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I, twopounder, of the Obsidian Angels take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge The First and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor curse me if I fail. Chapter Names: Order of Obsidian, Obsidian Angels Home world: Serran Founding: NA/Unofficial Legion: Dark Angels Colors: Obsidian, Gold, Granite From the Ashes After the destruction of their home world Caliban, the surviving marines of the first legion had multiple catastrophes to handle. Their planet and recruiting world was gone, their gene-father was missing, half their number were traitor, dead or missing and the flames of heresy still consumed the galaxy. While commanders were preparing the remains of the legion to secrecy about the events of Caliban and summoning resources to fight in The Scourging, a small few chapter masters and the forge lords gathered to discuss a matter of secrecy equal to Luther's betrayal. When the Dark Angels first departed Terra to pave the way for the Emperor's Great Crusade, they were secreted weapons forbidden to the rest of humanity. So dangerous were these devices that none of the Emperor's sons were ever trusted to know of their existence. This arsenal increased yet further when Jonson took command of the legion and their vaults stretched across the galaxy. The gravity of the censure from possessing these weapons would be severe and the consequences of the weapons being turned upon loyal forces, dire. While plans were being made to track down the traitors of the legion, Chapter Master Callan Gehl met with Forge Masters Lukha Verenz and Therrus Fell about this concern. This would come to be known as the Tripacta Sovereignty Council and set into place the framework for the future of collaboration between the First Legion and what would become its successor chapters. Though the Codex Astartes had not yet been declared by Guilliman, nine-hundred and fifty seven warriors with knowledge of the Dark Angel's forbidden weapons were assembled into a self-sufficient force tasked with three protocols to adhere for chapter operations: 1) Retrieve all weapons and wargear owned, branded or claimed by the First Legion prior to the betrayal at Caliban. 2) Destroy any incriminating evidence that cannot be secured 3) Pursue anyone that possesses this forbidden technology The legion officially declared this chapter XVII, The Order of Obsidian and provided them with most of the forbidden technology that remained in the Tower of Angels. There was concern already of an investigation into the debris field of Caliban, and the Dark Angels were not willing to risk additional incrimination for their artefacts. Master Ortoro Sebastian was promoted to the rank of Grand Master and commissioned as the first to lead the chapter into its crusade for the lost relics. While the bulk of the legion prepared for the long war against the forces of the dead warmaster, the Order of Obsidian departed in a separate fleet to their first target. Aside from caches known to the legion masters, several additional sites listed in Jonson's personal logs. The planet Serran was visited by Jonson and was noted to have a technology vault suitable to sustain a significant force. Discovery of Serran Three months after their departure from Caliban the Order of Obsidian made orbit above Serran. Its surface was hidden by thick amber clouds and it had two moons in opposing orbits. Hails to the surface went unanswered, but scans detected a high output energy source on the surface. The marines landed an expeditionary force, keeping reserves ready in expectation of an ambush. However, what they discovered instead was a facility from the dark age of technology. Thousands upon thousands of stasis chambers lined the well fortified interior. Whatever treasures or horrors the stasis chambers held were long gone, but the facility itself was operational. The cogitators were arcane and would not easily yield answers. After some deliberation, Ortoro decided to make Serran their base of operations and tasked the forge masters with setting up listening posts on the moons and to expand the facility to quarter the legion and support its operations. This would eventually come to be known as the Obsidian Enclave and was reinforced during the millennia the followed the Horus Heresy. The Order of the Obsidian set to its duties in tracking down and recovering the legion's lost artefacts. Though many caches had been plundered or destroyed, some were yet forgotten. Those local inhabitants that had robbed the vaults in the chaos of the heresy were hunted down and mercilessly executed. That which was