Talk:Aubrey The Grey

History

Youth

When the Primarchs were scattered all across the cosmos, they were cast upon planets from one end of the Galaxy to the other. And yet of all of them Aubrey the Grey’s landing would prove to be the most misfortunate for the future of the Imperium. For alone of all the Primarchs he landed on a Planet with no human population. And yet that planet was far from uninhabited. A race of Xenos called Lazarans had called the planet home for generations, their technology was pre-Warp Drive Terran, with slow-moving ships plying the void between Lazarus and its neighbouring worlds. The Lazarans had a martial culture born from centuries of raids by neighbouring xeno enemies during the bitter conflict of the Age of Strife. The Lazarans had developed a strict caste system as a result, with rulers, warriors, diplomats and labourers. Bottom of the heap was the healers, for to have his blood spilled in anything but combat, such as by a surgeon, was considered the vilest of possibilities for a Lazaran.

The Primarch’s pod smashed from the sky like a burning meteor, and the foundling babe was recovered. Humans were utterly unknown to the Lazarans, so he was not slain out of hand, however this unusual being was considered dangerous by many. There was a grand debate on whether or not the small Primarch should live; he only did so upon the mercy of the sadistic yet skillful ‘Thalapathica’ (general) Andyll Vokrii-Kendov, deciding to see whether or not the unusual being could survive the rough life of a Lazaran.

Given the name Aubrey Vokrii-Kendov, as a non-Lazaran he was forced into the lowest caste, the healers. And yet he was a Primarch, and within a decade he was the greatest of all healers, singlehandedly forwarding Lazaran understanding of medical science by several centuries and becoming the most renowned doctor of the Lazarans in the process.

After a decade as the lowest of the low, and yet mastering the skills of a healer a stroke of fortune took him. After a major raid by Dulorg Raiders, Aubrey was called in to heal a badly-wounded figure. It was Andyll Vokrii-Kendov, the general who had convinced the Lazarans to spare him. The General and Aubrey made a pact; if Aubrey would keep quiet as to just how badly he had been wounded and thus saving him the loss of prestige that suffering wounds in battle caused, the General would allow Aubrey to enter the warrior caste.

Aubrey rose through the ranks as quickly as he had as a healer, becoming a valiant warrior and leader. He thwarted several raids by enemy forces, and even led a boarding action on a Dulorg Monoship that captured it intact. Within a decade he was appointed to the rank of ‘Anipathica’, Sub-Commander of a Lazaran Warhost. Despite his obvious skill, above and beyond that of any other being, the fact that he was a non-Lazaran continued to dog him, and there were many occasions where his orders were not obeyed without question.

Aubrey learned quickly that the only way to silence the sniping comments, disrespectful behaviour and deliberate disobeying of his orders was to hurt the pride of his Lazaran underlings; for while his voice might be ignored and his orders left hanging, none could argue with his blade. Swordplay was a skill largely forgotten on Lazarus, Lazarans disliked close-combat and duelling was a forgotten art abandoned due to the taboo on shedding blood. But Aubrey was not one to be swayed by such arguments. He picked up the sword and became well versed in swordplay, throwing all of his spare time into practice.

Aubrey now used the sword as both a weapon on the battlefield and as a symbol of authority. For those who dared to question him or to disobey his orders, he challenged them to a duel. No true warrior could refuse, and yet defeat was a terrible stain, and the shedding of their blood was a blow from which no Lazaran warrior’s reputation could recover.

With the way of the Blade allowing him respect he’d never previously held, Aubrey’s position seemed assured. This did not sit well with many of his peers, foremost among them a trio of Lazaran warriors, Anipathica Makai Vokrii-Valandov, Valanpathica (Major) Vex Vokrii-Terindov, and Kadapathica (Captain) Vaas Vokrii- Terindov, who had elected to do something about the upstart outsider. Valanpathica Vex was considered another rising star in the military after his small force managed to surprise and rout a larger force of Ork Pirates, and many had compared him to Aubrey. But Aubrey’s meteoric rise had blocked Vex from promotion to higher rank, and the Lazaran held a clear grudge at the strange xeno who had risen so high in Lazaran society. Vex also taught himself the way of the blade after he was nearly killed by an Ork axe, and he felt confident enough to challenge Aubrey to single combat. Aubrey was clearly the superior fighter, but Vex had a cunning plan. His brother Vaas slipped into Aubrey's blind spot and struck Aubrey with a club, distracting him long enough for Vex to score two slashes across Aubrey’s face.

