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INDEX ASTARTES: DESERT EAGLES SONS OF GUILLIMAN Renowned for their adaptive warfare and righteous fury, few can resist the overwhelming onslaught of the Desert Eagles in their stride. Serving the Imperium since the earliest conflicts of the Great Crusade has earned the chapter numerous honours, as well as bitter enemies from the ranks of those who fled their advance. The Desert Eagles are proud descendants of Guilliman and honour his name with a storied list of campaigns won over his enemies. In contrast to the measured tactics of their progenitor the Desert Eagles utilise highly responsive advances, shifting entire frontiers of battle to exploit opportunities. This characteristic descends from the forging of the Chapter during the vicious battles against the Word Bearers of Lorgar in the Horus Heresy, when a Chapter of their Ultramarine forebearers were left isolated and betrayed on the deserts of Calth. The resourcefulness of the Astartes in reclaiming critical supplies and positions and their unrelenting nature during those crucial hours earned them the nickname ‘Carrion Eagles’ during the siege by local forces. The brown-and-crimson armour of the Desert Eagles now reflects the desert that defined them over mere hours, as well as the commemorating the lives lost in those cursed sands. A Desert Eagles assault unleashes The Emperor's Mercy upon a Chaos Warband Desert Eagles Astartes with Bolter When the Desert Eagles Chapter was brought into being during the Second Founding, Captain Catius Thassor, a renowned commander of the Ultramarines Legion, was chosen to be its first Chapter Master. Thassor's reputation was steeped in legend from the Battle of Calth, where he led what would become the Desert Eagles chapter against Word Bearers forces in desperate survival on the planet's surface. The savagery of the Word Bearers' assault upon the planet's surface was secondary only the conflicts within orbit. Even as Ultramarines forces were shattered at Komesh the fighting in the deserts of Cuneth grew fierce, where the planned betrayal faltered under sandstorms. Thrice Thassor led the united Imperial forces into the sands to reclaim vital communication facilities to allow their evacuation, splintering the ammassed followers of Lorgar under blinding walls of dust and fire. Such conditions proved fatal for many of the allied Imperial Guardsmen within the deserts, however the loyalist forces made frequent use of their littered supplies as the hours of desperate fighting bore continued. Battletanks and artillery positions were scavenged for shells and explosives, and the Ultramarine defence bore on. Communications reached the loyalist positions of the dire state of Calth, and with it news of impending destruction. The Word Bearers' obliteration of the system had destabilised its integrity, and soon the surface would prove fatal for any who remained on its surface. Thassor's forces turned their scavenged ammunition earthbound, and were able to detonate their way into the nearby subterranean networks where they would continue waging the Underworld War against Chaos forces until Ultramarines fleets returned several years later. By the time Thassor was able to return his Chapter to the Ultramarines Legion less than half of those he had led beneath the desert of Cuneth remained, and himself a hero of the Legion. With the completion of the Codex Astartes by Roboute Guilliman at the conclusion of the Horus Heresy, he commanded his sons to divide into 1,000-member Space Marine Chapters so that no single commander could ever control the power of an entire Astartes Legion again. As the Howling Griffons and Genesis Chapter ventured into the galaxy at the dawning of the Second Founding so to did the Desert Eagles, now united in their brown-and-crimson and once again being led into the unknown by Catius Thassor, Chapter Master of the storied survivors of Calth. The Desert Eagles' homeworld is located on the planet Audax, an Imperial Feral World in Segmentum Ultima. The planet consists of a pair of hive cities, both heavily damaged due to solar radiation, as well as the Desert Eagles' Fortress-Monastery Basilica Solitudinem. Audax's population still resides within the ruins of the two cities, as the remaining landscape of sun-scarred rocks and salt flats proves fatal to those who pass through. Life is fierce within the crumbling towers with scarce resources and even scarcer allies, and attempts to unite the cities by those residing fall quickly due to mistrust and infighting. The Desert Eagles Battlebarge "Heavenfall" hangs in orbit over Audax Watch the full animation here! The present-day Chapter utilises a variety of trials to select neophytes from those that remain clinging to the cities of eons past, their skills honed by the trials of living upon Audax. Representatives of the Desert Eagles descend upon each city twice within a normal human's lifetime and take the most skilled aspirants from the population, forcibly if required. Many that fail the trials are returned as servitors, and are tasked with rebuilding for the remnants of their short life-span. Some have noted that the cities may have yet been recovered if not for the recruitment and removal of their most hopeful youth who now litter the alleyways as glistening mechanised corpses. The method of fighting forced upon those of Audax for survival has served the Desert Eagles suitably over the millennia. Their modus operandi consists of fluid and interchanging attacks conducted by highly trained forces, destroying the enemy before any attack can be properly responded to and never allowing the enemy to force a static engagement. The Chapter emphasises the usage of shifting terrain and resources to their advantage, and each unit has a vital role within the overarching structure deployed. As a result, on some occasions that the tide of battle turned against the Desert Eagles the losses were significant, such as in M36 when they were ambushed by Drukhari forces who were able to interrupt communications systems between the Chapter. Although preferring to keep the foe at arms-length, the Desert Eagles are still capable of engaging in bloody close-combat just as readily as at range, and are readily feared by the enemies of the Imperium. Despite their seemingly indecisive nature when employing tactics, the Desert Eagles disdains the notion of recklessly charging against an enemy without sufficient intelligence of the situation or the surrounding landscape which could be used to their advantage. The Desert Eagles are classified as a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter, and they follow the sacred tome with few variations in terms of organisation. They follow the tactics presented in the Codex, efficiently making use of different standard units, but frequently intermix and alter tactical decisions so that the Chapter cannot be readily countered. The addition of Primaris reinforcements has been received poorly due to their slow uptake of these decisions, a reflection of their Terran upbringing and previous engagements rather than ability. Desert Eagles Shoulder Pad (6th - 10th Company) The Desert Eagles are currently operating at near full-strength and organise their Chapter into 10 companies. In a reflection of the two cities of Audax the Chapter is often divided as two 5 Company forces known as Strikes, with the 1st - 5th Companies' shoulder pads being crimson to denote this whilst the 6th - 10th Companies have brown shoulder pads with a crimson trim. The appointment to Strike Captain is an incredible honour within the Chapter and often precludes appointment to Chapter Master, as a Chapter Master cannot himself lead a Strike as he must focus on the operation of the Chapter as a whole. The Desert Eagles were established in the Second Founding (M31) from a Chapter of Ultramarines that survived the Battle of Calth, and are therefore descended from Roboute Guilliman. They have not experienced any significant issues from their gene-stock and answered Guilliman's call for aid upon his return, though the deviation of their combat doctrine has brought issues when fighting alongside other Astartes forces. PRE-HERESY Chapter Master Catius Thassor - Catius Thassor was a former Captain of the Ultramarines Legion during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, achieving esteem for his service during the Battle of Calth. He became the Desert Eagles' first Chapter Master during the Second Founding and led them to their Homeworld of Audax, establishing the fortress-monastery Basilica Solitudinem upon the planet's weathered surface. POST-HERESY Chapter Master Martellis Riol - Martellis Riol is the current Chapter Master of the Desert Eagles following the death of his predecessor during the early Indomitus Crusade. Riol was formerly the Captain of the 5th Company and inherited Talonstrike, a Master-Crafted spear with attached bolt-pistol that is the pride of the Chapter. He was notoriously besieged by Desert Eagles forces for three days at the peak of one of the few remaining towers on Audax where he had made his lair prior to joining the Chapter, a feat thrice that of any previous aspirant. Utilising the crumbling nature of the ferrocrete building against them he was able to combat the incapacitating weaponry deployed against him in a cruel reflection of the Chapter's tactics. Only the intervention of an apothecary saved him at the conclusion of the siege from dying due to exhaustion, and the legend of his stand spread quickly throughout the Chapter. Strike Captain Adonis Rake - Adonis Rake was a former Captain of the 1st company and Strike Captain in M36, when he led the 1st, 3rd and 4th Companies as a Strike against a significant Drukhari pirate threat. The two forces tactics were each a reflection of the other, however the lightning speed of the forces of Commorragh caught Rake both unaware and unprepared. The ensuing destruction led to the complete obliteration of the Strike, and the loss of experience and resources was a severe hit against the Desert Eagles, who sorely swear vengeance upon those who inflicted their destruction. Ever since the Chapter has favoured younger leaders and highly commemorates exceptional service of an individual, rather than solely years in service. "Fluid/interchanging/responsive tactics" is justification for my terrible choices during actual games of 40k, thought it might reflect nicely in the lore as well. I understand that Calth was an Agri-World prior to the Horus Heresy, and though I haven't read the books covering the Battle of Calth I'm banking on an image of Calth pre-heresy containing what appears to be deserts. If there's any issues I could switch the planet that the desert fighting takes place on, I just imagined that the Battle of Calth would be such a significant and defining moment in the Ultramarines' history that it'd send shockwaves even 10,000 years later in how some chapters function. Full credit for the images goes to two very talented artists on DeviantArt, Kai Lim for the first which was for a series of Soul Drinkers novels, and Algrim-Whitefang for the Astartes image which I combined from a few of their images. I believe the shoulder pad is from the 5th ed. Space Marine Codex? Very easy to find on the various wikis. All were recoloured in Photoshop using Hue/Saturation layers. I've now designed a custom insignia similar to the Necropolis Hawks, however it invokes the look of a saw blade. I enjoy the Flesh Tearers' iconography a lot, and used it as influence here. If you wish to replicate the banners I've used here I'm more than happy to send the Photoshop file through.

The following is a Work in Progress. INDEX ASTARTES - SIN EATERS Battle Brothers of the 3rd Company ID & HIGH GOTHIC: 0293 - COMEDENTIS PECCATI, "SIN EATERS" GENELINE: IX LEGION - GENE-DRIFT MINORIS FOUNDING: 2nd (CLAIMED), 3rd (SUSPECTED) DESIGNATION: PARTIAL CODEX COMPLIANT HERALDRY: SLATE & CRIMSON, GOUTE De SANG ON SILVER PALE CHAPTER FIEF: DUMAH, UPON THE STAR-FORT VINDICE STELLA MOTTO: AD VITAM AETERNAM, "TO ETERNAL LIFE" INTRODUCTION & PRE-HISTORY No man, bar the Emperor Himself, is beloved by all, not even a Primarch. All of the Astartes Legions, at least all for whom records remain contained those who chaffed at the changes made when they were reunited with their gene-fathers. Terran born, or traditionalist warriors who found the learned practices of their Primarch's adopted homes and cultures. Sub-legions and recon elements who missed the initial, ecstatic reunion, and never saw these larger-than-life figures in the flesh. Holdouts from an older, fouler war than the Crusade itself. The IX Legion were known, for a time, as The Revenant Legion. Eaters of the dead. Beautiful killers. Inheritors of names. These men who would in time become the Blood Angels left much behind when they were transformed by the Angel Sanguinius, when their hungers were tempered by a godling's grace. It was, for most, a revelation. Redemption. A chance to cast of a monstrous identity for something more noble. Or, to others, a false mask to hide their shame. A casting-aside of effective, sound battlefield practice that had marked them out amongst their cousins in the other Legions. A denial of their Emperor-given, transhuman edge. In other Legions such warriors often found themselves among the Traitors - or dead amongst the ashes of Isstvan III - or fighting all comers as Blackshields, but those of the IX who would eventually form the core of the Sin Eaters were loyal, to the Imperium if not their Primarch. Forced to deny their hunger, and a growing sense that they had been denied something more, they nevertheless fought throughout the Heresy, to the very walls of the Imperial Palace on Terra, and beyond. Only with the butchering of the Angel were they freed, and in the fires of the Scouring did they reformed themselves, reclaiming practices long-since forbidden. Like many quasi-independent Legion elements they were chosen to form new Chapters during the Second - Some records suggest Third, though the Chapter itself claims Second - Founding, Revenants beneath a new flag, Eaters of the Dead once more. Eaters of Sin. Brother Sergeant of the 3rd Company, a Lesser Immortal CHAPTER HOMEWORLD & FORTRESS MONASTERY Dumah is a cool, and shadowed world, thickly forested and mountainous, where it is not swallowed by vast and crushing glaciers. The human population, techno-feudal throwbacks abandoned in the distant past live in stone keeps that rise above the forested valleys and frosted peaks, kept warm by ancient generators deep within their bowels, sacred and ill-understood. War, of a sort, is constant. Warbands and raiders hunt each other between the trees, or engage in ritual battles in the few open clearings, killing each other of generational grudges, and stores to survive the long, harsh winter years. It is from this hardy stock that the Sin Eaters draw the largest single source of their recruits. Their Monastery, The Vindice Stella, sits in low orbit, a red star that passes above the peaks of Dumah, and has done for some 9,000 years. The ancient Star-Fort, left adrift in depths of space was captured by the Chapter in their earliest days, and placed above their chosen fief. Some 30% of their aspirants are drawn from Dumah, the rest from suitable human stock encountered on campaign. The Induction Sarcophagi utilized by most of the Blood Angels gene-line are capable of turning the twisted mutants of Baal into beautiful, strong astartes, and such technologies are put to good use by the Sin Eaters to allow for rapid recruitment while on the move, the various Company Fleets and Strikeforces more-or-less self sufficient, returning to Dumah to take part in Chapter-wide rituals and the sharing of heroic remains. Reclusiarch Hanuman, Chaplain of the Immortals CHAPTER ORGANISATION & CODEX COMPLIANCE Like many of their fellow Blood Angel successors, the Sin Eaters act largely within the tenants of the Codex Astartes, at least as it applies to battlefield strategies. Squad-level organisation and equipment, accepted skirmish-to-campaign strategic practices, all to be found somewhere within The Avenging Son's updated Codex, at least for the most part. Outside of the battlefield, however, divergence is found. The Sin Eaters do not keep a 10th Company. Instead, each battle-line Company is expected to raise and maintain their own initiates, and field scouts as required. This means that each Company often exceeds the usual size as dictated by the Codex, and the Chapter as a whole often doing the same. This is not without precedent amongst more mobile chapters, the needs of a specific long-term campaign leading Companies to swell their numbers when support from elsewhere is unavailable. If the Chapter, during a rare meeting of the Companies finds that it has grown too far beyond the 1,000 Marines stipulated in the Codex Astartes, a period of lessened recruitment is begun, and attrition allowed to return them to something closer to the limits placed on an Astartes Chapter. It has been some time since the last such meeting of the Companies. Ordo Astartes estimates place the Sector-wide count of Sin Eaters marines between 1,200 and 1,400 warriors, though their involvement in the ongoing 4th Tyranic war is expected to reduce those numbers dramatically. Leadership of the Chapter falls to the Immortals of the First Company, those Marines who have moved beyond death, becoming repeating patterns within the genetic memory of the Chapter, reborn in new flesh after the eating of the old. The Immortals, the True Immortals, form the First Company, and from there are assigned leadership and guidance of the Battle Line Companies, alongside fellow elites to act as bodyguards or force multipliers, forming a core of Crusade Fleets and Strikeforces. 'Lesser' Immortals, those not elevated to the First Company due to having not proven their stability to the Chapter Reclusium often lead squads within the Battle Line Companies, marked out by golden helms and personal heraldry not worn by those on their first, and likely only, lives. Immortals of the Blade IMMORTALITY & THE LAST REVENANTS The Omophagea - an organ common to all Astartes - is hyper-active among the sons of Sanguinius. The extent of this mutation has varied, over the millennia, though all from that line feel it to some extent. The urge for flesh. For blood. To the Blood Angels themselves this is a mark of shame, and curse to be warded against, but to their earliest ancestors among the IX Legion it was a gift embraced. To be able to gain intel from defeated foes through the eating of their flesh is an ill-understood practice to most Marine Chapters, one made use of sparingly. Not so the Revenants, who ate freely from the bodies of the fallen on both sides through the conquest of Terra. To them, it became a way of maintaining skills and memories of the Legion, dead warriors shared amongst their fellows, their memories imbibed. In some cases this allowed younger marines to quickly advance in rank, taking on the names and practices of those they had eaten. Ghastly, bad for the morale of allied human forces, but undoubtedly effective. The Sin Eaters have maintained this practice for 10,000 years, and in that time have learned how to coax those devoured memories to life. Their Omophagea has mutated further through repeated use, and the careful selection of desired traits by the Apothecarion. To be eaten by a Sin Eater is to be Known. Understood. Human foes are open to them completely, once their bodies are retrieved, and their own dead reclaimed for the genetic memory of the Chapter. All Initiates finish their elevation to full Astartes with a meal of the fallen, a final induction and training all in one. Stranger still are the Immortals. The genetic memory of the Chapter is strong, and certain individual consciousnesses, constructed from the devoured minds of dozens of fallen warriors stringer than most. These are the Immortals, those who have been reborn in fresh bodies when eaten, able to entirely replace the freshly hypno-indoctrinated minds of recruits, and return to the First Company clad in new flesh. These beings - or agreed upon delusions, as some within the Ordo Astartes claim - are by some measure the oldest 'living' Space Marines, with memory fragments dating back into the distant past, some for thousands of years. The re-embodiment of one of these Immortals is a grave and delicate task, overseen by both the Apothecaries and Chaplains of the Chapter. The body is retrieved, preserved in stasis, and made ready for devouring in total by a recruit selected for the task, one who has yet to taste their final meal, but is nevertheless complete and proven. They are watched and cared for during the potentially lengthy period of conversions, presented with items of their many lives, weapons and equipment, and finally allowed to return to service amongst their brothers, old eyes in a new face. The truth of the matter is difficult to discern, and harder still to ever truly confirm. Are they, as the Chapter claims, truly immortal beings within the genetic memory of the Chapter, born into new bodies through ritual and science? Or is this simply a more elaborate, and effective form of the 'spiritual' rebirth of officers in the days of the Revenant Legion, with fresh Astartes simply bolstered and aided by memories left for them by the lost? Who can say.

Hey all, I've spent time this weekend writing my thoughts into a more coherent form. Still heavily WIP, but with nearly 4000 words I think there's enough meat here to get feedback from those whom are both better writers and more in-tune with the lore than I. Please let me know your thoughts! INDEX ASTARTES: TIMBERWOLVES The Timberwolves are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter created during the Ultima Founding in response to a direct request by Inquisitor Ra’lesh for a protective Astartes force at the western edge of the T’au Fifth Sphere of Expansion. Initially made in haste from Primaris of various lineages to serve the immediate needs of the Canidae system, much of the original “Greyshields” force was decimated in the first T’au invasion of the tribal world Canilus before they could establish a foothold in the region. Only a miraculous, mysterious, assistance prevented the nascent force from being erased almost before it could be recorded in the halls of Terra as an official chapter. Through the subsequent rebuilding, the chapter’s genetic makeup has been established to be of Raven Guard lineage. The Timberwolves are one of the rare chapters who integrate with the local human population, its brothers sitting in council positions and heads of families in the local tribes from which they recruit. While maintaining an incredible stronghold on their home world, the Timberwolves also act partially as a crusading fleet, cycling battle companies between defense of their homeworld and crusading throughout the local region. CHAPTER HISTORY CHAPTER ORGANIZATION CHAPTER COMBAT DOCTRINE CHAPTER BELIEFS CHAPTER HOMEWORLD CHAPTER GENE-SEED NOTABLE TIMBERWOLVES CHAPTER FLEET CHAPTER APPEARANCE

THE DEATH’S REDEEMERS http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q578/kydoimos2/Deaths%20Redeemers%20tactical%20marine_zpsdsvxcsxt.jpg CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE DEATH’S REDEEMERS FOUNDING: .................. 22nd CHAPTER WORLD: .............PRAXIDIKA VII FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ THE EMPEROR’S EYE GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... THE DARK ANGELS KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE "LIGHT SHALL PREVAIL" The Death's Redeemers were created as a standing force, designed to strengthen and defend the Astartes dominion over the extreme south-east border of the galaxy. Situated in the Segmentum Ultima, based on the world of Praxidika VII directly south of the prosperous kingdom of Ultramar, they’re facing the Exodite worlds created by those Eldars who chose exile rather than decay and death. A successor of the famed Dark Angels chapter, the Death's Redeemers were zealous hunters of the Fallen in their early history. However, they see themselves more like defenders of the ideals of the Imperium now rather than a force belonging to the secretive successors chapters of the Dark Angels. They are therefore dedicated Marines, fighting for the glory of the Emperor, who believe that His grand design, embodied by the Great Crusade, must not be forgotten as it is too frequent in these grim days. A still young chapter, they nevertheless have gained the respect of their peers by showing their utter determination in eradicating the enemies of the Imperium of Mankind and defending an optimistic vision of the future. Sorely tested in these hard times, their faith in their cause need to be defended now more than ever. Fierce enemies of Chaos, their history is scarred by their breaking up with their genitor chapter, the Dark Angels. Unable to accept the sacrifices in human lives thought needed by their brothers, the Death’s Redeemers have cut their ties with them and became close followers of the Codex Astartes and the example given by the Ultramarines. ORGANIZATION The Death's Redeemers are a codex-adherant chapter. They follow the principles of the Codex Astartes and draw their tactical inspiration from the words of Roboute Guilliman rather than their original chapter, the Dark Angels. As such, they have abandoned the divergent organization of their genitor chapter and respect the rules edicted by the Primarch of the XIIIth Legion. The Death's Redeemers developed a taste for massive drop pods assaults. Albeit risky in the extreme, this mean to deliver Marines in the heat of battle had shown enough advantages for the Chapter to be adopted as the main assault technique. Therefore, every unit is training to this particular and dangerous way of fighting, even the Devastators. This choice is not only motivated by tactical considerations. It is also a way to answer the main demand the Death’s Redeemers imposed to themselves: to safeguard the planets they attack and the people living there as much as possible in order to bring them back as willingly as it is possible to the Imperial dominion. War is not an end in itself for the Chapter; it is the expression of the Emperor’s will and therefore must serve His design of a peaceful and united galaxy. The Death’s Redeemer also considers that following the precepts of the Codex Astartes is a key element to reach this goal. Not as dogmatic as the Ultramarines or their successors chapters can be regarding the edicts of Guilliman’s legacy, they will however respect it strictly, as long as it is not antagonist with their superior goal of restoring Imperial light in the galaxy. HOMEWORLD The Death's Redeemers’ fortress-monastery is based on Praxidika VII, a medieval and arid world. They are not the direct rulers of their planet but rather maintain a distant but constant watch over the population, not interfering in political matters, awed by their presence which is shrouded in mystery and legends. Praxidika VII is a planet with a harsh environment. Few could survive on its surface without the knowledge of advanced survival techniques in an arid world. SPECIFIC HISTORY The Death's Redeemers’ have a rather complicated history regarding to their origins and their evolution. Created from the Dark Angels gene seeds, they have developed similar characters traits: secretive, relentless and stubborn, they were designed for the hunt of the Fallen and embraced it willingly at the beginning. Dedicated to this task, they organized their newly-founded chapter in order to keep these secrets hidden to those unworthy. And behind their apparent dedication to the Imperial cause, they were relentlessly searching for any traces of their lost brothers, hunting them and everyone suspected to hold information regarding their whereabouts. However, this situation was not designed to endure. Having gathered information on a possible location of a Fallen angel plotting against the Imperial and Astartes dominance in relation with Eldars corsairs based close to the Maelstrom, the Death's Redeemers’ asked for help from their genitors. The plan, based on information gathered by the Ravenwing of both Chapters, was to lead a powerful strike, both by teleportation and ground assault, in order to destroy the Fallen’s fortress. But nothing went along as planned. The first problem to occur was that the people living on the planet were not as pacific as it seemed. As soon as the Death's Redeemers’ ground elements landed on a remote area, they were surrounded by frenzied humans, poorly equipped but relentless in their hatred of the Astartes. Forced to fight back, the spearhead couldn’t accomplish its objective in due time. This action showed something else: that the attack against the Fallen was known and surprise couldn’t be exploited. Both leaders wondered if the teleported assault should be carried out; the Death Redeemers’ chapter master, Caïn Ektes, voted against this option whereas the Dark Angels firmly asked their allies not to deny their secret oath. Unwillingly, Ektes agreed to follow his allies into battle under high pressure, startled by the aggressiveness they shown but not decided to break his word and show his honor as a Son of the Lion. Final preparations were made for the assault when an alert sounded in the Death's Redeemers’ battle barge’s strategium. Expecting an imminent attack at first, both Astartes leaders discovered that the fleet in approach belonged to the Adepta Sororita. The messages sent by this unexpected ally made things more complicated: suspecting a chaotic infestation on the planet, Sisters sent there had for mission to search for actual clues proving this assertion and, if needed, destroy subversive elements, if it wasn’t too late. The Dark Angels decided to use these allies as bait in order to create a new element of surprise. In conjunction with the Arbites forces on the ground, the Adepta Sororita organized an armed reconnaissance in the suburbs of the main city on the planet. During this time, the Astartes force withdrew, simulating a general fallback and abandoning the ground task force. However, they kept an eye on the Sororita’s action which functioned as planned: drawing the attention of the enemy, they were assailed by a large force, pushing them back from the city. This was the moment: the Dark Angels launched a surprise teleport assault on the fortress, destroying the command centre and capturing the Fallen. Withdrawing, they started an orbital bombardment in order to destroy the Ecclesiarchy’s forces, witness of their action. Ektes stood witness of all these actions in awe: he couldn’t believe anymore in the legitimacy of this hunt that was driving Astartes forces to fight and kill the very ones they were made to protect. Acting boldly, he rushed in order to retrieve his men stuck on the planet. Seeing this, the Dark Angels force stopped shooting. But this was a mere satisfaction: the Ecclesiarchy’s ships, believing the Death's Redeemers were the source of the attack against their forces started to shoot at them, while the Dark Angels were swiftly disappearing. In his anger, Ektes ordered to destroy the Ecclesiarchy’s ships that attacked them, retrieve their brothers on the ground and leave the planet. Since then, and after a very violent explanation with the Dark Angels, the Death's Redeemers have voluntarily forsaken their oath to hunt the Fallen and strive to earn forgiveness for their actions. http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q578/kydoimos2/Deaths%20Redeemers%20tactical%20marine_zpsdsvxcsxt.jpg Brother Rheto, 2nd tactical squad, 5th Company [http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q578/kydoimos2/Terminator%201ere%20Cie_zpsnuto6eal.jpg Veteran Brother Nedam, 1st Company ORGANIZATION The chapter organization is in keeping with the Codex Astartes. There are 10 companies: the first one regroup the Chapter’s veterans, either equipped with Terminator armor or classical power armor; the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th companies are battle companies led by captains and made of 6 tactical squads, 2 assaults squads and 2 devastator squad, each of them having their own armory and dedicated Dreadnoughts. 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th companies are reserve companies and the 10th squad is made of scouts. The Death's Redeemers have a high number of drop pods due to their tactical doctrine and assaults squads are also trained to excel in boarding actions. Their veteran in Terminator armor equally favors teleporting assault in these situations or planet fall attacks. The Chapter’s fleet is a reflection of their combat doctrine. The Death's Redeemers own few capital class ships compared to others chapters and focus rather on small, fast and aggressive ships. Their void combat doctrine is similar to their planetary engagements: they favor close quarters actions through the massive use of boarding torpedoes. Once on board, their assault squads, specifically equipped, are tasked with the destruction of the main propulsive elements of the enemy ships whereas their Terminators squads are looking for leaders in order to destroy them utterly, ending the fight as quickly as possible. The Death's Redeemers’ power armor is painted in black and ivory colors. They adhere strictly to the Codex Astartes’ principles regarding companies, squads and officers distinctive signs. SELECTED BATTLE HONORS The Occlusiad War [550.M37] Albeit far from Praxidika VII, the Death’s Redeemers took part to this conflict suspecting the presence of a Fallen behind the Blind King actions. The Death’s Redeemers distinguished themselves by leading several bold boarding operations in the numerous void battles that occurred during this conflict. Break-up with the Dark Angels [723.M38] The Death’s Redeemers, following the events on the planet of Merak, give up their hunt of the Fallen and publicly adhere to the Codex Astartes. They also develop their ties with the Ultramarines, which are now considered as their source of inspiration. The Redemption Crusades [131.M39] The Death’s Redeemers are a major force accompanying the global burst leading to the recovery of numerous worlds across the Imperium. The First Tyranic War [745.M41] Based on a world close to Ultramar, the Death’s Redeemers had to defend themselves against a tendril of the Hive Fleet Behemoth. However, the poor amount of biomass on Praxidika VII weakened the aliens that couldn’t get enough genetic material to renew their strength. However, the victory was hard-won and the chapter suffered important losses, until they could destroy the last Tyranids force disoriented after the victory of the Ultramarines in the battle for Macragge.

