Primarch Ferrus Manus
Ferrus Manus, known as "The Gorgon," was the primarch of the Iron Hands Space Marine Legion. A master smith, he created awe-inspiring weapons like the sword for Fulgrim, primarch of the Emperor's Children, and a dragon-mouthed bolter for Vulkan, primarch of the Salamanders.
Opening
Ferrus' hands were coated in necrodermis, allowing him to shape molten metal without tools. His closest bond was with Fulgrim, but this ended tragically when Fulgrim fell to Chaos during the Horus Heresy.
At the Drop Site Massacre on Istvaan V, Fulgrim decapitated Ferrus with a daemonic sword, marking his irreversible path to becoming a Daemon Prince of Slaanesh.
Welcome, lore-lovers, to Liandrug, your portal into the rich tapestry of Warhammer 40,000 lore. Today, we delve into a tale that encapsulates tragedy, betrayal, and redemption among the stalwart Iron Hands Legion. Join us as we uncover the birth and downfall of the enigmatic daemon, the Sapphire King, and witness how the Iron Hands faced their darkest hour on the blood-soaked fields of Gaudinia Prime.
The Chronicle
At the dawn of the Imperium of Man, before the Great Crusade, the 20 gene-children of the Emperor, the Primarchs, were scattered across the galaxy by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. Their gestation capsules were stolen from the Emperor's secret lab beneath the Himalayan Mountains on Terra and flung across thousands of light years, landing on various human colony planets. This touch of Chaos may have corrupted many Primarchs, setting the stage for the Horus Heresy.
One Primarch, Ferrus Manus, landed on the unstable Feral World of Medusa near the Eye of Terror. His capsule impacted the highest mountain, Karaashi, shattering it and causing massive upheaval. Emerging fully grown, Ferrus became a great warrior among the nomadic clans of Medusa, performing superhuman feats and slaying legendary monsters, including the silver wyrm Asirnoth. The creature's necrodermis permanently coated Ferrus' hands and forearms, earning him the name "Iron Hand."
Ferrus, known as the Gorgon, united the Medusan clans through force and demanded obedience. He exchanged his technological knowledge with the Iron Fathers, the clans' spiritual and technological leaders, to help them forge better weapons. Leading warriors into ancient vaults, Ferrus fought mutants and cyborgs, reclaiming powerful relics.
When the Emperor found Ferrus Manus, he was already a warlord. Transitioning quickly to command the Xth Legion, he reorganized it, merging Medusan and Terran elements. The Legion, renamed the Iron Hands, dominated Medusa, with the Astartes seen as demigods. Ferrus ensured only the strongest recruits joined his Legion by maintaining Medusa's harsh conditions and exacting tithes of strong youths from conquered worlds.
The installation of the Iron Hands on Medusa perpetuated its harsh, warlike culture, ensuring only the most fit recruits joined the Legion. This ruthless integration forged the Xth Legion into a weapon of unparalleled strength and discipline.
The bond between Primarchs Fulgrim and Ferrus Manus, known as the Phoenician and the Gorgon, was legendary during the Great Crusade. They first met beneath Mount Narodnya in the Urals, where Ferrus Manus was working with forge-masters who once served the Terrawatt Clan. Fulgrim arrived with his elite Phoenix Guard, and despite never having met, they felt a connection through their shared origins.
Ferrus Manus later recounted that Fulgrim boasted he would forge the most perfect weapon for the Great Crusade. Ferrus laughed and challenged him, leading to a friendly competition. For weeks, they worked tirelessly, exchanging good-natured insults. Fulgrim forged the warhammer Forgebreaker, capable of leveling mountains, while Ferrus created the golden sword Fireblade, burning with forge fire. Each Primarch declared the other's weapon superior and they swapped, sealing their friendship.
Forgebreaker, the warhammer Ferrus received, was a masterpiece, its haft ebony with gold and silver threads forming a lightning bolt, and the head shaped like an eagle. It radiated power and symbolized their bond.
Ferrus Manus, called The Gorgon, was named so not for his appearance but as an affectionate nickname from Fulgrim. After meeting Fulgrim, Ferrus joined him at the Imperial Palace where Sanguinius of the Blood Angels presented exquisite gifts. Fulgrim was enthralled, but Ferrus dismissed them as distractions. Fulgrim called him a "terrible gorgon," a name that stuck.
