Imperial Cabal

Imperial Cabal
Overview
Objectives:	Serve the Empress of the Cabal
Deployed:	Cosmodrome ; Europa ; Nessus

The Imperial Cabal are the personal army of the Imperial Crown and serve Empress Caiatl. Following the Hive invasion of Torobatl, they left for the Solar System to reform the Cabal Empire and recruit Cabal commanders from other Legions, such as the Red Legion, under the banner of Caiatl.

A group of emissaries sought to prove their worth through an ancient tradition with the hope of joining the War Council.

History

The Imperial Clash

As Princess Imperial of the Cabal Empire, Caiatl resided within the royal court of Torobatl and grew tired of sorting out the tedious requests from her generals and courtiers who aspired for her attention and resources. One day a general entered her court to complain about a stench emanating from the room of Umun'arath as the toxic flumes spread throughout the east wing of the palace to choke his lovers.

Caiatl dismissed her general and later visited her mentors chamber to find a room, usually kept tidy with a military precision, littered with strange symbols, war tables covered with unrecognisable papers and tomes and a horrid stench of poison and death. In the corner of the room she found a Hive Thrall held in suspension with restraints used on prison captives.

Caiatl questioned her Evocate-General to what was happening and Umun paused her study of a book bound with flesh and turned away from her war table to showcase the future of the Cabal. She explained that the Hive do not fear death or pain to which Caiatl responded by saying soldiers who not know pain or death are useless as the knowledge to defy death inspired bravery within their soldiers. Umun dismissed her old teachings and claimed they must move beyond their customs and embrace a new way as the universe grew smaller through fierce competition and accept new gods or perish. After a long silence, Caiatl grew concerned over actions of Umun'arath and ordered her to step down from the council.^[1]

Later, Advisor Taurun alerted Caiatl over a distressing situation originating from the central square of Torobatl's weaponsmith district as green flames engulfed the air. Caiatl arrived to the scene to find Umun'arath under the custody of two guards and approached her naked general to find strange strange symbols carved into her skin as she stood in a blaze. Umun laughed and claimed that the Princess came to kneel before their new god. Caiatl ordered her guards to release the general and questioned Umun about the god she was referring to and the heresies she invented now. Umun'arath grinned and said it was the the god of war as the ground trembled below.

Caiatl declared that her new obsession threatened the prosperity of their society and attempted to sentence the general, but Umun interrupted by saying it can't be stopped as war is her only obsession. The fire behind Umun burned with intensity as she raised her glowing hands to a strange noise. Caiatl with her lightning reflexes drew her ceremonial sword and made the decision to drive it into the gut of her mentor, who laughed at the act. Disgusted, Caiatl decided to kick the sword off and watched the corpse of her Evocate-General tumble into the blaze and become consumed with fire as a large portal opened up in the sky.^[2]

The Imperial Siege

The city of Torobatl quickly turned to smoke as the sky grew dark with Hive ships and streets infected by Cryptoliths. The Imperial army called to action to defend their homeworld from the growing threat led by Caiatl. She piloted her fighter to bombard the creatures with missiles, but her efforts to stop the invasion were in vain as their numbers never dwindled and replaced by new swarms.

Her fighter was shot down and Caiatl emerged from the wreckage wounded. She remembered that these creatures did not fear pain or death and wondered how she allowed this calamity to occur as she unknowingly opened the door that brought destruction to her homeworld. She cursed Umun and the Hive, but cursed herself more and took the responsibility to finish what Umun started. Then a thunderous voice deafened the Princess. It was the voice of Xivu Arath who declared that war was her domain and the Cabal worship of war meant that they had worshipped her and she had arrived claim her overdue tribute.^[3]