The Lost Sons, Relentless and Unstoppable The Helios Guard Our foes outnumber us. They outgun us, and they outpace us. They hold all advantages. All save one. Endurance. No foe is our equal in this. They can strike, strike, strike again. But their blows we will weather. They will tire, they will fall, and we will cast their broken bodies down from the heights of this world. Battle-brother Elioth of the Second Company A Chapter whose early records are spotty at best, the Helios Guard have never been fully trusted by the wider Imperium. Their genetic origin remains a mystery, and the earlier years of their existence are the subject of myth and legend. Several Inquisitors have, over the years, taken it upon themselves to delve into the origins of the Chapter. All have come away with nothing. Aside from a few sparse mentions in the records of other Chapters and in the vaults of the Adeptus Terra, there is no proof at all that the Helios Guard existed before the 36th Millennium. The Helios Guard: Progenitor: Unknown. Primarch: Unknown. Chapter Master: Acanthus Valorum. Homeworld: None. Fortress-Monastery: Battle barge Fortis Praefectum. Founding: Unknown (possibly the Dark 13th Founding). Colors: Bone, with dark red right arm and black trim. Specialty: Resilience, alpha strikes, relentless assaults. Strength: Under strength following losses in the Traxis Campaign (approx. 750). Battle cry: "We endure!" History The records kept by the Adeptus Terra state that the Helios Guard were founded in the middle of the 36th Millenium. However, the records of several other Chapters and a few minor worlds on the outskirts of Segmentum Obscurus mention Marines matching the modern description of the Guard well before this date. This can be interpreted several ways; however, the prevailing (and, likely, correct) theory amongst the informed is that the Adeptus Terra were not informed of the Helios Guard’s creation until well after the fact. If this is true, it could, perhaps, be used to explain the total lack of any Administratum records pertaining to the Chapter before M36. What records remain from the earliest days of the Helios Guard show that, for the early centuries of their existence, the Helios Guard were a Chapter on permanent Crusade. In those days, Chapter-level campaigns were often launched seemingly without cause; neither the battle-brothers of the Companies nor even the Captains commanding them knew why they were called to the battles they were. Feling distrusted by their own leaders, some brothers grew frustrated. Hopelessness took hold, and a few, including the Fourth Captain of the time, Theren (now known as the Blighted King) turned, in their despair, to Chaos (particularly to Nurgle, the god of plague, hopelessness, and immortality). The leaders of the Chapter attempted to cover up the insurgency within their ranks. Despite their best efforts, however, fifty battle-brothers (their names inscribed in the Hall of the Lost aboard the Fortis Praefectum) escaped the purge, wreaking havoc throughout the Imperium before escaping into the Maelstrom. In the wake of this, the Inquisition issued an ultimatum to the Chapter; embark upon a penitent crusade into the Maelstrom in pursuit of Theren and his ilk, or be destroyed. With no other choice, Chapter Master Eliouth acceded to the demands of the Inquisition. So began the Rebirth, as the Crusade is called within the Helios Guard. The Chapter fleet entered the Maelstrom in the thirteenth year of the 38th Millennium. Driven by their hatred and desire to make amends to the people their brothers had wronged, the Chapter pushed through any and all foes they encountered. On the outskirts, it was Ork enclaves and pirate kingdoms. Once inside, however, the foe became great deal more dangerous. Renegades, heretics, and worse prowled the worlds encountered by the fleet. More and more brothers were lost with each encounter. Some spoke of turning back, but the Chapter Master, Eliouth, knew that they had no choice but to continue. His Captains attempted to reason with him, but the Chapter Master would accept nothing less than total victory, or total destruction. So the fleet pushed on, until, at last, it came to the Nurgle-corrupted world of Almoravid. There, they found that Theren and his forty-nine had made common cause with the daemon legions of the plague god. The Helios Guard, numbering only five hundred, faced an army of daemons in addition own corrupted brethren. Once more, the Captains begged their lord to abandon his the Crusade, or conduct an Exterminatus upon the planet, lest the Chapter be destroyed in its entirety. But driven by his hatred and sheer stubbornness, Eliouth gave the order to make planetfall. When the battle began, the Helios Guard fought with all their usual grim resolution. Bolters punched and shattered warp-spawn at close range, while mighty Dreadnoughts and trundling vehicles cut swathes through the horde. But it was not enough. Lesser daemons swarmed and butchered Astartes, while their more powerful kin strode amongst the Space Marines, shattering armor, flesh, and bone with ease. The Chapter fought bravely, but they faced daemons in their own realm, and most were overwhelmed. Chapter Master Eliouth, knowing that it was his brethren's only hope, sought out Theren in single combat. The Blighted King and the Chapter Master dueled for an hour, matching blow for blow. But, in the end, Theren’s warp-enhanced power proved too much for Eliouth, and he was cast down and slain. At the loss of their leader, the remaining two hundred Space Marines began to lose hope. They refused to surrender , as ever, but they knew their chances of survival were slim. This was a crisis they could not endure. But then the tide was turned. Valodis Llero, Captain of the First Company, cast aside his doubts and strode out amongst his brothers. Through his charisma and inspiring example, Llero rallied the remanants of his Chapter. Their warrior spirits were stoked, and their growing despair gave way to a cold, implacable hate. With his warriors behind him, Llero led a final charge against the forces of Nurgle, and, in desperate single combat, struck down the traitor lord. In this, the Guard were thwarted, however, for There's soul had been taken by the warp and, now a daemon prince of Nurgle, he could not truly be slain. Still, it was enough for the Chapter to claim victory that day. With Theren’s death (temporary though it was) the daemons lost their hold on reality, discorporating where they stood. The Helios Guard fell back to their ships in good order, and Llero declared the crusade to be at an end. In his final act of command as Captain before his promotion to Chapter Master, Llero raised each of the brothers who had survived the battle to the First Company, creating a two-hundred-man Veteran Company, a tradition that persists to this day. Following the Rebirth and Llero's subsequent promotion to Chapter Master, the Chapter fleet exited the Maelstrom. But the Helios Guard that left were not those who had entered that hell on crusade. The warriors that emerged were hardened, cold, and harsh, made callous by the war against their brothers. Though they had been known for their resolve before, now the Guard refused to take a single backwards step, no matter the odds. The warriors of the Helios Guard, long noted for their resilience, now took pride only in the pain they could endure. Much of their tenacity was a result of their gene-seed; even before their crusade, they had been noted for their resilience, but the end of the long and spiteful war against foes who were their equal in this regard only exacerbated this trait. Llero stripped away the things which, he believed, had made the Chapter weak, decadent even. Gone were the personal banners of Sergeants, the elaborate and ancient weapons that, while beautiful, served no purpose. Instead, battle-brothers would display only awards earned in battle (marksman's honors, Deathwatch markings, and the like) and markings of rank. The only exception to this rule were relics honoring the Emperor, for Llero believed that "now, more than ever, we must strive to prove ourselves worthy of His light." Another major change which swept the Chapter was the cessation of the campaigns which had kept the lower-ranked brothers of the Chapter in the dark. Officially, Llero did away with these campaigns in order to rebuild the trust between the Chapter Master and his warriors. However, there are those both within the Chapter and without who speak of the fabled "Tome of the Thirteenth" and its alleged discovery by Llero. These skeptics draw connections between the Tome and the murky origins of the Helios Guard, but whether Llero found the Tome or not (if it does, indeed, exist) he brought and end to what all agree was a foolish and irresponsible practice unbecoming of a Space Marine Chapter. Modern Times The Helios Guard have recently emerged from a conflict with the shadowy Reclamation Dominion, an alliance of xenos, traitors, and worse. Though they suffered the brunt of the heavy fighting, losing almost a third of their manpower in the Traxis sector, the Chapter eventually prevailed at the world of Dracoon Primus, where the invasion of a Tyranid splinter fleet distracted the Dominion long enough for Acanthus Valorum to lead a successful attack on the Dominion High Command. Four years after this victory, Abandon the Despoiler began his Thirteenth Black Crusade. Though still weakened by their struggles against the Dominion, the Helios Guard have committed the Fourth and Seventh Companies, under the overall command of Fourth Captain Tuizus Erioth, to the campaign against the forces of Chaos. The rest of the Chapter remains engaged in Segmentum Solar, combating Eldar, Ork, and Necron forces. Acanthus Valorum "I've seen Chapter Masters come and go. I knew Thracian well, I did. That one was pure iron; he broke, but he never bent. Hond I knew as well. That one was steel, he was. He could bend, and he could hold, but strong enough, he simply wasn't. But Valorum? Maybe it was the Deathwatch; maybe it was the Chapter; maybe it was Tibur itself. But he's adamantium through and through. Too strong to bow, too strong to break. An immovable object. And I? I'm an unstoppable force. What happens when the two meet?" -Renegade Space Marine Captain Ilis Morn, on Acanthus Valorum. The current Chapter Master of the Helios Guard, Acanthus Valorum, is a man whose tally of victories outnumbers that of any of his brothers, past or present, surpassing even the lauded Valodis Llero. He embodies the relentless, implacable fury for which the Helios Guard are known. He goes into battle clad in a suit of ancient artificer armor (said by some to have been a gift to the Chapter from an unknown source) and wields the relic hammer Rilgard and a great storm shield inscribed with praises to the Emperor. Valorum is a master warrior and ruthless tactician, having personally defeated hundreds of enemy champions and orchestrated campaigns across five hundred worlds. His tally of victories stretches for five hundred years, and includes such momentous conflicts as the Rethor’s World Campaign, the siege of Hive Tor, and the Thayan Crusade (in which he planned and executed the destruction of a force of Dark Eldar numbering over ten thousand with a single Battle Company and the Strike Cruiser Ironside). As a Sergeant of the Second Company, he was seconded to the Deathwatch of the Ordo Xenos, and worked his way through the ranks to the position of Watch Captain, a post that he held for ninety years. Returning to his Chapter as First Captain, he ascended to the rank of Chapter Master in the year 843 of the 41st Millennium, and has earned the respect and adulation of his battle-brothers many times over. However, in spite of all his virtues, the enemies of man slain by his hand, and his lengthy roll of honor, there is one ingrained flaw which he has never outgrown: his near-insane stubbornness. His intractable nature has often caused him to remain on the battlefield far longer than his tacticians deem wise, fighting long after all around him have fallen. His implacability was the sole cause of his first and only defeat at the hands of the Eldar of Craftworld Biel-Tan. Valorum swore vengeance, and eventually achieved it, but only at the cost of one hundred and twelve battle-brothers. Some amongst his warriors worry that their lords' bull-headedness will bring about a great disaster in the coming years, but Valorum has, so far, defied any such fears, leading the Helios Guard to great victories time and again. Symbol of the Helios Guard Homeworld The Helios Guard lay claim to no homeworld. Instead, they remain fleet based, and maintain a number of recruiting worlds. This variety of recruiting ground allows the Chapter to replenish losses more quickly than most other Chapters, as they have more neophytes from whom to draw. The primary recruiting world of the Helios Guard is Tibur. A bitter, mountainous world, Tibur lies in Segmentum Obscurus, and is classified as an early stage feudal world. Tibur is home to numerous craters and caves, within which roils all manner of poisonous gas. The Helios Guard often use these caves in their trials, sending recruits to spend a night in the caves, or recover something left in one of them. The lowlands of the planet are hot, arid, and covered in pockets of poisonous gas. In contrast to these, the highlands are high in oxygen and other chemical elements essential to the human body. The cold here is so bitter, however, and the predators so vicious, that any settlers who come to this desolate region are forced to live together in castles or keeps, both for warmth and protection. The people of Tibur are hardy, martial folk. From birth until death, life is a constant struggle, and only the strong or the useful survive. Many castles and keeps are built above massive mine complexes, where hundreds of peasants work away their lives while their lords duel, compete for the favor of ladies, and hold tournaments. In times of war, the lord of a castle raises his peasants into an army, making use of the hardy bodies and stoic temperaments of the Tiburians to create a disciplined, resolute army in a short amount of time. Despite the importance of their recruiting worlds, the true heart of the Helios Guard is their fortress-monastery. The battle-barge Fortis Praefectum serves as the Chapter’s home. An ancient craft, dating back to the Horus Heresy or before, the Fortis Praefectum houses the Reclusiam, the Librarius, the Forge, the reliquary, as well as all the other aspects of a standard fortress-monastery. Larger than other battle-barges to accommodate the facilities of a Chapter, the Fortis Praefectum possesses a belligerent and stubborn machine spirit. This “sentience’ refuses to communicate with any but a Techmarine, the Chapter Master, or the Master of the Fleet. Nonetheless, many Chapter legends have sprung up about the spirit of the vessel, and some believe that the Fortis Praefectum may, in fact, recall the ancient, forgotten days of the foundation of the Helios Guard. Combat Doctrine Though a Codex Chapter in most respects, the Helios Guard place a particular emphasis upon the resilience of a warrior. While marksmanship and skill with weapons are as highly valued amongst the Helios Guard as within the ranks of other Chapters, a warrior’s true mettle is found in the pain he can endure. For the Helios Guard, whose mysterious gene-seed coupled with intense conditioning makes them even more tenacious than the “average” Astartes, no pain is too great, no hardship is too much, and no obstacle cannot be surmounted through sheer willpower. Throughout the history of the Helios Guard, this superhuman tenacity has been the deciding factor in innumerable battles. For instance, in the war against the Necron legions of the Tomb World of Isolos, the Helios Guard 2nd Company, despite taking heavy casualties, managed to repulse an attacking force of more than a thousand Necron warrior constructs, first utilizing bolter rounds, and, when ammunition ran dry, closing with the unliving foe and fighting with chainswords, combat knifes, and power-armored fists. Though they were surrounded, outnumbered, and outgunned, not one amongst them gave in to pain or fear. At the end of the battle, not a single one of the remaining Marines remained unwounded, and only thirty of the original one hundred remained, but, through tenacity and unyielding will, the Helios Guard prevailed, with the Second Company adding the Necron skull to their Company Banner to commemorate the momentous victory. Similar victories have occurred on a thousand battlefields, from the Ork contested Rethor’s World, to Nurgle-blighted Toramn. No foe is beyond the tenacity and determination of the Helios Guard, and, even in defeat, the Chapter is known to both inflict and accept horrific casualties, fighting on long after all others would have pulled out. Such a stoicism has led to victories thought impossible, but only at a great loss of life. Organization Organized according to the Codex Astartes in nearly all respects, the Helios Guard nonetheless possess their own unique traditions and formations. The most notable of these deviations is the two hundred man strength of the Veteran 1st Company. The reason for this dates back to a time when, during a campaign against Chaos forces on the world of Rellan, the Chapter was reduced to a mere two hundred Marines, under the command of the then First Captain, Valodis Llero. In a gesture of brotherhood, Captain Llero elevated each of those Marines not already of the First into the Veteran Company, a tradition which has persisted since those days. This unique formation has allowed the Helios Guard far more tactical flexibility than the "average" Chapter, as more experienced forces can be devoted to a war zone without fear of losing the entire cadre of Veterans. Additionally, rather than a Chief Librarian, the Helios Guard make use of an Epistolary Council, a group formed from one senior Epistolary from each of the psychic disciplines utilized by the Chapter. Aside from these deviations, the Helios Guard follow the Codex almost to the letter, though the emphasis placed upon perseverance is another notable difference from the strictures laid down in Guilliman’s mighty tome. Beliefs "Uphold the teachings of Llero, he who is Leader, Savior, and Father to us all. Purge the weakness from yourself. Root out corruption wherever it is found. Do these things, and you can do no wrong." -High Chaplain Iliscon Due to the lack of knowledge as to the identity of their Primarch, the Helios Guard choose to center their devotion upon the Emperor, rather than his sons. To them, the Emperor is the pinnacle of human accomplishment, a shining paragon of all that it is to be human. Every Marine of the Helios Guard strives to bring humanity as a whole closer to achieving the ideal laid down by the Emperor. In spite of this reverence for the Master of Mankind, however, the Chapter does pay homage to another ancient figure: Valodis Llero, the man responsible for turning the Helios Guard into the Chapter they are today. Legend has it that, as a Scout, Llero slew an Ork warlord with only his fallen Sergeant’s chainsword, and that, as a Sergeant himself, he led an attack which broke the back of the Dark Eldar forces of the Kabal of the Poisoned Thorn at the Garron moon. However, his most notable achievements came at the Battle of Almoravid, in the year 13 of the 38th Millennium. Always noted for his tenacity, Llero truly showcased the potential of his fighting style during the terrible campaign in the Maelstrom. Following that great victory, Llero became the Chapter Master and implemented the training methods and doctrines which are followed to this day by the Helios Guard. In some circles, Llero is seen as the pseudo-primarch of the Helios Guard, and is held in the utmost respect by the members of the Chapter. His unique way of waging war is still the standard to which the Marines of the Helios Guard are held. The Chapter retains some flaws, however. Deeply suspicious of outsiders (partly due to their treatment by the Inquisition) the Helios Guard often reject new ideas and innovations. Those they do adopt are regarded with wariness at best and resentment at worst. The sins of the past weigh heavily upon them; they retain their bitter hatred for their traitor brethren, and hunt them wherever and whenever possible. They are also disconnected from the common man; their own bitterness and unwillingness to express emotions leads humans they meet to fear them as irrevocably disconnected from their own experience. The brothers are often downright morbid, and several times in the Chapter's history, this unhealthy aspect of their culture has led to criticism from other Astartes. By and large, however, the Helios Guard know and accept their flaws. They know they can never be Ultramarines, champions of the people, examples of the Astartes. Instead, they strive to be a necessary evil; the warriors the Imperium and its people need, feared by those they defend but haunting the nightmares of the Emperor's foes. Gene-seed “Yes, it is true that my father remains unknown to me. Never have I denied that fact, and, in my weaker moments, I have pondered the question of my identity late into the night. But to you, I say this: your proud, ancient legacy is known to you, and can be traced to he who penned the Codex, the holy writ by which we live. My line knows no such certainty, and yet, still I serve the Emperor, with every fiber of my being. In its own way, is that not as noble as your own genetic line? For, while you, faithful though you may be, have certainty, I have nothing but my faith, which I hold to, despite the mistrust levied against me. Where you act out of certainty, I act out of faith, and faith alone. Can you not see the nobility in that?” -Chapter Master Acanthus Valorum. Though the Helios Guard do not know the truth as to the origins of their gene-seed, their genetic legacy is as important to them as any Chapter. Their gene-seed, like that of all Space marines, serves as a reminder of their link to the Emperor, whom they revere as the greatest of men. Despite lack of any consistent genetic traits pointing towards a particular First Founding Chapter, certain traits have emerged in the gene-seed of the Helios Guard. Most of the Marines develop chiseled, almost gaunt, facial features once their gene-seed is implanted. Their eyes generally darken and seem to be hidden in shadow, and the Marines become much more resilient than Astartes from other Chapters. Though both the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Inquisition, two factions which remain suspicious of the Helios Guard, conduct regular tests upon the gene-seed of the Chapter, their gene-seed has held its purity in the face of the most stringent of trials. Mutations, though rare, are not entirely unheard of, and the Chapter is eternally vigilant for anything that might taint them further in the eyes of the Imperium. There are many theories as to which Chapter the Helios Guard can trace their descent from. Some argue Imperia Fists or Iron Hands, arguments based primarily upon combat tactics and the Chapter Cult. But, though similar to these illustrious brotherhoods in many respects, the Helios Guard are distinct from both in their physical traits and outlook on their duty. The Ultramarines have been suggested, but this is an argument based solely upon the prevalence of Ultramarines gene-seed throughout the Imperium. Even the Raven Guard have been put forward as a possible progenitor, but the sons of Corax have never acknowledged the Helios Guard as one of their own. Both Chapters in question have completely opposing combat doctrines, and even the gene-seed of the Helios Guard points away from the warriors of Deliverance, for they do not suffer from the same mutations as the Raven Guard. There are even whispers of dark truths held within the fabled Tome of the Thirteenth, but for all intents and purposes, the Helios Guard are classified as having no known progenitor Chapter, falling into the class of Astartes most distrusted by the wider Imperium. Battle Cry: "We endure!" Important Characters: Chapter Master Acanthus Valorum Dreadnought-Reclusiarch Thawn Gerodus First Captain Varth Arren, Lord of the Two Hundred Second Captain Vos Cvriac, The Avenger Third Captain Huel Daros, Master of Endurance Fourth Captain Tuizus Erioth, Master of Vigilance Fifth Captain Merek Andrel, Master of Crusades Sixth Captain Yaren Devitan, Master of Penance Seventh Captain Horic Olias, Master of Relics Eight Captain Gregor Seric, Master of Strength Ninth Captain Toras Korvydon, Master of Annihilation Tenth Captain Nero Fredal, Master of Silence Chief Apothecary Samos Arth Forged Master Anak Krayt Keep in mind, this is still a work in progress, and I would appreciate any suggestions or criticisms you guys have. Thanks!

