More Space Marines from Black Library
THE WORLD ENGINE
A novel featuring the Astral Knights
DAMOCLES
Includes the novellas ‘Blood Oath’, ‘Broken Sword’, ‘Black Leviathan’ and ‘Hunter’s Snare’, featuring the White Scars, Raven Guard and Ultramarines
SPEAR OF MACRAGGE
A novella featuring the Ultramarines
SONS OF WRATH
A novella featuring the Flesh Tearers
BLOOD AND FIRE
A novella featuring the Black Templars
It is the 41st millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die.
Yet even in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battlefleets cross the daemon-infested miasma of the warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor’s will. Vast armies give battle in his name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst His soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Astra Militarum and countless planetary defence forces, the ever-vigilant Inquisition and the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name only a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat from aliens, heretics, mutants – and worse.
To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods.
Dramatis Personae
The Dark Hunters:
Lukullus Nogai – Chapter Master, and second founder of the Dark Hunters one thousand years before the present. Some say a saint of the Imperium.
Astanius Tor – Chief Librarian of the Dark Hunters at the time of the Second Founding.
Biron Amadai – Master of Sanctity of the Dark Hunters at the time of the First Punisher Invasion.
Jonah Kerne – Captain of Mortai (Third) Company of the Dark Hunters.
Kharne Al Murzim – Chapter Master of the Dark Hunters at the time of the Second Punisher War.
Graes Vennan – Chief Librarian of the Dark Hunters at the time of the Second Punisher War.
Elijah Kass – A Codicier of the Librarium.
Fornix – First sergeant of Mortai Company.
Breughal Paine – Forge-Master of the Dark Hunters, now in Dreadnought symbiosis, and the last survivor of the Second Founding of the Chapter.
Jord Malchai – Chief Reclusiarch of the Dark Hunters.
Ares Thuraman – Captain of Ardunai, the Dark Hunters First Company.
Isa Garakis – Chief navigator of the Dark Hunters.
Finn March – Sergeant of Primus (1st) Squad of Mortai Company.
Nureddin – Sergeant of Secundus (2nd) Squad of Mortai Company.
Orsus – Sergeant of Tertius (3rd) Squad of Mortai Company.
Greynan – Sergeant of Quatris (4th) Squad of Mortai Company.
Kagan – Sergeant of Quincus (5th) Squad of Mortai Company.
Rusei – Sergeant of Sextius (6th) Squad of Mortai Company.
Corvo – Sergeant of Septus (7th) Squad of Mortai Company.
Nieman Stahl – Sergeant of Novus (Ninth) Company attached to Mortai Company.
Passarion – Apothecary of Mortai Company.
Fell Ambros – Captain of Haradai (Scout) Company.
Asa Rubio – Castellan of Mors Angnar.
Tomas Massaron – Shipmaster of the Ogadai heavy cruiser.
Shaef Darric – Captain of Haroun (Fourth) Company.
Nortan Blask – Captain of Makran (Seventh) Company.
Heinos – Techmarine of Mortai Company.
Enginseer Miranich – Chief enginseer of the Ogadai.
Gan Arix – Master of the fleet.
Gerd Dinas – Deck chief of the Ogadai.
Gershon – Flag lieutenant of the Ogadai.
Infinius – a Mortai brother.
Gad – a Mortai brother.
Arrun – a Mortai brother.
Fallon – a Mortai brother.
Steyr – a Mortai brother.
Pendar – a Mortai brother.
Cayd Simarron – a Mortai brother, and Thunderhawk pilot.
Laufey – Sergeant of the Haradai (Scout) Company attached to Mortai Company.
Galen – a brother of Novus (Ninth) Company attached to Mortai Company.
Terciel – a brother of Novus (Ninth) Company attached to Mortai Company.
Ras Hanem Garrison:
Pavul Dietrich – General of the 387th Guards Armoured Regiment.
Ismail Von Arnim – Commissar of the 387th Guards Armoured Regiment.
Riedling – Governor of Ras Hanem.
Veigh – Marshal of Ras Hanem and commander of the Hanemite Guard.
Gardias – Chamberlain of the palace of Askai.
Jon Kadare – Senior squadron leader of Ras Hanem.
Lars Dyson – Adjutant of the 387th Guards Armoured Regiment.
Rajek – A private soldier of the Hanemite Guard.
Garner – Trooper of General Dietrich’s Bodyguard.
The Eldar:
Te Mirah – Farseer of the Brae-Kaithe.
Ainoc – Autarch of the Brae-Kaithe.
Jellabraiah – A Bonesinger of the Brae-Kaithe.
Anandaiah – A craftseer of the Brae-Kaithe.
Callinall – Captain of the rangers.
The Punishers:
A horde of heretical rabble, whose names we shall not utter here.
I see you standing here around me, my brothers, and I see also the bitterness of our last battles in your eyes. We have walked long together in the shadows, you and I, and we are so few now. But our bright Father has not found us wanting.
We who remain of this brotherhood, who stand here on this dark and empty world, it is for us to remember all that has gone before, to pass it down to those who shall come after us. To build upon the honour of those memories.
Brothers, we are but shadows in the darkness, yet we carry the trust and faith of all mankind upon our shoulders. That trust will never be misplaced. That faith shall never be broken.
We will endure, and always and in all things we will be faithful to He who made us. That is our burden and our privilege.
We are the Hunters in the Dark, and we shall never be defeated.
Lukullus Nogai
Part One