safe was transitioned to the Dark Angels chapter and anything too esoteric was locked within the stasis vaults. Their Mission Expands Though the order was initially created for the recovery of artefacts belonging to the First Legion, many searches ended in forgotten battlefields or desolate cruiser hulls of other legions. Once again, there was debate about what to do with these items. Many wanted to leave the battlefields as untouched as possible as a type of mausoleum. Others felt that it may be too dangerous to disturb old battlefields that could be mined or worse. However, it was chaplain Tyrius of the fourth company that suggested returning the relics and bodies of fallen warriors to their chapters. Though time, nature and the elements had savaged both machine and remains, there was usually enough left to determine the progenitor. It was then decided that an honor guard would be formed of the first company that would reunite the lost astartes and their possessions to the loyalist chapters they belonged and destroy the last of the traitors. Within a few hundred years, The Order of Obsidian had returned hundreds of chapter relics and thousands of astartes to their rightful legion home worlds. This ceremony became so frequent that the honor guard was rotated through the veterans of the first five companies to make certain that no marine would be without combat for too long. Each marine assigned to this duty had a shoulder pad cased in bronze. Mysterious Founding Because the Order of Obsidian was not a true founding authorized by the high lords of terra, they continued operating as pre-heresy Dark Angels chapter, retaining the original colors and chapter regalia. As the millennia passed, they decided to adopt another moniker to mask their true origin. The Obsidian Angels were borne with black armor, light gold trim and granite bolters. Its unknown exactly when the name and colors were changed, but by the 41st millenium, no knowledge or banners of the Order of Obsidian remained outside the reclusium of the first company. There, the original founding orders of the Tripacta Sovereignty Council is still emblazoned on the wall. They have no official chapter marking, but retain the ancient Dark Angel devices from ancient Caliban, along with robes of all the Unforgiven. Current Operations Cooperation between the Obsidian Angels and Dark Angels never ceased, though the discovery of ancient relics is extremely rare. The experience and tactics refined over a millennia of recovery operations has made them experts of extraction and esoteric technology. Though they are grim and taciturn as other chapters of the Unforgiven, their willingness to return treasured wargear to other chapters has provided them with diplomatic options that would be otherwise unavailable. Many of these relics have been recovered at a great cost to the Obsidian Angels and their names are inscribed into the granite containers hand cut for them. So great has their knowledge of pre-heresy equipment that much of the weapons and armor can be restored to at least partial functionality. Primaris exist in their ranks, but it is unknown how they received the gene technology and training to produce them. It may have been the Dark Angels that transmitted this information to them, but none outside the two chapters could know. Due to the need for extensive technical knowledge and constant maintenance, there are a large number of tech marines within the ranks of the Obsidian Angels and they retain a rank within their inner circle for Masters of the Forge. Serran The planet of Serran was highly developed during the Dark Age of Technology, though most of it now lies in ruins. What happened to the population is unknown to the Obsidian Angels, even after millenia of research. It is clear that they had knowledge that rivaled the very apex of human achievement. Many believe that they were victims of the Long Night, perhaps destroying themselves or falling victim to an alien attack. Whatever the cause, the planet is now heavily militarized and has only enough population to support an entrenched planetary defense force and their astartes governors. Recruiting is done at several nearby death worlds. However, the truth of Serran's demise is dark and foreboding. Deep within the rocks, below the depth that scanners and mining dredges can reach, lies a dormant Necron Tomb. Its technology stolen through a once-open channel during the Dark Age of Technology and used to create the energy plant and stasis chambers in what would become the Obsidian Enclave. Whether these xenos awoke and took revenge on the population is cloaked in thousands of years of erosion.