Ferrus preferred function over art, focusing on their mission rather than beauty. This pragmatic view set him apart, but his bond with Fulgrim remained strong, founded on mutual respect and shared experiences.
Torn between his people on Medusa and the needs of the greater Imperium, Ferrus Manus eventually accepted command of the Xth Legion, renamed the Iron Hands in honor of his necrodermis-covered hands. They quickly joined the Emperor's Great Crusade, becoming the heart of the 52nd Expeditionary Fleet. The Iron Hands, drawing new Aspirants from Medusa, fought valiantly across the galaxy, believing deeply in the Emperor's mission to unite humanity. They viewed internal divisions as the greatest threat and often culled populations that resisted the Emperor's rule.
During the latter part of the Great Crusade, the Iron Hands encountered the Diasporex, a nomadic civilization of humans and xenos. Offering the humans a chance to join the Imperium, the Iron Hands' offer was rejected, leading them to pass judgment and attempt to annihilate the Diasporex. Despite their skill in naval warfare, the Diasporex managed to evade and damage the Iron Hands' Strike Cruiser Ferrum. Reinforced by the Emperor's Children of the 28th Expeditionary Fleet, the Iron Hands launched an all-out assault.
The Diasporex, reliant on hidden solar collectors for fuel, were forced into open battle when these stations were attacked. During the ensuing battle, Fulgrim's gunship, the Firebird, came under attack. Ferrus Manus rushed to his brother's aid with his flagship, Fist of Iron. Fulgrim, resenting Ferrus' intervention, led a boarding action to restore his pride, but ultimate victory eluded him when a subordinate took the enemy ship's bridge.
Fulgrim's resentment grew, unable to understand Ferrus' altruism due to the malignant influence of the daemon-possessed Laer blade he carried. He saw self-aggrandizement in Ferrus' actions, misinterpreting his brother's jests and critical comments. As Chaos began to claim Fulgrim's soul, he spitefully dismissed Ferrus' courageous deeds as prideful boasts.
As Warmaster Horus began his rebellion on Istvaan III, Fulgrim was tasked with persuading his old friend Ferrus Manus to join the Traitor Legions. While the bulk of his IIIrd Legion headed to meet Horus in the Istvaan System, Fulgrim and a small force assisted the Iron Hands' 52nd Expeditionary Fleet in retaking Callinedes IV from Orks. Confident in their long-standing friendship, Fulgrim believed he could convince Ferrus of Horus' cause.
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However, their meeting aboard Ferrus' flagship, the Fist of Iron, in the Anvilarium, went disastrously wrong. Ferrus was outraged at the betrayal and attacked Fulgrim. Attempting to destroy Fulgrim's golden sword Fireblade with his necrodermis hands, Ferrus caused an explosion that knocked him unconscious.
Fulgrim, unable to kill his friend despite the daemon's promptings, took the warhammer Forgebreaker and left Fireblade behind. He then ordered his Phoenix Guard to kill Ferrus' elite Morlocks Terminators and nearly slew First Captain Gabriel Santor. Fulgrim fled aboard his assault craft, the Firebird, while ordering the Emperor's Children ships to attack the Iron Hands' fleet. This surprise assault crippled the 52nd Expeditionary Fleet, allowing Fulgrim and his forces to escape into the Warp to join the 28th Expeditionary Fleet in the Istvaan System.
Overcome with mind-numbing rage at Fulgrim's treachery, Ferrus Manus and his warriors eagerly received the Emperor's orders through Rogal Dorn. The Iron Hands, along with the Raven Guard and Salamanders Legions, were to confront Horus and his lieutenants on the world of Istvaan V and crush them utterly. Following their initial attack would be a second wave comprising the Night Lords, Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion, and a contingent from the Word Bearers Legions.
The Imperial fleet achieved orbit over Istvaan V, and the Loyalist Legions began their planetary deployment. Thousands of Drop Pods and Stormbirds descended for the assault. Ferrus Manus, alongside his Legion, the Iron Hands, and the Salamanders led by Vulkan and the Raven Guard under Corax, formed the first wave. Vulkan's Legion assaulted the left flank, Ferrus Manus and his elite Morlock Terminators attacked the center, and Corax's Legion hit the right flank. Despite being outnumbered, the Loyalists fought valiantly against the 30,000 defending Traitor Astartes.
