List of Gaunt's Ghosts characters
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This list is of characters featured in the Gaunt's Ghosts series of novels by Dan Abnett, which are set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. Biographical details are included.
[edit] Ghosts
[edit] Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt
Alive
Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt is the commanding officer of the Tanith First-and-Only. He ordered the withdrawal of the Tanith forces from their planet.
[edit] Colonel Colm Corbec
KIA
Colm Corbec is a large, thick-set man in early middle age, sporting a non-regulation mane of hair and shaggy beard. Like most Tanith he is tattooed. Immediately after the exodus from Tanith, the newly-founded Ghosts chose Corbec, along with two others (Brin Milo, and Elim Rawne), to go to talk Gaunt about the escape and the morale of the men. For this reason only, Gaunt chose to make Corbec his second-in-command, and since then he has led the Ghosts with nearly as much charisma and respect as Gaunt himself. Corbec was universally liked by the entire regiment and many of the soldiers under his command would not hesitate to follow any of his orders, and would gladly risk their lives to help their beloved commander. He was badly wounded several times through the books, until in Herodor he was finally killed by treacherous Lijah Cuu. Out of respect for his close friend, Gaunt had buried Corbec in a coffin made completely out of nalwood, a wood native to Tanith which is extremely rare after the planet's destruction. This is a somewhat fitting burial since Corbec worked as a woodcutter in the deep forests of Tanith before he joined the Imperial Guard.
[edit] Major Elim Rawne
Alive
Tall, darkly handsome, Rawne is charming with a dangerous edge. Rawne accompanied Corbec in their meeting with Gaunt after the death of Tanith, and as Corbec was made colonel, he himself became major, in the style of "Keep Your Friends Close but your Enemies Closer". He was the only one of the Ghosts who would not fully accept his home planet's destruction, and vowed to kill Gaunt with his own hands, for denying him the chance to die with his world. Despite this, he genuinely respected Gaunt for his toughness and devotion to duty. He is regarded as one of the most deadly and mean-tempered men in the Tanith First, and Rawne does nothing to dissuade anybody of this fact. Though he is initially hostile towards Gaunt, Rawne's attitude eventually begins to soften until he finally begins to accept Gaunt as his commanding officer. Initially, Rawne is said to trust no one, but later on he disproves this by stating that he trusts Feygor, Caffran, Jessi Banda and Leyr, and eventually, Gaunt himself. (In His Last Command, he almost punches Colonel Wilder and says "No one bad mouths 'Bram Gaunt") Rawne is also something of a chauvinist. When the Tanith First begins recruiting women, Rawne is sceptical of their combat potential and regards them as distractions. Eventually, like his attitude toward Gaunt, Rawne begins to soften until he ultimately accepts women as part of the regiment, to the point where he even goes to bed with a few of them, which has nothing to do with "respecting" them. While on planet Herodor he and the Vervunhiver Jessi Banda apparently became lovers, but no one in the regiment dared mention it.
During the fighting on Herodor Rawne was almost forced to assassinate Saint Sabbat by the runt psykers of Pater Sin who exploited his ruthless side but he was brought to his senses by the love of his friends. Rawne was a member of the Deep Insertion Team to Gereon. When extraction was impossible he and the other Ghosts joined the resistance, where he and Trooper Murtan Feygor travelled the cells instructing the resistance on demolitions. Temporarily Unit Commander of the Tanith First on Jago after Gaunt's supposed death; ironically, early in the series he had hoped for Gaunt and Corbec's death as to leave him Unit Commander, but once Gaunt is presumed dead, he feels remorse, but as usual, it is not shown.
In terms of ability, he seems very skilled in close combat (fighting off Feygor, Caffran and Leyr in hand to hand when under the influence of the runt psykers), well being an average marksman. Rawne is a ruthless leader and an expert when it comes to demolitions. He is noted to have always been in the forefront of any plans Gaunt had, due to his ruthless efficiency and tactical insight when leading his troops. Since returning from Gereon he has shown no sign of wishing to renew his relationship with Jessi Banda, much to the relief of Captain Flyn Meryn, his former subordinate and Banda's new lover.
[edit] Saint Sabbat
Alive
She was born and grew up on Hagia, in the Rainwoods, where she lived herding Chelon. In later life she went on to lead the Imperial crusade that conquered the group of worlds that bear her name. She died pierced with nine wounds, which were replicated on Trooper Yael and, more importantly, Trooper Vamberfeld. She has been reincarnated twice, once as the girl Sabbatine and the Esholi Sanian, the latter as a result of the former's death. She kills the chaos magister Enok Innokenti and destroys a Blood Pact Baneblade Super-Heavy tank on Herodor, winning that battle and safeguarding Warmaster Macaroth's flank as he fought at Morlond. This was despite pressure from Lord General Lugo, who felt that the beati should be with the Warmaster at the frontlines. In her interactions with the Ghosts, they have protected her on many occasions, both her remains on Hagia, and her living self on Herodor. Even while separated, Gaunt feels she watches over him through instruments such as Sabbatine Cirk of the Gereon Resistance. He also states his belief that he and the other Ghosts were saved from the corruption of chaos while on Gereon due to their interaction with the saint.
After the battle of Herodor, the reincarnated Saint Sabbat leaves to join Warmaster Macaroth on the main front. She has not been heard of or seen since.
[edit] Major Gol Kolea
Alive
Like Soric, Kolea was a Scratch Company Hero during the battle of Vervunhive. He was a miner before the war and lost everything in the initial attack. His wife was killed and he believed his two children to be dead, though they turned out to have been adopted by fellow troopers Caffran and Criid. After the war, Kolea was given the rank of Sergeant when he joined the ghosts where he became one of the regiment's fiercest fighters.
Eventually, Kolea discovered that Caffran and Criid had inadvertently adopted his children, whom he believed to be dead. However, Kolea decided not to tell anybody but Dr. Curth, believing that his children were traumatized enough without having to pulled away from their new parents.
Kolea was almost killed in the closing stages of the battle of Ouranberg, when a Loxatl shell took most of the back of his head and his brain away as he carried an injured Criid from the battlefield. He survived but the damage to his brain caused him to lose all of his memories and personality. He was cured by the Saint on Herodor. When Criid found out that she had adopted Kolea's children, she confronted him, but Kolea merely told Criid that the children were her responsibility now and 'closed' the matter for good. After Herodor he was made a Major before Gaunt took his team on the Mission on Gereon.
Dalin Criid also confronts Kolea over the matter (Dalin has somehow found out that Kolea is his real father) and asks him questions pertaining to his parents, Kolea simply replies that "Your parents died in the war". This is because Gol feels it would be unfair to jump back into Dalin's life as his father after nearly a decade of being just another Ghost.
[edit] Major Baskevyl
Alive
Colonel Wilder's second in command, Baskevyl is Belladonian along with the remnants of the 81st Belladon, who were merged with the Tanith 1st to become the 81st-1st (As of The Armour of Contempt, the combined regiment is once again the Tanith 1st). After Wilder's death on Ancreon Sextus, Baskevyl becomes the representative officer of the Belladon portion of the regiment. Injured in one of the battles of Hinzerhaus, Bask, along with help from Domor, discovers a way to jump start the power "kettle" in Hinzerhaus, powering weapons that are instrumental in the defense of the house.
[edit] Captain Ban Daur
Alive
Vervunhiver. Fourth officer of the Tanith First. As a Captain, he was the highest ranking Vervun Primary officer to join the Tanith First and as a result was given a place on the regimental chain of command on par with Major Rawne, as officer in charge of the Vervun contingent answering only to Corbec and Gaunt. Though he was initially despised by Rawne and given primarily the sort of administrative work he had a skill for, he soon proved himself as an able leader both in combat and in peacetime liaison work. He is also acknowledged as the best city-fighter in the regiment, having first been a commander in the Vervunhive Primary.
