The warriors of the Horus Heresy would each pledge fealty to values they aspired to achieve. Loyalty, honour, righteousness and vengeance would stand at the forefront of each engagement waged by the great civil war of the Imperum, with many Brothers-in-arms sundering bonds of camaraderie to remain true to their ideals.
For today we shall elucidate the tale of two Astartes of distant worlds, who’s kinship under the banner of their shared culture would be strained to the point of fracture. This is the tale of the Astartes known as ‘Tachseer’ or Restorer in his native tongue: Shiban Khan.
Upon the world known by the Imperium as ‘Mundas Planus’ a son of the Emperor would be found. This orphaned Demi-God discovered within the Empty Quarter by the leader of the Talskar Tribe: Ong Khan, raised the young boy to become a wise and capable ruler.
Chogoris as it would forever be known by it’s populace boasted vast fertile grasslands to the west of it’s Palatine citadel within which the fabled Warhawk would mature. Mastering hunting, swordsmanship and horse riding;
The young Khan would once again be torn from a father’s embrace with the death of Ong Khan at the hands of the Kurayed Tribe. Slaughtering his father’s killers and beginning his quest to unite the tribes of the Empty Quarter under a single banner,
The Warhawk of Chogoris toiled for years until amassing an army capable of resisting the oppression of the Palatine. Drafting all able-bodied men of the tribes to fight at his side,
The young man known as Jaghatai Khan instilled fierce loyalty into his men and would be revered for not only his martial skill but also his honourable actions. Slaying the son of the Palatine tyrant during an ambush of his tribesmen, Jaghatai rallied his men to assault the Palatine Capitol.
Assuming the title of Khagan or ‘Khan of Khans’ by his people, Jaghatai waged war against the Palatine alongside his stalwart advisors: Qin Xa, Hasik and Targutei Yesugei. Succeeding in overthrowing the tyrant Palatine, the Warhawk of Chogoris toiled for six months as the planet’s civilisations pledged allegiance to his great Ordu.
Yet among his own tribe of origin a promising warrior was beginning to show promise as a paragon of his liege’s teachings. Tamu of the Talskar had fought alongside his peers within the Ordu Jaghatai and witnessed the ascension of the Great Khan as the rightful ruler of his homeworld.
Yet six months following the conquest of Mundus Planus, the Warhawk would reunite with his father: the Master of Mankind. Descending upon the plains of Chogoris alongside hulking warriors clad in pearl armour trimmed with black, the Emperor and his most cherished son: Horus Lupercal spoke with the Khagan.
Knowing in his heart that he would never match the immense Luna Wolves clad in dense ceramite and wielding obscenely powerful armaments, the Khagan pledged his fealty to the Master of Mankind. Marvelling at the Angels of Death in their disciplined ranks, the Ordu Jaghatai would adopt the teachings and armaments of the Legionnes Astartes
Following his swift appointment to lead his gene-sons of the 5th Legion: the Star Hunters. Tamu and his keen underwent the surgeries and training to ascend to the ranks of the Angels of Death, imbuing himself and his peers with immense strength in imitation of their venerated brethren of the 16th Legion.
Painting their own armour in purest white following the example of the Luna Wolves, they would trim their ceramite with the red and gold cultural trappings of their homeworld. Yet the Star Hunters of old had been scattered across the stars
And for the 5th Legion to become truly united the Khagan must rally his men and bring new purpose to this army of strangers. The 5th Legion had long been regaled as the scouts and wayfarers of the Imperium. Inheriting their Primarch’s affinity for adventure, speed and freedom;
The Star Hunters had traversed the length and breadth of the galaxy in search of the lost settlements of Humanity to bring into the fold of the burgeoning Imperium. Though a crucial task with which the Legion took to with relish,
The result of these centuries of exploration had caused the warriors of the 5th to become alienated with their own kinsmen. The Terran Astartes of the Legion knew nothing of the heritage of Chogoris and even among themselves they bore battle honours and titles from worlds unknown to one-another.
