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The Inanis Thrashers are the elite Astra Militarum regiments that hail from the inhospitable and harsh void stations of Inanis. Due to their harsh living and working conditions, the troops of these regiments make ideal void-borne warriors and often deploy as heavy void infantry formations. They also excell at planetary operations and can deploy as light infantry ground formations. As such, they are fully trained and equipped to deploy to void war zones, hazardous planetary environments and operate both as "interface" troops (meaning transitioning from void to ground operations in combat conditions) and fight heavily contested boarding actions. The regiments of Inanis are hardened fighters and vicious up close, deadly in melee as well as at range. Armed with the tools of their grim trade, they are not afraid to face their enemies in single combat, and feel the hot blood of the freshly-slain on their skin. The deadly, winding corridors of Inanis, endless mineshafts and tunnels deep below an asteroid's surface are where these specialists are borne and bred. Lightly armoured and armed with carbines, bullpups, and other short-barrelled weapons along with numerous deadly melee weapons, these close quarters specialists are trained to move and fight effectively in confined spaces. Most Inanis Clansmen regard the strict rationing, draconian regulations, and complex bureaucracy of the Departmento Munitorum as needless restrictions upon their capabilities. These regiments are populated with those who scavenge additional equipment from the battlefield, possessing a habit of finding things that have dropped into their pockets by 'accident', picking things up in the streets, finding 'junk', and generally acquiring things that belong to other people. Inhabitants of a varied kinds of orbital stations from agri-domes and trading hubs to defence stations. Inanis Clansmen generally spend time in heavy mining operations strip an entire belt of asteroids of valuable metals and materials as they freely flow between what jobs are required on their stations. It is no surprise that many individuals born to serve aboard these facilities spend their entire lives space-bound, never setting foot on a world's surface, unless, that is, they are chosen to serve in the Imperial Guard. Life amongst the machinery and cramped corridors of a void station is quite different to life beneath an open sky, and is confining even by the standards of a hive world. Due to their being born and raised in these void stations, the Inanis Thrashers train extensively in artificial and even zero-gravity environments, becoming especially adept at operating in such environments under normal conditions and in emergency situations. They are considered a Void born regiments are relatively rare within the Imperial Guard, as such are often highly valued by the general staff for their unique skills. Thrashers are often appear unnaturally pale and gaunt, combined with the insular, clannish ways of many Inanis have difficulties when interacting with non-Inanis regiments. Thrashers are well known for their fierce independence, as well as their highly innovative (though somewhat dangerous) methods. Other regiments generally do not think well of them. The Inanis use mines and processing facilities located throughout the subsector to acquire materials for the Imperium. Homeworld The Inanis' top priority is the survival and sustainability of their Complex. Most of their laws and customs revolve around this goal. Because every Inanis depends on his or her crewmates to survive, they are much more community-minded than individualistic than most. Loyalty, trust, and cooperation are highly prized qualities. Even in their ancient past they were very emotional people. Conditions aboard most Inanis stations and ships are extremely cramped. It is not uncommon for all family members to share the same small living space, which in turn is in close proximity to many other families' quarters. These spaces are often uncomfortable and ill-designed for living in, having been reappropriated from other functions such as storage. Families decorate their individual dwellings with colorful quilts, which serve to muffle sound and also to make the environment more cozy. Inanis place low value on personal possessions, instead evaluating objects by their usefulness and bartering them for other items once they are no longer needed. Every ship has a designated trading deck where those looking to barter can gather to do business. Inanis is governed by bodies such as the Board and the democratically-elected Conclave, though ship captains and onboard civilian councils tend to address most issues "in-house" before it gets that far. The Conclave is overseen by the Board, five Inanis who can override the Conclave's decisions. Inanis are divided into several clans that can be spread across several ships, or restricted to one. The Inanis Complex is broken up into various clans, sometimes spread over several ships and stations. Each individual ship or station has long been retrofitted to house as large a crew as possible. Over time the Inanis thin out the vessels they can't use or are too damaged to repair, pooling the resources to buy and convert new ships and stations. They rely mainly on secrecy to ensure their safety from predatory Imperial Representatives. They are extremely adaptable and can adjust their equipment and lifestyle to suit various harsh conditions. They rely on others for assistance, products, etc. as little as possible. Regimental Combat Doctrine First Wave clears a hole Second wave comes out and forms a kneeling firing line Throwing grenades Final line charges in melee while enemy is off balance I was thinking pop choke grenades into a tunnel, Flamer march forwards, spewing flames, then they can split, melee dudes charge forward, then behind them you could lascarbines supporting with suppressing fire and stun grenades

Fleet Command ....... Tarakon Station (Fleet Command) Number of Line Ships ...... 1 Battleship, 20 Cruisers Number of Escort Squads ...... 6 Wolfpacks Segmentum ...... Segmentum Ultima Battlefleet Ishtar can date back its roots to at least to M34 and the formation of it's doctrines that persist to present. Over millennias saw mainly small battles and skirmishes but brought a variety of enemies with different tactics. Major fleet operations were done in the support of the neighbouring Sectors. The creation of the Great Rift saw the Battlefleet able to counter a myriad of Chaos and pirate raids in its aftermath. Battlefleet Ishtar has a great many tasks including defending the Ishtar SubSector against invasions. Vessels from the Battlefeet are broken into Battlegroups to patrol the SubSector and Wild Spaces to find pirates and enemy scouts or to escort troop transports and give orbital support for ground troops. Executing Terminatus orders fall into their responsibility as to help evacuating worlds, perform search and rescue actions when vessels or even space stations are destroyed or even to transport colonists to new planets. The Combat Doctrine of Ishtarian Battlegroups are for the Lance equipped Light Cruisers to strike at the heart of an enemy formation with a Screen of Frigates and Destroyers as Light Cruisers with lighter craft release their payloads of Fighters, Bombers, and Interceptors. Following up the Warden moves forward to provide mid range support to the battle while the Corvettes screen the lightly defended carrier Light Cruisers. The Lance Heavy Classes provide heavy punched from middle ranges as the Destroyers perform hit and run attacks weaving through the battlefield trying to gain a flanking attack on enemy capital vessels or engaging with other escorts. Combat Division Battlegroup Tarakon Station Battlegroup Ishtarian Wilds Patrol Battlegroup Ishtar Subsector Patrol Logistic Division Logistics is handled by not the Imperial Navy in the subsector due to the lack of support and ships available. Instead Logistics is handled by the home fleet of Forge World Mjorn located in the Ishtar Subsector. Reserve Division There is no strategic reserve Division in Ishtar Subsector, instead the reserves of the Battlefleet is the main fleet tasked with guarding Fleet command of Tarakon Station. Otherwise there is some reliance on the Bloodmoon Hunters Fleet located in the Damuterr System. However there is a small detachment of cruisers who are tasked with guarding an important research site and a gateway to Tarakon Station.

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/363589-ia-bloodmoon-hunters-chapter-ig-2020/ First off, Above is the Index Astartes for the Bloodmoon Hunters that I have been off and on working. I have links in there to the other pages in which I have worked on them including the Warhammer 40k homebrew wiki. The only rules I have developed with thank to the RPGers of Bolter and Chainsword have been for the PBP board. Special thanks to Mazer Rackham and Commissar Molotov for the rulesets I do have as it was mainly them with the ideas. Deathwatch Bloodmoon Hunters Attack Pattern: Prey in Sight (NOVAMARINES ATTACK PATTERN: WEAK SPOT) Bloodmoon Hunters Solo Mode Ability: Hunter's Camouflage (Raven Guard Solo Mode Ability: Master of the Shadows) Bloodmoon Hunters Defensive Stance: Predator's Plan (BLOOD RAVENS DEFENSIVE STANCE: BATTLE KNOWLEDGE) Chapter Demeanor: Hunter's Focus +5 Intelligence and Perception Primarch's Curse: From the IA: "This is because one of the unusual traits of Bloodmoon Hunters Astartes, which may derive from an unforeseen mutation within their gene-seed, is that every Hunter possesses a near-genius ability to observe, memorize and adapt to any situation. This is what makes each a Hunter of unparalleled ability, for even the smallest signs can be tracked." So if a Bloodmoon Hunter endured mental trauma (and failed a save), they would spiral into some kind of OCD, given the fact they are superhuman, everything is turned up to 11 after all. (Thanks Mazer specifically for this) RELICS If your army list led by a [bLOODMOON HUNTERS] WARLORD, you can, when mustering your army, give one of the following Chapter Relics to a [bLOODMOON HUNTERS] CHARACTER model from your army. Named characters and Vehicle models cannot be given any of the following Relics. Note that some Relics replace one of the model’s existing items of wargear. Where this is the case, you must, if you are using points values, still pay the cost of the wargear that is being replaced. Write down any Chapter Relics your models have on your army roster. TEORAINN A Relic Stalker Artifex Pattern Bolter fitted with a suppressor unit to dampen its sound and muzzle flash, and an optical sight to augment the user’s aim, use of a Dark Eye nightscope that greatly enhanced the weapon's accuracy during nighttime operations. Teorainn is engraved with sigils of disruption that destabilise a psyker's connection with the Warp. Teorainn has accuracy and power unrivalled in other Bolters of its size and integrates a Fire Selector as well as a Targeter. ''Teorainn'' fires glittering rounds imparting freezing payload as they explode deep in the flesh of their victims using unknown technologies to make it's ammunition this way... [MODEL] only. Rule … has the following profile: Weapon Range Type S AP D [TEORAINN] x x x x x Abilities: Rule EICLIPS NA GEALAÍ A Relic Pistol that fires micro-atomic munitions that draws power from a planet's magnetosphere to form the unique ammunition as it fires. The munitions that leaps from its muzzle can reduce a man to a blackened shadow in a solar second and can cut holes in a heavily-fortified Aquila Stongpoint if necessary. The bulk of the barrel is surrounded by coils of conductive material, these coils generate an electromagnetic field oriented along the barrel. the micro-atomic munitions are sped to just short the speed of light. [MODEL] only. Rule … has the following profile: Weapon Range Type S AP D [EICLIPS NA GEALAÍ] x x x x x Abilities: Rule FUILPHLASMA A Plasma Pistol that was used by an Master Raknor on a now lost Agri World against the Tau. Under the leadership of Blood Warden, the Master of 3rd Hunt Company, Blades of Fulsom, his men held the line against a massive Tau incursion in which the Master lost his life and so did most of the Hunting party. It was a pyrric victory but his heroics in sniping a TY7 Devilfish with this Plasma Pistol held the lines for Astra Militarum support turning the tide at that time. [MODEL] only. Rule … has the following profile: Weapon Range Type S AP D [FUILPHLASMA] x x x x x Abilities: Rule SÍCEACH-BÁS A Power Sword etched with silver, hand-inscribed hexagramic wards and edged in Blackstone. The creation of this unique sword is unknown, but it seems for have incorporated Xenos techniques. It has known to be drenched in the blood of many psykers and witches, it is believed this has forever made the blade a bane of those that use warp powers. Those who wield this blade seem to be immune or heavily resist the abilities of the Warp... [MODEL] only. Rule … has the following profile: Weapon Range Type S AP D [sÍCEACH-BÁS] x x x x x Abilities: Rule Helmet of the Retiring Hunter One of the symbols of the Artificer, Copper circuitry had been inlaid, running from each temple, down the orbital, across the cheek until it ended suddenly on either side of the jaw. The circuits had glowed a continuous electric blue in combat, but when hiding in the dark, they only occasionally showed a brief blue spark running the length of the circuit. The face plate had been carefully worked into the visage of a human skull, with dim glowing bulbs peeping out from cavernous eye sockets. Each is a unique artifact of a full-fledged artificer. To view the glowing skull is to know the death of the machine that is one's body, beckoning for the Bloodmoon Hunters' enemies to retire from this life ever more. [Model] only. Rule … has the following profile: Weapon Range Type S AP D [Weapon Name] x x x x x Abilities: Rule NIMIT A Cyber-Mastiff bound to Master Scáth Hiachóir. A Relic of the Bloodmoon Hunters for this Ancient Mastiff has been a companion of one of the most revered Masters of the Chapter in it's history. Nimit is carefully crafted as a true terror weapon, a massively built and heavily-armored steel construct of considerable bulk. Nimit tracks, hunts, and kills any target loaded into his sophisticated spoor-identifying protocols, equipped with a pair of Gamma weapons in pods mounted on the shoulders, this formidable equipment suite is combined with an insidiously effective training regimen. [Model] only. Rule … has the following profile: Weapon Range Type S AP D [Weapon Name] x x x x x Abilities: Rule LITANIES OF X Unlike other Adeptus Astartes Chapters, the [bloodmoon Hunters] … All [bLOODMOON HUNTERS] ARTIFICERS know the Rights of Detestation (see below). In addition, before the battle, generate the additional litanies for PRIEST models from your army that know litanies from the Litanies of X using the table below. You can either roll one D3/D6 to generate each litany randomly (re-rolling duplicate results), or you can select which litanies the priest knows. When a PRIEST unit from your army recites a litany, replace all instances of the <CHAPTER> keyword on that litany (if any) with the name of the Chapter that your PRIEST is drawn from. RIGHTS OF DETESTATION (AURA) For your sins against the Emperor; False Brother, We Detest Thee. For the shame you bring upon your Gene-Father; False Brother, We Detest Thee. For abandoning your duty; False Brother, We Detest Thee. For embracing mutation; False Brother, We Detest Thee. For worshiping the darkness; False Brother, We Detest Thee. For all these crimes, I cast you from the Emperor's Light. Your name is dead. Your memory is gone to us. False Brother, We Detest Thee, We Cast You Out, We Turn From You. ....Rule.... So this is what I have so far.... Combat Doctrine to help:

Chapter Datafile: Steel Harbingers The Steel Harbingers Date:...............57.M42 Ref:................LBC//TEC7710101 By:.................TechCaptain Re:.................Adeptus Astartes - Steel Harbingers Thought:............"." CHAPTER NAME: .............. THE Steel Harbingers FOUNDING: ..................3RD CHAPTER WORLD: .............Xisimali FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........Xisimali GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...Unknown KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ........."NONE" Primary Data Allegiance: Imperium of Man (Fedelitas Constantus) Chapter Master: Harbinger Deradon Size Estimate: Estimated at 1,000 (Actual number unknown) Specialty: Siege and Armored Warfare Battle Cry: " " Colours: Dark Steel and Dark Cobalt The Steel Harbingers are an ancient and venerable Space Marine Chapter created during the 3rd Founding at the dawning of the 32nd Millennium. This Founding took place following the tragic era of the Age of Darkness during the Horus Heresy, the subsequent Great Scouring and the sundering of the Legiones Astartes into separate Chapters. It is unknown with any certainty from whom this Chapter is descended from, but many of their cultural beliefs and propensity for utilising bionics mirrors that of the the stoic and unforgiving Iron Hands, though these Sons of the Gorgon refuse to acknowledge the Steel Harbingers as one of their own. History The Steel Harbingers protected their small corner of the Galaxy from the ravages of Imperium coming apart at the seams. And their they stayed until a new age had dawned in which they would be accepted as a chapter of Imperium. Fortress Xisimali was garrisoned by Steel Harbingers, the sons of the great Primarch --███████-- and whose expertise in --███████-- was unparalleled. In what is now a largely forgotten episode of the Imperium's history, while many worlds of these far-flung territories were deemed not valuable enough to offer any kind of coordinated resistance or threat -- which at least in the case of the Xisimali would prove to be a gross miscalculation. A fleet of Night Lords and several other bands of traitors who had gathered together fleeing the Scouring of the Loyalists retreated to the far corners of the Galaxy. When they came upon the world of Xisimali which was inhabited by Steel Harbingers they thought they had came to a refuge to rebuild. But instead they found that the Steel Harbingers did not believe the wild and dark Night Lords nor any of the others for they had no --███████-- among them. In response the Night Lords began a campaign of terror and attack on the home of the Steel Harbingers. This began a protracted siege as the garrison defended themselves from the fleet of traitors. It was the Ultramarines, supported by the Cruisers of their Battlefleet, that broke the siege of Xisimali; their arrival came just as the last of the Steel Harbingers were gathering for a final stand. Many Ultramarines and Steel Harbingers died in breaking the siege. The survivors were given opportunity to rebuild and were called upon later after much deliberation they would be watched even though they had proven loyal to the Emperor. Hidden in a Founding The 3rd Founding of the Space Marines occurred during the first year of the 32nd Millennium, 001.M32. The 3rd Founding was brought forth by Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists Space Marine Chapter, to the High Lords of Terra. This Founding included two Successor Chapters created from the gene-seed of the Imperial Fists and the Ultramarines, respectively -- both highly aggressive Chapters. During this time the Steel Harbingers were slipped in as allegedly Sons of Gorgon though the Chapter themselves never claimed a genetic fore-bearer. Inquisitional Deal Date Unknown Some time after founding the Steel Harbingers were approached by the Ordo Originatus. This Ordo is dedicated to unraveling ten millennia of myths, exaggerations and lies. This is a difficult task, raised to impossibility due to the opposing work of the Ordo Redactus. As a third founding Chapter of repute of having great intelligence and a vast bank of knowledge stored in their Fortress, a deal was struck. For Secrets of the Past the Chapter would have help of the Inquisition against Scrutiny as well as resources the relationship with the Inquisition would provide. Fortress-Monastery The planet of Xisimali is already a frozen fortress but the strongest fortifications are that of the Steel Harbingers. Built during the Great Crusade, the fortress-citadel of the mighty Steel Harbingers, which is known by the same name is vast beyond imagining, a single peak rears up on the horizon, as if the core of the world of Xisimali had been shoved through its mantle into a terrifying, unmatched pinnacle, a conical mountain-mass soaring up into the darkening sky. Its flanks are sheer and snow-clad on jagged shelves of rock, glossy with ancient, undisturbed ice. In every direction, lesser summits crowd the view, and is ringed with high walls as it was built into the heart of a mountain that has steel like ice over reinforced areas, the monastery comprises dozens of ramparts, watchtowers and bastions. Every entrance is sealed with heavy adamantium, barred by ancient and complex locks, often keyed to Steel Harbinger Brethren. The monastery also incorporates shimmering void shields, domes of power enveloping the entire structure to ward off orbital bombardments or assaults from Titans. Covering every entrance and approach, macro-cannon turrets, heavy bolter bunkers and missile batteries scan the horizon for foes, ready to unleash their deadly ordnance at a second's notice. In addition to thick walls and gates, the Steel Harbingers created other kinds of defenses to further discourage assault. These consist of grav-mine nets, vortex-pits, and electro-pylons, each one capable of killing a multitude of enemy squads. Dark shafts cut miles into the mountainside conceal potent defense lasers that are capable of blasting apart even the most heavily armored spacecraft. These huge weapons are as ancient as the Chapter itself, the geothermal reactors that power them testament to the precious technology from the distant past. The colossal gates of Adamantium, granite and Ceramite bristles with linked Bolter turrets, rocket-launchers and static Plasma Cannons. The Twin Plasma Obliterators that sit on either side of the main gates are the ultimate expression of plasma weaponry, an apocalyptically powerful weapon capable of unleashing the wrath of a sun's heart onto the battlefield. This cannon is so large that it requires a bastion-sized weapons platform just to hold it. The firepower collected there is vast, the kind of arsenal more suited to an Imperial Navy Battle Group than a land-bound citadel including a single neutron energy beam emitted by a Neutron Laser Projector's ray collimator is capable of rupturing enemy armour on a molecular level, often resulting in the target vehicle being vaporized in a massive explosion. Only the most heavily armoured super-heavy tanks and Titan-scale vehicles can hope to survive the forces unleashed by this weapon. Even if the target is not destroyed outright by the initial beam, the neutron energy of the attack will overwhelm and disable the target vehicle's electronics and systems temporarily with a storm of electromagnetic radiation. Across the entire structure stretches the citadel's Void Shields, glistening faintly as the oblique sunlight slants through clouds of burning engine oil. Far up near the very peak of Xisimali are located the Docking Platforms where the Chapter's many aircraft can take off and land. Reaching just beyond Xisimali's atmosphere, Xisimali's docking platforms can even service the Chapter's warships. Xisimali is vast beyond comprehension and a huge network of tunnels, shafts and chambers riddled the highest levels of the peak. Entire levels of the fortress-monastery is given over to the forging of weapons and the maintenance of the Chapter’s war machines. This is the domain of the Sculptors. As secretive as their Adeptus Mechanicus brothers, they work their rituals and prayers behind sealed doors, coaxing machine spirits to life or constructing new ordnance for their battle-brothers. This is especially true of weapons unique to the Steel Harbingers, such as relic blades, specialized bolter rounds and ancient suits of armor. These weapons are created and maintained in the forges of the fortress-monastery, the Sculptors and servitor workers casting gun casings, chain blades and ceramite plates. To house the war materiel of the Chapter huge shielded silos are built into its central recesses. Protected from attack by metres of adamantium, ferrocrete, null shields to dampen energy weapons and reactive blast doors, they are always piled high with crates of shells, rounds and missiles. Racks of boltguns, meltaguns, and heavier weapons line the walls, each one wrapped in the purity seals of the Master of the Forge, attesting to its blessed craftsmanship. Connecting these silos to the rest of the fortress, a network of shell-hoists and ammo-conveyors ring the central chambers. Legless, sightless servitors hang suspended over the moving platforms and belts, their wizened fingers sorting rounds and shells by size and shape. Thus, from ammo-shrines throughout the monastery, a battle-brother can reload his boltgun or summon a weapon with which to fight any would-be invader. Hundreds of metres down, in the huge cavern spanned by the bridge, is a vision of Hel. Gigantic, hulking furnaces, each the height of a Warlord-class Titan and twice as wide, throw off clouds of blood-red light. Channels of heat-blackened stone carry rivers of fire from one inferno to the next, passing through wheels of iron and plunging pistons. The silhouettes of Servitor-Thralls, their wire-studded spines curled over from hunching, creep between the colossal machinery, checking flickering pict-readouts and tending brass-lined banks of Cogitators. The vast space hums with a low, rumbling activity. Along clattering conveyor belts amid the forges are the embryonic shells of vehicle plating, artillery barrels, even body armour parts. And then there are the hammers. They are borne by rows of muscle-enhanced, metal-ribbed, faceless Servitors chained to their Adamantium anvils by segmented nerve-conduits, endlessly working. There are ranks upon ranks of them, more machine than human, molded into mindless golems by the uncaring arts of the flesh-makers. They are the perfect workers: tireless, uncomplaining, hugely strong, content to hammer away in the pits of fire until death from the aging or breakdown of their organic components give them a final release. Next to the forges and armouries, the Apothecarion is amongst the most well defended parts of a fortress-monastery. This is where the Apothecaries safeguard the Chapter's genetic heritage and tend to its injured Space Marines. The Librarius is the central core of all the Chapter's history and lore. Filled with ancient tombs and sacred scrolls, every piece of text ever laid down by the Steel Harbingers or relevant to its existence is housed within. Overseen by the Librarians, it is a silent and holy place of whispered secrets and hidden truths. Few brethren are permitted access to the Librarius, its reserve of knowledge restricted to the Chapter Master and his advisers. At the deepest levels of Xisimali, lay the massive geothermal generators which provide the great citadel with all of the power required for its operations. This includes the blazing capillaries of magma which bring superheated rock up from the mantle of Xisimali to heat the water that provides the fortress' gigantic steam turbines with their motive force. This area of the fortress-monastery is maintained by a legion of Chapter thralls who are sometimes guided in their endeavors by the arcane technomancy of the Sculptors. of Xisimali represented the very bowels of the mountain fortress. It is a universe of stone marked by the increasing heat radiated by the geothermal reactors that provide Xisimali with its power and by the ancient Armouries and hidden vaults of the Chapter where the Steel Harbingers kept their greatest secrets -- and their honored dead. Notable Campaigns Laconia Rebellion (942.M41) - The Laconia System is on what becomes the Sector's boarder with the Sautekh Dynasty. For the 1,200 years leading up to 942.M41, the Hive World of Laconia Tertius underwent a Civil War against Secessionist forces, with the inhabitants of Laconia Secundus intervening on the Loyalist side. In 942.M41, it was revealed that Laconia Secundus had once been home to a small outpost of the ancient Necron Empire. At that time, the Sautekh Dynasty dispatched a force to reclaim the world, as part of their broader onslaught against the Imperium. Two Companies of the Steel Harbingers Space Marines Chapter were deployed to repel the assualt, but feared they would arrive to late. What the Steel Harbingers found when they arrived was that the Secundai, who had become heavily militarized during the Laconian Civil War, had managed to resist the Sautekh assault, all but crushing the small Necron force while suffering only reasonable casualties. The Astartes' Breathren Lord, thinking to the future, launched his full force against the secessionists on Laconia Tertius. In weeks, his forces managed to break a stalemate which had held for over a millennia. With the World now back under Imperial control, the Steel Harbingers ordered the people of Laconia Tertius to aid the Secondai in turning Laconia Secundus into an impenetrable Fortress World. In the decades which would follow, the Secundai would fight off several more Necron assaults, leaving the system as one of the few bastions between the Sautekh Dynasty and the vulnerable interior of the Heimdall Sector. The Imperial Purgation of the Tengu’s Watchman (963.M41) - The Purgation of the Tengu’s Watchman was one of several Imperial Campaigns