Archived: Dusk and Dawn

Dawn and Dusk were the mighty Power Swords wielded by the Primarch Lotan Pyndreic and First Captain Molosan Trein respectively during the Great Crusade and Great Sundering eras of the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. They were forged from the remains of the mighty sword Caliburnus, of unknown origin, which had been successfully claimed by Lotan in recognition of his right to rule the Twelve Realms. Caliburnus was later destroyed during Lotan's duel with the Emperor, though with his help he would reforge two new blades from the shattered sword.

Lotan would later gift the blade Dusk to his closest friend and First Captain of the Knights Azure, Molosan Trein. They would both see action until the fateful Battle of Valinkesh when Molosan Trein betrayed his Primarch in the name of Chaos and grievously wounded him. His attempts to have Lotan possessed by Daemons only partially worked, and unintentionally split the resisting Primarch's spirit into three, one of which possessed his sword, Dawn, and flung it into the warp.

The Archtraitor, rechristened Molos, would take Dusk with him to Terra, where during his fight with Uriel and Cleophus Crios it was ultimately shattered by the latter. The remnants of the weapon were left behind as Molos discarded it in favour of his new weapon, Pluton Dirae's Cerberus. These remnants are now housed in the Imperial Palace on Terra.

Dawn still exists, though it appears only randomly at a time when a true son of the Imperium is in desperate need. Those strong enough to wield it are blessed with enhanced speed and power, and the guidance of a Primarch, but for as long as they do they are haunted by visions of betrayal and death, and the temptations of the Daemons which besiege the Lord of Carlion. Few are able to wield it for very long, casting it back into the warp once their need for it is over.