The Mourner Host
Made up of various sub-sects of the Adeptus Custodes who usually do not leave the palace, but for reasons of academic interest, fate, or atonement have come forth to follow the Lord-Historian on his grand tour around the Imperium at the beginning of the 42nd Millennium. The Mourner Host attracts all manner of the Emperor's most devout servants from Terra; including Sisters of Silence, Acolytes of the City of Sight, and the agents of the Inquisition. This is the first of two articles exploring the Mourner Host, this one showing the members of the Adeptus Custodes under the command of the Lord-Historian and the second will show those other Imperial Agents who answer his call to war.
More after the jump:
Hannibal Odin, the Lord-Historian
One of the most ancient and venerable titles amongst the Custodian Guard, being created shortly after that of Captain-General, is the Lord-Historian who is charged with keeping a record of the life of the Emperor and the fate of his dominions from the Unification Wars to present day. There has only ever been one Lord-Historian, and Hannibal Odin has held the post since its inception. Though this would technically make him one of the oldest Custodians alive, he has spend thousands of years in cryostasis and is only awoken when the Emperor deems his services necessary. Since the Horus Heresy and the internment of the Emperor, his cryostasis pod has opened only twice, seemingly at random but believed to be by the Emperor's Will. Each time he wanders the galaxy collecting information and history, before spending several years in the Palace Libraries writing more of his magnum opus: a piece that will only be finished after the Emperor truly dies. The Lord-Historian then returns to cryosleep until the Emperor needs his services once again.
Using parts from many different kits, the Lord-Historian is my bridge between the Custodes of the Horus Heresy and those of the 41st Millennium. This was the first idea, both fluff-wise and miniature concept, that I had for this project and it was a lot of fun realising him over the course of building this army. From his bold whites that make him contrast with the rest of the force, to the hand delicately touching the book hanging from a cord over one shoulder, he was blast to paint and convert. I also thought it would be quite cool to have him accompanied by two lions, symbols of ancient Terran power and of the Custodes themselves, as well as perhaps suggestive of the two wolves who fight alongside the Norse God of his namesake.
The Wall, The Emperor's Artisans, and Ludovico il Magnifico
Mysterious and enigmatic to even his own order, the eternally silent Custodian known only as 'The Wall' keeps a vigil over the ramparts of the Emperor's Palace, wearing the helmet of an Imperial Fists legionnaire in memory of the many sacrifices at the Seige of Terra. Whether he is one man, or if several have donned his battered armour over the millennia, none could say. When the Lord-Historian goes to war, this silent figure of mourning accompanies him as a constant reminder of the tragedies that have befallen the Emperor's dream.
Following in the wake of The Wall are the swordsmen of the Emperor's Artisans who are charged with the artifice of the most ancient and baroque arms, armour, and artifacts of the Adeptus Custodes. Wearing non-standard armour and sporting extravagant plumes upon their helmets, a small corps of the artisans are tasked with the maintenance of The Wall's ancient armour as well as the tending to the venerable gear of the Lord-Historian himself.
Oldest of the Artisans that accompany the Lord-Historian, Ludovico is said to have worked alongside Rogal Dorn in the re-building of the Emperor's Palace after the Horus Heresy and as such bears the honorific 'il Magnifico'. Old even by Custodian standards and missing an arm from wounds sustained in defense of the Imperial Palace, he is not yet ready to become an Eye of the Emperor but has retired from active command in favour of bearing the Lord-Historian's vexilla into battle. A close friend of the Lord-Historian from before the Heresy, Hannibal Odin has been much dismayed to see the age and war-ravaged body of his friend deteriorate each time he wakes from stasis.
Hermes Trismagistus - Arcane Magister, and The Neo-Sigillites
Though the Emperor sought to eradicate religion, he ensured that his Custodian Guard would have knowledge of the modes of faith so that they could identify and destroy it. The Arcane Magister is a Shield-Captain charged with keeping the knowledge of Terra's ancient religions and also for keeping an eye out for the resurgence of any Old Terran ritual practices on the Throneworld. A key confident of the Lord-Historian, Hermes is often found commanding elements of the Mourner Host is small engagements. Keepers of the Emperor's personal libraries, and valuable repositories of all manner of knowledge; the Neo-Sigilites aid the academically minded Custodians like the Arcane Magister and the Lord-Historian in their duties.
