The Darkest Sins

[Brother Argent]

Okay so here is the start of my new (hopefully) ongoing story featurning my new DIY Chapter, the Exculpators. I'm currently struggling to exactly get down the character of these guys in my IA draft so I figured why not get int otheir heads with a bit of fiction so, here it is: The Darkest Sins ( Working title)

 

Please comment too as I'm a real procrastinator unless I feel someone is onto my case about it...

 

Chapter I - City of the Dead

 

Sakkara, City of the Dead. It stretched like a vast sprawling corpse from the banks of the Nikara River to deep into the Qa’ab Desert. Thousands upon thousands of buildings, the houses for the dead, lined the streets in a parody of any living city. Upon first look a stranger could be forgiven for thinking the city was indeed one of the living. But soon the deathly silence would reveal the cities true nature, for there were no cries of street vendors here, no roar of blacksmith bellows or the general chatter of the living. Only the mournful howl of the desert winds signing its lonely dirge and the occasional shrill call of the carrion birds overhead. And at the heart of this ancient necropolis, watching over all those whom had passed into the afterlife to serve at the Emperor’s side, stood a massive structure. Part tomb, part temple and part fortress the structure towered over the tombs that surrounded it. White washed walls gleamed brightly in the desert sun and black banners fluttered in the hot winds. Silent and motionless gun turrets stood to attention on the ancient structures walls, watching the cloudless sky above or facing towards the winding streets below. Mighty doors barred entrance to the building and above this massive edifice an Imperial Aquilla stood carved, a single talon on either side of the door. Only the truly worthy would ever enter this fortress in surrounded by the dead, for this was the Fortress Monastery of a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. The finest warriors of the God-Emperor’s Imperium. Built in his own image and armed and armoured with the most advanced and best equipment mankind had to offer. Trained and tempered into weapons of the finest quality these super human warriors were mankind’s first and last line of defence against the Xeno, the Traitor and the Heretic. They were the Space Marines, the Angels of Death, and they knew no fear. And here, lost amongst the desert sands and countless tombs stood one brotherhood, one Chapter of these warriors. They were known as the Exculpators, the removers of sin, and they were preparing for war.

 

Aodren Tanithel, Hero of Avonis, Redeemer of Kaln V and, amongst other things, Chapter Master of the Exculpators, stood looking out the thick shielded window over the vast necropolis below. His blue eyes weary as he looked out unseeing into the desert, his mind and thoughts somewhere else entirely. Scars crisscrossed his aged face and, were he to have any hair left, it would have been a silvery grey. The years had taken a toll on this proud warrior, a Champion of the Astartes. Still his sword was quick, his aim deadly and his mind still as sharp and shrewd as the day he first took up the mantle of Chapter Master those long years ago. And it needed to be. Although a Space Marine Chapter was one of the most powerful forces in the Imperium it was still, by itself, little against the myriad foes of mankind, both inside and outside the Imperium. As such to be one of those few mighty individuals given control over such a force, one needed to posses all the cunning and guile one could. Like any true weapon a Chapter was only truly useful when guided and wielded with skill and precision.

 

This hiss on his Chamber door sliding open brought Aodren from his thoughts. He turned to face his guest whom bowed politely to him.

“ You sent for me, Chapter Master?” his guest asked. Aodren glanced down at the simple white clothes the marine wore and noticed the sweat beading on his dark brown skin.

“ I did not mean to interrupt your training, Ykar.” Aodren stated evenly, stepping away from the window.

“ It is no matter, Master. My brothers can train without my supervision.” Ykar moved little except for his eyes, following Aodren’s movements. The Chapter Master walked over to his desk where he slid a data slate over towards Ykar. When Ykar didn’t move from his spot by the door Aodren motioned him forward, nodding at the data slate. Ykar retrieved the offered dataslate and then slowly begun to scan it. At first his eyes narrowed in suspicion then his eyes widened as he sat the data slate down. He raised his eyes to meet those of Aodren.

“ Is this true?” he asked, motioning towards the offending data.

“ It could be.” Aodren replied calmly.

“ Then we must act.”

“ Aye, we must.” The room was quiet for a few seconds before Ykar straightened to his full height.

“ Master, the Third Company stand ready at your command.” He said in his deep voice.

“ Good, tell them to make ready. You shall depart as soon as possibly.” Aodren leaned against his desk. Ykar nodded gravely and placed a hand against his chest.

“ Duty till death, Master.” He said sombrely.

“ Salvation through sacrifice.” Chapter Master Aodren finished the ritual. Ykar bowed and left the room to marshal his Company. Aodren stood looking at the down at the dataslate a while longer.

“ Salvation indeed…” he muttered quietly to himself, before turning back to the window.

[Dragon Master]

pretty good need more to really get a feeling for this chapter.

I agree with you in that I to find it hard to get the true character of a custom chapter across in an IA article.

[Brother Argent]

Thanks for the read. You ask for more and more you shall get. Well, soon that is. I've just (finally) got rid of a damned virus off my computer and now I can get back to writing.

[Nacho Wolf]

This looks good, I always like stories about a DIY chapter

[astartes88]

keep it up mate

[Brother Argent]

I have decided to take a different angle with this story, turning it more int oa constant ongoing epicy thing (as I often do). Stay tuned for it when I eventually get started. This new story will focus on three or four recruits as they go from human to marine to legend missing a few boring bits between).