along the Tau boarder systems in the centuries between the Second and Third Sphere Expansion. Tengu’s Watchman was one of those worlds on the western edge of the Damocles Gulf whose Imperial Governors had cut selfish deals with the Xenos, turning their citizens and their worlds over to the Tau Empire without a fight. Loyalist forces arrived to reclaim the system in 963.M41, spearheaded by the Astartes of the Steel Harbingers Chapter, but including both a Battlegroup of the Imperial Navy, an Imperial Guard Armygroup, and of course, representatives of the Holy Inquisition. While Brethren Lord Slavicus Ven led his 3rd Company, known as the Precursors, and the Navy in assaulting the Air Caste Orbital Platforms, Lord General Horatio Couture led the 35th Armygroup to assault the planet. While outlying settlements were quickly reclaimed, the substantial defenses of the Fire Caste in and around the Capital City of Takane set the Imperial Guard on the back-foot. In addition to an seemingly un-breachable perimeter, and a strong mobile reserve, the Tau had achieved effective local air superiority through the use of mobile Sky Ray missile platforms and a seemingly limitless supply of aerial drones. While the Steel Harbingers could still, in theory, breach the Tau parameter using orbital drop pods, there was no guarantee that they could overcome the Tau defenders without their heavy equipment. As Lord Ven and Lord General Couture prepared to commit to a massed frontal assault, using the Guard Regiments to soak up damage while the Astartes brought their mighty siege engines into position, one of Couture’s Colonel’s spoke up. Colonel Hung Tran of the 11th Laconian Riverine Raiders pointed out that there was a swamp on the eastern side of Takane which led right into the enemy’s soft underbelly. The Yokai Swamp, had been an all but impassible wetland to begin with, but it was now also inhabited by the Tau’s Kroot allies, and in great numbers. None of the other Officers present felt that any force could pass such an obstacle, but Tran swore that if the Astartes could keep the Kroot off of them, the Riverine Raiders would transport their vehicles through the swamp. That night, as heavy artillery from Lord General Couture’s lines seemingly presaged a ground assault, the Harbinger's blades began to reap a silent harvest from the Kroot. Meanwhile, using converted Chimera APCs, what local rivercraft they could find, and even buoyant ration crates, the 11th River Raiders managed to move almost 200 tons of equipment through an all but un-traversable swamp in under five hours. As dawn broke in blood red upon the City, the Emperor’s angels of death strode forth into Takane, leading Predator Tanks and Hellfire Dreadnaughts. While the Fire Caste reacted quickly and fought ferociously, it was already too late. While Lord Ven led the bulk of his force against the City Center, two squads, accompanied by the exhausted Laconians, assaulted the defensive perimeter from behind. With the Tau distracted, Lord General Couture brought the rest of the Army group against the City, overwhelming the defenders and following in the Astartes’s wake. While the Fire Caste fought on, trying to buy time for their Ethereal overlord to escape, Slavicus Ven personally managed to overtake and slay the Xeno Leader. While fighting would continue for several days, the death of the Ethereal seemed to break the spirit of the Tau. The world was soon declared compliant, and its people handed over to the Inquisition to be put to the question. Chapter Organisation With the adoption of the Codex, the High Lords of Terra required a Chapter to meet the arch-foes of the Imperium in combat - the vast armies of the False Gods of Chaos. The Steel Harbingers were not among the Chapters founded during the second founding, chosen for their stalwart and dedicated service during both the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, no their history was much darker and so are their origins. Unlike their genetic forebears, the newly formed Chapter opted to take a more defensive approach, by building garrisons and fortifications that rival the Imperial Fists. Ranks The Harbinger - Chapter Master Equivalent Brethren Lord - Captains Equivalent Soothsayer - Apothecaries Herald - Chaplains Sculptors - Tech Marines for it is they who communicate with the machine spirits. Augury-Sergeant - Brethren - Scout Brother - Aspirant - Specialist Formations Apola - The Apola, known as the Brethren of Sculptors, the Apola's particular focus was on machine-craft; both in their construction and maintenance, and their employment in war. It exists in an uneasy alliance with the Mechanicum of the nearby Forge World, save those Tech-priests who had long-served the Steel Harbingers directly. Khele - The Khele, known as the Brethren of Frozen, although led and commanded by Astartes, also encompassed the senior officers and Mechanicum magi, engineers and shipwrights who maintained and crewed the Chapter's warships. Its base of operations a heavily fortified orbital shipyard, void warfare and the construction and design of warships and assault craft were its obsession. Chapter Recruitment On Xisimali, A small planet almost entirely covered in snow and ice. Only at the height of summer do temperatures rise above freezing. Both the northern and southern hemispheres experience harsh winters, with cold nights that can last for weeks or months at a time depending on latitude. The atmosphere is composed mostly of nitrogen and oxygen, but high levels of methane and carbon dioxide make it lethal to humans. Classified as a Death World now, it was a bustling Fortress world before it was brought into compliance by use of newly discovered and untested weapons used by the Cult Mechanicum. The survivors descendants and those of the occupying forces that now lived in the tunnels and ruins of the frozen fortresses fight for limited resources. Those that survive the constant wars are sometimes chosen to travel to the Fortress of the Steel Harbingers. Their Aspirants are put through a series of trials until they become a true inheritor of the heritage of Iron and Steel. Chapter Beliefs The Steel Harbingers are resolute in their beliefs that the Emperor thoroughly used their Legion to fight the bloodiest and most brutal battles of the "Great Crusade". They care little for trophies and embellishments, instead preferring to prove their strength and prowess through acts of Occupation. The Great Shame they learned of their Genetic Fore-bearers weighs heavily on their beliefs. The Steel Harbingers do not accept mutation among their ranks as willingly, instead choosing to remove the corrupted limbs and replace them with powerful, infallible cybernetics. The Steel Harbinger Chapter has become increasingly reclusive and hostile towards outside interference. Though the Inquisition continually investigates the Steel Harbingers, the Chapter bears such scrutiny with unconcealed disdain. Strangely, the Inquisition does not appear very concerned with the Steel Harbingers Chapter's many deviations from standard Adeptus Astartes and Imperial practice. The Chapter boasts a great number of armored vehicles and Dreadnoughts -- so many, in fact, that each company maintains its own revered armoury of battle tanks and Centurion Warsuits. Each one of the Steel Harbinger Brethren consider it a great honour to crew one of their Chapter's venerated war machines and interface directly with their vehicles through bionic implants, their heart beat becoming the thrum of powerful engines and their war cries the roar of heavy gunfire. At every level the Steel Harbingers Chapter was formidably provisioned in arms and wargear, from operational suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armour of every pattern to munitions reserves estimated to exceed that of several other Chapters combined. The technical aptitude of each Steel Harbinger was also formidable, furthering the functionality and customization of their personal panoply of war. Librarians are considered just above outsiders and are not fully trusted in the Steel Harbingers. This is due to an innate mistrust of mutation and mutants. Times in their history the deadly planet and the tunnels underneath has produced many a mutant. Being a mutant means to cut off the mutation and replace it with cybernetics if possible. Librarians can not do so and have proven too useful as a weapon but have never fully integrated with the rest of the Chapter. Combat Doctrine The Steel Harbingers are known for an affinity with technology and the clinical application of logic to military problems. This affinity was channeled into the mastery of that form of warfare. These abilities were increased by cross-training with the Mechanicum. The Steel Harbingers' Sculptors could match skills with Magi. Their methodical attitude made them merciless men in battle and siege. After the siege works were built there was a choice given to the besiegers; either to throw down their arms then and there or the Steel Harbinger would show no mercy. Just like many other Chapters they soon gained the reputation of brutality during siege, not to mention their merciless manner after the siege had taken place. The Steel Harbingers are unparalleled masters of siege warfare as well as of building defensive fortifications and fortresses. Their attacks are typically slow, but relentless and scientific. Most Steel Harbingers assaults begin with an intense orbital bombardment, followed by a rapid aerial landing. As the Steel Harbingers secure their landing zone, they will begin to erect fortifications around their drop site and use this as their base of operations for a siege as well as prevent counter-attacks by the enemy. Instead of using classic building materials for these fortified positions, the Steel Harbingers will connect their Rhinos together into a ring of pillboxes. With their position established, the Steel Harbingers will then deploy great siege engines to reduce the enemy positions before a final charge. Right after they set up their fortifications and before the initial bombardment, the Steel Harbingers will commonly send infiltration units ahead of the main force to disable the enemy's defenses and set up ambushes and conduct flank attacks while the main force charges the fortifications. Where possible, field fortifications will be used. Steel Harbinger doctrine includes extensive use of fortifications to occupy the maximum number of opponents while using the absolute minimum number of troops. This in turn keeps the bulk of the Steel Harbingers Marines fresh and available for assaults, and allows them to achieve superiority elsewhere. In combat, Steel Harbingers are terrifyingly adept at both ballistic warfare and close-range melee bloodshed, and use a mixture of the two to slaughter opponents in vast numbers. The typical Steel Harbinger is armed with a powerful Bolter, Plasma Gun or other such ranged weapon, as well as a close-combat Power Sword or Chainsword. The Steel Harbingers place a great deal of importance on heavy weaponry of all kinds, for they value the tools of destruction far more than flesh and blood. Their Devastators are famously clinical killers, blasting apart keystones and buttresses to bring down fortifications, or sniping enemy officers from afar as they try to restore order. The Steel Harbingers have a special association with the Mechanicus cult. They have extensive access to the hulking combination of armor, weapons, and Marines. The Steel Harbingers are expert sappers, engineers and miners and have acquired a formidable siege train of specialist equipment over the centuries. This includes Termite tunnelers, a Leviathan transport, Dreadclaw assault boats adapted for planetary landings and a large assortment of Imperial-built artillery. These are used very sparingly and are maintained and guarded by the Steel Harbingers' 1st Company. Additionally they have a number of Corvus assault pods which allow them to make use of any supporting Titans as siege towers. Thanks to long-standing ties to elements of the Mechanicum and the technological aptitude displayed by many in their number, the Steel Harbingers possessed access to numerous cybernetic implant systems seldom seen outside the Machine Cult, and they were also able to widely reproduce and maintain large stockpiles of Grav-weapons, Conversion Beamer and Laser Destroyer systems, and other arcane and esoteric machineries of death. Of singular note within the Steel Harbingers was the range, number and diversity of the armoured vehicle and artillery support assets fielded by them. These were known to include the full breadth of general patterns and designs operated across the Imperium by the Legiones Astartes, with tactical emphasis placed on heavy units such as the Land Raider and super-heavy war machines such as the Typhon, Stormblade and Mastodon. Once a planet has been secured few Brethren are detached to fortify the world against further assault. This would become the core of a security force that is no longer considered apart of active roles with the Chapter and their numbers are no longer counted. These Brethren become apart of an inactive reserve network for the planets that fall under the protection of Steel Harbingers. Chapter Gene-Seed The Steel Harbingers' gene-seed produced a marked tendency towards suspicion and paranoia within the Astartes but also was known to create Space Marines who were extremely intelligent and possessed naturally well-developed problem-solving abilities. The Steel Harbingers retain cold intelligence, paranoia, dark skin and dark eyes, and are noted for a preference for technological methods of warfare. The Steel Harbingers possess the Mucranoid organ which allows a Space Marine to survive extremes of heat by secreting a waxy protein substance, similar to mucus, through their pores to seal their skin but for some reason theirs does not work like it is suppose to. Space Marines are cocooned in this way before they enter suspended animation, and the process can even protect them from the harshness of the vacuum and other extremes of temperature, particularly deeply frigid environments. The Steel Harbingers Mucranoid doesn't protect them from extreme heat and they must rely on their armor to provide enough of an barrier. Documentary evidence attests that the Steel Harbinger gene-seed showed an above-average adaptability and rates of implant rejection were notably low, particularly in comparison with difficulties in large-scale implantation encountered with other Progenoid types, which would not be eliminated until the acquisition of the gene-labs of Luna. This advantage meant that the Steel Harbingers' fighting strength was built rapidly, and could be maintained even while facing continual attrition. The 10th Company Neophytes contained large numbers to be ready to fill in the ranks as brethren were assigned to garrison duty or long term detachments as well to the usual losses in battle.

