[//Stapan Stanizar Gorn+]
[//Allegiance: Charnel Guard/Pentarchy+]
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| [//matt_t/@spacedhulk+] |
From obscurity to infamy, the rise and fall of the monstrous Stanizar Gorn, Lord of the Charnel Guard.
***
'It is widely believed that every descendant of Sanguinius is gifted with a measure of his perfection, each one sharing a resemblance, though diluted, of their gene-father's supernatural grace, charm and beauty.
Those that espouse this belief had obviously never encountered Stanizar Gorn.
The Master of the Charnel Guard was ugly, both inside and out.'
[//attr. Vamma Andreia Pushkin, High Lord of Terra+]
The Charnel Lord
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| [//dennis_k/the_iron_within+] |
Investigations into the name are contradictory, even absurd. The Chapter's first mention in Imperial records is directly connected with the Second Founding, some five millennia earlier: 'The felle Stanisarr Gorrun' is noted as Stapan, (the Charnel Guard's term for Chapter Master), with no other names being listed since. The similarity has never been properly investigated.
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| [//Charnel Guard warriors; [REDACTED] battlefield; unknown Ostire+] [//liam_m/@6pluspainting+] |
The Chapter's lack of political weight and sponsorship explains why the assaying Adepta Pacificus (the body later to be purged and reformed into Orthodox High Command) passed him over for overall strategic command of the Pentarchy. As our occluded history tells, the mammoth task of leading the Orthodox response fell to another Son of Sanguinius, the darkly renowned Jan Velghor of the Flesh Eaters.
From the outset, this state of affairs seemed to prove well-suited to the recondite Gorn. The Charnel Guard gave little outward sign of craving laurels or glory; seemingly content to serve the Emperor with little hunger for accolades. Indeed, a fragmentary remark tentatively dated to the period, and attributed to Master Enoch, cited them as:
'Virtuously lacking in braggadocio, but [fragmentary]nding no comparison in martial virtue.'
Contrast this rare compliment from Enoch with the (suprisingly extensive) number of censorious and caviling records aimed at the other Masters of the Pentarchy; and compare Gorn's seeming acceptance of his role with those of Morr of the Red Talons and Dwimmerlock of the Death Eagles. Their opprobium at becoming 'subservient' is well-attested – and rumour has it that it led to small-scale inter-Pentarchy conflict on more than occation.
Whatever the truth, there is no suggestion that Gorn chafed at following Velghor's commands. Velghor and Gorn's personal relationship can only be inferred, owing to the lack of any primary evidence, but it seems likely that their shared heritage as successors of the Blood Angels helped to ensure the forces of the Flesh Eaters and Charnel Guard gelled together well. Indeed, they worked together so closely during the early part of the war, that they operated as a seemingly unified force in some theatres – not least the infamous Siege of Ul-Hiyar that saw the domains of the Red Fish despoiled, and the 'Primarch' directly threatened.
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| [//Note the non-standard helm and Anvilus backpack on the unnamed Red Fish Astartes, pictured during the counter-assault on Vell.+] [//@genericbuzzard+] |
It would, however, be a mistake to claim that Gorn was wholly subservient to Velghor during this period. Although he closely followed the strategies and instructions of the Grand Voivode, direct command of the Charnel Guard remained with Gorn alone, and he amply demonstrated his strategic capabilities from the very start of the conflict.
Gorn divided his forces, the bulk accompanying him alongside the Flesh Eaters' advance into Morqub. The remainder, including much of the vaunted First Ostire, were dispersed throughout the war zone as small, independent strike forces, that became whispered of fearfully amongst the rebellious Partisans as ‘Blood Hosts’ – a term that the Chapter seemed to later adopt for its psychological effects.
These forces were of Demi-Company size or smaller, a canny decision that made full use of the Charnel Guard's extensive fleet assets to maximise the influence the Charnel Guard could bring to the greater war. Each Host Commander appears to have been granted absolute automony – it appears Gorn had utmost faith in the officers and Captains he appointed, for according to the later Boke of Blemishhe, he dispatched them with naught but the following simple instruction:
“Harry the traitors, wheresoever thou mayst find them, my kin. Quarter, offer them none; respite, offer them none; but rather spill their blood in His Name.”
