M40
The Lauriger System, deep within the Segmentum Obscurus, is explored for first time since The Waning, when records of the system were lost. Expeditionary fleet commanded by Winslow Bromhead and Zachariah Chard, who have a joint trade warrant and ties to the Adeptus Mechanium.
Third planet in system (120611) identified as suitable for immediate habitation.
781.40
First landing on third planet. Zachariah Chard is first to set foot on the surface, with the gravely ill Winslow Bromhead arriving a few days later once a camp has been established.
Site of initial camp would later become Chard's Landing.
782.40
Most of the fleet assets now relocated to surface whilst explorations of main continent continue.
The Island explored and a small camp established. Winslow Bromhead, still in overall command of the mission, moves much of his family across the water from the mainland.
First contact with Ork population; a small force of greenskins is engaged and destroyed in the battle of First Blood Ford. Expeditionary force troops commanded by Dalton Bromhead, eldest son of Winslow.
782-784.40
Series of engagements with Ork population, as expeditionary force pushes north and east of landing. Ork tactics are non-existent but they seem to have an enthusiasm for fighting the newcomers. Thanks to presence of House Closeburn, expeditionary victories are assured.
Abhuman population encountered in forest to the north west of first settlement. Identified as beastmen, they view the expeditionary force as warriors from the sky, sent to defeat the Orks with whom the beastmen have been in conflict for generations.
Chard, Dalton Bromhead and sibling Aubrey all distinguish themselves in combat.
785.40
Montgomery Chard, Zachariah's brother, leads furthest northward exploration of mainland. Establishing a camp in the mountains from which several attempts are made to determine extent of natural resources in the area.
Zachariah leads large force to neutralise Ork threat identified in north east. The campaign is bloody but successful with beastmen fighting alongside expeditionary forces. Ezra Bromhead given task of training them to be effective support troops. He quickly realises the best way to utilise them is as close combat specialists, whether in attack or defence and supported by the ranged firepower of human troops the tactics work. "Ezra's Horns" gain respect of human troops.
Carter Drake sets out for the second continent in an attempt to increase his status amongst the expedition's family leaders.
786.40
Montgomery's survey teams report a wealth of mineral deposits waiting to be mined.
Survivors of Drake's mission return with news that the second continent is uninhabitable. It is nicknamed Drake's Folly.
787.40
Winslow Bromhead dies. Overall command of mission falls to Zachariah Chard who returns from north east campaign.
Planet 120611 is officially named Bromhead in honour of Winslow.
787-790.40
The settling
With the Orks seemingly contained and a viable presence established on the planet, the population grows and cultivation of fertile river delta begins in earnest to feed the inhabitants.
Zachariah Chard overseas all of this with Dalton Bromhead commanding military forces which establish several bases around the continent.
Last of fleet resources transferred planetside to establish mining facilities in "Montgomery" Mountains.
791.40
Settlement established in the far north east, named Hallenberg in honour of Dalton Bromhead's wife's family.
793.40
Fort Wrath established as a military outpost and prospecting base.
796.40
Lands in the north ceded to House Closeburn, for them to build a permanent base on planet.
798.40
Montgomery Chard and a team of prospectors disappear whilst exploring. No trace found.
801.40
Zachariah Chard dies and is buried next to his old friend Winslow at the small settlement of Journey's End. His son Cornelius succeeds him and is first to use title of Governor.
802-815.40
Mars arrives
With resources to be exploited and the planet secure, Emissaries from the Mechanium arrive to negotiate with Cornelius Chard and the council of families.
A mutual accord is agreed granting the Mechanium any rights to resources on bromhead's second continent in return for support to exploit resources on the mainland.
Tech prospectors flood to Bromhead in a claims rush that sees the north of the continent explored like never before. The population continues to grow with Mechanium personnel arriving in great numbers to adapt Drake's Folly to their needs.
Chard's Landing triples its population in ten years.
816-880.40
Prosperity reigns. Although the planet remains to all intents and purposes, an insignificant speck in the Imperium, these are times of relative ease and comfort for the ruling elites and the majority of Bromhead's population.
Fort Chard is established in 817.40 and grows each year as the benefits of the mutual accord and the Mechanium's facility across the ocean means the military is well supported. The expeditionary force becomes the Planetary Defence Force. Mechanium Skitarii are always available to bolster PDF forces but mainly stay on the second continent which has become known as The Forge.
West Sands Military Academy is founded in 820.40 to better train potential officers and elites.
Mechanium prospectors see Bromhead as ripe for further investigation. The treacherous asteroid fields on the edges of the system may be exploitable for mineral deposits.
The families that made up the leadership of the exploration fleet are now firmly established as the ruling elite of Bromhead. The Chards and the Bromheads are still the main two families.
904.40
The Duel
In a dispute over rightful claim to be planetary governor, Caleb Chard and Mason Bromhead agree to a duel to settle the matter. At first with swords and then bare handed the pair duel for nearly two hours before Caleb knocks Mason unconscious. The Chard claim on the Governorship is upheld and duelling, although never officially sanctioned, is still a favoured means of settling arguments.
46.M41
Miner's Sorrow
Tech prospectors and mineral miners alike are driven out of the north by a series of natural and unnatural phenomena. Several prominent figures are lost. A series of small earthquakes in the region collapse many mines and leaves decades' worth of exploratory work in ruins. Amidst the chaos and confusion few notice which disappearances occurred before the quakes and which after...
139-160.41
The Gothic War
Abaddon the Despoiler's 12th Black Crusade engulfs the Gothic Sector and pulls in forces from across that region of the galaxy.
Bromhead is called upon to send troops to join the fighting and the planet responds to the best of its abilities. The First Bromhead Dragoons (Bromhead's Finest) The Second Bromhead Infantry (Bromhead's bravest, also known as the Big Blue Twos) and the Third Bromhead Mechanised (Bromhead's Toughest) all saw extensive service.
Knights from House Closeburn won accolades in the conflict, but not without sustaining losses.
The Imperial Navy establishes a temporary station, Port Caine, on the far side of the Isembard Asteroid Fields, but this falls into inactivity when the Gothic War ends.
141.41
Green tide rising
Communications are lost with the north eastern port city of Hallenberg. Recent storms are initially blamed but a string of battered refugees arrives on the other side of the Faulk Marshes with horrific tales of a massed Ork attack on the city.
Soon reports are flooding in as fast as the refugees carrying them from across the north; Orks are attacking in strength, everywhere!
With much of Bromhead's military might sent off-world to battle the forces of Chaos, there are scant assets available to counter any threat. Reservists are called up and militia pressed into service alongside beastmen units not deployed off-world.
The force that heads to determine the Ork threat is led by Thaddeus Chard, a favoured son of the Governor Weldon Chard and a recent graduate of West Sands.
141-144.41
Chard's force, nicknamed Retribution, encounters the first Ork advance raiders on Little Dark Moor, preparing to raid The Farm. The encounter is as bloody as it is shockingly brief; Orks mounted in all manner of vehicles quickly surround and harry the force from all sides. Only intervention from The Gatekeeper of House Closeburn prevents a disaster, as he arrives at the prearranged rendevous to find a full scale battle. He is the lone Knight alongside the force, choosing to leave the keep defenceless to deal with the Ork threat.
Having scattered the raiding party and believing the greater force to be eastwards, Thaddeus leads his troops across Little Dark Moor and then fights across the marshes and into the eastern wilds. They face Orks in numbers unthinkable to military planners and the ruling elite alike, for the greenskins had been recovering and growing in number on the many uncharted islands of the broken lands. Now they were back on the mainland and spoiling for a fight.
The campaign becomes a brutal series of battles fought over territory that changes hands several times. Including a dramatic rear-guard action undertaken by Thaddeus Chard at The Drift waystation. Fighting to allow a greater number of his forces to retreat, Chard and a small force of Veteran Dragoons were encircled and cut-off. Fighting for four days before a relief column led by House Closeburn's Gatekeeper could reach them, the men of the drift were all but annihilated by their attackers. Thaddeus had died fighting an ork warboss. What remained of his body was laid to rest in the family vaults at Journey's End, as was the custom.
As the war raged in the east, Ork raiding parties had slipped through the lands north of the Montgomery Mountains and began raiding settlements. The township of Sweetness became the main target of their savagery; pious settlers were rounded up and cooked alive, but remained defiant to the last. Led in a chorus of hymns to the Emperor by an elderly woman known only as "Mother Agatha" the faithful were greatly amusing to their captors who devoured them nevertheless. A group of fifty ( out of a population of over a thousand) witnessed the tragedy and escaped to tell their tale.
