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Corax

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Corax is the Primarch of the Raven Guard Space Marine Legion.

Youth

Corax was separated from the Emperor while still an infant by the four Chaos gods. He was discovered on Lycaeus, the desolated moon of the planet Kiavahr. At this time the planet was a technologically advanced Forge World, providing his city-size factories with minerals extracted from the non-atmospheric moon by legions of mine-slaves.

Under the iron watch of heavily armed guards, the inhabitants of Lycaeus, criminals, political opponents and workers who had failed to match their quotas, had long provided the rulers of Kiavahr a free and unlimited source of manpower. When they discovered the white skinned child who became Corax, "The Deliverer" in their tongue, they kept him from their masters, training him in the various skills they believe a leader and warrior needed: urban warfare, close combat and demolitions as well as political and philosophical matters. Ultimately, the abnormally fast maturation comforted the slaves and fixed Corax in their belief that he was the savior they waited for.

Educated to be a leader as well as a rebel, he rapidly begun his task by organizing the workers into fight teams, promoting the best to squad leaders. He began building huge stockpiles of weapons, concealing them in numerous secret caches. he ordered a campaign of psychological warfare, launching riots and strikes to build up followers in the worker's rebellion and to stretch the garrison strength and morale to breaking point. Waiting for the best time, Corax's forces launched their attack, taking key security points and destroying them by crude force or sabotage, killing every man of the Lycaeus defense forces.

When Kiavahr's rulers struck back, Corax was ready for them. He outmanoeuvred and ambushed their forces on Lycaeus with his battle hardened warriors, crushing their supply lines and striking Kiavahr with atomic mining charges via a supply gravity well. Soon, their forces nearly destroyed, their vast factories unable to produce anything due to the minerals shortages, the Tech-Guilds collapsed in civil war. Celebrating their victory, the inhabitants of Lycaeus renamed their home Deliverance.

It is said that the Emperor appeared on Deliverance that day and, after a day and a night with his son, appointed him Primarch of the Raven Guard Legion. Nothing is said of their conversation but one condition of Corax's acceptance was the help of the Emperor in the task of bringing peace on Kiavahr. Soon the Adeptus Mechanicus stepped in and the world was rebuilt to the benefit of the Imperium while the black tower which once housed the guards of the moon became the Ravenspire, fortress of the Legion.

Great Crusade

During the Great Crusade Corax's talents for planning and sabotage were of great effect and the Raven Guard, fighting frequently under the orders of Horus, became renowned for an unmatched ability with covert ops, sabotage, infiltration and lightning strikes. But the pair never saw eye-to-eye, and after an argument, the two Primarchs nearly fought each other. Corax left Horus's command.

Horus Heresy

The Raven Guard primarch only met Horus again on Isstvan V.

Though grievously wounded he escaped the slaughter with a handful of loyal Space Marines, Corax was sent back to his legion's home world to rebuild his forces as soon as possible. The Primarch was desperate as the Imperium was collapsing, his Emperor needed warriors that Corax could not provide. Searching for a solution among the Librarium of the Ravenspire, Corax found the ancient books of genetic research providing the techniques used to create the first enhanced warriors of the Emperor, those techniques Corax duplicated to create Spaces Marines at a frightening rate. Despite the warnings he found amongst the old books, he started rebuilding his Legion. As the Legion started fighting alone, isolated from the other Imperial Forces, nothing is known for sure of the initial results, but an element of response came with the Space Wolves Saga of the Weregeld, which tells of ferocious monsters lead to combat by their Raven Guard Battle Brothers.

During this period Corax led his warriors as he had always done, with small squads striking like lightning on the enemy weak spots. When ultimately he managed to rebuild his Legion, the Horus Heresy had ended and Roboute Guilliman's Codex edicts that the Legion had to be split in smaller Chapters. Knowing that Guilliman's vision was true, Corax split his forces but remained unable to forget the growling monsters that he had personally created. After pondering for hours as to what should be done he decided to administer the Emperor's peace, praying for their souls and his. Then wracked with guilt he locked himself in his chamber in the Ravenspire begging for the Emperor's mercy.

Nobody knows if he received the absolution he required but a year to the day after he had locked himself in, he left the tower and Deliverance on a course toward the Eye of Terror, never to be seen again. His last recorded words were "never more."

Sacred objects

Notes

Corax's last words are taken from the poem 'The Raven' by Edgar Allan Poe, and his name comes from the latin species name of the common Raven.

See also

Sources