Search the Community

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.