Once a Lazaran Warrior was wounded, their reputation was permanently damaged. To be marked was a sign of weakness, and Aubrey now had two prominent scars on one cheek. Not only was his reputation in tatters, his pride was wounded as well. Even though the fight had not been fair, the scars it had left had dealt a major wound to Aubrey’s status. No longer was he the peerless warrior and wonder-boy who had scored so many victories on Lazarus and in the Space surrounding the system. Aubrey, consumed by his defeat knew that the only way to regain that status was to beat Vex and Vaas at the same time. It was upon this revelation that he took up a second sword, taking his time to master the ways of the dual blade and become the most peerless melee fighter ever to set foot on Lazarus. He spent little time on Lazarus, throwing himself into the endless struggle on the wild frontiers of the system where pirates, reavers and raiders lurked, always leading from the front and storming through his enemies in a whirlwind of blades. Those of his underlings who disobeyed him were now no more than test-subjects, cut down by his swordwork and soon the message got through that to disobey him was to court death.

After two years in the wilderness and with his skills sharpened to a keen edge, Aubrey returned to Lazarus and once again approached Vex, demanding a rematch. A very cocksure Vex who had himself been promoted to Anipathica in the interim accepted while a more cocksure Vaas insulted Aubrey and attempting to enrage the warrior. All they found was an icy emerald glare in return, the gaze of a serpent eyeballing its prey.

On the duelling ground Vex found himself brutally outclassed by the vengeful Primarch. Aubrey toyed with Vex, effortlessly cutting past his guard, scoring line after line on his armour with his sword and slowly grinding him down and forcing Vex into a corner he couldn't escape from. When Vaas made his move he found his club blocked by a second sword. Aubrey turned his attention to Vaas, ruthlessly disarming him and then scoring a series of wounds across his body and painting his armour red with Vaas’ own blood. Vex, in a blind rage, rushed at Aubrey, letting the Primarch quickly disarm and then give him a series of bleeding wounds all across his body. Knowing his own reputation was now destroyed, Vex threw himself at Aubrey, only to be cut to shreds and left covered in wounds from head to toe. From that day on, Aubrey held his head high, two swords by his side and none would dare challenge him to single combat again. Vex and Vaas, their reputations destroyed forever would be dead within a year, seeking death rather than living with the eternal shame of their wounds.

Aubrey was granted the rank of ‘Senathipathica’ by the ruling Lazaran council, a rank that had only even been given three times before in the distant past. The Senathipathica was master of all the armies of Lazarus and supreme commander of all armed forces. Though several rebellions were launched by Lazaran army units that refused to obey his command, these were swiftly put down and Aubrey became the de-facto military ruler of Lazarus. He threw himself into securing the borders of the Lazarus System, destroying an Ork Pirate base in the outer Asteroid Belt and smashing dozens of raiding forces until Lazarus was free from the threat of assault from the stars. The Alien from outside had become the ruler and savior of the Xenos of Lazarus.

And then another Alien fleet entered the system, and Aubrey’s world was about to be shattered forever.

The coming of Mankind

In 898.M30, Lazarn Picket ships detected a massive discharge of energy coming from the very edge of the system. Moving to investigate, they found themselves confronted by the 219th Expeditionary Fleet of the Imperium of Man. The Lazaran Ships were destroyed with ease, and attempts to disrupt the invading fleet were cast aside by the inferior Lazarine ships with their lack of any form of shield technology.

As Senathipathica, Aubrey was responsible for a response to the unknown invaders. They were leagues above any of the raiders he had faced before, and he knew that in a stand-up fight the Lazarites would be easily destroyed. However the slow passage of the enemy fleet in-system, as it stopped to destroy Lazaran Space Stations, docks and the colony on one of the moons of the Gas Giant Lazarus VI gave Aubrey valuable time to craft a response. Furthermore the deaths of millions of Lazarans In the outer system gave Aubrey a bitter edge to his planning, as he determined to make the invaders pay in blood for what they had done.