House Fásacha is a Questor Imperialis Knight House, located on the world of Tarakon. They are a warrior house, where martial honor is regarded in high esteem. Each Lord Protector that is not a part of his Exalted Court is given a charge of furthering the known expanses of the Wilderness Space and to ensure they send their best men to Tarakon to join the Wardens. An ancient House that has always guarded the Wilderness Zone that was finally discovered by the Imperium when the Explorator Fleets of Mjorn and Incendius Lux first went beyond the Gate of Blood to colonize the first Frontier Worlds. Sámhach de Fásach, the heir apparent, has been given the charge that she shall complete a taking. With oaths to the Mechanicus of Mjorn, this house has learned to excel in their roles as protectors of the Eastern Fringes. History Long before the rise of the Emperor and the birth of the Imperium, during the Age of Technology humanity reached out to the stars, eager to occupy new worlds and expand its burgeoning interstellar empire. Vast colonization starships carried eager human settlers, along with all the resources they might require, and landed on far-flung, often isolated worlds. Tarakon was among the first Knight Worlds that were founded at the very start of the Age of Technology, when scouts from Terra travelled far through the galaxy seeking planets to use as agricultural worlds to provide food for Mankind's burgeoning population, or as mining colonies to provide the materials needed to fuel their expansion across the stars. Indeed, Tarakon had already been established for thousands of standard years when the Imperium was first founded in the 30th Millennium. By the 25th Millennium, ferocious Warp Storms had largely isolated the widespread human colonies, and the era that came to be known as the Age of Strife had well and truly begun. Tarakon was among those isolated for the longest time, it wouldn't be for many Millennia for it to be discovered by the Imperium. After years of preparation in 126.M36, the Kabal of the Crystal Daggers launch an attack on the world of Tarakon outside the Ishtar Subsector, but even with the destabilization and distraction of the precursors to the Lunar Venatorii regiments, they were able to reorganize faster than planned and forced the Shards of the Renderers to retreat before being exterminate by the House Fásacha guardsmen, mostly the one of the Cavalry like the later 487th Lunar Venatorii Cavalry Regiment. This was the first major defeat in realspace of the Kabal of the Crystal Daggers, and since that day the Kabal swore to avenge this defeat and since has done a great number of raids in the surrounding area; waiting in the shadows for the perfect moments to strike. By the time of M37 Incendius Lux and a now established and independent Mjorn were again ready to send a new wave of Explorator missions into the fringes. The fleets of Mjorn soon discovered an ancient Knight World named Tarakon, whose ruling House Fásacha had long served as the protector of the bleak planets that existed on the other side of the Sanguis Portus. Mjorn quickly struck an alliance with the House, and the Departmento Munitorum took advantage of the fact that hardened soldiers were drawn to Tarakon by House Fáscaha from across the fringes to form the Lunar Venatorii Cavalry Regimentum, and quickly established training academies and Schola Progenium facilities on Versliaus, Tarakon’s moon. The Ishtar Sub-Sector was mercifully largely saved from the brunt of Hive Fleets Behemoth and Kraken and were able to devote forces to aid in their destruction, however the appearance of Genestealer Cults would soon emerge as a lasting threat. The Emergence of the Great Sautekh Dynasty would prove to much dire threat however, as its Necron Legions marched a war of expansion practically next door to the Sub-Sector, although fortunately it would largely be occupied with and act as a insulator against the Charadon Ork Empire. The T’au as well, in their expansions would frequently cause conflict as expeditions into T’au space occurred alongside T’au infiltration efforts into the Sub-Sector. These Shadow Wars would culminate in the Damocles Crusade, in which the forces of Ishtar devoted significant men and material. Although called off with the emergence of the Tyranids towards the close of M41 the conflict would be reignited in what would become known as Warzone Damocles. Amidst these conflicts the Fortress World of Cadia feel to Abaddon the Despoilers 13th Black Crusade, an event which resulted in the Galaxy split by the Great Rift and embroiled in Warp Storms. As the Great Rift saw the Galaxy driven into madness the Ishtar Sub-Sector saw themselves besieged on all fronts. An increase in Chaos Cult activity resulted from the waxing power of the Von Grothe’s Rapidity, Hadex Anomaly Warp Storm, and Cyclonus Nihlus warp storms, Genestealer Cults began to rise up as tendrils of Hive Fleet Kronos snaked through the Sub-Sector searching for Chaos to destroy. Opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum(0 ICM.M42) Great Rift Opens and the Noctis Aeterna cuts off the systems of the Ishtar Sub-sector from each other and the wide galaxy. As darkness descends across the Sub-sector a variety of threats threaten to see it burn in the fires of war. Corruption and Heresy surges within the ranks of the local Ecclesiarchy and Mechanicus. The Frontier Worlds erupt into chaos as House Fásacha and the Lunar Venatorii struggle to repel a tide of Drukhari, Ork Freebooter, Chaos, and Harlequin raiders. Orks from the nearby Charadon Empire emerge near the Contrador system sparking continuous naval battles. Finally, the Bloodmoon chapter sees the Great Rift as the herald of the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Blood, and fervently seek to identify and defeat signs of the prophecy. Hand of the Inquisition(48+ ICM.M42) The Noctis Aeterna finally lifts and reliable travel in and out of the Sub-sector is finally possible. Inquisitor Belladonna of the Ordo Militarum works with Sector Administratum Command to ensure Departmento Munitorium control is reestablished over Sector military forces, in particular she focuses much of her attention to the Ishtar Fringes and the unusual control House Fásacha held over the Militarum Regiments stationed there. Although nothing is ever confirmed the sudden illness of the High Protector of House Fásacha and the strange deaths of several field officers and members of the General Staff are rumored to be her doing, it is considered coincidence that the replacements on the General Staff are much more in line with standard Imperial Doctrine and slowly the Adminstratum exerts more influence in the fringes, often leading to friction between the Adminstratum and House Fásacha. Homeworld Tarakon is an ancient Knight World of the Questoris Familia, whose ruling House Fásacha had long served as the protector of the bleak planets that existed on the other side of the Sanguis Portus. Mjorn quickly struck an alliance with the House, and the Departmento Munitorum took advantage of the fact that hardened soldiers were drawn to Tarakon by House Fáscaha and quickly established training academies and Schola Progenium facilities on Versliaus, Tarakon’s moon. One end of the Sanguis Portus Corridor, Tarakon and it's moon serves as a bulwark between the settled Imperial Worlds and the xenos infested Frontier Worlds. Home of the fearsome Wyrms and the Gallant House Fásach, it has become known for some of the fiercest warriors of the sector. Among the deserts and swamps of Tarakon large reptilian beasts known as Wyrms form the backbone of a ecosystem. Only the bravest venture near which are few, unless they are among the warriors of the Knight House. Tarakon uses these creatures that they can tame to bolster their forces. Culture Over time, House Fásacha developed a personal culture of their own, a blend of frontier and strait-laced values that even retained vestiges of chivalry. Such hazardous work in isolated conditions also bred a tradition of self-dependence and individualism, with great value put on personal honesty, exemplified in songs and poetry. The code also included the Gunfighter, who sometimes followed a form of code duello, in order to solve disputes and duels Extrajudicial justice is common in the frontier, such as lynching, vigilantism and gunfighting. The nobility of feudal worlds, still riding off to prove their honor with primitive electro-lances. A code duello is a set of rules for a one-on-one combat, or duel. Codes duello regulate dueling and thus help prevent vendettas between families and other social factions. They ensure that non-violent means of reaching agreement be exhausted and that harm be reduced, both by limiting the terms of engagement and by providing medical care. Finally, they ensure that the proceedings have a number of witnesses. The witnesses could assure grieving members of factions of the fairness of the duel, and could help provide testimony if legal authorities become involved. House Fásacha culture places high value on a person's ability to handle himself in a brawl, or with a gun. The traditional culture of House Fásacha has been called a "culture of honor", that is, a culture where people avoid intentionally offending others, and maintain a reputation for not accepting improper conduct by others. A theory as to why the House Fásacha had or may have this culture is an assumed belief in retribution to enforce one's rights and deter depredation against one’s family, home and possessions. The House Fásacha culture of honor is often tied to the relative persistence of dueling, a cultural phenomenon in which special caution is taken to not offend others and misconduct is not taken lightly (dealt with swift and firm retribution). A high premium is placed on toughness in this culture of honor, because one is expected to defend one's resources and deter predators. According to the House Fásacha laws, each Baron is authorized up to fifty personal armsmen, all other Armsmen are sworn to their holdings and the planet not the Baron. Those personal armsmen are the Baron’s Own Guard. Every personal armsman an officer's commission in the House Fásacha Army Armsmen. The first responsibility of personal armsman, based on their sworn oaths of loyalty, was to their Baron. This meant that activating their Army commissions could only be done with their Baron's permission. Notable House Nobles High Protector Moar de Fásach - The current High King of House Fásacha and as such is Imperial Governor of Tarakon, a hardened career warrior, often displayed a calm and collected demeanor, rarely showing any signs of fear in extreme circumstances. He buried his emotions deep inside himself, causing some to see him as cold and uncaring. He possesses a indomitable will for justice. Through years of training and experience, he developed heightened levels of endurance and reflexes. Lady Protector Sámhach de Fásach - De Facto High Protector and Heir Apparent, Possessing great wisdom in warfare, she was a fierce warrior that sparks fear and admiration among her enemies, colleagues, and allies. Although she holds a calm and collected demeanor, she possessed such a strong and overbearing presence that others are intimidated by her whenever she questioned their mistrust towards her abilities. She is a very strong-willed person and had a very strong charisma. Countess Dóiteáin de FaStoirm - Honor-bound to help the Ordo Mechanicus, specifically Adam Clarke. Young for a Knight Pilot, her status in the house is high due to her accomplishments and her connections to various Imperial Organizations. She seems to be a skilled diplomat. Baron Ionsaí de Fásachian - Baron Court leader during a campaign against expanding Ork Empires.

