Once a united Legion, the disparate splinters of the Emperor's Children now eke out a violent, hedonistic existence between the stars, raiding and ravaging worlds to indulge their fathomless appetites.

Xantine, proud leader of the Adored and a true son of Fulgrim, wants more than simply pillaging backwater worlds. He soon finds what he has been searching for - Serrine, a wealthy but cruel planet festering under misrule and inequality, cut off from the Imperium by warp storms. It is too tantalising a prize to ignore, and Xantine sets out to bring perfection to his new world.

But perfection is an elusive concept, and as threats creep from the depths of Serrine and the ranks of the Adored, the rot at the heart of Xantine's perfect rule is laid bare...