Changes

The invasion of the [[Talledus System]] began as thirteen massive Word Bearers [[Battleshipbattleship]]s emerged from the [[Warp]]. Eight of these made for Benediction, while the rest set out for the Systemssystem' s other prominent worlds. Accompanying this force was an armada of lesser vessels, raiders, [[Space Hulk|space hulks]]s, and cargo cutters. As the Word Bearers smashed into the outnumbered and outgunned [[Battlefleet Sentanis]] around Benediction, it vomited a force of [[Dreadclaw]] [[Drop Pod]]s to invade the world itself. As the Word Bearers commenced the assault, their Cults rose up in rebellion, shutting down the [[Astropath]]ic Choirs on Boras Minor and [[Ghreddask]]. Talledus was alone as the enemy landed. Kor Phaeron knew that for his plan to succeed, Benediction must burn. As his own Word Bearers attacked the Shrine World, his allies assailed the outer system to draw away Imperial defenders and reinforcements.{{Fn|1b}}

Even before the Word Bearers had fired their first shots upon Benediction, the Night Lords under [[Yharas Kine]] landed a kill-team on [[Satrapol]]'s Astropathic Station, butchering its occupants and detonating a [[Cyclonic Torpedo|Cyclonic charge]] at its heart. At the same time the Battleship ''[[Nightmare of Celyx]]'' slipped from the Warp at the far edge of the System, carrying thousands of captured [[Astropath]]s strapped into torment engines. Driven mad by their agony, their combined psychic scream interfered with long-range [[Vox]] communication and scrambled the minds of nearby [[Navigator]]s. Imperial reinforcements were dragged out of the Warp into the Talledus System's [[asteroid field known as ]], the Tears of the Emperor. There, the Night Lords fleet ambushed them and oversaw a feast of terror and plunder. Meanwhile, the [[Iron Warriors]] under [[Warpsmith]] [[Etrogar]] besieged the formidably defended world of [[Ghreddask]]. The Warpsmith saw the planet as a prime testing ground for his [[Soul Harvester]]s. The [[Imperial Navy]] [[Battlefleet]]s at Ghreddask, [[Battlefleet Ios|Ios]] and [[Battlefleet Cemeres|Cemeres]], attempted to flee to Benediction but suffered terrible losses due to the deaths of their Navigators. Other naval assets simply drew towards the psychic scream out of desperation.{{Fn|1c}}

Meanwhile, the Iron Warriors assailed the world of [[Ghreddask]]. Warpsmith Etrogar had little interest in Kor Phaeron's grand plans, instead seeing it as an opportunity to deploy his [[Soul Harvester]] ''[[Scarax Krond]]''. The engine latched itself into the surface of Ghreddask, digging through its surface with drills and [[Meltamelta]]-cannons. Its titanic pseudopods burst within the walls of Ghreddask's citadel fortifications, disgorging Iron Warriors forces into unprepared foes. At the same time [[Chaos Knight]]s of [[House Khomentis]] lumbered from its gatehouse, setting themselves upon the armoured formations of the Imperial Guard. The ''Scarax Krond'' fed upon the destruction and carnage, spewing out a tide of [[Daemon Engine]]s in return.{{Fn|1e}}

Just as the Iron Warriors [[Cruisercruiser]]s prepared an orbital bombardment that would have smashed the last vestigaes of Ghreddask, the [[Black Templars]] arrived under [[Castellan (Black Templars)|Castellan]] [[Dramos]]. The Templars had a small force from the [[Rutherian Crusade]], all that could be spared due to their extensive campaigns elsewhere. Fortunately for Dramos, he could also call upon Imperial [[Knight]]s from [[House Mortan]] under Sir [[Dirkwald]]. Dramos surmised that the true threat on Ghreddask was the ''Scarax Krond'' and launched a strike force against the mobile Daemon Forge as Mortan's Knights landed on the planets surface. The Iron Warriors viciously defended the ''Scarax Krond'' as Dramos personally led an [[Inceptor]] assault. The Black Templars managed to breach the engines carapace, allowing Dramos to move into its heart with a force of veterans. While they suffered grievous losses, Dramos and his command squad managed to detonate a [[Cyclonic Torpedo|Cycloniccyclonic]] charge at its heart. The resulting explosion immolated both the loyalists and heretics.{{Fn|1e}}

The Night Lords under Yharas Kine swept through the Tears of the Emperor asteroid field from the ''Nightmare of Celyx''. Leading a reaver strike force, the Night Lords ravaged disorientated Imperial Navy cruisers and escorts. Such was the horror let loose by the Night Lords that the asteroid field itself soon burned blood red. As the battle for Talledus raged on, more and more incoming Imperial forces vanished in this kill-box. Salvation for the Imperials eventually came in the form of the [[White Scars]] under [[Jodagha Khan]]. Tracking the Night Lords ' movements for several month from the psychic spoor of their victims, the Scars ' stealth cruisers were able to corner the ''Nightmare of Celyx'' and its smaller brethren. The resulting void battle was swift and brutal. The smaller Night Lords force had approched under the cover of asteroids before the White Scars could bring their [[Lancelance]] batteries to bear. The Cruiser cruiser ''[[Thunderstone]]'' was boarded by [[Chaos Raptor]]s before being driven off by White Scars [[Vanguard Infiltrator|Infiltrators]]. As soon as the tide of the battle turned, the Night Lords slipped back into the asteroid fields cover. The Scars attempted to pursue, but were confronted by traps such as Cyclonic mines and rogue astropathic signals that drew them into ambushes.{{Fn|1f}}

However, the Scars were eventually able to use precognition arrays to navigate a path through the haunted darkness. So began a shadow war of escalating brutality as the White Scars attempted to track down the Night Lords. As they hunted the Night Lords, the Scars came upon ambush sites of Raptors and [[Daemon Engine]]s. Scars [[Incursor]]s took a heavy toll clearing out each site, utilizing divinator-class [[auspex]]es to fashion a full-spectrum analysis of the battlefield and disperse this vital data to their [[Battle-Brother]]s. Meanwhile, claws of elite [[Chaos Terminator]]s launched teleportation strikes into the heart of White Scars formations and [[Heldrake]]s prayed upon their dropships in the vaccum of space. Nightmarish [[Warp Talon]]s breached the hulls of Space Marine Cruiserscruisers, running amok in the darkness. Yet for all the efforts of the Night Lords, the Scars were able to continually adapt with remarkable speed. They feigned retreats, drawing the Night Lords into ambushes of their own. Yet even as the battle shifted, the ''Nightmare of Celyx'' could not be hunted down.{{Fn|1f}}