Eventually, enough the raiding parties are each met and destroyed as forces from the south are rushed to the area but the toll is high.
A series of forward operating bases are established with a buffer zone behind them that means sustained operations can be undertaken in Ork held territory, but a clear victory is always just out of reach. A policy of containment is pursued instead.
161.41
Hallenberg Reclaimed - with the Gothic War over Bromhead's contribution can be directed back to threats at home. Veterans of the conflict coupled with fresh recruits and equipment mean an all out strike at the heart of the Ork forces is possible.
It takes two months put the big push is successful and the city of Hallenberg, bearing the disgusting traces of ork residents is finally reclaimed. The push through to Hallenberg is lead by Wyatt Chard and the full, returned, might of House Closeburn. The Gatekeeper is an unstoppable force during this time, fighting with the shame of what happened at Sweetness driving him on.
170.41
With Pilgrims flocking to the old site of Sweetness, Adepta Sororitas Sisters from the Order of the Holy Glory arrive and begin building a shrine to Mother Agatha.
172.41
The Shrine to St. Agatha is completed and the number of pilgrims praying at the shrine grows, as does the number of Sisters there to watch over it. Sweetness is rebuilt, albeit miles away from the original site.
201.41
The Year of Very Bad Things
The Marshall of Fort Wrath complains of headaches, which get so severe he is bedridden for days. Soon more leading figures are similarly afflicted in the city, with some choosing to leave to see if that grants them relief. After a particularly troubled night, the head of every member of the City Council explodes during a meeting.
Lesser citizens of Fort Wrath report hearing voices and over a period of a few days residents can be seen wandering the streets glassy eyed and muttering. As suddenly as the malady arrives, it is gone. A clean up of the council chambers can reveal no foul play and the incident is swept under the carpet as best possible. Meanwhile officials from the Governors office begin keeping a watchful eye on the goings on in Fort wrath.
It isn't long before the alarm is raised again as horrified new mothers report birth defects in their newborns, The city's water supply begins to taste of blood, as does the rain which falls. The newly appointed Marshall declares himself to be a bird and jumps headfirst off the administratum building. His corpse can be heard chirping for several moments after the impact.
The strange and unsettling phenomena continue; trappers return from camp deep in the woods with unexplainable markings on their bodies, which they say appeared after swimming in Black Lake. Within days every one of them is screaming in a language unknown to human ears and running wild through the streets. Eventually rounded up by authorities they are never seen in public again.
Violence erupts in Fort Wrath's market when a wave of paranoia hits residents, the local troops arrive to intervene but are soon embroiled in the hysteria. Many civilians are killed in the ensuing melee.
Reports reach the planetary administration of numerous instances of witchcraft and sorcery.
Those that can, flee the city as soon as possible. For those that cannot leave, there is only a descent into madness. For the escapees there is little solace as they are quietly quarantined.
By the end of the year, Fort Wrath is officially abandoned and travel there strictly prohibited.
202-206.41
The Taint
Instances of mutation are reported by military scouts, with several encounters between troops and hideous beasts roaming the area near Fort Wrath.
A forward operating base is established as close to the area as is considered safe. It is not an assignment relished by troops. During this time the wild north west is nicknamed "The Taint."
208.41
Fearing the touch of chaos on the planet, military leaders and the Governor's Office decide to minimise the threat from the beastmen population. Gathering all units on-world into a single force, the leadership orders them to "re-take" The Taint. They take to this with great gusto and units spread into the region scouting out the unnatural horrors and engaging them.
Due to a series of "mishaps" however, promised heavy support does not arrive and the beastmen contingent is left to deal with whatever The Taint holds on their own. Back in their old grounds near the great lakes, herdstones are destroyed and all traces of them cleansed.
Several packs of beastmen try to report to the forward operating base but are killed by long range fire.
Pack leaders gather and discuss "the betrayal."
Beastmen are officially declared a threat to the security of Bromhead by the Governor's Office.
210.41
House Closeburn Knights stride to the aid of the base garrison, beseiged by monsters that came out of the forests under cover of night. It is a close run thing but with the towering warriors hacking the foul beasts apart in great numbers the base is saved.
316.41
Ulysses Bromhead becomes Governor - it is under his leadership that the military on Bromhead becomes re-organised. Traditional units remain, such as the finest, bravest and toughest, but no longer are these troops divided into on and off-world assignments. Deciding that a much more robust home defence is needed, Ulysses established the Island's own military base, The Citadel as well as creating the Xenos Supression Force to specifically train for containing any Ork threat.
Initially drawing on troops from the three main Bromhead regiments, the supression force quickly codifies its own training principles and surpasses the expertise of its initial founding regiments.
320.41
Encouraged by Mechanium priests, tech-prospecting experiences a boom north of the Montgomery Mountains.
House Closeburn Knights deal harshly with a group trespassing on ward lands and for a while tensions mount. Mechanium intercession ensures a peaceful resolution with much needed support for the House's equipment agreed as a settlement.
This leads in 328.41 to a member of House Closeburn being stationed on The Forge - known as The Watcher over the Water it is a symbolic posting, to maintain trust between the noble house and Mechanium presence on Bromhead.
The tensions distract authorities from the fact that several prospecting missions disappear without trace. Assumptions, if any are made, are that the prospectors fell foul of natural hazards in the unstable areas of the far north.
400.41
The succession crisis
For the first time in the planet's history, there isn't a clear candidate for Governor after Orval Bromhead's death as both the Bromhead and Chard households have no heirs of age. Weeks of negotiations agree an interim Governor should stand, with the candidate selected from the lesser noble houses by secret ballot.
The surprise choice is Orval Thurman who takes office and quickly initiates legislation protecting his right to govern.
His short-lived administration is plagued by mismanagement, theft of public funds and accusations of corruption. It is eventually discovered that the Thurman household bribed ballot takers and Orval, several members of his family and the ballot takers are sentenced to transportation to The Forge where they will live out their years doing hard labour.
A council of ministers rules Bromhead for five years, before Vance Chard assumes the Governorship on his 21st birthday.
405-463.41
Bromhead enjoys a period of stability under Vance, with The Farm growing to accommodate Bromhead's rising population, with Chard's Landing a thriving city and the planet's elite enjoying a life of luxury on The Island.
463.41-520.41
Successive Governors maintain the status quo;
The Taint remains strictly off limits and contained, with Forward Operating Base Absolution the refuge of commanders out of favour and troops counting the days until their rotation there is over.
The Xenos Supression Force remains ever vigilant and patrols around the city of Hallenberg.
House Closeburn rebuilds after the losses sustained in the Gothic War and subsequent purging of Orks on Bromhead. Sir Roger rises to lead the noble house which remains a steadfast presence in the north, guarding against the threat of chaos in the west and Orks in the east.
Bishop Dildano Phallos rises to prominence in the upper tiers of Bromhead society. Originally a lowly priest making pilgrimmage to the Shrine of St. Agatha, his bombastic sermons are popular and he soon becomes a star in the Ecclesiarchy. His fervour becomes legendary and he is a popular figure travelling to various settlements preaching. He is even allowed to bless the troops of the Xenos Supression Force, the most pious of Bromhead's armed forces.
533.41
The Great Perversion
The time of relative comfort allows many indulgences to flourish on Bromhead. The elite of society have their Island to themselves but Chard's Landing witnesses a rise in taverns, brothels and other houses of ill repute. In settlements further from the reach of authority, full blown pleasure cults are established and run unchecked.
Smuggling routes into The Taint have long been suspected but with containment the priority, things going in to the area are seen as immaterial. It is an oversight that proves costly as routed through the Badlands allow a mutant leader calling himself Maximus and known terrifyingly as the sodomiser, to lead a rabble into the north and begin raids.
Moving via a network of fellow pleasure cults, Maximus united a force numbering in the hundreds and including many mutants and tormented outcasts with psychic potential. Sweetness once again found itself the target of foul enemies but this time it was defended; Sisters of Battle stormed forth and engaged the disgusting cultists with bolter and chainsword. The tide of filth hurled against them was rising as many more seemingly deranged cultists flocked to the battle.
Absolution was attacked by indescribable monsters, preventing them from sending aid to the beleagured Sisters who evacuated the township and took everyone back to the sanctuary of the shrine. It took all their might to withstand the onslaught, with civilians and Sisters alike being forced to take refuge in the abbey. The visiting Bishop Phallos and his retinue took charge of the safety of the civilians whilst the Sororitas forces looked to engage and eliminate Maximus's forces outside.
