Cain

"I'll take your treasure, your women, your loot and anything else that I can physically carry, and there's very little you can do to stop me. Maybe you can run, maybe you can hide, I'm not too bothered because ether way the outcomes going be the same."

- Cain

Cain is the Pirate Lord and Daemon Prince of the Brethren of Spite. Once the captain of the Brotherhood of Man's 2nd company, Cain led a coup against it's leadership that ended in a brutal three year war. After the dust settled, Cain would go onto remake the remains of the broken chapter into the piratical raiders known as the Brethren of Spite'''. ''' A veteran of thousands of piratical acts, Cain continues leading his men to new plunder and loot, always on the alert for more adventure, and women.

Rise
"The Imperium has betrayed us! They sent us to to die in pointless battles as nothing but fodder! Hear me welps, I will return your kindness in the same fashion. Your worlds are now forfeit weaklings, a tribute to us and none else."

- Cain

As a recruit, Cain possessed a notable skill with leadership, as well as in combat. Cain was seen as some as a dark omen, though such things where ignored for his more appealing ability. Eventually Cain would become a member of the second companies command structure, before moving on to become it's Captain. However, Cain bore witness to the slow decline and death of his chaoter. Casualty rates had risen massively with the Brotherhood entering too many conflicts without support, while chapter command had no intention to stop. The Brotherhood were a fleet bound chapter, and recruitment was not an easy task, espically when it was revealed to them that several of their recruiting worlds had fallen to a Chaos incursion.

Even after this, the Brotherhood was readying itself to enter another crusade, and once again they were alone. Cain, realising that the chapter would not survive if this continued gathered those brothers closest to him and launched a coup. Cain, with a majority of the chapter at his back demanded that the Brotherhood be allowed to refrain from high end conflicts until it's strength was regained. They refused, and Cain launched his rebellion. For three years the Brotherhood battled each other in a vicious conflict that might have devastated the chapter if it had continued on any longer, only halting when Cain utterly crushed the loyalist faction which refused to bow to his rule. With chapter command having more influence over the Brotherhood's veterans, the chapter soon found itself deprived of it's former leadership, quickly replaced by those favoured by Cain. Now it's strength lay at just over four hundred astartes, and they quickly set out to expand their numbers so they could return to active duty once again.

But a new problem faced Cain. The chapters gene-seed was found to be deteriorating, and it wasn't a recent development. The records that the chapter possessed before the civil war revealed such issues had existed for several centuries, and Cain soon realised that the chapters use in high end conflicts, and the refusal to rebuild, was an attempt to wipe out the chapter before the gene-seed deterioration worsened. Enraged, the Brotherhood refused to serve the Imperium that had abandoned them and sent them to die any longer. Renaming themselves the Brethren of Spite, they swore new oaths of loyalty to Cain.

His first orders were to leave the Imperium and head to the Eastern Fringe, but not without burning and raising as many worlds as possible in their wake. With just under 600 astartes at his command, Cain possessed a sizeable and loyal force. Mere hours after their departure, an Inquisition strike force had arrived seeking to 'interrogate' and detain Cain and his chapter. Now all they found was the fury of the traitor Chapter master. Cain's newly christened Brethren were all to quick to follow their Chapter Master into slaughter, and killed thousands as they looted and pillaged their way across several planets, stealing ships and resources, pirating numerous shipping lanes and laying waste to their defenceless enemies. The maliciousness that the Brethren displayed towards their victims was extreme. Cain and his men had been veterans in the art of ship to ship warfare, and few could hope to stop them.

By the time the Imperial response came, Cain had led the Brethren fully into becoming revears and corsairs. Thousands lay dead, worlds ravaged and shipping lanes destroyed by the hand of the Brethren's chapter master. Cain did not flee when the Imperium came to launch their counter-attack, and at first outmanoeuvred and eliminated his foes, still driven by his anger at the Imperium for sending his chapter to die. Reaping a bloody tally, and having left a path of broken worlds in his wake, Cain led the Brethren into the depths of the Eastern fringe, not wishing to be bogged down in a war of attrition against the Imperial counter attack. They swore they would return however, and continue to despoil the Imperial space.

The Eastern Fringe and the Ark
"I welcome your contribution to our cause! Your warband will make a fine addition to our own."

- Cain to the Tzeentch Sorcerer Zf'ike

As the Brethren moved further and further into the depths of the Eastern Fringe, they encountered fewer and fewer Imperial forces and out-posts, and soon began to encounter alien fleets and worlds. Requisitioning resources became much harder, with Cain pressed to find a way to resolve the issue. Soon that resolution came. The Brethren and their lord found not only xenos in the depths of the Eastern Fringe, but other renegades, and servants of Chaos. Corrupted astartes warbands provided an excellent source of resources, and man-power. During a clash against a splinter faction of the Iron Warriors, Cain's murder of their chief Warsmith broke their resolve, and they pledged themselves to the Chapter master in order to keep their lives.

