Tyborc
"By the time I came to Vraks, I had already lived a longer life than I had ever imagined. Like most of my comrades-in-arms, I had gone there to die.
Instead, Vraks was where I was reborn."
 A Colonel of the 261st at the Siege of Vraks, possibly Colonel Tyborc[3a] | |
|---|---|
| Title(s) | The Hero of Fort A-453 |
| Homeworld | Krieg |
| Active Period | 812[3c]-845.M41[3b] |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation(s) | Astra Militarum Colonel |
| Affiliation(s) | |
Tyborc, also known as The Hero of Fort A-453,[3e] was the Astra Militarum Colonel of the Death Korps of Krieg's 261st Krieg Siege Regiment, when it took part in the Siege of Vraks.[1] Even two-hundred years after his service he is still seen as a hero among the Krieg, though no official records on him still exist, and few (if any) Kriegsmen take the name Tyborc anymore. His legend is mainly spread by enlisted Kriegsmen.[4]
Contents
History
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | Siege of Vraks (Novel) |
Fort A-453
"I had nightmarish visions of dying in my bed, an aged, feeble husk - and, for the first time, i am ashamed to say, I doubted that I was where the Emperor wanted me to be.
Could this truly have been His plan for me?"
Tyboc was the Captain of 9th Company[3e] of the 261st when he first deployed to Vraks between 812.M41 and 815.M41.[3c] Tyborc's first notable action in the war was the capture of Fort A-453. Tyborc and the men under his command took the traitor fort after a successful assault, and then managed to hold it for three days until being relieved.[3d] By the time reinforcements arrived, only eight of Tyborc’s men were still alive and Tyborc himself was injured.[3g] Tyborc was subsequently taken to a medicae facility to receive treatment. It was during this time that Tyborc first met Confessor Agnae Tenaxus. Tenaxus had dubbed Tyborc The Hero of Fort A-453[3e], a title that Tyborc was uncomfortable with.[2] Tenaxus tried to convince Tyborc that being a hero could inspire other Kriegsmen.[3e]
Tyborc's Return to Service
"In some ways, Captain Tyborc, you and I are not so different. We desire, most of all, to make a difference. On occasion we have felt ourselves helpless to do so."
Tyborc was bedbound for some time, but eventually returned to limited duties. While behind the lines he sought out Confessor Tenaxus again. During Tyborc’s absence, some of his men had been killed during an attack carried out by mutants. Tyborc confided in Tenaxus that he felt some frustration at not having died with his men due to his absence.[3g]
When Tyborc returned to the trenches two weeks later, he found that his veteran Watchmaster had been replaced by a Watchmaster from the 3rd Company. Tyborc told his Watchmaster that he wished he had been present during the mutant attack. The Watchmaster exclaimed that if 'The Hero of Fort A-453' had been present he could have saved many lives. Tyborc was repulsed by this, and stated he only wished he had been present so he could have died with his men.[3g]
Tyborc begun to meet regularly with Confessor Tenaxus. Their talks begun to make him question his view on service to the Emperor. He begun to value his life, and saw that he could serve the Emperor by doing more than just dying.[3h] Over time Tenaxus would become a confidant to Tyborc, and the two developed a deep trust.[3i]
Tyborc was shot and injured again during an offensive in 822.M41.[3j]
The Green Hell Offensive
"When gods and monsters clasehed above our heads, what did our efforts matter in the least?
What difference could our tiny, fragile lives possibly make - and who would even care to remember that we tried?."
On 509.826.M41 Tyborc was promoted to Colonel of the 261st Krieg Siege Regiment, following the demise of his predecessor. The same year, Inquisitors of the Ordo Malleus were attached to each Death Korps regiment at Vraks.[3l] Before the next large offensive, which was to be led by Inquisitor Lord Thor Malkin, Tyborc began to reflect that he no longer craved death as he once did. While far from a coward, he was now aware that he could serve the Emperor by living just as much as by dying.[3m]
On the fifth day of the offensive, Tyborc's regiment marched into the Green Hell, an area of Vraks overrun by Death Guard Marines and the taint of Nurgle. Here he battled Plague Ogryns and the dead of his own regiment. Tyborc killed the zombie that had previously been Colonel Keled of the 19th Krieg Siege Regiment.[3n] After this battle Confessor Tenaxus confirmed to Tyborc that daemons were present on Vraks. Tyborc had tried to speak to Colonel 262, but the 262nd's Colonel was unwilling to speak of the daemons his unit had encountered.[3o]
During this period daemons began to feature in Tyborc’s dreams. Prompted by Confessor Tenaxus's words, Tyborc now believed that he was a hero; that he could inspire his men and perhaps even be an heir to Colonel Jurten.[3o]
The Murder Slopes
"I first met Inquisitor Lord Rex when he sentenced me to death."
By the end of 829.M41 Inquisitor Lord Hector Rex could see the long war's end was finally in sight. He met personally with Tyborc and charged him with leading the assault up the Murder Slopes to attack the Citadel Gate. Tyborc deeply respected Lord Rex, and felt relieved that he finally had a chance to die in battle, but to do so while making a difference.[3q]
The weeks leading up to the attack kept Tyborc busy. When the attack finally started, Tyborc was initially confined to the command bunker. He was desperate to lead the assault himself, as he had done at Fort A-453. The assault ground to a bloody halt as the Gorgon Armoured Assault Transports of the 261st were either destroyed or bogged down. As night fell Tyborc led the fourth, and final, wave of the assault on the Gate. He was accompanied by Leman Russ Battle Tanks, Atlas Recovery Vehicles and Grenadiers. Tyborc took the banner of the 261st with him up the 'Murder Slopes'.[3q]
Tyborc fought against all manor of foes on the 'Murder Slopes', even managing to kill a Chaos Space Marine. However, the success Tyborc had bought would soon be quickly reversed. Thunder and lightning filled the sky and soon daemons took to the field. The Krieg under his command begun to flee the field of battle, though those who could see the Hero of Fort A-453 stood their ground. Yet, as others began to retreat towards the 269th, Tyborc knew they would be fighting fellow Kriegsmen, and so, he gave the order to retreat. His commissar pulled his pistol, but found himself unable to execute Tyborc. The entire 261st fled the battle, their banner being lost in the retreat.[3q]
Colonel Tyborc was among the 261st's few survivors. His decision to order a retreat led to mercy being shown to the rank and file Korpsmen who fled the field,[3q] but the 261st could no longer function as a Regiment. They were instead folded into the 30th Line Korps' three other Regiments (the 262nd, 263rd, and 269th),[1] while Colonel Tyborc was taken into Inquisitor Lord Rex's custody.[3s]
Inquisitorial Service
"I can see how the stories told to the Krieg, my people, condition us to think ourselves unworthy, to see ourselves as somehow less than human. I also see why this is wholly necessary, for how else could we accept our appointed role...
How else could we ever find redemption?"
Tyborc's retreat had destroyed his image as a hero among the Krieg; even those who didn't know what had happened now refused to speak of him.[3u] Tyborc spent weeks confined to quarters, where his only visitor was Inquisitor Lord Thor Malkin. Tyborc was confused to find that Malkin was understanding of Tyborc's decisions on the 'Murder Slopes'. Tyborc expressed a desire to speak with Confessor Agnae Tenaxus, but was told she was unavailable.[3w] In reality she was dead.[3t]
Another week passed before Tyborc was brought a fresh uniform and summoned by Inquisitor Lord Rex.[3w] Tyborc had been promoted to the General Staff.[1] He felt this must have an administrative error.[3w] But Tyborc would once more take to the field of battle. Some among the Krieg saw him once again as a hero.[3v] However, this opinion was not shared by Krieg High Command, who still wished him executed for cowardice. Lord Rex felt that Tyborc would be far more useful on his staff and so permanently seconded Tyborc to the Ordo Malleus.[3w]
Legacy
After the conclusion of the Siege of Vraks, little is known as to what became of Tyborc. Yet 200 years later, his story is still passed down among the Korpsmen in the field, who revere him as a hero for the lives he saved at the siege's climax in defiance of orders (although his actions were considered to be officially discouraged and no Krieg is known to have taken the name Tyborc in his honour). According to Krieg legend, Tyborc lived out the remainder of his days in service to an inquisitor lord.[4]
See also
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three, pgs. 41–46
- 2: Siege of Vraks (Audiobook) - Chapter IV, ca 02h:06m:27s
- 3: Siege of Vraks (Novel):
- 3a, front cover
- 3b - Act One - Opening Shots, pg. 13
- 3c - Chapter II, pg. 33
- 3d - Chapter II, pgs. 42-46
- 3e - Chapter II, pgs. 46-50
- 3f - Act Two - The Grind, pg. 71
- 3g - Chapter IV, pgs. 73-77
- 3h - Chapter IV, pgs. 77-80
- 3i - Chapter IV, pgs. 87-88
- 3j - Chapter IV, pg. 90
- 3k - Act Three - Imperial Armour, pg. 129
- 3l - Chapter IX, pgs. 170-171
- 3m - Chapter IX, pg. 172
- 3n - Chapter IX, pgs. 173-180
- 3o - Chapter IX, pgs. 180-185
- 3p - Act Four - War of Faith, pg. 187
- 3q - Chapter XII, pgs. 225-242
- 3r - Act Five - The Emperor Triumphant, pg. 245
- 3s - Chapter XIII, pgs. 247-248
- 3t - Chapter XIII, pg. 264
- 3u - Chapter XIV, pg. 271
- 3v - Chapter XIV, pgs. 278-279
- 3w - Chapter XV, pgs. 283-300
- 4: The Relentless Dead (Novel) (Hard Cover): Chapter XIV, pgs. 176-177