As the invaders set foot on the planet from their dropships, they came under vicious and coordinated assault from all sides, Aubrey having correctly deduced the enemy landing zone and shifted his forces accordingly. Aubrey himself led the charge, storming through a hail of lasfire and cutting his way right to the commander, beheading him with a single blow. The invading 499th Solar Auxilia Cohort found itself outmanoeuvred, lacking defensive positions from which to bring their superior firepower to bear and bereft of leadership. After three days of bitter fighting Imperial Forces withdrew from the planet and departed for the outer system. If the repulse was a bitter pill for the Imperial, it was an existential shock for Aubrey. The invaders looked like him, only much smaller, and he instinctively knew that they were his species. His species had tried to kill his adopted people, and the outer colonies of the Lazarus system were all gone.

Lazarus remained on edge for three months. Panic caused by the invasion triggered riots and civil unrest, and the Clan Council of Lazarus reluctantly requested martial law. Aubrey took charge and threw himself headlong into the task of preparing Lazarus for the inevitable second invasion. Recovered Imperial weaponry was studied, fortifications dug and weapons stockpiled. Aubrey was now under a permanent cloud of suspicion, for news had come out that the invaders bore a remarkable resemblance to him and that he was possibly one of them. Any who dared come forth with that accusation were cut down by him without mercy, but it did little to quieten the rumour or salve his own heart.

And then the signals were detected. Another fleet had entered the system, and this one was over four times the size. Pictures taken by long-ranged probes showed nearly a dozen battleships, including one over twice the size of any other bearing the mark of a winged sunburst and a many-pointed star. Aubrey called forth all reserves, ordered the evacuation of all major cities and prepared for what he assumed would be his final battle. But the fleet did not turns its guns on the many space stations surrounding the planet, and after entering high orbit began broadcasting on over a dozen languages, all utterly alien to the Lazarites. And then one of those languages was understood. Broadcast in heavily accented Izuvim, one of the many races that had raided Lazarus in the past, it requested a meeting between the Lazaran Commander and his Imperial Counterpart.

Throwing caution to the wind, Aubrey agreed. This was his chance to learn more about his origins and discover his place in the universe. His world had been turned upside down when the invaders from the stars came, and now he had a chance to set it right. Though the Lazarite Clan Council were against it, Aubrey overruled them. He broadcast a location where he would be waiting: an ancient duelling field where representatives from the Clans would fight out Clan disputes in the days before the Clans had united and set out into the stars. There Aubrey waited, clad in a cloak of Serpent-Scale and with his twin swords at his side, along with representatives from all the Clans of Lazarus. And from the heavens came a bolt of lightning, a powerful dropship studded with guns. From it emerged a dozen figures. Most were giants clad in heavy golden-plated armour and bearing heavy spears. But at their heart was one that towered even above the others. He was clad in heavy golden armour sculpted in the form of muscles, and carried a massive Spear. His head was bare, revealing a bearded face and bright eyes that were filled with joy. Aubrey muttered a few phrases in obvious confusion as he took in the sight, until he came to one last word that seemed to be alien to his own tongue. A word he never thought he would ever be able to say. "Brother." He instinctively knew this Giant was the same as him. At long last, Aubrey was not alone.

Aubrey willingly went with the spear-armed warrior to his massive ship in orbit high above Lazarus, and was deeply impressed by what he saw. The warrior began to teach him how to speak his own language, which Aubrey absorbed with incredible speed. The warrior’s name was Hektor, Master of the First of the Legiones Astartes and foremost Warlord of the Emperor of Mankind. The Emperor had made him as He had made Aubrey. Aubrey now knew that he had been made as a General for the Sixteenth of these Legions, he had nineteen other brothers who each commanded his own Legion. Hektor kept the newly found Primarch with him for some months, educating him personally as to the Imperium, the Great Crusade, the Imperial Truth and his duties as a Primarch. During this time he also allowed his new found brother to take tactical command of several anti-Pirate and raider operations launched by Hektor to pacify the space around Lazarus, where Aubrey got to show his skill at swift, decisive decapitation strikes against enemy warbands and Pirate Fleets who infested the space between Lazarus and the other Xeno Empires that bordered it. Aubrey was deeply impressed by Hektor – by both his martial skill and his diplomatic prowess and eagerly learned all he could from the first Primarch, who he saw as his tutor and master.

