Corporation Focus: Kotu

Kotu have long been affiliated with the immigrant Van Saar House, though this alliance goes far deeper than most realise. 

In 278.M34 Farport along with several other worlds in the Aleph Sector were invaded by an Ork WAAAGH! Led by the Warlord “Gitstabba”. Up until this time the responsibility of arming and equipping the Planetary Defence Force was subcontracted to the Magna corporation, who had a supply agreement with a local Forgeworld who’s name was lost to time. Magna, had repeatedly neglected this contract in favour of more lucrative pursuits and so the defences of the world of Farport was woefully unprepared for the attack. The Van Saar, had long maintained their own armed force, which centred around the city of “Homestead”, a city of Van Saar founding. The whole planet of Farport fell to the Ork invasion save for Homestead which held off against Ork Waagh for weeks having heavily fortified the city. The primary defence of the city fell to Ober Coerator Gretel Kotu, a renowned military strategist. The siege was lifted after 2 months when the Shining Blades Astartes Chapter made planetfall, breaking the siege.

WAAAGH! Gitstabba

In the aftermath of the defeated WAAAGH! Magna, Hayden, Veritas and what would become Hydra sought to cover the mess that Magna had created. If Magna’s own failings were highlighted in the defence of the world, the other Corporations inadequacies may be highlighted. In the months that followed, the Corporate council and the Imperial Governor pinned the blame of the unreadiness of the PDF on the unreliable immigrant Houses, particularly Van Saar and of course Cawdor. With Van Saar, the Corporations pointed to a obscure corporate by-law stating that non-corporate and imperial organisations were forbidden from keeping formal military and paramilitary personell. Magna argued that if the Van Saar had tithed troops to the PDF as was proper then the Ork invasion would never have succeeded. This threatened to destroy the Van Saar immigrant House, who in M34 did not have the power to face down the Corporations. The Van Saar sought to distance themselves from Gretel Kotu, blaming her for the military forces under her command. This caused a schism within the House that lead to the creation of the Kotu Corporation. 

Ober Coerator Gretel Kotu

Thousands of Van Saar soldiers, despite the orders of the House, sided with Kotu. What’s more, her actions had not gone unnoticed among the nobility of the Aleph sector. Niloufar Zedah, young noble of the bloodline Thornglaive, genevowed of the Teglaagh Satrapy came to Farport. Niloufar Zedah while having a rich bloodline was in need of political power as her rivals had sought to oust her from her birthright on her homeworld of Krell. While she had intended an alliance of financial means, Gretel Kotu had what none of Niloufar rivals had - a well equipped and battle-hardened army. While Gretel had been condemned by little known corporate by-laws, she would be saved by one of the most well known. Gretel and Niloufar marriage ennobled Gretel, and with that, allowed her the right of forming her own Corporation. The newly named “Kotu” Corporation immediately shipped out to Krell where it violently suppressed the burgeoning tribal uprising and assasinated Niloufar’s rivals. By the end of the Krell uprisings 15 years later, the Kotu Corporation had gone from thousands of Van Saar soldiers to over a million mercenary soldiers and paramilitary personnel operating within the sector, forming security detail for numerous dignitaries as well as performing wet work for both nobles and corporations. 

Kotu resettled on Farport and while they had chased her away the fickle corporations now welcomed Gretel and her Corporation back with open arms. For her part Gretel held little ill will towards her former House, knowing they did what they had to do, even forming trading agreements that have lasted till this day. However Gretel and subsequently the Kotu corporation never forgave Magna for their actions. A bloodfeud between the two Houses has lasted ever since, while Kotu cannot hope to defeat Magna’s economic might, Magna cannot counter Kotu in any conventional war.

Today, Kotu are one of the primary traders and suppliers of military personnel and equipment not tithed to Imperial purpose, operating in multiple forms. Kotu have been hired by multiple planetary agencies across the Sector. Rumour has it they are on good terms with several Inquisitors who wish to maintain a lower profile when resorting to military solutions. Whether this is true or not is not known.

One notable issue the Corporation has suffered was the creation of the Federacy which plunged them into economic recession that has lasted since. Many contracts were with the Federacy worlds and losing these contracts was devastating. The Corporation was in no way able to influence the outcome of the Chaos invasion, simply able to ensure the protection of its assets.