Such fractious foundations would not do, and so it was after 67 Terran-standard years of path-finding the Star Hunters were summoned to rally at Mundus Planus. For ten years crusade contingents of all manner of warriors arrived within system,
An assemblage of Terran veterans of all manner of origin looked upon the Horde of Jaghatai and began to learn of the customs of their Primarch’s homeworld. After a decade of skirmished across the stars, the Khagan received word that his Legion was assembled,
50,000 warriors now stationed at the Empty Quarter were ready for the event known as ‘The Blooding’ by the Legion’s historians. Ordering his men to take up blades to cut a gauge in the flesh of their faces, the ritual first used by the tribes of Chogoris to mark their allegiance to their tribes
Would prove a fitting symbol of their devotion to their Primarch and adherence to the culture of their new ethos. The Star Hunters were no more, and, in their place the White Scars stood.
Each Astartes no matter their progeny would eschew their old names and assume new ones made in the name of their Legion. No longer would the 5th Legion uphold the glories of a past bereft of their Primarch made to facilitate the conquest of star systems by other Legions.
The White Scars were now truly free to forge their own legacy, not as a legion of disparate patrols and scout contingents but a full-strength army of Astartes under the command of their imposing and righteous Primarch.
Tamu of the Talskar was gone, now he would be known simply as ‘Shiban’ of the Brotherhood of the Storm and it would be upon Chogoris that he would meet with a pretentious soul to which his tale would forever be intertwined.
Haren Svensellen, a Terran of Scandinavian descent had originally been assigned as an aspirant of the Luna Wolves Legion and held Horus Lupercal in high esteem during his first years of conquest at the side of the Emperor. Yet due to the among his aspirant peers succeeding in their trials,
Their numbers were in excess of the needs of the 16th Legion, and so it was that Haren was reassigned to join the Star Hunters. Assuming the name ‘Torghun’ with his blooding complete,
His dreams to become a future Son of Horus though dashed would not diminish his zeal made in the name of the Warhawk. Assigned to the Brotherhood of the Moon,
Torghun with time would fight during the Great Crusade yet it would be years before Shiban would meet his kindred and form a bond of brotherhood. Ascending to the rank of Khan,
Torghun oversaw the punitive actions against the rebels of the world of Uri and would fight alongside the esteemed Luna Wolves led by Captain of the 19th Company: Verulam Moy at the battle of Tarsch Belt. Known for his warcry: ‘No Backwards Step’,
Torghun’s prior training as an aspirant of the Luna Wolves proved invaluable during his Co-operation with the 19th Company. Invited to join the 5th Legion’s warrior lodge fraternity by his subordinate Hakeem and Captain Moy, Torghun’s esteem continued to rise within his Legion whilst Shiban toiled as a line soldier.
With the Great Crusade drawing to a close the two brothers of distant worlds would begin to reap the spoils of glory, with Shiban having proven himself to be a capable warrior earning him the command of the Brotherhood of the Storm and rank of Khan.
Many saw Shiban’s nature as too reckless to be responsible for the command of a Brotherhood, yet the Warhawk saw within him an indomitable and brave spirit. The sons of the Storm and Moon had fought together on several campaigns during the Great Crusade
Yet with the dawn of a new era of brutal conflict their bonds of camaraderie would be torn asunder. Horus Lupercal: Primarch of the now Sons of Horus Legion had turned his back on the Emperor and sought to usurp his rule as the new sovereign of Humanity.
Ordering the Dark Angels, Blood Angels and Ultramarines to conduct distant campaigns far from the catalyst of heresy, the White Scars would assume the responsibility of cleansing the Chondax System of the remnants of the Orks Xenos. Broken during the Ullanor Crusade,
The Greenskins under the command of their Overlord: Urlakk Urg would prove to be a thorn in the Imperium’s side should they have time to regroup. Now ruled by the successor: Urlakk Urruk, over 60,000 Astartes of the 5th Legion combatted the Xenos with the Warhawk at their speartip.
6,000 White Scars would perish during the campaign yet the Warmaster had cast them to a warzone with little chance of devastating their numbers, for in his mind his stalwart brother would fight at his fight during the heresy to come.
A decision which Torghun Khan and those reverent to the Luna Wolves legacy would relish. As war broke out across the stars the lines between loyalist and traitor began to be drawn. Horus’ rebellion had drawn many to his banner: Fulgrim, Angron and Mortarion were at his side during the Istvaan 3 Atrocity.