[edit] Captain Flyn Meryn
Alive
Once a lowly trooper in the 1st, Meryn has since been on the Guard fast-track, going from a platoon sergeant to company Captain in a manner of 2 years. Corbec once considered him one of the best dog troopers in the regiment, along with Derin, Caffran and Cocoer. However, after Meryn was given a brevet rank of Sergeant for the Ouranberg raid, he took a liking to rank privileges and was taken under Rawne's wing. After this, many Ghosts felt that Meryn had changed, much for the worse. There were rumors within the regiment that, during the Ouranberg raid, he went 'too far' to maintain the secrecy of the mission, and killed several civilians including an old man. He has also steadily grown more abusive and hostile towards fellow Ghosts, and has lost respect in the eyes of more than a few officers, including Gaunt, especially after he and his squad took it upon themselves to savagely beat up the suspected psyker Agun Soric. However, this did not stop his own leadership potential from rising, and he became an able commander after being promoted to Captain. Meryn was also romantically involved with sniper Jessi Banda while Rawne was on Gereon and has shown a bitterness to Rawne born from fear that he would lose his command and girl to him again. Still a Company leader in the First, after his former adjutant, Fargher, is killed in a battle in Hinzerhaus, he appoints Dalin as his adjutant, citing some non-specific reasons for the appointment. Despite his stoic, rather harsh shell, he shows an unusual soft spot for Dalin, most likely due to Dalin's adoptive parents.
[edit] Captain "Shoggy" Domor
Alive
Captain Domor got his nickname "Shoggy" because of the big, bug-like optical implants he has which have replaced his eyes. During the search for the Vermillion treasure on Menazoid Epsilon, he was wounded in a fight and had his eyes irreparably damaged. However, he went on to minesweep later in the mission blind, something that would cause him later in life to forsake sight when sweeping even given the opportunity. He operated as a minesweeper, but has been promoted recently. His optical implants allow him to see further ahead than most other people in the regiment, and even allow him to trace for heat signals, which proved instrumental in preventing a major friendly fire incident in Sparshad Mons. On Gereon, during the attack on Cantible town, he was mentioned to be the leader of one of the main fighting companies of the regiment. He suffered severe injuries in defence of the Hinzerhaus, but survives, although he technically "died" twice, Dorden managed to put his heart back into rhythm.
[edit] Commissar Viktor Hark
Alive
Hark is like Gaunt; neither a Tanith born nor a Vervunhiver, he was introduced to the Ghosts by General Lugo on Hagia and was there to make sure that Gaunt completed his final mission. When Gaunt refused to complete the mission and Hark was unable to take command, he decided to help rally the Tanith against the Infardi, until they were repelled. There he proved himself in battle and gained the respect of both the Tanith and Major Rawne. Afterwards Hark was asked to join the Tanith regiment permanently as a Commissar and since then has proved his worth time after time, including when he got Trooper Caffran off a murder charge when he was wrongly accused of the crime which was committed by chaos troopers posing as Tanith. Though hated at first, Hark earns the grudging respect Tanith over time, and is eventually very well respected in the unit. During the battle on Herodor, Hark was severely injured and lost his arm, forcing him to use an augmetic (mechanical arm implant.) He stays on with the Tanith First while Gaunt leaves for his EZ Level mission on Gereon.
Though a dedicated Commissar who follows the Commisariat strictly, Hark has his own, softer, style of exacting his duty, influenced by Gaunt's own style. This can be shown when he does not execute a groups of allied soldiers fleeing when their unit was broken, but their commander instead, as with thorough leadership the men would not have broken. Though he has great respect for the Tanith, Hark is still dedicated to the rules of the Imperium, immediately reporting the psyker, Agun Soric though he knew the kind of punishment awaiting the psyker. However, Hark eventually discovers that Soric has become a sanctioned psyker. Due to guilt for his actions as well as Soric's pleas, Hark mercy kills Soric after encountering him on Jago.
Hark was also known for his possession of a plasma pistol, whose firepower proved to be indispensable in countless battles, including the killing of at least one Stalker. However, he gave his pistol to another Commissar, Genadey Novobazky, to use in a suicidal rear guard mission. (It has been replaced)
[edit] Junior Commissar Nahum Ludd
Alive
A young Commissar from Balhaut, Ludd spent the his time before joining the Ghosts working in a detention facility on Ancreon Sextus. He assisted Commissar Kanow, the Commissar in charge, of punishing deserters and criminals housed there. Ludd first makes contact with Gaunt when he volunteers to defend him from accusations of taint after Gaunt's return from his EZ level mission. He is then ordered to keep an eye on Gaunt during his action on Ancreon Sextus, experiencing the horrors and rigors of battle in the process while reporting Gaunts actions to the Commisariat, something Gaunt planned on. During this time he gains a deep respect for Gaunt.
He then joins the Tanith First, and assists fellow Commissar Viktor Hark with disciplinary duties. However, even with his combat experience on Ancreon Sextus, Ludd is still somewhat young and naive, which prompts Hark to teach him the fine arts of policing a Guard regiment.
During the defense on the Hinzerhaus he is promoted to acting Commissar, whilst Commissar Hark was incapicitated, but he was at first not taken seriously by the regiment.
[edit] Chief Medic Tolin Dorden
Alive
Chief Medic Dorden has been with the Ghosts since they founded on Tanith. He has sworn never to take a man's life, only to save it, and this is what allows him to be such a great medic. He has only broken this oath once, and only then to save Gaunt's life; "I said I wouldn't shoot, not that I couldn't". He had a son in the regiment, but during the apocalyptic attack on Vervunhive, he was found littered amongst the dead. His ideas on only protecting the lives of others sometimes conflict with those of Gaunt's position as commissar. Such a conflict occurs in Straight Silver when Dorden finds Alliance troopers, on Aexe Cardinal, who have been smuggling medical supplies away from the Tanith, and he confronts them, after Surgeon Ana Curth gets into a confrontation with the disgruntled soldiers. Gaunt promptly arrived, and executed two of the troopers. The others fled, but Gaunt shot another. Later in the same novel, Trooper Costin drinks alcohol on duty and in doing so reveals Raglon's infiltrating platoon to enemy sentries, and half of the unit died as a consequence. When Gaunt went to shoot Costin, Dorden blocked the path of his pistol. Gaunt could not bring himself to shoot Dorden, and to show an even hand was forced to spare Costin as well.
Their once-warm friendship became strained, and awkward afterwards, although Dorden is still faithful and adept at his work. He was unable to join the task force to Gereon due to injuries caused by Lijah Cuu in a previous conflict; Ana Curth was sent in his place.
Dorden has also recently begun to feel his age, since besides Zweil, he is the oldest man in the Ghosts. He is actually thirteen years over the Guard age limit that allows him to retire from service. Dorden has privately requested to Gaunt that when his time comes, he would like to be left behind on one of the worlds they liberate and become a simple civilian doctor.
[edit] Chief Scout Sergeant Oan Mkoll
Alive
The leader of the Tanith's elite scout unit, Mkoll is not a person to be taken lightly. True to his job description, Mkoll can blend seamlessly into the environment and move with almost perfect stealth. He also has the unique ability of being able to intuitively know which way to lead his men, being able to find meaning in something as warped as a Chaos mobile base. He is also quite adept at silently killing any enemies that may cross his path. Mkoll's skills are so highly tuned, that he at one point outstealthed, outsmarted and killed a Dark Eldar Mandrake assassin unaided, took down a chaos dreadnaught singlehandedly, and personally killed Chaos warlord Sagittar Slaith. Because of Mkoll's skills, Gaunt gives Mkoll a wide berth to operate, always letting him choose who he wants to recruit as a scout. Due to his exacting standards, he only takes the best of the stealthers in the Tanith First to be trained.
Mkoll was part of the Mission team to Gereon where his stealth skills increased dramatically during his time working with the Gereon Resistance, astounding the other Scouts upon the return of the 'Lost' members to the Regiment.
Along with Eszrah, Mkoll rescues Gaunt from a Blood Pact Camp on Jago, after he departed the Hinzerhaus to recover Gaunt's "stolen" sword and discover the where abouts of Eszrah.
Based on a Scottish actor, Ian Mcoll.
[edit] Sergeant/Captain Arcuda
Alive
A thin faced Verghastite, Arcuda took over Indrimmo's platoon after Phantine. Saw his first action as a sergeant on Aexe Cardinal, but luckily did not sustain the casualties that Raglon did. Company leader in the new 1st regiment.
[edit] Sergeant Lhurn Adare
KIA
One of the original Tanith, Adare, along with Varl, Bragg, Corbec, Larkin and a few others were considered to be the backbone of the Tanith Regiment. His tactical smarts and likable attitude got him the sergeant's bars, in which, quite famously, he gets roaring drunk with several of the Tanith. Picked as one of the squad leaders for the Larisel operation, Adare was killed in action. His platoon went on to be headed by Raglon.
