#warsmith kolkator

[caiusmajor]

Warsmith Kalkator and his Sons of Dorn

The War of the Beast, and the Beast Arises series which chronicles it, feature a lot of imperial politics and a lot of fighting with Orks, so I didn't pay much attention UNTIL a fanart of @magicalduck21's tipped me off to the existence of WARSMITH KALKATOR.

Warsmith Kalkator of the Iron Warriors plays a relatively minor role in the War of the Beast saga -- BUT he has not one but TWO intense relationships with sons of Dorn!

First, Magneric. Kalkator and Magneric were friends pre-heresy! As Kalkator says:

I remember a time when our comradeship was lauded as an example of how our Legions could set aside their differences and find brotherhood. (Throneworld, Chapter 17)

Since the heresy, Magneric has been interred in a Dreadnaught, which is how he's still alive roughly 1500 years later for the War of the Beast. He's also become a Black Templar and is the Marshal of a small crusade called the Kalkator Crusade.

... Because he's very much not over Kalkator and has sworn to track him down and kill him.

But then the War of the Beast happens, and well, there are a LOT of Orks. So in an attempt not to all die to Lots of Orks, Kalkator and Magneric agree to a truce:

‘Wait!’ said Magneric, his voice low and distorted, the aged vox-equipment popping. ‘I reluctantly agree. We will fight side by side, one more time. Hear me, warriors of the Black Templars!’ He rotated from side to side, addressing all his followers. ‘No member of our Chapter is to harm the Iron Warriors until our treaty is sundered. So swear I, Magneric, Marshal of the Kalkator Crusade. Ralstan, command Ericus to aid the Iron Warriors ship. Have him provide me an estimated extraction time.’ Magneric bent down, his sarcophagus slit glowing in the failing light. ‘We will leave this world together, Kalkator, or not at all. Do not think to betray me.’

‘You have my word that I will abide by the terms of our agreement,’ said Kalkator, ‘more for the sake of our old friendship than for anything else. Now come! Bring your warriors into the redoubt. We must make our preparations.’ (Throneworld, Chapter 17)

... and they do that! They fight the Orks together and they are successful in escaping the planet full of orks!

Unfortunately the Orks aren't done with them, and catch up to them in the next book of the Beast Arises, Echoes of the Long War, when they're caught up in a void battle between orks and other sons of Dorn.

Magneric doesn't make it out of the battle alive, alas.

But Kalkator does! And he escapes with a portion of the fleet of a chapter known as the Fists Exemplar, a First Founding Imperial Fists descendant probably invented for the Beast Arises saga.

The commander of this portion of the Fists Exemplar is First Captain Zerberyn. I'm going to make a second post for the adventures of Kalkator and Zerberyn, since this one is already getting long!