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| [//The Charnel Guard Captain that became known as 'Dragonslayer' following the events on Ishim+] [//@dave_b/@hereticdave+] |
Gorn's pronouncements were noted as archaic in form even at the time – but this particular record perhaps owes more to poetic flourish than reliable record-keeping, for Gorn appears to have been constantly aware of the movements and status of all his forces – and his reputation for feats of strategy and attention to administrative detail only grew as the war went on.
He became renowned even amongst his peers for his ability to pinpoint the exact location of each Blood Host at will; reel off their current strengths and casualty figures, and the predicted opposition they faced from Partisan forces. How he received this information is unclear, although we might point to the fact taht the Charnel Guard, like so many Successors of the IX Legion, maintained a particularly large and well-trained Librarius. However it was achieved, his ability to micromanage, but at the same time trust his subordinates to do what was required, would hugely benefit both the Stapan and the Pentarchy in the years to come.
***
Heir Ascendant – Second Master of the Pentarachy
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| [//Gorn leads his forces into battle+] [//matt_t/@spacedhulk+] |
The second truth, less obvious but equally unpalatable, was that Velghor’s ability to lead a coordinated response to this threat was deteriorating rapidly. In fact, even his presence became more and more sporadic, with few outside the Flesh Eaters and Charnel Guard being granted an audience, and certainly never during combat operations. Rumours, fuelled by his continuing absence, began to circulate amongst Orthodox High Command. As losses mounted and the tide of war turned against the Pentarchy, dissenting voices began to be heard ever louder amongst the council Chambers of the Extinction Fleets.
As a fellow Son of Sanguinius, Stapan Gorn was uniquely placed to understand the tragic fate that had befallen the leader of the Pentarchy. Like the Flesh Eaters, the Charnel Guard were no strangers to the curse of the Great Angel, and although the two Chapters were afflicted in subtly different ways, he could readily empathise with his troubled kin.
***
Gradually at first, but then with greater and greater frequency, the Stapan began to assume the mantle of command from the tormented Grand Voivode. Initially, this was limited to simple logistics and diplomatic relations amongst the Orthodoxy forces, but as Velghor's will deteriorated, Gorn’s influence began to be felt on all matters of tactics and strategy. By the time of the Natakjuwu Campaign, Stanizar Gorn had become the leader of the Pentarchy in all but name, and it took little to persuade Master Enoch to ratify this change of command formally..
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| [//Master Enoch pictured alongside fresh Charnel Guard recruits and Veterans from the Death Eagles (II)+] [//josh_n/@disordered_retreat et edward_r/@death_of_a_rubricist+] |
***
Master of men, master of minds
Gorn's ascension would prove to be one of the few truly wise decisions made by Enoch. Under Gorn’s leadership, the Pentarchy would become a highly effective and well coordinated combined force. Ironically, much of this was due to the increased independence of action and decision-making that the Stapan encouraged amongst the Orthodox Chapters.
Perhaps crucially, Gorn appeared to have a far greater appreciation of the psychology of his fellow Masters than his predecessor, combined with an intrinsic understanding of the Pentarchy’s strengths and weaknesses. Just as with the Captains of his own Chapter, Gorn was content to let Morr, Dwimmerlock and the others prosecute the War as they saw fit, adapting his own strategies to suit their strengths and proclivities, whilst using guile and diplomacy to defuse the inevitable tensions that arose amongst such strong willed individuals. Rather than brazenly exerting his newfound authority, the Stapan was able to subtly shape the Orthodox strategy, expertly maneuvering their forces into positions where they could overwhelm their opponents, either through sheer numbers or simple ferocity.
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| [//Faces of the Pentarchy of Blood. Top row, left to right: Death Eagles (I), Carcharadons Astra; Red Talons. Bottom row, left to right: Death Eagles (II), Charnel Guard, Flesh Eaters + [//matt_r/@spacedhulk+] |
Gorn's insight into the psychology of his allies allowed him to mould the Pentarchy into an weapon better suited for the realities of this most peculiar of wars. Allowing full head to the excesses of the Red Talons and Flesh Eaters, while re-establishing lines of command with the heretofore wayward Carcharadons and Death Eagles (II), and soothing the injured pride of Dwimmerlock of the Death Eagles, Gorn's strategic overview fundamentally changed the function of the Pentarchy, alloying its previously-disparate elements into a force better suited to Sector-level warfare.
