Founding and Early Years
The Covenant of Ruin was founded during the latter half of the Great Crusade, as the Word Bearers legion sought to expand their influence and spread the Imperial Truth. The chapter was created to serve as an elite unit specializing in the use of propaganda and and psychological warfare (in addition to more traditional Astartes tactics). Its founding leader, Malek Zhar, was chosen for his unwavering faith and formidable battlefield acumen. Under his leadership, the chapter quickly gained a reputation for their brutal efficiency and unyielding adherence to the Word of Lorgar.
In the dying days of the Crusade, the chapter was one of the earliest to heed Lorgar’s call to abandon worship of the Emperor in favour of the Ruinous Powers. Malek Zhar was known to be a confidante of Erebus, which may explain his enthusiasm for the new creed.
Malek Zhar
Zhar, a former Librarian turned Chaplain and ultimately Dark Apostle, was known for his zealous devotion to the Chaos Gods and his unrelenting pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Under his leadership, the Covenant of Ruin embodied the very essence of Chaos. Zhar’s sermons and rituals were legendary, capable of inciting fervour and madness in his followers, transforming them into vessels of unholy power.
Campaigns and Infamy
The Covenant of Ruin played a significant role in several key battles during the Horus Heresy. Notable among these was the Siege of Kharon IV, where they infiltrated the planet’s defences, sowing discord and inciting rebellion among the population. Their methods were insidious, using subterfuge and dark rituals to weaken the resolve of their enemies before striking with overwhelming force.
The Ritual of the Blackened Sky
One of the most infamous events in the chapter’s history was the Ritual of the Blackened Sky. On the world of Veridion Prime, Malek Zhar and his acolytes performed a massive blood sacrifice, summoning a warp storm that blotted out the sun and plunged the planet into eternal night. This act not only demoralized the Imperial defenders but also opened a rift to the Warp, allowing daemonic legions to spill forth and ravage the planet.
The Fall of Malek Zhar
Despite their successes, the Covenant of Ruin was not immune to the internal strife that plagued many Chaos forces. As Malek Zhar delved deeper into the mysteries of Chaos, his increasing paranoia and obsession with the occult led to a schism within the chapter.
The internal conflict reached its peak during the Battle of the Shattered Spire. Zarek Thal, a former acolyte of Zhar’s, lead a faction of the Covenant, confronting Zhar in a climactic duel atop a warp-tainted monolith. The battle was fierce, but in the end, Thal emerged victorious, casting Zhar into the depths of the Warp rift he had created. Thal then assumed leadership, vowing to unite the fractured chapter and restore their former glory. It would be Zhar who lead the Covenant during the Siege of Terra.
Legacy and Continuation
Following the death of Horus and the end of the Heresy, Zhar and the surviving members of the Covenant fled to the Eye of Terror.
From their base in the Eye, Under Zarek Thal’s leadership, the Covenant of Ruin continued to be a thorn in the side of the Imperium. They adapted their tactics, becoming masters of guerrilla warfare and terror strikes. Though their numbers dwindled over the millennia, their reputation as harbingers of destruction and chaos remained intact. The Covenant of Ruin’s legacy is one of unending corruption, a testament to the seductive and insidious nature of Chaos.