The Arali Siege Sappers are the Astra Militarum regiments that hail from the industrial trade world of Arali. Primarily recruited from the planet's Trade Guild Families who operate as the Regiment's officers while various gangs and travelers are rounded up to make up the foot troops. Arali Siege Homeworld A lifeless planet with an economy centered around gambling. Aside from a few uranium mines, gambling is the only industry on the planet, and with few resources and a poisonous atmosphere, loose gaming laws are the only reason this backwater colony exists. A small rocky planet with a toxic atmosphere of 83% carbon dioxide, 10% oxygen, and 6% nitrogen. The planet is famed for the many terraces that look as though they have been 'carved' into rock faces. An extensive network of caves also exists. While many people insist that these structures are not natural and must have been made by intelligent lifeforms, there is no actual evidence of this. In fact there is no evidence of life ever having existed on the planet besides these strange rock formations. When a nearby inhabited planet suffered a catastrophe, the caves were sealed off from the atmosphere and converted to serve as an emergency refugee camp. Many of the survivors still live there today, having converted the caves and tunnels into a vast underground city. Regimental Recruitment & Training The harsh Arali Siege homeworld conditioned the Arali psychology for toughness just as it did the body. Arali have always had a tendency to be selfish, unsympathetic, and blunt. They respect strength and self-reliance and are neither surprised nor offended by treachery. Their worst insult is to call someone "not worth killing". Most Arali trust and serve no one but themselves. This solitary attitude stems in part from a deep sense of fatalism and futility. The Arali live with a generally violent and short-sighted attitude of personal gain. Their version of cooperation is reflected in one of their sayings: "Seek the enemy of your enemy, and you will find a friend." Regimental Combat Doctrine Traditional Arali tactics are built on attritional mass-unit warfare. Equipped with cheap, rugged gear, troop formations were powerful but inflexible. Command and control was very centralized; soldiers in the field who saw a target contacted their commanders behind the lines to arrange fire support. To a Arali Commanders, killing is a science. They focus on developing clean, brute-force economy of motion that exploits their brutal strength to incapacitate enemies with a swift single blow of overwhelming power. They are callous and brutal, but methodical and disciplined. They use any means at their disposal to achieve their goals, no matter how reprehensible. Hostage-taking and genocide are acceptable means to ensure a quiet occupation with few Arali casualties. Arali military doctrine has a different take on what "scouting and reconnaissance" means. While other Regiments scouts prefer stealth and discretion in carrying out their tasks, Arali Seige scouts instead opt to deal psychological warfare when they find the enemy by way of occasional harassment or intentionally exaggerating their numbers. The reasoning is that it is a lot easier to count enemy numbers when some of them get blown up. Arali are known as siege sapper specialists. Methodical planning for finding a stronghold's weakness is premier for Arali Siege success for when found all sorts of further weakening such a point is applied before directing a brutal but swift taking of a point, breaking sieges. Notable Arali Siege Lt. Inoke Arterius: An extremely short-tempered and proud young man who always likes to think he is the strongest fighter in a situation, constantly challenging most people he comes across and wanting others to respect and praise him for his skill. Sergeant Eden Williams: Following her family's tradition, Eden enlisted in the Imperial Guard after high school and was assigned to the Recruit Training Depot. During training, then Private Williams was certified proficient with the standard-issue lasgun and light to heavy-weight combat suits. She also completed certification in zero-gravity combat aboard the Orbital Platform in geosynchronous orbit. For Hostile Environment Assault Training, she was awarded a commendation for her bold assault technique in a field exercise simulating an attack on defense emplacements.

Chapter Datafile: Graven Souls Graven Soul Date:...............57.M42 Ref:................LBC//TEC7710101 By:.................TechCaptain Re:.................Adeptus Astartes - Graven Soul Thought:............"." CHAPTER NAME: .............. Graven Soul FOUNDING: ..................13TH CHAPTER WORLD: .............Odokuro FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........Iron Palace GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...Unknown (White Scars Suspected) KNOWN DESCENDANTS: ........."NONE" Primary Data Allegiance: Imperium of Man (Fedelitas Constantus) Chapter Master: Lord Gravemind Size Estimate: Estimated at 1,000 Specialty: Shock Assault, High-Mobility Warfare, Extensive Use of Bikes, Guerrilla Warfare, Hit-and Run, Terror Tactics Battle Cry: "Gespenst Jäger" Colours:Dark Spectral Green The Graven Soul are bellicose Space Marine Chapter whose terror tactics has earned these notorious [Astartes a fell reputation across the width and breadth of the Imperium. They were created during the mysterious 13th Founding, the so-called 'Dark Founding', due to the scarcity of any information on this particular Founding or how many Chapters were created at that time. To add to this Chapter's mystery, it is unknown from which genetic lineage they are descended from though they claim to be from the White Scars. Of all the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, none exemplifies the virtues of strict self-control more than the Graven Soul. The Graven Soul Chapter culture is one that is very wary of the idea of martial glory or honour, and prefers instead to emphasise pragmatism, adaptability and completion of the mission over all other concerns. They understand that war is suffering and death. It is a brutal business that they specialize in, but they have no desire to wallow in its misery beyond what is required to carry out the Emperor's will. Its success is dependent upon its ability to think and execute in a distributed and independent fashion. The Graven Soul willingly employ whatever tactics they believe most appropriate no matter how it looks to others, relying upon success to establish their Chapter's glory rather than misguided notions of honour and dogmatic thought. Chapter History The history of the Graven Soul is a tainted and dark one. Created some time during the 35th or 36th Millennium, the Graven Soul has acted as a shadow force to many an Imperial vengeance campaign. The Imperium moves to act with decisive force as the foul taint of the xenos is found to be at the root cause of corrupted planets either by addiction to the aliens' foul psychotropics and depraved practices, or sometimes when the corruption is found in other means or cause. The Graven Soul follows Imperial strike forces and Crusades to wage wars of retribution and terror until the corrupted planets are brought back into line. Often, these campaigns required a show of force to subjugate planetary rulers and dynasties that had been used to governing their worlds for Terran centuries and even millennia. Even more often, Imperial Compliance had to be obtained by force of arms. In these great wars, tyrants were cast down and witches burned, planets purged of the foul taint of mutants, xenos and Warp-beasts such that eventually these campaigns of planetary conquest became known as Imperial Compliance campaigns or, more simply, rendering a world "Compliant." Chapter Homeworld Odokuro is completely urbanized and stacked with hundreds of layers of arcologies, covering the entirety of the planet, effectively becoming an ecumenopolis. Nearly everything within Odokuro is recycled and reused, and few things are ever wasted. The air a hive worlder breathes, the water he drinks, and the food he eats likely all has once passed through the bodies of countless others, endlessly restored to be consumed once again. When a hive worlder dies his duty to the hive and house are not done, and most hives reconstitute their dead for the resources they can provide. Corrupt and murderous gangs, whether or not they were named as such, ruled every part of Odokuro. From the heights of nobility to the lowest alley, every inch of Odokuro was someone's domain, someone's territory or hunting ground. In the slum habitation stacks, the gangs ruled by raw fear, killing and torturing as they pleased, fighting wars with the feral packs of outcasts who were closer to animals than men. It was said that many of these gangs ate the dead, treating their territories as a predator might a hunting ground. In the mines and factories which still turned the planet's wheels of industry, the gangs went by names that echoes with a false authority. Slab muscled and furnace-scarred, they walked the streets clanking with weaponry and reeking of murder, enforcing order that was little more than slavery. In the wealthier areas, the sons and daughters of the corrupt nobility gathered in packs, clad in costumes like strutting peacocks, as quick to kill with blade or gun as they were to cast an insult. No matter what their station, almost all gangs owed fealty to one of the numberless barons, counts and lords, who in turn served still more powerful men and women, many of whom styled themselves with courtly titles that echoes a long forgotten nobility. There was no law in these lightless lands, and survival existed only by a blade's edge. Only the strongest and the most ruthless survived in the subterranean warrens, and those who did grew in cruelty and cunning. The dark owned Odokuro, body and soul, and its existence was a horror to equal any xenos enslavement or nightmare of the Dark Age of Technology. If there ever had been true laws, they had vanished long ago, eaten by the greed of a few and the desperation of many. Murder was the currency of life, and strength came from violence. Every sin great and small had its home in Odokuro's endless terror filled streets. Fortress-Monastery Known as the Iron Palace, one can only get to it through the Demon's Cavern which is guarded by four "Ogres". Every entrance is sealed with heavy adamantium gates, barred by ancient and complex locks, keyed to the unique genetic code of the Graven Soul's battle-brothers. The monastery also incorporates shimmering void shields, domes of power enveloping the entire structure to ward off orbital bombardments or assaults from Titans. Covering every entrance and approach, macro-cannon turrets, heavy bolter bunkers and missile batteries scan the horizon for foes, ready to unleash their deadly ordnance at a second's notice. Notable Campaigns Wars of Apostasy (Unknown.M36) - The Graven Soul added their bother chapters by committing to a sequence of battles and wars to draw the insane High Lord Goge Vandire's forces focus to more targets thinning the amount of resources he had available. Plague of Unbelief (Unknown.M36) - Graven Soul sent out several families tracking down and eliminating the many false prophets that appeared throughout the anarchic Age of Apostasy, some little more than madmen leading rebel armies, others spiritual demagogues who commanded worlds and armies. Lost Crusade (Unknown.M37) - Graven Soul parties sent out to numerous worlds to track down and eliminate hostile elements of the menial uprisings. Many parties deploy and mostly come back with reports that uprisings were widespread. 9th Black Crusade Splinter (574.M38) - Graven Soul engage in a decades long war against various elements of far reaching fleets from the Eye of Terror. Terror of Heretical Thoughts (Unknown.M42) - The detachment of Agents who’d just survived their civil war barely had time to rest and process what had just happened, when they were called to battle yet again. In order to atone for their role in the Avalon Sector’s rebellion, the Agents were once again tasked by the Inquisition with bringing a secessionist world to heel. At this point, this force of Agents had snapped. To them, their secessionist comrades were right the entire time. Upon landing onto the planet of Amersh, the Agents who were deployed went rogue, supporting the rebellious governor in the process. The Inquisitorial forces who deployed with the Agents were quickly slaughtered. The Agents on the ground tried and failed to contact the Emperor’s Liberators chapter, for they were busy elsewhere. The only other force in the galaxy supposedly sympathetic to the values of freedom and independence were the Blood Gorgons, a renegade chapter. They were happy to reinforce Amersh, but for an agenda they never informed the Agents of. Luckily for the Agents, the Blood Gorgons arrived just in time, as Inquisitorial forces arrived alongside the brutal Graven Souls chapter. The Graven Souls led cunning assassinations against the rebel leadership, and ambushed any Blood Gorgons they encountered. The rogue Agents fought hard to protect the rebel strongholds, but they were overmatched. Most evacuation attempts were shut down by the Imperial blockade. Only a few dozen Blood Gorgons and a thousand rogue Agents of Liberty escaped. The rest were wiped out. Chapter Organisation The Graven Soul are semi-Codex compliant Chapter that utilises their own unique form of organisation, ranks and formations. The Chapter often refer to their companies as "families", each of which is slightly smaller than what the [[:w:c:warhammer40k:Codex Astartes|''Codex Astartes'']] dictates. Each family maintains a large stock of vehicles, in particular transports and bikes, and every Battle-Brother is cross-trained in the operation of them all. The Chapter Master is the overall leader of the Graven Soul, and directly beneath him are his Chief Adviser and Headquarters Chief. The chain of command is followed by the Captains of the Families, who governs their Family with the help of a Lieutenant who is himself responsible for the equivalent of a demi-company. The Squads themselves are governed by their Sergeant. Each member's connection is ranked by the hierarchy of Sake sharing. Captains are at the top, and control various Senior Advisers. The Senior Advisers control their own campaigns. They have their own underlings, including other brothers, advisers, and support personnel. Like their fellow Astartes Chapters, the Graven Soul also maintain a Librarius of potent psykers who are highly talented and trained to master the power of the Warp at the highest levels, though