Sergeant-Major Vincent Morrow is a respected leader amongst Inquisitor Grendyl's warband and a former member of the Armageddon Steel Legion.[2b]
History
Armageddon
As a Trooper, Vin Morrow joined the 2nd Company of an Armageddon Steel Legion regiment under the command of Captain Belis Vanderack. He was promoted to Sergeant by Captain Vanderack after the death of Sergeant Havergil in battle.[4]
Their regiment was among those that fought in the First War for Armageddon. Early in the conflict Morrow led a recon platoon and killed Haranak the Red, one of the Hounds of Angron. Later on, under orders from Commissar Kurt Namark, the company was tasked with disrupting the supply lines of Heretic Astartes assaulting the River Styx. This was an apparent suicide mission.[4]
Some time later, Commissar Namark executed Captain Vanderack for refusing his order to send in another wave of soldiers after the 5th company had just been torn apart by the daemons out there. Morrow was present during this unceremonious execution and was immediately tasked by Commissar Namark to lead the soldiers into the killing field instead.[4]
Morrow would be promoted to sergeant-major afterward and Commissar Namark would take command. After most of their company had already died, Namark continued to push the regiment further with aggressive military actions, often ending in failure, and begin to frequently mutter that "The blood must flow". Namark executed any who questioned him or his unsuccessful suicide missions. Eventually, Morrow killed the commissar so that the regiment could finally fall back and go home.[4]
Morrow's subordinates during the First War for Armageddon included Trooper Varkan, Trooper Grenn, Klieg, and Trooper Klintack. Morrow would often refer to those under his command during this time as his "no-hopers", a term he used with a degree of fondness and comradery.[4]
Inquisition
Morrow caught the eye of the Inquisition early on in the First War for Armageddon. Agents of the Inquisition, Hadrian Kane and Interrogator Melis Xallia, would keep a tab on his exploits throughout. Interrogator Xallia come to Morrow twice, requesting that he join her in the service of her Inquisitor mistress. Xallia first attempted to persuade him and then when that didn't work, she threatened him, stating that he would be executed if anyone ever found out he killed his commissar and she would make sure they did. Whilst Armageddon was under siege, Morrow continued to decline the offer, stating that his place was with his regiment on Armageddon. Morrow was nonetheless taken into Inquisitorial custody not long after the Grey Knights arrived and she had made her second request. Morrow was taken aboard the Inquisitor's ship and held in stasis until she could arrange suitable reconditioning.[4]
Centuries later, Iven Rannick came across the beat up remains of an Inquisition transport, the Wayward, emitting an Ordo Malleus distress hymnal. The vessel had vanished centuries ago and had evidently taken a beating before entering the Warp. Gurry "Brunt" Cernik was sent aboard to investigate and establish an uplink to the ship's datacore. The only living being on the ship was Morrow, kept in a cryo-stasis tube; Brunt was ordered to bring the stasis tube aboard Rannick's vessel.[4]
Whatever hit the Wayward had damaged the stasis tube, meaning Morrow suffered some degree of memory loss, among other possible side effects. Morrow would awaken with his memory in a tangle and Sefoni assisted in untangling it, and possibly removed some memories. Thereafter Morrow entered Grendyl's service and the Inquisitor would have complete confidence in Morrow early on.[4]
Xanatros
While still proving himself to other acolytes in Grendyl's service, Morrow was dispatched planetside to Xanatros during the Xanatros Purgation. Mellicant Verris and Iven Rannick, who was an explicator at this time, were unsure of Morrow's reliability but Grendyl had complete confidence in him. Brunt was dispatched alongside Morrow to watch his back planetside.[4] Some of Grendyl's operatives suggest Morrow was acting as the inquisitor's eyes and ears during the mission.[2c] Morrow would be mind-wiped at some point after this operation.[4]
Nox Alpha
At some point, Rannick dispatched Morrow to Nox Alpha during the Nox Alpha Campaign. Morrow performed espionage for Inquisitor Grendyl, acting as his eyes and ears. He would identify as himself and act under the ruse that he was on an inspection assignment from sector command. Relief troops were coming in all the time, and Sergeant-Major Morrow would blend in. He would again be sent planetside with Brunt at his side.[4]
While on Nox Alpha Morrow came into contact with Lieutenant Biron Wolfer. Wolfer would tell the Sergeant-Major that they need to be sent heavy tanks and ammunition, not bureaucrats and dataslates. Morrow received Inquisitorial orders to investigate an area known as Sector 5. Wolfer provided him with one of his pilots and the valkyrie, Hunter-12, to do so.[4] Drill Sergeant Hekite of the Moebian 53rd states she also came into contact with Morrow on Nox Alpha, at some point.[5]
Morrow continued to experience facultative issues due to his brain damage, sometimes passing out and needing Sefoni to patch his mind back together.[4]
Tertium
While Orgustine Zola was acting as a Wyrmwood agent informant, Morrow and Brunt would be sent into Tertium to extract her and kill a ganger named Makko upon meeting. The Ragged King had a grudge against Zola and had more of his Water Cartel gangers hunting her down.[4]
Sometime after this Morrow joined Rannick on the Mourningstar. They had been working out of a freighter prior to this. Rannick had Morrow reassigned to command rather than the field at this point.[4]
Rumours
Rumors of Morrow's history are abound and many are of questionable legitimacy. Members of the warband appear to make sport of telling tall-tales of Morrow's heroic feats.
- Morrow is rumoured to have fought at Hades Hive during the Second War for Armageddon.[2b]
- It is rumoured that sometime after fighting on Armageddon, he was stranded in a Warp Storm for an unknown amount of time spanning over 200 years.[2b]
- It is rumoured that he was the only survivor onboard the Golgotha-class transport after it was stranded in the Warp by a Warp Storm. When the ship emerged he was found by Inquisitor Grendyl.[2b]
- It's rumoured that Morrow was an Iquisitorial operative while engaged in the Xanatros Purgation.[2c]
- One rumour suggests he took part in the Battle for Macragge and was the unnamed soldier who dealt the first killing blow to Old One Eye, thus giving the unique Tyranid its namesake.[2e]
- Another rumour suggests he was entrusted with a holy relic of Macragge, given to him by Chaplain Cassius himself.[2d]
- Another rumour suggests he fought in the Badab War and survived fighting against Huron Blackheart, the Tyrant of Badab.[2a]
- Another rumour that Ogryn warband acolytes in particular spread is that Morrow faced Necrons on Morrigar[2g] and consequently Mindshackle Scarabs were placed in his brain.[2f]
- Another rumour Ogryn warband acolytes believe is that Morrow once defeated a daemon engine by himself.[2g]
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Mission Dialogue
- 2: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Player Dialogue
- 3: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - The Carnival | Cinematic Trailer (published 15.11.2023) (last accessed 5 February 2024): 00h:02m:01s
- 4: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, Mortis Trials
- 5: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Vox Intercept IX