Cain soon realised that it was much easier to gain the veterans of defeated foes than train his own new marines, and that the other pirate forces would bow to him if he proved his worth. Soon, the Brethren's loses were not only filled by fresh recruits, but those enemies that had surrendered and pledged their loyalty to Cain. Soon, it was not only former members joining the Brethren. The gene-seed of fallen foes was harvested, as well as their equipment and vessels, no matter how corrupt. It was not long before the taint of Chaos began to spread through the chapter.

However, it was when the Brethren dived deeper and deeper into the void of space did Cain find his greatest prize. An ancient Ark Mechanicus, adrift in the depths of space, the ancient vessel was scarred and devoid of life. Cain led an expedition into the ship, finding it's halls empty. Cain had his tech-marines and what tech-priests he had at his command study the vessel, and found that with some repairs the ship would be fully operational, however finding the resources and experts needed to preform such a task (along with convincing them to do so) would be an exceptionally difficult task that was however until Cain found the ancient vaults of the craft had been sealed and remained un-plundered. Cain now had a way to barter with those needed to repair the ship. Dispatching his favoured scientist, Orion Strasse, to search for those that might assist in it's repair.

It was not long before he had a crew of renegade scientists and mechanicus agents working on the craft. After just under two years, the Ark Mechanicus was operational. Cain named the ship "The Covenant of Sin", a fitting title for his new flag ship. It would be the home of the Brethren of Spite. Taking the helm, Cain led the Brethren back to the Imperium, in force. With their new warship, the Brethren could conduct even larger and more daring raids upon the Imperial shipping lanes. Little was match for Cain's prized warship, and thus nothing could stop him and his men from freely crushing convoys and looting what he needed from them. Under Cain's leadership, the Brethren prospered.

Slaughter of the Black Templars
"You cannot stop us. You can drive us back, but when we return, we will find you, frailer and frailer."

- Cain

As Cain expected, the Imperium was slow to respond to the now much stronger raids of the Brethren. Cain took as much advantage of the situation as possible, and increased the strength and size of his raids to profit as much as possible from the period before any counter attack. With this in mind, he stepped up his campaign massively, crushing and raiding dozens of convoys. However, when the Imperium launched their strike against the Brethren, it's strength was unexpected.

Alongside an Imperial battle-group, a strike force of Black Templars had arrived. Cain realised he could not engage on a head on war with them, not even with his bolstered pirate forces would he be able to do so. Cain quietly ordered a mass retreat back into the depths of the Eastern Fringe, pursued by the Imperial battle fleet. Not content to run from the Imperials forever, Cain sought a means to crush his foes as quickly as possible. Realising that the Black Templars had come to seek vengeance those the Brethren of Spite had murdered, and to remove the stain from the honour of Dorn for their Imperial Fist ancestry, Cain was quick to exploit them.

Cain issued a message to the Black Templars, sent with the desecrated body of one of the Dorian warriors. Cain boasted of the weakness of the Imperium, it's decaying strength and frailty, and the inability of the Black Templar's to stop them. The Chaos lord began to goad the Black Templars into a trap. With taunts and jabs, Cain was able to lure the Black Templars into foolish and fanatical attack. Striking at a "dummy" fleet sent by Cain to make an attack on an Imperial convoy, the Templars gave chase, before their small fleet was eventually drawn into the midst of the assembled Brethren of Spite's own fleet. Cain's perfectly positioned ambush swiftly disabled the Black Templars ships. Soon Cain was at the head of the first boarding party.

Helpless, the Black Templars ships had been crippled, and could do little as Cain led the first sweep of boarding craft against them. Cain was backed by a large strike force of hulking GriefKommando, units of elite shock troops and Chaos terminators. Instantly upon arrival the Brethren were met by fierce resistance, but Cain rallied his troops, and pushed on. Already weakened by the first wave of insane, grotesque super soldiers, the Templars were forced against Cain's chosen raiders. Across the Templars fleet, they were being pushed back. Cain would even cross swords with an Emperors Champion, who the Pirate lord murdered by crushing the Emperors Champions head in his power fists grip.

Under his leadership, the Brethren of Spite systematically slaughtered the Black Templars to a man. Cain allowed his chosen to act like hunting dogs, routing and exterminating the Templars in a vicious week long battle, in which the Chaos Lord viciously murdered a score of the Black Templars for amusement. As a reward for his grievous acts, Cain was blessed by the dark gods. His armour and flesh bonded, and in an agonizing transformation, the Pirate became one with his artificer plate. Cain basked in the glory of his changes, and gained a taste for the power the gods offered. Looting the Templars ships of their relics, weapons and armour, as well as repairing a number of them, Cain ordered the Brethren of Spite deep into the Eastern Fringe. The other sons of Dorn would surely attempt to hunt them down, while Cain had heard of the "adventure" that awaited them in the uncharted regions of space.

The Maiden World and Drow Thel
"That was my good side you stupid cunt. You'll pay, with your blood and soul, I promise you will pay."