Leman Russ through manipulated orders of the Emperor had culled the Thousand Sons of Magnus the Red and set his well-meaning Brother down the path of damnation. Rogal Dorn had received word of the Warmaster’s perfidy,
Ferrus Manus had been betrayed by his most cherished Brother and would lead the charge for reprisal by the side of his kindred: Vulkan and Corvus Corax. Their reprisal cut short by the betrayal of Perturabo, Konrad Curze, Lorgar and Alpharius Omegon;
The Lion, Roboute Guilliman and Sanguinius were far from the news of the burgeoning heresy and could not hope to intervene. Yet one Primarch remained which none could ascertain his allegiance: the Khan. A stalwart brother of Horus from the first day of his reunion with the wider Imperium,
Jaghatai respected few alike to the Warmaster. With the Greenskins of Chondax Prime defeated, the White Scars received summons and conflicting reports of the growing conflict. Yet on the moment of their victory, a knife would be plunged within their backs. The Alpha Legoin had travelled to the Chondax system
And without warning ambushed the White Scars upon the gas giant of Phemus. Massacring the Astartes unaware of their treachery, the Phemus Massacre saw to the complete routing of the Scars position whilst triggering volcanic eruptions to conceal their actions.
Ordering his forces to fall back to Chondax Prime following the sudden and mysterious loss of his men, with the destruction of the Tenebrae Station Jaghatai Khan received garbled Astropathic communications. The Alpha Legion disguised in the armour of the 5th Legion picked off lone contingents of Jaghatai’s men across the system.
Flooding their relays with disinformation stating tales such that Leman Russ: the Wolf King had ignited a coup against the Imperium by assailing the Thousand Sons homeworld of Prospero with confirmation by Horus; whilst also receiving orders from the Praetorian of Terra that the Warmaster had betrayed the Emperor.
The Hydra surrounded Chondax Prime, forming a blockade of the cornered 5th Legion fleet yet never firing a shot nor declaring their own allegiance. Regardless the Warhawk refused to be caged, creating a naval formation known as ‘The Chisel’ to punch through the mass of Alpha Legion vessels.
Many Scars remaining within the Chondax System on worlds such as Herkon, Epihelikon and Phemus IV harried the Hydra’s forces; buying time for their liege to escape the trap that had been sprung. Ignoring the pleas from the Space Wolves for aid within the Alaxxes Nebula,
The Khan refused to believe the reports he had received with no proof nor verification and would not blindly aid either side of the conflict. Ordering his fleet to travel to the cite of the reports of bloodshed he had received: Prospero.
The Warmaster had not ordered the Alpha Legion to commit hostile acts against the 5th Legion, yet through their actions the Scars now took their first steps to uncovering the truth. Many speculate that such actions were a means to forewarn the Khagan of the Warmaster’s betrayal,
Yet the efficacy of such tall-tales remains a mystery to this day. Yet despite the White Scars losses, a chance to ally them to the Warmaster’s side remained. Mortarion: Primarch of the Death Guard traveled to Prospero in order to convince the Khagan of the righteousness of their cause,
The Warmaster’s gambit to tip the scale of the war with the addition of one final legion to the fold hung in the balance. The Warrior Lodges were restless and with Jaghatai’s descent to the surface of Prospero an opportunity to assume control. Under the command of Hasik Noyan-Khan,
Torghun and his Brotherhood of the Moon conspired to assert their allegiance to the Warmaster in the name of past co-operation and praise of the Lupercal’s virtue. Yet Shiban would not allow such deception to commence. Uncovering the plot by the Warrior Lodges,
His own rejection of their rituals and ideologies had never sat well with the fiercely loyal scion of the Talskar. Leading his Brotherhood of the Storm to assault the Lodge-held flagship of the Khagan: Swordstorm, as Jaghatai conversed with the Pale King among the ashes of Prospero his sons fought and died in orbit above.
