However he managed to climb to the rank of Lieutenant within a relative short time. This was due to the huge expansion of the Legion due to their participation in the Emperor's Great Crusade. It is also suspected that Thel may have used less honourable techniques to attain his rank.

At the time of the Horus Heresy, Thel was already under investigation by both the Legion and other Imperial agencies with respect to the sale of arms to rebels on Johtaar. As a result Thel was all too glad when Horus turned against the Emperor. After the death of Captain Bacchus in mysterious circumstances, Thel was promoted to Captain of the 17th Company. However the Company did very little fighting, though they appeared to have made a considerable profit in the smuggling of armaments, narcotics and other prohibited goods.

After the defeat of Horus, Thel took refuge in the Eye of Terror. However with many of the other traitor legions blaming the Lunar Wolves (by now renamed the Black Legion) for their defeat in the Heresy, the Eye of Terror was as inhospitable as the Imperium. As a result, Thel turned to piracy and attacks on marginal worlds in the Imperium. This includes the recent occupation of the Simian system. But Thel still takes the opportunity to participate in Black Crusades organised by Abaddon or other Chaos warlords.

+ + + File reference by: Denis Kosta, 0923999.M41 + + +

Octavius Thel was born into an aristocratic family on Kurschgon IX, an industrial world with a feudal governance system. It was here in the Kurschgan royal court that Octavius Thel learnt the art of manipulation and treachery.

Under traditional law, Thel had to serve in the Imperium as he was the second son. Thel chose to join the Lunar Wolves Space Marine Legion, as he had heard many tales of glory about this Legion.

Upon joining the Legion, Thel passed the Legion's trials of initiation and adapted well to the genetic transformations that give Space Marines their super human abilities. As a Marine though Thel appears not to have been a particularly exceptional warrior.