Arik Taranis

Arik Taranis was one of the first Thunder Warriors - genetically-engineered warriors created by the Emperor to help conquer the techno-barbarians warlords of Old Earth, to reunite the disparate tribes of humanity beneath his rule. Once Unity had been achieved and the world united, the Emperor would launch his galaxy spanning Great Crusade and establish his Imperium of Man.

History
His mortal name is not recorded within the Imperial historical archives, but when he was reborn into the new form of one of the first proto-Astartes, he was named Arik Taranis. The Emperor had wrought these gene-enhanced warriors to be faster, stronger and more powerful than any of the feral techno-barbarian gene-sept warriors that claimed fealty over Humanity's homeworld. Taranis and his battle-brothers were created as tools of deadly efficiency, designed to spread terror and act as perfect killing machines. Their goal was to drag the world back from the anarchy into which it had fallen for over five millennia, and into a new age of enlightenment.

It was against this backdrop of oppression, violence and casual brutality that Arik Taranis and his fellow Thunder Warriors carved a reputation as the undisputed super warriors of their age. Arik Taranis would forge a legend that would still resonate with the modern Astartes created in their image during the beginning of the Great Crusade; the historic battles he helped to win, the foes he slew and the great honours he earned fighting in the Emperor's legions during the Unification Wars. He would become history wrought in living form: the Victor of Gaduaré, the Last Rider, the Butcher of Scandia, the Throne-slayer -- these and a hundred other battle-honours earned by this incomparable warrior were scattered throughout the historical texts written about the foundation of the Imperium. All these tales culminated in the end of Taranis' life atop a once-flooded mountain during the final battle of the Unification Wars.

Taranis was given the title "Lightning Bearer" in the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Ararat in the Kingdom of Urartu. The Imperial chronicles record that Taranis and his Battle-Brothers were all slain to a man, in this final epoch battle of the great conflict, sacrificing themselves to win the last and greatest victory for the Emperor and establish his new Imperium of Man. The Imperial chronicles record that Taranis died, succumbing to numerous mortal wounds once he fulfilled the honour of raising the Emperor's Banner of Lightning at the declaration of Unity.

The truth, however, was very different and far darker, for Arik Taranis had actually survived the Battle of Mount Ararat, and also knew that the Emperor had founded his Imperium by betraying the men who had fought so ferociously for him. Amazingly, Taranis bore no ill-will towards his creator for His monstrous betrayal, for he understood better than anyone that the Thunder Warriors were merely a means to an end. He and all his kind had been cast aside by the Emperor in favour of the Legiones Astartes gene-template. Arik Taranis was one of only a small number of Thunder Warriors who managed to escape the cull.

Being a clever individual, Taranis hid amongst the masses of mankind for over a century, shunning his former name and assuming a new identity. He became the despicable criminal warlord Babu Dhakal, clan master of the Dhakal gang, running most of the Petitioner’s City criminal enterprises; prostitution, food, illegal drug and weapons. Nothing moved within the city without the Babu’s approval. During the century spent being on the lam from Imperial authorities, Taranis discovered the inherent flaw that had been created within the Thunder Warriors' genetic makeup; their lifespans were extremely limited. Unbeknownst to anyone outside of the Petitioner's City, Taranis maintained a well-equipped laboratory at the heart of the city. The fact that such an advanced laboratory existed on Terra was not surprising, but that it was to be found in the heart of this city of lost souls was nothing short of miraculous - akin to finding a fully functioning starship buried in the ruins of Earth’s prehistory. Fortunately for Taranis, he had learned what he could from his creator in the years of the Unity Wars, coming to know much of the Emperor's ancient science of genetics. Unfortunately, he did not possess enough knowledge to halt his deterioration, only enough to desperately cling to life long enough for fortune to one day smile upon him.

His fortune changed during the opening days of the Horus Heresy.