GENESEED (PREDECESSOR):- Dark Angels* FOUNDING:- 23rd Sentinel Founding CHAPTER MASTER:- Grand Master Sephalion CHAPTER WORLD:- Etzabaidat FORTRESS MONASTERY:- Eternal Task MAIN COLOURS:- Iron Grey, Crimson SPECIALITY:- Naval Boarding BATTLE CRY:- Nos vero per bellum/We are cleansed through battle CURRENT STRENGTH:- Full strength (~1000, exact figure unknown) KNOWN DESCENDANTS:- None *See Geneseed, below. Formed during the 23rd Sentinel Founding (Late M.37 or early M.38, depending on sources), the Angels of Contrition are a Dark Angels successor Chapter that have developed a focus on ship-to-ship boarding actions and naval combat. The Chapter maintains a nominal presence on the feudal world Etzabaidat, although outside of recruiting purposes the Chapter remains fleet based. Formed in response to dire portents foretold by the Emperor's Tarot, the Angels of Contrition have made a name for themselves tackling Space Hulks and other Chaos vessels ejected from the Warp near the Eye of Terror in large-scale boarding assaults. The Angels of Contrition wear grey armour, with crimson hands and details; their badge is a downward pointing crimson sword, flanked by two crimson blood drops. Already reeling from six Black Crusades launched by Abaddon, the Imperium's grip on the Segmentum Obscurus was tenuous enough by the middle of the 37th Millennium. The Emperor's Tarot was consulted time and time again, and each reading came with the same dire portents: plans beyond the comprehension of the Imperium, an attack that would leave them trailing in it's wake, confused and bloodied. A rapid reaction force was ordered into creation by the High Lords of Terra, and not long afterwards the Angels of Contrition were created as part of the 23rd Founding. Created from the gene stock of the Imperium's most resolute warriors, the Dark Angels, the Angels of Conviction were given a sizeable fleet, a powerful armoury, a world from which to recruit, and a particular goal: to patrol the Segmentum Obscurus, responding to any confirmed reports of Chaos activity outside of the Cadian Gate, to meet the foes that slipped through the net cast by the Astartes Praeses. It is unsure whether or not the Angels of Contrition were created in time to try and halt the 8th Black Crusade - since accepted as the cause of the readings that led to the creation of the Chapter – but they have nonetheless continued their patrols of the wider Segmentum Obscurus, meeting the forces of Chaos wherever they can be found. Since their inception, the Angels of Contrition have also taken on the more sinister duties of the Unforgiven, hunting down the Fallen that betrayed their progenitor Legion millennia ago. Over the thousands of years since, the Angels of Contrition have forged themselves a reputation of an aloof, distant Chapter that rarely interacts with outside organisations other than the Dark Angels and their other successors. Nonetheless, they have explored and destroyed scores of Space Hulks, and fought in numerous campaigns against the forces of Chaos. Notable victories include the destruction of the Infernal, a Chaos Repulsive-Class Grand Cruiser, in 422.M39; a dozen defeats of Chaos raiders in the final actions of the Gothic War; and their finest hour to date, the assault on the daemon-infested Space Hulk Eternal Perdition in 961.M41, in which the entire Chapter deployed to the Space Hulk, battling through a horde of Nurgle cultists and daemons to destroy the gigantic vessel. The Angels of Contrition have a recognised homeworld in Etzabaidat, a tribaliustic feudal world in a far-flung system on the edges of the Segentum Obscurus. Etzabaidat is a planet split into two distinct environments; the lowlands are a desert wasteland spotted with the ruins of a bygone age, barren and inhabitable, plagued by great seas of radioactive gas that are blown about the planet in swirling storms. Meanwhile, the population of Etzabaidat is divided into a series of city-states known as Hiri-Handiko (high cities), each occupying a separate mountain or mountain range, living off the arable highlands that rise from the tides of gases like islands. Status in Etzabaidat's cultural system can be measured by the location of one's holdings: the wealthy and elite populate the highest reaches of the townships, furthest away from the toxic clouds below, and the population grows poorer as the settlement descends towards the planet's lowlands. With living space on Etzabaidat limited, slums often spring up outside the boundaries of the mountain city's walls, forming sprawling settlements of their own perched precariously on steep slopes. In line with the strains put on their society and the measure of socio-economic status, those who inhabit Etzabaidat worship the stars; each one, they say, is another brave soul ascended above the hellish climates of their homeworld. The emphasis on the cultural ideal of the Lgoera (the ascension) – a belief that only through sacrifice can one provide for themselves and others, an idea in keeping with the planet's limited resources - leads to communities that have tight-knight family institutions. Unlike many feudal worlds, the farmers and providers are found among the nobility rather than the lower class, with especially those producing food to sate the ever-burgeoning populations of their cities given a high status within society. The culture of self-sacrifice also can be seen in Etzabaidat's military traditions, with family members bartering their service and lives in order to secure resources for their families. The city-states are locked in an eternal conflict that consumes the planet; a conflict born of necessity as much as pride or hatred. The farmlands of Etzabaidat are not in abundance, and the planet can only able to support a limited population; wars are fought as much as a method of controlling population growth as they are about trying to acquire more of the limited farmland of the planet. Battles are fought, invariably, as a series of hellish sieges, defending armies largely unwilling to commit their forces to the deadly lowlands, whilst the attacking force tries to force it's way to higher ground before the unpredictable radioactive storms bear down upon them. Occasionally more conventional field battles break out on the lowlands, but prolonged engagements are rare; the lowland atmosphere makes them and unreliable gambit at best, leading to a history of rushed, violent wars. Numerous alliances are formed, usually lasting only as long as the short wars that follow them before dissolving again, and many are shorter still. The Chapter does not maintain a base on the planet itself, preferring to distance itself from the planet's occupants and instead holding a small installation on the largest of Etzabaidat's sixteen moons. All of the remaining moons have been turned into either orbital weapons platforms to defend the planet should it ever come under attack, or docking stations the Chapter uses to make repairs to it's fleet when it returns to the world for recruiting. The natives of Etzabaidat see the Angels of Contrition as Altzairu Aingeruak, steel angels from the stars that come when the most promising of the planet's young warriors ascend to the heavens above, to gain eternal glory in an endless battle that is the reward of those who live proud lives. Etzabaidat culture has a strong emphasis on the pride of the family unit, and so to have a member of the family ascend with the Altzairu Aingeruak is seen as significant proof of the family's worth and esteem, enough in itself to provide a stepping stone into nobility. Despite having an official homeworld, the Chapter is for the most part fleet-based, as befits the task issued to them upon their creation. The Battle Barge Eternal Task functions as the Chapter's mobile fortress-monastery, accompanied by two other Battle Barges (Repentance and Cleansed By Fire) and ten Strike Cruisers, along with numerous Escort vessels. The Hildako The nature of the rapid and brutal ways of war on Etzabaidat have led to a culture among the planet's aspiring warriors of the Hildako-Bizidunak, the dead that walk. Part fuelled by the belief of the honourable death that wars bring, and in part an acknowledgement that to war on Etzabaidat is to invite death upon oneself to an almost-certain degree, those who join the Hildako-Bizidunak give up rights to all their possessions; going so far as to give up their name to be henceforth referred to simply as 'the Hildako', seen no longer as a person but as a living spirit of war. This is done in a raucous funeral ceremony (the Hiltzen) that concludes with the tattooing of tribal masks on to the faces of the newly-made Hildako, marking them among the ranks of the already lost; for to be Hildako is to have forfeited more than your clothes, home, or name; it is to have forfeited your life. Those who pledge themselves to the Hildako-Bizidunak are pledged their city-state, promising to fight for their kin whenever called upon in the deadly battles of Etzabaidat. They take up serrated curved blades known as a Zizalia, going to war clad in nothing but tribal markings painted upon their bodies in ash. In return, their families are provided with food and land until their next generation comes of age; their lives pay for the guarantee of life for their families. It is considered a great honour in Etzabaidat society to join these warrior groups, ensuring sustenance for their families, and freeing up living space and resources from others. The need to tightly regulate population and the benefits conveyed on the family for having a member join the Hildako also has the effect of family members being pushed into the order at absurdly young ages, with many of Etzabaidat's wars being fought by those barely in their teens – or younger. The youngest Hildako in records was the equivalent of six Terran years old. The Chapter's recruits are taken exclusively from the ranks of the Hildako, with the youngest and fiercest of the Hildako-Bizidunak providing the Angels of Contrition with their numbers. Their tattooed faces make for fearsome visages, and their promise to give up their lives for those they lived with on Etzabaidat now becomes a solemn oath to do so for the entire Imperium. Having relinquished their name upon induction into their fearsome order, those Hildako that prove themselves fit to join the Angels of Contrition take a new assumed name; many of the Chapter's recruits choose names styled after the heroes of their original legion, the Dark Angels, leading to names that are often at odds with the warrior's actual heritage, and many of the Chapter's other naming conventions. Since their founding, the Angels of Contrition have assumed a role that focuses on sudden overwhelming displays of strength, which coupled with their fleet-based nature, has gravitated them towards a specialism in large-scale boarding actions of enemy fleet vessels or orbital platforms. They focus on close-range anti-infantry weapons, favouring plasma weapons and flamethrowers; only rarely do the Chapter find themselves facing enemies at range or with significant amounts of heavy armour support, making long range weaponry such as lascannons and missile launchers a rare sight throughout most of the Chapter. Notably, the Chapter's Assault Marines also forgo jump packs, which are obsolete in ship-to-ship boarding actions; they will deploy via drop pods when engaging ground forces. This focus on naval warfare and boarding actions also extends to the way in which the Chapter's Reserve Companies organise themselves, with no Scout Company to speak of; new recruits, labelled Initiates, fight alongside full Battle Brothers in mixed units known as Probator Squads. The Angels of Contrition favour the use of Caestus Assault Rams when boarding hostile vessels, with the Caestus' magna-meltas able to pierce the thickest Space Hulk's armour to leave boarding points for successive waves of Thunderhawks and Stormravens carrying reinforcements. Despite their fleet-bound nature, the Angels of Contrition still maintain a fully-equipped Ravenwing equivalent, the Ghostwing. This fast attack element often forms the core of any efforts made by the Chapter to hunt down the Fallen, along with spearheading any assaults on ground forces that may have retreated from space after assaults by the Angels of Contrition. The Ghostwing also can operate as a scouting force in lieu of the Scout Company in ground engagements. The Chapter armoury operates with more limited tank support than many Chapters; some vehicles are used alongside Ghostwing forces, but generally they are unsuited to boarding actions, and as such the Chapter maintains only a minimum of armoured vehicles. Should the Chapter find itself fighting on a more conventional battlefield, the Chapter employs numerous aircraft from it's fleet to provide ground forces forces with mobility and fire support. The Angels of Contrition do, however, have a strong contingent of Dreadnoughts, with thirty four of the venerable warrior machines as of the start of the 13th Black Crusade – including three of the uncommon Mortis-pattern Dreadnoughts. Unlike the other Chapters stemming from Lion El'Jonson, they also make use of Ironclad Dreadnoughts to provide armoured close-range support, along with flights of Stormraven gunships to ferry these venerable warriors to battle. Straying in places from the guidelines of the Codex Astartes, the Angels of Contrition are for the most part organised in the same manner as many Chapters of the Unforgiven. They are currently led by Grand Master Sephalion, who rules over the Chapter's Inner Circle; consisting of the ten Company Masters, Master Chaplain Alazar, and Master Librarian Tharzial. The 1st Company of the Angels of Contrition, known as the Bloodwing, functions in the same manner as the Deathwing of the Dark Angels; the Angels of Contrition's 2nd Company, the Ghostwing, is their equivalent to the Ravenwing. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Battle Companies are formed in the same manner, a mix of Tactical, Assault and Devastator squads, like any Codex adherent Chapter. The Angels of Contrition's 1st Company, named the Bloodwing, are the Chapter's equivalent to the Deathwing of the Dark Angels. Always found at the forefront of any attack, the Bloodwing (so named for the blood-crimson they paint their armour) are the finest warriors the Chapter has. Unlike the Deathwing, the Bloodwing is not solely comprised of Terminator squads; originally well-equipped with Tactical Dreadnought armour to suit their main occupation, the Bloodwing lost over half it's number during the assault on the Space Hulk Eternal Perdition in 961.M41, with no chance to reclaim the suits before the Space Hulk was destroyed following the overloading of the ancient reactor system at it's core. Forty three suits currently remain to the Chapter, those that survived the Eternal Perdition and the handful of suits that have been obtained since. The rest of the Bloodwing deploys in Veteran squads much like more conventional Chapters. In place of the 2nd Company found in Codex adherent Chapters, the Angels of Contrition operate a Ghostwing that functions largely like the Ravenwing of the Dark Angels. Armoured painted pure white where the rest of the Chapter sports a dull grey, the Ghostwing lead any ground engagements the Angels of Contrition find themselves in, much like the Bloodwing do for boarding actions. When examined closely, it is apparent between the Bikers and the Pilots of the Ghostwing, the Company is kept over-strength, allowing the Ghostwing to strike with the same speed and overbearing force on the ground that the Angels of Contrition utilise in ship-to-ship combat. In purely naval engagements, the Ghostwing often act as attack craft pilots or commanders, working alongside the Chapter's techmarines. Much like the Ravenwing, the Ghostwing hold a position of great honour among the Angels of Contrition that know their true purpose; their function as a rapid attack force means that it often falls on them to chase and capture or destroy any of the Fallen the Chapter come across. There is one main structural difference between the Angels of Contrition and other Dark Angel successor Chapters, found among the reserve companies of the Chapter. Being a Chapter primarily formed for the purpose of large-scale naval boarding actions, the Angels of Contritions have little need for a Scout Company; dedicated scout squads are seen as unnecessary in the tight confines of a Space Hulk, where stealth has less importance than a traditional battlefield; quick application of force is more useful than stealth, as every moment spent on the unpredictable vessels adds to the risk of the Hulk dropping back into Warp space. Instead, the 6th Company has become the Chapter's Assault Reserve Company, and the 7th the Chapter's Devastator Reserve Company. The 8th, 9th and 10th Companies form the Chapter's Tactical Reserve Companies, each formed of Probator Squads, a mix of Tactical Marines acting as both mentors and assessors to Initiates in a similar manner to the Crusader Squads of the Black Templars. In Lion El'Jonson, the Angels of Contrition revere the first among the Emperor's sons, and one of his staunchest supporters. They consider Lion El'Jonson being the first found Primarch to be more than simple coincidence; Lion El'Jonson was destined to be the first among Brothers, and as such is held above the other Primarchs. This has led them to hold a slightly distasteful view on Chapters descended from the other legions, many of whom who they view as noisy upstarts that waste time boasting whilst the Sons of the Lion act. This has earned them no friends among the Astartes outside of the Unforgiven. Like many of the Dark Angels successors, the Angels of Contrition are seen as a very insular Chapter among other Imperial organisations, including other Space Marines Chapters; their fleet-based nature and preference towards naval warfare only serves to heighten this, as they rarely find themselves working in concert with any of these outside organisations. Their view of the Emperor as not a God, but simply the one amongst mankind who best knew the value of sacrifice – the trait held most esteemed in their roots on Etzabaidat – further serves to isolate the Chapter from the wider Imperium. Considering themselves honoured to have joined the descendants of the First Legion, the Angels of Contrition fully embrace their role as one of the Unforgiven, using their fleet-based nature to rapidly redeploy according to any rumoured sightings of one of the Fallen. This, along with their proximity to the Eye of Terror and their experience in destroying Space Hulks and other corrupted ships, has left the Chapter well-versed in combating all forces of the ruinous powers. Their time spent battling Chaos forces has left the Angels of Contrition with a deep-seated mistrust of Abhumans and Radicalists, and they have in the past refused to work alongside forces containing abhuman detachments, or with certain members of the Ordo Malleus who might employ less than pure means in combating the forces of Chaos. It is not only in this that the Angels of Contrition are considered haughty; they rarely interact with their homeworld, considering themselves to have completed their Lgoera and having escaped Etzabaidat's petty struggles. The Chapter embrace the belief of their homeworld that they are the Altzairu Aingeruak, largely keeping to their star-bound fleet, and although their duties require it, the Chapter often express a mild distaste for formulaic ground warfare, prefer to arrive from the stars in trails of exhaust fumes and flames, ending fights rapidly and violently before withdrawing once again to their fleet; this continues even during protracted wars, with the Angels of Contrition often neglecting to deploy permanent ground forces, rather acting as a rapid reaction force striking repeatedly from orbit. A consequence of their roots on Etzabaidat is the Angels of Contrition's somewhat aberrant views on the conflicts the Imperium sees itself drawn into. On a planet where life is often thrown away in bloody battles for little gain, the lower levels of Eztabaidat society have developed a belief that only through testing oneself in the most extreme circumstances can mankind better themselves. Being drawn largely from the poorer classes more likely to nominate family members to the Hildako, the Angels of Contrition carry this belief with them; that only through war can mankind learn to flourish and take it's rightful place as ruler of the stars. This view, while earning them no allies among forces they consider weak and unworthy (which accounts for most Imperial forces outside of other Chapters of the Unforgiven), has earned them some respect amongst Inquisitors who follow the Isstvanian school of thought. It always find the Angels of Contrition all too-willing to engage in the hostile environment presented by many warped Space Hulks, often when the far safer option would be to destroy these vessels through a simple massed bombardment; more pragmatic Chapters view this as needless risk-taking and glory hunting, where the Angels of Contrition view it as a necessary test of their skills. Squads within the Angels of Contrition are viewed in a slightly different manner than might be the norm among the Astartes. Owing once more to the Chapter's roots on Etzabaidat, where upholding of the family unit is seen as the highest virtue, Angels of Contrition squads hold closer bonds than most, almost becoming family units in their own right. Much like the honour bestowed upon a family by one of it's members joining the Hildako, a member of a squad that ascends to the Bloodwing confers significant honour not only on the Marine in question but also the squad from which he came from. Conversely, Angels of Contrition have been known to be driven into a terrible frenzy considered unseemly by some of their Space Marine brethren, should one of their squad members fall in battle. Another belief stemming from their base among the Hildako is the Chapter's liberal use of Dreadnoughts – whilst a select few are piloted by heroes of the Chapter who were dealt mortal blows, the majority of these machines are piloted by talented recruits selected shortly after they have ascended to the ranks of a full Battle-Brother. Being Hildako, they are already considered as dead by the standards of Etzabaidat, and so have already satisfied the chief requirement most Chapters have placed on being eligible for internment in a Dreadnought. This is a large part of the reason why, despite the dangerous engagements the Angels of Contrition engage in, they still have a larger contingent of Dreadnoughts than most Chapters. It is speculated that they trade relics found on Chaos vessels and Space Hulks with the Adeptus Mechanicus in return for an increased number of Dreadnought chassis for them to make use of, along with an increased number of Terminator armour suits and fleet assets; although this has never been directly proven, the Chapter does sport an unusually powerful fleet for a comparatively new Chapter, and has a larger than would be expected contingent of Techmarines tending to it's powerful armoury. Relics of the Chapter The Angels of Contrition have a number of relics and objects that they consider as sacred. Like their parent Chapter, the Angels of Contrition have three sacred standards - the Standard of Penitence, the Standard of Reproach, and the Standard of Castigation - gifted to them upon their founding by the Dark Angels, alongside the ancient Fire Raptor gunship Divine Providence that often accompanies the Ghostwing to battle. These standards are usually carried into battle by the three Battle Companies, filling the Brothers around them with purpose and wrath. Each Company bears some marker or emblem of their devotion to the 1st Legion, usually carried into battle by servitors or serfs alongside the Company Master (in the case of the Ghostwing, it is carried by a Spiritshroud – the equivalent to a Darkshroud of the Ravenwing). The Grand Master of the Chapter carries two badges of office: the first, and the most sacred of the Chapter's relics, is an ancient scarred shield known as the Untiring Vigil, said to have been carried to battle by one of Lion El'Jonson's closest retainers on Caliban during his youth. It is carried by a Watcher in the Dark, an ever-present shadow to the Grand Master, and signifies the relationship between the Angels of Contrition and their founding legion. The second badge of office is the Grim Confession, an ornate double-bladed glaive wreathed in crimson arcs of energy, that features an inbuilt plasma-blaster of a long forgotten design. It is suspected that the weapon may be an altered design of a Nemesis force weapon; the Angels of Contrition refuse to explain where they might have obtained such a weapon, although it is not outside of the realms of possibility that it could have been salvaged from one of the many Space Hulks they have boarded. The Angels of Contrition are thought to be descended directly from the Dark Angels Chapter, although given they are part of one of the more recent foundings, this may not be entirely accurate; rumour often link them to either the Angels of Absolution or the Guardian of the Covenant, although when questioned directly the only answer the Angels of Contrition is that they are “descendants of the first legion”. The Chapter's gene-seed has no significant defects, as is the norm with descendants of the Dark Angels. Recruitment Recruitment on Etzabaidat is a simple process; the Chaplains of the Chapter, unarmed and unarmoured, will descend upon the city-states of Etzabaidat accompanied by retinues of serfs. A great ritual known as the Arima Galdu Topaketa (the Gathering of Lost Souls) will be organised, during which the Chaplain will watch as the the serfs form a tight unit, and are set upon by any of the city's Hildako that choose to participate (this is usually all of them; Hildako are not known for their fear of battle, no matter how outmatched). Many of the young Hildako suffer terrible damage or death at the hands of the older, stronger serfs, but those that show particular resilience or resolve are paraded through the city before being shepherded away to the Chapter's recruiting station within Eztabaidat's moons. Although there is some pattern to who is chosen for recruitment, with fortitude favoured over direct strength, there is a lack of defined criteria that only serves to heighten the mystical awe those of Etzabaidat hold the Angels of Contrition in. Imperial observers have called this practice barbaric due to the high possibility of death among the hopefuls, but it continues as one of Etzabaidat's stranger rituals. The Angels of Contrition usually fight in cold silence, eschewing the bombastic battle cries of other Chapters. Their motto is said to be Nos vero per bellum! - “We are cleansed through battle!” - which comes from the response to the Chaplain's pre-battle litany of Sanguini, ignis, et in morte - “In Blood, In Fire, and in Death”. Grand Master Sephalion Hailing from the Hildako of Hiri-Handiko Barazimor, the young warrior who assumed the name of Sephalion was already widely-known as a fierce and grim youth before he was picked as a potential recruit for the Angels of Contrition. As a child, he was easily excitable, quick to laugh and anger, and seemed a peculiar fit for the Hildako. His wild nature came to the fore during his Hiltzen ceremony, during which he blinded a man who questioned his worthiness in a savage and bloody duel despite the man being twice the age of the wiry youth. Shortly after, Barazimor went to war with a nearby rival, Jolthaki, and the child went with them. The armies were not heard of again – not until the child returned, a year to the day after the army departed from Barazimor, the only survivor. Gone was the expressive, fiery youth; a sullen, grim-faced thing came back, that refused to speak of what had occurred on the toxic wastes below, and would often be found thrashing about in his sleep, caught in an unspeakable nightmare. Many tried in vain to persuade the child to answer to what had happened during the battles below, but he refused to speak a word. When the Angels of Contrition next sent a delegation to Barazimor for recruitment, the child fell into a sudden fit before attacking the Chaplain present, stabbing the colossal warrior in the leg with his Zizalia and kicking and biting those who tried to subdue him, terrified that the fearsome Chaplain would kill the poor mad creature in retaliation. Impressed by the child's ferocity and undaunted nature, the child was instead taken away by the Angels of Contrition, marked for greater things. Sephalion's dour nature has carried with him, exacerbated by the secretive and pious nature of the Dark Angels successors. A formidable warrior, his resolve drove Sephalion to greater and greater feats until, in 951.M41, he was inaugurated as the Grand Master of the Angels of Contrition. Sephalion led the Chapter in it's greatest victory, a Chapter-level assault on the Eternal Perdition, during which he personally fought and killed a Great Unclean One in the assault of the ancient reactor core of the Space Hulk. Following the assault, Sephalion led the Chapter in two hundred and fifty-nine days of prayer, one for each life they had lost aboard the Eternal Perdition, to cleanse the Chapter of any lingering taint. In recent years, Grand Master Sephalion has been haunted by the nightmares that ailed him as a youth. Convinced that these dreams have some sort of prophetic value, the Grand Master has become even more of a recluse, spending larger periods of time in fervent prayer and self-reflection. Guiding the Angels of Contrition against the forces of the 13th Black Crusade, some of Sephalion's recent behaviour is beginning to mark him as erratic even among his most ardent followers; the recent decision to gift the Grim Confession to Interrogator-Chaplain Alazar (a weapon carried by the Grand Master of the Chapter for thousands of years) and recent bouts of fatalism have the Grand Master currently under close scrutiny even among his own Chapter. Interrogator Chaplain Marzuviel Interrogator Chaplain Marzuviel was the most prominent of his order to serve with the Angels of Contrition. Having served the Chapter from the early years of M38, Marzuviel rose quickly through the ranks of the Chaplaincy, the strength of his faith glossing over a nature often said to have been bloodthirsty to the distant extremes of acceptable behaviour among the Astartes. Despite this cruel streak (or perhaps because of it), Marzuviel holds the honour of having been the only Interrogator Chaplain within the Chapter to have forced the repentance of more than one of the Fallen in his lifetime. Marzuviel was present for the Assault on Koram, when the Angels of Contrition were part of a multi-Chapter task force aiming to retake the planet that had fallen to Chaos. Marzuviel led the Angels of Contrition's forces in an assault on the orbital defence stations surrounding the planet, and although the stations were taken, they came at a heavy cost; almost all of the two hundred-strong task force perished, and Marzuviel himself was gravely wounded after being cut off from his forces and surrounded, fighting his way free but sustaining a number of mortal wounds in the process. He was interred in one of the Chapter's Dreadnoughts, a source of knowledge and guidance to the Interrogator Chaplains that have served the Chapter since his internment. In battle, Marzuviel is often to be found leading his brother Dreadnoughts of the Bloodwing, venerable warriors all, in sudden and savage assaults against the sternest resistance. Brother Haephus, 3rd Battle Company, 1st Squad Veteran Sergeant Barbariel, 3rd Battle Company, 1st Squad Sergeant Ekias, 5th Battle Company, 4th Squad Company Master Laraziel, 9th Tactical Reserve Company Unknown Initiate, colour scheme designation 'Probator' Unknown, colour scheme designation 'Ghostwing' Unknown, colour scheme designation 'Bloodwing' Chapter Badge Angels of Contrition Chapter emblem Chapter Banner Angels of Contrition Chapter banner

CHILDREN OF THE STORM The Sons of Tempest consider dying in service a sin. They do not worship martyrs or honor their dead they scorn them, for only the living may continue to fight in the Emperors name. Chapter Name:......... The Sons of Tempest Progenitor:........... Unknown Founding Chapter:..... The Marines Eternal Known Successors:..... None Founding:............. 23rd M38 Chapter Master:....... Prosperus Homeworld:............ Miranda III Tempest Fortress-Monastery:... Ariel Colours:.............. Prussian Blue with White Trim Chapter Symbol:....... Hurricane Viewed from Above Strength:............. Approx. 720 Origins "To mourn is to celebrate atrocity." -- Chapter Master Prosperus The Sons of Tempest were products of the 23rd Founding besides such chapters as the Imperial Harbingers and the Nova Warriors. Having lost a devastating number of chapters between M36 and M37, the High Lords of Terra conceived a new founding that would remain on near permanent crusade. The Sons of Tempest were organized into self-sufficient companies, similar in structure to the Marines Errant, rather than as a strict codex chapter. No records remain of their progenitor chapter, the Marines Eternal. It is not known whether this resulted from circumstances surrounding the chapters formation or their founding chapters destruction, but the Sons of Tempest developed a dogma intolerant of death in the Emperors service. Fallen brothers are treated as sinners rather than martyrs by the chapter. This position has kept them at odds at times with the Ecclesiarchy and their brother Astartes, most particularly the Star Phantoms. The Sons of Tempest actively purge the records of fallen marines, so much of their history has been lost. Those seeking information beyond the chapter's living history must look to organizations they served alongside. For example, Imperial Guard records show that the Ork warlord Nagrim Skarzod was defeated by the Sons of Tempest in 112.M38 and can confirm the Chapter took part in actions in the Melmoth System following the discovery of a Genestealer Cult on the hive world Bertram. In another instance, unsealed documents from the Ordo Xenos report the detection of an Eldar craftworld in the Ulthar System in 294.M39 and its ultimate destruction with the aid of the Sons of Tempest in 327.M39. However additional records, if they exist, remain classified. History Ancient Martolus We accomplished what we came for and moved as shadows through the Xenos temple. It was not until we reached our extraction point that we were ambushed. I took my share of them, but they plunged their talons deep as they fell upon me. And then came darkness. Moments short and faded dimly made their way through the black. The bodies of my brothers in sin lying about me. The ceiling of the Thunderhawk. Adrianus hovering above me, his narthecium purring. When it was over, they let the Deathwatch claim me. I am cursed to remain interred in this metal husk. I am cursed to remember my failure. I have come to share my stories with those who would hear them, as it is my final service: to remember and be cursed. Ancient Martolus of the Deathwatch Formerly a Son of Tempest As a result of their permanent crusade, the Sons of Tempest have achieved a great deal for a relatively young chapter. While they do not share the fame of some of their brother chapters, they have forged a respectable record of service since their chapter's founding. The current Chapter Master, Prosperus, has served for over 800 years and most of the history is known from his tenure. Prosperus took command of the Chapter during the suppression of the Macharian Heresy in 412.M41 following the death of his predecessor. Eight of the Chapter's companies had been deployed in that campaign where they served notably beside the Star Phantoms, the Marines Malevolent, and the Magma Dragoons. Following their first joint actions, a violent conflict nearly erupted between the Star Phantoms and the Sons of Tempest over the issue of martyrdom. Chaplains from both forces engaged in furious discussions for two weeks before circumstances forced them to disengage. The chapters have since ceased all communication. The Ork Warboss Toofrot invaded the subsector Montaigne in 533.M41. When three companies of the Sons of Tempest eventually arrived to reinforce the Imperial positions, the Orks had achieved total control of several systems. With the support of the Imperial Navy, the Sons of Tempest dislodged the greenskins planet-by-planet over the course of 30 years. Infighting eventually tore the Ork warband apart on the plains of Davenant after the death of Toofrot. Allied commanders are on record having complained the campaign would have been completed in half the time if the Astartes had not insisted on outrageously risk-averse strategies throughout the engagement. The Sons of Tempest took part in the Pepys Crusade towards the beginning of the next century. After the Arch Heretic Garrick lead the Pepys Sector in open revolt, four companies of the Sons of Tempest and a myriad of other Imperial forces were sent to suppress the heresy. The campaign opened with the Purge of Dryden, where the chapter was responsible for the deaths of half the world's population. This was soon followed by the Massacre at Dorinda after the captain of the tenth company ordered the mass killing of civilians for their disloyalty. While the Sons of Tempest spearheaded the efforts of this campaign, the honor of Garrick's ultimate demise was claimed by a conscript of the Windsorian 609th Regiment. In the aftermath of the First Tyrannic War, the chapter committed seven companies to hunting down splinters of Hive Fleet Behemoth. In the first engagement with the Tyranids, the entire Sixth Company was lost after their Strike Cruiser was destroyed above Orgel VII. The Sixth Company was never reformed and is remembered as a great stain on the chapter's history. Their loss has earned a particular enmity for Tyranids throughout the chapter. At the end of the Second Tyrannic War, the chapter dedicated three companies solely to tracking and destroying splinter fleets of Hive Fleet Kraken. Because of their experience, the Deathwatch have taken to recruiting Sons of Tempest regularly for their experience with the Tyranids. There are currently 8 brothers serving with the Deathwatch. Following the Night of a Thousand Rebellions in 992.M41, the chapter sent four companies to reclaim the Imperium's lost territories. However, five years into this campaign, with the advent of the Third Tyrannic War, the chapter recalled three of those companies prematurely to engage Hive Fleet Leviathan. In all, six companies are dedicated to eliminating the Tyrannid threat, including those that remain hunting remnants of Hive Fleet Kraken. Homeworld Father Salvectus, Chaplain of the Third Company It was obvious afterwards, that there was no course of action except to execute the Planetary Governor. Father Salvectus did it himself. He walked into the Governors office, introduced him to his replacement, and then put a bolt in his head. I suspect the new Governor will be much more accommodating than his predecessor Extracted testimony from a formal inquiry into the death of Governor Willem Jordain VI. A single ocean spans the entirety of Miranda III, the chapter's homeworld and the only habitable planet of the Miranda System. Locally, the planet is referred to as Tempest because of the constant, torrential storms. The inhabitants of the planet reside on floating colony ships and harvest kelp fields on the ocean floor. These colonies are designed to withstand the constant assault of brutal weather while housing hundreds of thousands. The chapter's fortress-monastery is located on Ariel, the sole moon of Tempest. Ariel's surface is composed of a dark basalt and is without an atmosphere. Aspirants are trained and assigned companies on Ariel, where weapons and munitions are produced for the chapter and where the Chapter Master resides with his honor guard. While the majority of the chapter remain permanently fleet-borne on their company's strike cruiser, the Chapter Master remains stationed on Ariel except in extreme circumstances. Despite the planets Adeptus Non tithe status, regiments of Imperial Guardsmen are frequently drawn up and deployed to the deadliest warzones to facilitate recruitment for the Sons of Tempest. The chapter recruits exclusively from the children of Tempests veterans, taking them from birth to Ariel in order for them to be tested and trained. Few of these children survive the induction process and fewer are successful. In the last trial before initiation, aspirants are dropped without equipment into the oceans of Tempest and stranded for days in order to weed out the weak. It is not uncommon for all the participants to drown. Beliefs "There is nothing heroic in death." -- Chaplain Veneratus in his final communication to the Star Phantoms Raised by chapter serfs from birth, the Sons of Tempest are extremely disciplined and loyal. Bred in them is a respect for caution, composure, and cold logic. Those who grow to know the Sons of Tempest learn that they are faithful and dependable servants of the Emperor, if they can see past their more unorthodox beliefs. To the Sons of Tempest, the Emperor is venerated as the founder of the Imperium and Father of the Astartes, but He is also celebrated for His undying service. Even restricted to His throne on Terra, He continues to shine the light of the astronomican, the Imperium's greatest treasure. Members of the chapter typically refrain from discussing the Primarchs with other chapters, as they believe them to be failed creations, with most of them missing or slain and this controversial viewpoint has spoiled relations with several of their brother chapters. Perhaps the most important aspect of the chapter's identity are their views on death and martyrdom. Death is seen as a way of avoiding responsibility. As the dead can no longer serve, dying is viewed as an act of extreme disloyalty a cowards way out. This has been a constant point of contention with would-be allies as the belief in martyrdom is fully integrated throughout Imperial dogma. While they have not been censured for their beliefs, they have a particularly difficult time working besides other Imperial organizations. Purging chapter records of the deceased also complicates such matters. Other Astartes tend to have long memories, rich with the traditions of their forebears, so it can lead to issues when the Sons of Tempest have no recollection of shared exploits or ancient grudges. Combat Doctrine "Disgraceful. They leave us to carry on the task without them." -- Captain Valente of the 9th Company Strategies implemented by the Sons of Tempest are reserved and conservative. The priority of commanders is always to keep brothers under their command alive. Assaults are typically planned with special attention reserved to deployment and extraction. While this leads to precision execution, it has often led to delayed action and missed opportunity. Famously, after arriving to reinforce the Lion Warriors during the Felidane Heresy of 890.M40, the Sons of Tempest did not deploy any forces for first year of their involvement due to their overly cautious nature and the constantly shifting situation on the ground. Taking the inaction as a grievous insult, the Lion Warriors now refuse to participate in any campaign involving the Sons of Tempest. The Sons of Tempest are most effective mounting defenses or slow advances due to their meticulous and careful nature. In a planetary assault, their first action is generally a mass assault to establish a foothold followed by reinforcement of that position. They are known to be able to turn even the most exposed positions into elaborate fortifications. Organization While the Sons of Tempest still look to the principles of the Codex Astartes for their basic organization, they were conceived as a crusading chapter. The chapter is organized into nine self-sufficient battle companies. Each of these companies have their own strike cruiser and generally operate alone rather than jointly with other companies. Their forces remain fleetborne until they return to Ariel for reinforcement or supplies, which often means decades of separation. It is extremely rare for the entire chapter to be gathered in a single location and this has probably happened on only two or three occasions since the chapters founding. As autonomous fighting forces, companies retain their veterans and scouts rather than separating them into their own organizational structures. The most senior brothers of a company are assigned command of five marine fire-teams, or fraternities, which arm themselves according to the mission at hand. In order to keep larger stores of geneseed, a company is generally made up of 80 marines and considers itself to be at full strength if it can field 15 fire-teams. Initiates are folded directly into a unit, though they do not see combat until their progenoids have matured. The Honor Guard on Ariel, led by the Chapter Master, is composed of a veteran from each company. It is the responsibility of the Astartes remaining on Ariel to defend the fortress-monastery and train initiates before they are assigned to companies. Members of the Honor Guard represent their companies serving on a council to advise the Chapter Master. Geneseed Though the betcher's gland is present in the Sons of Tempest, it has become non-functional as a result of a defect in their geneseed. This is not an uncommon mutation, but nonetheless the chapter appears to be under particular scrutiny by the Adeptus Mechanicus. Possibly as a response to the destruction of their founding chapter, the Sons of Tempest are especially careful with their stock of geneseed. Initiates do not see combat until their progenoids have been fully matured and extracted. Novice marines thus spend an extra ten years training before they are assigned to combat missions. In addition to this, each company stores half of its own geneseed stores separate from the rest of the chapter. These stockpiles are typically housed in the vaults of a companys strike cruiser. Battle Cry Intent The intent of posting this IA has been to find and remove inconsistencies that may exist between this article and the actual canon. The goal of this project is to create a chapter that fits perfectly in the 40k setting. Harsh criticism and clarifying questions are welcome. Thunder! Author Frater Micius is currently based out of Framingham, MA. He has been involved with Warhammer 40,000 since the end of 2nd Ed fielding SM, IG, and Ork armies. His terrible luck on the battlefield is the stuff of legends. The Sons of Tempest have been his pet project since 2011.

