The Emperor during Horus's Heresy
Intro:
Opening
Salutations, lore-lovers, to a dark chapter in the history of the Imperium. Today, we delve into the tragic tale of the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, a time of betrayal and conflict that shook the galaxy to its core. Join us as we uncover the Emperor's struggles against his own sons and the forces of Chaos.
Story:
After the triumphant Ullanor Crusade, the Emperor concluded that He could entrust the Great Crusade's military operations to His most esteemed son, Horus. Horus, the first primarch rediscovered by the Emperor on Cthonia, had fought alongside Him for many years, earning His trust and admiration.
Bestowing upon Horus the unprecedented title of Warmaster, the Emperor withdrew from direct command to focus on crucial projects like the Webway beneath the Imperial Palace. In His absence, the Emperor initiated reforms such as the Council of Terra and the Imperial Tithe, expanding the Imperium's governance beyond the primarchs.
However, this shift in leadership and the Emperor's secrecy regarding His projects stirred resentment among the primarchs. Horus's elevation to Warmaster and the perceived undermining of their authority planted seeds of discord that Chaos would exploit during the Horus Heresy, leading to catastrophic consequences for the Imperium.
Amidst the latter stages of the Great Crusade, dissatisfaction brewed among some of the Emperor's primarch gene-sons, notably fueled by the actions of Lorgar and his Word Bearers Legion. Lorgar, swayed by ancient tales of "the Pilgrimage" and the notion of encountering divine beings in the Warp, embarked on a quest with his Legion to explore these beliefs.
This journey, known as the "Pilgrimage of Lorgar," led them beyond the edges of Imperial space. Lorgar's shift away from Emperor worship stemmed from personal humiliation when the Emperor and the Ultramarines razed Monarchia on Khur, a city venerating the Emperor as a god--a practice contrary to the atheistic Imperial Truth.
Lorgar's disillusionment grew, setting the stage for later Chaos-driven machinations that ultimately ensnared Horus and precipitated the cataclysmic events of the Horus Heresy.
The Emperor's forceful act of compelling the Word Bearers Legion to kneel, combined with their subsequent humiliation on Khur, catalyzed Lorgar's disillusionment with the Imperial Truth. Influenced by Kor Phaeron and Erebus, already swayed by Chaos, Lorgar embarked on a pilgrimage to ascertain the reality of the gods worshipped by Colchis's ancient faith.
Returning to the Great Crusade under false pretenses, Lorgar's Legion covertly pursued their quest, shadowed by Custodians tasked with monitoring their activities. Their journey led them to the Cadia System, near the immense Warp storm known as the Eye of Terror. Here, Lorgar encountered the voices of Chaos entities in the Warp, confirming his suspicions that the varied religions across the galaxy were manifestations of the universal truth--the existence of Chaos. This revelation would set the stage for dark events to come during the Horus Heresy.
The decision was made to hold orbit over Cadia and for the 1301st Fleet's elements to make planetfall on the unknown world, designated as 1301-12. The landing force included Imperial Army, Word Bearers, Legio Custodes, and Legio Cybernetica elements. Led by Lorgar, the landing party encountered barbaric Human tribes with purple eyes, reflecting the color of the nearby Eye of Terror.
Despite objections from Custodian Vendatha, the Word Bearers approached the natives. A strange woman named Ingethel addressed Lorgar directly, welcoming him to Cadia. Ingethel would ultimately lead Lorgar down a path of spiritual enlightenment that marked the beginning of his fall to heresy and Chaos. Later, she transformed into the Daemon Prince known as Ingethel the Ascended and guided the scout vessel Orfeo's Lament into the Eye of Terror. This pivotal encounter set in motion events that would deeply impact the course of the Horus Heresy.
The Serrated Sun Chapter of the Word Bearers Legion witnessed the remnants of the ancient Aeldari Empire within the Eye of Terror, seeing the desolate Crone Worlds and learning a distorted version of how the Chaos God Slaanesh came to be. Ingethel falsely claimed that the Aeldari failed because they could not accept the Primordial Truth--worship of Chaos.
Ingethel warned that for Humanity to survive, they must embrace Chaos. The surviving Word Bearers returned to Cadia and recounted their experiences to Lorgar. After Lorgar's own acceptance by the Chaos Gods, he ordered the planet's destruction to safeguard the secret of the Primordial Truth entrusted to him by Chaos. This drastic action eliminated the original inhabitants and ensured that the truth remained hidden. This pivotal event further cemented Lorgar's descent into heresy and his dedication to Chaos.
