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Hi, just some quick and dirty fiction from me as I flesh out some of my Chapter's heroes. This is me focusing on what drives some humans to join the Space Marines. Hope you enjoy! ------------------------------------------------------ The boy entered the longhouse just before twilight. He could hear the low murmur of men conferring and swapping tales of bravery. Four imposing warriors sat towards the end of the longhouse, taking turns inhaling the intoxicating fumes of the local nightgrass. The boy made straight towards them, his pale skin taking on a reddish hue from the fire pit’s embers. One of the warriors was taller and even more solidly built than the others, and he bore the ritual scars that marked him out as a great war captain of his people. As the boy approached the leader bowed his head slightly and spat on the floor, in mockery of a greeting. “What does the mighty K’inich Bloodeye wish of us?” The men laughed. The boy’s face tightened in anger. His left eye had wept blood since birth. This had singled him out amongst his superstitious people as a cursed one, someone to be tolerated but never accepted. His mother had been the only one to welcome his arrival, to nurture and raise him. Until sickness had taken her. Though he was still young, there was no hesitation in K’inich’s voice when he addressed the men. “Jakiir, I wish to journey to the Trials and test my skill in the presence of the Sky Warriors.” More laughter filled the longhouse. All the men were listening now. “Have you been chewing the nightgrass, boy? If you don’t die of hunger or thirst, a dust-tiger is bound to rip you to shreds. We sent our tithe of youths a week ago, warrior’s sons all of them. Don’t embarrass yourself by chasing childish dreams.” “Any youth of age can choose to undergo the trials. It is law. And by law I am entitled to a weapon and supplies, so that I may reach the proving grounds.” Jakiir gave him a long look before replying. “If you do this, boy - you will never be able to return to the village. Victory or death. That too is law, little Bloodeye.” The boy leant forwards slightly, and the faintest smirk played across his face. “I have no interest in returning to the village, nor would you ever want my sword-arm for raiding. Besides, there is already enough might in this longhouse to raid the grass-folk’s villages and murder old women in their beds.” The heads taken from the previous autumn’s raids stared silently from the rafters, their mouths slack and open, as if in shock at the boy’s lack of respect. Jakiir’s retinue tensed, ready to step in and punish the boy’s insolence. Jakiir spat again, this time forcefully, full of anger. The tall warrior’s words were slow and deliberate. “If you weren’t my sister’s bastard son you’d be dying on the floor of this hall by now. Take what is your due and disappear by nightfall. If I ever see you again I’ll take your head and use your skull to piss in, you vile curseling.” As K’inich stepped out of the longhouse he relaxed. Every challenge he would face from now on was an unknown, and it filled him with in equal parts with eagerness and trepidation. A drop of blood ran from his eye, and he wiped it away with great care. He frowned. He wanted no more of the stagnant ways of his people. Ever since his mother had told him tales of them, he had wanted to seek out the Sky Warriors. He wanted to raid with them and learn the secrets of the sun, moon and stars. Quickly, he forced himself to interrupt his musings. He had little time, and there was a great journey to prepare for. +++++++ Begin Report +++++++ K’inich Bloodeye is Master of the Ninth Company of the Flaming Swords. In over three hundred years of service he has scoured the Imperium's foes from the galaxy. The Ninth Company is the Chapter's Devastator reserve and since his induction into the Chapter's leadership he has molded them into an even more redoutable force, with greater emphasis on mobile firepower. His helmet is decorated with a blood drop below the left eye, commemorating the disfigurement that plagued his childhood until his ascension as a Space Marine warrior. His artificer armour is fitted with a unique servo harness, the Sagitta Acritudo.​ The harness incorporates both a cyclone missile launcher and rare targeting and stabilizer mechanisms that permit the system to fire on the move, allowing its bearer to unleash a hail of firepower before closing range for the kill. As of 998.M41 Captain K'inich and elements of the Ninth and Tenth Companies were present at the Siege of Megellis, providing vital fire support to assault elements of the Heralds of Vengeance and Nemesis Chapters, as the Space Marines prepared to retake the planet's ruined Hive Cities from the forces of Warboss Gulgruk Steelfang. +++++++ End Report +++++++

Chapter Symbol of the Flaming Swords Origins The Flaming Swords trace their origins back to the Eighth Founding of M34. Chapter legend tells of a vision granted to the first Master of the Chapter by the Emperor himself. Taking heed of this vision, the Chapter Master pledged his fledling Chapter to an ambitious thousand-year Crusade, the High Lords of Terra eagerly granting the Chapters request. The Chapters objectives were to liberate crucial systems across the galaxy. Piracy would be eradicated from key imperial shipping lanes. The flow of sorely-needed men and armaments would be restored to the Imperiums beleaguered front lines. The Orstaat Campaign In the final years of the crusade even such desperate measures reached the limit of their usefulness. Located on the Ultima Segmentums border with the Segmentum Obscurus, the Orstaat sector is counted amongst the Flaming Swords greatest and most ancient of battle honours. Far from the Imperiums centres of power, for centuries Orstaat had been a lawless and anarchic place, infested with human and xenos pirates. Several systems had long ago forsaken the Emperor and now warred amongst themselves for supremacy. A powerful warband of Chaos Space Marines, the Unborn Knights, had established itself in the sector, launching raids deep into Imperial territory. By the end of M33 the High Lords of Terra had declared the entire sector lost to the Imperium, with several abortive campaigns to retake the lost sector only serving to embolden the secessionist planetary lords. In the westernmost reaches of the Ultima Segmentum the Chapters final trial was on hand. The Flaming Swords committed their Chapters entire strength to bringing the lost sector back under the aegis of the Imperium. The Chapters leadership saw the Orstaat campaign as a fitting conclusion to their thousand year quest. And so the Chapter launched itself into the campaign with an intensity and fervour unmatched, and on countless planets the sigil of the flaming sword became a portent of impending judgement and doom. The violence of the Orstaat campaign was such that the Chapters already depleted strength fell by over a third in less than three years, the loss of so many battle-brothers especially difficult to replenish in such a hostile sector. The ferocious pace of the battles would however vindicate the Chapters leadership. The final traitor stronghold in the sector fell within the sixth year, the dark lord of the Unborn Knights falling in combat with the Chapters champion. Despite the greatness of their achievement, the Flaming Swords found themselves on the brink of extinction. Rebuilding the Chapter The Chapters manpower was so depleted that the most pressing need was to rebuild its strength as soon as possible. To fail would mean joining the ranks of the lost Chapters of the Imperium. Many of Orstaat's star systems had been completely purged, as they had been populated by traitors and heretics. In such a depopulated sector suitable recruits were extremely scarce. As hopelessness set in, it was the Chapters Librarium that would prove invaluable in finding a solution. Routine archiving of records from the Orstaat Campaign yielded a data-cache sequestered from an infamous Rogue Traders flagship. Alkam Arend, known as the Prince of Merchants, had supplied both the loyalists and traitors of Orstaat with weapons and mercenaries for years, until the Flaming Swords ambushed Arends fleet at Coriskar and enforced the Emperors judgement. Such perfidiousness could not be tolerated, and Arend's fall cut off the flow of vital supplies to the traitors, eventually leading to their demise. It was the Rogue Traders annotations on the obscure Namshub system that caught the Chief Librarian's eye. Referencing primitive warriors and archaeotech, even such a vague lead was worth pursuing, given the Chapter's predicament. The Flaming Swords' fastest ships were immediately despatched to scout the system. The Purifier Blade One of the Flaming Swords oldest relics, this ancient power sword is unnaturally sharp and deadly, and icorporates many technological advancements no longer completely understood by the Imperiums techno-savants. Over time the Chapters artificers have further upgraded the blade, integrating a powerful flamer into the hilt and crossguard, fueled by a unique blend of promethium that enhances the sword's power field. The blades current bearer is Captain Tenoch Yel-Zar of the Chapters 4th Company. On the second moon of Quistorol Yel-Zar wielded the Purifier Blade to great effect, beheading the Greater Daemon Vuurthang Slugheart and banishing its unclean form back to the Immaterium. The Great Unclean One has since sworn revenge on the Chapter. Home World When the Strike Cruisers of the Flaming Swords arrived in-system, not even the most optimistic of the expeditionary force's members could have imagined that the Chapter's future home-world had been discovered. Sidon had originally been occupied by an advanced civilization of unknown origin, wiped out thousands of years ago by a terrible cataclysm. Despite this, ruined fortresses still soared through the sky, held aloft by technology beyond the Imperiums understanding. Great vaults delved deep into forbidding mountain ranges, their chambers filled with impenetrable secrets. Whether the forgotten civilization had been human or alien in origin was impossible to tell. No Imperial records existed referencing the identity of these builders. Whatever had befallen the original inhabitants of the planet predated even the Great Crusade, and Imperial scholars have since speculated that the terrible events must have unfolded during the tumultuous Age of Strife. Further reconnaisance revealed that the planet did indeed support human life. A forbidding and inhospitable place, the planet was also home to a variety of dangerous fauna. Such conditions bred tough and hardy people tempered by war and the struggle to stay alive. The disparate human cultures of the planet had progressed to a pre-fedual level of technology and fought with sword, lance and bow. Raids and battles were fought for the right to survive one more season, and the mightiest warriors occupied positions of great influence amongst their people. Operating as a fleet-based chapter meant that the Flaming Swords were dangerously under-strength for long periods of time, a regular intake of suitable aspirants not easily guaranteed by the constant redeployment of the Chapters forces into new regions. In Sidon the Chapter had finaly found a steady source of strong and ferocious recruits that would allow them to pursue their campaigns. Fortress Monastery The largest and most intact of the ruined sky fortresses that float across the skies of Sidon, the redoutable Castellum Nubifraxis was extensively repaired and strengthened by the Chapters Techmarines and now serves as the Flaming Swords Fortress Monastery. The systems that keep this mighty structure aloft are barely understoot, however over the years the most gifted of the Chapters Techmarines have discovered how to change the great fortresss elevation, speed, and direction. Assaulting such a fortress would be a daunting prospect for any foe, with defense laser emplacements and missile batteries studding the walls. The Castellum Nubifraxis is connected to a network of orbital defenses that keep watch over the star system. The orbital defenses serve another, more sinister purpose; any sign of technological progress on the planet is vigorously eradicated by the Space Marines. To Sidons populace the wrath of the Sky Warriors raining down on any transgressors is deterrent enough to steer them away from to pursuit of progress. Such ruthlessness, combined with the planets scarcity of ores and minerals, ensures that civilization on Sidon will never progress to a level where the inhabitants grow soft, decadent, and weak. The Chapter thus plays its own vital part in maintaining the endless cycle of war and suffering that sweeps the planet. Organisation The Chapter is Codex-compliant and is divided into ten Companies of Space Marines. Slight variations to Company strucure have emerged over the years. During space operations the most common force size deployed is the demi-company, and early in its history this prompted the Chapter to reinstate the ancient Legiones Astartes rank of Lieutenant, a rarity in M41. The Chapter has also made changes to the way it displays insignia. Company markings are displayed on the left knee pad, this method having completely replaced the previous practice of each company bearing distinct company colours on their shoulder pads. The Chapter places great importance on ship boarding actions, and veterans of these operations display a non-Codex-compliant lightning bolt insignia on the armour of both legs. It is credit to the Chapters skill at void warfare that almost every battle brother bears such an insignia on their armour. Personal heraldry is also proudly displayed and embellished as the battle-brothers feats of arms and legend grows. Rumours exist of an additional company bearing markings with strong resemblance to the Flaming Swords, but such tales have yet to be corroborated. What is certain is that above all else the Inquisition wishes to prevent the outbreak of another conflict to rival the Badab War. Its instigator, the traitor Chapter Master Lugft Huron, began his descent into heresy precisely through an expansion of his Chapters forces. This has led some branches of the Inquisition to investigate rumours of covert force-building more thoroughly than would previously have been deemed necessary. Any attempts to uncover the truth regarding this additional unit have so far been inconclusive, although strangely such investigations have been marked by the suspicious disappearances of many of the Inquisitors involved. Combat Doctrine Brother Ostrogg?, Squad Leader,Fifth Battle Company, KIA during the Ykanne Insurgency Since establishing its base of operations on Sidon, the Chapter developed into a flexible fighting force capable of conducting complex operations. Many of the capabilities were refined during the Orstaat Campaign, as the Chapter engaged in simultaneous combat across a wide range of warzones. When planetary assault is required, the Chapter is known to employ mass drop pod launches supported by planetary bombardment, to break up and overwhelm enemy formations. The Chapter often employs its superior mobility to apply swift and devastating pressure to the most vulnerable points of the enemy battleline. Each of the Chapters Battle Companies maintains small squads of company veterans to act as breacher squads during ship-to-ship combat, sieges and city-fighting. For the Space Marines assigned to these squads, the honour of being selected for such duties far outweighs the increased lethality of the assignment. Many tactical squads are equipped with Umbra-pattern bolters fitted with chainaxe attachments, increasing their effectiveness in the closing phases of an engagement. The demand for such weapons is great enough for the Chapter's Forge to continue manufacturing them in significant numbers, despite the relatively archaic nature of their design. These boltguns are much prized by their owners for their combination of firepower and vicious close combat capabilities. The Chapter is well-equipped with a wide range of equipment and variants of armour and weapons, as befits one of the older Chapters of the Imperium. Many Forge Worlds of the Mechanicum contributed to the Chapter's armaments over the years and this has resulted in a wide range of weapon and armour designs being available to the Chapter. Over its storied existence the Chapters warriors have honed their skills with the full arsenal of weapons at their disposal, however many Space Marines have developed a preference for brutal and effective weaponry such as melta weapons and flamers, which are lethal in the close confines of ship boarding actions. Chapter Fleet For the first thousand years of its existence the Chapter operated as a fleet-based force. In conjunction with their unique strategic focus this brought them in continuous conflict with the numerous pirate fleets that plague the Imperium. Eldar Corsairs, Orks Freeboterz and renegade Imperial Admirals; each require specialized tactics if the Adeptus Astartes are to overcome them. As a consequence the Chapters fleet is lighter and more mobile than that of more conventional Chapters. Several of the Flaming Swords Strike Cruisers were modified to carry only a demi-company of Space marines. As major objectives have changed in recent millennia, this intermediate class of Strike Cruiser has become less popular, despite composing a large part of the Chapters fleet. Many of the Chapters Caestus assault rams and Thunderhawk gunships have been modified to enhance space operations and facilitate the Chapters ambush tactics against pirates. Beliefs As is typical amongst the Adeptus Astartes, the Flaming Swords revere the Emperor as the most exceptional of mortal men, but not as a god. The Chapters cult is fierce in its worship and mythologization of its greatest heroes. The Chapter values self-reliance and determination, and ensuring the survival of the Chapter's warrior cadre and its martial codes is paramount above anything else. The Chapter's Chaplains work tirelessly and fervently to expound this creed and foster its importance amongst the battle-brothers. Although the bonds of brotherhood are continually reaffirmed in battle, in less turbulent times such bonds are further deepened through ritualized combat between battle-brothers. Senior figures such as Captains are followed with unfaltering loyalty, which is not borne of a rigid deference to hierarchy. The Captains and Chapter Masters of the Flaming Swords are considered equals to their battle-brothers, and must prove that the faith placed in them is justified. Many foolhardy Imperial commanders have learned this the hard way, through spectacularly unsuccessful attempts to establish their precarious authority over the Chapters commanders, and not all have survived their harsh lesson. The punishing nature of void warfare, combined with the relentless crusade that the Flaming Swords pursued during their formative years, implanted a fatalistic and embittered streak in the Chapters culture that persists to this day. In certain individuals this translates into a death-impulse that drives warriors to commit acts of suicidal bravery. This is known in the Chapters parlance as seeking the Emperors favour, and such warriors often volunteer to lead forlorn hopes or last stands, where their chances of survival are almost non-existent. Nowhere is this trait more pronounced than in the warriors of the First Company, who upon induction ritually repaint their armour black, in penance for a secret shame known only to the Chapter, and never discussed with outsiders. Veteran Brother Pardix?,First Company, Hero of the Ilyssos Crusade Gene-Seed The Flaming Swords have never discussed the origins of their gene-seed with outsiders, and reliable records of their Founding have proven notoriously difficult to secure. Some scholars believe the Flaming Swords to be successors to the White Scars Chapter, while others are certain the Ultramarines Chapter is the most likely Progenitor. The true lineage of the Flaming Swords gene-seed is part of the mysteries of the Chapter, and its battle-brothers must be judged worthy of induction into the Chapter's secret orders before learning the full truth of their origins. The Apothecaries of the Flaming Swords performed countless vivisections, autopsies and many other atrocious experiments on the population of Sidon before satisfying themselves that the inhabitants would be suitable hosts for the Chapter's gene-seed. The final assessment of the unwitting inhabitants classified them, as "extremely viable" implantation subjects, the first time in the Chapter's history. Gene-seed implantation, though inherently dangerous to the subject, has seen its highest success rate since the occupation of Sidon, and this has doubtlessly contributed to the preservation of the Chapters purity. Although the Chapters geneseed is considered pure and free from mutation, some scholars have speculated that the death drive that takes root in some of the Chapters veterans might be caused by an almost imperceptible imbalance in the subjects Catalepsean Node. In recent years the Chapter has trialed additional psycho-indoctrination in the most afflicted subjects, with mixed success. While some of the subjects thus treated have apparently been cured, many others have immolated themselves in renewed acts of spectacular recklessness and suicidal bravery. Though the loss of such warriors is a terrible price to pay, such sacrifices invariably inflict punishing losses on the enemy, in many cases turning the tide of battle at crucial moments. Battle-Cry Flame and Ruin!