Ekodas

The Latros Sacrum, Badge of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion

Ekodas was the Grand Apostle of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion, commander of the 7th Host and a member of the elite cadre of the Legion's ruling Dark Council of Dark Apostles.

History

The 7th Host was one of the largest and most decorated Hosts in the Word Bearers Legion, and their Dark Apostle Ekodas was counted as close confidant of the Keeper of the Faith, Kor Phaeron. However, he was also a secret member of The Brotherhood -- a clandestine, internal sect within the Word Bearers Legion that had been formed at three different periods during the XVII Legion's history in order to maintain the Word Bearers' theological purity. Primarch Lorgar had ordered its formation on two separate occasions during the purging of the Covenant and the old religion on Colchis before the coming of the Emperor of Mankind to that world. The second occasion was after the Pilgrimage of Lorgar during the Great Crusade when Lorgar had first gained knowledge of Chaos. With the realisation that the Chaos Gods were the true divinities of the universe came Lorgar's understanding that the Old Faith, the ancient religious beliefs of the people of Colchis that he had swept away, were true. The Old Gods, not the flawed Emperor, were the only powers that Lorgar believed were worthy of the Word Bearers' faith and worship. With the second reformation of The Brotherhood, the ranks of the XVII Legion were purged of all Terran-born Loyalists, leaving only those Astartes native to Colchis -- and thus loyal solely to Lorgar -- behind. In the latter part of the 41st Millennium, Kor Phaeron ordered The Brotherhood's formation a third time in order to overthrow the Dark Apostle Erebus, whom the First Captain felt had too much sway with the Dark Council. Ekodas later led the Word Bearers' assault against the strategic Boros Gate System but was killed by the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter. In battle, Ekodas was able to use incredibly powerful psychic abilities through his unshakeable faith in Chaos Undivided.

Appearance

Ekodas was described as being ancient and heavily augmented. His face bore the ravages of millennia of war and his features were cratered and cracked. There was nothing flamboyant or extravagant about his appearance. He wore a simple black robe hung over the plain, austere plates of his crimson coloured Power Armour. His only adornment was a handful of charms looped around his neck. These fetishes of bone, blood and matted hair were strung upon lengths of sinew, the characteristic style of the shamanistic priests of Davin. He carried no weapons or staffs of office, for it was said he preferred not to dirty his hands, preferring to let his underlings fight his battles.

Flagship

Ekodas commanded the 7th Host on their unholy Dark Crusades throughout the galaxy from the massive Infernus-class Battleship Crucius Maledictus. This was the Grand Apostle's flagship, its history stretching back over ten millennia. The Crucius Maledictus was one of the largest vessels to have fought in the Great Crusade. It had suffered calamitous damage fighting against the fleet of the White Scars in the final days of the Horus Heresy, but had managed to limp its way towards the Badab System and the safety of the Maelstrom. Upon the Word Bearers' daemonic Forge World of Ghalmek the Crucius Maledictus was extensively repaired, modified and rearmed. The Battleship ranked amongst the most heavily armed and armoured Battleships in the Word Bearers' arsenal, rivalling even Kor Phaeron's Battleship, the Infidus Imperator, in power. From aboard the Crucius Maledictus, during the Siege of Goddeth Hive in 455.M41, Grand Apostle Ekodas successfully led the 7th Host in an unholy crusade of retribution upon the Black Consuls, which succeeded in almost wiping that Successor Chapter of the hated Ultramarines from the galaxy.

Sources

• Dark Creed (Novel) by Anthony Reynolds