they refer to these warriors as "Doomseers". Doomseers act as advisers to the Chapter's leaders as well as being powerful psykers. Doomseers are able to command the very elements; their foes are battered to ruin by mighty winds or beset by forked lightning from the storm-wracked skies. Graven Soul Captains are fiercely independent, and it is incredibly rare for the Chapter to fight as a whole. Individual families are completely autonomous and are quick to lend their aid to Imperial commanders across the galaxy, with or without the sanction of their Chapter Master. Such behaviour has led some in the other Space Marine Chapters to question the Graven Soul's soundness as a military force, but most recognize that such fluidity of command only proves the presence of the Chapter's formidable discipline, not its absence. ===Officer Ranks=== Chapter Master Lord - Captain equivalent. Lieutenant ===Specialist Ranks=== Chief Adviser - Chief Librarian equivalent. Doomseers - Librarians, These psyker-warriors have deeply-ingrained mystical traditions identical to those of the gangs shamans and holy men. The Graven Flame Seers are believed to see the darkest path of all possible futures leading their brothers down dark paths and to find ways around the dark ends. Headquarters Chief ===Line Ranks=== Veteran Sergeant Sergeant Battle-Brother Scout Marine Neophytes ===Squad Formations=== Fu (風) - "Move as swift as the Wind" (Close Support Squads) Rin (林) - "Stay as silent as a Forest" (Scout Squads) Ka (火) - "Attack as fierce as Fire" (Battleline Squads) Zan (山) - "Be immovable like a mountain" (Fire Support Squads) Kaze (風) - "Wind" (Pilots) Chapter Recruitment The Graven Soul draw their recruits from best warriors amongst the Notorious Clan-gangs of Odokuro, many of whom are engaged in fierce internecine blood feuds that date back countless generations. While psycho-conditioning during the gene-seed implantation process could be used to wipe such feuds from the Neophyte's mind, to do so would risk diluting much of what makes him a desirable candidate in the first place. In order to overcome the feuding, the Graven Soul ensure that Battle-Brothers from the same gang serve in different squads, making each unit a product of many different gangs. Intermingled in such a manner, old feuds become largely irrelevant, and without squad mates from the same gangs to reinforce an ancient grudge, such matters are quickly forgotten. Chapter Beliefs Callous and brutal though they are, the Graven Soul are not without pride, and the trappings and titles of aristocracy and dominion formed a key part of their identity, and rivalry, often violent. The gang traditions of Odokuro were carried over to every aspect of their Chapter. There were few amongst their ranks who did not bear some form of title, and the craftsmanship with which they embellished their weapons and armour was remarkable. Every Member of the Graven Soul traditionally take a blood oath of allegiance, and a member who breaks the code must show penance—historically through a ritual in which they cut off his own little finger with a sword and presents it to his leader. The cutting off of one's finger, is a form of penance or apology. Upon a first offense, the transgressor must cut off the tip of his left little finger and give the severed portion to his sergeant. Sometimes an sergeant may do this in penance to the leader if he wants to spare a member of his own squad from further retaliation. So strong is their discipline and loyalty to their leader that his word of judgement is invariably final. The nature of that judgement depends on circumstances, and may result in one or both brethren being punished in some way or, in the most extreme of cases, ordered to fight one another in ritual combat to settle the matter once and for all. Despite the teachings of the leaders and Doomseers regarding the unity of all Graven Soul, it is not unheard of for existing gang feuds to flare up between fellow squad members. The Astartes of the Graven Soul get tattoos are "hand-poked", that is, the ink is inserted beneath the skin using non-electrical, hand-made and handheld tools with needles of sharpened bamboo or steel to show their allegiance with their various squads and companies. Through these tattoos one can trace the lineage of a particular marine and how they were train and more importantly who their loyalties are too. Permanent resin-based dyes have been added to prominent figures, producing hybrid scars and tattoo forms. Vivid results have been noted, yet their chemical composition is not yet fully understood by Imperial savants. The leader-subordinate relationship is formalized by ceremonial sharing of sake from a single cup. This ritual is not exclusive to the Graven Flame but is a part of sworn brotherhood relationships the Graven Soul Astartes form. The Chapter believes that as long as the spiritual powers of ancestors and spirits of the elements heed the call of the Doomseers, the Graven Soul will never falter on the field of battle. All Graven Soul bear the long, ritual scar that is called an Honour Scar and is the mark they receive when they are fully accepted into the Chapter as Neophytes. Graven Soul members are also very superstitious, every Astartes has the ability to see omens and portents but only the Doomseers are able to correctly guide their brothers down the paths the omens foretell. According to Graven Soul Doomseers, spirit-like entities reside in all things. Such spirits possessed emotions and personalities. If the spirit were peaceful it will bring good fortune—such as bountiful harvests. Violent spirits bring ill fortune—including illness and natural disasters. One's ancestors and particularly-respected departed elders accrue status as protective gods and receiving worship. Animals, objects and natural features or phenomena were also venerated as peaceful or violent spirits depending on the area. The Doomseers either convert the spirits into peaceful spirits for their brothers or command the violent ones against their enemies. The ritual for converting violent spirit into a peaceful spirit is called the Calming. Calming rituals are performed to quell maleficent spirits, prevent misfortune and alleviate fear from events and circumstances that could not otherwise be explained. Peaceful Spirits that failed to achieve deification due to lack of sufficient veneration, or who lost their divinity following attrition of worshipers, became Demons in the service of Chaos. Combat Doctrine The Graven Soul are masters of stealth, able to infiltrate a position quickly and silently. These arts appear to be innate to the Chapter, and are used most often during the games the Graven Soul use to drive their prey into paroxysms of terror. Once they have prepared themselves and found places to launch an assault that meets their standards, the Graven Soul are capable of sudden, shockingly brutal ambushes or unconventional attacks intended to thin the enemy's ranks or simply sow chaos among the foe. Despite their Astartes-enhanced physiology and their cumbersome armour, they are taught to move with silence and invisibility. Each Graven Soul warrior moves silently in his own way, and it is each warrior's understanding of the empty spaces between sounds that allows them to occupy them. One such tactic designed to enhance fear that has been observed to be used by the Graven Soul is when they unleash a fifteen second-long vox-augmented scream that ruptures any unprotected eardrums in the vicinity. Once their victims are hunched over in agony, stunned and deaf, the Graven Soul unleash their wrath. Speed and strategic maneuverability are the cardinal virtues of their campaigns, and flexibility and the ability to adapt to circumstances swiftly are the hallmarks of their finest strategists. They meet brute force with emptiness, flowing around the foe to strike at his weakest points before falling back to strike again. Some see them as unreliable, for they are wont to avoid battle save on ground of their own choosing, but time and time again they have been disregarded and ignored only for their foes and allies alike to find them suddenly present at the heart of the battle, ready to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, always laughing as they kill. The Families strive for the honour of being declared "First" in the attack, competing in every manner to lead the assault. The families keep tally of each battle in which they have been declared "First," for the Battle-Brothers know that their deeds will be recounted for all time and their names never forgotten. To be "First" is such an honour that all gang feuds are forgotten, the bonds of Astartes brotherhood far stronger than those of mortal gangs. Because each of the Chapter's families tended to operate independently, most of the Graven Soul's vehicles are held at the company level, squadrons operating in direct support of the family's squads. The Graven Soul are veterans of countless campaigns of terror and conquest. Each member of the Chapter is highly trained and proficient in the use of terror tactics, psychological warfare, and lightning raids and ambushes intended to leave their opponents completely demoralized and easy targets for the Chapter. The combat doctrines of the Graven Soul Chapter have been honed throughout the millennia of battle and bloodshed, but they still reflect those of the original warrior-gangs of their planet. Though wild and savage, the warrior-gangers of the Odokuro hives are highly intelligent tacticians and masters of field craft. Each Battle-Brother draws on the savagery of the underhives not as a mindless berserker, but as a finely-crafted hunting spear delivered with the focused precision of a master predator. They specialize in hitting their enemy with a peerless impact and frightening speed, but they are never reckless. Time spent on preparations is vital to their strategy, as they reconnoiter each target in depth and formulate detailed plans and contingencies, coordinating their strike to ensure that maximum damage is done. Their modus operandi consists of lightning-fast hit-and-run attacks conducted by highly mobile forces, destroying the enemy piece by piece and never allowing the enemy to force a decisive or static engagement. Striking when possible from the darkness of dusk or dawn, the Graven Soul assault the enemy where they were weakest, rampaging through rear zones in order to sever lines of communication, and resupply and isolate individual concentrations of enemy troops. Often times jump assault troops are kept in reserve and then sent into action against the weakest points of the enemy line. This concept of preying on the vulnerable has led the Graven Soul assault troops to become vicious hunters who can strike anywhere, at any time. The Graven Soul Assault Troops have a tendency to modify their armour to give themselves a more terrifying appearance, mimicking the appearance of a vicious bird of prey or a swooping daemon. Graven Soul decorate their Power Armour with images designed to inspire fear in the enemy, a tactic that proves incredibly effective. Rumours of the impending presence of the Graven Soul would cause a rebel star system to pay all outstanding Imperial tithes, cease all illegal activities and put to death any mutants and suspected Traitors. One and all wear decorated masks of horrid monsters like the Ogre, the wraith, and more. The Graven Soul also uses a high number of Doomseers who actually lead when and where they strike for the greatest psychological effect. They are now known for ruthless execution of high speed targeted attacks for greatest psychological effect. Chapter Gene-Seed It is unknown which Primarch's gene-seed was utilised in the creation of the Graven Soul. Their gene-seed seems relatively untainted, if subject to some long-term degradation. The Graven's gene-seed has obviously suffered some mutations from the original source that was given to them millennia earlier. Though the source of the Graven Soul's own gene-seed remains suppressed, nobody knows exactly which Primarch's gene-seed was utilised in the creation of the Graven Soul, as their gene-seed doesn't contain any specific genetic markers. However, the real legacy of their gene seed might be psychological, as there was a tendency for paranoia and self-destructive behavior displayed by many within the Graven Soul. They thrive in the use of psychological warfare and fear tactics. The Graven Soul Seers are believed to see the darkest path of all possible futures, a terrible curse. Graven Soul Astartes are as intensely loyal as any of the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes and do not take their duty lightly nor the oaths they take to the Emperor. Regardless, however, they retain a fatalism which can cling to them even in their most triumphant moments. Unlike the stubborn adherence to duty that other Chapters might possess, which would see a Battle-Brother fight on until claimed by death, the Graven Soul have instead a grim determination to do their duty. This is not so much a desire to die as it is an acceptance that death is the only end to the path a Space Marine treads, and everything he does is another step along that path and one closer to his eventual demise. The Graven Soul all can see in absolute darkness, with a clarity that is above and beyond even the ability of normal Space Marine ocular implants and have haunting black-within-black eyes. They also possess an innate "preysight"; the ability to see in the infrared spectrum to detect heat signatures. Finally, a Graven Soul Astartes can all have a gravelly voice that is barely a whisper on the shadows to be heard. Their voice sends chills onto those that hear it that are not of their blood, raising primal fears. It is unknown where the controlled savagery of the Graven Soul came originally from but whatever the cause, there is a ferocity within their hearts and their blood that grants them great power, but which also threatens to consume all that they are and damn them. All Graven Soul are watchful for this necessary yet insidious savagery, and it is only with great discipline, humble introspection and often the watchfulness of their Battle-Brothers that they can hope to master themselves. Primarch's Curse: Nightmare Determination When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in three stages: Stage 1 - The Shadow of Death: The Battle-Brother starts to see death in everything. He becomes distant and makes little effort to forge alliances with new squad members, knowing they will soon be in the grave. He becomes more dismissive of death and the praising of the dead, seeing little glory in their sacrifice, only