So, as the title states, this will be my third return to the hobby. Original time was back in the early 2000's, I had a Space Wolves army that I had painted a pale green, don't ask 12-year old me why. I quickly moved on to a Black Legion Army that included some Rhino Rush Berserkers, the then-new Defiler, and a metal Daemon Prince (you know the one). This must have been 3e-4.5. This phase culminated with a trip to the Atlanta Games Day where I submitted my old metal Typhus model. At this time, I was pretty into the Space Wolf books and also Storm of Iron. As for models, I was pretty into Codex: Eye of Terror, and especially the Grey Slayer models, but this was when I think high school started to really pick up for me. None of the models from this era survived. Fast forward to about 10 years ago, got back into it and picked up some models again and got back to work, converting some vaguely renegade Marines using the Chaos Warrior gloved arms and axes. Not sure what my plan was, and I fell off the wagon again. I think I first got into the HH books here. Second return- Still got a few of those models, and went back through them when I moved. Got some more, this would have been right around the time of the plastic HH boxes coming out. I started working on some fluff and got a ton of bits and did some assembly, but I was mostly working background via the Iron Gauntlet challenge in the Liber forums. You can find some of that fluff here and here. But with Primaris coming out, I felt pretty overwhelmed and kind of worn out, and for whatever reason, I fell out of it again. Finally, this time, I’m ready to finish the Violent Gods, including an update to the fluff that fixes some typos and situates them firmly in the space of the Dark Imperium now that Guilliman is back. My plan is still to run them as Space Wolves, albeit without some of the Wolfier choices in the Codex. Anyway, here’s some models. Counts as GH. Leadbelcher, Nuln Oil, then Agrax. They all need a highlight, and I think the Marine on the right needs some Nuln Oil. The one in the middle was mostly finished as a test, but I’ve since redone his armor to match the one on his left, built when you could load out GH squads with bg, bp, AND chainswords. Oh well. More GH. Same armor layers applied. GH Plasma Specialists. Champion/WG/Lieutenant on the left (needs more bits!), GH on the right. WGPL, WGPL- possibly for Long Fangs, GHPL. Counts as Long Fangs, including a possible RG defector, perhaps you can guess which one (!). I think two more lascannons ought to fill this squad out. I’ve got some Blood Claws, a few characters, and some Rhino’s hopefully up next. Thoughts about the dirty metal armor? I think it needs a highlight, but not sure which color to use. I was hoping that jumping right to Runefang or Stormhost Silver won’t be too stark. Thanks for looking! Edit: thought my old thread was archived, but it is not, and it is in my signature.

THE ARGENT FORGE " We are all the sum of our actions, young one. Every act, every deed we perform in this wretched existence defines whom we are, how we are remembered, what legacy we leave behind. None of us escape this pitiful mortal coil alive, initiate. It is up to us to define who we are and when the time comes for us to pay our final dues and leave behind our mark it falls to us if our story will be a glorious chapter of Man-kinds history or an oft forgotten foot note that merely highlights the folly of Men," Brother Kristoff Argent - (Former) Master of Sanctity, Star Leopards Astartes Chapter now assigned to the Legio Bolter and Chainsword The Preamble So its that time again. Time for Brother Argent to start another hobby butterfly log. I've tried this a few times and always failed for various reasons. My most recent attempt, when I meant to tackle the Imperium, didn't necessarily fail as falter. Whilst I kept up with the models my intent to deliver fluff for each issue made my get bogged down on posting and I stopped updating entirely. That's not to say I am giving up on that log, I just feel with the amount I flutter around between armies I think perhaps a central spot to share everything would be warranted. And so here I go again, launching a log that, if I am honest, updates will be sporadic and the quality somewhat lacking but I will give it a red hot try. End of Year Goals So, with the end of the year fast approaching I intend on completing a Path of Penance as I have done in the past. With multiple painting challenges failed in the later half of the year, either due to poor time management, mental health or other commitments, I have quite the list of models I had hoped to complete by years end. Whilst this is a huge undertaking and likely impossible given past records the following is the list of what I hope to achieve and the challenge they relate too: 12 Months of Hobby: 1x Seraphim Superior 1x Sister Superior 1x Sister with Simalcrum Imperialis 2x Battle Sisters 2x Repentia 1x Arcoflagellant 1x Repentia Superior 1x Penitent Engine 1x Chaplain 5x Intercessors 1x Redemptor 1x Repulsor 1x Repulsor Executioner Call to Arms: 1x Screamer Killer 1x Psycophage 3x Neurotyrant and accompanying Neurolids 12x Neurogaunts 10x Termagaunts 1x Warpsmith 1x Maulerfiend. Imperium Subscription 2x Ruins 1x Triarch Stalker 3x Battle Sisters 1x Repentia 1x Arcoflagellant 2x Seraphim Thermic Plasma Conduits Other Non Challenge related stuff: 1x AoS