- Cain

Cain's love for adventure grew into an obsession, and he sought to feed it with even greater feats. Cain and the Brethren of Spite visited hundreds of worlds in search loot, and with every raid, Cain's strength grew as did his reputation as the Brethren of Spite's pirate captain. Cain and his crew found themselves with a most precious prize, an Eldar maiden world. Giddy with excitement, Cain launched a massive bombardment on the Maiden World's populace, leveling cities, settlements and killing thousands in a matter of hours. Seeking more than to just murder the apparently "simple" Eldar, Cain wanted to make his mark. His plan was simple. Butcher the populace, steal anything of value and carry off as many slaves as possible. Leading the first landing force, Cain and his troops crushed the ill organised and shell shocked Eldar who tried to oppose him. For the first few days, the Chaos Lord experienced an easy campaign of looting and wanton destruction.

But the Exodites soon rallied, and whilst their numbers had been thinned by Cain's orbital strike, they refused to kneel and accept their fate. While Cain torched cities and villages, and murdered hundreds of the Exodite population, as well as many of their warrior leaders, the Brethren of Spite began to suffer from the resurgent Exodite warriors. Soon the Eldar's guerrilla warfare campaign took it's toll, and Cain began to lose his interest as the casualties of both sides mounted. His trophy rack full, his vaults filled and his tastes sated, Cain began to organize the retreat of the Brethren, but it would be interrupted by a whole new threat. Saim-Hann.

Bursting from the Web-way, a War host from Saim-Hann assailed the unwary Brethren of Spite. Unable to organize or regroup his men, Cain raged as the Eldar warriors crushed and exterminated the Brethren of Spite in a matter of days. Infuriated, the Pirate Lord barely escaped from an Eldar Banshee named Drow Thel, who blinded the Chaos Lord in his left eye. Saved only by the expert hands of Orion Strasse, his own daemonically enhanced regenerative powers and will to live, Cain survived although scared. Now he sought something else. Revenge upon Drow Thel for her act.

Having no interest in just physically or mentally breaking the Banshee, Cain sought to do something horrific. He sought to make Drow Thel into his own, to bring her down to his level. Cain understood such a task would not be easy. First he'd have to physically acquire the Banshee, though the Chaos Lord had his sources. Next, the actual process of corrupting such an issue was laid before him. Putting a bounty on Drow's head, though only one emerged victorious. A Dark Eldar mercenary by the name of Silinurl Luvt. He would retrieve Drow Thel for Cain, and the two would remain in contact for some time afterwards. It would not be long before the Banshee was safely delivered to a much pleased Cain. Cain quickly set about imprisoning and torturing the Eldar, a long and agonizing process that would deliver Drow Thel into the hands of Khorne and bring him favour from the Gods.

The Pirate lord
"This universe is a big sinking ship. Some are barely out of the water, a lucky few are up top, quietly burying their heads in the sand trying to ignore what's happening down below, others are fully aware and are in a mindless panic to scramble to a false sense of safety. I refused to confine to this. I'll choose my own future. I'll have fun in the time I have left and enjoy myself as much I can, and not a damn one of you will stop me."

- Cain

The Maiden world was only the start as Cain pushed the Brethren deeper and deeper into the Eastern Fringe, and as before they battled through aliens and far flung humans in campaigns of looting, extermination and expansion. The Brethren of Spite took part in the murder of billions of the course of several years, but as they delved deeper into the abyss, they found and often fought stranger things. Cain would always be at the forefront of these raids, as he sought more adventure, and glory.

On one world, it's name long forgotten, Cain and his Brethren of Spite found a cabal of ever warring Necromancers on a world dotted by colossal skeletal temples. Seeking a fitting tribute to the Chaos powers, and sensing the possibility of ancient artifacts and the like, Cain and his chosen made planet fall quickly followed by the rest of the Brethren. As soon as Cain made planet fall, he was greeted by the rising of a vast legion of the undead. Shambling, rotting and skeletal horrors marched in opposition to Cain and his war band. The pirate lord and his troops crushed the undead in a vicious battle, smashing apart skeleton warriors and shredding ghoulish creatures. With the pirate lord making rapid gains, the Necromancers raised even greater things from the despoiled earth. Massive flesh golems, granite and rock creatures and wyrms that spat emerald fire. Cain would, at the end of it, march into the hidden holds of the cowering wizards, and gleefully gut them before stealing anything of value. By the end of Cain's campaign, nothing stirred on the twilight world. Neither living or dead. The Pirate lord had looted it's vast libraries, and then burnt anything that wasn't valuable before demolishing the Necromancers old temples of worship.

Another world would prove a far greater challenge to Cain. The Chaos Lord found a world blood red in hue, it's oceans boiling blood, and it's surface mountainous and rough. But it but it bore another, much more interesting feature. A brass citadel, massive in scale, sat surrounded by a crimson ocean. Cain found interest in the strange world, and gathered a cohort of his favoured and landed. Quickly Cain and his men discovered that the world was host to an insidious curse. Set upon by a mass of raving bezerkers and devotees of Khorne, Cain and his Chaos space marines blasted and cut them apart. Though a score of Brethren of Spite were slain. Soon however, Cain and his men watched as those they had killed began to re-knit themselves. Cain and his still living troops, fled.