House Closeburn Knights set forth to offer assistance but were beset by problems along the way; the keep itself was assailed by aparitions, causing problems with several of the Knight's thrones. Lionel Closeburn, Kingsward and pilot of Knight Crusader Eternal Vigilance was the only Knight able to leave with Sir Roger but was forced to go to the aid of the garrison at Absolution, leaving the leader of House Closeburn alone.
It was whilst fighting the mutants that the Sisters heard a great thunderclap from inside the abbey and the screams of those within. A handful of Sisters was all that could be spared to investigate but they found a terrifying sight; The great altar was awash with blood, scores of civilians were dead and the rest were screaming at the shimmering figure of a warp entity trying to manifest itself amongst them. Bishop was nowhere to be found. Sir Roger fought his way through the rabble using his reaper chainsword as the battlecannon would've obliterated friend and foe alike.
Official records indicate that Sir Roger entered the Abbey on foot, leaving his Knight at the gates. Sisters inside the Abbey saw him briefly but it was literally chaos inside and no-one is precisely sure what happened next. A huge sound, like the rending of flesh filled that abbey and the warp entity blinked out of existence.
The pockets of cultists outside immediately lost their fervour and were quickly overcome. Maximus's body was discovered and along with the others, burned in a huge pit. Bishop Phallos's body was also found, bearing stab wounds from a dagger. Suspicion fell on Sir Roger and his lover, Cannoness of the Holy Glory Theresa Rancini. After an investigation, influenced by the outcry over Phallos's death amongst the Bromhead elites, Rancini was executed. Sir Roger fled to Closeburn Keep out of reach of Bromhead "justice."
535.41
Exodus
In the aftermath of Martha Mercini's execution, House Closeburn withdrew from all duties. Sir Roger summoned his court and declared that House Closeburn no longer existed. He commanded each Baron in turn to forsake his oaths of fealty and family name and leave Bromhead to become a freeblade. Only The Watcher over the Water is exempt from this pledge, but never again does one set foot on the mainland.
Within the year, Sir Roger was the only Knight remaining, alone in the keep save for the serfs and retainers required to keep him and Mortis ready for battle. He maintains his seclusion until 538.41 when, on the fifth anniversary of his beloved's execution, he and Mortis stride out from the keep to her graveside on a lonely hilltop. Pilgrims are amazed to see the giant figure standing astride the grave, but it remains motionless. The Closeburn keep is abandoned to memories.
540.41
The City principal of Hallenberg manages to negotiate a withdrawal of Xenos Supression Force troops from the city and environs, insisting that its own militia which includes inshore patrol craft are up to the job.
XSF troops oblige in part due to the need to patrol the areas of the north once guarded by the Knightly house.
577.41
The Great Thirst
Unprecedented summer heat dries up much of the rivers that feed The Farm, leading to drought and food shortages. Even the Great Lakes see water levels fall. The PDF is hard pressed to get aid to settlements and maintain order as tempers flare in the heat. Great fires start on Greater Dark Moor and threaten to spread to the Western Woods. Again the PDF meets the challenge.
Warner's Junction is the setting for several violent clashes between ill-nourished citizens and the authorities. Governor Lemuel Chard cracks down hard on insurrection, making himself increasingly unpopular. It isn't known whether the Island is afflicted by droughts.
578.41
Rebellion
Local militias in several settlements, backed by desperate citizenry, openly rebel against rule from the island. officials who resist are dragged through the streets and sent south, or in several cases, beaten to death by angry mobs.
Chard initiates measures that send troops into townships and execute the ringleaders of insurrection. In the confusion, many innocent civilians are killed and troops increasingly are met with armed resistance.
Recruitment levels to the PDF, including to units that are posted off-world, falls to a record low, as a reaction to the harsh measures of the Governor's Office. Hallenberg declares itself independent from the Island.
579.41
The Beast awakens in the east
With the population divided and military assets focused on containing the threat from the civilians, it goes unnoticed that Hallenberg is once again silent. The Governor's Office had resolved to deal with the impudent sea port in good time so were not initially concerned at the lost contact.
Out of sight amongst the myriad islands of the broken lands, the Ork threat has been steadily growing. When the attack comes on Hallenberg, it comes from all sides. Ork aircraft are the first to strike, screaming in across the water and devastating the port city's defences. Next a massive force attacks down the main road out of Hallenberg, having come ashore some miles away and encircling the city. With defence batteries pointed out to sea, this side of the city lies dangerously unprotected and defenders are forced to make hurried blockades.
It is only when the battle is in the streets that the true horror emerges in the form of a huge Ork ship that steers straight towards the port. Without slowing, the ship rams into the harbour wall and disgorges thousands of screaming Orks into the flank of Hallenberg's defenders. In a little over three hours, the city falls.
The XSF is already mustering to meet the threat by the time word gets to them that Ork forces are fanning out across the wilds. Smaller settlements are being consumed at a ferocious pace with Ork forces on fast vehicles and aircraft outpacing anything sent against them.
As word reaches the rest of Bromhead, thoughts of rebellion are quickly forgotten in the face of a much greater, greener threat.
580-601.41
The battle for survival
The Orks had clearly been learning from past encounters as well as biding their time and growing in number. Their forces were augmented by a great many gargantuan walking fortresses that must have had their inspiration in the noble Knights of House Closeburn, who'd been bane to the Orks many times before.
Their forces were pouring across the east, with the Marshall River and Faulk marshes crossed within a week of Hallenberg's fall. The territory north of the Montgomery Mountains was riddled with Orks - attacking mining camps and looting equipment. Ork flyers were operating ever closer to larger areas of population with sightings over Dark Moor leading to fears The Farm would be overrun.
The Xenos Supression Force found itself facing the potential of a fight on several fronts. It mustered as many tank squadrons as possible into armoured spearheads to meet any Ork advance from the east, with troops fanning out in mechanised spear tips to cover the southern reaches of the Montgomery Range.
All PDF forces on Bromhead were put on battle alert, with the bulk of the Second Infantry sent to bolster the XSF flank and defend The Farm. Baneblade super-heavy tanks, normally manufactured and sent off-world with the Bromhead Third Division, were sent north to link up with the Xenos Supression Force.
Governor Chard knew it may be just enough to buy time, for in all previous encounters with Orks, destroying them before they got to you was key.
The battles were ferocious and bloody. The green horde seemed never ending and intial hopes of a decisive victory and containment were soon revealed as pure folly as the Ork war machines proved a major threat. Liberating Hallenberg and indeed the eastern wilds, was quickly surpassed by the need to stop the Orks spreading south.
The site of the famous battle First Blood Ford again saw Ork pitched against Human as greenskin forces pushed on towards the moors. Thankfully the huge fires of previous years denied any cover and the ranged firepower of the heavy tank squadrons was able to keep much of the Ork menace at bay.
When a raiding force threatened the Shrine of St Agatha, the Sisters of Battle were overcome with pious fervor when they saw Mortis striding to their defence, battlecannon blazing away at Ork vehicles.
The fighting never swung decidedly in one side's favour meaning an increasingly costly war of attrition was grinding through Bromhead's resources. The Island Guard were committed to battle in 582.41 and despite mainly being known for ceremonial duties quickly established themselves as superior ground troops. With weapons capable of punching through Ork plate and a steadfast discipline, squads of islanders would grav chute in by Valkyrie and hold key positions or bolster lines where they were weakest. They were soon nicknamed the air cavalry, for riding to the rescue.
Eventually Governor Chard called on the Mechanium for assistance and was immediately rewarded with a mighty force of Mechanium troops, from swift Skitarii to lumbering Kastellan robot cohorts. Also making the journey to the mainland were several lances of Knights, all in the red of the mechanium but led by a Knight Errant still bearing the traditional heraldry of House Closeburn.
The combined might of the conventional and Mechanium forces slowly began to turn the tide. Orks were pushed from the brink of Warner's Junction back east although they had built forts along they way that provided strongpoints covering their retreat.
Knights fought Stompers, super heavy vehicles duelled on both sides and close quarters fighting was shockingly brutal.
Eventually a buffer zone of sorts along the Marshal river was established, with the marshes serving as a de-facto de-militarised zone. The time of Ork threat to the south had passed, but the combined PDF forces didn't have the might to push on to Hallenberg.