Index Astartes: Iron Gorgons Although they were once a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes as noble as any other, the desire of the Iron Gorgons to replace weakness with strength led them into dark places from which they could not return. Origins Iron Gorgon of the Kajomn Clan At the time of the Twelfth Founding in the latter days of the Thirty-Fourth Millennium the High Lords of Terra decreed that one of the new Chapters would be drawn from the geneseed of the Iron Hands, a First Founding Chapter and the scions of the primarch Ferrus Manus. Representatives were dispatched to Medusa, the Chapter’s homeworld, to speak with the Great Chapter Council (the Iron Hands are peculiar in that they do not have a Chapter Master, preferring to divide power between multiple individuals). Tainted From Conception? Some Imperial scholars have concluded that the founding process doomed the Gorgons from the start. They argue that including individuals in the initial training core who would have preferred to remain with the Iron Hands bred bitterness against their superiors into the Chapter, resulting in the frosty relationships between the Gorgons and other Imperial bodies. Some even maintain that, although all of the members of the Sorrgol Clan had been tested and proven to be pure following their return from the Eye of Terror, the taint of Chaos lay hidden in the training cadre and over the millennia infected the entire Chapter. At that time the Sorrgol Clan (roughly equivalent in size, if not composition, to a company in a Codex Chapter) had just returned from a crusade into the Eye of Terror and were below half strength. It was decided that half the survivors would remain with the Iron Hands to rebuild and the other half would form the core of the new Chapter. The Council decided to randomly pair each Astartes warrior with another and have them fight a duel. The winner of each duel had the honour of choosing whether to remain an Iron Hand or become part of a new Chapter; the loser was assigned a role by his superiors regardless of his wishes. In this way the strong would go where they could serve to the best of their ability and the weak would learn the harsh lesson of defeat. Such is the way with the scions of Ferrus Manus. In total the training cadre was made up of two dozen members of the Sorrgol Clan and an additional dozen specialists drawn from several other clans of the Iron Hands. The new Great Chapter Council met for the first time to decide upon a name for the new Chapter whilst on route to the planet they had been granted as their homeworld. They decided to honour their Primarch by naming themselves the Iron Gorgons – Ferrus Manus is referred to as the ‘Gorgon’ in some historical accounts. When they arrived at their new homeworld they were mightily impressed by the character and determination of the indigenous tribesmen. This in itself is very uncommon for the descendents of Ferrus Manus, who often look down on any who are not of their own geneseed, holding unaugmented humans in particular contempt. Over the next millennia-and-a-half the Iron Gorgons fought countless battles against every enemy of the Imperium. Their largely autonomous clans spread far and wide over Segmentums Obscurus, Pacificus and Ultima, replying to calls for aid as and when they occurred. Over time they developed a reputation as stubborn siege-breakers, who could keep on pushing when all other Imperial forces had withdrawn and still claim victory. The cost of this was that the Gorgons had a very high casualty rate. Combined with their refusal to even consider excepting recruits from anywhere other than Sarkosh this meant that the Gorgons were very rarely at full strength. The Gorgons also developed a sense of superiority over other members of the Imperium. Imperial Guard regiments who fought alongside the Iron Gorgons suffered from extremely high levels of friendly fire incidents and members of the Gorgons frequently came to blows with allied Space Marines over the slightest real or perceived slight. The Gorgons only had good relations with other descendents of the Iron Hands and the Mechanicum, the latter of which regularly granted tributes of vehicles, power armour and other rarer equipment to the Gorgons far in excess of most Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. The Fall The Iron Gorgons emerged from the dark and chaotic days of the Occlusiad relatively unscathed. As a result of this the entire Chapter was able to respond to the general call to arms at the beginning of the Taninim Crusade to regain territory lost to the Imperium’s enemies. Following a series of stunning victories over the mutant empire of the Dual King the Chapter gathered en masse to strike at the worlds of the Gnorghaan, despite a millennia old decree forbidding any Imperial personnel from straying within ten light years of Gnorghaani territory. The Gnorghaan There is very little mention of the Gnorghaan in Imperium records. Undoubtedly much was destroyed along with many other documents pertaining to the Taninim Crusade, but the shortage of information is still puzzling. Apparently the Gnorghaan were humanoid in appearance, although only around the height of a human child aged seven standard years. They were physically very weak but possessed an innate ability to understand the workings of their heretical technology and could innovate to a degree deemed impossible by members of the Cult Mechanicus. Their armour, laser technology and sonic weapons were far superior to Imperial equivalents. In the Forty-First Millennium the only remaining Gnorghaani technology is in the hands of the Iron Gorgons and the occasional well-equipped Rogue Trader. The initial strikes on the outlying colony worlds of the Gnorghaan were extremely successful. The xenos were unused to such brutal war, having lived at peace with their neighbours for hundreds of years. However they quickly adapted, evacuating outlying settlements to fortified cities and preparing for a lengthy siege. If the Gorgons had developed any feelings of complacency they were swiftly abolished when their forces were met with battalions of heavily armoured tanks armed with multiple laser and sonic weapons easily capable of penetrating power armour. Every victory won by the Gorgons was paid for in Astartes blood. Nevertheless, this was the combat the Gorgons excelled at and they eventually forced the Gnorghaan back to their capital world. By the time the Gorgon fleet arrived in orbit above the world designated as Gnorghaan Alpha the Chapter was barely above half strength. Lesser Chapters would have called for reinforcements or left a blockade fleet in the system whilst they returned to their homeworld to recruit and rearm, but not the Gorgons. They deployed every available warrior and vehicle to the surface of Gnorghaan Alpha to wipe out the xenos once and for all. Several hours after the last Thunderhawk Transporter had landed on the planet the Gorgons lost all contact with their fleet in orbit. At first they dismissed this as atmospherics interfering with the vox signals, or perhaps a Gnorghaani vox-jammer. But as the hours turned into days the Gorgons grew more concerned that something terrible had happened to their fleet. After two weeks with no contact of any kind with their orbiting forces the Gorgons accepted that the fleet had gone and they would have to defeat the Gnorghaans without reinforcement or resupply. By this stage five of the xenos fortified cities had been destroyed, but four more remained and they appeared to be better defended than any previously encountered. The Gorgons had also suffered heavy casualties. Four clans had been completely wiped out and the remainder were all below half strength. The sixth city fell at great cost and by this stage the situation was becoming increasingly desperate. Most of the Gorgons had run out of ammunition and had resorted to slaying their enemies with their bare hands. The remaining vehicles were all badly damaged and also running out of ammunition. At the daily Grand Council Meeting to determine the next stage of the war several of the Techmarines and Iron Fathers of the Chapter ventured the idea of using captured Gnorghaani weaponry against its creators. After all, the code of the Gorgons was that the strong would dominate over the weak. In this case, wasn’t it logical that the strong Gnorghaani technology should triumph over the weak Imperial technology? The Gorgons always strove to purge weakness from their ranks. Why should this not apply to their machines as well as their flesh? After lengthy discussion it was decided to test this principle in the coming assault on the seventh Gnorghaani city. The Deepest Mystery To this day the disappearance of the Iron Gorgons’ fleet is a complete mystery. One theory among Inquisitors who have investigated the Gorgons is that the Gnorghaani possessed some kind of surface-to-space weaponry on their capital planet that they used to destroy the Iron Gorgons fleet, although this raises the question of why they did do so earlier. Another common theory is that one of the many xenos or heretic fleets displaced by the ferocity of the Imperial crusade entered the system and attacked the Gorgons’ fleet whilst it was stuck in low orbit supporting the ground assault. Another theory is that one of the Iron Gorgon librarians, stuck in orbit whilst he recuperated from injuries sustained in a previous battle, suffered a terrible vision of the heresy his brothers were about to commit and somehow persuaded the fleet to abandon them on Gnorghaan Alpha. The only evidence for this theory is a pirate captured by Inquisitorial forces two decades later who claimed to have once been a serf of the Iron Gorgons. The pirate was suffering from a multitude of warp-travel related mental illnesses, and cannot be considered a reliable witness. Although designed for the small and agile hands of the Gnorghaan, the process of adapting it for use by power armoured Space Marines was relatively straight forward for the remaining Techmarines and Iron Fathers. The few vehicles that had been captured intact were more difficult but after stripping away most of the secondary power generators and life support systems it was possible for a single Astartes to operate one without too much trouble. The defenders of the seventh city were taken completely by surprise by the new tactic. The Gnorghaan had obviously never expected their own weapons to be used against them, the armour of their infantry soldiers proving as fallible as Imperial power armour had. Lacking both the superhuman physiologies and grim determination of the Emperor’s finest, the Gnorghaan were completely massacred. The captured vehicles likewise proved very successful, their only failing being a lack of numbers. The Taninim Crusade Lasting from 678.M37 to 714.M37, the ill-fated Taninim Crusade was an attempt by the High Lords of Terra to galvanise the Segmentum Obscurus, reeling from the Occlusiad War, by expanding its borders and removing age-old xenos threats. No less than eleven Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes were dispatched into the Taninim Expanse to cleanse it of xenos and filth. Much of what happened there has been purged from Imperial history, but it is clear that only a few of Chapters returned from the Expanse with their loyalty to the Imperium fully intact. Following such a decisive proof of the superiority of their new strategy, every Gorgon replaced his Imperial-sanctioned weaponry with those of the xenos. As final evidence that their chosen course was correct the last two Gnorghaani cities swiftly capitulated, although again the loss of Astartes life was severe. By this stage only three clans existed in a recognisable state, with two others only made up of half a dozen brothers each. The other five clans had been completely annihilated. Their duty complete, the Gorgons modified a Gnorghaani vox mast to broadcast an extraction request to all Imperial personnel in that area of space. Two months later one of the main crusade fleets, made up of ships from Battlefleet XXX and the YYY and ZZZ Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, broke warp over Gnorghaan Alpha. The Gorgons had expected to be greeted as conquering heroes who had fought a powerful xenos empire single-handedly and triumphed at great cost. Instead they were treated with suspicion for their use of xenos technology and disregard for the decrees of the Mechanicum. Events came to a head when Inquisitor Sophia Vorgrazzi and Magos Hertz called for them to be put on trial for crimes against the Emperor as Omnissiah. Condemned both by their supposed superiors and by one they considered an ally cut the remaining Gorgons to the core. The Grand Council violently resisted arrest by brothers of the ZZZ and then captured a Strike Cruiser, fleeing the system with the last survivors of the Iron Gorgons. Vorgrazzi promptly declared the Chapter renegade and Excommunitus Traitoris. The Forty-First Millennium Following what they saw as their betrayal by the Imperium, the Gorgons became raiders. They roamed the northern edges of the Segmentums Obscurus and Ultima; capturing ships, equipment, raw materials and, most importantly, recruits. Over time the three surviving clans grew large enough to once again operate autonomously, although the Chapter will still gather as one to attack a large target of opportunity. The Gorgons still consider themselves loyal to the Emperor and maintain a deep hatred of Chaos, regularly attacking Chaos Space Marine warbands when they come across them. However, they despise most of the Imperium as too weak and foolish to accept that it is not the source of technology that is important but its usage. They hope that if they can gather enough strength they can launch an attack on the Sol System to prove the superiority of their augmented Gnorghaani weaponry over that of Mars and persuade the Mechanicum to allow true innovation and adaptation of xenos technologies Organisation Like their Iron Hand progenitors, the Iron Gorgons were originally made up of ten autonomous clans. Each recruited from a specific group of Sarkoshi tribes and had their own unique traditions and history. Representatives from each clan made up the Great Chapter Council to coordinate campaigns including more than one clan and to arbitrate in inter-clan disputes. After the Taninim Crusade only three clans were left in a recognisable state and the survivors of the conflict reorganised accordingly. At first the clans did not possess the numbers to operate autonomously as they once had, but as the Gorgons rebuilt and recruited they once again separated to roam the Imperium independently. The Great Clan Council now only meets occasionally (and usually through a psychic intermediary rather than face-to-face) to coordinate large attacks consisting of two or three clans. Originally each of the ten clans consisted of around one hundred battle-brothers, in keeping with the proscribed Chapter size of one thousand line-troops. Since their betrayal the Gorgons no longer saw the need to be bound in such a way. As such there is no longer an upper limit to size a clan may reach, although levels of recruitment and casualties conspire to ensure that a clan will very rarely number more than two hundred, meaning that the Chapter as a whole is made up of approximately six hundred line-troops at any given time. Combat Doctrine The Iron Gorgons always had a reputation for being siege breakers, and that tradition has carried on since the Taninim Crusade. Many of the finest fortresses in the northern Imperium have fallen prey to the implacable might of the Gorgons and their powerful xenos-augmented weaponry. The Techmarines and Iron Fathers of the Gorgons have continued to innovate and reverse engineer alien technology to render the Chapter’s weapons utterly devastating and their armour nigh indestructible. Beliefs The Gorgons believe that for humanity to survive in this cruel universe they must continually strengthen and better themselves. Where flesh is weak, it must be replaced with machinery. When machinery is weak, it must be replaced with stronger machinery. They do not see xenos technology as heretical, they see xenos as heretical. If they can slay a xenos then they have earned the right to use that xenos’ technology in order to improve themselves. The only alternative is stagnation and death. The Gorgons hope that eventually they will be strong and numerous enough to strike deep into the Sol System, overcoming the formidable defences of Terra itself and proving to the High Lords and the Mechanicum that the way of the Gorgons is the only way that will raise mankind out of the dark ages and into the light of progress and true galactic supremacy under the watchful gaze of the Emperor Himself. On Sarkosh there existed a legend brought from ancient Terra itself. This legend was of the Gorgon, a mythical monster that could kill a man with a single glance. Over time this belief spread throughout the Chapter, and many Astartes started to believe that the Gorgon was the pinnacle of the Emperor’s ambition for his Space Marines. When they could slay their enemies just by looking at them, then they would know that they had achieved perfection. It became tradition that when a neophyte became a full Astartes he would have his weak eyes replaced with infallible augmetics. As he progressed through the ranks the augmetics would be upgraded to incorporate lasers to strike at his opponents. However, the Techmarines of the Chapter struggled to produce power generators small and powerful enough to actually kill an opponent. The best they could manage was to cause enough pain to distract an enemy and leave him vulnerable to the fatal blow of a chainsword or combat knife. However, when the Chapter began incorporating Gnorghaani laser technology into their weapons they realised that their quest was at an end. One of the many superior qualities of Gnorghaani laser technology is its compact efficiency. Finally the Gorgons could achieve what they saw as perfection, the replacement of their frail flesh eyes with an augmetic that functioned much better as an optical device and could also kill a man just by looking at him. Their eye lasers are much shorter range than hand-held equivalents, but they ensure that when the Gorgons reach close combat they are almost unbeatable. Homeworld Sarkosh was a planet of craggy mountains and deep, jungle-filled valleys. The native tribes made their living hunting the various creatures that lived on Sarkosh, such as the huge bird-like batrosz that rode the thermals above the mountains and only descended to lay their eggs, and the cunning chameleowolves that could change their skin colour to blend into any surrounding. The tribes also delved into the deep caverns under the mountains to gather valuable gemstones for the tribute barques that landed on the few grassy plains every eight years. Life on Sarkosh was tough and bred strong, determined and uncomplaining young men as recruits for the Gorgons. With Sarkosh now an airless rock, the mountains fused into radioactive glass, the Gorgons are forced to recruit from the Imperial worlds they attack. When the Gorgons win a victory they put all the human opponents they capture to work as slaves aboard their forge-ships. Only the strongest slaves survive more than a few months, and those that do are forced to fight one another in single combat. The victors become the equivalent of Chapter serfs, serving a single Astartes and attending to his every need. Those few that are still young enough for geneseed implantation are given the opportunity to become Astartes themselves. The Gorgons also defend Imperial worlds from the forces of Chaos, whom the Chapter still despises despite its betrayal by the Imperium, or xenos. Normally, however, the Gorgons will only defend worlds it sees as strong and uncorrupted – usually backwards planets of the death world, feral world or feudal world categories. After the enemy is defeated the Gorgons will organise tournaments for the young men of the planet and the victors become neophytes. Geneseed The descendents of Ferrus Manus despise the weakness of flesh and praise the strength of the machine. Some see this as a fundamental flaw of the geneseed, although the Inquisition and the Mechanicus both regard it as pure. The same cannot be said for the geneseed of the Iron Gorgons. Although tithes before the Taninim Crusade are free of mutation, on the rare occasions since then that the Mechanicus has been able to retrieve samples of Gorgon geneseed they have been alarmed by the level of deviancy from what is deemed acceptable in loyalist Chapters. Most Magos who study the geneseed have reached the conclusion that the Gorgons have carried out experimentation on their own lifeblood to ‘improve’ it. Whilst the Mechanicum cannot examine what effect the experimentation has had without carry out live geneseed implantation – something it is unwilling to countenance – the implications for the Imperium cannot be good. Battle-cry Each clan has several unique battle cries linked to its history, but a common battle-cry across the entire Chapter is “Vengeance for Sarkosh!”

Index Astartes The Basilisks Chapter “To know that our eyes are upon them must cause our enemies to be paralyzed with fear, to acknowledge the immediacy of their mortal lives. To look upon our silent gaze, they must know death, swift and sure!”-Asmodeus, 1st Serpent Lord Origins Meeting of Inquisitor Moisei and Master Kalis “Many eyes have pried into the cloying shadows of that founding, Inquisitor. Few have found what they sought. Fewer still have emerged unscathed.” The Inquisitor scoffed, but had no reply. The power armored giant chuckled again. “Don’t let my words deter you. We have the utmost interest in your…findings” Of the many Chapters birthed from the darkness of the 21st founding, few proved successful, and many were even driven swiftly to extinction. Among the enduring 'Cursed' Chapters are the Basilisks. If they were created with a specific purpose, it remains unknown. Official observers have concluded that the Basilisks are of Iron Hands descent, attested to by their doctrine, and a timely submission of gene-seed tithes. Since the time they emerged from the void no records have followed to confirm this, or give any other clues regarding their origins…which isn’t to say that no one is looking. Multiple factions within the Imperium have, in the past, questioned both the legitimacy of the Chapter’s genetic material, and its loyalty to the Emperor. Some still do. The Basilisks have, with great effort, evaded most unwanted attention, though they are still dogged from sector to sector by one Inquisitor Moisei, who has long doubted how such ‘purity’ could have emerged from the 21st Founding. The Chapter avoids as much contact with these and other Imperial Forces as possible, remaining tight-lipped under whatever scrutiny the Inquisition attempts to pursue…which has done nothing to dissuade their detractors. The Fleet Final audiolog from the pirate frigate Sorento “Is that a cruiser!? An Astartes cruiser!? You said the frigate was a Trader! Get us back to the fleet, now! Damn it all, is that another? Brace for im----” To the knowledge of the Imperium and even the Basilisks themselves, they had no world of origin. Since they were first sighted plowing through the void, no marine has set foot planetside except to do battle. The fleet is extensive, and continually grows with the addition of captured ships. These include a startlingly high concentration of Battle Barges, which despite being of a younger and smaller caliber than the venerable vessels of the Heresy, are able to give significant body to the otherwise thinly spread Basilisk fleet. The Monastery Battle Barge Serpent's Tongue and its escort are found at the heart of the fleet, where they are best able to support any engagement, while the rest of the fleet is spread in a loose, coiling line across a vast stretch of space on either side and there is no consistent course or predictability to the fleet’s movements. Constant communication is maintained from one end of the fleet to the other with as much accuracy as possible in an effort to allow fleet elements to redeploy for support as quickly as possible. The Chapter’s more frequent enemies, traitor fleets and pirates both human and xenos, have learned to attack or flee at the first sign of a Basilisk ship, as reinforcements are never far behind. In turn, the Basilisks have developed an expertise in rapid boarding actions as well as improved methods of defending smaller patrol fleets. Recruitment Survivors The Apothecary’s expression was impassive as he dressed the recruit’s wounds, stemming the open flow of blood issuing from his arm and side, while the man lay still on the table. His eyes stared straight up, unmoving. He would survive his wounds, but whether or not hypnotherapy and conditioning could get him past the mental trauma remained to be seen. The Chaplain stood looking silently on for a long time, but finally revealed his purpose. “Can you describe what you saw?” The recruit flinched; the Chaplain had undone all his effort thus far to bury the last eight hours, but he did not change his gaze. Eventually, he slowly shook his head. The Chaplain appeared to be satisfied, and turned and began walking from the room. “One final test awaits you,” The Chaplain stopped at the doorway, “Steel yourself. You will return to that ship again before your trial is over. If you are not ready, you will become what you now fear. To become one of us, you must know no fear.” The neophyte sat bolt upright, heading snapping to the doorway, but the Chaplain had gone. Falling slowly back to the table as the Apothecary grumbled at replacing the newly torn wrappings. The recruit’s gaze returned to the ceiling. Back to the ship. One more time. Like most Chapters of the Cursed Founding, the greatest challenge of the Basilisks is not victory in battle, but propagation. In order to maintain a flow of successful initiates, the Chapter takes suitable candidates en masse from liberated worlds. For the inhabitants of such worlds, it is the price paid for freedom, as the green clad Astartes move among them, claiming the choicest of their youth. No word of explanation is ever given and often the Basilisks leave a liberated world without the planet's inhabitants even knowing who they are. Few worlds visited by the Basilisks understand anything more about their visitation other than that they are purged of whatever heresy plagues them in return for however many children the marines choose to spirit away. The trials faced by recruits are among the most lethal of tests employed by Space Marines, and despite taking large numbers of prospective initiates there are very few survivors. While the exact nature of the trials is unknown, the bodies of most failed neophytes are unceremoniously jettisoned into the void, and their occasional recovery by Inquisitor Moisei has long fueled his obsessive investigation. Some of these corpses appear to have been pierced by the fangs of some great maw, others torn by man made weapons, and still others show signs of both. These aren’t unusual fates among Astartes recruits, but they do indicate that the Basilisks house some sort of creature for these trials, though no one has ever observed the Basilisks collecting any such specimens. The Chapter keeps a fairly large body of serfs, but they are maintained at a distant arms length, usually assigned to the support of ships in the fleet rather than working with battle brothers. This is the most fortunate fate to befall unfit recruits, while the dregs are augmented or turned into servitors to assist the Techmarines in their considerable work. Combat Doctrine Day 16 of the Wailing Portent Campaign For two days the rangers of Iybraesil had lain in wait, assured by the Farseer that the humans would pass this way with minimal support. While Ynarana’s banshees were too important to set aside for days at a time, they would arrive in time to mop up. Mendor and his squad were beginning to shift into ready positions as the appointed time came close, sliding the barrels of their long rifles over ledges amid the debris of the ruins, sighting down the only clear path through the area. Minutes passed, then hours. Mendor began to stretch, and sniffed as a strange scent reached his nose. He had turned part way toward the source when he felt his muscles seize up, his eyes catching sight of a small canister on the ground nearby. He couldn’t move. The ground crunched heavily beside him, but he couldn’t turn to look. What came into view first was Ynarana’s head, jaw slack, eyes sightlessly staring, hair caught in the gauntleted fist of a Space Marine. The green armored figure crouched down. “Expecting someone, witch-kin?” Issued the voice from the helmet, then the figure straightened up and Mendor saw the free hand reach for him and felt the grip on the back of his neck, pulling him easily off his feet, “Worry not. We will keep you company. We can discuss the location of your webway gates.” AAll of the Basilisks most significant actions have either been ship to ship boarding maneuvers, or targeted at planetside orbital defenses, usually aimed at creating a beachhead for other Imperial forces. The Basilisks don’t wait for support, and the forces these beacheads are intended for are usually days or even weeks behind. The Chapter has become adept at creating large, defensible groundside footholds, and loyalist forces descending on a world visited by the Basilisks will often find well stocked defenses waiting for them, though the Chapter itself is frequently gone by then. The Basilisks are extremely well suited to fighting in the cold confines of dying capital ships, as well as the shadow-pocked, rubble strewn, urban battlefields of hive worlds. Indeed, they seem to prefer such restrictive environments. On a larger scale, the fleet of the Basilisks feels like an omnipresent threat to enemies of the Chapter or the Imperium, for wherever there is one ship there are not only several more close at hand, but virtually half the fleet can redeploy to an engagement before within short order of the commencement of hostilities. In fleet engagements, their ships seek to close quickly to boarding distance, from multiple angles if possible, in order to disable and capture enemy vessels before they can react, after which said ships are usually used against the very planet or fleet they had defended. One favored tactic involves covertly introducing a paralytic nerve agent into an enemy vessel’s environmental systems, leaving entire crews helplessly at the Basilisk's mercy, which is, at best a quick shot to the head and at worst a one-way trip to the airlock. Basilisk attacks can be quick, or prolonged, according to the adaptability of the Codex and tactics inspired by the creature for which the Chapter is named. The initial strike of any Basilisk force is aimed at forcing the enemy to dig in, whether by pinning them with hails of ranged fire or holding them in place with bloody assaults. If this fails the strike force will fall back, regroup, and repeat the attempt until successful. As soon as the Basilisk force has ‘caught hold’ of the enemy, they move to surround them. Usually this is done by drop pod assault into the enemy’s rear rather than redeployment of ground forces, but fast moving tactical units have effectively fenced in target forces on many occasions. Once surrounded, the Basilisks either grind the foe into oblivion with steady and unrelenting fire, supported by assault units that flush out entrenched targets, or the Chapter may employ an orbital bombardment, destroying everything within their grip. If said grip should be broken, or the enemy can’t be held down long enough to surround, the Basilisk force will withdraw, usually to make an attempt from another angle. The Chapter does not move or fight with such fluidity on an open battleground, and their tactics are far less effective in pitched battle situations. At these times the Basilisks are more likely to break off the attack and seek to engage the enemy in an area more of their choosing, or to bleed them with endless hit-and-run attacks that drain the enemy of vitality each time. What few Scouts they employ are adepts of sabotage, especially using poisons. Where this proves ineffective, such as against the multi-filtered nervous and digestive system of other marines, more direct means are used, such as explosives. Sabotage like that is usually aimed at enemy ammunition supplies and armor. In more urgent situations, or especially if striking at a port or manufactorum, the enemy may be shelled using the same gaseous nerve agent employed in their boarding actions in an effort to minimize damage to salvageable assets. The tactic is often looked down on as cowardice by other Astartes, but the Basilisks are either oblivious to the stigma or simply don't care. Individually, most Basilisk marines favor close combat, and most of their extensive bionics are optimized for it. While the majority of these enhancements and prosthetics are still covered by armor, some Basilisks make frequent use of digital weapons and so sacrifice armor to better facilitate cooling. Veterans invariably possess the most bionic replacements. Organization Despite the size of its recruitment pool, it appears the Chapter has never grown far beyond six hundred marines in strength. Even so they have proved on multiple occasions to be willing to commit up to three hundred marines to an engagement without hesitation, and within a reasonably short space of time. These marines usually come from the three nearly full strength only Battle Companies, spaced roughly evenly throughout the fleet. Their remaining marines are distributed across six half sized Reserve Companies, usually lingering near the Monastery Barge. The Basilisks are, despite their numbers, fairly Codex adherent, with only a few variations in their naming conventions. The Chapter Master is known as the Serpent Lord, and no other power in the Chapter, individual or group, is equal to his. As in any other Astartes Chapter, he is indisputably the strongest marine among them, physically and mentally, perhaps even more so considering how long the Serpent Lords tend to live. At the turn of each generation thus far, caused each time by the death of the Master in battle, the Chapter disappears and is lost even to the unclosing eye of the Inquisition. When it next appears, usually not for decades, the Chapter is markedly weaker for a time. Twice they have fallen to less than two hundred marines. This too usually lasts a few decades. The cause for this decline is also a mystery. The current Chapter Master is Serpent Lord Sicariss, who has been the head of the Basilisks for well over three and a half centuries. The Basilisks have not looked favorably on the Ultima Founding. When they were called upon to augment their ranks with Primaris marines, they responded with silence, and seem to avoid joining with Primaris chapters on the battlefield. The Head Transfusion The doors to the Serpent Lord’s chambers sealed with a hiss, leaving the black and gilded casket sitting in the center of the darkened room. After several moments of silenced, a whirring and hum of power announced the activation of a pair of servitors recessed into a wall. One, some sort of surgical servitor, approached the casket, while the other, which appeared to be a Historitor, moved toward the bank of screens and monitors that dominated the wall across from the casket. Deft mechanical appendages keyed several panels, deactivating and reactivating several screens, and moving subtly hidden levers and switches. A few seconds later the wall split and opened, revealing an alcove, softly lit by the glow of the translucent screens still suspended in front of it. The light fell on a whispering, shifting form, a humanoid bound and connected to the wall behind it by cables and chains, all sallow skin and exposed circuitry. The historitor reached out to a plinth over which this hidden servitor was held, metal digits skittering across it. The sound of sparks and buzzing current came from the mess of cables and cords, and the figure twitched and jerked briefly, before its unintelligible burbles and whispers were replaced with a single, low hum, almost musical to hear. At this, the historitor settle back on mechanical haunches and quieted, waiting. Behind it, the surgical servitor had unsealed and opened the casket, and with drills, saws and scalpels was peeling back layers of skin, muscle and bone on the figure within. It worked methodically, ceaselessly, slowly extricating wires and circuitry from the now faceless cranium. Eventually, whether hours or days later, the continuous monotone of the hidden servitor pitched up for a moment and then went silent, at which the historitor stirred and straightened, eyes abnormally attentive. A rasping, modulated voice issued from the hanging form. “Report.” The response came from the historitor, but the voice and cadence was not that of a lobotomized servant. “Scitalis has expired on the battlefield of Pharsalia, my lord. The Basilisks are entering dormancy.” “The Chain Node?” The supposed historitor turned to look at the surgical servitor, which stood in active over the casket, a mesh of fine wires and organic components held in one claw. Turning back, the strange servant answered. “Intact.” “Well done, Li-Char. We will begin preparing potential successors,” the voice answered, “Rendezvous coordinates forthcoming. To the coming of the True Omnissiah.” “To the coming of the True Omnissiah.” Beliefs Volcanic Deathworld Cerregra The feed from the servo-skull was spotty, marred by static bursts and light flares from the lava below. A group of Astartes stood beside the molten river, several of them gesturing upstream, while one was kneeling by a device on the bank. Presently, they stood and trotted off further downstream. Moisei did not send the skull to follow immediately, but as the visual began to shudder, he realized he should have. The drone turned to see some sort of detonation erupt on the side of the ashmount, and the lava flow immediately swelled, doubling, and then tripling in size, until a veritable wave of lava was rolling down the mountainside. There was a heatbloom in the feed as the skull tried to escape, and then the connection was lost. Moisei sighed, pushing away from the monitor in frustration. What were they after on this hellscape, these supposed sons of the Gorgon? And how many servo-skulls was it going to take to find out. There appear to be two tiers to the belief system of the Basilisks. The first echoes the Iron Hands mantra of Purge the Weak, with a slightly more progressive approach: a doctrine known as Shed the Weak. According to the Basilisks, the transformation familiar to Iron Hands and their successors for millennia is a natural order of evolution prompted by the very first advent of technology. They believe that humanity may ‘grow into’ this changed and improved form over time, which progression is based on merit. The first thing shed by every Basilisk upon initiation is his given name, and after induction, the traditional right hand of Manus’ sons. From then on, augmentations and bionic replacements are earned. Should a marine suffer a wound or lose a limb on the battlefield without having proven his worth, he will not be saved except for his invaluable geneseed, and is considered as shed weakness. This much is known because the Basilisks have, in the past, allowed Imperial agents unrestricted access to their regular rites in an attempt to dissuade Inquisitorial attention, and these rites clearly suggest another level of doctrine among the Basilisks. This other ‘tier’ of beliefs is repeatedly mentioned during regular rites, in the oratories of their Chaplains. What this second tier is exactly is unknown to any but the brothers of the Chapter, and is referred to simply as The Quest. Every marine seems to be aware of its meaning since both Initiates and Veterans are present when the Chaplains are relaying its urgency and significance, and all those who are present respond with equal fervor. This suggests that the knowledge is planted along with the 19 organs, during hypnotherapy, and this process has always been strictly prohibited from outside view. The truth of The Quest is surprisingly simple, something of an evolution of a belief common among the Gorgon’s sons, that one day the Primarch may return. The Basilisks don’t espouse this exact belief, but rather they believe that the bearers of the Iron Hands legacy must become as their Primarch, believing that to do so requires not only mastery of the mechanical, but the literal hands of Ferrus Manus. The Quest, in essence, is a search for the spawn of Asirnoth, which the Basilisks are convinced exists somewhere in the galaxy, and can grant them the power of the Primarch, or in other words, return His power to the Imperium. Where this belief originated is unclear, but it accounts for the haste with which they answer any call from a world with remotely volcanic activity, which has been the only pattern ever detected in their fleet movements. Though he has little to no support among other Inquisitors, Moisei has long investigated the Basilisks because of these strange beliefs coupled with rumors of the Basilisks attacking and destroying young Chapters under the banner of perceived Chaos influence, only to claim the remaining fleet assets for their Quest. The most substantiated occasion involved a newly gathered Ork invasion which sprung up in the Heltoez system, only a subsector from the volcanic homeworld of the young Ash Eagles Chapter. Though the Greenskin invasion saw to it that surviving records were scarce, sources suggested that when the Basilisks ‘answered’ the call for help, their ships orbited the planet, guns and launch bays still, for two and a half weeks while the Ash Eagles scoured wave after wave of Greenskin hordes, and were ultimately ground down to less than half a company. After the Basilisks joined battle, the conflict was decisively ended, but the Eagles were lost while the Basilisks left with all the fledgling Chapter’s fleet elements. For Moisei, the mere possibility that this transpired is more than enough evidence that the Chapter has turned from the Emperor’s light, while others, who he derides as ‘charmed by the snake’ question how or why the Eagles wouldn’t have conveyed such damning evidence of treachery to anyone. The appearance of the Cicatrix Maledictum seems to have fueled the urgency of the Basilisk’s quest, and they now traverse the Dark Imperium erratically, smashing aside resistance of any form as they scour sector after sector for clues to the location of Asirnoth’s kin. New rumors have risen about the Imperial costs of the Basilisk’s campaign; supplies and materiel that has been more raided than commandeered, PDFs abandoned in the middle of battle with chaos forces, and worse. Gene-seed The genetic material of the Basilisks is severely mutated, the cause of their thin numbers and low rate of implantation success. Extensive genetic manipulation during the gene-seed’s growth would have been required to arrive at the functionality of an average Basilisk marine, and the fact that they display any genetic stability at all is a testament to Mechanicus handiwork and not the simple passage of time. For any other founding of marines, this would be great cause for alarm, but among the marines of the Cursed Founding, signs of deliberate mutation among essential Space Marine organs is more the rule than the exception. The first significant change is in the Occulobe. Basilisks do not have the hypersensitive eye-sight of other Adeptus Astartes, nor can they see as clearly at range. However, Basilisk marines can make use of frighteningly accurate vision on the thermal spectrum without the use of a filter of any kind, making them especially lethal urban hunters. Their second mutation is of the Neuroglittis which has been so overcharged that a marine need only open his mouth to taste what is before him. With chemical injector augmentations, usually one of the first received by most Basilisks, the Neuroglittis can be used to track scents at an alarming distance, when eyes might fail. The final mutation is of the Mucranoid, which produces a thicker, tougher than usual covering, allowing marines to last longer than usual in the vacuum, as well as decreasing the effects of harsh elements. Basilisk marines customarily force the Mucranoid covering to form after each augmentation, only removing it to replace a broken layer, or at the time of the next shedding. The layer formed is almost completely covering, and requires the placing of a rebreather as well as spacers and seals over the eyes and ears, though these are fairly simple to integrate. Such advanced mutation would attract Mechanicus attention were it not for the campaign of carefully spread rumors by Chapter serfs, exaggerating the staggeringly low success rate of implantation, the weakened Occulobe and insinuating a completely absent Neuroglittis. Once perpetuated, these rumors left the Adeptus Mechanicus with little interest in digging deeper, content to simply receive the Chapter’s tithe. The misinformation has not, however, dissuaded the Basilisk’s “resident” Inquisitor. There is no official knowledge of any further mutation among the Basilisks, despite the ample opportunities to study them, as their fallen marines are so frequently left on the battlefield. Even those suitable for dreadnought interment are rarely saved. The damning truth is that the Basilisks are far more genetically unstable, only very skilled at hiding it. The Chapter’s progenoids mature normally enough, and so tithes of it have not betrayed them yet. Pinning down the source of the mutation has proved impossible, but in most cases the full complement of organs together causes aspirants to grow well beyond standard Astartes size, turning them into voracious and cannibalistic predators. The engineered enhancements appearing in normal Basilisk marines are greatly intensified in these monsters, giving them hides which have been seen stopping bolter rounds, and supernal hunting senses. If the Chapter were ever forced to subject to true Inquisitorial investigation, discovery would be likely be immediate. In an effort to cull these aberrations, one ship out of the fleet is designated for the implantation process. Fortifying the medbay into a bunker, and equipped with a trap door, each aspirant that succumbs to the mutation is dropped into a lower chamber and released into the ship. It is this same vessel where recruits face their trials: to outhunt and destroy these nameless beasts. Survivors learn what it really is that they defeated after successfully receiving the last organ, and from then on are sworn to silence. Battle-cry The Basilisks offer no call or outwardly audible sound at all when in battle .