However Cain and the Brethren of Spite soon found themselves beset by all manner of warriors, all seemingly enthralled in the service of Khorne, in constant and continuous battle against each other, but now began to turn their attention to the invaders who they sought to add to their ranks. Caught in a run and gun battle against legions of insane, blood thirsty attackers, Cain and his troops fought a vicious battle through the hosts of Khornate fanatics as they marched to the Brass Citadel. With poor and often inaccurate orbital and air support, Cain and the veteran Brethren were able to break through the Khornate masses, and make their way to the edge of the red sea.

Crossing a colossal brazen bridge, Cain fought tooth and nail across several miles of Khorne devotees. Over the course of what he and his men believed to be a month, they battled a massive host of the Blood Gods servants, eventually looting one of their insane opponents Land Raiders. Eventually Cain reached his goal, the great fortress that sat among the red sea. Cain had but one order for he and his men, breach it. The keep was a defenders dream, it's walls lined by vicious guns, while a massed collection of trenches surrounded the base of the castle. Cain and his men began their march through the extensive network of trenches and tunnels, a vicious grind through an army of devoted Daemons of Khorne.

After hours of fierce close quarters fighting, Cain and those of his men who had survived broke into the inner sanctum of the Daemonic fortress. Swiftly a Herald of Khorne strode forth, bellowing a challenge to the invaders and commending them for their tribute to the Blood God. Singling out Cain, it drove on towards the Chaos Lord, cutting down a pair of his bodyguards before engaging in a bloody duel with the Chaos Lord. While his men battled off a freshly arrived mob of Bloodletters and Flesh Hounds, Cain and the Herald fought for some time. Cain eventually gained the upper hand, blinding the creature before severing it's throat and crushing it's head in the grip of his power claw. Letting the red skinned fiends ruined form slip free from his grasp, he joined those of his strike force who had survived.

Finding the chamber was empty bar a Daemonic great sword, which materialized in a flash of red light atop an obsidian dais. Growing bored, Cain instinctively took up the sword. Instantly the Chaos Lord was paralyzed, held in the blades grip. Time was frozen, and Cain's mind was drawn into the yawning abyss that the swords malefic intelligence contained. A place where the sky was black bar a red sun that scorched a crimson desert. Cain sunk to his knees, his head filled by the screeching daemonic voice that commanded the dammed plain, with what strength he had, Cain forced the voice from his head and broke free of it's mental grip. The blade clattered across the floor, while Cain ordered it be sealed in a psychic field for "safe keeping". However as Cain and his allies began to plunder whatever they could find, the Khornate citadel began to collapse. The Blood Gods servants dissipated into the wind, the red sea dried up, and the earth began to shatter and crack. Fleeing, Cain made away with little other than the Daemon Sword. Despite the heavy loses, and seemingly meager loot, Cain was pleased. He now had a means to break his captive.

The Assassin
Cain plunged his power sword into the Black Templar a second time, watching as blood began to trickle down the astartes chest plate and onto his already dirtied and torn. Letting go of the loyalists neck, Cain raised up his power fist as a makeshift shield as another of the Black Templars came at him. Swinging a mighty power axe, Cain's clenched fist took the brunt of the blow. Throwing him back with a vicious swipe, Cain reared back his power fist and slammed it into the Templars head, reducing the armoured visage of the Space marine to a mix of crumpled black metal, red paste and shattered bone. Swiftly moved on, not content to gaze over his handy work any longer. He had places to be.

Cain had worked his way through the bunker over the course of two hours smashing or blowing apart any locked doorway or bulkhead, and massacring any defenders. The Imperial Guard's spine had faltered quite quickly, while the Black Templars were fanatics. His strike team had been whittled down, while whatever had advanced before him was now dust and echoes. Soon another one of Templar zealots came at him, screaming and shouting madly as he attacked; “FEAR THE FURY OF THE RIGHTEOUS!”

Narrowly Cain missed the swipe of the Templars power sword, though the second strike caught him sliding into the Chaos lords shoulder pad. Cain's counter attack was quick and brutal, he stabbed through the Templars stomach armour with his saber, before dragging his blade into the Space marines first art and up through his collar bone. The Templar staggered back. Cain watched with bleak amusement as the Templar tried to hold in his innards, which had begun to seep through the grievous wound Cain had opened.

Cain moved over to wounded Black Templar, and raised his saber up again. A swift swing left the Black Templar headless, spraying blood across the grey concrete of the bunker. A kick from Cain threw the Black Templars helmet clattering across the floor, trailing more ichor across it. The Pirate Lord smiled, today was a good day. He'd killed a dozen Black Templars, too many guard to count, and now his prize could not be far from him. Not easy but not hard.

