[//Charnel Guard in action during the abortive Strabo's Star clearances+]
[//josh_s-d/warlords_collective+]

II – Blessed is the mind too small for doubt

Timespan: May–June
Narrative: The Pentarchy of Blood and Extinction Fleets engage the False Primarch's armies across the corewards edge of Sector Morqub
Lore: We look at more Chapters in detail; and explore the broader conflict
Tag: #blesseddoubt

***

It is the thirty-fourth Millennium. Or perhaps the thirty-third. Few now stand securely enough both to claim different; and to be heard.

All is unsure, all is uncertain. Under the benevolent eye of the High Lords of Terra, the Imperium basks in a golden age. The heretics of millennia past are extinguished or contained; the xenos empires that threatened mankind's manifest destiny broken or scattered. Humanity is united in the worship of the enthroned God-Emperor, whose words are revealed to the Ecclesiarch of the Imperial Church.

This is one truth.

Others say that the Emperor is dead, or as good-as; that His dream has grown rotten beneath the surface. Others claim oppression, or restriction, or loss. Tales of predation by aliens; of harrowings by pirates and heretics and monsters, emerge daily, and are suppressed by His Inquisition, for fear of disturbing the flock.

In the galactic north-west (if such an antiquated system has meaning in a galaxy as vast and wondrous as this) tales emerge of another truth. Tales come of the return of a legend, so ancient that the High Lords believe the word all-but forgotten.

Primarch.

***

[//identqueryval:FALSE+]
[+edward_r/@death_of_a_rubricist//]

Stage II of VI

Years have passed since word reached Terra of the return of a Primarch to Segmentum Pacificus – or at least a being heralded as such. For those who have followed on Instagram or with this blog, you'll be aware that the High Lords of Terra have mustered a response. Five Chapters – the Pentarchy of Blood – along with an armada of immense proportion, were sent to publicly execute the figure claiming to be a Primarch, and to reintegrate the four Chapters – the so-called Quadrargenta – that have followed him into rebellion. We have thus far seen details of some of the Chapters and characters on each side; and this next stage ramps up the action.

The High Lords' measures of containment proved insufficient. On translating into the affected Sectors, it has become clear that far more than four Chapters are rebelling. In a sickening echo of the Horus Heresy, families; cities; planets; systems; even sub-sectors have been drawn into following the mysterious Silver Stars and their figurehead, Volnoscere. Worse, the rebellious Chapters now outnumber those sent to apprehend them.

The High Lords find themselves in a quandry over how to deal with the crisis; for it is becoming increasingly clear that this event threatens to topple the Orthodox galactic order. Unable to send in further Astartes reinforcement, for fear that loyal Space Marines will simply turn to join the False Primarch, the High Lords strip the Segmentum of their traditional defence, by ordering an unprecedented fifty-seven Chapters to enclose the region in a massive – and classified – picket. Nothing will enter; nothing will leave.

Secondly, the Senatorum Imperialis make the fateful decision to authorise the Diet of Fools; which provides dispensation to the Pentarchy to expand beyond the limits set three thousand years earlier. This is to have fateful results...

Of all the casualties the Imperium will suffer in the wake of the False Primarch, it is trust and truth that are amongst the first.

[//Navigator Vitus of House Heiratarces and ward-brother Neoster Teichos, Wormwood Sons+]
[//mikl/@duckcalledsue+]

***

Getting involved

A sincere thank-you to all who are already following the events of the war – whether here on Some Things Are Best Left Forgotten; on Instagram; or via Facebook. I hope you are enjoying the blog; and encourage you to follow the talented, generous (and doubtless wonderfully good-looking) contributors on Instagram. Their names and Instagram aliases are below each image on the blog.