The plot thickens as Lorgar and the Word Bearers delve deeper into their devotion to Chaos, becoming the first among the Legiones Astartes to embrace the Ruinous Powers. They spent the remaining years of the Great Crusade trying to sway primarchs to Chaos, including Horus. Lorgar orchestrated events that led to the Horus Heresy, using Erebus to introduce Chaos influences.
Erebus's actions included stealing a Chaos-infected blade and orchestrating Horus's injury by a servant of Nurgle on Davin's moon. This wound was inflicted by an Anathame, a weapon imbued with a deadly toxin from the Plague Lord. Desperate to save Horus, the Luna Wolves turned to the Davinite Lodge Priests of the Temple of the Serpent Lodge, a Chaos-affiliated group on Davin, for help.
During the Horus Heresy, Horus's spirit was deceived in the Immaterium, shown a false vision where the Emperor sought godhood and abandoned his sons and the Imperial Truth. Believing this deception, Horus rebelled against his father, accepting aid from Chaos Undivided.
Corrupting half of the Space Marine Legions, Horus led them in a galaxy-shattering civil war. The conflict culminated in the Siege of Terra, where Traitor Legions assaulted the Imperial Palace. Unable to breach its defenses, Horus, fearing defeat, deliberately dropped the Void Shields of his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, to provoke a final showdown.
During the Horus Heresy, Magnus the Red violated the Edicts of Nikaea to warn the Emperor about Horus' treachery using sorcery. However, the Emperor, misled by Horus, believed Magnus himself had fallen to Chaos. He sent Leman Russ and the Space Wolves to bring Magnus to Terra, but Horus manipulated Russ into attacking Prospero, the Thousand Sons' homeworld.
The assault on Prospero, known as the Fall of Prospero, resulted in the Thousand Sons and Magnus turning to the service of Tzeentch to survive. Additionally, Magnus' sorcery damaged the Emperor's Webway Project, allowing Daemons to breach the portal, forcing the Legio Custodes and Sisters of Silence into a desperate battle to contain them.
Ultimately, only the Emperor's immense psychic power kept the Daemons trapped within the Human-constructed Webway. This event marked a pivotal moment during the Horus Heresy, highlighting the tragic consequences of deception and betrayal among the primarchs.
Amid the turmoil of the Horus Heresy, the Emperor, preoccupied with maintaining the Webway defenses on Terra, communicated with Astropath Kai Zulane, who foresaw the Heresy's outcome. The Emperor confided that He accepted His foreseen fate as the cost of His ambitions for Humanity.
Meanwhile, Primarch Corvus Corax sought the Emperor's guidance after the Raven Guard's devastation. The Emperor imparted Astartes creation secrets to Corax, enabling rapid legion rebuilding, albeit marred by Alpha Legion interference.
After prolonged defense against Magnus' Webway breach, the Emperor, physically fatigued, allowed the Sisters of Silence to power the Golden Throne temporarily using sacrificed psykers. He then ventured into the Webway, banishing the daemon Drach'nyen, sealing the portal, and acknowledging Humanity's bleak future.
As the Heresy culminated with the Traitors' siege of Terra, the Emperor remained bound to the Golden Throne, relying on Malcador's aid. Despite foreseeing Horus' defeat, the Emperor's burden reflected the dire fate looming over the Imperium.
As the final hours of the Siege of Terra unfolded, the Emperor, determined to end the conflict, led a daring assault against Horus aboard the Vengeful Spirit. With Malcador on the Golden Throne, protecting Terra from daemonic incursion, the Emperor teleported with Imperial Fists and Blood Angels to confront Horus on his flagship.
Amid chaos, Sanguinius engaged Horus in combat, sacrificing himself to wound the Warmaster. Eventually reaching Horus, the Emperor faced his son, now empowered by Chaos. Horus embodied monstrous strength and the combined might of the Chaos Gods, while the Emperor represented order and galactic stability.
In the tragic climax of their battle, Horus fatally wounded the Emperor, gravely injuring Him. Despite his love for Horus, the Emperor finally realized the depths of his son's corruption under Chaos when Horus callously killed a loyal Custodes warrior.
This act spurred the Emperor to unleash a devastating psychic attack, obliterating Horus and preventing his resurrection by the Chaos Gods. In his final moments, Horus briefly regained sanity, filled with horror at his actions and gratitude for release before dissolving into the Immaterium.
In his battered state, the Emperor was discovered by Rogal Dorn, who brought Him back to the Imperial Palace. Malcador the Sigillite, exhausted from holding the Golden Throne's portal closed, crumbled to ash upon relinquishing his duty.
Closing Words
Thank you for joining us on this journey through the tumultuous Horus Heresy. If you found this video engaging, remember to like, share, and subscribe. Join our Discord for more lore discussions. Until next time, may the Emperor watch over us all.
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