Steelhelm minature of the month (also know as Dame Not Appearing in this Log) So, as you can all see, one hell of a lot and likely impossible, but I am going to give it a red hot go. I have colour coded them in terms of priority. Red being highest priority, then orange, yellow and finally green. With any luck I can get this stuff done. I also have some bits and pieces I want to rework from the Call to Arms. If that happens this year or not is to be decided... A Taste of What is to come... So, finally, a blog isn't a WIP blog without some images. So, whilst these models have been seen before, here is a few images to show the schemes that I am goijng towards a a few lines about each army: Adeptus Astartes: The Interdictors Forged from the geneseed of the Ultramarines the Interdictors mostly embraced the gift of the Rubicon Primaris. Known for their tenacity and brutal uncompromising nature they strike in hard and fast, launching assault from drop pod, Thunderhawk and armoured vehicle, cutting off enemy supply routes and digging in at surrounded strongholds. The Interdictors I paint for now are mostly around what is coming with the Imperium magazine as well as my Plodding Along Vow for the Twelve Months of Hobby and will be, for the most part, centered around the 3rd Company. Adepta Sororitas: The Order of the Martyr Redeemed Formally known as the Order of the Penitent Martyr the Order of the Martyr Redeemed has been known to attract the penitent and those seeking redemption. Seen as far more compassionate then many similar orders they are a shining beacon in the hopelessness of the 41st Millennium. It is perhaps because of this, or possible in spite of, the order has a large compliment of Repentia as well as often accompanied by many arcoflagellants. Again the Sisters will be mostly done from the contents of Imperium, at least until later when I shall attempt to get another sister squad completed and, if I win the lottery, more Repentia and arcoflagelants. Tyranids: Hive Fleet Koios A splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Titan cast adrift from the warp storms of the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum Hive Fleet Koios are possessed of the same hyper intelligent nature of Titan with perhaps less of the propensity for close quarters fighting. Their shadow has only just started to spread, with first contact noted about the same time as the resurgence of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Just how much of a threat this new splinter will be has yet to be seen. Koios (The Titan of intelligence and known as one of the conspirators in the betrayal of Uranus) will be to begin with the rest of the contents of Leviathan and then, in the new year, will move onto a lot of my older models including an old pewter Hive Tyrant and hormagaunts still in plastic wrap from 2009. Necrontyr: The Almwat Dynasty A recently awakened Dynasty the Almwat have woken to find their Dynasty and its worlds shattered and scattered. The Sons of the Phaeron are moving to reunite their broken forces. Should they succeed they will have a force that, with eldritch energies and ancient malice, will no doubt challenge any and all whom face it. My Necrons are a rebuild of my early force back from when the army first started being an army and you had a whole about ten units across the whole codex. They will be mostly built from the Imperium contents with only the yet to arrive Triarch Stalker for this year. Next year there will be a fair bit more but for now they are mostly resting. Adeptus Mechanicus: Forge World Milivia Secondus Milivia Primus was a forgeworld cursed from the days of the Heresy, its ancient machinery infected with a dreaded techno-virus known as the Scrap-Code Malaise. Despite this they continued to survive with the aid of the Iron Heralds Space Marine Chapter. Following the birth of the Great Rift as well as the predations of Hive Fleet Titan upon the world the Mechanicus decided to purge the world, salvaging what machinery they could and relocating them to the next world in the system, Milivia Secondus. Secondus was, much to the Imperium and Mechanicus' chagrin, discovered to be a sleeping Tomb World of the Almwat Dynasty. The awakened Necrontyr quickly drove the Mechanicus forces back. Rather then fight to the last the forge worlds forces instead returned to their ships, where much of the surviving machinery from Primus remained. Knowing they would face censure for their failures the fleet left, becoming a mobile forge World in essence and set out to try to rebuild and find what arceotech they could so one day they could gain retribution on the Necrons as well as the Mechanicum they feel betrayed them by destroying their world. My Admech will be silent for now. I've painted the Imperium detachment and likely wont revisit them till late next year. But they will appear in here so figured they needed a brief. So it Begins... So without further adieu I should get into it. I have been working on my Sisters as well as starting to assemble the marines for my plodding along. With any luck I will get some new models up shortly. Those whom follow the 12MoH will see most of this stuff as well but hopefully I will get more details and my processes in this thread. And with any luck I shall get regular updates. Wish me luck... EDIT: Well just secured myself some more time. Just tested positive to the ol 'Rona... again...