[edit] Sergeant/Captain Raglon
Alive
Once one of the 1st's vox operators, Raglon was promoted to platoon sergeant after Adare was killed on Phantine. In his first action as sergeant (on Aexe Cardinal) one of his Troopers, Costin, is drinking and his drunken carelessness results in one of the Shadik catching the reflection off his sacra bottle. The platoon is ambushed, and sustain almost 50% casualties; when Gaunt arrives to execute Costin, Raglon pleads for the soldier's life. However, despite this shortcoming, Raglon's platoon becomes one of the best. Company leader in the new 1st regiment.
[edit] Sergeant/Sanctioned Psyker Agun Soric
KIA
As an old, charismatic Vervunhive smeltery worker, Soric ended up leading a guerrilla scratch company against the Zoican invaders. He lost an eye during the war in Vervunhive, but regarded the injury as a badge of pride. After joining Tanith First, he was still seen as a sort of totem for the Verghastite half of the regiment. He was effectively the Verghastites' version of Colm Corbec, and like the Tanith officer, Soric was universally liked and respected.
His great-grandmother had been a witch, and as a seventh son of a seventh son, Soric was destined to share this talent. He never showed any psychic powers until Phantine, where he saved Corbec's life by simply 'knowing' that he had a blood poisoning. Since then, he started receiving messages, apparently written by himself, which told him critical information from the battlefield as well as events that would happen in the future. Despite being instrumental in winning on Herodor, he was taken away by the black ships after the battle.
When taken by the Black Ships, Soric was a confirmed Beta-Level Psyker. His last action was slipping a note to Commissar Hark which read, "Help me."
Since Soric's departure Gaunt has been plagued by dreams of a familiar, screaming voice that he knew but could not recognise.
Soric returns in 'Only in Death' as a 'Sanctioned' (psyker). Soric is a physical wreck, having been altered to help improve his Psychic abilities (including having his ears cropped off and replaced with psy-augmenters and having his eyes sewn shut). He is inadvertently responsible for the "hauntings" the Ghosts had been experiencing, as he was attempting to contact them. It is here where he informs Commissar Hark that Gaunt is a prisoner, not dead. He asks for Hark to kill him which he does, telling him to make it 'Commissar style' so Hark would not be brought up on charges.
[edit] Sergeant Tona Criid
Alive
Criid is a tough girl. Raised amongst the streetgangs of Verunhive she is as determined as she is fierce. A hard thin girl she has been instrumental in paving the way for female troopers in the Tanith regiment. Criid took on the responsibility of platoon sergeant, after sergeant Gol Kolea was wounded at the battle of Ouranberg, a position she excelled at. Despite her rough exterior, she is incredibly protective of her adopted children and of her lover Caffran. Ever since her participation with Gaunt in his mission to Gereon, it becomes evident that Criid might be a psyker. She had an accurate premonition of Wilder taking command of the Tanith First in Gaunt's absence, and has had disturbing dreams of Gaunt's impending death.
She participated in the covert mission to Gereon. When extraction was impossible, she joined the resistance, training them in working as fireteams along with Sergeant Ceglan Varl.
Noticebly pale and thin in "Only in Death", this is arguably due to Caffran's death. In part due to Soric's physic "visions" Criid, along with other members of the First, find that the tactical officer who has come to assist them looks remarkably like Caffran. This tactical officer is later found out to be a true manifestation of Soric's abilities.
[edit] Sergeant Ceglan Varl
Alive
A popular Tanith trooper, and a joker to the core, Varl is considered to be part of the 'backbone' of the Tanith, along with a few others from the original Tanith regiment. Varl lost his shoulder and most of his upper arm on Fortis Binary, and as such, Varl received a bulky, but powerful augmetic replacement. Although staunchingly loyal, his jokes and otherwise questionable antics often get him, or his friends, in trouble. He is known as a showman, pulling tricks to con money out of other regiments or just to pass the time. Varl is also quite accomplished with his blade, amazing his comrades in the barracks with his slight-of-hand tricks and complex knife throwing. Varl is also best friends with Kolea, and was the one who missed him the most when Kolea's mind was temporarily wiped clean.
He accompanied Gaunt to Gereon. When extraction was impossible, he joined the resistance, training them in working as fireteams along with Sergeant Tona Criid.
He has proved his loyalty time and time again to Gaunt and the Ghosts. He is known as one of the more approachable and affable officers of the regiment having worked his way up from the ranks.
[edit] Sergeant Dermon Caffran
KIA
Caffran is one of the best Tanith field troppers. Small but well-built, he is swift and ruthless on the attack, well known for his storm clearance. Caffran is well-known to be romantically involved with the Verunhive trooper Tona Criid. The two of them met during the apocalyptic siege of Verunhive, where Caffran helps Criid (then a civilian) and her two adopted children to stay alive. Caffran and Criid have been together ever since, Caffran taking on the role as father for Criid's children, Yoncy and Dalin Kolea. During the liberation of Ouranberg Caffran was implicated in the murder and rape of a civilian, though he exonerated by Commissar Hark. During Wilders command of the regiment and later actions, Caffran was a squad leader in Meryn's company. Unfortunately, during the liberation of Gereon Caffran was shot and severely wounded by a scared civilian child (aged 10.) Ayatani-Father Zweil gives him the last rites, and Tona gives Dalin a cap badge, possibly Caffran's; Caffran's death is confirmed in Only in Death.
[edit] Sergeant Baffels
KIA
A bearded man in his early forties with a barrel chest and a blue tattoo claw that lined his cheek. Received a field promotion to Sergeant during the siege for Vervunhive. Though initially perturbed by his promotion, he made it his duty to live up to Gaunts expectations. He died taking the depot at Bhavnager on Hagia, killed by the one of the coaxial weapons on the side of a baneblade super-heavy tank.
[edit] Master Sniper 'Mad' Hlaine Larkin
Alive
Master Sniper 'Mad' Hlaine Larkin is the head sniper of the Tanith First and Only Regiment. He is unarguably the best marksman in the Tanith First which is no small feat, considering that the vast majority of the Tanith are excellent marksmen themselves. The only two people ever considered to be his rivals are the Tanith sniper Rilke, killed in action on Phantine, and the Verghastite sharpshooter Jessi Banda. (Although Eszrah is supposedly an excellent sniper almost matching or even surpassing Larkin, because his Reynbow is made for single-shot kills.) Up until the Gereon mission, Larkin was equipped with a nalwood stocked long-las, a longer ranged sniper variant of the lasgun. It is replaced for a while with a standard issue Long-las, until Curth restores the original weapon to him on his return to Gereon.
It is well known that Larkin and Bragg were close friends and would back each other up in combat with their differing skills. However, Bragg's death at the hands of Lijah Cuu affects Larkin deeply.
Larkin was also closely associated with Cuu, as the two men had a deeply antagonistic attitude towards each other. Cuu made frequent death threats against Larkin, while for his part, Larkin silently contemplates murdering Cuu. They both get into numerous scuffles and fights, but it is Larkin who ultimately kills Cuu on Herodor after a psychicly imprinted Cuu tries to assassinate Saint Sabbat.
Larkin exhibited erratic and paranoid behaviour at times. He suffered from hallucinations and projected his fears onto inanimate objects. He felt that he could only see the truth through the scope of his sniper rifle, which is shown to be the truth in the end of Ghostmaker, when he sees that some of the soldiers in the ruin are Eldar, even though the Ghosts are under an alien spell. He explained to an 'angel' during one of his possibly hallucinatory fits that he suffers from epilepsy. However, since the Gereon mission, Larkin was a different man, as if the horrors he witnessed there had scared him sane: Most would argue about how such experiences should have permanently thrown his sanity over the edge, and thus it would seem he, figuratively speaking, came through the other side. While on Gereon, he trained las-lock marksmen within the resistance when the Ghosts could not be extracted.
During the liberation effort on Gereon, Larkin was caught under a wrecked truck and was about to be run over by an enemy tank, prompting Gaunt to cut off one of Larkin's feet. Though incredibly distressed at losing his foot, Larkin quickly forgot about it when he was reunited with his old long-las which he had been forced to leave behind on Gereon. Refusing an augmentic replacement, he instead opts for prosthetic wooden replacement that Gaunt orders to be made out of Nalwood, as a sort of repayment for hacking his foot off.
It was Larkin who came up with the Tanith First and Only Regiment's nickname: Gaunt's Ghosts. He has a knack for coining such memorable phrases such as 'Lijah Fething Cuu' and 'Eszrah Night'
- References
- Kelly, Phil. Chapter Approved – Gaunt's Ghosts Extra Characters 2 (PDF). Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-07-20.
