Hastaxii Praetorians

Though the Covenants of Astyri are predominantly split into rival legacies, each specialising in their own manner of war with their own warriors and war machines, led by their overlords into battle, the Hastaxii clans are a breed apart. Commonly functioning as guardians for Overlords, the Hastaxii Praetorians are emissaries of Kolym Hysta, the mysterious entity under whose direction the Covenants of Astyri have conquered and made war upon the world, and so are beyond the command of the Overlords. For all their protection, however, it is rumoured from reconnaissance of their previous actions that they are also executors of the will of Kolym Hysta, and executioners at his word, should any Overlord begin to step outside their boundaries. Though rarely, Covenant Overlords have been known to be cut down by Hastaxii, presumably as a reflection of the disappointment of their distant but omnipresent master.

Beyond their duties as guardians and watchers, the Hastaxii Praetorians are also heavily and varyingly equipped for war. Some bear close-combat weapons, such as colossal gauntlets, axes and mauls, others with cannons and drills in their toes to root them to the ground and commit fierce fusillades into enemies with great accuracy. With whatever weapons, even one Hastaxii is a force to behold, standing twice the height of any human warrior, decked in layers of armour and gifted with a particularly furious temperament; more often than not, however, Hastaxii are found in squads - a unit of heavily armed, heavily armoured, and utterly inexorable avatars of annihilation.