After a ton of Guardians as test models, I think I have the general color scheme I'm going with for Craftworld Aiam-Varr. The bone colored stuff is just Agrax over white and it is kind of splotchy in places but it looks better than anything else I tried, so I'm hoping I'll keep getting more consistent results as I do more models. I haven't decided how to do my Aspect Warriors yet, but I have some ideas. This is my second attempt at using bone as the primary color of an army but previously I was trying to just do as little work as possible so the whole project was purely contrast and didn't turn out great. Now I'm trying to push myself and take my time more. The test Guardian I settled on. Troops would probably all have about this level of highlighting but characters get more. Cloth is purple, armor is bone, head and shoulders are blue (inspired by Crimson Fists). I am pretty happy with it overall, I painted probably a dozen different schemes and this one I kept coming back to. The quality of highlights is bad but I was using a really old gw brush that I probably should just throw out, so I think I can do better. I've been afraid to break out my nice brushes I've accumulated over the years but I'm trying to convince myself to use them now. Once I settled on that I went through and primed a bunch of stuff I had and started working on it. I ended up using this Warlock as another test model since that Guardian scheme didn't really translate well to a model covered in robes so I just kind of decided on a whim what to paint each color and I think it turned out better than it ought to have. I'm not thrilled with how I did the highlight on the edge of the blue robes but since I wanted the inside of the robe a different color I wasn't sure how to highlight it Next time it will be a thinner highlight, but it's alright for now. I'm not a huge fan of the color balance on the base but the molded detail didn't give me much room to work with it. Most bases will be mostly pink but I have some blue grass tufts to go with it. The army has been cut off from the Craftworld so they're fighting on a crone world to try to find forgotten Webway portals in the hopes of getting home, so I figured a more alien base design would be fitting. I have some Dark Eldar that have mostly the same bases, just the rocks are different colors. This is Ganelien, the Fated Blade. Emboldened by how much I liked that Warlock, I started on a Wave Serpent. That was probably a mistake. I don't think I was ready for trying to paint so many big flat panels with Agrax or all the highlighting on it, but it turned out alright so far. I started out just putting blue on the panels with the worst results from the Agrax and then added a bunch more to get the color balance I wanted. I don't know yet what I'm doing with the cockpit. This was an ebay rescue so it didn't have a pilot, so I had to paint over the glass. I'm thinking either silver trim with purple glass (since there's no cloth to be purple on the model) or the same pink as the Warlock's spirit stone and gems. I might do the base before I decide on that since it will be pink, might help me decide if I want more of that or purple instead. This is very much a WIP still, I'm deciding as I go what is what. More to come

January 2024: Thanks for visiting! 2024 updates start on page 20. What you'll find before you is my one and only thread collecting my works in progress in chronicling the travails and travels of my Adeptus Astartes Chapter, the Sentinels. Unfortunately some of my older photos have been lost to the ravages of time and Photobucket, so if you're a new visitor to my pile of shame... Welcome! Feel free to skip to the last page for my most recent stuff, and then backtrack as far as you care to from there! Trust me, it's easier...

I haven't had much time for hobby lately, and I spent most of that time building. But I did get some time to work on my Swarmlord (which I may be using as a Hive Tyrant on foot, but the Swarmlord looks cooler so I went for that). Side note - the new Hormagaunts are SO MUCH BETTER than the old ones. I remember spending more time cleaning mold lines than everything else combined when I built them back in 4th/5th. I also have (I think) a handle on how I want to go about the background for my fleet, but I need to work on that more. So, here's my Swarmlord. The gray I haven't started on (obviously) but the red and bone are looking good. I have tried to use bone in at least 5 armies before now, using a variety of techniques, and never got it to look quite right, so I am very happy to finally be getting smooth, consistent results with it. My process so far is to do the red first and just be sloppy with it. Its 3:1 Flesh Tearers Red with Contrast Medium, I mixed up a huge pot so I don't have to mix it on every model and get it wrong sometimes. Then I fix the white everywhere I messed up, which is probably the hardest step because it's slow and tedious and doesn't actually make the model look more done, but I'm starting to enjoy it more and more as I get the hang of it. Then the bone parts (mixed up a huge batch of that too, 1:1 Skeleton Horde to medium) and then the gray, which is 2:1 Basilicanum Gray and Medium but painted over with ProAcryl bright neutral gray. I am considering adding some edge highlights, which I am historically not good at, but we will see. Hopefully I can finish the gray here Friday and maybe do the head at the same time.