He continued his march. The bunker seemed more and more devoid of life as he strode through it. The floor was lathered in blood, spent ammunition, and the occasional corpses. They lay on the floor or against walls, some still held tightly onto their weapons. Cain spied a number of Brethren of Spite among the dead, but something was different. The cuts were too clean. All were killing blows, no gouges or signs of resistance. Whatever had done this had done so with skill, while the Templars had it, all their murders had been vicious assaults. Marked by gouges and jagged tears, armour ripped open and organs spilling out. Something was wrong, though the thought soon vanished as Cain approached the final bulkhead. It was all that stood between him and his prize. He never noticed the dead guards woman begin to stir, and take it's real shape.

Something sharp had struck him in the back, Cain groaned in pain, throwing a swipe at the unseen attacker. Nimbly it darted away, while now Can had his back to the wall. The wound stung, but he'd certainly return the favour soon enough. The figure danced into vision once again. Lithe, she sprinted in an acrobatic twirl, slashing at his neck. Cain raised his own blade to try and block the attack. It's tip was sliced off, while the end of her sword had left a long streak across his armour. Crimson, burning blood was starting to drip free from his wound. She's barely missed his neck. Now Cain finally got a look over her figure. She was clad in black that hugged her frame generously, while she wielded a silver sword in one hand, and carried a strange alien pistol in another. An Imperial Assassin.

How sweet, he thought. It was allot of effort just for him.

Another strike, another groan. Cain staggered back again, she was fast, yet her blade ignored his plate like it was butter. She ran at Cain, sliding to his side and thrusting towards the soft armour over his arm pit. Cain roared as he struck the assassin before she landed her blow, slamming into her slender form with his rugged power claw. Caught off guard, she was thrown across the bunker. While the attack would have crushed any other, Cain watched as the Callidus rolled onto her feet;

“An assassin, just for me? How long have you been waiting for me?” she stared back at him; “7 hours. My mission began long before that. We predicted you would be here. Your fleet movements are erratic, BUT often seem to gravitate to places where there would be less strategic, but more ornamental value in what you steal”. Cain smiled. Her voice was filled with this hollow disdain, mixed with the faintest hints of smugness; “Your death has been long in the waiting heretic, are you prepared?”

He let out a faint laugh; “Yeah, nah lass. I won't be dropping any time soon. Especially not to some pretty girly with a magic sword, been there, done that. I'll be certain to fish that from your ruined corpse.”

The Assassin seemed unamused, though her mask hid whatever expression she might have had from Cain; “Your arrogance blinds you” Cain shrugged his shoulders; “Eh, maybe, but you best say bye bye, because it's time to die” Cain advanced on her, sword drawn, but the Callidus drew her pistol and pressed down on the trigger.

Cain paused for a second, waiting for something to happen. The Assassins weapon seemed to prove a disappointment to the Chaos Lord; “Well, that was, unimpressive” The Callidus herself seemed surprised; “What?” She muttered, dodging an attack from Cain, rolling away and firing her neural shredder once again; “It seems your toy is broken assassin, now come here,” He extended his silver clawed gauntlet, reaching for her neck;

“So I might savoir your flesh” Cain struck at her again, though the assassin was quick footed, dodging Cain's attack and lashing out with her Phase Sword. Cain sidestepped the Assassins attack, striking back with his own saber. This time, Cain landed his attack, hitting the Assassin's shoulder. It left a deep cut, that had passed straight through her polymorphine. Now the assassin staggered away, though she was still fast enough to evade Cain, who lumbered after her like some armoured beast;

“I see the Assassin has come inadequately prepared. Your feeble weapon has failed, a Neural Shredder is it? Such a lovely thing, but I'm afraid assassin, my biology stops the weapon for working past giving me a slight headache.”

The Chaos Lord tapped his helm. She ignored him, running at Cain, the assassin struck. Her blade sunk into Cain's right eye, passing through the helm and into the flesh beneath, but the Chaos Lord ignored her attack and threw an uppercut. The power fist smashed through the assassins gut, crushing her rib cage. She was thrown back, but not without striking Cain again. This time, the Phase Sword had cut deep through his chest plate. Meanwhile, the Assassin had staggered away, clutching her wounds. Cain slowly strode towards her;

“While I regret getting hit, you obviously do more than I, you see y sword here;” he took a moment to gesture to his saber; “It carries quite a potent poison. The power fist blow might be much worse though, you insides can't be feeling good." She staggered towards Cain, trying to strike him, but without a second thought he batted her away and thrust his broken swords end into Callidus's stomach. The broken end tore through the flesh and shattered the bone, more poison filling the Assassins veins. She continued to scratch and claw at Cain, but the Chaos Lord simply continued to move his blade through her body. He began to drag it upwards, slicing through her rib cage before twisting it into her lungs. She squirmed and spasmed in agony as he tore his blade free, splattering the black of her Polymorphine with a mass of crimson.