Here is the Crimson Spectres, my Raven Guard successor Chapter. If anyone here goes to /tg/, you might find them familiar. They are the same Chapter created in one of their game threads, Chapter Master Quest. Since I was instrumental in its creation in that thread, I don't feel like I'm "stealing" it. Just sort of claiming it, though I have absolutely no problem of anyone else who was a part of that making their own variation, of claiming it for themselves. Or aiding me in further developing this one. To everyone else, yes, yes. I know. Yet another Chapter with black and red. Origins The Crimson Spectres are among the youngest of Chapters, founded in the most recent Founding mere centuries past. Their veteran officers that formed their training cadre and remain with them still have kept them close to their Raven Guard roots. They operate unseen and with few numbers. Much of their identity they keep hidden, with even the true location of their homeworld and recruitment center kept secret. Despite their young nature and low numbers, the Crimson Spectres have created a well-deserved reputation for efficiency and effectiveness in their region of space. Decades after their original formation, they participated in a crusade against worlds heavily occupied by the primitive cousins of the hated Eldar. Many times regiments of the Imperial Guard would approach a known enemy position to find it destroyed, bodies of xenos scattered and signs of battle scarring every surface, but with no sign of its destroyers. Rarely did the Imperial Guard witness the Crimson Spectres in combat and even then the combat was too swift and disorienting to be properly followed. With the Crimson Spectres striking hard and fast for the heaviest points of resistance, the Crusade accomplished its tasks with great alacrity. Nearly half a dozen of claimed Maiden Worlds have since been colonized by the Imperium. One of these, called Pyrax, was given to the Mechanicum due to its high mineral content. The young Forge-World is tasked with the care and upkeep of the young Chapter's technological needs. Following this victory, the Crimson Spectres waged all-out war with an immense Ork incursion. With the surprise assaults the Chapter had become known for, the Ork leader was slain, his grotesque and bloated giant machine flattening the Ork army with its detonation. The Orks have since fallen into a series of internecine wars that the Chapter silently watches over, acting only when necessary to perpetuate their self-destruction. However, their reputation received a blow in recent years. Accompanied by the Honoured Brethren Chapter, a Chapter the Crimson Spectres can find no information on, the Crimson Spectres have been engaged with putting down a series of uprisings that have thus far thwarted the mortal forces stationed there. Initially, when acting alone the Chapter was proving exceptionally successful. The Crimson Spectres had nearly eradicated all of the secessionist cells when the Honoured Brethren despatched a taskforce to aid in the cracking of a particularly difficult world. Despite the additional forces and support of a brother Chapter, the rebellious world repeled the invaders. In rapid succession, cells thought entirely destroyed revived themselves and renewed their efforts with greater alacrity than before. Though the war to put down the foolish thoughts of secession had nearly been won and the rebellious forces were unable to stand against the efforts of the Crimson Spectres, suddenly the forces of two Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes was too small to stem the tide. With signs of Chaos worship growing across the embattled worlds, the Crimson Spectres immediately petitioned for a Crusade, knowing that the rebellious forces had acquired for themselves some unholy patron. Immediate and total destruction was required, to prevent the corruption from spreading. They received resistance from an unexpected quarter however, as the Honoured Brethren spoke against the claims of the Crimson Spectres. They felt that their pride and honor was at stake and to request additional aid was both unnecessary and cowardly. With the older Chapter having greater weight and authority, no Crusade was forthcoming. By the close of the 41st Millennium, the two Chapters are locked in combat still among the revolting worlds. Though still allied together in name, many times the two Chapters have nearly come to blows and the Crimson Spectres have begun to question their true intent. However, they fear bringing their suspicions to the Inquisition, knowing that the pervasive Inquisitors would find their own secrecy far more diverting. Any attempts to take matters into their own hands would be equally foolhardy. Both Chapters are present with their full numbers, making the Crimson Spectres outnumbered two to one. Homeworld Deep in Sub-Sector Archein, what the Imperium believes is uninhabited space, the Crimson Spectres discovered a unique world. It did not appear on their onboard sensors, but it could be sensed by those of psychic capabilities once nearby. Its entire surface was enveloped with cloud cover so dark as to be seen from space as nothing more than an empty hole on the field of stars. Close inspection found that the cloud cover were made up of rare metallic dusts, explaining why the world never showed on long-range sensors. Knowing there was human life deep in the blackness that the psykers could sense, the Crimson Spectres sent forces down upon the world. They found an Imperial hiveworld that the Imperium had forgotten. Due to its unique nature and clerical errors, the world of R'hanada had been erased from Imperial records only a century past. With the behemoth and labyrinthine Imperial bureaucracy being true to its nature, the error was lost in the immense, ever-changing flood of information the Administratum eternally processes. The Crimson Spectres, up to then fleet-based, were intrigued by R'hanada. Its human population had been hardened by its isolation. Though it had been severely reduced without the constant shipments bringing sustenance from nearby agri-worlds, what remained were deemed suitable as recruitment stock. The Crimson Spectres settled upon R'hanada and took it for their own. Officially, they remained fleet-based, operating outside of their Fortress-Ship the Clandestinus, and declared the feral world of Tarren as their source of recruitment. To keep appearances, it is from Tarren that the Crimson Spectres receive the majority of their Chapter serfs, though they are not opposed to truly inducting a particularly promising Tarren to the Chapter. Combat Doctrine The Crimson Spectres are adherents to the Codex, operating outside its scope only in ways that their small numbers necessitate. Though the Crimson Spectres often commit to battle openly, they do so only after an initial stealth assault. Using sabotage, subterfuge and ambushes to critical effect, the Crimson Spectres ensure that they inflict the maximum amount of damage possible while exposing themselves to as little danger as necessary. An assault by the Crimson Spectres rarely comes from an expected direction and are usually accompanied by loud and deliberately distracting explosions within the enemy camp, where explosives had been set by experts at stealth and sabotage at key points to demoralize and cripple the enemy. Often when the Crimson Spectres meet the enemy in open battle, the enemy is bereft of leadership and without any hope of support, reeling in confusion as the hammerblow finally arrives. In this way the Crimson Spectres are able to use their small numbers to maximum effect. Organisation The Crimson Spectres do not deliberately deviate from the Codex Astartes. Due to genetic instability, the Chapter has been slow in building up its forces. Currently the Chapter has only three battle-ready companies outside of the scout and veteran companies, with the First Company led personally by the Chapter Master. With such low numbers, the Crimson Spectres prefer not to split their forces among multiple warzones. Instead, the Chapter arrives in full force, with a single company remaining behind to guard their homeworld and oversee recruitment. Though the Chapter can account for five companies, none are at full strength. In truth, the Crimson Spectres have only just over three hundred fully-fledged Marines. In keeping with the character he had infused within the newborn Chapter, the founding Chapter Master, though a great and renowned hero from his previous days as a Raven Guard, has forsaken his own identity and is referred officially only as the Spectre. Though the few powerful individuals with enough clearance could perhaps explore his past and discover his true identity, none can know if the current Spectre is the same as the original. Beliefs The Crimson Spectres care little for honor or glory and focus only on that which they deem practical, traits they feel that their Primarch Corax epitomized. The Chapter does have its limits on what it deems practical, refusing xeno or warp technology no matter the aid it may bring. They know that their potential uses are far outweighed by their corrupting nature. Following the traditions set by their primogenitors, the Raven Guard, the Crimson Spectres record their battles. Each Marine is expected to devote themselves to understanding their strengths and faults by studying their actions and those of others, so as to better themselves and to properly teach them their place in the Chapter. Often this is done in large gatherings so that the insights gleaned from such study can be openly and fairly shared. Theories and concepts related to war are deliberated and evaluated solely on their pragmatic applications. The Crimson Spectres require only the destruction of the enemy in ways that will have the least impact on the Chapter's ability to wage further war. Despite their lack of concern for matters of glory and honor, the effectiveness of their attitudes has nonetheless gained them such in the eyes of others. Gene-seed The Adeptus Mechanicum utilized the purest strains of gene-seed derived from Corax that they had in stock. As such, the Crimson Spectres have little to fear of the mutations that can be common among Raven Guard successors, though they do keep the common physical appearance. Though the Chapter's stock of gene-seed is not mutative, it has proven especially difficult to properly implant. Though rejection of gene-seed is a problem all Chapters must face, the rejection rate of gene-seed for the Crimson Spectres is extremely high. Though their recruitment programs have stepped up exponentially to offset this issue, the growth rate of the Chapter has been abysmally slow, having been able to create only a single company's worth of stable Marines after three centuries. Battle-cry An assault by the Crimson Spectres is not heralded by stirring chants or terrifying battle-cries. Explosions and gunfire upon an unsuspecting foe speak loudly enough. http://i.imgur.com/JXenda9.jpg

Index Astartes CHAPTER NAME: ..............THE KNIGHTS VINDICANT FOUNDING: ..................26TH [738.M41] CHAPTER WORLD: .............N/A FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........MONUMENT OF AWE GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...BLACK CONSULS [uLTRAMARINES] KNOWN DESCENDANTS: .........NONE "May our deaths be glorious, that our foes remember our wrath." Harlan Skorus, Master of Sanctity; to Battle Brothers at the Battle for Talacra Prime. The Knights Vindicant are a Space Marine Chapter, created as descendants of the Black Consuls Chapter, and through them the Ultramarines Legion, during the 26th Founding. Originally intended as a replacement Astartes Praeses Chapter for the destroyed Black Consuls, the Chapter instead was diverted to patrolling the Eastern Fringe in the wake of Hive Fleet Behemoth's attack on Ultramar. The Chapter notably suffered heavy losses battling Hive Fleet Vritra twice between 992.M41 and 001.M42 and functioned at minimal strength for just over a century, until being brought back to full strength by absorbing Primaris Greyshields from the Indomitus Crusade. The badge of the Knights Vindicant is a black eagle head over white crossed swords. Their colours are silver with blue. On most marines, the blue is displayed on the shoulder pads, kneepads, helmet, belt, and backpack. The Company colour is displayed on the left shoulder pad trim, and also on the chest decoration. Veteran marines also paint their helmets gold, the colour of the 1st Company. Colour scheme for Librarians, Chaplains, Apothecarions, and Techmarines are according to Codex Astartes. The Knights Vindicant battle cry is Memento Ira!/Remember our wrath! “Security breeds complacency, and we will know no rest.” Brother-Captain Maekor Eltas of the 1st Company, addressing new recruits, 102.M41 Originally intended as a Crusading Chapter, the Knights Vindicant were fleet based. The Battle Barge Terrible Vow served as their mobile fortress-monastery, and recruits were taken from whichever suitable worlds they were granted recruiting rights to. This led to the Chapter's new recruits having a variety of cultural and societal beliefs, a lack of any one domineering cultural bias ensuring the Chapter has not had reason to deviate from the Codex Astartes. As the Chapter has largely been based near the Eastern Fringe since its inception, most of those who are not founding members of the Chapter hail from this area of Imperial space. For a brief period between the Poriphon Wars against Hive Fleet Vritra at the end of M41, the Knights Vindicant based themselves on the Ocean Planet of Talacra, forming a floating Fortress-Monastery from the ruins of their destroyed flagship, the Battle Barge Terrible Vow. The planet was abandoned when overrun at the start of the Second Poriphon War however, and the Chapter once again resumed its spacefaring nature, basing itself across Darina’s Fire and Excisor, their two remaining Strike Cruisers. The arrival of a Torchbearer fleet bearing reinforcements in 102.M42 also brought with it the Battle Barge Monument of Awe, which now serves as the Chapter’s headquarters. Having spent the prior 120 years defending the Barus Sector, they have been granted access to a number of recruiting worlds within this sector; primarily, the feral world of Obol in the Har Myrae system, where the Chapter has taken it’s recent stock of aspirants for assessment and induction. “From my vigil on the Watch Fortress, I looked on, helpless, as my Brothers fell to the Great Enemy. By the Emperor's divine will, I have been given a chance to change what I could not. We will not end, not yet.” Brother Antedes, Venerable Dreadnought; during a council held by the remaining Knights Vindicant following the end of the Poriphon War. The Chapter was founded as part of the 26th founding, in 738.M41, primarily using the geneseed of the all-but extinct Black Consuls Chapter. The Chapter's founding leader was Oris Antedes, a Black Consul who had been serving as a Watch Captain of the Deathwatch; the Chapter's recruits were initially trained by Antedes, the few remaining Black Consuls he could muster, and a detachment of the Ultramarines Chapter. Although originally intended to patrol the Cadian Gate, the Knights Vindicant were instead diverted to the Ultima Segmentum almost as soon as they had reached battle strength due to the incursion of Hive Fleet Behemoth. Although not arriving until after the major battles had been fought, the Knights Vindicant worked in concert with numerous other Chapters and Imperial forces in hunting down any remaining elements of Hive Fleet Behemoth. The Knights Vindicant then started on a long patrol into the Eastern Fringe. Encountering numerous Tau colony worlds, they won significant victories over the Tau at the Battle of Madragast VI (796.M41) and the Irusci Insurrection (802.M41). Chapter Master Antedes was gravely wounded during the Irusci Insurrection and was interred into a Dreadnought, as the Chapter continued it's crusade into the Eastern Fringe under Chapter Master Molon. Of note, they defeated a sizable Ork Waaagh! under Warboss Grazgar Rendklaw at the Battle for Isadoni (845.M41); and the Dark Eldar Kabal of the Wild Light, defeating them on the surface of the moon Maroch (878.M41), before destroying the Kabal aboard their fleet in a mass boarding action led by the young Captain Indrus Baeloc and the 3rd Company (879.M41). Since the victory over the Kabal of the Wild Light, the Knights Vindicant were involved in a score of minor conflicts of little note, up until the outbreak of the Poriphon War. The Poriphon Wars Whilst on route to Sotha to assist the forces battling Hive Fleet Kraken in 992.M41, the Knights Vindicant had stopped to resupply in the little-known Poriphon system when a splinter of Hive Fleet Kraken was discovered on the outer edges of the system. Dubbed Hive Fleet Vritra, it rampaged through the outer planets of the system before Captain Indrus Baeloc, with the help of four regiments from the Heralic Armoured Infantry, managed to halt the Tyranids on Heral. The war spread to consume Talacra, another planet in the system, where the Chapter sustained grievous losses including most of their fleet, hundreds of Marines and most of their Command staff, including Chapter Master Molon, in an effort to destroy the bulk of the Tyranid threat.[/background] The Hive Fleet was eventually destroyed with the intervention of Battlefleet Barus, although not until Heral had been abandoned and subjected to Exterminatus. The Knights Vindicant suffered catastrophic losses in the war, with little more than a hundred Space Marines and only two of it's Captains surviving the battles with Hive Fleet Vritra, alongside the losses of much of their armoury and all but two Strike Cruisers of their fleet. From 993.M41, the Chapter based itself on the planet Talacra in the Poriphon system whilst it tried to rebuild, forging a floating Fortress of the remains of the Battle Barge Terrible Vow. The Knights Vindicant also took responsibility for combating the unexpected resurgence of the Tyranid threat on Talacra; a very small number of Xenos having seemingly survived the bombardment of Talacra that ended the Poriphon War, seeming to grow in numbers despite efforts to eradicate them. Chapter Master Indrus Baeloc did all he could to deflect requests for the Chapter's presence elsewhere by the Imperium in the period up to 999.M41, fueling speculation that the Knights Vindicant were a crippled Chapter; some onlookers going so far as to cast aspersions as to the stability of their gene-seed. In the dying days of 999.M41, the Second Poriphon War broke out. Without notice, the Terrible Vowcame under attack by swarms of Tyranids rising from the deep; having evidently spent years breeding and adapting to their underwater environment. The Knights Vindicant fought a bitter battle, desperately holding out until less than a Chapter’s worth of survivors could be evacuated from Talacra aboard their Strike Cruiser, Darian’s Fire. Those left were led to the nearby agri-world Ymirica; also experiencing a resurgence of Hive Fleet Vritra that nearly overwhelmed the local PDF and Heralic Mechanised Legion regiments stationed there since the end of the First Poriphon War. Under Baeloc’s leadership, Ymirica was also kept safe, and Vritra was defeated for the second and final time when an artillery company attached to the 212nd Heralic Armoured Infantry sacrificed itself to destroy the Bio-Titan at the core of the Xenos swarm. Age of the Dark Imperium With the fall of Cadia and the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum, what was left of the Knights Vindicant were set to policing the wider Barus Sector by Baeloc, knowing that with limited numbers they balanced on the precipice of extinction. Spreading themselves thin in order to bolster as many Imperial defences as possible, they forged a legend as heroes of the sector as new battlefields came alive one after the other, foes of the Imperium seeking to capitalise on its weakness and confusion. Over the next century, the Knights Vindicant would notably lead the defence against numerous attempts of the minor Tau Pa’shel sept to encroach on outlying planets of the sector, and were instrumental in the defeat of Waaagh! Gurgor, Indrus Baeloc slaying the Ork warboss himself after the remnants of the Chapter launched a lightning strike on Gurgor’s personal retinue of Nobs. Meanwhile reinforcements trickled in; but with the Imperium in Chaos, they did not come quite as fast as the Chapter lost its strength. Small losses across numerous battlefields added up, and when the Torchbearer ship finally found the Chapter battered and bloody in the wake of Waaagh! Gurgor, just seventy Knights Vindicant and a handful of tanks remained. Under these circumstances, Baeloc had no choice but to willingly accept almost an entire Chapter’s worth of Greyshield Primaris marines under his leadership, retiring or recommending obsolete vehicles to the Deathwatch in return for an armoury of Impulsors and Repulsors, and receiving a new Battle Barge and two new Strike Cruisers for it’s fleet. One last tragedy would strike, however. In order to integrate themselves with their new Brothers, the remaining Knights Vindicant held a council in which they decided as one to all submit themselves to the Rubicon Primaris. Perhaps the Rubicon was as dangerous as first feared, or perhaps the naysayers of late M41 had been correct when they doubted the worth of the Chapter’s geneseed. Regardless of the reason, over half of those who had survived over a century of almost endless combat died undergoing the arduous surgeries required. “Strike not without purpose; strike hard, and strike fast, and find your next foe before the first realises he is dead. Brother-Captain Orstan Larentes of the 2nd Company, Battle of Hive Fraxxis Largely adherent to the guidelines laid down in the Codex Astartes, the Knights Vindicant have a preference for surgical armoured strikes; not the overwhelming force of those such as the Aurora Chapter, but using their mobility to strike with speed and precision against key targets in tactics reminiscent of the White Scars. This developed through the Chapter's link to the Black Consuls and their favoured tactic of mass Drop Pod assaults, through an approach of heavy armoured assaults. Although the Chapter lost much of it’s armoured strength in the years following the Poriphon Wars, these too have been replenished by a large stock of Primaris Repulsors and Impulsors, in return for the Chapter offering what few tanks remained to them for service in the Deathwatch. The Chapter has even benefitted from a detachment of the Astraeus super-heavy grav tank which form the core of its armoured strength. “Some days it is hard to remember all that Vritra took from us. Some days it is hard to forget.” Carve Sorris, Chief Apothecarion; from conversation logs with Chapter Master Baeloc. Recent reinforcements have led to a period of re-adjustment within the Knights Vindicant, operating at full strength for the first time in over a century. Indrus Baeloc retained those of the Chapter who survived the Rubicon Primaris in key command positions across all companies, relying on those he knows the abilities of whilst assessing the leadership and prowess of his newer Greyshield recruits. Reverting to a Codex-compliant structure, there are few differences of note from standard Chapter organisation. Owing to the Chapter’s doctrine of focused armoured strike, each Company will have a core of vehicles dedicated to it, rather than being assigned from the Chapter’s armoury. This allows vehicle crews and squads a closer bond, and the Knights Vindicant infantry and armoured elements are known to work particularly efficiently in concert. The armoury in the meantime retains the battle tanks of the Chapter, assigning detachments of Repulsor Executioners and Astraeus tanks as they are required. The 1st Company, usually expected to consist of Chapter veterans, does not yet have considerably more combat experience than the rest of the Chapter. Due to the recent influx of Greyshield reinforcements, admission to the 1st Company is currently fluid; two squads have been picked of the most aggressive Primaris, forming them into Excelsor-units who enter battle carrying Eviscerator Chainswords. The remaining strength of the 1st Company is made up of 10 Parimaris marines each nominated from the 2nd through 9th Companies, who are technically slightly overstrength as a result. It is expected that in time, identification of a 1st Company ‘core’ will form and this practise will cease as units are permanently absorbed into the 1st. Where traditional Chapters might have the 10th Company consist of Scout initiates, the Knights Vindicant operate theirs as a Vanguard company. New recruits are expected to gain experience in Battleline, Close Support and Fire Support roles in this Company, before being moved into one of the other Companies to gain more specific, in-depth experience as normal. “Gulliman held the Imperium together as it threatened to shatter in the wake of his predecessor. I must do the same.” Indrus Baeloc, Chapter Master; from conversation logs with Chief Apothecarion Sorris. Chapter Master Indrus Baeloc Formerly Captain of the Knights Vindicant 3rd Company, Indrus Baeloc was instrumental in the Chapter's defeat of the Kabal of the Wild Light in 878-879.M41, and further distinguished himself in the battle against Hive Fleet Vritra. Despite their inevitable defeat, Baeloc's rearguard held the planet of Heral long enough for Battlefleet Barus to arrive and destroy the Tyranid ships in orbit before they had a chance to consume the planet. Baeloc assumed leadership of the Chapter following the First Poriphon War, and was instrumental in saving the system from a resurgent Vritra in the Second Poriphon War of 999.M41-001.M42. A solid warrior and an exceptional tactician, favouring lightning strikes against key targets, Baeloc was forced to spend his forces as efficienlty as possibly across the Barus sector, watching his brother's numbers dwindle with every engagement. Leading the Imperium to victory against numerous incursions from the Pa'shel Tau, and marshalling the defence against Waaagh! Grugor before slaying the Warboss in combat, Baeloc has become something of a hero to the local militarum regiments. With a new influx of Greyshield Primaris finally putting the Chapter back at full strength, Baeloc has set about defending the embattled Barus sector with a renewed ferocity. Venerable Brother Antedes Originally of the Black Consuls, Ores Antedes was serving with the Deathwatch at the time of the Black Consul's destruction at the Siege of Goddeth Hive. Antedes had risen to the rank of Watch Captain through various tours of service at Indomitus Point Watch Fortress, and had resigned himself to life as a Black Shield before he was offered the opportunity to head a new Chapter. Antedes served as Chapter Master of the Knights Vindicant until suffering a mortal injury in an ambush by a Tau Crisis Suit team during the Irusci Insurrection of 802.M41, and was interred within a Dreadnought. Antedes has continued to fight alongside his brothers, providing heavy fire support with the pin-point accuracy that he had become known for. Brother Antedes was one of just two Dreadnoughts that survived into M42, and with centuries of experience, has become one of Baeloc's most valuable advisors. Known for his fierce temperament, in recent years Antedes has been content to see the Knights Vindicant re-established a a full-fledged Primaris Chapter, knowing as he freely admits that it will make him one of the last of his kind. Venerable Brother Cantekles The second of the two Castaferrum dreadnoughts to still exist in the Chapter, Cantakles' scroll of honour is not quite as long as Antedes, but he is a redoubtable foe no less. Armed with two twin-linked autocannons, he is most often found reinforcing the fire support elements of any force he is attached to. Stoic where Antedes is fiery, Cantakles offers little interaction with his brothers until they reach the battlefield, where he truly thrives. Carve Sorris, Chief Apothecarion Carve Sorris has served in his post since before the First Poriphon War, where much of the Chapter's geneseed was lost. Facing the monumental task of keeping a Chpater most thought doomed to inevitable loss from becoming extinct, Sorris had been prone to bouts of severe melancholy. However, sis demeanor has been tempered in recent years by the introduction of the new Primaris reinforcements, and he expresses a warm, if sometimes intrusive, curiosity towards them. 1st Company Captain Maekor Eltas Previously a Sergeant in the 1st Company, most often found leading a detachment of Terminator-clad warriors, Eltas recieved a sudden and unexpected promotion after his predecessor fell tackling an infestation of Genestealers. He has taken to the role well, using any opportunity he can to remind the new influx of Primaris marines of the storied history of the Chapter, and casting a keen eye to identify any aspirants he thinks suitable for the vaunted 1st Company. 2nd Company Captain Orstan Larentes A veteran of many battles, Larentes has led units since the first engagements against Hive Fleet Vritra. One of Javas Varantis' trusted sergeants, he took over command of the 2nd Company after Varantis fell in battle with the Warboss Grugor. Known for being even-tempered, his mood has been soured somewhat by the Rubicon Primaris, a difficult transition leaving him with intermittent pains in the head. 2nd Company Lieutenant Gor Nayvir Seen as the most promising of the Greyshield recruits, Gor Nayvir is a veteran of the Indomitus Crusade. A noted veteran of the Battle of Ophelia VII and the Cleansing of Pyros, he was quickly identified as a future leader of the Chapter, quickly adapting his favoured tactic of overlapping static gunlines to the Knights Vindicant's more mobile approach. Knights Vindicant Chapter Banner. Knights Vindicant Brother Argo, 2nd Company, Squad Firaxes (M41)

Okay, this Chapter just got itself a bit of a face-lift. I was pretty satisfied with it, but I always kind of felt it was never complete. Original first post, including the previous article, are contained as a spoiler at the bottom of this post. As always, C&C is requested. They shall be pure of heart and strong of body, untainted by doubt and unsullied by self-aggrandizement. They will be bright stars on the firmament of battle, Angels of Death whose shining wings bring swift annihilation to the enemies of Man. So it shall be for a thousand times for a thousand years, unto the very end of eternity and the extinction of mortal flesh. -- Codex Astartes Origins “The grey army is at our gates, to drag us down into the dust where they crawl. Their poison seeps through. But we stand and we cry, we are with God! And with God, we will die!” – The Savior King speaks, 999.M41 Captain Galgalliel of the Archangels, the First Company of the Blood Angels Chapter, had a long, illustrious career, including nearly four centuries as Captain of the Chapter’s most elite forces, before given one of the greatest honors known to the Astartes. In the 35th millennium, the 11th Founding was declared, and the Archangel Galgalliel selected to command a newborn Chapter formed from the blood of Sanguinius. In honor of the revered dead, the Chapter was given the name the Angels Penumbral, marking them the first of that name for nearly two millennia. The Archangel quickly forged the Chapter into the very personification of wrath, striking down the heresies of the weak and the impurities of the alien. To them went the consecrated world of Aggelos, deep within the Principalities, an isolated collection of nearly two hundred systems. The Principalities were under near total domination by Ecclesiarchal authorities. However, in spite of the often poor relations between the Adeptus Astartes and the Ecclesiarchy, the Angels Penumbral readily adapted and conformed, in no small part due to the stubborn faiths of their granted home world. Their relationship grew, so that the two would often work in concert and to each other’s benefit. The ministry would send word to the Angels of heretics to be eradicated and cults to be exterminated. The most significant example was the Purging of the Conclave in M39. Local Inquisitors had acquired evidence that a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, the Conclave, had become thoroughly corrupted by the influences of Chaos. With the secretive Dark Angels spearheading the assault, the Religio Dominus, the hereditary ruler and spiritual leader of the Principalities, asked of the more forthcoming Angels Penumbral to participate in the hunt. The taskforce struggled for three years against the Conclave, until finally the corrupted Chapter was shattered, with few of the treacherous renegades escaping. Word had it that the renegades split into small, fractured Conclaves that scattered to the winds, but it was decreed that the threat to the Imperium no longer required the Angels’ presence. Since then, the Angels Penumbral have harbored a distrust of their cousins, those sons of the Lion. Recently, with the Tyranids invading the Imperium en masse, the Principalities have become under assault by a splinterfleet, officially labeled the Gorinech Tendril. The Angels Penumbral, to their great shame, took the threat too lightly at first. Dozens of the Principalities’ worlds along the trailing edge fell almost overnight. The Angels Penumbral have since declared all-out war and the entire Chapter has mobilized in attempts to stem the all-devouring tide. The Angels, in coordination with the coalition of local military, are holding out for an organized Crusade to push the xenos out of the Sector. However, these efforts have been hampered by subterfuge from unknown quarters, and the alien hordes have managed to continue slowly their inexorable push forward to the Imperial core, against all resistance and the fury of angels. Home World “When the brown rock turn black at the sight of blood, and the fallen sun hovers overhead, do not sheathe your blade or cease in the bloodletting. Nothing angers an angel more than passivity.” – Proverb by the Holy Scrivener Seshayyim Aggelos is a large rocky world deep within the Principalities. Classified as a delta-class Death World, Aggelos suffers from unstable tectonic activity, making earthquakes and volcanic eruptions commonplace. It has a verdant belt of vegetation that girdles the planet, but largely Aggelos is a dry world of hot sands and rocky formations. The Angels Penumbral have, in surveying their world, located multiple points of relative stability across the planet. Here, they have planted immense, circular towers, filled to bursting with technologies that allow them to observe and record the Aggelians. The Aggelians themselves are a fractured, feudal people, often at war with themselves over meager resources in the never-ending struggle for survival. As all of the mortal populations within the Principalities are, the Aggelians are zealous followers of the Imperial Creed. War has become indelibly inscribed in their religious faiths. They believe that all conflict is to the betterment of the human species. Each variation of faith on Aggelos, and there are many, believe fully and truly that only they are in the right, and must wage war against all those in the wrong, by extension everyone else. It is done in the name of the God-Emperor, and anything less would be an affront to His Divinity. To the people of Aggelos, the Angelspires, as they know them, are revered places of worship. The world’s greatest city-states have formed at their base, upon the skeletal remains of other great civilizations, which had eventually lost the fight for a space next to divinity. Such cities are sprawling masses of low buildings, for it is sacrilege to create anything of unnecessary height, for to do so is to defy the works of the angels. In the shifting oceans of sand, the nomadic tribes thrive, who survive by trading between cities or raiding them, and who covet and fight to the death over every found oasis. Though there exists on Aggelos a temperate zone, teeming with plant and wild life, no Aggelian would dare risk venture within its shadowed depths. The angels have decreed the gardens of Aggelos off-limits to mortal kind, and to defy them is to welcome certain death. The Angels keep close watch over Aggelos, especially during times of great conflict. Many battles have been ended abruptly as the Angels fall from their fortress-monastery on pillars of flame, smiting the unworthy as they extricate those promising few. The fortress-monastery, styled Sol Invictus, is a large orbital plate, not unlike those see on Terra. The plate hovers over Aggelos, high among the clouds. It is a marvel of design and architecture, its outer faces composed of shifting white marble and reflective glass. Even in the darkness of Aggelos’ moonless night, the home of angels shines with blinding light. As much as the Angels have become incorporated into the belief systems of the Aggelians, so have the Aggelian faiths been incorporated into the Chapter Cult. The Aggelian mortals see the Angels much as the Angels see themselves, as the vengeance and wrath of the Divine Emperor made of His Own Flesh descended upon the galaxy. However, there are those that see them as dark figures, terrible demons that fall upon their most promising young warriors as a means to cull them and keep them weak. It is no secret within the Chapter what is done with such mortal cults. Though many fear that some long forgotten incident of their own flaws is what instigated such beliefs. No recruits are taken from such faiths, and whispers on desert wind will rouse the faith’s rivals against them. Only one apocryphal faith has resisted the usual attempts at extermination, led by a messianic figure known simply as the savior king. Founded 973.M41, the savior king refuses to acknowledge the divine heritage of the angels, and sees their father and his brothers as hyper-inflated stories of mortal men. The God-Emperor is a spiritual entity, the truest essence of Godhood, not a physical Man who was God. Worship of those who claimed to be His sons is tantamount to idolatry and deemed heretical. Many among the Angels Penumbral have decried the cult; that they must take an active hand in eradicating it, which has grown in strength of late. Many within the Chapter fear that to allow this cult to live comes with the risk of letting in one indoctrinated to its twisted faith. By the end of the 41st millennium, the Chapter Master has finally given in to the demands of the concerned. It may be too late. Combat Doctrine “And war came to the heaven, as the angels fought the dragon, and the dragon feasted upon the angels.” -- Retribution 21:7; apocryphal The Angels Penumbral are a wave of fury, preferring to meet enemies head-on where they can make their physical strengths count the most. With the high preference for jump packs and aerial assaults typical of the sons of Sanguinius, the Angels plummet from the heavens, slamming into and crushing their foes from above. Battle-brothers of the Adeptus Astartes are the avenging Angels of Death and the Angels Penumbral lay claim to that title like no other. They roar into battle with the screaming of jetfire accentuating the fervently yelling Marines as the Chaplains lead them through the catechisms. The blasphemy of the daemon, impurity of the xenos and heresy of the traitor are zealously intoned as the Angels cut them down with sword and roaring bolter. The Angels Penumbral fear the day their curse becomes commonly known, for with such a realization they may be deemed irretrievably damned. As such, the Angels Penumbral are infamous for being the lone survivors in many a conflict, where only the Angels are aware of the truth of the battle. Organisation “And the Son of Man came into His glory, and with Him upon His last days were His Angels, then did He sit upon the Throne of His glory.” – attrib. Adina, the First Apostle The Chapter adheres closely to the Codex Astartes in organization, more so than other sacred sons of the Angel Sanguinius do. Even the Blood Angels, the foremost inheritors of Sanguinius, deviate in order to compensate for the shared curse of the Sanguinian bloodline. The Angels Penumbral do not share in this deviation, though adherence to the Codex is not the reason underlying this fact. The Angels Penumbral do not field a Death Company. Those who suffer from the curse, on or off the battlefield, are restrained and imprisoned within the Sarcophagaem. This dark and brooding ship ferries the damned to their place of execution. So on guard are they that there have been times the ship has been entered only to find sane Marines who have overcome momentary lapses of judgment and merely lost control over their anger, however this is never enough to stay the execution. Though those who suffer the Black Rage are treated with attempts at dignity and mercy, for their anger is honest if not righteous, those who suffer the Red Thirst are not treated with such. Not unlike the Commissars of the mortal Imperial Guard, the Angels will kill their brother, immediately and without hesitation. The Chapter reveres their first Archangel and his primary advisor, Reclusiarch Zephirem, and the Chapter has retained this pairing as a traditional element of their command structure. Though Zephirem was part of the Chapter’s Reclusiam, these advisors can and do come from any of the auxiliary organizations, though dominantly from the Reclusiam. Beliefs “For we wrestle not against the flesh and blood of the Principalities, nor against its powers, but against the hidden rulers of the darkness within this world, against the spiritual wickedness in low places.” – Archangel Yehosho’a of the Corporeals, 991.M41 The Angels Penumbral believe in a truth that few other Chapters have the courage to accept. They believe fully in the divinity of the God-Emperor. Due to their own genetic links to the God-Emperor, this religious belief extends to themselves. The Emperor is God, His sons are born of His Flesh and His Soul, and the Astartes are His Angels. Within Sol Invictus, the pious Marines show reverence to their dead within their extensive crypts, the Sheofon. The Sheofon consist of rows upon rows of interred remains, majestic statues depicting the fallen in their primacy overlooking those who pay sacred homage. Nearly all of the Angels who have fallen over the millennia have their remains within Sheofon. Even those with no remains to be found, or who have been executed in the throes of Black Rage, still have a place. Only to those who succumb to the Red Thirst are denied place. Though all know the overwhelming temptation to give into their curse, those who do have forsaken the brilliant divinity within and damn themselves. Their mortal body remains blasphemously alive, but the true Angel died as he succumbed. Those who have given in to the Black Rage are remembered for who they once were. Those who indulge in the infernal hunger of the Red Thirst are stricken from all records, regardless of whatever prestige they had in life. Gene-Seed “These words spake Sanguinius, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thy Throne.” – Ged’on Eli of Khasawet The Angels Penumbral are made in the God-Emperor's image, granted a fraction of His Divinity with which they may be the instruments of His Wrath. The blood of the Angel, holiest of the Nine Divines and from which the Chapter is named, flows through their veins, granting them his strength and nobility, but also his flaws. Though closest in perfection than any other of that esteemed pantheon and fashioned most in the God-Emperor's own image, Sanguinius suffered most of all the myriad flaws of man, from which he had been forged. The terrible thirst and anger that haunted this distant and holy son of the God-Emperor haunts still his children, and few more so than the Angels Penumbral. None within the Chapter knows why, though they have sought and craved to Him on Earth for a release from its constant presence for ages to no avail. The best that they can do is to excise those who exhibit the curses as quickly as possible, lest its corruptive nature spread further. Battle Cry "Unto the Godless, death!” Here are a couple new images. I'm rather fond of the bronzed helm to go along with the pauldrons, but I included one without so I can get some input. http://i.imgur.com/VmOQnLz.jpg http://i.imgur.com/h0SIufa.jpg