The battlefield of Istvaan V turned into a slaughterhouse. Treacherous warriors twisted by hatred fought their former brothers-in-arms with unparalleled bitterness. Titan war engines of the Machine God walked the planet's surface, bringing death in their wake. The Dark Mechanicum's perversions of ancient technology wreaked havoc among the Loyalists. Hundreds died every second, and the Traitor forces, though bending, held the line under the fury of the first Loyalist assault.
As the second wave of Space Marine Legions descended upon the landing zone on the northern edge of the Urgall Depression, they revealed their true allegiance. The Night Lords, Iron Warriors, Word Bearers, and Alpha Legion, now sworn to Chaos and Horus, represented a force larger than the initial Loyalist assault. The unbloodied Traitor Legions mustered in the landing zone, ready for battle.
Despite securing the drop site, the Loyalists suffered heavy losses. Overwhelmed with rage, Ferrus Manus disregarded Corax and Vulkan's counsel and charged against the fleeing rebels, seeking Fulgrim. His veteran troops, including the majority of the Xth Legion's Terminators and Dreadnoughts, followed. The clash on the dusky plains of Istvaan V became one of the largest engagements of the entire Great Crusade, involving over 60,000 Astartes warriors.
Fulgrim observed his brother's attack with a smile, seeing Ferrus as a figure of vengeance. For a brief moment, Fulgrim thought Ferrus might pause to join the Raven Guard and Salamanders, but Ferrus' sense of honor drove him forward. The Iron Hands pushed through the defenses, their black armor and burnished plates stained with enemy blood. Fulgrim's smile faltered as he recognized the depth of Ferrus' hatred. The Phoenix Guard braced to meet the Iron Hands' charge, their golden halberds ready. The clash was intense, with electric fire leaping from the halberds and Lightning Claws, creating a storm of light and sound.
Amid the carnage, Ferrus Manus and Fulgrim's final confrontation approached. Ferrus, untouched by the chaos, strode through the battlefield, driven by dreams of this moment since Fulgrim's betrayal. Their rivalry, once rooted in brotherhood, would end only in death.
Ferrus taunted Fulgrim for his betrayal of the Emperor and siding with Horus. He believed his brother was mad, thinking Horus' forces defeated and that the power of the remaining four Legions would soon crush their rebellion. Fulgrim, unable to contain himself any longer, savored the moment, revealing to Ferrus the true extent of their situation. Pointing to the northern edge of the Urgall Depression, Fulgrim made Ferrus realize that it was they, the Loyalists, who were trapped. Ferrus looked and saw a force larger than the initial attackers, mustered and ready for battle.
Meanwhile, Corax and Vulkan led their forces back to the drop site to regroup and allow the recently arrived Legions to claim their share of glory in defeating Horus. As they approached the landing zone, voxing hails for medical aid and supplies, the line of Astartes on the northern ridge remained silent. It was then that Horus sprung his lethal trap. A flare shot skyward from Horus' lair, exploding in a hellish red glow. The second wave of Astartes, revealing their true loyalties to Chaos, opened fire on the unsuspecting Loyalists. Ferrus watched in horror as Fulgrim laughed at his brother's realization, witnessing the carnage as hundreds of Salamanders and Raven Guard were cut down in the initial volleys of fire.
Chaos reigned on the battlefield as the retreating forces of the Warmaster turned to attack the Loyalists from within. The Iron Hands, despite their valor, were hopelessly outnumbered and faced the combined onslaught of World Eaters, Sons of Horus, and Death Guard. Ferrus Manus, filled with volcanic fury, turned to confront fulgrim. The two primarchs clashed with weapons forged in brotherhood, now wielded in vengeance. Ferrus fought with fiery slashes from fireblade, while fulgrim countered with forgebreaker, each blow a testament to their immense strength and deep hatred.
The brutal duel saw both primarchs wounding each other deeply. Ferrus, gasping in pain, staggered toward fulgrim, intent on delivering a final blow. However, Fulgrim, empowered by the daemonically-possessed laer sword, surged with chaotic strength. He blocked ferrus' attack and struck back, the silver blade biting deep into ferrus' armor. Ferrus fell to his knees, Fireblade slipping from his grasp.
As Fulgrim prepared to deliver the deathblow, he hesitated, overcome by the horror of his actions and the monstrous betrayal he had committed. He tried to release the damnable blade but found his grip locked. in a desperate, slow-motion moment, Ferrus reached for his fallen sword, the flames reigniting at his touch. Yet, fulgrim's daemon sword, moving with a will of its own, swung down, decapitating ferrus manus.
Ferrus Manus was dead, slain by his own brother. The Iron Hands were nearly annihilated, but a small group managed to escape the Traitors' trap. The Xth Legion was shattered, both in body and spirit, and would play no further significant role in the Horus Heresy as they attempted to recover from their critical losses at the Drop Site Massacre.
The fate of Ferrus Manus remained a mystery to the Legion. His last known position was overrun, and no body was ever recovered. While enemies proclaimed him dead, the Iron Hands refused to accept it. Legends told of his body being rescued and restored, possibly residing on Mars, though the Iron Hands themselves violently refuted these claims. The loss of their Primarch left the Iron Hands despondent, their despair deepening further with the news of the Emperor's fall during the titanic battle with Horus. For the next 10,000 years, the sons of Ferrus Manus would draw strength from their bitterness, awaiting the day of their Primarch's return with unwavering devotion.
At the moment when Fulgrim struck down Ferrus Manus, decapitating him in a blaze of tragic betrayal, a malevolent entity known as the Sapphire King was born. This daemon emerged from the psychic aftermath of Ferrus Manus' death, fueled by the Primarch's profound emotions--his pride, anger, and the deep shame of betrayal. From its inception, the Sapphire King thrived on the repressed emotions of the Iron Hands Legion. It fed on their inner turmoil, bound to their fate as it goaded them towards damnation, tempting them to forsake their humanity in pursuit of an unattainable perfection.
In the aftermath of campaigns against the Orks on Columnus and debates over Iron Father Kristos' leadership, dissent simmered among the Iron Council. By 460.M41, as the Kristosian Conclave reached its apex, the Sapphire King saw an opportunity. Each Iron Hand carried within them a dormant seed of repressed passion, a volatile mix that threatened to consume them from within. Sensing this vulnerability, the daemon set a trap on Gaudinia Prime. Iron Father Kristos, rallying a vast force of over eight hundred Iron Hands, led the Chapter's largest deployment in centuries against the planet.
As the Iron Hands clashed with the daemonic forces on Gaudinia Prime, chaos erupted. Kristos and his followers, known as Kristosians, succumbed to the lure of Slaanesh's promises, embracing forbidden technologies that corrupted them further. Daemons poured forth, and the Sapphire King itself emerged amidst the carnage, a jewel-adorned horror ready to claim its prey.
However, amidst the onslaught, Iron Father Kardan Stronos had an epiphany. He realized that their attempts to suppress their emotions had only made them vulnerable to Chaos. Ordering his brethren to unleash their suppressed rage, Stronos led the charge against the daemonic hordes. The Iron Hands, unshackling their fury, unleashed a torrent of righteous anger upon their foes. The Sapphire King, which had thrived on their repression, shrieked in rage as it faced the full force of their unleashed emotions. In a spectacular display of defiance, the Iron Hands obliterated the daemonic forces, driving them back with a ferocity born of desperation and newfound clarity.
In the aftermath, the Iron Hands purged Gaudinia Prime with orbital bombardments, ensuring that the taint of Chaos was eradicated. The Sapphire King was vanquished, and the surviving remnants of the Emperor's Children were left in ruins. The Iron Hands, scarred but resolute, learned a bitter lesson about the dangers of denying their emotions. They vowed to forge a new path, one where their humanity and their strength were not at odds but intertwined, a testament to their resilience and determination in the face of the Warp's darkest temptations.
Closing Words
And there you have it, lore-lovers! The saga of Ferrus Manus and the Iron Hands unfolds with all its tragic glory. If you found this video insightful, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to Liandrug for more Warhammer 40,000 lore explorations. Join our Discord community linked below to engage in discussions, share your thoughts, and connect with fellow lore-lovers. Until next time, may the Emperor protect you.
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