Lord Asgul Tehæran, commander of the Disciples of Be'Lakor
Lord Asgul Tehæran; a titanic example of an Astartes whether loyal or heretic, is currently the commander of the Disciples of Be'Lakor although this is not his first time in such a command.
Many centuries ago, he was a captain of the Emperor's Swords chapter, whose homeworld was out on the Northern fringe of the galaxy and just barely within the Imperium. What caused their fall into heresy has been forgotten to time, but what is known is that Asgul Tehæran took the title of Lord and began a large and bloody campaign against all who opposed his expansionism.
Within a few solar decades the renamed chapter, now called the Shadow Legion, ignored the restrictions imposed by the Codex Astartes regarding chapter size. In their initial campaign it is thought that their strength approached 1,100 marines. This force targeted a nearby system that contained a vast hive world as well as a minor forge world. Within the year, this system was captured for his burgeoning empire.
Over a century later, this empire had taken nearly the entire sector, 14 systems in total. With the Imperial response not manifesting itself, Lord Asgul turned his attention on the empire he had carved. He ordered the creation of vast armies of mortal soldiers, equipping them to the standard of the Imperial Guard. Tanks, artillery and air support were all manufactured to aid these forces. Furthermore, the numbers of marines had grown to approximately 1,400. What is interest here though is the fact that, whilst of this war material was of STC origin, there were signs of innovation coming from the manufactorums.
[REDACTED], a techmarine of the Emperor's Swords now the Forgemaster of the Shadow Legion, had begun to experiment in creating new weapons of war. One of which was a Predator, codenamed 'Overlord', which a turret equipped with a devastating version of a Laser Destructor. Able to fire multiple shots at a high intensity and at longer range; albeit at the cost of being immobile during battle, this predator had recorded super-heavy kills including Necron Pylons and Aeldari Scorpion Super-Heavy Grav Tanks. This technological madman was said to have corrupted Leman Russ tanks with parasitical daemons that allowed regeneration of damaged and destroyed parts, created some form of plasma artillery and attempted to create the ultimate tech-heresy, Abominable Intelligence. The truth to these tales are currently subject to an investigation by the Inquisition.
This pocket empire came into conflict regularly with a nearby Necron Tomb World, as well as Craftworld Ulthwé, a force of World Eaters, Orks and Grey Knights. Largely the victor against these forces, it took a protracted crusade led by the Steel Mastodons to break this force. This chapter, as well as Grey Knights and Imperial Guard regiments, fought back the Shadow Legion over the period of two centuries, every world was a fortress paid for with the blood of millions. With a very rare strike led by a small contingent of the Adeptus Custodes, the Shadow Legion was no more. However, they did not find Lord Tehæran, only one dead Custodian Guard, unarmed, in an unnaturally dark room.
It is suggested that this darkness is evidence of an incursion by Be'Lakor, but evidence for this is flimsy at best. However, how the escape of Lord Asgul Tehæran happened is unknown and he has been seen leading the forces of Be'Lakor which implies a connection.