the inevitable end to their duty and another corpse to feed the gods of war. This attitude can grate on those around the Battle-Brother and he suffers with his fellowship when dealing with other soldiers or members of the Adeptus Astartes. Sullen and withdrawn, the urge to inflict terror of death upon their victims grows with each passing hour. Stage 2 - The Bad Beneath the Good: The Battle-Brother cannot help but reflect on the worst side of a new development and will endeavour to find the worst aspect of even the most favourable of circumstances. Quite apart from causing friction within his squad, the drawing of focus onto potential problems and unforeseen dangers (regardless of the actual likelihood they will impact on the squad's mission) can cause compromises in command and less than direct tactical judgments. They are cruel, ruthless, and opportunistic, frequently striking at vulnerable targets and toying with their unfortunate victims. Stage 3 - Game Over: Death is inevitable and the Battle-Brother is already a walking corpse just waiting for the moment when an enemy's blade or bullet ends him. Filled with visions of his own demise, the Battle-Brother begins to act recklessly, accepting that it is his time and there is nothing he can do to prevent it coming. This will not only place him in danger but can endanger his entire squad. The Battle-Brother does not contribute to the squad's cohesion as he fails to adequately aid them in battle. In addition, he tends not to gain the benefit of hiding behind cover, as even when behind barricades and walls he exposes himself to fire with little mind to remaining concealed. These Astartes live only for the thrill of inflicting terror upon their unfortunate victims, the overwhelming desire for the infliction of pain and suffering, trying to share their vision of the end. Chapter Fleet The Chapter fleet of the Graven Souls is not particularly large or notable except that it features in general Improved Stealth Systems and Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) that either mask your presence in auspices or alter your coordinates. Further they make extensive use of Boarding pods and Electronic disabling weaponry. Chapter Relics Alt Schmied Jäger: A long Double-bladed Cavalry Power Sword, comprised of two large waved blades joined by a common hilt with an extending holder. Parrying with such a sword may transmit unpleasant vibrations into the attacker's blade. These vibrations caused the blades to slow contact with each other because each wave provided additional friction. The unusual cross section of the blade would inflict wider wounds with a thrust while still keeping the blade light. Nōryoku Ken: Despite attempts at nondestructive analysis of the sword’s composition, including variations of X-ray fluorescence, Magos of the Cult Mechanicus has yet to make any significant progress toward identifying the material in question. As its stands, it is known only that the sword is forged of a non-terrestrial metallic element held in tight suspension by Psionic energy that it itself contained by forces unknown. All accounts, this weapon is a prize for both the warrior and the scholar alike. Deathwatch Service To be chosen by Graven Soul Doomseers to serve in the Deathwatch is a great honour for any Brother, as only the most elite and experienced members of a Graven Soul are ever chosen for this extremely hazardous tour of duty, the specifics of which must be kept secret by Inquisitorial order. Chapter Appearance The 'family' crests are adopted from the Clan-gangs of their homeworld. Every brother of the Graven Souls knows it is important to trace back one's heritage, and does so by honoring them by displaying their crest on their armor. When a Brother Marine becomes a Sergeant, he is allowed to display his "family's" crest on his back banner when in charge of a squad. If a Brother Sergeant becomes a Brother Captain, his crest becomes the company crest and is displayed on the company standard.

There was no noise from the raider's party as the sounds of Imperial artillery fire whistled overhead of the warehouse, the survivors of the failed assault had grouped together at the rendezvous point, it was a pre prepared position that had been kept secure thanks in part to its obscure location as well as relative ease to defend plus its viability as a potential staging area. It was an old warehouse stationed on the edge of a river with a roof that had mechanical systems in place so that it could open itself up for transports to carry goods and materials across the city, the interior of the warehouse was filled with empty metal containers many of which still held an assortment of supplies and materials that the defenders could use to better hold this position The planet was a civilized world, a planet that was in the process of being converted into a hive world due to its growing population but became the interest of the Dark Eldar's Kabal for its viability as a rich source of human slaves in contrast to its average strength PDF. A substantial amount of support for the raid had been garnered by the Archon to undertake this raid including a detachment of the slave force line infantry an initiative started up by the concept of a unit capable of fighting a war of attrition with minimal loss of Eldar life. Acting on this information the Archon of the Dark Eldar's Kabal conducting the raid on this planet had expended the slaves with little more than an after-thought using them to take the brunt of the PDFs attention while the actual Drukhari raiding party attempted to destroy key military positions. However the commander of this PDF had displayed above average intelligence in terms of precognition in this assault and had fortified vital areas of his defense forcing the Kabal to fight in a protracted engagement the sounds of which can still be heard in the distance. Gathering together in the warehouse were both veterans and raw recruits of the raid including actual Drukhari that had volunteered to be part of the raid squads. The Drukhari drillmasters and beast tamers had managed to broaden their spectrum of recruits and have picked only the finest of individuals to become cannon fodder for their armies. The sounds of battle could still be heard in the distance and the mood inside the warehouse was grim, a breakaway force of troops had retreated from the conflict to consolidate here in an abandoned storage building by the river running through the city. The warehouse was situated next to a bridge that forded the river of which additional troops were streaming through but it was unclear if even these would be enough to turn the tide of battle. Inside the warehouse the consolidating forces were arranging metal containers to fortify their position and were taking stock of their available equipment and vehicles but the command structure responsible for maintaining discipline was stretched thin. All the troops gathered in the warehouse were of a typical raider fare. Some were mercenaries and other might be slaves. All of which were having their own ideas on what to do next now that they have consolidated. The raid had made short work of the established defenses of the PDF but the resolve of the Imperial defenders had been more resolute than previously anticipated and had managed to recover from the initial attack with remarkable speed. The mere fact that the PDF had artillery support plus a solid defensive line around the planetary governors palace and even have forces left over to engage the raiders proved that there was some element within the local forces that was far more competent than the average PDF commanders capabilities. A number of squads were leaving the warehouse striking out on their own after the failed assault to follow their own agendas and scattering across the planetary capital, no bid was made to stop them as those that stayed rallied around a central mustering point readying for a counterattack. Those that left were an assortment of individuals, some were deserting the field of battle, others were keen to start looting the area for personal profit and some of the more predatory like the Dark Eldar themselves were setting off to start preying on the citizenry forsaking their charges. Those that stayed had their hands full maintaining discipline but would be setting off to rejoin the battle soon but in the process would likely become more fodder sent to further whittle down the numbers of the PDF. Towards the south was the battlefield that the raiders had just left, a significant Imperial force was engaging other raiders and were seeking to break through to reach the cities military quarter to the north. Although the battle was being held in place for the time being by the remaining Kabal forces still fighting should the Imperial forces break through they could join up with PDF forces in the military quarter and pose a serious threat to Kabal operations. Beyond the battlefield was the Planetary governors palace a stronghold built to withstand air assault and very possibly crawling with the governor's most loyal troops, the Drukhari had wished to not attack this location for now. To the north there was the cities military quarter and the location of the planets tithing station, shortly after the raid started a force of the Kabal had struck at this zone in particular wiping out communications and senior leadership in the area leaving the PDF in disarray and unable to support other elements of defense in the city. Although details of what happened after this initial attack is unclear to the Band of Exiles it is certain that the bulk of the Kabal forces are yet still engaging military targets here to contain the still considerable number of PDF troopers. Deep in the militarized zone stands the tithing station itself which is in fact a space elevator stretching up into the planet exosphere to an orbital harbor, the primary route for planetary tithes to be dispatched off world. Back towards the east across the bridge was the residential district, a large sprawling area which took up the majority of its side of the river and before the raid started was in the process of being converted into a series of hab blocks to replace the smaller civilized world apartment buildings. The Kabal is presently rounding up captives from this location in particular to be transported back to Commoragh and effectively have this part of the city under their control, but issues are arising from confrontations with the planets feral Ork population that had been attracted to the fighting in ever greater numbers. A few pockets of PDF also still yet fight in this area and the local preachers of the Adeptus Ministorum are actively encouraging the Imperial citizenry to take up arms against the Kabal. Towards the west was the cities industrial district a location that had collapsed into anarchy as soon as the attack started, when the communications were shut down the gangers here took matters into their own hands developing into several significant factions that just as readily fight each other as well as any Kabalite or associate forces of the Kabal. In amongst the carnage are also several smaller initiatives started by the Adeptus Mechanicus seeking to protect the machinery of the manufactorums, although poorly equipped to handle combat scenarios they manage to hold onto several critical industrial areas which they among themselves deem logical to defend. To add to the warzone developing in this district the feral Orks have also started to establish themselves here looting from the manufactorums and becoming stronger with each passing moment. Underneath the city was also a well developed network of foundations maintenance tunnels and sewers that had been built to accommodate the cities conversion to a hive city, these passageways stretch all across the city and have been filled with all manner of the basic machinery needed to manage the cities water, motive force and ground cable communications. However in a concerning development just after the raid started all underground communications were suddenly cut by an unknown force although Kabal exploratory forces report nothing but brightly lit empty tunnels. Malaskia Vileblade looked out over the confusion of another hellish battle-scape and sighed. It wasn't that the suffering of so many wasn't invigorating in its own way. She felt the thrill in her empty excuse for a soul. The delights of a real-space raid were as good as they ever were. But ... The Hekatrix sighed. She idly flicked the tail of her agoniser so that it tapped on the nearest wall, leaving a trail of coruscating energy. Malaskia Vileblade was not good with the finer emotions. She had no training in them and was likely to stab anyone that tried to explain them if she even recognized what they were talking about. But a few things were clear. Frank Draken was going to follow her about and try to protect her. Frank was honestly all right with that idea. He was not really equipped to do so in the hostile world of Commorraghan politics, and he was hopelessly loyal. And somehow the thought of him dying made her sad. It shouldn't have mattered, but Malaskia Vileblade knew that she felt sad when she thought about him dying. This made her angry, and if several of her would-be suitors had felt the ... dubious benefits? been the lucky recipients? of her attempts to make the feeling go away in a tide of hedonism, well, they hadn't complained and no-one had been killed. At least not permanently. Like that chap with the boomerang. Malaskia Vileblade couldn't remember his name just now, but he'd certainly been agile. But none of it had worked. Eventually, through some of her more dubious Pirate acquaintances, she's learned of some places they sometimes used as free ports - places to sell whatever they'd raided and get repairs while in realspace. Still not very safe. But, on a still more select few, there were occasional contacts from what the Humans called Rogue Traders. Those were a bit safer, because the Humans liked these people to have somewhere to go. He had been on this job forever. He was hired to find someone special, someone who had baggage, who could be convinced to work for the man who gave him this contract. He had the leverage but he hadn't been ready to go back to his employer. This job had benefits plus, he kinda liked her but, he could not stall any longer and she liked him enough that if he carefully chose his words and asked her to come with him, she would likely follow. Now was the time to get paid and maybe change his profession. He wondered if his employer would accept him as an official permanent hire...he would mention it, only if she was convinced to do the same.