The Xenos Supression Force is greatly bolstered in subsequent years, with a number of super-heavy tanks now on station in the north. It becomes a mandatory part of all PDF regiment deployment to serve time supporting "Task Force X-Ray" as it is known amongst the troops. It's a prestigious assignment.
602-619.41
Rebuilding
The damage done by the great Ork invasion slowly fades from the landscape as towns are rebuilt and wrecked vehicles travel back across the ocean with the departing Mechanium forces.
Although most Mechanium troops return to The Forge, several prospecting teams remain, along with a handful of tech-priests who begin covertly exploring the mine workings in the north. Without alerting the Governor's Office, the Mechanium presence is very subtly built up in the far north, with re-opening damaged and abandoned mine workings continuing at increasing pace.
The promise of archeotech is a strong motivation for the prospectors.
621.41
The vanishing
Although the incident goes unreported to Bromhead military and civilian authorities, the entire Mechanium exploratory force in the north vanishes. Of the tech-priests there is no sign, but the site is littered with debris from what looks like a fierce battle. It takes weeks for word to reach The Forge and still longer before an investigation can be launched under cover of more prospectors.
633.41
In a bid to ensure Ork recovery from the war is hampered, a daring bombing raid is devised and undertaken by Wallace Barnz, commanding a squadron of Marauder bombers they raid Hallenberg and cause widespread damage. Although hailed as a success only two of the six aircraft return, having been attacked by Ork aircraft on the return journey.
649.41
The garrison of Absolution are roused to battle stations in the middle of the night during a fierce storm, as scouts report Fort Wrath is under attack. Although they can hear the sounds of fighting carried on the wind, they never see the combatants as whatever is happening occurs in the dark and is finished by morning.
Scouting parties report scores of raggedly clad bodies on the old road out of Fort Wrath. There are no bullet holes or las-burns, rather each victim seems contorted in agony. A report is filed but as far as the garrison is concerned, the incident never happened.
666.41
The long solstice
During the winter solstice, where daylight is in scant supply, towns and bases across the north are assaulted by mysterious attackers who seem to come out of the night itself. Defenders that aren't quickly overwhelmed are left firing into the sky as whatever assailed them leaves having carried off scores of civilians. An investigation is launched but cannot find evidence pointing to the origins of the attacks.
Orks are ruled out as the attacks were well coordinated and almost surgically precise.
Quietly, patrols in the north are doubled but there are no further attacks.
682-731.41
All quiet on Bromhead
mercifully, Bromhead is free from major conflict for close to fifty years.
Task Force X-Ray maintains vigil over the eastern wilds, with patrols reporting fewer skirmishes with Ork parties but remaining out of range of known Ork settlements. The Faulk Marshes act as a neutral zone.
The Taint is seen as a haven for those afflicted by the touch of chaos, whether that be mutation (thankfully rare) or the Psyker's curse. Although any unsanctioned mutants are ruthlessly hunted down in major settlements, an underground railroad of sorts exists to aid their flight to the Taint.
Although it is assumed Ork numbers will inevitably increase, efforts are concentrated on fortifying the base at Judgement and ensuring a robust military presence is maintained.
Prospectors still make the journey north from Chard's Landing, eager to explore the great unknown north of the mainland. Mechanium agents sponsor trips and operate widely (and freely) throughout the main towns.
731.41
To the enormous surprise of the citizenry and military personnel on The Island, Ork Warboss Skargit Bloodtoof stages an audacious amphibious action. As the sun rises on a summer day, patrols on the coast are staggered to see hundreds of submersible vessels breaking the surface and heading towards shore. As the first Orks make the beach, the response is already underway. The entire Citadel is rushed out to meet the threat and prevent a beach-head being established.
Thankfully the Ork attack appears to be guided as much by chance and strong currents as actual planning. The tide is out meaning a torturous charge across half a mile of wide open sand lay ahead of the Ork boyz spilling out of the attack craft. Several appear to have been adapted to crawl onto land and become tanks of some sort but they appear to flounder on the soft sand, their great weight bogging them down.
Whilst the mighty weapon emplacements of The Citadel itself come to bear on the beach, scrambled flights of Valkyries speed heavy weapons teams to vital points in front of the advancing Orks where they can unleash withering rates of fire. A trio of Vulture gunships make repeated sorties strafing the beach with their rocket pods and lethal punisher cannons. Missile batteries in The Citadel rain down their lethal armament on the onrushing Orks, with boyz and attack craft obliterated alike.
The combination of distance to cover, lack of coherency and swift reactions of the defenders reduces the horde to a handful of determined attackers still desperately advancing on the quickly growing number of Island Guard ahead of them. Not a single Ork reaches the fortified dunes beyond the beach. Skargit and a battered group of survivors manage to escape the bloodbath.
Captain Normann Dee singled out for his actions on the beaches.
733.41
The resulting strike back takes a week to organise but isn't a rushed affair. Heavy weaponry is transported from Fort Chard en masse; Hydra flak batteries, Wyvern mortar batteries, squadrons of Leman Russ tanks in their numerous variants, mighty Basilisk artillery pieces, all shipped to support Task Force X-Ray.
With the tanks as the vanguard, a 20 mile wide front was pushed into the wilds. Crossing the Marshall River unopposed, it was another 50 miles before Ork resistance could be seen gathering. Rather than moving to engage, the tanks took up holding positions whilst the Basilisks opened up at extreme range. An hour of bombardment, then the force would push on further. After a few miles, the formation would stop and the artillery would open up again, targets weren't necessary - this was flattening of anything in the area.
Older Ork fortifications dating back to earlier conflicts were blown apart and shanty towns alongside them obliterated utterly. Operation Vengeance had widened to become a 120 mile bubble pushing eastwards and annihilating anything it found.
After a week, the line had become too thinned out to maintain coherency and the operation was put into reverse. Leman Russ squadrons covered the retreating forces as teams of Hellhounds set the grasslands and moors alight. The final act was to lay mines across the western side of the Faulk Marshes.
The message had been brutally clear; Bromhead had the might to strike back hard. But perhaps another message was delivered too, although inadvertently. Morkadishu (Hallenberg) and the far east were left untouched. To those Orks possessed of thinking ability it was clear that the Oomies didn't have the stuff to attack the Orks where they were strongest.
Skargit is not seen in Morkadishu for ten years.
745.41
Tyrannic Wars Begin.
Hive Fleet Behemoth enters the galaxy, destroying all in its wake.
The Ultramarines chapter bear the brunt of the onslaught but other Astartes are caught in the path of the Great Devourer.
753.41
Broken swords
The Sabres of Fury chapter, a successor chapter of the Imperial Fists, rushes to defend the civilised worlds of the Colnaga System on the Eastern edges of Imperial space. All contact is lost with them soon afterwards...
758.41
Da New Boss
Skardreg emerges as new warlord in the wilds. Beginning to unite fractured warbands although remaining careful not to allow any activity close to the patrol areas of Bromhead's forces.
760-766.41
All that glitters
A prospecting team discovers archeotech that is quickly sent to The Forge for examination. Prospectors travel north in record numbers but several teams are never heard from again.
769.41
Da Smashin
Skardreg faces down the only warboss in the mainland wilds who defies his drive to unify the Orks. The most loyal of his followers are killed by Kommandos and the warboss himself, Gordreg Gobsmasha is defeated, brutally, in one-on-one combat in the drops of Morkadishu.
777.41
Strange things are afoot
On the 111th anniversary of the Long Solstice, there are once again frighteningly swift and brutal attacks across the north. Local militias are wiped out and townships see citizens bundled away into the night.
782.41
The Price of Knowledge
The largest disappearance to date occurs when close to 200 explorators vanish whilst exploring the site of the previous archeotech find. No trace is found.
783.41
The Eagle's Eyes
Renowned Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Lord Jakob Adler arrives on Bromhead and within weeks has travelled to Absolution to investigate the defence against the Taint.
784.41
The Angels Cometh
Although the reasons for their arrival remain a mystery, a battle company of the Dark Angels chapter arrives in system and heads for Bromhead. leaving their strike cruiser in orbit, emissaries arrive to a hurriedly arranged full state reception.
Storm in Heaven
A brief warp storm rages for three nights and then as suddenly as it appears, abates. The brief disruption to Astropathic communication has done no harm and the PDF reports no unusal activity. The Dark Angels Librarian and Astropath report to Company Master that for the duration of the storm they picked up the faint trace of a powerful psychic presence. Their strike cruiser's instruments showed an Imperial signal in orbit around the planet but intermittent and impossible to lock onto.
