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'''The Purging of Contqual''' was a major campaign by the [[Iron Hands]] [[Space Marines]] [[chapter]] to purge the forces of [[Chaos]] from the [[Contqual Subsector]] in 812.[[M41]]{{Fn|1b}}.

The citizens of Contqual lived a decadent and carefree existence, believing they had created a paradise free from the ugliness found throughout the rest of the [[Imperium]]. As a result of this decadence, in late 812.[[M41]], the High [[Governor]] of the subsector succumbed to the influence of the [[Chaos God]] [[Slaanesh]]. Within a month, the entire subsector was tainted by Chaos, and the worst effects of this taint were on the sector capital world of [[Shardenus]], where a [[Warp rift]] had opened, disgorging hordes of [[Daemon]]s into the Materium, where they were embraced and worshiped by the native inhabitants{{Fn|1a}}. The Imperium's vengeance came in the forms of the [[Iron Hands]] [[Clan Raukaan]], who hated Chaos and its influences more than any other [[Space Marine]] [[chapter]]. The Iron Hands reclaimed a dozen worlds in the subsector, purging the tainted populations without mercy{{Fn|1a}}.

The largest and most desperate battle of the campaign was upon the [[Hive World]] of [[Shardenus]] where a direct [[Warp Portal]] opened up, unleashing hordes of [[Daemon]]s which were welcomed by the twisted denizens of the world. Clan Raukaan arrived with Imperial Guard and [[Titan]] reinforcements, but disregarded all calls for caution from Imperial command and instead launched an all-out assault on the bunker complexes on Shardenus Prime. Casualties were heavy, especially with the Iron Hands accompanying Guard formations. Worse still, treachery within the Militarum High Command saw the Iron Hands abandoned by their supposed allies. But the Iron Hands never slowed or yielded and cleansed the Hive City Spire by Spire. Eventually, the climatic battle to seal the Warp Rift began and the architect of Contqual's horror's at last revealed itself: [[Julius Kaesoron]]: [[First Captain]] of the [[Emperor's Children]], the right hand of [[Fulgrim]], murderer of [[Gabriel Santar]] upon [[Isstvan V]] ten thousand years previous, and now a [[Daemon Prince]] of [[Slaanesh]]. While Kaesoron taunted the Iron Hands with tales of [[Ferrus Manus]]' supposed last words, [[Chief Librarian]] [[Telach]] made the ultimate sacrifice. Harnessing his own power, Telach managed to collapse the rift and cut off Kaesoron's link to the Warp. This left him vulnerable to the fury of the Iron Hands, and he was banished back to the Warp.{{Fn|3}}

In the year following the closing of the warp rift, one in every three Imperial citizens of the Contqual sector, including on Shardenus, were executed, as a harsh lesson against complacency and falling to the temptations of Chaos{{Fn|1a}}.

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*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)]]: