Amid the swirling dust of an arid wasteland that wasonce a verdant world a lone figure stood. Pinpoints of unholy light glimmered beneath his shadowed cowl. He spoke, his voice like the murmur of the wind.

" I have returned to you my restless brothers. No more shall you lie beneath the dust. The proud ravens shall fly again."

With these words he raised his arms to the scorched heavens and blazing energy surged forth.

"Great K'Ali", he cried, "You who give a name to our hate, bring forth my brothers."

Around his feet the earth began to seethe. In small explosions of dust hands broke forth from the surface; then arms and armoured bodies followed. Dust fell in torrents from faded black armour and bony hands gripping rusted weapons.

"Come to me my brothers. Hold fresh in your hearts the great betrayal, when the heretics fought us with the strength of their foul gods and the betrayers of the false emperor took from us our mortal shells. Rise up know my brothers and visit just vengeance upon all with the power of our hate. Come to me, Crow the Undying, Captain Primus of the 23rd Company of the Raven Guard. I who died on Istvaan V as you did."

"The heretics and the betrayers both I have found for you on Ibor Secundus. Let them feel the cold wind of the grave on their backs and our fleshless hands around their necks. They shall die as we died."

With these words the figure strode towards the spires of the distant city, no longer alone, but accompanied by a dark and silent host.

Day the First

Greetings. I have reached Ibor Secondus where the tendrils of the enemy are spread thick. They shall pay, oh how dearly they shall pay. But first I need more bodies for my legions. Much blood has been spilt in this city and from the bones of the past I shall raise up my undying horde. Through me my blessed brothers spirits shall again find form. They have been long dormant now, yet what are centuries against the memory of that day on Istvaan V. The traitors and their heretical gods to our front, such fighting, such valour, and to our backs the betrayers of the false emperor. We died that day, all of us but I. But great K'ali let me survive that day when my company died, when the ravens fell. His hate and the hate of my brothers has lived in me for millennia and now we are strong. Strong to punish and deliver just vengeance. Let all beware, traitor and betrayer alike, for the undying are here now and hands new from the grave shall tear their flesh and spill their blood. So say I, Crow the Undying, Captain of the 21st company of the Raven Guard, who died on Istvaan V.

We move from the smeltry now to the organics area towards the place of death where my brothers new hosts await.