To those new to the project, this is how you get involved in deciding the events of the War of the False Primarch: simply build, paint and post your models on Instagram. You have the entirety of the 34th Millennium to inspire and guide you; and you should feel entirely free to help construct the future history of the Silver Stars, along with the Partisan Chapters – or perhaps you feel more drawn to the Pentarchy of Blood and want to uphold the High Lords of Terra's Orthodoxy. Perhaps you want to investigate – and prosecute – the Shadow War of the Inquisition raging behind the scenes; or you want to bring the coterie of a High Lord of Terra to life. In short, paint whatever inspires you about this period. We want this project to be as free and open as possible.

The tags for this stage of the project are:

#blesseddoubt

#somethingsarebestleftforgotten

#warofthefalseprimarch

I will comb through all contributions that use these tags and, where possible, use them here on the blog to illustrate the stories and colour text that emerges, crediting your images with your Instagram username. Do feel free to get in contact with me there with any questions by messaging @death_of_a_rubricist.

If you would like to contribute in a more formal or longform manner, then please search for the + Some Things Are Best Left Forgotten + Facebook group and let me know. We're looking for stories and colour text that illustrate the battles, conflicts and events in the region. If you can provide images, all the better. The key events below are just the start of things – there are literally hundreds of minor skirmishes and confrontations between the Partisans and Orthodoxy. Perhaps they might inspire you to paint or write – and if you simply want to use this material as a starting point for your own private campaigns and stories, then please feel free. There's no reason that your contributions to this secret, hidden war need be made public...

Before we move on, I'd like to give a brief – and entirely insufficient – thank-you to all the contributors; artists, writers and enthusiasts who have thus far contributed, interacted, or simply clicked 'like'. It's very much appreciated.

***

[//identvalue:TRUE Mashev Leon-Cassar, Inquisitor Lord.+]
[//peter_dh/@pdh_negelected_fruits+]

It became clear, regrettably later than I had foreseen, that this was not a normal rebellion. The False Primarch, whatever he claimed to be, had demonstrated himself to be no mere demagogue. Not four, but seven Chapters Astartes had joined his monstrousness. The threat of more hung in the aether.

With the Senatorum Imperialis as my reluctant sponsor, restraining the Abomination – as we had taken, euphemistically, to calling it – necessitated the taking of actions long-proscribed. I brokered, then, the Diet of Fools, and in so doing, let slip powers that had been fettered and manacled for three thousand years

God-Emperor as my witness, I trust I did the right thing.

– Inquisitor Lord Mashev Leong-Cassar

***

Critical events

This stage of the conflict saw open war erupt. The mostly contained cold-work of Inquisitorial and counter-intelligence agents that had previously proved sufficient to withholding the reputation of the 'Primarch' failed, and bloody warfare ensued.

Five more Chapters joined the Partisans at the start of this period: the Wormwood Sons, Jade Talons, Firebreak and two of Sector Heliopolis' principal warders, the Star Wardens and Iron Guard. By the end of this part of the war, the Argent Heralds and Storm Tyrants would also find themselves allying their forces to Volnoscere. Dozens of systems, large and small, declared openly for the Primarch. Along with a number of important political and relgious figures and organisations, they hailed him as the returned son of the Emperor; more legitimate than the High Lords.

In order to contain this, the High Lords commanded three score Chapters to form a sphere of patrols around the region, allowing nothing in and nothing out. In such secrecy was this Annulus Umbra held that fewer than a dozen Chapter Masters were brought into the truth. Within the cordon, the five Chapters of the Pentarchy were fatefully granted the wherewithal to begin expanding beyond their 1,000 battle brother limit, with consequences that would not fully be explored until much later in the Imperium's history.

While the height of warfare was not reached in this period, a number of colossally costly campaigns were opened, most on the Corewards reaches of Sector Morqub. Within Sector Heliopolis, a winnowing campaign of strike and fade began, with woeful consequences on the Imperial inhabitants.

***

[//Brother-Sergeant Asar Marani; Chapter Astares: Higher Guard; cycled into the Annulus Umbra]
[@datacrypt_624]

***

[//PENDINGPENDINPENDING+]

The following events are intended as starting points for your own exploration. There's no need to ask anyone's permission to explore – rather we'd like to see where the ideas take you. If they end up contradicting someone else's story, that's a feature, not a bug! This entire period is hidden; the key themes are secrets and lies, so finding the truths amidst multiple accounts is all part of the fun.