After six months, another ship arrived in the Lazarus system. This one was over twice the size of Hektor’s mighty Gloriana-class Flagship, the Bucephalus. It was the mightiest Warship in the Galaxy, the Emperor’s own barge, the Imperator Somnium. The Emperor Himself had come to be reunited with His son. There was great rejoicing, pomp and circumstance as had happened many times before, but the Emperor had little time to spare. The Second Ruavu Grun Xenocide was tearing apart the southern Imperium, and the Emperor had been returning to Terra to take command personally. He commanded Aubrey to return to Terra with him to be formally invested with his Legion, and also the Emperor wished to investigative him personally, privately concerned about his upbringing amongst Xenos. Aubrey willingly left with the Emperor, but promised the Clan Council of Lazarus that he would return as soon as he could. Lazarus was his home, and the Lazarites were his people even if he wasn’t one of them.

The Emperor spent some time with Aubrey, debating with him on the subjects of the Imperium, Xenos, Humanity and the future. Aubrey had been taught well by Hektor, and showed a firm grasp of Imperial Methods, the Imperial Truth and the Emperor’s plans for humanity and his part in them. But on the position of Xenos, Aubrey wouldn’t budge. The Lazarites were just as much his people as the humans, and he would not abandon them. Following the advice of Hektor, the Emperor granted a dispensation for Lazarus. They would be allowed nominal rights, but would not be permitted to travel or spread themselves beyond the Lazarus system. The Imperator Somnium did not make full speed for Terra, but instead took a detour, ending up over an unknown Knight World, Cattegirn. Cattegirn was the first human world that Aubrey had ever set foot upon, and though it was a cold and bleak place, the populace were hardy, industrious, thrifty and fiercely loyal to their ruler, qualities with even Aubrey could appreciate. The Emperor met with their King and brought her and the planet into the Imperial Fold bloodlessly, a lesson to Aubrey on the limits of military power. Aubrey, still raw and untested took offense when he was called the Emperor’s squire and ended up duelling the King of Cattegirn, though neither were able to best their opponent. Aubrey was granted a crown from the King, one which incorporated a powerful energy field as strong as that on an Iron Halo. Aubrey would later incorporate that crown into his armour and bear it with him for the duration of the Crusade and beyond.

The Zealot

Terra was a massive shock to Aubrey. Only the second human world he had ever visited, it was poles apart from Cattegirn. The skies were choked, the seas gone, most of the planet overbuilt by cities and billions upon billions of humans crammed together like ants in a hive. Aubrey was quite literally overwhelmed, moreso when the Emperor left him alone on Terra as He went south to confront the Ruavu Grun. He threw himself into his studies, and in particular the gene-seed crisis within his Legion.

The Emerald Doom as they were known had been struck my a major degradation of their Gene-Seed, which had caused much of it to become useless. The Legion had been dying a slow and painful death, unable to repair their losses. With Aubrey now found, his genetic material could be used to stabilize their Gene-Seed, but as one trained in the medical arts Aubrey insisted that he be allowed to take part in the proceedings personally. He rapidly absorbed the fine details of Astartes Gene-Seed and set about not only curing the affliction, but improving on the Gene-Seed to make it purer, easier to replicate and higher in quality that that of any other Legion.

Rules

I'll write up some rules for this guy once the author gets him sorted out. A lot of his history seems to reference a primarch that doesn't even exist. On top of that, his legion's role as "chaos generalists" confuses me. What does that even mean? Hard to write rules when I don't know what his legion does. Josman (talk) 21:42, 24 September 2016 (UTC)

It's worth noting that his actual page dates back to a very early incarnation of the Hektor Heresy, back when there were 30 Legions. Bohemond and the Storm Bringers and Kranios and the Horns of Ruin are two of the Legions that were cut out. If you want a picture of how the Legion and Primarch are supposed to look now, the talk page for the Eternal Zealots has my rewrite of the Legion, including unique units and Legion specialization in it.