[edit] Sniper Jessi Banda
Alive
Jessi Banda is a female Vervunhiver. She decided that she would be one of the few female snipers in the regiment. Jessi and Major Rawne became romantically involved with each other during the battle on Aexe Cardinal, where they were wounded and ended up spending a lot of time near each other in the medical tent. While Rawne was away on Gereon, she took to having an affair with Captain Meryn. Upon Rawne's arrival back to the regiment, she abandoned her feelings for Rawne, and decided to try and tempt Meryn into kicking Rawne out of the chain of command.
[edit] Sniper Nessa Bourah
Alive
One of Kolea's original scratch company, she fought against the Zoicans at Vervunhive. Permanently deafened by shelling, she has gone beyond her impairment to become an excellent sniper in the Tanith First. She accompanied Corbec when they were moving to the Shrinehold, and later survived Operation Larisel at Phantine. She is regarded as the prettiest woman in the regiment, not because of a feminine body but because of her beautiful face. For reasons not explained in the books, she is referred to primarily by her first name, unlike the other female soldiers in the regiment - for example, Jessi Banda, Tona Criid and Sehra Muril are normally referred to "Banda", "Criid" and "Muril" respectively.
[edit] Sniper Sehra Muril
KIA
A Vervunhiver, Muril is like most other female Ghosts: She is an excellent sniper. She was the sniper in Corbec's platoon, and when asked why by Rawne, Corbec responded by saying that Muril had a "deliciously dirty laugh" and that her red hair reminded him of a girl "he'd been a fething fool to leave on Tanith". The real reason, however, is that Corbec believed she was almost the best shot in the regiment, second only to Mad Larkin. Larkin shares the secret of Bragg's death with her, but she is killed by Cuu. Mkvenner was going to recommend her to Mkoll for her scouting abilities, but Cuu murders her before she becomes one of the first Vervun scouts.
[edit] Sniper Rilke
KIA
Rilke was the 2nd best sniper in the regiment. He was selected to participate on the Spike assault on Vervunhive and to aid in the commando raid on Ouranberg. Rilke was in Mkoll's team, Larisel 4; when its drop ship was subsequently destroyed, Rilke was killed along with Nour and Cocoer. Unlike most of the snipers, Rilke used a needle las.
[edit] Sniper Raess
Alive
A Tanith, Raess has a high hit score that is still noticeably lower than Larkin's. However, his sniping skills are not to be underestimated, as the marksman's lanyard is hard to achieve.
[edit] Scout Trooper Caober
Alive
Gaunt's personal platoon scout up until the events on Herodor, Caober was reckoned to be one of the best scouts in the regiment along with Mkoll, Mkvenner, Bonin, Leyr and Hwlan. After Gaunt and the team departed for Gereon, Caober became the scout leader during Wilder's reign. Currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt".
[edit] Scout Trooper Mkvenner
Presumed Alive on Gereon
Mkvenner was Corbec's scout up until the battle of Herodor, and subsequently accompanied Gaunt on the Gereon mission. He opted to stay behind when the main party left. While the Ghosts rebuilt the resistance, Mkvenner and the Nihtgane became their elite Commandos, and remained behind after the other Ghosts left. When the Ghosts returned to Gereon however, the resistance had pronounced him dead. However, it should be noted while Eszrah Ap Niht is gathering toxins and "wode" to replenish his stocks, he comes across a man. This man was clad in the rags and wode of a Nightwalker, yet wore the remnants of a camo cloak. The figure also carried a fighting staff, a favored weapon used by those who practice Cwlwhl. Mkoll himself believes to have 'smelt'/detected Mkvenner whilst waiting for extraction from the Untill during the Gereon Liberation. There is also the unexplainable event of how all of the captured Gereon resistance and Nightwalker fighters managed to escape Imperial custody undetected. These incidents could very well mean that Mkvenner is still alive but has his existence known to no one. As Mkvenner is an accomplished scout and stealth operator, it comes as no surprise that he managed to live in the Untillilable lands of Gereon.
Mkvenner is the best close combat fighter in the entire regiment, even better than the late, psychotic Lijah Cuu. While retaking Cirenholm on Phantine, he held off an entire platoon of Blood pact with nothing more than his bayoneted rifle, using it like a quarterstaff. This comes as no surprise as Mkvenner is the last surviving Tanith to have been trained in the ancient art of Cwlwhl, the fighting techniques perfected by the Nalsheen wood warriors, legendary heroes who overthrew the corrupt Huhlhuch Dynasty and ushered in the era of modern free Tanith. He also managed to suppress two wire-wolves (Daemons) on Gereon using only an empty lasgun as a fighting staff. His stealth skills are also considerable, as evidenced by Mkoll claiming that "only Bonin and Caober ever came close to his stealth skill, and only one person ever bettered it", which could mean Mkvenner because of his status as second-best scout in the regiment.
[edit] Scout Trooper Simon Urvin Macharius "Lucky" Bonin
Alive
Domor's scout trooper, 'Mach' Bonin is reckoned to be luckiest man in the regiment; he survived a deadly fever as a child, he lived in a tent through two hard winters on Tanith while his parents were rebuilding his home. After the fall of Tanith, he fought with the Ghosts and took part in the Spike assault on Verghast. He fell off the colossal war machine of Heritor Asphodel and was believed dead. He survived, thanks to his amazing luck, but now has a steel vertebrae and pelvic joint due to his extensive injuries. He escaped unharmed from the Ouranberg mission and survived Gereon. Currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt". He personally killed a Stalker with only his Tanith knife. On Jago, he was presumed dead by Ludd, Dalin and Hwlan, but as usual, he survived the kill shot with only minor burns.
[edit] Scout Trooper Leyr
Alive
Rawne's scout, Leyr is tough and hard edged as was most of Rawne's platoon. A thin, middle aged man, he served in the Tanith Militia before the fall. Leyr is also one of the only men Rawne trusts. Currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt".
[edit] Scout Trooper Heqta Jajjo
Alive
A black Vervunhiver, Jajjo is the only Verghastite scout in the Tanith regiment. Mkvenner personally honed his skills, and Jajjo proved his worth by escaping a firefight in the Montorq forest on Aexe Cardinal to carry word of the enemy advance back to the Imperial lines. Currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt", although Mkvenner promoted him to scout at the end of Straight Silver.
[edit] Scout Trooper Baen
Alive
Once Varl's scout, Baen is a cheerful, yet hard edged, like most of the scouts. Currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt".
[edit] Scout Trooper Doyl
KIA
One of the 1st's most renowned scouts, Doyl was Soric's scout up until "The Guns of Tanith". He was picked for the Larisel operation, in Adare's squad. When the squad was attacked and subsequently split up, Doyl accompanied Adare and Phantine Trooper Cardinale. Shortly after their hunt begins, Adare is (messily) killed by one the vicious loxatl. Doyl fights bravely until the end, but unfortunately it is not enough, and he is killed, with a prayer on his lips. A friend of Soric's, he was missed by all of 4th platoon(the scouts).
[edit] Scout Trooper Baru
KIA
A highly renowned Tanith scout, Baru was killed in the fight for Menazoid Epsilion. He was one of the favourite scouts in the Tanith regiment.
[edit] Scout Trooper Logris
KIA?
Not to be confused with another Tanith trooper, Loglas; he was Rawne's first scout. Killed in actions on Monthax (however, he was mentioned in the 3rd book as a person who is alive).
[edit] Scout Trooper/Flame Trooper/Sergeant Mkendrick
KIA
Listed as a Scout-trooper, Mkendrick nonetheless operated a flame thrower in Caffran's raid on Oskray Hive. Raised in the mountains of the Tanith Steeple. Mkendrick eventually gains a platoon leadership, but he is killed along with the entirety of his platoon on Herodor by Loxatls.
[edit] Scout Trooper Wes Maggs
Alive
Trooper Maggs is a Belladon trooper who was brought into the regiment with the influx of troops from the 81-1st. He was part of a recon squad in the old regiment, so he decided to try and join them in the First and Only. His scout skills are renowned, he has even paired himself up with Mkoll during the assault on Ancreon Sextus. One of a group of troopers who helped the Tanith soldier Merrt. Currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt".
On Jago, Maggs is plagued by visions of an old woman in a black lace dress, which are later discovered to be psychic visions from Soric.
[edit] Scout Trooper/Captain Ferdy Kolosim
Alive
A Belladon, Kolosim, along with Caober and Hwlan, maintained leadership of the recon/scout elements of the regiment during Gaunt, and Mkoll's, absence. Survives Jago with little injuries.