Emerald Tigers Origin "We will never know how much was lost. So much of what we have done and once were, as important a part of ourselves as what we are now, is now gone. All that's left for us is to exact equal vengeance upon those who took this from us. We shall destroy them. And then we shall forget them." Librarian Myrddin Wyllt, overseeing the reconstruction of the Chapter's Librarium The Emerald Tigers were formed during the 7th Founding from the legacy of Guilliman, around a cadre of an older Chapter, the War Consuls. Their first action once combat ready was to participate in a crusade to reclaim the worlds lost to the Imperium by the ferocity of the Emperor's Ire, a sector-wide warpstorm that had been raging for nearly a century. The Emerald Tigers found themselves facing a Sector at the very verge of being overrun. Creatures of the Warp and Traitor Marines wearing the panoply of the Emperor's Children cavorted and rampaged across the worlds and in the depths of space, playing with what was left of the weak and desperate mortal populations. Though a true enemy now stood before them, their joy over the bloodshed only seemed to grow to a higher pitch when the Crusade met the Chaos incursion head on. Though an arduous struggle, the Imperium was ultimately successful when the final dissipation of the warpstorm cut off reinforcements to the traitors. The Emerald Tigers re-tasked themselves with the defense of the Erinn Sector, deep in Segmentum Pacificus. With the approval of the High Lords, they took for themselves a homeworld within it that had particularly impressed the young Chapter on its continued resistance to the corruption of Chaos. The Emerald Tigers have remained in the area for millennia, on constant patrol for the ever-constant resurgence of Traitor Marine activity and the presence of insidious xenos. It took nearly three thousand years before the Emerald Tigers were able to finally cast out the Emperor's Children Warband, who called themselves the High-Born, led by the Chaos Lord Mogh Nuadat. Three thousand years of war, of hunting them down from world to world. It was Chapter Master Conn Eremon, their most revered hero, who finally hammered them down. The headstrong Chapter Master never gave them respite, even when his own Chapter needed it more. Whenever the High-Born went to ground, he would tear the world apart until there was nowhere left for them to hide. His crusade of extermination lasted three centuries. It began at the Brosnachian Fields, where the Chapter destroyed the fleets of the Rogue Trader Sampate and burned the extensive roots the High-Born cults had taken. It continued on the worlds of Mewsauc, Govran, S'wama and Lewein, as well as battles fought in scores of other places. Everywhere the High-Born would be found, uprooted and yet, disappear. This over-extended game of cat and mouse finally met its conclusion upon the moons of the gas giant Maglena. There they found not only the Warband but their ever elusive Chaos Lord. In a duel worthy of song and saga, Conn slew Mogh Nuadat. The High-Born, for the first time since they had arrived, were finally beaten and driven from the Sector. Suffering from great wounds, Conn was interred in a Contemptor-class Dreadnought, within which he would continue to serve the Chapter as a beacon of glory and honor, a veteran of every war the Chapter had waged. Since then, the Emerald Tigers have ever stayed loyal to their Emperor and fought countless wars in this remote and otherwise relatively unprotected zone of space. From their earliest victory upon the bloody hills of Khavidan to their most recent defense of their homeworld, Tara, the Emerald Tigers have won great glories and suffered many losses with trademark adaptability, overcoming all obstacles by virtue of their fluidity. Defense of Tara "A hundred times I have been awoken. A hundred times I have been unleashed. A hundred times I have faced your kind. I will do so a hundred more, but for you this is the end." Conn the War Ender meets Tyreke, Chaos Lord of the Eyes of Tivan, in battle Late in the 41st Millennium, the High-Born returned to Erinn, alongside a Warband of the World Eaters, the Eyes of Tivan. Together, the two Warbands cut a swathe across the Sector. Before the Chapter could even react, entire sub-sectors went dark. The Emerald Tigers were not slow in reaction. Such was the speed and ferocity of the attacks. Chapter Master Cormac Airt immediately mobilized the Chapter to stem the oncoming tide of heretics, daemons and Traitor Marines. Recruitment rates were doubled and then tripled as the Chapter met the foe and the attrition rates rose. Though Cormac's inspired leadership saw the traitorous advance falter, the Chapter's counter-offensive stumbled upon Buoyan. There Eoghain Mor, master of the High-Born and former Champion of Mogh Nuadat, laid a trap for the lord of the Emerald Tigers upon Buoyan treacherous glacier-continents. Utilizing powerful Warp sorceries, the traitors succeeded in isolating the Chapter Master and laying him low. The whiplash of the magic devastated the icy waste, making the land of solid ice too dangerous to fight upon and the Emerald Tigers were forced to retreat. Though Cormac survived, his body and mind were ravaged. He was transported back to their fortress-monastery, where the Apothecarion and Librarium collaborated on his treatment. In the interim, First Captain Cairbre took upon himself Acting Chapter Master. Though an accomplished leader of men, outshining all other living Captains in feats of glory, Cairbre did not have Cormac's resourcefulness or charisma. He held the line, preventing the oncoming enemy forces from breaching their defenses and spilling out onto the Imperium's unprotected worlds for a couple of years. Though Cairbre's response was laudable, it did not protect the true target of their enemy's wrath. Sub-sector Leathcuinn was, relatively, unprotected. With the bulk of their armies diverting the Chapter's defenses elsewhere, the two Warbands sent their veteran elite to lay siege upon the Sub-sector's crown jewel and homeworld of the Emerald Tigers, Tara. With the great majority of the Chapter's Fleet scattered throughout the Sector, the heavy bruisers and small destroyers that burst from the Warp met only a token resistance in orbit around Tara. With the target of all the High-Borns' rage buried deep under Taran ground and the Eyes of Tivan aching to meet their foe face to face, the traitors foresook orbital bombardments and instead released their warriors upon the surface of the world. Aside from the host of combat-ready Chapter serfs, wholly unprepared to face such a foe, and the nearly inconsequential mortal armies of Tara's clans and tribes, the traitors were met by the two hundred Scouts and Marines raised in addition to the Codex norm in response to the Traitor threat, as yet unassigned to their own places among the stars. Though the traitors outnumbered the Emerald Tigers nearly three to one, the Chapter had two advantages in its favor. First was that among the Dreadnoughts that had remained on Tara was Conn Eremon, ancient High-King and the Chapter's greatest martial hero. Once awoken, his presence upon the battlefield inspired the young Marines to equal exploits as he reaped enemy lives with every strike. Their second advantage, wielding the Chapter's most ancient relic weapons, the Fire's Claw and the Hound's Blade, took the form of yet another returned hero. Though weakened still by the venomous magicks wreaked upon him, nonetheless it was Cormac Airt who led the defenses. The battles that waged upon Taran soil lasted many months. Many of the world's island-continents were razed, its people gone forever. For a time, it seemed that no matter the awe-inspiring feats of the defenders, such as when Eoghain Mor fell with Cormac's claw buried within him, Tara would be doomed to fall. The defenders knew that their death knell had been sounded when Conn the War Ender, master of countless battles and warrior supreme, was cast broken from the Bones, a mountain range named for the ancient belief that it is the remains of an ancient race of giants, by the Chaos Lord of the Eyes of Tivan Warband. However, as the Emerald Tigers fought tooth and nail, viciously, within the hallowed halls of their own Fortress-Monastery, salvation finally arrived. Cairbre, finally freed from the wars that had laid siege to a Mechanicum Knight world, had struck an alliance with the Knight House Mobius and turned his forces back to Tara. In a replay of when the traitors appeared over Taran skies, Cairbre was able to force his ships past the traitor cordon and release his men and a host of Knights upon Tara. While four Companies, accompanied by a host of walker-machines, turned the tide on Tara, Cairbre and his veteran 1st Company committed boarding actions on the greater ships of the traitor fleet. Though the Defense of Tara took nearly a year, the Emerald Tigers were eventually able to push the Traitors back off their world. It cost the Chapter much. Nearly a third of the world's population remained and the war marked the death of the Chapter's most revered ancestor. With Cairbre himself gone, unable to teleport off ship in time to avoid its sudden self-destruction, Cormac Airt had risen to reclaim the mantle of the Chapter Master. As their Fortress-Monastery was rebuilt, the enemy's leadership slain or on the run, he led the Emerald Tigers back into the war that rampages still across Sector Erinn. Home World "The lands still will not green. What have they done to our world, that its scars yet remain?" Cormac Airt, Chapter Master of the Emerald Tigers once and again During the First War, as the later Emerald Tigers refer to their earliest Crusade, the young Chapter marched in its entirety upon the world of Tara, a world wracked by battles fought between the two traitor forces. There the Emerald Tigers witnessed the weakened, distraught Imperial citizens remain ultimately unbroken by the atrocities they'd lived through, fighting back at their enemies at every moment through subterfuge and guerrilla tactics. When the Chapter succeeded in throwing the traitors offworld it had already been decided that the world of Tara would make an ideal center for recruitment. Following the close of the Crusade, the Emerald Tigers petitioned the High Lords of Terra for the right to claim Tara as their homeworld. So granted, the young Chapter set to work on the feudal world, creating their Fortress-Monastery as a vast subterranean network in the center of the Great Valley, an immense basin as large as the Imperial Palace. The only evidence that can be seen from the surface is a large mound, too uniformly rounded to be a natural hill or small plateau. The tribal Tarans refer to this landmark as the Great Mother, who gives birth to the giant sons of the Sky Father, the local term for the Emperor. Those Tarans more civilized than their tribal brethren, living in a feudal state, know more of the truth of its existence and are fully aware of the presence of the Emerald Tigers. The Chapter recruits from both peoples equally, nominally by keeping watch over the internecine wars and tournaments. For every child taken as a potential recruit a token of precious metal is left behind for the child's family. Among the feudal clans, these tokens are of paramount importance, being physical manifestations of their divine right to rule. In essence, the tokens act as evidence of nobility. The greatest clans, called the Companion Clans as they can trace their long lineages back to the heroic Tarans who had fought alongside the Emerald Tigers at the very beginning of their histories. The patriarchs of these clans are kings of their imminent domains, Tara's highest mortal authorities. The tribes of Tara react to the tokens less reverently, thinking them payment for the taking of their child and nothing more. These tokens exchange hands and ownership at a rapid pace. Many clans have had their position secured by laying claim to traded tokens. These clans were purged when such claims were declared fraudulent in the 39th Millennium. For the past couple decades, Tara has been attempting to mend the horrific damage wrought upon it during the unprecedented assault by an allied traitor force. Since the ending days of the Defense of Tara late M41, the Taran populations have drasticaly reduced. Across its island-continents, the tribal Tarans were struck the worse and are nearly extinct. The urban Tarans suffered less than their tribal brethren, seeking more to survive than to brazenly attack as the tribes did, centering their efforts over the most important, populous cities. Many of the lesser cities were overrun, their people massacred. Enough time has passed that Tarans have begun rebuilding these abandoned shells but still the landscape is dotted with blasted ruins marking the sites of mass graves. Organisation "In our darkest time, we needed them. We would have not survived without them. Now, as dark times approach once more, we argue how to dispose of them?" 3rd Captain Tighearnan, as the fate of the 11th Company hangs in the balance The organisation of the Emerald Tigers has changed in the recent centuries, as the Chapter has been forced to raise nearly two hundred additional Marines to overcome the constant onslaught of foes that had threatened to overwhelm the Chapter during the 41st Millennium. Though no longer necessary, the survivors were coalesced into a single Company and are now used to man and escort the large Starfort Exalted Wrath, a recent addition to the Chapter that had proven particularly advantageous in breaking the back of the Traitor's attack on their homeworld. The Chapter is divided on the future of the company, as the current Chapter Master has yet to decide whether it will be retained and replenished as needed or allowed to diminish over time by inevitable losses until the proper Chapter size is once more reached. The remaining ten companies are primarily Codex in organisation. The Battle Companies are ever at work hunting down and striking out at nearby foes while the Reserve Companies patrol the Sector in constant vigilance. Beliefs "We are light. We can blind and we can guide. How we choose to use our power defines us and, through us, our Chapter and the Imperium. To abuse it is to forsake everything we have ever stood for or ever will. Do not abuse it." Chief Librarian Coran Wyrdbreaker, to the fey Marines being initiated into the Druid Circle The Emerald Tigers have for a long time lost their Primarch as their primary focus for reverence, shifting entirely to the Emperor. Though Guilliman remains as an important aspect of the Chapter, they view him mostly as a conduit, their connection to the Emperor through their genetic inheritance and on equal terms with the Chapter's own ancient heroes. This shift in focus is one of many visible clues as to how much of the Chapter has been shaped by their homeworld. Combat Doctrine "It has ever been our way to challenge ourselves to further feats of brilliance. What worth is there in repeating the same successes over and over? Once was proof enough that it could be done; twice perhaps if to prove the first was no mishap. But to have committed countless feats, each unique and independent of the other, is something to be proud of. Versatility. Adaptability. No enemy of Man ever strikes the same and nor shall we. Stagnation in battle is death. Predictability is death." Sergeant Daithi to his scout squad The Chapter has pride most of all in its mutability and adaptability. Rather than providing the same, static face to the enemy in each encounter, the Emerald Tigers has learned the hard way that only by approaching war differently each time can they take the enemy by surprise. The hunters of the tribesmen know full well that they are not the greatest predator of the forests and change themselves constantly, sometimes through drastic measures, to disorient any would be attackers. As the Emerald Tigers are isolated from any potential aid and can be outmatched at times by their myriad foes, they have adopted this as their creed. The rich and robust tomes that is the Chapter's copy of the Codex Astartes which details multiple potential military responses for virtually any potential situation. As a general preference, the Chapter will by its own preferences choose an unused method of attack or defense before falling back upon a previously used gambit. They have been known to go against such preferences often when opportune. They do not allow themselves to get lost in the fervor and heat of battle. They remain constantly aware for the perfect moment to strike with utmost ferocity, whether when striking from unawares or already locked in combat, the Emerald Tigers strive always to end conflicts quickly and decisively. Gene-Seed "War is in our blood! Feel its rage burn within! Let it overwhelm you as it sustains you with its hate! Let it fill your soul! Let yourself go within it, as you spill it from your enemies!" Chaplain Siobhan, leading the Uineil Clansmen in defense of their land The Emerald Tigers were founded upon the gene-seed of Roboute Guilliman and they have kept their genetic legacy as pure as it began. The Chapter keeps careful watch over the Tarans for prospectful recruits, though they do make such individuals easy to find. As the taking of a family member increases a clan's social standing, many capable boys are trained from a very young age to impress the watchers with strong arms and quick minds. Great tournaments are held with regularity, as the youths show off their skills and prowess in competitions against one another. Among the Taran tribes, life is less orderly. A child that can fight in tournaments is a child that can fight for his tribe's survival and will participate in the everlasting wars between tribes and the two great cultures. Despite the Tara's brush with Chaos so long ago, the purity of faith and mind of Tara's denizens kept them pure of body as well. Though an ever-present problem for any Imperial world, Tara's mutant birth rate is very low and harshly dealt with. The Emerald Tigers have been blessed with such purity, allowing the Chapter to rapidly recuperate from the many severe losses it has taken over its lifetime. Battle-cry "We live! They die!" A chanted call and return used first at the Defense of Tara.

Hail, Battle Brothers & Battle Sisters - Masters and Mistresses of the Liber, WELCOME! I'm new to the game 40K and the B&C, and I want to build a Space Marine army. I'll be acquiring a codex & some models this weekend. Meanwhile, I've been dipping into the various forums and gaining inspiration (and spending too much time using the online painter). I'm feeling the creative bug now. Everyone likes to hit a great idea out of the ballpark their first time out, but I know that rarely happens. Anything I start now will most likely change the more I work on it. But, we all have to start somewhere, which is why I'm here. If I'm going to do this, I'd like to do so with respect to the lore (which I know little of). This will be my "placeholder" post, to be edited with the most updated version of my Index Astartes. [edit] "Clean Slate Protocol" activated

Hello there i am in the process of planning fan made chapter but I am wondering whether i shoud make them a legion a lost one to be precise or a successor chapter to either the night lords or the raven guard please reply with your suggestions thank you for time and have a nice day

Greetings fraters, I´d like to present the concept of my personal space marine chapter here, which I carry around with me for years now (I actually made an IA under another name for them quite a time ago, but I think it´s now deleted (which is totally ok)). Anyways, let´s start: https://imgur.com/v6JlAWC (standard colour scheme) Twilight Wardens Chapter Name: Twilight Wardens Founding: 23rd Founding (Sentinel Founding) Homeworld: Enoch (Feudal World) Ultima Segmentum (bordering to the Ork Empire of Charadon and in relative proximity to the Forgeworld Metalica) System: Enoch System Geneseed: Unknown/ Imperial Fists (debated) Fortress-Monastry: Greatshield Colours: Fawn, sky-blue eyelenses, colour variations of the helmet based on battle-field role ("huts") Chapter Insignia: A feline paw, claws reaching through a sun, tips touching an encircling crescent moon Specialty: Scouting and stealth, Preferred enemy: Orks Strength: ~ 700+ Chapter Master: Chidi Tinashe Battle-Cry: "For our fathers, for Enoch, for the herd among the stars!" About: The Twilight Wardens are Space Marine Chapter of the 23rd Founding. Hailing from the world of Enoch, their main initial purpose was to protect the regions surrounding the Ork Empire of Charadon, eventually they were deployed in other warzones, mosty fighting greenskins and ocassionally other Xenos, if their absense is justifiable. They are a highly spiritual, some might say superstitious chapter, with many traditions rooted deeply in the culture of their homeworld. Quite frequently their own homeworld is attacked by Orks, but the invaders could always be fought back so far. Homeworld: Enoch is a hot, arid world, with a size roughly two thirds of Holy Terra, a hard place to live, but not as hellish as a typical death world. It was re-discovered at some point after the Great Crusade by the same name, but was of little importance, until it became the Twilight Wardens homeworld at some point early to middle M38. Though this particular individual is all but forgotten and the Wardens have full sovereignity over the planet and it little star system, it has never been re-named, because they see names as something holy. The landscape consists of savannahs, deserts and wastelands and the inhabitants are forced to change their place of living several times a year to sustain their herds of cattle. The Fauna brings forth several predators which could been found on Old Earth, like lions, hyeanas and even crocodiles which inhabit the few regions whith permanent water-supplies, as well as anitolopes, rhinos and more. It is debated, if those animals had been imported to be hunted in the Age of Strife or even before that. At present Enoch has a population of estimated 8- 12 000 000 inhabitants. The people of Enoch Inhabited by dark-skinned, tough peoples who mostly live of semi-nomadic herdsmen it´s technological level is generally quite low, but the population is capable of producing steel for weapons and low-tech firearms are not unknown, but cannot be reproduced. The main way of living is semi-nomadic, the tribes being herdsmen staying as long as possible on a place to sustain their cattle and then travel on established routes, claimed by them by tradition. A "Twilight Warden" is the honorary term for able-bodied men, guarding the herds for the dangerous period of twilight at dusk and dawn, then the gods sleep and hyenas, lions and other dangerous predators stalk the Night, ready to slay and eat the animals of their precious herds. Armed with a warriors equipment, a great round or ellipctic shield made of cow-hide and wood and a great spear, the Assagai. It is the main source of a mans honour to fulfil this honour and only men who fulfilled it with valour can hope of one day leading their clan or even great-clan. The societies are ordered in unities of family, clan, great-clan, and tribe, with the level of loyalty and allegiance being more significant and important, the closer an actual blood-relation is. Each family, clan, great-clan and tribes has it´s nominal leader, but is committed to the council of the priests and elders. Generally they live rather peacefully, while wars are not uncommon, solving conflicts with bloodshed is rare, because of the common knowledge that the waste of ressource and peoples in fights are simply very unreasonable in this hard and dangerous environment. Mostly rivalries between competing leaders and conflicted over conceived ill-behaviour, such as the stealing of cattle, are fought out in ritualized one-on-one, unarmed fights at the gahterings of tribes. Two exception of this general rule occur: Firstly, the inhabitants of regions known as the "shadowlands", there criminals, cannibals and other banished live are mostly attacked on sight, because they are believed to be cursed and to have lost the favour of the gods. Every couple decades or sometimes centuries the planet is attacked by Orks, hailing from Charadon. The tribes then band together under the leadership of the Twilight Wardens to meet this threat and destroy it for good. Though none as vigiliant defenders of their realm of space, the Twilight Wardens travel as fast as possible to their homeworld and it´s regulary the only occasion they reject distress calls from other theaters of war. This is also the only time the shadowborn, the inhabitants of the shadow-lands are somehow tolerated and sometimes fight with the main population against the deadly threat of the Ork hordes. The shadowlands and its inhabitants The "shadowlands" are a collective term used for a number of regions in which the unwanted of the societies of Enoch´s tribes are banished for one reason or another. They gain their common name from it´s location being often in wastelands under the shadow of big mountains, the most unhospitable places on the planet, salt seas and the most unrelenting deserts. The people living there are all outcasts for various crimes or shortcomings. Cannibalism, murder and other offences to the gods are either sentenced by death or banishment to the shadowlands. In turn cannibalism is mostly excepted there, mostly because the living conditions are so dire, that it is often a neccesity. There isn´t much organisation of a social life there, because herding is mostly impossible there, most live as hunter-gatherers and the only social entity of any value is mostly a nuclear family or small groups only hold together by the strength of a feared leader. Sometimes one part of a pair of twins are left and exposed to the elements after birth, because of the difficulties to raise two children at once in an unforgiving environment. Those found and raised by the shadowborn (if they aren´t just killed and eaten) then naturally become shadow-born itself. Other banished are individuals, showing psychic abilities, which are seen as foul witchcraft by the rest of the population. The shadow-born have a sinister, vile reputation and said to have an ill temper. Religion of the peoples of Enoch The people of Enoch are deeply spiritual and have many myths concerning the earth, animals and natural phenomena. Their pantheon is vast with a myriad of spirits, animal gods and an extensive cult of mythic forfathers and ancestors. Two vastly important gods which can be found with any tribes though, are the twin gods (who are also husband and wife) Nami and Iman. Mani, known as the Great Father, or the Demanding brings hardships to make his children, the people of Enoch strong, while Iman the Great Mother, the Caring, gifts them out of love. When both are honored through good, just living and their respective rituals an ideal state is preserved if not, ill will befell the people in one way or another. Mani shows himself through sunshine, storms and drought and is peronated by the sun, Iman through rain (or floods) and is personated by the moon, clouds and the birth of livestock, Manis time is the day, Inam´s the night. Dusk and dawn, when lions and other dagerous animals prowl to hunt cattle and kill men, is the time when both of them sleep and so men have to fight against nature in order to survive. "White Obsidian" A mysterious very durable, yet light material, dubbed "White Obsidian", is to be found on the planet, venerated as a holy substance by the locals and prized by the Wardens as a decent alternative to ceramite and sometimes used instead of it by the chapter serfs to repair damaged battle-armour or even used by Techmarines as a base material to produce suits of Artificer Armour. It is however, other than the name suggests, not very sharp in its natural form and - as it, just like ceramite, conducts almost no heat or other energy - unsuitable to be crafted into power-weapons. However splinters of it, formed into shards on a molecular basis and applied on combat knives or chainswords are a good way to give a weapon a very durable, decently deadly edge. White obsidian, reduced by extreme heat to a molecular level and compressed under great pressure several times, can even be a replacement for Adamantium, though the means to do it are most often beyond the chapter and it´s techmarines and can sometimes be made on Metalica, but for a hefty prize, mostly in the form of large amounts of this rare substance and so this method is only very rarely done. The population is organized in somewhat hierarchical structures such as families, clans, great-clans and tribes, with loyalty being more relevant the farther an actual blood-relation is present. Though conflicts do occur, they are rare, as people see the necessity of avoiding bloodshed as it is seen as an evil which most of timeonly cost scarce ressources in menpower and strength. White Obsidian plays a role to distinguish highly honoured persons, both in the Chapter as in the general population of the men of Enoch, aswell as their distinctive religious practices. As it is deemed to holy to be altered in it´s physical form by the people of Enoch, but the chapter sees it´s enorm potential as too valuable to totally miss it out, it is only crafted on the planets space station (and outer arsenal) Assagai. History: The Twilight Wardens were founded as part of the Sentinel Founding to protect neighbouring regions from the Arch-Arsonists of Charadons hosts. Requested in particular from Metalica to help protect it trading routes, they engaged in conflicts as they helped fight of greenskin attackers at the surrounding worlds. One on of this occasions by trying to defend a well-populated world, fighting at the for-front, the chapter lost it´s entire first company, which was at this point consisting of veterans in tactical dreadnought armour, like in a codex-chapter. Even worse, the rest of the accompanying forces of the Wardens suffered greatly, too, trying to hold an entry point to a town there the bulk of the population had entrenched itself. This brought a great change in the chapters organization, each company would know have access to veterans and specialists from this point on and tactics changed from direct engage to tactics of sabotage of supply lines and command structures, feint attacks and tactical retreats, if necessary. Culture: Opposed to many other chapters, the Twilight Wardens have no problem in considering the Emperor a god. Deep in their hearts though, they have a problem in considering him the only god, they still rever Nami and Iman in secret. Knowing that this would inevitably lead to conflicts with the Ecclessiarchy and the Inquisition, they have a policy of either denying their existence to outsiders or as telling others that they are simply figures of thought and very similiar to the Promethian Cult of the Salamanders. They also honour ancestors and dead battle-brothers greatly. They believe they live on in their songs, the war-poems, which are composed and sanctioned by the Chaplains, which enjoy even higher honours as in most other chapters. The singing of a war-poem can be initiated in battle by the squads leader and lead to a trance-like state of the squad, evoking past patterns of warfare. It can decrease heart rate, metabolism and even act as a surrogate for normal sleep to a degree increasing the Wardens overall fighting prowress in the long-term, helping them to stay in action over longer times. There is also a custom of claiming family relations among officers and troops, battle-brothers claim there captains as their nominal father, taking sometimes ven his last name. It has been noted that the Twilight Wardens also practice similiar bonds with warriors of other chapters and even guardsmen which impressed them with their valour and courage, claiming them as nominal brothers and including them in their ever expanding myths over time. Regiments or chapters with such members are often more likely to receive aid in need from the Wardens. The life of the Wardens is regulated with a lot of rituals and ceremonies for their gods, and a set of highly honoured chapter serfs, which are un-augmented priests of Nami and Iman always travel on their ships. They perceive themselves primarily as guardians and defendders of menkind, as their former flock as regular humans were cattle, goats and sheep now they watch over the citizens of menkind, the herd among the stars. Geneseed: The Geneseed of the Twilight Wardens shows little to no mutation .An exception is the often malfunctioning Betcher´s Gland. Its origin isn´t entirely clear, though the Administratum list them as Ultramarines successors, the chapter commands claim to be of Imperial Fists descend, specifically being founded by the nearly-extinct Celestial Lions, which they see as spiritual forbears. Though most imperial authorities see this as rather unlikely, it is unwise to denounce this openly while adressing the Wardens, who hold the Celestial Lions in highest regard. Beliefs: The Twilights Wardens rever the Emperor as a god (though it is unclear, if he is revered in the ideal way as wished by the Ecclessiarchy), as long with the local gods Nami and Iman, among many other divine beings, (though practices of worship to those are mostly hold in secret and this is not revealed to outsiders). They also believe heavily in fallen battle brothers becoming semi-divine beings, in an unique manner: After a period of time determined by the Chaplains they hold ceremonies, in which the bones of the fallen are burnt. Their legacy is then immortalized in war-poems. At this time their names are purged from official records and forbidden to be used in common language. Instead they are believed to live on in their poems and their names can only be sung. In this way they live on as spirits guiding their brethren. Organisation: Since losing their entire first company, while trying to save a great amount of civilians in a battle against the Greenskins, the former codex-adherent chapter changed tactics and organisation considerably. Using scouting tactics and infiltration as an important element of their battle plans, it maintains a regular scout company, but the other five companies contain ideally marines for every battle role, meaning Devastators, tanks, tactical squads and veterans are all part of a regular company, as well as a companies own scouts (which are mostly more experienced than their regular counterparts in the scout company). Each regular company is called a Kraal-Company, living as a nominable "tribe" and operate on strike cruiser. The Kraal Company consists of several clans, based on equipment and battle-field roles, named after predators of Enoch, which are the following: jackals are scouts (while the scouts of the "regular" scout company are sometimes dubbed "Fenneks" or "desert foxes"), Tactical Marines are leopards, Devastators and tank personel are Hyenas, Assault Squads, Bikes and Land Speeders are "Cheetas". Each of those units forms a close bond in their respective companies and are referred to as a "hut" (e.g. "the cheeta hut of Kraal Tinashe). A Marine spends the most time of his daily life with his hut and members mostly share a friendly rivalry. A special entity of the chapter is an elite corps of Greenskin-Hunters, mostly composed of Vanguard Veterans and Assault Terminators, the Eclipse Lions. Those Veterans hate and expertise in killing the Xenos, excels those of their common brethren, by they have also tendencies of recklessness and value human life sometimes less, than other Warden Claws and have a more sinister reputation among the majority of the chapter and the population of Enoch. Current status: Numbers are stressed by near constant campaigns against Orks and other Xenos, but do to a quite high recruitment rate, remain relatively stable. Equipment: The chapters tanks, mostly manufactured and maintained on the fortress-satellite Assagai, surrounding Enoch is of little to medium size and mostly of more common vehicles due to the chapters rather backwater status. It contains a considerable amount of Landspeeders though and keeps it number of drop pods high to quickly engage in battle in the various conflicts and distress calls it has to answer. Vehicles of note: Lion´s Paw: Landraider (mostly used as personal transport for Chapter Master Chidi Tinashe Rainbringer: Whirlwind Crack-Jaw: Hunter tank Lightening Spear: Landspeeder of the Cheetah hut of Chidi Tinashe Kraal Companys leader Abidemi Abessi Adisa Thunderstrike: Venerable Dreadnought Retribution of Mani: Land Raider Redeemer Chapter Relics: - Mercy of Inam: Stalker Bolter - Mask of Nami: Artificer-Helmet, used by the chapters Master of Sanctity, currently Samore Mussa - Beasts´ Woe: Power weapon, great spear ("lionspear") - Devourer of the Wicked: Heavy Flamer Arsenal: Fortress-Monastery: Greatshield is a 30,000 ft high mountain, with a flat plateau on it´s encrested with built in encampments and forticifcationss. Part of the chapters arsenal is kept in the mountain itself. It´s top can be "sealed" with overlapping great plates of bronze-coloured metal with an adamantium core, if needed to shield it from enemy forces from above. When attackers come, it is a bastion which can hold a large proportion of Enochs weak, children, women and elders. As I am already writing for hours, I call it a day, now. Hope you enjoyed my creation so far. Will fill in the blanks as soon as possible! Greetings, Velype!

