The Speculum Historiale is a book concerning the history of Humanity written by the famed Imperial historitor Carpinus at an unknown time in the past.
The volume is known to contain reproduced fragments of records from the Age of Strife that describe a caste of priests on the world of Colchis who rebuilt that Feudal World's shattered society in the wake of the disruptions of Old Night. They were called the Covenant of Colchis and had undertaken this mission on the promise that a great leader would come one day to deliver them from darkness. According to Carpinus' research this leader was later revealed to be the primarch Lorgar Aurelian of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion.
The Speculum Historiale is also known to contain information about the earliest history of the World Eaters Traitor Legion and about many of the primarchs during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.
However it is rare for Imperial scholars who are judged to have the willpower and spiritual purity necessary to consult a tome so filled with information about Chaos corruption to be given the permission to do so by the Inquisition. Though the Imperium has gained much knowledge about its past from the scholars who have, it is not known to what extent the Speculum Historiale's information is actually true or trustworthy.
Sources[]
- White Dwarf 270 (AUS), pg. 66
- White Dwarf 477, pg. 74