Fall of Ultimatus
The Fall of Ultimatus was a battle waged by the Thousand Sons during the Indomitus Crusade.[1]
Overview
The world of Ultimatus was a key bastion left in the wake of Indomitus Crusade Fleet Quintus. Heavily defended by elements of Battlefleet Pacificus and 10 Regiments of Imperial Guard as well as Skitarii and Legio Decimator Titans, the Thousand Sons Sorcerer Hasakh Atahli nonetheless resolved to conquer it. Besides offering the world to Tzeentch, Atahli wished to demonstrate the might of his Cult of Scheming by laying low an Imperial world dubbed impenetrable. Moreover should the world be conquered, Fleet Quintus' Battle Group Delphi would have its supply lines shattered. Atahli learned that a powerful artifact known as the Talisman of Glass languished within an Inquisitorial vault on Ultimatus. However his rival, Korskaris of the Cult of Magic, sought to seize the relic first.[1]
Atahli's attack upon Ultimatus began with a campaign of misinformation. Employing duped mortal Cultists, he saw to it that an Aspiring Sorcerer within the Cult of Magic learned of an entirely fictional daemon sword that lay entombed upon Naarthis and was soon to be discovered by the Adeptus Mechanicus. Meanwhile, Atahli made a pact with a Daemonic entity which manifested before Haphestor, an Exalted Sorcerer who had recently fallen out of his favor with his cult and would do anything to regain the favor of his master Korskaris. From the Daemon Haphestor learned of the so-called precious secret being hoarded by his acolyte. He was quick to punish the Aspiring Sorcerer and pass the information about the blade on Naarthis to his Rehati Master. Believing the Daemon Blade would aid in his attack on Ultimatus, Korskaris launched an attack upon Naarthis and engaged in a running battle with the Mechanicum.[1]
While the events on Naarthis unfolded, Atahli set his other plans into motion. He triggered Cultist cells on several Imperial worlds along the warp route connecting Ultimatus to both Naarthis and the Ohrmican Reach known as the Starspun Way. At the same time, Atahli himself with the champions of several allied Chaos Space Marine warbands within his sanctum on the moon on Yghoria. There he promised ample booty and sorcererous rewards for those who gave him aid. These allies launched divserionary attacks on key task forces from Battle Group Delphi, drawing away the Imperial reserves. Next, Atahli had several of his Sorcerer lieutenants send nightmares of disaster and defeat to the commander of Ultimatus, General Gresmund. Filled with dreed, Gresmund was overcome with panic and launched a heavy-handed and reckless response. He sent more than half his warships and 3 Regiments to the Starspun Way along with most of his Skitarii and half his Titans. It was not long before this force detected the distress calls upon Naarthis and attacked the Cult of Magic forces upon the planet. Thus were Korskaris' thrallbands mauled.[1]
Aided by the Cult of Prophecy, Atahli knew the precise moment to spring his trap and unleashed Daemons upon the same renegade warbands pledged to him, offering them up as a sacrifice. Caught between the Imperials and Daemons, these bands were quickly slaughtered but in return a Lord of Change manifested and caused a short-lived warp storm upon Naarthis. It would burn out within 9 weeks, but that would be long enough for Atahli's plans. He next dispatched Tzaangors to the Agri-Worlds of Horgith and Kladdak, corrupting food stores destined for Ultimatus. He swore a pact with a Sorcerer of the Cult of Time, having them launch a raid against the planet Dessimar. His allies used their temporal powers to cast Dessimar a decade backwards along its own timeline, causing 4 of the Regiments in the region to be disbanded.[1]
At last, Atahli launched his invasion of Ultimatus with a vast force, facing only a handful of warships, 3 Regiments, and a demi-maniple of Titans. Though the Imperial forces fought bravely, a mysterious mutant plague erupted through the ranks thanks to their infected food rations crippled them further and they were quickly swept aside. Atahli subsequently claimed the Talisman of Glass from Ultimatus ruins. Meanwhile, the Imperium opened up an investigation as to why General Gresmund had come to leave the world so woefully under-protected. This fit Atahli well as he already had several schemes to exploit the coming strife.[1]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Thousand Sons (9th Edition), pgs. 20-21