+++ Heralds of Light +++ 'Cut through the night!' + Lore + Index Astartes: Heralds of Light (Downloadable version) +Models+ Intercessor Intercessor Veteran Sergeant Firstborn Captain (by @jah-joshua, owned by @DarkKnightCuron) + Art + Chapter Heraldry Battle-Brothers (by @Aerion the Faithful) Vengeance (by @Aerion the Faithful)

Hidden Content THE SANGUINE GARGOYLES CHAPTER NAME: .............. Sanguine Gargoyles GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ... Blood AngelsPREDECESSOR: ............... Sanguinius FOUNDING: .................. 21st [991.M35] CHAPTER MASTER: ............ Commander Ambrogio HOMEWORLD: ................. Levidan Destroyed [CRUSADING CHAPTER] FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ Battle Barge Angelus Fortis; Battle Barge Golden Spear COLORS: .................... Dark gray, w/ left shoulder painted red SPECIALTY: ................. Blitzkrieg assaults KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... None STRENGTH: .................. Under strength BATTLE-CRY: ................ "By the blood of our brethren!" "They stand sentinel among the stars, stoically enduring their unending vigil. Yet when a world is threatened they hurtle from above, falling upon their foes with terrible vengeance, and a fury born of The Angel." -Unknown Imperial Citizen <<First letter of first word>> Initial paragraphs cover the general background of the Chapter, starting with an overview of the Chapter's earliest history and some pivotal events later history.>> <<description of the Chapter's homeworld>> <<A paragraph or two on the Chapter's organization (short paragraph if Codex-adherent, longer if the Chapter has some degree of deviation)>> <<Paragraphs to describe the key distinguishing characteristics of the Chapter>> <<Paragraph to describe the Chapter’s fleet and combat organizations>> <<Paragraph to describe the Chapter’s heraldry and appearance>> Brother Nero in Power Armor Sanguine Gargoyles 3rd Battle Company, 7th Tactical Squad Captain Baldassare in Terminator ArmorCommander, Assault Squad Baldassare Sanguine Gargoyles 1st Veteran Company, 1st Assault Squad <<description of the Chapter's combat doctrine>> <<description of the Chapter's gene-seed source, mutations, and defects>> <<description of the Chapter's interaction with the Legio>> <<Battle/Operation/Campaign Name>> [###.M##] <<A few paragraphs to describe the battle/operation/campaign and why it was notable for the Chapter>> <<Battle/Operation/Campaign Name>> [###.M##] <<A few paragraphs to describe the battle/operation/campaign and why it was notable for the Chapter>> <<Battle/Operation/Campaign Name>> [###.M##] <<A few paragraphs to describe the battle/operation/campaign and why it was notable for the Chapter>> COMBAT SQUAD DONATO 1ST VETERAN COMPANY Captain Mikael DonatoCommander, Vanguard Assault Squad Donato Sanguine Gargoyles 1st Veteran Company, 3rd Assault Squad <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother's name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>> <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother's name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>> <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother’s name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>> <<image URL>> Brother <<(or other title)>> <<Battle-brother's name>> <<A few lines of information (make sure you hard return each line)>>

Greetings B&C, I developed a custom Chapter over the last few months with the help of the B&C community. I now wish to actually paint up an army. This is a project I've been wanted to get started for a few months, and I'd like to show you guys as I work through this project from start to finish. You guys can check them out here http://c-mcbride.blogspot.com/2017/05/sons-of-void-final.html https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7QwYlsBz-qyY3JfNk53cDJwZzVKQ2NoU0h4cndSa2xnV0Zv

EDITS AND UPDATES: So I realized something about my chapter after posting this here and asking for name suggestions, and that is that I had presented the theme incorrectly. Especially at fault was the name (Angels Profundum) and the Chapter Symbol (Very Cthulhu-ish). It made my chapter seem much more "undead pirate" than I wanted. I initially wanted this chapter to be more "Royal Navy of the 1800's". So with that in mind I have made appropriate alterations. I know a lot of you guys were cheering for Angels Abyssal, but with the theme correction I decided to go with Storm Angels instead. It gets rid of the faux latin, and feels much more to the point. Anyway, here are updates, and a crap ton of more content. Also changed the name of my Battle Barge. Darn you Mortarion! This will all still need to be expanded on or edited, but please comment away. Suggestions and criticism is definitely welcome. THE STORM ANGELS CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE STORM ANGELS FOUNDING: .................. ULTIMA FOUNDING CHAPTER MASTER: ............ HARIEL CHAPTER WORLD: ............. KARAPASIA FLAGSHIP: .................. THE WHISPER FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........ THE HALLS OF DROWNING MAIN COLOURS: .............. TEAL BLUE, WHITE, AND GOLD GENE-SEED: ................. LION EL'JOHNSON PROGENITOR: ................ DARK ANGELS KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ......... NONE BATTLE CRY: ................ WEATHER THE STORM (ALWAYS SPOKEN OR WHISPERED), WE ARE THE SONG OF THE SEA! (SHOUTED BY A CHAPLAIN) AND THE SONG IS DEATH! (CHANTED IN RESPONSE) "Let the ocean fill your veins with salt. Let death be your song; violent, sudden, and without mercy, but see now, when the ocean does not rage it is still and calm. Never forget this Sayid. The sea is our mother, and if you listen to her whispers she will teach you much." - Then Captain Hariel addressing Sergeant Hamadaar Sayid on the shores of Karapasia ORIGIN In the earliest years of the Ultima Founding at the very onset of the Indomitus Crusade the Storm Angels were founded to guard against daemonic incursions at the very western tip of the Cicatrix Maledictum. With the bulk of the Indomitus Crusade focused eastward towards the core of the Cicatrix Maledictum, Ultramar, and the Imperium Nihilus beyond, the Capital World of Segmentum Pacificus, Hydraphur, was left with no real reinforcements to speak of. To support the Segmentum Fortress and to prevent the rapidly growing losses of the Imperial Navy in the region the Storm Angels were gifted the oceanic feudal-world Karapasia, located to the galactic southwest of Hydraphur. Created using the gene seed of the Dark Angels the Storm Angels were secretly drawn from aspirants born on Caliban by Belisarius Cawl, engineered and trained on Mars, and placed in stasis for thousands of years. When Roboute Guilliman returned to the galaxy to wage his great crusade these new Primaris Space Marines were released from stasis and formed into new Chapters that would spearhead the fight against chaos and drive back the enemies of man. Because of the secretive and reclusive nature of their gene-seed Cawl and Guilliman saw fit to assign The Storm Angels a more remote and stationary duty, rather than to place them at the front of the Crusade. The Storm Angels took to this assignment with great vigor and resolve, duty-bound to support Hydraphur and their local sector, and to stand as a bulwark against the horrors let loose on the galaxy by the warp. In the years following their founding the Storm Angels met with relative success in stabilizing their home sector, although not without great cost to their numbers. Having weathered wave after wave of daemonic incursions and several smaller Ork invasions from the southwest the Chapter was left at only a fraction of their original strength. Although some reinforcements were provided to the Chapter through seconded battle brothers from the Unnumbered Sons, they also began to recruit heavily from their homeworld of Karapasia. Many of the original Storm Angels had felt an affinity with their adopted home, the Chapter leadership included, and had adopted much of its culture. Seeing strength and value in the hardy seafaring peoples of Karapasia Chapter Master Hariel had declared that trials would be held regularly for the local populace. These trials would be similar in nature to the ones practiced on Caliban thousands of years earlier by the Dark Angels themselves. The Storm Angels would eventually return to full strength, with nearly sixty percent of it's members in the last years of the Indomitus Crusade having been drawn from the population of Karapasia. HOMEWORLD The Storm Angels' homeworld is an oceanic feudal-world located to the galactic southwest of Hydraphur in the Segmentum Pacificus. Prior to the arrival of the Storm Angels the planet was relatively peaceful with several great naval powers having established their dominance. While not at full war these naval powers would push and test each other employing massive pre-industrial fleets. These fleets also served to combat the leviathans that dwell in Karapasia's oceans, and to protect the coastal areas from these same creatures. Because the Administratum and Echlesiarchy of Hydraphur have relatively little power in the sector following the Plague of Unbelief in the 36th Millennium the inhabitants of the world only had very little interaction with the Imperium at large, mostly consisting of a payment of manpower to the Planetary Governor (a middle ranking officer of the Imperial Navy Fleet in the Segmentum). With the arrival of the Storm Angels Chapter Master Hariel became the new Planetary Governor. While the Storm Angels do not really interact or interfere much with the local populace of Karapasia their presence is still felt across the planet. Members of the planetary populace, ranging from the greatest Fleet Admirals to the poorest fishermen, frequently make pilgrimages to the Halls of Drowning, the Storm Angels' Fortress Monastery, to pay tribute and honour the Emperor's mighty Angels. Once a year the Storm Angels send out a Press-Gang to test and collect potential aspirants from the populace. This is considered a great honour, and many young men on Karapasia join ship crews to prove themselves on the seas in hope of attracting the attention of a Press-Gang. FORTRESS MONASTERY The Halls of Drowning serve as the Fortress Monastery of the Storm Angels. It is carved into a massive monolithic limestone promontory on a peninsula located in the northern hemisphere of Karapasia. The promontory is filled with carved out tunnels that reach thousands of feet above sea level as well as far into the ocean's depths. Although the Storm Angels are relatively young, and newcomers to the galaxy, they have frequently campaigned and worked together with their fellow Dark Angels descendants the Guardians of the Covenant. This camaraderie has instilled in the Storm Angels a thirst and appreciation for academia and knowledge which has manifested itself in the form of great libraries and learning halls built into the Halls of Drowning. These academies are an extension of the Storm Angels' Librarium and are situated far above sea level near the top of the Halls of Drowning to prevent water damage and corrosion to the sensitive instruments and documents located within. The Halls of Drowning also host vast caverns that serve as docks and open directly into the ocean. When not campaigning off-world many of the Chapter's battle-brothers will engage in training out on the high sea, fighting leviathans or braving the great planetary storms to harden themselves. These docks also serve as planetary launching pads for transportation to and from the Storm Angels' fleet in orbit. BATTLE FLEET The centerpiece of the Storm Angels' space fleet is the battle barge The Whisper, gifted to the Chapter by Belisarius Cawl at their founding. However, despite the nautical culture and history of the Chapter, and likely because of their relative youth, their fleet is very small, consisting of only one Battle Barge (The Whisper), two Strike Cruisers (Song of the Sea, and The Cerulean), two Hunter Destroyers (The Anchor, and The Fog of War), and controversially one Nova Frigate (The Screaming Wake) which was found by the Storm Angels floating at the edge of the Cicatrix Maledictum, retrofitted, and put into service despite some resistance from local Imperial Navy Command. The Storm Angels also maintain several Overlords for planetary operations and deployment. Of special note is that The Whisper and The Song of the Sea are outfitted primarily with Ceastus Assault Rams instead of Drop Pods (likely due to the Storm Angels penchant and preference for void combat and boarding actions). Also of interest is that despite being a successor to the Dark Angels the Storm Angels do not have access to Nephilim Jet Fighters, relying instead on Stormhawk Interceptors and three airwing detachments of Xiphon Interceptors, having pilots who initially trained in Interceptors during the aftermath of the Heresy and having been provided the crafts by Cawl at their inception. CHARACTERISTICS The Storm Angels are a secular Chapter, being adherents to the pre-heresy Imperial Truth, and do not worship the Emperor as a God. Similarly they do not recognize the divinity of Chaos, seeing Chaos instead as sentient warp phenomena, yet no less heretical in their threat to humanity. Despite this they are a very ritualistic Chapter, and their reliance on ritual is often mistaken for superstition by outside observers. Salt and water are of particular importance in Chapter rituals and imagery. Perhaps somewhat uniquely amongst Space Marine Chapters the Storm Angels value silence, a calm demeanor, and tranquility above all else. They often look to the oceans of Karapasia as an example, believing that rage should only be manifested in sudden violent episodes in battle and when prosecuting the enemies of the Emperor, and that when not so engaged the potential for violence should be tempered under a still and calm surface. Being sons of the Lion they have a dour and melancholy nature, and are secretive and distrustful of strangers. Having much closer ties to the Guardians of the Covenant however than their parent Chapter they are more concerned with protecting civilians than is necessarily considered normal for the Unforgiven. Additionally having not been part of the 1st Legion at the time of Luther's betrayal the Storm Angels' concern for hunting the Fallen, while prominent, is not a dominating characteristic of the Chapter's identity. There is particular enmity between the forces of Slaanesh and the Storm Angels. The decadent and corrupt nobility of Hydraphur became a very tempting target for the Lord of Excess and was made much more accessible to the forces of Chaos following the fracturing of the Galaxy by the Cicatrix Maledictum. Because of this the vast majority of daemonic incursions in the sector were Slaaneshi in nature. Unbeknownst to the Storm Angels, their monastic and dour nature make them somewhat antithetical to Slaanesh. The Keeper of Secrets who is spearheading the incursions into the sector is particularly interested in the challenge of corrupting members of the Storm Angels.

Dear Liber, more than half a year later, kindled by the upcomming 8th Editon, I took the time to go through my Index Astartes for my Chapter the Thousand Fists, and finalize the texts. I can't remember when or why, I came up with writing it as letters from an Apothecarius of the Thousand Fist to an Apothecarius of the Scythes of the Emperor, but that's the form it has now. Probably it's because, the whole reason for coming up with a homegrown chapter is, it have an own background to start writing more stories about. I'll be publishing a new letter every day in this thread (five are already written two others half way done and I have content for a ninth). As always: Please be kind, when it comes to orthography (English is not my first Language) and thanks in advance for any Feedback. I sincerly hope you enjoy it, your humble servant, Filius P.S.: Thanks everyone, who already helped me. I wouldn't have come so far without the people in this most amazing place of the Galaxy in the 40th Millennium. Thanks a lot! P.P.S.: I skipped that "publishing a new letter every day" thing. I'l just publish them here, when they are ready.

CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE KNIGHTS OF THE AQUILA FOUNDING: ..................6TH [M33] MOTTO: .....................HONOR THE DEAD - BLESS THE LIVING BATTLE CRY: ................HONOR THE DEAD CHAPRTER MASTER: ...........GRAND-MASTER HEINRICH DER PREUßISCHEN CHAPTER WORLD: .............BERLEBURG FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........SCHLOSS BERLEBURG GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...THE BLOOD ANGELS [THE BLOOD DRINKERS] KNOWN DESCENDANTS: .........NONE “The Gods of the Traitors, are powerless against the Scions of The Angel, through Faith we shall be a bulwark against the storms of chaos, and we as knights and sons, will bring the fury of the Emperor upon the traitors and heretics alike, to cast them into everlasting oblivion." -Grand-Master Heinrich der Preußischen, before the battle of Sachsen- The Knights of the Aquila are a sixth founding chapter, fully devoted to the emperor and the purging of chaos. Their first Hochmeister was Malachi the Company Chaplain of The Third Company of the Blood Drinkers, who was assigned to train the Knights of the Aquila in the ways of battle. Malachi was uncharacteristically zealous in his reverence to the Emperor even more so than the other chaplains, to the point that the chapter was glad to get rid of him. He set about molding the chapter as a mirror of his Ideals; the Scions of Sanguinius must be masters of the jump pack, formidable swordsmen, unflinchingly loyal, and their minds must be devoted to the perfection of their craft. The formative years of the chapter were largely uneventful aside from being assigned Berleburg as a chapter planet. Once the newly formed chapter was combat ready it was thrown into combat against a small Ork Waaagh to attempt to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the Westfalen sector. Their campaign was executed with deadly efficiency, and their losses were relatively insubstantial when compared to the losses of their enemies. The Knights of the Aquila have an intriguing lack of more modern Equipment, with older marks of Power Armor (specifically Mk.4) overrepresented. In addition, their First company prefers to fight in Power Armor As opposed to Tactical Dreadnaught Armor, as mobility is seen as paramount in the doctrine of their chapter. However, the first company does find the ability to teleport into a critical location useful, as such the Chapter still has a small stock of Terminator armor specifically for such scenarios. The Knights of the Aquila are Specialist in a close range combined arms approach, with their Tactical Marines providing close range fire support for their Assault Marines, Vanguard Veterans, and their fallen brethren of the Death Company. Compared most of their fellow sons of Sanguinius they have a relatively low occurrence of the black rage, therefore their death companies tend to be small. Furthermore, their Red Thirst is satiated by the daily ritual of "The Sanguine Rite" in which they consume a small quantity of their brother's blood gathered by the Sanguinary Priest. This allows the Knights of the Aquila to maintain a more disciplined approach to warfare than their more savage cousins, however, in battle the Blood still calls to them, hence they maintain the Blood Angels practice of having the more experienced brothers serving in the devastator squads. A perfect example of their Combat Doctrine is the battle of Schwartz Halfen, a manufactorium in the eastern Westfalen Sector. The Third Company, under Company-Master Wiesmann, was tasked with the re-taking of the first complex, along with the First Fallschirmjäger Regiment under Colonel Johann S. Böcker, and 212th Saxon Fusilier Regiment under Colonel Hans A. Eisenmenger. The Fallschrimjäger Deployed Ahead of the primary assault forces (the 212th Saxon Fusiliers and the Astartes), to provide a mobile screen and to prepare a Forward Base. Once the Foward Base was established, the 212th Saxon Fusiliers garrisoned the Foward Base and deployed their attached Heavy Artillery Battery (Seconded from the 356th Independent Artillery Regiment). Once the artillery was ranged in, the Third Company's tactical squads arrived by drop pod, deploying ahead of the base and began the assault. The first minutes saw the First Fallschrimjäger advancing on the outer defenses, with the Third Company’s Devastators providing fire support. Once within range of their boltguns, the Tactical Marines commenced firing on the enemy infantry. As this was occurring the 212. Saxon Fusiliers’ attached Artillery began the demolition of the defenses. Once a breach in the defenses was created, the Third Company’s assault marines and Death Company commenced a deep strike operation on top of the defenders, and the rest of the already deployed Astartes charged into combat, First Falschrimmjäger then retired from the main line and redeployed to another area of the greater battle, once the defenses were thoroughly cleared of resistance the 212. Saxon Fusiliers took over the responsibility of holding the position freeing the Third Company to continue to push the assault. (to be redone & replaced with a new example) From this example, we can draw the following conclusions...(Input Requested) The Knights of the Aquila are relatively strange amongst the Blood Angels successors by being relatively under control of their Red Thirst and Black Rage. The Knights of the Aquila maintain this is because of the discipline exhibited amongst the recruits from their recruiting worlds in the Westfalen subsector. Another explanation is that their chapter's tenents are far more strict in its definition of humanity, going as far to say Astartes ar not, in fact human, but instead, mutants that must repent for their failings, and serve the more pure strains of humanity, (ie, Non-psyker, non-mutant humans). However, their beliefs also do state that Experience is the greatest determination of skill. So they are willing to lead humans into battle, as their experience far outweighs any pure-strain mortal, but they will not even consider allowing their mortal comrades die so they might live. An unfortunate side effect of this is that the Knights of the Aquila are prone to losing colossal numbers of marines in battle, to save just a few more of the pure-strain humans. The most common ritual practiced by the chapter is the triannual "Mass of Repentance" where the Astartes gather to repent for their mutation, by cutting themselves, then drinking the blood of their brothers. The next step is that a selected number of Chapter Serfs will have blood drawn which is then given to the marines as the Eucharist of Purity, who then drink a small portion of this blood. Fallowing this the marines take a vow of repentance stating: "With this, the essence of purity, my impure blood is shown to me, its coruption is bannished, its weakness purged, I pray to the Holy Emperor that I may protect his purest children, and purge his enemies, in the name of the God Emperor, Amen" The Westfalen Sub-Sector sits within the Segmentum Ultima and is a military bastion, providing a basic level of security. Simply due to the population and size the local bureaucracy is overstressed and their government is primarily concerned with the military, so things such as infrastructure and civilian quality of life are in disastrous neglect, but there is a saying in the nearby sectors “there’s no enginseer like a Westfalen enginseer” and this is very true when repairs are made they’re of a quality that they look like it just rolled off of the production line. As a result of this Westfalen vehicles are kept in a better state than those of many other regiments, but a Westfalen-Pattern vehicle is normally heavier than its Mars-Pattern counterpart and hence is more likely to become stuck in rough terrain. this weight, however, has a useful aspect, as this weight allows for nigh-unprecedented levels of crew survivability. The Armed Forces of Westfalen are divided into 3 distinct entities, the Heer, the Luftwaffe,and the Kriegsmarine.The overall commander is the Chancellor,then followed by the head of each branch: The Generalfeldmarschall of the Heer, Generalfeldmarschall of the Luftwaffe, the Großadmiral of the Kriegsmarine. Underneath them are the generals of the Sub-branches, which are then divided into divisions, then into regiments, etc. Of particular note is the Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger who are roughly equivalent to Tempestus in training, as they are orphans of officers who are then sent to the “Sturm Akademie” roughly equivalent to the Schola Progenium. (more coming) The Pacification of Elepsos [313.M34] The planet of Elepsos was a minor Forgeworld in the far northeast of the Westfalen subsector. Its Techpriests were always seen as radicals by the Martian authorities, but up to this point, their eccentricities had been accommodated. This changed when the Elepsosian Techpriests decided to reject the omnissiah in favor of the "God of Iron" now believed to be a Greater Deamon of Tzeentch. this was unacceptable to the Westfalen Authorities, including the Knights of the Aquila, the Sector Grand Command Staff (consisting of the Chancellor of Westfalen, the Magos of the local loyal forgeworld (Ruhr), the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Airforce, and the Grand-Master of the Knights of the Aquila) was assembled.The Knights of the Aquila dedicated their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 9th companies to the pacification of the now heretic forgeworld, in addition, they had the 313th, 28th, 17th, and 12th Westfalen Infantry Divisions, as well as the 13th Westfalen Carrier Group. In the opening stages of the battle the Loyal forces easily overwhelmed the haphazard extra-planetary defenses, but once in orbit, they found stiffer resistance in the planetary defense macrocannons. However, these were dispatched when the 1st Company's Terminators teleported into the Macrocannon battery's Staff office and dispatched the main Astropathic Choir in charge of communication across the planet. This campaign culminated in the Siege of Forge 389a, where the majority of the remaining Traitor forces were located. The battle went smoothly until the inner sanctum was breached and a large force of daemon engines were released upon the assaulting force. In the chaos of the battle the first Hochmeister, Malachi was slain in battle after destroying the manufactorum's primary Thermo-Plasma reactor, causing a chain reaction amongst the other reactors on the planet. however, this victory came at a cost, with many good Imperial soldiers died in the explosion. On that day the Bell of Lost Souls was rung 3000 times to remind all Imperial citizens, That Only in Death, Does Duty End. The Seige of Westfalen [150.M42] The Actual Narative Campaign Being played...(will update this as it progresses)