[edit] Scout Trooper Hwlan
Alive
A Tanith, Hwlan has proved himself to a be a highly capable and resourceful scout. Originally served as Criid's scout prior to the merger of the 81st Belladon and the Tanith 1st. Injured on Ancreon Sextus, Hwlan is currently in the scout squad as of "The Armour of Contempt". According to "His Last Command", Hwlan lost his virginity at the age of 16 years girl named Sehba.
[edit] Scout Trooper Coir
KIA
A Tanith Scout, Coir was not mentioned with great detail until "Only in Death". Presumeably in the scout squad, Coir is noted as being an antique weapons expert, packing an ornate Las-Lock pistol as a backup. Killed in actions at the Hinzerhaus.
[edit] Scout Trooper Mklane
Alive
A Tanith Scout, Mklane is currently in the scout squad as of "Only in Death".
[edit] Scout Trooper Suth
KIA
A Tanith Scout, Suth was good friend of Costin's, and served in Adare/Raglon's platoon until events on Aexe Cardinal where he is shot during an ambush.
[edit] Trooper Brin Milo
Travelling with the Saint
Milo was a servant in the household of the Elector Count of Tanith before Tanith's destruction. He saved Gaunt from being killed by Chaos warriors as he escaped from Tanith in its final moments. Being too young to become a soldier during the time, he was made Gaunt's personal adjutant, and was considered as a mascot of a sort for the regiment. He showed unnerving abilities of prediction, being able to bring Gaunt battle plans or coffee before he even asked for them, and was even suspected for witchcraft because of this. Shortly after, he finally joined the regiment as a soldier, having come of age recently. He proves himself to be an excellent soldier, and shows all of the hallmarks of becoming a terrific leader. Amongst other feats of arms, he assists Gaunt in the Slaying of Etrodai, life-ward of Magister Enok Innokenti, losing his warknife in the process. Shortly afterwards, he assists the honour guard of Saint Sabbat take her for medical treatment, in the process assisting in the fight against Lijah Cuu. Milo is also known to play the pipes, especially whenever the Tanith finally leave the field of battle.
On Hagia, Milo met a young priest student named Sanian, likely falling in love with her. At the same time, he received a prophecy from an older priest remarking on how his future would not involve he being a soldier. She never truly left his thoughts, with him remarking about missing her in The Guns of Tanith. He met her again on Herodor, when she had become a vessel for the newly-born Saint Sabbat, and left the Ghosts in favour of joining with her to the front lines of the Crusade, fulfilling the prophecy foretold to him. This departure deeply affects Gaunt, who has always regarded Milo as something like his son and he gives Milo his Tanith warknife before Milo leaves, to replace Milo's lost warknife.
[edit] Trooper 'Try Again' Bragg
KIA
'Try Again' Bragg got his nickname because of his terrible aim; he would always miss his first shot, although the firepower from his heavy weapons meant that he could afford to miss occasionally. He is also known for being one of the strongest men in the Tanith First. Bragg's herculean size and strength enables him to carry heavy weapons and equipment that usually require a team of operators with ease, as well as being a terrifying opponent in hand-to-hand combat. While most people regard Bragg as all brawn and no brain, Gaunt is aware that Bragg has a kind of silent intelligence, and that he may in fact be the smartest man in the entire regiment. Unfortunately, Bragg was murdered by Lijah Cuu at Ouranberg after turning him in for looting. Bragg was known to be Larkin's close friend. His death affected Larkin deeply. Both Larkin and Gaunt have since been haunted by visions of Bragg.
Bragg's standard wargear is a heavy bolter, frag grenades and the camo cloak which is standard for Tanith infantry, though he has been known to carry a "tread fether", assault cannon chaingun, or twin-linked autocannon (literally two heavy machine guns welded side by side). He also had the greatest talent for making sacra, the favoured Tanith liquour, and after his death, the few remaining bottles made by him were considered almost holy relics among the First, referred to as "the sacra". One such bottle is labeled "Try Again's Finest."
- Kelly, Phil. Chapter Approved – Gaunt's Ghosts Extra Characters. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-08-09.
[edit] Trooper Murtan Feygor
KIA
Feygor was Rawne's adjutant and it is said that other than himself, Feygor is the only man that Rawne would ever totally trust and call a friend. However this was disproven in Sabbat Martyr as Rawne says he trusts Jessi Banda, Caffran and his scout Leyr. He was known as one of the group of malcontents in the Ghosts who hated Gaunt for not allowing them to fight for Tanith. During the fighting at Vervunhive, he took a lasround in the throat that destroyed his voicebox. The augmetic replacement gave him a monotone voice which fitted his sarcastic nature. Feygor was part of the Gereon Mission, even saving Gaunt's life but later died on Ancreon Sextus, where he was killed by a las-bolt shortly after setting off an explosive device in attempt to close a massive warp gate in "His Last Command".
Feygor was friends with Rawne before the Founding, as they ran a black market operation in Tanith Attica. Like Rawne he was an expert in explosives. When extraction was impossible he and the other Ghosts joined the resistance, where he and Major Elim Rawne travelled the cells instructing the resistance on demolitions.
During the events of "Straight Silver" on Aexe Cardinal, Feygor led a partrol as part of the lucky half of the Tanith First. After Scout Initiate Jajjo found a large house in the woods, Feygor decided that they might turn the patrol into a few days of R&R. Along with Gutes, Cuu, and Brostin, they considerably drained the house's wine cellars. During their first night there, Brostin placed a stuffed behj(apparently a large bear-like native creature) promting Feygor to shoot its head of with his laspistol.
[edit] Trooper Lijah Cuu
KIA
Lijah Cuu was another Vervunhiver recruited into the Ghosts after the battle for Vervunhive. A natural born killer, he was amoral and disliked by most of the Ghosts, especially Larkin. He has looted shops, despite the coins being defaced, and was accused of the murder and rape of a woman. However, his innocence was proved upon the discovery of chaos troopers masquerading as Tanith and he only received lashes for the looting instead of the deathsentance he would have received for murder. He murdered 'Try Again' Bragg on Phantine for turning him in for looting, and then Sehra Muril on Aexe Cardinal after she accused him of Bragg's murder. He also made several unsuccessful attempts on Larkin's life for the same reasons. Agun Soric finally revealed Cuu's guilt for these crimes, and use of the word 'rapist' suggests he was responsible for the crime he was aquitted for. He killed Corbec and wounded Gaunt on Herodor with a lasgun while trying to assassinate Saint Sabbat, but was shot dead by Larkin as he was trying to finish off Gaunt with his knife. At the time of his attempted assassination he was under the psychic influence of Pater Sin's psykers who exploited his murderous nature to imprint him with the task of killing Saint Sabbat. On Jago, Larkin is plagued by visions of Cuu during the early morning watches along with "Try Again" Bragg who leaves him a bottle of his finest sacra, and Colm Corbec who advises him to get to cover just before an artillery shell destroys his defense post. Cuu was noted for his feline appearance, skill with a tattooist's needle, and the phrase "sure as sure."
[edit] Trooper Loell/Trooper Surch
Alive
Loell is a .30 cal operator in Corbec's Platoon along with Surch. They are heavy weapon operators in "The Armour of Contempt".
[edit] Trooper Cole
KIA
A Tanith, Cole was killed on Herodor by Pater Sin's psyker twins.
[edit] Trooper Brown
KIA
A Verghastite, Brown was killed on Herodor by Pater Sin's psyker twins.
[edit] Trooper Roskil
KIA
A Tanith, Roskil was killed on Herodor by Pater Sin's psyker twins.
[edit] Trooper Cant
Alive
Cant is first mentioned in the book Only In Death. He is one of the new Belladon soldiers from Wilder's 81st/1st Regiment. He is one of Sergeant Varl's favorite people to make fun of.
