27,542
edits
Changes
From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
sps
The Horus Heresy truly began after [[Horus]] was wounded by the stolen [[Anathame]] on the moon of [[Davin]], a place that was cursed by the foul [[Chaos God]] [[Nurgle]]. The wound caused by the blade refused to heal, despite Horus' super-enhanced immune system or the efforts of the [[Sons of Horus]]' best [[apothecary|apothecaries]]. While ill, Horus was taken for healing by the Davinites.
During the rituals, Horus' spirit was transferred into the [[Warp]] where the corrupted [[chaplain]] [[Erebus]], disguised as the Warmaster's closest friend [[Hastur Sejanus]], showed him a terrible vision of the very future which his actions would bring about - the [[Imperium]] as a repressive, violent and superstitious regime where the [[Emperor]] and some of the Primarchs (but not Horus) were worshiped worshipped as divine beings by the fanatical and ignorant masses of humanity. The Chaos Gods portrayed themselves as the victims of the Emperor's psychic might who had no interest themselves in controlling the material world. Horus, already having grown jealous and deeply resentful of his perceived poor treatment at the hands of his father the Emperor, proved all too willing to accept the Ruinous Powers' false visions of an Emperor determined to make himself a god at Horus' expense.
But there was one thing no one had counted on: Horus's brother [[Magnus the Red]], [[Primarch]] of the [[Thousand Sons]], had continued to study the forbidden arts of [[sorcery]], and was not about to let his brother fall to the powers of the Warp. The cyclopean Cyclopean giant appeared within Horus's vision, revealing the chaplain's identity and begging Horus not to give in to the temptations of Chaos. Unfortunately, the Primarch's voice of reason was left unheard. Horus had decided that if anyone deserved to be worshipped as a god it was he, and not the Emperor. He accepted the offer of the Chaos Gods to join their cause and in return they healed his wound and granted him the powers of the Warp. The Chaos Gods' pact with Horus was simple: "Give us the Emperor and we will give you the galaxy".
== Swaying The Legions ==
[[Angron]] of the [[World Eaters]], [[Fulgrim]] of the [[Emperor's Children]] and [[Mortarion]] of the [[Death Guard]] were to be the first of the primarchs to side with the Warmaster. Horus found it easy exploit the Primarchs' flaws - Angron's frenzied love of violence was a match for Khorne; Fulgrim was corrupted by a [[daemon weapon]] of [[Slaanesh]] and its promise of unending perfection; Mortarion, already a close friend of his brother's, was too easily persuaded, having been turned long before the Heresy through the efforts of his first captain [[Typhus|Calas Typhon]]. [[Erebus]] had already vouched for the support of [[Lorgar]] and the [[Word Bearers]], and with these legions at his side Horus's plans began to come together.
[[Magnus]], however, had yet to be dealt with. The Primarch was aware of his brother's fall, and attempted to forewarn the Emperor of the impending betrayal. However, knowing that he would have to find a means of quickly warning the Emperor, Magnus decided to use his sorcery to deliver the message as an act of both desperation and vindication. The message penetrated the psychic defenses defences of the [[Imperial Palace]] on [[Terra]], shattering all the psychic wards the Emperor had placed on the Palace. Having already outlawed the primarch's use of sorcery and refusing to believe that Horus, his most beloved and trusted son, would betray him, the Emperor instead perceived the traitor to be Magnus and his Legion.
The Emperor ordered the Primarch [[Leman Russ (Primarch)|Leman Russ]] to mobilize his [[Space Wolves]] Legion and take Magnus into custody; Horus, however, persuaded his brother Russ that Magnus was a threat and should not return to Terra alive. The Wolves of Fenris descended upon [[Prospero]], destroying all in their path. Magnus, defeated and forsaken by his beloved father, retreated into the Warp and pledged himself to [[Tzeentch]]. The Thousand Sons had never planned to join Horus, but the trap that the Changer of Ways had laid for the Red Sorcerer's legion led them to the Warmaster's side regardless.
The first sign that Horus and his Legion had turned to Chaos was made evident when Horus virus bombed the rebel world of [[Isstvan III]]. The Planetary Governor of Isstvan III had declared his independence from the Imperium, and the Council of Terra charged Horus with the retaking of that world. This order merely furthered Horus' plans. Although the four Legions under his direct command had turned Traitor, there were still some Loyalist elements within the Sons of Horus, World Eaters, and Death Guard; many of these were Terran Space Marines who had been recruited before being reunited with their Primarchs. Horus, under the guise of his orders, amassed his troops in the Isstvan System.