Nor was Gorn wanting in the understanding of his enemies. Indeed, he emerged as an insightful and ruthless strategist who – crucially – was able to use the strengths of each of the arms of the Pentarchy to its fullest effect. Far from being a passive lieutenant in the earlier stages of the war, it quickly emerged that he had spent the period in Heliopolis establishing a network of in-sector spies, fifth columnists and informants – primarily through his shadowy interactions with the Vigilants. Making full use of the Ordo Astartes archives, he had studied and investigated each of the Partisan Chapters in exhaustive detail, personally interrogating numerous captives, and scrutinising their repsective martial histories to learn how each could be fought, and therefore how they could be beaten.
Only the enigmatic Silver Stars, so curiously absent from the Imperium’s official records, avoided his scrutiny, a fact that the Stapan is known to have found deeply troubling.
Gorn understood that the Partisan Chapter’s homeworlds were undoubtedly their Achilles heel, a fact he exploited at every opportunity. Adopting a strategy of sending small, nimble Orthodox strikeforces to raid the Astartes' home systems, it quickly became apparent that simply targeting them was a particularly effective way of disrupting the enemy lines. All too mindful of the fate of the Firebreak after the loss of Frith, and the near-loss of Ishim early in the war, the Partisans would pull forces, quite out of proportion to the needling threat, out of position as they raced back to protect their own dominions.
Long before they were systematically purged in the latter years of the War, Hyperborea, Icathus, Siklon, Praedius and the others were frequently raided, often by the Blood Hosts still roaming unchecked through both Sectors.
Such was Gorn’s political skill that his tactics quickly became engrained within the broader Pentarchy’s doctrines, and they would continue to be utilised, with greater and greater success, even after his demise.
***
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| [//Brother Viktor of the Flesh Eaters bears the skull of a partisan lord from a minor house on his power pack. A testament to the worlds laid low by the Pentarchy – and in particular to those scoured by the brothers in blood, Velghor and Gorn.+] [//adam/@learning2bgrim+] |
***
Stanizar Gorn: man or myth?
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| [//This figure is the most likely candidate to be Stanizar Gorn, but the Stapan's physical identity was never confirmed. The pict-capture also shows evidence of substantial post-editing.+] [//matt_t/@spacedhulk+] |
To this day, a fierce debate still rages as to whether Stanizar Gorn was one individual or many, or indeed, whether he even existed at all.
The root of much of this confusion lay within the so-called Jerome Gallery, a vast collection of art and memorabilia recovered from Morqub and Heliopolis in the post war years. Even as the Adepts of the Ordo Redactus began to systematically erase all history of the False Primarch, others were scavenging whatever they could find from the wreckage of two entire Sectors.
Audax Jerome himself was a low-ranking but extremely wealthy Ordo Astartes Inquisitor, with a particular love and fascination with art. In the aftermath of the War, Jerome's agents acquired the huge catalogue of paintings, sculptures, literature and music, all of which he shipped surreptitiously back to the Sol system. Stored in a fortress museum on Jerome’s Venusian Estate, the collection remained undisturbed for almost three centuries, until the scandalous nature of the ancient Inquisitor’s downfall and death brought his affairs to wider attention. Investigators searching the museum were amazed to find, amongst such rarities as fully intact suits of Coldforge-pattern armour and Vid-footage of the War on Null, a huge collection of portraits.
Labelled by Jerome as 'The Faces of Pentarchy', this gallery contained a staggering number of images, both recorded and fabricated, of the warrior brethren of the Pentarchy of Blood. And holding pride of place within the collection were portraits of all the Orthodoxy Chapter Masters involved during the conflict.
