By Alliben Ruair

Subject: Traitor legions Thousand Sons, World Eaters, unknown others.

Battlefield: Prospero

Most high and noble master, I have compiled the report of Prospero from my journal entries recorded during the war.  My most humble apologies for my lack of knowledge on the Traitor legions, cursed be they and their corrupted lives be short.  I remain your most loyal servant and worshipper of the Great Emperor of Mankind, blessed be his name forever…

Day one:  The forces of chaos (may they be forever banished) launched a surprise attack on the Imperial outpost of Rak’ Haden.  Traitor marines of the Thousand Sons legion, World Eaters, and Night Lords landed from their drop pods at 14:00 1 mile from this stronghold of our most beneficent emperor along with several marines in defaced suits of tactical dreadnaght armour.  Immediately they began to form into organized ranks defaming the knowledge which the emperor himself, blessed be he forever, granted unto them in the days of their obedience and loyalty.  Our heavy weapons opened fire on them from afar whilst Blood Angels left the shelter of our guarded rock of the emperor’s design to be guided by his light.  Reinforcements were called upon from the nearby Imperial world of Cadia.  Neither side was yet in range to hit as the lances of the emperor missed their targets despite the accuracy of our targeting systems.  Our prayer was to the emperor in thanks of the honor of fighting his most despised enemies. 

Day two:  More of the unholy enemies of the most righteous Imperium of Man arrived to aid their brothers in the form of vehicles.  Bikers of Chaos and corrupted Predators and Rhinos now roamed the land.  They were led by Ahriman of the Thousand Sons himself.  A blasphemous traitor who’s sins include the practice of forbidden magic and the worship of forbidden gods among hundreds others.  Several Traitor marines moved exceedingly quickly and reached combat with a Blood Angel’s assault squad.  They had obviously undergone many transformations hideously deforming their features turning them into beasts of the warp.  Their bodies had all developed weapons of sorts and they made short work of the noble defenders of humanity who opposed them.  Not without casualty, however, as three of their number fell to the chainswords of the emperor.  They had come within range of our heavy weapons by this time and many of their number were purged from the land by the light of the emperor’s lances and noble shells of heavy bolter fire.  Several conveniently placed krak missiles managed to destroy the unwholesome presence of the corrupted predator and immobilize two chaos rhino transports rendering them useless.  Throughout the night more dark forces of chaos deployed around this battlefield of Prospero. 

Day three:  We were not blessed by the emperor’s most holy light on this third day as more forces of Chaos continued to pour down like acid rain upon our homeworld.  Our research tell us that Ahriman was created on this world and it appears he intends to take it back.   Many noble defenders of mankind fell to the hands of traitors that day.  More vehicles arrived and the bikers took the head of the advance.  The fortress had not been reached but several outer bunkers had been overtaken and destroyed.  Traitors of the Iron Warriors legion appeared with two dreadnaughts one of which went into a maniacal frenzy and destroyed a small squad of his own side.  Things went worse as several world eaters were able to summon a greater daemon of Khorne, the most feared of greater daemons.  It stomped forward and ate through a vindicator which had previously defended one of our remaining bunkers.  The bunker was quickly overtaken after that.  I remained with my squad in the fortress as it was not necessary that I enter the battle until the enemy had come close enough to the fortress that all forces would be used to keep them out.  My command squad awaited my orders.  Where are those Cadians!?  Another call for reinforcements was sent out to the Battle Sisters of the Orders Militant.  Our prayer was to the emperor that day. 

Day four:  More dedicated brethren of the Blood Angels legion were absorbed into the emperor’s abiding light as the forces of Chaos pushed ever forward.  Just as they were expected to take over the last of our bunkers the emperor smiled on us and Imperial Guard Sentinels and Chimeras heralded the arrival of our allies.  The Blood Angels fell back a ways and the guns of the Imperial Guard forced the forces of Chaos back.  Even the Greater daemon fell away into a retreat to find a better position.  Our Blood Angels reformed and took up positions to guard the various squads of Imperial Guard who were setting up heavy weapons teams.  There would be no close quarters fighting today.  Two Basilisks set up on either side of our fortress and several Leman Russ took up positions to fire their devastating weaponry.  It would be nigh impossible for Chaos to penetrate this barrier of the emperor. 

Day five:  Sisters of Battle arrived to support the Blood Angels’ decimated ranks.  Armed with flamer and melta alike the loaded bolters and awaited another chaos advance.  Then it happened.  Nothing could have prepared our forces for this.  The dark gods heard the prayers of their dying followers and sent Daemons to aid them.  The daemons supported and led the advance on our most holy stronghold of mankind.  A greater daemon of Tzeentch appeared and vanquished one of the Leman Russ Demolishers whilst the Greater daemon of Khorne destroyed another.  Two chaos Predators revealed themselves to be infested by tiny chittering nurglings.  They proved quite formidable as the firepower of our lascannon lances of the emperor made little mark on the infested vehicles. 

Day six:  More daemons arrived and we were left to our armoured troops to defend the guns of the Imperial Guard.  The vile forces of Chaos  pressed forward led by the greater daemons and several squads of Khorne berserkers.   As my command squad and I prepared to leave the rock of protection dedicate to the emperor something miraculous happened.  A small army of dark eldar emerged from the warp right behind the Chaos traitors, their vehicles obviously broken from warp travel.  They began to fight with each other dividing the forces of chaos allowing us to push them back and again reform our ranks. 

Day seven:  Chaos overpowered the Dark Eldar and even a force of lost Orks and again attacked our benevolent troops.  The Sisters of Battle burned clean the scum who tried to overtake them however, in the end, they were overwhelmed by noise marines of Slaanesh seeking pleasure and many were taken captive.  I pray to the emperor that they may die before they are defiled by these most unholy of traitors.  There are now fewer than a quarter of our original mass of Blood Angels, the Imperial Guard have been decimated to near ten percent including tanks, and the Sisters of Battle have been removed from our presence entirely as the bodies of their dead were either scooped away by Noise Marines or devoured by daemons.  The battle was getting far bloodier than any of us had imagined.

Day eight:  Inquisitor Cephas arrived to relieve those on the field of battle.  We were to be relocated in another place for our failure.  No chapter of the Adeptus Astartes would be able to aid us before the fortress was taken.  Imperial ships had already destroyed the fleets of Chaos and the planet was to be deemed condemned.  It would later be virus bombed although it was as of yet uncertain as to how viruses would affect the daemons if indeed any effect were caused.  I give myself to the emperor’s holy justice and pray for his mercy.

The Fortress on Prospero was taken by Ahriman and his hosts of daemons and allies.  It is now determined that the traitor legions worked together under an alliance forged by Ahriman giving each traitor legion and chaos god something which was desired.  The Thousand Sons and Ahriman retrieved their homeworld, the berserkers and world eaters were able to fight against the Blood Angels chapter, Tzeentch was presented with the opportunity to strike fear into the Imperium through his greatest champion, Ahriman, Khorne aided his minions through the miasma of death and blood, the daemons feasted, and the noise marines were given captives to provide them with the pleasure they sought.