Chaos in the Haven System

History

Chaos has been in the Haven System since it was discovered but was practically eradicated with Saint Laramie’s crusade. With a constant supply of faithful spilling from the Shrine World of Laramie’s Hope, any Chaos seeking to take root either is destroyed or lived on as singular cultists hiding their true allegiance.

This all changed with the opening of the Great Rift. The people who were crazed by the event were swiftly executed. However, the Rift awakened psychic potential in several people. The Rift also spawned raving cultists and seasoned warriors from ships that fell to Chaos and traveled the sea of souls in search of power, plunder, and pilgrims. This group is collectively known as ‘the Lost’ among the natives.

While the Imperium loyalists are holding out, Chaos has planted its roots and continues to spread its insidious influence. Even Laramie’s Hope, the Shrine World, is blighted by a fortified Chaos line. Many mining stations around Saint’s Gate have fallen to Chaos. Haven’s Garden is suffering under both guerilla and conventional wars from the renegades. Anchorus has suffered several sabotage efforts under them. The warp storm surrounding the system seems unending. It’s only a matter of time until those Corpse Emperor dogs see the salvation of Chaos or perish in the fires of war.


Organization

In general, there are 4 main groups that Chaos followers fall into.

The first group is essentially the conventional military force. Here are your renegade PDF and veterans of the Long War from the Lost formed into an army called the Reclaimers. Their goal: reclaim the planet for the people or for Chaos, depending on who you ask. This lot also holds the heaviest armaments, such as tanks, special weapons, and such. Their training varies with some units being fairly green while others rivaling Imperial Guard regiments. What is consistent is that they are much more disciplined than other cultists.

The second group is the infiltrator and sabotage cells that inhabit many cities and towns. This group is almost exclusively made up of natives and largely cut off from the rest of Chaos with their only real contact being with leadership. Nonetheless, their faith remains strong, though hidden. Members possess some secret way of showing their true allegiance but the methods are as varied as the people in these cells.

The third group is true disciples of the Primordial Truth, the ‘cult’ part of cultists. These often fanatical members take part in the active worship of the Chaos gods. While many of its leaders come from outside the planet, the natives are making up a growing portion of its followers as they abandon one religion for another. It’s these growing masses that enact the rituals to make portals to spill more of their ilk and teleport others across the system. This group is also charged with recruitment and spreading of Chaotic influence, though most outside this group see them as deranged but useful meatshields. For those that are radically mutated, this is most likely the case.

The last and most important group is the top leadership; the masterminds and puppeteers orchestrating the rebellion. They go by many names: the Cabal, the Inner Circle, the Maestros, the Heralds, and more; however, they are all similar in the fact that they are elusive and aloof. They seem almost impossible to get a hold of, yet usually appear when fate demands it most. While by no means a requirement, many also appear to be psykers. They are the ones that hold the true power for they are the few that have the guile, charisma, and intelligence to unite the fractured forces of Chaos. They are also the only ones who have any idea of what the big picture is for Chaos in the Haven System.


Chaos Forces in the Haven System

Chaos has made itself felt on all planets as former Imperial citizens revolt against their oppressors and seek salvation in the true gods. It’s a mix of both natives and The Lost. The natives are a bit smaller in size compared to the Lost, but they are generally more dedicated. Much of the war material is either PDF gear or whatever the Lost brought with them; however, they have also stolen some other Imperial gear but is rarely used. Chaos ships do spill out from the Warp but the Navy tends to make sure the larger ships that make themselves known don’t last long. However, psykers make use of teleporting and portals to move troops around with mixed results.


Chaos Forces on Haven’s Garden

Chaos currently holds the city of Progress, the second-largest city on Haven’s Garden and one of the main industry hubs of the planet. This city is the hometown of Mayor and former PDF officer Bruce Shedwater who fell to Chaos early on and orchestrated the city’s fall. Known as the Voice of the Reclaimers, he’s one of the main leaders on the planet and in charge of those forces staging at Progress.

Arms and vehicles vary widely, though there is no shortage of them. A good portion of the planet’s PDF turned and when they did they took their equipment. This includes guns like lasguns and autorifles, vehicles, even tanks. There’s also the improvised weapons, explosives, and vehicles like trucks and tractors still available to them. Finally, there is the gear that came from the Lost. This is the most exotic of the bunch and therefore are deployed much more rarely.

Most of the Reclaimer groups reside in Progress to defend it from Imperial retaliation; however, the largest group of cultists are the infiltrators, terrorists, and guerilla fighters that disrupt and kill everyone that doesn’t praise the True Gods. This includes the ignorant and naive Tau and another group of renegades that follow the ‘4 armed Emperor’. Attempts to infiltrate the latter group have been fruitless as agents either disappear or are turned, though purges of this group trying to infiltrate Chaos have been largely successful only due to the help of rituals and psykers. Bruce demands regular purges and the cult is happy to oblige, but little is known about this group except for the whispers of ‘alien’ among the command.