Preventing the Renegade Scars from joining forces with the Death Guard fleet contingents, Shiban’s men bought time for their gene-sire to return to the Swordstorm. Mortarion and Jaghatai could not see eye-to-eye and with the discovery of Magnus the Red’s own surrender to the clutches of the Ruinous Powers;
The Warhawk could not allow such corruptions to spread among his own men. As the Pale King fled, Jagahatai returned to his flagship to find his men in disarray. Many had perished during the coup of Hasik Noyan-Khan and Torghun, and despite his valour Shiban had been grievously wounded by his kin.
Using his body as a shield to protect the Munitorum attaché and close friend of the Khagan: Ilya Ravallion from harm, Shiban endured bolter and plasma fire as the blasts tore the limbs from his body and gauged his left eye. Enraged at the presumption of his men to undermine his own authority,
Jaghatai saw to the arrest of the conspirators and allied those loyal to the Emperor to escape the Death Guard fleet. Once safe from the conflict, the Khagan presided over a trial of the renegades, personally executing those who sought no penance for their actions including his veteran ally Hasik Noyan-Khan.
Torghun had believed his intentions to preserve the Imperium by allying with the Warmaster righteous, yet accepted his demotion from the rank of Khan and assignment to the Bringers of Venge.ance: the Sagyar Mazan. For the war was by no means close to it’s conclusion,
And should the White Scars survive further infighting would not be tolerated. Shiban had survived the battle, though had become much changed in both appearance and demeanour. His once playful and witty sense of humour was gone, his countenance now dour and bitter. The limbs of his body replaced with extensive mechanical and cybernetic appendages,
The leader of the Brotherhood of the Storm would be known forever more as ‘Tachseer’. Translated as ‘Restorer’ in low gothic, the phrase citing his repaired form regardless fails to encapsulate the trauma Shiban had endured. The 5th Legion already distasteful of the use of such augmetics,
Shiban’s resentment for the loss of the majority of his body and replacement with what he deemed as ‘shackles’ would fuel his hatred against his once cherished brother. For four terran-standard years the White Scars continued to survive within the treacherous void of space,
Conducting hit-and-ran attacks against traitor legions such as the Sons of Horus, Emperor’s Children and Death Guard. The Sagyar Mazan conducted the most perilous suicide missions against the Warmaster’s forces, achieving glorious defeats or fatal victories their number would continue to dwindle. Torghun had survived years of such battles,
His martial skill combined with an all consuming need to absolve himself of sin in the eyes of his Primarch refusing to allow for his death. Shiban would reunite with Torghun prior to the Battle of Catallus,
Yet time has not diminished his hatred for his once Battle-Brother and in his mind no forgiveness would ever be forthcoming. Venturing to the location of the mysterious and fell artefact: the Dark Glass, the initial probing attacks would be overseen by Shiban.
Deploying Torghun’s men as cannon fodder with the hopes they would die in battle, the Tachseer decried their return as Traitors beyond redemption. Torghun was the highest ranking Sagyar Mazan left, yet in his heart he knew there would never come a time when he would live to see his sins wiped clean.
And so it was during the Battle of Catallus that the Sagyar Mazan conducted one final sacrifice to preserve their Primarch and his Legion. Laying wait within the flagship Swordstorm, the Sagyar Mazan lured Mortarion and his Deathshroud into a trap.
As the Khagan and his loyal men powered the Dark Glass to transport their vessels to Holy Terra, the Sagyar Mazan set the Gloriana class ship’s engine to overload and fought the Pale King. Though Torghun would never receive forgiveness from his once closest brother, he would die laughing in the face of death incarnate.
Screaming the Khagan’s name as they hurled themselves into the fray, the Sagyar Mazan perished by the blades of the sons of Barbarus. Hailing the Lord of Death in a gleeful tone,
The Terran Scar would be no match for a Primarch yet gladly fell to the Pale King’s scythe as a last act of Atonement. Torghun’s sacrifice had allowed for the 5th Legion to traverse the Webway, finding sanctuary within the Sol System before the Traitors final advance on Holy Terra.