It is owing to this collection that the question of Gorn's identity emerged. For while the other Chapter Masters were each represented by two or three images at most, over three dozen portraits of Stanizar Gorn were present. Of itself, this discrepancy is unremarkable, and could be accounted for by simple artistic preference, but it is the nature of Gorn’s images that is most unusual. For every picture of the Stapan depicts a unique individual, often with strikingly different features and appearance. In some portraits, Gorn is young and illustrious, with the angelic good looks so prominent amongst the gene-lineage of Sanguinius. In others, he is ancient and terribly scarred, his damaged skull repaired with iron teeth and bionic implants. The most disturbing and infamous image, labelled – or rather scrawled – as 'The Butcher of Morqub' by it's unknown artist, depicts Gorn as a grotesque gargoyle, hunched and hulking in armour that emulates raw, bleeding flesh, and with fanged, inhuman features that barely resemble an Astartes at all.
It is owing to this collection that the question of Gorn's identity emerged. For while the other Chapter Masters were each represented by two or three images at most, over three dozen portraits of Stanizar Gorn were present. Of itself, this discrepancy is unremarkable, and could be accounted for by simple artistic preference, but it is the nature of Gorn’s images that is most unusual. For every picture of the Stapan depicts a unique individual, often with strikingly different features and appearance. In some portraits, Gorn is young and illustrious, with the angelic good looks so prominent amongst the gene-lineage of Sanguinius. In others, he is ancient and terribly scarred, his damaged skull repaired with iron teeth and bionic implants. The most disturbing and infamous image, labelled – or rather scrawled – as 'The Butcher of Morqub' by it's unknown artist, depicts Gorn as a grotesque gargoyle, hunched and hulking in armour that emulates raw, bleeding flesh, and with fanged, inhuman features that barely resemble an Astartes at all.
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| [//Flesh-wet artificer armour and the Rose of the Pentarchy+] [//matt_t/@spacedhulk+] |
Of course, all of these conflicting images could be readily explained by either misidentification, artistic license or the natural effects of time and combat on the Stapan during the eighty year conflict. However, Gorn’s constantly changing appearance is also mentioned in a surprising number of other sources. For example, in the sole account of the Charnel Guard that survives from the War of the Beast, their Master is described by Codicier Demetrius of the Crimson Fists: "Stapan Gorn is ancient and terrible, a corpse that walks amongst the living, whose deformed visage is fearful enough to give even a greenskin pause." But during the Pacification of Barmut, which occurred less than a hundred years after the death of the Beast, local Inquisitors described Gorn as "an angel set in Sanguinius own image, whose majestic beauty belies the savagery in his heart".
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| [//'Black-eyed and terrible'+] [//matt_t/@spacedhulk+] |
These discrepancies also extend to the other surviving records from the War of the False Primarch. Imperial Guard commanders, Ecclesiarchy representatives and his fellow Pentarchy Masters all offer vastly different descriptions of the Stapan from their meetings with him. Even Master Enoch, who naturally held regular councils with Gorn during his tenure of command, writes in his personal diaries:
"I never know who will receive me: the Angel or the Beast, the battle weary Veteran or the aggressive young warlord. But as long as he brings us victory, [the Charnel Guard] may keep their secrets."
A number of theories have attempted to explain this mystery. Some believe that Stanizar Gorn was not actually a single individual, but rather a persona assumed by multiple leaders of the Charnel Guard during the same period, much as the Death Eagles (I) are always led by the current, Sanctified incarnation of Tywin Dwimmerlock. Others believe that the Charnel Guard are actually permanently commanded by a council of Veterans, and that the name Gorn was simply the title afforded to whoever acted as their elected (or available) spokesperson. More outlandish or downright ghoulish theories abound, from the Stapan somehow being able to rejuvenate himself by consuming the progenoids of his enemies, to the suggestion that he was actually an alien shape-shifter that had infiltrated the Charnel Guard during their crusades into the outer dark , or that the Chapter’s constant use of stasis-crypt technology had resulted in bizarre temporal anomalies.
Whatever the truth of the matter, two incontrovertible facts remain. The first is that the Charnel Guard, and later the entire Pentarchy of Blood, were led to ultimate victory by a commander known as Stanizar Gorn. The second is that tragically, he did not survive to see that victory. For Gorn, whoever or whatever he was, fell during the closing years of the conflict, slain at the hands of the False Primarch himself.
***