[edit] Trooper Dalin Criid
Alive
At the age of 18, Dalin Criid, Criid and Caffran's adopted son, has decided to follow in his foster parents' footsteps and join the Tanith First-and-Only. He is loved not only by his foster parents, but by a majority of the Ghosts as well, including Varl, Kolea, and even Gaunt. However, during training, he was temporarily assigned to a reserve unit and survived his first major battle while separated from the Ghosts. After the reserve unit is disbanded, Dalin is allowed to return to his original unit and officially becomes a Ghost. He was welcomed to the unit by the opening of a bottle of Try Again's Finest; one of the few remaining bottles of sacra brewed by "Try Again" Bragg. During the war on Gereon, Dalin kept hearing voices from who he believed was Caffran, warning him to immediate dangers; this may suggest that he is the next in a series of Ghosts who have or are thought to have psychic talents, the others being Agun Soric, who was taken to the Black Ships when his talent was discovered, and Tona Criid, who may or may not be a psyker but has had startlingly accurate premonitions. Whilst on Gereon, Dalin was blooded in a somewhat spectacular battle involving Imperial Titans and a Bloodthirster of Khorne, and almost dies several times. This includes almost becoming a 'black cross' (friendly or civilian casualty) at the hands of three Krassian troopers looking to field strip his body, only to be saved by Fourbox (another member of AT137, formerly RIP) and Trooper Rehn Merrt.
Prior to Gereon, (during transit) Dalin is a member of RIP (Retraining, Indoctrination and Punishment) - he himself is there for Indoctrination, and during the Gereon Invasion he is Part of AT 137, which consists of the members of the RIP Detail. After the battle, this unit is disbanded and Dalin is returned to the Ghosts. His first actual combat mission with the Ghosts takes place in Hinzerhaus, where he is promoted to Meryn's adjutant. Dalin secretly resents Meryn's treatment of him, because he suspects Meryn is giving him preferential treatment to gain a better standing with Criid.
[edit] Flame-Trooper Aongus Brostin
Alive
Trooper Brostin a native of Tanith, is described as a hairy, heavyset, heavily tattooed brute. One of the most skilled flamer operators in the Tanith regiment, he has an affinity with fire which is legendary amongst his comrades. There are mixed rumours in the regiment about Brostin's experience with fire; one rumour is that Brostin gained this experience while working in the Fire Service on Tanith, while another rumour says he has served a prison sentence for arson. Brostin likes to show off his skills with fire, and also tries to perpetuate myths that fire and he have an understanding. Brostin's skills with fire also extend to liquor distilling - he brews and sells sacra which is regarded as passable by his fellow troopers (as much for Chimera anti-freeze as a drink), but not as good as Bragg's brew. It is highly suggested that Brostin is a borderline, if not full on, pyromaniac. Part of Rawne's gang, Brostin is undisciplined and vengeful.
While a member of the mission team on Gereon, he pulls a diversionary stunt, which involved a promethium-filled Tanker, a bridge, a lho stick, and fire retardant foam jelly, which results in a large doughnut-shaped fireball and many enemies dead. He also develops another stunt along with the aid of Larkin, which they call the 'Airburst Special' in which Brostin throws a pair of full promethium tanks into the air at the target, and Larkin shoots down both, dropping a pair of fireballs on the enemy's head. This is a strictly anit-infantry move, he never bothers to attempt it on a tank in "The Armour of Contempt." As a member of the Gereon Resistance, Brostin maintained a steady production of flamer weapons.
[edit] Flame-Trooper Lubba
Alive
Lubba joined the Tainth after the siege of Vervunhive. He servers as the flamer operater in Gol Kolea's old platoon, now under the command of Tona Criid. Lubba is a dependable character, always ready with his flamer in a tight spot. Lubba also put his own life in danger by running into enemy fire to drag Kolea to safety during fighting on Phantine.
[edit] Flame-Trooper Dremmond
Alive
A Tanith, Dremmond has maintained his position as a flamethrower operator since the Fall, participating in many notable actions including the Spike Assault, as well as the fight for Cirenholm. Described as tall, average looking man.
[edit] Flame-Trooper Neskon
Alive
Another Tanith flame operator, Neskon serves under Caffran's command in Rawne's company. A friend of Dalin's in "Only in Death", Neskon is described by Dalin as a "big fire-ogre". Like most flame troopers, his skin is permanently aged by the heat.
[edit] Flame-Trooper Lyse
Alive
The only female flame-thrower trooper, Lyse is a PDF trained hand fighter from Verghast with arms as muscled as any mans.
[edit] Flame-Trooper Furrion
KIA
Once Corbec's flame trooper, Furrion was killed on Phantine when a stray shot ignited his tanks. A child hood friend of Brostin's, Furrion shared his love of flames.
[edit] Trooper Derin
Alive
One of the troopers injured on Hagia who accompanied Corbec and Dorden on their holy quest to the Shrine in the Hagian mountains though he did so because of his dedication to duty more than any kind of holy inspiration. Trooper Derin was in Kolea's company as of "The Armour of Contempt."
[edit] Trooper Niceg Vamberfeld
KIA
A former clerk from Vervunhive, Vamberfeld was not psychologically stable for warfare and was injured in the fighting on Hagia. Due to this, he was unable to join most of the regiment to save the physical remains of Saint Sabbat from the planet before the arrival of massive Chaos army. He was nevertheless convinced to join Corbec and the rest of the wounded to follow. On the way, though he became increasingly more unstable, he found a piece of Sabbat's old herd staff, used by her when she had still been a herder before becoming a Saint. Eventually, using this half of the staff, he sacrificed himself to start up the ancient machines in Saint Sabbat's tomb that would scatter the entire Chaos army, saving the lives of all Ghosts as well as many others.
It is noted that Vamberfeld suffered nine wounds before he died, a reference to the Nine Holy Wounds suffered by Saint Sabbat.
[edit] Trooper Loglas
KIA
A Tanith, Loglas was in Obel's platoon along with Larkin and Bragg. During the trench warfare of Aexe Cardinal, Cuu cornered Larkin and attempted to kill him. Loglas was passing by, and approached Cuu with balled up fists, when the Forces of Chaos launched a bombardment. A shell hit their dugout, and decapitated Loglas. Unfortunately for Larkin, Loglas was the last Tanith Trooper to hear Cuu's death threat, and as such, Cuu went on to kill Sehra Muril and Colm Corbec.
[edit] Trooper Rhen Merrt
Alive
Trooper Rhen Merrt was one of the original Tanith snipers with a hit rate lower than Larkin's or Rilke's but still impressive. He sustained a terrible injury on Monthax, taking a las-blow to the jaw. He received an augmetic replacement, which ruined his accuracy. He was dropped from the sniper group, and ever since he has been lacking self-esteem. He has been slumming in gambling bars and clubs on troop ships, and generally not in good spirits. Because of this, several of his soldiering friends decided to keep an eye out for him. This was a good plan of theirs, because he gets into a big gambling debt with a club.
He is nearly killed by the club owner's thugs, but luckily Commissar Hark and Junior Commissar Ludd save him. Hark then punished him for his action. He is put into the RIP detail, where he meets Dalin Criid, and they become good friends, saving each other on more than one occasion on Gereon and during RIP detail. He was transferred back into the 1st at the end of "The Armour of Contempt".
During the events of Armour of Contempt and Only In Death, Merrt uses a badly maintained lasrifle that he suspects is a "captured, recaptured piece of junk". The rifle came to him when he lost his own and Dalin Criid gave him one found on the floor after an intense firefight with the Blood Pact. The rifle is later found to have the serial number "034TH" which has been rubbed away at, leaving it looking like it reads "DEATH" instead. This leads Merrt to the conclsion that it is a "unlucky rifle for an unlucky man" due to it's constant jamming and the tainted nature of the weapon. He eventually leaves the rifle in the fortress on Jago where it is said to rust away.
[edit] Trooper Lesp
Alive
Field Medic. Acts as one of Dordens orderlies. A tall thin man from Tanith Longshore with cold blue eyes and an adams apple that looks like a knee in his slender neck. Back on Tanith he and his family were sea fishermen who plied the currents beyond the Archipelago. His skill with a sail cloth and net needle and an almost surgical knack with a blade had led to Dorden to put those skills to use as a medical orderly.
[edit] Trooper Ifvan
Alive
Varl's lackey and second in command, Ifvan is usually involved in Varl's gambling schemes or any other instances where Varl can con money from other regiments. Almost killed by Alliance Troopers on Aexe Cardinal, Mkoll saved his life.
[edit] Trooper Vivvo
Alive
Soric's adjutant and fellow Verghastite, Vivvo is in Soric's largely Verghastite platoon. One of the only soldiers to know about Soric's foresight ability, Vivvo is staunchingly loyal and claimed that Soric's psychic ability wasn't Chaos, since his ability was only helping the Ghosts.
[edit] Trooper Mikal Dorden
KIA
A Communications Operator in Sergeant Hasker's Platoon, Mikal Dorden was killed in action at Veveyr Gate in Vervunhive. He was Chief Medic Tolin Dorden's son. Tolin and Mikal were the only two related Ghosts left from Tanith and his death hit Tolin Dorden extremely hard. At Hagia, Chief Medic Dorden saw visions of his son, inspirating him to join Corbec's mission to the Shrinehold.
