The Augurs of the Serpent
Summary: The Augurs of the Serpent are one of the two major warbands present in the Ixianad Sector. Once an Alpha Legion cell tasked with keeping an eye on their former brethren, the Augurs were formed after the supposed destruction of said cell. The warband is now lead by one of the few survival cell operatives, a Chaos Sorcerer called Darkminster, who's immense thirst for the Alfa Legion's destruction goes unrivaled.
The Augurs may be a recently formed warband, but in just a matter of months they had spread their malevolent influence across several systems, causing rebellion and chaos wherever they go. Specialized in the art of Infiltration, sabotage and terrorism, they also have ample amounts of talented psykers under their banner to freely practice their manipulative powers on unsuspecting foes. History: Early Years: Before their were Serpents, there was the Hydra, after the Alfa Legion's treachery a Alpha Legion Cell was tasked with keeping an eye on the Alfa Legion after them defecting back in the years of the Horus Heresy. Their presence would never be noticed, until the Inquisition discovered their presence and tipped off the Alfa Legion about their Cell's presence in the Ixianad Sector, thus sparking The Ixianad Shadow Crusade. The Ixanad Shadow Crusade: Before the Crusade forces arrived the Alpha Legion were in the midst of laying siege to a nearby Forge world to obtain factories, needed to build the vehicles they needed to soon begin their long awaited invasion of Subsector Scandivus. However this siege did not last long and the Cell we beaten back to their Cell base on Kantorus after a surprise assault by the combined forces of the Sisterhood and 12th Company forces, After the Cell being pushed back from the Forge World, the knowing that there is an incoming force coming to their base, they readies defences for the Assault and called for some reinforcements to come to their aid. While this was going on one of the Cell's current Sorcerer's named Darkminster had a plan to unleash an army of Daemons to aid the Cell in their darkest hour with the aid of a tome that his master possessed however he will have to take this tome by force, So he gathered some Alpha Legionnaires by his side and made for his master's library. After his master was murdered in cold blood, after resisting to give Darkminster the tome that could save or damn the Cell, Darkminster then prepared to attempt and summon Daemons into the realm, but was stopped by the Relic Blade of Ares Gideon Cleaving Darkminster's arm off and thus disrupting the Ritual, and after a one sided fight Darkminster was defeated after being stabbed in the gut and left for dead. The tome was cast into a fire as the Captain left him lying there. After the Slaughter of the Alpha Legion cell and the loyalists departure, the Reinforcements arrived in the Destined Darkness a Lunar Class Battlecruiser but they arrived too late their base in ruins the bodies of their brothers put to the torch. however from the ruins a single Sorcerer with one arm stood standing along sides some marines who survived the slaughter, Darkminster had somehow survived barely standing. The Serpent Remains: Two weeks after the Assault on Kantorus, Darkminster Emerged from the Medical Bay of the Destined Darkness sporting a poorly maintained Bionic Arm while the remains of the cell were licking their wounds , Darkminster took advantage of this to take over, and usurped the current leader of the warband thus taking his place as the Cell's Leader. His first order of business was to reform the Cell into a Warband using his knowledge of the Codex Astartes to organize his rag-tag force. The Augurs Of The Serpent was born and their quest? To bring the Alfa Legion back to the Alpha Legion and for Darkminster, revenge for what Ares Gildeon and his allies did to him. Tactics: The Augurs are not suited for direct confrontation. Compared to the Orthrus Annihilators, they much rather rely on stealth and manipulation to win their wars. They know when and how to perform their tasks, only staying in a certain location as long as required. Their constant movement and silent ways has been the one thing keeping the Alfa Legion from wiping them out, even when they are the more consistent threat to the Alfa Legion and their allies. When forced into direct conflict, the Augurs mostly rely on masses of cultists to topple their opponent. If the odds are heavily against them however, they unleash the might of their Chaos Astartes squads, lead by one of the Augur's top officers known as "The Fangs". This is, however, only during extremely rare circumstances as each and every Augur Astartes is incredibly valuable to them. Organisation: - The Augurs make a habit of recruiting non-Astartes specialists in every theatre and campaign they enter, commonly members of the Imperial armed forces, though almost any human could be approached by the Augurs for his knowledge or skills. These operatives often remained in their original position, ready to respond to Augurs commands. Compromised operatives were not discarded if it could be avoided, and Augurs would go to great lengths to retain them or hide their existence, lengths that included the fatal silencing of other Imperials or if unable silencing their own agent. Operatives are tattooed with a small serpent symbol. The majority of the Augurs appears to have armed and equipped themselves in a similar fashion unless tactically imprudent. The Alpha Legion were known to operate behind enemy lines and even mingle with enemy civilian populations and the Augurs follow this example to the book. In such situations they were apparently able to pass unnoticed with a combination of appropriate dress and psyker mind-clouding. Forces: - The Augurs currently as of the moment have approx 100 Chaos Space Marines serving as the mighty military hand under the command of the First Fang, should the Augurs have no choice when they have no other way around their foes. the Astartes are deployed. The Current number of the Augur's Cultists is currently unknown, But what is known is they are widespread throughout the sector in many little cults, slowly but surely converting the populus to their ranks. How this is made is a combination of sending a "Main Augur Cult" down and start making Proxys cults to cover the main cults tracks, and when there is enough Proxys the "Main Cult" makes it's leave to do it's job again elsewhere in the sector. Notable Locations: - Destined Darkness (Lunar Class Battlecruiser) This serves as the Augurs Capital Ship for space travel for the whole Astartes forces as well as serving as Darkminster's Personal ship. The Destined Darkness being a Lunar Class the perfect disguise to infiltrate Imperial controlled territory, This ship is known to sneak among the sector posing as a Alfa Legion Battleship, Even if discovered it will be too late for the enemy crew, for the firepower of the Battlecruiser weapons in close range will tear their ship apart, Or if too many for the Augurs to handle the Destined Darkness is modified with a Stealth field implemented by Warpsmith Markan for swift escapes. - Barbarous Family Mansion: The Augurs have a strong connection to one of Italcus's Families in currently in a power struggle, The Barbarous Family Mansion serves as a safe house for Human Augur Agents who serve on Italicus who have been compromised , they flee here and poses as Bodyguards for the Barbarous Family until the heat wears off. as well as a safe house for agents the Barbarous family is good connection of income for the Augurs Of The Serpent warband to continue their war efforts and to assist the Barbarous Family into power of the planet. - The Ruined Fortress of Kantorus: After the Ixanad Shadow Crusade, All that remained on Kantrous was a battlefield of the Fighting and the beaten down Fortress that the Alpha Legion Cell were held up in. Today this old fort is still under use by the Augurs Of The Serpent, but more of a Fallback position if the Augurs get pushed back from the sector - since few would think to look there for a 3rd time. Notable Members: The Grand Sorcerer Darkminster Vertiro The Chaos Sorcerer Isaq The Chaos Sorcerer Argus The Chaos Sorcerer Randy The Dark Apostle Markan The Warpsmith Zeimaster The Chosen Champion Adiross The Chosen Raptor Brote The Chosen Adiross The Chosen Raptor Laetalis The Curious Ratheros The Fleshweaver Valonox The Only Vorkaron The Eternal Lady Daner Eliora Gittan Kilroy Croeth Aphrodite Melodius (Infinitis) Vessels: The Destined Darkness The Eternal Iris The Cosmic Viper Malediction's Hand |