Commissar Ciaphas Cain, respected hero of the Imperium (well, that’s what the propaganda would have you believe…), is still searching for a command that will allow him to steer clear of the action and serve his time in the Imperial Guard in safety. His latest mission takes him and his Valhallan regiment to the planet of Adumbria to defend against the approaching Chaos invasion. However, infighting with fellow Imperial Guard regiments and the uprising of a sinister cult on the planet puts paid to any hopes of an easy life.