785.41 Present day.
The Lauriger System, deep within the Segmentum Obscurus, is explored for first time since The Waning, when records of the system were lost. Expeditionary fleet commanded by Winslow Bromhead and Zachariah Chard, who have a joint trade warrant and ties to the Adeptus Mechanium.
Third planet in system (120611) identified as suitable for immediate habitation.
781.40
First landing on third planet. Zachariah Chard is first to set foot on the surface, with the gravely ill Winslow Bromhead arriving a few days later once a camp has been established.
Site of initial camp would later become Chard's Landing.
782.40
Most of the fleet assets now relocated to surface whilst explorations of main continent continue.
The Island explored and a small camp established. Winslow Bromhead, still in overall command of the mission, moves much of his family across the water from the mainland.
First contact with Ork population; a small force of greenskins is engaged and destroyed in the battle of First Blood Ford. Expeditionary force troops commanded by Dalton Bromhead, eldest son of Winslow.
782-784.40
Series of engagements with Ork population, as expeditionary force pushes north and east of landing. Ork tactics are non-existent but they seem to have an enthusiasm for fighting the newcomers. Thanks to presence of House Closeburn, expeditionary victories are assured.
Abhuman population encountered in forest to the north west of first settlement. Identified as beastmen, they view the expeditionary force as warriors from the sky, sent to defeat the Orks with whom the beastmen have been in conflict for generations.
Chard, Dalton Bromhead and sibling Aubrey all distinguish themselves in combat.
785.40
Montgomery Chard, Zachariah's brother, leads furthest northward exploration of mainland. Establishing a camp in the mountains from which several attempts are made to determine extent of natural resources in the area.
Zachariah leads large force to neutralise Ork threat identified in north east. The campaign is bloody but successful with beastmen fighting alongside expeditionary forces. Ezra Bromhead given task of training them to be effective support troops. He quickly realises the best way to utilise them is as close combat specialists, whether in attack or defence and supported by the ranged firepower of human troops the tactics work. "Ezra's Horns" gain respect of human troops.
Carter Drake sets out for the second continent in an attempt to increase his status amongst the expedition's family leaders.
786.40
Montgomery's survey teams report a wealth of mineral deposits waiting to be mined.
Survivors of Drake's mission return with news that the second continent is uninhabitable. It is nicknamed Drake's Folly.
787.40
Winslow Bromhead dies. Overall command of mission falls to Zachariah Chard who returns from north east campaign.
Planet 120611 is officially named Bromhead in honour of Winslow.
787-790.40
The settling
With the Orks seemingly contained and a viable presence established on the planet, the population grows and cultivation of fertile river delta begins in earnest to feed the inhabitants.
Zachariah Chard overseas all of this with Dalton Bromhead commanding military forces which establish several bases around the continent.
Last of fleet resources transferred planetside to establish mining facilities in "Montgomery" Mountains.
791.40
Settlement established in the far north east, named Hallenberg in honour of Dalton Bromhead's wife's family.
793.40
Fort Wrath established as a military outpost and prospecting base.
796.40
Lands in the north ceded to House Closeburn, for them to build a permanent base on planet.
798.40
Montgomery Chard and a team of prospectors disappear whilst exploring. No trace found.
801.40
Zachariah Chard dies and is buried next to his old friend Winslow at the small settlement of Journey's End. His son Cornelius succeeds him and is first to use title of Governor.
802-815.40
Mars arrives
With resources to be exploited and the planet secure, Emissaries from the Mechanium arrive to negotiate with Cornelius Chard and the council of families.
A mutual accord is agreed granting the Mechanium any rights to resources on bromhead's second continent in return for support to exploit resources on the mainland.
Tech prospectors flood to Bromhead in a claims rush that sees the north of the continent explored like never before. The population continues to grow with Mechanium personnel arriving in great numbers to adapt Drake's Folly to their needs.
Chard's Landing triples its population in ten years.
816-880.40
Prosperity reigns. Although the planet remains to all intents and purposes, an insignificant speck in the Imperium, these are times of relative ease and comfort for the ruling elites and the majority of Bromhead's population.
Fort Chard is established in 817.40 and grows each year as the benefits of the mutual accord and the Mechanium's facility across the ocean means the military is well supported. The expeditionary force becomes the Planetary Defence Force. Mechanium Skitarii are always available to bolster PDF forces but mainly stay on the second continent which has become known as The Forge.
West Sands Military Academy is founded in 820.40 to better train potential officers and elites.
Mechanium prospectors see Bromhead as ripe for further investigation. The treacherous asteroid fields on the edges of the system may be exploitable for mineral deposits.
The families that made up the leadership of the exploration fleet are now firmly established as the ruling elite of Bromhead. The Chards and the Bromheads are still the main two families.
904.40
The Duel
In a dispute over rightful claim to be planetary governor, Caleb Chard and Mason Bromhead agree to a duel to settle the matter. At first with swords and then bare handed the pair duel for nearly two hours before Caleb knocks Mason unconscious. The Chard claim on the Governorship is upheld and duelling, although never officially sanctioned, is still a favoured means of settling arguments.
46.M41
Miner's Sorrow
Tech prospectors and mineral miners alike are driven out of the north by a series of natural and unnatural phenomena. Several prominent figures are lost. A series of small earthquakes in the region collapse many mines and leaves decades' worth of exploratory work in ruins. Amidst the chaos and confusion few notice which disappearances occurred before the quakes and which after...
139-160.41
The Gothic War
Abaddon the Despoiler's 12th Black Crusade engulfs the Gothic Sector and pulls in forces from across that region of the galaxy.
Bromhead is called upon to send troops to join the fighting and the planet responds to the best of its abilities. The First Bromhead Dragoons (Bromhead's Finest) The Second Bromhead Infantry (Bromhead's bravest, also known as the Big Blue Twos) and the Third Bromhead Mechanised (Bromhead's Toughest) all saw extensive service.
Knights from House Closeburn won accolades in the conflict, but not without sustaining losses.
The Imperial Navy establishes a temporary station, Port Caine, on the far side of the Isembard Asteroid Fields, but this falls into inactivity when the Gothic War ends.
141.41
Green tide rising
Communications are lost with the north eastern port city of Hallenberg. Recent storms are initially blamed but a string of battered refugees arrives on the other side of the Faulk Marshes with horrific tales of a massed Ork attack on the city.
Soon reports are flooding in as fast as the refugees carrying them from across the north; Orks are attacking in strength, everywhere!
With much of Bromhead's military might sent off-world to battle the forces of Chaos, there are scant assets available to counter any threat. Reservists are called up and militia pressed into service alongside beastmen units not deployed off-world.
The force that heads to determine the Ork threat is led by Thaddeus Chard, a favoured son of the Governor Weldon Chard and a recent graduate of West Sands.
141-144.41
Chard's force, nicknamed Retribution, encounters the first Ork advance raiders on Little Dark Moor, preparing to raid The Farm. The encounter is as bloody as it is shockingly brief; Orks mounted in all manner of vehicles quickly surround and harry the force from all sides. Only intervention from The Gatekeeper of House Closeburn prevents a disaster, as he arrives at the prearranged rendevous to find a full scale battle. He is the lone Knight alongside the force, choosing to leave the keep defenceless to deal with the Ork threat.
Having scattered the raiding party and believing the greater force to be eastwards, Thaddeus leads his troops across Little Dark Moor and then fights across the marshes and into the eastern wilds. They face Orks in numbers unthinkable to military planners and the ruling elite alike, for the greenskins had been recovering and growing in number on the many uncharted islands of the broken lands. Now they were back on the mainland and spoiling for a fight.
The campaign becomes a brutal series of battles fought over territory that changes hands several times. Including a dramatic rear-guard action undertaken by Thaddeus Chard at The Drift waystation. Fighting to allow a greater number of his forces to retreat, Chard and a small force of Veteran Dragoons were encircled and cut-off. Fighting for four days before a relief column led by House Closeburn's Gatekeeper could reach them, the men of the drift were all but annihilated by their attackers. Thaddeus had died fighting an ork warboss. What remained of his body was laid to rest in the family vaults at Journey's End, as was the custom.
As the war raged in the east, Ork raiding parties had slipped through the lands north of the Montgomery Mountains and began raiding settlements. The township of Sweetness became the main target of their savagery; pious settlers were rounded up and cooked alive, but remained defiant to the last. Led in a chorus of hymns to the Emperor by an elderly woman known only as "Mother Agatha" the faithful were greatly amusing to their captors who devoured them nevertheless. A group of fifty ( out of a population of over a thousand) witnessed the tragedy and escaped to tell their tale.
