Warhammer 40000: The Thousand Sons Legion. Burning of Prospero

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The popular expression "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" comes to mind after reading the story of the fall of the Scarlet King, the lord of Prospero. The burning of Tizca, like the exterminatus of the planet, was the result of the actions of the accusatory host, which crossed the Thousand Sons Legion from the list of hosts loyal to the Emperor.

Background

The story tells of the Flesh Changes, the mutations that afflicted the Astartes at the start of the Great Crusade. The reason lay in the instability of the legion's gene-seed. The warriors were placed in stasis pods while they searched for a cure. The fifteenth primarch Magnus found by the Emperor was able to cure the disease.

Inhabitants of the planet Prospero called the forces of the Warp into the real world in the form of familiars, transferring knowledge to the owners. Magnus was the first to look into the non-material world instead of the usual practices of summoning and found answers. The procedure applied stabilized the Legion's gene-seed, from which a thousand Space Marines remained. The Legion replenished with recruits from Prospero and joined theLet's go.

The Space Wolves, led by Leman Russ, witnessed the use of the Thousand Sons' psychic powers, resulting in the Flesh-Change of one Marine and a skirmish between two Primarchs. "Sorcerer", "sorcerer" and "warlock" are nasty nicknames that Magnus has acquired.

Edict of Nicaea

"If I am guilty of something, it is only in the pursuit of knowledge"

- Magnus (Graham McNeill, Thousand Sons).

Space Marines using psychic powers in combat were seen in other Legions in the form of Librarians. The emperor approved the first experiments, but over time the situation did not develop in the best way: the craving for knowledge and the notoriety of the “thousanders” left a negative imprint.

The decision was announced by the Emperor on the Nicene Edict. Despite the majority of votes in support of Magnus, the result is disappointing: a ban on the use of psyker abilities, the disbandment of the Librarian orders and retraining as Astartes.

A telepathic contact took place between the Master of Mankind and the primarch, in which the Scarlet King assured his father that he was in control of the force with which he was in contact and would not allow failure. In response, the Emperor threatened punishment for disobedience. The burning of Prospero could have been avoided, but the thirst for knowledge led to failure.

The despair and madness of Magnus

Grieved by the decision, the legion left the Great Campaign and returned to Prospero. Even during the Ullanor campaign, Magnus saw images in the warp that spoke of the cominga war where the Astartes fight each other, and brother Horus is at the center of the action.

The Ruinous Powers have planned something insidious and have chosen the Warmaster as a key figure. Since then, Magnus has been unraveling the plan of the Gods, but an unknown veil has blocked the path to visions of the future.

After the pronouncement of the Edict of Nicaea, the sorcerer penetrated the veil, but not all of the essences of the warp were shown, because there were no visions about the burning of Prospero. Then he ventured into a ritual that transferred the astral body to the visions of Horus. At the time, Magnus was unaware of Lorgar's rebirth and the pivotal role of the Word Bearers.

Grieved by the failure, the primarch decided to warn the Emperor of the Warmaster's treachery. This could be done through another ritual - the message could not be trusted with the usual ways of transmitting information.

Magnus's astral body penetrated the Ancient Web not without the help of warp entities that appeared as angels and lulled their guard. The Scarlet King broke into the Emperor's secret laboratory, destroying the great work.

The appearance of a demon led to the death of scientists and tech-adepts and destroyed artifacts from the Dark Age of Technology. The Emperor was the only one who saw the essence of Magnus, and he saw the plan of the Master: the Crimson King on the throne directs the ships in the warp with the power of thought.

Realizing how stupid the guest went down the astral corridor, where hordes of demons were already waiting at the punched hole. The emperor ordered that his son be brought to Terra. Legio Custodes and Space Wolves escorts moved towards Prospero, led the accusatory hostLeman Russ.

Magnus realized that he had become a puppet of the Gods when he saw a demon in the mirror offering power and knowledge in exchange for betraying the Emperor. The Lord of Change was refused and returned Flesh Change to the Thousand Sons.

Battle of Prospero

In desperation, Magnus locked himself in the tower, and with the appearance of the flagship of the VI Legion "Hrafnkel" ordered to disable the protective weapons and void shields. But the Librarian Captains refused to surrender Tizca without a fight.

The Burning of Prospero by Dan Abnett says that the Thousand Sons used magic, but the Wolves adapted: the Sisters of Silence as part of the accusatory host stripped psykers of their abilities. The chances of winning have decreased due to the Flesh Changes that began in the ranks of the "thousanders".

At the Pyramid of Photep, where Isaac Ahriman held the line to the last, two primarchs clashed in battle. Magnus lost and accepted the Changer of Ways' offer, casting a spell that brought the legion to the warp.

After burning

Prospero ceased to be the planet of science and became an ash-covered haven of bandits and marauders, giving rise to the battle cry for the reborn Legion: "All is dust!". The Legion settled on the Planet of Sorcerers on the other side of the galaxy, on top of the tower the Scarlet King tried to understand why his father had pronounced a death sentence.

Magnus shouted into the waves of the warp, calling on the Emperor, but received no answer and uttered the fateful words: "Let the Galaxy burn!". Survive the Flesh Changes and the RubricAhriman was able to only a thousand warriors.

Conclusion

The burning of Prospero in Warhammer 40,000 is a tragedy that sparked controversy among fans about whether Magnus betrayed or not. The emperor demanded that Russ bring his son alive, but Horus made adjustments to the message, which led to the elimination of the Cyclops. Magnus was hooked by Tzeentch when he posed as the demon Horazon and allowed the primarch to win the race for a cure for the Flesh Change.

So the Scarlet King made sure that the warp can be subdued, the God of Change said the phrase: "There is one, there are nine hundred ninety-nine." It is with these words that the book "A Thousand Sons" begins.