Tanhelm Crusade
The Tanhelm Crusade is a Black Templars Crusade, that is commanded by Marshal Maxim.[1]
The symbol of the Crusade is a badge of chains that signify the duty that draws its warrior forth along its bloody path.[1]
History
He launched the Crusade in M42 after receiving visions from the Emperor, which bade Maxim to find the lost Black Sword of the Emperor's Champion Leinhert. According to Maxim's visions, the precious relic was located in the Kerabdim Nebula, which his later research revealed lies close to the New Kingdom created by the Daemon Primarch Magnus. There were also numerous tales of the Aeldari attached to the region. Now forewarned that he would likely face the sorcery of the Thousand Sons and Aeldari, Maxim assembled an elite force of Black Templars to face them. This included an unusually great number of Hellblasters and Devastators, to protect his Crusader Squads as they get in range of their foes. The Marshal also recruited lots of Chaplains to protect the Crusade's minds and souls from their foes Psychic abilities.[1]
The Lightbearer Strike Cruiser was selected to transport the Crusade and Marshal Maxim, brought 4 Navigators to ensure they reached the Kerabdim Nebula. Their journey began, but in the Urkori Strait, the Crusade had to stop to take their Astrogational bearings. However this allowed the Lightbearer to be attacked and boarded by Ork Freebooters. Maxim led a furious counter-offensive that repulsed the Freebooters, before the Black Templars boarded and scuttled the Orks' warship. Before he returned to the Strike Cruiser, though, the Marshal found strange evidence on the Orks' bridge. It revealed that the Freebooters had been purposely directed against the Lightbearer by some shadowy third party. Afterwards the Crusade resumed their quest, but the Lightbearer was later boarded by Daemons as they traveled through the Warp. The Crusade's Navigator attempted to bring the Strike Cruiser out of the Warp, but was killed before he could do so. This led Maxim and his Chaplains to hold the Daemons back, while one of their other Navigators brought them out of the Warp, which banished the invaders. When they finally reached the Kerabdim Nebula, the Tanhelm Crusade became repeatedly attacked by Aeldari warhosts. Even as the Crusade fought the Xenos, though, the Aeldari struck and faded away; as if they already knew where and how the Black Templars would fight.[1]
The Tanhelm Crusade was also struck by strange phenomena that warped their passage of time and perceptions of reality. It soon became clear that both the Aeldari and the worshipers of Tzeentch, sought to prevent the Crusade from completing their mission. Yet Marshal Maxim and the Tanhelm Crusade fought on through one battle after another, overcoming any foe before them. With each victory, the Crusade draws closer to recovering the Lost Blade of Leinhert and completing the mission given to them by the Emperor.[1]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Black Templars (9th Edition), pgs. 26-27 - Tanhelm Crusade