Cain took took a moment to clean his broken sword, before looking back over the broken Assassin. Even in her state, the Callidus continued to struggle, though it was a pitiful attempt. He stepped over to the dying woman and crouched besides her; "Don't worry I'm in a good mood today, so I'll kill you soon. I just like to see the faces of those who try and kill me" with a silver talon, Cain sliced the Callidus's mask free. Her flesh was chalk white, her eyes emerald, while her hair was a deep black. Blood was trailing down from her mouth and nose, while her eyes had taken on a reddish tint;

"A shame, you might of made a good slave girl. Well, I know you've been rigged with some sort of recording device. So I have a message for your masters. Watch and listen now, for I will make an example of this one."

He grabbed hold of her head, and pulled the assassin close. She struggled, but it was futile. Cain's grip was a vice. She could feel her skull begin to crack; “My blood is quite the strong substance apparently, lets put it to the test.” He dragged her face towards one of his numerous wounds, and let his corrosive blood drip onto her face.

Without seconds, the assassin was screaming in agony and fear. Cain's blood had to burn and through her skin, bone and muscle with a fierce speed, soon exposing a molten, screaming visage to the delighted Chaos Lord. He looked on in glee as her skull collapsed in upon itself, now severed from her neck, it's liquefied remains sliding through Cain's fingers. He smirked; "What a mess I've made."

The Speech
“It's often been said that I, enjoy what we do. In fact, it's even been said that I love what we do.”

Cain paused for a moment, gazing over his gathered servants before he continued; “I love it. Ever moment of it is delightful. Without it, I, we would be nothing. But I ask you a question, my friends, why do we love it?” He extended a hand to the gathered Brethren of Spite, who stared up at him; “Is it the death? Is the destruction? Is it the misery? Nay. It is the loot.”

He stepped closer to the massed Chaos space marines, who's gaze never shifted from him; “The treasure, the money, the gold, the artefacts. All of it. I love it when I break open an Imperial Governors treasury, dragging out crates of fine wine, relics long forgotten, and other things they though forbidden to me.

I delight when I come across Eldar pirates, and we break open their fragile craft. I love it when they, with their feeble dying forms, try to stop me from cutting them apart and stealing whatever they have already stolen. To kill the thieves and murder the thugs.

I love the glory, the feeling that I have made my mark on this galaxy. When I carve my name into an Imperial shrine world, when I string up their broken bodies and summon daemons to feast on their shattered world, while I dose the flames with promethium while my men break open their holds and vaults. I'm in joy when I carry a dozen, screaming women away, swung over my shoulder while I sip on wine that I took from the Eldar pirate I just shivved with my C'tan phase blade, that I stole from some Assassin girly who wanted to off me. I don't think a thing we own hasn't been stolen.

I love to take from those who cannot stop me. Not the cruelty, but the fact they will remember, those who survive that is, that I took it from him. Not someone else. Me, us, we took it. And they will tell others, and when we come for them, they will tell others. Our name will be chanted through the galaxy, and we'll be known for all manner of things they would rather not know us for.

And is that not why we do this in the first place? To be remembered? To make our blood mark on the galaxy? To wage a war on all that won't just be remembered, it will be engraved into their minds and flesh. The thought of them whispering our name on a dozen worlds, makes me ecstatic.

Now we return to our old playground. Our favourite place of war. The Imperium of Man. Even at less than a thousand men, we can drag them from their safe places, pull them to the ground, take their precious things and women, and remind them of the feeling that my boot makes when it impacts on their throat. I have brought you all back to it as I promised I would, back to our beloved Imperium of Man” he extended his power fist in salute. The mass of traitor astartes did the same, and began to chant; “HEIL CAIN! HAIL THE GRAND ADMIRAL!” The rythmic chant seemed to shake the room, and slowly Cain cracked a delighted smile. It was good to be the king.

Bounty Hunters
The Covenant of Sin’s bridge was a busy place, filled by traitor astartes, a mix of tech-priests, crew and pilots, along with any aides or advisers Cain had invited to take their place by his command throne, the Chaos Champion sat upon it, he had a view of the entire bridge and all it’s occupants, who scrambled or lurched away from his dread gaze. At his side, a cadre of sorcerers and officers were gathered, Cain watched as one of his chief wizards slowly approached him, obviously weary of the Chaos Lords wrath, especially after that little incident with the Eldar sniper team.

His face still felt like it was on fire, the cybernetics would never truly heal his vision, or his wounds. The blasted assassins might have failed to kill him, but they’d left their mark. The sorcerer made a simple bow and raised at the sign of Cain’s gesture; “Lord Cain, the guests have arrived. They are waiting outside” Cain nodded; “Bring them in.” The bridge doors slid open, and in stepped a varied troop of assassins, mercenaries, bounty hunters and guns for hire. Some were astartes and humans, others were xenos. It didn’t matter though, as long as they could get the job done.

