Valerian
Valerian was a Shield-Captain within the Adeptus Custodes' Hykanatoi's Palaiologian Chamber during the Thirteenth Black Crusade[1a].
History
While taking part in a Blood Game, during the Crusade's fifth year, he was asked by the Hetaeron Guard's Tribune, Heracleon, to join their order. This was a great honour for Valerian, as he had long strived to join the Companions, and prepared himself to face the Hetaeron Guard's first trial. It seemed simple enough, as he had to simply enter the chamber of the Golden Throne that held the Emperor, but after catching a glimpse of the Master of Mankind, Valerian body froze and would not obey him. This caused him to fail the trial and Valerian was left ashamed and embarrassed[1b] as he was returned to his former duties of guarding the Imperial Palace's outer walls. He later aided in the Palace's defense, as mayhem swept across Terra in the aftermath of the Great Rift's creation.[1c]
Valerian was part of the 4,000 Custodes warriors which took part in the Second Battle of Terra against the forces of Khorne, during which he met the Sister of Silence Tanau Aleya. Valerian, Aleya, several Sisters, and a squad of Grey Knights managed to take down a Bloodthirster in the battle. As they were about to be overwhelmed, Captain-General Trajann Valoris led a charge from the Lion's Gate that swept across the Chaos forces.[1d]
Following the assault on Terra, Valerian agreed to join Aleya in a bid to follow her captured Black Legion Warp route map to take the fight to Chaos forces. Valerian and Aleya as well as a mixed force of 40 Sisters of Silence and Custodes, journeyed to Vorlese from a Blackship. Once there they found the world under assault from the Black Legion which planned to drop a shard of a Cadian Pylon onto the planets surface to shut down all Warp Travel in the area and isolate Terra. Valerian and Aleya led a boarding operation of the Chaos Grand Cruiser at the center of the assault and in a desperate last stand, prevented the dropping of the shard. However all of their forces were slaughtered in the process save Valerian, Aleya, and one other Custodes. All three were badly wounded when Roboute Guilliman's fleet arrived and defeated the Black Legion. Guilliman captured the Grand Cruiser and came across Valerian and the others, now unconcious. All three were rushed to medical care.[1e]
Images
Source
- 1: Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor's Legion (Novel),
- 2: Black Library Weekender 2019: The Reveals (posted 10 November 2019) (Last accessed 11/12/2019)