The Neo-Sigillites and the Artisans were an experiment to try and get 8 Custodians out of the 5-man Custodes Guard box, through using a cheap box of easy-build Stormcast Liberators. By doing torso-swaps between three of the Custodes and the Stormcasts (and then kit-bashing with some other Custodes kits), I was able to make two 3-man squads each accompanied by a shield-captain for quite cheap. I'm rather happy with the finished result and it adds a level of uniqueness to this force I'm very proud of.
Theophilus Drax the Lord-Iconoclast, and the Order of the Hood
Second in command of the Mourner Host is the current incumbent of a title as ancient as that of the Lord-Historian. Bitter and cruel by Custodian standards, Theophilus Drax holds a great deal of scorn for life outside the Imperial Palace and finds glee in being unleashed upon the galaxy at large to cleanse it of idolatrous filth. Lord-Iconoclasts were responsible for directing the destruction of religious sites and artifacts during the Unification Wars, but since the Great Crusade the office has lessened in importance and become more of an honorary title. Though the Lord-Historian cares little for Theophilus Drax personally, he tolerates the presence of the Lord-Iconoclast in his army as a ruthless executor of the Imperial Truth.
The Order of the Hood is a sub-sect of the Custodes who carried out the Emperor's private butchery during the Unification Wars, performing clandestine clean-up operations and violent pacifications. Led by the Lord-Iconoclast their job was to tear down any remaining parts of an old regime following conquest, whether that be in the form of man or monument. They have endured over the millennia and now a new generation of the Order, carrying ancient grime-infused executioner-axes follow their lord into battle once more.
I really loved the Allarus miniatures and thought the axes on them looked incredibly cool, but wanted to convert them to even further embody the 'executioner of enemy commanders' aspect of their fluff. I removed their plume and altered their poses in order to lower and sqaure-up their profile, added a flagellant's whip to their weapons instead of just a spike to increase the brutality of their armament, and finally added some Dark Angel's hoods to further make them appear as executioners.
Malcadorian Hunters
The Vertus Praetors who belong to the unit known as the 'Malcadorian Hunters' are seekers of rare and esoteric miscellany for the private vaults of the Imperial Palace. Named for Malcador the Sigillite's practice of seeking out and preserving the treasures of Old Earth, the Hunters range ahead of the Mourner Host to find artifacts worthy of returning to the Imperial Palace and preserving for the Emperor's pleasure.
When I had decided I wanted to make custom transfers for my Custodes, I immediately thought that I must use the Vertus Praetor's jetbikes to create a triptych. I had a long thought about the Italian altar pieces I knew of which had three frames but most of them were too wide to fit on the canopy of the jetbike, so I eventually settled upon separating the figures of Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus' into three and putting them onto the squad. I'm quite pleased with the result and should I ever add any more jetbikes to this army I'd like to do something similar again.
Methuselah the Golden Rage
None quite knows from whence Methuselah came, only that this dreadnought-interred Custodian Guard desires nothing else but to kill the enemies of the Emperor wherever they may be found. The Custodian within this machine chooses not speak to his comrades, only making a sound in battle where he screams ancient Terran war-chants at the top of his ragged lungs until he is disabled or all his opponents lie dead. The beserker-like fury of this ancient warrior has led to his moniker 'The Golden Rage' and his recklessness has also resulted in extensive damage to his dreadnought body. The Emperor's Artisans have crafted many different forms for Methuselah to inhabit over the millennia, each one different to the last in the hopes of finding a body that will give Methuselah some measure of peace.
As I'm not a huge fan of the Contemptor dreadnought, and I can't afford the Forge World ones, I decided to convert my own out of an old venerable dreadnought and a sentinel. This was then covered in a variety of Custodes parts, including a prominently displayed Misericordia which serves as a reminder of his high office despite being interred within a dreadnought.
Captain-General Trajann Valoris
This was actually the miniature that convinced me to buy some Adeptus Custodes, before the codex had even been announced! I fancied picking some up when the first Custodian Guard were released in the Burning of Prospero box, but I wasn't sure what use I'd have for them. However, when Trajann's miniature was first previewed I decided to at the very least get him and a squad. I loved the squareness, the stoic-ness, and regality of his miniature; and I knew I simply had to have him. When a full Custodes release was announced I thought I might as well take the plunge into a full force and know I simply had to have this miniature to lead it.
Thank you for looking at the first part of my Talons of the Emperor army, check back at the blog soon to see the non-Custodes half of this force!
Yo.... Insane
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