Eventually, enough the raiding parties are each met and destroyed as forces from the south are rushed to the area but the toll is high.
A series of forward operating bases are established with a buffer zone behind them that means sustained operations can be undertaken in Ork held territory, but a clear victory is always just out of reach. A policy of containment is pursued instead.
161.41
Hallenberg Reclaimed - with the Gothic War over Bromhead's contribution can be directed back to threats at home. Veterans of the conflict coupled with fresh recruits and equipment mean an all out strike at the heart of the Ork forces is possible.
It takes two months put the big push is successful and the city of Hallenberg, bearing the disgusting traces of ork residents is finally reclaimed. The push through to Hallenberg is lead by Wyatt Chard and the full, returned, might of House Closeburn. The Gatekeeper is an unstoppable force during this time, fighting with the shame of what happened at Sweetness driving him on.
170.41
With Pilgrims flocking to the old site of Sweetness, Adepta Sororitas Sisters from the Order of the Holy Glory arrive and begin building a shrine to Mother Agatha.
172.41
The Shrine to St. Agatha is completed and the number of pilgrims praying at the shrine grows, as does the number of Sisters there to watch over it. Sweetness is rebuilt, albeit miles away from the original site.
201.41
The Year of Very Bad Things
The Marshall of Fort Wrath complains of headaches, which get so severe he is bedridden for days. Soon more leading figures are similarly afflicted in the city, with some choosing to leave to see if that grants them relief. After a particularly troubled night, the head of every member of the City Council explodes during a meeting.
Lesser citizens of Fort Wrath report hearing voices and over a period of a few days residents can be seen wandering the streets glassy eyed and muttering. As suddenly as the malady arrives, it is gone. A clean up of the council chambers can reveal no foul play and the incident is swept under the carpet as best possible. Meanwhile officials from the Governors office begin keeping a watchful eye on the goings on in Fort wrath.
It isn't long before the alarm is raised again as horrified new mothers report birth defects in their newborns, The city's water supply begins to taste of blood, as does the rain which falls. The newly appointed Marshall declares himself to be a bird and jumps headfirst off the administratum building. His corpse can be heard chirping for several moments after the impact.
The strange and unsettling phenomena continue; trappers return from camp deep in the woods with unexplainable markings on their bodies, which they say appeared after swimming in Black Lake. Within days every one of them is screaming in a language unknown to human ears and running wild through the streets. Eventually rounded up by authorities they are never seen in public again.
Violence erupts in Fort Wrath's market when a wave of paranoia hits residents, the local troops arrive to intervene but are soon embroiled in the hysteria. Many civilians are killed in the ensuing melee.
Reports reach the planetary administration of numerous instances of witchcraft and sorcery.
Those that can, flee the city as soon as possible. For those that cannot leave, there is only a descent into madness. For the escapees there is little solace as they are quietly quarantined.
By the end of the year, Fort Wrath is officially abandoned and travel there strictly prohibited.
202-206.41
The Taint
Instances of mutation are reported by military scouts, with several encounters between troops and hideous beasts roaming the area near Fort Wrath.
A forward operating base is established as close to the area as is considered safe. It is not an assignment relished by troops. During this time the wild north west is nicknamed "The Taint."
208.41
Fearing the touch of chaos on the planet, military leaders and the Governor's Office decide to minimise the threat from the beastmen population. Gathering all units on-world into a single force, the leadership orders them to "re-take" The Taint. They take to this with great gusto and units spread into the region scouting out the unnatural horrors and engaging them.
Due to a series of "mishaps" however, promised heavy support does not arrive and the beastmen contingent is left to deal with whatever The Taint holds on their own. Back in their old grounds near the great lakes, herdstones are destroyed and all traces of them cleansed.
Several packs of beastmen try to report to the forward operating base but are killed by long range fire.
Pack leaders gather and discuss "the betrayal."
Beastmen are officially declared a threat to the security of Bromhead by the Governor's Office.
210.41
House Closeburn Knights stride to the aid of the base garrison, beseiged by monsters that came out of the forests under cover of night. It is a close run thing but with the towering warriors hacking the foul beasts apart in great numbers the base is saved.
316.41
Ulysses Bromhead becomes Governor - it is under his leadership that the military on Bromhead becomes re-organised. Traditional units remain, such as the finest, bravest and toughest, but no longer are these troops divided into on and off-world assignments. Deciding that a much more robust home defence is needed, Ulysses established the Island's own military base, The Citadel as well as creating the Xenos Supression Force to specifically train for containing any Ork threat.
Initially drawing on troops from the three main Bromhead regiments, the supression force quickly codifies its own training principles and surpasses the expertise of its initial founding regiments.
320.41
Encouraged by Mechanium priests, tech-prospecting experiences a boom north of the Montgomery Mountains.
House Closeburn Knights deal harshly with a group trespassing on ward lands and for a while tensions mount. Mechanium intercession ensures a peaceful resolution with much needed support for the House's equipment agreed as a settlement.
This leads in 328.41 to a member of House Closeburn being stationed on The Forge - known as The Watcher over the Water it is a symbolic posting, to maintain trust between the noble house and Mechanium presence on Bromhead.
The tensions distract authorities from the fact that several prospecting missions disappear without trace. Assumptions, if any are made, are that the prospectors fell foul of natural hazards in the unstable areas of the far north.
400.41
The succession crisis
For the first time in the planet's history, there isn't a clear candidate for Governor after Orval Bromhead's death as both the Bromhead and Chard households have no heirs of age. Weeks of negotiations agree an interim Governor should stand, with the candidate selected from the lesser noble houses by secret ballot.
The surprise choice is Orval Thurman who takes office and quickly initiates legislation protecting his right to govern.
His short-lived administration is plagued by mismanagement, theft of public funds and accusations of corruption. It is eventually discovered that the Thurman household bribed ballot takers and Orval, several members of his family and the ballot takers are sentenced to transportation to The Forge where they will live out their years doing hard labour.
A council of ministers rules Bromhead for five years, before Vance Chard assumes the Governorship on his 21st birthday.
405-463.41
Bromhead enjoys a period of stability under Vance, with The Farm growing to accommodate Bromhead's rising population, with Chard's Landing a thriving city and the planet's elite enjoying a life of luxury on The Island.
463.41-520.41
Successive Governors maintain the status quo;
The Taint remains strictly off limits and contained, with Forward Operating Base Absolution the refuge of commanders out of favour and troops counting the days until their rotation there is over.
The Xenos Supression Force remains ever vigilant and patrols around the city of Hallenberg.
House Closeburn rebuilds after the losses sustained in the Gothic War and subsequent purging of Orks on Bromhead. Sir Roger rises to lead the noble house which remains a steadfast presence in the north, guarding against the threat of chaos in the west and Orks in the east.
Bishop Dildano Phallos rises to prominence in the upper tiers of Bromhead society. Originally a lowly priest making pilgrimmage to the Shrine of St. Agatha, his bombastic sermons are popular and he soon becomes a star in the Ecclesiarchy. His fervour becomes legendary and he is a popular figure travelling to various settlements preaching. He is even allowed to bless the troops of the Xenos Supression Force, the most pious of Bromhead's armed forces.
533.41
The Great Perversion
The time of relative comfort allows many indulgences to flourish on Bromhead. The elite of society have their Island to themselves but Chard's Landing witnesses a rise in taverns, brothels and other houses of ill repute. In settlements further from the reach of authority, full blown pleasure cults are established and run unchecked.
Smuggling routes into The Taint have long been suspected but with containment the priority, things going in to the area are seen as immaterial. It is an oversight that proves costly as routed through the Badlands allow a mutant leader calling himself Maximus and known terrifyingly as the sodomiser, to lead a rabble into the north and begin raids.
Moving via a network of fellow pleasure cults, Maximus united a force numbering in the hundreds and including many mutants and tormented outcasts with psychic potential. Sweetness once again found itself the target of foul enemies but this time it was defended; Sisters of Battle stormed forth and engaged the disgusting cultists with bolter and chainsword. The tide of filth hurled against them was rising as many more seemingly deranged cultists flocked to the battle.
Absolution was attacked by indescribable monsters, preventing them from sending aid to the beleagured Sisters who evacuated the township and took everyone back to the sanctuary of the shrine. It took all their might to withstand the onslaught, with civilians and Sisters alike being forced to take refuge in the abbey. The visiting Bishop Phallos and his retinue took charge of the safety of the civilians whilst the Sororitas forces looked to engage and eliminate Maximus's forces outside.
