Warhammer 40K: The Eisenstein – Messenger of Treachery
Today we delve into the Eisenstein – the vessel that brought word of Horus’ treachery to the Imperium and The Seventy heroes who crewed her.
The Eisenstein
The Eisenstein was an Imperial warship that played a crucial role at the outbreak of the Horus Heresy It carryed loyalist Space Marines back to Terra from the Isstvan System, to warn the Emperor of Horus’ treachery. The loyalist legionaries are referred to as The Seventy.
The Eisenstein was considered an old craft even by the time of the Heresy. At over 2 kilometers long and resembling a Gladius Class Frigate, the Eisenstein was in service to the Death Guard by the events on Isstvan III. According to the Eisenstein’s captain, in an ancient Earth language, “Eisenstein” means “iron-stone”, and was the name of two noted men from the Age of Terra. One a remembrancer, the other a scientist.
Isstvan III
Shortly before the massacre at Isstvan III, Nathaniel Garro and his Company were assigned to the Eisenstein. Recently injured, Garro was prevented from joining the surface attack with the other Death Guard. First Captain Calas Typhon stationed Ignatius Grulgor‘s company aboard the Eisenstein to deal with Garro and his men when the time came.
Ignatius Grulgor
As was typical of Astartes ships, day-to-day operations were overseen by a Human crew. In the Eisenstein’s case this was under Shipmaster Baryk Carya. Before the bombardment started, Saul Tarvitz transmitted a warning to the Eisenstein, before flying down to the planet’s surface to attempt to warn the other loyalists. Acting on this warning, Garro and his men investigated the rest of the ship. He found Grulgor and his men preparing to bombard the surface with virus bombs. Garro attempted to stop it, and one of the bombs ruptured, killing Grulgor and his men.
Shortly before taking the Eisenstein to warp, to travel to Terra and warn the Emperor, Garro was joined by Iacton Qruze and a group of civilians escaping from Horus’s flagship, at the direction of Garviel Loken. The Eisenstein narrowly evaded fire from Typhon’s ship, the Terminus Est, before escaping the system.
The Eisenstein narrowed avoided destruction by Typhon’s Eerminus Est
Flight to the Imperium
During its voyage, the ship’s Geller field failed briefly, allowing the power of Nurgle to re-animate the corpses of the dead Marines. These were unstoppable until Garro ordered the ship to make an emergency reversion to the Materium. The tainted Marines disappeared, but the stress of the reversion was too much for the ship’s Navigator. The Eisenstein was stranded.
“Proto-Plague Marines” were first encountered by Garro’s loyalist frew aboard the Eisenstein
Garro ordered the ship to jettison its warp engines and detonate them, in the hope of signaling a passing ship. They were rescued by the Imperial Fists‘ mobile fortress-monastery, the Phalanx, and the Eisenstein was scuttled. Garro passed word of Horus’ treachery personally to Rogal Dorn in a brief, tense exchange.
The Phalanx
Eisenstein’s Legacy
Since the Heresy, the Eisenstein has garnered a mysterious reputation, and its status remains unclear. Sometime after the formation of the Great Rift, many saw the vessel reappearing on multiple occasions. On the seventh such appearance, it is said that Mortarion himself will appear and wreak destruction.
Death Guard Captain Nathaniel Garro
The Seventy
The Seventy is the name given to those surviving Loyalist Death Guard members of Captain Nathaniel Garro’s Company and one Son of Horus, who escaped aboard the Eisenstein to bring word back to the Imperium of Horus’s betrayal. The group would still be referred by this name even when their numbers began to dwindle, as the Horus Heresy wore on.
By the late stages of the Heresy few of The Seventy remained, with Malcador the Sigillite refusing to share their fates with Garro. However, Garro believed they were on Terra and while there, he tasked his fellow member of The Seventy Helig Gallor with finding their Battle Brothers. Gallor succeeded in finding those that were on Terra. Shortly before Horus’ forces invaded the Sol System, the remnants of The Seventy were gathered and ready to defend the Imperial Palace, under Garro’s command.
Known Members
- Nathaniel Garro leader of the flight, recruited by Malcador the Sigillite as a Knight-Errant.
- Solun Decius, later succumbs to Nurgle Rot and became a “Lord of the Flies” in the Somnus Citadel, Luna, after making it to Terra.
- Tollen Sendek, killed by “Lord of the Flies”.
- Andus Hakur
- Meric Voyen, Garro’s apothocary, leaves in search of a cure for Nurgle Rot but is infected by it and Garro is forced to kill him
- Helig Gallor, recruited by Malcador via Amendera Kendel with Kyda to serve as a Knight-Errant.
- Bajun Kyda, killed during his first mission after being recruited by Malcador.
- Iacton Qruze, the lone non-Death Guard. Former Sons of Horus, rescued remembrancers Mersadie Oliton and Euphrati Keeler (“The Saint”) and senior iterator Kyril Sindermann from the Vengeful Spirit. He is recruited by Malcador along with Garro. Killed during the Battle of Molech by Horus himself.
Let us give thanks for their sacrifice in the service of truth and loyalty.