Index Astartes: Supernovas http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Wargamer/SupernovanChapterSymbol.png http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Wargamer/Supernovas%202017/SupernovanCorvus_zpstb5d4kqu.png Typical soldier of the Supernovas Chapter, adorned in full Corvus plate. The Supernovas are a Chapter with an ill recorded history. Situated on the very extremes of the Imperium, official records of them are often inconsistent or altogether missing, resulting in a great deal of misunderstanding and misinformation. The Chapter has been declared lost at least twice in its history, but lack of administrative accuracy is of no concern to the warriors of Tasal. They keep their own records, and care little for the opinion of the wider Imperium. Origins Within the Supernovas Chapter there is some dispute as to their origins. The Chapter's Librarians are divided into two camps, both built around a central myth. The first tale revolves around the Wolf Lord Lartha, who found the world of Tasal under attack by Orks and came to their aid. Though hopelessly outnumbered, the Space Wolves noted that the primitive peoples of Tasal were fearless in battle, using muskets, swords and crude artillery to face down Orks and their comparably more advanced war machines. The war was long, and by the time Tasal was liberated the Second Founding was underway. Lartha, not wishing to see such a remote world left defenseless, demanded the right to establish a Chapter on Tasal. They took the name Supernovas, for in the eyes of Tasal's people they were death born from the stars themselves. The competing narrative revolves around an Ultramarine Chapter Master named Laertes, who liberated Tasal from an Ork invasion at the dawn of the Imperium. Following the Horus Heresy and the dividing of the Legions, Laertes returned to Tasal to create the Supernovas; a Chapter with which he hoped to emulate the glory of the Legions his Primarch had abolished. Curiously, despite the latter story appearing more likely due to the Chapter's gene-seed appearing to be based on the Ultramarines, the legend of Lartha is favoured within the Chapter. The oldest Dreadnoughts support the Laertes account, but their recollections are imperfect and cannot be verified. Homeworld Tasal teeters on the border of being a feudal planet and a full-blown Death World. Once highly advanced, during the Long Night it regressed considerably to its present state. Tasal's primary civilisations come in two forms; the people of the bastion cities, and the war trains that link them. The bastions are fortresses lined with ancient artillery and manned by soldiers armed with auto-lock muskets. The war trains are venerable war machines older than the Imperium, and the only vehicles than can hope to ward off the super-predators that stalk the lands. Yet Tasal is a varied world, and many more peoples can be found there. In the interior of the Pangaean super-continent is the Wyldstawk, an ancient jungle that cannot be tamed and consumes all who try. Barbarian tribes survive here against all odds, and none are more fierce or more feared than the Berserkers of Qwaythe. Far to the south, Icelanders brave the polar seas to raid southern towns, while in the north-east the Armourers of Yyth produce the weapons and ammunition their planet needs in its unending war against itself. Legend has it that Yyth still possesses the secrets of lasgun technology; small wonder that so many of the Chapter's techmarines are drawn from this fortress nation. Tasal breeds hardy people, for it is a place where life is short and brutal. Those not gunned down by rival tribes or consumed by the world's many predators will likely die from some virulent pathogen, or cancers caused by the sun's radiation. Scarce few live to see their fortieth year, and those that do win those years with steel and shot. The Supernovas do not maintain one single fortress monastery on Tasal. Instead, each Company has its own fortress with subterranean transit links between them. In many ways, this mirrors the cities from which so many are recruited, and fosters an independent mindset within each Company; something the Chapter does nothing to discourage. Organisation The Supernovas adhere loosely to the Codex Astartes, but deviate in some notable ways. The First Company is a veteran company as normal, albeit with some internal differences. The remaining eight companies are all Battle Companies of up to twelve squads. Each company is in charge of its own recruitment, and instead of the aspirants forming Scout squads as in other Chapters, they take the role of "Novitae" and are added to regular battle squads under the direct tutelage of a designated Marine. The direct method of mentoring mirrors the familial practices common on Tasal, where skills and wargear are passed from parent to child. This link is further mirrored as it is common for a Marine to mentor the Novitae created from their extracted progenoid. This creates a strong bond between student and mentor, and a sense of family absent from many Chapters. Indeed, some Marines take great pride in their "bloodline", and seek to emulate the great deeds of their forefathers. The primary fighting unit of the Supernovas Chapter is the Battle Squad, which somewhat resembles a Codex pattern Tactical Squad. Most contain ten Marines, of which some may be Novitae, and most Marines will be armed with bolters, with a single special and heavy weapon being common. However, this is not a fixed organisation; Battle Squads will change their internal structures based on the needs of the campaign, the orders of the sergeant or simply the personal whims of its members. Because of the traditions of tutelage and bloodline, Battle Squads often see themselves not only as a fighting unit, but a family. These bonds can result in Marines refusing to leave their unit when promoted or adopted into specialist roles. This can lead to Battle Squads that contain specialists, such as Apothecaries or Techmarines, or even have Company Captains continue to act as a squad sergeant for their old unit. Officially, the Supernovas have neither Assault nor Devastator squads. The latter is due to a general disdain for long-range warfare within the Chapter, although squads can be persuaded to fill this role if the need arises. Assault squads are typically formed of volunteers due to their high casualty rates, and as such Marines who repeatedly take this duty are typically fast-tracked for promotion, assuming they survive. The structure of the companies, combined with the attitude of self-reliance and independence the Chapter fosters within its members, results in each company essentially being autonomous. Each Captain is free to undertake their own missions and deployments, and likewise most extend similar autonomy to their sergeants. This autonomy ensures that individual Supernovas are more than capable of taking whatever role is needed, and any given squad can operate without supervision as needed. However, it also leads to tension in the ranks when squads or companies must be ordered about, rather than left to their own initiative. Befitting a Chapter of its age, the Supernovas have access to a wide array of vehicles and specialist equipment. However, their preferred style of fighting - up close and personal - leads them to favour bikes and land speeders as their primary support vehicles, assuming a Drop Pod assault is not an option. Whirlwinds and Vindicators are unpopular, as they represent the horrors of siege warfare; campaigns where it can take months to gain a few hundred metres of ground! Supernovas seek to win swiftly. Weapons of War The armoury of the Supernovas is an armoury of relics. The Chapter's war plate consists mainly of older model suits, particularly the Mk VI "Corvus" plate. Their weapons are likewise greatly prized, with many of their bolters originating from the lost Forge World of Tigrus. While the Supernovas do use more modern weapons and armour, they do so begrudgingly; any design not used during the Great Crusade is deemed to be inherently inferior. New model weapons, in the eyes of the Supernovas, are always lacking in efficiency, precision design or simple elegance compared to earlier editions. Rituals of the Chapter http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Wargamer/Supernovas%202017/Supernovan4th_zpstoiioyvy.jpghttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Wargamer/Supernovas%202017/Supernovan5th_zpsnvynj0ge.jpghttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Wargamer/Supernovas%202017/SupernovanCydaSquad_zpsljes1k2o.jpg Left: The 4th Company near universally wear a black and red shoulder in honour of their Captain. Centre: Members of the 5th use green honour markings in no set pattern, typically shoulder trims, elbows or knees. Right: Black and gold honour marking adopted by various squads following the Tyrannic Invasion of Tasal. With a history stretching back almost ten millennia, it is to be expected the Supernovas have developed their own rituals and quirks. The most obvious of these are their use of honour markings; modifications to their heraldry worn by squads, or sometimes entire companies. These markings are adopted for various reasons, either to commemorate a great victory, or pay respects to a fallen hero. One of the most common examples of honour markings is the adoption of part of another Chapter's heraldry, typically worn on the left shoulder. Perhaps the most important ritual to the Chapter is the tradition of Taekar. The word is used as a battle cry by the Chapter, but it specifically refers to the act of shedding blood with a sword. Once a Supernova has drawn his sword it must taste blood, and if a Supernova's sword is still clean at battle's end they will ritually cut themselves or an ally to satisfy the blade. It is not clear what would happen to a Marine who sheathed a sword without it spilling blood, but it is implied the punishment may go as far as death. Finally, the Chapter has throughout its history made us of various 'war cults'. These are typically soldiers bound together by common experience, and typically emerge as specialisations in certain forms of war. The currently active war cults within the Chapter are listed below: The Dead Company: The bonds between squadmates of the Supernovas are akin to family ties, and it is inevitable that the most senior warriors have buried many friends and brothers. For some, this burden of loss is so great that they retreat into themselves, becoming melancholic souls who long for death. However, their training, beliefs and fundamental nature do not allow them to take their own lives, nor to surrender and allow the enemy to kill them unchallenged. These lost souls, often having risen to the First Company, become death seekers who pursue the deadliest of battles. The Dead Company wear the Chapter's suits of Terminator Armour, which they adorn with tabbards and prayer seals bearing the names of the fallen they seek to join. The Dead Company never retreat, for to die standing would finally release them from the burdens they carry. These warriors are mourned by their Brothers, yet equally respected for the glory they earned in the past, and the heroism they perform while Dead. They represent the dark side of the Assault Squad; where Assault Marines seek danger for glory, the Dead Company seek it for release. Although some do eventually choose to return to the Chapter, most perish in its service. Others still outlive the Dead Company and embark upon the Waye of the Dead - a lonely pilgrimage to Terra where they seek to stand before the Emperor and gain His blessing. From there, they will journey into the Eye of Terror itself; the one place in the universe they can be sure to fall in battle. The Chapter prays that these lonely warriors may take countless souls with them when they finally fall. Ironforged: The Ironforged are uncharacteristically grim and dour compared to their peers, but respected for their ability to bring down fortress walls or hold the line against overwhelming odds. The original Ironforged were Novitae who learned the art of war on the Ork world of Haraz, during the siege of the Green Peaks. Months of brutal trench fighting, bunker busting and attrition war produced soldiers unlike any other, bearing a mindset and view of war totally at odds with their brothers. Today, only a single "true" Ironforged remains; Brok the First Forged, a Dreadnought of the 8th Company. However, Marines who show talent for siege war may be bestowed the honorific by Brok, and thus the Chapter maintains a few squads of these elite warriors to this day. Outside of the 8th, Ironforged typically serve other Companies as vehicle crews for the few Whirlwinds and Vindicators they use, or joining squads as a heavy weapons trooper. The Stalkers: Most Supernovans believe that death should be loud, swift and direct, delivered by bolt round or blade. Yet an experienced commander knows that sometimes a warrior must go unseen, and with no Scouts to act as infiltrators and assassins, the Supernovas must rely on Stalkers - veteran warriors who can set aside ideals of honour for the good of the Chapter. Stalkers are usually drawn from the First Company, as age and experience tempers their headstrong urges. They have access to equipment not usually found in a typical Astartes squad, such as Stalker bolters, cameoline and sniper rifles. Stalkers, being rare, are usually reserved for larger actions where multiple Companies are deployed. They will prowl ahead of the Chapter, sabotaging enemy facilities, eliminating key targets and gathering intel for their Brothers. When it is time for battle to be joined, Stalkers will stand beside their brothers as surely as any other warrior, reminding the doubters that their choice of fighting style is born of tactical necessity, not lack of personal prowess. The Naked Berserkers: On Tasal, the most feared men in all the world are the Naked Berserkers of Qwaythe; wild jungle-men who fight skyclad to show their lack of fear, and high on narcotics to make them immune to all pain. Small wonder that the Chapter tries to recruit from Qwaythe whenever possible, and those that make it typically bring the Berserker cult into the Chapter. Despite their name, Naked Berserkers do not fight naked - Astartes are far too valuable to be wasted on such rash actions! Instead, they go to battle bare-headed to show their disdain for enemy fire. In individual squads, Naked Berserkers typically act as close combat troops or special weapon soldiers armed with flamers or meltaguns. However, on occasion entire squads of Naked Berserkers will form, and these make some of the most terrifying combat troops in the Chapter. Naked Berserkers are more likely than any other group to form assault squads, for in their eyes there is no such thing as a suicide mission; merely a chance to earn ever greater glory. Adepta Astartes One of the more perplexing claims of the Chapter are the Adepta Astartes, or Female Space Marines. The Chapter has a policy of taking any aspirant who passes their trials, and while relatively few girls come forward, it is inevitable that some female aspirants complete the challenges and are accepted. In particular, the warriors of the Icelands offer large numbers of female recruits, in part due to the astonishingly high mortality rate of their (mostly male) seafarers. Imperial scholars largely assume these female recruits go on to serve as Chapter Serfs or auxilia, but according to claims made by the Chapter itself approximately 10% of its current Astartes fighting strength are, or possibly were, female. When the impossibility of such things is pointed out to them, the Supernovas typically respond with derision. What the Chapter seeks to gain from this apparently malicious act of misinforming Imperial scribes is unclear, but they clearly take pride and pleasure from doing so. Heroes of Legend Master Ximo: Master Ximo was one of the longest serving Chapter Masters in the history of the Supernovas and was viewed by many as one of the best. Born a tribal, Ximo showed himself to have a sharp, inquiring mind and quickly absorbed the teachings of war. He soon rose to sergeant, where he showed both tactical and strategic insight that marked him out for promotion. In due course, Ximo became a Captain and while he was never the fiercest of most skilled fighter, he was unmatched in his ability to see and control the flow of battle. In his long career, Ximo suffered multiple injuries to the point where he became more machine than man. Yet while his body failed, his mind did not. He rose to Chapter Master where his talents for grand strategy saw their full potential. Ximo was praised not only for his planning, but for his ability to react and counter the plans of the enemy. It seemed Ximo could tell exactly which forces would hold and which would break; where the enemy sought to break through and where their attacks were mere distraction. To his subordinates he was ever approachable, seeking to council rather than command whenever possible. His council often came at a high price, however, as during his formative years he fought beside the Blazing Kitsunes Chapter and learned from them a tea ceremony. It was said that veterans of many centuries would happily throw themselves into the Eye of Terror rather than endure the slow, ritual tedium of drinking tea with the Chapter Master. Ximo perished in battle against one of his own; a Battle Brother who had fallen to the Ruinous Powers centuries ago, whom had served as both friend and rival to Ximo prior to his promotion to Chapter Master. Cylaros, the Champion of Tasal: Ask any man of the Chapter to describe Cylaros, and they would invariably call him pious. Intensely driven by his faith, Cylaros would have likely become a Chaplain where it not for the fact he was also a peerless swordsman, quickly rising to be the finest in the Chapter. In only a few decades of becoming a full-blood Marine, Cylaros was named Champion of the Fifth Company; a role he served with distinction for half a century. Always the first to battle, and rightly confident of his abilities, Cylaros was rewarded with promotion to Champion of Tasal, where he carried not only the honour of the Chapter, but the duty of personal bodyguard to Master Ximo. Upon Ximo's death, Cylaros was chosen to lead, having been seen by many as Ximo's protegee. However, Cylaros' failure in protecting his Master, combined with his death at the hands of a fallen Supernovan created a seed of fear in Cylaros' mind. He became convinced the Chapter was wayward and pushed to restore them in the eyes of the Imperium, championing a return to Codex orthodoxy that divided, rather than united the Chapter. Having successfully alienated a third of his Captains, Cylaros took those who would obey upon a Crusade of Faith. In his absence, Tasal would come under attack from a Tyranid Hive Fleet - an act for which Cylaros once more blamed himself. In the wake of the reclamation of Tasal Cylaros surrendered the title of Chapter Master, expecting death or exile for his failings. To the surprise of many, not least himself, Cylaros was restored to the role of Champion of Tasal by his successor, Dyus Ironforged. Whether this decision was wisdom or folly, only time will tell. Dyus Ironforged: Current Chapter Master, Dyus was born and raised in Yyth, the most technologically proficient region of Tasal. From the beginning he showed the traits of patience, methodical thinking and a cool temper; traits that marked him as an outsider amongst his peers. Soon after becoming a full-blood Marine, Dyus was approached by the Ironforged Cult and asked to join the 8th Company so he could be tested. After many years of service with the 8th, Dyus was brought before Brok the First-Forged; the last of the original Ironforged, now interred within a Dreadnought. Brok judged the deeds of Dyus and, after many hours contemplation, found him worthy. As an Ironforged, Dyus proved himself time and again on the field of battle, excelling in particular in defensive actions. Where his brothers were relentless in attack, Dyus was immovable. In time he rose to Captain, and was declared Seneshcal of Tasal, entrusted with the world's protection above all else. In this role, Dyus would face one of his greatest trials. As most of the Chapter embarked on a crusade, Tasal itself fell under Tyranid assault. With only one Company under his command, Dyus was forced to wage a months-long campaign against a seemingly endless alien horde. Yet he took this challenge as he did all others; with grim resolve. Every available force, from his own Ironforged to the planet's population was mustered and commanded as best they could be. Battle lines were drawn, and Dyus was forced to face the grim reality that much of the planet would be lost, whatever choices he made. If this troubled him at all, he never showed it to another living soul. For months, Dyus led the fighting, often personally taking the field. He could not advance upon the Tyranids, but wherever he fought the line at least would hold firm, no matter how strong or numerous the foe. While millions died and cities fell, Dyus ensured at least that the Chapter's fortresses held strong, providing shelter for what few people could flee to their walls. When salvation finally came, Dyus did not step back as might have been expected. He used his position as Seneschal to claim command of his returning Chapter, and every allied force accompanying them. At last able to go on the offensive, Dyus' cold resolve proved instrumental in bringing Tasal back from the brink. Where the Tyranids dug in, hiding in caves or lost fortifications, Dyus and his Ironforged led the assaults, using their siege craft to break the enemy and minimise losses. Following the destruction of the Hive Fleet, Dyus was unanimously chosen to become the next Chapter Master. He set about replenishing his depleted forces and restoring Tasal as best he could. Though he hoped for respite, fate had other plans; it would not be long before the Imperium would be split asunder, and Dyus would find himself and his Chapter cut off from Terra, one of millions of worlds lost in the Dark Imperium. The 42nd Millennium Either by good fortune or some residual effect of the Tyranid's Shadow, Tasal and the nearby systems rode out the Noctis Aeterna unscathed. This respite gave the Supernovas time to rebuild their forces and prepare for the coming wars against the armies of Chaos and the xenos who sought to exploit mankind's weakness. In the wake of the Indomitus Crusade, the Chapter was reinforced with two squads of Primaris and granted the means to produce their own Primaris Marines. However, the Chapter remained highly skeptical of these new breed of warriors, and so they were not actively embraced. Indeed, it took some time before the Chapter would even accept the return of the Primarch Guilliman, let alone adopt his new vision for the Astartes. However, as time progressed, Master Dyus became more amiable to the proposed changes in the Codex, if only as an excuse to enhance the fighting power of the Chapter. Seeing the need for Astartes was greater than ever, Dyus gave the Companies his consent to expand, increasing their operational size from twelve squads to twenty. What few Primaris the Chapter possessed were encouraged to adapt to Battle Squad doctrine rather than Guilliman's edict, in essence functioning as a direct upgrade to the standard tactical model. The newly reinstated Lieutenant rank was also embraced, albeit inconsistently across the Companies.

Origins: Part of the 22nd founding of the Adeptus Astartes, The Knights Defiant have always fought with an unwavering determination that cannot be stayed except by direct order. Much like their Progenitor the Venerable Imperial Fists the Knights Defiant refuse to retreat from most any battle and much less one on their own territory. History: During the first centuries of service the Knights Defiant remained largely within their own star with few exceptions. It was during this time when Venerable Roland came to power as the first Chapter Master raised from the home planet of Eysines. Under his guidance the Knights Defiant became more aggressive and eventually this cost them dearly. During a particularly bloody Campaign in Ork held space near the Eysines System Venerable Roland was struck low by the Warboss Urgak this caused House Ferox to fly into a fury unseen by the chapter as they pursued vengeance against the Warboss Urgak who had injured their Master. This ended with House Ferox facing almost complete destruction against the Ork horde as they Recovered the body of Venerable Roland they discover he was alive although barely. House Ferox had suffered greatly at this point but due to the intervention of House Wayland the Knights Defiant had recovered Venerable Roland and some of House Ferox. Upon the flagship, The Sword of Eysines Venerable Roland was entombed inside a Contemptor Dreadnought chassis. In the aftermath of the battle that laid Venerable Roland low House Lord Wayland ascended to Chapter Master and Rebuilt House Ferox and upon its return to full strength he renewed the Campaign. Under Chapter Master Wayland the Ork horde was suppressed to only a singular planet now Known as the Cage to the Knights Defiant who now use it as a training ground for aspirants. This is all that is recounted of Venerable Roland who is the only Astartes privy to the knowledge of the Chapter’s beginning due to a rebellion within the Chapter Librarium where Chief Librarian Dordalus and a majority of the Epostolaries turned to chaos and stole with them much of the Chapters lore. Considering this the Chapter has ruled the only loyal Epostolary remaining to assume the burden of the entire Librarium and the task of hunting Dordalus and reclaiming the Chapters lore. Now Epostolary Naram is under direct watch of the Reclusiam always and during battle he must remain near a Chaplain or a House Lord always should he turn. Considering Primarch Robute Gulliman’s Indomitus Crusade and the reinforcing of front line chapters with Primaris Astartes. The Knights Defiant were sent an entire company of Primaris Astartes due to no updates on troop strength reaching Terra or Gulliman. As such the Knights Defiant have a total strength of 1,100 Astartes during the final days of the Indomitus Crusade. However, the Knights Defiant haven’t taken kindly to the Primaris Astartes and have thus kept them entirely separate from the Great Houses. Since receiving reinforcement the Knights Defiant haven’t deployed and therefore the Primaris group hasn’t experienced combat and is distrusted by the Chapter until their worth has been proven. Homeworld: Eysines is a planet capable of maintaining human life and was first colonized during the Great Crusade. During its colonization progress, it was found to be quite rich in minerals required for manufacturing of Astartes vehicles and weaponry. Eysines had its own Imperial Army regiment founded for self-defense and transportation of minerals to the Blood Angels for use in the 9th Legion. Eysines remained largely unaffected by the Crusade until the Horus Heresy began and Eysines was invaded by the 8th Legion for the resources present. When news of the reached Baal the Blood Angels sent one of its Fleets to recover Eysines and in the following campaign a majority of the population had been killed off in the fight between the Astartes. Once the Night Lords had been repelled it was determined Eysines was too damaged to be considered a priority during the Heresy and was thus forgotten and the remaining population recovered over the course of the next 7,000 years. The inhabitants of Eysines regressed severely due to the catastrophic fighting that occurred on the surface and has now re-emerged as a pre-black powder society reminiscent of medieval Terra. Eysines people have organized themselves into a semi democratic society in which the head of one of the 8 Great houses assumes complete autonomy over the sovereign for the next year. The process by which this is chosen is directly correlated to the aspirant selection games that the Knight Defiant host each year to search for possible neophytes. Combat Doctrine: The Knights Defiant fight in a manner like that of the Black Templars preferring blade and strength to overwhelm the enemy at close proximity. However, the Knights Defiant also make extensive use of Razorbacks and Land Raider Redeemers as the primary mode of transportation instead of rhinos. The use of whirlwinds is also quite prevalent among the Knights Defiant to cover the approaching Astartes. Chapter Culture: During a meeting with the Black Templars that’s long since been forgotten the Knights Defiant have also taken up the quirk of chaining weaponry to their armor during Crusades as a form of devotion to the Crusade. Astartes within the Knights Defiant also tend to inscribe oaths of combat or faith upon their power armor during times of distress and sorrow as well as upon the Day of the Emperors Ascension. Unlike Most chapters an Astartes in the Knights Defiant are recruited into the same house they fought for in the Eysines Tournament and will remain in that house exclusively unless they ascend to Chapter Master in which they no longer belong to a House but to Eysines. This is shown in the way Battle Brothers address each other e.g. (Brother Lucas of Auxilus). Any ​Constructive Criticism is appreciated. Thanks for looking!

Origins “Following him is a lesson in futility. His is a war fought on an entirely different level, too fast for the likes of us to participate. But that is fine. He leaves more than enough behind him for the rest of us.” –- attrib. Batukhan The known history of the Guardians begins sometime in the 33rd Millennium, when the Chapter was ordered to the Midas Cluster, far to the Galactic North. This is not, however, when the Chapter was Founded, though very few scraps of information remain from the period before their coming to the Midas Cluster. What little is known of this fuzzy period in the Guardians' past is that the Inquisition had a heightened awareness of the Chapter, with Inquisitorial agents and decrees a constant presence in the initial centuries of the Guardians' arrival. Many in the Chapter look toward their genetic flaw with progenoid gland production as the cause for their paranoid attentions. What little remains of the Guardians' existence prior to the 33rd Millennium are vague, providing little facts. Fragment writings attributed to what is believed to be one Batukhan, the Guardians' potential founding Chapter Master, detail his rise to command a Brotherhood of the White Scars Legion prior to the formation of Chapters, making the Guardians a potential 2nd or 3rd Founding. Whatever the history of the Chapter in that mythical age, the Midas Cluster proved a powerful influence, virtually recreating the Guardians in its image. The Midas Cluster had resisted the scouting forces of the Imperium at the tail end of the Great Crusade. With the horrific aftermath of the Heresy, the Imperium's attention turned inward. For millennia, the Midas Cluster had remained aloof, distant from the greater Imperium. Tasked by the Inquisition, the Guardians were sent wholesale into the Midas Cluster to take it for the Imperium. Though the fleet-based Chapter was a power unto themselves, capable of toppling whole worlds with the boom of their guns and the tread of their boots, the Midas Cluster resisted them at every turn. Wild xeno of breeds unknown, worlds and dangers missed or overlooked by ancient Imperial cartographers, and small bands of human colonies that wanted little to do with the Imperium. The Midas Cluster was rife with them and it proved a heady challenge the Guardians came close to failing. The battle that would have ended the Guardians' struggles was in the Archaegosian System, in orbit over its large, arid third world, whose derelict hives harbored a small but self-sustaining human population. The Eldar, whose presence in the Cluster had been a thorn in the Guardians' side, committed themselves to battle fully against the Chapter fleet. Their Craftworld, formidable in spite of its smaller size to some of the more well-known Craftworlds that have plagued the Imperium, entered the foray itself, turning a pitched battle into what nearly became an open rout. Though the Chapter lost a majority of its ships, it was their habit of taking considerable risks that ended up saving the Chapter. Rather than retreating, or burning alongside their own ships, the Guardians launched a full boarding assault against the Craftworld. Though the death toll was high for Marine and Eldar alike, the frantic battle concluded with the Craftworld's burning plummet onto Archaegos Tertiary. Though in considerably poor shape, the Guardians succeeded in breaking the backs of their greatest enemy within the Midas Cluster, allowing them time to recuperate their losses and consolidate their winnings within the Cluster. Some in the Chapter believe that the proliferation of their flaw began in this period, when the Chapter took chances with their recruitment programs to rebuild lost Companies. Though the continuing conquest of the Midas Cluster continued at a slower pace, it was declared secured in the Emperor's name four centuries after their arrival. However, the Midas Cluster has never been made truly compliant, and the Guardians, now the Guardians of Midas, have dedicated their efforts for millennia to holding the Cluster intact from xenos and traitors alike. Though they remain a fleet-based Chapter, the destruction of so many ships has forced them to utilize multiple Chapter Keeps scattered across the Cluster on the Six, human worlds the Chapter claims the majority of its recruits. Though many of the Guardians' Brotherhoods have ventured beyond the Cluster to take part in grander Imperial Crusades, the Guardians of Midas have largely dedicated their efforts to the immense Cluster and remained isolated. Home World “There! They are retreating through their portal. Get the damned ready; we won’t have much time before they close it behind them.” -- Ruin Lord Stanko Alfonz The Guardians do not maintain a fortress-monastery upon any one world. Mostly fleet-bound, the Guardians instead utilize Chapter Keeps as recruitment centers, the only land holdings the Chapter maintains. Scattered across six worlds, often referred to collectively as the Six, each Keep serves as the base of operations for a Brotherhood, providing that Brotherhood with an identity unique to the rest of the Chapter. Shalya, where humans locked in primitive tribal cultures hunt across immense salt flats to take down native megafauna and pray to the Eagle-father, the local stand-in for the Emperor. The watery world of Marrune, with its singular, almost ring-shaped continent, where roaming, ocean-floor hives mined the mineral-rich waters. The poisoned world of Geddonia, whose human population is forced to live underground following an apocalyptic attack by Orks. The war-torn world of Navaroik, a land of two kingdoms that are rarely at peace with each other. The moon of Loi, in orbit over Keiran, whose wildlife mirrors that of the planet below, but who have evolved in ways to classify it as a deathworld. The over-sized dry rock of Archaegos, whose landscape is littered with the bright emerald ruins of an ancient war. Each world, though unique to each other, is home to the golden Rocs. Birds of prey large enough to prey upon man, they are not native to these worlds, or to the Midas Cluster. They were brought into the Cluster by the Guardians themselves, and it is believed that they are native to the venerable home world of their Primarch, Choggoris. Legends kept by the Guardians depict Jaghatai Khan, while still young, catching a young Roc, who became a companion to the demi-god, giving the great Khan his nickname among his tribal people, the Warhawk. The Rocs are integral to the Chapter's recruitment trials, and many Guardians wear large red-gold feathers as fetishes upon their armor and weapons. Combat Doctrine “Let them move closer, we’ll strike from below like the manticore serpent, our fangs no less envenomed.“ -– Sergeant Yuto Jian, Brotherhood of the Moon The Guardians are at heart a White Scar Successor Chapter, their love for speed undiminished by time and isolation. Prevalent across the Chapter is a predilection towards tactics that bring combat to a quick close, often seeking to go against odds and take perhaps unnecessary risks. Their approach to the Eldar and the Webway being the perfect example of this demeanor. For most within the Chapter, this is the thrill of the hunt, the heavily competitive interaction between Brotherhoods. For others, this is deliberately intended to cull those who bear the sin of corruption within them. Each Brotherhood embodies their home world not just in culture but in tactics as well. The Brotherhood of the Sea is adept at limiting the destruction of their warrior ways, making of them a scalpel that cuts only where intended; a tactic made necessary by the hive gangs of Marrune, who can ill afford a stray shot penetrating the hull of their underwater vessels. The Brotherhood of the Blood are the most competitive of the Chapter, even within their own Brotherhood, as rivalries created upon Navaroik have resisted all attempts to remove by indoctrination. Organisation “Your competitive nature has served you well, Sea-Brother. It has seen you rise in the ranks of our Brotherhood, but it will not see you join the Brothers of the Hawk. Your rivalries would have no place there. Learn to let it go, or accept your place among us as permanent.” -- Chaplain Kia Iona, Brotherhood of the Sea Due to genetic mutations, the Guardians, in their own eyes, have never operated at full strength, having nearly two companies' worth of ostracized Marines at any one time. Within the proper Chapter, the Guardians are perhaps more Codex compliant than their White Scar forbearers. Veterans of the six Brotherhoods are collected within the First Brotherhood, the Brotherhood of the Hawk. Though each Brotherhood is responsible for the recruitment programs upon their chosen worlds, the recruits are gathered into a Scout Company, which has never been given a Brotherhood name for it is a temporary station. Once a recruit has become a full-fledged Marine, he is returned to the Brotherhood of his home world, where he will remain until death or advancement into the Brotherhood of the Hawk. Here Codex divergence returns, as each Brotherhood is a self-sustaining Battle-Company wokse make-up is theirs to decide. The Brotherhood of the Land prefers short-range, decisive firepower over long-range guns, fielding more flamers than other Brotherhoods, tactics that were most useful to in the packed quarters of the underground hives of Geddonia. The Brotherhood of the Moon, perhaps reminiscent of their short lives on Keiran Loi, are markedly self-sufficient, under perpetual desire to conserve energy and supplies for when needed most. The ostracized, who have committed the sin of impurity, are gathered into over-sized squads called the Hunters. They are not part of any Brotherhood, but are attached to them and serve as shock troops, the first in and last out. As quality gear is left to the Chapter proper, the Hunters are often ill-equipped and suffer horrendous attrition rates. Only when the Eldar are encountered, whether the space-faring xenos or their darker or more primitive kin, is the true intent of the Hunter squads revealed. They are tasked with entering the domains of the Eldar, of any type, whether it is a portal into the Webway, a Craftworld, an Exodite World or Commoragh itself. They are given only one order, come back with the Khan or not at all. Only then would their corruption be erased, their purity proven. With single-minded abandon, many Hunter squads have disappeared into such covens, never to return. Beliefs “In the air, we breathe thunder. In our chests, it rumbles loud. Salt is in our veins. The ground upon which it spills is nourished by it. Thunder is our father, the salt our mother. For both, we live. For both, we fight. For both, we die.” -- Skyseer Antinanco Who Was Born Whole The Guardians have great pride in their heritage, most especially linked to their Primarch, Jaghatai Khan. This pride is linked to the vast importance they place upon genetic purity, at odds with their own prevalent mutation, leading to the segregation of afflicted Marines. As the Khan is the focus of their beliefs, his absence is a sorely felt hole within them, aching to be filled once more by their gene-father's return. Early in the Guardians' history, during the wars to conquer the Midas Cluster for the Imperium, the Chapter found fleeting clues that their Primogenitor may have been present in ages past, as ever on the leading edge of the Imperium's advance. The possibility of finding the Khan is too great for the Guardians to ignore, and many of their plans and actions are dedicated to his retrieval. For the impure, only by such a discovery could see the stain of their existence purified. As ever, the home worlds of the Guardians have a profound impact on their attendant Brotherhoods. The Brotherhood of Ruin are most of all dedicated to their lord father's return, while the Brotherhood of the Sky share in the more esoteric beliefs of their home world, with an occult attraction to the number three. Gene-seed “This is all we have left of our father, our blood. It is what connects us to him, what elevates us beyond what we were. Our blood is everything. There is no price too high to pay to protect it and keep it pure.“ –- Ramapravin Ottama, Apothecary attached to the Brotherhood of the Blood The Guardians of Midas are of the White Scars genetic stock, with all that entails. Though the Chapter places great importance on genetic purity, with an active Apothecarion that keeps close tabs on their gene-seed banks, it is a permanent shame upon them that they have been plagued with a singular mutation. In the process of maturing, a Space Marine produces two sets of progenoid glands, effectively assuring the survival of the Chapter by allowing for the production of two Marines for every one. Among the Guardians of Midas, for every five recruits reaching this genetic maturity, only four produce the second set of progenoid glands. This leaves twenty percent only capable of producing the first set. Though this mutation has not kept them on the radar of the Inquisition or the Adeptus Mechanicus as tithes have been collected, nor has it impeded their ability to make war in the Emperor and the Warhawk's name, it is enough for the Guardians to look upon those so afflicted as imperfect and corrupted. Though their progenoid glands are removed, the Apothecaries keep careful track to ensure that they are never used for future implantations. They are kept aside for when the Imperium requests its often long overdue tithes. Though this practice is intended to restrict the mutation and prevent it from spreading to healthier gene-seed, it has wholly failed to eradicate it. The Chapter views the Brothers of the Eagle as paragons of virtuosity and purity. Their Terminator suits are kept fastidiously pristine in-between battles, their hammer blows elegant and sudden. Battle-cry "Death is in our eyes, fire in our blood!" -- Battle-cry of the Brotherhood of the Land http://i.imgur.com/KxVzoRz.jpg