Index Astartes: Heralds of Light The Heralds of Light are steadfast defenders and servants of the Imperium. As members of the Astartes Praeses, they were created with the express purpose of guarding the regions surrounding the Eye of Terror, and have taken their task to heart. Where other Chapters are free to seek fame and glory, these unsung heroes have stood valiantly against the darkness since the thirty-second millennium. Even now with the galaxy split in half and their homeworld in ruins, the Chapter keeps fighting and refuse to abandon hope. Origins 'Let us light the way, Brothers!' – First Chapter Master, Alcaeus Rex On the first day of the thirty-second millennium, the historical 3rd founding was initiated. Completely new Chapters were created from the genetic material of the old Legions, bolstering the numbers of the overexerted Adeptus Astartes. Spurred by Abaddon the Despoiler’s first Black Crusade, several of these Chapters were drafted into the Astartes Praeses, tasked with reinforcing Imperial forces in the troubled Segmentum Obscurus and protecting the Imperium from further invasions from the Eye of Terror. One such Chapter was made from the gene-seed of Rogal Dorn's Imperial Fists, chosen for his Legion's unflinching bravery during the defense of Terra. They were named the Heralds of Light and would bring the Emperor's radiance to the darkest corner of the galaxy. Gifted with a mighty Battle Barge, the Undying Light, a cadre of Imperial Fists veterans lead the new Chapter towards Segmentum Obscurus on a glorious crusade of reclamation. After nearly two centuries, their initial campaign came to an end with the First Defense of Lucerna. The battle saw the entire Chapter deployed on and above Lucerna, a planet cut off from the Imperium during the Horus Heresy, now occupied by a large warband of Word Bearers. Although the losses were grievous, the Heralds were victorious and recognized as saviors by the Lucernan people. The Lucernan had been defiant in the face of Chaos and fought bravely, despite their inferior training and equipment. Impressed, the Heralds took Lucerna under their protection and claimed it as the Chapter’s new homeworld. Since that time the Heralds have made their name in the fight against Chaos, fulfilling their duties as guardians to such a degree that they have teetered on the brink of destruction many times. During the Age of Apostasy, the Heralds were nearly wiped out fighting the traitor hordes taking advantage of the internal power struggle. The Chapter was spread thin during the Gothic War trying to contain the invading forces, hunting down bands of Raiders who managed to slip through the Cadian Gate. For nearly nine millennia the Heralds of Light have stood their ground, and Lucerna has been a bulwark in the defense of the Imperium. Unyielding as a lighthouse; a symbol of humanity in a dark tempest. Yet when the Thirteenth Black Crusade poured out from the Eye of Terror, the Herald’s resolve was not enough to save their homeworld. Homeworld “This world shines with the light that guides us.” – First Chapter Master, Alcaeus Rex. Lucerna is located in Segmentum Obscurus in the galactic north, south of the Eye of Terror in the Turbatus sub-sector. A beautiful terrestrial planet covered in wide oceans, deep forests and high mountains, similar to Holy Terra of ages long gone, Lucerna stood in stark contrast to much of its surrounding systems. To the Heralds, Lucerna was the very symbol of everything the Emperor fought for and made it their sacred duty to forever protect the world. Settled during the Great Crusade, this prosperous civilized world became a testament of the Emperor’s vision for the human empire. Due to its isolation during the Heresy, Lucerna was unscathed by the fires of war, and remained a tranquil world until it was rediscovered. Even in times of conflict between the various Lucernan states, the people raised great leaders, able to unite the whole population and uphold the harmony. The great Lucernan library, cherished by both the people and their Astartes protectors, contained art, relics and documents from the times before the Heresy, ensuring that knowledge of the Imperium survived. Lucerna never forgot about the Emperor, and in time the people came to believe that He would one day return. Fully aware of the Astartes presence on their world, the Lucernan populace looked towards their guardians with great reverence. To have a member of the family join the Chapter’s ranks was an immense honor. The Heralds rarely involved themselves with matters of planetary rule, preferring to serve, only intervening if requested to or when it was absolutely