House Closeburn Knights set forth to offer assistance but were beset by problems along the way; the keep itself was assailed by aparitions, causing problems with several of the Knight's thrones. Lionel Closeburn, Kingsward and pilot of Knight Crusader Eternal Vigilance was the only Knight able to leave with Sir Roger but was forced to go to the aid of the garrison at Absolution, leaving the leader of House Closeburn alone.
It was whilst fighting the mutants that the Sisters heard a great thunderclap from inside the abbey and the screams of those within. A handful of Sisters was all that could be spared to investigate but they found a terrifying sight; The great altar was awash with blood, scores of civilians were dead and the rest were screaming at the shimmering figure of a warp entity trying to manifest itself amongst them. Bishop was nowhere to be found. Sir Roger fought his way through the rabble using his reaper chainsword as the battlecannon would've obliterated friend and foe alike.
Official records indicate that Sir Roger entered the Abbey on foot, leaving his Knight at the gates. Sisters inside the Abbey saw him briefly but it was literally chaos inside and no-one is precisely sure what happened next. A huge sound, like the rending of flesh filled that abbey and the warp entity blinked out of existence.
The pockets of cultists outside immediately lost their fervour and were quickly overcome. Maximus's body was discovered and along with the others, burned in a huge pit. Bishop Phallos's body was also found, bearing stab wounds from a dagger. Suspicion fell on Sir Roger and his lover, Cannoness of the Holy Glory Theresa Rancini. After an investigation, influenced by the outcry over Phallos's death amongst the Bromhead elites, Rancini was executed. Sir Roger fled to Closeburn Keep out of reach of Bromhead "justice."
535.41
Exodus
In the aftermath of Martha Mercini's execution, House Closeburn withdrew from all duties. Sir Roger summoned his court and declared that House Closeburn no longer existed. He commanded each Baron in turn to forsake his oaths of fealty and family name and leave Bromhead to become a freeblade. Only The Watcher over the Water is exempt from this pledge, but never again does one set foot on the mainland.
Within the year, Sir Roger was the only Knight remaining, alone in the keep save for the serfs and retainers required to keep him and Mortis ready for battle. He maintains his seclusion until 538.41 when, on the fifth anniversary of his beloved's execution, he and Mortis stride out from the keep to her graveside on a lonely hilltop. Pilgrims are amazed to see the giant figure standing astride the grave, but it remains motionless. The Closeburn keep is abandoned to memories.
540.41
The City principal of Hallenberg manages to negotiate a withdrawal of Xenos Supression Force troops from the city and environs, insisting that its own militia which includes inshore patrol craft are up to the job.
XSF troops oblige in part due to the need to patrol the areas of the north once guarded by the Knightly house.
577.41
The Great Thirst
Unprecedented summer heat dries up much of the rivers that feed The Farm, leading to drought and food shortages. Even the Great Lakes see water levels fall. The PDF is hard pressed to get aid to settlements and maintain order as tempers flare in the heat. Great fires start on Greater Dark Moor and threaten to spread to the Western Woods. Again the PDF meets the challenge.
Warner's Junction is the setting for several violent clashes between ill-nourished citizens and the authorities. Governor Lemuel Chard cracks down hard on insurrection, making himself increasingly unpopular. It isn't known whether the Island is afflicted by droughts.
578.41
Rebellion
Local militias in several settlements, backed by desperate citizenry, openly rebel against rule from the island. officials who resist are dragged through the streets and sent south, or in several cases, beaten to death by angry mobs.
Chard initiates measures that send troops into townships and execute the ringleaders of insurrection. In the confusion, many innocent civilians are killed and troops increasingly are met with armed resistance.
Recruitment levels to the PDF, including to units that are posted off-world, falls to a record low, as a reaction to the harsh measures of the Governor's Office. Hallenberg declares itself independent from the Island.
579.41
The Beast awakens in the east
With the population divided and military assets focused on containing the threat from the civilians, it goes unnoticed that Hallenberg is once again silent. The Governor's Office had resolved to deal with the impudent sea port in good time so were not initially concerned at the lost contact.
Out of sight amongst the myriad islands of the broken lands, the Ork threat has been steadily growing. When the attack comes on Hallenberg, it comes from all sides. Ork aircraft are the first to strike, screaming in across the water and devastating the port city's defences. Next a massive force attacks down the main road out of Hallenberg, having come ashore some miles away and encircling the city. With defence batteries pointed out to sea, this side of the city lies dangerously unprotected and defenders are forced to make hurried blockades.
It is only when the battle is in the streets that the true horror emerges in the form of a huge Ork ship that steers straight towards the port. Without slowing, the ship rams into the harbour wall and disgorges thousands of screaming Orks into the flank of Hallenberg's defenders. In a little over three hours, the city falls.
The XSF is already mustering to meet the threat by the time word gets to them that Ork forces are fanning out across the wilds. Smaller settlements are being consumed at a ferocious pace with Ork forces on fast vehicles and aircraft outpacing anything sent against them.
As word reaches the rest of Bromhead, thoughts of rebellion are quickly forgotten in the face of a much greater, greener threat.
580-601.41
The battle for survival
The Orks had clearly been learning from past encounters as well as biding their time and growing in number. Their forces were augmented by a great many gargantuan walking fortresses that must have had their inspiration in the noble Knights of House Closeburn, who'd been bane to the Orks many times before.
Their forces were pouring across the east, with the Marshall River and Faulk marshes crossed within a week of Hallenberg's fall. The territory north of the Montgomery Mountains was riddled with Orks - attacking mining camps and looting equipment. Ork flyers were operating ever closer to larger areas of population with sightings over Dark Moor leading to fears The Farm would be overrun.
The Xenos Supression Force found itself facing the potential of a fight on several fronts. It mustered as many tank squadrons as possible into armoured spearheads to meet any Ork advance from the east, with troops fanning out in mechanised spear tips to cover the southern reaches of the Montgomery Range.
All PDF forces on Bromhead were put on battle alert, with the bulk of the Second Infantry sent to bolster the XSF flank and defend The Farm. Baneblade super-heavy tanks, normally manufactured and sent off-world with the Bromhead Third Division, were sent north to link up with the Xenos Supression Force.
Governor Chard knew it may be just enough to buy time, for in all previous encounters with Orks, destroying them before they got to you was key.
The battles were ferocious and bloody. The green horde seemed never ending and intial hopes of a decisive victory and containment were soon revealed as pure folly as the Ork war machines proved a major threat. Liberating Hallenberg and indeed the eastern wilds, was quickly surpassed by the need to stop the Orks spreading south.
The site of the famous battle First Blood Ford again saw Ork pitched against Human as greenskin forces pushed on towards the moors. Thankfully the huge fires of previous years denied any cover and the ranged firepower of the heavy tank squadrons was able to keep much of the Ork menace at bay.
When a raiding force threatened the Shrine of St Agatha, the Sisters of Battle were overcome with pious fervor when they saw Mortis striding to their defence, battlecannon blazing away at Ork vehicles.
The fighting never swung decidedly in one side's favour meaning an increasingly costly war of attrition was grinding through Bromhead's resources. The Island Guard were committed to battle in 582.41 and despite mainly being known for ceremonial duties quickly established themselves as superior ground troops. With weapons capable of punching through Ork plate and a steadfast discipline, squads of islanders would grav chute in by Valkyrie and hold key positions or bolster lines where they were weakest. They were soon nicknamed the air cavalry, for riding to the rescue.
Eventually Governor Chard called on the Mechanium for assistance and was immediately rewarded with a mighty force of Mechanium troops, from swift Skitarii to lumbering Kastellan robot cohorts. Also making the journey to the mainland were several lances of Knights, all in the red of the mechanium but led by a Knight Errant still bearing the traditional heraldry of House Closeburn.
The combined might of the conventional and Mechanium forces slowly began to turn the tide. Orks were pushed from the brink of Warner's Junction back east although they had built forts along they way that provided strongpoints covering their retreat.
Knights fought Stompers, super heavy vehicles duelled on both sides and close quarters fighting was shockingly brutal.
Eventually a buffer zone of sorts along the Marshal river was established, with the marshes serving as a de-facto de-militarised zone. The time of Ork threat to the south had passed, but the combined PDF forces didn't have the might to push on to Hallenberg.
