disdamn wrote:
The Astra Telepathica receives communication from a long lost sector. "Dear Terra, we can finally reach you after thousands of years of darkness and constant assault by the armies of chaos. But we're good. No corruption, we're fine, really. Trust us." The transmission is immediately marked with the highest secrecy. All astropaths that received the message and menials that handed the message up the command chain are immediately killed. Anyone they talked with after handling the message is also either immediately killed or mind wiped, and the message goes directly into the hands of the head of the Astra Telepathica. All communication with that sector is cut off except by a designated high level Astropath. That Astropath may or may not be killed and replaced after each communication with the sector. Anyone who violates the cut off is instantly killed.

The head of the Telepathica brings the message to the High Lords of Terra who meet to discuss. A small expeditionary fleet of the closest Adaptus Astartes (or Grey Knights) are dispatched headed by an Ordo Hereticus Inquistor, along with high ranking members of the Adaptus Ministratum, and Adaptus Mechanicus.

The first meeting is tense, but cordial between the Council and the members of the Imperium. The Astartes have a second meeting without the Inquisitor present, although the inquisition is secretly listening in on the meeting anyway. They have a separate meeting to discuss how the Astartes of the council survived and let them share tales or heroism. How this meeting goes depends largely on which Astartes Chapter the IoM sent but regardless the overall tone is warm, celebratory to welcome back brothers, but cautious. The Inquistor's mission is clear and understood by all. This is the biggest test the fledgling empire must pass. They know the reason inquisitors exist, and they know in the outside world the absolute power that they hold over entire sectors.
The Inquisitor begins with interviews of all members of the council while the Adaptus Ministratum begin pouring over the records of the Council. Things are tense, communications are short, and meetings are largely one-sided and semi-hostile.
Ultimately no taint is found. The fledgling empire has been forced to adapt as best as possible to keep the Emperor’s light bright and alive in the sector. The Inquisitor and Adaptus Astartes head back to terra but leave a contingent of Adaptus Ministorum and Mechanicus behind to begin the integration of the core parts of the sector back into the larger IoM. The Inquistion reports back to the High Lords that there is some small heresy do to their extreme circumstances, but the sector is rich in resources and technology. So long as they’re willing to conform there should be no need for purging the sector. The biggest concern to the Inquisition, and the High Lords of Terra is the large force of single Space Marine Chapter and the marginalization of the Adaptus Ministorum.

The High Lords order an immediate tithe of geneseed and send members of the Eccesiarch, and Mechanicum, and Minstratrum back to oversee the collection of the geneseed, the strengthening of the Church, and the breakup of the Council’s space marine force. The Council’s navy are also immediately ordered to tithe ships and crew to the greater IoM.

The Council must now make some tough decisions. For thousands of years they’ve wanted to get back to mankind, but now mankind is suddenly wanting to take their ships, their geneseed, and tell them that the Eccesiarch must be re-established. Their world is getting turned upside down and the forces that have defended them for so long are being weakened. The Council must decide do they bend to the will of the Imperium or do they tell the Imperium “You’re doing it wrong.”
One of two things will happen.

The Council submits and begins tithing its navy, its population, and its resources back to the IoM. The Ecclesiarch re-asserts its control and a generation of fanatics begins to sprout up causing religious riots and mini “cleansings” of the faithless. Slowly the Council’s power is reduced as members of the Ministratum from Earth are given political appointments to the easy to govern paradise worlds of the former Council. Their governance is lackluster and politically corrupt causing a slow slide into loss of tithes which result in the further oppression of the populace to make up for it. The Council Space Marines experience a purge from the Grey Knights, and break up into chapters with one chapter remaining in this sector and the foundings dispersed through the galaxy. They gain renown for their tenacity and ability to fight Chaos and Chaos Space Marines.

The Council resists. They happily hand over their plentiful money, and resources, but hold off on tithing their naval ships, defense forces and resist the breakup of the essential space marines which have so gallantly held back the tide of Chaos for thousands of years. The IoM is at first accepting and they try to negotiate a smaller tithe of the naval ships and defense forces. They are however insistent on the breakup of the Space Marines. The IoM and High Lords become worrisome at the lack of dedication to the IoM. While the tithes that are coming in are good. This sector is refusing to address their heresies and embrace the help of the outside world by sending their forces to where the IoM needs them. The Inquisition is again dispatched along with Space Wolves to enforce the will of Terra and the breakup of the Council’s defense forces. Tensions are high, but Terra is a force of nature not to be denied. A small skirmish breaks out in space that quickly escalates resulting in the loss of the Terrain fleet and Space Wolf ships.

The Council and the entire sector are declared Excommunicato Traitoris and Exterminatus is ordered. The entire sector must be purged. The Imperial Navy and all nearby Space Marine Chapters, the largest force of which are Space Wolves are ordered to assist. The Council and their Space Marines are compared to the Tyrant of Badab and the Badab War in scale of their heresy. All answer the call. The Council purge their planet of members of the IoM and prepare their defenses. The battles last for months with early success from the council’s superior technology. But, the IoM is a force of nature. Their numbers are infinite. Constant reinforcements arrive. More and more naval forces, entire Space Marine Chapters come to heed the call of support from their brethren already locked in the conflict. The greater numbers begin to take a toll. The first few border worlds are subjected to Exterminatus. The Council Navy and Space Marine forces begin to pull back to the core worlds exacting a heavy toll of the IoM as they retreat but the result is inevitable. There is no denying the will of the Imperium. The Council knows there is no surrender now. Exterminatus has been declared. Surrender means death for the trillions of its citizens. They become desperate allowing their psykers and Mechanicum greater, and greater leeway in order to find some way to turn the tide of battle, to get to parley with the IoM. Warp Incursions and possessions begin in some battles. Evidence of their corruption. A large group of powerful Council Psykers falsely believe they can call in and control a warp storm to destroy the IoM navy. Their foolish actions cause an eruption in the warp which does cause massive losses on the IoM forces, however they quickly loose control of the storm as it expands and becomes a reality bending tear that swallows the core worlds and most of the sector.

The IoM forces retreat and set up a permanent blockade surrounding the warp rift. The warp anomaly is designated Council’s Folly and their war of heresy ends.