He watched as they were brought before him, and saw their gaze upon him on his high throne, Cain was able to get a good look over them. Most were typical of their kind, heavy weapons, jagged swords, bandoleers. Some of the xenos were more ‘exotic’, sporting strange armour and weaponry, most carried trophies. A few even bore symbols of Chaos, some even the sigils of the Traitor Legions, but what caught his eye most was one of the figures in the front of the crowd. An Eldar of some form, the figure was lithe, and bore feathered wings, wore thin dark plated armour. He was notably smaller than the others, but still seemed to have an almost sickly aura around him. Kremlin, one of Cain’s more vaunted sorcerers, whispered to the Chaos Lord; “My Lord, the Eldar one, at the center, I can feel some sort of psychic presence from him, I’d advise....caution.” Cain looked up to the sorcerer; “The others?”

“Barren or weak, he is the only noticeable one. I feel his power is restrained or hidden” Cain nodded; “Keep watch on him, I’ll get to business.” He stood up from his throne and took another look over the crowd before speaking; “Greetings, I understand you all have come in response to my little advertisement regarding a task for only the most veteran of your kind. It’s excellent to see such a turn out, now onto the task itself.” With those words, a Tech-marine approached the group and pulled out a projector device, and placed it on the floor.

Image appeared. It was fuzzy, it’s quality poor, but it was still clear the figure was that of an Eldar Banshee. Another image appeared, one of the Autarch’s face. It was poor in quality but the image was clear enough, Cain raised his clawed fist; “This, this is the job. She is a Banshee of the Eldar, named Drow Thel. She hails from the Saim Hann Craftworld. I have a very special task of you. You are to capture her, and bring her to us, she must be alive. No disintegration's, no executions, no assassinations ”. Cain could easily root out those without the stomach or grit for the operation merely from their reactions. Any left were either brave, stupid, or far too cunning to be left without cause for concern. He’d have to have Kremlin keep tabs on them after this whole thing was sorted;

“As you can tell, this is no easy task. The Eldar are protective of their kind, and with her standing your job will be fraught with danger, and I doubt all of you will return. In fact I can assure most of you will perish, but for those who survive...Let me say, there will be a substantial reward for whomever brings me the Banshee.”

Cain paused, taking a bit of time to see the bounty hunters reactions to his offer, watching as they spoke among themselves. Still the winged Eldar stood out. One of them stepped forward, a Black Legionnaire, his armour charred and beaten, an obvious veteran of the long war;

“And what is the reward?”

“Good question. We stand upon an Ark Mechanicus, a vaunted vessel, and it’s vaults, filled with rare technology, most lost to the rest of humanity, un-plundered. I will grant you free access to several of these vaults. Filled to the brim with things you can only dream off." There was a hush, the chatter across the bridge instantly died with Cain’s words;

“As I promised, the reward would be substantial, if you wish to work together you are to split the reward as you see f-” Within seconds of Cain’s words guns and knifes had been drawn as the bounty hunters set to work on each other, cutting, gunning and hacking each other down and apart in a desperate bid to eliminate the competition. Cain watched the Eldar quietly cut apart a number of those adjacent to him. By the end, only a few remained, much to Cain's amusement'

“It's excellent to see we’re all so eager to get to work...”

Appearance
"I might not be pretty governor, but you certainly are."

- Cain

Before his ascension to Daemonhood, Cain was a tall figure. Standing at an impressive 12ft, the Chaos Lord was said to have had sharp, well defined features, that of course was before his face and helmet bonded, which was then partially sliced apart by the then Eldar Banshee, who then proceeded to do the same a second time. Cain was a well built figure, his frame bolstered by his reinforced artificer power armour plate, which would end up bonding with his flesh. Further mutation caused bones to emerge as jagged growths from the Chaos Lord's baroque rune etched power armour, his blood would becoming highly corrosive (helping further to mutilate Cain's already twisted form) with Cain's armour and flesh becoming an armoured carapace of sorts.

Cain now is an even more monstrous creature. A hulking Daemon Prince, Cain's appearance is that of a monstrous Space marine clad in twisted power armour of various marks. Wires and cables hang loose from gouges and chinks in his ancient battle plate, dripping with boiling and searing ichor that eats through flesh and metal like a knife through butter. Cain's ability to morph and create weapons from his own body was only furthered by this transformation, allowing the Pirate Lord to create even heavier calibre weapons from his own flesh.

Personality and traits
"Genius? Maybe, probably not. I'm just out for a good time. I mean, look around. We're almost certainly going to all die at some point, so in the meantime, I think I'll make the best of it. Bicker and squabble all you want, I'm going to have fun. Now, can anyone direct me to the nearest temple of the Prince of Pleasures? This Daemon World is fucking confusing."