[edit] Trooper Costin
Alive
A trooper in Sergeant Raglon's platoon as of Straight Silver, Costin blew his infiltrating unit's cover by drinking on duty; a sentry spotted the flash of the bottle and raised the alarm. Costin's hand was almost shot off and his friend Scout-trooper Suth was killed along with half of the unit. When Gaunt caught up with him, he was almost executed but for the intervention of Tolin Dorden. In the next book, Costin cleaned up his act and led a desperate rearguard on Herodor in Sabbat Martyr to allow Raglon's unit to break off from an assault. Although Costin survived the battle on Herodor, he has never been seen since, although he is mentioned in "The Armour of Contempt" as a brewer of sacra (though his brand is inferior to Try Again Bragg's).
[edit] Medic Ana Curth
Alive
Medic Ana Curth joined the regiment after the assault on Vervunhive. Just after the assault, Chief Medic Dorden and Curth lead an investigation into the mysterious types of death that many civilians suffered during the invasion of Vervunhive leading to them nearly being killed by an influential Guilder, Amchunduste Worlin. She then joined the Ghosts and has acted as the conscience of Gol Kolea on more than one occasion, trying to persuade him to tell Criid about him being the real parent of her adopted children. She was in charge of the medical team for the Honor Guard, where she proved her ability to work to keep the Tanith First going.
She was part of the Gereon mission team, and remained on Gereon with Mkvenner, when the rest of the team were extracted. However, it's been noted by Hark that Curth has never been quite the same after her return from Gereon. She has lost weight that she has never seemed to have regained, and her mood has changed rather drastically, making her more temperamental and confrontational.
[edit] Allied Personnel
[edit] Imperial Guardsmen
[edit] Lord General Barthol Van Voytz
Van Voytz is a capable commander who oversaw the theatres of Phantine, Aexe Cardinal and Ancreon Sextus with a greal deal of success. Gaunt enjoys a special rapport with the general, who once offered him a promotion to Lieutenant-General and saved the Gereon insertion team from execution after they returned to Ancreon Sextus. However, after Van Voytz's orders hold a fortress on Jago lead to heavy losses in the regiment, their relationship appears to have become strained.
[edit] General Grizmund
The commander of the 9th Narmenian Armoured regiment, Grizmund fought alongside the Ghosts at Vervunhive. There, he was arrested by the Vervun Primary Hive Commissariat, the local military police, for breaking orders but was later released by Ibram Gaunt. He went on to command a successful counterattack on Veyveyr Gate, driving the Zoican forces out from under the city's force Shield.
[edit] Major Kleopas
Major Kleopas was the second in command of the 8th Pardus Armoured regiment under Colonel Furst and led the armoured detachment which accompanied the Ghosts to the Shrinehold on Hagia; he commanded the armoured assault at Bhavnager with consummate skill, breaking the back of the opposing armour units and allowing the Ghosts to force their way into the city. He was killed at the battle for the Shrinehold when his tank was hit by an armor-piercing shell. His officers Captain Sirus and Lieutenant Pauk were also killed in the same action, leaving only Captains LeGuin and Woll in positions of authority within the detachment. Their regiment is featured in Double Eagle, the spinoff book to Gaunt's Ghosts.
[edit] Lord General Bulledin
Bulledin was in overall command of the Monthax theatre, and Gaunt held him in high regard despite the fact that the Lord General ordered the Inquisition to interrogate Brin Milo, Gaunt's adjudant as a suspected psyker.
[edit] Major/Colonel Gilbear
Major Gilbear was General Noches Sturm's aide in Ghostmaker and commanded the Tenth Brigade, the elite of the Royal Volpone 50th storm troopers which was assigned to Inquisitor Lilith in the Monthax campaign. When he met the detachment of Ghosts under Gaunt and Corbec, he got into a fight with Corbec, but they later called a truce. Gilbear led one prong of the assault on the Eldar temple on Monthax, but was nearly shot by one of the Eldar soldiers there when he insulted their leader. His leadership on Monthax earned him a promotion to Colonel, and he held this rank during the events of Necropolis, where he participated in both the assault on the treacherous Salvador Sondar, where he executed him with a grenade launcher for treachery, and in the assault on enemy warlord Heritor Asphodel's command vehicle, The Spike. After the desertion, treason and death of Noches Sturm, it is assumed that Gilbear retained command of the Royal Volpone 50th, as his colleague Colonel Corday was killed at Vervunhive. Though there is still some enmity between Gilbear and Gaunt, both men have come to respect each other after their experiences in Vervunhive.
[edit] Colonel Zoren
Colonel Zoren was the regimental leader of the Vitrian Dragoons, a force that aided Gaunt on Menazoid Epsilon in its attack on the conspiring Jantine Patricians.
[edit] Non-Imperial Guard
[edit] Inquisitor Lilith Abferquarn
Lilith is an Ordo Hereticus inquisitor in Ghostmaker who was appointed by Lord Militant General Bulledin to investigate and purge psykers from Imperial forces on Monthax. She met Gaunt when she was searching his quarters aboard an orbital command station, and interrogated Brin Milo as a suspected psyker after he had unerringly won a gambling game on the troop decks. However, Milo was cleared and the inquisitor did not encounter the Ghosts again until during the Monthax liberation, where she was investigating a psychic storm that was massacring both sides of the conflict. In the middle of the storm, she found an Eldar temple, which she had been seeking since her mother was killed in an Eldar raid many years previously. When the Eldar Farseer who had conjured the storm died, Lilith used her own powers to transport herself and the remaining eldar back through their Webway and close the warp gate behind them.
[edit] Ayatani Zweil
Ayatani Zweil was a wandering priest who joined the Ghosts on Hagia in the events of Honour Guard, when the Ghosts were making their way up to secure the remains of Saint Sabbat. He was found in an abandoned town, Mukret, which had been razed by the Chaos forces. He proceeded to follow the Ghosts up to the temple, where his views on the Imperial religion conflicted with the resident priests.
Whilst the Tanith were on Herodor, Zweil suffered a stroke when the first incarnation (prior to Sanian) of Saint Sabbat was killed.
He has remained with the unit ever since, and has been the moral conscience of Gaunt on more than one occasion. He preaches to the troops before each battle reminding them of how the Emperor is with each one. He even accompanied the Ghosts when they landed on Gereon, and tried to help remove the taint from its lands. It is also good to note, Zweil was present when Caffran was shot. When Zweil saw the dimming light in Caffran's eyes. While screaming for a medic, he starts to give Caffran his last rites, he is handed a Tanith Cap badge during this, which is safe to presume is the same badge givin to Dalin Criid later in the book.
[edit] Eszrah ap Niht
Eszrah ap Niht is a son of a Chief of the swamp dwelling Partisans, rebels who live in the Until swamplands of Gereon. He was given to Gaunt by his father, after the Ghosts saved their village from attack by Chaos Marines during the events of Traitor General. He is commonly referred to as 'Ezra Night', by the Ghosts. Larkin himself coining the name 'Ezrah Night'. Initially, he could only communicate through Mkvenner (as he is trained in the ways of the Nalsheen, who used proto-gothic as their private language). However, Gaunt now fluently speaks proto-gothic, the language of the partisans. He has taken the duty of protecting Gaunt very seriously and never leaves Gaunt's side. He once goes so far as to offer to kill Imhava Ayatani Zweil. He is armed with his reynbow, a primitive weapon akin to a crossbow which uses magnets to propel quarrels tipped with a highly dangerous venom extracted from swamp moths. Before battle he smears himself with bluish gray "woad", or moth paste. Ezra received a gift in the form of Sergeant Varl's prized pair of sun-shades to help him cope with the unaccustomed brightness outside of his native swamps and he has never removed them since, except when he lent them to Ayatani Zweil in 'His Last Command'. He is an expert at stealth, second only to Mkoll, who has an uncanny ability to spot him. His unusual appearance often unnerves people seeing him for the first time, as his skin colour is noted as being "gun metal gray". In return, he counts very few people as friends, limited to Gaunt, Ludd, possibly Rawne, Mkoll and Beltayn. That said, the partisan's definition of 'friend' extends only to ' a trusted hunting partner'. When Gaunt is seemingly killed, Eszrah takes the news very seriously. Because he was ordered by his father to protect Gaunt, Eszrah felt that he had no more purpose and decided to go on a suicide mission to kill as many Blood Pact as he could to avenge Gaunt. Mkoll accompanies him, and during their mission, they come across Gaunt and rescue him. With Gaunt alive, Eszrah stays with the Ghosts.