necessary. After rejoining the Imperium, the planet became the primary source of recruits for the Chapter and the Lucernan Planetary Defense Force evolved into a formidable military organisation. The PDF has fought side by side with the Heralds on many occasions, even off-world when necessary, defending the Lucernan system and beyond. No matter how capable the Lucernan PDF was, it would not be enough. As the Thirteenth Black Crusade laid waste to the Segmentum, the Heralds divided their forces over several battlefronts. In the turmoil that followed the opening of the Great Rift, Lucerna was cut off from the bulk of the Herald’s strength. Contact was lost and only a handful of Astartes remained on the planet. The Heralds themselves never learned the exact details of what happened, but when they finally returned to Lucerna, the planet was overrun by Chaos forces and warp storms threatened to consume the system. Although bled dry from the Black Crusade, what remained of the Heralds of Light charged into the fray in a desperate attempt to save their people. They managed to temporarily secure their Fortress-Monastery, evacuating as many as they could from all over the planet while turning ancient cities to dust with orbital bombardment to keep the enemy at bay. Stubborn as they were, even the Heralds realized that staying would mean their doom. And so they left Lucerna, their home for millennia, barely escaping with less than three companies’ worth of Astartes, spread among the battered remains of their fleet. The Watchtower, the now ruined Fortress-Monastery of the Heralds, sits dark and silent surrounded by ice and rock near the northern pole. Built in the architectural style of Rogal Dorn, undeniably inspired by the defenses of Terra, the Fortress-Monastery was an impressive sight. The outer layers consisted mainly of massive walls and defense mechanisms, while most of the Chapter facilities were below the surface, as an added protection against orbital bombardment. But in the center, on the highest point of the Watchtower, a great fire burned for millennia, kept alive by a constant stream of a natural gas that produced a bright blue flame. Reflected by the ice of the surrounding tundra, melding with northern lights, the Fortress bathed in an ethereal aura. Known as the Flame of the Emperor, this fire was of great symbolic importance to the Heralds, representing the light of Mankind in the darkness of space. Though the great fire atop the Watchtower has gone out, a remnant of this flame still burns in the inner chambers of the Undying Light, fueled by a dwindling supply of gas from their lost homeworld. Organisation “They will be remembered! They will be avenged!” – Current Chapter Master, Marcus Savvor. Following the fall of Lucerna, the Heralds of Light became a fleet-based Chapter. The Undying Light, the ancient flagship of their fleet, once again serves as the Chapter’s home. This venerable Battle Barge bears the scars of countless battles and is one of their most valued assets. Of the rest of their once impressive fleet only four Strike Cruisers survived and a handful of support vessels. Aside from the few artifacts they managed to secure during their escape, many priceless relics of the Chapter's long and glorious history were also lost. The Chapter might have been disbanded at any other point in history had it not been for the arrival of a Torchbearer task force from the Imdomitus Crusade, carrying Primaris Astartes and technology. The Heralds embraced the reinforcements as what it was called – the “Primarch’s Gift”. When presented with the opportunity to cross the Rubicon Primaris, all who could did, seeing it as the final test to prove themselves worthy to continue as a Chapter. The Heralds of Light remain a Codex Adherent Chapter, having followed the traditional ten company structure for most of their existence. While still under strength, the companies are recovering their numbers, and the Chapter is also supported by a sizable remnant of the Lucernan PDF survivors who swore their short lives to serve the Heralds. Even a handful of Lucernan refugee children have joined the ranks of the Heralds themselves. Little time has been wasted on licking their wounds, as Chapter Master Marcus Savvor has declared a crusade of atonement, vowing to restore their honor by reclaiming lost territory and avenging their fallen brothers. Some quietly hope to one day retake their homeworld as well. Combat Doctrine “We are the Wardens! We are the Walls.” – 2nd Company Mantra. As members of the Astartes Praeses, duty requires the Heralds to frequently fight alongside other Imperial organizations. They have gained a