Key Warzones and deployments

Diet of Fools

Precis: Limit on 1,000 marines removed for the Pentarchy Chapters. We will look into how each of the Pentarchy adapts.

Formation of the Marines Mendicant

Precis: The Siege of Ul-Hiyar prompts the formation of the Marines Mendicant, a counter-operative force of Partisan Astartes intended to meet and exceed the Shadow War operatives of the Inquisition.

The Martian Edicts

Precis: The Adeptus Mechanicus make their stance on Volnoscere known; Titans walk.

[//+warppainter+]

Outrage on Frith

Precis: Carcharadon forces raid the Firebreak homeworld, stealing the Chapter's geneseed vaults for unknown reasons. The Firebreak declare for Volnoscere.
Belligerents: Firebreak – Carchardons

[//Carcharodon Fleet+]
[//dennis_k@the_iron_within+]

Operation Starfall

Precis: During the Siege of Ul-Hiyar, Vigilant operatives launch an assassination attempt on the False Primarch.
Belligerents: Silver Stars, Red Fish – Ordo forces

[//'To do what must be done, even when no-one is watching – this is the mettle of the Vigilants'+]
[//warlords_collective+]

Death of the Inheritors

Precis: The nature of the bicephalous Death Eagles is revealed as the First of the Quadrargenta are brought to nought.
Belligerents: Inheritors, Silver Stars – Death Eagles (I); Charnel Guard; Extinction Fleet; Legio Punica

Invasion of Ishim

Precis: The Pentarchy vanguard escalates from initial planetstrike to a full-scale invasion of the Red Fish Chapter homeworld. News of the invasion draws the Wormwood Sons into the broader conflict. The Red Fish's benevolent rule-in-all-but-name over the worlds of the Delphurnean League is rocked as the Pentarchy and Extinction Fleet begin to roll over the more distant worlds of the Delphurnean League. The Partisan Chapter’s well-entrenched defences on Ishim and the central worlds are supplemented by a huge force of Silver Stars and other allies as they move to defend as many Partisan civilians across the League as possible.
Belligerents: Red Fish, Silver Stars, Void Barons, Star Wardens – Death Eagles (I), Flesh Eaters, Charnel Guard, Legion Validus, Ordo Forces, Vigilants, Red Talons

Jiam Campaign

Precis: Caldrassian Regiments meet the Benedictors in a tragic blue-on-blue conflict; before wrongs are righted.

[//ident: Vigilant Two-Three, Djatok of the Silver Skulls, Chapter Astartes. Sworn to Lady Jiana Milanici of the Ordo Astartes.+]
[@darth_grimbeard]

The Qorabbas Retribution

Precis: In a direct mirror of Operation Starfall, Master Gan Ruhl of the Firebreak sets an ambush on Jonai, a world within the Qorabbas system, for the Flesh Eaters. The Firebreak launch their ambush, attempting to cut off Chapter Master Jan Velghor from the majority of his forces.
Belligerents: Firebreak, Riven Lords, Argent Heralds – Flesh Eaters, Red Talons

Establishment of Delphurnean League

Precis: Assisted by the Silver Stars, Jade Talons, Wormwood Sons and remnants of the Inheritors, the Red Fish begin resettling refugees from Ishim across the Delphurnean League worlds; and fortifying their new domain. Riven Lords and Inheritors are given rights to recruit. The Red Fish's First Company is recalled; and the predator fleet unleashed. The Red Fish and other depleted Partisans begin to plot their return and revenge.

