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[[Warmaster]] '''Slaydo''' (born circa 600.[[M41]], died 765.M41) was the first commander of the [[Sabbat Worlds Crusade]].{{Fn|4}}{{Fn|6}}

His early career is hard to follow. It is known that Slaydo led the [[Imperium]] to victory in the [[Gorikan Suppression]]{{Fn|6}} but his real fame began during the [[Khulan Wars]]{{Fn|4}}, during which he mustered a massive army which he led to a decisive victory.{{Fn|6}}

He was succeeded as commander of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade by [[Macaroth]].{{Fn|5}}

Early in the Crusade, shortly after the victory on Formal Prime, Slaydo called forty-eight of his officers together for the victory feast. At some point during the festivities, Slaydo became solemn and sad, and when asked what was wrong he replied he was afraid - afraid that he would not live to see the great work done. Slaydo called for a blood oath, and one by one, the assembled officers sliced open their palms with bayonets or table knives and clasped the Warmaster's bloody hand, swearing on their lives that they would continue the work and liberate the Sabbat Worlds, even if Slaydo himself did not live to see it. Slaydo would fall on Balhaut a decade later, just as he had feared.{{Fn|1}}

During the siege of the [[Shrinehold of Saint Sabbat]] on [[Hagia]] in 770, Colonel-Commissar [[Ibram Gaunt]] of the [[Tanith First and Only]] related the story to his second officer, Major [[Elim Rawne]]. Gaunt had been one of Slaydo's favored, and was one of the forty-eight who swore the blood oath with the great Warmaster. Gaunt had been ordered by [[Lord General]] [[Lugo]] to remove the Saint's relics from the Shrinehold in the wake of a coming Chaos fleet. Remembering the blood oath after viewing the uncorrupted remains of the Saint, Gaunt chose to disobey Lugo's orders, and would instead defend the Shrinehold from the Chaos forces.{{Fn|1}}

Slaydo wielded [[Liberatus]], a [[Powered weapon|powered sabre]] gifted to Slaydo by the [[High Lords of Terra]], at the outset of the Crusade. At Balhaut, Slaydo defeated [[Archon (Chaos)|Archon]] [[Nadzybar]] in melee combat. The sword was saved by one of his bodyguards, and later presented to Slaydo's successor, [[Macaroth]]{{Fn|3}}.

*''"We have been given our crusade, my sons... the Sabbat Worlds!"''{{Fn|1}}

*{{Endn|1}}: [[Honour Guard (Novel)]] — [[The Saint (Omnibus)]], Chapter Twelve, pg. 220

*{{Endn|2}}: [[The Sabbat Worlds Crusade (Background Book)]]