A sudden burst of lighting erupts in the orbit of an unnamed planet in the Ishtar fringe of the Segmentum Ultima. The mighty prows of the Mechanicus Cruisers Bronze Expanse and Steel of Invention bursts out of the warp. Seconds later the rest of it's supporting fleet with the escorts in a spherical formation around the vulnerable transports burst out from the warp. An aging Archmagos of Mjorn would rise from his command chair his massive amount of bionics assisting the aging man along with a cane being held by what remains of his right arm. He addressees the bridge crew "We have arrived at the coordinates indicated by the rumors. If there is some truth to these words upon this lowly rock will be a vault of artifacts dating back to possibly even before the Dark age of technology and a map leading to an undamaged STC. By the Omnissiah's will we shall find this vault and crush anything that dares to stand our way on this most holy of quests!" He looks to one of the communications officers "Instruct the escorts to break formation and to begin mapping out the surface of the planet and instruct the transports to ready drop-ships to land on the surface and begin to send out survey teams." "Yes lord!" The communications officer salutes and instructs the vox operators to send the orders to the ships. The transports of the fleet each ready a Devourer dropship for landing equipping them with long range scanning equipment and loading building supplies into them so permanent outposts can be made after the initial landing. The majority of their passengers are aspiring Tech priests that volunteered to take part in the expedition though some Skitarii Rangers and battle servitors are also being sent down to protect the outposts and the would be explorers during their expeditions into the alien wilds. The inquisitorial representative and his routine are also being sent down at their own request. The personnel being sent down have been assembled in the main bay of the transport for a quick briefing before launch. The ship's captain would walk up to a raised platform in front of the assembled passengers. "Your dropship has been assigned to land near a large purple gash in the north west side of the planet. Orbital imaging has suggested this is some kind of sea though the reason to it's strange coloration is currently unknown." An image would be brought up on a large screen that was moved there for the briefing. "To be precise the landing point will be here in the large plain that separates this sea from the planet's North Pole. Our main objective will be to track down the whereabouts of the vault containing the artifacts through any means necessary. If studying either the North Pole or the sea could lead to finding the vault you may do so and remember any and all Xenos must be catalogued but you have full authorization to exterminate anything if they pose a threat to the operation. Are there any questions before you are sent off?" "Initial scans and orbital imaging have found several signs of large flora and fauna but have found no signs of advanced civilization either they are underground or life on this planet hasn't evolved to that point. As always caution is advised even the most simple of creatures can kill a man and if scans are correct this planet is in no short supply of beasts. Are there any other questions?" The Inquisitor revealed his presence among the mass of Mechanicus acolytes having transferred over for this briefing. He quickly asked a questions about the survey teams and how they plan to be transported around when landed. The captain was somewhat startled by the inquisitor revealing himself. He had been told the inquisitor would be sent down from his ship but he had net seen him until now. "Ye.. Yes lord the survey teams will be sent out upon landing and be given a modified Taurus that has had the weapon and ammo stores replaced with seats for passengers. The fleet will be on stand by and continually scan the planet and anything with in it's orbit like it's two moons." A communications officer would walk up to the Captain and whisper something to him and run back to the bridge. "Very well I have just been informed that you must be sent down immediately. Please proceed to the boarding ramps leading to the top floor of the dropship the servitors will be loaded into the vehicle bay." With that the rows of assorted soldiers and tech priests move into the dropship which filled relatively quickly do to it being mostly filled with building materials and supplies rather than troops like it would normally be under other circumstances. Maneuvering thrusters lift the ship up and out of the bay and past an enormous air lock and into the void through the few view ports the planet took up the entirety of the view. The intercom would spark to life "Prepare for atmospheric entry." The safety bars on the seats and the mag locks in the cargo bay would activate holding everything and everyone down. The view ports were quickly covered by a protective blast panel that came down from above it. From the outside it looked as if the ship was spewing flames from it's fins as the shear force of friction blackened the belly of the ship. The planet's atmosphere was thicker than expected this made maneuvering difficult for the lumbering ship as it seemingly plummeted towards the ground. Until the pilots activated it's thrusters slowing it down almost immediately if it weren't for the safety bars every single passenger would have been thrown from their seats. Using their new means of control the pilots steered the beast of a dropship towards where the plains meet the purple sea. With a final blast from their forward facing maneuvering thrusters they where able to stop their forward momentum and ease the ship into a large clearing now devoid of wild life as they were scared off due to the amount of noise coming from the ship. With the push of a button the landing gear unfold from their shielded compartments and touch the alien red soil. Once it was confirmed the landing gear had made contact the pilots cut the engines and released the shaft bars and mag locks. The intercom sparked up again "Landing successful you may get up and walk around, once comfortable head outside and group up with your assigned survey team or guard patrol. Before anyone asks yes the air is breathable readings show the atmosphere actually has a high oxygen percentage and gravity is slightly lower than Terran gravity but it is not really noticeable unless your bionics are overly sensitive. Good hunting and Omnissiah watch over you." The crimson courier shuttle touched down in the immediate proximity of the makeshift landing field springing up almost organically around the dropships. The loading ramp descended with a muted hiss of hydraulics. A quartet of crimson robed Tech Guard marched down the ramp fist. Their brass skull masks denoting them as Martian Protectors, the noble Forge Guards of Mars. They swiftly proved the area secure to a satisfactory standard. The whirring of servos heralded the descent of their illustrious charge. A Magos-Errant scuttled down the ramp on his brass-gilded stilt legs like a predatory arachnid. His optics scanned the noosphere in the area and locked on the to the signatures of the rest of the team. They were already boarding transports, to his immediate displeasure. [Command: Follow] The Magos-Errant spat in a hasty binaric burst. His guards followed their impatient master in earnest, barely managing to keep up with his fevered pace. The salamander transports were already starting up, their combustion engines revving up to speed. All were full save the last transport in line, which had but one occupant. The fact that he would have to share a transport with a servant did not improve his mood. None the less, he scuttled inside and found a place to secure himself. He activated the mag-locks in his stilt-legs to secure him to the transport deck plates. The Magos-Errant paid no mind, as it was barely above a servitor in sentience as it was. Instead he reached out through the noosphere to his intended contact. Opening a heavily encrypted channel, he extended a greeting to the Magos-Explorator. [Acknowledgement: Greetings my Lady Magos. I am the Magos-Errant of this expedition. You no doubt received the data package from my superiors, and as such know why I am here. My Masters hold the Archmagos in high regard. He has done much to further our cause. Let us hope you live up to his expectations] His cant was formal, but with an undercurrent of expected skepticism. Wright was untested. She no doubt understood that the Magos-Errant was as much a useful asset, as he was insurance. Much hinged on their success. The leaders of the Xenarite Cults expected much from this expedition, if their sources were indeed correct about the supposed Vault. The presence of the Inquisition complicated this however. No doubt they were aware of the Magos-Errant' presence. The Ordo Machinum were ever vigilant in that regard. No matter. They had no evidence to doubt his loyalties, but there would be suspicions. There always were. If Adam Clarke or any of his Inquisitorial lackeys obstructed his objectives, they would be removed . . .

The Ishtar Rangers are the highly trained Astra Militarum Regiments that hail from the Imperial pleasure wold of Ishtar, located in the Ishtar Sub-Sector in the Segmentum Ultima. These Guardsmen serve as Scouts and Snipers for the Imperium. Raised in the forests of Ishtar, hunting and scouting the way of life. Background Their origin from legitimate hunter/anti-poacher forces patrolling giant noble forest estates made ideal recruits. Skilled in woodcraft, hunting and marksmanship, self-reliant, but obedient to authority, extremely mobile, especially in forested terrain, the Ishtar Rangers are some of the best scouts on foot around. The regiments are skilled at surviving in the wilderness, and its soldiers are masters of operating in forests. Hunters and trackers almost without peer, there are few who can escape their pursuit. Utilising the long las or sniper rifle, the soldiers of these regiments hone their abilities to strike at range, preferably neutralising their targets without ever revealing their own presence. These Guardsmen are light infantry units trained in covert warfare tactics and deployed against the Imperium's enemies as infiltrators, assassins, and saboteurs. Stealthy and dangerous, these soldiers spend much of their time well behind enemy lines carrying out clandestine, top-secret missions behind enemy lines or even on worlds entirely held by foes. They tend to show more initiative and creative thinking in the field than the average Guardsman. Indeed, it is this ability to think on their feet and adapt to quickly changing tactical situations that keeps them alive and allows them to carry out their dangerous missions successfully. Experts at asymmetric warfare, their missions typically include killing or capturing enemy leaders, interrogation, and deep infiltration strikes against enemy installations and infrastructure. The commanders of these regiments are often quiet and contemplative, men of few words. When one of them does speak, it is with great and solemn purpose, to give commands that have been considered in exacting detail. The Commanders of Ishtar Rangers do not command loyalty through rhetoric or heroics, but through quiet competence, and their men have learned to trust in the skill commanders show and rely on the chain of command. Regimental Recruitment & Training Soldiers endure the great mental and psychological stresses and physical fatigue of combat; to create and cultivate such a physical and mental environment. The training primarily comprises field craft instruction; students plan and execute daily patrolling, perform reconnaissance, ambushes, and raids against dispersed targets, followed by stealthy movement to a new patrol base to plan the next mission. Receive instruction on military mobility training, as well as techniques for employing a platoon for continuous combat patrol operations in a mountainous environment". The stamina and commitment of the Ishtar Ranger is stressed to the maximum. At any time, he or she may be selected to lead tired, hungry, physically expended Ishtar Rangers to accomplish yet another combat patrol mission. The Ishtar Ranger continues learning how to sustain themselves and their subordinates in the Forests. The rugged terrain, severe weather, hunger, mental and physical fatigue, and the psychological stress the Ishtar Rangers encounters allow the leaders to measure their capabilities and limitations and those of their fellow Ishtar Rangers. Regimental Combat Doctrine Rangers are full-time soldiers employed by nobles to patrol between fixed border fortifications in reconnaissance providing early warning of raids. During offensive operations, they act as scouts and guides, locating villages and other targets for task forces drawn from the militia or other troops. Rangers often perform Fire-fighting and Law Enforcement duties as well. Further their doctrine reflects these duties when in the field, often deployed to aid in policing civilians on the battlefield. When in combat they prefer to remain unseen and act from a distance.