Horus had a plan by which he would destroy all Loyalist elements of the Legions at his command. After a lengthy bombardment, Horus dispatched all Loyalist Marines down to the planet, with the pretense pretence of bringing it back into the Imperium. At the moment of victory, however, these Marines were betrayed when virus bombs began to rain down on the planet. However, some Marines loyal to the Emperor had remained on board their ships, and as Isstvan III died, these soldiers fought desperately to warn their brethren on the surface. Their sacrifice saved many Space Marines, as they were able to take shelter before the virus bombs struck. The population of Isstvan III received no such protection. Twelve billion people died almost immediately. The psychic shock of so many simultaneous deaths shrieked through the Warp. A contingent of Loyalists led by [[Captain Garro]] of the Death Guard escaped the fleet orbiting Isstvan III aboard the damaged vessel called [[Eisenstein]], and fled to Terra to warn the Emperor.
Angron, realizing that the virus bombs had not been fully effective against the Loyalist Marines, flew into a rage and hurled himself at the planet with 50 Companies of Marines. Horus was furious at Angron for delaying his plans, yet reluctantly reinforced him with troops from the Sons of Horus, the Death Guard, and the Emperor's Children. On Isstvan III, the remaining Loyalists, under the command of [[Saul Tarvitz]], fought bravely against their own traitorous battle-brothers. But their cause was doomed. Soon only a few hundred of them remained until, finally, Horus grew unable to tolerate the delay and forced Angron to withdraw his forces, and ordered a systematic orbital bombardment that killed Isstvan III's last brave survivors.
Only a few Loyalist Space Marines, bearing the gene-seed of their fallen brothers and carrying the critically wounded Corax, managed to escape. A loyal Primarch had fallen in battle, another was severely wounded, and a third was missing in action. Vulcan was missing, and how he ultimately managed to survive and to escape is quite unclear. It was disastrous news for the Emperor and the Imperium.
==The Siege of Terra and the aftermath of the Heresy==
The Traitor Marines laid waste to their former allies' holdings along the way to [[Terra]]. Throughout the Imperium, rebel and loyal forces battled. Horus and his forces destroyed [[Luna]]'s naval bases, and within 30 days had destroyed the Terran system's defensesdefences. Terra was bombarded and devastated, and eventually, the corrupted Marines landed on Terra, experiencing heavy resistance from the forces defending Terra (among these loyalists were Blood Angels, Imperial Fists and White Scars). The loyalists were outnumbered, and the battle for Terra turned into a siege of the [[Imperial Palace]]. By the 55th day the rebels had reached the walls of the Inner Palace. Horus, who had remained in orbit aboard his battle barge, was at that point warned that the rest of the loyalist Legions were returning to Terra and would arrive in hours. The Ultramarines were pushing their way to Terra, along with the Space Wolves and the Dark Angels. If this were to happen, Horus' advantage in numbers would be diminished. He let down the force field protecting his battle barge, to lure the Emperor in a final battle that would decide the war.
The [[Emperor]] saw this opportunity and teleported to the Warmaster's battle barge with two of his [[Primarch]]s, Terminator armoured Marines of their Legion as well as members of the Custodes.
Upon teleporting, the Emperor's forces were scattered through the ship, and were forced to battle their way to find each other. Sanguinius found Horus first. Horus was at the height of his powers, and Sanguinius was slain. Horus stood over the Primarch's body as the Emperor found the Warmaster. The Emperor was successful in defeating Horus, but he himself was mortally wounded. The Emperor survived long enough to be transferred to the [[Golden Throne]] - a strange mechanism that would allow him to survive forever in a state of undeath.
After the death of Horus the heresy broke apart, and the remaining Chaos Space Marines retreated into the [[Eye of Terror]], from which they periodically launch [[Black Crusade]]s into the Imperium led by [[Abaddon the Despoiler]], who is rumored rumoured to be the clone-son of Horus.
''Horus Heresy is also the title of a collectible card game produced by [[Sabertooth Games]], and an out of print [[Games Workshop]] game, both based on these events.''
