The Khattarn Insurrection (988.M41)
The material on this page was written by Games Workshop for the Third War for Armageddon global campaign. Not me.
During the event known as the Khattarn Insurrection, five companies of the Celestial Lions were attached to Inquisitor Apollyon in order to crush the ongoing revolt on the main planet, Khattar. The orbital defences were nothing to the Space Marines and they quickly landed on the planet, with virtually no opposition. As the campaign progressed and the number of prisoners increased, it became evident that this was no mere minor rebellion. Apparently the Imperial Cult‘s priesthood on Khattar had been corrupted by Chaos and had led the leaders of the planet into the arms of the Chaos God Slaanesh. Local renegade Imperial Guard and Planetary Defence Force regiments were quickly defeated and within three months the rebellion was crushed. The detachment of the Celestial Lions boarded their ships and left for their fortress-monastery. As the ships left orbit, the Imperial Navy, under the orders of Inquisitor Apollyon, carried out an Exterminatus and bombarded the planet, obliterating its entire population. This action horrified the Celestial Lions who proceeded to condemn the Inquisitor. Captain Saul, the commander of the Imperial Navy flagship in orbit of Khattarn, had attempted to halt the bombardment, but could not countermand an Inquisitor. From then on, the Celestial Lions were highly vocal opponents of the Inquisition, as they believed it had been unnecessary to destroy the planet. They proclaimed a series of very loud and very public condemnations against the Inquisition that was intended to reach the powers-that-be within the Imperium. A delegation of senior Chapter officers left for Terra to further their cause, but the ship never arrived. It was blown wildly off course by a freak Warp Storm, far into Ork territory. The wreckage was eventually found two years after the disappearance of the vessel, although this was not enough to deter the Celestial Lions, who kept demanding an investigation into the events surrounding the destruction of Khattar. Their efforts, though valiant, were completely in vain. The Inquisition technically answers to no one but itself and the Emperor, and is immune to any outside pressure or criticism, even from the Adeptus Astartes. Since the Khattarn Insurrection the Celestial Lions have refused to work alongside the agents of the Inquisition again.