[edit] Notable foes and forces of Chaos
[edit] The Menazoid Epsilon conspirators
| Name | Position | Information | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Hechtor Dravere | Commander of Imperial forces on Fortis Binary and Menazoid Epsilon, chief conspirator | Attempted to gain control of the Standard Template Constructor on Menazoid Epsilon in order to seize control of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade and possibly the Imperium. | Killed when the psychic aftershock of Inquisitor Heldane's death blew his command vehicle apart. |
| Colonel Draker Flense | Commander of the Jantine Patricians, son of Aldo Dercius | Cooperated with Dravere in order to get his revenge on the Tanith, who cheated him of glory on Fortis Binary, and on Gaunt, who killed his father. Under his command, the Jantine destroyed the Tanith seventh platoon before Flense and a crack team infiltrated Target Primaris after Gaunt and the rest of the regiment, under Major Brochuss tried to destroy the remaining Tanith on the surface. | Stabbed to death underground by Ibram Gaunt. Major Brochuss and the remaining Jantine killed in action by the Vitrian Dragoons |
| Inquisitor Heldane | Psychic puppeteer | Took control of Agent Fereyd and an unnamed naval rating in order to obtain the location and nature of the "Vermilion secret" buried under Target Primaris. Attempted to take control of Major Rawne, but failed after he was shot in the throat by Mad Larkin, confining him to life support. A much younger Heldane, holding the lower rank of Interrogator, appears in the 'Eisenhorn' trilogy, also by Dan Abnett. | Killed by the psychic backlash of his puppet Fereyd's death after he was already weakened by his throat wound. |
| Fereyd a.k.a. "Bel Torthute" or "Imperial Tactician Wheyland" |
Imperial spy assigned to watch over General Dravere | Intercepted the Vermilion-clearance message to Dravere, but was mind-controlled by Inquisitor Heldane and attempted to kill Gaunt and seize the Standard Template Constructor. | Shot by Major Rawne beneath Menazoid Epsilon |
[edit] General Noches Sturm
Lord General Sturm was the commanding officer of Volpone Bluebloods, a famed regiment made up of aristocratic nobles. In a sense, Sturm acted as a nemesis of sort for Gaunt and his Ghosts, his orders often resulting in heavy casualties for them and being generally regarded by Gaunt as somewhat incompetent leader and symptomatic of the problems in the Imperial Guard command structure. On Voltemand, the artillery fire he had ordered killed nearly three hundred Ghosts on purpose, including sergeant Cluggan, who had been instrumental for victory during the battle.
On Verghast, as the enemy poured into Vervunhive and the situation seemed hopeless, he was caught for attempting to desert. Gaunt accepted his request of taking his own life instead of facing military execution and provided Sturm with a bolt pistol for the action, but instead of shooting himself, Sturm tried to shoot Gaunt, who promptly cut Sturm's hand off, after which he was taken away and Gaunt took command of the defense of Vervunhive.
Sturm was then sent to trial for his actions. A mindlock was placed on him by the Commissariat, to prevent Sturm from divulging any secrets until the time of the trial. However, the ship carrying him to trial was attacked by the forces of Chaos, and he was captured. As Chaos forces tried to return his memory to gain access to critical information about Sabbat Crusade, Gaunt followed him to Gereon, accompanied by some other Ghosts, in an attempt to assassinate the general before the mindlock could be cracked.
They were too late, however, and with his memory partially restored, Sturm allied himself with Chaos due to the humiliation he had faced thanks to Gaunt. As the Ghosts stormed his hiding place, the last critical pieces of his memory, the ones of what happened at certain moments at Vervunhive, were returned to him. Sturm once again faced Gaunt one on one and again asked for the right to commit suicide. Gaunt cautiously granted his request and finally regaining some of his honour, Sturm shot himself in the head.
[edit] Life-ward Desolane
Semi-deamonic creature bred from birth to guard senior officers and ordinals among the forces of the Anarch Anakwanar Sek. Abnormally tall, slim, sexless creature with reverse jointed legs and vestigial horns, it conceals its face at all time beneath an enclosing bronze mask. It wears a shimmering silver mail suit and a cloak that hangs about it like a pall of smoke, and appears to have no fastening.
In combat it is preternaturally fast and strong, inhumanly skilled in fighting with paired short blades known as Ketra blades. He kills two assassins attacking the pheguth, but this is described as "conveying nothing of the enormous violence involved". It defeats Gaunt and MkVenner in personal combat, survives three lethal toxin-laden quarells from Ezrah's reynbow and is eventually killed by a close range hotshot from Feygor using Larkins las.
Desolane is a lifelong servant of the Archenemy and a sworn enemy of man, despite this it appears an intelligent and sensitive creature, displaying a genuine rapport and fondness for its sworn charge, the traitor general Sturm, and savage grief when the man takes his own life.
[edit] Saggitair Slaith
Commander-in-chief of the Blood Pact forces on Phantine. Personally in charge of the city of Ouranberg, where his charisma improved the morale of the Chaos forces, turning the entire city into a formidable fortress. Operation Larisel was launched to assassinate him before Imperial Liberation troops took the city back, thereby reducing the risk of a catastrophe at the hands of Blood Pact, whose fanatical devotion for their leader would cause any victory to be hard-fought and bloody.
[edit] Uexhull
Chaos Space Marine stationed on Gereon to supervise the occupation of the planet and upkeep the security. Assigned to eliminate the team commanded by Gaunt himself to assassinate the traitor General Sturm once the sport was seemed worthy for his attention. Killed in the Untill by numerous inhabitants of the Nihtgane tribe that he and several other marines were slaughtering.
[edit] Lord General Lugo
General Lugo was the commander-in-chief of the Hagian campaign, where his incompetent command decisions led to the loss of the holy Citadel of the Doctrinopolis and almost the loss of the entire shrineworld. Disgraced, he faded into the wilderness of the general staff before rising once again when he discovered the reincarnated Saint Sabbat. However, he fled during the assault on Herodor and his status since is unknown
[edit] The Nine
Once it had become clear that Saint Sabbat was reborn on Herodor then the Chaos forces led by Magister Enok Innokenti quickly hurled an all out attack at the planet in the hope of killing or capturing the Saint. Along with the Chaos army came a different force, a group of assassins known as 'The Nine' by the psyker Agun Soric (see above): A marksman; three psykers; three lizards; a phantom; a death machine.
| Alias | True identity | Information | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| "The marksman" | Saul, master sniper of the Blood Pact | Was able to hear the Guard transmissions. Caused panic by killing a high-ranking Herodian PDF officer, Colonel Vibreson ("Drumroll"), accomplishing in moments what it would have taken entire armour brigades hours to achieve. Smallest body count of the Nine. | Almost completed his mission: Was killed at the last second by sniper Nessa Bourah. |
| "Three psykers" | Pater Sin and two child psykers, as well as Lijah Cuu after being imprinted | His mission was not to kill the Saint directly, but instead imprint and dominate someone close to her, who would then finish the job. Caused many Guard soldiers to kill each other. | Sin killed by Colm Corbec, in revenge for his capture on Hagia in Honour Guard. Children killed by MkVenner. Lijah Cuu (the one who was imprinted) killed by Hlaine Larkin |
| "Three lizards" | Three members of a lizard-race of Loxatl | Killed many Guard soldiers, including Ghost sergeant Mkendrick and his entire squad. Wounded and nearly killed Commissar Viktor Hark. | Killed by Viktor Hark, one by Elim Rawne and Jessi Banda, and the final one by Gol Kolea. |
| "The phantom" | Skarwael, a Dark Eldar Mandrake | Killed numerous Guard soldiers in extremely gory ways. | Hunted down and killed by Scout-sergeant Mkoll |
| "The death machine" | Karess, a Chaos Dreadnought with a Heavy bolter and plasma Gun | Advanced through the sewers, thus avoiding most of the war. Reached the Saint through the balneary pool. Managed a high body count, including Regiment Civitas Beati commander Marshal Timon Biagi and Colonel Kaldenbach of Lord General Lugo's life company, despite missing almost the entire conflict. | Boiled to death in the balneary pool, by the Ghost's flamers. The holes sliced by Gaunt's sword allowed the scalding hot water into his armored hull. |
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