he could purge Cirrion' position s air supply. Captain Kadai was unwilling at first, as this would result in any civilian survivors hidden in Cirrion dying from either a lack of oxygen or the squareextreme cold, the Salamanders encountered a band of surviving civiliansbut reluctantly agreed.{{Fn|1}}

After regroupingNow able to use their heat-based weapons and with the Cult of Truth badly weakened, the surviving Salamanders tried made their way to launch an attack on the CultistsCult' strongpoint in s temple. As they confronted and killed the Speaker, the true architects of the uprising revealed themselves: the [[Aura HieronChaos Space Marine]] temple district but were unable to penetrate s of the Cultists' extensive defence network. They unexpectedly received a signal from Fugis[[Dragon Warriors]], who had survived lead by the ambush and found another group of survivors[[Chaos Sorcerer]] [[Nihilan]]. One of the civilians, an engineer named Nihilan unleashed a [[BanenChaos]] had suggested ritual that summoned a plan to Fugis to clear [[daemon]], using the hydrogen amalgam from the citySpeaker's atmosphere and deal body as a significant blow to host. In the cult: if the Marines could escort Banen out of the cityresulting fight, he could purge Cirrion's air supply. Captain Kadai was unwilling at firstable to banish the daemon back to the [[Warp]], as this would result in any civilian survivors hidden in Cirrion dying from either but was killed by a lack of oxygen or [[multi-melta]] blast before the extreme cold, but reluctantly agreedDragon Warriors retreated.{{Fn|1}}

Now able to use their heat-based weapons and with Although Stratos was saved from the Cult of Truth badly weakened, the Salamanders made Dragon Warriors escaped having achieved their way real goal - to the Cult's temple. As they confronted locate and killed the Speaker, the true architects of the uprising revealed themselves: the [[Chaos Space Marine]]s of the [[Dragon Warriors]], lead by the [[Chaos Sorcerer]] [[Nihilan]].{{Fn|1}} Nihilan unleashed retrieve a [[Chaos]] ritual that summoned a [[daemon]], using device known as the Speaker's body as a host. In the resulting fight, Captain Kadai was able to banish the daemon back to the '[[Warpdecyphrex]], but was killed by a [[multi-melta]] blast before the Dragon Warriors retreated''.{{Fn|1}}

The surface of Stratos is covered in oceans that produce high concentrations of chlorine gas. As a result, the inhabitants of Stratos must live in floating [[Loft-city|loft-cities]] high in the planet's atmosphere. Each loft-city has its own enclosed atmosphere and is connected to the others by a series of sky-bridges.{{Fn|1}}

*[[Cirrion]] - Capital loft-city and seat of the [[Governor|Governor's]] power. Primary area of operations for the Cult of Truth during their uprising, it was later purged by the [[Salamanders]] [[3rd Company (Salamanders)|3rd Company]].{{Fn|1}}

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