CHAOS FORCES IN THE ALEPH SECTOR

The Iron Warriors
Though the Iron Warriors are present in the subsector their largest strength has not been encountered for sometime. Instead splinter groups, often those left behind on Aleph 4, have sprung up in the Perseus Deeps. The most notable is in Whiteridge on Myrentas II where the self styled "warsmith" Gallowfen holds out against the combined force of the Imperium and Tau Empire. Recently however all sides have gone on the defensive, with air raids the only signs of conflict on the planet.

Lord Tragean's hordes
Lord Tragean still holds sway over the largest chaos force in the sector. Based on the fortress planet of Kendrenec he sits lord over several billion souls and commands an army of millions. Since the fleet took serious damage in the invasion of Hartak a few years ago the lord of Kendrenec has not ventured forth from his fortress home. Both the UFP and Imperium maintain standing convoys and listening posts however, ever on the lookout for a sudden breakout of the most despotic regime in the region.

The Penetrators
The Penetrators appear to be everywhere in small numbers, but their most recent activity has been centred on the planet of Scalius where they are defending two ruined towns from Tyranids and Orks. Why they are doing this is a mystery to the Imperium and Tau alike. Penetrators marines have also been sighted on Myrentas II in league with the Warsmith Gallowfen.

"Norsefire" Empire
Though known aboput for years the Imperium has done nothing about the mysterious Norsfire empire, a tzeentch based coven of worlds in the Aurelius Deep. Situated between the Imperium and the Tau Empire, the Norsefire stars have been very low on the Imperium's list of priorities, particularly since their not insignificant fleet intercepted and severely damaged a Tau fleet en-route to Myrentas II over the weekend, destroying one protector class cruiser and crippling every other vessel, forcing them to turn back for Tau space.

There are four key systems in the empire, with a total population of just under one billion souls. Odin is a former penal colony, who's inhabitants turned to chaos during the 38th millenium. Thor is a mining world and the notional capital of the chaos empire. Freyr provides food for the other chaos planets and is the least corrupted of all the worlds while Loki has no habitable planets but is home to the vast naval dockyards required to maintain the Norsefire fleet which includes at least six capital vessels.

The Aurelius deeps are notoriously difficult to navigate, even while in the empyrean. Electromagnetic fields and dust confuse sensors and scatter the psychic light of the astronomican. Very few mortals can successfully run a passage through the Aurelius deeps. The Norsefire fleet occasionally raids other vessels which get to close but until now they have not appeared in strength. Despite attacking the Tau the Imperium have describe this event as "worrying".