reputation for throwing themselves into combat to support their allies, occasionally forgoing comprehensive planning in favor of providing aid as fast as possible. As a consequence, the Heralds do not always fight on their own terms, having participated in numerous defensive operations as well as other tasks unusual for Astartes. This approach has proven to be very strenuous and often stretches the Chapter thin as they strive to answer every call for aid. The Heralds themselves see this as a natural part of their responsibilities, not a strategic weakness, but a tactical challenge to overcome. Whilst they have been known for their lack of planning, it is in the heat of battle the Heralds have gained their renown. The Heralds have always been a flexible fighting force, able to quickly react to an ever-changing combat situation and have become famous for their ability to adapt and improvise. Cooperation with allied organizations has always been important to the Heralds, and to effectively work together with another fighting force, one must be able to take advantage of each other’s strengths. As such, they strive to excel in all areas of combat so that they may better support their allies. Like many descendants of the Imperial Fists, the Heralds have inherited a reluctance to accept defeat. This can sometimes blind the Heralds to risk, as they fight on where other Chapters would fall back. The Heralds themselves view it as absolutely necessary for a servant of the Emperor to be willing to die in battle, and the Chaplains constantly preach of self-sacrifice. Only by the supreme sacrifice of some of the greatest Imperial heroes, like Rogal Dorn or the Emperor Himself, does the Imperium still stand. Their resolute nature has frequently put them at risk, but is also what keeps them fighting on where others would give up. Beliefs “We fight the battles others cannot win. We suffer the pain others cannot endure. We face the horrors others cannot withstand. For we are Astartes; This is our duty, and we embrace it.” – Chapter Teachings. The cult of the Heralds places great emphasis on humility, self-sacrifice, and loyalty. They see themselves as servants of the Emperor and therefore protectors of humanity. All who live under the light of the Emperor are worthy of their protection, and the Heralds are known for their tolerance of both ordinary humans and even ab-humans. Unlike many Chapters, the Heralds are not exceedingly proud or self-absorbed, but humble and reserved. They exist to serve mankind, not the other way around. The Heralds value the division of power in the empire as absolutely necessary, but they also strongly believe that if mankind is to be victorious, the forces of the Imperium must work together. Their humbleness and willingness to collaborate has earned them many allies within the Adeptus Astartes and other Imperial organizations. During their existence, the Heralds have developed a conviction that the Emperor will one day rise from the Golden Throne, and unite humanity against Chaos. Their duty is to keep the Imperium safe, until the Emperor returns and leads them in a second Great Crusade. With the advent of the Indomitus Crusade and the Psychic Awakening, the Heralds belief has only strengthened, fueling their actions with a near zealous fervor, unlike anything they have displayed before. However, this is undoubtedly influenced by their recent losses, producing a deep thirst for vengeance as well. The Heralds of Light bear an intense hatred for Chaos in all its forms, and it is abhorred for its corrupting touch. Falling to the Dark Gods is the greatest betrayal to the Emperor and cannot be tolerated. They consider the Ruinous Powers to be the ultimate threat and the Heralds show no mercy when it comes to the annihilation of Chaos. They have been especially vigorous during the various Black Crusades over the millennia, and this in turn has earned them the hatred of many Chaos worshipers. To them, Lucerna was the greatest provocation; a torch burning with the flame of the False Emperor. Geneseed “Cut through the night.” – Chapter Motto. The zygote cultures required to grow both the Betcher's gland and the Sus-an membrane have been lost or damaged over the millennia, but like all sons of Dorn the Heralds do not mourn these losses. Despite their proximity to the Eye of Terror, the Heralds' geneseed has remained remarkably stable with no signs of mutation. Now, with the integration of the Primaris technology, the geneseed’s integrity has been solidified. The Heralds are once again ready to fight against the endless horrors of the universe and bring light to the darkness. --- Original Discussion Topic