Crucible of the Stormseye Bulwark

Precis: The Silver Stars ignore the resource heavy Forge World of Avarice, in the east of Sector Morqub, with a small force appearing to be searching for something on the neighbouring shrine planet of Feretory. The Stormseye Bulwark, an ancient Imperial bastion on the world, appears to be the focus of the Partisan force's search. An incensed Commander Velghor, fresh from a failed assassination attempt by the Firebreak in the nearby Qorabbas System, orders the total destruction of the Silver Stars force there, despite Master Enoch’s pleading to the Flesh Eaters Chapter Master – the inquisitorial Lord desperate, with demands for interrogation. In a terrifying echo of Morgant, the entire population of Feretory is massacred and crucified, a result of the planets governor declaring for the Volnoscere - despite there being many loyal to the Emperor of Mankind. When Inquisitorial representatives arrive, they are met with millions of both enemy forces and citizens impailed for mile upon mile in possibly the most sickening act of genocide in the entire war. Of what the Silver Stars were searching for there is nothing, the Flesh Eaters also having departed the planet.
Belligerents: Silver Stars – Flesh Eaters; Charnel Guard, Death Eagles (II); Minotaurs, Ordo Forces

[//AFTERMATH+]
[//paul_h/@the_midnightmare+]

Machinedeath on Strabo's Star

Precis: The airless world of Null hosts the largest armoured conflict of the war, as the terrifying size of the Silver Stars' arsenal becomes apparent. Covered by Partisan support, companies of superheavy tanks flood the plains as they engage the embattled Orthodox Titans, along with their Pentarchy allies.
Belligerents: Silver Stars, Jade Talon, Argent Heralds, Iron Guard – Legio Punica, Legion Validus, Carcharodons, Red Talons

***

Principal battles in Sector Heliopolis

The Bludgeon of Martyrs

Precis: The Ecclesiarchy within Heliopolis gathers its forces. Numerous unofficial rag-tag fleets and lone ships head rimwards to war; leading to reports of massacres against the faithful by the rebel Chapters Astartes. Although unsanctioned and unsupported by the Ecclesiarchy, the massacres are used to galvanise support for the Pentarchy and Orthodoxy.

[//The sons of the Great Angel know what the other Astartes will not admit in their hearts - the Primarchs are dead, we are orphaned. No imposter will bring them back, no imposter will fill that void in our blood. On treason and heresy lies that way. - Malatest of Corduene, Vigilant and Angel Aureate+]
[@games.scholar]

Red Riven Rivalry

Precis: The Red Talons persecute the Riven Lords, destroying their Tenth Company – and their future.
Belligerents: Riven Lords – Red Talons; Ordo Forces

The Haunting of the Sceland

Precis: A small Nova-class escort under the name Sceland takes off from The Wurm, carrying a handful of Astartes off into the Heliopolian Void, after the Wormwood Sons are drawn into the conflict.

War of a Thousand Blades

Precis: On the orders of Volnoscere, the Void Barons, Jade Talons, Wormwood Sons, Star Wardens and Iron Guard begin a co-ordinated campaign to winnow the Extinction Fleets; supported in their efforts by the Marines Mendicant, who begin to assassinate key figures of the Orthodoxy high command.

[//Brother Ulrich, Star Warden+]
[//james_h/inky.beard+]

Fall of Teo Sentimental

Precis: Preceded by the Marines Mendicant, a force of the Silver Stars, supported by the Red Fish First Company and Void Barons Fourth Company deploy to Teo Sentimental, utterly routing the Orthodoxy's forces and establishing a foothold in Sector Heliopolis.
Belligerents: Silver Stars, Red Fish, Void Barons – Death Eagles (II), Red Talons

The War of Broken Bones

Precis: In a foreshadowing of the machinedeath, the Star Wardens come to blows with the Red Talons and Flesh Eaters over the Forge World of Neo Jove. Delayed by actions of the Vigilants, Wormwood Sons reinforcements arrive too late, and are defeated in turn.
Belligerents: Star Wardens, Wormwood Sons – Carcharodons Red Talons, Flesh Eaters, Death Eagles (II), Legio Validus, Legio Punica.

[Red Fish; bearing signs on being indebted to the Wormwood Sons+]
p//nick_t@k0rdhal+]