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Occlusiad War

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Occlusiad War
Date 550-560.M37
Location Mostly Segmentum Obscurus,[4] with spillovers into the Segmentum Tempestus[6] and Eastern Fringe[9]
Outcome Imperial victory
Combatants
Apostles of the Blind King

Forces of Chaos[2]

Imperium of Man
Commanders
Blind King
Blade of Antwyr-possessed Apostle(MIA)[9]
Jullunai Khan[6]
Daarmos[7b]
Strength
Thousands of Skitarii macroclades[4]
Many Legio Cybernetica cohorts[4]
Legio Gladio Imperatoris elements[6]
Legio Covenentia[7a]
House Drakon[8]
Forces of Mars[4]
Imperial Navy[1]
Dark Hunters[4]
Five Iron Hands companies[7a]
Angels Revenant[10]
Grey Knights[9]
Legio Tempestor[7b]
Casualties
Heavy Heavy

The Occlusiad War, also known simply as the Occlusiad, was a major conflict which broke out in 550.M37 on the Northwestern Fringe of the Galaxy. It lasted for at least a decade,[4] and was mainly fought between the Imperium and the armies of a rogue Tech Priest known as the Blind King.[1]


History

The Blind King and his fellow rogue Tech Priests, the "Apostles of the Blind King", viewed humanity as an affront to the Omnissiah.[1] The Apostles quickly grew in strength, as they had discovered several relics from the Dark Age of Technology. One of these allowed them to create supernovae from the hearts of living suns, and the Blind King consequently wiped entire constellations from existence in his quest to purge the outer Segmentum Obscurus.[1] The Apostles also fielded an ancient tank, the secrets of which had been lost in the Dark Age of Technology. This tracked vehicle was equipped with remotely-operated weapon turrets, which were thought to be lost since the time of the Scouring. This tank outclassed many of the vehicles fielded by the Imperium against the Apostles of the Blind King.[3]

Thousands of Skitarii macroclades and Cohorts Cybernetica turned traitor, joining the Apostles and killing all life on numerous worlds.[4] House Drakon pledged allegiance to the Apostles.[8] The Blind King also gained control of many Imperial Titans by enlisting the Legio Covenentia[7a] and convincing sections of the Legio Gladio Imperatoris that he was on a mission sanctioned by the leadership of the Adeptus Mechanicus.[6] Even members of the Iron Hands' Iron Council initially voiced sympathy for the Blind King's cause, leading to bitter discussions within the chapter. The loyalists, led by Clan Raukaan Techmarine Daarmos, ultimately prevailed in the disputes, preventing the Iron Hands from falling to heresy.[7a]

As the war progressed, the Apostles' main force moved toward the Halo Stars.[5] In an attempt to stop the Blind King, the forces of Mars itself intervened and helped to keep the Apostles at bay.[4] To demonstrate their standing following their secretive internal disputes, the Iron Hands also dispatched a large contingent, including Clan Raukaan and four other clan companies, to fight the Apostles. They brutally suppressed uprisings on a dozen worlds, and defeated the Legio Covenentia in a massive battle on Pelos.[7a] Led by Daarmos, Clan Raukaan won further victories over the Blind King's forces during the Conflagration of Gold and the Bonehouse Massacre. On several occasions, the clan company fought alongside the Legio Tempestor, with the two organizations coming to respect each other greatly.[7b]

Eventually, a section of the Apostles discovered the Blade of Antwyr in an ancient temple; the weapon quickly corrupted its discoverer. The latter then led his forces on a bloody campaign in the Vidar Sector, Tremayne Sector, and Darkspire Sector before being stopped by the entire might of the Grey Knights. The Blade and its wielder disappeard in the Warp.[9]

At one point, Phobian -homeworld of the newly formed Dark Hunters Chapter- was invaded by the Apostles of the Blind King. This attack included a third of the Legio Gladio Imperatoris, and devastated the Space Marines. At a high cost, however, the Dark Hunters managed to defeat the invasion, and even believed that they had killed the Blind King himself.[6][Conflicting sources]

The Battle of Bloodsteel was fought during the Occlusiad War between the Dark Hunters and the Warpsmith Hilghar, who employed both Daemon Engines and the corrupted Warlord Titan Repellus Maximal.[2]

The war continued for a decade, until the Navigator Joyre Macran discovered the Blind King's palace-ship hidden in a fold of Warpspace. Macran then led the battleship Dominus Astra to the Blind King's location. The Tech Priest was killed in the ensuing battle and his surviving Apostles were defeated soon afterwards.[1]

Aftermath

Though most followers of the Blind King were hunted down, House Drakon managed to escape the Imperium's wrath. Their knights ultimately joined the Dark Mechanicum and the forces of Chaos.[8]

Trivia

Conflicting sources

  • Several sources note that the Dark Hunters fought in the Occlusiad War shortly after their founding, and played a major part in defeating the Apostles of the Blind King.[2][4] However, the short story The Blind King portrays the war as taking place two and a half centuries after the Dark Hunters' foundation. In addition, the short story claims that the Dark Hunters killed the Blind King during the invasion of Phobian,[6] differing from other accounts of the war.[1][4] This is either a mistake or indicates that the Blind King remained at large for a long time after the Occlusiad War's main phase, actually surviving the alleged destruction of his palace-ship.

Notably, Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition: War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes states that there was not one conflict, but multiple "terrible wars of the Occlusiad".[3]

See also

Sources