- Cain spreads his ideological message on life to a Dark Apostle

Narcissistic, greedy, sadistic, aggressive, perverted and vicious, Cain is typical of Chaos Lords, and most Chaos Servants in general. Cain is however, a simple man. Cain wishes to experience all the galaxy can offer him, it's adventures, pleasures and anything else Cain can find. A charismatic individual, Cain through his own dark sense of idealism, has allowed him to bind together his band of renegades and led them to victory time and time again. Through this, Cain has earned his men's respect, fear, and ultimately their loyalty, which Cain himself shows to his own men. Though not the keenest of tacticians, Cain's cunning and knowledge have allowed the Chaos champion to carve out a colorful history of victories and triumphs, while Cain's inert egotism rarely allows him to admit defeat, an exceptionally common response from the Daemon Prince would be that such a loss was intended. Though not as perversely sadistic as other Champions of Chaos, Cain still delights in the violence and destruction that follows in his wake, and takes great pleasure from the evil he spreads. To Cain, it's another one of the galaxies many delights that he is free to indulge in, though Cain has little love for excess. Unwilling to bargain away himself to Slaanesh in order, Cain simply avoids excess in anything bar violence, knowing that warfare is possibly the only pleasure which his senses will never dull to.

Powers and abilities
"I was a fine duelist once. Now I don't have to be."

- Cain

As a Daemon Prince, Cain possesses gargantuan strength and resilience, furthered enhanced by his reinforced power armour, which has bonded with his flesh. Able to crush Astartes in his vice grip, shatter tanks and bunkers with his clenched fist, Cain is a powerful and dangerous fighter. Even before his ascension, Cain's toughness and resilience to damage was notable. Records of the Chaos lord surviving anti-tank fire are whispered by several agents of the Inquisition, Cain's unnatural resilience has saved his life on a number of occasions. Coupled with Cain's hyper regenerative capabilities, the Daemon Prince is nigh impossible to stop in full stride. Cain's strength, like his resilience is legend. Cain can tear apart super heavy battle tanks with ease, the Pirate Lord is well feared by Imperial and xenos tank commanders alike for his ability to rampage through an armoured division with little difficulty.

Not long before his Daemon Hood, Cain had gained a number of Daemonic traits after his Chief Sorcerer Xaphon bound a Lesser daemon into his form, in order to save Cain from almost certain death. Cain's dominance over the creatures mind allowed him to make use of it's flesh shaping abilities to a devastating effect, allowing him to shift and transform his body with little trouble, echoing the Gal'Vorbak of the Word Bearers in some ways. This bolstered Cain's already formidable speed, resilience and strength, making him an even more fierce opponent in combat.

Cain has always been a skilled close quarters fighter. Cain enjoyed the use of a fine saber and master crafted power fist, until he achieved Daemonhood. A well trained and honed duelist, Cain proved a dangerous opponent, while always ready to resort to "dirty" tricks if necessary. Never adhering to any form of rules of honour or respect, Cain carries the same vicious cunning all others in his line of work must in order to survive. Making use of stun guns, EMP grenades, shock prods and all manner of other deceptive and crippling weapons. Now as a Daemon Prince, Cain rarely has to do more than crush his opponents under his heel. The corsair lord also was at some point a renowned marksman, and still carries his trusty plasma gun to this day, though now it has become a part of his horribly changed form. Bonded to Cain's right arm, the Plasma cannon fires blasts fueled by the Daemon Princes own blood ichor. Easily able to eat through bunker walls or tank armour, very few can survive a direct blast from Cain's trusty plasma weapon and live to tell the tale.

Cain should not be mistaken for just another brutish Chaos raider lord, he is much more than that. Cain's cunning has served him well over the years, as well as his idealism and ability to lead. Cain has spent much time organizing his Brethren of Spite into a command chain that is destined to allow his rule without fault, a careful process of organised coup de'graces and other manipulations. Though no genius, Cain's intellect and cunning should never be underestimated. A master naval tactician and a skilled ship commander, Cain's ability in naval warfare is hard to match. Many a loyalist and xeno fleet have found their stratagem out witted by Cain's knowledge.

Silinurl Luvt
Cain has been working with Luvt for some time, the Archon having been in league with Cain since the Chaos Lord's early days. Cain see's Luvt as what he would call "Good company", a phrase Cain's officers have come to despise. Though they might only come together for a short amount of time, Cain and Luvt's alliances herald death and destruction on a terrible scale, the sacrifice needed to maintain their relationship.

Khanrath Mitore
A far more "friendly" relationship than most Cain has, Khanrath and Cain have built up a relationship atop a pile of women, loot, and piratical adventure. Having bypassed the care of race of affiliation, neither Cain or Khanrath truly care for where other comes from, far from it. Cain sees Khanrath as a friend in the sense that the pirate Eldar makes excellent company, and can produce excellent adventure even when sober. Of course, the twos fun is somewhat unseen by their numerous victims, or servants.

By
"Loss? That wasn't a loss, I was simply dealing with an issue in the officer core. This was the only way it could be resolved easily."

- Cain

About
"If some upstart Captain from a third-rate successor chapter with nothing to it's name can become a Daemon Prince, the Ruinous Powers must really be desperate for help these days."

- Acherius Erinyes, being his usual condescending self

"Nay, from one man who has been betrayed to another. I have no kin on the craftworlds or the sludge filled Commorragh. My kin are my fellow Corsairs and Pirates!"

- Khanrath Mitore