Rahvan Malkaor advances into northern Zadoc

Throughout the first quarter of 015M42 the war Zadoc between the forces of chaos and the alliance, chiefly the tau by this point, had fallen into a stalemate, with both sides making small attacks with limited scope. Thus far the alliance had been profitting out of this, gradually eroding away the chaos held zones and capturing key cities. The lack of apparent interest on both sides was driven by warmaster Stahl's obsession with retaking the Perseus Deeps from the Imperium, and the alliance's urgent need to intervene in the Librian situation.

However during 05.015M42 the tau began to receive disturbing intelligence from the chaos occupied sectors, particularly those in the north. Daemonic incursions were increasing, sacrifices were becoming widespread, and disturbing changes began to manifest in reality itself. Commander Rahvan Malkaor decided to act, and sought permission to lead an advance on Andisele in the north of Zadoc. His plan would be to take the island of Anorigo by amphibious assault, and for this he requested reinforcements. His request was denied. The tau would have to attack with the forces at their disposal.

Fortunately for Malkaor the powerful Iron Warriors forces of Stahl were much reduced and concentrating on fortifying in the east. Much of the Arch Cleric's forces had dissipated with their leader's departure and the island and it's capital were now under the control of forces loyal to Krae'thrun'yzz The Puppetmaster - a blasphemous deity the tau found baffling.

Lacking any professional army, the chaos defences in the north quickly buckled, and the tau became cautiously optimistic of an easy victory. However soon the skies grew dark and other-worldy forces began tugging at the veil of reality separating the physical universe from the insanity of the warp. Before long a horde of daemonic entities had appeared to block the path to Andisele. Violent close quarters fighting broke out, although the chaos gods appeared not to favour their own kind, and the daemonic entities peroidically appeared to become less well defined, and their powers diminished. This inconsistency proved to be a weakness Malkaor was able to exploit, and gradually the tau overcame the daemonic army, and by the beginning of 05.015M42 they had achieved their goals.

Andisele fell to the tau revealing a charnel house of slaughter, and a disturbing environment where the physical universe had become a plaything of the god. Buildings, trees and the landscape itself had been warped, and as the power of tzeentch withdrew from the region the city suffered several catastrophic collapses, reducing much of the infrastructure to ruins.