As Shiban looked out across the void, he felt the bitterness within his begin to slowly fade. Regretting the treatment he had given his misguided kin, Tachseer regardless found great comfort in knowing that he had not died alone. Seeking out Torghun’s hometown among the Terran landscape,
Shiban returned the sword first gifted to him from the Ordu of Jaghatai to his next of kin. Torghun’s memory would live on so long as Shiban drew breath, and in the battles to come he would utter the battle-cry of his fallen kinsman: “No Backwards step.” The White Scars had been bloodied and bruised,
Yet at Humanity’s darkest hour they would stand ready to face the darkness. Charged with defending the Eternity Wall Spaceport, Shiban fought alongside the Imperial Fist Captain: Camba-Diaz, High Solar General Saul Niborran and the Sisters of Silence commanded by Jenetia Krole: the Soulless Queen.
Forming a bond of friendship with the mortal soldier: Al-Nid Nazira, Shiban’s brilliant leadership would regardless never be sufficient to stem the hordes of Traitors from overwhelming his position. So heroic was Tachseer’s efforts, Torghun’s warcy of ‘No Backwards Step’ imbued the defenders with zeal as they braced for the onslaught to come.
Attempting to evacuate as many warriors from the 12th Legion’s butchery as possible, Shiban’s efforts would see to Al-Nid Nazira commandeered a shuttle in order to extract the Restorer from the fray. Yet as Shiban leapt for the shuttle, he would discover Nazira and the pilot to have already been slain.
Crashing into the Eternity Wall Shiban managed to survive yet badly wounded was not stranded deep within the Traitor advance. Making his way back to the defensive lines of the Loyalists, Shiban saw visions of his fallen kin: Stormseer Targutai Yesugei and Torghun; conversing with their phantoms as he trudged to the Palace.
Finding an Imperial Soldier: Lieutenant Cole desperately attempting to carry a small baby from the warzone, Shiban at that moment pledged to sacrifice his life in order to preserve the innocent child. Protecting Cole and the child from warp-spawned Daemonic horrors using only a pipe of metal debris,
Tachseer carried the now injured soldier and the child to the safety of the Inner Palace. Reunited with the survivors of his Legion, Shiban’s efforts though unable to save Cole had preserved the life on an innocent which spurred on the survivors to fight with renewed vigour.
Fighting alongside his Primarch during the assault to reclaim the Lion’s Gate Spaceport from Traitor forces, Tachseer would be separated from the Warhawk as he once more faced the now transformed Pale King. Seemingly dying in the duel,
Upon further inspection of his body the White Scars realised their gene-sire still lived though had been grievously wounded. Rallying the 5th Legion to defend their Primarch’s body alongside Ilya Ravallion and the mortal soldiery of the Imperial Army,
Shiban held the line until the Great Angel: Sanguinius took to the field at the Eternity Gate. Declaring Shiban as the incumbent Master of the Hunt, the Restorer preserved the battles lines of the White Scars until the end of the Siege alongside the newly appointed Ganzorig Noyan-Khan and Qin Fai Noyan-Khan.
The Imperium would be victorious, but at a staggering cost in lives. Though a broken many by many accounts, Tachseer had refused to surrender to despair and stood his ground alongside his liege at the most perilous moment of their Legion’s history.
Yet the Restorer stood alone, great heroes such as Targutei, Qin Xa, Jubal, Qin Fai, Hibou and Torghun had been slain. He was all that remained. For little else is know of the fate of the Restorer of the White Scars, yet one fact can be ascertained without Imperial Record.
Until his dying day, the warrior known as Tachseer never faltered in fighting for his Legion, his Primarch and the innocents of the Imperium. For even though much of his form was more machine than man,
His legacy is that of among the most human Astartes to have ever fought in the name of the Imperium. This has been a tale of the Great Imperium of Man. Read by the Remembrancer.
The Tachseer of the 5th Legion endured suffering of both mental and physical trauma throughout the dark days of the Horus Heresy. His mind clouded with bitterness, no matter his state of mind in his darkest moments Shiban retained his sense of honour, duty and willingness to defend the weak.
Alike to the Restorer, you are not characterised by your moments of greatest weakness. You are defined by what you achieve in service to the greatest of virtues. So stand proud, stand tall and never give in to the barbs of misfortune. Alike to Torghun’s warcry heralded by his brother Shiban:
Take No Backward Step!
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