I've been doing a lot of work on history & background for my fanon Order and associated hangers-on (like Danforth and the Athanasians). I made some notes regarding the overall history here but recently I've spent some time developing an actual timeline, which I present here.
This timeline is a work-in-progress, and will return and update it as I change or clarify things. Links within the timeline are either to posts in this blog about the subject or event in question, or external articles (particularly for canon events). Fanon events are shown in bolded italics with canon events shown in normal text. I have avoided great detail in the descriptions; these are just historical highlights rather than exact descriptions.
For dates of canon events, I have used the best information I can find, but have avoided saying "circa", instead presuming all canon dates are potentially inaccurate. Despite recent revelations / retcons of the "current year" (Guilliman discovering it could be early M41 rather than early M42), I have presumed the Thirteenth Black Crusade began in 999.M41 and lasted 112 years to 111.M42. A description of the Imperial dating system can be found here.
| mid M36 onwards | The 'Dust Zone becomes more and more heavily industrialized, polluted and cramped. Accommodation zones for the workers (on the outskirts) are encroached on by both the factories expanding and the temple precincts pushing outwards. The Via Imperator itself is left untouched, but the river becomes so polluted with runoff, metal dust and soot it appears metallic and is known as the Steel River. |
| 744.M41 | The Silent King returns to the galaxy and begins to awaken the Tomb Worlds to fight the Tyranids. The Seer of Corrinto predicts the Time of Ending; his prophecy is suppressed by the Inquisition but spreads as rumors. Verity decides she has absorbed enough of the Seraph's coils and it is time leave the Crystal Vault. |
| 744 to 750.M41 | Explicit veneration of Verity grows in the 'Dust Zone. Initially, the Ecclesiarchy is unconcerned - the cult of Verity is approved and, due to the Via Imperator, widespread. However, the 'Dust Zone cult begins to depart from the norm, with icons being produced showing her as a winged serpent. They attend Ecclesiarchy services, but hold their own additional prayer meetings. A core group of women form, living in community and speaking of Verity as if she were a real person. They advocate for the workers of the 'Dust Zone, starting a school and charitable organs. |
| 750.M41 | Rumors that the "Daughters of Verity" cannot lie or be lied to demand an investigation. Ultimately, a charge of heresy is made and the Cardinal of Ophelia convenes a trial. The Ecclesiarch intervenes, adjourning the court, dismissing the charges, declaring the Daughters innocent and elevating them to the rank of Ecclesiarchal Prelature Militant. He grants them the peak of the mountain for their Cloister-Fortress, permitting them to build a chapel around the statue of Verity (and incorporating the pillars). |
| 750.M41 onwards | The Cloister-Fortress and chapel are built and the Order begins formalizing its education and recruitment practices, establishing relationships with the Adeptus Mechanicus of the 'Dust Zone to obtain materiel. |
| 994.M41 | Danforth hears rumors about a Sister of Battle who became pregnant and left her child beneath Saint Danforth's statue. He conducts further investigations on Ophelia, accompanied by Anastacia. He confronts Shania who, unable to lie and unwilling to remain silent, tells him the truth (including that he has a twin Sister). Danforth reverts to the name Laertes and confronts Cygnus, executing him. At his trial, he is exonerated of any wrongdoing and elevated to the rank of Inquisitor, assuming responsibilities in the Ophelia sector, frequently accompanied by Alicia (to whom he does not yet reveal her family history). Anastacia is released by Stark and switches to the Ordo Malleus. |
| 998.M41 | Third War of Armageddon; Laertes adjudicates the trial of the Athanasians, who become an informal part of his entourage, receiving modified Custodian armor stored within the Crystal Vault from Verity (whom they venerate as a Saint of the Imperial Cult). |
| 999.M41 | Thirteenth Black Crusade; the Order is assigned by the Ecclesiarch to defend and police the Ophelia system. Laertes and his entourage remain in the Ophelia Sector for the duration of the fall of Cadia, the Celestinian and Terran Crusades and the rise of the Primarch. Anastacia Ternovnik (newly elevated to the rank of Inquisitor) and Jessica Stark fight in the defense of the Gate - Ternovnik leading her entourage and Grey Knights in surgical strikes against Daemonic positions in the Cadia sector, Stark crushing traitor cells on Cadia. Both are presumed lost. |
| 1st cent.M42 | The Noctis Aeterna & the Indomitus Crusade. The Ophelia sector is forced onto the defensive until an arm of the Indomitus Crusade reaches Ophelia, bringing with it the news of the Primarch's return. Guilliman's rejection of cruelty and bureaucracy resonates with Laertes and the Order. They join the Crusade, focused on investigation of Chaos cults rather than pitched battles. Verity is seen more often, utilizing more of the Seraph's abilities. Tensions over her grow. |
| 111.M42 | The end of the Indomitus Crusade and the Triumph of Raukos. Guilliman returns to Ultramar to fight in the Plague Wars. A Primaris Council is assigned to the Order. It becomes increasingly clear factions in the Mechanicus, Astartes and Ecclesiarchy are moving against Verity, Laertes and the Order - rumored to be unified behind one who knows Laertes well and bears the rosette of the Inquisition. |
| Current events | Cryptic pronouncements from the Metatrix and Seraphim, and dire warnings in the Emperor's tarot; "The Fingers of the Dragon's Hand reach out. Mag'ladroth is stirring - soon he will wake." Ternovnik returns, having been taken by Trazyn the Infinite at the climax of the battle for Cadia and, together with her Grey Knights and the Daemons they were fighting, displayed in a prismatic tableau in the galleries on Solemnace. The Necron releases her to bring confirmation and aid to Laertes and the Order; Mag'ladroth's followers will find the Serpents and they will wake the Dragon. The beginning of the Ophidian Crusade. It is during the Ophidian Crusade that Alicia discovers she is Danforth's brother and Shania's daughter. |
Let me know what you think!
=][= Danforth Laertes
