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Hey everyone, I don't got much time to go online any more or really read the fiction section. Regardless I've been reading up on the Iron Warriors between things and felt them, and their Primarch was a missed opportunity. So I jotted down my own head cannon for them. I'll add more later but for now I want to take a gander around and see what I've been missing since my hiatus.

Side note, my niece and her chaps broke my computer a little while ago so I'm not sure when or if I'll add more.

The Buried Truth

Iron Warriors, siege warfare savants whom were second to none. Brought into light under their meticulous Primarch Perturabo, they were taught more than siege warfare. At their time of union with their primarch, the Iron Warriors were lead as another Astarte's without a primarch. Efficient though they were, upon their reunion Perturabo saw more. A demigod whom could calculate in a nigh precognitive degree knew exactly what his sons lacked.
While other primarchs, even Astarte's from other legions abhorred the butchery Perturabo forced onto his sons, have one-tenth of the legion beaten to death; his sons understood. The Great Crusade didn't need glory or honor, heroics and unwavering courage but to come to an end. He forced his sons to brutally murder the others to test their will to commit to their primarchs command and did so without pause. If one Astarte's killing another meant serving their higher purpose then so be it. The Iron Warriors would become the embodiment of their fathers will, be it soldiers or architects, his will was their purpose... Or it was.

The Horus Heresy stole something from the Iron Warriors that has yet to be replaced. Where planets fell quickly into compliance and whole systems bent the knee, they did so without gratitude or admiration. Ten thousand died in a span of weeks and did so for their father, their Primarch. From hell and back Perturabo's legion would follow and so they did and did so into Olympus, his home planet. Millions, tens of millions died in the opening days as the planet fell into anarchy. Some speculate Horus instigated these rebellions but no one could be sure. Perturabo's sons were soldiers not investigators, thus purged without a second thought.
It was here, where their Father's planet burned as bright as a newborn star that it began slipping away; their purpose. Where once they felt his silent gratitude for unquestioning loyalty, it faded with the last embers of Olympus. His sons had become nothing more a means to an end. Nikea saw the Emperor twists Perturabo great theater into a tool to bind his brother Magnus, and now his planet found itself reduced to ash. Truly, this galaxy held nothing.

Tormented inside he sought refuge fearing his father couldn't forgive his atrocities for Olympus and found a vague solidarity that Horus understood his actions; or so he claimed. Unfortunately his sons wouldn't find that. One grueling siege after another during this heresy bled them immensely. More Iron Warriors flooded their ranks and even more perished. Once fighting to honor the purpose their primarch have given them, they evidently fought because war was all they knew. His love for them faded with Olympus and without that, there was no purpose.
How was an Astarte's to respond to such blatant abandonment? They knew no sorrow, felt no heart ache; utterly void of such alien emotions. How would an Ultramarine react if Robute abandoned them? Perhaps with plea's and disgraceful begging but not the Iron Warriors. Their primarch who once taught them the true meaning of being an Astarte's at least gave them that. His sons would bleed until the last man. An Iron Warrior never broke, never faltered, that was there way.

The Tomb of Bolter and Blood

From across the far spanning galactic plane, an entity of realms beyond paid witness to Perturabo's misgivings- those of him and his sons. The unblinking eye stared even in his dreams, always present and always watching. What lurked inside did not speak or communicate but watched in solemn silence. Magnus, the only brother that might possibly understand had vanished with Prospero. He'd betrayed his father and those whom served beneath him knew nothing but violence. Nothing truly existed in his reality besides him and the mute watcher beyond. Well, not entirely.
Once rival and brother now arch-enemy, Perturabo sought out his brother Rogal Dorn to challenge him into a conquest of attrition. Without anything precious to grasp in this reality, he clung and nurtured the bitter intentions for his brother. With The Scouring well underway and former traitors being erased entirely, he would use their past grievances for a final gambit. The legion under Rogal Dorn would come seeking vengeance, to spill his blood and those of his tools. An inevitability he foresaw and made meticulous preparations for. What later became known as 'The Iron Cage' was intended to become his own tomb. A fortress that embodied all he'd formally accomplished; a true theater of war. His former ally and brother came intent on dragging Perturabo back but faced dire consequences in doing so. He would not fade as the others nor beg for forgiveness. The fortress that overshadows Dorn and his sons would take everything and anything it could from the Imperium that long since abandoned him... The one he betrayed. Only his bitterness remained in tact.

Imperial Fists charged with their mighty war machines intent on besieging and ultimately toppling the mighty bastion. Few anticipated the bloody trials that followed. The Iron Warriors wouldn't allow this to be their fathers tomb and fought as if possessed themselves. Stories tell that during this conflict Iron Warriors bludgeoned Imperial Fists to death with their own dismembered limbs. Astarte's of the Iron Warriors took it upon themselves to see their fathers last act would be his finest. Their driving passion took both the Imperial Fists and reinforcing Ultramarines by storm.
However hard fought those victories were it was for naught. In an attempt to save their father, to pry him from this self imposed tomb, the unseen watcher beyond finally beckoned for him. Seemingly abandoned by all, Perturabo answered without hesitation. Though he loathed Chaos, his hate for this universe far surpassed that. It was here his sons whom fought with unseen dedication saw their father fall further then thought possible. The gods beyond reached out and took him, offering him salvation from this treacherous universe. While they themselves knew the parrals of the realm beyond but couldn't abandon their father. He hadn't even ordered them to follow but did so, taking what little remained of their broken legion into the Eye of Terror.

A World Built on Madness

It reads as maybe a more tragic take on the Iron warriors. Or at least a more charitable one.
Less, they were brutal and intractable and more they had nothing else, they just had to cash in every last chip.

Isn't that the majority of the Horus Heresy in a nutshell? It's one big soap opera, so to speak.

Think about the Primarchs and who they were to their legion. When Sanguinius fell to Horus his legion caught the Red Rage. Ten thousand years into the future the Space Wolves still cry 'For Russ' and the Emperor's Children pined to be a the master piece their Primarch embodied... Or so I've read. A primarch has left lasting impressions on their legion in one way or another. So, where the Iron Warriors are my favorite I wanted to add a touch more beyond the mustache curling villain they're usually represented as.

Sorry for the rambling there. Oh, and my friend and Sister read Eldar Recital and wanted me to tell you they liked it.

Oh very good.. I thought the end (3 epilogues) was maybe a push too far but then I just wanted to give the rest of the gang an epic send off. Thanks for sharing it, its funny how you never know who you'll reach.

You're right about primarchs. Its maybe another aspect of the Astartes arrested development. The more you see them as angry children the more sense it all makes.
Some of the primarchs themselves are portrayed that way too. Its all very angsty at times.

My sister knew a bit about the Imperium but diddly squat about the Eldar or other races. I figured your story would be a good introduction for the species and call her a fan. My boss at work is slowly reading it, as well. Me... I'm actually just getting onto Part 20. It's a split shift today, the library is ten minutes from work, so I figured I spend my free couple of hours reading.

I'm taking a lesson out of your book and sitting on what I have for a week before I add anymore. Angsty is nice but I'm frankly quite happy with what I have so far and would rather tread carefully with future installments... So I'd rather avoid going full angst and re-read their history a few more times.