The Xenos Supression Force is greatly bolstered in subsequent years, with a number of super-heavy tanks now on station in the north. It becomes a mandatory part of all PDF regiment deployment to serve time supporting "Task Force X-Ray" as it is known amongst the troops. It's a prestigious assignment.
602-619.41
Rebuilding
The damage done by the great Ork invasion slowly fades from the landscape as towns are rebuilt and wrecked vehicles travel back across the ocean with the departing Mechanium forces.
Although most Mechanium troops return to The Forge, several prospecting teams remain, along with a handful of tech-priests who begin covertly exploring the mine workings in the north. Without alerting the Governor's Office, the Mechanium presence is very subtly built up in the far north, with re-opening damaged and abandoned mine workings continuing at increasing pace.
The promise of archeotech is a strong motivation for the prospectors.
621.41
The vanishing
Although the incident goes unreported to Bromhead military and civilian authorities, the entire Mechanium exploratory force in the north vanishes. Of the tech-priests there is no sign, but the site is littered with debris from what looks like a fierce battle. It takes weeks for word to reach The Forge and still longer before an investigation can be launched under cover of more prospectors.
633.41
In a bid to ensure Ork recovery from the war is hampered, a daring bombing raid is devised and undertaken by Wallace Barnz, commanding a squadron of Marauder bombers they raid Hallenberg and cause widespread damage. Although hailed as a success only two of the six aircraft return, having been attacked by Ork aircraft on the return journey.
649.41
The garrison of Absolution are roused to battle stations in the middle of the night during a fierce storm, as scouts report Fort Wrath is under attack. Although they can hear the sounds of fighting carried on the wind, they never see the combatants as whatever is happening occurs in the dark and is finished by morning.
Scouting parties report scores of raggedly clad bodies on the old road out of Fort Wrath. There are no bullet holes or las-burns, rather each victim seems contorted in agony. A report is filed but as far as the garrison is concerned, the incident never happened.
666.41
The long solstice
During the winter solstice, where daylight is in scant supply, towns and bases across the north are assaulted by mysterious attackers who seem to come out of the night itself. Defenders that aren't quickly overwhelmed are left firing into the sky as whatever assailed them leaves having carried off scores of civilians. An investigation is launched but cannot find evidence pointing to the origins of the attacks.
Orks are ruled out as the attacks were well coordinated and almost surgically precise.
Quietly, patrols in the north are doubled but there are no further attacks.
682-731.41
All quiet on Bromhead
mercifully, Bromhead is free from major conflict for close to fifty years.
Task Force X-Ray maintains vigil over the eastern wilds, with patrols reporting fewer skirmishes with Ork parties but remaining out of range of known Ork settlements. The Faulk Marshes act as a neutral zone.
The Taint is seen as a haven for those afflicted by the touch of chaos, whether that be mutation (thankfully rare) or the Psyker's curse. Although any unsanctioned mutants are ruthlessly hunted down in major settlements, an underground railroad of sorts exists to aid their flight to the Taint.
Although it is assumed Ork numbers will inevitably increase, efforts are concentrated on fortifying the base at Judgement and ensuring a robust military presence is maintained.
Prospectors still make the journey north from Chard's Landing, eager to explore the great unknown north of the mainland. Mechanium agents sponsor trips and operate widely (and freely) throughout the main towns.
731.41
To the enormous surprise of the citizenry and military personnel on The Island, Ork Warboss Skargit Bloodtoof stages an audacious amphibious action. As the sun rises on a summer day, patrols on the coast are staggered to see hundreds of submersible vessels breaking the surface and heading towards shore. As the first Orks make the beach, the response is already underway. The entire Citadel is rushed out to meet the threat and prevent a beach-head being established.
Thankfully the Ork attack appears to be guided as much by chance and strong currents as actual planning. The tide is out meaning a torturous charge across half a mile of wide open sand lay ahead of the Ork boyz spilling out of the attack craft. Several appear to have been adapted to crawl onto land and become tanks of some sort but they appear to flounder on the soft sand, their great weight bogging them down.
Whilst the mighty weapon emplacements of The Citadel itself come to bear on the beach, scrambled flights of Valkyries speed heavy weapons teams to vital points in front of the advancing Orks where they can unleash withering rates of fire. A trio of Vulture gunships make repeated sorties strafing the beach with their rocket pods and lethal punisher cannons. Missile batteries in The Citadel rain down their lethal armament on the onrushing Orks, with boyz and attack craft obliterated alike.
The combination of distance to cover, lack of coherency and swift reactions of the defenders reduces the horde to a handful of determined attackers still desperately advancing on the quickly growing number of Island Guard ahead of them. Not a single Ork reaches the fortified dunes beyond the beach. Skargit and a battered group of survivors manage to escape the bloodbath.
Captain Normann Dee singled out for his actions on the beaches.
733.41
The resulting strike back takes a week to organise but isn't a rushed affair. Heavy weaponry is transported from Fort Chard en masse; Hydra flak batteries, Wyvern mortar batteries, squadrons of Leman Russ tanks in their numerous variants, mighty Basilisk artillery pieces, all shipped to support Task Force X-Ray.
With the tanks as the vanguard, a 20 mile wide front was pushed into the wilds. Crossing the Marshall River unopposed, it was another 50 miles before Ork resistance could be seen gathering. Rather than moving to engage, the tanks took up holding positions whilst the Basilisks opened up at extreme range. An hour of bombardment, then the force would push on further. After a few miles, the formation would stop and the artillery would open up again, targets weren't necessary - this was flattening of anything in the area.
Older Ork fortifications dating back to earlier conflicts were blown apart and shanty towns alongside them obliterated utterly. Operation Vengeance had widened to become a 120 mile bubble pushing eastwards and annihilating anything it found.
After a week, the line had become too thinned out to maintain coherency and the operation was put into reverse. Leman Russ squadrons covered the retreating forces as teams of Hellhounds set the grasslands and moors alight. The final act was to lay mines across the western side of the Faulk Marshes.
The message had been brutally clear; Bromhead had the might to strike back hard. But perhaps another message was delivered too, although inadvertently. Morkadishu (Hallenberg) and the far east were left untouched. To those Orks possessed of thinking ability it was clear that the Oomies didn't have the stuff to attack the Orks where they were strongest.
Skargit is not seen in Morkadishu for ten years.
745.41
Tyrannic Wars Begin.
Hive Fleet Behemoth enters the galaxy, destroying all in its wake.
The Ultramarines chapter bear the brunt of the onslaught but other Astartes are caught in the path of the Great Devourer.
753.41
Broken swords
The Sabres of Fury chapter, a successor chapter of the Imperial Fists, rushes to defend the civilised worlds of the Colnaga System on the Eastern edges of Imperial space. All contact is lost with them soon afterwards...
758.41
Da New Boss
Skardreg emerges as new warlord in the wilds. Beginning to unite fractured warbands although remaining careful not to allow any activity close to the patrol areas of Bromhead's forces.
760-766.41
All that glitters
A prospecting team discovers archeotech that is quickly sent to The Forge for examination. Prospectors travel north in record numbers but several teams are never heard from again.
769.41
Da Smashin
Skardreg faces down the only warboss in the mainland wilds who defies his drive to unify the Orks. The most loyal of his followers are killed by Kommandos and the warboss himself, Gordreg Gobsmasha is defeated, brutally, in one-on-one combat in the drops of Morkadishu.
777.41
Strange things are afoot
On the 111th anniversary of the Long Solstice, there are once again frighteningly swift and brutal attacks across the north. Local militias are wiped out and townships see citizens bundled away into the night.
782.41
The Price of Knowledge
The largest disappearance to date occurs when close to 200 explorators vanish whilst exploring the site of the previous archeotech find. No trace is found.
783.41
The Eagle's Eyes
Renowned Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Lord Jakob Adler arrives on Bromhead and within weeks has travelled to Absolution to investigate the defence against the Taint.
784.41
The Angels Cometh
Although the reasons for their arrival remain a mystery, a battle company of the Dark Angels chapter arrives in system and heads for Bromhead. leaving their strike cruiser in orbit, emissaries arrive to a hurriedly arranged full state reception.
Storm in Heaven
A brief warp storm rages for three nights and then as suddenly as it appears, abates. The brief disruption to Astropathic communication has done no harm and the PDF reports no unusal activity. The Dark Angels Librarian and Astropath report to Company Master that for the duration of the storm they picked up the faint trace of a powerful psychic presence. Their strike cruiser's instruments showed an Imperial signal in orbit around the planet but intermittent and impossible to lock onto.
785.41 Present day.
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