Legion XIV · traitors
Death Guard
Primarch: Mortarion
Homeworld: Barbarus · Segmentum Tempestus
The XIV Legion, formerly the Dusk Raiders — stubborn warriors of attrition, whose pride in their resistance to poisons and disease grew out of toxic Barbarus. Their primarch Mortarion, “the Death Lord”, nursed a grudge against the Emperor, who had stolen his victory, and saw in Horus a worthy master. On the way to Terra the Legion’s fleet became stranded in the warp, where Nurgle’s Destroyer plague turned it into the first Plague Marines. At the Siege of Terra Mortarion clashed with Jaghatai Khan, who beheaded him and banished him into the warp; later he became a daemon prince of Nurgle.
Side in the Heresy: traitors Betrayed early: Mortarion nursed a grudge against the Emperor, who had killed his foster father and lord and robbed him of a hard-won victory. He revealed his treachery in the Isstvan III Atrocity (005.M31), sending to their deaths the loyalist third of the Legion (the 2nd, 5th and 7th Great Companies).
- Number
- XIV (14)
- Side
- Traitors
- Events in the chronicle
- 23 events
- Strength
- The pre-Heresy strength is usually put at around 95,000. An estimate, disputed.
Fate
On the way to Terra First Captain Typhon led the fleet into the warp; Nurgle’s Destroyer plague engulfed the Legion, turning it into the first Plague Marines, and Typhon into Typhus. Mortarion broke and swore himself to Nurgle, becoming a daemon prince. After the Heresy, when Barbarus died, the Legion moved to the Eye of Terror.
Speciality
Endurance and attritional warfare: indestructible foot infantry with bolters, pride in resilience against poisons, diseases and chemical/biological weapons. Siegecraft as well.
Tactics
A relentless advance on foot under bolter fire, immunity to poison; phosphex and chemical shells. Mortarion’s mute bodyguards — the Deathshroud with their manreapers, and the Grave Wardens Terminators.
What the Legion is known for
Resilience and resistance to poisons; Nurgle’s Destroyer plague and the first Plague Marines; the flight of the Eisenstein; the slaughter of the loyalists on Isstvan III.
Wargear
Mortarion’s manreaper scythe Silence, the Deathshroud and the Grave Wardens; phosphex, radium and chemical weapons, the Mortus poisoners.
Notable warriors
- Calas Typhon / TyphusFirst Captain
First Captain and master of the ship Terminus Est; in the warp he led the Legion into a trap and took in the Destroyer plague, becoming Typhus, Herald of Nurgle.
- Caipha Morargequerry of Mortarion
Equerry of Mortarion from the 24th breacher squad, a trusted commander of the Death Lord on the warp voyage and at the Siege of Terra.
- Ignatius Grulgorcommander of the 2nd Company
Commander of the 2nd Company who supported the coup; perished from the virus he himself had unleashed aboard the Eisenstein and became one of the first Plague Marines.
- Nathaniel Garrobattle-captain (loyalist)
Battle-captain who led the “Seventy” in the flight of the Eisenstein to warn Terra; became the first of Malcador’s Knights-Errant.
- Ullis Temetercaptain (loyalist)
A captain who remained loyal to the Emperor; fell among the loyalist third of the Legion in the Isstvan III Atrocity.
Events involving the Legion
The Fall
The Isstvan Massacre
Shadow of War
- Second Battle of Prospero
- Manachean War · the Coronid Deeps
- Gethsamaine Raid
- Battle of Perditus
- Battle of Molech
The Road to Terra
- Battle of Catallus · the Dark Glass
- The Path of Heaven
- Malagant Conflict
- Passage of the Angel of Death
- Battle of Nocturne
The Siege of Terra
Characters of the Legion
Sources
- FW Black Book II: Massacre
- Lexicanum: Death Guard
- WH40k Fandom: Mortarion
- Flight of the Eisenstein (J. Swallow)
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