Changes

|quote = '''''"The way into Axum is clear, Sergeant [[Issam]]. Your approach was made with great skill, but this is Raven Guard work."'''''{{Fn|1b}}}}

When the [[Chaos]] army known as the [[Bloodborn]] [[Invasion of Ultramar|invaded Ultramar]] in 854999.[[M41]]{{Fn|2}}, the Raven Guard's [[Master of Shadows]] sent Shaan and one of the Fourth Company's elite squads to assist the [[Ultramarines]]. Their entry into [[Lord Calgar]]'s chambers inside the [[Fortress of Hera]] was so stealthy that even the legendary [[Scout]] [[Sergeant]] [[Telion]] did not detect their presence until they announced themselves.{{Fn|1a}}

Their specific mission was to capture [[Ardaric Vaanes]], a renegade Raven Guard who had been seen traveling in the retinue of [[Warsmith]] [[Honsou]].{{Fn|1a}}.

Shaan and his squad infiltrated the Chaos-held city of [[Axum]] on [[Tarentus]] and neutralized the sentries, allowing an Ultramarines strike force to enter and demolish the defensesdefences. However, Axum was a trap laid by Honsou for [[Uriel Ventris]], who only just managed to evacuate his troops before the city was leveled levelled from orbit. During the evacuation, Shaan saved Scout Sergeant [[Issam]]'s life by casually beheading a persistent [[Khorne Berserker]] clinging to their escaping [[Thunderhawk]].{{Fn|1b}}.

Shaan later joined Uriel and the Ultramarines Fourth Company in defending [[Calth]] from the assault of the [[Iron Warriors]], and helped [[Inquisitor]] [[Namira Suzaku]] to interrogate Vaanes after he was captured during the fight at [[Guilliman's Gate]].{{Fn|1c}}.

Shaan and his squad were instrumental in turning the tide on Calth, when they infiltrated the Chaos force's command vehicle, the [[Black Basilica]], and destroyed it with demolition charges. This not only killed a fair number of the Chaos soldiers, it also halted the corrupt [[Adept]] [[Cycerin]]'s attempts to take control of the [[Praetorian]]s fighting on the Ultramarines' side.{{Fn|1d}}{{Fn|1e}}.

In the climax of the battle on Calth, Shaan accompanied Uriel and his [[Space Marine Command Squad|Command Squad]] through the caverns to the underground tomb of [[Remus Ventanus]], the saviour of Calth.{{Fn|1f}}{{Fn|1g}}{{Fn|1h}}. Shaan lost several men in the fight with Honsou's warriors, but survived the fight, and the collapsing of the cave by Honsou.{{Fn|1i}}.

Afterwards, Shaan was bewildered by the actions of Vaanes, who had fought for their side in the final battle. Shaan had been ordered to take Vaanes back to the [[Ravenspire]] for punishment, but did not know what he would say now. Uriel suggested that Shaan tell the truth: that Vaanes had given his life fighting against the [[Ruinous Powers]]. Shaan agreed, and asked [[Apothecary]] [[Selenus]] to extract Vaanes' [[gene-seed]], for return to the Raven Guard's [[fortress-monastery]].{{Fn|1i}}.

Shaan and his surviving warriors also accompanied the Second and Fourth Companies to [[Talassar]] to relieve the besieged [[First Company]] led by [[Chapter Master]] [[Marneus Calgar|Calgar]], taking part in the [[jump pack]] assault against [[M'kar]]'s [[daemon]] army.{{Fn|1j}}. He and his surviving warriors were among the few non-Ultramarines to attend the Chapter's victory celebration in the [[Shrine of Guilliman]] on [[Macragge]], and the fallen Raven Guard were honoured along with the Ultramarines.{{Fn|1j}}.

*1: [[The Chapter's Due (Novel)]]:

*{{Endn|5}}: [https://archive.ph/oqCtm Warhammer Community: The Big Summer Preview – Champions of the First Founding] ''(Saved archive page, dated 18 July 2025, last accessed 18 July 2025, original link: archived from [https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/meznaevz/the-big-summer-preview-champions-of-the-first-founding/the original] 18 July 2025, last accessed 18 July 2025)''